Later that evening...
After saying goodbye to the two girls, Zhang Wei continued his mission of completing the second requirement.
Since he had already started, he was determined to see it through.
Slash!
Whimper!
Hua!..ha!..
Breathing heavily, Zhang Wei pulled back his sword. In front of him lay a large wolf, almost identical to the one he had fought earlier. Its neck was split open, blood spilling from the wound and soaking the grass in dark red.
"It seems like I'm close to its pack."
He glanced around, spotting traces of droppings near the trees and faint footprints scattered across the ground. But Zhang Wei decided to stop here.
As for finding the rest of the pack and completing the mission immediately? He knew he wasn't strong enough to fight an entire group of beasts yet.
If he was surrounded, his life wouldn't be guaranteed.
Still, he had already done his best. Besides, the thought of finally learning magic once he got home filled him with excitement.
"Let's go back," he muttered.
A while later, several large wolves arrived at the scene, sniffing the blood and the air. Among them, a massive wolf with gleaming fangs and fierce, glowing eyes stepped forward. It inspected the corpse and raised its head with a chilling howl.
The howl echoed through the forest, sending small animals scurrying into hiding and birds flapping away in fright. The pack spread out, searching for the intruder, but Zhang Wei was already far from there.
If he had known about this, he would have been thankful for his earlier decision not to be arrogant or greedy. If he had stayed behind to hunt more, he would have been surrounded and torn apart—nothing more than food for the wolf pups.
But he didn't know that.
Zhang Wei walked the familiar path home. The setting sun painted the sky with shades of orange and pink, and his mind buzzed with everything that had happened—awakening his magic, meeting Elarae, and even the thrill of battle.
Thinking about it, he was surprised. Why don't I feel guilty about killing?
He raised his hands, still clean and fair, and clenched them tightly.
"My hands are stained with blood… but it's okay. They deserved to die. They were bad guys… right?"
Back home
"Where were you, Ethan?" his mother, Mira, asked with concern.
"I was practicing in the woods," he explained. He didn't want to talk about the events that had happened. Explaining would only cause trouble, and besides, if he mentioned Elarae, it might put her in danger.
Mira frowned. "There's a training field at home. Why do you always go outside? You know it's dangerous, right?" She already knew her son often slipped away to the forest, but tonight she couldn't help scolding him.
"Training outside feels more relaxing, and it improves me faster than indoors," Zhang Wei answered honestly. Even without the system, training in the open, with the chance of real danger, was far more effective… and exciting.
Mira sighed softly. "Well… just be careful."
Soon after, dinner was ready.
Sitting at the long table, Zhang Wei raised his head confidently, no longer afraid.
"Oh, it's our little bro, Ethan~," Jasper teased in a joking voice, but then paused when he noticed something different.
"Yeah, it's me," Zhang Wei replied calmly, smiling without hate in his eyes. He had no plans for petty revenge. After all, the best revenge was self-improvement.
"He's changed," Jasper thought. Ethan no longer reacted to his taunts like before, and instead of being fun, it was becoming boring.
Zhang Wei's gaze shifted and landed on the Fifth Madam, seated quietly at the corner. She laughed lightly, but there was no hatred on her face. His eyes grew thoughtful. Has she already let go of her grudge after what happened with her son? Or… is she just pretending?
Moments later, his father, Viscount Vale, entered, and the meal began. Surprisingly, the atmosphere was calmer than usual. With everyone busy with their own worries, no one bothered stirring conflict.
Is the temptation of a spot at Red Land Academy really this strong? Zhang Wei wondered.
Then suddenly—
Viscount Vale's deep voice broke the silence.
"The testers will arrive in seven days. They're from Crimson University, the academy that recently won the regional championship."
The dining hall grew strangely quiet after Viscount Vale's announcement.
Everyone was still processing the news about the Crimson University testers when Zhang Wei suddenly stood up.
"Father!" His voice rang out, firm yet slightly shaky.
The clinking of silverware stopped. Eyes turned toward him one by one. The Viscount's frown deepened, his sharp gaze pressing down on his son like an invisible weight.
"What's wrong with this child?" he thought.
"What is it, Ethan?" His tone was calm, but his firm presence made the entire room fall silent.
Snickers rose from the side of the table.
"What's this loser doing now?" Justin muttered under his breath, his lips curling into a smirk.
"Son?" Mira whispered while looking at him, confused.
Zhang Wei could feel everyone's eyes drilling into him—mockery from some, confusion from others, and curiosity from a few. His heartbeat pounded against his chest, his palms damp with sweat. In his past life, standing before a father figure had always made him falter. That same fear threatened to creep up again.
But this time, he clenched his fists beneath the table and forced himself to look straight ahead.
"I… I have awakened my magic!" he declared.
The words spilled out, shaky at first, but then grew firm.
The hall went dead silent.
Viscount Vale raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Awakened… your magic?" His deep voice carried a weight of disbelief.
"This guy…?" Jasper leaned forward, his smirk twitching. For a moment, even he seemed caught off guard. Then he chuckled softly. So what if he awakened? He'll still never surpass me.
Mira gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Son, is this true?!" Her voice trembled with excitement.
Zhang Wei didn't answer right away. Words, he thought, were not enough.
He slowly extended his right hand over the table. Everyone's eyes followed his movement, some filled with ridicule, others with faint interest.
He took a deep breath.
Calm down. Focus. Feel it.
For a moment, there was nothing. Just silence and still air. A few snickers echoed from the side of the table.
And then—
A faint stir.
The air around his palm began to tremble, like grass bending under a hidden breeze. A soft current brushed past the tablecloth, barely noticeable at first, yet enough to silence the mocking voices.
A swirl of air gathered above his hand, delicate and gentle, almost invisible. The dust on the table rose ever so slightly, circling in the flow. The current strengthened little by little, growing steadier, like a heartbeat finding its rhythm.
The whisper of wind turned into a small spiral. Strands of Mira's hair lifted softly, her eyes widening in awe.
Clockwise, the breeze spun—slow, steady, patient. It was not wild or violent, but calm, like the hand of nature itself had chosen to rest in his palm. Tiny fragments of dust, crumbs, and even a small pebble from his sleeve began to float, twinkling under the light like scattered stars in a miniature galaxy.
The gentle swirl gave off a strange beauty. Not overwhelming, not destructive—yet undeniably real.
"This… this is…" someone muttered under their breath.
"He really awakened," another whispered.
Shock rippled through the room. People leaned forward, their eyes wide, unable to dismiss what they were seeing.
Zhang Wei's lips curled into a faint smile.
This moment—this proof—was sweeter than any meal.
One of the best feelings in life was to silence every voice that doubted you.
he cheered inwardly.
Everyone told him he couldn't… and he did.
There was nothing wrong with being proud. If you always lived by what others said, you'd never live your own life.
Life was short. Better to live it for yourself.