Chapter 2 – The Weight of the Name
"Out of my way, trash."
The shove was sharp, direct. Alex barely moved.
A boy with slicked-back navy blue hair, a white uniform trimmed with gold, and a short cape billowing behind him pushed his way to the front with confident steps. In his right hand, his pyramid glowed with an electric blue light.
"That's Reiji Kisaragi," whispered a student in the stands.
"From the Kisaragi house... isn't he the direct heir?"
"Of course. His grandfather was the first to defeat a Category 3 Shinjuu during the Northern War."
"And they say his pyramid was forged from that creature's remains..."
Reiji raised his hand arrogantly, looking at Professor Renkai.
"I request to be the first in the exam."
Renkai nodded without emotion.
"Granted."
Reiji turned slightly toward Alex, just enough so his voice would reach only him.
"I'll make sure you're up next, nucleus-less commoner. Then we'll see if this was a system glitch... or just a joke that you're even here."
Alex merely shrugged.
"I don't know how you figured that out. But if it makes you feel better."
Reiji stepped into the center of the field, where the ground glowed with summoning patterns. The pyramid in his hand began to spin, floating in front of him as he spoke a command that rumbled like thunder.
"Awaken—Raikoumaru!"
A surge of lightning burst from the ground, and from it emerged a massive wolf-shaped beast made of steel, covered in metal plates with glowing eyes. Electricity crackled between its fangs.
From the forest, the Shinjuu approached, screeching with a hollow voice that made bones vibrate. It was a creature of crystal and mist, twisted and erratic in its movements.
Reiji smiled.
"Let's see if this trash is even worthy of a pyramid."
The battle was fiercer than expected.
Raikoumaru charged with force, its lightning splitting the air and the ground. But the Shinjuu wasn't intimidated. It moved like liquid shadow, dodging with unnatural agility, releasing acidic mist that melted parts of the summoned armor.
Reiji stepped back two paces, gritting his teeth.
"Shut up and die already!"
With a shout, he activated the secondary core of his pyramid. Raikoumaru unleashed a massive discharge, striking the Shinjuu square in the chest. The entire field shook. The creature howled… and exploded into shards of smoke and crystal.
The field fell silent. Some students applauded.
"Well done, heir of Kisaragi."
"As expected from someone elite..."
Reiji turned, his cape dramatically billowing, ready to savor his recognition. His eyes searched for Alex—expecting admiration. Jealousy. Fear.
But instead, he found Alex… kneeling on the grass, staring at the ground.
"What the hell…?"
The tricolor-haired boy was intently watching a tiny lizard crawling nearby. When it lifted its head curiously, Alex tilted his.
"…Is it… dancing?"
The lizard gave a clumsy hop and wiggled its tail in odd circles. Alex smiled, fascinated.
"Ha… that was adorable."
Reiji clenched his fists.
Silence. Tension. Silent humiliation.
Reiji walked back without saying a word, the applause fading behind him. Each step echoed with bottled-up rage.
From the stands, the director watched it all. Her expression remained serene, but her eyes shimmered with a mix of amusement and calculation.
"Just as I thought," she murmured to herself. "No doubt—it's him."
The professor raised his voice, and the student murmurs ceased instantly.
"The test is individual. Each of you will be assigned a different area within the simulated field where you will face a Category 1 Shinjuu. Those who defeat it will keep their pyramid and be officially admitted to the Imperial Academy of Magic, Tenryuu. Those who fail… will be rescued by an instructor, but must surrender their pyramid and return home."
Silence fell like a stone slab.
"That's harsh…" muttered one student, swallowing hard.
"It's obvious. They can't leave magical weapons in the hands of failures…" replied another with disdain.
Alex crossed his arms, leaning against a tree trunk. He casually scanned the students' faces. Some buzzed with excitement, others full of arrogance—as if they'd already won. Some were sweating in fear… and one girl, in particular, caught his eye.
She walked slowly toward her assigned portal. Her uniform was a bit too big, the sleeves partially covering her hands. Her brown hair was tied into two loose pigtails that framed her face, and her large, trembling eyes avoided everyone's gaze.
"Tsk… here come the magic school clichés," thought Alex.
The girl stopped just before entering the field, clutching her pyramid tightly. She swallowed hard.
"She's probably terrified…"
Alex sighed.
"…So cute."
And without another word, he turned and walked toward his own portal, hands in his pockets, wearing an expression so bored it looked like he was just looking for the nearest bed to nap in.
"Let the show begin…" he muttered, disappearing into the simulated forest.