The Grand Hall of Abyss Academy was vast enough to fit a small city. Marble pillars twisted upward like spiraling dragons, glowing with faint runes. Thousands of new students filled the seats, buzzing with excitement and nervous whispers.
Kael slipped into the crowd quietly, taking a seat near the back. His expression was calm—almost bored—as he observed the overwhelming amount of mana flowing through the hall's structure.
So this is modern spell architecture… crude, but functional.
A sudden burst of light erupted at the front stage.
The Headmaster had arrived.
An elderly man with a long coat embroidered with cosmic symbols stood under a floating crest. Wisps of energy curled around him like galaxies.
"Welcome, new students," his voice echoed through the hall. "Today, we begin the Ceremony of Talents—an ancient tradition to reveal the potential each of you carries."
The hall grew silent.
In front of the stage, a massive monolith emerged from the floor—jet-black, covered in crimson markings. It pulsed like a beating heart.
Even Kael raised an eyebrow.
The Abyss Obelisk…? They're still using that artifact? I created that thing 12,000 years ago.
The Headmaster continued.
"Place your hand on the Obelisk, and it shall reveal your Arcane Crest—your symbol of power and your destiny."
Students lined up, one by one.
---
Lyra Hellevine's Crest
Lyra stepped forward. The hall whispered.
"The prodigy…"
"She'll get a Divine Crest for sure."
"Her mana is insane…"
She placed her hand on the Obelisk.
The monolith exploded with blinding blue light.
[Arcane Crest: Astraflare — Rank S]
The entire room erupted in cheers.
"As expected!"
"She's a once-in-a-century genius!"
Lyra stepped down gracefully, but her eyes flicked toward Kael at the back—almost instinctively.
---
Kael's Turn
Eventually, almost all students had gone. The hall grew quieter.
"Next: Kael Ardyn," the instructor called.
Kael sighed, stood up, and walked toward the stage. The students barely noticed him—just an ordinary boy with ordinary steps.
But the moment he approached the Obelisk—
The artifact trembled.
The runes flickered in panic.
The hall's protective barriers activated automatically.
"W–What's happening?!"
"Is the Obelisk malfunctioning?"
Lyra stood up in shock.
It's him again…! That pressure—there's no way I imagined it.
Kael placed his hand on the Obelisk casually.
Then—
—the monolith cracked.
A web of fractures spread across the structure. The lights turned pitch-black, devoured by an abyss-like force.
Mana surged like a tidal wave, slamming into the hall. Students were pushed backward, some falling from their seats.
The Headmaster's eyes widened in terror.
"This is… impossible."
The Obelisk screamed with ancient runes twisting violently.
And then—
BOOM.
The Obelisk shattered into a storm of black shards. From the debris, glowing symbols assembled themselves mid-air, forming a crest unlike anything anyone had ever seen.
A black star devoured by swirling void.
[Arcane Crest: Abyss Monarch — Rank ???]
The floating symbols flickered, and then produced a single word:
UNMEASURABLE
The room fell into complete silence.
Not awe.
Not confusion.
But absolute fear.
The Headmaster could barely speak. "A–A Crest that cannot be ranked…? That hasn't appeared since the Ancient Era…"
Lyra, eyes trembling, whispered:
"This boy… what are you…?"
Kael stared at the floating crest, expression unreadable.
"…I told them to tone down the reaction," he muttered quietly. "But I suppose ancient artifacts still remember me too well."
---
Whispers filled the hall.
"Is he a monster?"
"No… something worse."
"An unmeasurable crest—does that even exist?"
"Why didn't the Obelisk explode when I touched it…?"
Kael stepped down calmly, ignoring all stares.
For the first time in millennia, the world had been given a hint—
The Overlord had returned.