Lorian tightened his grip around Shade of the Night, feeling its familiar weight in his hands. A weapon born from his own power, a blade that would carve his path forward.
But before that…
His stomach growled. Loudly.
"…First things first. Food."
He navigated through the bustling streets of the Royal Capital, his eyes scanning the numerous stalls lined up along the roads. The aroma of roasted meat, freshly baked bread, and exotic spices filled the air, making his mouth water.
One particular stall caught his attention. A vendor was frying something golden and crispy over a large pan, the sizzling sound almost hypnotic.
He approached. "Hey, what's that?"
The vendor, a burly man with a thick mustache, grinned. "You've never seen fried mana beast meat before, lad? It's the specialty here in the capital. Makes you stronger! Gives you energy! And most importantly, it's delicious."
Lorian narrowed his eyes. "Does it also give you debt? Because I have a feeling it's expensive."
The vendor chuckled. "A smart one, huh? Well, one piece is five silver coins."
Five silvers!? For one piece!?
Lorian almost choked.
"…Do you have a discount for first-time customers?"
The vendor laughed harder. "Kid, this ain't a charity."
Lorian sighed in defeat and handed over the money. The moment he took a bite, his annoyance vanished. The meat was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, bursting with flavors unlike anything he'd ever tasted before.
"Damn… This is unfairly good."
After finishing his meal, he resumed walking, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. Despite being home to the nobility he despised, he couldn't deny that Lunavar's capital was impressive. Grand buildings, towering spires, and an endless stream of people, all moving with a purpose.
But Lorian wasn't here to admire the scenery. He had a mission.
Lorian made his way through the crowded streets, his gaze fixed ahead. At the edge of the capital, a colossal bridge stretched over a vast river, leading to an island where the towering buildings of Syrus Academy dominated the horizon. The sight was almost surreal—the academy's grand spires piercing the sky, its massive gates standing like the threshold to another world.
As he stepped onto the bridge, the sheer number of carriages moving toward the island surprised him. Ornate and luxurious, most were drawn by mana-enhanced horses, their hooves glowing faintly against the cobblestone path. Nobles, merchants, and hopeful candidates all made their way to the academy, each carrying their own aspirations.
However, among all the carriages, one stood out.
It was breathtakingly extravagant—gilded edges, deep midnight-blue paint, and intricate silver embroidery tracing celestial patterns across its surface. But what caught everyone's attention was the crest emblazoned on its side—a crescent moon resting over a field of stars.
The symbol of House Lunavar. The ruling family of the kingdom.
The entire bridge seemed to still as the carriage passed. Conversations quieted, and heads turned, some in admiration, others in pure awe. Even the noble families present, who were used to luxury, showed expressions of reverence.
Lorian watched silently as the carriage glided past, escorted by knights clad in dark silver armor. Their presence alone exuded authority, their movements precise and disciplined. But what truly intrigued him was the overwhelming mana radiating from within the carriage—dense, refined, and unlike anything he had sensed before.
Who was inside?
The direct heir? A member of the royal council? Or…
His grip tightened around the hilt of Shade of the Night.
The ones who rule the kingdom. The ones who allow the nobility to trample over commoners.
He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to remain composed.
Not yet. First, I have to step into that academy.
With renewed determination, he continued forward. The entrance exam awaited him.
The selection process was straightforward—yet brutal.
A massive, ancient artifact stood in the middle of the selection grounds, glowing faintly with runic inscriptions. The artifact was known as The Eye of Mana, an arcane construct designed to measure an individual's mana reserves with extreme precision. The top 1000 candidates with the highest mana levels would be selected to proceed to the actual entrance exams.
One by one, candidates stepped forward, placing their hands on the artifact. As soon as they did, numbers flickered above it, displaying their mana levels for all to see. Gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd whenever someone displayed an exceptionally high number, while disappointed groans echoed when a number was too low.
Lorian watched from the line, arms crossed.
"Alright, time to show off a little."
He had spent five years training—his mana had reached levels that should make even nobles tremble. If he wanted, he could shatter this artifact with sheer output.
But… there was a problem.
"Too many powerful presences."
Not just the examiners, but also hidden figures watching from afar. The nobles' families, high-ranking academy officials, and even the royal family's representatives were likely observing.
If he, a supposed commoner, displayed an absurd mana level, it would raise too many questions. Nobles already looked down on commoners—if they suspected he was a threat, things could get troublesome.
"Guess I'll have to lower my mana output… but how?"
Then, an idea struck him.
Shadows.
He could manipulate them instinctively, and they were everywhere. The shadows of people standing near him, the shadows of buildings, even the shadow beneath his own feet.
"If I distribute my mana through the surrounding shadows, the artifact should detect a lower amount."
It was a gamble, but he had no choice.
As he stepped forward, he placed his hand on the artifact, and at the same time, he willed his mana to seep into every nearby shadow—coating them, hiding within them, spreading his presence across the entire selection ground.
The artifact hummed, analyzing his mana.
Perfect. Just enough to pass, but not enough to stand out.
Lorian smirked, but before he could fully relax—
Something went wrong.
The mana he had spread into the shadows… wasn't staying hidden.
Instead, it was leaking back into the surroundings.
The result? A crushing, suffocating pressure began to descend upon the entire selection ground.
People started gasping. Some stumbled backward, clutching their chests. A few of the weaker candidates collapsed entirely, their faces pale with fear.
Then—chaos.
"W-what is this?!"
"A mana beast?! Are we under attack?!"
"Who's doing this?!"
The entire area erupted into panic as the overwhelming pressure continued to spread. The problem was… no one could pinpoint the source.
Because Lorian had distributed his mana into every shadow, the pressure seemed to come from all around them.
Even the examiners hesitated, looking around in alarm.
"Oh, shit."
Lorian maintained a straight face, acting just as confused as everyone else.
Meanwhile, inside the academy, a group of authoritative figures—including powerful professors and security forces—were alerted. Within moments, a team of academy elites arrived at the scene, their presence alone enough to quell the unrest.
"Silence!" one of them, an old man with a staff, commanded, his voice booming across the field. "Calm yourselves! There is no enemy attack!"
Slowly, the panic settled as the mana pressure gradually faded.
The academy officials exchanged glances, clearly unsettled.
"One of the candidates must have lost control of their mana," one of them murmured.
"But who? There was no clear source…"
Lorian kept his mouth shut, standing among the crowd, blending in like an innocent bystander.
One of the examiners sighed and rubbed his temples. "Just continue the selection. We'll investigate later."
The selection resumed, but the tension in the air remained.
Lorian let out a silent breath.
"That was close."
It wasn't the most subtle entrance, but at least no one suspected him.
Gasps and whispers erupted among the candidates.
"Twenty-one thousand eight hundred and ninety?! Is that even possible?!"
"That's nearly ten times the cutoff for selection!"
"Is she even human…?"
Lorian remained silent, his eyes narrowing as he observed the girl standing before the artifact. So, she's the real deal…
Yekina Lunavar. The princess of Lunavar. The presence he had sensed earlier from the extravagant carriage on the bridge—now standing just a few meters away.
Unlike the others, who were either trembling or admiring her beauty, Lorian was deep in thought.
"Why is she here?"
A royal like her had no reason to take the selection exam. Most noble heirs—especially those of the ruling family—were granted direct entry. Yet here she was, going through the process like everyone else.
A boy beside him whispered, "She's so powerful… but isn't this pointless? She would have gotten in anyway."
Another added, "Maybe it's for appearances? So people don't say she got in unfairly?"
Lorian, however, wasn't convinced. He had seen enough manipulation and deception to know that things were never that simple.
"There's a reason behind this."
Yekina removed her hand from the artifact and turned away, her violet eyes sweeping across the crowd. She seemed completely indifferent to the overwhelming reaction her score had caused.
Then—her gaze locked onto him.
For a brief second, Lorian felt her piercing stare. It was cold, calculating.
He didn't move.
Then, as quickly as it happened, she shifted her gaze forward and walked away, leaving the field in absolute silence.
The announcer hesitated before clearing his throat. "A-amazing! Yekina Lunavar has recorded the highest mana output in the history of the selection exams!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd, but Lorian wasn't paying attention anymore.
"That look…"
Yekina had glanced at him for just a moment, but it was enough for him to f
eel something.
Did she suspect something?
The scoreboard flickered as thousands of names arranged themselves in order. A moment of silence hung over the candidates as they stared at the massive projection in the sky.
Lorian, still trying to recover from the whole "panic-causing mana pressure incident," rubbed his temples. Alright, let's see where I rank. I made sure to suppress my mana output, so I should be somewhere in the middle—
Then, his gaze landed on the very bottom of the list.
1000. Lorian Eldric – 780 MP
"...Wait." His brain stuttered for a second.
He blinked. Once. Twice.
He rubbed his eyes.
"Wait… WAIT!" he shouted, his voice cracking slightly. "I… I came LAST?!"
Several candidates turned to look at him, confused by his sudden outburst.
Lorian grabbed his head in despair. This has to be a mistake! I'm at the BOTTOM? After all my training?!
His lips trembled. Did I overdo it?
Then it hit him.
The mana I distributed in the shadows…
Did I distribute too much?
His face darkened. He could already hear his old master's voice in his head:
"Congratulations, idiot. You sabotaged yourself."
Meanwhile, the names continued to appear.
895. Asha Fosker – 1350 MP
750. Darion Klevin – 1750 MP
600. Varek Strom – 2150 MP
480. Clive Ardent – 2750 MP
370. Nadia Greves – 3450 MP
250. Felix Alster – 4400 MP
150. Rael Von Astra – 5800 MP
100. Sylvaine Roarke – 7500 MP
Lorian felt a vein pop in his forehead as he saw people ranking higher than him with double, triple, and even ten times his mana output.
Some candidates started whispering.
"Hey, did you see? Some commoner named Lorian Eldric barely made the cut!"
"He's at the absolute bottom… man, that's embarrassing."
"How the hell did someone like him get in? He must be lucky."
Lorian forced a smile. A twitching, barely-contained smile.
"Calm down, Lorian. Violence is not the answer. Deep breaths."
Then another noble scoffed, "He should just quit now. No way he survives the next round."
Lorian's eye twitched. His thoughts went dark.
"You smug bastards… Just you wait. When we get to the next test, I'll make you cry for your mothers."
With his fists clenched and a silent vow to utterly humiliate his competition in the next round, Lorian turned his attention back to the scoreboard.
There were only three names left to be revealed.
The Top 3.
3. Zephyr Valken – 20,657 MP
A murmur spread through the candidates as the third-place name appeared.
"Zephyr Valken? The genius from the Valken family?"
"I heard he's a sword prodigy and an expert in wind magic."
Lorian, still mourning his pathetic last-place ranking, lifted his head slightly. Hmm… Valken, huh? Never heard of him.
Then, the second name appeared.
2. Yenika Lunavar – 21,890 MP
Lorian, who was still in the middle of processing his defeat, suddenly snapped out of it.
"...Wait, WHAT?!"
His jaw almost hit the ground.
"She came SECOND?! With that much mana?!"
He whipped his head towards the opposite side of the arena, where Yenika Lunavar was sitting.
Unlike the rest of the candidates, who were either excited or in awe, Yenika's face remained cold and unreadable. However, there was a slight furrow in her brows, a faint sign of disappointment.
Lorian gulped. That's her disappointed?!
Someone behind him whispered, "Man, if that much mana wasn't enough for first place, then who the hell…"
And as if answering the question, the final name appeared.
1. Arsin Nicova – 39,999 MP
Silence.
A suffocating silence swept through the entire ground.
Even the nobles, who were boasting moments ago, shut their mouths.
The number was almost double Yenika's mana output.
For a moment, Lorian thought the artifact must have malfunctioned.
But then, a slow, deliberate chuckle echoed from the other side of the selection area.
A boy with short silver hair and piercing crimson eyes stood up, his posture completely relaxed.
Arsin Nicova.
"Man… I really wanted to hide my strength a little longer," he muttered, stretching his arms as if he had just woken up from a nap. His crimson eyes gleamed with amusement.
Lorian instinctively narrowed his gaze. This guy… he's different.
But then his own name at the bottom of the list caught his attention again, and reality came crashing down.
Wait a damn minute…
"I ranked 1000th while there are monsters like these guys at the top?!"
His face twisted in horror.
"I—I have to fight against people like them in the next round?!"
He felt an existential crisis creeping in.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side, Yenika, still looking at the scoreboard, simply closed her eyes and sighed.
"Tch. Second place."
Lorian sat frozen in the middle of the now-empty selection ground, staring blankly at the scoreboard.
1000th place...
His entire body slumped forward.
"I'm literally hanging on by a thread!"
The other candidates had already left to prepare for the written exam in a few hours. Even the teachers had disappeared, probably discussing how to handle the "mysterious mana pressure incident."
But Lorian?
He remained there, lost in his own pit of despair.
"I mean... I did this to myself, didn't I?"
He groaned.
"Why did I distribute so much mana? I should've just—"
Then a sudden thought hit him.
"Wait a minute... what would my real MP have been if I didn't try to hide it?"
His eyes widened as curiosity replaced his despair.
He looked around.
The field was empty.
Not a single soul in sight.
Slowly, he stood up and made his way toward the artifact. His heartbeat quickened.
"Just a quick touch. Just to check. No one will know."
He gulped.
His fingers hovered over the artifact.
And then—
"Hey, kid, what are you doing?"
"—!!!"
Lorian's soul almost left his body.
A rough voice came from behind him.
He spun around so fast he nearly twisted his neck.
It was a janitor—a middle-aged man with a broom in one hand and a lazy expression.
Lorian did the first thing that came to his mind.
He bolted.
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL?!" the janitor shouted, watching the boy disappear like a thief caught in the act.
Lorian ran as if his life depended on it.
Meanwhile, the janitor scratched his head in confusion.
"What the hell was that about?"
Then, just as he was about to continue sweeping—
BEEP.
The artifact suddenly lit up.
Numbers flashed.
1,890...
7,600...
20,010...
The janitor frowned. "Huh?"
Then the numbers skyrocketed.
25,890...
40,938...
His broom fell to the ground.
50,509.
"..."
The janitor took a step back, his face pale.
"What the fuck…"