Chapter 17: First Steps Into a New World**
The golden rays of dawn spilled through the arched windows of the Moonlight Magic Academy's dormitory, painting the stone floors in warm hues. For the first time since transmigrating into this world, Ethan woke up without the blaring chime of the academy's morning bell. Today was a holiday—a rare reprieve from lectures, spell drills, and the ever-watchful eyes of instructors.
He sat up, running a hand through his disheveled hair, his fingers brushed against the embroidered silk of his academy-issued sheets. Right. This was his life now.
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After washing up and donning his uniform—a sleek, navy-blue ensemble with silver threading that marked him as a first-year elemental schol, Ethan stepped out of the dormitory. The academy grounds were quieter than usual, with only a handful of students milling about. Some practiced spells in the courtyards; others lounged beneath the ancient oaks, engrossed in spell books or hushed conversations.
But Ethan wasn't staying.
For weeks, he had been confined within the academy's towering walls, adjusting to his new reality as a transmigrated soul in a world of magic and intrigue. Today, he would finally see the city that lay beyond.
The massive iron gates of the academy loomed ahead, guarded by two stone golems that pulsed with dormant enchantments. As he approached, one of the constructs turned its head, hollow eyes glowing faintly.
**"Identification,"** it rumbled.
Ethan hesitated before remembering the academy's insignia pin on his lapel. He touched it, and the golem's eyes dimmed.
**"Proceed."**
With that, he stepped onto the cobbled streets of **Eldrinth, the City of Spires**.
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The moment he crossed the threshold, the world exploded into color and sound.
The streets were a labyrinth of polished stone, lined with buildings that defied logic—towers twisted like vines, bridges suspended by invisible forces, and shops with floating signs that changed language depending on who looked at them. The air hummed with mana, thick enough that Adrian could almost taste it—sweet and electric, like ozone before a storm.
His feet carried him toward the largest cluster of noise—the Grand Bazaar, a sprawling marketplace where merchants hawked everything from enchanted jewelry to live, miniature dragons in gilded cages.
A vendor with violet skin and three eyes waved him over. **"Young scholar! Care for a luck charm? Guaranteed
to make your next exam a breeze!"**
He had no interest in sightseeing. No desire to marvel at the wonders of this world. His steps were measured, his gaze scanning for anything that might be of use.
Then, he saw them.
A group of fifteen young knights, their armor gleaming under the morning sun, marching down the main thoroughfare. At their head was a girl—seventeen, perhaps, the same age as Ethan—with striking features, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders like a banner of nobility. The crowd parted for them, whispers of excitement trailing in their wake.
Ethan didn't care.
He continued walking, his path set to intersect with theirs.
One of the knights—a broad-shouldered boy with a sneer—broke from the group and stormed toward Ethan.
**"Out of the way, peasant!"** the knight barked, his voice dripping with arrogance.
The crowd hushed. All eyes turned to Ethan, waiting for him to yield.
Ethan didn't even glance at the boy.
He walked past him as if he were nothing more than air.
The knight's face twisted in outrage. **"You dare ignore me?!"**
When Ethan ignored him, the knight's face twisted in rage. Drawing his sword, he suddenly swung at Ethan's back in a cowardly attack.
Without even turning around, Ethan raised a single finger. A gravitational spell pulsed through the air, and the attacking knight was instantly crushed face-first into the cobblestones, his armor groaning under the immense pressure. He couldn't move, couldn't even lift his head.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The beautiful knight leader's eyes widened in shock as she recognized Ethan's uniform. "You're from the Moonlight Magic Academy!" she exclaimed. "We're from the Knight Academy—please, my friend was too rash. I beg you to release him."
Ethan glanced at her indifferently, then flicked his finger. The gravitational force vanished, leaving the humiliated knight gasping on the ground. "The next time you attack me," Ethan said coldly, "will be the day you die."
As he turned to leave, the golden-haired knight stepped forward. "Wait! My name is Sophie. May I know who you are?"
"Ethan."
And with that single word, he walked away, leaving the stunned knights and murmuring crowd behind. The encounter had lasted less than a minute, but the message was clear—Ethan was not someone to be trifled with.