The Grimoire Tower stood like a jagged spire of ancient stone, carved from centuries of magical history. Runes danced faintly across its surface as flocks of birds flew beneath cloudy skies. Today was sacred—it marked the awakening of futures.
Kael stood silently beside Asta and Yuno as the other orphans chattered with excitement, nerves, and dreams. His crimson eyes gazed not at the tower—but past it.
He could feel something coming.
---
Inside the Tower – Late Morning
The chamber shimmered with floating books—grimoires of every shape, size, and affinity. The glowing tomes swirled like stars waiting to find their constellations.
One by one, the children were called forth.
Kael leaned against the cold stone wall, silent, watching. He'd read every possible book on grimoire selection, but deep down, he knew something about his own would be… different.
> "Yuno of Hage Village," the robed officiant called.
A moment passed—and a glowing four-leaf clover grimoire floated toward Yuno, golden light pouring from it.
Gasps echoed through the room. Kael smiled calmly. "Just as expected."
> "Asta of Hage Village."
Silence. Nothing happened.
Asta laughed nervously, scratching his head—but Kael saw the pain behind his eyes.
> "Kael of Hage Village."
A faint wind brushed through the chamber.
Then everything stopped.
The floating grimoires shuddered. The torches along the walls flickered violently. Mana pressure suddenly dropped—as if the very air was afraid.
A strange hum filled the tower. And from the ceiling descended a book—ancient, weathered, marked by three separate emblems:
A silver crest of elemental flow
A spiral sigil of space distortion
And a dark red symbol of anti-magic corruption
> [System Alert: Unique Grimoire Acquired]
– "Hybrid Nexus Grimoire"
– Spell Fusion Enabled
– Multi-School Magic Activated
– First Spell Slot Unlocking…
Kael's eyes widened as the book opened itself in front of him. A glyph formed on the page—one not native to this world.
> [Spell Learned: "Edge Reversal" – Anti-Magic Weapon Summon]
– Description: Summons a blade that reflects all forms of magic it touches
– Class: Anti-Magic (Hybrid)
– Rank: C+
Murmurs filled the chamber.
"Is that… an anti-magic grimoire?"
"No, wait—there's elemental signs too!"
"How is that possible!?"
---
Outside the Tower – Just Moments Later
The ceremony was ending. Most had begun to disperse, when a masked rogue mage suddenly appeared from the nearby cliffs—his eyes wild, his mana unbalanced.
"Give me that four-leaf grimoire, kid!" he roared, launching a fiery attack at Yuno.
Time slowed.
Kael saw the flame magic hurtling toward them—and his instincts roared.
> [System Override – Combat Initiated]
> [Imaginative Forging: Activate]
– Form: Twin Blades
– Core Trait: Spell Inversion
– Mana Type: Anti-Magic + Wind Infusion
Two black-edged, curved swords flashed into existence in Kael's hands.
He moved.
> BOOM!
The rogue's fire spell exploded backward upon contact with Kael's blade, slamming back into the attacker's own chest.
Blood splattered across the grass.
The rogue screamed—injured, shocked.
"You dare—!"
Kael was already there, one blade at the rogue's throat, the other glowing faintly.
> "You drew blood first."
> "Let me return the favor."
He struck.
The blades cut not through flesh—but through the man's mana. The rogue collapsed, unconscious, his magic forcefully severed.
---
Aftermath
Magic Knights arrived shortly after, having sensed the flare of hostile mana.
One officer, a tall woman with a lion-shaped cloak pin, stared at Kael with narrowed eyes.
"You. What squad are you from?"
"I don't have one," Kael replied.
She smirked. "Then I hope you're joining the entrance exam. You might actually surprise us."
---
That Night – Orphanage Rooftop
Asta sat brooding. Yuno polished his grimoire in silence.
Kael sat nearby, fingers brushing the cover of his own strange book. He could feel its power shifting. It wasn't a normal grimoire—it was alive, a mirror of him.
"Kael," Asta finally said. "Thanks… for jumping in."
"You don't have to thank me," Kael replied. "We're family. That's what we do."
"But that sword—those blades…" Asta shook his head. "You fought like a knight."
Kael smiled gently.
> "Then I'll keep fighting like one. Until this world is safe for people like us."
Above them, the stars began to shine—quiet, watching.
And Kael's grimoire whispered open on its own, revealing a new blank page—waiting for the next chapter of magic.