The air tasted like copper and ozone.
Raw mana surged through the chamber in wild, chaotic bursts, distorting the space like heat over desert sands. Ophnear hovered menacingly above the ceremonial dais, its runes pulsing with a heartbeat not its own. I could feel it. Even without the ability to see mana, every nerve in my body screamed at me to get away.
Red lightning crackled around the stave, coiling like serpents before striking the ground with explosive force. Each impact left blackened spiderweb cracks across the marble floor. My breath hitched; I instinctively took a half step back, hands curling tightly against my sides.
This pressure… it's like standing in front of a storm that knows your name.
A wave of nausea crawled up my throat. Twenty feet away, and it still felt like my skull was being crushed from the inside. Getting farther probably wouldn't change much. The mana wasn't around Ophnear—it was everywhere. Flooding the room. Clawing at our senses.
A strangled laugh escaped me. "At least I'm not the only one dying in here," I muttered under my breath.
The other students were pale and trembling, some gripping their heads, others staring with wide, unfocused eyes. Their knees buckled under the oppressive weight, a few collapsing entirely. Misery loves company, I guess.
Then, suddenly, a shadow loomed before me.
"Get back," a firm, low voice ordered.
I didn't even need to look at their face. The long blackish-gray coat, the no-nonsense tone—it could only belong to Professor Argois. His broad back stood between me and the raging stave like a wall. Without hesitation, I staggered backward, clutching at my temples as if that would dull the throbbing.
I leaned against the far wall, the cool stone pressing against my back, helping to ground me. From there, I watched the scene unfold.
Three professors had surrounded Ophnear. Professor Argois stood at the forefront, hands raised as arcane sigils circled his forearms. The other two flanked him, chanting under their breath. And then—I saw it.
Floating rune-letters appeared in the air like glowing brands, pulsating with red-white light. They weaved into a lattice that slowly constricted around Ophnear, dimming its violent aura.
Anti-Magic, I realized immediately.
Memories of countless hours farming rare monster drops for Anti-Magic reagents in NOTFH surfaced unbidden. Grinding mobs just to craft one lousy talisman. If I never had to do that again, it would be too soon.
Gradually, the oppressive atmosphere thinned. The storm receded, leaving a charged silence in its wake. The professors exhaled almost in unison.
"Anti-Magic's a pain," one of them grumbled, rolling his shoulders. "Drains us just as much as it does the target."
The other nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "It's like pouring water through a sieve and hoping the bucket fills."
Professor Argois cut them off sharply. "Enough. It's clear none of the students here can handle Ophnear. We'll remove it from the Arming Ceremony before someone else gets hurt."
His tone brooked no argument. The other two exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
So that's it, I thought. They're taking it out of the ceremony.
Honestly? Good. I don't wanna be splattered because of some overconfident idiot thought they could tame a demonic stick.
But then—out of the corner of my eye—I caught a flicker of silver moving through the crowd.
Oh. Right.
There was one person who wasn't an idiot…
Like a predator drawn to blood, Hayden Break strolled toward the professors with that infuriatingly casual gait of his. His silver hair shimmered faintly under the mana-saturated light, and his periwinkle eyes carried that lazy confidence I'd come to loathe—and secretly envy.
Professor Argois noticed him too. "Hayden Break," he greeted warily.
Hayden raised a hand, a small, easy smile on his lips. "Professor. If you don't mind… I'd like to give it a try."
The two professors immediately protested.
"Absolutely not. The stave nearly tore apart a student earlier—"
"This isn't a matter of pride, boy. It's—"
Argois silenced them with a raised hand, studying Hayden's face. There was no reckless glint of arrogance there. Just calm determination. The kind that makes people listen, even if they shouldn't.
With a heavy sigh, Argois relented. "Fine. You may attempt it. But the moment things get dangerous, I'm intervening."
Hayden chuckled lightly. "I doubt it'll come to that."
He stepped past them like he owned the room. As he approached Ophnear, the stave vibrated, its runes flaring brighter—as if it, too, had recognized him.
Then his hand closed around the handle.
The boom that followed shook the entire chamber. A shockwave of mana rippled outward, toppling students like dominos. Screams filled the air.
"It's going wild again!"
"Run!"
"I can't breathe!"
I stayed where I was, eyes locked on Hayden. His coat fluttered in the torrent of energy, but he didn't flinch. Not even a twitch. His smile widened slightly, and a mischievous glint flashed across his eyes.
Then—crack. He tightened his grip.
The mana storm died in an instant. Silence reclaimed the room.
Ophnear floated obediently in Hayden's grasp, the once raging runes now pulsing in a steady rhythm. Tamed. Controlled.
He spun the stave casually between his fingers, grinning. "Good stick."
…Seriously?
Of course he just casually conquers a near-murderous legendary stave like it's nothing.
I groaned inwardly. "Why does he have to look cool and break the power scale this early?"
Still… my hands unclenched. The danger had passed. For now.
Well, at least I survived, I thought, slumping against the wall.