After the opening duel ended, the roar of the crowd gradually subsided.
The air within the academy was still charged with the lingering energy of the legendary battle between Ragnar, Semifel, and Poseidon.
The three sat together in the shaded rest area beneath the mana trees, while the distant voices of students still buzzed, talking excitedly about the opening match.
Semifel, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a faint smile:
"That was a fine fight. I didn't expect the academy's opening to be this thrilling."
Poseidon laughed as he drank from a cup of water:
"Hahaha! I had to use half my strength just to keep up with you two. Hard to believe that was only an opening duel!"
Ragnar smiled confidently, gazing toward the blue sky:
"It was fun… but it made me think of something."
Semifel: "What is it?"
Ragnar looked toward the distant arena, where traces of lightning were still etched into the ground.
"Who will be the director of this academy? I mean… for an institution of this scale, who has the strength and authority to lead it?"
Poseidon raised an eyebrow with a knowing grin:
"Good question… I've heard rumors, but nothing certain."
Before anyone could reply, the ground trembled faintly.
A strange wind swept above their heads… followed by a terrifying surge of mana pressure that nearly suffocated the air itself.
All three felt their bodies shudder involuntarily.
That aura wasn't normal—it was ancient, vast… as if it had crawled out from another era.
From the stone gates of the academy, an old man appeared—long white hair and a majestic beard, wearing a gray cloak that shimmered faintly like a veil of lightning.
Every step he took left a faint trace of energy on the ground.
His deep voice broke the silence:
"I am the director."
The three froze in place.
Ragnar felt chills run down his spine.
The aura the old man released wasn't mere mana—it was a divine pressure that crushed their very souls.
Semifel, in a hushed voice, eyes widening:
"This pressure… impossible… he's not just a mage."
Poseidon rose slowly, his gaze cautious:
"Could it be…? This energy… I know it only from ancient tales."
The old man stopped before them, his blue eyes gleaming like thunder in the night, and he spoke with a calm smile that radiated overwhelming majesty:
"It's been a long time since I've felt such youthful blood burning with power in one place."
Ragnar, taking a cautious step forward:
"Who… are you?"
The old man chuckled lightly, releasing a faint pulse of mana that made the surrounding stones tremble.
"My name is Zeus."
In an instant, all three widened their eyes.
Semifel, voice trembling:
"Zeus…? It can't be…! You're the one who fought against the army of the First Demon King, Belial, a hundred years ago!"
Zeus nodded slowly, his eyes drifting toward the horizon as if recalling distant memories:
"Yes… I was one of those fools who thought we could face the hell of demons."
Poseidon, his voice filled with disbelief:
"But that's impossible! None of those heroes survived…"
Zeus interrupted with a faint, bitter smile:
"Legends always exaggerate. But I'm still here—and I've returned to forge a new generation of heroes… before Belial rises from his abyss."
Ragnar clenched his fist, frowning:
"Belial?"
Semifel, sweating:
"I thought he was destroyed!"
Zeus, his voice low and heavy:
"What is dead doesn't stay buried so easily, boy."
A heavy silence fell over the area; the only sounds were their uneven breaths and the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Then Zeus turned toward them, his eyes sharp as blades:
"From this moment on, you are part of the academy that will stand against the coming darkness.
Your training will be harsh… and you will train others, for what awaits you is not a battle for honor—but for survival."
Ragnar, his eyes burning with resolve:
"If this is the path to protect our world… then I won't back down."
Zeus smiled faintly, lightning flickering around him:
"Good… that spirit reminds me of my younger days."
Then he turned away, his deep voice echoing as he slowly walked toward the main building of the academy:
"Tomorrow… the real hell begins."
All around the academy, the students' chatter fell silent, as if the entire place itself had felt fear at the presence of this man.
Ragnar remained where he stood, heart pounding, whispering to himself:
"Zeus… the living legend… is the academy's director?!"
And under the glow of the setting sun, a new chapter in the tale of power began—
a story not only of new heroes but one that would resurrect the shadows of the old war from the depths of hell.
---
In a grand hall centered around a round table made of blue mana stone, some of the strongest warriors and mages of the continent sat together.
The atmosphere was solemn, surrounded by faint hovering flames and mana crystals glowing with a divine light.
At the head of the table sat Director Zeus, his hands interlocked, tiny sparks of lightning dancing around his fingers on their own.
His deep eyes scanned the room with the gaze of a commander who had seen countless wars.
To his right sat Ragnar, now the talk of the academy after his opening match, looking calmer and more confident.
Before him was a plaque that read: "Instructor of Lightning Magic."
Beside him sat Eirlik, a man with features as cold as the ice he wielded, light-blue hair and sharp eyes like daggers of frost.
"Instructor of Ice Magic."
Then Semifel, with his calm smile and gleaming sword at his side.
"Instructor of Light Magic and Swordsmanship."
Next was Poseidon, his deep blue hair and eyes shining like the sea during a storm.
"Instructor of Water Magic."
Then Krohan, the giant with a body of steel and a voice like a beast's roar.
"Instructor of Physical Strength."
And finally Athena, with a fiery gaze, flames dancing on her fingertips as she held tightly to her war hammer despite her composed demeanor.
"Instructor of Fire Magic."
Zeus raised his hand slightly, and silence filled the room.
Zeus:
"Now that the registration is complete, the true phase begins… the founding of the academy's first generation.
But remember, this isn't merely a school for teaching magic… it is a fortress that will defend the continent when the armies of darkness return."
Athena, sharply:
"Are you saying the demons' return is certain?"
Zeus, his eyes flashing with lightning:
"Belial was not destroyed—only sealed in the depths.
The demons you fought before were strong, but you haven't seen true terror yet.
That demon is unlike any other… and we must be ready when that gate reopens."
Semifel, calmly resting his arm on the table:
"But most students here are humans. Their power is limited compared to what you're describing… and the other races that aided us in the war—I doubt they'll help us again."
Zeus smiled faintly:
"And that brings me to my next plan…"
Everyone leaned forward with full attention.
Zeus:
"In the future, the academy will not be for humans alone.
I will open its doors to all races—elves, dwarves, avians, even orcs and vampires."
The hall fell silent for several seconds.
Expressions of shock spread across every face, especially Poseidon, who slammed his palm on the table, sending droplets of mana splashing.
Poseidon:
"You want to bring other races into the academy?!"
Zeus, unwavering:
"Yes. The next war will not be won by strength alone, but by understanding.
If we are to break the cycle of hatred, we must learn what we fight… and perhaps, use that power."
Eirlik, coldly:
"That's dangerous talk, Director… You know many humans won't accept this."
Zeus nodded slowly:
"I know. But this academy is no place for cowards."
Athena looked toward Ragnar with a sly smile:
"You seem excited, Ragnar. How about teaching lightning magic to other races?"
Ragnar, smirking, lightning flickering in his eyes:
"If they have the will to learn, I'll make them stronger than they ever imagined.
But if any of them use my power against us… I won't show mercy."
Krohan slammed his hand on the table, his voice booming:
"I don't care what race they are—human, beast, or demon! I'll crush anyone who stands in my way!"
Semifel sighed with a faint grin:
"Looks like we're in for some chaos soon."
Zeus rose from his seat, placing his hand on the table.
The air in the hall shifted instantly—heavy, charged with raw electricity.
Zeus, in a deep commanding tone:
"From this moment, you are the core of this academy.
You will raise the generation that will stand between this world and the coming fire.
Teach them. Strengthen them. Test them… for what's coming will spare no weakling."
Sparks burst around him, the ground trembling lightly beneath his feet as he spoke like thunder before a storm:
"This academy will not just be a place of learning… but the cradle of heroes."
Silence filled the hall.
Each instructor exchanged firm looks—every one of them knew that what awaited was not merely a duty… but destiny.
Outside, strong winds swept over the towers of the newly built academy, carrying a strange energy—
as if the world itself knew that a new era had just begun.