The courtyard was quiet, the morning sun slanting across cracked stone tiles. Dust hung faintly in the air.
On one side stood Kael, posture straight, arms loose at his sides. His calm was absolute, like a man waiting for a servant to pour him tea instead of about to duel his student.
On the other side stood me, knees bent, one arm raised. My heartbeat thundered. I forced mana into my palm, the familiar warmth gathering.
Kael's crimson eyes gleamed. "Come."
I launched forward.
A fireball blazed from my hand—then another, then a third in quick succession. Heat licked my face as I sprinted, closing the distance.
Kael moved lazily, almost bored. He flicked his wrist, swatting each fireball aside like they were nothing more than moths. The flames hissed against the stone walls and fizzled out.
"Not enough to blind me," he said dryly.
My teeth clenched. "Tch—"
His hand lifted, and the air warped.
Six wind slashes shot toward me in rapid succession, each sharp enough to cut skin. My eyes widened, but my body moved.
Mana, shield!
Blue light flared. Translucent panes shimmered into being where I willed them—one at my shoulder, another over my chest, one before my face, one by my leg.
The wind slashes slammed against them, bursting into harmless gusts.
The drain hit immediately. Mana poured out of me like water through a cracked jug.
I looked at my mana reserve. [MP: 310 → 230]
Please hold, please hold, please hold!
The force rattled my bones, but none pierced through. I staggered but stayed standing.
My lips pulled into a grin. Ha! Blocked them!
Kael only arched a brow. "Not terrible. But remember mana shield cannot block projectile attacks."
I sucked in a breath and hurled another fireball—not at him this time, but at the ground near his feet.
BOOM.
Dirt and dust exploded upward, a cloud blanketing the yard. For just a second, his vision was blocked. That second was mine.
I focused hard. A massive lion's head burst into existence, burning with fire, its jaws wide enough to swallow Kael whole.
[MP: 220 → 180]
Roaring Fury !!!!
"Got you this time!"
The smoke swirled.
But then—
A whisper.
" And you're dead."
I froze. Kael's voice was behind me.
The spell burst apart into sparks. I spun around to see him standing calmly at my back, as if he'd been there the whole time.
My knees buckled. Sweat poured down my face. "Huff… huff… I… admit defeat."
Kael studied me for a long moment before nodding once. "Good enough."
I almost collapsed in relief, but then he pulled something from his coat pocket—a small vial of glowing blue liquid. He handed it to me. "Drink."
I blinked. "Is this…?"
"A mana potion. Don't waste it."
I drank greedily, the cool liquid sliding down my throat. Mana rushed back into me, easing the hollow ache in my chest.
[MP: 180 → 340]
Kael folded his arms. "You're ready now."
"Ready?" I wheezed. "For… what?"
But before I could ask again, he snapped his fingers. Shadows swirled up around us like liquid smoke, and the ground beneath my feet vanished.
The world twisted. And then—
We stood in a forest.
The air was cooler here, thick with pine and damp earth. Shafts of sunlight pierced the canopy, scattering faint golden beams across the ground.
"Where… are we?" I asked, still dizzy from the teleport.
Kael pointed lazily at the distant spires poking out over the treetops. "The forest behind the mansion."
I squinted. Yep, the crooked roof of his dusty old mansion was just visible. "…Uh. And why exactly are we here?"
"This forest is home to small monsters," Kael said, as if announcing the weather. "Your next step is simple: defeat them."
My heart skipped. Monsters. Finally, My very first real hunt.
"Seriously?!" I grinned, mana sparking at my fingertips. "Alright, let's go!"
As if summoned by my enthusiasm, the bushes rustled. A blob wobbled out, bouncing across the grass.
It was… a slime.
Round, small, light blue, jiggling like someone had dropped jelly on the floor.
Kael crossed his arms. "Perfect timing. Defeat it."
"…That?" I tilted my head. "But it's adorable. Can't I keep it as a pet?"
"Adorable things can still kill you," he said flatly.
I sighed and raised my palm. "Sorry, buddy."
FWOOOSH.
A fireball roared forward and splashed against the slime. The poor thing gave a pitiful blorp before collapsing into sizzling goo.
"Phew." I exhaled, brushing sweat from my forehead. "Way too easy."
Congratulations! You defeated [LVL 1] Slime.
EXP Gained: +20
Total EXP: 20/2000 → Level 15
Something clinked to the ground. I crouched and picked it up—a faintly glowing blue crystal, cool in my hand.
"What's this?"
"Mana stone," Kael said with a glance. "Monsters drop them when defeated."
"Ohhh." I rolled it in my palm, grinning. loot drops. Nice.
"Mana stones are used to craft artifacts," he continued, ignoring me.
"Wait, I thought Navratan stones were used for artifacts?"
"They are," Kael replied. "But Navratan stones are rare and expensive. They lack inherent mana. So mana stones are used to power it. For example, this stone has water magic so it can be used to make artifacts like taps and such."
I blinked at it. So the grind is real, huh? Kill monsters, collect shiny stones. Classic.
Kael smirked faintly. "Good. You handled that slime well. Which means…"
Something about his tone made my stomach twist. "…Means what?"
"You'll be making your way back to the mansion. Alone."
My mouth fell open. "Wait. What?"
He gestured at the distant roofline barely visible above the trees. "Every monster you encounter, you fight. Survive, and reach the mansion. That is your trial."
Before I could get a word out, shadows were already coiling around Kael's body, rising like smoke.
"Wait, wait, WAIT—!" I scrambled forward, panic clawing up my throat.
Kael only gave me a crooked smile. "Bye. Don't make me wait too long."
And then—he was gone.
The forest fell silent. Only the rustle of leaves and the chirp of frogs filled the still air.
I stood frozen, staring at the empty spot where my so-called teacher had just abandoned me.
"You've got to be kidding me." My voice cracked. "Alone. In a monster-infested forest. I'M FIVE!"
I grabbed my head, heart hammering like a drum.
Slowly, my eyes lifted to the spires of the mansion glinting far in the distance.
"…Alright." My jaw tightened. "If that's how he wants to play it… then fine. I'll show him."
The fear in my chest didn't vanish, but something else stirred with it—excitement. My first real challenge. My first real hunt.
I clenched the mana stone in my fist, fire sparking at my fingertips once more.
"Slimes, goblins, or whatever else is out there—bring it on." A grin tugged at my lips despite the nerves twisting in my stomach. "This is going to be fun."
And so began my first real trial.