Sitting quietly at his desk, Luxer looked like any other student waiting for class to begin. From the outside, he appeared calm—eyes closed, posture relaxed, breathing steady.
But anyone who truly knew him would notice the faint furrow of his brow, the subtle tightening around his lips.
He wasn't resting at all. His focus was turned inward, his consciousness immersed in the Skill Training Simulation, testing and refining the abilities he had acquired.
At the forefront of his mind was the skill he had inherited from Celia—[Quick Draw Lv. 5].
His status panel displayed his current lineup:
Basic Swordsmanship Lv. 1 [0/100]
Twin Strike Lv. 1
Quick Draw Lv. 5
Compared to the others, Quick Draw stood out. Unlike Basic Swordsmanship or Twin Strike, which relied on practice, combat, and earned mastery points, Quick Draw demanded something more elusive.
It was not a skill that could be brute-forced with repetition alone. It required imagination, creativity, and adaptability—a mind capable of turning the abstract into instinct.
And somehow, by fortune or fate, Luxer had already reached Level 5 Mastery in it.
Even within this prestigious academy, where students trained rigorously for five long years, the number of students who had raised any skill to such a level could be counted on one hand.
Most preferred to abandon low-level techniques as soon as higher-tier skills became available, investing their effort into those instead.
Who would waste precious time refining the foundation when treasures lie ahead?
Luxer, however, thought differently.
The more he practiced, the clearer it became: skill mastery was not simply about power, but transformation. Every level of mastery added nuance—greater flexibility, sharper intensity, smoother execution, and deeper instinct.
He had tested it over and over in the Simulation, and the realization had dawned on him like lightning.
A so-called "superior" skill at Level 1 would never rival the refined edge of his Quick Draw at Level 2, let alone Level 5. Power could be borrowed, but mastery had to be carved into the body and soul.
Inside the Simulation, he unleashed strike after strike. The sword blurred, so swift and decisive that even a High-Grade Martial would struggle to follow it with their eyes.
Of course, this did not mean he could leap realms and cut them down; strength was still strength, and cultivation still dictated limits. But the illusion alone—of speed surpassing perception—was its own form of weapon.
Yet, perfection had a price.
Every time he pushed Quick Draw to its full potential, his muscles tore apart. The pain made him wince, his entire frame convulsing as though it were screaming in rebellion.
And every time, the Simulation restored him within seconds, leaving no damage behind. But the ache lingered in memory, etched into nerves and fibers.
He knew this was more than phantom pain. This was ingrained training—forcing his body, little by little, into the perfect vessel for the art of the draw.
By the time he left this chamber of false pain and rebirth, his body would no longer be the same.
[Status]
Name: Luxer Went
Martial Soul: Low-Demon Kind (Incubus) + [Elemental Bird (Partner)]
Cultivation Paths:
Martial: Basic-grade
Magus: Basic-grade
Psychic: Basic-grade
Level: 1 – [600/100] + (Cap Reached)
MP: 150/150
Ether: 110/110
Mental: 120/120
Attributes:
Strength: 2 → 6
Agility: 3 → 11
Vitality: 4 → 8
Intelligence: 4 → 12
Dexterity: 2 → 6
Spirit: 7 → 15
Realm: Basic Level
Unique Traits:
[Incubus Codex] – Active
[Training Simulation] – Inactive
Available Modules:
[Daily Quest] [Min]
[Instance Quest] [Min]
[Main Quest] [Empty]
[Skill Training Simulation]
[Magic Training Simulation]
[Psychic Training Simulation]
[Combat Training Simulation]
Skills:
Basic Swordsmanship Lv. 1 [0/100]
Twin Strike Lv. 1
Quick Draw Lv. 5
Luxer's eyes snapped open. The sudden hush of the classroom pulled him back into reality.
A woman had entered.
She walked with measured steps, each one precise yet natural, as though her body itself was molded by discipline.
Her long black hair framed a face of sharp beauty, and though she looked no older than her early twenties, the aura she carried silenced the room.
Her figure was fit, honed like a blade, and her eyes carried the confidence of someone who had stood on battlefields rather than merely studied them.
Luxer immediately noticed it.
The faint ripple in the air. The subtle flicker in her gaze. She was activating a skill—sweeping across the classroom like a net to assess them. It was not aggressive, but it was sharp, and he instinctively straightened his posture.
At the podium, she opened a file with practiced ease, flipping to the seating chart.
"Attendance will be taken," she said, her voice steady and commanding.
And as she began to call out names, the weight of the new chapter in their academy lives settled over the classroom.
After the final names were called, the seating arrangements were announced. Luxer, however, was not sure whether to laugh or bury his face in despair.
"Of course…" he thought bitterly. 'This has to be that so-called Protagonist's luck clinging to me.'
Not only had Celia been assigned to his group, but the silver-haired princess of the Duke's family—Emilia Astra herself—was now seated beside them. As if that wasn't enough, the remaining two spots were filled by Emilia's personal attendants, both of whom were anything but ordinary maids.
The first, a tall demi-human girl with striking silver-white hair and sharp amber eyes, carried herself with quiet dignity. Her beast-like ears twitched faintly, betraying a bloodline that was far from common.
The second, in contrast, was radiant with energy. A fox-kin with sleek ears poking through her hair and lightly tanned skin, she radiated an earthy charm that was hard to ignore. Her attire was simple yet practical, hinting at agility and strength. This one was a close-combat fighter, no doubt about it.
Together, the three silver-haired girls formed a sight that drew stares from every corner of the classroom. It wasn't admiration alone—Luxer could practically feel the daggers of envy stabbing into his back.
'Great. Just great. By the time this class is over, my spine will look like a pincushion.'
"Yo! Nice to meet you, partner," the fox-eared maid said suddenly, her voice crisp and friendly. She broke the ice as if it had never existed.
Luxer blinked at her casual tone. 'Straightforward one, huh?'
Realizing he couldn't just sit there like a stunned fish, he straightened his back, forced a calm expression, and spoke first before awkward silence returned.
"Well… it looks like we'll be together for quite a while. My name is Luxer. I don't have much to boast about—my talent's low-grade. But I was lucky enough to break through to the Basic Stage last night." His voice was even, neither modest nor arrogant, though inwardly he noted Emilia's subtle gaze on him.
The demi-human maid with amber eyes gave a small bow of her head. "I am Yoko. Nice to meet you."
The fox-kin grinned, flashing her sharp canines. "Name's Nene. Just call me that. Don't worry—we're both in the Basic Stage too." She glanced at Yoko, as if covering for her partner's missing details, before leaning back casually.
Then, all eyes shifted to the girl at the center of attention.
Emilia Astra—silver hair gleaming like frost under sunlight—smiled faintly, though her tone was calm and refined. "I am Emilia Astra. If possible… call me Emilia."
There was no arrogance in her words, but the weight of her surname hung in the air nonetheless. Even without flaunting it, the presence of nobility was unmistakable.
Finally, Celia straightened in her seat, nodding lightly. "My name is Celia Clover. Nice to meet you all. Basic Stage of Magus cultivation."
Her declaration made Yoko's amber eyes widen slightly, while Nene's fox ears twitched in surprise. They hadn't expected this. Celia and Luxer, both of humble origins by the look of them, already stood at the same cultivation stage as themselves.
Emilia, however, showed no surprise at all. She merely regarded Celia with calm, knowing eyes, as though she had already guessed.
The class began, and Luxer quickly found himself adrift in unfamiliar waters. The lecture opened with an introduction to the Shadow World—its history, the emergence of its gates, the taxonomy of shadow beasts, and the known weaknesses that had been recorded over centuries.
Diagrams flared to life on the crystal board at the front, and the teacher explained in meticulous detail, her voice sharp yet clear.
Luxer sat rigidly, his eyes fixed on the display, drinking in every word.
To him, this was all new—knowledge he had never encountered, neither in this life nor the one before. Every term, every recorded event, and every battle strategy carved itself into his mind with the weight of revelation.
Unlike many students who listened with casual disinterest, Luxer absorbed it hungrily, committing each detail to memory.
But the more he listened, the more isolated he felt.
When the period ended and the students were given a brief respite, conversation flared around him. Celia leaned toward Emilia, and within moments they were exchanging thoughts with an ease that came naturally.
Yoko added her calm insights, while Nene laughed lightly at her own jokes, her fox ears twitching with mischief.
The group flowed together like a stream finding its course.
Luxer, meanwhile, sat at the edge of it, silent.
He wasn't ignored, not deliberately. Once or twice, Nene even glanced his way, as if to draw him in, but he found no words to bridge the gap.
He had lived as an outsider in both worlds—his past life had left him cold and unaccustomed to companionship, and this life had offered little chance to change.
The threads of conversation slipped through his fingers each time he considered speaking, and he could only offer a faint nod or a thin smile before silence reclaimed him.
As the others laughed softly among themselves, Luxer's gaze fell to the desk, his reflection faintly visible on its polished surface.
'I really do lack something important, don't I?'
He mused quietly to himself, realizing the truth in a way he could no longer ignore.