Mage Eileen's arrival instantly diffused the tense, confrontational air in the classroom. Advanced Apprentice Mark shot Kay a venomous glare, then stormed to empty seats in the second and third rows with his two companions. The medium-sized classroom was spacious enough to hold forty or fifty apprentices without feeling cramped—Mark's fight over the seat had never been about comfort. It had been about asserting his status and pride in the class.
Kay, by contrast, had no interest in such petty games. He'd chosen the front-center seat purely to stay close to Eileen, hoping to better absorb the deeper mysteries of fire elemental magic. As a Formal Mage, Eileen's mental power dwarfed that of any apprentice; she'd likely sensed the tension in the corridor before even entering the classroom. Yet she said nothing, her expression unchanged. She glanced at Kay for barely two seconds, then immediately began her lecture—Formal Mages at the Spire were notoriously strict about punctuality. Most arrived exactly on time and left the moment class ended; only a handful of dedicated instructors stayed to answer questions.
Eileen hadn't been a Formal Mage for long and lacked deep reserves of power, but she was more than qualified to teach fire elemental magic to apprentices. She also took on extra academy tasks, a clear sign she was short on resources and magic coins—a common struggle for newly promoted Tier 1 Formal Mages. Some even borrowed rare materials from the Spire to aid their advancement, leaving them financially strained for years afterward. Taking on more work was their safest way to earn magic coins and energy crystals; riskier alternatives included joining plane wars, where rewards could be five to ten times higher than teaching salaries—though the danger was equally great.
For all her inexperience, Eileen was an excellent teacher. Newly promoted Formal Mages often understood exactly what apprentices needed, having recently struggled with the same knowledge gaps themselves. As a woman, she was also one of the more patient instructors at the academy. As her lecture on fire elemental transmutation deepened, Kay quickly forgot his clash with Mark, focusing entirely on her words.
"Different spell models determine the energy output even with the same mana input," Eileen explained, gesturing to a floating crystal ball. "Take a standard Fireball: it requires 10 points of mental power and 10 points of mana. But if we modify the spell model—keeping the same cost—we get the advanced Firebird Spell. Its power is triple that of the original Fireball!"
She smiled, adjusting the crystal ball to display glowing runes. "After further refinement, my improved Firebird Spell maintains its power while reducing mental power cost to 6 points and mana to 7. Building on that, I developed the Group Detonation Spell—a High-Tier Magic. And finally, the Thousand Birds Detonation Spell—a Formal Spell capable of threatening Tier 1 creatures."
As she spoke, she used her crystal ball and tools to demonstrate her research. The original Firebird Spell was a decent Mid-Tier Magic, roughly on par with a Fire Chain Dagger—but Eileen's modified version, with its drastically lower costs, was far more practical. The Group Detonation Spell, which summoned dozens of lifelike firebirds to charge targets, couldn't be cast in the small classroom, but the crystal ball showed its power was two to three times that of a Fire Blade, another High-Tier Magic. Best of all, it was an area-of-effect spell.
Kay mused silently:My Solar Eye Magic has stronger single-target damage than Eileen's Group Detonation—it was the most powerful High-Tier Fire Magic in Mentor Moses' notes. But its area coverage can't compare. I wonder if it can be modified someday.
He wasn't the only one deep in thought. Eileen's demonstration wasn't over—with a wave of her hand, a hologram erupted from the crystal ball. It showed her standing in a training ground; as she chanted, scarlet fire elemental particles swarmed around her, (condensing) into hundreds—even thousands—of palm-sized, blazing firebirds. When she pointed her staff forward, the fiery horde surged forward, shattering dozens of scattered targets.
Even as a hologram, the power of the Formal Spell sent a shiver through the apprentices. Eileen in the projection looked visibly exhausted after casting it, and the image faded quickly.
"Thousand Birds Detonation, which I designed and developed alone, combines overwhelming burst damage and area coverage," Eileen said, a hint of pride in her voice. "It's been recognized by the Spire's Arcane Light—and it's among the best of its tier!" Her chin lifted slightly, a rare show of vanity.
Thousand Birds Detonation was far beyond the apprentices' reach—it required the mana and mental power of a Formal Mage. But the Group Detonation Spell and the improved Firebird Spell were within their grasp. These weren't part of the current transmutation course, but Eileen added, "If any of you are interested in the improved Firebird or Group Detonation, I'll sell you the spell models for magic coins. Don't worry—it won't be too expensive. I know some of you come from wealthy families." She winked.
Many apprentices' eyes lit up—they'd seen the spells' power firsthand. Eileen didn't name a price, but it was clear interested students would need to ask her privately.
"One last warning," she added, her tone turning serious. "Modifying spell models is never easy. It requires vast knowledge, years of experimentation, and carries enormous risk. I doubt any of you want to be blown up in your labs. I improved Firebird and Group Detonation when I was still an apprentice, but that was extremely reckless. You won't truly have the skills to modify or create new magic until you become Formal Mages. Until then, focus on mastering the mid- and high-tier spells your predecessors have already tested and perfected."
Kay nodded in agreement. He'd tried modifying magic before—countless explosions in Grant's castle had taught him how dangerous magical research could be. Besides, even if Eileen downplayed the cost, the Group Detonation Spell would likely be expensive. While he was tempted, he had no plans to learn it—his time and research focus were already mapped out, and he couldn't afford the distraction.
When class ended, Eileen left immediately with her crystal ball and tools. The Fire Element Transmutation course had six sessions totaling twelve hours; Kay had already learned more in one class than he had in weeks of self-study. He looked forward to the remaining five sessions, eager to uncover more arcane truths.
As he packed his notebook, Mark blocked his path. Eileen was gone, and most mid-tier apprentices had hurried out, leaving only a few bold Advanced Apprentices. Their absence only emboldened Mark.
"What's wrong? Scared to fight me at the Challenge Arena?" Mark sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.
Kay, uninterested in his pettiness, replied calmly, "I don't have time to waste on this." Two years at the Spire had mellowed his temper—back at the Dark Magic Academy, he would have snapped "Get lost" instead of staying composed.
But his calm only made Mark think he was weak. Mark burst into loud laughter, joined by his two companions. The sound grated on Kay's nerves, and a vein twitched in his hand.
The Azure Source Holy Spire wasn't the Dark Magic Academy—he couldn't lash out and harm others freely. There, he and Lina had killed Scarface Jock and his men in the street, and while they'd faced punishment, Formal Dark Mages had 庇 them; dead apprentices were barely a footnote. Here, however, the Spire's rules were ironclad—even the Dean's son couldn't violate them openly. It would be a direct insult to the Spire Lord.
Kay forced down his rising anger. His face remained impassive as he met Mark's gaze, his dark blue eyes cold as ice. Deep within them, a golden light flickered.
"Fine," he said. "The Challenge Arena. Let's go."
His sudden shift in tone made Mark's laughter die in his throat. Kay's expression was too cold, too terrifying—eyes that had seen unspeakable darkness and death. Mark felt as if Kay were staring at a corpse, not a fellow apprentice.
As the 17th-ranked apprentice on the Spire's Combat List, Mark was no weakling. He'd shed blood before—from monsters, other apprentices, even humans. Born into a royal family of a small, obscure duchy in the Green Source region, he'd fought in his duchy's wars and led guards on trials in monster forests in his teens and twenties. He was powerful—but he had no idea who he was provoking.
Their standoff drew curious glances. Most apprentices found Spire life fulfilling but exhausting; only a handful like Kay could immerse themselves in study for years on end. Others sought release in noble balls or Challenge Arena battles. Today, the arena was busier than usual—the 17th-ranked "Fire Hand" Mark facing an unknown Advanced Apprentice was too juicy a spectacle to miss.
Top 20 apprentices were all Advanced or higher, but high-tier battles were rare. Most daily fights involved low- and mid-tier apprentices, who made up the majority of the Spire's student body. Advanced Apprentices were one in a hundred—prodigies the Spire pinned its hopes on for the upcoming Regional Holy Spire Academy War in eight years.
When Kay and Mark arrived, several arenas were already in use—all by low- or mid-tier apprentices. Kay noticed the arena wasn't just for settling grudges; friends also dueled to practice new spells. Two mid-tier apprentices on one arena even bowed to each other (a traditional Mage greeting) before slowly chanting and casting magic—a bizarre sight that taught Kay more about surface-world Mages. Of course, this politeness vanished in real wars; Mages on battlefields unleashed powerful spells without hesitation, terrifying ordinary knights.
At the sight of Kay and Mark—their hostility obvious—the two dueling low-tier apprentices stopped immediately. A bored-looking Formal Mage in a yellow robe, who'd been lounging nearby, perked up.
The Spire's Challenge Arenas were five meters tall and nearly a hundred meters in diameter, more than enough space for apprentices to fight. A translucent white barrier surrounded each arena, designed to contain stray elemental energy and separate combatants in emergencies. Thin as it looked, the barrier was reinforced by runes beneath the arena—impenetrable to non-Formal Mages. Even so, apprentices died here every year; some battles moved too fast, and even the watching Formal Mage couldn't react in time.
Inside the barrier, Mark sneered, "Your name's Kay, right? Hope you don't die here. Three apprentices have fallen to me in this arena—one of them was an Advanced Apprentice. That barrier won't save you." He narrowed his eyes threateningly.
"Is that a threat?" Kay replied, his voice sharp. "Or a reminder that I can kill you here? I thought all three of you would fight me. Turns out you're the only one here to die."
Mark's face flushed with anger. Neither bothered with pleasantries—they attacked at once, unleashing their deadliest moves.
As a renowned apprentice and royal heir, Mark had more than just skill—he was equipped with rare magical items. Arena battles allowed all tools: alchemical gear, potions, monster companions, summoning magic—anything that didn't violate Spire rules. Mark didn't underestimate Kay; his years of arena experience showed in his first move.
A scorching fire wall erupted in front of him—triggered by a necklace around his neck, a Mid-Tier Magic for defense. Elemental ripples flashed around his legs and wrists:Skystrider Bootsto boost his jumps and let him hover for minutes, and a redElemental Ringthat enhanced his fire magic. Kay, with his alchemical background, had already identified these items before stepping into the arena. Mark also had a spatial device—who knew what other treasures he hid?
As the fire wall rose, Mark began chanting. True to his "Fire Hand" nickname, his signature spell was a massive fire elemental hand—similar to Kay's Mid-Tier Fire Hand but larger, hotter, and far more powerful, a High-Tier Magic developed by a different Formal Mage. The blazing hand, several meters wide, slammed toward Kay, seemingly intent on crushing him.
Kay had finished his own chant. When the fire hand struck, it didn't meet the resistance Mark expected—a translucent yellow shield materialized in front of Kay, blocking the attack entirely. The shield appeared faster and more stealthily than Mark's fire wall, proof Kay's magical items were at least as good as Mark's—if not better.
Then Kay's magic took shape. It was the first time he'd used the Solar Eye in combat. A huge blazing ring appeared before him; as he chanted, golden elemental lines etched complex runes inside it. From a distance, it looked like a lifelike golden eye—but the fire hand's flames and the earth shield obscured it. Only a handful of onlookers noticed.
"He's going to lose," a soft female voice giggled from outside the arena. It was Eileen, who'd stopped by after class. "If he's defeated here, he'll finally stop acting so arrogant when he returns to the family."
"The Advanced Apprentice—Mark—is your family's younger generation, isn't he?" the yellow-robed Formal Mage asked, turning to her. "He's met his match this time. But why haven't I seen this other apprentice before? He looks completely unfamiliar."