The academy buzzed with the usual energy—students rushing between classes, mana-infused sparring sessions lighting up the courtyards, and whispered gossip about the monthly evaluations still circulating. But Max wasn't paying attention to any of it. Not today.
He sat alone on the highest balcony of the west tower, staring at the horizon. The wind tugged at his cloak, and the faint shimmer of his system interface danced before his eyes.
[SYSTEM STATUS: LEVEL 12]
[EXP: 8%]
[Available Skills: Mana Veil (Lv. 3), Elemental Blade (Lv. 1), Pulse Echo (Lv. 2)]
[Unique Trait: Elemental Bond – Active]
[Main Quest: Unravel the Past – Progress: 3%]
[Warning: Suspicious Activity Detected – Investigate]
The last line blinked ominously.
Max's fingers curled into fists. The encounter with Thorn had left more questions than answers. The mission he'd been given—retrieving a corrupted mana crystal from a collapsed dungeon near Sector Twelve—felt straightforward, but Thorn's eyes had said otherwise.
He knew Thorn was testing him. Pushing boundaries. Maybe even trying to uncover what he was truly hiding.
But no one could know about the artifact.
Not Thorn. Not the Board. Not even his supposed allies.
Only the system knew. And it was the only one he trusted—barely.
Earlier That Day
Thorn stood in front of the entire D-class unit, his armor polished and gleaming like obsidian glass. His voice was calm, yet it held an undeniable authority that silenced even the rowdiest among them.
"A destabilized mana zone has emerged in Sector Twelve. Your monthly evaluation will now serve as a real-world assignment. Survival, teamwork, and mission completion will all be graded. Fail, and you don't return to the academy next term."
Gasps spread like wildfire through the group.
Sector Twelve was notorious. Abandoned, scarred by ancient battles during the first wave of beasts. Even now, it pulsed with dangerous mana fluctuations that warped monsters and terrain alike.
Max didn't flinch. He met Thorn's gaze with the same cold neutrality he had been honing for weeks.
Thorn's eyes lingered a second too long. Was he suspicious? Curious? Max couldn't tell. But the glimmer of subtle recognition in the older man's eyes was undeniable.
As the students began dispersing to prepare, Leo nudged Max's shoulder.
"You're taking this too calmly," he said, eyeing the others grabbing weapons and armor. "Either you're insane—or you're hiding something again."
Max gave him a brief smirk. "Let's just say... I plan to pass."
Leo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and pigs fly."
Still, he followed Max into the armory.
Nightfall – The Departure
The moon glowed low as the group of D-class students assembled at the academy gates. Max, Leo, Elia—one of the few fire elementals in their class—and two others named Bran and Nila made up one of the evaluation teams.
Thorn watched them go in silence, his fingers brushing a small silver pendant beneath his armor. A memory stirred, but he crushed it down.
"May your instincts keep you alive," he muttered.
Sector Twelve
The terrain changed drastically once they crossed the threshold of the ancient barrier. The air was thick with dense mana, causing their skin to prickle and their thoughts to blur. Trees warped into unnatural shapes, vines pulsed like veins, and patches of ice and lightning spontaneously burst into life from corrupted ground fissures.
"Stay close," Max ordered.
Though no one had formally put him in charge, the others instinctively listened. His calm presence had that effect now.
As they navigated deeper into the zone, they stumbled upon a clearing where the air shimmered with corrupted mana. In the center was the crystal—large, jagged, and pulsating with a sickly violet hue.
"We found it," Nila whispered. "But... something's wrong."
Max's system pulsed.
[Danger Detected – Hostile Presence Incoming]
[Beast Type: Abyss-Touched Reaver – Rank C+]
[Threat Level: Moderate-High]
[Recommendation: Engage with caution or retreat]
Max narrowed his eyes. "Everyone, form up."
They didn't have time to ask questions.
From the shadows, the Reaver burst forth—a skeletal, wolf-like creature with crackling lightning spines and acid dripping from its jaws. Its roar split the air as it charged.
Elia cast a firewall. Leo used wind blades. Bran tried to trap it with earth pillars. But the beast was faster than expected.
Max didn't hesitate. With a silent command, his system responded.
[Skill Activated: Elemental Blade (Lv. 1) – Ice + Lightning Fusion]
His dagger shimmered with dual energy, slashing through the beast's thick hide. It howled in pain, but turned immediately to him.
"You want me?" Max whispered. "Then come."
They danced across the battlefield—Max using quick, precise movements to outmaneuver the Reaver. The others supported, but it was clear: Max was the anchor of this fight.
[Skill Upgrade – Pulse Echo (Lv. 3) – Mana Disruption Active]
[Critical Strike Landed – Weakness Exposed]
[EXP Gained: 14%]
[Beast Core Acquired – Abyss-Touched Reaver Core]
The beast collapsed in a heap of bone and darkness. Max exhaled, sheathing his weapon as silence returned.
The others stared at him—wounded, breathless.
Leo spoke first. "Okay... seriously. What are you?"
Max didn't answer. Instead, he turned to the corrupted crystal, analyzing it.
[Mission Objective Reached – Containment Required]
[Item Acquired: Distorted Mana Crystal (Unstable)]
[Side Quest Progress: 1/1 – Return for Debrief]
"We have what we came for," Max said. "Let's move before something worse shows up."
As they left the zone, no one spoke. Not about Max's strange power. Not about the Reaver. Not about the unexplainable fusion of elements he had demonstrated.
But questions burned in their minds.
Back at the Academy
The next morning, Max stood in front of the debrief panel. Thorn reviewed the crystal without a word, his gaze resting on Max for an uncomfortably long time.
"You did well," he said finally. "All of you are approved for advancement."
Nods of relief swept through the team. But as they left, Thorn's hand stopped Max.
"A word," he said.
Max stayed back.
"I saw the beast's remains," Thorn said slowly. "And the fusion mark left in the ice... that wasn't from any ordinary elemental skill."
Max remained silent.
"You'll need to be careful," Thorn continued. "The world is watching. And you've already started casting shadows that people will chase."
Max met his gaze. "Then let them chase shadows."
He turned and walked away, leaving Thorn to stare after him, troubled.