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Chapter 12: First Day at the Academy

As the testing stone emitted an eerie silver glow, everyone stood rooted to the spot as if petrified.

They stared blankly at the youth who kept channeling magic power to ignite the magic-testing stone, and even the three instructors were too shocked to speak.

Ashura grew anxious inside.

The lightning element mana in his body was almost exhausted, so why had the instructor still not announced the result?

“We agreed on this a moment ago, I can’t hold on any longer,” he thought.

Except for a few meditation sessions after awakening, Ashura had never practiced magic, and cold sweat broke out on his brow.

The faint silver light flickered like a candle that could go out at any moment.

Yet beneath that silver radiance, a mysterious gray light flashed intermittently, though no one noticed it.

At that moment an incredulous voice rang out, “Lightning-element magic… rank… Mage Apprentice… Stage 1!”

The stammering announcement from the young female instructor saved Ashura, and he hastily released the magic-testing stone.

He ignored the sweat on his forehead and stared at the young instructor with blazing eyes.

Thunder roared inside everyone’s mind.

No one could understand why a warrior possessed a magic talent, and an exceedingly rare lightning element talent at that.

Why would someone with a lightning element gift choose not to cultivate magic and instead become an average warrior?

Wasn’t the noble path of a magician far more appealing?

The silver-haired girl Clara parted her lips in shock, equally unable to fathom what this boy who shared her lightning-element awakening was thinking.

She clearly remembered how her family had gone wild with celebration when she awakened her lightning-element talent.

Her grandfather had even named her the top priority among the younger generation.

Could it be that the boy had only just awakened his magic talent?

When Ashura noticed that everyone merely gaped at him in silence, he could not help asking the female instructor, “Dear Instructor, shouldn’t you be giving me the academy badge now?”

The instructor snapped out of her daze at his question and frowned at the youth before her.

At last she spoke with difficulty, “Well… you are a lightning-element magician, but your strength level…”

Before she could finish, Ashura cut her off, “Instructor, that’s not what you said a moment ago!”

“Everyone heard you: the admission rule is that a rare lightning-element magician may enroll, you can’t bully me just because I’m young and go back on your word, right?”

Hearing the murmuring spectators, the female instructor became flustered and turned toward the other two instructors.

The older male instructor in the middle cast an unhappy glance at Ashura.

This black-haired brat had set up his female colleague from the start and was now inciting the crowd to apply pressure.

So young yet full of scheming, but now it fell to him to end this farce.

He beckoned the other two instructors, and the trio whispered among themselves for a moment before reaching an agreement.

The middle-aged instructor smiled at Ashura and said, “Since you are a lightning-element magician and so eager to study here, we will not violate the academy’s rules; congratulations, you have passed the test!”

“Student Ashura, welcome to Saint Gobban Academy!”

Hearing this, Ashura leaped in excitement; he had finally fulfilled his long-cherished wish.

Yet when he saw the instructor’s meaningful smile, Ashura felt that the man harbored ill intentions.

Ashura took the academy badge from the instructor with both hands.

No matter how he looked at it he liked it; he giggled foolishly without stopping.

The silver-haired girl Clara had witnessed the entire scene, and she wondered how she would have acted in his place.

When faced with the predicament he had just endured, she probably could not have done better, because she did not know how to act shamelessly.

She felt a trace of admiration and curiosity toward the boy her own age, and she had clearly heard his name… Ashura.

While he laughed sillily, she watched him with curiosity.

The middle-aged instructor’s voice sounded, “Take good care of your student badges; they track points, handle transactions, and relay messages!”

“They also prove that you are members of the academy, so do not lose them!”

“You may enter the academy now, and after you do, the information within your badges will guide your next steps!”

The two of them hurriedly bowed together and replied, “Yes, Instructor!”

Immediately afterward, the silver-haired girl Clara walked toward the academy gate without looking back.

The black-haired youth Ashura turned to find Charcoal, the black horse tied to a nearby stump, and led him toward the gate as well.

A new academy life was about to welcome the two youths.

After they passed through the gate that soared tens of meters high, the scenery inside suddenly broadened.

Towering trees and ancient-style classroom buildings complemented each other, and everywhere students in warrior uniforms or mage robes walked along the academy’s paths.

Within the academy no clothing was allowed besides the school uniforms, except for newcomers like Ashura who still wore their own outfits.

Not far ahead a noisy crowd had gathered.

Ashura inched closer and saw that the silver-haired beauty who had entered before him was surrounded by upper-classmen showering her with flattery, all wanting the contact number on her badge.

The girl’s constantly knitted brows clearly showed her annoyance.

Ashura curled his lip without saying a word and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

Yet Clara, still encircled, caught sight of his departing figure and became even angrier.

Ashura strolled through the academy, amazed by its rich sense of history.

Statues of powerful alumni stood everywhere.

The heroic deeds of those powerhouses inspired generation after generation of students to strive upward.

The more Ashura saw, the more excited he became, eager to grow stronger.

He did not expect the school to erect a statue for him; he merely wished to become strong enough to save his imperiled family.

He recalled the conversation with his father before leaving where until he matures, he must act with patience and keep a low profile.

He resolved to grow stronger in silence and return early to avenge his elder brother.

At that moment a message came from his badge, and he checked it silently with his mind.

It read, “New student Ashura, please proceed to Dormitory 138, where you will have a private room.”

“Put away the belongings you brought, and if you have a mount, please board it at the academy stable, where staff will care for it.”

“At dusk all freshmen must gather at War God Plaza; anyone who is late will be expelled immediately, please be advised.”

After reading the message, Ashura first lodged Charcoal at the academy stable.

Charcoal saw several mares in the stable and pranced about happily.

A vein throbbed on Ashura’s forehead as he remembered spending 10 gold coins on the horse, and he slowly suppressed the urge to beat it.

Then, following the map in his badge, Ashura wound his way to the residential area.

The academy was truly vast; after wandering for more than half the day he had yet to see half of it, and dusk was already approaching.

The dormitories were separate two-story cottages, with the boys’ and girls’ buildings on opposite sides of the road.

Ashura located Dormitory 138, inserted his badge into the slot on the door, and the door opened.

The interior was not large; the first floor held a sitting area and a dining table.

A staircase led to the second floor, which had four bedrooms, three of which already showed occupants.

Ashura called out twice, “Anyone here?”

When no one answered, he assumed they had headed for War God Plaza, so he quickly checked the remaining empty room.

The room was even simpler: a wardrobe, a desk, a chair, a single bed, and bedding.

There was nothing else, and Ashura had little to put away.

He closed the door and left the dormitory, running toward the freshman assembly point… War God Plaza.

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