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Chapter 30: The Guide

When Ashura heard the words “academy” and “oddball,” he immediately lost his cool, drew the Twin Swords from his spatial belt, and rushed out, ready to fight whoever spread the rumors!

Eldest brother Jin Ze and second brother Arthur grabbed him around the waist at once to stop his reckless charge.

Yet Angelo’s airy remark, “Third brother, just be careful not to bump into those male instructors scouring the campus for you,” made Ashura fall silent; he quietly went upstairs and returned to his room. Ashura remained optimistic, figuring that as long as the academy’s no-brawling rule stood, he would be safe.

The youth reviewed the twists and turns of that day’s assessment and summarized his gains and losses.

Ashura knew he had passed by sheer luck; he had intended to game the test but never expected so many accidents.

He understood that Dynamic Light Wave was powerful, yet the spell took far too long to cast and real enemies would never stand still like practice dummies.

All along he had been searching for a balanced path, a way to cultivate both magic and martial arts simultaneously.

His current progress was not slow, yet compared with the academy’s top students he still lagged far behind, and he wondered if dropping one discipline and focusing solely on Martial Techniques or Magic would speed things up.

With all his experience and family connections, no one could give him solid advice.

He did not know whether the academy had any successful mage-warriors; perhaps he should look for answers in the library.

He also carried secrets that set him apart, so maybe he would have to find the answer on his own.

After thinking for a while, Ashura stopped brooding and chose to seize the moment, resuming his magical meditation.

His depleted mental energy slowly filled up, and just before dawn his hearty laughter echoed through the dormitory; his Magic rank had advanced to Magician Stage 1.

At daybreak he hummed a tune on his way to the training field to polish his Martial Techniques, elated by his breakthrough in Magic.

According to plan he would audit Warrior Class 8 today and serve as Magina’s sparring partner.

Magina arrived earlier than usual, and Lan Yu from Class 7 finished her morning practice ahead of time and came over as well.

When the two girls saw Ashura saunter into the entrance, they exhaled in relief and flashed radiant smiles.

Ashura wandered over to the Class 8 formation, and the equally tall Magina sidled up to him, teasing, “I didn’t expect you to pass the exam; I thought my 50 credits were gone for good!”

Ashura’s mood soured at once as he fantasized, “You little vixen, just wait until my rank rises and see how I deal with you,” and he brazenly raked his eyes over Magina’s perfectly developed chest.

Magina felt extremely uncomfortable under that gaze and realized the brat was far less innocent than he looked.

She decided that during today’s spar she would definitely teach him a lesson.

Before the instructor arrived, someone’s appearance caused Class 8 to gasp in surprise.

A tall, sharp-featured young man with bristling short hair strode toward them holding a bouquet of flowers.

The female students’ eyes sparkled, while the males looked on with inferiority and dread.

From their exclamations Ashura learned that the newcomer was Menlo from Class 3, reputedly the top freshman warrior.

As Menlo carrying flowers drew closer, a terrible guess sprang to Ashura’s mind and fear crept into his eyes.

Fortunately, Menlo stopped beside him and tenderly offered the bouquet to Magina.

Ashura patted his chest and calmed down, then heard Menlo’s magnetic voice declare, “Magina, please accept my flowers and my affection; I wish to guard your side forever with my twin-handed sword.”

Goosebumps crawled over Ashura; he never imagined the top freshman would have such tastes and fancy that violent girl.

But when Ashura looked at Magina to see her response, she suddenly glanced at him.

She then said coldly to Menlo, “I have a sword in my own hands and need no protection; take your flowers and leave, or I won’t be polite.”

Menlo was not discouraged by the icy words; instead, his gaze grew even firmer.

Full of fighting spirit he proclaimed, “I will become the strongest of this cohort; when I win the Freshman King title I will stand before you again!”

With that he turned and left with the bouquet, leaving the students chattering; Ashura clicked his tongue at Menlo’s retreating figure, thinking such a steel-straight man was rare indeed.

A chilly voice sounded behind him: “Why didn’t you step up and stop him just now?”

Ashura was baffled; he turned and jumped when he saw Magina glaring at him with a terrifying, gloomy stare.

Ashura immediately leapt back a full stage’s distance and cried, “What are you doing? He was after you… why would I stop him?”

Magina actually laughed, but the sound made Ashura’s skin crawl; with his keen danger sense he spun around and bolted without another word.

Just as he expected, the sparring began even before class officially started…

Ashura shuffled toward the Magic School with his aching body, wondering what he had done to offend Magina so badly that she beat him half to death simply because someone courted her.

Why didn’t she go thrash Menlo; it wasn’t as if he had invited Menlo over!

As he entered the Magic School still fuming, a voice called out, “Student Ashura, please wait! Could you spare a moment to talk?”

Ashura followed the sound and saw a small, big-headed male instructor with graying temples waving him over.

He remembered the man; it was the silent recorder from the stands during yesterday’s test, a instructor with almost no presence.

Ashura asked, “Instructor, what can I do for you?”

The instructor walked up and replied, “Student Ashura, we met yesterday; I have a presumptuous request I’d like to discuss.”

“Allow me to introduce myself: I am Yuan Da, the academy’s instructor of magic theory.”

“I witnessed your entire assessment yesterday; your dual-training approach amazed me, and your final magic skill impressed me even more.”

“I have long held a hypothesis regarding mage-warriors and believe I can assist you.”

At this point Instructor Yuan Da gazed at Ashura with expectation, but Ashura’s expression changed and he refused flatly, “Sorry, Instructor, I don’t need your guidance.”

“I’m only cultivating both paths because it feels interesting now; I may drop one of them in a couple of days.”

Instructor Yuan hurried to explain, “Don’t misunderstand; I mean no harm! I have spent my life studying magic theory.”

“I believe magic and martial techniques can be integrated to greatly enhance a dual-cultivating warrior’s power.”

“Yet I have only researched in theory and lacked the chance to turn my findings into actual cultivation.”

“Throughout the academy’s history mage-warrior students have been exceedingly rare, and most advance unevenly; until I met you yesterday, I felt I had never found the right person.”

“Therefore I hope you can spare some time to look at my research; if it succeeds, you will walk a path to strength unlike any other.”

Ashura was deeply shaken, for he currently needed guidance on the mage-warrior path.

Still, he did not rush to accept; he wanted to find out exactly what kind of expert this eccentric instructor was.

Could Yuan Da become the guide on his cultivation journey…

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