The stone-paved hallway of the academy, softly lit by magic-lanterns glowing along the marble walls, held a quiet atmosphere—calm, yet heavy with unspoken tension. The footsteps of four students echoed gently in that silence. The air still carried the scent of old books and lingering magic dust. It was Arne who finally broke the quiet:
"Are we seriously going to help them? I feel like this is nothing but trouble... something about it just smells wrong."
Ryan, hands tucked into the pockets of his cloak, replied without turning around:
"I've heard the name Exvoid before. Out in borderlands, villages no one visits anymore. If we want to uncover this world's secrets, there's no better source than them. It's like… they have access to everything."
Yuri, hands behind his head and eyes lowered, muttered quietly:
"Maybe this is even why we're here... Maybe it's just one piece of a puzzle we're meant to find."
Satoru came to a stop. His gaze lingered on the dim lights overhead. His thoughts tangled with the soft sound of his teammates' footsteps fading ahead. At last, he murmured:
"Then we help them… but on our own terms."
There was a hint of approval in Ryan's expression. Arne rolled his eyes and grumbled,
"Let's just hope they don't blame us for starting it."
Yuri smirked. "Don't worry—this time, it's not your fault. Not yet."
---
A full day had passed since that night's conversation, but Teach's words still echoed in the minds of the four students.
Like a stone dropped into a calm lake—on the surface, the classes seemed quiet, but inside their thoughts, ripples continued to spread.
Today, however, unlike the usual routine, classes weren't held in the academy halls, but in the open air.
Students, both excited and a little nervous, walked in groups toward the training forest.
Some were already preparing spells, while others carried practice swords slung over their shoulders.
---
The silence among the students stemmed more from excitement and anxiety than fatigue. Some whispered quietly to one another, while others were busy practicing with their wands or personal spells.
Satoru walked calmly beside Yuri and Ryan. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, and the sounds of unfamiliar birds echoed from deep within the forest. As they reached the forest's edge, the open space gave way to the tall shadows of trees, and a thin mist blanketed the ground.
Standing ahead of the group were two instructors—Teach, with his usual stern expression, and a tall man in a gray cloak with a short sword at his side: a teacher named "Harun," head of the academy's security.
Teach stepped forward and spoke in a firm tone: "Today's field training will be a little different. Each of you will face real-life scenarios, either alone or in small teams. This isn't just to test your strength... but to assess how you react."
Harun rested his hand on his sword and gave a faint smile. "And if necessary... we'll step in ourselves."
---
Professor Teach, while drawing a large mana circle on the ground with enchanted chalk, turned to the students and said:
"Magic in this world begins with four basic elements: Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire. These are the fundamental forces most magical creatures and humans are familiar with."
With a wave of his hand, he summoned a small flame in the air, then transformed it into a droplet of water that fell to the ground.
"But our world isn't limited to just these four. Many forms of magic are actually combinations or branches of these elements."
He stood up, and from the earthy circle on the ground, a small plant sprouted.
"Plant control? Derived from Earth and Water. Ice? A fusion of Water and Wind. Lightning? A complex interaction between Wind and Fire."
His eyes scanned the class for a moment, and then he paused.
"And beyond these elements... there are magics that don't follow the laws of this world. Light and Darkness. Mind and Memory. Control over the body—or even time itself."
His voice lowered but sharpened.
"These aren't the kinds of spells you learn from books. These are the kinds of magic that rewrite history."
Teach turned fully to the students.
"And if one of you can master such a magic… then the future of this world will rest in your hands."
---
Teach stepped back to the center of the training circle, his eyes scanning over the students as he spoke:
"Well... these are things you all should've already known. Just a simple review. Now it's time to—"
Suddenly, a sharp rustling sound came from the edge of the forest.
Ryan turned his head, eyebrows furrowed.
Teach fell silent, staring in the same direction.
Behind them, Haron quietly unsheathed his sword.
Then came the sound of snapping branches—heavy footsteps—and strange, deep breathing.
From between the trees, creatures emerged.
Monsters with semi-transparent skin, colorless eyes, and bodies covered in glowing magical lines that pulsed faintly, as if alive.
The students stepped back—some ready to defend, others frozen in place.
Without hesitation, Teach crushed one of the creatures with a wave of earth magic.
Haron sliced through two others, tearing them apart. But…
The monsters didn't even glance at them.
Their corpses lay silently on the ground, but the remaining creatures passed right by Teach and the guards—without so much as a growl or a single reaction.
Yuri whispered, "They're... not after us?"
Haron, now with his sword glowing with magical blood, shouted,
"Their eyes… they're empty! It's like they can't even see... What happened to them?!"
In an instant, the calm training session had turned into chaotic madness.
---
The rustling among the trees didn't stop, and some of the students began glancing around nervously.
The heavy silence was slowly replaced by whispers of fear.
Teach clasped his hands behind his back and said:
"We need to investigate the source of this magical instability. This area is too close to the academy. Haron and I will move ahead. The rest of you—return to the academy."
Yuri stepped forward.
"At least let the elite students go with you. If things get dangerous, they might be able to support you."
A wave of murmurs spread among the students—some excited, others uncertain.
Yuri continued:
"This way they'll gain real experience. It's better than sitting in a classroom and learning theory."
Teach gave him a look and sighed.
"But..."
Haron joined the conversation:
"Let them come, Teach. It's good for them. Maybe they'll get a little scared and finally understand what's really out there beyond the academy."
Teach paused, then gave a slight nod.
"Fine. But only a few. Satoru, Yuri, Santara… you're coming with us. The rest—go back to the academy. Ryan, you're in charge of them. Stay close and keep them safe."
Ryan nodded silently, and the students split into two groups.
---
An hour later, deep in the dark forest, the lead group moved quietly toward the source of the mana disturbance.
The air smelled of scorched earth, and some trees looked as if they'd been burned from the inside out.
At the end of one of the paths, a humanoid golem appeared—its body built from stone, wood, and crystals of various elements.
But its movements were erratic, unbalanced—like a creature that had lost its awareness.
Teach came to a halt and said:
"This golem's malfunctioning… it's probably suffering from mana disruption. We'll go in closer. Stay sharp."
---
Just as Teach's shout rang out and a wave of dust swallowed the battlefield, a massive golem—its body made of wood and stone, with eyes glowing from dark energy—charged forward. Arne was the first to react, casting a defensive spell to block its path, but the golem mercilessly hurled him backward and continued its path toward Teach.
Teach didn't flinch. Without a trace of fear on his face, he raised his hand, forming a ring of mana around him. But before the spell could fully manifest, the golem let out a thunderous roar and hurled a powerful fist straight at Teach's chest.
Everything seemed to freeze in that moment.
And just before the impact—a gleaming sword sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, intercepting the blow.
Yuri's blade, swift and precise, met the golem's strike head-on. Sparks burst from the clash of steel and stone.
With a calm, cold expression, Yuri said: "Did you really think I'd just stand here and watch?"
---
Small explosions and magical sparks filled the forest air.
A stone-skinned ogre charged toward the group, each of its steps shaking the ground, and its breath puffing out like steam.
Satoru was kneeling on the ground, hands trembling and sweat dripping down his temples. His mimicry lightning magic coiled in the air like a twisting serpent, but the ogre's skin was so tough that even the bolts merely skidded off.
"Focus!" Yuri shouted, leaping beside him.
He unsheathed his sword and calmly channeled shadow magic into the blade. A faint line of darkness shimmered along its edge—but only just enough to hide its full strength.
Satoru glanced at him. "You really like showing up in the middle of my fights, huh?"
Yuri smirked. "Yeah—especially when you're supposed to bring thunder, and all you've got is smoke."
On the other side, Teach stood with his arms wide, forming a compressed ring of mana. With a sharp motion, he unleashed a beam of condensed fire straight into the ogre's chest. The creature staggered—but only briefly. The wounds were shallow, like scratches on ancient armor.
Arne, wielding a spear made of mana crystal, rushed from behind and struck at the ogre's leg, shaking one of its knees.
"We have to hit it together! Its skin's compressed—but if we find the weak spot, we can bring it down!"
Yuri dashed forward and slammed his shadow-infused sword into one of the ogre's shoulders. At the same time, Satoru yelled,
"Now!"
A bolt of pure lightning burst from Satoru's hands, intensified through several layers of charge. It roared past Yuri like a pillar of light and struck the ogre's chest directly. Cracks split across its armor-like hide—and in that instant, Arne's spear drove through the back of its neck like a final nail.
With a guttural scream, the ogre lost balance and collapsed to the ground. The earth trembled, and for a moment, silence fell.
Everyone panted for breath. Teach wiped sweat from his forehead, Arne withdrew his spear, Satoru dropped to his knees, and Yuri buried his sword into the dirt.
After a few heavy seconds, Yuri, still catching his breath, flashed a sly grin.
"That thing's hide was tougher than a castle wall. I swear I was cutting a mountain, not a monster."
---
Scattered pieces of metal and magical crystals still lay across the ground. The faint crackle of mana sparked from the remains of a shattered spell. Satoru cautiously stepped closer. Yuri knelt down to flip over a half-burned shard. At that moment, Satoru narrowed his eyes.
"Wait... look at this symbol."
On one of the fragments, a half-burned emblem could be seen—a golden circle with a complex mana pattern within it.
Teach stepped forward, concern in his voice.
"This... belongs to ArkanTek. The royal company that manufactures magical devices. Even the Northern Army's specialized weapons come from them."
Santara, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"That company operates in every country. They've got ties to the royal court, too. Why would they be involved in something like this?"
Yuri raised an eyebrow.
"Well, Miss Genius—if you're that sharp, why didn't you help during the fight?"
Santara gave her a brief glance, then calmly turned her face away.
Satoru smirked slightly and whispered to Yuri,
"If you want to outshine her, you'd better train instead of argue."
Then he turned to Teach.
"Professor… should we report this? Or... considering a royal company's involved, are we supposed to cover it up?"
Before Teach could reply, Haron stepped forward and muttered,
"For now, it's better not to report anything. We need to be sure what's really behind all this first... I suggest we start investigating."
---
Harun stood beside the half-active golem.
The lingering spells still sparked across the ground, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere—on the place where Teach and three of his students were gathered. The air around them still carried the scent of mana; something in the atmosphere felt… off.
Satoru spoke with a serious tone:
"Professor… let us help. If Exvoid is really involved, then we have to get involved too."
Teach looked at him. For a moment, his eyes were void of emotion. Then he said calmly,
"I've always worked alone… but this time is different. Maybe your help is necessary."
Yuri stood with arms crossed and added:
"Just me, Satoru, and Ryan. That's enough."
He paused for a second, then cast a brief glance at Santara out of the corner of his eye.
"There's no need for outsiders to get involved."
Teach let out a sigh, his tone growing more serious.
"For now, go and inform Ryan. We'll talk about the rest… later."
---
The academy hallway was as bustling as ever; students in formal uniforms moved in small groups, and the excited chatter echoed from every direction. But Ryan, Yuri, Satoru, and Arne walked quietly and focused. The silence between them was more meaningful than any loud conversation.
Arne, chewing the last bite of his breakfast bread, said,
"Thankfully, my class was quiet… no golems, no explosions, no creepy shadows."
Ryan, walking ahead without turning back, replied,
"I dropped off the students Teach mentioned at their classes… but I haven't said anything about what happened. For now, no one knows a thing."
Satoru nodded.
"Right. We need to head to the place Teach pointed out... somewhere in the city called ArcanTech. That's probably where the golems were activated."
Yuri, with a serious expression but a hint of excitement, said,
"If the trail leads to Exvoid—or one of their branches within the academy... then this whole thing might be a lot more straightforward than we thought."
Moments later, amid the city's noise, they arrived at a building that stood apart from its surroundings. A tall glass tower with spiraling silver-metal structures and mana pipes glowing from its edges. A spiral symbol coiled around a blue crystal gleamed above the entrance:
ArcanTech Laboratories – MagiCore Division
Teach stood at the entrance in his dark cloak. His eyes were as sharp as ever, but something in his gaze revealed this time… even he didn't have all the answers.
---
The tall ceiling of the hall was covered with marble pillars and stained-glass windows.
In the center, clerks in formal robes moved tirelessly between floating sheets and magical records.
A faint layer of preservation magic hovered in the air, keeping the documents suspended mid-air until they were automatically sorted into enchanted shelves.
A young clerk in a blue robe approached Teach and said respectfully,
"Professor Teach, the Open Records Room is ready. You may proceed."
Teach nodded silently and followed him without another word.
In another corner of the hall, Satoru's group trailed behind him quietly.
Arne whispered, "Is he always this formal?"
Yuri shrugged. "He's been... different since he came back."
Ryan narrowed his eyes at the door ahead. "Don't you think he's hiding something from us?"
Satoru, however, kept his gaze steady. "If he wants to talk, he will."
Just then, as Teach entered the room and the door closed behind him, Arne murmured,
"Let's do something. You guys go ahead—we'll catch up later."
Yuri looked at him suspiciously. "What are you two up to?"
Satoru replied, "We just saw something... It'll only take a moment."
---
After splitting up, Arne and Satoru turned down a corridor toward the back of the hall.
By one of the registry tables, a woman stood in a black cloak, her long silver hair flowing freely.
Her face was partially hidden in the shadow, but to Satoru and Arne, there was no mistake.
Arne whispered, "You saw her too, didn't you?"
Satoru nodded. "Yeah. That's the woman we rescued..."
His eyes narrowed. "Her name was Alya. What is she doing here? Something feels off."
Arne scanned the area carefully. "Now that we've found her, the best move is to gather information. No confrontation."
Satoru replied with a low but firm voice,
"Let's go. But stay alert. If she's really connected to Exvoid...
Even Teach might not know."