The air in his room had grown still as Xarl sat cross-legged, staring at the translucent blue screen hovering silently before him. It had appeared the previous night after an accident, revealing itself as something he never imagined he would encounter in this world—a system. At first, he was confused. Was it magic? A trick of the aura? But then, his memories of Earth clarified things. This was like the game systems he had once read about, perhaps even more advanced. Here, it was real. Tangible. And it had one instruction flashing across it:
[Main Quest: Enroll in Embra Academy.]
Below that, a description followed:
"One of the most prestigious academies in the kingdom of Velaria. Known for producing legendary aura wielders, scholars, and warlords. Admission limited to nobles, wealthy commoners, and exceptional scholarship students."
"Embra Academy…" Xarl murmured.
His eyes widened with recognition. He remembered his siblings talking about it in the past few weeks. Both his brother and sister had studied there. The name alone carried weight—an institution where not only humans, but other species like elves, orcs, vampires, dwarves, beastfolk, and even dragons in humanoid form trained. The diversity was astonishing, and the academy's blend of aura mastery, ancient magic, combat, alchemy, and academic excellence made it a place legends were born from.
Xarl's heart beat a little faster. Is this really where I'm headed?
As he closed the academy book beside him and pulled the blanket over his tired body, the screen blinked again.
[Daily Quest: Meditate for 3 hours.]Failure Penalty: 3 hours in the Zombie Prison Realm.
"…Zombie what?" he muttered.
He blinked. Why would I meditate at night when I'm already sleepy? Ignoring it, he turned over and closed his eyes.
Big mistake.
The next time he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark, cramped cage. The stench of rot filled his nose as grotesque moans echoed around him. Just beyond the bars, dozens of decaying figures—zombies—clawed at the metal, their hungry eyes fixed on him.
He was trapped.
His instincts screamed. For three excruciating hours, he fought to survive with nothing but his wits and fear sharpening his reactions. Each second stretched into an eternity.
When the timer was about to end, one zombie's teeth sank into his forearm.
"AHHH!"
But just as he screamed, the screen flashed again. He was yanked out of the realm and back to his room. Panting. Shaking. Sweating.
He looked at the system rewards:
+ Zombie Materials: Bone (x1), Skin (x1)+ Rare Poison Extracted (auto-saved to inventory)+ Antidote Rewarded
He stared at his healing arm. The system had healed him, but the experience remained burned into his mind.
Still, he was clever. Recalling how rare zombie venom was in alchemy, he extracted what remained in the bite wound and stored it carefully in his system inventory. Even pain brings opportunity, he thought grimly.
The rest of the night passed without incident, and Xarl finally drifted to sleep.
—
By morning, sunlight spilled into the house as the scent of breakfast filled the air. Sitting at the table with his family, Xarl looked up at his father, Orda, and asked, "Father… about Embra Academy. Is there an entrance test?"
Orda nodded, sipping his tea. "Yes. In a month. I've already sent your name for the selection round. The test won't be easy."
His mother placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Don't push yourself too hard. Do what you can."
"I will," Xarl said, a determined glint in his eyes.
He trained harder than ever before.
Under his brother's guidance, he honed his swordsmanship—even when he failed to block correctly, falling into mud and bruising his back. His brother laughed but helped him up, and Xarl persisted until he mastered the form.
His mother taught him basic herbal medicine. He often made mistakes—misidentifying herbs or spilling mixtures—but she encouraged him, and eventually, he could make minor healing salves on his own.
From his father, he learned history, war strategy, and advanced reading. The old tomes he studied at night became his companions, revealing knowledge of aura, the ancient deities, and even lost civilizations.
Even his sister, a mischievous prankster, taught him lockpicking and trap disarming—under the pretense of "helping him sneak out at night."
And through it all, the system guided him. Every task—whether it was meditation, mental puzzles, or endurance training—came with rewards.
One day, while meditating, something unexpected happened. A chakra unlocked.
[Wind Chakra Activated]User can now manipulate air to a small degree, including enhanced breath control, balance, and water breathing adaptation.
Xarl was stunned. No aura… but something else was blooming inside him.
Time flew.
The day of the exam arrived.
Standing at the academy gates among hundreds of other hopefuls, Xarl took a deep breath. His clothes were simple. His expression calm. He felt the wind whisper through him, reassuring him.
He stepped forward, and then—
A voice, sharp and mocking, sliced through the air.
"Well, well… Look who's here. The miracle-less boy who dares to dream."
Xarl turned slowly.
There she stood—a girl with silver eyes and blood-red hair tied into twin braids, wearing an academy crest before even passing the test. Confidence dripped from her voice, but something darker lurked beneath it.
A chill passed through him.
Something about her… feels off. Like a storm waiting to happen.