When Kaelen heard the words whispered by the magic, an indescribable wave of excitement surged within him. *"He had received a reward."*
Rewards appeared after slaying mana beasts. The stronger the beast, the greater the reward.
Mana began to condense around his hand like shimmering golden dust in the air. At first, it was just a faint, translucent glimmer, but within seconds, the clusters of light grew more distinct, taking shape and beginning to form a visible object.
First, a small fragment appeared—sharp and white. Then, the remaining pieces came together, forming a complete shape. Resting in Kaelen's palms was a short blade, cold yet strangely alive to the touch.
He lifted the dagger, watching his reflection ripple across its surface. It was crafted from a white fang. Though its edges appeared expertly honed, it was clear the blade was a natural formation.
*"This... must be that dog's fang."*
Kaelen ran his thumb lightly along the blade's edge. It was sharp enough to cut without warning. Even the slightest pressure could tear through flesh. Its cold, smooth surface gleamed almost like glass. But this brilliance was no false elegance—rather, it laid bare the dagger's lethal nature.
This was the first magical artifact he had ever obtained in his life.
Fragments of old knowledge about how magical artifacts manifested flooded Kaelen's mind.
When mana beasts were slain, they usually left behind nothing but an empty husk—a corpse doomed to rot. But in rare cases, the mana accumulated within the beast would condense and crystallize instead of dissipating, transforming into an object.
These objects were called magical artifacts. Each had a unique form—some became weapons, while others turned into accessories or talismans that granted strange abilities. Some were single-use, while others became heirlooms passed down through generations.
And these artifacts were categorized into tiers based on their power:
1. **Common** – The weakest artifacts. Typically minor enhancements or everyday items.
2. **Uncommon** – Items imbued with a measure of magic, offering noticeable advantages in battle.
3. **Epic** – Powerful relics valued by master mages and warriors, often possessing unique abilities.
4. **Legendary** – Weapons of heroes, forged in the depths of history, each with its own tale.
5. **Sacred** – Divine or cursed artifacts, bearing blessings or terrible costs for their use.
6. **Radiant** – Reality-defying weapons, capable of turning the tide of war in a single strike.
7. **Divine** – Relics of the gods themselves, spoken of only in myths.
In his past life, Kaelen had only ever obtained a **Legendary**-tier artifact. But **Sacred**, **Radiant**, and **Divine** artifacts belonged to an entirely different realm.
He had lived an entire lifetime, fought countless battles—yet he had never witnessed such artifacts. They existed only in legends.
He took a deep breath, thinking of the **Corrupted**-rank beast he had just slain.
*"So this artifact is 'Common' tier."*
This outcome met Kaelen's expectations. The dagger in his hand carried no enchanting power, nor could it alter the fate of a battle. But still—it was a start.
He raised the blade, examining it carefully. Pure white, it looked as though carved from bone, yet it had formed naturally. The weapon's body was flawlessly smooth, but when Kaelen gripped it tightly, it seemed to mold perfectly to his fingers, as if adapting to his touch.
He swung it a few times. The blade cut through the air, leaving behind a near-invisible trail.
*"Light... but razor-sharp."*
The dagger flowed effortlessly in Kaelen's hand, as if made for combat. Not too heavy, not too light. It carried no awkward imbalance, nor did it feel fragile.
He stared at the blade once more.
The white fang-dagger moved seamlessly in his grip, its edge glinting.
*"Hah, I expected worse. This is good."*
After further inspection, Kaelen reached out with his mind, touching the dagger's **mana essence**.
He used the **"Mef"** form of the mana stored in his eyes.
Now, the magical runes on the blade were legible.
The voice of the enchantment echoed in his mind:
**[Artifact: Canis]**
**[Tier: Common]**
**[Description: A remnant left behind by the former Forest Lord.]**
Kaelen read the description. Was this Pheniyet's doing, or was it the artifact's own enchantment? He couldn't be sure.
When he was done, the dagger dissolved into particles of mana and merged into the **mana core** embedded in his chest.
---
As he stood up, his bones let out a protesting creak. Kaelen rubbed his stiff lower back—he'd been lying in ambush among the bushes for too long. His left hand gripped the rough bark of an oak tree, while his right cracked his spine. The familiar pop of his joints echoed in the island's humid air.
*"Now's the perfect time,"* he whispered, biting his lip.
The sun had fully risen, tearing through the morning mist with golden fingers. On the horizon, the blue of the sea blended with the turquoise sky, as if two massive strokes of paint had been merged by a brush.
Then—a sound ripped through the sky's perfect blue.
It was **Pheniyet's voice**, but it came from everywhere at once, like a spell. Every leaf, every rock surface seemed to echo it. The voice had a metallic tinge, less like a human's and more like an ancient gramophone's needle scratching against a record. Kaelen rubbed his ears. *Did it bother others this much?*
*"Must be using a recording device,"* he mused. Or perhaps it was the work of a long-lost **Echoing Artifact**. He wouldn't be surprised if Pheniyet had something like that.
**[Attention, mage candidates of the 50th Eldorian Academy Combat Trial!]**
As the echoes faded, all nature on the island fell silent. Birds stopped chirping, the wind stilled. Even time itself seemed frozen. Kaelen's breath caught in his throat.
**[As of now, only 100 participants remain. Congratulations—you are now officially students of Eldorian Academy.]**
Kaelen's lips curled involuntarily. *"Yeeeah!"* he cheered, then immediately glanced around in alarm. Being loud right now wasn't the wisest move.
His old anxieties wouldn't allow it.
The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened as he smiled. Suddenly, he remembered the pure excitement he'd felt in his past life when he'd experienced this moment. Back then, he'd been younger, dumber, and incredibly naive. Just thinking about it now made his face burn.
*"Well, at least a mana beast tore me apart right after,"* he muttered. That was how he'd ended up registering as the **100th student**. He still found the irony amusing.
Pheniyet's voice returned, now more serious:
**[The real test begins now. As you'll see on the display beside you, you'll now be able to view the points you've earned during the exam.]**
The sky split open like a curtain. Beside the sun, glowing white letters appeared as if drawn by a god's finger. A radiant scoreboard hovered against the blue expanse.
Kaelen's fingers clenched into fists as he scanned the names.
**[1. Estelle Escard: 107 points
2. Arnold Turner: 56 points
3. Sofia Lyons: 55 points
4. Liam Carter: 34 points
5. Rey Millor: 33 points
...
17. Olivia Nightshade: 20 points
...
89. Kaelen: 5 points]**
Kaelen stared at his position.
*Dead last.*
*"A whopping five points, huh?"*
He muttered to himself, glancing at the corpses scattered around.
*"So they're scoring us based on how many mana beasts we've killed. Killing a Rank 0 beast gives 1 point, Rank 1 gives 2, and so on."*
Pheniyet's voice interrupted his thoughts:
**[These points reflect the mana beasts you've slain. From now on, you'll battle both beasts and other participants. Defeating another player will transfer their points to you, allowing you to climb the ranks. Good luck.]**
As the voice faded, Kaelen kept his eyes locked on the scoreboard.
Liam and Olivia had taken down many beasts in a short time. Arnold and Sofia were hunting together, so their high scores made sense.
But the real issue was **Estelle's name at the top.**
*"She's practically massacred her way up,"* Kaelen grumbled.
On the other hand, this format worked in his favor—with so few points, no one would bother targeting him to climb the ranks.
But if Kaelen wanted to see the trial's finale, he'd have to do better.
---