Several months ago, before the Arcane Knight's entrance exam, a down-on-her-luck reporter named Alice Ward decided that she had nothing left to lose. Her boss was going to fire her if she didn't get any good information on the Arcane Knights, and since most guilds refused to talk to her, she went to the only guild that was left.
Phoenix Flight.
There she asked a simple question to a few of its members, and they all gave the same answer.
Mama Herta tilted her head to the side. "You want to know who the best member of Phoenix Flight is? Well, obviously it's Ragna."
Olem folded his arms and hummed. "Ragna. Without a doubt."
Miranda rolled her eyes and waved the reporter off. "The answer to your stupid question is Ragna, no, leave me alone."
"Ragna!" Both Falco and Ghost answered together.
Finally, there was only one person left to ask. Clause wiped his brow as he set a heavy box he had been carrying down. "Oh? That's a good question. 'Who is the best member of Phoenix Flight?' Let me guess, the others all said Ragna?" Clause tugged on his beard, then let out a laugh.
The old man's eyes seemed to twinkle a bit, and he gave a nod before clearing his throat and getting serious.
"Well, Mrs. Ward, to answer that question properly, we should really break down what you mean by the 'best'. Do you want the physically strongest person in Phoenix Flight? If so, that honor goes to me. Or perhaps you want the most skilled member of our guild; in that case, I would say it is Vlad. In terms of sturdiness, Olem, of course, wins in that department. The category of speed would fall to Tea. The member with the most determination to never give up would be Falco. Lastly, the one who is the most unorthodox in terms of style and fighting would be the Captain. Each of these members is the best in their respective fields."
Clause used his hands to cup his ear, and he turned his head slightly so he could better hear the next question.
"Huh? You want to know why everyone said Ragna then?" Clause let out another laugh. "It's simple. Because none of them, save for the Captain, could beat Ragna, and even when it comes to the battle between the Captain and Ragna, I'd wager it'd be a close and hard-fought battle. Ragna isn't the physically strongest. He's the second strongest. Ragna isn't the most skilled member of our guild. He's the second most skilled. Ragna isn't the sturdiest member. He's the second sturdiest, and Ragna isn't the fastest, but he is the second fastest. Have you ever played a video game? In them, you sometimes have characters known as a jack-of-all-trades. That's Ragna. That is, without a doubt, the best member of our team."
Clause made another face and tilted his head as he heard the next question.
"Is there anything Ragna is the best at?" Clause rubbed his chin once more, then gave a toothy grin. "Of course there is. Ragna is the best teacher."
***
Davi frowned as he followed Falco and Ghost outside. He had just been given a minor briefing on what sort of man Ragna was by the rest of the guild, who were happy to see him up and moving again but also just as excited to send him into the lion's den.
"Have you met Ragna?" Davi asked Olivia, who also followed. The other guild members all decided to stay behind, so it was just him, Falco, Ghost, and Olivia.
Olivia's face paled slightly, and her lips pursed. She rubbed at her neck, shuddering a bit, and nodded. "Yeah." There was a look in her eyes now. "I met him. He's… something, all right."
"Ragna trained Liv a bit." Ghost chirped into the conversation, the woman walking backwards to look at both Davi and Olivia. "Not much, though, because Liv wanted to stay at your side. Ragna was the one who suggested she get a knife and take some stealth training and other forms of combat methods. I'll be teaching her also since I'm quite good at stealth and even better with a knife." Ghost giggled.
Olivia shuddered again. "I still remember meeting him for the first time." She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. "Good luck, Davi."
"Why am I getting an ominous feeling?" Davi asked flatly.
Falco let out a laugh and looked over his shoulder as he led them deeper into the junkyard. "Trust me. You're either going to advance to the next level with Ragna, or you're not going to exist at all by the time he is done with you."
"What?"
"You'll see."
Davi suddenly got the feeling of a soldier who was walking into certain doom. Whoever this Ragna man was, he got the feeling he was intense.
The junkyard was placed at the edge of the ocean and ramped up onto the beach. The further they went, the denser the piles of trash grew, and soon they left the train behind entirely. Poking out of the water were dozens of ships, many of which were long since abandoned and rotted, their metal hulls covered in rust, and their bodies completely turned over.
Falco led them to the biggest of these ships, a mighty vessel that looked like it was made for war, forged out of solid iron and steel. It occupied an entire field's worth of width and lay on its side, severely damaged to the point where it could never be recovered or repaired.
As they approached, Davi's ears picked up a banging sound, one that grew in intensity. His Danger Sense began to flare up as well, and his eyes were drawn to the metal ship, which was littered with fist-sized dents all across it. Finally, when they reached the front of the turned-over boat, Davi laid eyes upon the monster that was using the ship as a punching bag.
The one and only, Ragna.
Ragna was a beefy man. He was nearly eight feet tall and had muscles upon muscles. Bulging and bulky, his stomach was toned with dozens of abs, and his arms were thick and meaty. His hands were big enough to wrap around a person's head, and his fingers almost looked like mini arms. He had dark skin covered in sweat and black hair combed into a pompadour, which jutted forward off his head. Just the hair was nearly a whole foot long and was combed to perfection. Around his mouth was a magnificently thick handlebar mustache.
What also stood out about Ragna was the clothes he was wearing. Or rather, in this case, the lack of clothes he was wearing.
Ragna was only dressed in a tight Speedo, made for swimming. It was black, and on one of the butt cheeks, the golden symbol of Phoenix Flight was embroidered into it. The man turned to look at them and flexed his arms when he saw Falco and Ghost. As he turned, Davi was able to make out the word 'Power,' which was written in golden letters across the front of his Speedo.
This was the man considered the most outstanding member of Phoenix Flight.
Ragna placed his hands on his hips, and he let out a loud booming laugh that shook the entire beach and rippled the nearby water. Olivia shuddered, having nightmares, while Davi's mind went blank and he struggled to process what he was seeing.
Steam was rising off of Ragna's fists from how fast and hard he was punching the boat, and the entire front part of the ship was caved in and melted.
"Ghost, Falco, Olivia!" Ragna rattled off the names. "It's good to see you three again. Oh, and that young man must be the newest member of our—"
"Vil Inferno Saber!" Red-hot flames gushed out of Falco's hands, taking the shape of a saber as he launched forward, letting out a laugh and swinging his weapon at Ragna.
Not even bothering to look, Ragna slapped Falco so hard the mutant was lifted off his feet and went flying away, going through a massive hole in the boat and crashing out the other side, where he slammed down into the ocean and skidded across the water. "-guild." Ragna said, unfazed. "I believe your name was Davi?" Davi nearly flinched and jumped back as Ragna appeared in front of him, moving too fast for the eye to see. The powerful man held out his hand and gave a wide grin. "It's good to meet you. I'm Ragna. Ragna Ran Zhou."
Davi hesitantly reached out and shook the hand. "I'm Davi Hawker."
"Hawker?" Ragna Ran cocked his head to the side.
"Have you heard of it?" Davi asked.
"Nope!" Ragna let out a loud laugh and let go of Davi's hands, clapping the young man on the back with enough force to nearly drive Davi to his knees. "I simply thought it was a funny name!"
Davi's eye twitched, and he went to say something, but before he could, a massive wave of water came crashing down, along with Falco, who was cloaked in hot flames. The man came crashing down toward Ragna, but Ragna lazily reached up and caught Falco by the face. He then twisted his body and let go, throwing Falco across the ship and sending him further away into the ocean.
The fire didn't even burn his hand, and Ragna let out another booming laugh. "You and Falco have beef?" Davi questioned.
"Nope!" Ragna shook his head and gave a wide grin. "Don't mind the attempts on my life that Falco makes. I ordered him to do his best to kill me." Ragna flexed his muscles, which somehow expanded and got even bigger. "You don't get gains like these without risking your life. Falco helps keep me in tip-top shape, and in return, the beatdowns on his body allow him to rapidly grow. After all, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!"
"He's an intense guy, right?" Olivia let out a slightly nervous laugh and then squeaked when Ragna's eyes landed on her.
"Ah, Olivia, it looks like the armor Clause is making you is perfect." Ragna cracked his knuckles and nodded his head. "Care to go a few rounds with me to see how your skill with a knife has improved?"
"No!" Olivia grabbed her head, her face going pale. "You nearly snapped my neck last time we 'trained,' if you can even call it that!"
"If we do it enough times, your regeneration trait will evolve." Ragna declared proudly.
"Actually, Ragna," Ghost cut in. "I'm going to teach Olivia a few more knife tricks. Why don't you get accustomed to Davi here?" Ghost suggested patting Davi on the shoulder. "You need to check him out, right?"
Davi shot Ghost a look as he realized she was practically throwing him under the bus, but before he could say anything, Ragna placed a giant hand on his shoulder. "That's right!" Ragna casually picked Davi up, dangling the raven-haired man above the ground. "Why don't you train Olivia a bit more, Ghost? I'll get to her again when I've seen what Davi can do."
"Do I get a say in this?" Davi sighed.
"Nope!" Ghost giggled. "All recruits have to train with Ragna. It'll suck at first—actually, it still sucks, but trust me, it'll help in the long run."
Ragna crouched down, then jumped into the air, leaping so high and fast that Davi felt the wind smack his face. The air whistled as they came down, and Ragna landed on top of a turned-over ship, denting the flooring as he did so. Only then did he set Davi down.
"I heard great things about you!" Ragna said excitedly.
"Did you?" Davi took several steps back, putting some distance between himself and Ragna.
"Yeah! Clause and Falco both spoke highly of you. Olivia as well." Ragna nodded his head, looking almost smug. "I can't wait to train that girl. Something about how it has my blood pumping with excitement. I'm pretty good at telling when I find something great. Take you, for example. I see a fine sword, one that can be sharpened and forged into a great weapon."
"A sword, huh?" Davi's look darkened slightly, and his hand clenched at his side for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. "I guess that makes sense. Evelyn said I was her weapon after all. Same for my mom." He somehow managed to hold back the bitterness and kept his blank expression.
"That girl, though, is something else." Ragna casually tapped his foot down and let out a hum. "She reminds me more of a wild beast. One that is still a baby but has the potential to grow into something massive. The only other person who ever made me this excited was the Captain." Ragna shook his head and gave a serious look. "Alright, are you ready to begin?"
"Sure, but what are we doing exactly?"
"As I said, I'm pretty good at telling how a person works. I want to see what you can do, so I'll ask a few questions, have you show off some powers, and then we'll have a small match. First things first, you're from Mordheim, right?"
"Did you tell because of the robes I'm wearing?" Davi glanced down at the outfit Clause made for him. It looked a lot like how warriors from Mordheim would dress, being loose and light.
"Clause made it for you, right?" Ragna nodded. "Like me, he's pretty good at knowing what someone should have. Don't worry about the outfit being weak or light either. He has Conversion magic, so despite looking and feeling like silk, the suit you're wearing was actually made out of solid steel. Of course, it does lose some durability and won't be as good as actual armor, but I was told you didn't need armor made for you."
Davi gave a slight nod. "That's right. I have a spell that makes armor for me."
"That's good." Ragna's grin grew. "Armor is important. Especially now that you're a Knight. Every member of the Arcane Knights has their own armor. Most of it is either created out of their armor magic or is enchanted gear that they find. Armor isn't just for protection or to look stylish. It's meant to show who we are. At a certain point of magic, armor can become useless, which is why other nations don't bother with it. The people of Mordheim and Rossum don't use armor, instead relying on their raw mana to keep them safe. Same for Gallenth, though; those metal bastards use their titans for almost everything. Naturally, at higher levels, it can be the same for Esteria, as many of us simply don't need armor, but we still wear it to symbolize the fact that we are the shields that protect the people."
"So you also have armor?" Davi wished the man would put something else on, but he somehow doubted that would happen.
"Yes, even I have armor, but I only bust it out when on a high-ranking mission that requires me to protect the people or when I find a worthy foe. Esteria is quite good at making enchanted gear, and so another reason we all have armor is so that we can add an extra layer of protection on top of ourselves, something other mages from the world can't do, due to the complex nature of their cores or lines. People from Mordeim aren't suited to enchanted gear besides weak ones, and Rossum can't due to them getting in the way of their spirits. Only the people of Esteria can truly bring out the best of enchanted items."
"The name you had was Ragna Ran Zhou, wasn't it?" Davi pointed out. "That sounds like a Rossum name to me."
Ragna gave a nod at that remark. "That's right. I was born in Rossum and have lived there my entire life. I moved to Esteria because it would help me reach the next step in my training."
"And you still have enchanted armor?"
"I do."
"But you said that only the people of Esteria can use enchanted gear to their fullest. So, is your armor not that good?"
Ragna let out a snort. "Ah, I see where the confusion is. You think that because I wasn't born in Esteria, I'm not part of this land or its people, is that it?" Ragna looked down at his hand and squeezed it into a tight fist. "Let me ask you a question. The people of Rossum are born without Cores. The same goes for me. I was born with Qi lines instead. Qi and Mana are, for the most part, identical, but Qi lines run through the body instead of resting in the center of it as a Core does. Qi lines also lack any sort of type to them, being blank, making it impossible for us to cast spells properly unless we make deals with spirits who can fill the hole in our bodies with their own Core. That raises the question, though, doesn't it? What happens if someone from Rossum leaves their homeland and has a kid with someone from Esteria or Mordheim? In this case, let's take Esteria. Is the child born of an Esterian father and a Rossum mother a citizen of Rossum or Esteria?"
"Both?" Davi asked. Ragna shook his head. "Then, I would say it depends on which land it was born in."
"No. That's wrong also. Let me add another layer to this. What if the father of Esteria and the mother of Rossum have a kid, but they do so in the land of Mordheim? The child will be born belonging to one nation above all others. That nation is the one that claims them and marks them."
"Marks them?" Davi found himself hanging onto every word Ragna was saying. His mind was racing as he tried to understand the explanation. It fascinated him in a way.
"Yes, that's right. A mark. One that is etched within their body." Ragna patted his stomach. "I'll try to explain it the best I can. Mana, Qi, Cosmic Energy—whatever you want to call it—the substance of our world exists everywhere. It is both alive and sentient, and it flows in not just living things but all things. Rocks, air, trees, grass, metal, people, bones, anything you can think of—the energy we call Mana or Qi resides within, smaller than even an atom. This energy, in turn, is shaped and molded by the people and has been split into four groups, because we as humans view there being four different versions."
"Esteria, Gallenth, Mordheim, and Rossum," Davi muttered. "The four nations?"
"Correct." Ragna gave the man a proud smile. "Since we split our land into four groups, the energy reacted and followed our command over countless years, being shaped into what it is now. Returning to my question about someone from Esteria and Rossum having a child in Mordheim, that child would inherit a source of power from one of the energies that flow through this world. The fact is, however, there is no way to predict how it will happen. Typically, it's passed down by the mother, but there have been cases where the location matters or it comes from the father. Therefore, this child born would most likely have Qi lines rather than a Core since the child's mother is from Rossum. That said, it could also be born with a Core, at which point it would have the Circuit Core that the people of Esteria are born with."
"Circuit Core?" Davi reached up and placed a hand on his stomach. "I guess I should have expected it, but Cores come in different forms, based on the land?"
"That's right." Ragna raised both his hands and held up six fingers. "Six 'Cores' exist within our world."
"Six? Even though there are only four nations?"
"Yes. Six. The first is Qi Lines. Despite not being a standard Core, this one functions like a Core, taking on the shape of hundreds of lines within the body that allow Mana or Qi to fill it up. The people claimed by Rossum have this one, and it is the best at imbuing the body with energy." Ragna dropped a finger, and each time he explained another Core, he dropped another finger. "Next is a Circuit Core. These Cores come from Esteria. They are round but have various strands extending from them, almost like DNA strands. A Circuit Core is the most balanced and has the ability to merge and use enchanted items the best. Unlike other Cores, Circuit Cores can draw out every drop of mana in an enchanted item. It's also what is needed to use Knight Gear. After Circuit Cores, you have Mask Cores. These are from Mordheim. They are particularly adept at growing sharp and rigid and shaping themselves and can even exit the body, which is what allows Mordheim's people to use Core Masks—a form of fighting style only they can employ. After them, you have two cores from Gallenth. Small Cores and Golden Cores. Small Cores are the weakest of all Cores, and the people from Gallenth can very rarely use much magic. Golden Cores, on the other hand, are the strongest Cores and are a genetic trait that people from that land can be born with. Golden Cores are what allow them to power their Titans and are what is needed to join their special attack force. Finally, the last Core is a Monster Core, also sometimes known as a Mutant Core. As you can guess, this is a Core that is made when a person is corrupted and gets transformed into a Magical Mutant. Whatever Core they had before influences it slightly, so it's the most fluid, and it keeps changing and evolving since it will eventually become a Monster Core."
"I think I get it for the most part." Davi gave a grateful nod. "So, since I was born in Mordheim, I most likely have a Mask Core and could use Core Masks. I know a bit about them but never thought to try since I was never taught how." Davi glanced down at his hand, and he wondered if he could pull it off or how it would even work. Core Masks were an advanced form of magic that only top soldiers were able to use. "That also means I won't be good with enchanted weapons, right? No wonder I was thrown into Phoenix Flight since I can't use Knight Gear."
At his words, Ragna's smile faded, and the bodybuilder shook his head. "No. That's where you're wrong. The captain is also from Mordheim, and she possesses a Mask Core, yet you saw her enchanted armor and blade in action, did you not?"
Davi's eyes lit up slightly, and he thought back to that white armor Laerton pulled out as well as that strange, needle-like sword she had. "Oh yeah. I guess I do remember that. I should have guessed she was from Mordheim, considering how she dressed, but I didn't really clock it at all. How can she use gear? Was it just bad gear?"
Ragna chuckled and clicked his tongue. "No, I can assure you, her gear is great. Not as good as Knight Gear, but it is at least S+, maybe even E1 in terms of grade, and was personally enchanted. The reason the captain was able to use it is the same reason I can use my own armor and why you'll be able to use enchanted items as well, should you get them." Ragna placed his hand over his stomach and patted it. "Our Cores changed."
"What? What does that mean?"
"It means we have Circuit Cores now. We were claimed by Esteria."
Davi's eyes went wide. "Wait, so I don't have a Mordheim Core anymore? Can Cores change?"
"Of course, Cores can change!" A heavy laugh escaped Ragna at the remark. "Mutants have Monster Cores but used to have another kind. Their Cores, however, received additional enhancements, which is what made them possess Monster Cores and transform them into Mutants. It's the same for you and me and anyone else from another land that gets claimed twice. That said, we still have our original Cores as well."
Davi let out a sigh of relief at that. "So I still have the Mask Core?"
"And I still have Qi lines," Ragna said proudly. "Once more, let's go back to that hypothetical child. It's rare, but sometimes multiple types of energy can claim the child. This process can be done from birth, but it can also be done at a later date under special circumstances. When this happens, the energy that claimed the child first is the energy they possess. In this case, the child was claimed by Rossum, so it was born with Qi lines. Let's say Mordhiem also claimed the child, though, since the energy decided that the child also belonged to their land and it wanted them. This doesn't always happen, and it's sporadic, but sometimes the energy can make choices like this. The Qi lines the child has are the standard ones, and the Mask Core is broken down and fused into the Qi lines. The child still lacks a proper type of mana since Qi lines were added in later, but those Qi lines can be used to create a Core Mask."
"So, even though I have a Mask Core, I also now have a Circuit Core?" Davi asked, trying to wrap his head around it.
"Correct, but the Core you had first is always the dominant one. When you're claimed again by a land, you only gain the additional effects of it. So, your Mask Core is technically a Circuit Core, but it won't look like a Circuit Core; it behaves like a Mask Core that can also perform the same functions as Circuit Cores. Think of it as if two programs exist, and one program devours the other, incorporating it into itself. Our Cores gained the Circuit Core trait when we joined Esteria. This is because of the King. He has the ability to claim people, and the energy will obey. It takes time, though, which is why the exams happen so that the ritual can be complete. Every ruler of their respective land actually has this power. The energy seems to accept that they're in charge and will thus allow them to make claims of their own."
Davi gave a nod, following along for the most part. One thing seemed odd, though. "Wouldn't every nation want someone from another land then? After all, if it's possible to stack Cores, then wouldn't the best soldiers be people who have cores from every part of the world?"
"If it were that simple, that would be the case," Ragna admitted. "There's a flaw with trying to add onto a Core, though."
"Of course there is."
"Adding onto a Core strains it. If it's done too much, it can even break the Core, so going over two is basically impossible. The add-ons aren't always worth it either. Most people can't handle having their Core be added onto, which is why the Arcane Knights aren't made up of more foreigners. One of the requirements is to have a Circuit Core, but very few can handle it. It can also cause other issues like madness or death."
"Oh, cool, glad I had this happen to me against my will." Davi rolled his eyes. He was seriously starting to hate the king.
Ragna let out a sheepish chuckle. "The final reason why it isn't used, though, is that it can actually hinder both Cores. See, I said we have Circuit Cores and thus can use Enchanted items, but that's not fully true. Most people can only use five to ten percent of an enchanted item, while Circuit Cores can use one hundred percent. We can only use about fifty percent. Maybe a little more, maybe a little less. The base Core we have also got messed up. Some stuff had to be deleted to make room for the new codes. For example, despite having Qi lines, I can't bond with a spirit at all."
"So I likely can't use a Core Mask," Davi grumbled. "What a shitty exchange."
"Don't feel too bad; you might still be able to use one!" Ragna said, trying to cheer the man up. "It might just be half as good as it was before, or it might be the same, but it would drive you insane when you use it!"
"How is that better?"
Ragna just shrugged. "That's the reason most lands don't try to stack Core energy, though. For the most part, it is better to just stick with your land's energy and style, but every now and then, you get people who aren't happy and want more power. Gaining a new Core opens the door after all. I was never one for spirits to begin with, as my sect just practiced body refinement, so even though I lost that power, I gained the ability to use enchanted gear, which greatly boosted me. Sometimes when one door closes, a new one opens. Most people with Peasant Cores will come to Esteria in the hopes of gaining even half a Circuit Core."
Davi decided not to say anything. He was still a bit bitter about what happened, especially since he wasn't told that was a thing, but there was nothing he could do about it now. "For the most part, I understand. What happens if a person were to be selected by all four lands, though?"
"Well, they'd likely die, as I said, or at least go insane. It isn't easy to be selected by other lands, though. You'd need to have one hell of a bloodline to get ties to that, or sweet-talk the crap out of the rulers of those lands." Ragna pondered the question. "Eh, your brain would pop first, though, so it doesn't matter."
Davi remained silent, but internally, he was thinking. Technically speaking, if other lands could claim anyone, he was willing to bet he had the best chance. In fact, he wondered if multiple lands had already claimed him.
His mother was first born in Gallenth but had moved to Rossum. That was how she had Shadow Magic, despite people in Rossum lacking certain types of magic. If what Ragna said was true, it was likely that his mother had a Golden Core that had Qi lines added to it. She then married his father, who was from Mordehim. That child could have been born with either a Mordehim Core or a Gallenth Core. He knew he lacked the Rossum one since he had a type of magic. And now he had a Circuit Core. So did he have three?
No.
In the end, Davi decided that it was impossible. He had seen his Core, and it wasn't golden. He had a Mordheim Core, or rather, he had one instead. Now he had a mix of it and Esteria.
It didn't matter too much that some stuff had been lost since he never bothered to learn how to use Core Masks. He'd just make up for it by getting an epic enchanted sword that could slay the dragon.
In the end, it didn't matter.
He was still going to slay the dragon, one way or the other.