The classroom buzzed with the usual chatter and laughter of Academy students. Sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows, casting prismatic colors across rows of neatly arranged desks. The students of Class C, known as the "average-tier" section of the Grand Academy, lounged comfortably, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.
Until the door slid open.
The teacher, an elderly man with half-moon glasses and a mana-inscribed staff, cleared his throat.
"Attention, everyone. We have a new transfer student joining us today," he said, his voice calm yet commanding.
From the hallway stepped a tall figure clad in standard academy robes, his hood slightly lowered to reveal a calm, aloof expression. His long silver hair, hidden beneath a charm illusion, now appeared charcoal black. A porcelain mask covered half his face—strange, yet no one dared question it openly.
"This is Ray," the teacher continued. "He'll be joining Class C starting today. He comes from country side... a remote region.."
The moment Ray stepped in, he saw them—the noble siblings from the carriage: Elira, the overly curious girl with sharp eyes, and Lucien, her aloof yet hot-headed brother in noble attire.
Ray sighed inwardly.
Of all places… it had to be this classroom.
The two siblings stared at him in surprise. Lucien narrowed his eyes. Elira tilted her head, recognizing the aura from their previous encounter but unable to place it.
So he's following us... but why? Elira thought.
"Ray, take a seat. You can sit at the back."
He did as instructed, settling into the farthest corner of the room, near the window. He leaned back lazily, arms folded, eyes half-closed, pretending to be uninterested—exactly how the rumors described him: arrogant, detached, and too proud for the classroom.
The teacher began the lesson.
"As we continue our Elemental Foundations lecture, today we'll be discussing the Fire element and its properties in both offensive and defensive applications..."
Ray didn't listen. His mind wandered.
So this is how far the academy has fallen? Same old lecture… nothing's changed in a hundred years.
His fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk. He was already scanning the mana ley-lines beneath the school with his senses, tracking the subtle magic pulses of hidden artifacts and relics. One especially strong surge came from beneath the eastern tower—likely where the Grandmaster resided.
"Ray!"
The teacher's sharp voice cut through the silence.
Ray looked up, one eyebrow raised.
"You seem uninterested. To my class and not listening," the teacher said, smiling condescendingly, "What are the three core properties of the Fire element?"
The students turned to look at the newcomer.
Lucien smirked.
Elira narrowed her eyes.
Ray sighed and slowly stood up.
"The Fire element has three foundational principles," he began lazily, "Combustion, Temperature Control, and Mana Resonance."
The teacher blinked.
Ray continued, "Combustion is the ignition—mana manipulation that creates fire through catalytic reaction. Temperature Control allows precision without destroying surroundings, and Resonance refers to syncing fire with internal mana for spell amplification."
He yawned and added, "There are also sub-properties—like Volatility, which governs how unstable the flame can be; and Ember Trace, the passive burn effect left on surfaces. But I assume this class hasn't covered that yet."
The room went silent.
The students stared, jaws half-dropped.
The teacher stood motionless. "H-How...?"
"Why is someone like you in Class C?" one student whispered.
"Did he memorize a textbook or something?"
But the teacher wasn't done.
"I'll make you a deal, Ray," he said, puffing his chest. "Answer my next three questions—correctly—and I'll let you skip classes for a week."
Ray opened one eye. That got his attention.
"A week? That sounds great," he said. "Go ahead."
The teacher nodded, stepping up his game.
"Explain the mana loop structure for high-tier Fire Channeling, and how it differs in southern-style elemental script versus northern glyph casting."
Without skipping a beat, Ray replied.
"In southern-style casting, the loop is circular and self-contained, using compressed tri-runes. In northern glyphs, it's linear, extending externally to create mana arcs. Southern is defensive, northern is offensive. Both fail under extreme cold unless supplemented with anti-entropy runes."
The students stared in stunned silence.
The teacher's fingers trembled. He asked two more complex, arcane-level questions.
Ray answered them casually, as if reading from an invisible textbook burned into his mind.
By the time he was done, the teacher simply swayed on his feet and collapsed backward into his chair.
"…He passed out," one student whispered.
"No way... is he a noble from another continent or something?"
Lucien clenched his fists. Elira bit her lip, watching Ray with sharp suspicion.
Who is he, really?
Ray, still standing, looked to the class.
"Anyone else want to test me?"
Silence.
He sat back down, stretching out lazily, acting as if none of this impressed him at all. Inside, he was quietly amused. He didn't intend to show off—but when they pushed, he had no patience to hold back completely.
Tch. I better tone it down next time. But I suppose a week off isn't bad.
After class, students whispered about him. Some were scared. Others were intrigued. A few noble-born students even considered recruiting him into their factions.
As Ray exited the classroom, Elira blocked his path.
"You're not just a commoner, are you?"
Ray smirked beneath the mask. "I'm just a guy who likes noodle soup."
Lucien stood beside her. "You're hiding something. That mask. That attitude.."
"Be my guest," Ray replied, brushing past them.
Outside, Kael—who had somehow snuck into the Academy in bird form—landed on a branch near Ray's window.
"Master," Kael whispered telepathically. "You caused a scene again…"
"It's not my fault they're dumb," Ray replied mentally. "I just answered questions."
"Still. You said you'd stay low profile."
"I tried. This is the result of me trying."
Kael sighed. "Anyway, I checked the eastern tower like you asked. There's an abnormal mana signature there—it's very strong."
Ray nodded.
So that's where the Grandmaster is hiding the relics…
He glanced up at the enormous Academy towers stretching into the sky.
Time to dig deeper. Let's see what secrets this place holds.