The days following the scandal were heavy with silence.
Everywhere Sam walked, whispers followed quiet, venomous, filled with suspicion.
He had become the boy who cheated, the pretender with light magic.
Even some professors avoided his gaze. The academy, once a place of wonder and discovery, had become a cage of judgment.
But Sam did not waver. He trained harder, longer, often until the moon replaced the sun. The flame he summoned each night grew steadier, brighter — and yet, deep within, it trembled, as though sensing his uncertainty.
Lucy stayed by his side, defending him whenever she could, though even she couldn't silence the tide of rumors.
Still, her faith in him never faltered.
"You don't have to prove anything to them," she told him one evening.
"Maybe not," Sam said quietly, "but I need to prove it to myself."
A week later, the academy's peace was shattered.
It happened during a class field exercise in the Elemental Testing Grounds, a vast open area near the forest where students practiced real combat scenarios. The professor, Irius, was overseeing a mock battle between teams.
Everything was normal — until the ground beneath them began to rumble.
A low, guttural roar echoed through the valley.
Birds scattered into the sky, and the air turned thick with the scent of burning earth.
"What was that—?" Lucy began, but before she could finish, a monstrous creature burst from the trees — a mana beast, covered in molten scales, its eyes blazing red.
Everyone froze. Such beasts were supposed to be kept far from the academy — something was terribly wrong.
"Everyone, evacuate!" shouted Irius, drawing his staff. "This beast's mana signature is unstable — it's been tampered with!"
The students panicked, running in all directions.
The creature's tail swung wildly, shattering stone pillars and sending waves of fire across the field.
Amid the chaos, a young student stumbled and fell, trapped beneath debris. The flames rushed closer.
Lucy tried to reach her, but the heat was unbearable. "Someone help!" she screamed.
Then, through the smoke, a figure stepped forward — Sam.
His cloak fluttered in the hot wind as he extended his hand.
The golden pendant at his neck flared to life, pulsing with warmth and power.
"Stay back," he said calmly.
The creature roared and lunged. Sam raised his arm — and in an instant, a golden flame erupted, brighter than ever before.
It didn't just burn — it radiated light. The fire danced like a living star, forming a barrier that shielded the fallen student and Lucy from the beast's inferno.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as Sam stepped forward through the smoke, his golden flame clashing against the beast's molten breath.
The explosion shook the entire arena. When the light faded, Sam stood tall, his arm scorched, his breathing heavy — but the beast lay unconscious, bound in golden chains of light.
For a long moment, no one moved. Then the first voice broke through —
"He… he stopped it."
"He saved us…"
The murmurs grew into applause, then into cheers that echoed through the valley.
Lucy rushed to his side, helping him stand. "You idiot," she whispered, half-scolding, half-relieved.
He gave a tired grin. "Couldn't let you do all the work."
Later, as the professors inspected the fallen beast, they discovered something alarming — a forbidden control seal, the kind used in dark experiments. Someone had released the creature deliberately.
Whispers spread again — but this time, not against Sam.
Now, they turned toward the nobility, the families with power, the ones who could afford such forbidden magic.
Even Alana Rainheart felt the shift in the air.
From her private balcony, she watched the crowds chant Sam's name. Her smile faltered for the first time.
"So… the boy has teeth after all," she muttered.
Her attendant bowed. "Shall we continue with the next phase?"
"No," Alana said coldly. "For now, let him enjoy his victory. It will make his fall… much more painful."
That night, in his dorm, Sam stared at his reflection.
The golden flame flickered faintly in his hand — calm, alive, pure.
For the first time, he felt something stir deep within him — not just power, but purpose.
> "If saving others means defying their expectations," he whispered, "then I'll keep defying them."
Outside, the academy bells rang in the distance, marking the dawn of a new day — the day Sam regained his honor.
But far beyond the city walls, in the shadows of a forgotten temple, a hooded figure watched the same golden light rise over the horizon and murmured,
"So… the descendant has awakened."
Sam's name echoed through every corridor of the academy.
After the mana beast incident, he became the topic of every conversation — the boy who saved everyone with the golden flame.
Commoners saw him as a symbol of hope. Even some nobles, though reluctant, couldn't deny his strength.
But for Alana Rainheart, this newfound attention was intolerable.
Her position as the most favored candidate for the Student Council President was slipping away — replaced by a boy of unknown birth who dared to stand in her light.
Still, she wore her flawless smile, attending every event, weaving her influence through whispered words and subtle gestures. Where Sam inspired with sincerity, Alana ruled through control — and she had plenty of both wealth and followers to keep her power intact.
The weeks leading up to the election were electric. Banners waved through the academy halls; students gathered in courtyards debating who deserved victory.
Lucy and the royal sisters — Lyra and Seraphine — threw their full support behind Sam, organizing speeches and open demonstrations where he shared ideas to make the academy fairer for all, not just the nobility.
"The academy is meant to shape heroes," Sam said during one rally, his voice steady but filled with conviction.
"But how can heroes rise if they're denied the chance to learn? It's time to give everyone a voice — no matter their blood or name."
His words ignited a wave of cheers among commoners, while the nobles clenched their jaws in silent anger.
Even Alana, watching from her private balcony, felt the pressure. She gripped her fan tighter and murmured,
"You can sway the crowd with words, Sam… but let's see how long they follow when things turn real."
Finally, the Election Day arrived.
The grand hall was filled with thousands of students, banners fluttering, lights shimmering across the marble floor.
Each candidate gave their final speech — poised, passionate, and eager to shape the academy's future.
When the final votes were counted, the hall fell silent.
Professor Irius stepped forward, holding the sealed results. His voice echoed across the hall.
"After tallying the votes… both candidates stand equal."
A stunned murmur rippled through the students. Never in the academy's history had there been a tie.
Even Alana blinked, momentarily thrown off her perfect composure. Sam, on the other hand, simply smiled — calm as ever.
Professor Irius exchanged a glance with Headmaster Grey, who nodded thoughtfully.
"Then we'll decide it the old way," Grey declared. "By trial."
The words sent a wave of excitement and anxiety through the crowd.
The next morning, the announcement spread across the academy like wildfire —
Sam and Alana would face the Trial of the Relic, an ancient test designed for those who sought leadership among first-year students.
Their task: venture into the Beast Cavern, a restricted zone deep beneath the academy grounds, and defeat the guardian monster that protected an ancient relic.
Whoever brought the relic back to the main hall first would be declared the President of the First Years.
The trial would not only test power, but also wit, courage, and spirit — the three pillars of leadership.
When Sam arrived at the trial grounds, the air buzzed with tension.
Alana stood opposite him, dressed in her ornate crimson combat uniform, a confident smirk on her lips.
"Don't think your little rescue stunt makes you a hero," she said softly, just loud enough for him to hear.
"This isn't a stage for sympathy. It's for strength. And I'll make sure everyone sees who truly deserves to lead."
Sam looked at her calmly, his golden eyes reflecting the torchlight.
"Then I guess we'll let our actions speak."
Lucy and the royal sisters watched from the stands, worry and excitement mixing in their expressions.
"Be careful," Lucy whispered under her breath. "She's not like the others, Sam. Alana doesn't fight to win — she fights to break."
A low rumble shook the ground as the heavy gates opened.
The entrance to the Beast Cavern loomed before them — dark, cold, and humming with mana energy.
The professors signaled the start.
"Begin the Trial of the Relic!"
Without hesitation, both Sam and Alana dashed into the darkness.
The cave swallowed the light behind them, leaving only faint echoes of their footsteps and the promise of what lay ahead —
a beast of unimaginable power,
a relic older than time itself,
and the battle that would decide who would stand as the President of the First Years.
To be continued…