With Donna's words, everyone in the training field moved instantly. Some rushed toward the dummies, others headed for the shooting range, each one driven by a nearly tangible competitive energy.
I looked around and quickly spotted Kevin, Jin, and Melissa training in front of the dummies, while Emma headed straight for the gravity room. Amanda, on the other hand, went alone toward the shooting range.
As expected from the top-ranked student, Kevin Voss was incredibly talented, especially with the sword. Even without having mastered the Levisha style yet, his movements were graceful, almost like a dance. To most eyes, they were perfect.
But within the body of a fencing genius, I could see the flaws hidden between each motion. Tiny missteps that an ordinary gaze would never notice. Maybe I should talk to him later.
Jin Horton, in contrast, wielded two daggers with frightening proficiency. His strikes were fast and treacherous, like a predator lunging from the shadows. With that absurd speed, he could tear an enemy apart dozens of times in mere seconds.
Melissa Hall was using a spear. For a freshman, she showed admirable control, but compared to Kevin, Jin, Amanda, or Emma, she still fell far behind. Even I, without any magical energy, could defeat her without much effort.
She had always stood out more for her mind than for combat, maintaining second place thanks to her genius. But there was something in her eyes. A restrained glimmer that revealed a silent desire to become stronger.
Amanda Stern, the natural archer, was a case of her own. Among them all, she was probably the only one capable of hitting a target five hundred meters away. A prodigy said to appear once every two centuries, according to the professors watching the bow bend in her hands.
Emma Roshfield, on the other hand, wielded a short sword and fought like a living hurricane. Her style was fierce and aggressive, leaving no room to breathe. As I watched her, our eyes met. She looked at me with a mix of confusion and curiosity, probably recalling our last encounter.
She seemed tempted to approach, but hesitated. Better that way. Emma talked too much.
And finally, Ren Dover.
There he was, holding his straight sword and performing the strangest training of all, repeatedly sheathing and unsheathing his blade.
To everyone else, it looked useless. But I knew exactly what he was doing. He was practicing the Keiki style, an art built around a single perfect strike. A draw so fast it was invisible to the naked eye.
Powerful. Lethal. Beautiful.
It reminded me of Thunder Breathing. Maybe it even surpassed it in its early forms.
And me? What would I do? Simple.
I sat on the ground, crossing my legs in a meditation posture. I closed my eyes and began controlling my breathing, drawing in air deeply and guiding it with precision through every muscle, strengthening my body from the inside out.
Breathing Techniques didn't just require exceptional lungs, but absolute control over one's body. Oxygen and mana had to be channeled to the right places at the exact moment. One mistake, and the flow would collapse.
Soon, the sounds of the world faded away. Only the rhythm of my breathing remained. Steady. Deep.
I felt air and mana merge in harmony within me, and I let myself sink completely into training.
A refined-looking man observed the training field from a distance. His blond hair, slightly unkempt, shimmered under the artificial light, and his upright posture radiated the nobility of an aristocrat accustomed to giving orders.
Turning his head, he cast a curious glance at the beautiful woman beside him.
— What do you think of this group?
Donna Longbern crossed her arms and examined the students carefully. Her sharp gaze swept across the field before settling on a few specific points.
— There are many promising youths. But among them, the ones that stand out the most are Kevin, Jin, Amanda, Emma, Melissa… and Han Yufei.
The man followed her gaze and nodded slowly.
— Not surprising, considering their bloodlines.
Donna let out a small, ironic laugh.
— And you? Are you keeping an eye on anyone in particular?
Without hesitation, Donna answered.
— Kevin Voss.
A flicker of surprise crossed Gilbert's face, followed by a brief hardening in his gaze that vanished as if it had never been there.
— The boy who broke the entrance exam record? Interesting. A talent without powerful sponsors… that's suspicious, to say the least.
His words were laced with disguised venom, and Donna couldn't help but scoff internally.
— I was one of the exam supervisors. His swordsmanship is refined. Precise. Clean. No wasted movement. I'd bet we'll soon have another S-rank among us.
Gilbert tilted his head, his smile returning.
— Oh? Hearing that from the "Witch of Calamity" herself is quite the compliment.
Donna turned her gaze toward him, cold as a bare blade.
— Gilbert. Call me that one more time and I'll kill you. Just because your father is powerful doesn't mean I won't do anything to you.
He raised his hands in mock surrender.
— Hey, relax. Just a joke.
— Hm.
Donna ignored him and returned her gaze to the field.
Gilbert's smile faded. He looked at Kevin from afar, then let his gaze wander toward the center of the grounds, where two youths stood out from everyone else.
One was repeatedly drawing and sheathing a sword, while the other remained completely still, eyes closed, seated as if asleep amid the chaos.
Gilbert let out a mocking laugh.
— Pfff… who the hell are those two?
Donna frowned. Taking out her tablet, she swiped quickly until familiar faces appeared.
"Rank 1750. Ren Dover. Age sixteen. Son of the master of the Galxicus Guild, a mid-sized guild in the city of Ashton. Talent evaluation: D."
"Rank 2055. Kazehara Yuto. Age sixteen. Son of the master of a small dojo on the outskirts of Ashton. Talent evaluation: UNDEFINED."
Gilbert let out a low whistle and shook his head in disdain.
— See? I told you. Without noble blood, there's no future. No matter how hard they try, those types will never reach the top.
Donna remained silent, watching the two. She didn't know Ren Dover, but his training was indeed strange and unfocused.
As for Kazehara Yuto… she remembered him well. The last-ranked student. The boy who arrived late to class and partially resisted her ability.
She narrowed her eyes.
Meditating during training? What kind of absurd choice was that?
…Seriously, if you're going to talk about me, you could at least do it behind my back.
Ren and I had officially become the jokes of the training field. From time to time, I could see freshmen discreetly pointing, exchanging hushed whispers and quiet laughter. Two idiots. One meditating, the other practicing a useless draw.
Nearly two hours had passed since I started, and my body was approaching its limit. The class time was almost over anyway, so it hardly mattered.
I let out a breath and slowly stood up, feeling my muscles stiffen after staying still for so long. I stretched my arms and neck, enjoying the pleasant sound of joints loosening. Crack.
That was when I noticed the looks. Several of them.
Some girls in the class were watching me intently, eyes sparkling as if they were witnessing something too cute to ignore. It wasn't exactly a "masculine" kind of attention. Far from it.
With my youthful face and relaxed posture, I probably looked more like a cat stretching after a nap.
Combined with my so-called S-rank charm, the result was simple. A walking zoo attraction.
I sighed.
When I wished to be attractive to girls, this really wasn't what I had in mind.
Before the class ended, though, I decided to test something. A strike I hadn't practiced much yet. I adjusted my stance in front of one of the training dummies, gripped the katana firmly, and took a deep breath.
— Flower Breathing — First Form: Sakura-giri. (Cherry Blossom Slash.)
— Swoosh!
A fast, graceful cut sliced through the air. The blade moved with almost hypnotic fluidity, and along with it, pink petals formed from mana bloomed, dancing briefly before dispersing in the wind.
Murmurs spread across the field. To most, it looked like nothing more than a beautiful technique, but to sharper eyes, there was something else. Control. Precision. Harmony.
I smiled in satisfaction as the petals vanished. Flower Breathing wasn't aggressive like other styles, but its flow was pure and refined. Maybe it worked better with polearms.
I sheathed the katana and sat down again, crossing my legs.
Watching from afar, Donna frowned slightly. The strike had been clean, precise, and above all, beautiful. She was surprised, but soon an uncomfortable memory stirred in her mind.
Taking out her tablet, she scrolled down to Kazehara Yuto's name and read his file.
Mana Leakage Syndrome.
A rare condition, fatal to any mage. Individuals with this syndrome were incapable of storing mana in their bodies. A dead end for anyone dreaming of the hero's path.
So how had that boy produced such pure mana flowers?
Donna fell silent, eyes narrowed as they remained fixed on me. Her curiosity, once faint, now burned fiercely in her chest.
But the class time had come to an end.
— Attention, please. I observed each of you today, and I must say I'm satisfied with most of you. Of course, not everyone pleased me. Some chose to waste time fooling around instead of training. I expect more dedication next time.
She paused briefly, then added.
— Dismissed.
And just like that, the first training class came to an end.
The five freshmen who drew attention.
In the academy's corridors, five freshmen walked side by side with almost rehearsed grace.
Kevin, Jin, Amanda, Emma, and Melissa.
If it weren't for Jin's sharp glare burning into the back of Kevin's neck, the scene could've come straight out of a painting. Two absurdly handsome boys flanked by three stunning girls, laughing and chatting as if the world revolved around them.
With every step, heads turned. Conversations quieted. And almost instinctively, other students parted to make way for the group.
— Hey, hey, did you notice that? Everyone literally opened a path for us. I felt like a celebrity.
Kevin laughed, adjusting his uniform.
— Yeah, I saw it. Didn't expect that, honestly.
— Hmph. Of course you didn't. The only reason they moved aside is because I was here.
Hearing Jin's reply, Melissa rolled her eyes and took two steps away from him.
She hated interacting with stupid people.
Amanda, as always, remained calm, immersed in the book she was reading while walking. She was used to Jin's nonsense and clearly didn't care.
Emma, on the other hand, laughed at his arrogance.
Seeing the mood sour, Kevin tried to change the subject.
— Alright, changing topics. Did you guys see those two training in the middle of the field? One with a katana and the other meditating?
Emma raised her eyebrows.
— Oh, you mean that weird guy who kept drawing and sheathing his sword a thousand times?
Her excitement grew as she stepped closer to Kevin while speaking. Unlike Jin, Emma had a lively, competitive energy, and for some reason, it always made her vie for Kevin's attention.
— So, what were their names? Especially the green-eyed kid.
Kevin glanced around awkwardly. Amanda remained absorbed in her book. Melissa clenched her teeth, instantly recognizing the topic.
— …No idea.
Jin snorted angrily.
— Tsk. Forget that brat. Let's go to the cafeteria already. I'm starving.
— Hey, wait!
Emma ran after him.
Kevin sighed and followed the group as they resumed walking through the crowded corridors.
Then, a figure appeared in their path.
Unlike the other students who hurried to get out of the way, the boy maintained a steady pace. Small in stature, with long black hair and large, serene emerald eyes. His expression was distant. Not cold, just absent, as if his mind were elsewhere.
For a moment, no one knew what to do. The entire corridor seemed to hold its breath, waiting for him to step aside.
But just a few meters from the group, the boy calmly adjusted his posture.
Fwoosh.
In the blink of an eye, the air shifted. A gentle gust, and the boy vanished, slipping past the group like a breeze. No collision. No sound. By the time they realized it, he was already on the other side of the corridor, continuing on his way as if nothing had happened.
For several seconds, silence reigned. Even the onlookers froze, trying to understand what they had just witnessed.
Beep.
Reaching my room door, I swiped my card through the electronic lock. The short sound confirmed access.
The room was simple, but cozy.
Without thinking much, I threw myself onto the bed, lying on my back.
— Man… what an exhausting day.
I murmured, feeling my body sink into the mattress.