In this world, strength wasn't limited to just acquiring skills or increasing rank.
If an Awakened didn't train their mana control, even with a high rank, they would still be far weaker than someone who had mastered it.
Mana control was fundamental and useful in many aspects—most importantly in creating skills.
A person who could control their mana could create their own abilities. Of course, mana control alone wasn't enough; one also needed intelligence and a wide imagination.
"Alright, each student should take a sphere from this box and begin training. I'll monitor your progress."
The students began moving toward the box, taking mana control spheres.
Stephen, David, and Nathan did the same.
Nathan looked at the small sphere in his hand and raised it to eye level.
"It's so small… I could probably crush it with one squeeze."
David frowned slightly at the sphere, then began channeling mana into it. But when the first ring reached halfway, it suddenly vanished.
"…"
Nathan noticed David's complicated expression after the thin strand of mana disappeared—he hadn't even completed the first ring. A mocking smile tugged at one side of Nathan's lips as he looked back at his own sphere and began channeling mana into it as well.
Naturally, his strand also disappeared before completing the first ring—but he had gone slightly past halfway.
He didn't dwell on it. This was normal for a first attempt, so he tried again.
As for Stephen, he wasn't focused on the sphere at all. His attention was entirely on every movement Instructor Andrew made.
He had previously trained mana control with old man Carlos and had reached the 27th ring.
The maximum number of rings was 30, and Stephen was highly skilled in controlling his mana.
Instructor Andrew walked among the students, observing them indifferently. Occasionally, he would stop in front of certain students for a moment before continuing on.
Stephen's hearing was sharp, yet he never heard Andrew speak. However, he noticed that whenever Andrew stopped in front of a student, their face would pale and they would lower their gaze.
That struck Stephen as strange.
*He isn't speaking… he just stands there, and they turn pale. It's impossible he's doing nothing.*
*Did they interact before? Most likely—he always says we can approach him if we have questions.*
*Or… is he communicating with them telepathically? That's possible.*
Stephen noticed Andrew's gaze directed toward a figure with long silver hair.
He frowned slightly and, before he realized it, his feet were already moving toward the vampire, Max, who stood alone staring at the sphere in his hand.
Max didn't notice anyone approaching until Stephen was about ten steps away.
When he lifted his head and looked at Stephen through his silver hair, confusion flickered in his red eyes.
Stephen stopped at a distance and spoke, trying to start a conversation:
"Are you training well?"
He was terrible at starting conversations, so he just said whatever came to mind.
Suddenly, a cheerful voice came from behind him:
"Wait… isn't that the vampire my servant kicked?"
David approached with Nathan, looking Max up and down.
"Yeah, that weakling."
Max clenched his fist so tightly it turned pale.
Stephen looked at the two who had followed him and shook his head.
Even if he was bad at starting conversations, he wasn't as bad as these two—they went straight to provoking him.
Max looked at Stephen with a complicated expression.
*Did he bring them here to mock me?*
Max couldn't understand Stephen. Sometimes he ignored him as if he didn't exist, sometimes insulted him, and other times acted like he was advising him—pretending not to remember him, yet clearly remembering.
Stephen tried to change the subject. Looking at the sphere in Max's hand, he asked:
"What ring did you reach?"
Max lowered his head and answered quietly:
"…A quarter of the second ring."
Nathan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Really? That's good!"
David, however, remained silent—feeling insulted.
*How can this weakling, who got beaten by a bunch of insects, control mana better than me?! Even that crazy dog from the Anderson family is slightly better than me… this is infuriating!*
He began channeling mana again to train harder. Nathan did the same.
Stephen noticed Instructor Andrew's long, narrowed gaze directed at them before he turned away again.
…
After the lesson ended and Andrew left the training field, Stephen separated from the group.
He wanted to go to the academy museum to examine certain artifacts before leaving the academy to train—since his usual training hall had been taken.
He walked steadily toward the museum. Upon entering, he moved naturally past several artifacts he had already examined.
After passing many displays, he suddenly stopped in front of a familiar item and frowned.
*This…*
It was the same red ring with the tragic story told by the student council president, Filican.
Stephen approached it and examined it closely. He hadn't taken the story seriously before—he had even forgotten it—and at that time, he didn't know Filican's identity as a villain.
But now that he did, the ring became suspicious. Its story was connected to sacrifice and demons.
Stephen decided to inspect it.
From an angle unseen by the cameras, his shadow beneath his feet trembled slightly. A thin thread of shadow slipped out, crawling silently toward the pedestal holding the ring.
It climbed upward until it reached the ring… and merged with it.
The moment the connection formed, Stephen felt it.
A faint but unmistakable dark energy… it made him feel disgusted.
*This… it's that…*
He recognized it immediately—it was demonic energy.
Just as he was about to withdraw his shadow, the ring suddenly trembled. The demonic energy intensified violently, growing stronger until it severed his shadow connection.
But it didn't stop.
The energy surged outward, expanding wildly until it engulfed the entire museum.
A chilling aura spread everywhere. A barrier formed around the ring, which began to float, growing larger and larger—until it pushed Stephen back.
Stephen frowned as he stared at it.
*It activates when it senses external interference.*
*The demonic energy outside the museum feels fragmented… it's not limited to just this place.*
Suddenly, Stephen's vision distorted—
—and he vanished.
…
At the same time, Ira and Agnes were heading toward the combat tower.
They had decided to train together, as they often did.
Suddenly, Agnes stopped and frowned at a small black spot on the ground.
A chill ran through her just by looking at it. Still, she stepped closer to investigate—
But the moment she got close, the spot rapidly expanded and swallowed her whole.
She didn't even have time to resist.
Her vision went dark, accompanied by Ira's horrified scream:
"AGNES!!"
Agnes disappeared right before Ira's eyes.
Ira trembled in fear, standing frozen where Agnes had vanished—until her legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground in shock.
She didn't even notice two people rushing toward her.
David stopped, looking at Ira on the ground.
He and Nathan had witnessed Agnes's disappearance and immediately ran toward Ira.
But Agnes wasn't the only one—screams began echoing from multiple places across the academy.
Nathan frowned.
"This is demonic energy."
David's eyes widened.
"Demonic energy?!"
Ira wasn't fully conscious—she kept repeating:
"Agnes disappeared… Agnes disappeared…"
Nathan looked at her briefly, then took out a bottle of water, opened it, and poured it over her head.
The cold shock snapped her back slightly.
She looked at Nathan in confusion.
Nathan smiled casually.
"Stop being pathetic and get up. Try to save her."
David watched silently.
Nathan looked in a certain direction and gestured with his chin.
"Look there."
Ira followed his gaze.
In the distance, a building was surrounded by dark energy.
The light returned to her eyes.
She stood up—determination filling her expression.