The training facility hummed with unused potential, a vast 1000 square meter expanse of polished steel and arcane devices. It had cost a fortune—over 100 million Union Credits—but remained largely deserted. Most cadets, still teenagers basking in the novelty of acceptance into Valefort, prioritized socializing over strenuous workouts on their first day.
"I knew you'd be here."
Selene Halix, drenched in sweat and locked in a grueling battle with a resistance band designed to mimic the pull of a gale, startled at the voice. She turned, a flicker of irritation crossing her features, to find Evan Kael leaning against a support beam, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Evan? You're also training?"
He gestured with a dismissive wave toward a cylindrical room at the far end of the facility. "Yeah, but I'm not as barbaric as you." The "gravity room," as Selene knew it, was infamous for its brutal training regimen.
Selene frowned. "That's a tough one. I can never last long in there." She wiped sweat from her brow with a towel. "You've never liked to do the things you're not good at. But you are an archer, right? It would be good for you to practice. I've been doing it since I was eight."
"Eight years old?" Selene raised an eyebrow. "Why are you even doing it anyways? You're a swordsman."
"It's good training for my gift"
"Ah."
A gravity room wasn't cheap. It screamed wealth. Evan, as Selene knew, was the heir to House Kael, one of the Five Great Noble Houses. Yet, despite the weight of that title and the privileges it came with, he carried himself with casual nonchalance, as if utterly indifferent. He wasn't oblivious to the expectations placed upon him; he was simply bored with them.
"So, what did you think?" Evan asked, breaking the silence.
Selene tilted her head, understanding dawning. "About Cael Ardentis?"
"Uh, yeah, him. What's up with that look? Do you not like him?"
Selene's face darkened. "Other than teleportation magic and abnormal strength, he doesn't seem like much. I still don't see how he got into Valefort."
"He's probably another dud the Heroic Corps sent to fill a slot. Maybe he's a spy." Selene proposed a surprisingly sympathetic explanation.
"Don't say something like that so easily. I'm pretty sure if that was the case, the Vice Headmaster would have sniffed him out. Besides, you don't know. He could surprise you."
Evan Kael remained stubbornly optimistic, even about others.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" A spark of irritation flared in Selene's eyes.
"Cough. Sorry," he quickly apologized, his face coloring. "Anyways, keep working hard if you don't want to lose. I'm going."
"Yeah, see you later." Selene offered, turning back to her workout.
"Please, I'm right next door." Evan smirked, and disappeared into the gravity room.
* * *
I swiped the status screen away, the faint blue glow fading from my vision. My fists clenched, recalling the punch I'd leveled against Kalen Volkov. The combination of [eye of power] and [Enhanced strength] was more than I expected it to be
My mind drifted to the Absolute Assimilation
"Odin," I said out loud.
"Ready to assist, Cael," the calm, metallic voice resonated in my head.
"How many abilities can I copy and how do I use it?"
"It is linked to your Infinite Eyes," Odin explained, his tone crisp. "The activation is passive. As long as you observe a technique or energy circulation with the intent to understand, the talent begins the process. You don't need to cast a spell; just focus your gaze. And you are able to copy one ability per day and have four more slot's available to copy abilities, you can also remove abilities if you would like"
I smirked, leaning back against the wall. "So I just stare at what I want and it's mine? Sounds broken. But I like it." I pulled up the information for for [Enhanced strength]
⸻
[Gift: Enhanced Strength]
Rank: A
Type: Physical Augmentation
⸻
[Description]
A high-tier augmentation Gift that amplifies the user's physical strength beyond natural biological limits.
⸻
I looked through the description "amplified strength" activating this gift alone pushed my strength from D to A. It's not a bad ability but I have only four slots left and I don't know if I'll get more if I'll level up so I have to real picky about the abilities that I'm going to copy.
I glanced at the campus map on my communicator. "There are abilities I want. The Cadets have flashy gifts and techniques. But the top rankers like Selene and Evan haven't used theirs at all they've just been using simple combat techniques and I can't reveal the Warlock's legacy yet. Not until I hit that B-Rank dungeon, Gravemind Reprise."
I checked my credits balance. "Running low on funds, though. And the rank evaluation is this week..."
A dangerous thought bubbled up, one that brought a genuine, sharp grin to my face.
"Should I show off a bit?" I murmured to the empty room, the idea settling like a lit fuse. "Yeah. Maybe just a little."
****
The training facility hummed with unused potential, a vast 1000 square meter expanse of polished steel and arcane devices. It had cost a fortune—over 100 million Union Credits—but remained largely deserted. Most cadets, still teenagers basking in the novelty of acceptance into Valefort, prioritized socializing over strenuous workouts on their first day.
"I knew you'd be here."
Selene Halix, drenched in sweat and locked in a grueling battle with a resistance band designed to mimic the pull of a gale, startled at the voice. She turned, a flicker of irritation crossing her features, to find Evan Kael leaning against a support beam, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Evan? You're also training?"
He gestured with a dismissive wave toward a cylindrical room at the far end of the facility. "Yeah, but I'm not as barbaric as you." The "gravity room," as Selene knew it, was infamous for its brutal training regimen.
Selene frowned. "That's a tough one. I can never last long in there." She wiped sweat from her brow with a towel. "You've never liked to do the things you're not good at. But you are an archer, right? It would be good for you to practice. I've been doing it since I was eight."
"Eight years old?" Selene raised an eyebrow. "Why are you even doing it anyways? You're a swordsman."
"It's good training for my gift"
"Ah."
A gravity room wasn't cheap. It screamed wealth. Evan, as Selene knew, was the heir to House Kael, one of the Five Great Noble Houses. Yet, despite the weight of that title and the privileges it came with, he carried himself with casual nonchalance, as if utterly indifferent. He wasn't oblivious to the expectations placed upon him; he was simply bored with them.
"So, what did you think?" Evan asked, breaking the silence.
Selene tilted her head, understanding dawning. "About Cael Ardentis?"
"Uh, yeah, him. What's up with that look? Do you not like him?"
Selene's face darkened. "Other than teleportation magic and abnormal strength, he doesn't seem like much. I still don't see how he got into Valefort."
"He's probably another dud the Heroic Corps sent to fill a slot. Maybe he's a spy." Selene proposed a surprisingly sympathetic explanation.
"Don't say something like that so easily. I'm pretty sure if that was the case, the Vice Headmaster would have sniffed him out. Besides, you don't know. He could surprise you."
Evan Kael remained stubbornly optimistic, even about others.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" A spark of irritation flared in Selene's eyes.
"Cough. Sorry," he quickly apologized, his face coloring. "Anyways, keep working hard if you don't want to lose. I'm going."
"Yeah, see you later." Selene offered, turning back to her workout.
"Please, I'm right next door." Evan smirked, and disappeared into the gravity room.
* * *
I swiped the status screen away, the faint blue glow fading from my vision. My fists clenched, recalling the punch I'd leveled against Kalen Volkov. The combination of [eye of power] and [Enhanced strength] was more than I expected it to be
My mind drifted to the Absolute Assimilation
"Odin," I said out loud.
"Ready to assist, Cael," the calm, metallic voice resonated in my head.
"How many abilities can I copy and how do I use it?"
"It is linked to your Infinite Eyes," Odin explained, his tone crisp. "The activation is passive. As long as you observe a technique or energy circulation with the intent to understand, the talent begins the process. You don't need to cast a spell; just focus your gaze. And you are able to copy one ability per day and have four more slot's available to copy abilities, you can also remove abilities if you would like"
I smirked, leaning back against the wall. "So I just stare at what I want and it's mine? Sounds broken. But I like it." I pulled up the information for for [Enhanced strength]
⸻
[Gift: Enhanced Strength]
Rank: A
Type: Physical Augmentation
[Description]
A high-tier augmentation Gift that amplifies the user's physical strength beyond natural biological limits.
⸻
I looked through the description "amplified strength" activating this gift alone pushed my strength from D to A. It's not a bad ability but I have only four slots left and I don't know if I'll get more if I'll level up so I have to real picky about the abilities that I'm going to copy.
I glanced at the campus map on my communicator. "There are abilities I want. The Cadets have flashy gifts and techniques. But the top rankers like Selene and Evan haven't used theirs at all they've just been using simple combat techniques and I can't reveal the Warlock's legacy yet. Not until I hit that B-Rank dungeon, Gravemind Reprise."
I checked my credits balance. "Running low on funds, though. And the rank evaluation is this week..."
A dangerous thought bubbled up, one that brought a genuine, sharp grin to my face.
"Should I show off a bit?" I murmured to the empty room, the idea settling like a lit fuse. "Yeah. Maybe just a little."
* * *
Aria Madix burst through the library doors, a whirlwind of orange-brown hair and frantic energy that shattered the study hall's silence. She skidded to a halt beside the heavy oak table where Selene Halix and Nyra Verdant sat surrounded by scrolls and mana theory textbooks.
"Did you hear what happened?" Aria hissed, her voice a loud whisper.
Selene didn't look up from her book, her voice sharp and cold. "Shh, Aria. You're in the library."
Nyra adjusted her glasses, peering over the rim. "Seriously, Aria. What is it? What's got you so worked up?"
Aria took a dramatic, heaving breath, gripping the back of a chair. "The rank evaluation. Cael… he challenged Dillion for the tenth rank."
Nyra's eyes widened behind her lenses. "Is he crazy? Dillion is a monster in close quarters and ranker"
Selene finally closed her book with a sharp snap, her blue eyes narrowing. "He's in over his head."
"I don't know," Aria countered, tapping her fingers on the wood. "what he did during combat class. It wasn't really normal."
"True," Nyra conceded, looking thoughtful. "But we still don't know his full capabilities. That could have been a fluke. The top ten have stayed the same for the last month. No one has been able to defeat one of us."
Selene leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on the library's high, vaulted ceiling. The mention of Cael Ardentis challenging a ranker stirred a complex irritation in her chest. He was a commoner, a transfer student with no lineage, no noble house backing him, and yet he carried himself with an infuriating level of casualness.
"Doesn't that make it fun?" Aria grinned, her elbows on the table. "It's been getting boring around here. Watching the same top ten tear each other apart is repetitive."
"True," Nyra hummed, tapping a finger against her chin. "But is it really a good thing? He's a commoner from what I've been told. Someone with no status and background doesn't really look good for the school's reputation."
"Who cares about status and rank? Only strength matters," Selene cut in, her tone clipped and decisive. She looked at Nyra, her expression firm. "Yes, him being a commoner isn't pleasing to some ears, but the academy is a place of equality. Like I said before, if he's worth it, he'll show it. We should be more focused on our own ranks and training."
Aria rolled her eyes, leaning back with a theatrical sigh. "Selene always the reasonable one, huh?" She smirked, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Well, hopefully he turns the school upside down."
******
To be continued…