Horizoncrest Academy
Two Weeks Later
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The soft echo of leather boots followed Aaron through the quiet hallway as he made his way toward his classroom.
It was early—earlier than necessary—but that was intentional. Fewer people meant fewer eyes, and fewer eyes meant fewer questions. He had already finished his training with Austin, and the faint exhaustion lingering in his body was a reminder of just how intense it had been.
His appearance had changed.
His eyes now held a deeper, more vivid crimson. His frame had grown taller—leaner, sharper—standing at six feet with a presence that was difficult to ignore. But the most striking change wasn't visible at first glance.
His Tier.
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6.5. Adept Tier.
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A result of relentless training and repeated ventures into the Planes.
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The classroom door stood open as he entered without hesitation. His gaze briefly swept across the room before settling on a desk near the front, where a name had been inscribed neatly into the surface:
(Aaron V.)
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He placed his leather bag down and took a seat. From within it, he pulled out an ink pen and a notebook, opening it calmly as if he had already settled into routine.
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Then—
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Bang—
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The door swung open.
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Two girls stepped inside.
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Aaron recognized one immediately.
Sarah Augustine.
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The other, he didn't know.
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He kept his head lowered, his gaze fixed on the notebook—not out of submission, but to avoid unnecessary attention.
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"Hey, you."
Sarah's voice cut through the room.
"What are you doing in here? I don't think I've seen you before."
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Aaron didn't respond.
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Instead, he simply raised his hand and pointed toward the name carved into the desk.
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(Aaron V.)
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Recognition flashed across her face.
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Sarah clicked her tongue softly, irritation creeping into her expression.
"Alright, whatever… but can't you at least look at me? Say hello or something?"
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A brief pause.
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"…Hello."
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Aaron lifted his head.
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For a moment—
Both girls froze.
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He was striking—undeniably so—but it wasn't just his appearance.
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It was his eyes.
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Crimson.
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They flickered faintly.
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And though Sarah couldn't quite place it—
She felt it.
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Something lurking beneath.
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Cold.
Predatory.
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Bloodlust.
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The girl beside her reacted immediately.
Her body stiffened, breath catching in her throat.
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"T-that… that's…"
Her voice trembled as she took a step back.
"…a creature…"
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Aaron's temper stirred—just slightly.
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But that alone was enough to deepen her fear.
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Sarah frowned, glancing between the two before her gaze returned to Aaron.
"Aaron… how did you even reach Adept Tier?" she asked, suspicion lacing her tone. "Weren't you injured? Care to explain?"
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Her eyes narrowed slightly.
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"…or is it because of that…"
She hesitated.
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"…Soul Brand?"
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The last words left her lips in a quieter murmur, almost as if she hadn't meant to say them out loud.
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She quickly turned to her friend, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Just ignore him, alright? We'll wait for class to start."
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"Tch…"
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A voice came from behind them.
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"Hey, can you two move already?" a boy complained from behind them, irritation clear in his voice. "You've been blocking the doorway for ages."
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The two girls shuffled aside, making way as he stepped into the classroom. Soon after, more students began to pour in, the once quiet room filling with the sounds of chatter, chairs scraping, and bags being dropped onto desks.
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Beside Aaron, a boy placed his bag down. He wore round glasses, his expression calm as he turned slightly.
"Hello there."
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Aaron glanced at him and gave a faint smile.
"Hello."
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It was simple.
But it was the first normal interaction he'd had.
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Both of them soon turned back to their own things, the noise of the classroom settling into a steady hum as Aaron waited patiently.
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"Alright, alright—students, quiet."
A pause.
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"I said quiet down."
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The room fell silent almost instantly.
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At the front stood Mr. Sullivan, his sharp gaze scanning the class before he began.
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"As you should all be aware—or at least, you should be—there will be a competition taking place in about a week. It will occur immediately after your test."
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He began pacing slowly.
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"Following that, you will be sent to a Lesser Plane Outbreak Area. Consider it a foretaste of the Planes… before you are exposed to the real thing."
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A faint tension spread across the room.
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"The competition is your opportunity to showcase your abilities. Various academy clubs will be observing, and based on your performance, they will decide whether or not to accept you."
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He paused briefly, then added:
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"It may not seem important… but it is. Connections, resources, influence—those who stand out will gain access to all of it."
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A slight shift in tone.
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"And the top five participants…"
A beat.
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"…will receive rewards capable of pushing their Tier even higher."
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That caught attention.
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"Now, take out your notebooks. This will be important for your test."
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Pages flipped.
Pens moved.
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Mr. Sullivan turned toward the board.
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"Summons possess a potential limit. If that potential is too low, there is little value in revealing or developing them further."
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"There are two primary types of summons:
Humanoid summons — generally limited in intelligence, often comparable to constructs or golems.Creature summons — far more adaptable, with significantly higher growth potential."
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"Summoners possess an innate ability known as Mirror."
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"It allows them to replicate aspects of their summons—abilities, weapons, and even armor."
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He continued without pause.
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"There are many classes, each with its own potential ceiling. The lower the potential, the more limited the growth."
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"Mana is used by Mages, allowing them to cast spells through their soul-bound grimoires. Their strength depends on both their reserves and their affinity."
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"Magic, however, is wielded by Class-users—primarily Warriors and Magicians."
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"Warriors combine physical combat with magic, but are typically restricted to a single affinity."
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"Magicians rely on spellcasting, their abilities determined by their spell affinity and their affinity."
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A brief pause.
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"Most individuals possess only one magical affinity."
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"Some rarer individuals can wield two—these are known as dual-affinity users."
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He turned, his gaze sweeping across the class.
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"And then… there are those who can wield all affinities."
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A silence followed.
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"The rarest of them all."
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"Individuals capable of casting across every spectrum of magic. Wielders of All Magic."
"There are classifications of magic."
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"Ordinary wielders—those limited to a single or dual affinity—are known as Magicians."
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He paused briefly before continuing.
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"Above them are Sorcerers. They can wield all forms of Magic—what we call Pure Magic—but their control is still crude compared to what lies beyond."
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A subtle shift in tone followed.
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"Then come the Warlocks. Their Magic is no longer just used—it is shaped."
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"They wield Arcane Magic, allowing them to merge spells together, fusing multiple effects into something far more refined… and far more dangerous."
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A moment of silence lingered before the final tier was spoken.
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"And beyond even them…"
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"Eldritch Warlocks."
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"They wield Aether Magic."
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A faint tension settled into the air.
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"These beings can combine dozens of spells into a single, overwhelming construct—grand manifestations that border on rewriting reality itself."
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"They do not simply cast Magic…"
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"They touch the very Essence of it."
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"The Code of our world."
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A pause.
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"Beings such as the Divine are among the few known to have reached such a state."
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His gaze darkened slightly.
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"But Eldritch Warlocks are… anomalies."
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"Too dangerous to be allowed to exist."
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"They are hunted."
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"Killed before they can grow."
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A final breath.
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"Since the Divine War… only a handful have ever existed."
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"And even fewer have survived."
Rinnnng—
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The bell rang sharp and clear, cutting through the lecture.
Chairs scraped as most of the students immediately got to their feet, already gathering their things, eager to leave.
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"You do realize," Mr. Sullivan began, his voice calm yet carrying effortlessly across the room, "that I am usually the one who dismisses the class… don't you?"
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A voice came from the back.
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"Oh really, Mr. Sullivan?"
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Trevor.
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A few quiet chuckles spread through the room.
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Mr. Sullivan smiled faintly, shaking his head.
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"Just kidding."
A brief pause.
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"You are all… formally dismissed."