Chapter 9 : Nexus City (1)

"Ding"

Ash stepped out of the store, the automatic doors sliding shut behind him. He adjusted the bag in his hand, filled with food.

Dressed in a simple white shirt and black trousers, he blended easily into the crowd.

'I never would have thought that after getting transmigrated into a new world, I'd be running food errands for a kid,' he thought, a faint frown tugging at his lips. His shoulders slumped slightly as he sighed.

'Well, technically, I'm also a kid now.'

He exhaled, shaking his head.

Two weeks ago, he'd asked Melissia to teach him how to control his overwhelming mana. Now, with just one week left until the academy's entrance exam, he felt torn between frustration and progress.

'It was difficult at first, but now I'm getting used to it,' he mused, his fingers tightening slightly on the bag's handle.

He recalled the first time he'd tried to create a simple bolt of lightning in the car. His mana had flared wildly, and it had failed spectacularly.

Even after Melissia's explanations, controlling mana felt like trying to hold water in cupped hands—it always seemed to slip through.

'Damn. The world of geniuses sure is different,' he thought, his lips pressing into a thin line.

'Who would've thought Nyra would step in to teach me in the end.'

Ash's jaw clenched briefly as he remembered Nyra's blunt words.

"You're not intelligent enough to understand Miss Melissia's explanations," she had said, her tone as casual as if she were stating the weather.

Swallowing his pride, he let her teach him like a child learning to write. If survival meant enduring a few blows to his ego, then so be it. His progress was slow but steady. Now, at least, he could control mana—clumsily.

Actual spells, however, were a different matter. Those required either an academy education, a family inheritance, or rare skill books.

He could, however, create a basic lightning bolt, though it was considered zero-tier magic.

Yet, strangely, his magic's damage was higher than normal. Even after checking his status, he found no answers.

'Guess I'll figure it out eventually.'

Shaking the thought aside, he sighed.

"I really don't understand girls," he muttered. His steps slowed as if weighed down by his thoughts. "If you're a genius, be happy with it. Why rub it in other people's faces?"

He let out a dry laugh. 'Not that I had much confidence to begin with,' he added silently.

The truth was, mana control still felt foreign to him. It had been less than a month since his transmigration, and he was still struggling to adapt to this new reality.

He didn't understand how the transmigrated protagonists in the novels were able to control mana so easily,

He looked up at the bustling city around him, taking in the sights he'd grown somewhat used to over the past weeks.

'This world sure is developed,' Ash thought, his gaze trailing along the towering skyscrapers. 

Their glassy surfaces gleamed under the sunlight, faint runic patterns glowing faintly along their edges—a seamless blend of magic and architecture.

The streets buzzed with life. Mana-powered vehicles hovered silently above the roads, their sleek designs giving the city an air of futuristic sophistication.

A floating streetlamp overhead pulsed softly with a bluish glow, its crystalline core imbued with magic, casting a steady light over the sidewalks.

Ash's expression softened for a moment, a flicker of awe crossing his face. He tightened his grip on the bag and resumed walking.

"It's almost like magic and science fell in love and built a city together," he mused, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

When he first arrived, survival had been his only priority, leaving little room to take in the intricacies of this world.

But now that he'd started noticing, he couldn't deny how advanced this civilization was.

"I didn't think it'd be this developed," Ash murmured to himself, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

He had wondered, back when he first arrived, why the daughter of a Saint was traveling in a hovering car.

With a space mage in her family, teleportation would've been the logical choice. Even Nyra, with her space affinity, could have easily transported them to the Academy in an instant.

But after asking, he learned the reason—Melissia simply wanted to travel by car.

'Sigh... I don't even know what to say anymore.' His steps slowed for a brief moment, and his brows furrowed.

Frustration churned as he thought about the rune. He had planned to secure his second rune before the entrance exam, but...

'That damn brat just had to show up and ruin everything.'

His grip on the bag tightened slightly, knuckles going white.

'Even Nyra has space affinity. If she wanted, she could've taken me straight to Ironhold City.'

But Nyra was steadfast—irritatingly so. Her loyalty to Melissia was absolute, unwavering like a knight sworn to their liege.

'If that rune hadn't been his first, I wouldn't have rushed this much,' he thought, his expression darkening.

The rune in Ironhold City—it was meant to be the protagonist's first rune, one he would obtain in the first week of the academy.

Ash had wanted to claim it early, to eliminate uncertainties. But back when he first transmigrated, survival had taken precedence over strategy. 

The Rune of Stability had been his only way to stay alive.

His brows knitted together, and his footsteps grew heavier.

'I could've used my knowledge from the novel to blackmail those two women,' he thought, the idea leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

But then his fist loosened, and he shook his head slightly.

'Information without power to protect it....is like a rich sleeping in a thieves' den,' he reminded himself.

Sure, he could've manipulated them with what he knew. But the consequences? He would've become a target, someone who was mysterious and suspicious. That wasn't the kind of drama he wanted.

'I want my identity as Ash Burn to be just an average student—nothing more.'

Anything else, he'd do under a different name.

And that's why he'd told Melissia and Nyra that he had a mage class. It was better to hide his unique class and attend the academy as an ordinary mage.

His unique class would remain a secret, something he'd wield under a different identity.

But for that to work, he needed something else—something from the Ravencroft family's vault.

At first, he had cursed his bad luck for getting involved with Melissia. But the more he thought about it, the more he saw it as an opportunity.

Still—

'I will take my revenge.'

A slow smirk curved his lips.

'I'll make her run errands for me too'.

His lips curled into a determined smile as he made his way back toward the car.

***

"Why did you take so long just to buy food?" Melissa asked, her tone resembling a boss scolding an incompetent worker.

Ash sighed internally. 'Sometimes, I enjoy the drama she puts on all day… but it's also irritating.'

"I was just sightseeing," he replied calmly, handing her the food before settling into his seat.

As soon as he sat down, the car smoothly accelerated forward.

Ash leaned back and stretched his fingers.

He conjured a small ball of lightning, watching it flicker between his fingertips. At first, he could barely form a single one with full concentration. But after continuous practice, he had managed to create four at once.

Melissa's eyes narrowed. "Tch. Looks pathetic. I could probably make ten of those at once."

Ash snorted, letting the second ball fizzle out. 

Melissa raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening as if sensing his irritation. Ash quickly caught himself, muttering under his breath, "Fucker."

"What did you say?" Melissa snapped, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel.

"Nothing," Ash replied smoothly, his expression calm, though a hint of annoyance flickered in his eyes.

'It had become a habit now—she always finds a way to get under my skin,' he thought, a small, bitter smile tugging at his lips.

He knew he wouldn't be able to get his second rune before the entrance exam, so instead, he decided to focus on fighting like a mage.

And then, there was the possibility of skill creation.

Should he make a skill now, or wait? With only Rune of Stability, he wasn't sure if it was worth it.

For now, he decided to wait. If the situation demanded it, he would create a skill. Otherwise, patience would serve him better.

And so, his days passed—practicing mana control, waiting for his mana to recover, running errands for Melissa, and sleeping at night.

Until finally—

They arrived at Nexus City.

The heart of the Human Continent.

A city built to train the future generations of humanity.

***