Azeus.

The training lasted 2 more hours before they were let to rest, Alex and Rile went to their rooms.

"Hey, Alex, this day was fun wasn't it." Leon looking like a homeless person smiled at Alex with a thumbs up.

Alex chuckled "Yes it was, goodnight." He entered the room.

"Goodbye Leon, make sure to bathe first tho, though you smell like rotten meat." Rile smiled at Leon and shook his hand very fast.

Leon grinned "You... alright see you later." They entered their rooms.

--

Alex still had his mind on Azeus, fortunately, he didn't do anything when they were training so what he was trying to do then, he couldn't understand it yet.

"Broski you look like you have a lot on your mind..." Rile said this as she climbed the bed to the third floor.

"Azeus, what is he planning," Alex said this and changed his clothes.

"Hahahahahahah!!! still, think about that ground-eating ghost. calm down man, he is probably gonna, idk... try to pull your chair out when you try to sit. In any way, he ain't doing anything with instructor Helgar out here so you can sleep well.." RIle said this and took out a mirror.

Alex sighed, rubbing his temples. "I hope you're right."

He finished changing into more comfortable clothes and lay back on his bed, staring at the wooden ceiling. Azeus didn't seem like the type to pull petty pranks—his pride wouldn't allow it. No, whatever he was planning, it would be calculated.

Still, Rile had a point. With Helgar around, it was unlikely that Azeus would try anything outright violent. He'd have to be patient.

"Ugh, whatever," Alex muttered, closing his eyes. "I'll deal with it when it happens."

Rile grinned. "That's the spirit, broski!"

She spun her mirror in her hands, checking her face from different angles. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta make sure I look fresh for tomorrow. Gotta keep up my dazzling appearance." her missing teeth made her look like a cheeky brat.

Alex scoffed. "You look like a raccoon half the time."

"Correction—a very stylish raccoon," Rile shot back winking.

Chuckling, Alex turned to his side, allowing exhaustion to finally take over. Whatever happened tomorrow, he'd be ready.

The Next Morning

The blaring sound of a horn snapped Alex out of his sleep. His eyes shot open as a deep voice roared outside.

"WAKE UP, YOU USELESS LOT! TRAINING STARTS IN TEN MINUTES! IF YOU'RE LATE, YOU'LL WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!"

Alex groaned, rubbing his face. "Gods, do they have to yell every morning?"

Rile hung upside down from her bed, stretching. "Mmm... gotta say, waking up like this really gets the blood pumping."

Alex swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching his sore muscles. "Yeah, well, I'd rather wake up without feeling like I'm being hunted."

Rile dropped down effortlessly and grinned. "Then you picked the wrong place, broski."

They quickly changed into their training gear and grabbed their equipment. As Alex stepped outside, the cool morning air filled his lungs.

The courtyard was already bustling with recruits. Some were still groggy, while others were doing stretches, preparing for the brutal day ahead.

Alex noticed Azeus in the distance, surrounded by his usual group. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Azeus smirked.

Something was definitely coming.

"Let's go," Alex said, adjusting his sword. "We don't want to give Helgar a reason to break us before training even starts."

"Agreed," Rile said, cracking her knuckles.

With that, they joined the others, ready for whatever awaited them.

"Alright, maggots, listen up! Since we did body training today, we're moving on to magemical training—" Helgar bellowed.

Cough "Mana training, sir Helgar," his assistant corrected him.

"Yeah, yeah, mana training. And since I don't give a damn about weakling mages, I'm leaving this to my assistant. His name is—"

Before Helgar could finish, he was abruptly shoved aside.

A man with circular glasses, sharp green eyes, and messy brown hair stepped forward. He wore finely crafted robes resembling those of a librarian, exuding an air of intelligence and sophistication. Unlike Helgar, his gaze carried warmth, and his presence felt far less intimidating.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Eryndor Lumenwell, your instructor in magic," he introduced himself with a polite nod. "I apologize for my earlier silence—I was under orders to let him handle things." He gestured casually toward Helgar.

(A/N: I need to stop making my own life harder with these long-ass names...)

A few kids chuckled at the remark, though some quickly stifled their laughter, fearing Helgar's wrath.

Eryndor smiled. "Now, I understand that many of you do not possess magical energy—what we call mana. However, mana isn't exclusive to mages. Even knights and, in some rare cases, berserkers can learn to use it to strengthen their bodies and techniques."

He clapped his hands together. "With that said, follow me."

Eryndor raised one hand, and—

"Huuuuh?!"

Gasps filled the air as the students floated off the ground, their bodies rising effortlessly. Within moments, they shot toward the northern section of the castle, carried by an invisible force.

Left behind, Helgar clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Tch. Damn mages."

With a powerful leap, he launched himself after them, the sheer force of his jump cracking the stone beneath his feet.

Alex felt weightless as he soared through the air. The sensation was exhilarating, yet slightly unsettling—he had never experienced anything like it.

"WHOOOOO! THIS IS AWESOME!" Rile laughed, flipping midair as if she had done this a hundred times before.

Leon, on the other hand, looked like he was seconds away from throwing up.

They soon arrived at a massive circular training field surrounded by towering spires. The entire area pulsed with an eerie blue glow, and dozens of intricate magic circles were etched into the ground.

As they gently descended, Eryndor adjusted his glasses and spoke.

"This is the Arcane Field, where you will take your first steps in understanding mana. Now, let's begin." Eryndor cleaning his glasses went in the middle of the spires and looked at the kids that were out from the circle that those created.

"Psst... hey..."

Alex turned to see Rile leaning toward him, eyes locked on something above.

"Huh?"

"That tower to the north, at the top... doesn't it look like meat?" she whispered, drooling slightly.

Alex squinted at the northernmost tower. To his surprise, the top did resemble a piece of roasted meat on a stick.

"H—" He bit his lip to hold back a laugh. "Yeah, it's kinda—"

BSHHHHH!!!

Before he could finish, Eryndor appeared in front of them in an instant.

"AGH!" Alex jumped back, startled, while Rile simply looked up with sparkling eyes.

"Awesomeee..." she muttered in admiration.

Eryndor smiled. "You two have sharp eyes," he said, before glancing toward the towers, each topped with a strange, distinct shape.

"These towers represent the four fundamental aspects of mana," he continued. "But since someone was observant enough to notice..." His gaze swept over the group, making a few students shift uncomfortably.

"I will explain just one."

With a soft pop, he vanished—

—only to reappear atop the northernmost tower in an instant.

"This," he said, pointing to the structure below him, "is what we call the Life Tower. I know, I know—its top looks amusing, like meat on a stick. But tell me..." He swept his gaze across the group. "Where do you think the majority of mana in the world comes from?"

A few students exchanged uncertain glances. No one answered.

Eryndor smirked. "It comes from food." His finger extended toward the top of the tower. "Specifically, meat. Nutrition is one of the best ways to strengthen your mana flow. The stronger and healthier your body, the more mana you can cultivate."

He let the words sink in for a moment before teleporting back to the center of the training field.

"So eat well, children, and grow strong."

The lesson continued, but something felt... off to Alex.

At first, Eryndor's explanations were straightforward—he spoke of mana circulation, of its connection to nature, of how it flowed through living beings. But then, when it came time for practical training, things started getting strange.

"Now, to help you feel mana, I will give each of you a small infusion of energy. It will enter your body and guide you to sense the flow of mana naturally."

One by one, students stepped forward, and Eryndor placed a hand on their foreheads. A faint glow flickered at his fingertips as he transferred a thread of mana into each of them.

Alex watched as the first few students—some commoners, some nobles—reacted differently. Some gasped in awe. Others shivered at the sensation. But they all felt it.

Then it was Leon's turn.

Eryndor placed a hand on his forehead—

BZZT!

Leon staggered back with a wince, clutching his head.

"Hrrgh... w-what the hell?" He groaned, his body trembling slightly.

"Oh dear," Eryndor murmured, adjusting his glasses. "It seems your body resisted the mana infusion. How... unfortunate."

Rile frowned. "Wait, what does that mean?"

Eryndor smiled, but there was something in his expression that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It means he might have difficulty using magic. A shame, truly."

Leon grit his teeth, clearly frustrated.

"Ha..." He looked back to see Azeus smirking.

Leon raised his eyebrow thinking "Is this guy retarded, I knew I didn't have mana from the start, of course, I wouldn't be able to use it. why is he so giggly"

Then came Alex.

Eryndor placed a hand on him—

And for a brief second, Alex felt something. Not just mana—something deeper. Something probing. Something watching.

It was gone in an instant, but it left behind an unsettling sensation.

Alex opened his eyes.

"Ah," Eryndor said with a soft chuckle. "You seem to have an unusual mana flow... interesting."

Alex didn't like the way he said that.

But as Alex glanced to the side, he caught sight of something that made his stomach tighten—

Azeus.

Standing a little further away, arms crossed, smirking.

And next to him, Eryndor met his gaze—and gave the faintest, almost imperceptible nod.

Alex's blood ran cold.

He didn't know what was going on yet.

But one thing was certain—

Eryndor Lumenwell was not their ally.

Rile stepped up next.

Alex said "Wait Rile... he..." Before he finished Eryndor looked at Rile and...

When Eryndor touched her forehead, the mana flowed smoothly, but.

"Huh?" Eryndor tried to take his hand off Rile.

"What's wrong instructor, something wrong?" Rile for the first time, lost his smile and with cold eyes...

BSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

"AGH!!!" The explosion of mana from her forehead made Eryndor jump back.

Rile smiled again and looked around at the stupefied crowd.

"Eee? What's wrong broski, you look like you saw a... monster..." He smiled at Alex.

End Of Chapter.