Sensei_Saitama_6683

Abandoned at birth in a humble stable, Shirone was raised by commoners—but he was anything but ordinary. Blessed with remarkable insight, he taught himself to read at a young age. A fateful visit to the city introduced him to the wonders of magic, igniting an unshakable dream of becoming a mage. Yet, beneath the city's dazzling facade lurked a ruthless social hierarchy, where power and privilege crushed those who dared to rise above their station. As Shirone uncovers the world's darkest secrets before even coming of age, one question remains—can he defy fate and claim his destiny as a mage in a world determined to keep him down?

Infinite Mage [Remake]

Shirone blinked awake, golden sunlight filtering through his lashes like liquid honey. The endless azure sky stretched above him, its vastness momentarily disorienting. A russet squirrel darted across his vision, triggering the jolt of memory—

He shot upright, cold sweat drenching his back. Every muscle screamed in protest as he scrambled to his feet, his boots kicking up dust in the abandoned training grounds. The metallic tang of blood lingered on his cracked lips.

His pocket watch confirmed the worst—dawn had broken. The Uncrossable Bridge awaited.

The Uncrossable Bridge

Ethela's voice trembled as she raised her glowing palm toward the headmaster's perch. "Shall we begin?"

High on the opposing cliff, Headmaster Alpheas stroked his silver beard, his shadow stretching across the chasm like a spectral judge. "Proceed. A student's ability to manage their limits... is part of the test."

Twenty contestants lined up at the precipice, their faces pale under the eerie blue pre-dawn light. Below, the ravine hissed with mist, its depths hidden like a slumbering beast's maw.

"On my signal," Ethela announced, "run toward the edge and teleport. The farthest leap wins."

A collective gulp rippled through the group. The "bridge" was a single rust-streaked cable thinner than a man's arm.

Mark adjusted his embroidered jacket, his broad shoulders blocking the rising sun. "Pathetic," he sneered, watching Shirone's distant figure stumble into view.

His tutor—a skeletal man with ink-stained fingers—snorted. "He's half-dead already. No match for your precision."

Mark's conspirators exchanged grim nods. A sharp-faced girl whispered, "We'll flank him during his first jump. If he survives... we push him into freefall."

Wind roared in Shirone's ears as he sprinted toward the cliff edge, pebbles skittering into the abyss. His lungs burned, legs threatening to buckle.

He launched himself into open air—

He rematerialized mid-cable, momentum carrying him forward. Blood dripped from his nose.

"Cheat!" Mark's gang teleported to intercept, but Shirone pivoted mid-leap, his form scattering into light inches from their grasp.

Maria's nails dug into her palms, tears blurring the distant test site. The cheers sounded like mocking laughter.

'There's no place for me here.'

She turned toward the control room, its rusted door creaking under her trembling hand. Blue test-site lights flickered across her determined tears.

'But I can stop you, Mark.'

Her fingers crackled with forbidden sleep magic as the oblivious technician slumped at his desk.

Shirone's vision blurred at 600 meters. Mark materialized beside him, malice twisting his face. "Die, gutter rat!"

Their collision sent both tumbling into the void—

—until Shirone grabbed Mark's wrist.

They crashed onto the finish ledge in a tangle of limbs. Silence gripped the crowd.

Headmaster Alpheas rose, eyes gleaming. "Winner... Arian Shirone."

Epilogue: The Control Room

Maria stared at the master lever, its brass handle cold under her palm. Distant shouts echoed through the vents—Shirone's victory, Mark's disgrace.

A single tear hit the floor as she disengaged the safety protocols.

'This school's cruelty ends today.'

The bridge's support runes flickered... then died.

Shirone's Crucible: The Edge of Light and Resolve