The Strongest Stars

Rethrus, Leo, and Aethra were huddled together, discussing their strategies. They had just caught up with Jack, Aiko, Rina, Elizabeth, Haldrin, Hans, and the others, who were coming out of the race.

"How did it go?" Rethrus asked.

"Well, Aiko won the race, but we all passed," Jack said, a blush creeping onto his face as he admitted that even a girl had been faster than him.

"Well, I'm good with chains," Aiko said, her voice nonchalant. "It helps me."

"It's unfair!" Jack jokingly cried.

"We all used magic to advance. Rina and Elizabeth summoned small waves to advance, Terra, Haldrin, and Hans just bend the ground, while I have to cast a spell every time I'm falling down the ground!"

"It's fine, we all passed," Elizabeth said, placing a hand on his shoulder, her expression gentle.

"Yes, I'm fine," Jack quickly said, trying to maintain his cool.

"That's quick," the group said, amused by Jack's change of heart.

"Anyway, we decided not to join you guys, and we will all be safe," Celeste said, a sly smile on her face.

"Ha, that's the right call," Leo said. "Anyway, we're going to the physical test, and the others are going to the magical test."

"So, you three should go to the defensive test," Justus added.

As the groups separated, a familiar face approached Rethrus, Leo, and Aethra. He bowed respectfully.

"Hello everyone," he said.

"Oh, you're the sixth-placer, right?" Leo said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Please don't bow to us. You're a noble, having a wood sigil," Rethrus said, his voice firm.

"It's fine. Sorah Elarion. I can't use magic, but I trained for a year and used my father's money to buy equipment and artifacts that can help me," Sorah said.

"Yeah, we can see that," Aethra said, nodding toward Sorah's gleaming armor and artifacts.

"So, how can we help you?" Rethrus asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Well, the news about you three breaking older records and even defeating a light user in a race is circling around the academy," Sorah said.

He glanced toward the higher stairs, where their seniors and the recent examiners were gathered, watching them with curiosity.

"As you can see, those were our seniors and the recent examiners. They were shocked that there was a light user, and someone defeating him is even more shocking."

The three, basking in the admiration, nodded proudly.

Bizarre as it sounds, but the three actually became close this time.

Sorah said, a hint of a smile on his face. "Anyway, I wanna join you for your exams."

"Well, if you don't mind not being number one then that's fine," Aethra said, his voice calm but firm.

"Well, I always knew that I'm not going to be the best, but I dreamt that someday, when your names will be in the name of the greatest, at least some might consider mine too," Sorah said.

"For a son of a count, he's so down to earth," Rethrus said, a hint of respect in his voice.

"Okay, will going to the defense test. You and Leo should be in the physical one," Rethrus said, making the decision.

"Rylan, are you fine?" Collei asked, his voice soft.

"Ah, yes, but I failed the speed test," Rylan said, a defeated sigh escaping his lips. "HAHAHAHAHHAH."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," Collei said. "I've heard those three are beasts."

As Collei looked at Rylan, who was silent, a knot of concern tightening in her stomach. "There's another test for magic users like us, so cheer up, okay?" he said, his voice soft.

"Alright!" Rylan said, trying to sound cheerful. He looked around the courtyard, and his eyes landed on those three—Rethrus, Leo, and Aethra—along with the noble guy, Sorah.

Aethra saw him, a knowing glint in his eyes, and he pointed towards the Defensive Test, suggesting that they were heading there.

Instinctively, Rylan turned away, heading towards another test. It was as if he was scared to face them, afraid of being judged or compared.

He reached the casting spell exams, his heart pounding. He was the only one in his batch without a grimoire. An orphan, all he really had was an old spear he'd found and a few shirts.

"Okay, state your name," the examiner said, his voice flat and uninterested.

"I'm Rylan."

"Rylan? Oh, I'm an orphan." Rylan mumbled, his head bowed.

"Oh, okay. Now, cast a spell."

"From the depths of the earth, a fiery surge,

Crimson flames, my will emerge.

With every word, the power grows,

Ignite the spark, let the fire flow!"

As he almost finished chanting the spell, he remembered the three guys dominating the race field earlier. He felt a wave of self-doubt wash over him.

He thrust his spear towards the air, his voice strained as he finished the chant.

"Fire Blast!"

A small, flickering flame erupted from the tip of his spear. The crowd burst into laughter.

"AHAHHAHHAHHAH."

"HAHAHAHHAHA."

"What a loser."

Even the girls were laughing. He bowed his head, unable to meet their gazes. He'd failed.

"Hahahhaa, okay, you can go now," the examiner said, his voice dripping with amusement.

As he walked away, he watched his opponents. He hoped they would fail. But each one of them had a grimoire, allowing them to cast basic skills with ease.

"Rylan failed."

As he left the testing area, he heard the crowd murmuring.

"Have you heard that? For the first time ever, two students.created a barrier without chanting!"

"And the dark one created a stronger and bigger one, in fact, they say that it can cover a whole town," a random guy said.

"What? That's just dumb," some said.

"I don't know man, whether it's true or not, creating a barrier at our age is pretty surprising if you ask me."

"I wonder what family they came from?" the crowd wondered.

Even people in the top ranks were talking about the two boys, who might be the new top contenders, overshadowing the Light user story.

"Tsk, I thought you'd be the talk of the academy, Jasper," Julian said, his voice laced with disappointment. His pride was shattered.

After Rylan heard it, he was so down he didn't move and just stood in the crowd as they talked about the three.

"But I trained so much," he said, a sense of despair washing over him.

He went to the defense test, his spirit broken.

"Okay, cast a barrier," the examiner said.

"I don't know how, sir." Rylan answered.

"Now okay, just put Mana all around you."

"Huh?" Rylan asked, confused.

A fiery attack blasted toward him, knocking him back. It hurt, but it didn't hurt enough to do serious damage.

"Huh, why's that?" he asked, bewildered.

"It's your Mana," a blue haired with eyeglasses guy said.

"We all have mana. That attack was magic-based, it means it uses Mana. Your Mana instinctively covered the part where it hits because it's an attack that came from Mana too. (What happens when Rethrus was attacked by the Emberfox. That's why it resists the damage).

Rylan stood there, a heavy silence settling upon him.

He saw the crowd's laughter and felt their gaze, like tiny daggers piercing his skin. His face flushed, he tried to disappear into the crowd, seeking solace in anonymity. As he sat down, a fiery blaze erupted in the magic test area. The heat reached him, and he could feel it, the heat of a force far beyond anything he had ever witnessed.

"Whose attack is this?" he murmured, a sense of awe mixing with apprehension. "It can destroy a town."

The explosion echoed across the courtyard. The ground trembled, and an earthquake rippled through the academy, sending panicked shouts and screams echoing through the air. It wasn't just the magic test; the physical test area also felt the tremors.

"What's with that attack?" The crowd was in an uproar, their faces contorted with shock. As the earthquake subsided, the people on the higher floors of the academy came out of their rooms, their faces etched with concern. Even some higher officials, who normally remained cloistered in their chambers, emerged, their eyes scanning the scene, seeking answers.

"What is happening? What's with these powers?" Rylan muttered, his voice a mere whisper in the face of such chaotic energy.

In the magic test area, a wave of silence descended. The judges, their faces pale with terror, stared at a shattered barrier. It had been broken by a young student, a boy who held a sword, his eyes burning with an unearthly intensity.

"How old is this kid?" the head judge asked, his voice trembling. The crowd was silent, their gazes fixed on the boy.

"He didn't even cast a spell," the murmurs drifted across the courtyard.

"He's strong," Rethrus said, his eyes fixed on Aethra, his voice tinged with a mixture of admiration and a subtle hint of rivalry.

Julian and Jasper were frozen, their jaws slack with disbelief.

"Are they the same age as us?" Jasper thought, a shiver of fear running down his spine.

"Now I'm here thinking we were the advanced one," Julian thought, his sense of superiority crumbling.

The boy, who stood before the judges, his posture radiating confidence, was none other than Aethra. He looked at the judges, a hint of a smirk on his lips.

"Uhm, sir," he said, his voice calm and steady.

"Yes, kid," the head judge replied, his voice a mix of fear and respect.

"I hate to say this, but you should change to a stronger mage," Aethra said, his voice filled with an unexpected boldness. "I hate to say it, but the next contestant is probably stronger than me."

The crowd erupted in a cacophony of gasps, shocked by Aethra's words.

"What? Someone is stronger than him?" The crowd was confused.

"Tsk, I guess I have to give my all," Rethrus said, his eyes burning with determination, as he walked past Aethra.

"Okay, state your name," the judges said.

"I'm Rethrus."

"Isn't that the guy who made a barrier without chanting too?" The crowd whispered, their voices filled with a mix of wonder and unease.

"Damnit, why do I have to be with monsters?" the random opponent muttered, his voice laced with fear.

Rethrus pointed a finger at the water barrier. A dark energy surged forth from his palm, forming a shadowy tendril that slammed into the barrier. It seemed like a powerful attack, but it did zero damage.

The crowd fell silent, their breath catching in their throats. Even the mage who had created the barrier was shocked, his face etched with fear.

"That's it?" The crowd erupted in laughter, a nervous, uneasy sound.

"Huh, at least he can use magic without chanting," one of the judges said, trying to lighten the mood.

Rethrus held his staff in one hand, a smirk playing on his lips. The crowd fell silent.

"From the void, I call, a power unseen,

A darkness deep, a magic keen.

Let the shadows dance, and the code obey,

This dark spell cast, in the digital fray."

A swirling sound filled the air, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. A swirling vortex formed, growing larger and larger, encompassing the whole academy. It was as if night had fallen, the air filled with a palpable sense of dread.

The judges were shocked, their faces contorted with fear.

"Is he trying to kill us?" they whispered, their voices filled with trepidation.

"My strongest attack right now," Rethrus thought, his eyes gleaming with power.

"Dark Nova!" he shouted.

A ball of pure darkness coalesced, spinning with immense power. It pulsed, absorbing everything in its path, a swirling abyss of darkness that threatened to consume everything. It remained stable, a testament to Rethrus's control, his mana weaving a protective barrier, a web of energy that kept the Dark Nova at bay.

The crowd was in a state of utter shock, their gazes locked on the ball of darkness that pulsed with unimaginable power.

"Did he cover that attack with Mana?" Ex-General William said, his voice filled with disbelief. He was one of the most revered figures in the academy, his words carrying weight among the students and instructors.

Aethra, standing a few feet away, watched in stunned silence. He, who had been the center of attention just moments ago, was now dwarfed by Rethrus's display of raw power.

"Should I hold it a little longer?" Rethrus asked, his voice calm, his power controlled.

The judges, their faces white with fear, looked at Rethrus. The mage standing before him was trembling, his eyes wide with terror.

"Nnnnnnoo, You can stop it already. You passed," the judges said, their voices trembling with a mixture of awe and fear.

Rethrus, with a mere flick of his wrist, shrunk the Dark Nova back to its original size. The swirling vortex of darkness dissipated, leaving the courtyard shrouded in a strange, eerie silence.

The crowd erupted in a collective gasp. The academy had never witnessed such power, such control, such utter dominance.

"It can't be. He's the same age as ours," the other contestants thought, a sense of disbelief washing over them. As they processed what they had seen, they were not only shocked but terrified. The question on everyone's mind was whispered, a silent plea for an explanation: "Does the devil help him?"

The crowd's confusion turned to a simmering anger. Those who hadn't possessed such immense power felt a sense of injustice. But then, the realization struck them: He was simply too strong. What could they do against such power?

"Uhm, excuse me, sir," the head judge said, his voice a tad shaky. "I know it's kinda insulting, but did you have a contract with your devil already?"

Rethrus, already hypothesizing that he was an anomaly, felt a pang of pride hurt as if he hadn't worked hard enough.

"Actually, my devil is not even showing up…yet," he said, his voice laced with a hint of mystery.

He realized the implications of what he had just said. The truth—or, rather, the perceived truth—would spread like wildfire.

The crowd was amazed, their eyes wide with wonder.

"Ah, so you're a late bloomer," the judges said, a touch of awe in their voices. They had no choice but to accept this extraordinary young man into their ranks, even if they couldn't fully understand his power.

As Rethrus walked down the stage, the buzz of whispers followed him, a whirlwind of intrigue and uncertainty. He had left an indelible mark on the academy.

"What? The results have been changed already, and the prince wasn't even in the top three?" murmurs rippled through the crowd of students and senior academy members. They rushed out of their rooms, curiosity and apprehension mingling in the air.

Rylan sat alone on a bench, his head hung low, a wave of despair washing over him. His eyes, filled with a quiet sadness that mirrored the darkening sky, told a story of his own. A lump formed in his throat, making it difficult to swallow. He felt a heavy weight on his chest, a crushing disappointment that seemed to squeeze the air from his lungs.

"But I trained after I realized I was a mage," he thought, his voice a mere whisper in his mind. He remembered the countless hours he'd spent practicing, honing his skills with his old spear, his determination fueled by a desperate desire to prove himself. He wished he had someone to share his burden, someone to tell him that it was okay to feel this way, to feel the sting of failure, to feel the crushing weight of his circumstance. But he was alone, an orphan who'd learned to carry his own sorrows.

He looked up, his gaze drawn to a crowd of students gathered nearby, chattering excitedly.

"Did you hear? A kid broke the record for the highest score in the entrance exam?"

"Woah! He's gotta be from a royal family."

"What! The prince was dethroned?"

The king's voice, filled with surprise, echoed through the building. "By what family?" he asked.

All eyes turned to Sir Langly, the father of Julian and Jasper, whose sons were among the top performers.

"Uhm, sir, "Jeshur said his voice laced with a touch of awe.

"It's one of the orphans that Xavier trained," Jeshur said, his voice carrying the weight of the news.

A wave of shock swept through the building. The nobles, whose families had always held power and prestige, were stunned. The orphans had risen, their talents and resilience shattering the established hierarchy.

Xavier, his chariot pulled by a team of powerful horses, made his way through the bustling city, his face calm and composed. He'd done his duty. His students had proven themselves.

Back at the academy, the sun began its descent, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. Rylan looked at the darkening sky, his chance to join the army slipping away. His eyes fell upon Rethrus and his group, all of whom were celebrating. They were all in the top fifty, their faces beaming with pride. He watched as a beautiful girl, Lumine, clung onto Rethrus's arm.

"I'm sorry, Rylan," Collei said, his voice filled with sympathy. Collei had passed, his talents and hard work having earned him a place in the academy.

Rylan nodded silently, unable to utter a word.

A booming voice announced,

"All people who are not on the list! Go to the kitchen area."

Rylan, his heart heavy with disappointment, made his way to the kitchen area. He wanted to cry, but no tears came. He just stood there, his shoulders slumped, as the other failed students looked at him, their faces a mixture of mockery and pity.

"Look at the King of Spears, HAHAHHh," some of the kids said, their laughter echoing through the courtyard.

"All of you failed the exam," the worker in charge said.

"But don't worry, you can still help the nation by helping the kitchen and some works here in the school and in the army."

"I should have listened to Collei," Rylan mumbled, his voice barely a whisper.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group celebrated.

"Congratulations, Rethrus!!!" Their voices rang out, a chorus of joy and admiration.

"You're not just the top student, but the top student of all time."

Lumine, her face glowing with a smile, clung onto Rethrus's arm, her joy palpable. Elizabeth, standing a few feet away, watched them, a flicker of jealousy in her eyes. Rethrus, with a gentle smile, tapped Lumine's head, his eyes meeting Elizabeth's for a brief moment.

"Oh, and congratulations to Aethra and Leo. You're at the second and third spots," Haldrin said, his voice full of admiration.

Aethra wasn't entirely satisfied, but he managed a smile. Leo, on the other hand, was beaming with joy. His physical test had surpassed the prince's magic test, earning him the third spot.

The people around them praised them, their voices echoing through the inn. Some girls, their eyes sparkling with admiration, openly admired the three boys.

Jack, with a boisterous laugh, shouted, "And the top one, two, and three are among them! They're going to lead our nation in the upcoming war!"

In the Silentvisk Family, a quiet scene unfolded.

"All of them are in the top, huh?" the master said, his voice filled with pride.

The scene faded to the master, combing Aether's hair as he drifted off to sleep.