Orientation

Passing through the portal gate, Adonis stepped into a world that felt more like a bustling city than a single school. Towers of ivory stone soared overhead. Courtyards bristled with training dummies animated by magic, and arcane vendors hawked enchanted scrolls and exotic reagents in open-air markets. The very air thrummed with mana.

He paused to take it all in when a voice called out from beside him:

"You must be Adonis from Vistoria Kingdom, right?"

He turned to see a tall youth in the Stellar Magic Academy uniform—crisp white robes trimmed with starlight-blue. A polished silver insignia glinted on his shoulder.

"I'm Vale," the student said, offering a warm smile. "I'm a sophomore here, assigned to guide you through orientation. Welcome."

"Thank you," Adonis replied, bowing slightly. Vale's straightforward friendliness was a welcome contrast to the intimidating grandeur around them.

"Good," Vale said. "Let's start with your ID."

He handed Adonis a slim card etched in silver filigree.

"This is your academy ID—and your credit card. Don't lose it. Replacements are a pain to get."

Adonis slipped it into his pocket.

"Now, first-year students are divided into three tiers—Weeds, Buds, and Blooms—based on your potential and monthly test rankings. Most Weeds don't stick around; they get expelled if they don't improve. Buds maintain steady progress, and Blooms earn mana runes—special credits you can exchange for training grounds, reagents, and other resources."

Vale led him past the market stalls. "Early on, each new student receives ten mana runes. High-ranking Blooms get more runes each month. You can also earn them by helping with chores—think of it like an Adventurer Guild inside a school."

"I never realized an academy would have such a system," Adonis said, marveling at the organized complexity.

"Don't stress," Vale laughed. "You'll adapt quickly. Two days from now is your Department Test—where you choose between Illusion, Space, or Summoning. You'll find the form in your dorm room. No external talismans are allowed, but bonded artifacts—like your robe—are fine. By the way, it looks great on you. Really suits your style."

"Thank you," Adonis replied, shocked that Vale easily found that his robe is an artifact but still grateful for the compliment and for Vale's guidance. "I'll be ready." he replied.

"Good." Vale clapped him on the shoulder. "I'll collect your form tomorrow. See you then—and good luck."

With that, Vale departed, leaving Adonis standing before the door to his new room.

"He is strong, he also identified eclipse robe as bonded artifact" Adonis thought, then he checked out his room.

Inside, the space was spare: a simple bed, a desk, and a large window overlooking the academy's central plaza. But the mana density here was incredible—twice what he felt in Shangila.

Adonis closed his eyes, letting mana wash over him. Movement practice would take half the effort here. Strength training could amplify faster.

"I need to train," he thought. "I can't let Vale—or myself—down."

Adonis sat at the simple desk of his academy dorm, quietly staring at the thick parchment form laid out before him. Ink pen in hand, he sighed.

"Space, Summoning, Illusion..."

He remembered Elora's lecture as vividly as if she were standing beside him now — scolding tone and all.

"Advanced magic schools are vast like oceans. Even King-class mages have only scratched the surface. Choosing one isn't just about preference, it's about survival.

Your mana core is like a planet. When you reach Royal Class, the advanced magic you choose becomes your orbit — a ring around your core. No planet has two rings, Adonis, so don't be an idiot and try to learn more than one."

He chuckled at the memory. "Still calling me idiot even when she's not here."

He glanced down at the paper again. Summoning was cool — imagine calling forth beasts or spirits to fight beside him. Illusion magic was mysterious and deceptive — perfect for strategy. But…

"Space suits me more," he muttered, writing his decision down in clean, bold strokes:School of Space Magic.

'I don't need flash or flair. I need movement, distance, control — and with sword magic, nothing complements it better.'

Later, in the training chamber, Adonis sat cross-legged, meditating as a sea of golden sword Qi swirled around him. After his breakthrough to aristocrat level during his time at home, his progress had skyrocketed. His mana capacity had doubled.

He could now manifest twenty to twenty-five golden swords — and that wasn't even his true limit. He knew he could push for more, but the pressure it placed on his body and mind was immense. Still…

"One day," he whispered, eyes opening to see blades hovering in perfect harmony, "I'll summon hundreds — no, thousands. A sky filled with swords."

He raised his hand, and the swords instantly obeyed — spinning, dancing, slicing through the air with precision that would make any mage tremble. "for now I should focus on control."

Meanwhile, deep in the heart of Stellar Magic Academy, within the Headmistress's office...

A tall woman with ash-brown hair and piercing blue eyes sat at her wide obsidian desk. A breeze from the enchanted glass windows fluttered the stack of documents in her hand.

She read them aloud in a calm, thoughtful tone.

"Potential Bloom Students This Year:"

Alex Rage – Special Light Magic, Age 17.

Ai Holmes – Fire, Lightning, Wind; Triple Element User, Age 16.

Mia Silveria – Ice Element with Ancestral Bloodline, Age 15.

Adonis Drake – Unique Sword Element Magic, Age 16.

Tyrant Haul – Special Metal Magic, Age 17.

The Headmistress put the list down and leaned back in her chair, looking at the ceiling silently for a long moment.

"So many gifted children this year… unknown elements, bloodlines, prodigies… This much talent gathering in one place—" She narrowed her eyes. "—it can't just be coincidence."

She stood, staring out at the academy fields where students practiced beneath a calm sky.

"Sometimes... great light gathers before a storm. And when it does—" she murmured, "—it means something big isn't far of.