Henry sat cross-legged under an apple tree, deep in cultivation. The cold from the nearby lake would freeze the legs of a normal human, but as a fire mage, his fiery aura could resist the chill. This process was crucial for any mage, as it involved delving into a spiritual world where one's mana resided. For a beginner mage, the mana capacity might be the size of a thumb, and gathering mana from the environment would slowly increase this capacity.
Henry opened his eyes, smiling in satisfaction, his mana capacity had grown to the size of a full-grown man's head. "Even with this, it's pointless," Henry sighed. "How am I supposed to compete with the son of a noble? Even if I manage to get into the academy, how am I going to deal with those aristocrats who feed on magic resources like gluttons?" He grumbled as he lay on the ground, staring at the sky, only to see someone else's face above him.
"I can help you with that," said Lukas.
"Uh? Lukas, what are you doing here?" Henry asked, puzzled.
"We made a bet, didn't we?" Lukas gently tapped the hilt of his sword.
"Yeah, but I lost," Henry replied, disappointed.
"Who said you lost?" Lukas smirked. "I never told you what would happen if you lost, did I?"
"Now that I think about it, you never did. What's going to happen? Am I getting you a dozen creampuffs?" Henry asked jovially.
"If I had lost, you would have gotten enrolled alongside me in the magic academy, right?" Lukas asked.
"Yes," Henry replied.
"Well, if you lost, you would quit your job at that creampuff store and become my personal manservant. And you're still going to get enrolled in the magic academy," Lukas smiled.
"Uh, tell me you're joking," Henry said, scratching his head in a nervous but happy manner.
"Do you see a 'Hey, I'm joking' look on my face?" Lukas asked, pointing to his face.
"Uh, no, I don't," Henry replied.
"So, what do you say?" Lukas asked.
Suddenly, Henry burst into tears and hugged Lukas, sobbing, "Thank you, Lukas. I can't thank you enough. I don't even know what to say right now."
"Take it easy, dude," Lukas said, gently pushing away the crying Henry. "That's only the beginning of the surprises," Lukas added as he drew a sword from his waist and handed it to Henry.
"Wait, is this for me?" Henry asked, puzzled. "Isn't your father going to be mad at you for giving me one of your family's treasures?"
"Don't worry about that, Henry. I've got it all covered. With this, I guess you can defeat those other nobles in the academy. I can't wait to see their faces when they see you with this sword, especially that fool Simon Reynold," Lukas smirked.
"Hahahaha, you and the dude from the Reynold family never get along, do you?"
"Well, I guess so..." Lukas scratched his head. He only knew there was a guy he hated a lot in this world ever since he inherited the body of Lukas De Arcadian. His reincarnation meant taking over the body of someone with the same name, inheriting all the memories of the previous Lukas. Despite that, his friendship with Henry couldn't be explained by just memories. Ever since he saw the boy, he felt a sense of closeness he couldn't understand. It was like he was seeing an old friend. As he ransacked his memory, the name Simon Reynold suddenly popped up.
"Lukas, what the hell are you thinking about? You totally zoned out on me," Henry said, waving his hand in front of Lukas's face.
"Uh, no, I was just thinking about how I'm going to deal with Simon Reynold in the entrance exams tomorrow," Lukas responded, snapping out of his thoughts.
"Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that. I better continue cultivating right now," Henry said, bending down to meditate.
"I doubt you'll need your magic to pass the exams. Just focus on the theoretical aspects. That sword you're holding is at the top of the rank A list," Lukas said.
"Whaaaaaaat?!! D-d-did you just say rank A?" Henry stuttered loudly.
"Yes, it is. It's of no use to me," Lukas replied.
"Of no use to you? I don't understand. What cultivation rank are you at right now?" Henry asked.
"Well, you can say I'm still at the top of rank E if you want," Lukas replied carefreely.
"And you have no use for a rank A sword? I don't understand," Henry said.
Lukas started walking away. "Aren't you going to join me? I'll be needing those dozen creampuffs you mentioned earlier."
"Uh...? ...Oh, yes, young master," Henry answered jokingly as he ran toward Lukas.
"Address me as 'young master' only in the mansion. Feel free outside of it," Lukas said.
"Of course, I know that. I was just messing with ya," Henry said as they both walked away.
As they went back to the mansion, there was still a mixture of excitement and nervousness in Henry. He considered his joining the magic academy with Lukas as a dream come true. But he knew well enough that unlike him, his parents were powerful nobles who had been trained since birth.
"Is this real, Lukas? I mean me getting into the academy?" Henry asked anxiously.
"I am certain of it. You have the ability to go through it, Henry, just one right opportunity," assured Lukas.
"But what about your dad? Doesn't this make him angry?" Enquired Henry.
"Don't worry; my father knows that I can make good choices." He said firmly. "He also knows about loyalty and friendship," ending by looking directly at Henry.
"Thanks, Lukas! I'll owe you one forever," said Henry basking in gratitude.
"Forget it…. Let us go back home because it is late now and we need to be ready for tomorrow," replied Lukas smiling broadly.
The next morning saw two friends at the entrance of the great academy: towering gates that stood adorned with intricate carvings and magical symbols pulsating with energy over them. Henry took in as much air as possible to calm down his nerves before he made a step forward.
"Ready?" asked Lukas eagerly with shining eyes.
"As ready as I'll ever be," answered Henry calmly, determination settling in his gaze.
They stepped right into the gates and entered an amazing world full of mystery and puzzles that even their wildest thoughts could not fathom. The academy was a buzz of students, all displaying magical prowess in readiness for the entrance exam.
In Henry's eyes, everything seemed to be beyond his reach but Lukas's presence beside him gave him strength. Walking across the academy grounds, they aroused curiosity among other students, especially when they saw Henry's sword.
"Is that…" one student whispered to another, "a rank A weapon?"
Another asked, "Who is he? He does not look like a noble."
Henry disregarded these whispers and concentrated on his mission. They arrived at the registration desk where a severe figure confronted them.
"Names?" asked the guard without looking up.
"My name is Lukas De Arcadian and this is Henry," confidently responded Lukas.
The guard's eyes darted slightly as soon as he heard Lukas's name. He said, "Good," giving them their tokens of registration.
On the way to the examination room, Lukas leaned towards Henry whispering, "Do you remember? Just concentrate on the theoretical part only; it will work."