-------******-------******-------******-------
The morning sun filtered through the towering stone walls of the Academy, casting long shadows over the courtyard.
A fine mist clung to the ground, lingering in the cool air like a heavy fog, and the tension hanging over the field was palpable.
Today was the physical rank assessment, the real deal.
The stakes? Higher than ever.
Lyrium stood off to the side, hands tucked in his pockets, leaning against one of the cold stone pillars.
He could feel the buzz of energy around him—the other students whispering, fidgeting, trying to act calm while their nerves slowly frayed.
They're all gonna freak out in the next five minutes, Lyrium thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
'I might as well save them the trouble and get this over with.'
He took in a deep breath and casually watched the other initiates assemble.
Margaret Windsor, as always, stood poised at the front of the group like an icy queen—graceful and untouchable.
Her black hair was the only part that didn't made her look like an Ice—girl.
The black hair almost shimmered in the morning light, and her expression was serene, like she was the protagonist in a fantasy novel.
Well, of course, she's number one.
Look at her.
The girl practically glows with 'I'm about to conquer the world' energy.
Silas Kingslay, our original deal was nearby, standing with Lily in his usual aloof posture.
He was tall, his Red hair tousled just enough to make him look like a Red Blooded-haired god.
It's like he's too cool to care about anything—too bad he's not as cool as me, Lyrium thought.
Still, I bet he's the type to somehow crush us all without even trying.
But it's not like he will do it. He will not be able to do it.
Not Yet.
Typical.
Then, of course, there was Ren, already lounging against a pillar with an annoyingly confident grin on his face.
The guy was literally too chill for this kind of atmosphere.
His carefree attitude made Lyrium want to either punch him or become best friends with him—it was honestly hard to decide.
Ren just oozed this energy like he had no idea what the word "nervous" even meant.
'I swear, this guy doesn't understand the concept of 'stress' at all.'
If he could bottle that laid-back energy, he'd make a killing selling it to the rest of us.
Lyrium then sigh a bit as muttered some words..
'Long time'
'Status'
{«[Status Window]»}
[Name: Lyrium Blackwood]
[Age: 16]
[Race: Human]
[Rank: B-]
[Talent Limit: Error]
[Elements: Void, Lightning]
[Skill (Passive): Unknown Lock§]
[Skill: Ruler's Loathing]
[Sword Art: Two Heavens Style (1)↑, Odachi Stye (1)↑, The Orichin Style (1)↑]
⟩ Skill Details: Ruler's Loathing ⟨
• Temporarily heightens instincts, allowing the body to act independently.
• Temporarily suppresses emotions and amplifies intelligence for precise decision-making.
• Focuses entirely on one specific task, ignoring all distractions.
• After deactivation, user experiences severe mana fluctuations and physical strain.
Duration: 15 Minutes
Aftereffects: 3 Minutes
[⟩ Attributes ⟨]
|_Strength: B+
|_Speed: D-
|_Agility: C-
|_Stamina: D-
|_Durability: C-
|_Intelligence: A-
|_Instinct: C-
|_Charm: E+
|_Mana Points: 900/900
---
"Hmmm..... Nothing much change than the last time I check it."
'Closed'
"Lets check the another one then"
"Arise...."
---
= = = = ={Holy System}= = = = =
->Name: Lyrium Blackwood
->Age: 16
->Race: Anomaly (You are an unknown entity in this world, an anomaly?!!)
->Level: 1/??
->EXP: 50/100
->Sage limit: Limitless
->Elements: Void [Creation], Lightning [Creation]
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
->Skill Passive: Unknown(§)[Lock]
->Skill: Ruler's Loathing (1)↑
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
->Sword Arts: Two Heavens Style (1)↑, Odachi Stye (1)↑, The Orichin Style (1)↑
= = = = ={Attributes}= = = = =
->Strength: B+
->Speed: C
->Agility: C-
->Stamina: D-
->Durability: C-
->Instincts: C-
->Intelligence: A-
->Charm: E+
->Mana Points: 900/??
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
∆System Store
∆System Inventory
∆System Points
System Quest (0)
System Mail (0)
= = = = ={Holy System}= = = = =
'The same, no quest, no mails, nothing much'
Lyrium then also closed the system as he was about the go towards the courtyard where every one was gathering—a voice cut him off from taking another step.
"Oi, Lyrium!"
It was Ren.
He turned to see Ren walking over, hands jammed into his jacket pockets, an exaggerated frown on his face.
"Got something on your mind, mate?" Ren asked, eyeing him up. "You look like you're about to self-destruct."
Lyrium shot him a deadpan look, trying to keep his inner panic under wraps.
"You've got a knack for stating the obvious, don't you? Yes, I'm thinking about how the hell I'm going to control a lightning storm in the middle of a combat assessment. Thanks for the reminder."
Ren's grin only widened. "Ahh, the lightning, huh? That's a solid party trick. But don't worry, you've got this. If you blow up the whole field, at least you'll be memorable."
Lyrium stared at him for a moment, blinking in disbelief.
"Great. My elemental control is a freaking disaster in the making, and you think it's gonna be some showstopping performance?"
His voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Yeah, maybe I'll be known as the guy who nearly set fire to the Academy."
Ren waved him off like it was nothing.
"Nah, mate, that would be amazing. Just think about it—'Oh, you mean Lyrium Blackwood, the one who almost electrocuted us all? He's a legend.'"
Lyrium ran a hand through his already-messy hair, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"You do realize I can barely control this, right? Lightning's like trying to trap a tornado in a jar."
Ren clapped him on the back with a slap that almost knocked the wind out of him.
"Don't worry about it. You've got more potential than half the crowd combined. And hey, even if you screw up, it'll make for a hell of a story."
Lyrium snorted. "Sure. If I don't get expelled first for being a walking disaster."
Ren just grinned.
"What, you don't like the idea of electrocuting a few people? I mean, at least it's memorable, right?"
Electrocution was the last thing Lyrium wanted to think about, but his wit couldn't help itself.
"Sure, if they survive, I'll be the most talked-about initiate in history."
Just as he was about to add more to his sarcastic monologue, the authoritative voice of Headmistress Emily echoed across the courtyard, demanding attention.
''''QUIET—!''''
Her voice cut through the air with the force of a thunderclap, and the entire courtyard fell into an eerie silence.
Lyrium straightened automatically, the weight of her gaze falling upon him and every other initiate.
There was something unnerving about the way she could command silence with nothing but her presence.
She stood tall, her eyes scanning over the initiates like a hawk surveying its prey.
The crowd tensed, their nerves visible.
Some students were already wiping their sweaty palms on their uniforms, others chewing their lips or shifting from foot to foot.
Lyrium, on the other hand, smirked inwardly. Oh, they're all about to lose their minds.
I've seen this before.
The second Emily shows up, all pretenses of being calm and collected are out the window.
Emily's eyes swept over the crowd, lingering on each face.
"Like I said yesterday. Today, you will face your the real rank assignment. Physical assessment. This is not the time for hesitation. Not the time for weakness. Your performance here will dictate your rank moving forward. The strongest will rise to the top. The rest will be left behind."
Lyrium felt a weird thrill in his chest, a flicker of competitive fire.
'Not that I'm scared of being left behind. I've been underestimated myself since the day I transmigrate. Let them think they're ahead. The fun's just about to start.'
"Now,"
Emily continued, her voice cool and commanding,
"I will announce the top Twenty from yesterday's trial. Pay attention, for this will set the tone for the rest of the day."
Lyrium sighed, though inwardly, he was prepared for the inevitable.
He already knew who the top three would be.
He didn't have to be a genius to figure that out.
"First rank—Margaret Windsor."
No surprise there.
Margaret's ice affinity was perfect for control, and she'd nailed her trial with a flawless execution that had the crowd awestruck.
Everyone had known she'd top the ranks.
Yeah, I'm sure her ice-cold perfection is as flawless as always, Lyrium thought, rolling his eyes.
"Is she even real? Probably made of ice and not flesh and blood. That's the only way I can explain her perfection."
"Second rank—Silas Kingslay."
Lyrium glanced over at Silas, who nodded with that usual confident, almost-too-calm smile.
He looked like someone who could step into any situation and just win.
The guy had that aura—the kind that said,
"I know I'm good, and there's nothing you can do about it."
"Second. Not bad, not bad. Just a little behind 'Iceman' Windsor."
"Third rank—Ren Sullivan."
Ren had to go and make a show of it.
As soon as his name was called, he raised both hands in the air like he had just won the lottery, his grin almost comically wide.
The crowd gave a mixed reaction—some clapped, others stared at him like he was a bit of a weirdo, but Ren didn't care.
As usual, he owned the moment.
Lyrium snorted.
"Guess the guy can't even take third without making it feel like a world championship. Ren Sullivan: the most chill 'third place' winner you'll ever meet."
Then, the Emily called out each and every names
.
.
.
"Tenth rank—???"
.
.
.
"Fourteenth rank—???"
Untill a familiar name called out.
"Fifteenth rank—Lyrium Blackwood."
Lyrium couldn't help the tiny wince that tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Fifteenth.
Not great.
Not horrible.
But not the kind of number that made you want to flaunt it.
Still, he wasn't about to let it ruin his day.
He straightened his back, stepping forward with as much confidence as he could muster.
"Fifteenth? Well, that's fine. I didn't want to be first. Too much pressure. I'll take it."
Beside him, Ren slapped him on the back again, harder this time.
"Told ya. You've got more in you than half the guys who made the top ten. Don't worry about it."
"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that," Lyrium muttered. But honestly? It was hard not to feel just a little bit proud.
Fifteenth? Fine.
But the day's not over yet.
I've still got room to move up.
Yeah. He cared about the Plot as much as he wants it to flow smoothly.
But he wasn't a guy who would just left behind for the Plotline to flow smoothly and perfectly.
Also, due to his interference in the Academy arc, most of the plotline should've already scattered.
'Ha...'
'They'll remember me for something more than my spot on the rankings.'
Then that person appears.
Alicia De Margus stepped forward, her piercing eyes scanning the group.
Her presence was like a current of ice water down Lyrium's spine.
She was the kind of instructor who didn't say much, but when she did? You listened.
"Group Three," she said, her voice cutting through the air with lethal precision. "Silas Kingslay, Ren Sullivan, Lyrium Blackwood, and Lily Broom. You four, step forward."
Lily Broom, Silas's childhood friend, bounced up beside him with a mischievous grin. "Ready to kick some butt, Sil?"
Silas just flashed her a genuine smile but a bit of mockery in it.
"Ready as I'll ever be. Let's just hope I don't burn us all to a crisp before it's over."
Lyrium who was hearing their interaction just crossed his arms around each other and follows Alicia with Sulli beside him.
--------*******-------*******-------*******-------
Alright, folks, buckle up! This arc is going to be the longest and most thrilling one yet! We're diving into some serious action, twists, and character growth. I can already feel the excitement building. Trust me, you won't want to miss what's coming next.
Sulli in short for—Sullivan, Ren Sullivan