Shings could hardly believe it—he had changed his fate. No longer a weak student in Class E, he had managed to climb to Class C, a rank where students held real potential. Yet, despite this victory, an unease lingered in his chest. He had been killed once before—and the mysterious man responsible was still out there. Even more troubling, the reason for his past failure remained locked away in his memory.
As he stepped onto the academy grounds, he took a deep breath. Today marked his first real day as a student of Canizares Magic High School.
Meeting the Other Students
Walking through the halls, Shings observed his fellow students. The academy was full of talented individuals—elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and even angelic beings. Despite the diversity, one thing united them: they were all here to master their magic.
He recognized some of the students from the entrance exam. Among them were:
Jm, a quiet but skilled magic user.Dorina, an exceptional elemental magician.Levie, a swordsman with unmatched footwork.Jesnie, a student who studied ancient spells.Alsani, Jubaira, and Queenie, all promising magicians.
As he walked past them, he overheard excited conversations.
"I can't believe we made it into Canizares Magic High School!"
"Did you see that Student Council girl, Wardina? She's on another level!"
"Yeah, but the strongest might be Hasna—she's an angel, after all."
The Student Council Officers were already legends among the students.
Then, Shings suddenly stopped. Just ahead, he saw them—Wardina, Sittie, Krysta, Hasna, Ansari, Gapor, Ella, and Taya—gathered together, discussing the new students.
The Student Council's Judgment
As he walked past, he noticed Wardina glancing at him, her golden eyes analyzing him carefully.
"That's the one who barely made it into Class C, right?" she asked.
"Yeah," Krysta replied. "His magic was better than before, but I don't see anything special."
Hasna crossed her arms. "Maybe he got lucky."
Hearing their words stung. Even though he had changed his fate, they still saw him as weak.
Shings clenched his fists but said nothing. I'll prove them wrong.
The Mysterious Encounter
Lost in thought, Shings wandered into the academy garden, trying to clear his mind. That's when he saw him.
A tall, muscular figure stood by a tree, arms crossed. He wore a black cloak, his long silver hair falling past his shoulders. His presence was powerful, and something about him sent chills down Shings' spine.
The man turned, and their eyes met.
"Yo. You're new here too, huh?"
Shings hesitated. He had never met this man before—or so he thought. But something in his gut told him otherwise.
"Yeah," Shings said cautiously. "Who are you?"
The man smirked. "Mahj."
Shings' eyes widened. Mahj? Where have I heard that name before?
They continued talking, sharing why they had come to Canizares Magic High School.
Mahj's reason was simple. "I want to test my strength. The world is full of powerful beings, and I don't want to be weak."
Shings related to that. "Same here. I just want to get stronger."
Yet, despite their conversation, something about Mahj made Shings uneasy. Had they met before? And if so, why couldn't he remember?
Classmates?!
The academy bell rang, signaling the start of classes.
Shings and Mahj entered their assigned classroom—only to realize they were classmates.
Their eyes met again.
"Well," Mahj said, grinning. "Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other."
Shings chuckled nervously. Why did he feel like this meeting wasn't a coincidence?