The first rays of morning light filtered through the academy's towering windows, but Alistair Vaelthorne had not slept.
He had spent the entire night training.
Now, standing in the academy's Mana Infusion Chamber, he exhaled slowly, feeling the steady pulse of mana saturating his body.
This chamber was one of the many specialized rooms in Grand Arcanum Academy, designed for rapid mana recovery. The walls hummed faintly with embedded runes, drawing in raw magical energy from the academy's core and channeling it into the room.
As he sat cross-legged in the center, he could feel his exhausted mana circuits slowly restoring.
Status Window.
---
Status Window
Elemental Proficiency:
Abyssal Magic – "Adept" proficiency (6%) [+2%]
Shadow Magic – "Initiate" proficiency (10%) [+5%]
Blood Magic – "Initiate" proficiency (3%)
---
Alistair closed the window with a flick of his mind.
His abyssal control had improved, and his grasp on shadow magic was slowly strengthening.
Now, only one piece remained: Blood Magic.
He stood up, rolling his shoulders, feeling the weight of fatigue slowly dissipate.
First, food.
Then—he would continue.
****
Cafeteria –
The academy cafeteria was massive, closer to a grand banquet hall than a normal dining area. Long wooden tables stretched across the room, enchanted chandeliers floating overhead, bathing everything in a soft golden glow.
The smell of freshly baked bread, mana-rich fruits, and roasted meats filled the air as students gathered in small groups.
Alistair stepped inside, heading toward the food counters without hesitation. He didn't waste time socializing.
His meal was simple but efficient—a mana-infused porridge made from eldritch grains, enchanted honey to accelerate absorption, and a protein-rich dish of grilled beastkin meat.
The moment he sat down—
A soft glow flickered on his collarbone.
And then—
Sera appeared.
The small, silver-haired spirit materialized in front of him, floating for a moment before plopping down on the table with an unsteady wobble.
She blinked, rubbing her golden eyes sleepily before looking around.
Then, she turned to him.
"Food?"
Alistair sighed. "You only wake up for food, huh?"
Sera simply stared at him.
…It was an expectant stare.
Alistair took a piece of fruit from his tray and placed it in front of her.
Sera grabbed it instantly and started nibbling, her tiny hands barely able to hold it properly.
Despite everything—the abyssal magic, the training, the relentless pursuit of strength—this moment felt oddly… peaceful.
She was small.
Weak.
And yet, something about her presence kept him grounded.
As they ate, students passing by couldn't help but steal glances.
By now, everyone in the academy had heard about his spirit.
The spirit that took a humanoid form instead of a beast or elemental creature.
But Alistair ignored them.
Once they finished, Sera yawned, rubbing her eyes again before her form flickered—returning to his Spirit Mark.
Now, it was time to move forward.
*****
Training Facility –
The training chamber was empty when Alistair arrived.
He preferred it that way.
The walls were lined with reinforced stone, the floor embedded with minor runes to contain stray magic.
This was where he would develop his final missing piece.
Blood Magic.
Unlike other elements, blood magic was considered volatile.
It required self-sacrifice—using one's own life essence as a medium to cast spells.
For most, this was a dangerous path.
But for Alistair?
He had Abyssal Regeneration.
Which meant he could use blood magic without permanent drawbacks.
He rolled up his sleeve, exposing his wrist. With a controlled breath, he summoned a thin blade of mana—and sliced.
A shallow cut.
Not deep. Just enough.
Scarlet liquid beaded on his skin.
And then—he focused.
The first step of blood magic was commanding one's own blood.
He channeled his mana, guiding the flow of blood, forcing it to obey his will instead of merely dripping to the floor.
It worked—partially.
The blood hovered, suspended in the air. But the moment he lost focus, it spattered onto the stone below.
Not stable enough.
Again.
He repeated the process.
Cut.
Focus.
Lift.
This time, he infused the blood with shadow magic—allowing it to remain suspended in the air like ink swirling in water.
It remained there longer, refusing to fall.
Good.
But this was just the beginning.
To use Bloodshadow Manifestation, he needed full control.
So he continued.
Hour after hour.
Perfecting his command over his own life essence.
Every failure was corrected.
Every mistake analyzed.
Until finally—
When he lifted his hand, the blood followed perfectly, twisting into a dark, jagged blade infused with shadow.
Not perfect.
But functional.
And that was enough.
For now.
****
Alistair leaned against the training chamber wall, exhaling slowly.
His body ached.
His mind was exhausted.
But his progress was undeniable.
He summoned his status window once more.
---
Status Window
Elemental Proficiency:
Abyssal Magic – "Adept" proficiency (6%)
Shadow Magic – "Initiate" proficiency (10%)
Blood Magic – "Initiate" proficiency (9%) [+6%]
---
He closed the window.
With one more week of dedicated training, he would reach Adept Proficiency in both Shadow and Blood Magic.
And once that happened—
He would be ready to use Bloodshadow Manifestation's First Form.
His path was clear.
He would not stop until he mastered it.
---
(To Be Continued...)