Normally, student in ther morning right after the first day will gather in the classroom, memulai ajaran mereka, but it seem different for Vermillion class.
Professor Alden gather us in the great hall, there no one beside us her, 20 student of vermilion class, who supposed the choosen one, or so they said.
Professor Alden stepped forward, his crimson robes trailing behind him like a storm cloud. His sharp gaze swept over the assembled students.
"Congratulations,"
He began, his voice as cold and precise as the man himself.
"You have all survived your first trial. The dungeon has tested your mettle, but that was only the beginning."
A few students straightened up, pride in their eyes. Others barely reacted, as if this was nothing.
Alden continued
"Today marks the start of your official training. Over the next year, you will be shaped into proper mages worthy of carrying the Vermillion name. Expect no mercy."
I glanced to the side, noting Cedric yawning dramatically. Elena elbowed him in the ribs.
Alden's eyes fell on me for a brief second before he looked away.
"As you'll be working together or against each other it is only fitting that you know your peers as for the top 3 student who passed this test, come forward
He took out an orb that floated in the air, displaying a projector with the names of three Vermillion class students.
A tall and muscular guy with red hair then come forward, berjalan mendekati Professor Alden, uhh who is he again?
"Leonhardt Sterling, heir of House Sterling. Top of his class in magical theory, and a duelist with a record of seven consecutive wins huh? Congratulations sebagai peringkat pertama"
Leonhardt gave a curt nod, eyes cold, clearly disinterested in the rest of us.
I'd seen his type before. Privileged, ambitious, and probably insufferable.
Next came Selene Nightshade, her raven-black hair tied in a high ponytail, with an expression that could freeze lava. Silent, calculating. She gave no introduction, only a slight bow, her eyes scanning the room like a predator sizing up prey.
Then there was Ardan Drakenhart a tall, bulky, with a permanent scowl. A typical musclehead, probably Cedric's type of rival.
Professor Alden then memberikan semacam artifact kepada top 3 student, sebuah artifact berbentuk gelang berwarna silver dengan ukiran akar disekeliling gelang
Professor Alden then gave an artifact to the top 3 students, an artifact in the form of a silver-colored bracelet with roots carved around the bracelet.
Ahh damn it, I really want it, if only Lyria didn't waste time in the dungeon yesterday, well for the bright side she got stronger and had better equipment, I guess?
But that have nothing to do anyway.
Some looked at me with thinly veiled contempt, others with curiosity and i know why.
They must be curious as for why, i, the heir of Althrone family, one of the strongest family in this kingdom not on the list, even though there many rumour about me.
Well none of them mattered.
Not yet at least.
Professor Alden's voice broke the silence again.
"You must be remember, in this academy, especially Vermillion class, results are the most important thing, so don't let the result keep you down. The ranking will be based on performance and potential now, class will started soon so you dismissed."
He let the words hang ominously before dismissing us.
As the hall emptied, I felt the weight of eyes on my back.
I let out a long sigh and steal a glance towards Lyria who clearly don't show any interest with the ranking
There still so many thing i want to ask but i know she won't even listen to me.
...
The bell ringing, and our normal class finally come after just yesterday we fight to the death against monster, or atleast that what i think.
Basic magic theory class.
Boring, but necessary.
Now i think about it, i have few skills my and it's doesn't look like i have any empty slots in my normal skill, as for unique skill? There are but I don't think it will unlocked just because i listen to the lesson though.
Can i use any magic bedide my skill?
Ding!
A system windows suddenly appear in the front of me, explained about what skill is, it's been a while huh.
[Skill is something given by the creator for certain people, skill and magic are two different things, similar in the theory but the concept itself is different.
You can use any magic as long you learn it without need to worry about your skill slots]
It's really convenient huh.
The professor of this lesson not professor Alden but professor Eliza, she was genius mage who even though she is her twenty she already accomplished so many thing and become the youngest professor in this academy.
Professor Eliza, far more lenient than Alden, thankfully, she introduced a group exercise.
"Hello student, our age not too far apart so i hope we can become friend, so anyway for this lesson, please pair up with someone, I want to see practical applications of the Barrier Spell. Choose your partners."
Easy, right?
Wrong.
As I stood up, several students quickly paired off, avoiding my gaze like I carried a plague.
One of them, a skinny kid with messy hair, glanced at me, then turned away fast.
"Tch."
Treating like this surprisingly hurt huh..
Cedric slung his arm around my shoulder like we were best friends.
"Guess it's just us again, huh? What a surprise"
He muttered with a grin.
I shrugged him off.
"I'm not here to babysit."
Cedric chuckled, unbothered.
"Hey, as long as I don't get stuck with ice princess over there"
He nodded toward Selene, who was already casting a perfect barrier with a flick of her fingers.
Lyria, on the other hand, stood across the room, paired with Elena.
Our eyes met briefly.
Cold.
Professor Eliza clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright, now that you have your partners, let's head to the training grounds. It's one thing to understand a spell in theory, but magic is meant to be cast, not just studied."
With that, she turned, her flowing robes swaying as she led us through the academy halls.
The training grounds were empty, it's seem the other class have different lesson huh?
Professor Lysander clapped her hands again, gathering everyone's attention.
"Before you begin, let me demonstrate the correct way to cast a Barrier Spell. Many of you are relying too much on raw mana output, which leads to inefficient casting and weak defenses. Magic is about control, not brute force."
She lifted one hand, fingers moving fluidly as she chanted, "[Aegis Ward]."
A transparent, shimmering dome of light surrounded her. Unlike the barriers we had cast, hers was perfectly stable, pulsing with energy yet unwavering.
"Observe," she continued. "A common mistake is spreading your mana too thin across the entire barrier. Instead, focus on reinforcing the sections that need it most."
She snapped her fingers. A training dummy across the field lit up and fired a bolt of energy at her. The barrier shimmered for a brief moment as the impact struck, but it held firm.
"You see? The moment I sensed the attack, I concentrated my mana in that exact spot, strengthening the structure without wasting energy on unnecessary areas."
She turned her gaze toward us.
"Now, let's break it down into three steps."
She held up one finger.
"Step one: Formation. Close your eyes, visualize a protective shell around you. The shape, density, and durability depend on your control over mana. A weak foundation means your barrier will collapse under pressure."
She lifted a second finger.
"Step two: Mana circulation. A barrier isn't just a wall—it breathes, it flows. If you let your mana stagnate, the barrier becomes rigid and shatters easily. Keep it moving, like water flowing through a glass dome."
Finally, she raised a third finger.
"Step three: Reinforcement. When attacked, instinctively channel more mana to the point of impact rather than overloading the entire barrier. This is the key difference between an amateur mage and a true spellcaster."
With a flick of her wrist, the barrier around her dissolved into particles of light.
"Now, pair up again and apply these principles. I will be observing, pair up inside the circles. One of you will cast a Barrier Spell, and the other will attack it with basic offensive magic. Don't hold back, your partner needs to experience the spell's limits firsthand."
She gestured toward the top three students, who stood at the front.
"Leonhardt and Kyle, you two will demonstrate first."
Leonhardt stepped forward first, raising his hand.
"Aegis Ward"
A shimmering, golden barrier formed around him, pulsing with raw magical energy.
Ardan grinned. He clenched his fist, flames igniting around his knuckles before he launched a punch at the barrier. The moment his fist connected, sparks flew, but the barrier held firm.
Professor Lysander nodded approvingly.
"Good. That's the level I expect from you all. Now, begin."
Cedric and I stepped into our own training circle.
"Alright, guess I'll be the attacker"
He said, rolling his shoulders.
"Try not to break too fast, yeah?"
I ignored him and focused, raising a hand.
"Aegis Ward"
A translucent barrier formed around me, not as refined as Leonhardt's, but stable enough.
Cedric grinned.
"Fire Bolt"
A ball of flame shot from his fingertips, crashing against my barrier. The impact sent a ripple through the shield, but it held.
"Not bad, not bad"
Cedric mused.
"But how about this?"
He extended his palm.
"Wind Cutter"
A razor-sharp gust of wind sliced toward me. The moment it struck, my barrier flickered, cracks forming along its surface before shattering entirely.
"Damn"
I muttered.
Cedric whistled.
"Gotta work on your mana control, buddy."
Across the field, Selene's barrier withstood multiple attacks without so much as a tremor, while Leonhardt's held strong against even the most aggressive spells. Lyria, meanwhile, was standing still, watching as Elena repeatedly tested her barrier with mild spells.
She wasn't even trying.
Professor Eliza walked between pairs, observing and giving occasional feedback. When she reached me, she raised an eyebrow.
"Your fundamentals are solid, but your barrier collapses too easily under pressure. You're using too much force to maintain it, which drains your mana inefficiently."
I clenched my fists.
"Then how do I fix it?"
She smiled slightly.
"Control, not power. Instead of reinforcing the whole barrier equally, concentrate your mana where the impact lands. Try again."
I exhaled and nodded.
Cedric grinned.
"Now your turn, don't hold back eh, Althrone"
His smug face really annoying.