6 AM – Boys’ Dormitory

Tak tak tak.

A knocking sound echoed through the room, interrupting Nether’s peaceful sleep. He groggily opened his eyes, barely processing the noise.

Nether: “Who is it…?”

Still half-asleep, he scratched his stomach and shuffled to the door, yawning.

As he opened it, he blinked blearily at the figure standing there.

Nether: “Ivan, didn’t I tell you not to wake me up tomorrow—”

Then he paused.

Standing in front of him, arms crossed, was Sylpiette Vaelora.

Nether: “Wait, what the hell are you doing in the boys’ dorm?”

Sylpiette, with her usual cold expression, stared at him as if the question was irrelevant.

Sylpiette: “I came because we made a deal. You were supposed to teach me how to enhance my arrows with Aura. Remember?”

Nether blinked.

Nether: “...Did I?”

Sylpiette’s emerald eyes narrowed, and before he could react, she grabbed his wrist.

Sylpiette: “Come. Training. Now.”

Nether: “Wait, let me at least change first!”

She finally released him, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently.

---

Training Ground – Morning Mist

The sky was still tinted with soft hues of orange and blue as they arrived at the training ground, a large open field surrounded by stone walls. A few early risers were practicing, but for the most part, it was quiet.

Nether stretched and let out a deep sigh. “Alright, let’s start with the basics.”

Sylpiette: “Just get to the part about Aura.”

Nether: “Tch, impatient as always.”

He walked over to a practice dummy and drew a small dagger from his waist, twirling it casually.

Nether: “Alright, listen up. Aura isn’t just some raw energy you throw into a weapon—it needs control, refinement. There are different types of Aura usage depending on the warrior’s fighting style.”

He held up a finger.

1. Sword Aura – Enhances sharpness, speed, and cutting power. (Used by swordsmen to cut through defenses and strike faster.)

Then a second finger.

2. Bow Aura – Strengthens arrows, increasing range, accuracy, and penetration. (Exactly what Sylpiette needed.)

A third.

3. Physical Aura – Boosts strength, speed, and endurance. (Used in close combat.)

Fourth.

4. Defensive Aura – Reinforces the body or armor against attacks. (For tanks and defensive fighters.)

Finally, a fifth.

5. Elemental Aura – Infuses attacks with elemental properties. (Only for advanced warriors.)

Nether turned back to Sylpiette, tossing his dagger into the air before catching it.

Nether: “Since you’re an archer, you need to focus on Bow Aura. Instead of just pulling back and firing like normal, you have to channel Aura into the arrow to amplify its force.”

Sylpiette nodded, gripping her elegant longbow.

Sylpiette: “Show me how.”

Nether sighed. Why was she so demanding?

Nether: “Alright, watch closely.”

He grabbed a wooden practice bow from the nearby rack. Drawing an arrow, he closed his eyes for a moment—then, as he pulled back the string, a faint golden energy flickered along the arrow’s shaft.

Then—whoosh!

He released.

The arrow soared through the air faster than normal, striking the wooden target with a sharp thud and embedding deeper than it should have.

Sylpiette’s eyes gleamed with interest.

Sylpiette: “Hmph. That’s it?”

Nether: “It’s not as easy as it looks, princess.” He smirked. “You try.”

Sylpiette scoffed but did as instructed. She nocked an arrow, drawing the string back.

She closed her eyes for a brief second, trying to summon her Aura.

Then she released—

Thud.

The arrow flew at normal speed, hitting the target but with no visible enhancement.

Sylpiette frowned, ears twitching slightly. “What did I do wrong?”

Nether scratched his head. “Your Aura is probably flowing unevenly. Try focusing it through your arms first, then into the bowstring before releasing.”

Sylpiette narrowed her eyes. “Fine.”

She tried again.

And again.

Each time, she got slightly better, but it still wasn’t quite there.

Sylpiette huffed in frustration. “Why isn’t it working perfectly?!”

Nether smirked. “Welcome to the world of martial training. It takes time.”

She glared at him, but for once, there was no real malice in her eyes.

Just determination.

Nether sighed. He had a feeling this was going to take a long time.

----

Training Ground – Early Morning

Nether stretched his arms, still feeling groggy from being dragged out of bed. Sylpiette stood before him, arms crossed, her bow slung over her shoulder, watching him expectantly.

“Alright, listen up. Aura has different types, each suited for different combat styles. Since you’re an archer, you’ll be focusing on Bow Aura.”

He listed the various types of aura, explaining how each functioned. Sylpiette, ever serious, nodded along, absorbing every word.

“So how do I apply it?” she asked.

“First, you have to channel aura into your arms and bowstring. The trick is to let the aura flow into the arrow without overloading it—too much, and it’ll shatter before leaving the bow. Start with a small amount and slowly increase it.”

Sylpiette furrowed her brows, drawing an arrow and trying to channel her aura. Nether watched her struggle for a few minutes before yawning.

“Well, you keep practicing. I’m heading to the library.”

“Wait, you—”

But he was already walking away, hands in his pockets.

Academy Library – Learning About Magic

Nether entered the grand library, scanning the rows of books. He was supposed to meet Ivan here, but instead, he found something else that piqued his interest—books on magic and mana manipulation.

“Mana, huh?” He pulled out a book and flipped through it.

It explained that while Aura was drawn from one’s life force, Mana came from the surrounding environment. Most people could only use one or the other, but rare individuals could use both.

“Huh, interesting…”

As he continued reading, a certain passage caught his eye—Affinity Test Methods.

Curious, he followed the steps and found that he had an affinity for Gravity Magic.

“...Wait, what?” He blinked. “That sounds kinda cool.”

Before he could dive deeper, he heard Ivan’s voice from another table.

“Ivansia, politics isn’t just about force. Even with strong warriors, a noble house needs solid connections.”

“Oh? Then why are you always fighting with nobles from other houses?” Ivansia said smoothly.

Ivan coughed. “That’s… different.”

Nether smirked and walked over.

“You’re still here talking politics? Thought you’d be busy staring at her.”

Ivan shot him a glare. “Shut up. I was discussing important matters.”

Ivansia, cool as ever, merely smiled.

“Oh? So you were staring?”

“I wasn’t!” Ivan quickly denied.

Nether grinned. “Right, right. Just discussing important matters while staring.”

Ivan sighed, rubbing his temples. “Why did I expect anything else from you?”

Nether shrugged. “You shouldn’t.”

Ivansia chuckled, but before Nether could tease Ivan more, he remembered Sylpiette and excused himself.

Training Ground – Sylpiette’s Progress

When Nether returned, Sylpiette was still there, practicing her aura control. She looked frustrated but determined.

“Oh, you’re still at it?” Nether said.

She shot him a glare. “Of course! Unlike you, I don’t slack off.”

Nether raised an eyebrow. “Hey, I was studying magic.”

Sylpiette blinked. “Magic?”

“Yeah, turns out I have a Gravity affinity.”

“Hmph. Figures you’d be good at something else too.” She turned back to her bow, clearly focused.

Nether smirked. “Just don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I won’t.”

Satisfied, Nether left for his next stop.

Academy Gym – Physical Training

The academy gym was massive, filled with all kinds of training equipment. Nether found a spot and started his workout—strengthening his body was just as important as mastering aura.

As he lifted weights, he thought about everything that had happened that day—teaching Sylpiette, discovering his magic affinity, teasing Ivan.

He grinned.

“Man, today’s been eventful.”

And it wasn’t even noon yet.

------

Morning – First Day of Lectures

The sun had barely risen when the academy bells rang, signaling the start of the first official day of lectures. Students gathered in their respective lecture halls, excited (or half-asleep) as the professors began their introductions.

Nether sat lazily at his desk, half-listening to the professor’s words. He glanced around the room, noting that Ivan, Rean, and Arther were sitting ahead of him, already focused. Ivansia sat near them, poised and attentive as usual.

Then, the professor made an announcement.

“The entrance exam results have been posted on the board. You may check them during the break.”

That caught everyone's attention.

Entrance Exam Rankings

During the break, students rushed toward the ranking board, eager to see where they stood. Nether casually made his way over, hands in his pockets.

1. Ivan

2. Rean

3. Ivansia

4. Arther

5. Sylpiette

6. Nether

7. Celestine

8. Alistair

9. Darius

Nether blinked. Sixth place?

“Huh… I thought I did better,” he muttered.

Ivan, standing next to him, smirked. “Maybe if you trained instead of eating, you’d be higher.”

Nether clicked his tongue. “Tch. Like rankings matter.”

“I think it matters to the people below you,” Rean pointed out.

He turned and saw Darius scowling at the board, mumbling something under his breath.

“Anyway,” Nether stretched, “break time means food.”

And with that, he headed to the cafeteria.

Break Time – The Cafeteria

Nether grabbed a tray of food and looked around. The cafeteria was packed with students, all discussing the rankings.

He spotted Ivan and Rean sitting with Ivansia and Arther—no doubt discussing something formal. He wasn’t in the mood for politics, so he searched for an empty table and sat down.

Just as he was about to dig into his food—

“Can I sit here?”

He looked up.

It was Sylpiette Vaelora.

Nether raised an eyebrow. “You? Asking permission? That’s new.”

Sylpiette crossed her arms. “Don’t make me change my mind.”

Nether smirked. “Go ahead.”

She sat across from him, gracefully setting down her tray.

For a moment, there was silence as they both ate.

Then—

“You’re surprisingly quiet today,” Nether commented. “Not gonna ask about Aura training again?”

Sylpiette stabbed a piece of fruit with her fork. “I’ll ask after we eat.”

Nether chuckled. “Figures.”

Another short pause. Then she glanced at him.

“You placed sixth.”

“Yeah, yeah, rub it in.”

“I’m not rubbing it in,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “Just… I expected you to be higher.”

Nether blinked. That was almost a compliment.

“Coming from someone who placed fifth?” he teased.

Sylpiette smirked. “I expected myself to be higher, too.”

He laughed. “Now that sounds more like you.”

She huffed but didn’t deny it.

After a while, she hesitated before speaking again.

“…I don’t usually sit with guys.”

Nether tilted his head. “Oh?”

“I find them annoying.”

“So I’m not annoying?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You are. But… not as much.”

Nether grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

She scoffed, but there was a slight pink hue on her ears.

They continued eating in silence—but somehow, it felt a little more comfortable than before.