The Black Forest
Three days of preparation—and I finally left the academy before dawn.My destination: the Black Forest.A forbidden training zone meant for elite warriors. No students were allowed there without supervision.But me? No one dared to stop me.
I wore a dark cloak that blended with the shadows. My old sword hung on my back.It was battered and worn, but it had seen the worst of my battles… and had tasted the blood of all who fell before me.
I moved through the thick woods, the mana around me pulsing like a living being—breathing, responding to my presence.Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly... Something was approaching.
A Mana Wolf.
A rare beast, towering over two meters tall, its body coated in glowing blue energy.It usually never appeared unless it sensed immense power... and clearly, it had sensed me.
I didn't hesitate.
I drew my blade, a calm smirk on my lips.— Perfect… I needed a warm-up.
The beast lunged, but I dodged its attack with a smooth slide, leaping behind it and channeling my mana into the blade.
— Broken Wind Style: Rastra.
The sword exploded with green light, slicing through the wolf's side in a clean arc.It let out a shrill cry before collapsing, its body disintegrating into glowing mist—just like all mana beasts upon death.
I knelt slightly, catching my breath."I've gotten slower... That's unacceptable."
🔹 Revised – Scene: The Director and the Academy Council
In the academy's great chamber, the director sat before the Council of Elders.One of them—a stern old man with a long beard and narrow eyes—slammed his cane on the floor.
— You let him walk free?! He assaulted a professor and struck the princess herself!
The director raised her gaze calmly, but her tone sharpened like steel.
— He is not just any student. He is Arin von Reinhaver—the youngest son of one of the empire's most feared noble houses.We do not permit him to act… we manage his actions as best we can.
Another council member protested:— Are we to bow to the whims of one boy, no matter who his family is?
Her eyes glinted with a dangerous clarity.
— Let me remind you… no one forces a Reinhaver. Not even this academy.We may suspend him, restrain him, or discipline him in appearance. But opposing him openly? That would be suicide… not policy.
The room fell silent. Not from agreement——but from fear. The kind that only real power inspires.
Night Scene – An Old Memory
That evening, I sat alone by the river deep in the forest, letting the cold night air fill my lungs.The sound of running water, the scent of damp earth, and the moon's reflection on the surface... everything was peaceful.
But inside? I was far from it.
Suddenly, I heard a voice in my head—whispers I knew too well.
"Arin… how long will you keep pretending you're human?"
I snarled:— Shut up...
But the voice continued, cold and steady:
"You know it's true. Mana isn't your ally… it's part of you.You were born for battle, not for peace."
I clutched my head, whispering to myself: