Four days had passed since Kael Ashford entered Arcadia Academy.
Four days of relentless running, bruising sparring sessions, and sleepless nights weighed down by exhaustion.
Now, it was finally the weekend—his first breath of freedom since stepping through the academy gates.
And he wasn't going to waste it.
In the early morning, when fog still clung to the stone paths, Kael walked silently through the dormitory halls.
His hood was pulled up, casting shadows over tired eyes that burned with determination.
"I can't keep doing nothing," he muttered. "I need to grow stronger… I don't have time for rest."
Most students were still in bed, recovering—especially those like him, constantly punished and underestimated.
But Kael's thoughts were elsewhere.
In his hand, he clutched a worn, creased slip of parchment.
On it were ancient runes—a specific sequence he remembered clearly from the novel he had read back in his original world.
The world that had now become his reality.
These symbols weren't random.
They were the key to something powerful.
A Sealed Box!
In the novel, the box had been discovered by one of the major antagonists—a ruthless swordsman named Zereth Kaine.
Inside it was a technique known as "Astral Severance."
A lost sword art.
A forbidden technique that let the wielder channel all their mana into a single, devastating slash that tore through space itself.
The blade didn't just cut flesh or steel—it severed everything in its path.
Zereth had found the box by accident and spent months deciphering the runes to unlock it.
Once he mastered Astral Severance, he became one of the deadliest enemies the Hero's party had ever faced.
With one swing, he could cleave through magical barriers, sever enchanted weapons, and even cut through summoned beasts.
Kael remembered reading the scene vividly—Zereth standing atop a battlefield, sword covered in blood, his enemies falling in droves as the sky itself seemed to split with each strike.
And now, he had a chance to claim that same technique.
Before Zereth Kaine could.
"I'm not even sure if the box is really there," he muttered.
"It might be that, at this time, the Sealed Box isn't even there… Anyway, I have to at least try my luck!"
The location, according to the novel, was relatively safe—overlooked, forgotten.
That's why Kael had chosen to search for it.
He knew about other powerful techniques, but most of them were hidden in dangerous places—or worse, meant for the Hero Party.
And as someone who didn't want to weaken the Hero Party, he had to refrain from taking anything that the protagonist was fated to obtain.
Otherwise, if the Hero was even slightly weaker, there was a chance they would lose against the Demon King… and the world would perish.
That was something Kael had to keep in mind whenever he made big decisions like this.
***
Kael left the academy grounds quietly, his footsteps echoing faintly in the early morning silence.
Well, School Guards were still there but he was allowed to leave after showing his Student ID.
The city of Elaris was still stirring awake, the fog wrapping around stone buildings like a veil.
Shops were closed, the streets mostly empty—save for a few early merchants dragging carts behind them.
He made his way toward the teleportation terminal at the city's edge—a massive circular structure glowing faintly with etched runes.
At the center stood an arched gate of shimmering light: a portal that could transport someone across entire regions in seconds.
Of course, such convenience came at a steep price.
Kael stepped up to the counter, where a bored-looking attendant yawned behind a crystal console.
"Destination?" she asked without looking at him.
"Virelton," Kael said.
That was the city mentioned in the novel—the one where the Sealed Box would appear, hidden deep within the ruins beneath the old temple grounds.
The attendant blinked once, checked the console, then whistled.
"Standard fare: 320 gold!"
Kael felt his heart drop.
He dug into his pocket and held out his Arcadia Academy student Id.
"Discount?"
The attendant scanned it against the crystal. The console flashed green, then adjusted the fare.
"Eighty percent off for Arcadia students," she said.
"That'll be 64 gold!"
Still too much.
Kael stared at the number as if he could make it shrink with willpower alone.
He had just a bit more than that for a round trip—enough for meals and basic supplies for the rest of the month, not for a luxury like this.
If he paid now, he'd be broke.
And worse—hungry.
(Damn you, Kael Ashford… Not only weak, but broke? That's the worst possible combination.)
Unwillingly, he gave away almost half of what he had and bet everything on the Sealed Box being there.
Otherwise, he would have wasted all his money for nothing.
"Accepted! You may go in!" the attendant said.
Kael Ashford nodded and walked toward the portal.
"…Dammit," he muttered under his breath".
"Even when I know the future, I'm still just a broke extra."
There was no way around it—he needed money.
And not just scraps.
If he wanted to keep moving forward, he couldn't afford to live on the edge of starvation.
Information wasn't enough. Knowledge of future events was powerful, yes—but not if he couldn't act on it.
"I don't want to just survive," he said quietly, eyes narrowing.
"I want to survive with wealth, too."
He clenched his fist around the parchment in his pocket.
After all, while survival was definitely the main goal—wasn't it better if he could do that with a bit of comfort?
Besides, wealth meant freedom and power.
Freedom to move, to gather rare items, to access secret libraries, dungeons, black-market auctions—everything.
He would need to adjust his plan for building his wealth as well.
"WOW!"
Anyways, this was his first time stepping through a portal in a fantasy world.
Something that, in the real world, people only dreamed about.
He was nervous and excited.
"Phew… Let's go!"