Murder. Entrance exam. The words slammed into Edwyn's brain like a pair of mismatched puzzle pieces, twisting his gut with a mix of disbelief and grim amusement. This world was screwed up. "An entrance exam that requires killing?" he said, his voice dripping with sardonic edge as he leaned over the edge of his bunk, fixing Elia with a raised eyebrow. "What page you got that on, Goldilocks? 'Cause I'm hoping this is some sick prank. What kind of magic school wants a graduating class of serial killers?"
Elia, her face streaked with tears, fumbled with her admission handbook, her hands trembling as she passed it up to him. At that moment, the room's crystal lamp flickered to life, casting a soft, bluish glow across the cramped space. The air smelled faintly of ozone and old wood, and the faint hum of the airship's engines vibrated through the walls. Edwyn, now fluent in Magus Language thanks to his earlier extraction, flipped to the page Elia had marked, his sharp blue eyes scanning the text with a scowl.
Mage Apprentice Entrance Exam: Life-and-Death Sprint:
Prospective Mage Apprentices will receive one crystal orb and seven nutritional potions (each substituting for one day's food) at the start of the exam. Participants must reach the designated location within 14 days, bringing with them at least two crystal orbs. Those who fail to arrive on time or fail to meet the orb requirement will lose their admission eligibility. Note: The academy does not provide return transport. Disqualified candidates must find their own way home.
Edwyn's grin faded, his fingers tightening on the book. He tossed it back to Elia with a flick of his wrist, then grabbed his own copy from his bag, flipping to the same page. The words stared back at him, cold and unyielding, identical to Elia's.
"Well, damn," he muttered, slumping back against the bunk's creaky frame. "Not a joke, then. This is gonna be one hell of a shitshow."
He snapped the book shut, his mind racing. Why would the Black Tower Magus Academy go through the trouble of hauling kids across the sky in a freakin' magical whale, only to pit them against each other in a death match? It made no sense, unless they wanted only the ruthless to survive. But Edwyn wasn't about to roll over and play dead. He was on this airship, like it or not, and he'd claw his way through this exam.
"No way I'm letting some magician wannabes take me out," he said, his grin returning, sharp and defiant. "Time to get to work."
Elia sniffled, curling up on her bunk. "How are you so calm?" she whispered. "This… this is insane."
"Insane's my middle name," Edwyn quipped, winking at her. "Don't worry, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. We'll figure this out." He didn't mention the Infinite Forge or the Wind Crow Sword Style pulsing in his soul, better to keep his aces hidden for now.
His gaze drifted to the other apprentices on the airship. Some were like him, scrawny peasants, half-starved and frail, barely able to lift a sword, let alone fight. Others were noble brats, their bodies honed by years of combat training, their smug faces practically screaming privilege.
In the Kingdom of Goldengrove, the saying "every noble is a knight" wasn't just a catchy phrase, it was law. Nobles were bred for battle, trained from childhood to wear full armor and swing greatswords like they were swatting flies. A knight's title wasn't just a fancy hat; it was proof of combat prowess, the key to inheriting a noble house. Even the laziest noble kid had muscles and reflexes that made peasants look like walking kindling.
"Great," Edwyn muttered, rubbing his temples. "I'm up against a bunch of juiced-up rich kids who've been practicing swordplay since they were in diapers. This is gonna be a laugh riot." But his grin didn't falter. The academy admitted commoners like him, so there had to be a way for them to survive this bloodbath.
No way the mages were just tossing peasants into a meat grinder for kicks… right?
He pulled out the three books from his starter bag, spreading them across his bunk like a card shark laying out a winning hand. The Magus Language Dictionary was already spent, its knowledge burned into his brain. The Admission Handbook was a grim reminder of the exam's stakes. But the third book caught his eye:
[How to Become a Mage Apprentice]
Its plain leather cover belied the power within, and the Infinite Forge stirred in his soul, whispering possibilities.
[Material: How to Become a Mage Apprentice]
[Extractable Info: Basic Meditation Grimoire, Mana Loop Construction, Four Basic Cantrips]
[Extraction Cost: 7 Spiritforce]
[Proceed with Extraction?]
Edwyn's grin widened, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Oh, now you're speaking my language. Let's crank this magic show up to eleven." He leaned back, mentally confirming, "Extract."
A wave of exhaustion hit him like a freight train, but it was lighter than the dictionary extraction. His head throbbed, but he stayed conscious, gripping the bunk's edge as knowledge flooded his mind. The Basic Meditation Grimoire, Mana Loop Construction, and four cantrips, simple spells, unfolded in his brain like a blueprint. He could feel the theory, the steps to harness Spiritforce and bend reality.
"Perfect," he muttered, his voice low but triumphant. "Now we're cooking with fire."
Elsewhere on the airship, in the Mage Quarters, Tyrek stood by a massive, curved window, staring out at a sea of clouds that stretched to the horizon like a frozen ocean. The airship cruised at 2,000 meters, its engines humming a low, rhythmic pulse that vibrated through the floor. The cabin was sparse but luxurious, with polished wood panels and glowing runes etched into the walls, casting a soft, golden light.
"Elenei, how many of these brats you think'll make it through the exam?" Tyrek asked, his monocle glinting as he adjusted it. His black robe billowed slightly, though there was no breeze.
Elenei, the towering woman with the rune-etched greatsword, leaned against the wall, her muscular arms crossed. Her presence filled the room, her gray eyes sharp as a hawk's. "Four thousand, give or take," she said, her voice a low rumble. "They axed the crystal-to-mana-stone exchange this year, so there's less reason to go full murder-hobo. Kids will still kill for orbs, but it won't be a total bloodbath."
Tyrek snorted, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "The Chancellor got his ass handed to him in the last Planar War, so he's desperate to refill the ranks. These newbies have it easy compared to what we went through." His voice carried a trace of envy, a century of regrets weighing on his words. Once, he'd been a bright-eyed Apprentice, dreaming of ascending to Arch-Mage. A failed breakthrough had shattered those hopes, leaving him a glorified errand boy for the academy, ferrying kids to their doom.
"Where's Marlowe?" he asked, changing the subject.
Elenei smirked, her sword propped against the wall like a silent threat. "Some sharp kids pooled Mana Stones and bribed him to explain meditation. He's probably milking 'em for all they're worth."
Tyrek raised an eyebrow. "That's allowed?"
Elenei shrugged, her massive shoulders rolling like boulders. "You don't snitch, I don't snitch. The bigwigs upstairs don't give a damn. Those kids followed equivalent exchange, paid up fair and square. Hell, the academy might pin a medal on 'em for being resourceful."
Tyrek shook his head, his gaze drifting back to the clouds. "The Chancellor wrote those textbooks himself. If these kids can't crack them without hand-holding, they're dead weight. The path of truth is a lonely road. A few shortcuts won't carry you to the end."
Back in Room 225, Edwyn sat cross-legged on his top bunk, the airship's faint hum a steady backdrop to his thoughts. The extracted knowledge from [How to Become a Mage Apprentice] buzzed in his mind, clear as a neon sign.
Meditation was the key to everything, growing Spiritforce, restoring mental energy, and unlocking the path to magehood.
To become a Mage Apprentice, he needed three things: connect to the Sea of Souls, construct a Mana Loop, and engrave a Spell Inscription. The first step was the hardest, but with his Spiritforce at 15, he had a leg up.
"Alright, time to get mystical," he muttered, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "Let's see what this Sea of Souls is all about." He closed his eyes, regulating his breathing as the grimoire's instructions guided him. Inhale, exhale, slow and steady, his mind clearing like a fog lifting from a battlefield. The room faded away, the creak of the bunk and Elia's soft breathing distant echoes.
The grimoire called for three mental runes to be etched in his mindscape, each a complex symbol pulsing with intent. Edwyn focused, visualizing the first rune, a jagged spiral that burned like a comet. His head throbbed, but he pushed through, etching the second, a coiling loop like a serpent eating its tail. The third was a starburst, sharp and radiant, and as he completed it, his spirit lurched, detaching from his body like a ship cast adrift.
He plunged into a void, silent, empty, timeless, spaceless. No up, no down, just an endless abyss that pressed against his mind like a weight. Loneliness clawed at him, a tide of fear and monotony threatening to drown his resolve.
This is some next-level trippy shit, he thought, his inner voice defiant even as his spirit trembled. But I've faced worse than a cosmic timeout.
He endured, clinging to the grimoire's promise that this was the path to the Sea of Souls. After what felt like an eternity, hours, days, maybe years, his consciousness brushed against something vast, like touching the edge of an ocean. A spark ignited, and the void shattered, revealing a breathtaking expanse of stars, each a shimmering beacon in an endless night. The Sea of Souls mirrored the material world, every realm a star in this cosmic tapestry. The sight stole his breath, a moment of awe that connected him to countless Mages across history.
"Well, damn," Edwyn whispered, his voice echoing in the ethereal space. "This is one hell of a view. Beats any planetarium back home."
The grimoire's words surfaced in his mind: The Sea of Souls mirrors the material world. Each realm in the physical universe appears as a star within the sea. Mages call the vast material universe the Star Ocean. For a fleeting moment, he felt a kinship with those who'd come before, their spirits gazing upon this same celestial wonder.
He needed to leave a soul mark, a beacon to reconnect to the Sea in the future.
"What kind of mark says 'I was here'?" he mused, staring into the starry expanse. A wave of homesickness hit him, a stranger in a foreign world, adrift among alien stars. His old life, his college dorm, his late-night pizza runs, felt like a dream.
Every time I look at the stars, I miss home more.
With a flicker of Spiritforce, he shaped a pen in his mind, its tip glowing like a spark. He drew a five-pointed star, bold and defiant, its lines burning with his will. "There," he said, grinning. "That's my tag. Nobody's forgetting this bad boy."
His consciousness wavered, the Basic Meditation Grimoire's limits pulling him back. The stars faded, and his spirit snapped back to his body with a jolt. He gasped, his eyes flying open, sweat beading on his forehead. The room was dim, the crystal lamp casting long shadows across the bunk. Elia's soft breathing drifted up from below, a reminder he wasn't alone.
Edwyn leaned back, his grin wide and reckless. "Well, that was a trip," he said, his voice low but triumphant. "Sea of Souls, check. One step closer to being a badass Arch-Mage."
The Infinite Forge pulsed in his soul, a quiet promise of more power to come. The entrance exam loomed like a storm on the horizon, but Edwyn was ready to face it with a sword in one hand, a spell in the other.