CHAPTER 312: NULL

She smiled, the faintest curve of her lips. "Four, wasn’t it? Wind, water, lightning, and space. Quite the combination."

He inclined his head slightly. "Yes."

"Impressive."

Her gaze drifted to the window again. "You remind me of someone I once taught. Brilliant. Driven. Always chasing answers he shouldn’t."

Merlin said nothing.

After a moment, she turned back to him. "Be careful, Merlin. Power like yours attracts attention, both from within this academy and beyond it."

There was something in her tone that made him pause. Not fear, warning.

He gave a small nod. "Understood."

"Good."

She waved a hand, dismissing him. "Go. Rest. Tomorrow, the investigation begins."

As he stepped out into the dim corridor, the door closed softly behind him.

The others were waiting just a few steps away.

Elara leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her lilac eyes fixed on him.

"What did she want?" she asked quietly.

Merlin shrugged slightly. "Nothing important."

Nathan grinned. "Right. Because Morgana always pulls students aside for ’nothing important.’"

Ethan chuckled dryly. "Bet she was asking how you managed not to level the entire courtyard."

Merlin gave a faint, tired smirk. "Maybe."

Liliana walked beside him as they started down the hall. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said simply. "Just... thinking."

They exited the building together, stepping into the cool night air. The stars were faint, hidden behind thin clouds, and the academy’s wards shimmered overhead like a glass dome of blue light.

Nathan stretched with a groan. "Well, that’s one hell of a way to start second year."

Adrian laughed softly. "Better than paperwork."

"Barely," Seraphina muttered.

Elara stayed quiet, walking beside Merlin. The silence between them wasn’t awkward, more... thoughtful.

After a long pause, she said, "You sensed it before the rest of us, didn’t you?"

He glanced sideways. "Yeah."

Her expression was unreadable. "You always do."

He didn’t reply.

They walked in silence for a few more seconds until she added, almost softly, "Don’t make a habit of fighting things alone."

He turned toward her, surprised by the tone, concern masked behind composure.

He smiled faintly. "Can’t promise that."

She exhaled, half a sigh, half a laugh. "Didn’t think so."

That night, long after everyone had gone to sleep, Merlin sat on his dorm balcony with his hood up, eyes fixed on the sky.

The stars shimmered faintly, but his mind was elsewhere.

His system flickered open before him.

[Analyzing recovered mana residue...]

[Unknown energy signature confirmed.]

[Category: Extrarealm Entity]

[Codename: Null-Origin — Fragment I]

[Recommendation: Increase personal mana compression ratio by 12%.]

Merlin stared at the text until it faded.

Then he leaned back, whispering to himself.

"...The story’s changing."

The wind carried the words away, swallowed by the night.

The circular arena shimmered into existence around Merlin and his group, a seamless shift from the previous battlefield, as if the world blinked and rearranged itself.

This third stage was nothing like the others.

Towering stone monoliths rose from the ground like jagged fangs, forming a labyrinth of narrow corridors and dead ends. Ethereal blue flames burned on every pillar, casting long shadows that twisted unnaturally.

Nathan let out a low whistle.

"Great. A maze. Because we weren’t tired enough already."

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed. "This isn’t just a maze. The mana here is compressed, artificially."

Liliana nodded, her expression suddenly serious. "This arena suppresses long-range magic."

Adrian tested it with a small burst of water mana, the droplet fizzled out after only a meter.

Ethan groaned. "Fantastic. So we have to fight up close."

Elara’s gaze drifted to Merlin.

"Meaning this stage targets mages like you."

Merlin didn’t respond. But he could feel it, the dense, heavy mana pressing on his skin like cold water.

His affinities were restricted.

Lightning was delayed.

Wind was murky.

Space was... sluggish.

’Someone designed this test specifically to neutralize high-tier casters.’

A low rumble echoed through the maze.

The blue flames flared.

The air thickened.

And then—

A towering armored figure materialized at the far end of the corridor.

It stood at least three meters tall, constructed from obsidian armor plates. Its helmet was expressionless, its eye-slits glowing with cold, white fire.

In its hands, it carried a massive halberd, the blade humming with a dull vibration.

Seraphina took an involuntary step back.

"That’s—that’s a Warden Construct. Those are used to guard ancient imperial vaults."

Ethan muttered, "Why the hell is one here?"

Merlin answered quietly, "Because this is battle three."

The construct’s head snapped toward them.

The white flames brightened.

BOOM.

It moved, impossibly fast for something so large.

"Scatter!" Merlin shouted.

The ground cracked open as the halberd struck, stone shattering like glass.

Nathan rolled, daggers drawn.

Adrian leapt to the side with a barked laugh, swinging his axe to intercept a second strike.

"Careful!" Liliana cried. "Its armor nullifies elemental magic!"

Adrian’s axe clashed with the halberd.

CLANG!

The shockwave sent him sliding back ten meters, boots grinding against the stone.

"Damn—its strength’s insane!" Adrian grunted.

Elara slammed her spear’s butt into the ground. "We need to pin it!"

She summoned her earth affinity, but the mana density here choked the spell, limiting its range.

A small pillar formed, barely enough to slow the Warden.

Still, Merlin saw an opening.

He dashed forward, blue light running under his skin, gathering wind at his feet. Even restricted, he was faster than the construct.

The Warden swung.

Merlin ducked, sliding beneath the halberd as it tore through a stone pillar.

CRUNCH!

Dust filled the air.

Merlin slammed his palm onto the ground.

Wind Compression. Restricted Form.

A contained burst of force erupted, knocking the Warden off balance.

Nathan appeared on its flank instantly.

Darkness magic coated his daggers, thin, precise, flexible.

He slashed at the joints between armor plates.

Sparks flew.

The Warden staggered.

"You got its attention!" Ethan called, gathering the minimal flame the arena allowed.

But the Warden reacted faster.

Its halberd glowed white—

Then swept horizontally—

Straight toward Nathan.

Merlin moved without thinking.

Space Ripple, Reduced Range.

He blinked forward and grabbed Nathan’s collar, yanking him out of the line of fire just in time.

The halberd sliced through two stone pillars behind them like they were paper.

Nathan inhaled sharply.

"...Thanks."

Merlin didn’t answer. His eyes stayed on the construct.

Liliana raised her hand. "I’ll try restraining it!"

Vines burst from the cracks between the stones, thin, but numerous, climbing up the Warden’s legs.

For a moment, it actually slowed.

Adrian charged in again, axe raised overhead. "I’ll break the armor!"

But as he swung, the Warden stomped.

BOOM.

The force shattered the vines and sent Adrian flying.

"Adrian!" Ethan shouted.

"I’m fine!" Adrian coughed, pushing himself up, though blood trickled from his lip. "Barely!"

Elara spun her spear, eyes focused, expression sharp.

"Merlin, we need precision. You and Nathan."