CHAPTER 36: SO, IT BEGINS

Chapter 36: So, it begins

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[Ding! You Have Successfully Bonded With Lucy Nightshade.]

→ Weapon Unlock: Azurine Blade

→ Lucy Bond levels Up

→ +100 XP

→ Lucy gained+80 XP

[Ding! Azurine Blade added to inventory.]

"Hey," Lucy said, interrupting Arios’s focus on the system prompts. "Thanks for tonight. I really had a good time."

"No, thank you," Arios replied, flickering his hand to dismiss the screen. "I really needed that."

"So..." Lucy stammered slightly. "What does that make us?"

"Definitely couples—" Arios began.

"Uh, wait," Lucy interrupted. "I don’t think I’m ready yet."

What does she mean?, Arios sighed. Thathand job she just did is definitely couple level.

"Then why?" Arios asked, a hint of confusion in his voice. "Why give me that pleasure?"

"Isn’t it obvious?" Lucy replied. "It’s because I like you. But I just don’t feel ready to date yet."

"I was planning for you to meet my other girlfriend," Arios said, his words landing with a slight silence. "But it seems you’re not ready."

"What?" Lucy shrieked, her voice incredulous. "You have a harem?"

"Not yet," Arios said. "But you being my girlfriend would definitely make it one."

"So you move like that?" Lucy asked, her voice laced with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

"Probably," Arios said. He took her hands in his, his gaze softening as he looked into her eyes. Lucy’s cheeks immediately flushed, and she turned her hands to face away from him.

"I will love every one of them the same, cherish them the same, hold them the same, and respect them the same," Arios said, his voice a low, sincere whisper. He then squeezed her hands gently, his thumb stroking her palm. "I love you, Lucy Nightshade."

Tears welled up in Lucy’s eyes, and her face turned a bright shade of red. She quickly let go of his hands and sat on her bed, her face lowered to the ground. That’s the most romantic thing someone has ever said to me, she thought, her heart swelling with emotion. I love you too, Arios Pureheart.

"Okay," Lucy said, her voice barely audible as she quickly got up, her blush now gone. "But I would like to meet Liza."

"That’s not a problem," Arios said, a smile gracing his lips. "This would be a good night, then."

"Yeah," Lucy said, her eyes fixed on him. "Got to revise for the test tomorrow."

"Bye," Arios said as Lucy waved at him.

Arios left her dorm room and leaned against the door, flickering his hand to materialize the system.

The test is tomorrow, Arios thought, his gaze sweeping over the system screen. I really feel confident.

----

[Martial Manual]:

Lean Edge Martial Manual(E-tier):

Lean Edge is a sword technique that allows the user to execute a powerful, arcing slash. The user ’leans into’ the attack, using their body weight to increase the force and range of the sword’s path.

[Inventory]:

Azurine Blade (B)

[Bond Log]:

Liza Garnet:

Bond level:★★☆☆☆

Realm: Mana Refinement - First Stage (170/1000 XP)

Mana: 680/10,000

Title: ’The First among Many’

Lucy Nightshade:

Bond level:★★☆☆☆

Realm: Novice (81/100 XP)

Mana: 450/600

Title: ’The Night Queen with Prefect Hands’

[Current Quest Log]:

Pass the Mid-semester Test

----

"The Azurine Blade is now in my inventory," Arios whispered, a mix of satisfaction and surprise in his voice.

That’s not good, Lucy is still in the novice realm, he thought, his eyes falling on the bond log. Will dual cultivating with her help?He immediately shrugged off the idea. No time for that now.

As his gaze landed on the quest log, he clenched his hands. Kyousuke, the time has come for you to have the biggest realization of your life, he thought, a determined smirk on his face.

He stretched his hand toward the east, holding his palm wide open. With a burst of mental focus, the Azurine Blade shimmered into existence in his grip. He was initially shocked by its short length; it was more of a dagger than a sword. The dark, navy-blue blade curved sharply at its left edge, and ancient runes glowed faintly along its surface. The hilt was a deep, dark red, providing a striking contrast to the blade. Arios was immediately impressed by its design and incredible lightness. As he gripped the treasure, the system screen changed to a new prompt about the Azurine Blade.

[Azurine Blade]

[A B-tier Sword treasure. Its blade, forged from a shimmering, azure-hued crystal, is incredibly lightweight and sharp. When its ancient runes are activated, the wielder gains the ability to instantly teleport, or ’blink,’ a short distance, making them nearly impossible to track in combat. This unique ability makes it a highly coveted treasure.]

"When its ancient runes are activated..." Arios whispered slightly, reading the prompt again. How would I activate it? He thought, his brow furrowed in concentration. He had seen about runes in the anime, but they all seemed to require complex chants or special incantations. He considered chanting, but he didn’t even know what to say.

Then, a thought occurred to him. In this world, everything was powered by mana. He closed his eyes and focused, channeling a small amount of his refined mana from his uncondensed core into his hand, and then into the hilt of the blade. The moment his mana touched the dagger, a low hum resonated through the dark red hilt. The runes carved into the dark navy blade began to glow a brilliant, shimmering azure, like a constellation lighting up a midnight sky.

Arios opened his eyes, a look of awe on his face. He felt a powerful connection to the dagger, a sense of its latent energy waiting to be unleashed. He now knew how to activate its runes: by channeling his own mana into the blade. It was a simple, elegant solution—a direct link between his power and the weapon’s magic.

[Ding! Skill— ’Flash Step’ added.]

[Flash Step (Active)]

[Upon activation, the wielder can Instantly teleport a short distance in any direction, making them difficult to hit.]

Arios grinned at the prompt, a surge of adrenaline rushing through him. He immediately focused on the skill, imagining himself at the end of the long hallway.

Then, with a mental command, he activated Flash Step. A faint, azure light enveloped his body, and in the next instant, he was gone. He reappeared at the far end of the hallway, a look of wide-eyed shock on his face. The sudden, uncontrolled blink had sent him hurtling much farther than he intended, but the sheer speed and power of the technique left him breathless and excited.

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The next morning arrived quickly. Arios found himself at the entrance of the academy’s main building, and for the first time he truly took in its sight. He stopped and locked his gaze at the immense structure. Its gothic architecture was breathtaking, with towering spires that seemed to scrape the sky and elaborate stained-glass windows depicting ancient scenes of magic and war. The arched gateways were full with carvings of mythical creatures, and the entire building was constructed from a dark, foreboding stone that made it look less like a school and more like a fortress of knowledge.

Arios finally walked in, making his way to Class 1-D. Surprisingly, everyone was already there, and no teachers were present yet. His eyes met Liza Garnet’s, and she quickly rushed to give him a hug, his hands tightly embracing her.

"I’m a little worried," she said. "They said there would be 50 questions for each of the four subjects."

She wasn’t wrong, and Arios knew it. From the anime, the professor had made it clear that there would be 50 questions each for mathematics, general science, civics & history, and magical arts.

"Don’t worry," Arios told her, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You’ll definitely do well."

Mrs. Sarah walked in, her presence immediately commanding silence. She wasn’t alone; three men followed behind her. The first was Instructor Bale, their magic swordsmanship instructor, known for his stern demeanor. Beside him was a man with a regal bearing and long, flowing silver hair—Professor Vaelian, the head of the Department of Magical Arts. The final man was his apprentice, a young but imposing figure named Mage Ronin von Furstenberg, whose incredible cultivation prowess was already the subject of academy-wide whispers.

Professor Vaelian stepped to the front of the classroom, his gaze sweeping over the nervous students. "Representatives of Class 1-D," he announced, his voice carrying an air of authority.

Immediately, Elisa Ravencroft rose from her seat. She bowed her head respectfully and replied, "Yes, Professor Vaelian. I am the representative of Class 1-D."

"Good," the professor said. "Direct your classmates to Auditorium 14. That is where your test will be held."

Everyone stood and began to follow Elisa out of the classroom. As they filed past, Arios locked eyes with Professor Vaelian, who seemed strangely uneasy, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a subtle tension. Arios remembered the anime: the professor was never like this. It was an odd new variable.

They arrived at Auditorium 14, and the sheer scale of it was impressive. It was incredibly spacious, with rows of seats spread out to ensure each student had a full row to themselves. The air was filled with the tense murmurs and low whispers of students, the dread of the upcoming test looming closer with every passing moment.

Instructor Bale walked in, holding a stack of crisp white sheets, and the murmurs died down instantly. He stood at the front podium, his voice echoing through the silent auditorium. "Just remember what you were taught in class. This isn’t my field, as I’m a magic instructor, but the academy made sure the questions didn’t deviate from what you’ve been taught."

As the other three teachers—Mrs. Sarah, Professor Vaelian, and his apprentice, Ronin von Furstenberg—walked in, a student in the back murmured audibly about having four teachers as invigilators. The professor’s stern gaze landed on his apprentice, who responded with a subtle nod. With a series of swift, complex hand signs, the apprentice created a massive purple magic circle that clung to the auditorium’s high ceiling.

Immediately, everyone in the class began to float. "Impossible!" someone shouted. It was Nathan, his face filled with shock. He was staring at the apprentice, stunned that he had so easily used advanced gravitational magic, an element that confirmed his cultivation was well above Core Formation. As they floated, a purple shimmer surrounding their bodies, the professor’s voice boomed through the hall. He announced that they were being placed according to their scores from the placement test, separating the smart from the dull. He then reminded them of what was at stake: the lowest-ranking student would be expelled, and the highest-ranking student would receive a protection point that could not be used on their classmates. Everyone was soon settled into their seats, each student occupying a single, isolated row. The test was indeed strict. Arios quickly swallowed a gulp, there was a flicker of apprehension in his eyes.

Instructor Bale stepped forward to give the usual exam rules: no papers, no cheating, and so on. But the professor interrupted him, holding his palms together. A purple aura swept through the class, and instantly, a pile of papers and gadgets appeared beside him at the podium. They were various cheat materials the students had tried to bring in. Elisa sighed, looking at her classmates’ worried faces, dismayed at their foolishness.

"Utter misfits," she slightly whispered.

The professor glanced at Instructor Bale. "Don’t strain your eyes, Instructor," he said with a smirk. With another hand sign, a majestic phoenix appeared at the back of the auditorium. The professor explained that the black-furred phoenix had a vision one hundred times sharper than an average mage, ensuring no student could get anything past its sight. The phoenix stood there, its piercing eyes darting across the auditorium, taking in every detail.

Professor Vaelian nodded to his sides, and Instructor Bale and the apprentice grabbed batches of test papers, sharing them one row at a time. When the papers reached Arios’s row, the first subject was mathematics and then, Arios’s gaze quickly met Kyousuke’s, who was a few rows ahead of him, and a smirk began slowly forming on his lips.

So, it begins.

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[A/N]: With more than 42K words, this Chapter concludes the free Chapters, and I hope it was a satisfying ending. From here on, new Chapters will be locked. You can look forward to Chapters with a word count of 1,200 to 1,400. Thank you for reading and following along on this journey.