After two hours of intense training, Nova wore a wide grin while Malachi stood defeated, his body marked by several thin cuts, no bigger than a cicada's wing. He muttered to himself, "Why am I training with this monster?"

  "I heard that" Nova replied, flashing a smile, causing Malachi to fall silent.

  With a quiet chuckle, Nova's thoughts turned inward. ‘Status.’

  [Status]

  Rank: 0

  Name: Nova Grey

  Species: Human

  Affiliation: None

  Level: 6 (170/500)

  Class: None

  Titles: Goblin Exterminator, Kings Slayer, Survivor, Spear Novice, Troll Exterminator, Orc Exterminator, Rune Novice

  Stat Points: 131

  Attributes:

  Strength: 127 (+19)

  Vigor: 100 (+41)

  Dexterity: 150 (+204)

  Speed: 110 (+154)

  Intelligence: 66 (+7)

  Wisdom: 110 (+11)

  Will: 9

  Luck: 10

  Skills

  Active: Spear Thrust (15) (146/16384000), Spear Jab (15) (19/16384000), Spear Sweep (13) (1147293/4096000), Spear Lunge (10) (789/512000), Spear Overhead Strike (10) (757/512000), Sword Slash (1) (75/1000), Sword Stab (1) (11/1000), Sword Chop (0) (141/500), Sword Sweep (1) (48/1000), Sword Parry (1) (184/1000), Sword Block (0) (497/500).

  Passive: Regeneration (10) (236105/256000), Keen Reflexes (3) (267/4000), Momentum Streak (9) (218694/256000), One with the Spear (MAX), One with the Footwork(MAX).

  Smirking, Nova turned to Malachi and said, "Good work."

  Malachi let out a sigh, but before he could respond, the professor called out "Gather here."

  The students quickly rushed to assemble in front of him, still panting from the sparring session.

  Professor Edwards gave a nod of approval as he surveyed them, then announced "This was good training today. Don't forget, in a month we have the first inter-class competition. The winning class will receive 30,000 gold coins, and the student who emerges victorious will take home 20,000."

  The room buzzed with excitement as the students’ breathing grew heavier. Whispers spread quickly among them.

  Even Nova couldn’t help but feel a surge of interest. ‘20,000 isn’t a small sum. I should stay and win it so I can buy another spear.’

  Beside him, Malachi wore an amused expression, clearly pitying the others as they got riled up over the competition.

  "Calm down" Professor Edwards said, his voice cutting through the chatter. A sudden silence fell over the classroom before he continued, "There's something else."

  Everyone’s attention sharpened, their eyes fixed on Professor Edwards, eager for what he would say next.

  With a subtle smile, the professor continued, “In seven months, there will be another competition. At that time we will be facing off against the other three academies from—Altura, Tritus, and Quarath.”

  A murmur rippled through the class, and one of the students raised his hand. “Isn’t it a bit early for such a competition?”

  Several voices echoed his sentiment. Why compete with other academies so soon, especially when they hadn't trained for that long?

  The professor chuckled at the question, clearly expecting it. “The purpose of this competition is to distribute rewards as quickly as possible, allowing young warriors to grow stronger sooner.”

  Nova nodded thoughtfully, agreeing with the professor’s rationale. He noticed others in the room seemed to share his approval.

  A man at the back of the room, his curiosity piqued, called out, “What kind of rewards are we talking about?”

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  The professor’s grin widened. “While nothing is official yet, there have been talks of a potential reward for first place” he paused for dramatic effect, his eyes scanning the room to ensure every student was hanging on his every word. “The winner could walk away with 350,000 gold coins.”

  The room erupted in shock.

  “WHAT?” one young man shouted, his voice a mix of disbelief and excitement.

  “That’s insane!” a young woman whispered to her friends, and they nodded in stunned agreement, their faces a mix of awe and greed.

  Nova mused to himself, ‘Is this what a united Humanity looks like? They have more money than I do’. He couldn't help but ask, “How do they get that amount of money?”

  Some students snickered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. The majority ignored him, treating him as if he were invisible.

  Professor Edwards, noticing Nova's confusion, addressed him directly. “I assume you haven’t cleared any portals yet, have you? Let me explain.” He cleared his throat, his tone taking on an air of authority. “When someone who isn’t a core student clears a White portal, they are required to give 70% of their earnings to the academy. This funding helps increase the strength of the core students and supports the higher-ups.”

  Nova’s frown deepened. “And what’s required to become a core student?”

  The professor answered with calm certainty, “Currently, anyone who clears a Green portal can qualify as a core student.”

  ‘So it’s achievable for everyone…’ Nova thought, his mind racing. ‘Fair enough.’

  Professor Edwards surveyed the class one last time, noticing no further questions—most were still absorbed in thoughts of the upcoming competition. “Alright, that’s all for today. Make sure to train hard when you return to your houses.”

  The students nodded in agreement, some eager to leave, others too lost in their own excitement to respond.

  With a final smile, Professor Edwards declared, “Class dismissed” before stepping out of the room.

  As the students began to disperse, some hurried to their next destination, while others lingered, chatting among themselves.

  It was then that three students approached Nova and Malachi. Two men and a woman.

  The man in front, standing with relaxed confidence, stepped forward first. He gave a small nod and an easy smile. “Hey, I’m Orion.”

  Nova nodded. “I’m Nova.”

  “And I’m Malachi.” Malachi followed with a grin

  Orion tilted his head toward the guy beside him. “This is Robert.”

  Robert gave a quick nod. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Same here” Nova said.

  Malachi nodded. “Yeah, good to meet you.”

  Orion then motioned to the woman standing beside them. “And this is Mirielle.”

  Mirielle smiled warmly, her gaze curious but kind. “Hi. It’s nice to meet both of you.”

  Nova returned her smile. “Pleasure meeting you.”

  “Likewise.” Malachi gave her a small nod.

  Orion, curious about the two newcomers’ opinions, leaned forward. “What do you guys think about the inter-class competition?”

  Nova gave a small grin. “A good way to make some money.”

  Malachi shot him a glance before turning to Orion with a sigh. “I just wish I could win it.”

  “If we train enough, we might actually have a shot!” Mirielle said, pumping her fists with enthusiasm.

  Robert shook his head. “There’s Neve, though. She’ll probably take the win.”

  “That might not be the case,” Orion said thoughtfully. “Elric’s got a chance.”

  Mirielle nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he could beat her.”

  Malachi frowned. “Who’s this Neve you’re talking about? I’ve only heard of Elric.”

  Orion gave an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, I forgot you just got here today.” He cleared his throat. “Neve Whitlock is the number-one prodigy at the academy. She’s already cleared a few Green portals and is rumored to be as strong as the teachers.”

  Nova’s eyebrow lifted slightly. ‘I should send someone to meet with her,’ he thought.

  Robert’s eyes sparkled. “She’s also the most beautiful student we’ve got.”

  Mirielle’s eye twitched, but she said nothing.

  Malachi stayed quiet, deep in thought, mentally weighing how he might recruit both Neve and Elric.

  The conversation hit an awkward lull until Orion cleared his throat. “Would you two like to join us for training? We’d be happy to have you.”

  Robert and Mirielle snapped out of their thoughts and nodded in agreement.

  Nova offered an apologetic smile. “I’ve got some errands to run, so I can’t join today.”

  “That’s a pity, but next time for sure!” Orion said with a friendly smile to Nova.

  “Next time!” Mirielle added, her tone cheerful.

  Nova gave a small nod. “Mhm, next time.” He glanced briefly at Malachi.

  Robert caught the exchange and turned to Malachi. “What about you? You joining us?”

  Malachi, meeting Nova’s gaze, turned back to Robert with a wide grin. “Of course I’m coming to train with you.”

  The three beamed at Malachi, happy to have found a new friend to train with.

  Nova watched them for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips. “I’ll take my leave. Have fun training, you four.” He gave a quick wave as he headed toward the exit.

  “See you tomorrow, Nova!” Mirielle called, with Orion and Robert echoing her in unison.

  Nova turned his head slightly, nodding as he left. “See you tomorrow.”

  As he walked away from the classroom, the voices of their ongoing discussion still drifted to his ears.

  “You can count on me, Malachi” Robert said “I’ll teach you how to fight.”

  Mirielle dryly said “Don’t take advice from this guy, He dives into fights like a maniac.”

  Malachi laughed heartily. “Then I need to learn from him even more!” he joked, clearly eager for the challenge.

  Orion and Robert both chuckled, while Mirielle muttered “Another psycho.”

  Those were the last words he caught before he drifted into his own thoughts.

  ‘I need to get back to training’

  A sense of anticipation building within him. His mind drifted to the Mana Basics book he had barely touched the day before. ‘I didn’t have much time yesterday, but today I’ll make sure to read it.’

  He made his way to his villa, relieved that his generals were handling their tasks efficiently, granting him some much-needed free time.

  Soon, he found himself in the middle of his courtyard, seated on the soft grass.

  ‘Inventory’ he thought, retrieving the Mana Basics book. Flipping it open he read the first section.

  Mana is the very essence of existence. It flows through every particle, every breath, every living thing. Mana is the pulse of the world, the energy that sustains life and fuels the Universe. It is both the foundation and the manifestation of all that is. Those who can harness it tap into the boundless power of the Cosmos itself, shaping the elements, bending concepts, and even altering the fabric of reality.

  From the moment of your birth, you were able to sense Mana, for it is the breath that sustains you. It whispers to you, unseen but ever-present. So, if you can no longer feel it, if you cannot even perceive this omnipotent force, then perhaps you have forgotten your true potential.

  Do not waste this opportunity. If you cannot sense Mana, then it is time to pass this knowledge to someone who is more attuned, more worthy of its power. For Mana does not wait—it flows freely to those who are ready to embrace it.

  "Somehow, this damned author really does make a lot of sense" Nova thought, as the description of Mana struck a chord within him.

  Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, contemplating the words he had just read.

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