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The office had gone quiet again. The skulls on the wall watched in eternal judgment, and the tea in Levi's cup had gone from scalding to lukewarm disappointment.
He set it down with practiced grace, then stood as Velgrin finished organizing a few scrolls near the desk.
Velgrin turned, hands folded neatly. The fireplace cast flickering light across his robes.
"Mr. Levi," he said carefully, "please spend the night here. I will ensure you are not disturbed."
Levi didn't speak immediately.
He looked toward the window, then at the skulls on the wall, then back to Velgrin.
One slow nod.
"Accepted."
His voice came out quiet. Firm. Final.
Thank god. If I have to keep this up for one more hour, I'm gonna break. My face hurts from staying neutral. Just give me a bed.
Velgrin stepped to a door set between two bookshelves and opened it with a light gesture. "Through here."
The room beyond was modest.
A worn couch sat against one wall. Two lamps cast soft golden light across a coffee table stacked with dusty scrolls. The air smelled faintly of old parchment and whatever spell oil Velgrin used to maintain his wards.
Levi stood at the threshold, hands still behind his back, maintaining his composure.
A couch. Cushions. That's already better than half the places I've slept.
Velgrin paused, then frowned gently. "One moment. This will not do."
He raised both hands and began murmuring under his breath. Runes flickered around his fingers, glowing faintly blue. The air grew thick with magic.
Levi's eye twitched.
What's he doing? Is this some kind of ritual? Please don't let this take an hour.
Then the couch glowed.
And everything changed.
The furniture rumbled. The couch stretched and twisted, transforming into a massive four-poster bed. The mattress expanded, fluffing itself into something fit for royalty. Curtains materialized from thin air, tying themselves with braided silk cords. The walls stretched outward through illusion magic until the modest room resembled a palace chamber.
A fireplace appeared beside the bed, flames crackling to life. Candles ignited midair with soft pops. A thick carpet unrolled itself across the stone floor. Incense drifted in from nowhere, carrying notes of lavender.
Levi stood perfectly still.
Didn't blink.
Just gave one small nod.
"Acceptable."
The couch just turned into a full bedroom suite. This is excessive. But if I say anything, I'll break character. So I guess I'm sleeping in a palace now.
Velgrin looked pleased. "You should rest well here."
Levi took one measured step into the transformed room. The carpet absorbed his footsteps completely.
He turned back.
Velgrin remained in the doorway, waiting.
"I will now begin preparations for scouting potential locations," Velgrin said. "However, there is one matter first. I would like to show you the Academy's entrance, should you wish to explore the grounds while I work."
Levi's expression didn't shift.
"Why?"
"To provide you familiarity with the layout. If you require fresh air or wish to observe the campus, you will know the route."
Levi blinked slowly.
"Noted."
Explore? By myself? In a magic school? I look like a villain. The first person who sees me alone is gonna either run away or challenge me to a duel.
But he couldn't say that.
So instead, he just nodded once.
Velgrin bowed slightly. "Please follow me."
.
.
.
They walked through stone corridors lit by floating orbs. Students passed by in small groups, their conversations cutting off when they noticed Velgrin. Eyes tracked the Grandmaster with respect, then shifted to Levi with confusion.
No one spoke to them.
No one dared.
Levi kept his expression neutral, hands clasped behind his back, moving with deliberate calm.
Just keep walking. Don't make eye contact. Look mysterious. Don't trip.
They reached a tall window overlooking the central courtyard.
Velgrin stopped.
"From here, you can see the main grounds," he said, gesturing outward.
Levi stepped beside him and looked down.
The courtyard stretched out below, vast and well-maintained. Stone pathways crisscrossed between gardens and training fields. Students in robes moved between buildings. Evening mist rolled in softly, glowing faint gold under the light of twin moons.
It was peaceful.
Also very far down.
Twenty-seven floors, maybe.
Velgrin turned to him. "The fastest route is descent by levitation. I will demonstrate."
Before Levi could respond, Velgrin stepped up onto the windowsill.
And jumped.
He floated down like he weighed nothing. No chant. No visible spell. Just smooth, silent descent, robes flowing gently as he drifted toward the courtyard below.
Levi stood at the window, watching.
Oh no.
Velgrin landed softly in the center of the courtyard. No impact. No sound. Just a perfect arrival.
Then he looked up.
Waiting.
Students nearby had stopped to watch. Conversations died. Eyes turned upward.
To Levi.
Standing alone at the window.
Motionless.
This is a trap. If I take the stairs, I look weak. If I say I can't fly, the act is over. But if I jump...
He looked down at his shoes.
Black. Indestructible. System-guaranteed.
The shoes can't break. That's what it said. So if I land hard, the ground breaks, not me. Right? That's how it works?
More students were gathering below now. Pointing. Whispering.
Velgrin's expression shifted slightly. A small crease appeared between his brows.
He's confused. I'm stalling. Ten seconds before this gets weird.
Levi took a breath.
Then another.
Alright. I leveled up. Stats increased. Shoes are invincible. Worst case, I break my legs. Which is bad. Really bad. But if I back out now, I lose all credibility forever.
He straightened his coat.
Adjusted his collar.
Lifted his chin.
And stepped onto the windowsill.
The wind hit him immediately, tugging at his coat.
Below, the courtyard looked very far away.
This is stupid. This is so stupid. But I'm already here.
He closed his eyes.
Took one last breath.
And jumped.
.
.
.
Gravity kicked in immediately.
The wind screamed past his ears. His stomach flipped. His coat whipped behind him like a flag of poor decisions.
The ground rushed up.
Way too fast.
Oh god this is it. This is how I die. Jumped out of a window for clout. My tombstone's gonna say 'Died for the Aesthetic.'
His arms flailed slightly.
His coat tangled around his legs.
He tried to position himself to land properly but just ended up spinning slightly.
Wait. Wait, how do you land from this high? Knees bent? Superhero pose? Oh god I should've watched more parkour videos.
Students below watched in confusion.
"Is he... spinning?"
"Why isn't he casting anything?"
"Maybe it's a technique?"
Levi's face, for just one brief moment, broke composure.
His eyes went wide.
His mouth opened slightly.
SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT.
He hit the ground.
BOOM.
The impact was apocalyptic.
Stone tiles didn't just crack. They exploded. Grass and dirt launched into the air like a geyser. The shockwave blasted outward in a perfect ring, knocking students flat on their backs. Dust erupted in a mushroom cloud that could probably be seen from the next city over.
The sound was so loud that birds three miles away decided to migrate early.
For five full seconds, there was only ringing silence.
Then someone coughed.
"What the..."
"Did he just..."
"Is he alive?"
The dust hung thick, obscuring everything.
One student, a third-year with messy hair and a torn notebook, stumbled to his feet. "That was at least a Sequence 7, right? Maybe Sequence 6?"
Another student, clutching a staff, shook her head. "No way. That kind of destructive force without a spell array? That's gotta be Constellation-level."
"Constellation? You've been reading too many webnovels."
"I'm serious! My brother said he saw a Ranker do something similar once. The ground didn't recover for weeks."
A boy with round glasses squinted at the crater. "Guys. I think I see movement."
The dust began to settle.
Slowly.
Painfully slowly.
And then, through the haze, a figure emerged.
Standing.
Upright.
Hands folded calmly behind his back.
Levi.
His coat settled around him with a gentle flutter.
His face was completely calm.
Composed.
A faint smile played at the corner of his mouth.
One student dropped to his knees immediately. "He's... he's fine."
"He didn't even stumble."
"Did you see a barrier? Any defensive spell?"
"Nothing. He just... landed."
"Maybe he's a regressor," someone suggested. "He's done this before. In another timeline."
"That's stupid."
"YOU'RE stupid. Look at him. He's not even sweating."
Levi stood at the center of the crater, looking serene.
His brain, however, was screaming.
I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS. EVERYTHING HURTS. MY SPINE JUST FOLDED LIKE A LAWN CHAIR. WHY DID I DO THIS. WHY.
His ribs throbbed. His ankles felt like they'd been replaced with broken glass. His shoulders were on fire. His neck made a sound during impact that he was pretty sure necks weren't supposed to make.
But his face?
Perfectly calm.
Gotta keep it together. Can't let them see. Just smile. Look wise. Don't scream.
A student near the back whispered, "Is this... the Third Act? When the protagonist finally reveals their true power?"
"Shut up, he'll hear you!"
Velgrin stepped through the crowd, which parted instantly.
He stopped at the edge of the crater.
Then, slowly, deliberately, he began to clap.
The sound echoed across the silent courtyard.
"Mr. Levi," Velgrin said, voice rich with approval. "Truly formidable. Your physical cultivation is extraordinary."
Levi nodded once.
"Discipline."
One word. Crisp. Final.
I'm dying. I'm actively dying. My organs are in the wrong places. If I had a health bar, it'd be flashing red right now.
The students stared in awe.
One girl clutched her textbook. "Did he just tank fall damage with zero buffs?"
"That's not possible."
"He literally just did it."
"Maybe his defense stat is maxed?"
"Or he put all his points into Constitution."
"That's a terrible build."
"And yet here we are."
A boy with a sword at his hip dropped to one knee. "I want to be his student."
Another followed. Then another.
Within seconds, at least a dozen students were kneeling.
One whispered, "He's a true ranker."
Another breathed, "He's reached the peak."
A third murmured, "Bet he could solo the Demon King."
Levi raised one hand.
Slowly.
Just enough to acknowledge them.
It looked graceful. Elegant. Like a king addressing his subjects.
Can't move too fast. Everything hurts. If I shift wrong, I'm gonna collapse. Just keep the hand up. Look mysterious.
The wind caught his coat again, making it billow.
Someone gasped.
"Even the wind respects him."
"That's not how wind works."
"It is now!"
Levi lowered his hand and took one step forward.
Pain shot through his leg like lightning.
He took another step.
And another.
His face stayed calm.
Each step was measured. Controlled. Absolutely not hiding the fact that his entire skeleton was filing a lawsuit.
Just ten steps. I can do ten steps. People do ten steps all the time. Babies do ten steps.
He passed a cluster of students frozen in place.
One girl dropped her spellbook.
Another bowed so low his forehead touched the ground.
Someone started clapping.
The rest didn't dare.
Levi reached Velgrin and stopped.
The Grandmaster inclined his head. "Shall we proceed to the gate?"
Levi gave a single nod.
"Lead on."
Please. Please get me out of here. I need a healer. Or a resurrection scroll. Or a time machine.
Together, they walked.
Velgrin moved with calm, measured grace.
Levi moved like a man who'd just fallen out of a building and was pretending it was part of the plan.
The crowd parted.
And Levi?
He kept walking.
Every step was agony.
Every breath was carefully controlled.
But his face stayed calm.
And the legend grew.