It was a calm and golden morning in Arcane Academy—the kind of peaceful day that rarely lasted long in a place filled with young mages. The sun shimmered across the marble towers, the birds chirped gently from the high garden walls, and even the mana-infused fountains hummed a soft, melodic tone.
For once, everything was quiet. Almost too quiet.
That silence shattered when a familiar voice echoed through the dorm halls—
> "Oh, damn it! I overslept again! Professor Eldren's gonna kill me this time!!"
A blur of fire and panic sprinted down the corridor. It was none other than Show, the boy with the Ancient Fire Magic—and an unparalleled record of being late. His jacket is half worn, his hair was messy , rushing like a pride of lions just chased him!
Students stepped aside as he dashed past. "Move! Move! Emergency!" Show yelled dramatically, tripping over a mana conduit before catching himself with a fiery burst from his hand.
"Maybe I should learn teleport magic next time!" he muttered, dodging through the courtyard.
As he finally approached the academy gates, something caught his eye—a figure collapsed near the stone pathway. It was a man, cloaked in old, tattered robes, his long white hair disheveled, his face half-hidden beneath a dusty hood.
Show's eyes widened. "Whoa! Hey, old man! You okay?"
The man groaned weakly, clutching his stomach. "Where... is the cafeteria...?"
Show blinked. "What?"
"The cafeteria… I smell roasted chicken stew… must… reach… food…"
Show just pointed with his finger, the man suddenly bolted upright, eyes gleaming like a starved wolf. "Thank you, young man! You've saved me!"
And then—zoom!—the old man sprinted toward the cafeteria with shocking speed, leaving a mana trail of dust behind him.
Show stood frozen for a solid five seconds. "…What the hell just happened?"
After rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he remembered his own predicament. "Crap! Eldren's gonna toast me alive!!" And off he went again, blazing through the halls in pure panic.
---
When Show finally burst through the classroom doors—BAM!—the room fell silent. Everyone turned to him. He looked around nervously. "He's… not here yet?"
No sign of Professor Eldren. Relief flooded his face. "Heh… see, I told you guys I had perfect timing."
Karen raised an eyebrow. "Perfect timing? You look like you ran through a volcano."
Drake sighed. "At this point, it's a miracle he even wakes up."
Show plopped into his chair, panting. "I made it… I'm alive…"
Moments later, the classroom door slid open—and in walked Professor Eldren, his presence sharp and powerful as always. But this time, he wasn't alone.
Standing beside him was none other than… the same old man from earlier.
Show's jaw dropped. "YOU!! You're that weird old hag who was chasing stew!!"
Everyone burst out laughing, while the old man looked genuinely delighted. "Ah! So it's you again, my young friend! We meet once more!"
Eldren clapped his hands to settle the class. "Settle down, everyone. This man here is not just any visitor. He's one of the old academy student who had trained under Principal Alden. And claimed as the 2nd strongest in thr whole Arcania !!"
Everyone gasped.
"This is Zephyr Aledes, the Storm Sage of Arcania—holder of the Second Highest Rank in the entire kingdom's mage hierarchy."
The room froze.
Lyra whispered, "Wait… second highest? You mean—he's even above most of the academy members?"
Eldren nodded. "Indeed. Zephyr is one of the few who holds the title of Archmage Commander, second only to the Celestial Wizard himself."
Raelyn's eyes narrowed. "So this is the man who led the defense of Silverveil Fortress years ago…"
Zephyr smiled warmly. "Oh, that old story? My back still aches from that battle." He chuckled, scratching his head.
Show still looked dumbfounded. "You? A top-rank mage? You were begging for food ten minutes ago!"
Zephyr winked. "Even heroes get hungry, kid."
---
Zephyr walked around the classroom, his tone becoming more serious. "Now listen, young ones. The Mage Ranking System is not just a title game. It represents power, experience, and the right to command."
He raised a finger, explaining:
Rank 10 – Apprentice: Beginners who can barely control basic spells.
Rank 9 – Adept: Standard mages, capable of handling low-level combat.
Rank 8 – Scholar: Knowledgeable mages with mastery in at least one elemental branch.
Rank 7 – Guardian: Protectors of districts and cities, skilled in defensive magic.
Rank 6 – Specialist: Those who create new forms of magic or special combat techniques.
Rank 5 – Grand Adept: Elite-level wizards with academy or guild authority.
Rank 4 – Commander: Leaders of units under the Magic Council.
Rank 3 – Archmage: Capable of altering mana flow on a large scale.
Rank 2 – Archmage Commander: National-level power.
Rank 1 – Celestial Wizard : The strongest mage of the entire realm.
The class listened in awe.
Show's eyes sparkled. "So you're Rank 2, huh? That means… you're insanely strong."
Zephyr smiled. "Strong enough to make you think before challenging me."
Show grinned. "Then I challenge you right now!"
The room exploded in chaos.
"WHAT!?"
"Show, are you insane!?"
"Do you want to die!?"
Eldren sighed, covering his face. "Why am I not surprised…"
Zephyr looked amused. "You've got guts, kid. I like that. Fine. I accept your challenge."
---
The Training Grounds – Moments Later
A crowd gathered. Even the professors came to watch.
Zephyr stood calmly, his robe fluttering in the breeze. His presence was overwhelming yet oddly peaceful.
Show tightened his gloves, his eyes blazing with fire. "I'll prove that even a top-ranked mage can be challenged by a student!"
Zephyr raised his hand. "We'll see, boy. But don't hold back. Because I won't."
The duel began.
Show lunged forward, launching a Blaze Shot followed by Infernal Burst. Flames spiraled like a storm.
Zephyr didn't move. He merely whispered—
> "Mana Collapse: Arcane Dissolution."
The flames instantly disintegrated into glowing dust.
Show's eyes widened. "What—?! You broke my magic apart!?"
Zephyr smirked. "This spell destroys the mana structure of any magic cast within my field. It's a simple trick for someone my age."
Show gritted his teeth, summoning twin fire pillars. "Then let's see if you can handle this!"
He dashed forward, flames roaring across his arms, blasting wave after wave. Zephyr gracefully sidestepped each one, barely lifting a finger.
"Good power, poor control," Zephyr said calmly. With one gesture, he released a burst of wind so dense it sent Show crashing into the barrier.
Show got up, panting. "Damn it… he's not even serious…"
Zephyr smiled softly. "Then go all out. Show me that Ancient Fire."
That's all Show needed to hear. His eyes burned bright red as his aura ignited.
The ground trembled. Flames erupted skyward as he entered his Rising Fire Mode—his Ancient Magic form.
Everyone watching could barely breathe. "His flames… they're alive!"
Show roared, charging at Zephyr with his full strength, his right fist engulfed in pure infernal energy. "Take this—BLAZING FIST!!!"
A shockwave exploded through the arena as his punch connected… or so it seemed.
Zephyr calmly caught the flaming fist with his bare hand. The air sizzled around him, yet he didn't flinch.
"I admit," Zephyr said with a proud smile, "you are strong, Show. But…"
His eyes glowed blue.
"…you're still not on my level."
With a gentle tap to Show's chest, Zephyr released a wave of mana that neutralized his aura completely. The flames vanished. Show's knees hit the ground.
The battle was over.
Zephyr turned, his robe fluttering. "You've got spirit. But spirit alone won't win wars."
Show grinned weakly, clutching his chest. "I'll… train harder. Next time, I'll beat you."
Zephyr looked back, eyes gleaming. "I'll be waiting, Ancient Fire."
As he walked away, Eldren crossed his arms. "You sure know how to make a mess, Show."
Show chuckled through the exhaustion. "Yeah, but at least I didn't lose easily."
Raelyn smirked. "You got flattened."
"Shut up!"
The students laughed.
As Zephyr disappeared through the academy gate, the breeze carried his voice faintly—
> "The flames of youth… never fail to inspire."
Show looked toward the horizon, determination blazing in his eyes.
> "I'll reach the top… and one day, I'll defeat Zephyr."
---
To be continued