Chapter One
Chatters choked the air in the school yard. Hundreds of powerful students with diverse powers were scattered around. They were all talking about the new Quest: finding the Elevation Ring. It was said that whoever found it would be leveled up by 300+. That alone would elevate any of them to Classic or Upper Classic rank.
Everyone wanted it.
But there could only be one winner.
The Quest was open to all students ranked B and above. However, only B, Upper B, and C rankers were present. The higher ranks always carried an ego and avoided crowded quests.
...
On the second floor of the school, overlooking the yard, stood the high-ranking students, teachers and masters observing the chaos below.
Among them was Clover.
She embodied the image of royal wizard blood perfectly. Her tall, structured stature, bright glowing red hair, green eyes, and porcelain skin made her presence unmistakable. With academic performance many could only dream of, she was the star of the VonEmerald House. Even among the elite, she stood out.
Resting comfortably around her neck was Greywood, purring as he spoke in his usual slow, lazy tone.
"Won't it be amazing to watch all these little bunnies fail at this quest, my lady Clover? Look at them—scrambling for a level-up they probably won't be able to maintain in the long run. So desperate to join the cool kids... hmm?"
Greywood often irritated her, yet Clover still smiled faintly.
He wasn't wrong.
Most of them would fail.
Shamefully. Desperately.
"Where is my little brother? He should be here watching. He might learn a thing or two from their failures."
Clover said her eyes scanning the area.
Greywood stretched.
"Oh… now that you mention it," he said casually, "it turns out I won't be watching."
Clover blinked.
"I'll be participating."
He winked—then vanished.
In an instant, Greywood reappeared below, perched on Lux's shoulder.
Clover's eyes widened in shock.
Her reckless little brother… was participating? !!!
...
Down in the yard, Lux made his way toward the registration line.
Heads turned.
Some in awe. Some in jealousy. Some in confusion.
He wore his usual gear—an all-black outfit traced with glowing blue neon lines. A large hoodie gave him a modern yet haunting look. His dark helmet and goggles covered his face, tinting his natural bright green eyes, the only proper gene he had inherited from his family, into a cold neon blue.
With minimal words, he secured a late entry pass.
Murmurs spread.
Many believed he wouldn't make it past the second quarter. Some were curious to watch him try. Others simply waited to see him fail.
...
The easy pass inflated his confidence beyond reason. Lux walked past students ranging from level 300 to 500 with exaggerated confidence, his stride bold—almost arrogant.
It did not match his reality.
Level 42. Ordinary rank. Cheap tricks. A powerful last name.
Just fancy packaging for cheap sweets.
...
Then—
He tripped.
And crashed hard.
His helmet tumbled off as he fell over what felt like a log.
He looked up.
Admonity stood there, with that angelic smirk, her tail lazily blocking his path.
"Oops," she said flatly. "I didn't see you. You're so tiny."
She was barely four inches shorter than him.
Lux almost laughed.
"How exactly do you plan on winning this?" he shot back. "This isn't a child's game. Maybe head back to the playpen."
Admonity smirked.
"And this isn't cosplay. You might win best dressed, but you're not winning this quest."
They traded jabs back and forth until heavy footsteps approached.
Admonity thought it might be the mother, Astrophine. Lux thought it resembled XeroOne's mega skin. But instead, a towering armored figure emerged—ancient, massive, and imposing.
The petite attendant at the registration table paled instantly and handed over the pass without a word.
The armored being accepted it gently and bowed with a soft, almost princess-like courtesy that contrasted sharply with its overwhelming aura.
Lux, observing through his goggles, saw beyond the armor.
Greywood had already been congratulating Lux for winning his argument against Admonity for the first time in 16 years, when he noticed Lux's focus had shifted.
Inside the armor was a small, delicate core. The surrounding space was filled with dense, unnatural purple magic.
Greywood noticed it too.
"Clogging spell," he said, pointing it out. "Not the 'hide my identity' type. The 'contain me and fake my power because I'm desperate to win' type."
His tone carried sharp certainty.
...
Suddenly, trumpets sounded.
Lizu, the school jester and announcer, appeared.
"Welcome to the Elevation Quest!"
She spread her arms wide.
"This is a full match—four quarters leading to the final point where the Ring lies. Along the way, you will face unknown elemental trials."
She paused.
Then smiled.
"But! There are five extras scattered across the field. Whoever finds them can gain levels and use them to reach the Elevation Ring faster!"
Admonity leaned toward Lux and whispered as Lizu spoke:
"I heard there's a mystery star among the extras. Might help you look more original than your cheap tricks promise."
Lux ignored her, fixated on Lizu's announcement.
He stepped forward slightly.
"The Ring is mine," he muttered.
Admonity fell silent. This was no longer a joke to him.
For him, this was personal.
A name to prove. A legacy to reclaim.
Admonity exhaled softly—rare empathy surfacing beneath her cold exterior. She understood. She had a family name to protect as well.
Lux's gaze shifted toward the armored figure in the distance. He hoped that presence wouldn't interfere.
...
"Alright! Chumgums!! Get in position!!" Lizu shouted.
Hundreds prepared themselves.
"Ready?! Go for it!"
At the signal, Lux sprinted forward with a determined adventurous laugh—
—but was immediately halted by a loud explosion.
To his left and right, chaos erupted. Students began attacking one another.
Then it clicked.
"Right… if you want to reach the Ring, you need to defeat your opponents here."
Before he could react further, he was pulled into a flurry of blows—punches, slaps, kicks, and worse, a dirty toe in his mouth due to an attempted kick.
"Disgusting," he muttered.
Immediately, he used Greywood's magic to fold space and reappear far ahead of the battlefield.
Lux and Greywood looked back, laughing.
"Just as we planned?" Greywood called.
"Just as we planned!" Lux replied.
"Ready, maboi?"
"Always."
Lux rolled up his hoodie sleeves, revealing high-tech gloves he designed himself. Crystal-like vibrations pulsed from them, mimicking magic.
He unleashed several magic circles across the field, laughing alongside Greywood.
...
Elsewhere, the armored being stood still, shading its eyes as it watched Lux move. Someone approached it to fight but quickly fled upon realizing its size.
Seizing the advantage, the armored figure began advancing— determined.
But of course, slow.
Its heavy armor made movement tiring.
Meanwhile, Admonity broke away from the chaos and surged forward. Her falcon-feathered hair streamed behind her as she ran.
Other students launched novablasts toward her—beams of magic streaking like shooting stars. She dodged gracefully, continuing her advance.
Lux noticed the shift.
"Wait for it, Greywood," he said calmly.
Admonity knew his patterns well. She was far behind but close enough to hear. She followed Lux class by class, sat next to him for years, fought with him and against him several times. She knew his pattern too well.
"Bang bang!"
Greywood's signal rang out.
Admonity reacted instantly, accelerating.
She sprinted. Lifting herself off the ground in the right direction.
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
Explosions of magic erupted across the field as multiple opponents were launched aside. GAME OVER signs appeared above them.
Lux and Greywood high-fived while running.
One blast struck the armored being. Its body disassembled briefly before reassembling, now glowing green—lighter, faster, upgraded.
"Yeah haa!" a voice from within cried in joy.
It surged forward, overtaking several struggling students.
Admonity's eyes widened.
"Who… is that?"
Regardless, she pushed herself harder. Her wings tore open, revealing velvety, lepidopteran forms as she took flight.
...
A flash of purple light tore across Lux's path.
Greywood folded instantly.
Lux took the full impact.
A punch landed squarely on his face.
Only one person could deliver such force.
Violet Murasaki.
Level 542 Classic Ranker. One of the few witches allowed within noble grounds, and one who had taken an unofficial oath to ensure Lux remained beneath her.
Her violet hair danced in the wind, eyes gleaming with pride and intent.
Lux staggered but rose, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
Violet pointed her staff at him.
"Nowhere in the rules did they say pets were allowed. Not even familiars."
Others rushed past them toward the goal.
"Are you going to lecture me, or do you have a quest to catch?!" Lux said, gesturing toward the others.
Violet giggled—a sharp, condescending tone.
"I'm just a promising C Ranker. I'm not desperate for some cheap level-up."
Her gaze darkened.
"Unlike some spoiled fake wizards with failure occupying the place of their last name."
Lux's expression hardened.
"How dare you speak of the VonEmerald family like that!"
"What VonEmerald?" Violet smirked,
Lux charged. Full of rage.
Violet dodged effortlessly. Over and over. Until his arms grew tired.
"My goodness, Hazenlux Failure. How did you even get this far with such cheap moves?"
His attacks rendered useless with each passing strike.
"How on earth is a joke like you even born to such a prestigious family!!?"
Her rage slipped in as she attacked Lux, striking him several times with her purple wave until he fell to the ground, cuts on his body.
"You are not a real VonEmerald. And you will never be one." Her voice thundered.
Her words lingered as she vanished. Satisfied as she had humbled him once again.
...
A wave of blue magic swept across the field, instantly eliminating many participants with GAME OVER marks.
"What?!"
"Hey! Not fair!"
Panic spread.
From above, Lizu watched from a hot air balloon, stunned.
"What… is this?"
What had been hundreds was now reduced to around thirty in moments.
...
"Lux! Get up! Now's your chance!"
A familiar voice.
Xero.
He extended a hand, helping Lux rise. Greywood reappeared on his shoulder.
"Don't let her get in your head," Xero said firmly. "You are a great wizard—and you will prove it today. The Ring is yours."
Lux steadied himself.
"The Ring is mine!!"
"Yes!" Greywood shouted.
Lux ran forward.
Only a few remained ahead now. No time for distractions. No time for doubt.
This was it.
VonEmerald.
The greatest noble wizard lineage in the past 800 years.
Hazenlux VonEmerald.
It finally sounded real.
"The Ring is mine! The Ring is mine!! The Ring is—"
ENTHOMB!!!
A massive earthen rock crashed down, burying Hazenlux completely—seven times his size.
...🪶