I woke up before the alarm.
That alone told me something was off.
The room was still dark, the academy silent in that fragile hour before morning officially began. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes, feeling the quiet hum of mana circulating inside me—steady, obedient, sharper than it had been weeks ago.
Training was working.
That thought grounded me.
I dressed without rushing, tying my boots properly, fastening my sword at my waist. Before leaving, I paused and picked up my mana communicator.
Rias:
We have the first training class with Edward today.
Come to the academy gate. I'll wait.
I sent it and slipped the device into my pocket.
"Amusement park," I muttered to myself, recalling Edward's earlier message. "Of all places."
Five minutes later, I was leaning against the academy gate, arms crossed, watching students pass by in small groups. Some yawned. Some argued. Some were already talking about dungeon assessments and rankings.
Normal life.
Then Ione appeared.
No sound. No presence. She was simply… there.
She walked toward me calmly, expression neutral, Silver-blonde hair tied neatly behind her back. Her uniform was immaculate, not a crease out of place.
"Good morning," I said.
She nodded once.
"…You ever consider making an entrance like a normal person?" I asked.
"No," she replied.
Fair.
"Let's go," I said, turning toward the waiting carriage.
We climbed inside, the door shutting with a soft click, and the carriage lurched forward as the mana engine activated.
I leaned back, glancing at her. "So. Any idea why our first official lesson is in an amusement park?"
"I don't know," she said flatly.
"Thrilling conversation as always."
She ignored me, staring out the window.
That, unfortunately, did not stop me.
"You know," I continued, "you look especially good today."
No response.
"What shampoo do you use? Because that shine is definitely illegal."
Still nothing.
"And wow, you smell nice. Like—what is that—"
The world ended.
An ice spike materialized midair.
No chant. No warning. No mana fluctuation I could detect.
It appeared one inch from my face.
Perfectly formed. Crystal-clear. Cold enough that the air around it screamed.
The spike punched through the carriage window behind me like it didn't exist.
The sound came a heartbeat later.
A deep, rolling boom that rattled my bones.
The carriage rocked violently.
I turned slowly, heart hammering, and looked out the shattered window.
The forest behind us was gone.
Not damaged.
Gone.
Frozen solid in an instant—trees encased in jagged ice, the ground cracked and glazed over, shockwaves rippling outward like a frozen sea.
I swallowed.
Very carefully, I turned back to Ione.
She was still looking out the opposite window, expressionless, as if she had merely flicked away a fly.
"…Noted," I said quietly. "No more jokes."
She didn't reply.
I sat perfectly still for the rest of the ride.
*****
The downward district was louder. Rougher. Less polished.
The carriage stopped near the amusement park—a sprawling place filled with rusted rides, half-functioning mana lights, and children running around with sticky fingers and reckless laughter.
Edward was sitting on a bench near the entrance.
He was surrounded by children.
Literal children.
He conjured tiny illusions—floating birds, glowing orbs, miniature dragons that perched on shoulders and squeaked.
The kids laughed.
Edward laughed with them.
It was deeply unsettling.
"You're late," he said cheerfully as we approached.
"We're early," I replied.
"Same thing," he waved it off. "Come. Let's begin."
I frowned. "This is training?"
"Yes."
"How?"
Edward smiled.
That was my first mistake.
BOOOM!!
The explosion happened behind us.
A massive blast tore through one of the rides, metal screaming as it collapsed. Screams followed—real ones. Panic. Smoke rising into the sky.
I spun around instinctively.
Figures emerged from the smoke.
Twisted humanoids—low-rank Shriven. Their bodies were malformed, skin cracked with black veins, eyes glowing with dull crimson hunger.
Behind them stood robed figures—Acolytes—chanting, carving symbols into corpses laid out in ritual circles.
My stomach tightened.
Edward placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I have something to take care of," he said casually. "You two handle this."
"…You're joking."
He vanished.
No ripple.
No trace.
I stared at the empty space.
"…I hate mentors like you," I muttered.
Ione folded her arms. "We should move."
"Yeah," I said, drawing my sword. "Let's pass the class and go home."
I stepped forward.
Mana surged.
*****
The first Shriven charged.
Fast. Strong. Clumsy.
I coated my blade with mana and activated [Mana Edge], the familiar hum stabilizing the weapon as I dashed forward.
Steel met corrupted flesh.
The cut was clean.
The creature collapsed without a sound.
"Good," I muttered. "Still works."
Two more came at once.
I slid between them, pivoted, and unleashed [Compressed Mana Slash], the blade releasing a narrow arc of condensed force that sliced both targets in half.
Behind me, ice bloomed.
Ione moved.
She didn't run.
She repositioned.
The ground froze beneath her feet, launching her forward like a skating phantom. With a flick of her fingers—
[Glacial Lattice]
A net of ice spears erupted from the ground, impaling three Shriven mid-leap.
They didn't even scream.
"Efficient," I commented.
She glanced at me.
"…Focus."
Right.
More enemies poured in.
Acolytes finished their chant.
The corpses on the ground twitched.
I felt it then.
A pressure.
A wrongness.
"This is turning ugly," I muttered.
I planted my feet and inhaled.
Judgement of Heaven.
Not power.
Intent.
I adjusted my stance.
Lower. Straighter. Cleaner.
A Shriven lunged.
I moved.
Not faster.
Earlier.
My blade descended.
The air aligned.
And for the first time—
Aura manifested.
Not explosively.
Not violently.
A pale, steady glow traced the edge of my sword—thin, controlled, undeniable.
The cut didn't just sever flesh.
It ended the motion.
The creature fell apart mid-action, as if reality itself had decided it was done.
I froze.
"…Oh."
My heart pounded.
That was it.
Not a spark.
Not permission.
This was manifestation.
Ione stopped moving.
She looked at my blade.
"…You ranked up," she said.
Sword Expert.
The world felt different.
Sharper.
Quieter.
I exhaled slowly.
"Guess I passed," I said.
Then the ground shook.
A massive Shriven—fused from multiple bodies—rose from the ritual circle.
I smiled grimly.
"Alright," I said, aura steady along my blade. "Let's make this lesson count."
I stepped forward.
And cut.