A sudden wave of pressure spread throughout the entire hall.
The headmaster had arrived.
He walked forward slowly a tall man wearing a golden mask that covered his face. The moment he stepped onto the stage, the overwhelming aura surrounding him made many students gasp for breath. Only the fourth-year upperclassmen remained mostly unaffected.
"T-that man…" Edsel struggled to breathe as he tried to withstand the pressure.
It felt similar to the aura his father released but this one was even stronger.
The man standing before them was none other than Dorian Atticus, the Archmage. A man who had reached the peak of the mage's path.
The 11th Circle.
Despite the suffocating pressure, excitement filled Edsel's mind. The stronger the opponent or figure he saw, the more curious he became about power itself.
'If someone reaches the level of an Archmage…Can they ascend even further beyond that?'
Questions began piling up in his mind.
Before he could think further, someone tapped his shoulder. Edsel turned and saw Silas standing beside him.
"Who's that man next to him?" Silas asked.
Edsel looked toward the stage again. Standing beside the headmaster was a man with rough hair and a short beard.
Instructor Andriel Vance.
"Ah… that's our instructor," Edsel said calmly. "He teaches our class."
In the original game, Andriel had tried to help Edsel several times. But eventually, he had given up on him.
Later, during the academy invasion when Les attacked the academy with wild orcs, Andriel died while protecting the students.
"Ah… I see," Silas muttered.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"I remember that bastard." Silas clenched his fists. "That man slaughtered many of my creations in the Dark Lands. He killed countless demons… and nearly killed me with his legs alone."
Edsel raised an eyebrow.
Now he understood. So that was why Les had brought the orcs to attack the academy for revenge.
"Pff… with his legs?" Edsel chuckled. "How embarrassing."
"It may sound embarrassing, my lord," Silas said seriously, "but he was incredibly strong. I couldn't even read his movements."
"Mm."
Edsel nodded in understanding, That explained everything. In the game, Andriel had been known as the Leg Demon.
His combat style relied entirely on devastating kicks and overwhelming physical speed.
His power level was ranked at the 6th Aura Domain, which in a mage's perspective was roughly equivalent to the 8th Circle.
The power systems of mana users and aura users were completely different.
Mages grew stronger by forming magical circles within their hearts. The maximum known limit was the 11th Circle.
Aura users, on the other hand, trained by burning their life energy to produce aura. Their strength progressed through stages of Aura Transformation.
Their ultimate stage was the 8th Domain. The level known as the Sword God.
At that stage, a warrior could cut through mountains and move so fast they appeared invisible.
And in the original story…
That was the level Edwin would eventually reach but Edsel's eyes grew colder.
Of course… He won't be allowed to reach that height.
"Greetings, students," the headmaster began. "And welcome back from your vacation. I hope every student here treats this academy not as a playground, but as a place to pursue your dreams and goals… a place where you may one day write your name into history, just like the Great Father…"
The headmaster continued his speech while the students listened. Some were smiling with enthusiasm, while others simply watched with curiosity.
Soon, minutes turned into an hour and the speech still hadn't ended. The headmaster continued without pause, not even taking a short break.
A few students had already fallen asleep. Others were forcing themselves to stay awake and listen.
"Ah… this is starting to get boring, my lord," Silas whispered. "How can you withstand this without falling asleep?"
"I'm used to it," Edsel replied calmly.
Back in his previous life, he had endured long and dull lectures in college, compared to those, this was nothing.
"…I hope this year will bring even greater results and achievements," the headmaster finally concluded. "You may now dismiss yourselves, except for the first-year students."
The hall immediately erupted with movement. Students rushed to their feet and began leaving the Grand Hall.
The moment Edsel stepped outside, three students were walking with the crowd. One of them suddenly noticed him and his eyes widened, he quickly ran ahead.
"Calix, look!"
Calix stopped walking and turned around. He was taller and larger than most students in his class, with brown hair and a face that many people feared.
"What is it?" Calix said impatiently. "Don't waste my time."
"W-well… I just saw Edsel walking with everyone. He actually came back to the academy!"
"What?" Calix's eyes widened slightly "He showed up after that humiliation?"
He had never expected to see that guy here again. But if Edsel really had returned… A slow grin appeared on Calix's face.
That means I can have some fun and no one would stop him. He had been looking for a punching bag lately.
And considering how weak and pathetic Edsel had been last semester, this was perfect.
After all, at this academy, no matter how high your noble rank was students wouldn't be punished as long as the fight was fair.
"Heh…" Calix chuckled darkly. "I have a plan. Let's go."
The two boys beside him exchanged excited glances before nodding eagerly.