[ DING ]

[ Condition: Rescue Himari and deliver her to Yuichi. ]

[ Completed ]

[ Reward: Extraction Link has been established with Sakura Takahashi. ]

[ Reward: 50 Attribute Points has been granted. ]

Just as these notifications started appearing in front of Arthur, he was surprised beyond measure.

Yuichi’s wife, Himari, had been refusing to see him after Sakura tried to kill her. That refusal was the reason the condition wasn’t fulfilled, and he didn’t get the reward. He had even been planning to get the two to at least meet each other, thinking he’d have to manipulate the situation somehow.

But now...

A slow smile spread across Arthur’s lips.

He laughed and said aloud, "Now I can finally get this task off my bucket list!"

"Hahaha! HAHAHAHA!"

He was laughing like a crazy person, eyes fixed on the glowing notifications floating in the air in front of him that only he could see.

Sophia, Yuna, and Isabella all watched him with strange expressions, as if he were some crazy weirdo talking to invisible people.

Yuna immediately put a hand on her forehead and sighed deeply.

"Haah..."

Sophia leaned toward Yuna, lowering her voice.

"He is okay, right?" she whispered cautiously.

Yuna nodded slowly.

"He is. Don’t worry. Sometimes he does these... crazy things. But he’s not crazy," she said, though her tone didn’t sound entirely convincing.

Isabella raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?" she said.

Yuna paused.

"At least, that’s what he tells me," she said with a faint smile.

Suddenly, Arthur’s voice cut through the air.

"What are you guys talking about?" he said, looking at them innocently.

Isabella smirked.

"About some crazy weirdo who talks to the air and laughs all alone," she said.

Yuna and Sophia both stifled a laugh, their shoulders shaking slightly.

"Pfft—"

Arthur nodded seriously.

"Looks like that guy has some serious mental issues. Stay away from weirdos like those and report to me immediately if you see them, okay?" he said with a straight face.

This time, all three of them laughed out loud—Yuna, Isabella, and Sophia too—their laughter echoing across the courtyard.

"HAHAHA!"

Arthur let the moment settle, then turned his attention to Yuna.

"Yuna, is everything alright between Miss Himari and Yuichi?" he asked, his tone more serious now.

Yuna tilted her head slightly.

"Well, after the attack in the Ashford Empire, Himari was worried about Yuichi and returned to him. I think now they’re back together," she said. "But why are you asking?"

Arthur smiled faintly.

"Nothing. I was just curious," he said.

Yuna waved her hand dismissively.

"Forget about them," she said.

She gestured toward Sophia with a proud smile.

"This is Sophia Evergreen, my friend and colleague. I’ve worked with her on many missions over the years. She also holds many titles, one of them being the Sword Saint. Remember her, because you’re gonna see her a lot inside the academy."

She paused for emphasis.

"She will be the one to teach you swordsmanship."

Arthur’s eyes lit up immediately, a spark of excitement flashing in them.

"Well, now there’s another reason to go to the academy," he said with a grin.

Isabella’s expression darkened.

"What does that mean? And stop ogling my master like a pervert," she said sharply.

Arthur shrugged unapologetically.

"I mean, your master is hot as hell unlike you." he said.

Isabella’s mouth twitched violently.

In one swift motion, she drew her sword from its sheath—

SHIIING!

—with a sharp metallic ring.

"Let’s see if you’ll even be able to get inside the academy first," she said, her voice cold and focused.

With incredible speed, Isabella lunged forward.

SWOOSH!

Her sword was aimed at Arthur’s midsection, but she was using the blunt side of the blade to avoid causing any serious damage.

Arthur’s body reacted instantly.

He shifted his weight and blocked the strike with his elbow—

CLANG!

—the impact sending a dull thud through the air.

In the next second, his right elbow was already moving—aimed straight for Isabella’s jaw in a brutal counterattack.

WHOOSH!

A chill ran down Isabella’s spine.

She felt it instinctively—the moment that elbow landed, she would be knocked unconscious.

She couldn’t dodge it.

Suddenly, Yuna’s voice rang out sharply.

"STOP!"

Arthur immediately froze, his elbow stopping just inches from Isabella’s face.

He exhaled slowly and pulled back.

"Haah..."

He thought, ’Fuck, it was muscle memory.’

He looked toward Isabella with a sheepish expression.

"Sorry, sorry. It was just muscle memory—kind of a reflex. You’re not hurt, are you?" he said.

But Isabella was speechless.

She stared at him, her sword still raised, her breathing slightly uneven.

"Hah... hah..."

She thought, ’Would I have even dodged that?’

Suddenly, a slow clapping sound came from the side.

CLAP.

CLAP.

CLAP.

Both of them looked toward the direction.

Sophia was clapping, her green eyes gleaming with interest.

"That was incredible," she said, her voice filled with genuine admiration.

She looked toward Yuna.

"Are you sure that guy is a C-ranker?" she asked.

Yuna smiled knowingly.

"Well, at first I was just as surprised as you are. But now it’s nothing new to me," she said.

Sophia’s eyes gleamed even brighter.

"Yuna, can I—" she started, stepping forward eagerly.

Yuna cut her off with a serious expression.

"Don’t even think about it. He’s mine," she said firmly.

Sophia clicked her tongue in disappointment.

"Tch. How selfish," she muttered.

Arthur looked toward Isabella, who was glaring daggers at him.

Arthur said, "Look, girl, I know you’re mad because I attacked you back, but that’s called equality. So be a strong, independent woman and don’t pout, okay? You look ugly when you do."

In the next second, Isabella stomped on his foot again—hard.

"Ow!" Arthur yelped.

She turned sharply and started walking toward the mansion without another word.

Yuna and Sophia exchanged amused glances and followed her.

Arthur winced in pain, hopping on one foot for a moment before limping after them.

Just as they headed inside and all sat in the guest room on plush sofas arranged around a low glass table, Yuna leaned forward.

"If you guys are hungry, I’ll tell the maids to cook some food for you," she offered.

Both Sophia and Isabella shook their heads.

"We’ve already eaten," Sophia said politely, her voice warm.

Isabella nodded in agreement, still looking slightly annoyed.

Suddenly, Arthur leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Why don’t you tell us something about the academy, Miss Sophia?" he asked.

Sophia smiled knowingly.

"Well, there are a lot of things to tell. Where should I begin?" she said. "It is the number one academy in the world—the place from where Yuna and I have graduated."

She gestured gracefully.

"The academy has the best faculties and facilities to train an awakened person. We have training halls equipped with advanced mana-infused technology, combat arenas that can simulate real battlefields with illusion magic, and libraries filled with knowledge from every corner of the world—some texts even date back thousands of years."

She paused for emphasis.

"But the most important thing is the growth environment, the competition, and the facilities. They’re the best in the world for a person to grow. Even people with D or E-rank potential are the most coveted personnel in the world after graduating."

Her expression turned more serious. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Some of them are the most powerful politicians in the world right now. Some are the best engineers, creating mana-powered technology that shapes modern society. Some are the best scientists, pushing the boundaries of what we know about magic and the world itself. It all depends on the path you want to take. Fighting is not the only thing in the world, after all."

She looked directly at Arthur, her green eyes sharp.

"Just remember to grow, because weaklings and worthless people are not treated kindly—not in the world, and not inside the academy."

Arthur smiled, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Sounds like a wonderful place. Can you tell me something about the entrance exam?" he asked.

Sophia said with a seductive smile, leaning back slightly, "Now, now... I can’t tell you about that. You’ll find out about it on your own."

Arthur smirked.

"Looks like I’ll have to wait," he said.

Sophia nodded.

"You will."

Arthur observed her closely, his gaze lingering on her pointed ears and the faint glow of mana that seemed to radiate from her.

He thought, ’I’ll definitely get something powerful if I absorb her blood, right, system?’

A voice came inside his head, dripping with sarcasm.

[ Now who’s the bloodsucker? ]

Arthur said inside his mind, ’Shut up and tell me.’

[ Well, elves share a natural bond with mana, sensing and controlling magical energy as easily as breathing. Unlike other races that must learn magic through effort, elves are born attuned to the flow of mana within nature and the world itself. Their long lives and spiritual connection allow them to wield magic with exceptional grace, making mana not just a source of power, but a part of their very existence. ]

[ So I’m pretty sure it will be something incredible. ]

[ But just to be clear, you’re not gonna fight her, right? Because I’m pretty sure you’ll be lying dead on the ground the very next second. ]

Arthur said inside his mind, ’Well, I will get it. I don’t know how, but I will. Let’s just be patient for now, because living comes first.’

Suddenly, Sophia’s phone rang—a soft, melodic chime.

She picked it up.

"Excuse me for a moment," she said politely.

She stood up gracefully and walked outside the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Through the slightly open door, they could hear her voice—calm, professional.

After a minute, she came back, her expression slightly apologetic.

"There’s some important work at the academy. It seems like I have to go," she said.

Isabella puffed her cheeks in disappointment.

"Right now?" she said.

Sophia smiled warmly and placed a gentle hand on Isabella’s shoulder.

"Don’t worry. We’ll meet inside the academy," she said.

In the next second, she drew her sword from its sheath.

SHIIING!

The sound rang out sharp and clear, like a bell struck in a cathedral.

The aura that radiated from the blade was overwhelming—ancient, powerful, and alive. The sword gleamed with a faint green light, pulsing rhythmically with mana as if it were breathing. Intricate runes glowed along its edge, shimmering like stars.

In her hand, Sophia looked like a war maiden incarnate—her presence commanding, untouchable, otherworldly.

In the next second, she swung the sword in the air.

SLASH!

The very fabric of space ripped apart with a sharp tearing sound—like cloth being torn in half.

CRAAACK!

A portal became visible—a swirling gateway of green and white light, crackling with energy. The edges of the tear in space flickered and hummed with raw mana.

Arthur’s mouth hung open in pure awe.

Sophia looked toward them, her expression calm and serene.

"I’ll see you guys at the academy. Bye," she said.

She stepped into the portal.

WHOOOOSH!

The air around her rippled as she disappeared.

The portal closed behind her instantly—

SNAP!

—the tear in space sealing itself as if it had never been there.

Yuna said casually, "She could’ve done that outside."

Isabella just sighed, shaking her head.

Arthur still kept staring at the space where Sophia had been standing a few seconds ago, his eyes wide with wonder.

He said slowly, "I’m definitely learning how to do that."

---

Another day passed just like that.

And finally, the day of the entrance exam came.

---------

A/N:

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