3 Friend

"Ah, Zane is it? May I ask you to show me your Academy branch insignia?"

Zane pulled out the insignia given to him by the dean from his pocket and showed it to the Professor.

"As expected, 465th Branch. Nice to meet you Zane, you may call me Professor Finn. I am an earth mage and if you have any questions regarding magic, then feel free to ask me."

Zane nodded and thanked the professor. The professor smiled and pointed at the crowd of students watching them speak.

"They are from the 464th and 465th Branch same as you. Pick a seat and we shall continue our studies."

Most of the students looked at Zane with different emotions. Some were envious and jealous of his handsome appearance while some had already started to make him the prince in their hearts.

Regarding those matters, he didn't really care and picked a seat beside an elf. The elf looked handsome though not comparable to Zane.

As Zane picked a seat, the professor continued his lesson while the elf waved at him lightly.

"Hello there Zane, nice to meet you. My name is Lucian Evergreen."

"Lucian as in the prince of the Elven Kingdom of Rivendell?"

"That's right. You know me?"

"No."

"Ah. I see."

After some time chatting, they gradually became closer.

"Hey do you wanna become friends?"

"I didn't think an Elven Prince would say that."

"Well..."

"Sure, why not I guess."

...

Hours soon passed as the class was finished.

"And that is why, you must not do anything reckless when trying to combine elements that are not supposed to be combined with. That ends it here, the class in finished."

After Professor Finn's finishing words, everyone stood up including Zane and Lucian as they left.

Lucian tapped on Zane's shoulder and asked. "What are you doing after classes?"

Zane shrugged his shoulder. "I'm not really sure, maybe I'll be going back to my dorm and take a rest.", he said as he stopped at a fork of the road.

"Which path are you taking?", he asked and looked at Lucian.

"What do you mean which path? Don't you also go to the path on the left? Judging from your attitude, then you must be a first class student right?"

Zane shook his head and pointed at the middle path. "My dorm is this way.", hearing his word's Lucian's mouth became wide open.

"You are a VIP Student?!"

Zane glanced at Lucian and asked.

"VIP Student?"

He nodded and explained what he meant.

"In the second circle of the academy, there are VIP Students with special and powerful background. Quickly, tell me your surname and the kingdom you are from!"

Zane scanned Lucian up and down. Clearly his attitude made him change his perspective of elves. Elves were usually quiet and elegant, they didn't like anything that harmed nature but this guy's mouth was really too much.

"My full name is Zane Auserwalt. I do not belong to a kingdom, but I am the second prince of the Auserwalt Empire."

Lucian's eyes immediately brightened with excitement. "Then Victor Auserwalt, from the first circle is your brother?!", he asked.

"Isn't that already obvious?"

"Wow! So one of the strongest in the first circle is your brother! I'm so envious!"

Now, Zane really felt there was something wrong with this guy. It was alright if he was human like his silly brother, but he was an elf and a prince at that. And yet, so enthusiastic?

He shook his head and didn't want to think about it anymore. He didn't like to over think things that didn't make sense unless they were important.

He removed his sight from Lucian and said, "I'll go now. I still want to rest, and I'll see you tomorrow.", before Lucian could even answer back, he had already walked forward without looking back.

Lucian sighed and looked at Zane with a complicated gaze. How could such a great senior like Victor have such a boring brother. He soon left and went back to his dorm.

After Zane had arrived home, he immediately sat down and focused his mana in his magic core. He was about to breakthrough and become a 6th Stage Apprentice Mage! That was why he didn't entertain Lucian for any longer. He couldn't miss his chance in a breakthrough.

Some time passed as Zane quietly sat down, a wave in mana was appearing slowly. It was the sign that he was nearing his breakthrough! After focusing a little more, the mana wave suddenly was released as it flowed throughout the academy making everyone sleeping, or meditating, open their eyes as they felt the fluctuation.

Such immense mana fluctuation with just a small breakthrough! They all looked at the area where the fluctuation came from and sighed. Whoever had a breakthrough must be strong enough to make such a fluctuation. However, their speculations were wrong. If they knew that the one that made the fluctuation just brokethrough the 6th Stage of Apprentice Mage, then they would have likely to spit blood out.

Even the dean didn't know who did it but decided to ignore it. Even though the fluctuation was strong, it still wasn't enough to make a High Mage investigate it.

Zane stood up and clenched his hand. He had now reached a new level of strength as his mana capacity increased. He yawned and strength his arms and legs. 'Truly tiring this is.', he thought as he lied on his bed.

...

As the sun rised, Zane had woken up. He did his everyday magic training along with some push ups. After training, he wore his uniform and robe and headed towards the Academy's dining area. Coincidentally, as he arrived, he had bumped into Lucian and headed along with him.

"Hey, have you heard about last night?", Lucian suddenly asked.

Zane raised his eyebrows and glanced at him with a questioning gaze. Seeing the gaze, he explained.

"Last night, there was a mana fluctuation that was supposedly caused by a breakthrough. Initially people thought that the dean was the one who brokethrough and congratulated him, however the dean confirmed that it wasn't him along with some professors of the Academy meaning that it was most likely that a student has caused it!"

Zane was a bit stunned. How could he not feel it last night? Unless... It was him who caused it! But why would a large mana fluctuation suddenly appear as he brokethrough?

"Hey, are you all right? You seem to be lost in thought every now and then."

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine, let's go eat."

Arriving at the Dining Area of the Academy, many gazes fell on him. It was really inevitable since many people in the Academy knew what he looked like due to their entrance yesterday. Even some of the people in his classes knew his identity but didn't have enough guts to talk to him in fear of offending him.

As for people like Lucian, they could just be said to be somewhat ignorant. Though his identity was known to the whole Academy, many still didn't know what he looked like except being described as having a unique hair color and an extremely handsome face therefore not dragging to much attention.

He scanned some people who were looking at him with a questionable gaze just like what he showed Lucian which made them lower their heads. Seeing this, Zane shook his head. It seemed that the real attitudes of most nobles was to flaunt in front of the weak and lower their heads at the strong!

He didn't really mind people knowing who he was, but he didn't like dealing with troublesome things. He ignored them and started to look around the Dining Area. The Dining Area was split into 4 sections. The 3rd Class section was where most commoners stayed at but even though it was called 3rd Class, the food their was as good as kings of small kingdoms as the Academy didn't want to discriminate commoners nor the nobles themselves.

The 2nd Class was where most nobles from small or medium-sized kingdoms stay at and eat. The food was better than the 3rd Class and some better utensils.

The 1st Class section was where nobles, princes, and princesses from influential and large kingdoms, as well as those from some empires. They serve food a lot better than the 2nd Class, and they have external help as well from maids or butlers provided by the Dining Area.

And the VIP Class was where those with the status of a VIP Student of the second circle of the academy could eat. It was located at the 2nd floor and was guarded by guards. Zane was a VIP Student therefore provided with the very best. Though only VIP Students could eat up the 2nd floor, they could still bring some friends to eat with them as well.

Since Zane only had one friend in the Academy, he decided to bring him along as well to eat at the 2nd floor. He told Lucian to come with him and walked towards the stairs. His actions naturally started to draw attention as some people gossiping about him.

"Hey, why is that handsome guy going to the stairs of the 2nd floor? Is he one of the VIP Students?"

"Wow! So handsome!"

While some male students naturally envied and despised him.

"Hmph! I bet he's only going to try and use his looks to try and get up there!"

"Really arrogant. He thinks that he's worthy to be one of the VIP Students?"

As for some people who heard them who was aware of his identity, they immediately shouted at them and retaliated.

"Watch your mouths! Do you not know who he is? He is the second prince of the Auserwalt Empire! A genius who has the blessing of 5 elements, a genius born every 10 thousand years!"

"Not only that, he is also the younger brother of our senior, Victor! However, his talent is better than him and would most likely surpass him!"

"I also hear that he's at the peak 5th Stage Apprentice Mage at this age! Who knows if he had already become a 6th Stage?"

Many who originally wanted to humiliate Zane immediately shut their mouths in fear as cold sweat dropped from their heads. Now they were really regretting saying such things! If their parents knew then they would most likely lose their status in their family and would be disowned just to please the Auserwalt Empire.

However, Zane was not such person to lower his status and argue with them as he merely ignored them and flashed his academy insignia in front of the guards staying near the stairs.

His insignia was different from the other students. 3rd Class students had silver plated insignia, 2nd Class had gold plated ones, 1st Class had platinum plated with gems on it, and as for VIP Class insignia were completely made out of different kinds of rare gems. It was also impossible to fake it as it was marked with a special magic seal created by the Academy.

Seeing it's authenticity, the guard bowed respectfully and let them pass as people looked behind their backs.

...

After some minutes of VIP treatment from eating at the Dining Area, they had finished their meals and headed to their class.

As they entered their class' room, most looked at Zane with a respectful look. Most were now aware of his identity after the incident at the Dining Area.

Professor Finn also looked at him differently when he knew that Zane was the magic genius that most senior professors were talking about. One should know that most of the students in last year's batch and the current 465th batch was only 2nd or peak 3rd, some were lucky enough to become 4th Stage Apprentice Mages.

And yet, his power was above them and judging from his aura, Zane was now most likely a 6th Stage Apprentice Mage.

He sighed and looked at the class as he announced something. "The Academy wishes to see the potential of new students, therefore in two week, a magic duel against your seniors will be held. Though I do not expect you to win, I wish you would still show good results.", after saying such words, he glanced at Zane who was showing him a smiling expression.

Was he thinking that he could win against them? Professor Finn immediately withdrew that idea. Though Zane was no doubt a genius, his seniors was 3-5 years older than him and were 8th to 9th Stage Apprentice Mages.

The Academy was divided into two parts. The second circle was where Apprentice Mages were and the first circle was where Junior Mages were. Most of the time, these two circles don't collide with each other unless needed.

That was the reason why he couldn't meet Victor casually as the Academy didn't allow anyone below Junior Mage to go to the area of the first circle.

The reason was simple. The students of the first circle was located in a separate space. Once a mage reaches High Mage, one can touch the barrier of reality and even break it. The dean made the first circle inside it therefore if anyone below Junior Mage attempts to get in, then they would get ripped apart by the gravitational pull.

Therefore, Zane was only famous to the second circle. If he was at the first circle, then his status wouldn't matter that much to them. In the first circle of the Academy, there was a unofficial rule among students. And that was never use your social status to pressure stronger students or most students there would act against you.

The reason why he knew all these was from the stories of his brother.