Chapter 18: Secret Observations

Before Magnus had downloaded that game back on Earth, he had taken the time to check out some of the artwork just for fun and was impressed by how good it was. He came across a bunch of characters and places, but one that had really stuck with him was the art of Seraline.

Now I get why she seemed so familiar, yet I couldn't put my finger on it. In the artwork, she had a prosthetic arm and was missing an eye. Not to mention, she looked a bit older.

What jogged his memory was the spear she had in her hand. In the artwork, she was also holding a spear, exactly like she was now.

So, I guess that settles it; I'm not just in some random world; I've actually been pulled into that game, or at least a world that's modeled after it. But if she's younger here than in her artwork, it means I'm in the past.

Magnus had considered this possibility multiple times before, but now he had solid proof. Yet, this revelation also opened up a whole new set of possibilities.

Since he never actually played the game, he was clueless about its storyline. This meant he was in the dark about whether the game's story had already kicked off or if it was yet to begin. It might not seem like a big deal, but Magnus knew from experience that games like that one usually start their story right before a major catastrophe hits the world, or right after.

He had no solid evidence, but Seraline's future condition seemed to speak volumes. Even if she ended up becoming a knight, being part of a noble family made her injury seem out of place. Surely, with her status, some form of healing magic or item would've been available?

The more he pondered, the stranger it all seemed.

This world, at least for humans, is already pretty bad. All things considered, I got lucky that Mia and the others found me and brought me to Arlcliff City. But if my hunch is correct and some disastrous event is going to hit in just a couple of years, then I have an invisible clock ticking down above my head.

It was a dark train of thought that could easily make him spiral, but before he went down that path, Magnus took a deep breath. He was just theorizing, after all, and there was no point in getting all worked up over it. However, he'd much rather be overly cautious than completely ignore the possibility.

Still, this doesn't change my plans; I just have to take it one step at a time. It just means I need to pick up the pace and be prepared for whatever may come.

Just as Magnus came to that resolution, he was pulled back to reality by Gerald's shout.

"Alright, get in position!"

After being snapped back to reality, Magnus realized he'd been daydreaming and hadn't even noticed that the majority of students had gathered behind Gerald, clearing the field for the upcoming sparring match. He was so out of it, in fact, that he didn't even notice another student stepping onto the field.

He stood about ten meters from Seraline, his short, inky blue hair blowing in the wind as a breeze passed by. This student looked ready, his eyes gleaming with confidence as he adopted a low stance, a short wooden sword in hand—a stark contrast to Seraline and her wooden spear.

"Can you believe those two are going at it again so soon?" a student remarked, his eyes lighting up as he watched the pair take their stances. His friend, standing beside him, hummed in agreement, mulling over their chances.

"Yeah, it hasn't been long since their last fight. It's hard to say who'll win this time. Tascen's been pushing himself in training, but whether that's enough to outdo Seraline is anyone's guess. They're both top of our class for good reason." The outcome, either way, wouldn't come as a shock to any of them.

Tascen called out, his voice laced with determination, "I hope you're ready, Seraline. I won't be holding back like last time."

Seraline squared her stance, her reply cool and steady.

"Neither will I."

To that, Tascen's smirk widened, his eyes narrowing with anticipation. The air thickened with tension, and Magnus felt a surge of energy radiating from them both. An ethereal aura enveloped each fighter and, by extension, their weapons.

It was neither liquid nor gas, but something otherworldly.

Seraline was shrouded in a glow that matched her hair, flickering and swirling like smoke and flames caught in the wind.

Tascen, however, was enveloped in a calm, fluid aura that clung to him, shimmering in a deep emerald green that flowed and twisted like water.

Is this... aura?

Magnus wondered as Gerald dropped his hand and yelled, "Begin!"

As soon as the match began, the aura that had been surrounding the two of them seemed to disappear instantly. Seraline made the first move, stepping forward, before suddenly launching herself at the speed of an arrow; her figure seemed to blur due to how fast she was moving.

Gripping her spear with both hands, she lunged at Tascen's head the moment she was in range, without a second thought. Tascen, quick on his feet, backstepped while moving to the right and parried with his sword, nudging the spear just enough to miss him.

The exchange was lightning-fast, and though their weapons were only made of wood, the sounds of their clash hinted at blows that could definitely shatter the bones of a normal person.

Taking advantage of his counter, Tascen closed in, slashing down at Seraline with his short sword. In response, Seraline quickly raised up her spear, blocking his strike with the wooden shaft. Even though he had a smaller weapon, the impact pushed her back a few feet before she could regain her footing.

Resetting her stance, Seraline went on the offensive again, though this time at an even greater speed than before. She closed the distance to Tascen in seconds, targeting his head, throat, and chest with three rapid thrusts. Tascen managed to weave through the strikes aimed at his head and throat, but the one targeting his chest connected.

A muted thump sounded through the field, drawing gasps from the watching students.

Magnus flinched, seeing Tascen stagger back from the hit. Though he remained standing, his labored breathing signaled he was in pain.

"Damn," Tascen gasped, holding his chest. He eyed Seraline, who was readying for another attack.

Shit, that looked painful. There's no way a normal person wouldn't have been knocked out cold, or worse, ended up with broken ribs from that. I wonder if aura is able to increase its user's durability somehow.

While Magnus tried to figure out how exactly aura worked, Tascen noticed Seraline didn't press him while he was on the ground; she was waiting for him to get back up.

"Oh? I didn't peg you for the patient type, Seraline. Well, I won't make you wait!" Brushing off the pain, Tascen charged at her, and Seraline braced herself for the incoming onslaught. As they clashed, a storm of blows ensued, with Tascen skillfully keeping Seraline's spear at bay and Seraline maintaining her distance, countering with her own strikes.

Gerald watched silently, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. His focused gaze didn't miss a single detail.

No wonder they're considered the top students in their class. I knew that girl, Seraline, was something special when she sparred against me, but I didn't expect Tascen to improve so much in such a short time. Calling them both just talented would be an understatement; they were even able to temporarily manifest their wills through aura.

In the heat of battle, Tascen suddenly launched himself into the air, causing Seraline to quickly step back in response. She barely managed to dodge his attack as he descended right where she had been standing, his wooden sword cutting through the air as if it were made of metal. Still, Tascen didn't stop there just because Seraline dodged. Instead, he sped up as he fell, striking the ground at full force, kicking up dirt, and creating a dust cloud that hid him and blinded his opponent.

Seraline narrowed her eyes, going on the defensive, waiting for Tascen to make his move.

"Grounded Arts: Interluding Flash!" Tascen's shout came from within the cloud, and in the blink of an eye, something zipped forward at incredible speed. The dust split in two, revealing Tascen moving so fast that he was just a blur.

Tascen's attack was swift, and a moment later, he stood behind her, her wooden spear snapped in two in her hands. She had just barely managed to block the attack, but the look on her face showed she felt the hit reverberating through her body.

Spinning around, Tascen shouted while preparing to move in for the finishing blow.

"You've lost your weapon! Now you're mine!"

But before he could even take a step, he saw Seraline toss down one-half of her weapon while turning to face him with her other arm raised. It was the exact same pose you would see a javelin thrower take.

Without any warning, Seraline threw the other broken half of her wooden spear, which only had the tip. It cut through the air and was so fast that Tascen hardly realized something was flying towards him, and by the time he did, it was too late.

"Ah!" he cried out as the makeshift javelin struck his arm, forcing him to drop his sword, which fell to the ground. It was just for a brief moment, but Tascen was immobilized, and that was just the opening Seraline needed.

As he regained his bearings, he found himself on the ground, looking up at Seraline, who had him pinned under her, fist ready to strike him in the face if he so much as moved.

The crowd of students was silent, caught off guard by the quick turnaround. For a second there, it had seemed Tascen was really going to win.

On the other hand, Gerald simply nodded, as if he had expected as much, before raising his hand and announcing, "Seraline wins!"

Upon hearing him, the students erupted into cheers, snapping out of their shock.

"That was awesome!"

"Wow, I didn't even realize what had happened!"

"Did Tascen just pull off an Aura Style? When did he learn that?"

The chatter filled the air as the students exchanged excited looks. Meanwhile, Tascen was coming back to earth from his surprise, just as Seraline stood up and stepped away from him. Sitting up, he gave her a rueful smile and said, "Looks like you've beaten me again, Seraline."

"If you had been quicker with your Grounded Arts, hitting me right after creating that smokescreen, I might have ended up losing," Seraline pointed out. It wasn't praise, but it wasn't boasting either. She was just stating a fact.

"Perhaps." Tascen's response was nonchalant, a simple shrug, leaving everyone guessing what he was really thinking.

As the two of them spoke, Gerald turned to Magnus with a question.

"So, what did you think of your first real look at aura in action?" Magnus looked back at him, his eyes wide with wonder.

"It was unlike anything I've seen before. I was watching the whole time and could hardly tell when they were and weren't using it. In fact, it reminded me to ask you something. Did you use aura when you were swinging that giant sword when we were attacked? And was that how Marcos was able to move so fast?" Magnus had been thinking about it since the moment he saw Tascen and Seraline begin their duel.

The idea that someone could wield such a heavy weapon effortlessly or move with that level of flexibility seemed impossible without some kind of outside force. Yet, when Magnus voiced this thought, Gerald almost seemed offended by the suggestion.

"What? Of course not. If we relied on aura for fights like that, we'd be a joke." Magnus was a bit taken back; they really didn't use aura at all during that fight? In that case, were they ever in any danger in the first place?

The sparring continued among the rest of the class, and although each match was obviously less intense than Tascen and Seraline's duel, they were fascinating for Magnus in their own right. The students showcased a variety of weapons and styles, all things that were new to him. It was an eye-opening experience, though figuring out how exactly aura was being utilized in each fight was a bit of a challenge.

Eventually, though, it was time to wrap up the sparring matches.

"Not bad. You've all gotten better since last time. But you're not ready to rank up just yet. Next time, I'll spar with each of you myself to iron out those kinks, so be prepared. For now, head to your next class." Gerald's announcement felt almost like a warning, and the students reacted as if it were one, hurrying out of the arena without saying a word, particularly after hearing they'd face him again.

"I thought he was only here temporarily…"

"At this rate, he's going to finish us off…"

Murmurs filled the group as they left the Academy Arena through the west exit. Seraline, walking alone, cast a brief look at Magnus as he left through a different exit with Gerald.

Him, a mage? I don't know why, but it's too hard to imagine.

And she wasn't the only one who was watching Magnus with hints of suspicion.

"So, that's him? The person Major General Arbarth wants us to let into the academy? It's odd. I can't detect a mana core from him or even any aura. In fact, I can't even feel a hint of mana flowing in his body." A calm male voice echoed through the circular chamber.

Lanterns jutting out from the walls held floating blue gems that shed some light, yet not enough to make out most people's faces in the room. At the heart of the chamber stood a large, round table, rooted to the floor. Four chairs encircled this table, but only three were occupied, one occupant being the man who had just spoken.

All three were intently staring at the center of the table, where an image resembling a holographic screen hovered.

Underneath this peculiar holograph were three concentric circles, decorated with numerous runes and patterns that looked like strings. Displayed on the hologram was a moving picture of Magnus and Gerald, who were walking and chatting, along with a view of their surroundings.

"So what are we going to do? You know, if you let me capture them, I'm sure I could extract all kinds of information from the two of them." This time, a woman's voice echoed out, her tone dripping with curiosity and excitement, originating from yet another shadow-shrouded figure seated at the table.

In response, the last person seated in the room leaned forward, their gaze sharpening on Magnus's image as they responded in a clear-cut tone.

"No, don't do anything. I've already sent a report to the Headmistress via a telepathic message. She'll decide how we move forward from here."

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"So, the little general's requested student is quite the enigma, hmm? To want to throw him into my academy like this, he must be pretty confident that they have potential. Oh, it's utterly adorable," said a woman in a voice that seemed sickeningly charming, concealing a hidden malice beneath the facade.

It was a voice the Major General had heard not too long ago. An unsettling tone that miexed innocence and malevolence that could only belong to one person, the Headmistress of Takerth Academy.

Her high-heeled shoes clicked against the wooden floor as she slowly paced along a wall of bookshelves. A gloved hand delicately trailed over the spines of the books. Her eyes seemed to glisten with a cold and all-encompassing purple shine, giving off an eerie aura in the pitch-black darkness of the room.

"Let's see... which one of my little ones should I set out in response? It's such a hard decision," she mused, her fingers finally landing on a specific book. As she pulled it from the shelf, the dark tome, seemingly devoid of a cover, trembled in her grasp and creaked open on its own.

Her lips curled into a smile as she continued, "Ah, yes. You, my dear, have yet to witness the wonders of the world. This will be a perfect experience for you."

The book in her hands seemed to respond to her gentle touch, fluttering open on its own.

"Well, aren't you eager? That's splendid," she said with an air of delight.

"Find the boy, feast on his dreams, and bring me all of his memories. Do this, and I shall grant you a little more freedom in the future." As if the book could hear her words, it fully opened, and its pages began to glow with a mesmerizing light.

The words on the pages seemed to wiggle and writhe like serpents, illuminating the lower half of a woman's face and revealing a wide and horrifying smile.

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"Remember, kid, my offer's always there if you decide you want some physical training alongside the magic stuff," Gerald reminded Magnus after dropping him off, making it clear the offer was still on the table. Magnus gave a nod, his response carrying a hint of future consideration.

"I'll definitely think about it, but not just yet. I want to keep pushing myself on my own for a bit longer," Magnus said, his gaze drifting away mid-sentence.

Plus, considering the reactions from the students this morning, I think your so-called 'training' would end up killing me if I don't get stronger first.

"Well, alright then. I've got to fill Mia in on how this went, so I guess I'll catch you later," Gerald said, a touch of disappointment in his voice, but he still managed a wave goodbye as he left. With both of them not needing him any longer, the coachman took his leave as well.

Phew, that was surprisingly exhausting.

They had left to go to the academy fairly early in the morning, but now it was already past noon. As Magnus made his way to the Major General's Villa, the guards at the gate greeted him and allowed him in without any hassle.

Hmm, I haven't been living here for too long, but I'm already feeling pretty comfortable in this place. I wonder if that's one of the perks of living in the lap of luxury.