The training ground for the Magic Department’s Elementary School Division was unnervingly silent that morning. The usual morning chatter was gone, replaced by a suffocating, heavy tension. It had been a while—the air hadn’t felt this thick since the day of the entrance exams.
A transparent crystal stood at the center of the hall. It pulsed with a faint light that responded to magical power, and the students naturally kept their distance from it.
“Are you feeling nervous, Master Luka?”
Today, I actually had an attendant with me. I wondered if Yuka was taking the exam as well. Regardless, her voice was incredibly soothing. I wondered if she’d ever considered doing ASMR.
“Of course I am. Are you taking it too, Yuka?”
“No, however—”
“We will now begin the First Evaluation Exam.”
The teacher's voice echoed through the vast space, cutting her off.
“We will be testing three areas: the amount of magical power, your attribute, and a basic check of your manipulation skills.”
His tone was detached, yet no one dared let their guard down.
“Setting aside raw power, your ability to control your attribute will heavily influence your assessment. However, we will not be assigning rankings during this specific exam.”
He paused for a beat.
“This is an exam to understand where you currently stand.”
I heard someone swallow hard. As for me, I was already in despair. Nothing had changed since last week.
“Now, step forward when your name is called.”
The first to be called was a background student. When he placed his hand on the crystal, it glowed a faint red.
“Fire attribute. Magical power response: average.”
The next was blue. Water. Then came earth, then wind. Most were neither good nor bad, yet the students still looked relieved just to see a result. They were beginning to understand the baseline.
“Next. Allen Milford.”
“Y-Yes!”
Allen stepped forward energetically. The moment he touched the crystal, it flared with a brilliant, intense red.
“Fire attribute. For an elementary student, your magical power amount is excellent.”
“Whoa...”
“Incredible.”
A small stir went through the crowd. Allen walked back, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. Our eyes met, and he gave me a thumbs-up. He was honestly amazing. Since we shared the same attribute, I felt a mounting pressure. Would I be okay after a display like that?
“Next. Selena Alphyria.”
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Selena stepped forward with a stony expression and touched the crystal. A pale green light bloomed, shot through with streaks of purple lightning.
“Wind attribute, lightning attribute... Splendid.”
A buzz rippled through the onlookers.
“A dual attribute?”
“And it’s so beautiful...”
Selena returned to her spot as if nothing had happened, her expression as unchanging as ever. She was undeniably cool.
“Next. Elysia Gladio.”
The moment her name was called, every eye in the room focused on her. Elysia walked forward calmly and placed her hand on the crystal. A clear ice-blue color spread through the stone—a transparent, frigid light.
“Ice attribute. The precision is exceptionally high,” the teacher said, his voice softening slightly. “No wasted energy. Excellent control.”
Elysia bowed and returned. Her profile was as serene as always, but I could see a hint of pride in her eyes. Man, she was cute.
“Next. Caiel Valdio.”
Caiel straightened his back and stepped forward. When he touched the crystal, it glowed a deep, rich blue.
“Water attribute. Magical power circulation is stable.”
“As expected of him.”
“Exactly like the examples in the textbooks.”
The teacher nodded in approval. “Exemplary control.”
Caiel bowed and headed back. On his way, his eyes flickered toward me for a split second. I wished he’d stop looking at me; pretty boys were bad for my health.
Then, the training ground fell into a dead silence. The teacher’s finger traced the roster.
“Next...”
Ah, it was time.
“Luca Noctear.”
There it was. Every gaze in the room locked onto me. I felt expectations, curiosity, and prying eyes. I wished they’d all just look away. There was nothing I could do at this point; I had no choice but to try the secret plan I’d been agonizing over all week. Its name: Operation 'Oops, My Hand Slipped and I Smashed the Crystal'!
I took a small breath and prepared to take a step.
“Master Luca, I really think—”
Yuka was about to say something when it happened.
BONG.
A heavy, low toll of a bell. Once. Twice.
What was that? Was class over? Was I saved?
The teacher’s face turned pale. “Everyone, stay where you are!”
The training ground erupted into a commotion. The bell continued to ring. From far away, I sensed a different presence, and the tension in the air grew even thicker. By the time the third ring finished, the students' chatter had vanished entirely.
The teacher immediately stood in front of the crystal and looked over the class.
“Calm down. This is—an attack.”
His voice was low and sharp. An actual attack? Was he serious?
“The evaluation exam is temporarily suspended. Students of the Magic Department Elementary School Division are not to leave this area. The protection barrier has already been deployed.”
Behind the teacher, the magic circles surrounding the training ground began to glow faintly.
“The Middle School Division, High School Division, and the faculty are currently handling the situation.”
Those seniors were certainly reliable. The teacher’s eyes flickered toward the outside for a fraction of a second.
“Do not let your guard down.”
Those words sent a chill down my spine. The students remained frozen. The evaluation exam—a safe, routine school event—had crumbled into chaos in a matter of minutes. Public safety in this place was absolute trash.
“An intruder? Really?”
“But this is the Academy...”
Small, trembling voices leaked out. Elysia was standing right next to me, closer than she usually allowed herself to be.
“Master Luca,” she whispered. “It will be alright. The defenses of this Academy are second to none.”
Even though she was the one trying to comfort me, I could hear the desperation in her voice. She was clearly forcing herself to be brave.
“Even so,” she said, her fingers clenching into a tight fist. “If anything happens, I will—”
“It’s okay.”
The words left my mouth before I could think. Elysia’s eyes widened in surprise, and then she gave a faint, fragile smile.
“Eh?”
“If it comes down to it, I’m here.”
She didn't reply, simply giving a small nod.
“You too, Yuka. Don't leave my side.”
I told them I'd protect them, but honestly, my best subject was being a meat shield. I just hoped I was up for the challenge.
One of the teachers was at the edge of the barrier, likely using magical communication.
“...Engaged in combat at the Second Plaza.”
“Numbers: approximately a dozen.”
“They are coordinated...?”
From those fragments, it was clear the opponents weren't common bandits. I prayed they were just a group of very well-organized weirdos.
Caiel spoke up quietly. “It’s an organized effort.”
“Yes,” Selena added with a short nod. I hadn't even noticed she'd moved closer.
“It isn’t a coincidence,” Allen said, biting his lip. “To target the exam on a day like this...”
I wondered the same thing. Was the target the exam? Or the Academy itself?
Just then, I heard a faint creaking sound from outside the training ground. My bad premonitions were usually spot on.
The teacher turned around instantly. “Everyone, fall back!”
In the next moment, something touched the barrier. There was no impact, no explosion. The magical power was being traced from the outside.
“W-What is that?” someone stammered.
The teacher’s expression grew grim. “They are calculating their target.”
What that target was, no one knew.
“It’s coming.”
With that single word, everyone understood. Outside the barrier, something was testing it. A touch. A withdrawal. Another touch. It was like a predator checking the strength of its cage.
“Barrier strength, maintenance rate eighty... seventy-five...” a voice muttered from the perimeter.
“It will still hold! Stay calm!” the teacher shouted, but the composure he'd had earlier was gone.
Beside me, Yuka took a step forward in a fluid, natural motion, positioning herself perfectly to shield me.
“I will protect you,” she said, her voice devoid of its usual warmth.
I’d just claimed I’d be the one doing the protecting, but honestly, I really wanted to leave it to her. This was terrifying.
“They understand the barrier formula,” Elysia gasped. “They’re searching for a weakness from the outside.”
“They aren't ordinary intruders,” Yuka said, her gaze fixed on a single point on the barrier. “They likely came here with every intention of breaking through.”
This was getting bad. The teacher gritted his teeth. “I’m redeploying the barrier—”
At that moment, the barrier groaned. The air distorted so violently that the invisible wall became visible as the space around it shuddered.
“The barrier is being breached!” the teacher screamed.
And then, it cracked. With a deafening snap, fractures like shattering glass spiderwebbed across the surface of the barrier.
“You’ve got to be kidding me...”
One student stared blankly at the scene. Others began to wail in panic, while attendants desperately tried to keep their charges from bolting. Pure chaos erupted.
“They’re going to force their way in!” the teacher yelled. “Everyone, to the center!”
The students moved reflexively. I grabbed Elysia’s hand and pulled her back.
Then came a sharp CRACK.
Part of the barrier shattered completely.
“Intrusion confirmed!”
The outside air rushed in—cold, sharp, and saturated with hostile magical power. A black shadow stepped through the rift. The figure was shrouded in a hood, their face hidden, but their gaze was fixed with unwavering intent.
They were looking directly at us.
The air felt thin.
“Run!” the teacher screamed.
But there was nowhere to go. His desperate cry was the final confirmation of our reality. The intruder said nothing, but behind them, the cracks in the barrier continued to spread.