Chương 43: The First Crack

The next morning, the Royal Capital looked exactly as it had every other day. That was what made the previous night's incident feel so strange. The streets were crowded, the magical lamps were functioning normally, and merchants were already arguing with customers over prices before the academy students had even finished breakfast. Nothing suggested that an underground chamber had awakened beneath the city, or that someone had deliberately tampered with the capital's mana network.

Yet Leo could not shake the feeling that the city was pretending. He sat beside the window of the dining hall, quietly observing the streets below. Amon was speaking. He had been speaking for several minutes. Leo had not listened to a single word.

"…and then the instructor actually told me that my footwork was improving." Masha looked up from her plate.

"Because it is."

"I know."

"Then why are you surprised?"

"Because I expected him to say that I was hopeless." Masha stared at him.

"Why would he say that?" Amon considered the question.

"I don't know. It sounded more dramatic." Alice laughed softly. Leo finally looked away from the window.

"You talk too much in the morning." Amon placed a hand against his chest.

"I was discussing my personal development."

"You were describing how you almost fell during training."

"That was an important part of my development." Masha shook her head. Alice smiled, but her attention soon shifted toward the entrance. Professor Gareth had entered the dining hall. Unlike yesterday, there were no instructors accompanying him. He walked directly toward the center of the room and waited until the conversations gradually faded.

"Today's activities have been changed." A wave of disappointment passed through the students. Gareth continued before anyone could complain.

"The second stage of the Convergence will proceed as planned, but the outdoor facilities will remain closed." A student raised his hand.

"Because of the incident last night?" Gareth looked at him.

"Yes."

"What exactly happened?"

"An interruption occurred within one of the city's mana conduits." The answer was deliberately vague. Another student asked,"Was it an attack?"

"We don't know." That immediately created more questions. Gareth raised one hand.

"You will not investigate it yourselves. The Royal Academy's instructors are handling the matter, and I expect every student to follow the restrictions." His gaze swept across the room.

"That includes you." Leo noticed that Gareth's eyes stopped on him for half a second longer than the others. Then the professor turned away. Leo said nothing. Amon leaned toward him.

"Why did he look at you?"

"How should I know?"

"You were the only person he looked at twice."

"Perhaps he dislikes my face." Alice glanced at Leo.

"I don't think that's it." Leo returned his attention to his breakfast. He did not mention the abandoned building. He did not mention Professor Elara. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. And he certainly did not mention the strange pulse beneath the capital. There was no reason to involve his friends in something he did not yet understand. The second stage began several hours later.

The students were divided into groups and moved into an enormous indoor arena. Unlike the previous exercise, there was no artificial forest this time. Instead, the arena had been transformed into a miniature section of a ruined city. Collapsed walls surrounded narrow streets, broken towers stood at irregular intervals, and magical barriers concealed parts of the battlefield. The objective was not to defeat the opposing team. Each group had to secure three crystal markers scattered throughout the ruins.

The first team to obtain two markers would win. Leo's group consisted of Alice, Marcus, Selene, and another student named Dorian Crest. Dorian was a quiet young man from the Knight Academy who specialized in defensive magic. When the exercise began, he immediately looked toward Leo.

"You should lead." Leo glanced at him.

"Why?"

"You were the one who understood the construct yesterday." Marcus nodded.

"I agree." Selene crossed her arms.

"So do I." Leo looked at Alice. She merely smiled.

"Looks like you've been elected." Leo sighed.

"Fine." He studied the battlefield. Three possible routes led toward the first marker. The central street was the shortest. The western path was partially blocked by debris. The eastern path disappeared behind several collapsed structures.

"The central route is a trap." Dorian frowned.

"How do you know?"

"Because it's too obvious." Marcus looked toward the central street.

"There could be another explanation."

"There is." Leo pointed toward the ground.

"The dust hasn't been disturbed." Everyone looked. He was right. The central street had remained untouched despite being the easiest path.

"Someone expects us to use it," Leo continued.

"Which means the first group that enters will reveal their position." Selene smiled.

"Then the eastern route?"

"No." Leo pointed toward the western ruins.

"We go there." Dorian looked confused.

"The western route is blocked."

"Exactly." Marcus understood.

"The other teams will avoid it." Leo nodded. They moved. The plan worked. They reached the western section without encountering another team. Unfortunately, the ruins contained something the instructors had not mentioned. A stone guardian emerged from beneath the rubble. Its body was composed of dark granite, with a glowing crystal embedded in its chest. Dorian immediately raised his shield. Aegis Frame. A translucent barrier formed before the group. The guardian struck it.

The impact sent a shockwave across the street. Dorian staggered backward.

"It's stronger than the constructs from yesterday!" Marcus drew his sword. Ironwind Step. He rushed around the guardian's side and struck its knee. The blade left a shallow mark. Selene clicked her tongue.

"That won't be enough." She raised both hands. Crimson Spiral: Second Ring. Two rotating circles appeared above her shoulders. They released twin streams of flame that struck the guardian's chest. The creature staggered. Leo watched the crystal. It flickered. Once. Twice. Then stabilized.

"Again." Selene looked at him.

"What?"

"Your attack." She understood. The second spell struck the same location. This time, a crack appeared across the crystal. The guardian roared. Its arm transformed into a massive blade. Marcus moved to intercept it. The weapon descended. Ironwind Step. Marcus narrowly avoided the strike. The blade crashed into the ground. Leo moved. He did not attack the guardian directly. Instead, he stepped onto the broken wall beside him. Then another. His movement carried him upward until he stood above the guardian's shoulder.

He drew his sword. Silent Meridian. His body descended in a controlled arc. The blade struck the damaged crystal. The guardian froze. For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then the entire construct collapsed. Dorian stared at the remains.

"That technique…" Leo sheathed his sword.

"What about it?"

"It looked different from your previous attacks." Leo looked at him.

"It is." Dorian seemed ready to ask another question. A bell rang throughout the arena. Their team had secured the first marker. The conversation ended. By late afternoon, the exercise was over. Leo's team had won. Amon's team had finished second. Masha's team had barely made the final ranking. She blamed Amon. Amon blamed the arena. Neither explanation satisfied anyone. The students returned to their residence before sunset. Leo remained behind for several minutes.

He stood alone in the arena after everyone else had left. The artificial ruins were being dismantled by academy staff. Workers removed the magical barriers and repaired the damaged structures. Leo watched them. Something felt wrong. The guardian. Its behavior. Its core. It had been designed as part of the exercise, but the magical pattern inside its crystal had not been entirely artificial. There had been another energy mixed into it. Something older. Something that did not belong to the academy.

Leo crouched beside one of the fragments. A faint red mark was visible on its surface. He touched it. The sensation returned. The same pulse he had felt beneath the capital. Leo immediately withdrew his hand. His expression hardened. So it isn't limited to the eastern district. A voice came from behind him.

"You noticed." Leo turned. Professor Elara stood near the entrance. She had changed from her academy robes into a dark traveling coat. Leo stood.

"Noticed what?" She walked toward the fragment.

"That." She pointed at the red mark.

"You shouldn't have been able to sense it."

"I sensed something unusual." Elara studied him.

"How?" Leo shrugged.

"I pay attention." She remained silent for several seconds. Then she crouched and examined the fragment.

"This wasn't part of the original construct."

"Then why was it inside the arena?"

"I don't know." Leo looked at her.

"You don't believe that." Elara's expression became serious.

"No." She stood.

"Someone altered the construct before today's exercise."

"Who?"

"We don't know."

"Do you have any suspects?"

"Not yet." Leo looked toward the arena entrance.

"Is it connected to the eastern district?" Elara did not answer immediately. That was answer enough. Leo exhaled quietly.

"Then something is spreading."

"Perhaps." Elara lowered her voice.

"Which is why I need you to stay away from this." Leo looked at her.

"You told me that yesterday."

"And I mean it more today."

"Why?" Her expression changed. For the first time, Leo saw genuine concern in her eyes.

"Because we found something beneath the eastern district." Leo waited. Elara continued.

"An underground chamber."

"How old?"

"We don't know."

"What was inside?" Elara looked toward the empty arena.

"A sealed door." Leo's eyes narrowed.

"And?"

"One of the seals was broken." Silence settled between them. Leo remembered the strange pulse from the night before. Then he remembered the voice. Let me out.

"Was anything released?" Elara shook her head.

"Not yet." The words were followed by a distant rumble. Both turned toward the ground. The arena trembled. Only once. Then stopped. Elara's face lost its color. Leo remained perfectly still. A second vibration followed. This time, the entire building shook. Dust fell from the ceiling. Somewhere far beneath them, something struck stone. Boom. Elara immediately reached for the magical communication crystal attached to her belt.

"All instructors, evacuate the students from the lower halls immediately." The crystal responded with a burst of static. Then a voice came through.

"Professor… we have a problem."

"What happened?" A pause.

"The eastern conduit has stopped responding." Elara's expression hardened.

"How long?" The answer came quietly.

"Thirty seconds." Leo looked toward the floor. The pulse returned. But this time, it was no longer a distant heartbeat. It was a countdown. One pulse. Two. Three. Leo's hand slowly moved toward his sword. Then the entire academy went dark. End of Chapter 43.