I open my eyes and see I’m still lying in the forest. Did no hunter group arrive? I can barely move and when I see my condition, there are cuts, wounds and bruises all over my body. I’m feeling like shit. I stand using my hand, barely. It HURTS! A lot! But I have to go to the village or I really will die without the right treatment. The reason I’m still alive is because I applied a healing spell right before going unconscious. But I don’t think that’s going to suffice.

I am still walking groggily, slumping a lot. I can see the village from afar. It’s not that far now I guess. Gotta endure to survive. Damn it! I can’t keep my enthusiasm for a long time due to this pain. It feels like my limbs are being teared.

There it is, the village gate. Oh no. I am losing conscious again.

“AaaarGggggggh!!” I barely let out a scream before falling, this time the guard seems to have noticed and running here. Everything goes black again.

.

.

I wake up. I am in my house. I’m lying on my bed and I see my mother crying. But dad screams, “He’s awake!!”

Mom came running over to me and hugs me. I seem to have recovered from the wounds. So I feel suspicious.

“Mom don’t worry I am fine as you can see. How long was I out for?” I said consoling her.

“*Hic* F-for a week. But how? How did get those wounds?” Asks my mom clearly worried and concerned.

But to take a week even with the healing magic, I must’ve been at the death door. Lucky!!! I guess?

Then I told everything that happened in Rosemary Forest. After that my parents warned me not do anything reckless now.

But I was already late for the academy and I am now at Rank A in both swordsmanship and magic.

The Ranking system is like this-

· SSS - Mages and Swordsmen/women who are at the peak, it is also called the transcended level.

· SS- Mages and Swordsmen/women who are respected everywhere and is at the door of the pinnacle of power.

· S - These Mages and Swordsmen/women are at the first step of transcendence.

· A - These Mages and Swordsmen/women are also well respected and sought after in society.

· B- They are well respected. But not much as the A rankers.

· C - They are not that respected, but they can earn it.

· F – The people who doesn’t have enough magic to become mages. Nor enough training as swordsmen/women. Most commoners are of this rank.

The same type of ranking goes to weapons, mana elixirs and other artifacts and mysterious stuff.

So I’m at the A rank after the fight with the Dino-Dick. (That’s what I named the monster XD). Before this I was at the B rank. At least I gained something.

“We’re going to leave tomorrow at 5 sharp” Father said sternly,

“And no training now!” He warned me.

“Alright. Alright calm yourself. I promise I’ll never be reckless.” I say sincerely.

“Now go back to sleep” Mom added.

.

.

I wake up, its 4 in the morning. I prepare myself for the journey by taking a bath, then taking a bath again and having lunch and seeing no one still woke up, I went to do some biological studies, yes biological studies. Nothing else! Kukukukuku. I pack my bags and my father seems to have awakened and got ready while I *Ehem* studied. What! I am a healthy young man! It is normal to have these desires.

Now time to depart to the Tristein City which is capital of the Tristein Country. They named the city after the country as it is the capital and at west there is the demonic country and Elven Country and At East there is Dwarven Kingdom, Demi Human continent. It’s like the whole world changed. Dwarves now exist, Elves now exist (I don’t mind this one), Demi Humans also exist ( I also don’t mind this one), and the eye catching of it all is the demons. They are the monsters who got humanoid and intelligent because of dense mana. They despise humans or so the rumors say.

I and my father now are departing I say my farewells to my mother and the villagers. We are moving through the carriage and it going to take about 2 days to reach the Tristein city and academy. The first day was peaceful and uneventful. And on the second day when we almost reached the city, A 11 man footba-sorry bandit team attacked us. It is the first time I saw my old man fighting, but boy can he fight. He is at least SS ranked in Swordsmanship. He single handedly took care of all the bandits by himself without breaking a sweat. I look my dad in a light.

I am so gonna train if I return from the academy.

.

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Finally there it is. The Tristein City. Beautiful, glorious, lively is an understatement. There are people from different races everywhere. Guess I hit the gold mine. Well we booked a hotel where dad would stay during my admission time. After my admission is complete dad will return to home. And I will stay at the dorms.

After booking the hotel I and dad departed for the academy which was further inside the city. After we reached I see there is a huge line, where teachers are testing affinities of elements and ranks of magic of the students. I stand in the line and dad is there standing with all the parents and cheering me on. And many of the mothers are staring at dad. Don’t tell me, HE IS FAMOUS!? Nah must be my imagination.

Well after 3 hours I finally get my turn and a female teacher who looks to be in her twenties calls on me. I reach there and she asked me my name. I answer it sincerely so as to not disappoint her. She seems satisfied and tells me to touch a sphere sky bluish hue and after I touch it took some mana from me gently and without blocking it I let it take the mana. And after inspecting the sphere the teacher looks at me astounded and says out loud,

“HOW DID YOU REACH THE A RANK!?”

I stand there clueless and answer, “By training?”

She says again, “It is impossible for someone of your age to reach A rank. I reached A rank only a year ago!”

Then she gives up and asks me to place my hand on the colorless sphere. This must be the affinity test.

I place my hand on top of it and feel a little weird. But I let it flow. Suddenly the sphere turns pitch black.

This time the teachers face darkens as she tells, “You have the affinity of darkness and it is also 100%”

Everyone’s attention was already towards me. I get nervous and ask, “Is there something wrong with darkness?”

The teacher answers, “Only demons have been recorded to have affinity with darkness.” And everyone started mock me and shun me saying as if I am a demon.

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Okay Author here. This chapter was a bit slowish. But I promise the plot is going to get more interesting as you read it. There is going to be a plot twist after a few chapters so read on and enjoy.

Author out.