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Book 1, Prologue - To Each Their Own (0.3/0.3)

Damn, this isn't good! I can't get caught! If I do, this will truly be the end of my existence! I will die! With the way the world works, crossing the social boundary is a taboo, the gravest of sins!

Running as fast as his legs could carry him, Synth was weaving in and out of alleyways, doing his best to maintain his sense of direction while fearfully trying to escape detection from the ruthless woman pursuing behind him.

Although he was only fourteen years old, Synth looked slightly older due to the constant training that his mother had him undergo when he was younger. For some reason, even though he told his mother about his goal of becoming an Invoker, she had still forced him to practice martial arts and to strengthen his body through daily and repeated exercise.

Therefore, his muscles were well honed. Although they didn't bulge, under the fabric of his clothes, one could still see the faint lines of his arm and chest muscles.

Synth had hated doing these exercises, and whenever he could, would always find an excuse to slack off or not do them at all. His mother got extremely angry at him when he did so, so later he would train everyday. However, most of the time, it was just half-hearted practice.

After his mother had left him, he began to diligently train. This was because Synth wanted to show honor towards his mother, and training the body was the only thing that really seemed to matter to her, along with caring for her son.

Clenching his teeth as he could feel the woman catching up to him, a glitter suddenly appeared in his eyes. If one looked closer, one would be able to tell that that faint glimmer in his eyes was the light of determination...

"Mother... your son will not fail you. I will live up to your expectations. In order to do that, I can't be caught here!"

Making a few quick left turns and another right, Synth was able to smoothly maneuver through the street roads in the Inner Ward. However, what he didn't know was that the woman who was chasing after his was already a three-star Magic Combatant!

Although being a patrol guard in the inner grounds of the Inner Ward required one to be at least a two-star Magic Soldier, she was only here because of the duty that her father entrusted her to do.

Synclaw. If Synth had heard her name clearly, he would probably have been shocked beyond comparison. The Synclaw Family was the family that was in charge of maintaining and operating the Magecroft Academy's Branch 11! In other words, she was probably most likely related to William Synclaw, the head of the Synclaw Family, and also the school head of the Branch Academy!

Both Chevaliers and Invokers had a ranking system, directly related to the accumulation of Channeling Energy that was within their body in the dantain region or on the outside of the body, forming a protective battle-qi around it.

There were nine ranks in total, and each rank was divided into zero to five stars. Although a Magic Combatant was the second ranking for Chevaliers on the totem pole, to be a three-star Magic Combatant given the woman's age was something to be proud of.

She looked to be roughly around sixteen years old, yet she was already a three-star Magic Combatant! Only top academies could foster talents such as her.

It must be known that becoming a three-star Magic Combatant was something that people normally would be able to accomplish at the age of twenty-two! Yet, this woman, six years younger than the standard, actually possessed such terrifying strength. When one also thinks about how the Academy that fostered such a monster was actually just a branch academy, one would be shocked beyond comparison.

Naturally, with her being at this level of attainment, her stamina, agility, physical prowess, and speed were much higher than Synth's. Although he was making use of the darkness and the narrow paths to confuse her, that could not last for long.

In around ten breaths of time, Synth felt a very cold aura drawing closer and closer to him...

Although this took a long time to explain, in reality, the whole chase only lasted a few seconds.

Just as he was about to try to lose her again by sidestepping into another road, Synth felt a cold grasp on the collar of his shirt, and was pulled backwards.

Although Synth had not stepped into the boundary of becoming an Invoker or a Chevalier yet, the sheer pressure that was emanated from the woman’s Energy Base of a five-star Magic Combatant caused him to break out in a cold sweat.

"Umm... I can explain what I was doing here?"

A cold voice behind him cut him off. "There's no need for you to waste words. You can tell it to the officials in charge of the Inner Ward.”

Just as Synth was trying to come up with excuses, he found himself being restrained and dragged with extraordinary force by the guard woman.

“Hey! Stop this! I can truly explain what I was doing here!”

The woman turned around and her lips curved upwards into a smirk. “Oh, really? Then would you care to explain?”

The woman let go of him, and Synth found that he was able to freely control his body again. Realizing this, he sighed in relief. The thought of running away flashed in his mind for a split second. However, remembering the extraordinary strength that this woman displayed and her speed, the notion disappeared almost as quickly as he thought about it.

With his current methods, it would be impossible to do so. Even more, if he really did try to run away, he most likely wouldn’t be given a second chance to explain himself.

“Big sis, I’m actually here because I’m applying to the Magecroft Academy.”

Hearing this, a look of astonishment mixed with hatred appeared on her face. However, it disappeared in an instant, and quickly switched to one brimming with curiosity.

“Oh, you’re applying to the Magecroft Academy? Why are you here so late at night, however? The entrance exams start tomorrow, you know.”

“Ah, well you see, since I live in an area that’s somewhat far away from the Inner Ward, my parents sent me out to come here earlier so that I could reach the mountain peak where the Academy is located by morning.”

The woman’s expression changed to a frown.

This commoner kid. Doesn’t he know that he needs a permit from the Academy in order to even be here? He thinks I’m a fool, right?

With that thought in her head, Lilia’s lips instantly curved upwards into a smirk again. “Don’t you know that you need a special permit signed by a teacher or a school head of the Magecroft Academy to have permission to enter these grounds?”

Synth’s expression instantly froze, as this was the question that he had dreaded the most. He really had no way to prove that he was officially allowed to take the entrance examination for the academy, as until now, he had not even thought about applying.

“Uh, big sis, I…”

Just as the woman began closing in on him, Synth reached both of his hands into his pockets out of nervousness. However, what he found in there made him sigh in relief.

I’m such an idiot. How could I forget? Even though technically I’m not part of the Lyos Household anymore, I can still use the insignia badge that the Lyos family gives its members!

Quickly pulling out the familiar golden object from his pocket, Synth turned around quickly towards the woman. With a critical look, he reprimanded, “Enough of this charade. Unless you are truly blind, then you will be able to recognize this symbol.”

The woman now was looking at Synth in shock. Or more specifically, the insignia in his right hand. It must be known that although all family members of the Lyos Household had an emblem that they carried around, there was a color ranking in place as well. Silver was for the servants, Gold for the family branch, and Blood Gold for the main family. What Synth had just pulled out was a Gold colored emblem!

Although it wasn’t a Blood Gold Emblem, just being in the branch family of the Lyos Household was more than enough to stupefy the woman in place. What sort of existence was the Lyos Family? They had enough power and affluence to become one of the top three powers in the entire city of Verudai!

Even though she was part of the Synclaw family, and had an extremely prestigious reputation, it was wise to not offend one of the top three powers.

However, isn’t his change of personality too quick? Something’s fishy here…

“Hey, can you bring me to the academy grounds? I plan on camping outside for the night, and I’m somewhat afraid of the dark… big sis, since you’re a patrol guard, safety for the citizens is a golden rule, right?”

Synth’s comment woke Lilia up from her thoughts. Hearing his request, her expression changed dramatically, but then glancing at the Gold Emblem in his hands again, resumed an impartial expression.

This boy, what does he take me to be, an errand runner? Although I smell a rat, I can’t really do anything in the current situation. I’ll play along for now, and investigate it later.

It was understandable for Lilia to get upset and offended. After all, Synth’s request was literally asking her to be his bodyguard. Who was she? She was the daughter of the school head of the Magecroft Academy’s 11th Branch! Although her status would match that of Synth’s, her father had always told her one thing.

“No matter what, do not make enemies with the three top powers in this city. Although we may not be able to foster a friendly relationship with them, at least don’t turn them hostile.”

Only able to clench her hands in indignation, Lilia strained a smile, and extended her hand to Synth. “Ahh, so that’s how it is. Don’t worry; big sis will protect you on your way to the academy.”

Grabbing her hand, Synth made a relieved expression. If she had not believed him and had turned hostile, his critical situation truly would have gone downhill.

With a somewhat fake ‘grateful’ smile, Synth indifferently said, “Sorry to trouble you.”

Clenching her free hand again due to Synth’s nonchalant response, Lilia began to see red, but quickly suppressed her emotions down. That half-hearted apology was very, very offensive to her. It was already bad enough that she had to act as a bodyguard for this kid, and him acting the way he did was truly getting on her nerves.

In reality however, Synth could not really be blamed for this. Although part of an aristocratic family, he had almost no social skills. His father had taught him to look down on people of lower status than you, and the arrogance and aloofness of aristocracy was firmly and thoroughly bred into his bones. It was already a miracle that he could muster out a few sentences not brimming with arrogance.

Women… are hard to deal with. Or maybe my social skills just suck…

This thought in his mind, Synth followed Lilia towards the way to the mountain.

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On the way to the academy, Lilia tried many times to ask questions that would give her some clues about Synth’s situation. However, no matter what she tried, Synth was similar to a steady boulder. Unyielding and tenacious, and hiding his secrets inside him. This only served to annoy her even more, and when they finally arrived at the base of the mountain, she was glad to get rid of him.

“This is the mountain upon which the Magecroft Academy is located upon. Take care on the way up.”

With a few simple words, Lilia left Synth standing dumbfounded on the mountain base. She was determined to find out just who that boy was, and to unravel the secrets that she had not managed to extract from Synth personally.

None of this was on Synth’s mind, however. What was currently occupying his mind was a single thought, upon looking at the fifty-meter mountain that he was facing, with a faint outline of what seemed to be a building at the very top, hidden amidst the foggy clouds and the drizzling rain.

How am I supposed to climb that by myself? What the heck? This is absurd!

Just as Synth was about to turn around and ask the woman if she could bring him up there, he realized that she had already left long ago. With a short sigh, he turned around and began trudging up the mountain, under the rain.

What would life be like here, in a place as this, which nurtured such talents? Although Synth was qualified to become an Invoker, his talent was still, after all, just at the Spark Stage. It was going to be hard for him to break through to become anything higher than a low-rank Movement Invoker.

Although just becoming a Movement Invoker before the age of twenty was the requirement to graduate from the Magecroft Academy, with Synth’s talent, it would be extremely hard to accomplish this, and it was hard to say whether or not he would even be able to break through from being a Mind Invoker into becoming a Will Invoker. However, if one was not a Movement Invoker by the time they turned twenty, they had one last chance to officially graduate.

That was to challenge one of the students that did officially graduate, and to win against them! However, the gap between a Will Invoker and a Movement Invoker was too wide. It wasn’t just the difference of a star; it was the difference of a whole realm!

A Movement Invoker’s Channeling Energy was much purer and more abundant than a Will Invoker’s, which made it almost impossible for a Will Invoker to beat a Movement Invoker. After all, Invokers relied on their Channeling Energy to cast devastating spells to ravage the enemy. When one runs out of their Energy in the middle of a battle, it could potentially lead to a lethal injury.

Trudging at a manageable pace, Synth slowly made his way towards the mountain peak, where the faint outline of the Academy building was, off in the distance hidden behind the murky clouds.