A fresh morning dawned upon the Royal Academy. Gentle sunlight streamed through the massive glass dome that towered in the center of the capital. Tall buildings intertwined with floating bridges and magical towers surrounded the area. This prestigious institution accepted students from across the entire kingdom—regardless of social class. As long as one could pass the entrance exam, they would be granted a full scholarship, free meals, and a private dormitory for the duration of three years.
In the academy's grand courtyard, people from every region had gathered. Some wore the luxurious garb of noble houses, while others wore simple clothes from rural farmlands. Yet, they all shared the same goal—to gain admission to one of the most honorable schools in the nation.
But among the crowd, many gazes began to shift toward a lone figure walking silently among them. Though he stood in no open space, people naturally gave way to him.
Kairos Arkelis.
Despite wearing a simple cloak and sealing his power completely, the aura radiating from him was enough to unsettle those nearby.
Some instinctively walked around him. Others whispered to their friends:
"Look, isn't that someone from the Arkelis family? I heard he's been a genius since he was a child."
"Yikes. He looks terrifying. Let's avoid him."
Kairos walked in silence, unfazed by their reactions. He was used to this. Though he didn't particularly like being avoided, he understood it. Even if he had developed more human thoughts and emotions over the years, his expressions and demeanor remained as imposing as when he was a child.
It was instinctual—a part of him since birth. No matter how much of his power he sealed, his presence alone exuded an undeniable force that others couldn't ignore. Even without realizing it, he made people shiver just by walking past them.
Without delay, he headed straight for the registration area to begin his aptitude tests and weapon assessment.
While waiting for his turn, he suddenly felt a gaze—focused and unwavering. He looked around to find its source and spotted a young woman with icy blue eyes and silver-blue hair. She stood out effortlessly in the crowd with her dignified elegance. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at him, causing Kairos to wonder why she was watching him so intently.
He recognized her. Fiona Elvareth. The daughter of House Elvareth, another duke family of the kingdom. Perhaps she was just looking at him because they were both nobles. That was all.
But why did her gaze feel... different? It didn't feel like she was just "looking." It felt like she was searching for him.
"Number 684, Kairos. Please step forward."
Kairos stepped up for his weapon and core compatibility assessment. The process evaluated the basic information of each applicant, including core type compatibility, weapon rarity, and weapon development stage.
As he placed his hand on the crystal slab, the result shocked everyone:
"Kairos Arkelis. Core Compatibility: All Three Cores. Weapon: Spear. Rarity: Legendary. Development Stage: Tier 1."
A perfect synergy between the weapon and its wielder. His status demonstrated astounding potential. Yet strangely, Kairos didn't seem proud. He simply nodded slightly and walked away.
Someone in the crowd smiled knowingly—Fiona.
Not long after, her name was called.
"Number 690, Fiona. Please step forward."
"Fiona Elvareth. Core Compatibility: Mind Core. Weapon: Thread. Rarity: ...Mythic! Development Stage: Tier 1."
Gasps filled the room. A mythic weapon—the rarest classification. Complex, mysterious, and awe-inspiring. It was a tier spoken of only in legends, appearing perhaps once in a century.
Fiona walked down calmly and waited as the remaining candidates completed their assessments. Both she and Kairos were now the center of attention. But neither of them seemed to care. They each had their own purpose.
After the assessments, the physical capability tests began. Kairos performed astoundingly. Fiona, while not poor, didn't stand out in this category—understandable, given her delicate build and focus on mental strength rather than physical prowess.
Then came the written exam.
Fiona ranked first.
Kairos came second.
Now, everyone wondered who would come out on top overall.
Only one trial remained—the combat and ability application test. Candidates would fight training dummies of increasing difficulty, from Level 1 up to Level 10, until they either completed all levels or could no longer continue.
Kairos was scheduled near the end, so he wasn't in a rush. He decided to observe the earlier participants—including Fiona, who was already entering the arena.
Something about her intrigued him. It wasn't just her strength. It felt like he was drawn to her by some deeper pull—some unexplainable longing.
Fiona stepped into the testing arena, looking composed. Kairos noticed she was holding something. A stone?
Even the proctor looked confused but said nothing.
"Begin the trial."
Fiona began mumbling something. No one could make out her words. Most assumed it was a chant or spell. But Kairos, with his heightened senses, realized otherwise.
She wasn't casting magic.
She was... giving the stone a command.
"Shatter."
Kairos almost doubted his own hearing. That command didn't make sense. Yet moments later, Fiona lightly tossed the stone at one of the training dummies.
The dummy batted the stone aside effortlessly. It looked like nothing had happened.
But then—
Cracks began to form.
Slowly, the dummy crumbled to pieces.
Silence fell over the arena.
Everyone was stunned—including Kairos. He whispered, eyes wide with disbelief:
"That ability... It defies all common sense... That girl... who is she really?"