The sky over Arcadia Academy was impossibly clear.
A deep, endless blue stretched overhead, unmarred by clouds, as if the world itself understood the significance of this day. A quiet breeze stirred through the trees lining the eastern plateau—a place most students never visited during their usual schedules.
But today was different.
Nestled at the far end of the academy grounds, a wide marble courtyard lay surrounded by ancient archways and statues—each one a faceless knight, mage, or priest, weapon raised skyward in silent tribute. The sunlight reflected off the stone tiles, and golden runes shimmered faintly beneath their feet, pulsing with dormant magic.
This was the Hall of Arms.
The place where every first-year's journey truly began.
Where the academy's famed Weapon Acknowledgement Ceremony was held.
Luca walked through the stone path leading toward the courtyard, his steps slow and steady. The weight of the day pressed against his chest—not with fear, but with tension.
So this is it.
The place the game always skipped past with a flashy cutscene.
The moment the system gave you your "primary weapon class" based on affinity stats and quest choices.
But now… he was here. And it wasn't a game anymore.
Students were already gathering by the time he arrived. Some chatted in excited bursts, others whispered with nervous energy. Everyone dressed in the ceremonial student garb—black tunics lined with silver trim, marked with their discipline's crest. Knights bore crossed swords, mages had the twin spiral sigil of mana, and priests wore the radiant sun.
Aiden Everhart stood near one of the outer pillars, arms crossed, his expression calm as ever. Beside him, Kyle Drayden adjusted the strap of his spear case with casual precision, his gaze scanning the surroundings like a battlefield.
Selena Weiss leaned against a pillar with that familiar unreadable poise, her white hair catching the light, while Lilliane Fairmoore stood not far from her—nudging Aiden as always, yet visibly alert, her gaze drifting toward—
Luca quickly turned away as their eyes nearly met.
Eric, of course, arrived next to him with a bounce in his step and an exaggerated sigh.
"Well, here we are," he said, grinning. "The big day. The day the mystical ancient system plays matchmaker and tells us what shiny stick we should marry."
Luca huffed a small laugh.
"What do you think you'll get?" Eric asked, nudging him. "I'm calling a bow. Or maybe twin daggers. Something flashy. You've got 'unconventional' written all over you."
Luca shrugged. "I honestly have no idea."
"Come on, man. You've gotta have a hunch."
"I picked a sword because it felt knight-ish," Luca admitted. "But… it never really clicked. You saw how Selena knocked it out of my hands."
Eric winced. "Yeah, that was brutal. I still think she went easy on you, by the way."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"Hey, just saying! But who knows? Maybe you're meant for something else entirely. A glaive? A scythe? Ooh, how about a cursed sentient whip?"
Luca rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself.
The students quieted slightly as several instructors entered the courtyard, their ceremonial robes billowing with each step.
Professor Seraphina stood at the front, regal as always, her silver-rimmed glasses catching the sun. Behind her stood three more figures:
Sir Halreth, the knight instructor—his broad shoulders and square jaw framed by golden armor etched with old battle scars. A retired paladin who once fought in the Western Rebellions, he now trained the next generation of Arcadian knights with the patience of a lion and the intensity of a volcano.
High Priest Emeron, the priesthood's instructor—a serene man with soft features and robes embroidered with threads of white and gold. His voice was quiet, but it always carried through silence like prayer through a chapel.
And finally—him.
The man who made the air change the moment he entered.
Vice Dean Caelan Thorne.
He stood tall, immovable. His armor was sleek obsidian, with no crest or clan symbol, only a single sword sheathed across his back—its hilt wrapped in blackened leather. His face showed no emotion. His silver hair, short and wind-swept, did little to soften the edge of his presence.
Top fifty.
That's where he ranked. Among the strongest in the world.
And now, here he was.
In front of Luca.
Caelan stepped forward, eyes sweeping the crowd. The murmurs stopped instantly.
His voice, when he spoke, was low and sharp.
"The Weapon Acknowledgement Ceremony begins now."
Silence.
"This event is not just tradition. It is truth. The relics you are about to encounter are ancient. Bound by magic older than the Empire. They do not answer to bloodlines or birthrights. They acknowledge only one thing—resonance."
A pause. Then he continued.
"Each of you will step forward, alone. The array will scan your essence. Your affinity, your experience, your intent. And in response, it will offer you a weapon—your weapon."
He turned slightly, his voice now heavier.
"But remember: the weapon you are given… is not always the weapon you desire. It is the one that sees you."
A quiet murmur spread across the crowd again, hushed and curious.
Eric leaned toward Luca. "Okay, that was cool. Definitely getting cursed whip vibes."
Luca didn't reply.
He stared at the glowing formation in the center of the courtyard—circles upon circles of etched stone and glyphs, now beginning to hum with light.
And deep down, something shifted.
The weapons were calling.
And soon—they would answer.
The instructors began calling names, starting with students who had performed highly in preliminary evaluations. The atmosphere turned electric as the first student walked toward the center of the array, bathed in magical light.
And then came the name that made every conversation cease.
"Aiden Everhart."
A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.
Every head turned. Even professors leaned slightly forward. Seraphina's lips curled into a subtle smile. Vice Dean Caelan's gaze sharpened, just a fraction.
The golden boy of Arcadia had stepped forward.
Aiden moved with calm precision, no hesitation in his stride. He walked into the center of the formation, standing perfectly still as the ancient runes began to pulse around him. Mana flared, the very air vibrating under the weight of the old magic beginning to stir.
Everyone held their breath.
Even Eric stopped bouncing. "This is it," he whispered to Luca. "The moment. What do you think he's going to get?"
Luca didn't take his eyes off the platform.
He already knew.
He had seen this event unfold a hundred times in the game.
But watching it in person…
He could feel it. The shift. The energy. The tremor in the runes like the world holding its breath.
Whatever was about to appear wouldn't just shake the crowd.
It would send ripples far beyond Arcadia's walls.
Eric nudged him again. "Luca? You're awfully quiet. What's your guess?"
Luca offered a faint, unfathomable smile.
"We'll find out in a moment."
Eric was about to reply—when it happened.
The array flared.
Magic didn't just swirl—it surged.
A cyclone of golden light erupted from the platform, twisting upward like a divine pillar. The air cracked with thunder. The ground shuddered beneath their feet.
Above them, the clouds caved inward. The sky dimmed, then ignited with brilliance. A radiance so pure, so blinding, it felt as though the gods themselves had cast their gaze upon the world.
The entire academy fell into stunned silence.
The crowd broke into murmurs of disbelief and awe.
Lilliane's eyes widened, for once speechless, her lips parting in silent shock.
Kyle's usual stoicism cracked, his fingers tightening around the strap of his spear case.
Selena's gaze sharpened like a blade. Her expression didn't change—but her eyes burned with new intensity.
Professor Seraphina let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, a glint of genuine astonishment in her eyes.
Sir Halreth blinked twice and straightened unconsciously, like a soldier glimpsing his king.
High Priest Emeron lowered his head slightly, murmuring what might have been a prayer.
And above them all, Vice Dean Caelan stood frozen.
And then came the voice—low, breathless—from Vice Dean Caelan.
"…The Phenomenon…"
Even he trembled.
"This… hasn't appeared in a thousand years."
Gasps rippled across the courtyard.
"The Weapon of the Gods," Caelan whispered, voice strained, eyes wide. "It will see the light again."
And within the divine pillar of light—
Aiden emerged.
Sword raised.
Wreathed in holy fire and celestial glow.
His voice rang out clear and powerful:
"The Sword of the Knight—Excalibur."
The world stopped.
And then it began to change.
As if staring not at a student—but at destiny reborn.
Far away, beyond the borders of the Empire, deep within the marble sanctum of the Grand Church of the Holy Kingdom, a single woman stood before a towering stained-glass window.
Her beauty was ethereal—so flawless, so divine, that even the most exquisite of paintings would fall short. Lavender-silver hair flowed like moonlight down her back, and her eyes shimmered with a celestial glow.
She looked to the sky with a serene smile.
Like a goddess gazing upon the world.
Then she whispered, as if to the wind:
"Has he arrived?"
Back in Arcadia, Luca stood in silence.
Luca's eyes reflected the divine light still burning in the sky. A slow, unreadable smile crept across his face.
"This is just the beginning."
[To be continued]