Chapter 50: A Message from the Other Me

Astralis Arcanum,

Teachers residence,

Three days had passed since Zane arrived at the teacher’s residence in Astralis Arcanum. He stirred awake under the soft morning light filtering through the enchanted crystal windowpanes, the warmth on his skin reminding him how peaceful things had been lately. After a quick shower and a leisurely breakfast—he’d spent most of these days sampling strange new foods and casually roaming the academy grounds—Zane was already feeling the itch of boredom creeping in.

But today was different.

As he pulled on his long black coat over a fresh shirt, Zane recalled Lucen’s words: “The entrance exam’s in three days. Be ready.” A small smirk tugged at his lips. So it’s finally time, he thought, adjusting his cuffs with practiced ease. Let’s see how Ron and Lia perform. His curiosity was piqued—not because he doubted them, but because he knew today would shape their paths.

And just before he was leaving the room, his laptop let out a few beeps. Zane paused, turned around, and opened it. A holographic screen flickered to life—a message from his clone. Apparently, he had sent it using the techno-watch Zane gave him when they parted ways.

On-screen, Zayne was sitting lazily, munching on a slice of pizza.

“Yo, sir main body,” he greeted with a grin, “how are you these days? I am doing fine,by the way”

Zane narrowed his eyes. Yeah right, this guy’s clearly lazing around when he’s supposed to be adventuring. I’ll deal with that later.

The recording continued.

“Well, I wanted to give you a little update on what’s been going on in Eldrin Town. You know… since you don’t seem to be using the Law of Knowledge to just know everything like usual.”

Zane rolled his eyes.

Zayne went on to explain the recent events—the unexpected encounter with Valeriana, her investigation into the valley incident, and how things got messy when she started looking into the noble kid and his servant Zane had killed. Thankfully, Zayne managed to steer the suspicion toward the lich and those two shadowy figures.

Valeriana, unable to find solid proof about the valley, bought the lich story and eventually left, following new orders. But before departing, she made it clear she hadn’t forgotten the case.

“But the shadowy duo seemed to linger with intentions that felt…off.”

“Those two definitely have their sights set on the academy,” Zayne said, his tone more serious now. “Just a heads-up.”

Zane closed the hologram, muttering, “Interesting. Good thing Zayne managed to pin that mess on the lich. And those two shadowy creeps… they’re targeting the academy, huh?”

He stared out the window, thoughtful.

“Let me guess—they’ll try to kill off the next generation. Typical evil organization cliché. Happens in novels all the time.” He shrugged. “But I’m here, so… what could go wrong?”

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“I’m not raising a red flag, aren’t I? You guys know me, right ?”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Anyway, let’s go.”

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The scene shifted from Zane to two familiar figures—Ron and Lia.

After being saved from that terrifying assassin by Zane, the duo had traveled non-stop for two days, heading straight toward the border city where the Astralis Arcanum entrance exam would take place. Exhausted, they rented two small rooms at a modest inn and finally allowed themselves to rest.

The evening they arrived, however, had felt… strange.

The whole city had trembled—powerful, rhythmic shakes that many assumed were from an earthquake. But neither Ron nor Lia knew that those tremors came from a clash between two monsters: Zane and Vice Chairman Lucen.

Three days passed since then. And now, finally, it was the day of the entrance exam.

Despite receiving invitations from the Astralis Arcanum, they hadn’t arrived here the conventional way. Their older siblings—twisted by ambition or fear—had burned those very letters and even tried to kill them to keep them from going. They had barely escaped, saved only by the sacrifice of Osric Denmar, a 7th-circle mage and loyal guardian who used his final spell to send them far away from their kingdom… where they’d eventually met Zane.

Now, both Ron and Lia sat in Ron’s room, talking quietly. Morning light spilled in through the window, but their mood was calm and pensive.

Suddenly, Ron chuckled—his voice tinged with melancholy.

“Do you remember how we always thought we’d get into Astralis Arcanum easily?” he asked. “Like it was obvious… because we were strong. And the exams? Just something weaker ones needed.”

He exhaled a dry laugh. “Funny where that arrogance got us.”

Lia smiled faintly, resting her chin on her hands.

“Well, I don’t dislike where we ended up… and neither do you,” she replied. “We saw what life is really like for commoners—how hard they have to work just for a shot.”

She sat up straighter and added with a teasing grin,

“Honestly, I don’t think I can ever look down on a commoner again. They’ve got grit. Probably more than we did, haha.”

Ron laughed softly along with her.

Then Lia’s eyes softened. “We also met someone amazing… like Mr. Zane.”

Ron nodded, his tone warm. “Yeah. That guy was a monster. The way he killed that assassin leader…”

“Right?” Lia said with a small laugh. “Still, I’m ashamed of how high and mighty I acted around him. Until he showed me reality.”

She paused, her voice dipping into awe. “I still can’t forget that pressure… before I fainted. It was like… the weight of the entire world was pressing down on me. And I don’t even think he was using his full power.”

Ron leaned back, hands behind his head, eyes distant. “Same here. I wasn’t even the target, but for a moment… I genuinely thought Orimund was being destroyed. Just from the illusion.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the memory heavy but strangely comforting.

“It’s a shame he’s off adventuring now,” Ron added quietly. “I really wanted to become his disciple.”

“I know…” Lia replied.

Then she stood up with a stretch. “Well! We’ve got our own path to walk. Let’s go—we’ll be late for the exam venue.”

Ron got up with a grin, and together, they left the room—ready to face the exam, with lessons from the past still burning in their hearts.

They had finally reached the gates of Astralis Arcanum.

The towering entrance stood wide open, its radiant stone shimmering under the layered enchantments. A steady flow of excited candidates marched through, each carrying the weight of dreams and expectations. Without hesitation, Ron and Lia stepped through as well, their steps in sync.

Ron’s sharp eyes wandered as they passed through, catching sight of another set of gates further ahead—quieter, less crowded, but heavily guarded. A carved inscription above it read:

“Reserved for Invited Candidates.”

His gaze lingered briefly before he turned back to the path. “So there’s a separate gate for the chosen ones, huh?”

Soon, the duo arrived in a massive hall—grand pillars supporting a dome that hummed faintly with mana. Candidates were gathering around a group of instructors wearing the signature navy-blue robes of the academy.

An instructor stepped forward, his voice amplified by a subtle spell.

“Draw your ticket. The number corresponds to your assigned testing room.”

Without hesitation, Ron and Lia moved ahead with the others.

The test was broken into four primary phases:

1. Preliminary Evaluation

2. Written Test

3. Survival Assessment

4. Duel Combat Round

Following those, each candidate would go through a Personal Interview, a segment often underestimated. While not directly tied to battle capability, it evaluated one’s demeanor, ideals, and mindset. There had been past cases of prodigies being rejected at that very stage—arrogance and disrespect didn’t sit well with the academy’s values.

Ron reached the ticket box first. He drew his with a swift motion.

“Room G,” he muttered.

Lia pulled hers right after. “Room C.”

They looked at each other.

“Guess this is where we part for now,” Lia said with a soft smile.

Ron nodded. “Let’s both crush this.”

“Obviously.”

With a final glance and shared nod, the duo split—each heading off toward their respective testing rooms, the path ahead uncertain but their spirits unwavering.

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Ron finally reached his assigned room—Room G. The atmosphere buzzed with tension as students gathered.

An instructor with the academy’s emblem proudly displayed on his chest stepped forward and shouted,

“The Preliminary test begins now!”

He continued, his voice sharp and commanding,

“There are three sub-tests in the Preliminary round: Target Test, Current Mana Test, and Mana Quality Test!”

He gestured toward the first station, where a solid dummy stood upright, its surface glinting with reinforced magical alloys.

“This is the dummy for the Target Test,” he explained. “It’s linked to an artifact that gauges impact power. The higher your physical power and mana synergy, the higher the score.”

To demonstrate, one of the instructors punched the dummy with a sharp blow. A bright number flickered above it:

565.

Next, he led them to a mana-measuring device shaped like a glowing handprint embedded into a pedestal.

“For the Current Mana Test,” he said, “place your palm on the artifact. It reads your current mana reserve and outputs a number.”

An instructor placed his hand on it, and within seconds, a number appeared:

789.

Finally, the instructor moved to a large, shimmering glass orb—ancient and pulsing with arcane light.

“And this is the Mana Quality Test,” he said, tone reverent. “An artifact crafted by a renowned magical family. Pour your mana into the orb. It will display a colored haze inside. The brighter and less murky the color, the purer your mana.”

He narrowed his eyes and added coldly,

“If black globules are detected in your mana… it means you’re using temporary enhancements. Such candidates will be immediately disqualified and punished.”

The hall suddenly felt heavier. Fear gripped many of the students.

“If any of you wish to withdraw, do it now!” the instructor barked.

Dozens of hands shot up. By the time the dust settled, only half the original candidates remained.

Ron, watching in disbelief, muttered under his breath,

“What are they even thinking? Trying to trick the world’s greatest academy with such cheap stunts… are they idiots?”

The Preliminary continued.

—

Meanwhile, back with Zane…

Zane stood before the tall wooden door of Lucen Merrith’s office and stepped in. Lucen sat calmly, leafing through some documents.

“So,” Zane began casually, “when do we get to watch the exam?”

Lucen looked up and replied,

“After the written test. That’s when the real show begins.”

Zane groaned.

“Man, I have to wait again?”

He stretched, then looked out the window toward the training grounds, eyes gleaming.

“I wonder what kind of interesting people I’ll get to witness in this batch…” he smirked,

“Let’s hope they don’t disappoint.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep