Three Months Before The Tournament

CHAPTER 5

THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT

The next morning, Aetheria Grand Magic Academy looked completely normal.

The destroyed courtyard had already been sealed off.

Repair teams were rebuilding the magical barriers.

Students returned to their usual routines.

But for Yuuto—

nothing felt normal anymore.

The Abyss Order had returned.

And they had threatened Elena.

That was enough to make him take the situation seriously.

⸻

“Yuuto.”

He stopped walking.

Elena was standing behind him.

“You’ve been quiet since last night.”

Yuuto looked at her.

“I’m always quiet.”

“No.”

Elena stepped closer.

“Usually you’re lazy.”

Yuuto frowned.

“That’s rude.”

“You’re also annoying.”

“That’s worse.”

Elena smiled.

“But you’re different today.”

Yuuto looked away.

“I didn’t sleep well.”

Elena studied his face.

“Did something happen?”

“No.”

“Yuuto.”

He remained silent.

Elena sighed.

“You always do this.”

“Do what?”

“Try to protect everyone by yourself.”

Yuuto looked at her.

Elena’s expression became serious.

“You don’t have to hide everything from me.”

For a moment, Yuuto said nothing.

Then he smiled.

“I know.”

“Then tell me.”

“Later.”

Elena crossed her arms.

“You always say later.”

Yuuto walked past her.

“Because later is safer.”

Elena watched him leave.

She knew her brother.

If Yuuto said something was safer later—

then something dangerous had already happened.

⸻

THE NEW TRAINING PROGRAM

Three days after the monster attack, the academy announced a new training program.

All first-year students would participate.

The reason was simple.

The Inter-Academy Tournament was only three months away.

The best students from different academies across the kingdom would compete.

The tournament wasn’t just a competition.

It was where the next generation of powerful sorcerers was chosen.

The winners would gain recognition from the Ten Great Clans.

Some would even receive direct offers to join them.

Professor Selene stood before her class.

“This tournament will be your first opportunity to prove yourselves.”

She looked at the students.

“However, I want you to understand something.”

She wrote one word on the board.

CONTROL.

“Raw power will not win the tournament.”

Her eyes moved toward Yuuto.

“Control will.”

Yuuto leaned back in his chair.

Leon whispered.

“She keeps looking at you.”

“I noticed.”

“She’s suspicious.”

“I noticed.”

“You’re not worried?”

“No.”

“Why?”

Yuuto smiled.

“Because she hasn’t figured out anything yet.”

From the other side of the classroom, Lyria listened quietly.

She had heard every word.

⸻

KAELEN’S TRAINING

Meanwhile, Kaelen Thorne had begun training every morning before sunrise.

His body was covered in sweat.

Lightning moved across his arms.

BOOM!

He punched a stone wall.

The wall cracked.

Again.

BOOM!

Another punch.

Again.

BOOM!

His fist started bleeding.

A voice came from behind him.

“You’re overusing your Core.”

Kaelen turned around.

His older brother stood there.

Darius Thorne.

A third-year student.

One of the strongest students in Aetheria.

Kaelen wiped the blood from his hand.

“I need more power.”

“You already have enough.”

“No.”

Kaelen looked at his reflection in the broken wall.

“I lost.”

Darius knew exactly what he meant.

“Yuuto Vance.”

Kaelen nodded.

“I couldn’t even see his attack.”

Darius became silent.

Then he said:

“Don’t try to become stronger than him.”

Kaelen frowned.

“Why?”

“Because you don’t even understand what you’re fighting.”

Kaelen clenched his fist.

“Then I’ll understand.”

⸻

THE LIBRARY

After class, Yuuto went to the academy library.

Not to study.

He hated studying.

He was looking for information about the Abyss Order.

The library contained thousands of books about magical history.

Yuuto searched through the restricted archives.

After almost an hour—

he found something.

A book with no title.

Its cover was black.

Yuuto opened it.

The first page contained a single sentence.

THE ABYSS IS NOT A PLACE.

Yuuto frowned.

He turned the page.

IT IS THE ABSENCE OF AN END.

His expression became serious.

Another page.

THE FIRST ABYSSAL CORE WAS DISCOVERED 700 YEARS AGO.

Yuuto stopped.

Seven hundred years?

He continued reading.

The Core was sealed after its user became incapable of maintaining a human form.

Yuuto’s eyes narrowed.

Another page.

The Abyssal Core does not create mana.

It consumes it.

Yuuto closed the book.

“So that’s what you want.”

A voice came from behind him.

“Interesting, isn’t it?”

Yuuto turned.

Lyria was standing there.

He sighed.

“You really like appearing behind people.”

Lyria smiled.

“And you really like reading forbidden books.”

“This one wasn’t locked.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re allowed to read it.”

Yuuto closed the book.

“Then why did you come here?”

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“What?”

Lyria sat across from him.

“During the monster attack…”

Yuuto waited.

“I felt your Core.”

He became still.

Lyria continued.

“It wasn’t large.”

Yuuto relaxed slightly.

“It wasn’t powerful.”

He looked at her.

“It was…”

Lyria searched for the right word.

“Empty.”

Yuuto’s expression changed.

For the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.

Lyria noticed.

“So I was right.”

Yuuto stood.

“You should forget what you felt.”

Lyria stood as well.

“Why?”

“Because knowing too much is dangerous.”

“For you?”

Yuuto looked at her.

“For you.”

Lyria stared at him.

Then she smiled.

“That’s the first honest thing you’ve said to me.”

Yuuto walked away.

Lyria followed.

“You know, I could help you.”

“No.”

“You didn’t even think about it.”

“I did.”

“And?”

“No.”

Lyria laughed.

“You’re impossible.”

⸻

THE FIRST SIGN

That evening, the academy’s barrier system suddenly malfunctioned.

WARNING.

WARNING.

Students were instructed to remain in their dormitories.

Teachers rushed toward the central tower.

Yuuto stood on the balcony.

He could feel something.

A faint pulse beneath the academy.

THUM.

His eyes narrowed.

Then—

THUM.

The same pulse he had felt the night before.

But this time it was stronger.

Yuuto closed his eyes.

He followed the mana signature.

Underground.

Beneath the academy.

His expression became serious.

“There’s something down there.”

Elena appeared beside him.

“I felt it too.”

Yuuto looked at her.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because you’re here.”

Yuuto sighed.

“That’s not an answer.”

“It is for me.”

Elena smiled.

Yuuto looked toward the academy.

“Stay close.”

“I always do.”

They jumped from the balcony.

⸻

BENEATH AETHERIA

Yuuto and Elena moved through the underground tunnels.

The walls were covered with ancient magical symbols.

Elena touched one.

“These aren’t academy symbols.”

Yuuto nodded.

“They’re older.”

“How old?”

“Maybe seven hundred years.”

Elena looked at him.

“The same age as the Abyssal Core?”

“Probably.”

They continued walking.

Then they reached a massive door.

A black symbol was carved into it.

Elena stepped back.

“The Abyss.”

Yuuto placed his hand against the door.

The symbol immediately reacted.

WHOOM!

The door opened.

Inside was a massive chamber.

At the center stood a crystal.

Dark mana flowed inside it.

Elena stared.

“What is that?”

Yuuto didn’t answer.

Because he knew.

It was an ancient Core.

But not a human Core.

A voice suddenly echoed throughout the chamber.

“Welcome back.”

Yuuto froze.

Elena looked around.

“Who said that?”

The crystal began glowing.

“It has been twelve years.”

Yuuto’s eyes widened.

He recognized the voice.

It was the same voice from the White Night Incident.

The voice continued.

“Abyssal Child.”

Yuuto’s expression became cold.

“Elena.”

“Yes?”

“Get behind me.”

The crystal cracked.

CRACK.

A black hand emerged.

Then another.

Something began crawling out of the crystal.

Elena activated her Pure Resonance Core.

Yuuto stepped forward.

The creature looked at him.

And smiled.

“I finally found you.”

Yuuto’s eyes turned completely cold.

The Abyssal Core inside his chest responded.

THUM.

THUM.

THUM.

The underground chamber shook.

And for the first time—

Yuuto realized something terrifying.

The Abyss Order hadn’t come to Aetheria to find him.

They had already been waiting for him.

To be continued…

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