The morning air hit differently today.
Soobin stared up at his ceiling, listening to the distant, hum of Seoul traffic outside his window. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stretched.
Today was the day.
Downstairs, the rich, savory smell of a fully cooked breakfast filled the house. He walked into the kitchen to find Yuna plating food with intense focus, while Seojin sat at the table, aggressively scrolling on a holographic tablet he clearly wasn't reading.
"You're up," Yuna said, not even turning around. "Sit. Eat."
"Mom—"
"Sit."
He sat. The food was amazing, but the silence in the room was heavy. Seojin kept glaring at Soobin's two packed bags by the front door as if they had personally insulted him. Yuna refilled Soobin's water glass before it was even half empty.
"Your uniform is in the black case," Seojin suddenly announced, setting the tablet face-down. "They sent the confirmation yesterday. If the measurements are off, you call Jane. She knows a tailor near the Guild who can—"
"It'll fit, Dad."
"If it doesn't—"
"Seojin," Yuna interrupted, her voice entirely too patient.
Seojin cleared his throat. "Right."
Soobin looked between them. His father's jaw was clenched tightly, masking a flood of emotions he didn't know how to articulate. Yuna was trying to look composed, but her eyes kept darting to his bags.
Ah, Soobin thought quietly. This is what it feels like when people actually don't want you to leave.
He still wasn't entirely sure how to handle this kind of raw affection. But he was getting better at not flinching away from it.
"I'll be fine," he said, taking a bite of rice. "And I'll call."
Yuna finally smiled. "You better." She walked over and adjusted his collar, her touch lingering for a second. "Don't skip meals. The Academy cafeteria is supposed to be top-tier, but don't let Taehyun drag you to eat junk food every night."
"I make no promises about Taehyun," Soobin smirked.
They all giggle over it.
The tension in the room finally broke, replaced by a warm, easy laughter.
After breakfast, Soobin did a final sweep of his room.
He changed his clothes and put on the dark navy blazer. The silver Academy crest was embroidered cleanly on the breast pocket. He tied his black tie, checked the mirror, and nodded. It fit perfectly.
The ESREAL katana case was packed. The S-Rank Spirit Blade, the defective blue core locket, and Jinsoo's dark metal ring were safely tucked away in his system inventory. Everything was exactly where it needed to be.
He grabbed his bags and headed for the door. His parents were waiting.
"The ESREAL contracts came through the Guild office yesterday," Seojin said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I went over the fine print myself. It's a remarkably clean deal, Soobin. Five hundred million won upfront... before you've even stepped foot in a classroom." Seojin shook his head in disbelief.
"Don't make it weird, Dad."
"I'm not. I'm just..." Seojin paused, looking at his son with profound sincerity. "I'm proud of you. That's all."
Soobin froze for a second. The words landed heavily in his chest. "Thanks," he said softly. "For everything."
Yuna couldn't hold out any longer. She pulled him into a crushing hug. Soobin stood there and hugged her back, realizing he didn't hate it at all.
"Don't be reckless," she whispered into his shoulder. "Don't let anyone pressure you. And if anyone gives you trouble—"
"Mom, its fine"
She pulled back, giving him a stern look that clearly meant she didn't care about the rank. "If anyone gives you trouble, you tell us. Understood?"
"Understood."
She smoothed his shirt one last time, instantly slipping back into the composed demeanor of a veteran B-Rank Hero. "Go now.."
The ride to the Arcane Spirit Academy took forty minutes via hovertrain.
Soobin sat by the window, watching the dense, smoggy urban grid of central Seoul gradually give way to lush greenery and sprawling, hyper-advanced infrastructure. He had read descriptions of the Academy in the novel, but seeing it materialize in real life was entirely different.
The Academy didn't announce itself with a massive billboard. It announced itself with the air.
Even through the sealed train windows, the atmospheric pressure shifted. A rich, heavy, almost golden quality seeped into the environment—the undeniable signature of a highly concentrated Lifeblood Zone.
Then the campus came into view.
It's a literal city, Soobin thought, looking out the glass of the hovertrain.
The campus stretched on for miles, pressed right up against the glowing, massive roots of a Tree of Life. It wasn't overly flashy or overly magical; it just looked expensive and highly advanced. Tall, dark stone academic towers with clean, modern lines were laced with pulsing blue spirit energy conduits. There were massive combat arenas, long rows of sleek dormitory buildings, and wide paved roads connecting everything.
The train pulled into the private campus station. The logistics were smooth and efficient. As soon as the first-years stepped off, Academy staff directed them to a massive luggage drop-off zone.
"Bags and weapons here," a staff member said, scanning Soobin's watch. "They will be transported directly to your dorm room. Here is your access key."
Soobin handed over his heavy luggage and the sleek ESREAL katana case. The staff member handed him a black, metallic keycard.
Room 1-67.
He pocketed the card and followed the crowd toward the central plaza.
As he walked, the sheer scale of the event started to hit him. The central courtyard was massive, easily fitting thousands of people. Holographic banners hovered in the sky, flashing the Academy's crest. High up on the towering balconies and observation decks, hundreds of senior students were leaning over the railings, cheering and talking loudly. Daylight fireworks popped faintly in the distance, leaving trails of colorful spirit energy in the sky.
It didn't feel like a school orientation. It felt like a massive festival.
The first-years were slowly grouped up. Hundreds of kids in the exact same dark navy uniform... it honestly looked a bit intimidating.
Soobin just stood in the middle of it all, doing what he usually did. Observing.
Finding Taehyun was easy. That bright white hair stood out like a sore thumb. He was already laughing and chatting with some random students like they'd known each other for years. He caught Soobin looking and shot him a pair of finger guns. Soobin just sighed and rolled his eyes, holding back a smile.
A bit further to the left, Jiho stood quietly. A small group of kids hovered around him, but they were clearly too intimidated by his Platinum rank to actually say hi.
And then there was Jisoo. Arms crossed, completely unbothered. Her sharp eyes were scanning the crowd, basically cataloging everyone's faces. Her gaze swept over the crowd, paused on Soobin for exactly one second... and then immediately snapped away.
So this is the Academy, Soobin thought, taking in the grandeur. I've read about it in the novel, but seeing it in person... it's amazing. So many important figures are here.
It made sense. The Arcane Spirit Academy consistently ranked in the Top 5 worldwide. Most of the country's talented future heroes and the heirs of the mega-guilds were standing in this exact courtyard. It was an unspoken rule in society: once you get admitted and graduate from this academy, your future is entirely guaranteed.
Which is exactly why so many families fight to send their children here, Soobin mused, blending into the middle of the first-year formation. Politicians try to bribe the board with enormous amounts of money. Guilds try to pull strings. Everyone wants a piece of this place.But ofcourse... All of them failed, because-uh
A sudden commotion near the right side of the crowd suddenly stopped his train of thoughts.
A girl had just dropped a massive stack of orientation papers. As she scrambled to pick them up, she bumped into the student next to her, bowing frantically in a flustered panic. She had long dark hair and a face that was soft, but carried a very specific, sharp jawline and dark, observant eyes.
Soobin paused. Wait. She looks really familiar.
He looked closer at her eyes, connecting the dots. Ah. That's Cha Soah. Soohyuk's sister.
His mind flashed back to the text message he had received on his watch just an hour ago, right after the five hundred million won signing bonus had cleared his account.
[Cha Soohyuk]:My sister Soah is starting today. She's a bit clumsy. Keep an eye on her for me. Consider it part of our deal.
He wasn't kidding, Soobin thought with a quiet sigh, watching her nearly trip over her own shoelaces.
Before he could dwell on his new babysitting gig, the air in the courtyard suddenly grew incredibly heavy.
The pressure shifted so violently that it felt like the gravity in the plaza had just doubled. The loud, festival-like chatter of thousands of students slowly died out, fading into absolute, pin-drop silence.
Soobin looked up toward the main podium at the front of the courtyard.
So he finally shows himself..., Soobin thought Yea....The reason why, despite all the bribes from politicians and external pressure from the mega-guilds, the Academy is able to keep its standard? The reason they can hold their ground against anyone?
It's because of the man walking up to that podium right now.
Baek Mujin. The strongest first-generation hero alive.
He walked slowly, his footsteps echoing in the quiet courtyard. He had pristine white hair and piercing silver eyes. He looked like a man in his late 40s, sharp and incredibly imposing, even though Soobin knew his actual age was far, far beyond that.
Mujin stepped up to the microphone. He didn't tap it. He just looked out over the sea of students.
"My dear students."
His voice boomed across the plaza, deep, resonant, and commanding absolute respect. It was the kind of voice that demanded you listen. Down in the front rows, Jiho, Taehyun, and Jisoo were staring up at him in complete awe.
"Welcome to the Arcane Spirit Academy," Mujin continued, his tone grand and unyielding. "You stand here today as the new sprouts of our world. As the old leaves fall, the new branches must grow strong to bear the weight of the sky. You... are the future."
The crowd was completely captivated.
"During your time here, based on the nature of your spirits and your abilities, you will be divided into three core departments: Combat, Support and Healing, and Crafting and Artifacts. From this day forward, you will wear the crest of the Arcane Spirit Academy. It will be your identity. Let it be a heavy one. Enjoy your time here, but never forget why you came."
Mujin stepped back.
The courtyard erupted. Thousands of students and seniors cheered, the sound echoing off the stone walls.
High up in the observation stands overlooking the plaza, a few of the faculty members were watching the spectacle.
Leaning casually against a stone pillar was Yoon Jaehan, his messy black hair blowing in the wind. He had a lazy, relaxed smile on his face.
"This old man sure knows how to fire up a crowd," Jaehan chuckled, slipping his hands into his pockets.
Beside him stood a massive, heavily scarred man with arms like tree trunks—the head Combat instructor, Kang Dae-ho. He grunted, crossing his arms. "They're cheering now. Wait until they see the training schedule. Half of them will be crying by Friday."
"Oh, let them have their moment, Dae-ho," a sharp, elegant voice replied.
Standing on Jaehan's other side was Han Seoyeon. She was a strikingly beautiful woman in a tailored dark suit, holding a digital clipboard. She was the senior homeroom teacher, known for her sharp tongue and zero-tolerance policy for nonsense.
Han Seyeon, Dae ho and Yoon jaehan , of course they are here too, im meeting too many important characters today , Soobin thought
Seoyeon stepped up to the balcony railing, tapping the microphone on her headset. Her voice cut cleanly through the cheering.
"First years. Quiet down."
The courtyard immediately silenced itself.
"I am Instructor Han Seoyeon," she announced. "The pleasantries are over. You will now officially take your Entrance Grade Test. Form lines by the designated markers."
Down in the crowd, Soobin watched the staff wheel out massive, crystalline orbs to the front of the plaza.
Hmm, oh, it's time for the test, Soobin thought.
He knew exactly what this was. The "Entrance Grade Test"—or the Output Test, as the novel called it.
The mechanics were simple. Awakeners born with internal spirit cores spent their entire childhoods training them. The core was essentially a tank. As you trained, the tank grew larger, capable of holding more compressed spirit energy. the more they trained the more is the ability of the core to store spirit energy and restore them in a small time interval.
For this test, the students had to place their hands on the orb and release their entire stored tank of compressed spirit energy all at once. The orb would measure the total volume dumped into it and light up with a specific color, grading their capacity. It was the ultimate measurement of how hard they had trained before coming here.
Which is a massive problem for me, Soobin thought, rubbing the back of his neck.
He didn't have a core. He didn't have a "tank" to empty. He still didnt understand the mechanics of how he uses spirit energy.
"Let the evaluations begin," Instructor Seoyeon called out. "When your name is called, step forward."