Blood Fury's gaze swept over the few figures still standing, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
"Did you feel that?"
His voice remained calm, as if that terrifying pressure had nothing to do with him.
"This is power. The power of a Second-Tier Wizard. With just a glance, without even casting a spell, only a few of you could remain standing. And I am not even that strong within the academy."
The pressure vanished abruptly.
The freshmen who had been pinned to the ground gasped for air, and some even burst into tears uncontrollably.
In that moment, they had truly felt the stench of death.
It was a despair of being utterly powerless, of being crushed into powder at any moment.
"If you want to possess this kind of power, you must pay the price." Blood Fury retracted his hands and placed them behind his back. "The academy's rules are simple. There are only three."
He held up one finger.
"First, killing is forbidden within the academy. If you have a grudge, settle it on the Life-and-Death Stage. If you don't step onto the stage, you cannot lift a finger against each other. But..."
He paused, a meaningful smirk playing on his lips. "As I said before, this rule only applies if you are caught. If no one sees you kill, and no one can find evidence afterward, then it doesn't count as breaking the rule. Understand?"
A faint stir of unease rippled through the crowd.
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Second." Blood Fury raised a second finger. "The term is ten years. Within ten years, you must reach the rank of Second-Tier Wizard Apprentice and learn at least five complete cantrip models. Those who fail will be expelled. No exceptions, no leniency, no second chances."
"Third." Blood Fury raised a third finger. "In this academy, everything requires magic stones. Eating costs magic stones, lodging costs magic stones, attending lectures costs magic stones, borrowing books costs magic stones, buying materials costs magic stones, asking a teacher for guidance costs magic stones... If you want to learn anything, you must pay magic stones first."
He lowered his hand and scanned the crowd.
"Where do magic stones come from? From your family, from your own hard work, or... stolen from others. The academy has countless jobs; you can earn magic stones by working. Sweeping floors, washing dishes, feeding magical beasts, organizing materials, acting as lab assistants, running errands for teachers—there's work for everything. As long as you're willing to work, you won't starve."
He paused, his voice dropping slightly.
"But remember, earning magic stones is not the goal; becoming stronger is. Don't waste your time on cultivation just to earn a few magic stones. Ten years will pass in the blink of an eye."
As his voice fell, Blood Fury raised his right hand and pointed toward the eastern side of the plaza.
"Over there is the Teaching Area. All the basic knowledge freshmen need to learn is there. Meditation methods, wizardry models, runic basics, material identification—as long as you can afford the magic stones, you can attend a lecture at any time. Now, get over there."
The moment he finished speaking, his body suddenly distorted.
His bronze skin began to glow with an eerie blood-red hue, muscles rippled violently beneath his skin, and his bones let out sharp, cracking pops. In the blink of an eye, the lean middle-aged man vanished, replaced by a massive, blood-red giant dog.
Its four paws stepped onto the empty air as it lowered its head, its crimson eyes sweeping over the crowd on the plaza.
"Remember my words," Blood Fury's voice echoed from the giant dog's mouth, deep as muffled thunder. "Ten years from now, I hope to see some of you still here."
With that, it lunged upward, soaring directly into the rift in the sky that had not yet fully healed, and vanished.
The rift slowly closed, and after a few breaths, the sky returned to its original state, as if nothing had ever happened.
On the plaza, over seven thousand freshmen stood in a daze, and for a long time, no one moved.
It wasn't until someone took the first step toward the Teaching Area that the crowd began to shift slowly.
Ethan stood in place, staring at the spot where the rift had disappeared, his gaze deep and inscrutable.
A Second-Tier Wizard.
With just pressure alone, he could render over seven thousand people utterly defenseless.
He retracted his gaze, turned, and followed the flow of people toward the Teaching Area.
The Teaching Area was located on the eastern side of the plaza, a vast, continuous complex of buildings.
Ethan passed through the nearest archway, and the view suddenly opened up.
A wide stone path stretched forward, flanked by buildings of all shapes and sizes.
Some were as tall as towers, some were as low as cellars; some were entirely pitch-black, while others shimmered with a faint golden light.
People were coming and going along the stone path—some in robes, some in cloaks, some shirtless with tattoos—all sorts of individuals walking with hurried steps.
Ethan slowed his pace, his eyes scanning the signs hanging at the entrances of the buildings.
Common Tongue Instruction: Free (20 hours)
Wizards and the Supernatural: Free (1 hour)
Wizard Tongue Instruction: 1 magic stone per 10 hours (110 hours)
What is a Meditation Method: 1 magic stone per hour (1 hour)
What are Runes: 1 magic stone per 5 hours (10 hours)
What is Energy: 1 magic stone per 5 hours (5 hours)
What are Supernatural Creatures: 1 magic stone per 5 hours (5 hours)
What are Supernatural Materials: 1 magic stone per 3 hours (75 hours)
What is a Wizardry Model: 1 magic stone per hour (12 hours)
...
He retracted his gaze, his lips twitching slightly.
These prices were indeed not cheap.
Fortunately, there were still free courses.
After thinking it over, he already knew the Common Tongue, so there was no need to study it; that was likely intended for those from less fortunate backgrounds.
What he needed now was basic knowledge.
Ethan's gaze swept over the signs again, finally landing on the one that read: "Wizards and the Supernatural: Free (1 hour only)."
He set off toward that building.
It was a low, circular building constructed entirely of grey-black stone. The dome was arched, with faint runic patterns flowing across its surface.
There were no guards at the entrance, only a pair of half-open wooden doors.
Ethan pushed the doors and entered.
The space inside was much larger than it appeared from the outside. The dome hung high above, and the walls were embedded with crystals that emitted a soft glow, illuminating the entire space.
Rows of desks and chairs were neatly arranged, stretching from the entrance to the very back. At a rough glance, it could hold at least a thousand people.
Quite a few people were already seated inside.
Ethan scanned the room and estimated there were at least two or three hundred people.
Some wore coarse linen, some wore exquisite noble attire, some were draped in cloaks, and some were bare-armed. Some sat upright and attentive, some were napping on their desks, and others were whispering to one another.
But without exception, they were all new faces.
"A classroom? No teacher?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze sweeping across the front.
There was no podium, no blackboard, and no teaching tools—only a smooth stone wall.
He found a random seat near the middle and sat down.
Noticing a slot on the desktop that fit his identity plaque perfectly, Ethan took it out and placed it inside.
The moment the plaque touched the desk, the seemingly ordinary wood grain in the center of the desktop suddenly lit up.
Fine lines emerged, weaving into a complex pattern that emitted a faint blue glow.
Immediately after, a mechanical voice, devoid of any emotion, rang in his ears:
"The Wizards and the Supernatural course is about to begin. Students, please prepare yourselves."
Rate on N.U.
