My System Academy

It was already on the edge of the year, yet the lushness of the forest didn't fail to amaze Eluard who grew within the embrace of the city in his past life. Despite the darkness in the middle of the night, he could feel the vibrance of the plants and animals residing within.

They were now somewhere on the outskirts of the Eastern Seaboard, the border that separated the Morning Star Empire from the west, and the Oriental Oceanic Empire from the east. It was said that the Eastern Seaboard was the most peaceful region in Aludia despite being surrounded by the ruins of ancient civilizations.

"We've arrived.", Elder Flock stopped, raising his right hand with his index and middle finger extended, "Unlike the rest of the magic towers, no one else but the Elders know about the precise location of the Tower of Arcanus.", Elder Flock slowly explained.

Mana channeled throughout his entire body and gathered it into his right hand, then pointed both two fingers into the space. The entire surroundings instantly changed, shocking Eluard.

"The direct disciples of other Elders also know of it, discreetly.", Elder Flock added.

The three of them were currently inside a spacious room with high ceilings and long slender windows that light could not pass through.

"Listen, the supreme elder can only say so much so listen carefully to his words. I'll guard you both with my magic but don't be too negligent.", Elder Flock warned. He raised his head and expectantly looked at the central inner balcony above.

Eluard followed Elder Flock and saw a person standing on that balcony. His hair was non-existent. His eyes were drooping low, and his skin was wrinkled at worst.

If not for the overflowing magic emanating from his old body, he would be as good as dead.

The supreme elder slowly opened his mouth and strong sound waves surged out of his mouth, "Flock…", the hunched supreme elder murmured, "Sanctuary… Zumfiel… Must not fall…"

The supreme elder continued yet Elder Flock, Emilia, and Eluard all knelt under the suppression of his voice. The young man and woman were instantly shocked and quickly increased the output of their magic protection.

Eluard didn't know if it was coincidental or not, but he knew that if the supreme elder talked more, then they would vaporize under his undulating voice.

"Demons… Stars… Chaos… Gods… Doom…"

Beads of sweat rolled down each of their faces. Each word felt like a punishment from the heavens, damning them for their irrevocable sins. Eluard could already feel the sweet sensation coming out of his mouth.

He raised his head in difficulty and saw the supreme elder resting his eyes as if he was exhausted, "Good luck… Kai…"

The sound waves stopped, giving the three a huge breathing room to catch their hurried breaths. The most affected were Eluard and Emilia. They were panting heavily and did not want to listen to the supreme elder any longer.

The supreme elder turned around while waving his hands to them. The three felt their bodies turning weightless and not long after, landed on some soft ground.

They were dragged out of the supreme elder's room and were now on some foreign land.

"We will not disappoint, supreme elder."

Elder Flock was the first to compose himself and adjusted his bearing, curiously assessing his surroundings.

"Master, I think that the supreme elder has transported us inside the Sanctuary region.", Emilia concluded after using her space magic.

"The supreme elder did not want the Otherworld to be alerted of our arrival.", Elder Flock nodded. "Your space magic may be powerful, but its resonance can be easily detected by the enemies especially when it is used on very long distances."

He turned around and faced them both, "Brat, I know that there are a lot of questions in your mind right now. Speak up before we go."

"Uh, yeah…", Eluard slowly massaged his head with his right hand. That wave of magic earlier made him nauseous and vomit blood, "I'm just wondering about the supreme elder's condition…"

Eluard guessed that he could have known a bit more had the supreme elder not had that kind of condition. His ramblings were too vague for the usual person to hear. Worse, his voice could even kill them.

[ Name: Zeno Greyses ]

[ Age: ? ]

[ Race:  Ascended Elf ]

[ Status: Alive, Magic Atrophy (Fatal) ]

[ Affiliation: League of Wizardry, ? ]

[ Magic Power: ? (Level is too high to be properly assessed) ]

[ Magic Root: ? (Unable to assess) ]

[ Magic Aptitude: ? (Unable to assess) ]

[ Magic Affinity: ? (Magic waves too profound to be categorized) ]

That was the first time Eluard saw a lot of question marks in somebody's system panel description. Even Elder Flock did not have the specialty to render the system useless.

The only thing he was able to comprehend was the supreme elder's fatal status, Magic Atrophy.

[ Magic Atrophy (Fatal): User has suffered fatally dangerous injuries caused by excessive magical-based cell fever. Causes range from unwanted magic exposure to unrestrained magic power surges. ]

[ Plausible Remedies: None of the current situation. ]

[ Other Remedies (unattainable):

1. Concoction of Magic Parity Pill – Supreme Grade. Equalizes the rampaging magic inside the user's body.

2. Internal Magic Massage. Manually equalize the user's body. This may prove extremely risky and can cause unforeseen incidents. Can only be done with water and light magic affinities. Must be paired with divinity.

3. …

]

Elder Flock and Emilia were surprised. They thought that Eluard was to ask something about the mission at hand. Though that didn't stop Emilia from wanting to hear the answer too.

"Of all other things, you ask that?", Elder Flock sighed, "The supreme elder is known to be the most powerful wizard here in Aludia. Alas, it didn't come with some risk."

After contemplating his mind, he decided to turn around and walk, "The elves are one of the most primitive creatures that have roamed on this land. And through the unpredictable years, their culture and tradition have developed."

"And the most notable of them all is this."

Elder Flock gestured for Eluard and Emilia to walk through first.

Far ahead was an open area where a still lake could be observed. They could feel the dense presence of mana surging beneath the dark lake.

Alune's gentle moonlight streaked across the lake's surface, virtually splitting it in half.

"Elder, this lake is…?"

"Alune's Spring. It's a special lake for the elves.", Elder Flock strolled on the side, "It is rumored that the bottom of this lake will glow faintly whenever a chosen person who will lead the elves approach or even bathe in it."

Eluard nodded and was astonished by the magical way how elves elected their next ruler, 'Truly a civilization who adores magic.'

Just as he was about to touch the lake's surface, Elder Flock warned, "Hey, brat! Don't go touching that lake now or you'll anger the elves…"

Disappointed, Eluard retracted his hands. Then, he vaguely noticed that the silver moonlight turned crimson for a glimpse, 'Was that an illusion?!'

He wanted to alert Elder Flock but realized that the latter was preoccupied with the previous topic.

"As I was saying… hmm… where was I?", Elder Flock scratched his beard, "Ah yes, Alune's Spring. The supreme elder, in the most warring days, had no choice but to utilize the lake's dense aura of magic to forcefully ascend and resist the countless waves of demonic creatures attacking the old Sanctuary."

"The heavens cried in anger that day or so. Nobody but the chosen rulers should dare use that power. In the end, he was severely punished for it."

Elder Flock shook his head and sighed, "Although the demonic creatures retreated, the supreme elder's life was almost extinguished. If not for the combined efforts of the other elves healing him at that time, he may have died pitifully."

Eluard felt the melancholy in Elder Flock's voice.

"Let's not dawdle in this matter any longer.", they left the area in a hurry and proceeded to the nearest city.

Eluard took another glance at the lake's surface. The silver moonlight remained there but he noticed that it was no longer as calm as before, 'Something must have happened. Demons, huh?'

He trailed after Elder Flock and joined them shortly.

"The supreme elder talked about the Zumfiel Household. It seems that they are the key to unlocking the mystery of this uprising.", Elder Flock muttered, "Eluard, you were acquainted with that girl, Haera?"

"Yes. Our first meeting was rather confusing…", Eluard said distractedly.

"Confusing? In what way?", Elder Flock asked.

"Well, for some reason, she managed to uncover the truth of my identity with very few details. I don't know if that was luck, or maybe I was too naïve then…", Eluard embarrassingly answered.

He didn't want to linger in the details of the past any longer.

"That is indeed strange. The elves do not have a strong network of passing information with one another.", Elder Flock surmised, "What else?"

"Oh, she also helped me sell the materials of the remains of the demonic creatures. If I remember, I sold it at some weird bar whose owner was a minotaur or something, and the rest from a man named Wyn Qinric…", Eluard tried to recall them as best as possible.

"A bar?", both the master and female disciple were shocked, "What kind of crazy situation is that?"

Eluard was at a loss as well.

Elder Flock tried to come up with a conclusion of his own before things became awkward, "Haera must have set up that bar to further prove that you are really someone from the Academy. It seems you fell for her trap."

It was unheard of that some random barman would be interested in buying raw materials directly from the source itself.

"Heh, I bet he fell for her beauty.", Emilia sneered, "That's what lofty guys like you always fall from. Thinking as if you're different from any…"

Elder Flock smacked her head, "Shut up, damn girl!"

Eluard scratched his head and quickly changed the topic, "Anyway, that was how I got acquainted with her during my time here in the Sanctuary."

"I see.", Elder Flock nodded.

"I bet there's more to that…", Emilia devilishly butted but Elder Flock glared at her, shutting her to the fullest.

"Elder, won't the people back at the Morning Star Empire become suspicious of our sudden disappearance?", Eluard was worried that things might go worse.

"The supreme elder's task is far more worrying than that, brat. Those cultists can go around and spread their 'holy words'. Only fools would listen to them.", Elder Flock snorted in disdain, "Even then, they can try and challenge an Elder like me in combat. Let's see which daring idiot would try."

Eluard's face twitched, 'How domineering...'

After a while, Emilia asked, "Master, shall we remain discreetly, or should we openly operate in this mission?"

"We'll do it discreetly. The mastermind of this uprising may be alerted and immediately stop their operations. Well, if there is any.", Elder Flock assessed, "We can use the Zumfiels as our temporary hideout."

He glanced at Eluard and cheekily smiled, "He will grant us face with you around."

Eluard shivered, 'This master and disciple duo… There's something wrong about them…'

"Emilia.", he gestured, "Open up a rift."

Emilia concentrated on the open area in front.

"Eh? Elder, I thought that using her space magic might be conspicuous.", Eluard was confused.

"Only when used on long distances, brat.", Elder Flock replied, "The closer it is, the better she can compose herself and stabilize the fluctuation of her space magic. Don't worry, she'll manage."

9 transparent magic circles emerged, and she chanted, "Spatial Rift!", opening a small vertical chasm that led to the indoors of someone's house.

…

An elf with long black hair draping over his broad shoulders was playfully spinning a stick in his left hand.

"Brother, why are you this carefree?", Veron asked coldly. His injuries were still lingering around his body and seeing his brother Norton dawdling around angered him.

"Veron, why are you so exasperated? You are more worried about Haera than me.", Norton replied while lying around the wooden recliner.

"Brother, this is the demonic creatures we are talking about! A deadlock spell inserted into a curse!", Veron angrily retorted, "Do you not ever think of your child at all?! She's your damn daughter!"

They had been quarreling about this topic for days now and Veron could not push Norton to take it very seriously.

"You are too paranoid, Veron.", Norton lazily replied, "The more you act like that, the deeper we will fall into the enemy's trap."

"Then what do you suggest we should do? Lie here and wait?!", Veron couldn't take it anymore. His niece was dying so how could he stand by and let that happen?

"Of course. We should make them the impatient ones…", Norton's eyes darted to the back of the entire household where the courtyard was located, "Hehehe, they're already here.",

Veron was alerted, "Who?", trying to sense his surroundings but couldn't find any abnormalities.

Norton felt annoyed as he stood up and stretched before walking into the courtyard. He waved his hands and said farewell to Veron.

"Nothing. Keep watch here and for my return. Or rather, our return."