The Imperial Capital, Arcanum, was a breathtaking contrast to the industrial grime of Ironhold. Or the desolate hellscape of the Valley of Cinders. It was a city of floating towers. White marble bridges. Rivers of pure liquid mana that flowed through aqueducts of gold.
Here, the sky wasn't bruised purple. It was a brilliant, magical azure. Griffins patrolled the airspace. The streets were filled with NPCs dressed in silk and velvet. Moving with an air of sophisticated arrogance.
Sebastian stood at the massive white gates of the Academy District. He felt... stifled.
He was wearing a mask. A simple, porcelain half-mask that covered the upper part of his face. Enchanted with [Void Concealment]. To the world, his name was "Raven." His level appeared as a modest 15. His class: [Scholar].
Beside him stood Valerie. Looking regal in a pristine set of robes that cost more than most players would earn in a lifetime. She played the part of the noble heiress perfectly. Her chin held high. Her staff tapping rhythmically on the cobblestones.
"This feels wrong," Valerie whispered. Keeping a smile plastered on her face for the benefit of the passing NPCs. "You, in a uniform. It's like putting a shark in a goldfish bowl."
Sebastian adjusted the collar of the black Academy uniform he'd acquired via the black market. "Camouflage is a weapon, Valerie. Remember that."
They approached the registration desk set up in the main plaza of the Academy. A long line of players stretched back for blocks—thousands of hopefuls trying to gain entry to qualify for the tournament. Most would fail. The Academy didn't accept just anyone. You needed high Intelligence stats. Or a rare affinity.
Valerie bypassed the line. Flashing her Letter of Recommendation stamped with the seal of a Duke. The NPC registrar, a haughty elf with spectacles, bowed low.
"Lady Valerie of House Sterling. Welcome. Your enrollment is pre-approved. Please proceed to the Dormitory of Flames."
Valerie nodded. Stepped through the gate. She paused. Looking back at Sebastian. He was standing in the "Special Entry" line—a shorter queue meant for those claiming exceptional talent or unique circumstances.
The elf looked at Sebastian with disdain. "Name?"
"Raven," Sebastian said. His voice modulated by the mask to sound raspier. Older.
"And what business does a... commoner... have in the Special Entry line?" the elf sneered. Looking at Sebastian's lack of visible high-tier gear. He'd unequipped the [Shadowfang]. Stored it in his ring. Carrying only a basic iron rod.
"I am applying for the position of Special Auditor," Sebastian stated.
The elf froze. The players in line behind Sebastian snickered.
"Auditor?" a player laughed. "Dude thinks he can be a teacher? You need to be Level 30 for that!"
"Silence," the elf snapped at the crowd. Then turned back to Sebastian. His eyes narrowing. "The position of Auditor is reserved for those who have mastered a branch of magic theory beyond the comprehension of the standard curriculum. It is not for adventurers seeking a shortcut to the tournament."
"Test me," Sebastian said.
The elf sighed. Clearly bored. He reached under the desk. Pulled out a [Mana Crystal of Complexity]. It was a chaotic, swirling mess of colors inside a glass sphere.
"This crystal contains a Tier 3 spell structure that has been destabilized," the elf explained monotonously. "A standard mage would take an hour to untangle the mana threads and stabilize the..."
Sebastian reached out. He didn't take the crystal. He simply tapped the glass with his finger.
[Skill: Forbidden Alchemy - Analysis]
[Skill: Mana Manipulation (Divine Tier)]
He didn't use a spell. Used raw, brute-force control. He injected a needle-thin pulse of Void mana into the crystal. He found the chaotic knot in the spell structure. Severed it. Then grabbed the loose ends of the mana threads. Fused them together instantly.
PING.
The chaotic swirling inside the sphere stopped instantly. The colors merged. Turning a uniform, perfectly stable clear blue.
The entire process took less than a second.
The elf's jaw dropped. He looked at the crystal. Then at Sebastian. Then back at the crystal. He adjusted his spectacles. Assuming he'd hallucinated.
"That... that was a Tier 3 destabilization," the elf stammered. "You... you didn't even chant. You didn't draw a circle. You just..."
"Fixed it," Sebastian finished. "Is that sufficient?"
The elf swallowed hard. He looked at Sebastian with newfound fear. To manipulate mana with that level of casual precision required a stat distribution that was impossible for a player—or a deep, fundamental understanding of the game's code that rivaled the Archmages.
"I... Yes. Yes, Lord Raven," the elf said. His tone shifting from disdain to obsequious terror. He hurriedly stamped a piece of parchment with a golden seal. "You are granted the rank of Special Auditor. You have access to the Forbidden Library and the Faculty dueling grounds."
Sebastian took the paper.
"Good."
He walked past the stunned registrar. The silent line of players. He caught up to Valerie inside the gates.
"Auditor?" Valerie hissed. "You're a teacher now?"
"It gives me access to the Library," Sebastian said. His eyes scanning the massive, floating towers of the Academy. "It lets me skip the prelims of the tournament. While the students fight for a spot, I'll be waiting in the finals."
He looked at the notifications scrolling in his peripheral vision.
[Quest Accepted: The Scholar's Mask.]
[Objective: Maintain your cover until the Tournament begins.]
[Reward: Access to the Inner Sanctum.]
"Don't get comfortable, Valerie," Sebastian warned. Watching a group of high-level NPC mages walking across the courtyard. "This isn't a school. It's a farm. We're here to harvest."
Just then, a commotion erupted near the fountain. A group of senior students, wearing the red and gold robes of the 'Elite' faction, were surrounding a new arrival.
"Look at this trash," a tall, blonde mage sneered. Shoving a younger player. "Newbies bow to seniors. That's the rule."
Sebastian stopped. He recognized the blonde mage.
Drake. The top student of the Academy. A Fire Mage with an ego bigger than his mana pool. In the future, one of the Generals of the Human Resistance who would betray humanity for a promise of power from the Void.
"Target acquired," Sebastian whispered.
"Zero, don't," Valerie warned. Seeing the look in his eyes. "We're undercover."
"I know," Sebastian said. Adjusting his mask. "But an Auditor's job is to correct mistakes. That..." He pointed at Drake. "...is a mistake that needs correcting."