Chapter 83: The Academy Gates and the First Deception
After leaving the bustling streets of Celestia behind, Volt and his mismatched party trekked toward the jagged, frost-bitten peaks of the north. There, shrouded in a perpetual, shimmering mist, stood the "High Academy of Magic"—a sprawling fortress of white marble and enchanted crystals that gleamed like a holy beacon under the afternoon sun. The walls were not just stone; they were reinforced with ancient mana-circuits that hummed with a low, intimidating frequency.
"My Lord, what is the plan for infiltration?" Sai whispered, his eyes narrowed as he scouted the heavy presence of sentries and elite battle-mages guarding the main archway. "Those guards aren't just checking papers; they have a sensory field that can distinguish human souls from... others. We cannot simply waltz into the heart of the enemy's sanctuary without being detected."
Volt let out a low, chilling chuckle, his crimson eyes glowing faintly beneath the shadow of his tattered hood. He knew that brute force would only alert the High Mages before he could locate his target. Instead, he reached into the cold depths of the System and activated the reward he had earned through his calculated restraint: 'Mind Control'. A thin, violet mist—unseen by the common eye—coiled like a predatory serpent from Volt's gaze, slithering toward the lead sentry.
"We are three transfer students from the outer northern provinces, here for the late-entry examinations," Volt commanded, his voice laced with an undeniable, hypnotic authority.
The sentry, a burly man encased in heavy enchanted plate armor, suddenly went rigid. His eyes turned glassy and vacant, as if he were dreaming while wide awake. He nodded slowly, the metal of his gorget creaking. "Yes... transfer students... of course. Here are your temporary identification badges. Proceed to the Hall of Resonance for your mana-level testing." Without a hint of suspicion, he signaled the other guards to heave open the massive iron-bound gates.
Aki, struggling to keep his oversized student robes from tripping him, giggled with a mischievous glint in his eye. "That was almost too easy! Master, this mind magic is way more efficient than my lockpicks for getting into places we aren't supposed to be! I'm already planning a little visit to the Great Library; I heard they use raw mana-crystals as paperweights and leave them completely unguarded!".
Sai sighed, looking down at the thief with weary disdain. "We are not here to scavenge for shiny pebbles, Aki. We are here for something that will make the foundations of this world tremble.".
Volt stepped into the sprawling, manicured courtyard of the Academy. At that precise moment, he felt a violent, familiar resonance vibrating deep beneath the earth—a pulse that only he could perceive. "My blade... 'The Void Reaper'... it is buried in the very heart of this fortress. It is calling to me," Volt whispered, his eyes flaring with a darker shade of red. "But before I reclaim what is mine, I shall teach these 'masters' and their 'holy students' a lesson about the true nature of the abyss—the darkness they have feared for a thousand years.".
As they made their way toward the main spire, a girl with vibrant, flame-red hair and high-ranking mage robes stepped into their path, blocking the way. It was Rena, the prodigy of the Academy. "Halt! Who are you?" she demanded, her gaze fixing on Volt with intense suspicion. "I feel an unnaturally cold aura emanating from you. No ordinary student possesses mana this freezing.".