The sun rose over the world of Elderia, casting golden light upon towering spires and ancient stone paths. Across the Arcane Academy, students stirred from their dormitories, hurriedly preparing for the opening ceremony of a new academic year.
From every direction, streams of students moved toward the Grand Hall, their voices filled with excitement, anticipation, and nervous chatter.
Arcane Academy was not merely a school—it was a crucible.
A place where nobles, prodigies, and rare talents were refined into weapons for the nation.
Every graduate was guaranteed power, status, or death before graduation.
Unbeknownst to them all, something had already gone terribly wrong.
✦✦✦
In a secluded corner room on the second floor of the boys' dormitory, a boy lay sprawled across the cold stone floor.
His eyes were open.
Yet within them, there was no spark of life.
His body lay motionless, thin and malnourished, resembling nothing more than an abandoned shell.
This body originally belonged to a low-ranking noble—barely above commoner status.
A failed mage. A disgrace within the academy.
Someone who had collapsed the night before… and never woken up.
Suddenly—
A faint, invisible, cold spark emerged from thin air.
It flowed into the boy's body, as if a distant existence were forcing its way into this world through another dimension.
The boy's fingers twitched.
Color slowly returned to his pale skin. His chest rose and fell as breath returned to lungs that had long forgotten its rhythm.
Moments later, the lifeless body stirred.
With great effort, the boy's eyelids fluttered. His consciousness surfaced slowly, weighed down by weakness and hunger. He tried to move, but his limbs trembled under the strain.
Groaning faintly, he pushed himself upright and leaned against the side of the bed. His dazed eyes scanned the unfamiliar room.
Then, in a hoarse whisper, he muttered,
"Where the f*ck am I…?"
✦✦✦
Alden's POV
"Where the f*ck am I?!"
My eyes darted around the room.
Luxurious furniture. Intricate carvings. Elegant designs that screamed nobility—straight out of a fantasy novel. This place looked nothing like my old world.
The air itself felt different.
Dense. Heavy. As if something unseen pressed against my skin.
Mana—though I didn't realize it yet—flowed freely in this world.
I stood up, still stunned—
Then suddenly—
Agonizing pain exploded inside my head.
"Ahhh—!"
My vision blurred as I dropped to my knees. It felt as though millions of needles were piercing my skull, my veins, my very soul. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably as foreign memories flooded my mind.
Scenes. Faces. Names. Emotions that weren't mine.
Magic lessons I failed.
Sneers from nobles.
A body pushed beyond its limits.
A night of despair before everything went black.
My brain struggled to process the overwhelming influx. For a moment, I thought it would shatter completely.
But slowly… the pain subsided.
My breathing steadied. My thoughts began to align.
I stood up unsteadily and walked toward the mirror in the room.
The reflection staring back at me was unfamiliar.
Messy, windswept black hair framed a sharp face. Long bangs partially shadowed my eyes—glowing red irises that carried an intense, almost predatory gaze. Handsome… yet dangerous.
Like a villain.
These eyes were not normal.
They were said to be a mark of an abnormal mana constitution—one feared and often suppressed.
My expression was eerily calm, emotionless, even though a storm raged inside my chest.
A small smirk crept onto my lips.
"So… it looks like I got transmigrated into a fantasy world."
Before I could process that thought further—
BEEP! BEEP!
A loud alarm shattered the silence.
Clicking it off, I sighed.
"Let's see how my first day in this world goes."
✦✦✦
The Grand Hall overflowed with students. Thousands of voices echoed against marble pillars, their excitement filling the massive chamber.
Every student wore an academy crest—its color subtly indicating their evaluation tier.
Bronze. Silver. Gold. And a rare few with no visible color at all.
Unaware to them all—
An anomaly sat among them.
I sat alone in the back row, tucked into a secluded corner.
"I swear, my ears are about to burst," I muttered internally. "Feels like a swarm of mosquitoes buzzing next to me."
Despite my irritation, my face remained completely expressionless.
Suddenly, the chatter died down.
Not because the students had suddenly matured—
But because she appeared.
A breathtakingly beautiful woman stepped onto the stage. Her presence alone silenced the hall. Even my blank expression cracked slightly at the sight of her.
Though no one noticed—
A monster hid behind that beautiful smile.
"Hello, everyone," she said calmly.
"Welcome to the Arcane Academy."
"I am Alexa von Veldora, principal of this academy and one of the five SS-rank humans in our nation. It is a pleasure to meet you, little ones."
Ranks in this world were absolute.
From F to S—and beyond that, SS-rankers were walking calamities. There is no records of the SSS-ranker to exist.
Her voice was smooth, yet heavy with authority.
"This academy is the most prestigious institution in our nation. Only those with talent may enter. You all have passed numerous trials to stand here today. For that, we acknowledge your hard work."
Then—
A mischievous smile curved her lips.
"But don't think you're all going to survive here."
In the next instant, she released her aura.
The pressure slammed into the hall like a tidal wave.
More than half the students collapsed instantly, unconscious before they even realized what happened.
✦✦✦
Alden's POV
A chill ran down my spine the moment she smiled.
Then her aura crashed into us.
It felt eerily similar to the pain I had experienced earlier—overwhelming, crushing, merciless.
This wasn't just intimidation.
It was a warning.
"Damn it…!"
I clutched my body as I fell to my knees, struggling to breathe.
"Is she a principal… or a demon wearing human skin?!"
I forced myself to endure it. Surprisingly, I was less affected than most. Gritting my teeth, I looked around.
Only a handful of students were still conscious.
The rest lay scattered across the floor.
Moments later, the pressure faded.
I dragged myself back to my seat, breathing heavily.
The hall fell into eerie silence.
Healers and instructors rushed in to tend to the unconscious students.
Principal Alexa waved her hand dismissively.
"It was merely a simple pressure test," she said indifferently.
"But it seems the little mice couldn't even stand tall."
She glanced around the hall.
"Only twenty students remain conscious. Good."
Those who endured would be fast-tracked.
Those who failed would be culled by reality.
"From tomorrow onward, all students will attend their allotted classes."
With that, she vanished—disappearing into thin air through what could only be powerful spatial manipulation befitting an SS-ranker.
I stood up slowly and made my way out of the hall, my thoughts swirling.
"It seems my academy life won't be as easy as I imagined…"
Then—
A sudden realization struck me.
"Wait… shouldn't I have a golden finger after transmigrating?"
My eyes lit up.
I whispered excitedly,
"Status window… open."