Three days passed in a blur of cultivation and careful performance. Wei Xuan cultivated every night, pushing his limits in the darkness while Marcus slept. By day, he attended classes and training sessions, careful to show only gradual improvement. Not too fast. Not too obvious. But people were starting to notice anyway.
"Did you see Wei Xuan in combat drills yesterday?" The whispers followed him through the corridors, fragments of conversation that he pretended not to hear. "He actually blocked Instructor Gareth's test spell." "Probably just luck." "Twice in a row?"
Wei Xuan ignored the whispers, keeping his expression neutral as he walked past clusters of students. Let them talk. As long as they thought it was luck or coincidence, he was safe. The moment they suspected something more, the questions would start. And questions led to scrutiny, which led to problems he wasn't ready to handle yet.
Marcus had stopped asking questions, but Wei Xuan caught him watching sometimes. Thoughtful. Curious. That was fine. Marcus was smart enough to know when to keep quiet, and loyal enough not to spread rumors. Wei Xuan had chosen his roommate well—or rather, fate had chosen for him.
On the fourth morning, Wei Xuan headed to the training grounds alone. Marcus had morning theory class—something about elemental affinities and spell matrices. Wei Xuan had skipped it. He'd read the textbook already, twice, and most of it was basic energy manipulation theory dressed up in fancy terminology. His time was better spent practicing.
The training grounds were nearly empty at this hour. A few students practiced in the far corner, their spells flashing in the morning light. Wei Xuan found an open space and began running through basic forms. Footwork. Balance. Mana circulation while moving. The academy didn't teach this. They focused on stationary casting—stand still, aim, release. But Wei Xuan knew better. In real combat, you moved. You adapted. Standing still was a death sentence.
He was halfway through a circulation cycle when someone cleared their throat behind him. Wei Xuan turned, already knowing this wasn't going to be a friendly encounter. The body language was all wrong—too aggressive, too deliberate.
A young man stood there, early twenties, tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair and a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. His academy robes had two silver stripes—Tier 2 Mage. Behind him stood three other students, all Tier 2, all watching Wei Xuan like he was something interesting they'd found on the ground.
"You're Wei Xuan," the tall one said. Not a question. A statement of fact, delivered with the confidence of someone used to being right.
"I am." Wei Xuan kept his voice level, his posture relaxed. No point in showing tension or fear. That would only encourage them.
"I'm Derek." He stepped closer, invading Wei Xuan's personal space in a way that was clearly intentional. "I've heard about you."
Wei Xuan said nothing, waiting. Derek's smirk widened, enjoying the game. "They say you've been getting lucky in sparring matches. Dodging spells you shouldn't be able to dodge. Winning fights you should lose."
"I've been training." Simple answer. No elaboration. Don't give them ammunition.
"Training." Derek laughed, and his friends joined in. "You're a Tier 1 Apprentice in Building C. The weakest dorm. You shouldn't even be able to cast a proper shield spell."
Wei Xuan met his gaze steadily. "Is there something you want?"
Derek's expression hardened, the pretense of friendliness dropping away. "I want to see if the rumors are true. Or if you're just a fraud who got lucky a few times."
One of Derek's friends—a stocky boy with a shaved head—grinned. "Come on, Derek. Don't waste time on this guy. He's nobody."
"Maybe." Derek didn't look away from Wei Xuan. "But I don't like anomalies. And you, Wei Xuan, are an anomaly."
Wei Xuan considered his options, running through scenarios in his mind. He could walk away. Refuse the challenge. Let Derek think he was a coward. That would be the safe choice, the smart choice. But it would also paint a target on his back. Bullies didn't stop when you ran—they just got more aggressive. Or he could fight. Show enough skill to make Derek back off, but not so much that it raised bigger questions.
The problem was, Derek was Tier 2. Legitimately strong. If Wei Xuan held back too much, he'd lose. If he didn't hold back enough, he'd reveal more than he wanted. It was a delicate balance, and he'd have to walk it perfectly.
Screw it. Sometimes the only way forward was through.
"Alright," Wei Xuan said. "Let's spar."
Derek's smirk returned, triumphant. "Good. I was hoping you'd say that."
They moved to the center of the training grounds, and the other students noticed immediately. The few who'd been practicing stopped to watch, and more began to drift over from the nearby buildings. Word spread fast in the academy—a Tier 2 challenging a Tier 1 was always worth watching, especially when the Tier 1 was from Building C.
Wei Xuan saw Sarah in the growing crowd. She looked worried, her brow furrowed. He gave her a slight nod, trying to project confidence he didn't entirely feel. Derek drew his wand—a polished length of dark wood, probably expensive, probably enchanted. "Standard rules. First clean hit wins. Try not to embarrass yourself too badly."
Wei Xuan drew his own wand. Academy standard issue. Plain and unremarkable. The difference between their weapons was a perfect metaphor for the difference in their status. One of Derek's friends stepped forward to referee. "Ready?"
Wei Xuan nodded, settling into a ready stance. His mana was already circulating, flowing through his channels in the patterns he'd practiced every night. He felt calm, focused, his mind clear of everything except the fight ahead.
"Begin!"
Derek moved immediately, his wand flicking out in a sharp gesture. A lance of fire shot toward Wei Xuan's chest—fast, precise, Tier 2 power. Wei Xuan shifted left, letting the fire lance pass inches from his shoulder, close enough to feel the heat. Derek didn't pause. He cast again—three fireballs this time, spread out to cover more area, cutting off escape routes.
Wei Xuan dropped low. The fireballs passed overhead, close enough that he felt the heat wash over him. He rolled right, came up on one knee, and raised his wand. "Spark."
The same basic spell he'd used against Sarah. Tier 1, barely worth learning. Except this time, Wei Xuan poured more mana into it. Not just a little more—a lot more. He compressed the energy, refined it, shaped it with techniques the academy had never dreamed of. The spark became a bolt of white light, crackling with power.
It shot across the training ground faster than Derek could react. Derek's eyes widened, his confident smirk vanishing. He tried to dodge, but the bolt caught him square in the chest. The impact threw him backward. He hit the ground hard, sliding two feet before stopping.
Silence. Complete, absolute silence. Derek lay there, staring at the sky, smoke rising from his robes where the bolt had hit. Wei Xuan stood slowly, lowering his wand. "Clean hit," he said quietly.
The referee—Derek's friend—looked between them, mouth open. "I... uh..."
"Clean hit," Wei Xuan repeated, his voice firm. There was no ambiguity here. The rules were clear.
Derek sat up slowly, his face red—from anger or embarrassment, Wei Xuan couldn't tell. Probably both. "You—" Derek's voice shook. "That wasn't a Tier 1 spell."
"It was Spark. Basic fire-starting spell. You can check the academy manual." Wei Xuan kept his tone neutral, factual. No gloating. No mockery. Just stating facts.
"No Tier 1 spell hits that hard!" Derek's voice rose, drawing more attention from the crowd.
Wei Xuan shrugged. "Maybe I got lucky."
Derek's hands clenched into fists. For a moment, Wei Xuan thought he might attack again, rules or no rules. The tension in the air was palpable, the crowd holding its collective breath. But then Derek stood, brushing off his robes with sharp, angry movements. His expression was cold now. Controlled. Dangerous.
"Lucky," he said softly. "Right." He turned to his friends. "Let's go."
They left, the crowd parting to let them through. Wei Xuan watched them go, his mind already running the numbers. He'd made an enemy today. Derek's pride had been wounded in front of dozens of witnesses, and people like Derek didn't forget that kind of humiliation. He'd come back. That was certain. The question was when and in what form.
But he'd also made a point. I'm not a target. Sometimes that was worth the cost. He'd have to get stronger fast enough that when Derek did come back, the result was the same. And he'd have to do it without showing anyone exactly how fast he was actually growing.
Sarah approached as the crowd dispersed, her expression a mixture of awe and concern. "That was insane," she said. "How did you do that?"
"Do what?" Wei Xuan kept his tone casual, but he was watching her carefully. Sarah was smart. Too smart to accept easy answers.
"Don't play dumb. That spell—it shouldn't have been that strong." She crossed her arms, studying him with those sharp green eyes. "I've been practicing magic for three years. I know what a Spark spell looks like. That wasn't it."
Wei Xuan met her eyes. "I put more mana into it."
"That's not how it works. You can't just pour more mana into a basic spell and expect—"
"Why not?" Wei Xuan interrupted. It was a genuine question, one he'd been thinking about since he arrived in this world.
Sarah opened her mouth, then closed it. "Because... the spell structure can't handle it. It would destabilize."
"Did it destabilize?"
"No, but—"
"Then maybe the academy's wrong about spell limits." Wei Xuan let that hang in the air between them. It was a dangerous statement, bordering on heresy. The academy's teachings were considered absolute, unquestionable. But Sarah was smart enough to see the logic.
She stared at him, her expression shifting from confusion to something like understanding. "You're serious."
"I'm serious."
She shook her head slowly. "You're either brilliant or insane."
"Maybe both." Wei Xuan allowed himself a small smile.
A smile tugged at her lips despite herself. "I'm starting to think you're not as weak as everyone says."
"I'm not."
"Then why are you in Building C?" It was the obvious question, the one everyone would be asking now.
Wei Xuan considered the question, weighing how much to reveal. "Because it's easier to train when no one's watching."
Sarah's smile faded. She looked at him differently now, not with pity or dismissal, but with something like respect. And maybe a little fear. "Be careful," she said finally. "Derek's not going to forget this. And he has friends. Powerful friends."
"I know." Wei Xuan had suspected as much. Derek's confidence, his arrogance—it came from more than just personal strength. Nobody carried themselves that way without backing.
"Do you?" Sarah glanced toward the academy buildings, where Derek and his friends had disappeared. "His family has connections with the Mage Council. If he complains to the right people, you could be expelled. Or worse." She paused, as if deciding whether to say more. "I've seen it happen. A student last year, Tier 1, made the wrong enemy. By the next month she was gone. Official reason was 'voluntary withdrawal.' Nobody believed it."
Wei Xuan absorbed that. He'd suspected there were institutional channels that could be used against him — hearing it confirmed made the threat more concrete. The Mage Council. Derek's family. The gap between a promising Tier 1 anomaly and a protected Tier 2 noble was exactly the kind of gap that got exploited.
"I'll be careful," he said.
Sarah nodded. "Good luck." She walked away, leaving Wei Xuan alone in the training grounds.
The sun was higher now, warming the stone beneath his feet. He'd won today. Made a statement. But Sarah was right, and the warning was real. Derek wouldn't let this go. He would need to be faster. Stronger. Better concealed. All three at once, and all of them before the inevitable next encounter.
Time to accelerate the plan.