The gates of the academy stood tall.
Massive.
Cold.
Overwhelming.
Leo stopped in front of it.
Students walked past him.
Laughing. Talking. Confident.
All of them looked like they belonged here.
"…So this is it."
The place where mages are made.
"Move."
A voice came from behind.
Leo stepped aside quickly.
A boy with blue hair walked past him.
Clean uniform. Noble aura.
He looked at Leo for a second.
"You're new?" he asked.
Leo nodded.
"Yeah."
The boy smiled.
"Same here."
"I'm Ray."
Leo blinked.
"…Leo."
Ray looked at the academy gate.
"Pretty crazy, right?"
Leo nodded again.
"Let's go," Ray said.
🏫 Inside the Academy
The hall was huge.
Magic circles floated in the air.
Students were already showing off their skills.
Fire.
Wind.
Light.
Leo quietly observed everything.
Every spell.
Every movement.
"…I see," he whispered.
Ray glanced at him.
"You understand this stuff?"
Leo hesitated.
"…Kind of."
Before Ray could reply—
A voice echoed through the hall.
"All new students, gather!"
A teacher stood at the front.
Tall. Strict.
"You will now take the entrance test."
"Show us your magic."
Students stepped forward one by one.
Casting spells.
Some strong.
Some weak.
Then—
"Next."
Leo's turn.
He walked forward.
All eyes on him.
"Cast a basic spell," the teacher said.
Leo raised his hand.
Paused.
He remembered the book.
The errors.
The flaws.
"…This again," he whispered.
Mana gathered slowly.
Unstable.
Weak.
A small spark appeared—
Then disappeared.
Silence.
A student laughed.
"Seriously?"
"That's it?"
More laughter spread.
"Failed," the teacher said coldly.
"Next."
Leo lowered his hand.
No reaction.
No anger.
Just thinking.
"…Still inefficient," he muttered.
He stepped aside.
Ray looked at him.
"You okay?"
Leo nodded.
"…Yeah."
But then—
A girl stepped forward.
Red hair.
Sharp eyes.
Confident stance.
Rin.
Leo froze.
She didn't notice him.
Or maybe—
She ignored him.
"Watch closely," she said.
Mana gathered instantly.
Perfect control.
A bright, flawless spell formed in her hand.
Stable.
Beautiful.
Powerful.
The hall went silent.
"Excellent," the teacher said.
Rin lowered her hand.
Then—
For a brief second—
Her eyes met Leo's.
Recognition.
A small pause.
Then she looked away.
Like he didn't matter.
"…Same as before," Leo whispered.
But this time—
He didn't feel small.
He looked at her spell again.
Carefully.
"…Still flawed."
And slowly—
A faint smile appeared on his face...