The Black Pits

Belite sighed lightly as he looked at the red and white majestic building and the vast grounds before it.

In the past weeks after going through the Essential Heart Manifestation, Belite had gone through many tests and experiments done by PeaceKeepers to determine how his Blessing, Cold Touch worked, along with how his essential heart worked.

Under his puzzlement on how he survived after signing the Divine Vow, he got to know more about his Blessing, Cold Touch.

The more he learned about it, the more terrified the Peace Keepers became along with Miss Nanchoko's awkward consoling and Blazing Fury's horror. Belite had learned a few things about his Blessing.

Firstly, as long as the thing he touched was an inanimate object, it would be fine for a while depending on the material.

Secondly, the effects on microscopic organisms varied. Many of them died but there were few that didn't.

Thirdly, there was the problem that he couldn't touch anybody. This, along with his Blessing Cold Touch, was already informed to the Cvoilics Royal Magic Academy under Belite's discontent, as it was a necessary protocol to inform them about Blessings harmful to other students or surroundings.

Even though it was not like he couldn't touch anyone, it was harmful if others touched his bare skin or if he touched their bare skin voluntarily. It was fine if the other party wore clothes or gloves.

Later, it became clear that even Seekers of 8th Circle had to go through some harm to come into contact with him, much less the newly 9th Circle students of the Cvoilics Royal Academy.

'It's not like I actually care, y'know.' Under the watchful eyes of the staff and the students, Belite walked on the grounds of the Academy with personnel of the Everlasting Alliance and Peace Keepers as a small bag hung on his shoulders(which contained magical equipment).

'This Cold Touch is undoubtedly a Blessing of Past while the Wish is a Blessing of Future. So... I'll have to walk on the Imaginary Circles of Fate until I fulfill this?'

'Fulfilling Wish... That does sound a bit...'

He had already tried utilising his Blessing called Wish, but everytime he tried to, he was met with an interference until he gave up.

It was a familiar and uncomfortable interference, one he was already familiar with yet detested, but it was worth it, he supposed. Especially since the Peace Keepers had given him 116 Yellow stones — the highest ranked currency in the Welleysworths Union — which he already had an idea of how to use (to convert them into crystals) and also a bunch of spellbooks to read.

Since it was almost a given that he'd need to enter into combat if things go awry — and also because they saw him as a special person — the Peace Keepers had generously taught him 3 Third Dimensional Spells — Enhance, Burning Hands, and Red Block in the span of two weeks and given him the spellbook for a high level Third Dimensional Spell — Radiance, as well.

Although 2 weeks of time was a bit off for three spells, pulling on all nighters and with the help of professional tutors, Belite had succeeded.

Now, the only reason he'd gotten such special treatment was because they had deemed him special.

Apparently, Seekers, upon manifestation, don't have the information about their Essential Heart and Blessings etched to their brain — something that Belite had known and said, because of Him.

Anyway, since it was rare but wasn't that rare, he wasn't given much special treatment either. And there were various rumours and theories that such people with injected knowledge were ominous…

"Looks like you're going to be single for the rest of your life, kid." The personnel sent to escort him said, breaking him out of his reverie. "Unless... You manage to score one of those High Circles Seekers who aren't affected by your Blessing." The personnel laughed.

Belite just shrugged at his behaviour with a sigh. He didn't know how to react to that honestly.

'I'm going to stand out even in the best Academy in the world... Alot, for unacademic reasons.'

"But hey, don't be too disheartened. You can still go on those e-dates, but don't be scared if the other party turns out to be a..." The personnel said as he laughed while he tightened the tie on his suit. "I can never get used to these things... Being someone from the slums, it must be the same for you?"

"Ofcourse. But adapting to new surroundings was my top priority when I went place to place for money."

"You're different from the ones I saw," The personnel whose height made him a head or two taller than Belite looked down at him. "They barely had food, having to go through hours of tedious work to get a dinner or two. But I've heard that you even possessed a small house?"

"Prerogative of freedom," Belite chuckled softly. "Although I've had my fair share of troubles." He then added. "It wasn't a house but a bunker though, just to store the valuable essentials."

The personnel just nodded as he led Belite to the glossy doors of the Academy.

"As mentioned by Sir Blazing Fury before, don't forget about your identity." He immediately became serious, his previous playfulness gone, replaced by ice cold chillness. "You're bound to go to hell and back if you mess this up."

"Okay."

Seeing Belite's carefree expression, the personnel reminded him. "You are staying here from now on, there will be no one from the PeaceKeepers nor the BECRF(Bellowing Embers Captivity and Research Foundation) who will pity you or keep watch on you, so mind your actions."

"If you find the behaviour of a student infuriating, don't you dare use that Blessing of yours." He warned, his tone almost resembling a low growl.

"Yes sir!" Belite nodded as he saluted, receiving weird glares from all around.

'What happened to that friendly behaviour before? You were even giving me dating tips.' Belite's eyebrows arched up.

"Sigh, a Seeker with an Essential Blazing Fury Heart and a kill-on-contact Blessing, what could be worse than that?" The personnel said as he gave him some more instructions that almost looked like it was recited from a paper before he left.

'If he walked on the Circles of Fate and had another Blessing called Wish?' Belite thought to himself in amusement as he let out a chuckle, pulling on the straps of his bag to adjust them as he entered the large hall.

It was currently the 3rd of March, Monday. Year 84 of the Glorious Calendar.

The day Belite joined the Cvoilics Royal Magic Academy.

...

Amidst the chattering noises of the students, Belite was led by a staff member to sit in a special seat at the auditorium as he waited for the entrance ceremony to start.

He looked around the special-needs area and noticed there were many other vacant seats to his side.

'Maybe I won't stand out after all...' He then looked around at the noisy hall and sighed.

'So noisy, especially when all the students have a bunch of topics to talk about... And I doubt it's gonna subside until an instructor arrives and starts his boring speech.' Belite rested his chin on his palm as he looked at his hands. 'It would've been better if touching myself would've killed me right?'

After testing his Blessing on various animals, they had gotten to know how it worked.

On the rats they had tested, their insides all frozen in an instant — later crumbling into pieces of ice.

It was the same for larger animals, no matter if they were lions, tigers, or chimpanzees. Their insides froze in an instant within contact as they died.

Due to this, the Academy insisted on his enrollment, asking for other members of the Peace Keepers instead. But under the constant pressure of the Peace Keepers and even the Everlasting Alliance, they finally let him in.

"Hello." Amidst his thoughts, a voice rang out next to him, causing him to perk his head up and look at the owner of the voice.

"Ah, I suppose I didn't startle you?" The owner of the voice, a sixteen year old wearing a blue uniform as Belite asked.

"Not at all," Belite said as he eyed him suspiciously. "Isn't this a special-needs Seeker seat? What's your Blessing?"

The sixteen year old boy who wanted to ask if he could grab a seat froze.

"It's a bit rude to ask about a Seeker's Blessings, you know..." He said, his voice still friendly.

"Does it matter?" Belite flashed a grin. "Our Blessings are going to be revealed anyway, due to how dangerous they are."

Belite didn't back down even if the boy in front of him looked like a honourable noble. As he was a citizen of the Alliance himself.

"Oh is it?" The boy didn't seem surprised by the fact as he grabbed a chair and sat down beside Belite. "What's your Blessing then?"

'Smooth.'

Belite chuckled. "Back in my days, we used to ask each other our names. But now... Sigh, we ask about these so-called Blessings."

"Oh is it? You sound like my ninety-something year old grandpa."

"Is he still kicking?"

"Ofcourse. In fact he even goes out to hunt for monsters twice a week."

Belite was slightly surprised at the words that lacked a hint of sarcasm. "Your grandfather is a Seeker? And Seekers..." He was at a slight loss of words. "Like... They don't age in the normal way?"

'If they do, then how could he hunt?'

"Not at all." The boy looked at him in slight surprise. "You didn't know? Not a single Seeker of 8th Circle or above has died due to old age after the Last Embers war."

"I see..." Belite subconsciously clenched his fists lightly as he later loosened them as the boy in front of him extended his hand forward.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Erenic Kofter, you can call me Eric." He said with a smile.

'Kofter? Sounds very familiar..'

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Levester Bostorne." Belite said, without shaking his hand as they rested on his knees, using the name given by the alliance. "I am the only son of the Bostorne Family, which is a part of the Alliance."

'I heard the Alliance and the Nobles don't get along well?' Belite mused, hoping that this noble in front of him would get out of his face.

But...

"Oh? It has something to do with your Blessings I presume?" Eric asked, slightly intrigued due to Belite not shaking his hand.

"Yes, my touch kills." Belite then whispered. "I'm pretty sure there are a few guards watching this area to make sure we don't use our Blessings." His lips then curled up as he asked. "What's your Blessing?"

"That's unfortunate," Eric said regrettably. "My Blessings isn't as extreme as yours... It's just that I subtly influence the minds of the one's around me to my favour."

He then added. "Passively."

'Now that's an interesting and scary Blessing.' Belite felt a chill down his spine just thinking about that power in his hands as he asked. "I believe it can make people your slaves if you actually utilise your mana?"

Eric smiled, remaining silent as he didn't say anything, causing Belite to frown slightly.

But before he could say anything, a middle-aged man clad in white and red suit arrived at the centre of the stage as he coughed into the microphone.

Soon after, a few students were led into the special-needs Seekers area as Eric engaged in conversations with every one of them while Belite remained silent.

"I ask the students to remain silent, thank you." The middle-aged man on top of the stage said with a smile. "Welcome to Royal Magic Academy."

"I assume that all of you have the basic knowledge on magical arts?" He smiled. "But even if you don't, don't worry. Cvoilics Royal Magic Academy will take care of it all. May it be the basics or the advanced arts."

"From the various types of magics and spells to how you will be able to utilise them," He lifted an ordinary wooden stick up in the air as its tip glowed and a sharp light erupted, as it separated from the tip and froze in the air.

"...and combine them." The tip of the ordinary magic stick once again glowed as a bead of light separated from it and struck the sharp light frozen in the air.

Shiiing

A sharp pain erupted as the two lights eventually formed into a sphere that landed in the man's palm.

"This is a mana sphere, something you might be able to achieve if you work hard diligently." The mana sphere rotated in his hands. "Throughout countless researches on the Essential Hearts and its ability to store and use mana, our predecessors' have invented the spell called mana sphere."

Everyone looked at the glowing and rotating sphere in awe as not a single sound except that of the middle-aged man's on stage reached their ears.

"We — mere humans who used to rely on technology, have come as far as developing our own mana storage and utilising it."

"And it won't be too long before everyone in the world would be able to use mana."

The press and reporters in a corner suddenly started clamoring as chaos spread in their due. They flashed the flashlights of their cameras, informing the situation to their T.V channels.

Amidst the speech, Belite heard a sigh next to him.

"Since magic appeared, the advancement of technology has almost stopped." Belite heard Eric say to one of the students next to him. "Did you know that these cameras are only a slightly improved versions of what were used before Last Embers?"

'A technology maniac.' Belite remarked casually as he listened to the ongoing speech. 'Didn't know they still existed.'

Belite sighed as he remembered the civil war that happened between the scientists and Superhumans two decades ago, and also the war which prohibited the use of advanced technology and any further research on it.

Even though it was short-lived and was quickly suppressed within days, the collateral damage was taken too far when half of Madilan was blown to smithereens, killing millions in the process.

It was also the war which once again reminded the ordinary people that they weren't living in their previous world's anymore,

That this was a world where a single Superhuman can destroy cities, countries,

...and even the whole world