The Runic Alchemist

They were all gathered in a huge, open square between the four hallways of the academy. This was just one of many such open spaces. The place was so vast that even thousands of people living here could barely reach all the areas within the ancient black building. After all, it was part of the bastion, built like an impenetrable, massive castle.

Damian stood apart from the others in his Knowledge Keeper student group, while the rest gathered together in the Spellborne Legion group. For the first time, Damian saw the various faces that made up the Knowledge Keeper section of the academy. Many he had seen before in his VIP section, but many others were new.

The third group, the Fist of Valor, stood on the opposite side. This group was full of mysteries, as Damian couldn't sense most of their mana. Some, despite having mana, had joined the pugilist section—a not uncommon choice, since first-rankers often switched their classes.

There was no one from the second-ranker territory in his section or the Spellborne one, except for Sam and Einar. As for the pugilists, he couldn't tell much, but none of them carried that suppressive aura typical of second-rankers.

A stage had been built here as well, though this one was made of stone and appeared much older. The teaching staff had gathered there from all three sections. Damian counted three third-rankers among them, including a bulky pugilist whose aura leaked from him like the ever-burning smoke of a volcano. He could very well be a third-ranker, as Bonecrusher's aura was similarly intense. And other 20 something professors of various specific subjects.

Damian noticed one thing about these people: unlike mages and spellswords, who tried their best to hide their mana, pugilists rarely attempted to conceal their aura. Granted, aura control was much harder than mana control, but these people could easily keep it hidden if they wanted to. Yet, they let it run wild.

At last, the long and strangely tedious song sung by some students ended, and the head of the faculty stepped forward. Looking at all their faces, she began:

"Today marks the beginning of a journey that will challenge you, teach you, and prepare you for the world beyond these walls. Some of you wield the spark of magic, others the strength of steel, and still others the wisdom to unravel the mysteries of our world.

This is not a place for shortcuts or easy victories. You will face failure, frustration, and moments when you doubt yourself. You will fail, you will rise, and you will learn that greatness is not a gift, but a choice.

Respect your instructors, respect each other, and respect the craft you pursue, whether it be magic, combat, or the pursuit of knowledge. This Academy is your opportunity—take it seriously.

Now, take your first step forward. The realm awaits for you to show your talents.

Welcome to the Highsword Academy."

Her name was Worldscribe. Damian had heard Grace and Evrin talk about her. She didn't teach anything specific; she was in charge of the entire academy. Then there was the famous runesmith Damian had come to meet—his name was Runefather. The Highsword third-rankers were very secretive about their original names. It seemed they didn't want others to know which kingdom or noble house they came from, as they had left that life behind to join the Highswords years ago.

The rest of the powerful second-rankers made up the rest of the teaching staff. There was also a third-ranker Combat Arts instructor. He was the same man who had conducted the second test for the Spellborne Legion, releasing his aura to test them. Damian didn't know his name yet, but he had a Combat Arts class today, and he would surely get to know him by the end of it.

The small event ended after another kindly second-ranker mage explained the rules in excruciating detail. Then, another knight in Highsword armor explained the honor point system. The library would start tomorrow, but the badges had been activated today. Enjoy exclusive content from empire

The system was simple. One could accumulate points through good test results, which would take place at the end of every month. Additionally, specific projects given by various teachers could also reward points for completion. Another way to accumulate points was through duels. There were many rules for these, and they took place only one day a week, a day known as "the Day of the Mother." On this day, all challenges for the week were fought.

The loser would forfeit all of their honor points to the victor. The harshness of this rule was meant to ensure that everyone took it seriously. Einar had made it clear that Highsword members considered duels sacred and were very serious about them. No half-hearted wagers for a few points were allowed; one either fought for everything or resolved their differences otherwise. Of course, all duels had to take place in the presence of the duel in-charge of that day and a high-ranked healer. Fighting outside this structure was strictly forbidden, and there was a vague threat that their actions might be monitored, though it seemed more like an empty warning.

Aside from these three options, there was another way to earn honor points, one that could yield a significant amount in a short time: breaking a record. There was a list of records in the Hall of Glory, etched into a giant stone tablet. Einar had dragged them all to see it. The records ranged from Most Won Duals, Best Runic Weapon Crafted, Best Runic Tool Crafted, Best Original Spell Created, Fastest Completion Of A Dungeon (5 Floors), Highest Floor Reached In Dungeon (For Students), Longest Consecutive Streak in the Dual, Most Efficient Resource Gathering, Largest Contribution to the Student Community, etc.. There were over 100 such records, each offering varying amounts of honor points for completion. Achieving even one could allow a student to study for a whole year without needing any additional honor points for other needs.