Asher stepped out of the office, only to find himself face-to-face with a small crowd of students lingering nearby. Their hushed whispers quickly died as they noticed him. Among them was a tall figure with long, striking blue hair that shimmered under the artificial lights.
"Magnus," the man called out, his voice calm but carrying an edge of curiosity. "Who did you bribe this time to climb that high?"
Asher turned, recognizing the speaker immediately—Oris Lyren. A scion of one of the great families, Oris was a name that carried weight within the academy. However, unlike the rest of his family, known for their healing-focused Vid Light ability, Oris was an anomaly.
His innate Vid Light wasn't the gentle, life-giving force his family cherished. Instead, it was a destructive counterpart—a deadly light that burned through enemies and devoured their vitality. The unique twist in his ability made Oris a formidable warrior and one of the academy's rising stars.
Asher smirked, his hands slipping casually into his pockets. "Bribe? That's a low blow, Oris. Even for you."
Oris stepped closer, his intense azure eyes scrutinizing Asher. "Come on, Magnus. No one just waltzes to the top of the leaderboard like that. Especially not in the Special Rankings. What did you do?"
" what's even this Special rankings?" he added.
"I did what you couldn't," Asher quipped, the corners of his mouth curving into a teasing grin.
A few murmurs broke out among the onlookers, but Oris didn't flinch. Instead, his lips curled into a faint smirk. "Always with the arrogance. You're lucky I find you interesting enough not to knock you out here and now."
"Knock me out?" Asher raised an eyebrow. "You'd need to catch me first."
Oris laughed, though there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Someday, Magnus. Someday."
The tension between them hung in the air, electric and palpable, before Oris stepped back, his grin still intact.
"Just remember," Oris said, his tone suddenly serious, "it's not just students watching you now. People like you, who stir up waves, tend to attract the wrong kind of attention."
"I'll take my chances," Asher replied with a shrug, brushing past Oris and the crowd.
As he walked away, Oris called out one last time, "Magnus, don't let your confidence blind you. Even the brightest flames burn out eventually."
Without looking back, Asher raised a hand in acknowledgment, his voice carrying over his shoulder. "And yet, they're the only ones people remember."
Oris paused, grinning as he walked away, his voice drifting back toward Asher. "That you are right, Magnus."
The crowd began to disperse, leaving Asher with a moment of quiet—until a familiar, melodic voice broke the silence.
Asher turned to see Freya approaching, her long crimson hair cascading over her shoulders, her sharp green eyes fixed on him with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"Hey, Freya," he greeted casually, as if he hadn't just stirred up half the academy.
Freya crossed her arms, tilting her head at him. "Really? Can you do anything without causing a stir? You've got the entire academy talking again."
"Hey, that's not my fault," Asher said with a shrug, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.
Freya rolled her eyes. "Oh, of course not. You just accidentally climbed to the top of the Special Leaderboard without telling anyone what you're up to. Sure, Asher. Totally believable."
"Exactly," he said, his grin widening. Google search Novel~Fire. (n)et
Freya let out an exasperated sigh but couldn't hide the small smile creeping onto her face. "Honestly, you're impossible. And if I didn't know any better, I'd think you enjoy making everyone lose their minds."
"Maybe a little," Asher admitted, earning another eye roll.
"Anyway," Freya continued, stepping closer, "tell me about this special leaderboard. Everyone's saying you ticked every box—Aura, magic, swordsmanship, and even clearing the trials without using any artifacts. Just raw skill."
Asher shrugged, the grin fading into a more thoughtful expression. They sure made lot of crazy rumors within what? minutes!" he said.
" These are the least crazy ones" she replied shrugging.
" though there is some truth to it, I did only use my Sword and sword art to climb up to rankings. It's not that impressive though, there are lot of students in Academy who can do that." he admitted as Freya looked at him.
Freya raised an eyebrow. "Not that impressive? You fought your way through the tower alone using nothing but your sword, aura, and pure skill. No tricks, no fancy abilities—just you. That's more than impressive, Asher. That's... extraordinary."
" and not to mention you are an battle Mage type not Aura user, still you made up to level 200 with just that" She said
He scratched the back of his head, glancing away as if her praise made him uncomfortable. "Yeah, well, it's not like I'm aiming for recognition. Just trying to push my limits."
Freya smiled softly. "And that's why you're so frustrating. You're too humble to realize how incredible you really are."
Asher smirked, his confidence slipping back into place. "Incredible, huh? Should I add that to my list of titles?"
Freya laughed, shaking her head. "Don't push your luck, Magnus. Come on, let's grab something to eat. You've probably been starving yourself while climbing that tower, haven't you?"
"Maybe," Asher admitted, falling into step beside her.
As they walked through the academy grounds, Asher couldn't help but notice the stares. Students looked at him like he was some kind of exotic animal on display, their whispers and pointed glances trailing after him.
"I wonder when this will all blow over," he muttered, more to himself than to Freya.
Freya, walking beside him with her usual confident stride, smirked. "Soon, I'm guessing. Though I wouldn't be surprised if some of them are already gearing up to try climbing the tower themselves."
"Probably a lot of swordsmen," she added thoughtfully. "Now that word's out that climbing with just a single weapon seems to yield better rewards, they're going to flock to it."