She jumped at Izko who batted her away with his great sword.
"Get away from me!" He roared. She landed on the ground on all fours.
Viella's silver eyes gleamed with an eerie hunger. The battlefield was littered with scorched earth, shattered trees, and broken stone, but she stood happily.
They had already exhanged a few blows, none of which had ended in their favour.
"Glowing violet hair... Chalky skin... Ghoul..."
"You must be strong." Maria groaned. "Why do powerful people always have to get in our way!"
Vielli licked a drop of blood from her lips.
"You people are entertaining," she murmured. "But you're seperating me from the scent."
Izko, panting, tightened his grip on his great axe. His scales were cracked, his body covered in wounds that should have killed him—but his rage kept him standing.
Maria clutched her side, blood seeping through her fingers, yet she only grinned. "Well, you're a hindrance aren't you..."
Lisk's expression was grim, his twin swords shimmering with alternating light and darkness, but his breathing was shallow—he had already used too much energy. He was exhausted and he couldn't fight properly after what had happened in the death realm. Under his calm front he was still traumatised.
"I thought I would be trapped there forever." Lisk whispered.
"Shut up Lisk." Maria snapped, trying to bring him back into reality.
Xero, gripping his crackling violet sword, scowled. "Tch. She heals too fast. If only I had a fraction-."
Viella vanished.
No—she blurred.
A fraction of a second later, she reappeared in front of Xero.
"You seem... bitter," she whispered.
Her hand lashed out, piercing his side.
Xero grunted in pain, but his sword flashed. "You made a mistake."
"Envy Rend."
A massive slash of distorted space erupted from his blade, slicing through Viella's torso—but she didn't flinch.
She simply smiled as her flesh knitted back together freakishly.
Then—she bit him. Her face flushed red as she became empowered by his blood.
Xero screamed.
"AAAGH. You can't mark me with your scent ghoul. I'm too strong for that-."
"Such a drama queen..." Maria murmured.
The others rushed forward—
Izko swung his axe in a devastating overhead strike—
Lisk slashed out, light and darkness intertwining—
Maria formed a burning sigil, chanting, "Demon Art—Sacrificial Nova!"
The attacks landed.
A wave of destruction engulfed Viella.
The earth trembled, trees ignited, and energy crackled through the air as their combined assault struck her.
Silence.
Then—the dust cleared.
Viella stood there. Unscathed.
Xero had seen it all, she had simply blinked in and out of frame. To avoid the attacks, to maintain her position.
"She's a freak." He groaned, his side in agony.
She was breathing harder now. Her pupils narrowed, her fangs elongated.
Her body was leaner, sharper.
Faster.
Stronger.
Xero blinked. "Can we even stop her?"
Viella laughed then she caught onto Julius once more. Her nose irked.
Julius who had been watching nervously was struck with fear.
"No no no no no-."
"I'll get the main course first."
She leaped at him.
Aldric had gathered his strength enough by now. He no longer had to watch. His chance had come.
"Julius, move!"
Julius barely had time to react before Aldric grabbed his wrist, and they blinked away.
The world blurred—then snapped into focus as they landed at the edge of the ruined battlefield. The sounds of battle still present but now faint. The carriage driver had been blinked beforehand.
Julius' heart pounded. "Eh? You can teleport? Whatever let's just go."
"The girl who saved us will be fine," Aldric said firmly. "We won't be if we stay."
Without any more questioning of the situation, they all ran.
Through the trees.Through the dirt roads.Through the cold night air.
Aldric's mind worked fast. They needed to reach the nearest village.
And fast. It was a gamble to ask how long the four of them could hold off Vielli.
Julius forced himself to keep running, his legs burning with exhaustion, but Aldric's grip on his wrist was unyielding.
After what felt like an eternity, the glow of lanterns flickered ahead.
A small village.
Aldric wasted no time. He stormed into the stables, his presence startling the carriage drivers.
"You," he pointed to the nearest one, a weary-eyed man slouched against the wall. "We need your carriage."
The driver scoffed. "At this hour? Forget it. I don't care about the pay."
Aldric lifted his hand.
"Manipulate."
A wave of golden light pulsed from his fingertips, washing over the man.
His eyes snapped open.
Suddenly, he felt awake, alert—almost buzzing with energy.
He blinked rapidly. "You got it, sir!"
"Well, that's not very wholesome." Julius whispered. "You wouldn't use that skill one me right?"
"Only if it has to be done."
What a freaky ability...
Minutes later, the carriage was racing down the road, wheels thundering against the dirt.
Julius, still catching his breath, stared at Aldric. "Can we make it? Can they hold her off?"
Aldric didn't answer. He simply looked ahead.
His body ached, his mana reserves drained, and Viella's presence still loomed in the back of his mind.
She was a hero but a questionable one at that.
But for now—they were moving.
And ahead of them, a few days away at least, behind the horizen...
Was Linia.
The capital of Malfi. (The country)
And within it—
Ruloy Academy.
On the way the headmaster asked him one question.
"Why can you use appraisal? Only renowed heroes learn that skill..."
"I'm just able to use it. I have no idea why." Julius looked at the headmaster who squinted his eyes.
"I can't trust that answer. If there is another explanation, please tell more."
"I'm sorry but that's all there is to it." Julius sighed. The headmaster never dropped his suspicious gaze.
They arrived at last, Julius almost jumped out of his seat.
Julius had seen numerous cities before, but nothing compared to Linia, the capital of Malfi. It was huge, it consumed the entire view before him. Sounds of life bustled out of the city and high buildings towered among the clouds.
As the carriage rumbled through the massive gates of white stone, he felt insignificant beneath the towering rune-carved walls that pulsed faintly with protective enchantments.
The streets were filled with wondrous sights.
Floating platforms carried people across rooftops, avoiding the crowded main roads. Steam-powered golems patrolled the marketplaces, their bronze limbs moving with mechanical precision. Vendors sold everything from enchanted jewelry to mana-infused pastries, their stalls glowing with magical lanterns.
Julius ate one and the flavour exploded in his mind.
He had never tasted something so delicate and appetizing. He felt like he was living in a dream.
Even the people were different.
Tall, silver-haired elves with robes woven from starlight thread strolled beside hulking beastkin, some with feline grace, others with reptilian scales. Dwarves worked their forges openly, steam and sparks hissing into the streets, while winged avians delivered messages from rooftop to rooftop, their feathers glinting under the sun.
Julius struggled to take it all in.
Then he heard it—
"The Ruloy Entrance Exam is soon! Take our top 5 tips for only 10 silver!"
A group of young adventurers had gathered in a plaza, buzzing with excitement.
"I heard students died in the last test!" a cat-eared girl said, her tail twitching anxiously.
"No surprise—Ruloy Academy is the one of the best acedemies in Thesia. If you pass, you're basically guaranteed to have a succesful future."
Julius' stomach twisted. The entrance exam…
Aldric had brought him here to keep him safe, but this wasn't just any school—it was a training ground for the powerful.
Could he even pass? When he knew no magic and no swordsmanship.
"Wait..." Julius mumbled. "How am I going to pass? Luck?"
Aldric led Julius into a tall, circular building marked by an enormous golden eye above the entrance—the Guild of Appraisers.
Inside, dozens of people waited in line, each one placing their hands on a floating crystal that displayed their level and attributes in glowing text. Some left beaming with pride, while others slumped away visibly disappointed.
People would usually visit the Appraiser once a week or once a month to check their level.
Aldric gave him a look. "It's best you see where you stand. Don't lose hope, levels aren't everything."
Julius hesitated before stepping forward.
An old man with silver hair and half-moon spectacles squinted at him. "Name?"
"Julius."
The man nodded. "Place your hand on the crystal."
Julius exhaled and pressed his palm against it.
The crystal flared brightly—then a panel of text appeared.
Julius Level: 1
Silence.
The appraiser squinted, adjusting his glasses. "…That can't be right. That level is only fit for newborns and cripples..."
Whispers spread through the room.
"Level 1?"
"Hear me out people-." Julius' words meant nothing.
"Even farmers are level 10 to 20!"
A noblewoman sneered. "What's a level 1 doing here? That's lower than a stable boy. Why is he in the capital?"
"Levels are just negative social constructs-." Julius was fighting a losing battle.
A burly mercenary scoffed. "Kid, even my five year old daughter is level 5. What have you been doing your whole life?"
Julius forced a nervous laugh. "Uh… I have no idea. I suppose we've been living in different worlds." Ah if I was stronger I would get them all to shut up.
Of course, he knew. He was from Earth. He had never fought, never gained experience.
A few more whispers.
His eyes adopted an annoyed expression.
"Don't tell me I have to get used to this treatment... Have some diginity guys. I might've had a really rough life since birth." Julius muttered darkly as if what he was saying was true.
"Maybe he's cursed?"
"Or an error with the appraiser?"
"Maybe he's so stupid he didn't realize he could even level up!" Everyone seemed to laugh at that one.
Not Julius, he stood there dead panned.
This laughter... It takes me back to my worst memories...
Julius could still hear the laughter. The sound haunted him.
It had been a warm afternoon, the kind where the sun bathed everything in golden light, and the only thing that mattered was getting ice cream before it melted. He had been standing in line with his friends, cracking jokes, pretending he wasn't sweating buckets because she was there—Anna, the girl who made his brain short-circuit every time she so much as looked in his direction. Her flowing black hair that seemed to always twist his heart and make him blush.
And then… disaster struck.
He had just paid for his ice cream—chocolate fudge with caramel drizzle, a solid, respectable choice—when fate decided to ruin his life in that very moment.
He turned too fast. Maybe he was trying to look cool. Maybe he just wanted to subtly position himself within Anna's line of sight. Whatever the case—his grip slipped.
The ice cream tumbled in slow motion, a tragic arc through the air.
It didn't just fall to the ground. No. That would have been mercy.
It flipped. It twisted. And then—SPLAT.
Right on his shoe.
Silence.
Then, laughter. So much laughter.
"No refunds." The driver had said.
His best friend Liam nearly collapsed. One of the seniors actually wiped a tear from his eye. And Anna? She tried to hold it in, but her lips twitched before she let out the softest, cutest laugh Julius had ever heard. Which somehow made it a thousand times worse because they weren't laughing with him, they were laughing at him.
He wanted to sink into the pavement. Cease to exist. Become one with the earth.
Instead, he stood there, staring at his ruined shoe, as someone patted him on the back and said, "Tough break, bud. Guess gravity wanted a taste."
To this day, he considered it his greatest trauma.
And now, being mocked by the entire bar, Julius remained unfazed.
That ice cream incident?
Still worse.
Yeah I can handle more than this... I've been through a lot.
Aldric sighed as they left the building. "Not ideal. The entrance exam may prove to be very challenging for you."
Julius groaned. "You think?"
Julius' stomach groaned. "Can we get some food?"
"Of course."
By the time they arrived at a place called the Amber Hearth Inn, Julius was hungry and exhausted.
The inn smelled of fresh bread and spiced tea, its wooden beams and flickering lanterns giving it a warm, homely feel.
The moment Aldric stepped inside, however, whispers spread through the room.
"It's him."
"The Headmaster of Ruloy…!"
Aldric ignored the murmurs and took a seat. Julius sat across from him, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.
"Act professional.. Don't ruin his image."
A young elven waitress with silver hair and emerald-green eyes approached nervously. "H-Headmaster Aldric, it is an honor. What can I bring you?"
Aldric didn't even look up. "Two plates of the morning special. And a pot of spiced tea."
Julius leaned in. "They respect you a lot." That's gonna be me one day.
Aldric sipped his tea. "I have taught some of the most powerful and incredible people in Thesia. Of course they recognize me. Every student of mine has the potential to reach the sky."
"Now we're talking." Julius smirked, Aldric could only look at him with eyes of pity.
A burly blacksmith stepped forward, crossing his arms. "So it's true. The old lion has returned."
A beastkin warrior chuckled. "I heard he was the one who stopped the Ixalian invasion all those years ago."
A mage scoffed. "That's nothing. There's a rumor he fought an Elder Wyrm and survived."
"Did he survive moving between worlds...? Nobody seems to notice that..." Julius murmured but nobody heard him.
Aldric ignored them all.
Julius, however, felt the weight of their stares.
As he chewed his buttered bread, he couldn't help but wonder…
Would they ever look at him like that?
Alas, he was certain he was level capped.
But soon, he'd be facing the entrance exam for the greatest academy in Thesia.
Julius clenched his fists.
"Am I cooked?"