A week had passed since Kai left that small town. He traveled through numerous villages, keeping as low profile as possible, resting only when necessary, and avoiding trouble wherever it stirred.
By day, he studied the flow of Death Qi in his body, refining his control. By night, he absorbed death essence directly from nature under the starlight in the skies, growing more attuned to the silence between heartbeats the stillness where his death Qi lingered.
And now after a week, he stood before the famed Graveyard of the Dead Academy. This academy was almost two hundred kilometres away from Azure City.
The land itself seemed to shudder with its presence.
Thick black mists swirled across the blackened soil, curling around crumbled headstones and ancient bones that lay half-buried like forgotten memories.
The sky overhead was overcast, yet a pale sun filtered through faint, unable to pierce the dense clouds fully. Death Essence hung in the air, not in bursts or thin strands like he was used to, but like an ocean, heavy and pulsing.
It wasn't suffocating, rather invigorating like slipping into a bath drawn perfectly to one's liking.
Kai's crimson eyes gleamed as he took a deep breath.
"So much Death Qi... even the soil has absorbed some of it."
The entrance to the academy stood like a monument to a bygone empire, three colossal buildings could be seen, each styled in the grand architecture of ancient dao dynasties. Curved black-tiled roofs framed with silver dragon motifs, obsidian pillars wrapped in calligraphic runes, and stairs worn smooth by the countless footsteps of those who sought power.
Kai stepped into the central building. Its interior was colder, dimly lit by floating ghostlights, their pale blue flames flickering silently. A few robed students passed him, all of them looked way older than him, each radiating varying degrees of magical presence.
Not even a single person spared a glance at him.
After wandering briefly, he found a reception counter tucked into the far end of a hallway. Behind it sat a broad-shouldered young man, probably no older than twenty-five, scribbling notes with a feathered quill that glowed faintly at its tip.
Kai stepped forward. "How do I join the academy?"
The man looked up, brushing a stray lock of dark hair from his eyes. "New? You'll need to pay five hundred gold to join. That covers your dormitory and basic access for a year."
Kai nodded slowly.
"If you want a private dorm, access to better food, and permission to use the library, that's another hundred gold."
Kai's heart skipped a beat.
He reached into his bag and withdrew a pouch filled with jingling coins. He had 617 gold, and some scattered silver and bronze. Now, only seventeen would remain.
His heart was aching while giving money to receptionist. He handed over the coins, and the man casually swept them into a box.
"Fill this out," he said, sliding a parchment toward Kai. It requested his name, age, place of origin, and clan.
Kai paused at the last field. He left it blank. The Claymores or perhaps other clans under Orthodox clan might still be hunting him.
"Done," he said, returning the paper.
The man stamped it with a glowing seal. "You're registered. Wait a moment here please." he said.
"Jessica!!!" He shouted.
A young woman with black hair and cold blue eyes appeared in moments. Dressed in a modest servant's robe, she looked at Kai and gave a slight bow.
"Escort this new student to Dorm S-17."
She nodded. "Follow me."
They stepped into a long corridor branching into a quieter section of the academy. Unlike the group dorms near the west wing, S-17 was in the east secluded, silent, with no other footsteps echoing through the halls.
Jessica unlocked the door and handed him a black robe with silver pattern the standard attire for magus in training.
"This is your room. Private dorms include a personal bathroom, study desk, and meditation floor. Classes begin tomorrow. You may choose any subject, but be wise. Each carries its own cost and commitment."
Kai nodded.
"One more thing," she added. "This academy accepts anyone so long as they don't falter. Those who do… disappear."
With that, she left him alone.
Kai studied the room. It was small but clean. A wide bed, a writing desk, a meditation mat inscribed with faint runes, and a small crystal lamp glowing dimly. It was perfect.
He pulled off his travel-worn clothes, donned the academy robe, and sat cross-legged.
Now… it was time.
He began absorbing the death essence from nature that saturated the very walls of this place and was turning it into his own death Qi. His body tingled with it. He focused, drawing it inward, guiding it through both his physical and magic cores. The circuits in his body pulsed. Then…
Boom.
Death Essence surged toward him like a crashing wave.
His navel and chest burned where the locations of his magic and physical core were. He gritted his teeth, sweat running down his temples.
The energy clashed, merged, and then settled.
He had done it.
He had become an Inept Apprentice Warlock.
Kai opened his eyes, breath sharp and exhilarated.
His presence had changed. Stronger. Darker. His veins now held a stable cycle of Death Qi, and his cores had visibly expanded in capacity.
Though in the outside world, only faint traces of Death Essence gathered during the Hour of the Dead (from 1 to 3 AM) but in the Graveyard of the Dead Academy, it was ever-present. Endless. Rich.
All of the students and teachers here cultivated using Nature Essence or Life Essence because even they couldn't host Death Essence , if they did they would die miserable death. But Kai was different.
He thrived on it.
Still, he needed something more.
A proper meditation technique.
Randomly absorbing essence, even one so suited to him, would only get him so far. He needed structure, refinement a way to gather it faster and cycle it without harming his body.
He lay down for a brief rest, his mind buzzing with possibilities.
At dawn, he rose and wore his academy robe. The silver fire-pattern etched along the hem shimmered faintly in the morning light.
Today, his first official lesson would begin.
He made his way to the Fire Hall.
A towering building with crimson roof tiles and brass phoenix sculptures perched on each corner.
It was one of the three big building on the right side of the entrance. All academic classes were held here.
He had decided. Though death defined him, fire would be his first element. Fire consumed. Fire purified. Fire destroyed. Fire was the strongest element affinity he had.
Beacuse dark element magus can only cast simple curse at the begining he did not choose it and his water affinity was very low.
Two books were provided to him at the reception desk of the academy.
"These two are for Fire Element Initiates," said the same young man from before, handing them over. "You'll pay extra for darkness studies if you choose them later. Focus first on one element."
Kai took the books and stepped inside the lecture hall.
Around him, students of various ages from sixteen to nearly fifty sat in quiet contemplation or studied the runes etched into the stone walls.
Kai took a seat near the back.
This was a big step towards his revenge.
And with Death Qi boiling in his eyes he was ready to any challenges his enemy threw at him.
Atmosphere around him become strange. Many students started feeling uneasy. He had accidentally released a portion of his Qi.
Students didn't know what made them feel that way.
He did not care, a plan was forming in his mind
Soon a short man with red hair and yellow eyes arrived in the classroom. He also felt slight unease but not paid attention to it.
"Alright class today we have a new student joining our fire elemental course Kai, be friendly to him and Jonna no bullying new student." The man said.
Kai got distracted and the Qi he was leeking subconsciously also retreated. He bowed slightly when he was introduced.
"Teacher I do not bully anyone." Said a pink hair girl sitting in one front desk.
"Yeah yeah we all know." Man said. Kai knew who he was. He had heard of him from the students. He was Rank 6 Fire Elemental mage Cooper.
Many students started chuckling. Jonna turned around and glared at the students with her pink eyes.
They suddenly turn their head in another direction avoiding her gaze.
"Alright since Kai is new I will give introductry class for fire element and those who had already learnt it, you can also use this lecture as refining your understanding." Cooper said.
They all nodded.
'Finally it's getting started.' Kai thought to himself.