Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

Kyle hesitated for a moment, then decided it was time to reveal his ace. "Well, my mission was to assist in containing a beast tide that came on a village. While I was there, I came across something… special."

"Special?" Riya asked, raising an eyebrow. Kyle reached into his system space and summoned Void. The small dragon appeared on his shoulder, making the group's eyes turn towards him in unison.

"This is Void, my partner" Kyle said, smirking at their reactions. "Found him in the forest. He was in a pretty bad shape, so I decided to take care of him."

"Partner? I prefer the term superior," Void said, drawing gasps and wide eyes from the group.

"He talks?" Zack asked in surprise.

"Of course I talk," Void said with a flick of his tail. "I also fight, think, and, unlike some of you, excel."

"A draconic reptile?" Riya gasped, leaning closer to get a better look. "You found such a creature during your mission?!"

"Let's just say we had an understanding," Kyle replied, scratching the back of his head.

"That's insane," Zack said, staring at Void in awe. "You're always full of surprises, Kyle."

"He's… beautiful. You must have been very lucky to find him." Lora added.

"Yeah, I was. He's been a handful, though."

"A handful? Please. If anything, I'm the one tolerating you." Void said with an eye roll.

Zack laughed. "I like this little guy already."

Before they could continue, Milo entered the room. The group fell silent and their attention shifted to the boy who strode in with an air of confidence.

His gaze swept over the room before landing on Kyle. For a moment, his eyes shone with surprise when he accessed him, but he quickly got himself and walked towards them.

Kyle had met Milo's stare, and he had noticed that there was something different about his self-proclaimed rival. His composure seemed sharper, and his presence carried more confidence than he usually did.

"Hey, Milo," Zack called out. "How was your mission?"

Milo glanced at the group for a moment, as if wondering whether to reply the comment, but opened his mouth at the end. "I hunted a Tier-2 beast. Nothing much." Explore stories at empire

"That's it?" Riya asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's all you need to know," Milo smiled and replied with a cold voice.

The group exchanged glances but decided not to press further. Kyle, however, couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Milo's story than he was letting on.

Their conversation came to an abrupt end when the classroom door opened again, this time, Instructor Dan stepped inside. The room fell silent almost instantly as the students turned their attention to him.

"Good morning, Instructor Dan!" they all greeted in unison.

"Good morning, everyone. Take your sit," Dan instructed with a wave of his hand after observing them.

The students nodded and found their seats almost immediately.

"I hope you all enjoyed your mission outings," Dan began, leaning casually on the podium. "By 'enjoy,' of course, I mean surviving without any major disasters or complaints being filed against the academy."

The room lightened a bit as laughter spread across the room for a moment. But the students were careful not to overdo, as who knew when they could make Dan snap.

"Jokes aside, welcome back," he continued. "It's good to see you all in one piece. Missions like these aren't just about completing tasks and earning contribution points or credits. They're a chance for you to grow, to test yourselves, and to learn what it means to step out of the academy and into the real world."

Dan paused and scanned their faces before continuing. "I'm sure some of you faced challenges that pushed you out of your comfort zones. Others might have breezed through. Either way, the goal is growth. Whether you succeeded or stumbled, take it as a step forward."

The students nodded with thoughtful faces.

"Good, you're all awake," he said, straightening up. "Because classes have resumed in full force, and let me tell you, they won't be any kinder than I am. So, I hope you're ready to keep up. No excuses, no whining."

"Yes, Instructor!" the students replied in unison, though a few exchanged nervous glances.

"That's the spirit," Dan said, nodding in approval. "Now, let's see if your punctuality matches your enthusiasm. Roll call time."

He began calling out names, pausing occasionally to glance at the students as they responded. His sharp gaze seemed to pick up on any hint of slouching or inattentiveness, though he let it slide without comment.

When the last name was checked off, Dan clapped the register shut. "Well, look at that. Everyone's present and accounted for. Not bad, not bad at all. You're off to a good start."

A few students sat up straighter, proud of the rare praise.

"Now, I'm letting you leave early today," Dan announced, raising a hand to quiet the murmurs of surprise. "Upon leaving here, I want y'all to head to your wing classes immediately. Don't go lazing or wandering around, you'll be in big trouble if I catch you doing so."

Dan smirked and added. "Consider this my apology to your wing instructors for keeping you late last time. Think of it as a peace offering, though I doubt they'll buy it."

The students laughed and the tension in the room eased further.

"All right, dismissed," Dan said with a nod.

The students rose, some stretching while others gathered their belongings. They filed out of the room in groups, chatting and joking as they headed to their respective wings, leaving the classroom empty.

***

Similarly to everyone walking through the academy grounds to their respective wings, Milo walked toward the Thundra Wing but his thoughts were somewhere else.

He was recounting his earlier encounter with Kyle. The moment he had laid eyes on him, something was glowing within him—two things rather, of different colors. One glowed bright golden, while the other glowed of dark crimson. It was quite easy for Milo's instincts to tell him what it was. Kyle was marked.

'So, that's his secret,' Milo mused and a sinister grin spread across his face. 'It explains everything. His rapid growth, his absurd strength. It's all because of a god.'

He clenched his fists and almost channeled a spell in his wild emotions as he imagined Kyle kneeling before him, broken and powerless. The demon's words echoed in his mind. "Begin with the one closest to you."

Milo laughed under his breath. 'It's almost poetic. The gods marked him, gave him their favor, and sent him to me. They delivered him right into my hands. I'll show them the futility of their games. I'll tear their little pawn apart, and when I'm done, not even the gods themselves will dare interfere with me.'

He straightened his back and quickened his pace, his confidence swelling with each step. 'With the Storm Body, Kyle won't even stand a chance. His lightning is nothing compared to mine now. He's outmatched in every way.'

The image of Kyle's shocked face as he realized his own inferiority played over and over in Milo's mind, fueling his determination. 'I'll let him know true despair before I end him. He won't even see it coming. The gods will regret ever choosing him.'