Zet and Elias found themselves at the front of the Grand Hall, marveling at its grandeur and size. The hall could accommodate thousands of students, and the stage was massive, with a dense crowd gathered within.

Zet remarked, "Wow, this place is enormous."

Elias shared, "This Academy has a rich history of 400 years. Generations of my family have attended this academy. It was founded by one of the first king's comrades, a legendary trio that saved the planet and were the strongest individuals of their time."

"That's truly impressive," Zet said. "The strongest, huh? I wonder if I'll ever become that strong."

Elias pondered, "It's hard to say. We don't have accurate records of their true strength; only rumors and stories have been passed down. They might have been exceptionally powerful, or perhaps the tales were exaggerated. History can be elusive, and I don't put complete faith in it."

Zet noticed someone on stage and pointed, saying, "Someone's on stage there, look."

Elias explained, "That's our principal. She's one of the most renowned figures in the world. Her influence and knowledge are widely respected. Despite not possessing strong magic herself, her understanding of it is unparalleled, making her a significant authority in the magical world."

[https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53234311230_c4a490a1b6_w.jpg]As Seraphina Everwood began her address to the crowd, her voice carried through the massive hall. She introduced herself, "My name is Seraphina Everwood, and welcome to Aetherius Academy, the Academy of Dreams—a dream that many nobles have harbored for ages. Now, you have the opportunity to fulfill the dreams you've longed for."

She continued, "The Academy is dedicated to supporting and nurturing your dreams. We are here to provide you the best possible education and assistance to help you achieve your goals. Whether you aspire to become an adventurer exploring the world, a royal guard protecting your realm, an assassin fulfilling higher quests, or a scholar thirsting for knowledge about the world and magic—this is the place where you can achieve those dreams. You can be whoever you want to be. From this day onward, consider yourselves my children."

Zet, in awe, said, "So the name of the academy is Aetherius? I didn't know that until now."

Elias, surprised, responded, "How could you not know? Aetherius Academy is famous and one of the most renowned in the world. People leave their lands and settle here to learn in the best academy the world can offer."

Zet pondered, "Are there more academies like this in the world? It's surprising that the Principal's voice can be heard everywhere in the building."

Elias explained, "It's due to voucher magic. She used a form of air magic to transmit her voice. It's remarkable that she can wield multiple forms of magic."

Zet asked Elias, "Is there a problem with wielding multiple types of magic? I mean, it would be great if you could use every form of magic, every element that exists. That would be so cool."

Elias responded, "It's not that simple."

As Seraphina Everwood continued her address, she mentioned, "And, as you know, someone from the royal family has joined us this year. Among them is the great leader of our world, who has successfully reclaimed his position as king. His son has chosen to attend our academy, and we request that the young prince of the royal family, Zet Regal, please come forward."

Elias was taken aback and said, "Zet, isn't that your name?"

Zet confirmed, "Yes, that's my name. I am the prince now. If you'll excuse me."

The people around them were left in shock. Those who had considered Zet a loner and a good-for-nothing noble were now faced with the reality that he was a member of the Royal family. The insults they had hurled at him were bound to have consequences. As Zet moved forward, no one dared to make eye contact with him.

Elias couldn't believe it. He thought, "The prince is Zet? But he seems way too different from what I imagined a prince to be. How could someone like him talk to me? I'm not even qualified to speak to a noble now. Fallen nobles are treated like commoners, and I'm only allowed to attend the academy because of my name as a Sterling."

Elias couldn't help but contemplate the weight of his family name, Sterling. It was renowned as a family of knights, a lineage where children were expected to be exceptional, destined to become the strongest. The Sterling family was considered the epitome of nobility, often delivering extraordinary individuals. The prestige associated with being a Sterling was immense; they were the knights closest to the crown, serving the King himself. But now, Elias was the last surviving member of the Sterling family, the disappointment of his lineage. He hadn't achieved anything noteworthy, failing to live up to the family's legacy. This academy was his last chance to reclaim his family's lost glory. He aspired to become a powerful knight and resurrect the Sterling name to its former prestige.

As Zet reached the stage where Principal Everwood stood, he found himself questioning his presence. "Why am I here?" Zet asked.

The Principal replied, "You're an honor student, so relax and stand there. Let me handle the rest."

Zet was amazed and said, "Wow, you're speaking in my mind. I can hear your voice in my mind."

The Principal chuckled, replying, "If I can't do that, how can I call myself an Archmage?"

Zet found the telepathic communication fascinating. The principal turned to him and smiled. Addressing everyone, she said, "Okay, for the next program, we'd like to invite talented students to showcase their powers by engaging in duels. Prince Zet will be a spectator. I'd like to call Onyx and Kai to demonstrate their abilities."

A while back, in the waiting room, tensions were high between Kai and Onyx. Kai was fuming, berating Onyx for not bringing the prince to the waiting room. "You are useless! The prince should be here with us," Kai lashed out.

Onyx defended himself, "How is that my fault? I can't find the prince if he doesn't meet me at the gate. He got lost, and that's not on me."

Kai dismissed him, frustration evident in his voice. "Talking to you is useless. How is the prince supposed to know we're waiting for him at the gate without any notice?"

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Onyx stood up, his patience wearing thin. "He should've met me at the gate, announcing himself as the prince. Then, I could have guided him here."

Kai taunted, "Are you playing dumb, or are you really dumb?"

Their argument was interrupted by the entrance of the principal into the room. She suggested they take their quarrel to the stage and turn it into a performance.

Onyx agreed, "Sounds like a plan."

Kai seized the opportunity, threatening, "I'll beat you and give your sorry meat to my pigs. They seem to like trash the most."

Onyx was undeterred, retaliating, "You're done now. I'm going to bury you in the ground and ask for forgiveness from the gods because I sent the garbage back to them."

Back in the present, on the stage, Onyx sneered, "Any last words?"

Kai retorted, "You're so smelly that I can't even hear your voice. By the way, how do you feel about becoming my pig food soon?"

Zet said, "Are they really going to fight?"

The Principal nodded, replying, "Yes, they are. So stay close to me. I will create a barrier around the stage to ensure no one gets hurt."

Zet seemed intrigued by the idea of a protective barrier. "Barrier, huh?"

The Principal, slightly taken aback by Zet's curiosity, asked, "Why, don't you like the barrier?"

Zet clarified, "That's not it. I don't dislike it; in fact, I appreciate the barrier. It helps protect people."

The Principal found Zet's perspective rather surprising and inquired, "To protect people? Is there anyone who says that in this day and age? You're supposed to be a prince, valuing life. Is this something you were taught?"

Zet responded, "No, it's my belief. I want to help as many people as I can. I think life is equal for everyone, and I don't want to hurt anyone."

The Principal acknowledged the noble sentiment and remarked, "That's a noble dream you have. But remember, sometimes, causing harm can depend on various circumstances. Whether it's hurting someone knowingly or unknowingly, humans are fragile beings, and even small accidents can lead to harm. But let's put that aside for now. After the match, we're going to check your power level with the Magic Detection Crystal. It will reveal how much magical power you possess. For now, let's watch the match."

On the stage, preparations had concluded, and a protective shield enveloped the area. Kai unsheathed his sword, signaling the beginning of the match.

Onyx taunted Kai, "Are you going to fight with a sword?"

Kai retorted, "Are you scared? I thought you were supposed to be brave and strong. You're even first in the class."

Onyx shrugged off the sword, stating, "The sword is for the weak who can't rely on their power. I pity your weakness."

Sai chimed in, "You know who else uses a sword? My inspiration, the great pillar Sect."

Onyx remained unimpressed, saying, "Whoever he is, I don't care."

As Kai charged at Onyx, he suddenly heard a rumble from the ground. Onyx stood still in one place. A large, sharp stone emerged from below the surface and struck Kai. He blocked with his sword, but the stone grew larger and continued to press him. Kai used his speed to escape, getting injured in the process. He fell to the ground, and sharp stones erupted, creating a 5-meter-tall formation of 15 sharp stones.

Sai swiftly cut most of the sharp stones, but the remaining ones started to fly at incredible speed. Kai was astounded, thinking, How is he so fast? What kind of mastery is this? Onyx seemed unfazed, not even moving, and had already dealt significant damage to Kai. Kai pondered, What kind of training did he undergo?

Zet, watching from the sidelines, was equally amazed, muttering, "Wow, that guy is so strong."

The principal remarked, "Yeah, I knew Onyx was strong, but I didn't realize he was that strong. Kai isn't weak either. I thought they were similar in strength."

Returning to the ongoing match, Kai had reached his limit. He unleashed his lightning power, obliterating every stone that was flying. He declared, "Now it's time to die."

Kai moved at an incredible speed, so fast that no one could see him clearly. Stones began to emerge from the ground where Kai had been. He dodged them barely, but the stones relentlessly pursued him. He thought, Damn it, at this rate, I'm going to run out of stamina. How is that stone keeping up with me?

Kai turned to face Onyx, who remained in the same spot. Suddenly, Onyx captured Kai, who was moving at high speed, and landed a powerful punch on his face, sending him flying and crashing onto the ground. The match was over, and Onyx had effortlessly defeated Kai.

The principal announced, "Onyx was too powerful for Kai to handle."

Zet, observing the match, commented, "I think Kai did a good job there. I couldn't even follow Kai's movements."

Onyx extended his hand and stated, "You were impressive, but not as good as me," followed by a chuckle. Kai retorted, "Next time, I'll beat your ass."

Onyx advised, "Train harder. Your speed, reaction time, and combat speed are lacking. If you improve those, I think you can give me a challenge next time."

Kai responded determinedly, "You just revealed my weakness. I'll admit, you were impressive. It almost gave me a heart attack when you suddenly appeared in my face."

The principal dissolved her protective barrier and commended, "Wow, you two put on quite a show. Now, both of you should take some rest. Kai, go meet the mage and have her heal you up." Kai nodded and replied, "Okay, Principal." Onyx, you can rest in the waiting room."

Onyx glanced at Zet and then walked away to rest. The principal continued, "For the next event, we'll be measuring the prince's power level. This tradition has been going on for 400 years at the Aetherius Academy. We assess the power level of every student. The magic detection crystal, created by Great Glacius when he founded the Aetherius Academy, will reveal your power level on a large screen. When the crystal arrives, Prince, simply touch it, and your power level will be displayed."

[https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53234105018_26dd3cc8fa_w.jpg]Zet nodded and said, "Understood." In his thoughts, he reflected, I don't know much about the history of this world. I'm the one lacking in this area. As the principal left the stage, a massive crystal emerged from the ground. It stood at an impressive 20 meters in height, a translucent marvel displaying a blend of azure and violet hues. Luminescent runes adorned its surface, constantly shifting and pulsing, resonating with the magical energies it sought to detect, illuminating the area with an enchanting glow.

Zet couldn't help but admire its beauty and said aloud, "It looks so beautiful." The principal then instructed him through their mental connection, "Touch it when I tell you to." Simultaneously, the principal used her magic to summon a large magic screen for a clearer view.

The principal used her magic to summon a massive magic screen. The screen was 50 meters wide and covered the entire Grand Hall. She looked around and nodded, satisfied that it was large enough.

"You can begin now," she said to Zet in her mind. "Just touch the screen and it will show your power level."

Zet stepped forward, everyone eager to see his power level. Elias wondered what it would be.

Zet slowly reached out and touched the crystal. As soon as his fingers made contact, the crystal exploded.

The principal reacted quickly, summoning a barrier to cover the Grand Hall. But the explosion was too powerful, and the barrier shattered. Zet was sent flying, destroying the barrier and injuring over 200 people, even though the impact was minimized by the barrier. The Principal thought "How did this happen? Is the crystal can't handle Prince's power? Even if that is the case how is this blast this much stronger? Stronger enough to bypass the god's power and injure my student. Who the hell is the Prince?"

The principal quickly cast another barrier to protect the rest of the students. Elias rushed to Zet's side. Elias thought where are you Zet? This is horrible everyone is panicking and most of the students get injured. Zet got a direct hit by that power will he be okay?"

Zet was lying on the ground, his skin burned and his blood flowing freely. He coughed up blood, his internal injuries severe. Elias feared that he would die, "Hey Zet can you hear me?"

The principal soon arrived at Zet's side. She examined him and said, "His bones are broken and his internal injuries are severe."

She summoned holy water and poured it over Zet's wounds. The holy water healed him slightly, but he was still in critical condition.

"He still has some hope left," the principal said. She lifted Zet's body in the using magic air and carried him away.