“No requests yet?” Rika asked, leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed as she watched Kenneth go through the empty request box.

Kenneth sighed, shaking his head. “After days of setting this up, we still haven’t received a single case. I’m starting to think we might be too intimidating for people to approach.”

Rika raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her face. “Well, it’s not every day students get to ask a favor from the academy’s star students. I mean, we’ve got Elena, with her rare spirit magic, and Joash, one of the smartest Elementless here. Then there’s you, the sole fire Wizard”

Kenneth chuckled softly but was still deep in thought. “True, but I’ve got a feeling that when we do get a case, it won’t be something easy. There’s something in the air… something difficult is heading our way.”

Rika was about to respond when a knock echoed through the room. They both turned toward the door, momentarily surprised.

“Well, looks like someone finally decided to test us,” Rika said, pushing her chair back as she stood up. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

It was the academy’s school council president, Eithan, standing in the doorway. “What brings the president to our clubroom?” Kenneth asked.

Eithan stepped inside, his expression serious. “I have something to request of you.”

Kenneth exchanged a quick glance with Rika. The school council president was known for solving even the toughest problems in the academy. The fact that Eithan was here meant that this might be something beyond his usual reach.

＊＊＊

Kenneth called the other members and followed Eithan out of the clubroom, their curiosity growing, and headed towards the large tree in the academy’s courtyard. The tree was massive, its branches stretching out so wide that its shade covered an area the size of two basketball courts. Kenneth had read about this tree in the novel he’d been drawn into—it was the symbolic Tree of Life, planted by the first emperor as a gift to the academy’s founder, his trusted friend.

“This is about the Tree of Life,” Eithan began as they approached the towering trunk. “The students have noticed this withering patch. At first, we thought it was minor, but over the past few days, it’s grown larger.”

They stepped closer to the trunk, and Kenneth saw the damage—a withered, four-foot patch that looked as if it had been slashed by some unseen force. The contrast between the healthy bark and the sickly, decaying area was alarming.

Joash knelt beside the trunk, examining the damaged area with a furrowed brow. “The Tree of Life has a unique recovery magic. Normally, it heals itself, no matter the injury. It’s been doing this for thousands of years.”

Eithan nodded, his tone grim. “I had a plant Wizard take a look at it, but they found nothing unusual about the patch. And yet, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong—something deeper that we’re not seeing. My hunch is that this has to do with elemental magic.”

“Because our magic is tied to the first emperor…” Aine trailed off, already sensing where the conversation was going.

Kenneth stepped forward, his hand brushing the rough bark of the tree. He could feel something faint—an echo of magic, but twisted. “I understand. We’ll investigate and find out what’s causing this,” he said, turning to Eithan.

Eithan let out a small breath of relief. “Thank you. If you need any help, the student council is at your disposal.”

Kenneth nodded. “We’ll let you know what we find.”

Eithan left, leaving the group sitting on the grass in front of the patch, each lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated a strategy. For a while, no one spoke, the weight of the task before them sinking in.

“What do you think?” Kenneth finally asked, breaking the silence and turning toward Joash, who was still deep in thought.

Joash rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t know yet. I need to study more about the Tree of Life—see if there’s anything I’ve missed. Can I go to the library?”

Elena, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. “Is it okay if I go with you? I work in the library, so I can help you find the right books.”

Joash nodded in agreement, appreciating the offer.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“We’ll stay here and take a closer look at the patch,” Kenneth said, watching as Joash and Elena stood up and headed off toward the library. The urgency of the situation was growing by the minute, but they needed more information before making any bold moves.

“Hmmm. Ash, can you inspect the soil? If there’s something wrong with the earth, it could explain why the tree’s healing is so slow.”

“I’ll try,” Ash said, crouching down. He placed his hands on the soil, casting his earth magic, feeling it seep deep into the ground. His brows furrowed in concentration as he explored the roots below. After a moment, he stood up.

“I didn’t sense anything strange in the soil,” Ash reported, sounding frustrated. “It’s as healthy as it should be.”

Lucian approached the withered patch next, his eyes glowing faintly as he activated his light magic. His aura shimmered as he focused on the damage, his brow furrowing deeper with concern. “This isn’t ordinary magic,” he said, stepping back to look at the others. “It’s Nether magic. Worse, it’s stronger here at the patch. I can still feel traces of its faint energy.”

Kenneth’s stomach dropped. Nether magic. It was the same dark force responsible for the long disappearance of Fire magic. The memory sent chills down his spine.

“Is it draining the tree’s magic?” Rika asked, her voice tense.

“There’s no way,” Aine muttered, her disbelief clear. But the seriousness in Lucian’s face made them all realize the gravity of the situation.

“It’s only a faint trace for now, which is why the tree’s still holding on,” Kenneth said, trying to remain calm. “But it’s slow and steady, which means we have time—but we’ll need to find a way to remove that magic before it becomes a bigger threat.”

He had a bad feeling about this, an instinct that told him this was only the beginning. Whatever caused the Tree of Life’s withering could easily trigger another catastrophe.

＊＊＊

Meanwhile, in the academy’s library, Joash and Elena were poring over old books and scrolls in search of any information that could help them.

“Elena,” Joash called softly, his eyes scanning a passage in a dusty, leather-bound book. “I think I found something.” He pointed to a specific paragraph, his finger trembling slightly.

Elena leaned closer to read the faded text. “‘The Tree of Life serves not only as a symbol of unity but as the anchor for elemental balance in this world. Should the Tree weaken, all elements risk instability…’” Her brow furrowed as the words sank in.

Joash’s eyes widened. “So, it’s not just a symbolic tree. If it truly falters…”

“Wizards could lose their connection to magic altogether,” Elena finished, her voice barely a whisper. Her gaze flicked back to Joash. “The disappearance of fire magic… It’s already testing the tree's limits, isn’t it?”

Joash nodded, feeling a chill run through him. “The tree has been struggling to preserve the balance, compensating for the loss of the Ultimate Fire. But it can only sustain the harmony of the elements for so long without all five powers intact.”

Elena’s face turned grim. “If this tree fails to stabilize the elements… it could mean the end of elemental magic as we know it. And if the tree dies…” She paused, the weight of her words heavy. “All elemental magic might vanish entirely—lost forever, with no chance of revival.”

A tense silence settled between them. They both understood what this meant. The Tree of Life wasn’t merely a source of elemental power—it was the very lifeline keeping the elemental magic in balance.

＊＊＊

Meanwhile, back at the Tree of Life, Kenneth’s group stood in tense silence.

“So, Nether magic… It’s not just a coincidence that it showed up here, is it?” Kenneth asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

“No, it’s deliberate,” Lucian replied gravely, his gaze fixed on the withering patch. “Someone, or something, is trying to weaken this tree.”

Rika knelt down beside the tree, summoning her water magic, attempting to flush the nether magic out of the soil. She focused hard, the water swirling at her fingertips, but it only barely pushed against the resistance of the dark magic. The Nether magic clung stubbornly to the soil, refusing to be cleansed.

“This is bad…” Rika’s voice trembled with frustration. “If this Nether magic spreads any further through the tree, we’ll lose it. We need to stop it.”

Just then, Joash and Elena returned, a book in hand. Joash quickly pulled out the book and flipped to the relevant section, the urgency in his movements clear.

“Here it is—the Tree of Life,” Joash said, holding up the book he and Elena had found. “It wasn’t just any tree. The first emperor planted it as a symbol of unity between the kingdom and the academy, but there’s more…” He paused, then handed the book to Kenneth.

Kenneth leaned over, reading aloud, “‘The Tree of Life acts as a central anchor for elemental forces. It’s not a standalone—its magic extends through saplings planted throughout the kingdom, each one connected back to this main tree.’”

Rika’s eyes widened in realization. “So if this tree is weakening…”

“Then the saplings could be losing strength too,” Elena finished, her voice tense. “The imbalance we’re seeing might not be isolated—it could ripple across all elemental sources.”

The group exchanged worried glances, the weight of their discovery sinking in. Joash continued, flipping to a detailed passage. “The Tree of Life and its saplings aren’t just symbolic. They’re a living safeguard. Together, they hold the elemental balance across the land and stabilize magic within the kingdom.”

Kenneth’s gaze sharpened, the implications becoming clear. “If someone’s targeting this central tree, it’s more than a local attack. They’re threatening the entire network. And if the saplings die…”

“It could destabilize magic throughout Anterthon,” Joash concluded grimly. “Causing severe disruptions—or worse, total collapse.”

Aine looked around at her friends, worry evident in her eyes. “But why now? Why would anyone want to break the kingdom’s magical foundation?”

Kenneth’s expression darkened. “It’s not just magic—it’s control. The elemental balance isn’t just about power; it’s tied to the kingdom’s prosperity and stability. Whoever’s doing this may be trying to unravel that balance entirely.”

The magnitude of what they faced hung heavy in the air. If the Tree of Life and its saplings failed, the repercussions could tear apart everything they knew, leaving Anterthon vulnerable and broken.