Luke walked slowly through the tall, mahogany doors of Professor Euric's office. The scent of aged parchment and faint sandalwood incense filled the air, a scent that reminded him of old libraries. His shoes echoed against the stone-tiled floor as he stepped inside.
The room was a strange blend of chaos and order. On one side of the polished, obsidian-wood desk were towering piles of books and parchment scrolls, carelessly stacked like monuments to countless sleepless nights. The rest of the desk, however, was spotless—papers aligned, a feathered quill resting in an ink bottle, and a polished emblem of the academy glinting in the soft lantern light.
To the left of the room, a large blackboard stood with the intricately detailed sketch of a human body's internal structure—a study of anatomy, nerves, and energy nodes. The chalk markings were sharp and precise, suggesting recent work. Opposite this was a small sitting area: two leather-bound chairs of crimson red facing one another, separated by a thick glass table with an elegant silver trim that caught the light just enough to shimmer.
It was the kind of furniture that suggested careful intention—both to comfort and to intimidate. The table was pristine, reflecting the ceiling lights above like a still pond. This was a space meant for quiet, decisive conversations.
As Luke's eyes moved across the room, they settled on the man seated in one of the chairs—Professor Euric. He sat with the poise of a man accustomed to control, fingers interlocked, his gaze steady beneath the lens of half-moon spectacles. His eyes, however, betrayed something deeper: curiosity wrapped in caution.
The professor raised a hand in a calm, inviting motion."Please, feel free to sit."
Luke stepped forward, each footfall slow and deliberate, and lowered himself into the opposite chair, the leather creaking faintly beneath his weight.
"Am I allowed to ask anything?" Luke asked, his tone even but measured.
"Yes, however, not without the trade of you willing to answer my questions also," Euric replied, folding his hands again.
Luke flinched slightly at the condition, but kept his expression neutral.'I knew it. He must have seen the technique I displayed. It looked too closely to the Raiki that the man with the Kukri blades used', Luke thought.'But what would he gain from questioning me, though?'
He decided to be direct.
"First off, I'm curious about the identity of the man that interrupted the assessment—and what the energy he used was," Luke said.
Best to start bold, he thought to himself.
"Straight to the point, I see," Professor Euric responded, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"That man was a wanted criminal. He's part of a hidden organization called the Seventeen Blades. He was ranked 12th of all the blades—the Twelfth Blademaster who wielded the Kukri blades. His name is Trevor."
"What does Trevor have to do with you?" Luke asked immediately, leaning slightly forward.
"…Just like most of the other Blademasters of this organization, they're previous graduates of the Knight Academy, where I had the chance of teaching a few of them," Euric said, his voice heavier than before.
"But why would they be called criminals? What did they do that's making them so wanted?" Luke questioned, brows slightly furrowed.
"Luke… you're aware of the choices one can make after graduating from the Knight Academy, right? Some join or create knight orders in different countries. Some use their power for personal gains," Euric answered.
Luke's expression didn't change, but his thoughts raced.'That's valid. I was hoping he accidentally spilled more but he's hiding things by not being direct. Can't tell everything to a student that could grow into another criminal', Luke reasoned.'There's a lot one can do if they have power too.'
Euric studied the boy in front of him, noting the pause, the narrowed eyes, the quiet understanding.
He's catching on… he's understanding and figuring out the signs I hid between the lines, Euric thought.He has potential. It would be great to have such a talent as a disciple… But even that thought was overshadowed by a creeping gloom as he recalled his former students—now turned renegades.
Luke broke the silence. "Next is Raiki. Is it only for a specific type of people, or are there different requirements?"
"Raiki is an energy you'll learn about in your third year. However… I find no reason I can't inform you about it now," Euric said.
Luke didn't reply, merely nodding.That means the existence of Raiki is being held from most students. But why? I doubt just anyone can learn it and be proficient in it, Luke thought.
"The energy that's in us and all around us is called Natural Raiki. Sooner or later, if trained, anyone can feel it. However, it comes with consequence," Euric continued.
I knew it, Luke's mind echoed.
"When one first feels Raiki and learns to coordinate with it, they lose all sense of mind and are controlled by the raw energy. This process is called Foresight."
Foresight… didn't Father say something about that? A vague memory flickered in Luke's mind.
"Raiki allows one to reinforce objects, areas, and one's own body—creating special zones and enhancing physical prowess. When one reaches the Lord Rank, their Raiki can reinforce the soul itself, thus creating an Avatar," Euric explained.
Isn't Raiki just magic in this world then? Luke mused internally.
"How can you find out if you can use Raiki?" he asked aloud.
"Everyone has Raiki already. I can see Raiki just by applying it to my eyes—improving my speed of sight and gaining the ability to see unseen thi—" Euric stopped mid-sentence.
He had activated his Raiki-enhanced vision, his pupils narrowing sharply as he focused on Luke.
But there was nothing.
No Raiki coming from Luke. No aura, no presence.
Euric flinched, then reinforced his vision again—harder. The result remained the same. And then he realized. His breath caught in his throat.
"What's going on?!" Euric suddenly shouted, stunned.
Luke stood quickly, startled. "What's wrong, Professor?"
He turned his senses outward, scanning for danger or irregularities.
But Euric was frozen in thought.'How is this possible? It's not that there's no Raiki around him… it's that his raw Raiki alone covers the whole room…!' A bead of sweat slid down Euric's cheek.
"Is there an emergency, Professor Euric?" Luke asked, voice cautious.
The professor closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.'He doesn't seem aware of it. But if he had refined his Raiki… this whole room would be his playground', he thought, gulping as he sat back down slowly.
"It seems our academy has welcomed a true monster," he finally said aloud.
"Luke, in exchange, I hope you can satiate my curiosity," Euric added, locking eyes with the boy.
________________________________________________________
Later…
Luke sat in his dorm room, sweat trailing down his temple as he leaned back in his chair.
"I did it," he whispered.
"After days… this would've been faster if Geld and Tael weren't always inviting me to train," he added with a strained chuckle. "My fingers hurt."
Before him, a glowing transparent screen hovered in the air:
[ STATUS ]
NAME: Luke
PHYSIQUE: 281
MANA: 229
CLICKS:500,002
SKILLS:
Flowthread – Great Accomplishment
Serene Flow – Great Accomplishment
Azure Steps – Great Accomplishment
Shifting Edge – Great Accomplishment
Physical Enhancement – Great Accomplishment
Striking Tide – Great Accomplishment
Bellowing Steps – Great Accomplishment
Arcane Steps – Basic
Dragon's Descent – Basic
PASSIVE SKILLS:
Calm Mind
6th Sense