Chapter 32: Early Level 3

The barrier did not break.

Selene Frost raised her hand and released a concentrated lance of absolute zero. The ice spear slammed into the transparent wall with a sharp crack. Frost spread across the surface in spiderweb patterns, then faded. The barrier remained completely intact.

She tried again. A wider wave this time. The temperature inside their small prison dropped hard enough that Arthur’s breath turned white. The barrier absorbed the cold without even flickering.

Selene lowered her arm and exhaled slowly.

"It’s useless. Aethel-Galdr is designed to hold even high-tier mages. We can’t force our way out. All we can do is wait."

Arthur nodded. The situation was clear. Outside, Tom and Selby were still moving through the deeper parts of the treasury. The two corpses still lay on the floor. No one was coming to free them anytime soon.

He looked down at his hands.

A faint, clean cold radiated from his skin. Not the poisoned frost that had lived inside Selene for years. This cold was sharp, obedient, and completely under his control.

Frost Sovereign.

He focused. A thin layer of ice formed over his palm, then shaped itself into a small, sharp spike. It dissolved a moment later when he released the mana.

Selene watched him carefully.

"You’ve never used ice magic before," she said. "Start with control, not power. Your mana pool is still only peak Level 2. If you try to force large constructs, you’ll empty yourself in seconds."

Arthur shook his head.

"No. It increased."

Selene’s eyes narrowed. She stepped closer, placed two fingers against the center of his chest, and sent a thin diagnostic thread of her own mana into him. Her expression shifted almost immediately.

"Early Level 3..."

She stared at the reading for a long second. A faint pink color rose on her cheeks. She looked away quickly, clearing her throat.

"I see. The resonance during... what we did must have stimulated your pool. That sometimes happens when two high-density mana sources mix intimately. It’s rare, but not unheard of."

Arthur said nothing. The blush on her face was answer enough.

Selene composed herself and faced him again, professional mask sliding back into place.

"Fine. Since your pool is larger now, we can work properly. Most students waste mana by forcing their Grimoire abilities at full output. That’s why they collapse after a few spells. You need to learn efficiency. Especially with a ability like the one you just gained."

She raised her hand. A perfect sphere of ice formed above her palm, no larger than a marble, but so dense it hummed.

"Watch the compression. Same principle I taught in class, only applied to your new element. You already have the density control from Mana Skin. Use it. Shape the frost first, then feed it only the mana it needs. No more."

Arthur copied her movements. The first attempt produced a rough, cloudy chunk of ice that cracked immediately. The second was better. By the fifth try a small, clear spike floated above his hand, stable and sharp.

Selene gave a small nod of approval.

"Again. Smaller. Tighter. Your pool is larger than before, but it is still nothing compared to a true high-tier mage. Learn to fight with what you have, or the first real battle will empty you."

They continued practicing inside the sealed space. Outside, the academy still burned with distant clashes. Inside their transparent prison, time moved differently. Arthur focused on the clean cold flowing through his newly expanded mana pathways while Selene corrected his form with the same sharp precision she used in the lecture hall.

---

Far away, in a dense forest outside the empire’s borders, the ground shook.

A massive gorilla-type monster tore through the trees, swinging arms thicker than tree trunks. Bark and branches exploded under every blow. Smaller animals fled in every direction, screaming and crashing through the undergrowth. The creature’s eyes burned with mindless rage. It smashed another tree and roared at the sky.

A heavy footstep landed behind it.

A huge man stepped out of the shadows. His body was pure muscle, every line defined under sweat-slick skin. He wore only short dark pants. No shirt. No armor. His arms looked capable of tearing the gorilla in half with raw strength alone.

He smiled.

Then he punched.

The impact sounded like a mountain cracking. The gorilla was launched backward, crashing through a dozen trees before slamming into the earth hard enough to leave a crater. Dirt and leaves exploded outward.

The monster pushed itself up, shaking its head. Blood dripped from its mouth. It locked eyes on the shirtless man and charged again with a deafening roar.

The man set his feet. His smile widened.

"You want some more?"

The gorilla closed the distance. At the last second the man stepped in and drove a single punch straight into the creature’s stomach. The force folded the monster’s body around his fist. Then the gorilla flew. It tumbled end over end, smashed through the remaining trees, and finally disappeared over the edge of the forest in a distant crash.

Silence returned.

The muscular man lowered his arm and rolled his shoulders, looking satisfied.

A light, childish voice spoke from behind him.

"Looks like you’re having fun."

He turned.

Standing a few meters away, silver hair catching the forest light, red eyes calm, a half-eaten lollipop in her mouth, was Headmistress Lily Nightshade.

The little girl smiled around the candy.

"Lily," the man said, voice deep and warm.