[: Daniel’s POV :]

After finishing my breakfast, I never expected that my first classroom assignment would be the exact same as Fendrick’s.

What a ridiculous coincidence.

"Huh!?" Fendrick’s voice cracked as he stared at the slip of paper in my hand.

"Seriously!? You’re in class 31A-2C?"

He looked at me like fate had just punched him in the face.

I could see it all perfectly written across his expression.

’First my room... now class? Why is this bastard haunting my life?’ Fendrick thought.

I shrugged.

"What can I say? Destiny wants us together."

"Out of all students in this entire academy—why... would... it... be... YOU?"

He spoke each word with the passion of someone begging the gods to undo reality.

"Can’t do anything about it."

I gave him a light pat on the back.

"Guess we’re both stuck together."

Fendrick let out the most depressed sigh known to mankind.

"What am I going to do with my life...?"

I chuckled.

"Cheer up, roommate. At least you’re not alone."

"That’s the problem!" he barked.

Despite his attitude, he still gestured for me to follow.

"Sighed, come on. You don’t know the layout yet, right? Since you gave me that fruit earlier... I’ll guide you. First and last time. Don’t expect interest on this charity."

"Oh? So you do have a soft spot." I smirked.

"Where did all the rude remarks go?"

"If you’re asking for a fight, I’ll give you one, but I’m not the type to repay kindness with violence," he replied bluntly.

That... was unexpected.

A crude tongue, but not a rotten heart.

I couldn’t help but smile.

"Noted."

Fendrick walked ahead with his hands in pockets, leading me through a maze of buildings.

The academy was massive, you could fit a small city inside its boundaries.

We eventually reached one of the learning towers and stopped on the third floor.

He pushed open a door, revealing our classroom.

My eyes widened.

It wasn’t a room.

It was practically a miniature theater, layered rows of seats circling downward toward a large demonstration floor.

A magic circle etched across the center glimmered with faint blue light.

There were already fifty students spread throughout the room.

It was fifty for one class.

How the hell does a teacher manage that many?

As soon as we entered, dozens of eyes shifted in our direction.

Their eyes were curious, judging, suspicious and uninterested...and a few lustful pairs from some girls in the back rows.

Guess I’m popular already.

But after a heartbeat, they all turned away, losing interest instantly.

Strange.

Nobody recognized me.

Actually... that’s good.

It’d be annoying if they knew I was a prince.

Mika did mention the academy restricts outside influence, even news from the from their own families.

Only letters are allowed because they can’t risk any matters disturbing the students unless it was personal ones.

And while there are mana-based communication devices, mana phones, they’re insanely expensive.

Not something every household could afford.

So yep.

Right now, I’m just another student.

I exhaled in relief.

"Why the hell are you sitting next to me?"

Fendrick snapped as I took the seat beside him near the window.

"What? Aren’t we buddies now?"

I asked innocently.

"At this point, I’m really considering dropping out of the academy," he muttered under his breath.

"It’s just a seat, man."

"Whatever. The professor should be here soon," he said, though his eyes gleamed slightly with... excitement?

Even this rude guy enjoyed learning?

That was... respectable.

Eventually, someone had arrived.

It was a woman who entered through the side door, and the room instantly hushed.

Her presence alone demanded attention.

Long violet hair flowed against her back.

Crimson eyes gleamed with intelligence and mischief.

A mole under her right eye emphasized her striking beauty.

She wore a classic witch-style hat, matching her attire that... emphasized more curves than necessary.

Most importantly, her assets...were huge and

her hips swayed naturally as she walked.

Okay, I need to stop staring before someone stabs me.

Fendrick nudged me.

"Quit drooling. Her fan clubs are ruthless."

"She has fan clubs?" I whispered.

"Multiple."

"And if you still don’t know who she is," he stared at me like I failed existence itself,

"then you’re a certified idiot noble."

"Is she that important?" I whispered.

He groaned.

"Listen carefully, brainless noble"

"That woman is our professor for both theoretical and practical magic"

"And she’s not some random teacher. She’s part of the Tower of Mages, the most prestigious magic research institution."

He leaned closer.

"She’s an Archmage. Only one tier below a Wizard."

My eyes widened.

"...So she’s extremely powerful?"

"More than powerful. She could fight a Mythic Rank and live"

"If she becomes a wizard, she’d be the same standing as the Empress or Emperor of the continents."

Oh.

So she’s that terrifying.

"To add on, she’s known for only caring about magic and nothing else"

"She spends days researching spells without sleep"

"In fact, every teacher here is so overqualified that if they gathered, they could start a war if they wanted," he added proudly.

"Well, it is the Apex Academy," I said.

"Having weak instructors would be an insult."

"For once... yeah, I agree."

The professor yawned loudly, unfazed by all the admiration thrown her way.

"Good morning, class. Nice to see you again."

Her voice was warm... but undeniably tired.

She scanned the room lazily... then stopped at me.

Oh no.

"It seems we have a new student today."

Fifty pairs of eyes stabbed into me again.

"We’ll skip formal introductions. Today’s lesson is long, and since you lack prior foundation... just keep up where you can."

I nodded.

"I’ll do my best, professor."

All of a sudden, she tapped her staff lightly, a thin wand with floating red runes circling around it.

The entire board behind her lit up with mana inscriptions.

"Previously, we studied the ’Principles of Magic’ and ’Mana Equivalent’. A short recap..."

She pointed her wand.

A diagram of swirling mana particles appeared, forming shapes of fire, water, light, and shadow.

"Principles of Magic allow one to harmonize personal mana with the supernatural laws that govern existence"

"With intent and understanding, energy becomes form."

She flicked her wand again.

"And Mana Equivalent is the law that for every manifested form, a required amount of mana must be exchanged"

"Creation has a price."

The students nodded, clearly familiar with this.

"Now," she continued, "What is Principles of Anti-Magic?"

Silence spread across the room.

Some students fidgeted.

Others avoided eye contact.

Though, I’m not a genius, I was still interested in the topic and I raised my hand.

Scarlett’s eyes curved with interest.

"Yes? The new one."

I swallowed.

Well, let’s not embarrass myself.

"If Principles of Magic bring something into existence... then Anti-Magic should be the inverse, right? The process of... disabling another person’s magic?"

A few students turned to look at me again.

Scarlett’s smile widened, genuinely pleased.

"You’re close. Very close."

She wrote a single glowing term in the air.

’Mana Frequency’

"Every individual’s mana resonates at a certain frequency. Every spell built through Principles of Magic is structured through that frequency."

She raised her wand toward a conjured fireball hovering above her palm.

"Anti-Magic disrupts this frequency. Not by overpowering, but by matching it"

"Hence, interference, disruption and nullification."

The fireball unraveled into harmless sparks.

"It is possible to cancel the existence of magic before it completes manifestation."

Her eyes scanned the classroom...

And rested on me again.

"Remember this well"

"Power isn’t only in creation, sometimes, victory lies in denial."

Chills crawled across my arms.

This knowledge...was not meaningless at all.

Scarlett tapped the board again and a waveform appeared, peaks and valleys representing mana flux.

"Mana Frequency is affected by emotion, mental state, and innate affinity"

"For example, if someone is angry, their mana sharpens and spikes. Happy? It becomes smoother and more stable."

A student raised a hand.

"Professor, if mana changes constantly, how can we match the frequency?"

Scarlett snapped her fingers, a glass disc floated before her.

"Good question. And the answer is simple"

She channeled mana into the disc, causing ripples to vibrate along its surface.

"You don’t chase their frequency."

Two ripples collided perfectly, and the disc shattered.

"You force them to adjust to yours"

Fendrick whispered, "That... is terrifying."

He was right.

Anti-Magic isn’t simply defense.

It is domination.

Scarlett turned to us again.

"Of course, mastering this requires tremendous sensitivity and control over your mana"

"It is not a path for the impatient."

Her gaze sharpened.

"In the records history, there were times when forbid its teaching...because they fear those who can deny magic."

I briefly wondered... would this knowledge help me against threats far beyond this academy?

It might seem small and miniscule compared to the powers that I have, but isn’t this beneficial for me?

When Scarlett turned back to the board, Fendrick nudged me.

"You’re surprisingly not dumb," he whispered.

"Gee, thanks."

"Don’t get used to compliments."

"But you keep complimenting me?"

"Shut up."

I smirked.

Cat and dog, that’s us.

Scarlett clapped her hands, the sound resonating with mana.

"All right. Let’s try a simple demonstration."

A few students gasped.

Fendrick straightened in excitement.

Scarlett pointed her wand upward, summoning a small whirl of wind.

"Someone, use a basic elemental spell on this."

A girl with red hair volunteered, conjuring a small firebolt.

It shot toward the wind.

Scarlett didn’t move.

She didn’t chant and she didn’t even look.

Her mana flared silently and the firebolt fizzled out mid-air.

My heart skipped.

That...was pure mastery.

"That, students, is Anti-Magic in its most basic visible form."

As Scarlett resumed the lecture, I leaned back and stared at the glowing diagrams.

Magic wasn’t just spells and explosions.

It was science.

It was philosophy.

It was warfare.

Matching mana frequency... disrupting creation...

If I learn this properly...

This academy...might be exactly where I need to be.