Dust still hung in the air, the scent of blood and pulverized stone clinging to every breath. Fragments of Aero's Fang continued to chime faintly across the shattered ground. Rowan's corpse lay where it had fallen.
Rein stood at the center of the devastation, breathing lightly but steadily. His blue eyes still glimmered.
High above, on the rooftop, the man in black let out a cold, almost bored exhale.
"That shield… no first-year should be able to cast that."
His voice fell like a verdict.
Zarek lifted his pale face from below, something between awe and hunger moving across his features.
"Rowan's blade—dust. And the boy still standing." He paused. "What is that shield?"
The man on the roof narrowed his eyes, a glint of frost within them. He shook his head slowly.
"Perhaps a lost ancient spell. Perhaps something older. Either way—the boy cannot use it again."
Zarek's lips twisted into a thin, predatory smile.
"His mana is running dry."
The man on the rooftop said nothing more. He stepped forward—and walked down through the air as though descending an invisible staircase, wind curling beneath each footfall. His tall, shadowy form touched the ground soundless, weightless, wrong.
His left hand rested lightly on the hilt of his four-foot saber, still sheathed—yet the oppressive force rolling off him thickened the air until it hurt to breathe.
"The Oracle foretold this."
The words stabbed into the courtyard like spears of ice.
"Zarek. If you are prepared, proceed."
The necromancer chuckled softly. He swept his cloak aside and raised his skeletal staff—a Unique-grade weapon fashioned from the spine and skull of a fallen Stratosphere necromancer, the half-skull at its tip hanging open-jawed, violet runes swirling inside like flames from the underworld.
A wave of icy death swept across the courtyard.
Zarek turned toward Kairos, the Flame Knuckle Brawler, still faintly breathing where he'd fallen.
"It's time… Kairos."
Master Kael's zombified corpse stepped forward and drove five rigid fingers straight through Kairos's chest. Blood erupted. The large body collapsed instantly, eyes hollowing into empty voids.
Zarek began chanting. Purple necrotic mana spiraled around the death-staff, then surged toward the corpses of Kairos and Itcha.
Old wounds split open. Bone forced its way outward through collapsing flesh, shards punching free with muffled, meaty force. Then—from the ruins of what had been two men—bleached skeletons clawed themselves free, joints scraping in a chorus of sharp, grating clicks. A chittering rhythm that echoed across the courtyard like laughter carved from bone.
"Two servants, no effort." Zarek glanced toward the remains of Rowan. "A pity about the other one."
His gaze slid toward Ingrid, and a thin finger pointed at the necklace she wore.
The glow in her pendant flickered.
Ingrid whispered the invocation—Lux Sanctus Exorcis—then shouted the command.
"Turn Undead!"
She clutched her necklace tightly. A burst of holy light exploded outward—a radiant circle like a sun descending onto the ruined earth, burning straight toward the two skeletons.
The skeletal Master Kael moved faster than she expected.
Lux Aeterna—Aegis Sacra.
A massive Shield of Light materialized between her spell and its targets—the dead priest's own sacred magic, turned against her. Holy radiance met holy radiance, necrotic corruption threading through Kael's version like rot through wood. The two spells tore into each other, sparks of gold and violet showering the courtyard, and in the end both died—snuffed out in perfect balance.
Ingrid's voice shook.
"That… that's Master Kael's magic…!? But he's dead…"
She could see it clearly even in the darkness. The high priest—once a symbol of radiant light—had transformed fully into an undead husk, priestly robes sagging over bone, empty eye sockets burning with cold green flame.
Above her, the skeletal Master Kael began chanting with a hollow, reverberating voice.
Potentia Augmenta. Motus Celeritas. Aegis Arcanum.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Streams of green runic light spiraled around him, then shot into the two skeletal warriors—Might Enhance, Haste, Arcane Ward, all layered in a single chain.
Chain Casting. A technique only a handful of Arcadia's upper-year elites could perform.
The moment the last syllable left Kael's mouth, the two undead surged forward—bones clacking, mana flaring—rushing to tear Rein and Ingrid apart.
Rein had already laid his board.
During the chaos of Zarek's necrotic haze and Ingrid's holy response, the boy had remained still—letting the enemy read him as spent, a drained piece waiting to be swept from the board. He had not moved. He had not reacted.
That stillness was the trap.
During his battle with Rowan—while dodging, weaving, and countering—his fingertips had traced brief, subtle arcs in the air. Thin translucent spell-circles flashed for barely a heartbeat along pillars, shattered walls, broken tiles, then vanished before anyone could notice.
To Rein, they were carefully placed traps.
Inside each faint circle lay a compressed sequence of attack runes, packed tight and hidden from sight. All awaiting a single command.
He had laid the web for the necromancer. Zarek hadn't cooperated.
Now, with two undead monsters charging, Rein triggered it early.
He snapped his fingers.
From multiple directions—different heights, hidden angles—thin, four-inch bolts of mana shot outward like coordinated gunfire. Ten in total, slamming into the skeleton warriors with rapid, explosive impacts. The courtyard rang with a storm of detonations.
Compressed Magic Missiles—Pit Vipers, he called them, after a John Wick weapon he'd once admired. A foot-long bolt compressed to pen-size, density doubled, four times faster. LIZ had clocked each shot near 9mm. Itcha had proved the math.
The two skeletal warriors jerked violently—one losing an arm, the other having half its skull blown apart, ribs scattering across broken stone.
The results were far from ideal.
Empowered by Kael's reinforcement spells, the Pit Vipers lacked the killing force to finish them in one volley. Shattered fragments jittered—then drifted back. Bones clicked into place one by one, joints locking with grotesque precision. The attack had bought him a pause. Nothing more.
The two skeletons' hollow eye sockets flared with emerald light, a low vibrating growl rising from deep within their frames.
Rein's brows knitted.
Through Mana Vision he saw it clearly—thin, twitching threads of violet mana stretched from the necromancer's fingers to the skeletons, pulling them like grotesque marionettes.
Direct mana puppetry. Not infection, not autonomy. Every movement ran through the necromancer's control. Cut the strings, the whole system collapsed. The weakness was obvious. The problem was getting to it.
He inhaled hard.
"So I just need to cut the strings, or…"
A series of alarm chimes blared in his head so loudly his concentration nearly shattered.
[LIZ: Probability assessment complete. Current condition: less than ten percent survival if you continue. Fifty percent if you run now.]
Alerts popped up one after another. Rein groaned, rubbing his temples.
"Yeah, yeah—just kill the alarms already, or I'll die from the noise before the skeletons touch me."
He had only a few cards left, while two enemies remained virtually untouched. He glanced at Ingrid.
Her face was pale, sweat streaming down, breath ragged—mirroring his own state.
"Ingrid… can you still fight?"
She bit her lip and nodded, voice quiet but firm.
"Honestly… I only have enough mana for one more Holy Flame."
Mana is life. Her instructor's voice, flat and merciless. Run out of it and you die.
"If I have to die…" Ingrid grit her teeth. "…then I'm taking at least one of them with me."
Rein turned to her, his deep blue eyes sharp and unwavering.
"Not today, Ingrid."
Then, in a low whisper—almost a secret between them:
"Save that spell for when I call for it. As for these skeletons—leave them to me."
He lifted his gaze toward the man in black standing across the courtyard with arms folded. One variable he couldn't solve for: if the man joined in, the math stopped working.
"So it all comes down to time," Rein murmured.
The two skeletal warriors began to move. Their joints scraped together with the harsh rasp of rusted chains—then they lunged forward again, mindless and relentless, empty sockets blazing with green fire.
Rein didn't wait for them to close in.
His right hand swept horizontally. A flash of runic light ignited in the air, and a Carbyne Magic Shield materialized—reduced to less than two feet across, a razor-sharp disk rather than a defensive barrier. He hurled it with a motion that would have looked familiar to anyone who'd grown up watching the same films he had.
The shield spun into a high-speed blur, slicing through the air with a piercing metallic shriek.
Zarek's eyes flew wide.
"What kind of lunatic throws a shield!?"
The Carbyne shield carved across the charging skeletal Kairos—through a magically reinforced body hardened like steel—and split it apart. Bones scattered across stone. A pulse of light flickered midair, an unseen force yanking the shield backward, and it swept past Itcha's skeleton from behind, cleaving it cleanly in two before arcing back toward Rein.
A flick of his fingers—a pinpoint flash struck the rim—and the shield shot skyward again.
This time, its target was Master Kael.
The skeletal mage tried to retreat while casting a defensive spell, but the shield curved midair. Every tiny flash Rein triggered changed its angle, guiding it after the target like a reflection that refused to break. Kael summoned another Shield of Light in desperation—the strange shield dipped, skimmed the ground, rebounded upward at a perfect angle, and bisected the skeleton from bottom to top in a single blinding stroke.
"What… what is that!?"
Zarek's voice quivered.
The shield spun skyward again—struck something—light rippled around its edges—and shot straight toward the necromancer.
The man in black watched from across the courtyard, arms still folded. Something shifted behind his eyes—an emotion he almost never allowed to surface.
Unless someone of Mesosphere-tier is backing him, we must report this to The Above immediately.
Some distance away, Rein guided each movement with conductor-like precision. Every snap of his fingers sent a Pit Viper round streaking out—striking the shield's rim at exactly the angle LIZ calculated through her holographic overlays, redirecting it through a chain of engineered ricochets.
It was the first time they'd tested it in real combat.
It worked beautifully.
A small smile curved his lips.
"All right," he whispered. "Come here, you budget zombie director."
These entries expand the lore and mechanics introduced in this chapter.
Completely optional — read only if you enjoy diving deeper into the system.
Spells Codex
Shield of Light
Category: Defensive / Light Element / Divine
Tier: Stratosphere
Casting Method: Vocal
Element: Light
Mana Cost: High
Description:
A legendary divine barrier originating from the era of the Divine War. Shield of Light manifests as a radiant, lens-shaped wall forged entirely from condensed divine illumination. Unlike standard magical shields, this barrier is mobile, capable of rotating, shifting, and adapting its position mid-combat—making it a pinnacle of defensive spellcraft.
Renowned for its unparalleled purity and structural complexity, it rivals or surpasses even the feared Darkness Armor in raw defensive capability.
Mechanism:
The caster channels a massive quantity of refined mana and transmutes it into divine light.
A Stratosphere-grade magic circle forms a curved, transparent “lens” that:
– Refracts and bends incoming mana-based attacks
– Breaks hostile energy down into harmless photons
– Converts physical kinetic force into diffused radiant output
– Maintains structural integrity through layered divine harmonics
Because the barrier is mobile, the caster can reposition it dynamically:
– Rotate it like a shield
– Slide it to intercept attacks
– Angle it to redirect beams or projectiles
– Expand or contract its curvature with precise mana modulation
This adaptability grants tactical superiority over static shields.
Incantation:
Lux Aeterna—Aegis Sacra!
"O Eternal Light—form a sacred shield!"
Range / Shape:
– Standard form: Large, curved lens-like barrier
– Can be angled forward, sideways, or overhead
– Can follow the caster or hover independently within short range
– Shape adjustment available to skilled users (wider lens, narrower bulwark, etc.)
Strength Scaling:
Influenced by:
– Divine affinity
– Mana purity
– Control over harmonic light conversion
Limitations:
– Immense mana consumption
– Requires pre-channeling for instant deployment
– Maintaining mobility drastically increases strain
Notable Users:
– Undead Master Kael – unusually able to cast it despite being undead
– Priest of Luminara
Notes:
– Considered a sacred-level spell
– Most records of its formula are locked within divine archives
– Kael’s ability to wield it raises theological and arcane contradictions
PIT VIPER (Modified Magic Missile) – Custom Rein/LIZ Variant
Type: Offensive Projectile Spell (Modified Cantrip)
Tier: Unclassified Prototype (Derived from Magic Missile)
Creator: Rein (design), LIZ (spell equation rewrite)
Casting Method: Delayed Activation / Mental Trigger / Snap Gesture
Incantation: None (Incantation removed by Rein during redesign)
Element: Neutral
Mana Cost: Low per shot (but increases when stacking many instances)
Description
Pit Viper is Rein’s personally engineered, high-compression variant of the standard Magic Missile.
While the original spell produces foot-long bolts of moderate speed and force, Pit Viper compresses each projectile into a four-inch, ultra-dense mana slug—dramatically increasing both speed and penetration.
The spell is designed for ambush, trap setting, and lethal precision fire, especially when combined with Rein’s signature Delayed Casting Technique.
Pit Vipers fire simultaneously from pre-placed micro-circles Rein draws in battle, making the attack nearly impossible to read or block.
Mechanism
The spell functions through a three-stage modification process:
Compression Rewrite
Rein alters the Magic Missile formula so the projectile collapses into a compact, pen-sized bolt.
This doubles its mana density and multiplies impact velocity fourfold.
Delayed Casting Lattice
Tiny, invisible spell-circles are pre-placed across surfaces during combat.
Inside each one lies a compressed attack rune sequence waiting for Rein’s command.
Coordinated Discharge
At activation, all circles fire simultaneously.
Bolts travel faster than conventional Magic Missiles—approaching the force of a modern 9mm handgun per impact, according to LIZ's calculations.
Range
– Highly variable; depends on placement of spell-circles
– Effective lethal range: ~5–30 ft per projectile
– Spread and firing angles depend entirely on Rein’s preparation
Incantation
– No chant (Rein intentionally removes incantations from all custom spells)
– Circle placement uses micro-gestures while moving
– Activation via mental trigger or finger snap
– Works seamlessly with Mana Vision’s battlefield mapping
Limitations
Pit Viper is extremely potent but requires:
– Preparation time
– Strategic placement
– High multitasking ability
– Mana Vision for precision mapping
– LIZ’s computational support for stable compression
The spell also consumes more mana per shot than standard Magic Missile due to the dense compression formula.
Notable Usage
– Chapter 16: Eliminated an elite assassin (Itcha) instantly with a point-blank cranial shot
– Used to intercept and stagger two Stratosphere-enhanced undead warriors
– Originally prepared to trap Zarek before battlefield conditions changed
Notes
Pit Viper exemplifies Rein’s combat philosophy:
“Hack the system, rewrite the rules.”
It transforms a beginner’s cantrip into a lethal sniper tool—
a perfect example of how Rein weaponizes scientific thinking inside Arath’s magic system.
Spellcasting Techniques
Chain Casting
Category: Spellcasting Technique
Type: Sequential Multi-Spell Weaving
Practitioners: Advanced Mages (typically Year 3 Arcadia Academy graduates or equivalent)
Difficulty: Extremely High
Description
Chain Casting is an elite spellcasting method in which multiple spells are prepared, layered, and released in rapid succession, with virtually no delay between them. Instead of casting spells one by one, the mage pre-structures the mana flows and glyph pathways so that each spell triggers the next, forming a continuous chain.
Only a tiny fraction of mages can perform this safely. Even within Arcadia Academy, Chain Casting is considered a Year 3 mastery-level technique, taught only to top-performing battle-mages and research-track specialists.
Mechanism
Chain Casting relies on three critical components:
- Pre-alignment of Mana Pathways
The caster arranges internal mana circuits so each spell’s output becomes the input for the next. - Glyph Compression
Magic circles are minimized or partially stacked to reduce casting delay. - Cognitive Sequencing
The mage maintains multiple spell structures in short-term memory simultaneously—a task that can overload most human minds.
This produces effects such as:
– Back-to-back buffs in under one second
– Multi-layer defensive stacks
– Rapid alternation between offensive and supportive spells
Combat Example (Chapter 17 Reference)
Undead Master Kael casts:
Might Enhance → Haste → Arcane Ward
all in a single chain, granting his skeletal warriors a synchronized buff package without pause.
This showcases a high-level Chain Casting execution normally impossible for first-year students—and extremely rare even among third-years.
Limitations
– Tremendous cognitive strain; risks mental backlash or spell collapse
– Mana expenditure spikes sharply due to layered stability requirements
– Failure in one link can destabilize the entire chain
– Impossible without rigorous training and exceptional focus
Notes
– Chain Casting is not the same as Magic Stacking. Chain Casting is sequential; Stacking overlays spells concurrently.
– Necromancers and warlocks sometimes use modified forms that circumvent standard human limitations.
Multi-Angle Circle Deployment
A tactical casting method where multiple small spell-circles are deployed across the battlefield at different angles, heights, and blind spots.
Each circle is pre-programmed but kept inactive until triggered.
This allows the caster to create overlapping kill-zones, force enemy movement, or disguise the true direction of an attack.
Rein uses this method with extreme precision, placing circles mid-movement without revealing their presence.
Hidden Glyph Compression
A technique that reduces the visible footprint of a spell by condensing the mana-runic sequence into a miniature, high-density form.
Instead of glowing or manifesting fully, the glyph exists in a “folded” state—nearly invisible unless examined with high-tier perception.
Upon activation, the compressed glyph unfolds instantly, releasing its stored energy with amplified force.
Rein and LIZ employ this to disguise modified spells such as Pit Viper.
Mana Density Overclocking
The process of compressing mana into a form significantly denser than its standard spell configuration.
Overclocked mana increases projectile speed, penetration force, and structural stability, but also risks mana turbulence, recoil, and circuit instability.
This method is rarely used by students due to the precision and stamina required.
Rein’s compressed Magic Missiles are a textbook example—reduced in size but multiplied in speed and destructive output.
Carbyne Disk Form
A modified variant of the Carbyne Magic Shield, condensed from a barrier into a razor-edged throwing weapon.
Its reduced diameter minimizes mana consumption while increasing rotational velocity and cutting force.
Rein uses micro-adjusted mana impulses (or Pit Viper ricochets) to remotely alter its trajectory midair
Carbyne Pursuit System — (Composite Technique)
Category: Hybrid Spell–Technique System (Carbyne Construct + Projectile Guidance)
User: Rein (with LIZ’s computational assistance)
Description
A custom-engineered combat system developed by Rein that converts the Carbyne Magic Shield into a high-speed, homing offensive weapon. By shrinking the shield into a dense Carbyne Disk Form, Rein reduces mana expenditure while vastly increasing rotational velocity and cutting power. The disk is then guided mid-flight using precisely timed Pit Viper impact adjustments.
Core Principles
- Carbyne Disk Form
Rein compresses the original Carbyne Magic Shield into a smaller, razor-edged disk.
– Higher density → superior cutting ability
– Lower surface area → reduced mana drain
– Optimized for rotational momentum and flight stability - Multi-Vector Guidance via Pit Vipers
Instead of relying on pure telekinesis or direct mana control, Rein uses delayed-cast Pit Viper bolts to strike the rim of the spinning disk at calculated angles.
Each micro-impact alters the disk’s trajectory—
turning it into a guided projectile capable of pursuing targets midair.
This allows the disk to:
– Curve around obstacles
– Chase fleeing enemies
– Redirect instantly after rebounds
– Maintain lethal momentum through a sequence of ricochet-like adjustments
- LIZ-Assisted Predictive Calculation
LIZ projects real-time trajectories through holographic overlays, determining the ideal angles and timing for each Pit Viper shot. This enables Rein to “conduct” the disk’s movement with near-surgical precision despite the system’s extreme complexity.
Combat Role
A long-range execution technique designed to eliminate agile or shielded opponents.
Effective against:
– High-speed assassins
– Defensive spellcasters
– Undead constructs
– Targets attempting to retreat or reposition
Remarks
The Carbyne Pursuit System represents a fusion of:
– Advanced physics
– Custom spell architecture
– Tactical engineering
– High-speed battlefield computation
Skill Techniques
Holographic Angle Overlay (LIZ-Assisted Interface)
A real-time augmented visual overlay projected into Rein’s Mana Vision.
Displays predicted trajectories, ricochet vectors, and mana-reflection points.
Enables Rein to perform guidance normally requiring Stratosphere-tier predictive magic.
Other
The Oracle
Classification: Unknown Entity / Prophetic Authority
Affiliation: Believed to be part of The Above
Status: Unseen — referenced only through Intruder communication
Description:
A mysterious prophetic figure whose predictions influence the strategic decisions of The Above.
In Chapter 17, the rooftop commander reveals that The Oracle foresaw Rein as a future obstruction, prompting the kill order during the Arcadia Academy assault.
Implications in Lore:
– The Oracle possesses long-range foresight or a superior predictive system
– Commands enough authority that assassins and elite operatives execute orders without question
– Suggests Rein’s future role in global-scale events
Unknowns:
– Identity (individual? divine fragment? magical AI? ancient seer?)
– Origin and method of prophecy
– How far-reaching their predictions are
The Above
Classification: Shadow Organization / High-Tier Power Network
Status: Active; operating behind the Intruders
Description:
A clandestine, top-level organization coordinating the Arcadia Academy attack.
Their existence is implied through commands given to Zarek, Rowan, and the Waning Night operatives.
Unlike common rogue groups, The Above appears to possess political power, financial depth, and high-level magical assets.
Known Characteristics:
– Controls or influences multiple elite factions (e.g., Waning Night assassins, necromancers, rogue mages)
– Issues strategic directives through The Oracle
– Operates at a scale larger than kingdoms or academies
Unknowns:
– Leadership structure
– Long-term objectives
– How many nations or organizations they have infiltrated
– Why Rein specifically was marked as a threat
the real danger isn’t what you see—
but what’s controlling it.
The enemy has revealed a new truth.
And somewhere between those two revelations,
the battlefield shifted again.
you notice in the moment everything changed?
If you’re following Rein through this night—hit Follow so you don’t lose him in the dark.
— Re:Naissance