When Aiding followed Seres through a magic portal and stepped into her private training chamber, his lips parted slightly of their own accord, and an undisguised hint of awe flashed in his eyes.
The room before him was incredibly spacious, at least on par with the largest public training ground at the academy.
The four walls were as smooth as mirrors, pure milky white in color, faintly shimmering with magical brilliance.
At the center of the area stood a clearly more complex magic barrier, dense with Runes, obviously designed to withstand higher-level, more destructive magical impacts.
This was probably one of the academy’s special privileges for “Stellar” members, all of whom possessed formidable power.
Along the edge of the training area, all kinds of prototype Mage Engineering Weapons were neatly displayed, ranging from unusually shaped staves to swords and blades inlaid with a variety of magic crystals, their types numerous.
Such cutting-edge equipment was something ordinary students might never even glimpse, yet here in this training chamber reserved for “Stellar” members, they were as common as everyday ornaments, a testament to the tremendous resources and high regard the academy devoted to this special group.
On one side of the area, a comfortable temporary Rest Lounge was set up, complete with soft sofas and small tea tables.
Even more surprising, on the second floor of the training chamber, there was even a private Rest Lounge.
Aiding looked up.
Through the semi-open design, he could see that the interior was arranged like a luxury hotel suite—bed, wardrobe, and even a private shower, all readily available.
Clearly, it was intended to let the user fully relax and rest immediately after intense training.
This kind of treatment… The difference is like night and day.
Sometimes, the gap between people is simply beyond comparison.
Looking at everything before him, Aiding couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
“Actually… this is my first time officially using this place, too. I’m not really sure how a lot of the facilities work yet.”
Seres noticed the subtle unease on Aiding’s face.
She spoke softly, her ice-blue eyes glimmering with an inviting light as she looked at him.
“Maybe in the future… we can slowly figure it out together.”
“Alright.”
Hearing this, Aiding snapped out of his awe and gave Seres a smile and a nod.
Was he really just benefitting from her status?
Under Seres’ guidance, Aiding went into the Changing Room and put on a special Magic Combat Suit.
The material was unique; it fit like a second skin, almost weightless and incredibly easy to move in.
It was said not only to assist with magic circulation training, but also to provide some degree of resistance to both physical and magical attacks—a suit designed specifically for high-level mage training.
When Seres emerged from another Changing Room, Aiding’s gaze froze.
She’d tied her beautiful ice-blue hair into a high ponytail, revealing a graceful swan neck and sharp jawline.
The same form-fitting battle suit she wore perfectly outlined her curvaceous figure without reservation.
The tight cut and pronounced contours made Aiding’s heart skip a beat; his gaze wandered, unable to settle, and he instinctively looked away.
“So, h-how do I look? This is my first time wearing something like this… Does, does it look weird?”
Seres was clearly not used to this outfit, either.
A faint blush colored her cheeks as she walked over a little awkwardly, her voice much softer than usual, tinged with uncertainty and shyness.
“You look, you look great… It suits you.”
Aiding’s own ears grew warm.
He dared not look straight at her, letting his gaze drift toward the equipment beside them as he stammered out a reply.
Seres gave a light cough, trying to dispel the awkward air lingering between them, and turned her attention to the Mage Weapons displayed at the edge of the arena.
“Aiding, you can try out some of these Mage Weapons. They’re a great aid for a mage in battle.”
Aiding followed Seres’ gaze, looking over the exquisite, magically radiant weapons.
In this world, rooted in magic, there seemed to be a gradual shift towards a fusion with technology.
Of course, magic’s core logic remained central.
With the advent of Mage Weapons, the way mages fought had changed.
Many basic spells could now be instantly cast through the weapon, skipping lengthy chants.
But mages’ attitudes toward Mage Weapons were divided.
Some gladly accepted them as powerful tools; others, like Seres, trusted more in their own pure magical skills.
After all, Seres’s control over ice elements had already reached its peak.
The frosty weapons she conjured at will fit her magic far better than any standardized Mage Weapon, and she wielded them with greater flexibility and ease.
“No need, I have my own weapon.”
Aiding shook his head, politely declining Seres’s suggestion.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to use the Mage Weapons—he simply couldn’t.
He didn’t possess this world’s magic system; the “magic” he used depended entirely on the activation of skill cards.
These Mage Weapons, which required an infusion of magic power to activate, were no different from ordinary, unenchanted weapons in his hands.
“Aiding, your own weapon?”
Seres’s ice-blue eyes lit up with curiosity and anticipation.
She recalled the scene of his duel with Rufus—at the time, he’d only used an ordinary metal longsword. S
he’d never seen a weapon he truly favored, which piqued her interest even more.
She wanted to know everything about Aiding.
“I want to see it.”
“Then let’s begin training.”
Aiding scratched his head awkwardly, and at last, the focus returned to training.
“You’ll see it soon enough.”
Seres nodded in agreement.
They said no more, each walking to opposite ends of the training field and taking up their positions at a distance.
Almost in unison, they adjusted their breathing, lowered their stances, and adopted their fighting forms, their eyes becoming sharp and focused.
In an instant, the relaxed atmosphere in the training room was replaced by palpable tension.
Seres slowly closed her eyes, then suddenly opened them.
It was as if ice crystals had formed in her pupils.
Her long ice-blue hair floated in the air as though in a breeze, shimmering with an aurora-like brilliance.
Countless tiny, sparkling snowflakes formed around her, swirling in a slow, mesmerizing dance.
The temperature in the training chamber dropped several degrees.
“Aiding, this is our first solo training session. I need to clearly understand your true level, so… please, attack me with everything you have.”
Seres gazed intently at Aiding, her cool voice echoing through the room.
Aiding nodded gravely.
He knew full well how strong Seres was.
Right now, he also wanted to know just where his current limits lay.
He hadn’t fought seriously in his match with Olivia; he’d seen through her intentions long before.
But this time, his opponent was Seres from “Stellar,” and judging by her personality, she certainly wouldn’t hold back.
He took a deep breath of chilly air, extended his right arm, and with a sudden clench of his five fingers, grasped at empty space.
The air before his chest warped slightly.
Shadow Energy rapidly gathered, and a strangely shaped, utterly black longsword suddenly appeared in his hand.
[☆☆☆☆☆ Weapon—Gunblade]
[Name: Silent Hunter: Silence]
[Type: Hybrid Mage Weapon (Longsword/Short-Range Shooting Mode)]
[Attribute: Shadow]
[Traits:]
[1. Silent Hunt: Attacks produce almost no sound, and effectively eliminate energy fluctuations.]
[2. Mana Devour: Can absorb and decompose any magical energy it comes into contact with, recharging itself.]
[3. Form Shift: The sword hilt hides a firing mechanism, allowing free switching between melee and energy shooting modes.]
[Description: A magical weapon from an unknown dimension, said to be forged from shards of the fallen Silent God. It can devour all sound and mana, and brings eternal silence to the living—a fearsome weapon.]