The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Swordsman

[14th Everdusk, 2103]

The next to awaken were the students of Section Two—a class known for its elite performers. Yet despite their stellar academic standing, every student knew that grades alone didn’t guarantee a powerful class.

The atmosphere buzzed with a strange blend of anticipation and anxiety. Everyone hoped to awaken… but the looming fear of receiving nothing still weighed heavily.

As the teacher stepped forward to begin the roll call, one student stood out—calm, confident, and utterly unfazed by the pressure surrounding him.

Lucas Bennett.

Class topper. Cold demeanor. 5'8", jet-black hair, piercing eyes. He had the kind of face that turned heads—but it was his attitude that made people stare. Unbothered. Nonchalant. As if the outcome didn't matter in the slightest.

Eyes naturally drifted toward him—including those of the girl seated just behind.

Lyra Dawnfield.

Ranked second in the entire batch, she was normally the one who challenged Lucas at every turn. But today, even she was visibly tense.

Standing before the class was Tess, who watched with quiet concern. She hoped every one of her students would awaken—not for school glory or rankings, but because she couldn’t bear to see them broken under the weight of failure.

She called the first name. A student stepped onto the stage, touched the crystal—and a vision emerged.

A baker in a cozy shop, frosting a cake with gentle precision.

The boy's eyes widened in delight. His family ran a bakery. This was perfect.

The crystal revealed his class: a <C> rank Culinary Artisan—a high classification for a non-combat role. Cheers erupted from his peers as he stepped down, his friend clapping him on the back.

One by one, the process continued.

After twenty-one students, only twelve had awakened. The other nine walked off the stage empty-handed, their hopes momentarily dashed.

Then came roll number twenty-two.

Tess’s voice rang out:
“Lyra Dawnfield, step forward.”

Gasps and whispers followed her as she rose. With her silver-blonde hair, regal bearing, and ethereal beauty, she didn’t look like a student—she looked like royalty.

And in a way, she was.

The heiress of the famed Dawnfield family—one of the most powerful mage bloodlines in the nation—Lyra’s presence at this school was an enigma. Some said she’d lost to Lucas years ago in a junior championship and swore she’d one day surpass him.

Others suspected there was more to it than rivalry.

She bowed respectfully to Master Darian, then turned toward the formation and placed her hand on the crystal.

A crimson glow burst forth.

Not red. Not blue. Crimson. Deep. Rare. Ominous.

A silence swept over the audience as the light surged into the sky. Clouds gathered and swirled into black storm masses, just like earlier that day—but this time, something was different.

From the heavens, a flickering light descended like dawn breaking over a battlefield.

Then the sky tore open—and a majestic phoenix plunged from the rift like a falling comet.

Gasps erupted. People braced for impact.

But the divine bird halted mid-air, hovering in radiant grace, before transforming into a mage-robed woman cloaked in dancing flames. Her very presence radiated arcane majesty.

The crystal pulsed—and a class name echoed through Lyra’s mind.

“The Flame Witch.”

She whispered it aloud, and the crowd heard. It wasn’t a class anyone had seen before. Unique. Unprecedented. The energy it emitted... was terrifyingly potent.

The ranking test began. Tess and Darian both held their breath.

A moment later, the result blazed across the display:

<S> Rank.

Silence.

Then—eruption.

The students screamed. Teachers clapped. Even Principal Helia cracked a rare smile.

Another genius. The school had gained a rising star.

“Looks like our queen’s claiming her throne,” one student quipped, earning nods and laughter.

“She might actually outdo that smug number one,” another added, glancing at Lucas, who remained as calm as ever.

Darian nearly stumbled in his haste to approach her, eager to extend an invitation to the CGA on the spot—until Principal's sharp gaze stopped him in his tracks.

When he heard her full name, Lyra Dawnfield, he froze completely.

No one from a noble family would join a government faction. The Dawnfields had their own guilds—tightly controlled, fiercely protected. Attempting to recruit her would be political suicide.

She stepped down, greeted by cheers and congratulated by Tess, then returned to her seat where her friends swarmed her with praise.

And then—

“Lucas Bennett, your turn.”

He stood. Walked. Passed by Darian and the Principal with casual indifference, like he was strolling through a park.

Then he stepped into the formation and placed his hand upon the crystal.

Light burst forth from both crystal and body.

Another awakening had begun.

Tension crackled in the air. Would his class rival Lyra’s?

But then… the light dimmed.

No visage.

No phenomenon.

Murmurs spread. Was this it?

Suddenly—

A shimmering image emerged.

A young man in a black and silver cloak, clad in armor made from both metal and enchanted leather. He floated in midair, holding a grimoire. A moment later, he opened it, releasing a wave of pressure so powerful that students staggered, teachers gasped, and even Darian—a Tier 2 combatant—was momentarily frozen.

It lasted only a second. But it was enough.

Darian stared wide-eyed.
A zero-tier youth just released pressure that shook a Tier 2?

Impossible. But real.

The crowd was silent again, stunned by what they had just witnessed. Even Lyra’s eyes trembled. Her noble pride refused to yield—but deep inside, she sensed that Lucas’s class might not just rival hers… it might surpass it.

The final stage began. The class ranking test.

All eyes locked onto the display, breath held.

Then, the result appeared.

Not <A>.
Not <S>.
Not even <SS>.

But…

<?>

A single question mark.

The silence this time was suffocating.

Was it broken?
Was it too powerful to be measured?
Was it… something else entirely?

No one had the answer.

But everyone knew one thing—

Lucas Bennett was no ordinary prodigy.

To be continued...

A/N: The mystery deepens! What lies behind that <?> rank? Make sure to follow and add this story to your library so you don’t miss the next explosive chapter! 💥