The first-year Class A and S students were prepped for their field missions with assistance from designated teaching assistants.

These assistants were primarily composed of fourth-class or higher wizards who had graduated from Stella Academy or were pursuing further studies at the Stella Graduate School. Additionally, some second and third-year students were assigned to accompany the first-years on their missions.

"Ryuderyk. Here’s the list of students you’ll be overseeing.”

Ryuderyk, a second-year Class A student, was ranked 39th in his grade—a high achiever. Coming from a prestigious magical family in the Wind Empire, he had risen through the elite path, gaining special treatment as a valuable asset to the kingdom.

"A true talent? My level is on a whole other plane."

While there were many talented individuals in the kingdom, Ryuderyk attended Stella Academy, which treated commoners and royals alike. Admission was granted solely based on a student’s magical talent and capabilities. Getting into Stella Academy alone earned one the title of “genius,” and in a fractured Wind Empire desperately in need of every talented individual, Stella graduates were held in especially high regard.

Yet, Ryuderyk's dream remained unfulfilled. His goal wasn’t merely to graduate but to make it to Class A—or better yet, Class S.

“This bothersome assistant work is just a stepping stone for that.”

As someone with few connections, Ryuderyk endured the drudgery of assistant duties to make a good impression on his professors, earn some rewards, and secure additional points.

“I’m going all out here…”

Ryuderyk feigned reading the student roster while casting a glance to his side.

Second-year Class S student, Dok Cheolgwang.

A lunatic who, upon enrolling, caused an uproar by employing brute-force combat magic. His unique fighting style, which involved using magic circles wrapped around his fists to strike directly, was unlike anything other magic warriors practiced, making him unbeatable in one-on-one duels.

A bona fide genius among geniuses.

Although Dok Cheolgwang was once a mere street urchin in the Wind Empire, his fate had reversed the moment he was granted Class S status at Stella. With that distinction came respect surpassing that of minor nobility.

‘A lowly street rat…’

Ryuderyk resented seeing someone from such a humble background standing on the same ground as him in Class S, which he aspired to reach.

While Class S students received special attention not only from Stella’s faculty but also from the world’s magic towers and academies, they were exempt from tedious assistant duties like these.

If there had been some profound reason behind Dok Cheolgwang’s choice to volunteer, Ryuderyk might have begrudgingly admired it. But…

“Interesting! This sounds fun!” 

Fun. The idiot applied for assistant duty just because it seemed amusing.

“What’s so fun about it, you lunatic?” 

Ryuderyk couldn’t suppress his frustration as he slapped the back of Dok Cheolgwang, who had been grinning foolishly while reading the mission orders.

It was Bandiyun, another second-year Class S student, who’d struck him.

“This is a field mission, so take care of the students properly. And don’t cause trouble. This isn’t your mission; it’s theirs.”

“That doesn’t sound fun at all.” 

Dok Cheolgwang’s grin faded slightly at her stern expression.

The only person capable of keeping the unruly Dok Cheolgwang in line.

‘Why is she even hanging around this foolish commoner?’ 

Ryuderyk scowled.

Bandiyun wasn’t a noble, but as a member of a special family in the Wind Empire, she occupied an entirely different world from Dok Cheolgwang, who had started as a street urchin.

Talented, from a prestigious background, and possessing unmatched beauty, Bandiyun was undoubtedly one of the brightest stars of the second year. Why she associated with someone like Dok Cheolgwang baffled Ryuderyk.

He cast a glare at Dok Cheolgwang before catching Bandiyun’s gaze, who waved at him casually with a dismissive hand.

“Oh, are you the guy assigned to accompany me on the Persona Gate mission?”

“...My name’s Ryuderyk, not ‘that guy.’”

“Right, Ryuderyk. Well, good to have you. Hmm? Have we met before?”

Of course, they had.

As a member of one of the "Seven Houses of the Wind," Ryuderyk had encountered Bandiyun once a year at the elder meetings since he was ten years old. He remembered their first meeting vividly, but it seemed she didn’t recall it at all.

Despite being in the same school for over a year, she couldn’t even remember his name.

Sure, the student body was nearly a thousand strong, and classes rarely overlapped, but this was a bit much.

“Yes, we’ve met. I’m from the Wind Empire. Ryuderyk—don’t you remember?”

“Oh… ah! Right. You were so tiny back then. Look how much you’ve grown.”

“I was taller than you then, too.”

“Uh-huh, well, let’s give it our best for this mission, huh? Too bad we got stuck with the most bothersome one—the Persona Gate.”

Bandiyun sighed deeply, clearly displeased with her assignment, though Ryuderyk considered it a stroke of luck. She had wanted to partner with Dok Cheolgwang, but the professors had split them up, assigning her and Ryuderyk to the Persona Gate mission instead.

The Persona Gate mission, rated as 3-risk to match the first-year students’ skill level, wasn’t especially challenging for someone like Ryuderyk, who had fully mastered third-class magic and had considerable field experience.

“Hey, isn’t it great timing? The mission’s in the Wind Empire, your homeland. Feels like a little homecoming, right?”

As she skimmed through the list of students assigned to their mission, Bandiyun licked her lips with interest.

[S-Class Baek Yu-seol, S-Class Hong Bi-yeon]

While being separated from Dok Cheolgwang soured her mood, it was somewhat thrilling to team up with a rookie she had been keeping an eye on.

A faint smile appeared on Bandiyun’s usually stern face.

“Well, let’s go meet our little cadets, shall we?”

The first-year Class A and S students received separate orientations tailored to their assigned missions.

These briefings covered the mission details and strategies, and attendance was mandatory.

Ryuderyk proceeded to the classroom where the first-year students assigned to the Persona Gate mission were gathered.

*Click!* *Bang!*

Bandiyun pushed open the door dramatically, stepping into the room and surveying its interior. Ryuderyk followed behind her, his expression shifting slightly as he scanned the assembled students.

Among the group of about ten, two stood out immediately.

Having reviewed the roster, Ryuderyk felt the presence of first-year giants like Hong Bi-yeon and Baek Yu-seol was slightly overwhelming.

‘So that’s Baek Yu-seol…’

The sheer size of the school meant he had hardly ever seen the infamous Baek Yu-seol in person, though he’d occasionally glimpsed him from afar during school events. 

‘So, he’s the one who’s been rumored to hunt dark mages freely around campus.’

Impressive.

Ryuderyk hadn’t even fought a dark mage in his first year.

But truthfully, Ryuderyk could have handled a few dark mages if he’d wanted to. He had simply refrained, choosing to focus on his studies and follow the boundaries set by his professors.

‘Just because some of us are staying quiet doesn’t mean we can’t do it, kid.’

After mentally marking Baek Yu-seol, Ryuderyk turned his attention to Hong Bi-yeon.

Contrary to rumors of her haughtiness, she sat upright, meeting his gaze directly.

Compared to the rest of the rowdy, unrestrained first-year students who were either lying down, arriving late, or asleep, she was practically a model student.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Bandiyun, second-year Class S, and I’ll be joining you on the Persona Gate mission. This is Ryuderyk from… uh, which class was it?”

“A-Class.”

“Right, A-Class Ryuderyk.”

Ryuderyk winced slightly. “The class might not matter, but it’s important.”

“You may have practiced the Persona Gate, but the real thing is entirely different.”

Bandiyun’s expression hardened.

“During practice, you’re given clear directions to make things easier. But in the real Persona Gate, everything works to confuse and mislead you.”

No one knew why the Persona Gate had suddenly appeared in this world. It was like a doorway to a different realm, where beings from beyond would sometimes descend.

Why did dark mages keep summoning these gates into the human realm? What secrets lay hidden within? And why did it seem like they constantly sought to assimilate magicians into their world?

“One thing’s certain: the Persona Gate is hostile toward you. Everything within it, from the air, water, and earth to the sky, will try to consume you.”

Some first-year students gulped nervously, the sound breaking the silence.

‘Adorable rookies.’

Having cleared the Persona Gate twice already, Ryuderyk found these first-year students endearing in their nervousness.

“The Persona Gate demands thorough preparation, and it can take an incredibly long time to complete. Though it’s a 3-risk, the lowest of the gates, we might be inside for up to a week. You all understood that when you applied, right?”

All the students nodded—except

 for Baek Yu-seol.

‘A whole week... damn it.’

Baek Yu-seol’s thoughts drifted, longing for the days when he could simply sit at his desk and doze off with a textbook open in front of him. Studying suddenly felt like a blissful escape.

“Departure is set for 6 a.m. tomorrow. A graduate assistant will accompany us, but they won’t be entering the Persona Gate.”

In other missions, veteran magic warriors usually joined silently from behind, but this wasn’t possible with the Persona Gate. Some gates even restricted entry numbers, and every person who entered was assigned a “role” within the gate.

Bandiyun wrapped up her pep talk with a confident smile.

“We’re Stella wizards, and we’ve never failed a mission before. This one won’t be an exception.”

The students’ expressions brightened slightly, their tension easing after her words. Bandiyun had skillfully built up the suspense only to alleviate it, raising their morale for the mission ahead.

She then outlined the supplies and strategies needed for the gate’s exploration, while Ryuderyk quietly observed Baek Yu-seol.

The boy stifled a yawn, looking thoroughly uninterested, which Ryuderyk found irritating.

‘These new students these days…’

Back when he was in first year, students couldn’t even look their seniors in the eye. This one clearly had some discipline issues. 

Ryuderyk smirked internally.

If Baek Yu-seol dared to step out of line on this mission, Ryuderyk, as a senior, was more than prepared to set him straight.