A Grandfather's Warning
The day after Rayan and Ran formed their Black Cores, Grandpa called both of them to the courtyard.
Rayan arrived carrying a book.
Ran arrived carrying a small bag of snacks.
Grandpa looked at the bag.
Then at Ran.
"What is that?"
"Snacks."
"I can see that. Why did you bring them?"
Ran smiled.
"Because I'm studying!"
Grandpa stared at her.
Rayan quietly looked away.
I don't want to be involved in this conversation.
Grandpa sighed.
"Put the snacks aside. We need to discuss something important."
Ran reluctantly placed the bag on a nearby table.
Rayan sat down beside her.
Grandpa stood in front of them with his hands behind his back.
"You both have formed your Black Cores. You've begun producing Jet Black, and you're old enough to start preparing for the next stage of your education."
Rayan nodded.
"The academy examination."
"Exactly."
Grandpa looked at both children.
"In two years, you'll have the opportunity to take the entrance examination for the Necromancer Academy. If you pass, you can begin formal training there."
Ran raised her hand.
"Grandpa, is the academy far away?"
"Yes. It isn't close to our home."
Ran thought about that.
"Will Rayan come with me?"
Grandpa paused.
Then he smiled.
"That depends on whether both of you pass the examination."
Ran turned toward Rayan.
Rayan looked back at her.
They understood the implication.
If one passed and the other failed, their paths might separate.
They might not see each other regularly for a long time.
For the first time that morning, Ran's expression became serious.
Rayan also fell silent.
They had grown up together.
They had studied together.
They had played together.
They had trained together, even if Ran's idea of training often involved sitting on Rayan's back while he performed push-ups.
They had shared countless memories.
Neither wanted to leave the other behind.
Grandpa watched their expressions carefully.
Then he continued.
"The academy is an important opportunity, but I won't force either of you to attend. You must decide whether you're willing to work for it."
Rayan nodded.
"I want to go."
Ran immediately said, "Me too!"
Grandpa smiled.
"Then you'll need to prepare seriously."
He pointed toward the books Rayan had brought.
"These study materials cover the basics. You'll need to understand history, geography, general knowledge, and the foundations of necromancy. You should also continue developing your mental endurance and physical strength."
Ran's eyes widened.
"All of that?"
"Yes."
She turned toward Rayan.
"Rayan, that's a lot!"
Rayan nodded gravely.
"Indeed."
Ran looked worried.
Then Rayan added, "But if we pass, we can go to the academy together."
Ran's expression brightened.
"Then we'll pass!"
Grandpa chuckled.
"Confidence is good. But confidence without preparation won't get you very far."
Rayan nodded.
"We understand."
Grandpa looked at them both.
"Then I suggest you study together. Help each other with the subjects you understand, and ask for help when you encounter something difficult."
Ran immediately grabbed Rayan's sleeve.
"Let's study together!"
Rayan smiled.
"All right."
Grandpa nodded approvingly.
"Good. Then your first task is to make a study schedule."
Ran blinked.
"A schedule?"
"Yes."
She looked at Rayan.
Rayan looked at her.
Then they both turned toward Grandpa.
"Can't you make one for us?"
Grandpa stared at them.
Then he laughed so loudly that a nearby bird flew away from the roof.
"Hahahaha! You two really are a pair!"
Rayan sighed.
I knew this would happen.
The Study Alliance
That afternoon, Rayan and Ran sat together at a table with their books spread out in front of them.
They had decided to divide their studies into manageable subjects.
Rayan would help Ran with the topics he understood well, particularly history and basic necromantic theory.
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Ran would help Rayan with some of the more difficult reading exercises and the details he occasionally overlooked.
They would also practise generating Jet Black and continue their physical training separately.
At least, that was the plan.
The plan lasted approximately twelve minutes.
Ran stared at a page about the five kingdoms.
"Rayan?"
"Hmm?"
"What does this word mean?"
Rayan leaned over and read it.
"It refers to a particular region."
Ran nodded.
"Okay."
She continued reading.
A minute later, she asked another question.
Rayan answered.
Then another.
Then another.
Finally, he put down his brush.
"Ran."
"Yes?"
"Are you studying, or are you making me read the entire book aloud?"
Ran thought about it.
"Both?"
Rayan stared at her.
At least she's honest.
He took a breath.
"All right. Let's try something different. I'll explain this section, and then you tell me what you understood."
Ran nodded eagerly.
Rayan began explaining the historical background of the five kingdoms.
He described their major regions, the influence of the necromancers and priests, and the existence of the neutral zone between their territories.
He explained that the world was not divided into only two groups, even though necromancers and priests were among the most influential.
Other paths of cultivation and power existed, and different kingdoms had their own traditions.
Ran listened carefully. Find the original chapter at g.com.
When he finished, Rayan asked, "All right. What did you understand?"
Ran thought for a moment.
Then she answered, "There are five kingdoms, necromancers and priests are important, and there are other people who do different things."
Rayan nodded.
"Good. And what about the neutral zone?"
Ran tilted her head.
"It's the place where people can be neutral?"
Rayan closed his eyes.
Technically, she isn't wrong.
He spent another ten minutes explaining the concept.
This time, Ran understood it properly.
Rayan was impressed.
She could learn quickly once she concentrated.
Her biggest problem was not a lack of ability.
It was her tendency to become distracted by almost anything.
A bird outside the window.
A sound in the corridor.
The smell of food from the kitchen.
Or, on one memorable occasion, a particularly interesting-shaped potato.
Rayan had never discovered what made the potato so fascinating.
He had decided not to ask.
They continued studying.
After an hour, Ran leaned back and stretched.
"Rayan, I'm tired."
Rayan glanced at the clock.
"We've only been studying for an hour."
"Exactly!"
He stared at her.
She smiled sweetly.
"Can we take a break?"
Rayan considered it.
Then he nodded.
"Ten minutes."
Ran immediately reached for her bag of snacks.
Rayan pointed at her.
"That's not a study break. That's a food festival."
Ran hugged the bag.
"Studying makes me hungry!"
Rayan sighed.
She's going to become a terrifying necromancer.
Her enemies will be defeated by her knowledge.
And then she'll eat their lunch.
Despite the interruptions, their study sessions gradually became more productive.
They learned how to divide difficult subjects into smaller parts.
They began testing each other's understanding instead of simply memorizing passages.
They practised answering questions under time limits.
And when one of them struggled, the other helped.
They were still children.
They still laughed, argued, and occasionally tried to distract each other.
But they had a shared goal now.
They wanted to enter the academy together.
And neither intended to give up easily.
A New Mystery in the Forest
Several months into their preparations, something unusual happened.
Rayan was returning from a supervised training session with Grandpa when he noticed a familiar path leading toward the deeper forest.
He remembered the strange tracks he had seen years earlier.
The broken branches.
The enormous impressions in the ground.
And Grandpa's sudden decision to leave the area.
He had never forgotten that incident.
Occasionally, he had asked his grandfather about it.
Each time, Grandpa had given a vague answer.
The forest contained powerful beasts.
Some were territorial.
Some moved between regions.
And some were best avoided unless one possessed sufficient strength and preparation.
Rayan understood the warning.
He had never gone looking for the creature.
But now, as he passed the old path, he noticed something strange.
A tree near the entrance had a deep mark running across its trunk.
The cut was long and uneven.
It did not look like the work of an axe.
Rayan stopped.
He examined it carefully.
The bark around the mark was darkened, as though it had been scorched.
He frowned.
What happened here?
He looked farther along the path.
There were more marks.
Some on trees.
Some on stones.
And one on the ground, where a patch of soil appeared strangely black.
Rayan crouched.
He did not touch it.
Instead, he examined it from a distance.
The discoloration reminded him of Jet Black, but he couldn't be certain.
He had only recently begun learning to generate and control that energy.
He wasn't qualified to identify every unusual trace he encountered.
Still, the discovery made him curious.
He returned to Grandpa and described what he had seen.
The old man listened without interrupting.
When Rayan finished, Grandpa's expression became thoughtful.
"Did you go beyond the path?"
"No."
"Good."
Grandpa looked toward the forest.
For a moment, he seemed to be weighing something.
Then he said, "You did the right thing by telling me."
Rayan waited.
"Grandpa, do you know what caused those marks?"
Grandpa remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he answered.
"I have some suspicions, but I won't jump to conclusions without examining them."
Rayan nodded.
That was a sensible answer.
His grandfather continued, "Until I know more, don't investigate that area yourself. If you see anything unusual during training, tell me immediately."
"I will."
Grandpa placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Curiosity is useful, Rayan. But you must never confuse curiosity with permission to take unnecessary risks."
Rayan smiled faintly.
"I understand."
And he did.
He had no intention of wandering into the deeper forest just to satisfy his curiosity.
Not when he had an entrance examination to prepare for.
Not when he was still learning how to use Jet Black.
And certainly not when the creature responsible might be powerful enough to frighten Grandpa.
Whatever is in that forest can wait.
I have more urgent problems.
He glanced at the books tucked under his arm.
For example, this chapter on necromantic history.
He sighed.
Somehow, the forest monster sounds less frightening.
Two Years of Preparation
The months passed steadily.
Rayan and Ran continued their studies, gradually improving their understanding of the subjects required for the academy examination.
Rayan practised controlling his shadow, refining the storage technique, and learning how to manage his mental energy more efficiently.
Ran worked on her own abilities, learning to produce Jet Black consistently and improve her control.
They trained together whenever possible, although Grandpa sometimes separated their sessions so each could focus on individual weaknesses.
Rayan also learned to be more careful about how much he revealed of his capabilities.
He had discovered that being talented brought opportunities.
It also brought expectations.
Whenever Grandpa noticed a significant improvement, the old man found another exercise for him.
Rayan had begun to suspect that his grandfather's true bloodline ability was not controlling shadows.
It was discovering new ways to make children exercise.
Meanwhile, Ran continued to surprise him.
She had an excellent memory and learned new concepts quickly. When she focused, she could understand complicated material with remarkable speed.
She also had a habit of asking questions that exposed gaps in Rayan's own understanding.
Sometimes, she would read a passage and point out a detail he had overlooked.
Other times, she would come up with a different interpretation of a problem, forcing him to reconsider his answer.
Their rivalry was friendly, but it kept both of them sharp.
Neither wanted to be the one who fell behind.
And neither wanted to be separated from the other.
One evening, after a particularly difficult study session, Ran put down her book.
"Rayan?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think we'll pass?"
Rayan looked at her.
For once, she wasn't smiling.
She seemed genuinely worried.
He closed his book.
"I think we can."
"But what if one of us fails?"
Rayan was quiet for a moment.
Then he answered honestly.
"We'll study harder. We'll practise more. We'll ask Grandpa for help when we need it."
Ran looked down at her hands.
"And if that's not enough?"
Rayan considered the question.
He couldn't promise that everything would go perfectly.
The examination might be difficult.
They might encounter subjects they didn't understand.
One of them might struggle more than the other.
But he could promise something simpler.
"We won't give up before we've tried our best."
Ran looked up.
Rayan smiled.
"And we'll help each other until the examination. That's what we agreed to do."
Ran's expression brightened.
"Then we'll pass together!"
Rayan laughed.
"That's the spirit."
She held out her little finger.
"Promise?"
Rayan looked at it.
Then he hooked his own little finger around hers.
"Promise."
It was a childish gesture.
Simple.
Perhaps even silly.
But it meant something to both of them.
They had started learning together when they were only three years old.
They had grown up together.
They had celebrated birthdays together, trained together, and shared countless ordinary moments.
Now they were preparing for a future that might take them far beyond their familiar homes.
They didn't know what awaited them at the Necromancer Academy.
They didn't know how difficult the entrance examination would be.
And they certainly didn't know what mysteries lay hidden in the deeper forest.
But they knew what they wanted.
They wanted to pass.
They wanted to enter the academy together.
And they wanted to discover how far their talents could take them.
Rayan looked at the stack of books on the table.
Then he looked at Ran.
"All right. One more chapter."
Ran's smile vanished.
"Rayan!"
"What?"
"You promised we'd help each other!"
"We are helping each other."
"Then help me by letting me rest!"
Rayan burst out laughing.
"No."
Ran puffed out her cheeks.
"You're a terrible friend!"
"Yet you keep studying with me."
"Because I want to enter the academy!"
"Exactly."
Ran stared at him.
Then, reluctantly, she picked up her book.
Rayan nodded with satisfaction.
Excellent.
The power of friendship has once again defeated laziness.
He opened his own book.
And the two little geniuses continued studying late into the evening.
Outside, the wind stirred the trees.
Far beyond the familiar paths, the deeper forest remained silent.
Whatever mystery waited there had not yet revealed itself.
But Rayan had begun to understand something important about his new life.
Power was not gained in a single day.
Talent could open doors, but it could not replace preparation.
And even a prodigy needed people he could trust.
He had his family.
He had Grandpa's guidance.
And he had Ran.
For now, that was enough.
Two years remained until the academy entrance examination.
Two years to prepare.
Two years to grow stronger.
And two years before the next stage of their lives would begin.
Rayan turned another page.
Then he frowned.
Wait.
How many chapters does this book have?
He checked.
His expression collapsed.
One hundred and twenty?!
He slowly looked toward the ceiling.
"Grandpa…"
From somewhere outside, his grandfather's cheerful voice answered.
"Yes, Rayan?"
Rayan swallowed.
"Nothing!"
He returned to his book.
I can do this.
I have survived seven years of training.
I have mastered an ancient technique.
I have formed my Black Core.
I can survive one hundred and twenty chapters.
He paused.
Probably