Morning light spilled over the training field, cutting through the faint mist that clung to the academy grounds.

The Combat Division stood in formation, rows of gray-and-silver uniforms gleaming under the rising sun. The air hummed faintly — the sound of mana channels beneath the field, alive and restless.

Instructor Baek Gunho paced in front of them, hands behind his back, eyes sharp as blades.

"Formation drills. Three rounds," he said. "Keep your core steady — no one leaves until I say ...