Morning came hard and fast at Eclipse Academy.

For most of the campus, the first day began with routine — lectures, introductions, the quiet hum of mana theory. But for the Combat Division, it began with chaos.

The training field behind the east dormitory blazed under the rising sun. Dozens of first-year students stood in line, sweat glistening under the glare. Wooden swords, mana rods, and reinforced shields were scattered along the racks.

The air shimmered faintly with mana from the ...