"Thud!"
The sound of footsteps rang out with an unbelievably sharp clarity, echoing through everyone's ears.
"————"
In that instant, the once-boisterous arena fell dead silent—as if even the sound of breathing had stopped.
All eyes turned toward an entrance passage.
There, a young man clad in a luxurious and noble jet-black coat appeared, accompanied by three astonishingly beautiful Automaton Dolls.
Seeing this person, not only students, but professors, guards, and even dignitaries from other institutions all subconsciously held their breath.
"Is that Fimbulvetr's Winter?"
"The most ancient magus of the modern age..."
"The last scion of the Akabane clan of the Far East?"
"That's him..."
One by one, the spectators unconsciously adjusted their expressions and eyes to solemnity.
Nowadays, many had conducted in-depth investigations into Rozen, uncovering plenty of information.
No—rather than learning much from the investigation itself, it was more accurate to say that after compiling all the public data on Rozen, many speculations naturally emerged.
For instance, the power Rozen wielded to defeat the strongest magus of the 19th century was an ancient sorcery predating the advent of Machinart. It hadn't abandoned the traditional use of incantations and magic circles. It was older than the still-practiced Onmyoudou and Spirit Arts, and thus, could unleash a wide variety of spells without relying on Automatons, magic tools, or magic stones—with considerable power.
The army that appeared two months ago in the Machinart city was summoned using Onmyoudou-based shikigami.
Many knew that the Far Eastern Onmyoudou tradition specialized in shikigami and divination. Practitioners, called Onmyouji, could control multiple magical beings by gathering miasma, without the need for Automaton Dolls. The more talented they were, the greater both in quantity and quality were the shikigami under their command.
For example, ranked 8th among the Thirteen, Hinowa could use talismans to summon a legion of shikigami, commanding an entire battalion, earning the title Dark Princess. Many in the academy were aware of this, and even Subaru and Mutsura had shown their shikigami in public. Since Rozen was known to be close with them and had used Onmyoudou against the Headmaster, people concluded that he had inherited a skill even older than the Izanagi-style of the Far East.
Thanks to this, Rozen's origins and background were gradually unearthed by many.
For example, he was the adopted son of the Akabane clan of the Far East, once hailed as a "Divine Child", and this fact had spread among the upper echelons.
The Akabane family itself was once a clan of Onmyouji, reinforcing the belief that Rozen was one himself—an extraordinarily skilled one at that, capable of defeating the strongest 19th-century magus and summoning hundreds of thousands of shikigami, earning him his fame.
In conclusion, Rozen came to be known as the most ancient magus of modern times—meaning he held the most ancient mysteries.
"He truly is, just as the intel says, an undisputed prodigy."
"The Akabane family of the Far East was so lucky to have adopted such a talent."
"Such a pity—luck invites envy, and even divine favor fades. The Akabane clan has already perished."
"To think the Far East produced such an extraordinary talent, only to let him escape and be sought by so many nations—it's unfathomable."
"Enough, the higher-ups of that island nation are brooding every day. They apparently had no idea the Akabane prodigy was this extraordinary. Letting him go—they're so regretful, it's killing them."
"So, he's not affiliated with their military?"
"Definitely not. He's not even confirmed to be Japanese. His nationality and lineage are unknown. That's why everyone wants to recruit him."
"Perhaps the Far East hesitated to recruit him earlier because of that. Things over there must be a mess now."
"Well, that's good for us. Gives the rest of us a chance."
"Don't get your hopes up. Word is, Fimbulvetr's Winter isn't interested in the offers from any of the world powers. He's not exactly cozy with the Academy either, but he's been in contact with the Mage's Association. Also, though he hasn't joined the Japanese military, he's very close to Karyuusai Shouko, the top name in the Automaton world. Look at those three dolls beside him—they're Setsugetsuka, Karyuusai's highest masterpieces."
"To think even such legendary Automaton Dolls were given to him? The Far East must really be desperate to win over Fimbulvetr's Winter."
"And yet, he still hasn't agreed to join their military."
"Interesting."
Many present were there for Rozen. Now that he had appeared, minds began buzzing.
These movements certainly didn't escape the eyes of the Academy's leadership.
"As expected, Arneet-kun's entrance has really fired up this place."
From the central seat of the special gallery, a broad-shouldered, middle-aged man with a military sword-bearing secretary beside him spoke cheerfully.
He was none other than the Headmaster of Walpurgis Royal Academy of Machinart—the 19th century's strongest magus—Edward Rutherford.
"You look quite pleased. Even though the boy snatched your title of strongest right out of your hand?"
This teasing voice came from a shriveled, white-haired old man.
He was the Chief Representative of Professors at the Academy, Head of the Medical Department, and the closest aide to the Headmaster—Percival.
The two had come to spectate the Night Party and witnessed Rozen's entrance.
The Headmaster gazed intently at Rozen and suddenly smiled.
"Titles like 'strongest' are no big deal to me. If losing that title helped bring out a hidden gem within our academy, I couldn't be happier."
That, apparently, was the Headmaster's philosophy.
"But for the kids competing in the Night Party alongside Fimbulvetr's Winter, it's hardly something to be glad about."
Percival said meaningfully, his gaze sweeping around.
Looking closely, many high-ranking students were present.
There was a girl as beautiful as an elf and dignified as a noblewoman.
A foreign student from India radiated an overwhelming aura.
There were siblings—or rather, people who appeared to be brothers.
Even ones who looked like middle schoolers or elementary students.
All were geniuses of the Thirteen.
And among them, a masked man accompanied by six Automatons had appeared.
Who else but Magnus could it be?
These people were either seated in special sections or concealed in various corners, quietly watching Rozen in the arena.
"So many interesting people have gathered."
The Headmaster narrowed his eyes at the scene, his voice laced with subtle intent no one else could perceive.