Chapter 1 The First Place

On the academy's arena, Land, the first-year champion, was facing another student. It was a brown-haired boy, about the same age as Rhine, named Linley. It was said that he didn't participate in the grade arena competition either.

"Linley Baruch, speaking of which, he and Rhine, you guys are quite destined," Isaac said. Although Isaac's talent wasn't too high, he had good relationships in the academy and knew about some of the geniuses in each grade.

"Oh? How so?"

Rhine asked with a smile. He had never even met this Linley, so how could they be destined?

"Hey, you don't know, his entrance test, his talent was the same as yours, both dual-element superb, and his spiritual power is also superior." Isaac laughed, "Besides that, this guy doesn't participate in the academy's grade arena competition either. Don't you think you guys are quite destined?"

Rhine was taken aback for a moment, then looked at Linley and smiled, "That's true, we are quite destined."

"Then who do you think will win?"

Maine also asked from the side.

"Me?" Rhine glanced at the two on the stage, then said, "This Linley Baruch will win."

"Really? Shall we make a bet?" Delvin laughed. Of course, this was just their internal entertainment and wouldn't involve others.

"Today, I'm going to have a magic contest with this kid named Linley. The loser will offer 10,000 gold coins, and will have to walk around the winner in the future. Everyone, please be our witness." Land said loudly, enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention and not being stage-frightened at all.

Below, there was a burst of cheers. Having just experienced the grade competition, Land naturally had a group of supporters. On the contrary, there were very few people supporting Linley. After all, he wasn't interested in the grade arena competition. Those who knew his strength were limited to his roommates and his grandpa, Doehring Cowart.

"Have you said enough?" Linley said calmly.

Land smiled confidently, "Okay, let's begin."

Land and Linley almost simultaneously chanted magic spells. Both of them were level-two mages, and the spells for level-one and level-two magic were relatively short, just a sentence or two.

"Whoosh!"

Seven consecutive cyan wind blades formed out of thin air, directly slashing towards Land, and Land also released his own magic at the same time. Five scarlet fireballs also smashed towards Linley.

"Level-two mage?"

The upper-grade students below immediately judged.

After that, Linley's performance was even more amazing. He dodged Land's magic very gracefully, and then directly defeated Land with an earth-elemental magic.

The whole process took less than a minute. The dignified first-year champion had already been defeated.

"This kid has such precise control and his body movement is so flexible." Delvin and the others were also shocked. Their eyesight wasn't bad either, and they could see some clues.

"He cultivates in the warrior system, so he is naturally stronger than Land," Rhine said. Compared to Isaac and the others, his eyesight was even more extraordinary, and he could see many unusual things.

"This Linley Baruch is not simple. Perhaps in another two years, he will become a genius as famous as Dixie," Rhine said with a smile, giving a very high evaluation.

"Dixie?" Delvin was shocked. They naturally knew Dixie, the number one genius in the academy, who was only nine years old now, but was already a level-three mage. Moreover, he had strongly won first place in this year's third-grade arena competition.

This was different from Land's achievement, which had some exaggeration. Dixie's reputation was too great, so many people wanted to compete with him. Although the third-grade arena competition was not as good as the fifth and sixth grades, it was definitely the most valuable, and almost all third-grade students participated.

Under such circumstances, Dixie, who was only nine years old, still strongly won the championship, further solidifying his reputation as the number one genius in the academy.

But now, Rhine said that Linley had the potential to grow into a genius like Dixie. This evaluation was not high.

But soon, Delvin reacted again. Rhine, like them, was a second-year student, but where did he get the confidence to evaluate Dixie, who was in the third grade?

Unless, his strength was already comparable to Dixie, or even surpassed Dixie!

"Rhine, tell us the truth, have you...become a level-three mage?" Delvin asked in a low voice. They knew Rhine's personality, and he didn't like to be too flamboyant.

Rhine thought about it. He had already joined the research institute, and the academy would definitely announce it later. It would be difficult to stay calm.

Of course, he didn't care about these things. After all, he wasn't interested in these children's fights. He might as well continue to study magic with Dumbledore.

So, he also nodded. This, on the other hand, confused the three of Isaac. Even they didn't expect Rhine to be so strong.

"Good, so the one hiding the deepest in the dormitory is you. No, Delvin is treating tonight, but tomorrow is a holiday, we're going to Saint-Do for fun, and you have to treat!" Maine said.

The grade arena competition lasted for nearly a month, and at the end of each month, Ernst Academy would give two days off. They had originally agreed to go to Fenlai King City for fun.

"Okay."

Rhine smiled. Originally, he only needed to be a tour guide, after all, his home was in Saint-Do, but now he had to treat.

Of course, he also had some private money in these three years, so he wouldn't refuse this small matter.

"Okay, these two days will be comfortable, with two big spenders, hahaha!" Isaac and Maine laughed loudly. The four joked and returned to the hotel to celebrate.

…

On the first of the following month, the students returned to Ernst Academy again, but were temporarily notified to gather, and it was for all grades.

This situation was rare because Ernst Academy students had classes every day. A temporary notice to gather meant that something important had happened.

Soon, the dean of the academy and several vice-deans also arrived, but surprisingly, there was also a cardinal from the Radiant Church, and behind them was Dumbledore.

"Students, this is Cardinal Gilmore of the Radiant Church. He has come to our academy to announce something important." A vice-dean of the academy said. Cardinal Gilmore was a ninth-level great mage and had a very special status. He was one of the cardinals of the Radiant Church, so even just an introduction was done by a vice-dean.

Cardinal Gilmore looked like a middle-aged man with brown curly hair, a high nose bridge, and a smile on the corner of his mouth, making him seem very approachable.

After the vice-dean finished the introduction, he walked to the front of the stage, looked at the thousands of Ernst Academy students below, and said with a gentle smile, "Hello, students. Today, I represent the Radiant Church to Ernst Academy for a teacher of the academy..."

Cardinal Gilmore's words made all the academy, and even other magic teachers, look at Dumbledore, who was also sitting on the podium.

"That's right, as everyone thinks, I'm here for Teacher Albus Dumbledore. Teacher Dumbledore is an excellent Archmage, and also an admirable scholar. Even His Majesty the Pope appreciates his achievements in magic theory..."

Gilmore spoke very gently, with a kind of convincing power. After listening, the students and even the teachers below looked at Dumbledore on the podium in shock.

Being praised by His Majesty the Pope of the Radiant Church was a great honor, but he seemed very calm.

"At the same time, due to Teacher Dumbledore's many contributions, our Radiant Church has decided to jointly establish a Magic Research Institute, and Teacher Albus Dumbledore will serve as the director, enjoying the same treatment as the dean of Ernst Academy."

There was an uproar below. Although they had guessed that Dumbledore would one day become a vice-dean-level figure, they never expected that he would take a different path and directly become independent, becoming the director of this Magic Research Institute, and his level reached the dean level!

"He's really amazing!" In the crowd, Linley couldn't help but admire. After entering the academy for nearly a year, he naturally knew Dumbledore's legend.

"Hehe, this is nothing. When you become strong in the future, you can also enjoy the same, or even higher treatment." A voice came from Linley's Coiling Dragon Ring, which only he could hear.

It was his grandpa, Doehring Cowart, who had been teaching him all along, and was once a Saint-level peak mage.

"Yes." Linley nodded, with longing in his heart.

"Thank you, Cardinal Gilmore, for reading the letter of appointment for Teacher Dumbledore. Next, please ask Teacher Dumbledore to announce the list of the first batch of students entering the research institute." After Gilmore finished speaking, the vice-dean said again.

As the protagonist of this time, Dumbledore seemed very indifferent, his silver-white beard hanging down to his waist, looking like a kind old man, without terrible majesty.

He stood in front of the stage, with a smile on his face, and the eyes under his glasses seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.

Then, he slowly opened his mouth, and through the magic circle, the voice spread in all directions: "Our Magic Research Institute has a total of thirteen students selected as junior researchers this time."

"The list is as follows:"

"Sixth grade: Jeff Tetchel, Serra Severen..."

"Fifth grade: Sean Valen, Carlo Valenti..."

"Second grade: Rhine Hartholt."

"The above thirteen students, in terms of magical theoretical knowledge, can already be compared with ordinary seventh-level mages. They have excellent theoretical research talents, and I am also very honored to lead them in researching the field of magic..."

Dumbledore's words were not finished yet, and the students below were already boiling.

It was normal for students in the fifth and sixth grades to be selected in their opinion. Those students had studied in the academy for at least one or two decades, and it was not an exaggeration for their theoretical knowledge to reach the level of a seventh-level mage.

But what was going on with Rhine Hartholt in the second grade?!

Second grade, at most, he had been enrolled for no more than five years. In five years, his theoretical knowledge reached the level of a seventh-level mage. What kind of freak was this?!

Even if his mage level was not high, the attainment of his theoretical knowledge alone was enough to make him a figure sought after by various families!

Moreover, judging from his second grade, he would definitely not be very old. After joining the research institute, there would definitely be room for growth, and his future value would only be higher!

"Who is Rhine Hartholt?"

For a while, students began to inquire about each other.

Some people who knew Rhine were also stunned at this time. Delvin and several roommates were even dizzy, looking at Rhine in front of them, and felt that the world was joking with them.

Linley, in the direction of the first grade, was also shocked after hearing the news. Even though he had a Saint-level mage to teach him, his current theoretical knowledge was far from the seventh level.

But now, a student who was only one grade higher than him had reached that level.

"This student is indeed very powerful."

Even Doehring Cowart, who was usually arrogant, rarely praised him. He knew best the difficulty of magical theoretical knowledge, especially the more advanced magic, the wider the range of knowledge involved.

According to this student's second grade and the identity of an Ernst Academy student, he would definitely not be over sixteen years old. At sixteen years old, having the theoretical knowledge attainment of a seventh-level mage, even in his era, he had never heard of such a genius.

On the other side, Dixie, who was known as the number one genius in the academy, also heard the news. Being one grade lower than him, even if he was older than him, it shocked him to have such an achievement.

However, not long after this temporary meeting ended, more news spread among the students, which was information related to Rhine's identity.

Superb dual-element talent at the time of enrollment, possessing the theoretical knowledge of a seventh-level mage at the age of only nine, and there were even rumors that he had reached the level of a third-level mage...

One message after another came, directly stunning these students in Ernst Academy who had always been called geniuses.

Even, Rhine directly replaced Dixie of the same age and became the number one genius in the academy.

Even later, the news that Dixie had become a fourth-level mage did not change this point.

After all, becoming a fourth-level mage was nothing in the eyes of the academy students. Although they were slower, they could also achieve it, but the theoretical knowledge of a seventh-level mage was different. Without years of study, it was impossible to master it.

But now, a nine-year-old student had done it. In their opinion, such an achievement was not comparable to a fourth-level mage.

Even Dixie himself did not refute this point, because he also knew that those people were telling the truth. Even he, at present, had only mastered the theoretical knowledge of a fourth-level mage.

The reputation of a genius spread, and Rhine no longer had a leisurely life. Fortunately, his strength was not really exposed, otherwise it would not be just this academy. I am afraid that the entire Holy Alliance would know the name of his "Rhine Hartholt".

"Alas...people are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of growing fat. The ancients did not deceive me."

Rhine thought of a sentence he heard in the mortal world in his previous life, which was suitable for him now, but he did not regret it.

After all, he can now access the seventh-level magic of all elements, and compared with this, it is worth sacrificing his leisurely life.

"What kind of new wind magic should I create? Should I try to integrate the spells of the previous life?"

The Magic Research Institute is built not far outside the academy. It is divided into two large areas. One side is the library, which contains rubbings of the seventh-level and above magic of all elements of the Radiant Church. There are special personnel from the Radiant Church guarding around, including three ninth-level warriors and a ninth-level archmage!

Even a kingdom may not be able to put together such a lineup, which shows the importance of the Radiant Church.

Moreover, this is only the superficial strength. Rhine faintly can also sense a special aura, which is definitely better than the ninth-level archmage. He speculates that there is a Saint-level powerhouse sitting in the library.

Of course, this is normal in Rhine's view, because the value of this library is too high. It contains almost all the magic rubbings of the Radiant Church. Even forbidden magic at the Saint level can be found in the library.

Of course, only Dumbledore is qualified to read it now. As for other researchers, they are still only beginners and can only read the seventh-level magic rubbings on the first floor.

If you want to become an intermediate researcher, you must complete the topic assigned to them by Dumbledore and create a new seventh-level magic.

Rhine is currently researching it, of course he is not willing to just create new magic, he also wants to truly integrate the two systems of magic and cultivation, and create a new system that completely surpasses his previous life.

Of course, this is much more difficult than simply deducing the magic. To integrate two completely different systems and create a new system is more difficult than re-cultivating to the peak!

But that is precisely why he is truly willing to devote himself wholeheartedly.

Perhaps even he himself has not realized that, unknowingly, he has been influenced by Dumbledore and has completely become a research fanatic.

However, he did not know that the first alien he admired actually had another identity, an identity that he could only look up to when he was at his peak in his previous life.