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Chapter 22: The Commander Is My Commander
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2025-03-18 17:14:41
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Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 23: The Story Of The Jagganighs
Kema led me to a small, modest room tucked away in the depths of the Sky Border. A girl sat on one of the two beds, her dark eyes scanning a book. She wore the same dark blue uniform Iโd seen on others my ageโstructured yet comfortable.โThis is your roommate, Bainer,โ Kema said.The girl stood briefly, saluting Kema with precision. She didnโt spare me a glance before returning to her bed.โThatโs your side,โ she said flatly, gesturing to the empty bed.The door closed softly behind Kema, leaving me alone with her.โOh, sheโs a loner,โ Naila observed dryly.I sat on the edge of my bed, glancing at Bainer. She didnโt look up from her book.โNice to meet you,โ I said.She didnโt respond.The silence in the room was suffocating, but I decided not to push. Exhaustion weighed heavy on me, and for now, silence felt like a small mercy.:~*~:I stood at the edge of a vast chamber, my heart racing to the gentle charge of magic in the air. Six applicants, myself included, had been chosen for th
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-20Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 24: Through The Maze
The first corridor was dark, the air thick and oppressive. Symbols etched into the walls glowed faintly, their light just enough to guide me forward. At the end of the corridor, two paths opened before me.One was marked with the inscription: To sacrifice is to serve.The other read: To conquer is to protect.I hesitated, the story of the Jagganighs fresh in my mind. The girl had sacrificed herself, hadnโt she? It seemed like the obvious choice. But something about the phrasing felt off.โThink, Jade,โ Naila urged. โWhat did the mage say about truth?โI closed my eyes, replaying the story in my mind. The girlโs sacrifice wasnโt what won the warโit was the power she channeled. Her act wasnโt about giving up but about empowering others.I stepped toward the second path.As I crossed the threshold, the symbols on the walls flared, and a new challenge emergedโa glowing riddle scrawled across the corridor ahead:โWhat flows without form, yet shapes mountains with time? Choose its vessel wi
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-20Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 25: The Final Test Of Brilliance
I didnโt have long to rest before the senior mage called my name again. The murmurs of the crowd quieted as I stepped forward, my chest tightening with anticipation.โJade Ishola,โ he said, his voice steady but laced with authority. โThe second stage to test your brilliance awaits.โโThe second stage already?โ I thought, swallowing hard. Naila stayed silent, her presence steady in the back of my mind like a calming pulse."The final stage is done to confirm the mental fortitude of those who came out top at the first stage. It would have only three chambers. Good luck."I took a deep breath and stepped into the glowing doorway that had appeared in the chamberโs wall. The air shimmered, and the light swallowed me whole.:~*~:When I opened my eyes, I was in a vast, empty expanse. The ground beneath me was made of smooth, reflective glass, and the sky above swirled with hues of gold and blue."This place is unreal," I murmured, my voice echoing in the stillness.โFocus,โ Naila said. โWeโ
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-22Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 26: Friends & Foes
The moment I stepped out of the final chamber, a chorus of gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. The other participants had been watching my trial, their faces etched with varying degrees of awe, resentment, and disbelief."Did she really finish it that fast again?" someone whispered."Impossible," another said, shaking their head.I walked forward, trying to ignore the sea of eyes boring into me. My heart raced, not from the trials but from the overwhelming attention.โYouโve made quite an impression,โ Naila said, her tone amused.โI didnโt ask for it,โ I replied, feeling heat creep up my neck.The senior mage who had overseen the test approached, his eyes sharp and assessing.โJade Ishola,โ he said, his voice carrying over the murmurs. โYouโve not only passed the trialโyouโve shattered the previous record.โA stunned silence followed his announcement.โCongratulations,โ he added, inclining his head slightly before stepping back.I nodded, unsure of what to say. The weight of
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-22Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 27: The Beast Who Reads
I woke to the sound of chanting. The words were faint at first, but they grew louder, their rhythm steady and controlled. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes, and turned toward the source.Bainer was seated cross-legged in the middle of the room, a star traced with white powder surrounding her. Candles flickered at each point of the star, casting long, shifting shadoqws on the walls. A thick, weathered book lay open before her, its yellowed pages vibrating slightly.She spoke in a low, melodic voice:โEstra me seish kruel. Estes ses seish kruel. Hillma re kuvena celin. Oshrma celin.โThe candles flickered wildly, and the air in the room grew colder.โThatโs black magic!โ Nailaโs voice rang sharply in my mind.I stiffened. โHow do you know that?โโItโs written on the bookโs spine. Thatโs a forbidden spellbook.โPushing aside my surprise, I swung my legs off the bed and crossed the room in quick strides. โWhat are you doing, Bainer?โ I asked sharply, my tone cutting through her chant.She
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-24Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 28: Truth Brand
โLieutenant Lasha!โ I said, excitement spilling into my voice as I walked toward her and saluted with my fist pressed to my forehead.โYouโre not an official cadet yet, Jade,โ Lasha chuckled. Her smile faded as she added in a hushed tone, โWerenโt you warned not to carelessly reveal the symbol on your palm?โI froze, immediately tucking my hand behind me, making a tight fist. โI . . . Iโm sorry. Iโll be more careful.โโGood,โ she said firmly. โNow leave. Heโs in an important meeting.โโI just need Blooby, please,โ I pleaded.โWe donโt do that here, Jade,โ Lasha snapped, her eyes narrowing. โWhen given an instruction, you obey. Got it?โโI understand,โ I mumbled, my voice heavy with defeat. โIโll just takeโโThe heavy doors behind her creaked open, interrupting me mid-sentence. Lasha quickly straightened, moving to stand beside the guards, her posture rigid. She nodded toward me, and I scrambled to mimic her, saluting toward the figure emerging from the chamber. I couldโve sworn I hear
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-24Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 29: The Charm Bracelet
I closed the door behind me, glancing at the guard stationed outside. He was one of the Watchers Kema had assigned to ensure Blooby stayed safe while he was with me. His presence was a silent reminder of the commanderโs strict orders. Inside, Bainer stared wide-eyed at Blooby, who stood on the floor between us, his copper frame glinting faintly."What in my blood is that thing?" Bainer asked, her voice rising with confusion and suspicion."My name is . . . bloob . . . Blooby. Nice to meet . . . bloob . . . you," Blooby said in his mechanical voice, tipping his head slightly in what almost looked like a bow.Bainer flinched so hard she nearly stumbled, clutching the edge of her bed for support. "Did that thing just talk?!"โBeing on the other end, itโs a funny reaction,โ Naila said with a chuckle.I smiled faintly. "Heโs a machine knight, built by the best magic engineer I know.""And you have him why? Are you royalty or something?" Bainer asked, her voice turning frantic. Then she fro
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-25Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 30: A Royal Mess
The dining hall reminded me of the cathedral where I had my magic awakenedโexcept here, long wooden tables stretched across the space, their surfaces scarred from years of use but enchanted to remain unbroken. Enchanted chandeliers floated high above, their crystal orbs casting a warm, golden glow. Even the Sky Borderโs dining hall didnโt disappoint.The air was thick with the scent of roasted meats, spiced vegetables, and freshly baked bread, mingling with the noise of laughter and conversation. Cadets and aspirants clustered in groupsโsome laughing loudly, others whispering conspiratorially, while a few sat alone, lost in their own thoughts.I sat at the end of a long table, absently poking at my food. Despite the roomโs vibrance, I couldnโt shake the unease that had clung to me since the ritual with Bainer.โJade!โ A familiar voice called, pulling me from my thoughts.I looked up to see Nyomei approaching, her shy smile a welcome sight. Lotanni followed close behind, her familiar C
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-25
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Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 68: Mist & Romance
Lysar strolled through the mist like she was taking a stroll through a rose garden, not a death trap.Her squad was all seasonedโfourth-years and fifth-years. They moved around her like a deadly pack, relaxed but hyperaware.She smirked behind her black half-mask, her portal magic flickering in tiny spirals around her fingertips, playful and casual."Poor Jade," she said lightly, almost singing. "Must be choking on her fear right about now."One of her teammates chuckled.Anotherโthe royal mageโstepped closer, offering Lysar a playful grin. "Maybe she'll get lucky and die quickly."The royal werewolf stiffened a few paces back, silent. His golden eyes flicked to Lysar, then to the mage, then away. His posture rigid. His fists clenching.Lysar caught it all, of course.And smiled wider.She stepped toward the royal mage, tracing a finger down the front of his armored vest. Slow. Taunting."Youโll protect me, won't you, Arien?" she purred.The werewolfโs jaw tightened. A low, near-silen
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 67: Into the Fog
Lotanni was the first to give the full rundown on Lysar's team. Of course she was. If there was gossip, she'd find it faster than a scent-hound on heat."Three mages, four werewolves," she muttered while checking the straps on her gear. "One of the werewolves is royalty. The prince from the Southern Fang. Has a stupidly forbidden crush on Lysar."Nyomei raised a brow. "That arrogant one who walks like his backโs too stiff for his own head?""Thatโs the one. But get thisโheโs in some kind of love triangle. Because apparently, one of the mages, another royal, is having an affair with Lysar too."Bainer blinked. "Wait, what?""Iโm telling you, the drama in that squad is better than any tavern tale."I didnโt comment. I was too focused on the unnerving green eyes of one of the mages Lysar had selected. He hadnโt said much, but the moment I saw those eyesโbright, fog-cutting, too familiarโsomething twisted in my gut.Kreel.He was from Kreel.Iโd know those eyes anywhere.The briefing was
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 66: The Mission
The news came the evening before the match.We were at the 5-Year Cadet Barracks when it droppedโright after evening drills, soaked in sweat and panting from a brutal sparring rotation. Iโd barely unclenched my fists when the announcement flared across the nearest magic veil, the glowing script scrolling like a judge's verdict."UPDATE: Team Match Initiated. Jade Ishola and Lysar Fallan will no longer face off in a duel. Instead, each cadet will assemble a team and be deployed into the Evil Forest. Mission Objective: Recover a sacred crest stolen by bandits. First team to return with the item wins."A silence passed through the training ground when the update dropped. Then chaos.โThey what?!โ Lotanni shouted. โA mission? Weโve been training for the RGT, not an actual op!โLysarโs voice cut through the noise, smooth and mocking. โLucky cunt, Jade. Guess I wonโt get to publicly humiliate her ass with a good beating after all.โShe stood off to the side with her squadโolder cadets in sh
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 65: Fire Beneath the Skin
"You're enjoying this way too much," Naila murmured inside my head, her voice dry, but amused. "A little too proud for someone who nearly died under a boulder of magic two hours ago."Lysar was still on her knees.I didnโt move. Just watched."Alright, enough," Naila said. "Pull it back. You made your point. Eat the rage before someone thinks you've lost control and decides to act on it."She wasnโt wrong.I drew a breath and clenched my fists, slowly pulling the aura back into me. It resisted, angry and wild, but I forced it in, reeling the energy back like an unraveling thread. As the storm faded, so did the trembling in the air.And the moment the last wisp vanished from around my bodyโI dropped to my knees.The Watchers lowered their weapons at once.Kema stepped forward. His jaw was tight, unreadable. He glanced at Lysar, who still hadnโt gotten up."Spend the night in the demon cave," he said simply.Gasps echoed. Even the wind seemed to falter.Lysar's head snapped toward him.
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 64: The Roar Within
My aura wasnโt fierce like fire.Not in the way I expected.It didnโt rage or scream or crackle.It was . . . cool.Not cold.But steady. Deep. Endless.And yet, when I reached for it, I felt the truthโIt wasnโt gentle at all.It was heavy. Condensed.Like trying to pull a mountain up by its roots while lying beneath it.I clenched my jaw, fingers twitching on the stone beneath me. My bones felt like they were vibrating from the inside out.I gritted my teeth.Tried to yank it out.The pressure of the cave didnโt help. It shattered every ounce of focus I scraped together.The weight of it allโinside and outโwas suffocating.My lips cracked when I whispered, โCome onโโโStop fighting it,โ Naila said, her voice a tether in the storm. โYou canโt pull aura like magic. You become it. Let it rise. Donโt command itโjoin it.โโIโm trying,โ I hissed through clenched teeth.โYouโre not trying. Youโre battling it. That wonโt work. This isnโt an enemy. Itโs you.โI slumped.My chest rose and fel
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 63: The Threshold Within
I failed to capture any of those muscular, rat-faced chickens the next morning. The joker, Lysar, gave me an hour to catch fiveโlike she was offering some kind of mercy.She got what she wanted in the end, smiling like a demon when she ordered me back into the cave.The second time was no gentler than the first.I approached the mouth of the cave with slow, bracing steps, every muscle in my body tensed for what I knew was coming. The air shimmered, thick with invisible threads of pressure that pulled at my skin and slowed my legs like I was walking through molasses.And then, like clockwork, it happened.The force yanked me inward with brutal speed. I flew through the dark, slammed into stone, and crumpled to the ground. But this time, I expected it. I curled my body in midair, took the brunt of the impact on my side instead of my back. It still hurt like hell, but I stayed conscious.That was new.The cave roared silently around me. That same crushing weight clamped down, harder now,
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 62: Rage and Reward
I didnโt know how long I lay there.Minutes? Hours? Days?The pain made time meaningless.I didnโt cry outโI couldnโt. My body wasnโt mine anymore. Just bones and nerves trapped under the weight of something too vast to comprehend. Something ancient and angry, pressing on every part of me like it wanted to flatten me into dust.I couldnโt move.Couldnโt breathe right.All I could do was feel. And plead.I whispered to the darkness, over and over, โLet it end.โWhen that didnโt work, I begged.When begging didnโt work, I asked for death.And thenโjust when I thought the cave would keep me foreverโIt spat me out.One moment I was crushed beneath its aura. The next, I was flying.I hit the dirt outside the cave mouth hard, landed face-first in gravel, and gasped for air like it was treasure.I didnโt even lift my head.But I saw the boots.Polished. Familiar.A hand grabbed my collar and turned me over.And there she was.Lysar.Smirking down at me like I was exactly what she expected t
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 61: The Field & The Cave
They werenโt just fast.They were coordinated.Hundreds of sharp-eyed nightmares, darting across the grass with freakish rhythm. Beaks snapping, talons gleaming, thick sinewy muscles built for chasing and shredding. If I hadnโt spent fifteen days sharpening my instincts in the isolation chamber, Iโd be a torn-up mess before midday.I dodged left, rolled under a leaping pair, and kicked one away before it clawed my thigh. They circled back, unrelenting.Nailaโs voice had been quiet since I stepped into isolation. I knew she hadnโt leftโher presence still hummed at the back of my mind, silent and still, hibernating deep in the dark void.She said her time in the God's domain had taken a toll on her resolve, and she needed time alone to recover.But it was moments like this I missed her most.If she were here, sheโd tell me how to beat this. How to capture them.But right now? I was alone.Two hours passed.Two. Whole. Hours.I hadnโt caught a single one.The most Iโd managed was knockin
Jade: The Hybrid Mageย ย ย Chapter 60: Welcome to the Barracks
The main hall was still empty when I asked the system for an update.โAll RGT Selects have transitioned to advanced training with the five-year cadets,โ it replied. โExcept Cadet Orin, who remains in Isolation Chamber Nine.โSo theyโd all made it through.I had passed reflection training last. But apparently, I wasnโt the only one still left behind.I was just about to leave when the door to Chamber Nine hissed open.Orin stepped out.His shirt was soaked through. His arms hung heavy at his sides. Eyes slightly unfocused.We locked eyes.โHey,โ he muttered.โHey,โ I replied quietly.He didnโt stop walking. Just gave me a tired nod and moved toward the exit.โSee you at the barracks.โI watched him go, understanding too well the weight in his step.Heโd won the fight.But heโd lost the race.After the longest shower of my life and a hot meal that nearly brought me to tears, I made my way to the five-year barracks.It was louder than I expected.Cadets jogged in lines across the courtya
