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Chapter 63: The Threshold Within
Last Updated:
2025-04-19 19:54:15
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Jade: The Hybrid Mage Chapter 64: The Roar Within
My aura wasn’t fierce like fire.Not in the way I expected.It didn’t rage or scream or crackle.It was . . . cool.Not cold.But steady. Deep. Endless.And yet, when I reached for it, I felt the truth—It wasn’t 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 didn’t help. It shattered every ounce of focus I scraped together.The weight of it all—inside and out—was suffocating.My lips cracked when I whispered, “Come on—”‘Stop fighting it,’ Naila said, her voice a tether in the storm. ‘You can’t pull aura like magic. You become it. Let it rise. Don’t command it—join it.’“I’m trying,” I hissed through clenched teeth.‘You’re not trying. You’re battling it. That won’t work. This isn’t an enemy. It’s you.’I slumped.My chest rose and fel
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"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 didn’t 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 wasn’t 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 body—I 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 hadn’t 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.
Last Updated : 2025-04-21Jade: The Hybrid Mage Chapter 66: The Mission
The news came the evening before the match.We were at the 5-Year Cadet Barracks when it dropped—right after evening drills, soaked in sweat and panting from a brutal sparring rotation. I’d 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.“They what?!” Lotanni shouted. “A mission? We’ve been training for the RGT, not an actual op!”Lysar’s voice cut through the noise, smooth and mocking. “Lucky cunt, Jade. Guess I won’t get to publicly humiliate her ass with a good beating after all.”She stood off to the side with her squad—older cadets in sh
Last Updated : 2025-04-24Jade: The Hybrid Mage Chapter 1: The Beast Within
The first thing I noticed was the chill of the water. My body ached as I stirred slightly, the stream’s gentle current lapping against my legs. “This damn curse,” I muttered bitterly, groaning at the pounding in my head. I was lying on the bank, half-submerged, with the cool rush of water sliding over my arms. My clothes—or what little remained of them—clung to my skin, heavy with moisture. “Why tonight of all nights?” I grunted, almost weeping. “Celene’s going to raise hell on my head for coming back late again.” I barely had the strength to lift myself, forced to wait a few seconds for the beast to fully settle into the void before I could regain control of my body. This was the fourth time she had taken over in the past six months—the beast inside me. A demonlike creature that dragged my consciousness into the dark void at the back of my mind when her hunger grew too strong. That was the part I hated the most—the dark void. It was a suffocating, empty space where I couldn’t see
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The hand covering my mouth was impossibly strong. I kicked out wildly, my nails scraping against a muscular arm that held me firm. My heart thundered in my chest, panic rising like a hurricane. Even with the beast's persistent energy coursing through me, I couldn't break free. 'I can't die like this,' I thought, fear tightening its grip on me. 'Not at the mercy of another predator?' Before I could wrestle free, a calm, steady voice whispered against my ear."Relax, child," it said, smooth yet commanding. "The beast won't harm you now." My entire body froze. The deep voice—it was familiar, but in a way that made chills run through me. My mind raced as I strained to see his face through the dim moonlight, but all I could make out was a shadowy figure. And then it hit me.He was the one who had been giving orders earlier, leading the search party. 'Why is he helping me?' I wondered. 'Does he think I'm just another victim?' When his hand finally released me, I stumbled back, gasping
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"You . . . you know?" My voice trembled, barely above a whisper.Kema’s golden eyes locked onto mine, unwavering and piercing. “Of course, I know,” he said bluntly, his tone calm yet sharp. “You think I wouldn’t recognize the signs?”My legs felt like they might give out as the weight of his words settled over me. 'He knew. Then . . .' I summoned the courage to look him directly in the eyes—but that didn't last, as I'd dropped my gaze just as fast to the ground, both frightened and red-faced. "Then why did you lie for me? I don't understand?" I cringed, and took some steps back. Still looking away from him, I asked, "What do you want?""If I wanted you dead . . ." he said, walking to me. For some reason, I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. Even the stupid beast in me didn't help this time. "You'd be dead." He added when he got close enough to hold my arm. His grasp was firm—dominating.“You’re lucky I found you before they did,” he continued, his voice deep and resolute, like eve
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As I walked back home, I forced myself to think back, trying to recall the evening. Celene, my stepmother, had sent me on one of her ridiculous errands. She’d insisted I pick up a hemmed cloak from the seamstress on the far side of the village, even though we both knew it wouldn’t be ready. I suspected she only wanted to keep me from surprising my father with dinner at his forge.She’d watched me spend the entire afternoon preparing his favorite meal, her lips curling into that familiar, spiteful smile.‘Of course, the witch couldn’t let me have a moment of peace,’ I thought bitterly.The memory was blurry after that. I’d left the seamstress’s shop and walked through the village. Then, as I approached the quiet stretch of road near the fields, I felt it—her presence.The beast’s dark, suffocating aura descended on me, digging into my senses. Her voice came next, low and demanding, resonating in my mind like a drumbeat.“I'M HUNGRY, JADE. I NEED MEAT."I shivered at the memory. She alw
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"Where's what, ma'am?""Is your head full of bricks?" Celene sneered. "Where's the thing I asked you to get for me? I don't see it on you." She eyed me from head to toe like I was dressed in shit."Can't this wait?" My father protested. He sat silently at the far end of the table, his face drawn, his shoulders heavy."Why wait, honey?" She smiled at him. "I'm only asking if she did the errand I'd asked her to do. Is that so bad?" She asked, eating her soup. "So?" She raised a brow at me."The cloak isn't ready yet, so I've returned empty-handed . . . ma'am.""Oh, I see," she twirled her spoon in the air. "How sad," she jested, letting out a small laugh.I glanced at my father, hoping for even the smallest sign of defense, but his gaze stayed fixed on his plate.I waited a bit, the clanking of utensils filling the air, and then finally said, "May I leave?"“Tomorrow, you’ll scrub the floors, polish the silver, and tend to the garden.” Celene leaned back, one perfectly manicured hand re
Last Updated : 2025-02-21
Latest chapter
Jade: The Hybrid Mage Chapter 66: The Mission
The news came the evening before the match.We were at the 5-Year Cadet Barracks when it dropped—right after evening drills, soaked in sweat and panting from a brutal sparring rotation. I’d 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.“They what?!” Lotanni shouted. “A mission? We’ve been training for the RGT, not an actual op!”Lysar’s voice cut through the noise, smooth and mocking. “Lucky cunt, Jade. Guess I won’t get to publicly humiliate her ass with a good beating after all.”She stood off to the side with her squad—older cadets in sh
Jade: The Hybrid Mage 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 didn’t 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 wasn’t 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 body—I 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 hadn’t 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 Mage Chapter 64: The Roar Within
My aura wasn’t fierce like fire.Not in the way I expected.It didn’t rage or scream or crackle.It was . . . cool.Not cold.But steady. Deep. Endless.And yet, when I reached for it, I felt the truth—It wasn’t 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 didn’t help. It shattered every ounce of focus I scraped together.The weight of it all—inside and out—was suffocating.My lips cracked when I whispered, “Come on—”‘Stop fighting it,’ Naila said, her voice a tether in the storm. ‘You can’t pull aura like magic. You become it. Let it rise. Don’t command it—join it.’“I’m trying,” I hissed through clenched teeth.‘You’re not trying. You’re battling it. That won’t work. This isn’t an enemy. It’s you.’I slumped.My chest rose and fel
Jade: The Hybrid Mage 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 five—like 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 Mage Chapter 62: Rage and Reward
I didn’t know how long I lay there.Minutes? Hours? Days?The pain made time meaningless.I didn’t cry out—I couldn’t. My body wasn’t 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 couldn’t move.Couldn’t breathe right.All I could do was feel. And plead.I whispered to the darkness, over and over, “Let it end.”When that didn’t work, I begged.When begging didn’t work, I asked for death.And then—just when I thought the cave would keep me forever—It 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 didn’t 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 Mage Chapter 61: The Field & The Cave
They weren’t 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 hadn’t spent fifteen days sharpening my instincts in the isolation chamber, I’d 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.Naila’s voice had been quiet since I stepped into isolation. I knew she hadn’t left—her 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, she’d tell me how to beat this. How to capture them.But right now? I was alone.Two hours passed.Two. Whole. Hours.I hadn’t caught a single one.The most I’d managed was knockin
Jade: The Hybrid Mage Chapter 60: Welcome to the Barracks
The main hall was still empty when I asked the system for an update.“All RGT Selects have transitioned to advanced training with the five-year cadets,” it replied. “Except Cadet Orin, who remains in Isolation Chamber Nine.”So they’d all made it through.I had passed reflection training last. But apparently, I wasn’t 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.“Hey,” he muttered.“Hey,” I replied quietly.He didn’t stop walking. Just gave me a tired nod and moved toward the exit.“See you at the barracks.”I watched him go, understanding too well the weight in his step.He’d won the fight.But he’d 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
Jade: The Hybrid Mage Chapter 59: Isolation
(Back to Jade's POV)The chamber sealed shut behind me.No sound. No wind. Just a dim glow humming from the ceiling and the faint static of the training panels.This was isolation training. Me versus me. Me versus her.The reflection.But I wasn’t going to beat Petrusia’s reflection by throwing punches blindly in here. I needed more than stamina. I needed instinct.So I trained.Every day followed the same rhythm.Five hours in the mind realm.The system had crafted a simulated world just for me—a time-warped bubble where one day outside equaled ten inside. I’d spend five 'outside' hours locked in that space, which meant nearly fifty hours passed in there. Two straight days of combat packed into one session.The mind realm wasn’t gentle.It was where I sharpened my instincts. Battled wave after wave of randomized combat trials—dummies, wild beasts, humanoids, constructs, and variants. The enemies never repeated. Never got predictable. Every blow I dodged, every parry I missed, every s
Jade: The Hybrid Mage Chapter 58: Shifting Lines
Jade had been gone for three days.No one had seen her. No one had heard from her. Not even the system had offered any updates beyond: “Cadet Jade Ishola remains in isolation. Training active.”But her absence lingered in the air.The reflection platforms still gleamed. The Selects still trained.Nyomei stood center circle, already five rounds into the day. Her hair was damp with sweat, her jaw set tight. The familiar shimmer of twin opponents formed in front of her—two broad-shouldered werewolves with identical faces and cocky stances.They were champions. Like her.The same champions who always claimed first and second—leaving her to settle for third.Today would be different.The sixth round started.They came at her fast, in sync as always—but she didn’t give them time to control the rhythm. Her wolf instincts kicked in before thought could. She moved like water and struck like tempered steel, slipping between their swings and counters.A low sweep took the first down.The second
