Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

"Well... I guess I just got lucky," Kyle said with a light laugh.

The man studied him intently, tapping a pen rhythmically against the stack of papers in front of him as he tried to catch on any reaction from Kyle but unfortunately, he couldn't.

His eyes went to Void, who stood calmly beside Kyle, his imposing figure drawing equal parts of awe and unease. The creature's gaze was sharp, almost too intelligent, and the faint upward curl of its mouth seemed like a smirk.

'Lucky? That's one way to put it,' he thought to himself and sighed.

'This boy has no idea what he's stumbled upon.'

Creatures with even a hint of draconic bloodline were a rarity in Zekkoa and an oddity most people would never encounter in their lifetime.

Dragons, the true dragons, were long extinct, but their descendants, though diluted, were still powerful.

They were beings of immense strength and potential and if word of this gets out, it could draw unwanted attention—not just from the academy but from outsiders too.

'And yet… this boy claims it bonded with him? Such a bond is rare and almost always comes at a cost. What did he do to earn its trust?'

'He can't keep a creature like that. I can't let him,' the man almost decided before dismissing the thought as quick as it came. 'No. It's not my place to decide. Something like this is beyond my authority.

Finally, he shook his head and cleared his throat, pulling his thoughts back to the task at hand.

"Well, regardless of your… 'luck', you and your team have far exceeded the mission's expectations," he said, turning his attention back to the group. "The original objective was to hold off the tide until reinforcements could arrive, but you eliminated the threat entirely. That's no small feat, and it won't go unnoticed."

Kyle nodded with a neutral expression, though his teammates exchanged small, triumphant smiles. The man leaned forward, pulling out a glowing orb-like device from a drawer in his desk. He tapped it, and the surface lit up with a soft blue hue.

"I'll be awarding each of you 1,000 contribution points for your efforts. It's a substantial reward for Year 1 students, but given the circumstances, it's well deserved."

"Contribution points?" Kyle asked, and he wasn't the only one who was hearing that phrase for the first time. All his teammates all shared confused looks. "I've never heard of those before."

The man chuckled softly and his demeanor relaxed for the first time since they had entered. "I forgot it's part of the new system. Contribution points are the main rewards for completing missions. With them, you can purchase resources, equipment, training sessions with specialized instructors, or even access to restricted areas in the academy and many more. Think of them as your gateway to greater opportunities."

He paused to let the information sink in before continuing. "You can view the available rewards in the Contribution Hall. It's located adjacent to the Mission Hall. I suggest you take some time to familiarize yourself with it. These points are far worth more than credits."

Kyle slowly nodded his head in approval. He still wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the system. While contribution points sounded useful, he had expected something more immediate—perhaps a magic equipment or even a special piece of equipment as recognition for their hard work.

Noticing Kyle's hesitation, the man smiled faintly. "Don't underestimate the value of these points. Many students would struggle to earn even a few hundred during their early years. With 1,000 points, you've already gained a significant advantage. Use them wisely, and they'll prove to be more than worth it."

Kyle nodded, though a small part of him still felt unsatisfied. The man didn't seem to notice—or chose to ignore it—and tapped the glowing orb again. Beeps filled the room as a notification appeared on each their comms, confirming the transfer of the points.

Kyle checked his comm to see the notification that had arrived.

[You have received 1000 contribution points!]

"Your contribution points have been credited to your accounts," the man said, setting the orb aside. "Now, I need to document the rest of your mission report."

Each team member stepped forward with their comm and the man scanned them into a crystalline slab that displayed their profiles in mid-air. He updated their records, logging the mission details and the rewards.

"Well done, all of you," he said after he was done with his documentations. "You're dismissed. Make sure to visit the Contribution Hall and check out the available options."

The team began to leave, relieved that the debrief was over. As they reached the door, the man suddenly called out. "Kyle, stay behind for a moment. The rest of you are free to go."

Kyle paused, exchanging a curious glance with his teammates. Lina opened her mouth to protest, but Zara nudged her, shaking her head. "Let's go," she whispered. "It's probably about the dragon, or whatever that thing is."

Once the door closed behind the others, the man gestured for Kyle to sit. Void settled on Kyle's laps and left his piercing eyes fixed on the man.

"Kyle, about your… companion," he began with a serious tone. "It's not within my authority to decide what happens to it."

"This academy has strict rules regarding outside creatures," the man explained. "While your bond with this beast is… remarkable, it's not something I have the power to approve or regulate. Only the Dean can make that decision."

"So, does this mean I'll meet the Dean?" Kyle asked calmly. He wasn't scared of meeting the Dean, as he had done so before and might have even managed to leave an impression on him.

The man nodded. "Yes. You'll need to report to the Dean before the end of the day. I'll provide you with directions to their office." He tapped his comm and sent Kyle a map, which he didn't need as he had visited the Dean's office before.

"Follow this, and you'll find it easily enough."

Kyle nodded his head and the man continued, this time putting on a serious expression.

"If the day ends and you haven't met with the Dean, you'll face disciplinary action, and the academy will confiscate the beast. Do you understand?"

Kyle smiled and nodded. There was no chance he'll forget so he didn't have to think too much about the threats. "Okay, I understand. I'll see the Dean before the end of the day."

The man let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Good. That's all, then. You're dismissed."

Kyle stood and Void rose smoothly to his feet beside him. As they turned to leave, the man couldn't help but let out a shiver. The beast had been staring at him the entire time, its predatory gaze unnerving despite its calm demeanor.

Once the door closed behind Kyle and Void, the man slumped back into his chair, exhaling deeply. "That thing… there's something wrong with it," he muttered to himself. He rubbed his temples, trying to shake the lingering tension. I just hope the Dean knows what to do. This could end very badly if handled wrong.

He glanced back at the glowing orb on his desk, tempted to send an urgent warning to the Dean but decided against it. For now, all he could do was hope that Kyle and his beast wouldn't cause trouble.

Straightening his robe, the man pushed his thoughts aside and returned to his paperwork, though he couldn't forget what had just happened.

***

Upon leaving the office, Kyle was greeted with the sight of his teammates leaning on the door as if ready to push it open any moment.

"What are you all still doing here?" Kyle asked with a laugh escaping him as he took in in their panicked state. "You look like you're about to break down the door."

"Well, we thought… you might get into trouble or something. And we didn't want to leave without knowing you were okay," Lina decided to say.

Kyle chuckled, shaking his head. "Thanks for worrying, but I'm fine. The only thing they said was that I need to meet with the Dean before the day ends."

"Good. But before you go running off to the Dean, we wanted to exchange IDs. It'll be easier to stay in touch that way," Zara suggested quickly, as if that had been their main goal from the start.

"That's all? Sure, no problem."

The group pulled out their comms, and one by one, they exchanged their academy IDs.

"There," Lina said with a satisfied grin. "Now we can check in on you anytime."

Kyle smiled at her remark and they all waved goodbye at each other and went their separate paths.

'I'll check out the contribution hall.'