Reincarnated as a Genius Mage

I'm sitting on a mat inside a red tent. The low, evening light seeps through little parchments on the roof of the tent, and it's bright enough to highlight the interior of the tent.

But, the thing is, there's nothing here. Just the mat I'm lying on, a small wooden table by the corner, and a small wooden shelf where I'm supposed to put my clothes.

I can't believe I forgot to pack clothes with me. I didn't bring any bag, shoes or whatever.

I let out a weary sigh as I massage my forehead.

Alberto slightly explained the state of the battlefield to me while guiding me to my tent. He said the red tents aren't a symbol of the Flameworths or anything.

Here on the battlefield, noble families and noble bloods do not mean anything. Although, there are nobles who still manage to get special privileges despite this.

The red tents are the color and symbol of the lowest ranking troops. The green tents are the color of the slightly higher ranking troops. The blue tents are the color of the high ranking troops, and then there's the orange tents. Symbol of the highest ranking troops.

Some troops have up to five hundred soldiers. Ours has the lowest number of soldiers and are called the troop of rejects for some reason.

I don't even know why K sent me here. Maybe it's because George is his friend Alexander's son.

We have just fifty one. Oh, now it's fifty two soldiers, because Jeriq joined this troop under the command of the general after Laran, his mentor talked with him.

And then there're the soldiers. The lowest ranking soldiers are the foot soldiers who are mostly weapon users, then there're squires; they mostly learn under knights when a knight picks interest in them. But Knight mages don't do this because, there's no way to detect elemental affinity here, how would they pick squires that they are unsure even possess elemental affinity?

Then the knights. Those ones are mostly people who have accumulated achievements, experience, and basically know the battlefield like the back of their hands. And one thing, one doesn't need a core or circle to be a foot soldier, but you need at least one core or circle to even qualify to become a squire. This means that a knight is just a title/rank. It doesn't matter if one's a mage or weapon user. If they have the accumulated merits, achievements, and strength, they'll be addressed as knights. Pretty weird.

Most knights that are up to three cores can— after gaining enough achievements and merits— become lieutenants; that's second in command to the captain of a troop. They can even lead small detachments and platoons in a large troop, and a troop can have more than one lieutenant.

Then the captains; they must be at least five cores or five circles and have enough achievements and merits to qualify to become captains. Then there's the General; Alberto said the holder of the rank of General, and the commander of the whole Jalozian army hasn't changed for more than two decades.

They say those people are incredibly powerful. One can qualify to become a general as a fifth circle only when they've gathered enough achievements, and trust from the Emperor. And, of course, you can also kill the guy and become a general haha. But no one can try that to General Varlen. Alberto told me that the rumors say he's an eighth circle Earth Mage. I don't know how much of that is true though.

I only know that he's the first commoner in centuries to rise to the rank of a General.

Anyone who enlists in the army must start from the rank of a foot soldier. It doesn't matter who they are or where they come from. If they have the strength, they'll climb to the high ranks.

That's how it is in Jalozi. When Nobles graduate from the Imperial Academy and hold the official title of a mage, they are required to serve the Empire for at least ten years, and they're given two choices from the Empire; to go on a pilgrimage. And it is totally random, and depends a lot on whatever the Emperor pleases.

That's why people mostly choose the second option which is to serve as a soldier in the Frontlines of the Orcan War and hold back the Orcs for at least ten years before they can do whatever they want with their lives.

This practice started about three to five centuries ago when the Orcs started their attack on the Levarian Continent.

That's why every Empire and Kingdom in the continent joined hands and armies to fight against the Orcs. That's all except the Ananca Empire, the Eastern Empire that's never opened its walls to any foreigner in centuries. Rumors claim that mages do not exist there, only strange people who tame beasts and monsters.

So, the other Empires formed an official alliance. That means, in this battlefield, the armies of over fifty sovereign nations co-exist, each with their own rules, and hierarchy of soldiers. All the Generals come together to form what they call the Levarian Generals' Alliance. Where the Generals of all the Nations meet and discuss.

I breathe out softly as I break out of my train of thoughts. Then I look outside for a second, making sure no one is there. Then I take off my mask, and my robe, dropping them next to me.

I massage the bridge of my nose as I sit on the mat, looking at the braces on my ankles.

"It's oddly peaceful."

That's right. Alberto said the Orcs' movements are unpredictable. They can sail from Elyrus down here at any time. Any. Time. Sometimes at night when everyone's asleep. Sometimes early in the morning.

"I wonder how K and the S-rank gang are doing. And Spade too. I still haven't had my rematch with him after he defeated me last year."

My lips curl with a bright smile, "soon enough, we'll have our rematch. Just wait. Although I'm only a second circle mage, my strength matches that of a fourth circle or fourth core. People even think I'm a fourth circle mage. And Spade is in the fourth circle. I'll soon come for his ass."

Wait. That last sentence sounded wrong.

I shrug, "whatever."

The mercenaries have their special camp. All the mercenaries from every Empire and Kingdom are in that camp. That's where K, Gislow and the rest are.

I don't know why both I and Jeriq aren't there. But, what will be, will be.

"But, man, I shouldn't have agreed to that spar."

Now, even though I sustained no injuries, I still have to refill my first circle with flame and air mana because the mana left in my first circle after that spar is less than half.

Tap. Tap.

My neck moves as my eyes snap toward the entrance of my tent.

Footsteps of an incoming figure flood my ears.

It's just one person. And they're walking toward my tent.

I immediately grab my mask and hang it on my face.

The figure knocks on the iron frame of my tent.

"Blank?" He calls out.

"Jeriq?"