Powerless Boy is reborn as Lustful Elf

The sun had barely climbed over the horizon when Alex stepped into the school grounds the next morning, but already a hush had settled over the halls.

He noticed it instantly.

Students who had been chatting in loud clusters a moment ago quieted the second he passed by. Conversations dropped off. Heads turned subtly, some not so subtly, to watch him. Some eyes widened. Others narrowed. But nearly all of them shared the same unspoken question:

Was it true?

Word had spread like wildfire.

Everyone had heard the story , how the new guy had faced Valen in a hallway showdown, stood tall against a mana blade, and walked away without a scratch. Some said it was a bluff. Others claimed he had used forbidden magic. A few even whispered he wasn't a normal elf at all, maybe he was a high-ranking spy from another realm, or a warrior wearing a disguise.

Whatever the truth was, one thing was clear: Alex had suddenly become the talk of the academy.

He kept walking through the hall, posture relaxed, face unreadable. On the inside, though, he found the attention mildly amusing. He could hear them, dozens of hushed voices muttering in corners, trading half-truths, trying to piece together the legend of what had happened between him and Valen.

No one dared approach him directly. Not after what they'd heard.

The fear had taken root. Even those who once might have mocked him now gave him a wide berth.

He smirked slightly to himself.

Much better for them to fear me than try to bully me.

That alone made everything worth it.

As he rounded a corridor toward the lockers, a familiar figure appeared up ahead. The moment she spotted him, Velenda's face lit up with delight.

"Alex!" she called out, quickening her pace.

She reached him and immediately pulled him into a quick hug, then rose on her toes and gave him a playful smooch on the cheek.

Alex blinked at the sudden affection, a little caught off guard. He glanced around instinctively, half-expecting to see Sylra at the end of the hallway, arms crossed, lips curled in judgment. Or worse, he imagined a swarm of students rushing to tell her what they'd just witnessed.

But then he shrugged.

It wasn't like he owed her anything, he just wouldn't like her to be jealous.

Velenda looped her arm into his as they continued walking. "You ready for today?"

He tilted his head, pretending not to know. "What's today?"

She gasped. "Don't tell me you forgot. Today's test day!"

"Test?"

"The mana-level test," she said, grinning.

"Every term, our class has to measure our raw mana output. It's kind of a big deal. Everyone gets ranked, and the top three get a free pass they can use to skip any class they want. Once. It's like a golden ticket. I've been waiting for this all month."

Alex raised a brow. "You planning to make top three?"

She scoffed. "Of course. I was 4th the last time but I've trained a lot since then."

Alex chuckled, amused by her confidence. "Guess I'll see you on the podium then."

Velenda narrowed her eyes playfully. "Wait… you think you're making top three too?"

He didn't reply. He didn't need to. The smirk on his face was answer enough.

Truthfully, Alex had no doubt. Ever since his evolution into the Cursed Ash Elf, he could feel it, power, buzzing just beneath his skin, ready to be called upon. His stats had increased. His mana capacity had grown significantly. He'd defeated a behemoth, for gods' sake. This test? It would be a formality.

Still, he found himself wondering who else would make the cut.

Maybe Sylra. She was sharp and powerful, and while she could be annoying, no one could deny she was gifted. Then there was Valen, arrogant, brash, and insufferable, but annoyingly talented. Alex hated to admit it, but the guy probably was a prodigy.

The two of them, Sylra and Valen, were probably the academy's finest before Alex arrived. Today, he'd be putting them both to the test.

When they arrived at the central hall, the atmosphere was electric.

Nearly a hundred students were gathered, forming neat lines along the polished marble floors. Professors and assistant instructors stood by a long rectangular box made of obsidian and enchanted wood. At the center of the box were two cylindrical slots, shaped like sleeves, and above them, a vertical gauge filled with shifting colors and numbers.

The Mana Infusion Meter.

Professor Lareth, an older elf with a voice like wind through stone, addressed the class.

"You will approach in order. Place both arms into the slots and infuse your mana steadily until the gauge stops rising. No spells. No external boosts. Raw flow only."

He stepped aside. "Begin."

The first student, a tall boy with a nervous expression, stepped forward and slowly placed his arms into the slots. After a few seconds, the meter blinked to life. Numbers began climbing.

93… 101… 112… 117.

The glow dimmed.

"117," the assistant called out, writing it down on a floating scroll.

A few murmurs rippled through the crowd. Decent, but nothing special.

The next student, a short girl with elaborate wrist tattoos, stepped up. She took a deep breath and channeled her mana.

134… 152… 164… 178.

"178," the assistant confirmed.

Now there were gasps.

The third student barely cracked 162. The fourth struggled to reach 140.

As more students went, Alex watched with mild interest. He could feel the energy in the room rising. Students were competing not just for the ranking, but for pride.

Then came Sylra.

She stepped forward gracefully, hair pulled back, sleeves rolled neatly to her elbows. Her eyes were focused and calm, like a master duelist sizing up a worthy opponent.

When she placed her hands in the meter, the entire hall seemed to still.

The numbers began to climb.

200… 221… 243… 265…

Murmurs filled the room.

273… 278… 283.

"Two-eighty-three," the assistant professor announced, clearly impressed.

Even the instructors exchanged glances.

Alex nodded slightly to himself. He wasn't surprised. Sylra was the real deal. She had always been good, probably the best among the general student body. And clearly, her mana pool was no joke.