Reborn as the Archmage's Rival

Ethan stepped quietly back into the dorm, letting the door close with a gentle click behind him. His fingers still tingled faintly with the remnants of mana, the echoes of a new spell humming somewhere deep in his core like a low, satisfied sigh.

He felt... lighter. Not just in his limbs, but in his chest too. Like something had cracked open, and the weight of fear and doubt was bleeding out slowly.

"Whoa—what the hell?"

Kai’s voice cut through the early quiet, and Ethan looked over to see his roommate sitting up in bed, hair sticking out in every direction, one eye squinting suspiciously.

"You’re awake?" Kai rubbed his eyes. "You’re up early? The world has ended."

Ethan blinked. "Good morning to you too."

Kai tilted his head. "Wait—you weren’t in bed. Where were you?"

"I just stepped out for a bit."

Kai squinted harder. "At sunrise? You went to the washroom or something?"

Ethan hesitated. "...Sure. That’s exactly it."

Kai snorted. "Fair. Can’t knock nature."