It was morning, and June woke up from his bed. He stood up, took a shower, and wore formal clothes. A white t shirt on the inside, a black suit on the outside with a black tie, black long pants, and black gloves. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and smiled since it fit him very well.
He walked out of his room, and a maid approached him and said,
"Count Marrow requests your presence at the dining table."
June replied,
"Lead the way,"
with a happy tone.
The maid led him to the dining table. He saw his little sister, his father, and his mother.
"Good morning, sister, father, and mother," June said happily.
Lucy replied,
"Good morning, brother,"
with a cheerful tone.
His mother said,
"Good morning, dear,"
with a warm smile.
His father said,
"Good morning, son,"
also smiling.
June took the vacant seat on the left and started eating elegantly. While he was eating, his father spoke.
"June and Lucy will be going to Zenith Academy. I hope you both have a great time there," he said cheerfully.
I scanned my father and was not shocked at all, because I already knew how strong he was.
[Robert Marrow]
[Age 47]
[Tier 5 Lord]
[Fragmented Authority]
[Strength 200]
[Durability 230]
[Speed 250]
[High level swordsmanship]
[Skills: high level magic [spells,enhancement]
[Ability: none]
And I will explain so you do not get lost in the plot.
In Zenith, power is not something you simply train for and obtain. It is not a ladder you climb by effort alone. Power is a burden, and the world is built to punish anyone who tries to carry more than they can endure.
Most people misunderstand strength. They believe mana alone decides everything. That belief kills countless people every year.
True power in Zenith rests on four foundations that must grow together. Mana. Body. Mind. Authority.
If even one of these lags behind, Ascension becomes unstable. When instability appears, the world does not forgive it.
Everyone in Zenith is born with mana, but the amount and quality differ wildly. Mana is not just energy. It is something closer to a living force that flows through veins, nerves, and the soul.
People at the lowest level are called Zeros.
Zeros are not powerless because they lack ambition. They are powerless because their mana is thin, fractured, or chaotic. When they try to use even basic magic, their bodies cannot endure the strain. Muscles tear. Organs fail. Consciousness fades. Many Zeros collapse from mana exhaustion, and some never wake again.
The world does not protect Zeros. It consumes them.
Moving from one tier to another is never guaranteed. You do not level up by training enough hours.
Ascension happens only when the world acknowledges that your mana, body, and mind can survive the next step.
And when that moment arrives, a trial follows immediately.
This is the part most people fear. I wonder what my fear is. Ascension trials are not ceremonies. They are not overseen by the Academy. They are not controlled by Monarchs or Kings.
They happen inside you.
When you stand at the edge of a new tier, your own mind becomes the battlefield.
The world forces you to confront the weakest part of yourself. Your regrets. Your fear. Your guilt. Your past failures.
For some, the trial takes the form of hallucinations.
For others, it becomes a false reality where past trauma repeats endlessly.
Some relive the moment they broke.
Others face visions of what they will become if they fail.
If you overcome it, Ascension stabilizes.
If you hesitate, deny it, or try to suppress it, the result is madness.
That is why failed Ascension rarely looks the same. Some people go insane quietly. Some lose control of their mana and explode. Some become hollow shells that still breathe but are no longer human.
Authority is the most misunderstood aspect of power.
Authority is not a skill.
It is not a spell.
It cannot be taught directly.
Authority is the imprint of your will on reality.
When someone reaches the level of a Lord, the world begins to recognize them. Their presence carries pressure. Weaker beings feel it instinctively. This is not intimidation. It is authority beginning to take shape.
Different people manifest different forms of authority because authority reflects what defines them.
Some Lords possess authority of domination. Their presence forces obedience.
Others manifest authority of war, amplifying battle instinct and bloodshed.
Some develop authority of protection, making their territory unnaturally safe.
Others embody fear, night, order, decay, or ambition.
Authority grows clearer as one ascends, but it also becomes heavier.
Authority demands conviction.
If your will wavers, authority fractures.
If it fractures, your Ascension collapses.
Tier Two Awakened and Tier Three Adepts die more often than any other ranks.
This is because they gain enough power to become arrogant, but not enough to survive recklessness.
Awakened feel strong for the first time. Their bodies respond instantly. Their senses sharpen. Danger feels manageable. That illusion kills many of them.
Adepts are worse. Their instincts improve so much that they begin to trust themselves too much. They take shortcuts. They attempt forbidden techniques. They chase power faster than their minds can handle.
The transition from Awakened to Adept is often where Ascension trials break people permanently. Those who fail rarely die cleanly.
When someone becomes a Lord, the world acknowledges them as more than an individual.
They can suppress weaker beings without lifting a finger.
They can influence territory simply by existing there long enough.
Their authority leaks into their surroundings.
This is also where lifespan increases drastically. Mana rewrites the body. Aging slows. Disease becomes meaningless. A Lord can live centuries, but only if their authority remains stable.
Many Lords fail because they try to force authority they do not truly embody. This creates twisted results. Monsters. Tyrants. Broken rulers who lose control of themselves.
Kings are not just strong. They dominate regions. Their authority shapes wars, climates, and political structures. Their decisions ripple across nations.
Monarchs go further.
A Monarch does not merely rule people.
They embody an idea.
The Five Monarchs of the Zenith world each represent something fundamental. War. Night. Nature. Order. Dominion.
Their presence can alter reality. If they lose control, continents can fall. That is why Monarchs restrain themselves. That is why they rarely act directly.
Many who attempt to become Monarchs fail at the authority stage. Their bodies survive, but their minds shatter. Others become incomplete Monarchs, dangerous beings trapped between humanity and concept.
The world offers shortcuts. It always does.
Corrupted Ascension floods the body with mana faster than it can adapt. Power rises instantly, but the mind decays. Survivors are unstable and rarely last long.
Bloodline Devouring grants strength by stealing from others. The more you take, the less of yourself remains. Eventually, identity collapses.
Authority Theft steals fragments of another's authority. It grants temporary Monarch level power but almost always destroys the soul. Those who survive become warnings rather than legends.
The world remembers these failures. Their ruins are studied at the Academy as lessons.
Zenith is not just Tier Ten.
Zenith is completion.
Mana flows without resistance.
The body exists beyond decay.
The mind is unshakable.
Authority is absolute but restrained.
Those who reach Zenith do not age. Death no longer comes naturally. They exist closer to concepts than people. Some disappear. Some watch. Some reshape history once and vanish forever.
That is why the Academy is named Zenith.
Not because it creates Zenith beings, but because it represents the highest ideal anyone can chase.
Even Zenith has become a myth, since no one has reached it in this era.
What surprised me most was that my father only possessed a fragment of authority. That meant he could not fully use it. I thought he already had authority.
After finishing my meal, I waited for Lucy, Father, and Mother to finish eating as well.
When we were done, I asked,
"Father, what are we going to ride to Zenith Academy?"
Father looked at me with a cheerful smile and said,
"A car, of course. It is a very long ride."
"Okay," I replied.
Lucy listened quietly while smiling.
We went outside our mansion and saw a black luxurious car. It was very long, at least from how I would describe it.
The butler opened the door for us, and we got inside. The car was cool with air conditioning, the seats were very comfortable, and the ride felt smooth.
The car started moving, heading toward Zenith Academy.