Lukas walked toward the iron pillar one step at a time, his footsteps steady and his posture unwavering, completely unaffected by the taunts, ridicule, and disdain echoing around him.
He had nothing to prove.
Lukas was someone who understood his own worth far better than anyone else present. Their opinions meant nothing in the face of what he knew awaited him.
Sooner or later, he was going to stand on equal footing with the entirety of the White Knights Guild.
Or perhaps...
Even surpass them.
Without even realizing it, he arrived before the towering iron pillar.
The moment he stepped within arm's reach, a soft, chilling sensation flowed from the ancient structure. The cool aura gently brushed across his cheeks like the tender embrace of a loving mother, carrying an indescribable warmth beneath its icy touch. Lukas unconsciously closed his eyes for a brief moment as every tense muscle loosened and every single nerve throughout his body relaxed.
