At the northern edge of the Blackwater Kingdom stood an ancient city.
Blackwater City.
Long before the kingdom was established, the city already existed. According to legend, the founder of the Blackwater Kingdom had once risen from this very land. Because of that, the kingdom inherited the same name.
Blackwater.
Over the centuries, the city had grown into the economic and trade heart of the kingdom.
Every day, thousands of ships arrived at Blackwater Harbor from every corner of the continent. Merchant vessels carrying spices, silk, ore, weapons, and countless rare goods sailed endlessly across the dark waters before docking at the massive port.
Where wealth gathered, people followed.
Merchants, nobles, adventurers, sailors, mercenaries, and even pirates could be seen within the city.
Blackwater City was a melting pot of countless forces.
In terms of size alone, it dwarfed most cities within the kingdom.
It was nearly seven times larger than the capital, Glory City.
Outside the towering walls of Blackwater City, a long line of carriages stretched across the wide road.
Merchant caravans waited patiently to enter the gates.
Guards inspected goods while travelers chatted quietly as they waited.
Some had come seeking fortune.
Some had come to trade.
Others had simply come to witness the legendary city with their own eyes.
Beside the crowded merchant road, however, there was another lane.
A lane reserved exclusively for nobles.
Along the noble lane, a luxurious carriage slowly approached the city gate.
Nearly twenty mounted guards surrounded the carriage.
The warhorses moved at a steady pace, their hooves striking the stone road in a calm rhythm. Sunlight reflected from the guards' polished armor, causing faint flashes of silver to ripple through the escort.
The entire guard unit was composed of knight apprentices and true knights.
Most of them were Knight Apprentices, young warriors who had already stepped onto the path of knighthood.
At the front and rear of the formation rode two Lower Knights, their auras noticeably steadier and more imposing than the others. Even without speaking, their presence alone made it clear that they were the leaders of the escort.
Such a formation was more than enough to intimidate ordinary travelers.
Seeing the armed escort approaching, the surrounding merchant caravans instinctively moved aside.
No one dared block the road.
A few curious onlookers glanced toward the carriage and noticed the emblem engraved on its side.
It depicted a heart wrapped in thorny vines, with two crossed swords behind it.
Clearly, it was the crest of a noble house.
However, most of the merchants could not identify which family it belonged to.
After all, Blackwater City gathered nobles from many regions of the kingdom.
Still, the presence of knights as escorts was proof enough.
Only a noble household could command such protection.
Understanding this, the crowd quickly made way.
The carriage continued forward without obstruction and smoothly entered the noble lane leading toward the city gates.
Inside the carriage sat two figures.
Baron Joseph Thornheart.
And his son, Ivan Thornheart.
Ivan slowly lifted the curtain of the carriage window.
The moment his eyes landed on the distant city walls, his pupils contracted slightly.
The walls of Blackwater City were enormous.
Nearly thirty meters high, they stretched endlessly into the distance like a massive stone fortress built by giants.
For a moment, Ivan remained silent.
"So this is… Blackwater City."
His voice carried a hint of quiet amazement.
Even though Ivan possessed the calm mentality of an adult soul, he could not help but feel slightly shocked.
Joseph noticed his son's reaction and chuckled softly.
"Impressive, isn't it?"
Ivan nodded slowly.
"It's far larger than I imagined."
Joseph leaned comfortably against the seat.
"Blackwater City has existed for centuries. Naturally, ordinary cities cannot compare."
Soon, the massive gates slowly opened.
The Thornheart carriage entered the legendary city without obstruction.
The journey from Thornheart Territory to Blackwater City had taken one month and seventeen days.
Along the way, Ivan had witnessed many things.
They had passed through numerous noble territories.
Barons.
Viscounts.
Counts.
And even the lands of two great dukes.
According to noble custom, whenever a noble caravan entered another noble's territory, they had to send notice beforehand.
This was both etiquette and caution.
After all, nobles ruled their territories like independent rulers.
If someone entered without permission, they might be treated as enemies.
Because of this, Baron Joseph had paid several formal visits along the way.
Those visits delayed their journey slightly.
But one encounter left a deep impression on Ivan.
That person was Duke Melaric Ironblood.
One of the four great dukes of the Blackwater Kingdom.
Ivan still remembered the moment clearly.
The Thornheart caravan had just entered Ironblood Territory when news arrived.
Duke Melaric was hosting a grand banquet.
Out of courtesy, the duke invited Baron Joseph and Ivan to attend.
The banquet hall had been magnificent.
Crystal chandeliers.
Long tables filled with wine and delicacies.
Nobles chatting and laughing as musicians performed elegant melodies.
Yet Ivan's attention had been drawn to only one person.
Duke Melaric Ironblood.
The moment Ivan saw him, his body instinctively tensed.
It was not something visible.
But the aura surrounding the duke felt like a towering mountain pressing down on the world.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Dangerous.
Even Ivan's breathing slowed slightly.
Later that night, Ivan quietly asked Nova to scan Duke Melaric.
The result shocked him.
According to Nova's analysis, the duke's total physical index had reached 17.
Ivan recalled the information he had gathered during the long journey toward Blackwater City. Along the way, he had seen many knights of different ranks, and by secretly scanning them with Nova, he had gradually formed a rough understanding of the strength hierarchy among knights.
For ordinary people, their physical attributes rarely exceeded three.
Once a person's overall physical index broke past four, they would step into the realm of a Lower Knight.
When the index exceeded seven, the knight would advance to the Middle-Rank Knight stage.
If the overall physical index surpassed ten, that person would become a High Knight, already considered a powerful figure in most territories.
And when the index crossed the threshold of fifteen, the knight would enter the legendary realm of the Great Knight.
Great Knights were rare even within large kingdoms. Many nobles spent their entire lives unable to reach that level.
Duke Melaric's physical index had already reached seventeen, clearly placing him deep within the Great Knight realm.
No wonder Ivan had felt such a terrifying sense of danger when facing him earlier.
That overwhelming aura was something far beyond ordinary knights.
However, beyond the Great Knight realm, there were still the rumored Sky Knights.
Legends claimed that Sky Knights possessed strength far surpassing Great Knights, capable of feats that bordered on the miraculous.
Unfortunately, Ivan had not yet obtained any reliable information about that realm.
No one seemed to know what level of physical power was required to reach it, nor the exact conditions needed for such a breakthrough.
For now, that mysterious realm remained nothing more than a distant legend.
Soon, the Thornheart carriage arrived at the Noble District of Blackwater City.
Compared to the bustling streets outside, the Noble District was quiet and orderly.
Wide stone roads.
Elegant manors.
Heavily armed patrol guards.
Every piece of land here was worth a fortune.
Even wealthy merchants could not easily purchase property in this area.
Ivan looked around with curiosity before turning toward his father.
"Father… I heard that land in the Noble District is extremely valuable."
Joseph nodded.
"That's correct."
Ivan hesitated slightly before asking another question.
"Then… how does our family own a manor here?"
Joseph smiled faintly.
"Years ago, I exchanged certain interests with another noble."
"He required military assistance."
"I provided it."
"In return, he transferred the manor to our family."
Ivan nodded in understanding.
Among nobles, favors often held more value than gold.
Soon, the carriage stopped before a large stone gate.
The Thornheart emblem was carved clearly above it.
The Thornheart Manor.
After nearly two months of travel, they had finally arrived.
Night soon fell over Blackwater City.
After his father left to attend some matters in the city, Ivan returned to his room.
The quiet environment calmed his mind.
He walked toward the window and opened it.
Cool night air drifted into the room.
In the distance, the lights of the enormous city flickered like countless stars.
Ivan watched silently for a moment.
Then he returned to the bed and slowly sat down cross-legged.
His breathing gradually slowed.
Soon, the Crimson Heart Breathing Method began circulating within his body.
Warm currents flowed through his meridians.
His muscles and bones absorbed the energy steadily.
One cycle.
Then another.
After several rounds, a familiar blue screen appeared before his eyes.
Name: Ivan Thornheart
Race: Human
Age: 15
Physique: 5.2
Agility: 5.3
Constitution: 5.0
Mental Energy: 3.9
Ivan looked at the numbers calmly.
Compared to before, his progress had been steady.
During the journey, he had scanned many knights using Nova. From that data, he had gained a clear understanding of the knight system.
With his current physical attributes, he was already firmly within the Lower Knight stage.
However, when Ivan's gaze landed on the final line, his expression became thoughtful.
Mental Energy.
3.9.
Not long ago, he had considered increasing it using the Blue Moon Potion.
But Nova had advised against it.
"If mental energy increases through artificial means before the wizard test, it may attract suspicion," Nova had explained calmly.
"Until we understand how wizards detect mental fluctuations, increasing it now carries unnecessary risk."
After hearing that explanation, Ivan had decided to temporarily halt mental energy training.
He would wait until after entering the wizard world.
Only then would it be safe.
Later that night, Ivan and his father sat together at the dining table.
Joseph suddenly spoke.
"The wizard aptitude test will be held tomorrow."
Ivan paused.
"Tomorrow?"
Joseph nodded calmly.
"We almost arrived late."
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Ivan slowly clenched his fists under the table.
After months of preparation…
The moment had finally arrived.
Tomorrow.
He would step onto the path he had long been waiting for.
The path of a wizard.
That night, Ivan returned to his room.
As he lay on the bed, he stared quietly at the ceiling.
Beyond the window, the vast Blackwater City continued bustling under the night sky.