The vast wizard transport ship cut steadily through the sea, its enormous hull gliding across the waves like a silent beast.
At the front deck, a large crowd had already gathered.
All the wizard seeds stood shoulder to shoulder, their eyes fixed ahead, unable to hide the anticipation in their expressions.
Among them—
Ivan stood beside Olivia.
Both were looking toward the horizon.
Far ahead, through the thinning morning mist, a piece of land slowly revealed itself.
Academy Island.
As the ship drew closer, its outline gradually became clear.
It wasn't as grand as many had imagined.
The island was modest in size—perhaps around fifteen kilometers long—and covered almost entirely in dense vegetation. Towering ancient trees stretched toward the sky, their canopies forming a vast green sea.
Only one area broke this natural wilderness—
A port.
And beside it, a small yet lively town.
Ivan narrowed his eyes slightly as he observed the scene.
"So this is Academy Island…"
A low murmur spread among the surrounding wizard seeds.
Some were excited.
Some confused.
Some… slightly disappointed.
This place didn't look like the legendary land of wizards.
But Ivan understood.
This island was never meant to be a place of glory.
It was a gateway.
A transition point.
A place where wizard seeds from distant continents gathered… before stepping into the true wizarding world.
The ship gradually slowed.
A deep mechanical hum echoed through the hull as it approached the port.
Then—
Thud.
It docked.
The slight vibration snapped many out of their thoughts.
Ivan's gaze shifted.
He quickly noticed something—
They were not the only ones.
Not far away, two other massive transport ships were already anchored at the port. Their structure was nearly identical, clearly belonging to the same class of vessels.
More wizard seeds.
From other lands.
Before long, the wizard apprentices gathered everyone onto the main deck.
The previously scattered crowd quickly formed into a loose formation.
Ivan and Olivia stood quietly within it.
At that moment, a figure stepped forward.
It was Kael.
His expression was calm, his presence steady. There was no distortion this time—only a faint, almost imperceptible pressure that naturally came from a wizard apprentice.
He swept his gaze across the crowd before speaking.
"Listen carefully."
The murmurs immediately died down.
"You will be disembarking shortly."
"After leaving the ship, follow the designated route into the port town. Do not wander off."
His voice was neither loud nor harsh—
Yet it carried undeniable authority.
"You will be guided to the academy recruitment district."
As he spoke, he raised a stack of white papers.
"These records will be distributed to each of you."
"They contain your basic information—name, age, origin, aptitude, and elemental affinity."
"When you reach the recruitment area, choose an academy."
"Present this record."
"The academies will review it… and decide whether to accept you."
A brief pause.
A brief pause. Then his tone turned colder.
"The path of a wizard is cruel."
"Choose wisely."
That single sentence made several wizard seeds subconsciously tighten their grip.
Soon, a long ladder was lowered from the ship to the port.
"Move in order."
One by one, the wizard seeds began descending.
Some were nervous.
Some were excited.
Some tried to maintain composure—but their hurried steps betrayed them.
When Ivan stepped onto the port, a thin white sheet was handed to him.
Olivia received hers as well.
The paper felt ordinary—
But Ivan knew it was anything but.
He lowered his gaze and read:
Name: Ivan Thornheart
Age: 15
Origin: Valen Continent
Aptitude: Fourth Class
Elemental Affinity:
High-level Fire
Mid-level Darkness
Low-level Space
A simple list of words.
Yet it carried the weight of his future path.
Beside him, Olivia also glanced at her record.
Top-tier third class aptitude.
Even among the crowd, that level of talent would stand out.
Soon, all the wizard seeds had gathered at the port.
The sea breeze carried the scent of salt and something unfamiliar.
The wizard apprentice raised his hand slightly.
"Follow."
Without another word, he turned and walked ahead.
The group of wizard seeds quickly moved after him, stepping into the port.
The moment they entered—
Noise rushed in from all directions.
Shouts. Metal clashing. Waves hitting wood. The creaking of ships.
The port was alive.
Ivan's eyes moved calmly, taking everything in.
Humans were everywhere—dock workers, traders, sailors.
But what drew everyone's attention…
Was something else.
Massive green-skinned orcs carried enormous cargo crates across the docks, their muscles bulging with each step.
Short, sturdy dwarves hammered at metal frames near the ships, sparks flying with every strike.
Skinny ratmen darted between the crowd, moving goods with quick, nimble movements.
Goblins pushed carts piled high with supplies, their sharp voices blending into the noise.
And not far away—
Several aquatic humanoids, similar to the merfolk from before, clung to the sides of ships, cleaning the hulls beneath the waterline.
A few wizard seeds instinctively slowed down.
Their eyes filled with shock.
For many of them…
This was the first time seeing other races so openly.
Ivan, however, focused on something else.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Nova," he called inwardly. "Scan the surroundings."
A faint response came almost instantly.
"Scanning…"
Within seconds, streams of data flowed through Ivan's mind.
Then—
"Analysis complete."
"Warning: no ordinary lifeforms detected."
Ivan's pupils shrank slightly.
No ordinary beings?
Nova continued in a calm tone.
"All detected targets possess energy signatures above baseline human levels."
"Estimated classification: apprentice-level lifeforms."
Ivan's gaze flickered again.
Even the worker here is a 0 level lifeforms.
Then his attention shifted.
To their necks.
Almost every non-human creature—
Had a mark.
A dark, branded symbol, faint yet unmistakable.
Ivan stared at it for a moment.
Then memory surfaced.
Slave mark.
A cold realization settled in his mind.
This was not a natural phenomenon.
It was control.
According to the knowledge he had gathered—
Once a creature was branded with a slave mark, its life no longer belonged to itself.
Its will would be suppressed.
Its existence… bound.
The master who planted the mark could control everything.
Even more terrifying—
The branded creature could not develop true hatred or rebellion toward its master.
That thought alone was enough to send a faint chill through Ivan's mind.
Power.
Absolute power.
Ivan's gaze turned colder.
In this world—
Power wasn't just authority.
It was ownership.
The group continued moving forward.
Gradually, they passed through the bustling port and approached the town.
Compared to the chaos of the docks—
The town was different.
Quieter.
More orderly.
The streets were clean and structured, with stone paths stretching between rows of buildings.
Most of the people here were humans.
Wizard apprentices.
They walked calmly along the streets, robes fluttering lightly behind them.
Some moved at incredible speed, their bodies almost blurring—clearly using wind-type magic to enhance their movement.
Others stepped onto strange magical tools—
Floating discs, hovering platforms—
Gliding smoothly through the air as if gravity held no meaning.
There were still a few non-human creatures present.
But far fewer than at the port.
Most of them stayed close to specific individuals—
Personal slaves.
Olivia unconsciously moved closer to Ivan.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
Everything here—
Was unfamiliar to her.
After being led through the town, the group of wizard seeds gradually arrived before a vast, open district at the heart of the settlement.
The guiding apprentice finally stopped.
He turned around, his gaze sweeping across the crowd of young faces.
"This," he said slowly, "is the recruitment district."
A faint murmur spread, but no one dared to interrupt.
"You will choose your academy here… and with it, your path."
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in.
"For a wizard, the path you take at the beginning will shape everything that follows."
His tone was calm, yet carried a weight that pressed down on every listener.
"If you choose wrongly… correcting it later will cost you far more than you can imagine. Resources, time, even your future potential—you will pay for it all."
Some wizard seeds subconsciously tightened their grip on the white papers in their hands.
The apprentice continued,
"So don't chase something just because it looks powerful… or because others choose it."
"Choose what suits you."
"Choose what you understand."
"Choose the path you can walk to the end."
His gaze lingered for a brief second longer before he stepped back.
"The decision… is yours."
With that, he turned and left without another word.
For a moment—
Silence.
The wizard seeds stood there, as if rooted to the ground, his words echoing in their minds.
Then suddenly—
The entire district erupted into noise.
"Join us! Our academy provides abundant resources and personal guidance!"
"High advancement success rate! Guaranteed training plans!"
"Elemental specialization courses! Monthly subsidies available!"
Voices overlapped one after another as wizard apprentices standing before various stalls began calling out loudly, trying to attract attention.
At the outer edges of the district, the scene was almost chaotic.
Most of these were low-tier academies—local institutions near Academy Island, lacking reputation and influence. To them, every wizard seed was a valuable resource, and they spared no effort in recruitment.
Ivan merely glanced at them once before looking away.
Beside him, Olivia followed quietly, her steps almost in sync with his.
Neither of them stopped.
They walked forward.
Step by step, they moved deeper into the recruitment district.
As they advanced, the noise gradually began to fade.
The shouting grew less frequent.
The atmosphere slowly changed.
The academies on both sides became more orderly, their booths more refined, their presence more composed.
Instead of loud voices, there were only wooden boards placed neatly at the front, displaying their requirements.
At first, the conditions were simple—
First-class aptitude required.
Then, as they continued forward—
Second-class aptitude.
And further still—
At least third-class aptitude.
Some academies began adding additional conditions.
Mid-level elemental affinity.
Dual-element compatibility.
Specific elemental requirements.
The deeper they went, the harsher the conditions became.
Ivan's expression remained calm as he observed everything.
His eyes swept across each board, quietly taking in the information.
He noticed something clearly—
The further inward they walked, the fewer wizard seeds remained around them.
Many had already stopped at earlier stalls, choosing academies that matched their abilities.
Only a smaller group continued forward.
The more talented ones.
Or perhaps—
Those who believed they were.
Olivia stayed close behind Ivan, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the increasingly strict requirements.
A trace of tension appeared in her eyes, but she said nothing.
Ivan, however, did not slow down.
He did not hesitate.
As if he had already made his decision long ago.
Step by step, he continued walking deeper into the district—
Toward the very center.
As Ivan stepped into the very heart of the recruitment district, the atmosphere changed completely.
The noise that once filled the air had long since faded.
What remained… was quiet.
Not an empty kind of silence, but a heavy, composed stillness.
The stalls here were no longer crude wooden setups or noisy booths. Each one was refined, grand, and carried an air of confidence. There were no apprentices shouting, no exaggerated promises, no attempts to pull people in.
Only names.
Academy names floated in the air before each stall like luminous projections, steady and dignified. Beside them, long white scrolls hovered quietly, inscribed with clear requirements.
Ivan's gaze swept across them.
White Lotus Academy.
Abyssal Crown Academy.
Alchemy Codex Academy.
Shark Tooth Academy.
Moonlight Graveyard Academy.
One after another, the names passed through his vision.
These were not the low-tier academies from the outer ring. Each of these held a certain reputation within the wizarding plane. Their recruitment points weren't limited to this single island—they had influence across multiple academy islands scattered throughout the continents.
And yet…
Ivan did not stop.
His eyes moved past them all, gradually settling toward the very center of the district.
There—
Three towering structures stood quietly, yet their presence alone seemed to suppress everything around them.
They were not simply stalls.
They felt more like monuments.
Invisible pressure radiated from them, subtle yet undeniable.
Six Ring Tower Academy.
Dark Claw Academy.
White Ring Saint Academy.
The true giants of the wizard world.
They did not need to shout.
They did not need to persuade.
They simply stood there—
And waited.
For those worthy enough to approach.
In front of each of them, the requirements floated clearly on white scrolls.
Top-tier third-class aptitude… at the very least.
High-level elemental affinity… or two mid-level affinities.
And beyond that, there were other hidden standards—unspoken, yet understood.
These requirements alone were enough to block out nearly everyone.
Only the truly talented could even step forward.
Ivan stood still for a moment.
His gaze lingered on the three names.
His thoughts, however, were already clear.
Ever since his conversation with the wizard apprentice Kael… ever since that night of silent calculation and analysis with Nova… he had already made his decision.
The Six Ring Tower Academy—
A path devoted to research. Stable, structured, profound… but its direction was too narrow. Most of its legacies leaned toward support, formation, and large-scale applications. Individual combat capability, though not absent, was not its strength.
The Dark Claw Academy—
The complete opposite. A path of destruction and power. Every legacy it carried revolved around combat, killing, and overwhelming force. It was direct… but too singular.
Both were powerful.
But both were limited.
Ivan's eyes shifted.
Finally resting on the last name.
White Ring Saint Academy.
Unlike the other two, this academy did not bind itself to a single path.
It was a mixed academy.
Combat.
Research.
Curses.
Divination.
Spatial manipulation.
Even rarer, more obscure paths.
It possessed a wide range of legacies, along with the knowledge and resources to support them.
And for Ivan…
That freedom was everything.
Because his greatest reliance—
Was not something of this world.
Nova.
The inheritance of an ancient civilization… one that stood at the peak of technological evolution.
As his strength grew, more of its Technology, weapons, and knowledge would gradually unlock.
But to truly use that power…
He needed a path that could adapt.
A path that would not restrict him.
A path that could merge the unknown with the known.
If he chose the Six Ring Tower… or Dark Claw…
That path might one day become a cage.
Only the White Ring Saint Academy…
Could give him the possibility he needed.
Ivan slowly exhaled.
The decision in his heart became completely firm.
"White Ring Saint…"
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
His figure moved calmly, yet with unwavering determination, straight toward the towering white structure.
Behind him—
Olivia did not pause even for a second.
She followed immediately, her steps light but resolute.
The structure before them resembled a tall white tower, its surface smooth and flawless, yet faint runes shimmered across it like flowing light beneath calm water.
Above the tower, the name of the academy hovered in the air, glowing softly with a pale blue flicker, as if it existed between illusion and reality.
To the side, a long white scroll floated quietly.
Lines of text shimmered upon it:
Top-tier third-class aptitude… or higher.
High-level elemental affinity… or at least two mid-level affinities.
And at the very bottom—
An additional requirement.
Ten magic stones for entry.
A silent threshold.
One that alone was enough to turn away the vast majority.
Only a very small fraction of wizard seeds could truly meet all these conditions.
Ivan's gaze passed over the scroll, calm and unwavering.
He did not pause.
Step by step, he walked straight toward the entrance.
Behind him, Olivia followed quietly, her footsteps light, yet without hesitation.
The moment they crossed the threshold—
The world changed.
Darkness.
It came without warning, swallowing everything in an instant.
No light.
No sound.
No sense of space.
It was as if the world itself had been erased.
Ivan's pupils shrank slightly.
He turned his head instinctively—
Olivia, who had been beside him just a moment ago… was gone.
A faint tension flickered through his chest.
"Nova."
He called out in his mind.
No response.
A brief pause.
"I said, Nova."
Still nothing.
Silence answered him.
For the first time, a trace of unease surfaced within Ivan's usually steady heart.
Nova—
His greatest support in this unfamiliar and dangerous world—
Had disappeared.
For a brief moment, his thoughts stirred.
But only for a moment.
Ivan slowly exhaled.
The faint ripple in his mind gradually settled.
"Panicking won't help…"
His voice was low, almost swallowed by the surrounding void.
He lifted his head slightly and looked forward.
Endless darkness stretched out before him, boundless and silent.
Without hesitation—
Ivan took a step forward.
And then another.
His figure moved steadily into the unknown, disappearing deeper into the darkness.