asfenwald 2

Kaelen, Headmaster Edric, Lyra, and Saint Luminaria all made their way toward the town square together. Despite the early hour, the streets of Asfenwald were bustling. The square, filled with a festive atmosphere, was lined with colorful tents where merchants sold magical supplies, weapons, and rare stones. A gentle breeze fluttered the fabric banners around, while the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread wafted through the air, whetting appetites. Townsfolk shopped cheerfully, while children were engrossed in their games in a corner.

Lyra let out an excited sigh as she glanced at a shop selling shiny stones and magical supplies. Her delicate fingers touched the glass of the display window as she examined the items inside. Colorful crystals shimmered with a faint light within.

Kaelen watched her excitement from a distance without saying a word. Lyra usually talked about everything, but today she was unusually quiet.

Kaelen felt a strange sense of calm. Until now, Lyra's energy had always annoyed him, but this silence made it easier for him to lose himself in his thoughts. Was she thinking about the saint's offer?

As they walked further, they noticed a small arena built in the center of the square. This miniature arena, covered with wooden beams, was surrounded by tiered seating. Spectators had gathered around the area where young warriors and mages would showcase their skills. Some people were placing bets, while others watched the fighters preparing in the arena with admiration.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kaelen spotted a few children from the orphanage preparing in the arena. Among them was Daren—a boy he had fought before and held no friendly feelings toward. Daren wore a short armor, stretching his wrists with a confident demeanor. His hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat, and his eyes scanned the square. Kaelen, however, paid him little attention. To him, Daren was just another competitor, nothing more.

Led by Saint Luminaria, they made their way to the high platform where the Reus family was seated. The platform was built atop a stone structure overlooking the arena. As they climbed, Kaelen noticed the sturdy craftsmanship of the platform—marble columns, intricate carvings, and banners bearing the Reus family emblem all spoke of its nobility. The emblem on the banner featured a red rose pierced by a sword. Kaelen could more or less guess the family's motto from this imagery.

**Elegant and strong.**

These words likely defined the Reus family.

When they arrived, Vikir, the head of the Reus family, greeted them.

Vikir was a tall, red-haired, and well-built man. His broad shoulders and the lines on his face spoke of years of experience. The noble yet battle-worn armor he wore showed that he was not just a leader but also a warrior.

The Reus family emblem was engraved on his armor. Just above his eyebrow was a thin but noticeable scar. His eyes carefully scanned the newcomers as Luminaria bowed her head slightly in greeting.

"Lord Vikir, thank you for your invitation," Luminaria said, her voice calm as always but carrying an air of authority. After all, she was the saint of the Fallen Church. She held the same level of respect as the ruler of a town.

Vikir nodded with a stern but sincere smile.

"It's an honor to have you here, Saint Luminaria. And it's good to see you too, my friend Edric. I believe the town will enjoy watching the young warriors and mage candidates today."

Headmaster Edric smiled faintly and nodded.

"Let's see how much the younger generation has progressed."

"Who knows, Edric? Maybe they'll surpass us someday. Time hasn't been kind to old wolves like us."

Kaelen's attention shifted to the young girl standing beside Vikir. She had the same red hair as her father, but hers was a lighter shade. Her long, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders. The elegant mage robe she wore showed that she was not a warrior but a mage. The Reus family emblem was embroidered on her robe. When Kaelen glanced at her, she shrugged slightly and turned her gaze to the arena. The sharpness in her eyes made it clear she was no ordinary girl.

Kaelen wondered if her confidence was hollow. Many miracle family children were overestimated by their families. Their early awakenings or mana talents often led to excessive pressure. Many mages couldn't handle it, and their stories didn't end well.

Kaelen had experienced this many times. As the number of people who looked at him with envy grew, so did his loneliness.

Kaelen's thoughts were interrupted by the saint's gentle voice.

Luminaria smiled softly. "So, this must be the little girl, Flamira Reus. I heard she recently advanced to the dark red core. That's rare progress in this day and age."

Flamira raised an eyebrow slightly and tilted her head. "I'm just doing my best, Saint," she said, her voice confident but with a hint of challenge.

The saint seemed quite pleased with the girl's demeanor.

"Lyra is the same age, but her mana core is almost two levels weaker."

Though expensive, many parents preferred to have their newly awakened children tested with a special device to determine which element they were most talented in.

A mage's affinity became very clear based on which type of elements they could use more easily.

However, this was much less obvious for enhancers, as most of their attacks focused on using mana to strengthen their bodies. Kaelen had been an emitter in his previous body. He would launch long-range attacks and create wide circles of flame around him. But now that he was an enhancer, he knew how to use both.

Though it varied from person to person, after reaching a certain threshold in understanding their mana core and element, a user could truly wield mana in a way that suited their affinity.

For mages, this meant they could begin to chant shorter verses or even abandon magical words altogether for their mastered element. This was what Kaelen had done after a while. He could create spells with just the power of thought.

For enhancers, this would become much more apparent. Instead of manipulating mana in a way that corresponded to their elemental affinity, they could begin to manifest their elemental qualities.

For example, a fire-affinity attack would create a stronger explosive blast before advancement, while wind-affinity users would find it easier to direct mana into faster and sharper attacks.

However, with sufficient understanding, an enhancer's elemental affinity would physically affect their attacks. Earth-affinity enhancers could learn to produce a gauntlet from the earth or even create small seismic shocks by stomping their feet, while wind-affinity enhancers could be taught to release small wind blades and create a vacuum effect in their punches, and so on. These were all techniques mages could learn to use their elements with sufficient understanding.

Of course, emitters still had the significant advantage of being able to affect much more of their surroundings. Their range was also much greater, but their weakness was still the vulnerability during the chanting process and their bodies not being naturally protected by mana.

Because of these differences, both types of mages who could cross the threshold were far stronger than those who couldn't, ultimately determining their abilities and future achievements.

While mages could inherently control elements due to their mastery of drawing nature's mana through their mana veins, enhancers were different.

For every one enhancer with an affinity, there were ten without. There were enhancers who never crossed the threshold and never became full-fledged elemental enhancers. This was where proper training came in; with sufficient guidance from an early stage, mages were more likely to grasp their elemental affinities.

Kaelen's thoughts were interrupted by the growing noise from the crowd below.

As the arena slowly filled, spectators took their seats. While the fighters made their final preparations, the head of the Reus family asked Headmaster Edric,

"Are the children with you fighting today?"

"Ah, no. Both of them are quite inexperienced in this regard."

"If you're worried about them getting hurt, don't be. Saint Luminaria and a few healers from my family are here."

"Thank you, Lord Vikir, but Lyra is a healer and inexperienced in close combat. Kaelen, on the other hand, isn't a mage."

After Edric's explanation, Luminaria glanced at the boy standing beside her in surprise.

Vikir spoke with a hint of regret.

"Ah, that's unfortunate."

At that moment, Kaelen spoke up.

"I'll join the tournament."

Everyone in the booth turned to look at Kaelen for a moment.

A strange feeling stirred within Kaelen.

He sensed that today would not be an ordinary day.