The threat of war hangs heavy in the air, its cause still unknown.
The councils and leaders of the nations have yet to convene—their crucial meeting is set for October 23rd, just four days from now.
On the 19th, as Hyoei arrived at school, he was met with an unexpected announcement:"The Guild Representatives?!"
His suspicion was confirmed, some of the most prestigious guilds in the Northern Universe had come to scout students and assess their Existence Value.
[The guilds of Northen Universe are ranked in Existence Value order]
Genesis Guild
Adventurer's Legion (AL)
Catalyst Guild
The Order
Each of these elite guilds boasts at least one Class 4 Adventurer.
Genesis, the most powerful, is rumored to have three. These adventurers possess Existence Values exceeding 30,000—enough to vaporize cities with basic spells. Their strongest attacks, Arch Spells, can obliterate entire islands.
Spells are categorized by destructive power:
Tier 1 (Basic): Taught in adventurer high schools; can destroy buildings.
Tier 2 (Advanced): Rarely taught in high schools; can reduce city blocks to ash.
Tier 3 (Ascendant): Guild-exclusive; capable of destroying cities.
Tier 4 (Arch): The most devastating; can annihilate cities and mountains.
Mana is the fuel for these spells. The conversion is simple: 1 Existence Value = 10 Mana.
A person with an Existence Value of 1,000, for example, would have 10,000 Mana at their disposal.
The Guild Representatives explained the spell hierarchy to the students, revealing information most had never heard before.
"Talents? I've never heard of such a thing,"one of Hyoei's classmates muttered in confusion.
A Guild Representative sighed."Talents are extraordinary abilities. Normally, you must be at least 21 to apply for a guild—because that's when people usually unlock their talents. However, if you awaken a talent before then, we'll make an exception."
Hyoei scoffed, frustrated.
The classroom door swung open.
The Rokurokubi Guild had arrived, led by none other than Captain Hoshigami. His youthful appearance—brown flowing hair, piercing blue eyes, and a simple suit—left the students in awe.
The Rokurokubi Guild was named after a legendary monster, a catastrophe that once ravaged the North. The Rokurokubi was a towering, woman-like creature with an impossibly long neck, capable of destroying planets across the universe.
Its speed was unmatched; sightings would appear on opposite ends of the cosmos in mere moments. Only one person had ever stood against it: Captain Hoshigami.
After a grueling four-day battle, he sealed the beast, earning his reputation as one of the strongest guild leaders in the North.
"It's Captain Hoshigami!"a classmate shouted.
"HE'S SO-"another classmate yelled in awe.
The room erupted in chaos, but Hoshigami silenced them with a gesture."We're here to test for talents. Let's hope we didn't come all this way for nothing."
Yuki was the first to attempt the test. She focused all her Mana, hoping to awaken her talent.
[Then suddenly it had happened]
"What the hell just happened?!"a classmate gasped, frozen in shock.
The Guild Representatives stared, stunned."This is beyond anything we imagined…"
Souther Universe
Aboard the spaceship - Star Conqueror
General Reiva'an reported,"We're approaching the enemy army, sir."
The Emperor, arms crossed, smirked. "We will crush them like ants. Show them no mercy."
Emperor Kael had already declared war on four nations surrounding Vo'ryen Shariate.
Leaning back on his throne, he closed his eyes."Show them the power of your art, General."