Kaius' hand trembled, and he immediately collapsed to the floor. A gasp escaped his throat as he breathed in and out heavily.
"I, I have talent…"
Although it was the lowest level, he possessed the potential to become a mage.
Realizing this, his eyes couldn't help but moisten.
He could finally change his fate!
"Hey, kid. Don't make a scene. I know that…"
Hearing the Overseer's words, Kaius abruptly remembered the situation he was in and quickly stood up.
He bowed to the Overseer, then to the seven mages.
"So, sorry…"
"Passable… Come with me to the Tenebrous Longing Tower after the recruitment."
The dark-robed mage nodded with an indifferent expression.
Kaius suppressed the joy surging in his heart and bowed more deeply. "Thank you, your esteemed grace!"
Afterward, he stepped away and went outside. His fists, clenched so tightly they had gone pale, slowly loosened. His tense shoulders finally relaxed.
Kaius suddenly stopped and looked at the other children who had taken the test with him.
Suddenly, he felt a pang of indescribable emptiness.
Some were celebrating with their parents, while others wore looks of disappointment.
As for him, he stood apart from everyone else.
He stood at the doorway alone, with a wide but foolish smile on his face.
Realizing this, his lips slowly curved back into a calm, restrained smile.
His parents had died when he was five years old, in a devastating accident deep within the mines they had laboriously worked.
That same day, he had become a slave since his parents were unable to pay for his 'freedom' while they were alive.
What he was currently feeling now… didn't wash away the joy he was experiencing.
It only made him feel that something was missing in him.
Regulating his emotions, Kaius let out a deep breath. "Mom, Dad… I can become a mage. I can finally change this twisted fate of mine!"
Although his parents were no longer in this world, he had to keep going!
Because now, he had a future to look forward to!
The Sacred Mage Recruitment eventually came to an end.
***
When the event concluded, the seven mages led their chosen candidates away.
"This is where we part ways."
"Good. Seeing a mage from the Igniscent Sun Tower makes me sick to my stomach."
"... Do you want to die?!"
Seemingly above their nonsense, the black-robed mage from the Tenebrous Longing Tower flew off, leading his selected candidates away with him.
The others noticed his abrupt departure, but none called out to him. Or rather, when he disappeared, a faint relief flickered across their faces.
The Tenebrous Longing Tower… had a certain reputation.
From high above in the sky, the black-robed mage finally spoke.
"I suppose now's as good a time as any for a proper introduction. I'm Varyn, a Mage of the Tenebrous Longing Tower. I'll tell you about the tower along the way, so listen closely."
The children, including Kaius, focused intently on his words.
"The Tenebrous Longing Tower is located far south of the Human Empire, near the Ghostly Saint Valley. It occupies over a thousand kilometers of land."
"Among the Seven Orthodox Magic Towers, it leads in all categories of arcane arts and specializes in the darkness element. While outsiders often call its members madmen…"
Varyn paused, his lips curling slightly.
"... they are simply narrow-minded fools. The Tenebrous Longing Tower takes an unorthodox approach to magic. It teaches its members the true power of magic under intelligent hands, turning imagination into reality. With our mastery of the arcane, we hold a unique seat among the Seven Orthodox Towers. So, hold your heads high… and learn well. You're lucky to have darkness affinity."
The children nodded repeatedly, taking his words to heart.
Along the way, Varyn shared more details.
Kaius listened carefully and committed everything to memory. Despite the tower's prestige, it wasn't without flaws…
As Varyn mentioned, most of its members were cold and calculating. A warm welcome was not to be expected, they should be more careful instead.
Within the tower, a strict merit system existed. You only received resources if you proved your value, otherwise, you'd be discarded.
Fighting among members was strictly prohibited… but under certain conditions, a battle to the death was allowed.
Lastly, bypassing certain places in the Tenebrous' domain can kill you if you're not careful, thus, always exercise caution.
Kaius felt a chill upon hearing all this, but the unease passed quickly. His previous living situation was worse.
Even if the Tenebrous Longing Tower was a devil's den, he would still enter.
He'd rather become a demon, than remain someone else's slave.
Three days and nights passed before they reached the entrance of the Tenebrous Longing Tower.
Fortunately, they had time to rest during the journey, allowing Kaius and the others to relax and mentally prepare.
"We've arrived."
Varyn spoke as he released his magical hold on the children.
Kaius and the others were left in a daze by the sight before them.
A gigantic black gate loomed ahead. Ghostly wails echoed from within, and dark, ghastly energy seeped through its cracks.
Towers were scattered throughout the vast domain, but the one in the center dominated them all.
A massive black tower pierced the Heavens, wrapped in abyssal mist that concealed its form.
From afar, it didn't resemble a tower at all, it looked like a fog-formed demon silently watching.
"That one in the middle,"
Varyn paused, looking at it with an expression close to awe.
"That's the Mage Tower of the supreme leader of the Tenebrous Longing Tower, one of the strongest beings in the entire realm."
"I'll warn you now. Never, ever approach that tower. It devours mages who get too close, turning them into nutrients to grow further."
They flinched, disturbed by the image. The place before them seemed ripped straight from a nightmare.
"Let's go in."
Varyn led the children toward the ancient black gate. Their expressions hardened as fear gripped their hearts.
In that moment, Kaius felt a strange vibration within himself. He quickly recovered from the dread and closed his eyes.
'That thing reacted… but why?'
Deep within him, nestled in the brilliance of his soul, a transparent white cube floated silently.
A flood of darkness surged within it, stunning Kaius.
Then, a line of glowing characters emerged.
[Darkness aspect, recorded…]