The black car makes its way through the center of the capital like a heavy shadow that the lights dare not intercept. Behind the tinted glass the neon flicker reflected like broken sparks, while the sound of the engine was like a faint whisper dragging the silence behind it.
Smith sat behind the wheel with a rigid, unchanging face, while next to him Leon watched the road with motivated eyes. In the backseat, Adam was leaning his head to the window, his gaze hardened as if sailing away from everything around him.
Suddenly Adam said in a calm voice:
- "Didn't you tell me that it was Talia who was going to go with me?""
Leon laughed a short laugh, but there was obvious bitterness in it:
– "Oh unfortunately, son, now I am threatened with death because of you. A crazy man is chasing me, and even crazier princes are waiting at home."
His laugh quickly died down. On the surface, the conversation seemed fleeting, but inside there were heavy images jostling ثقيلة images from the last report that Smith handed him, about the attack that his sons suffered.
This was not the first time; the twins from the ivanhart family, Azrael and nervin, had previously been subjected to similar attempts, but the latest attack was the most violent. Terrorists almost ended their lives, and the danger was closer than all the previous times.
That's when he heard himself asking with muffled concern:
- "So... are they okay?""
Smith's response came steady, but his words were like knives:
– "Their bodies are fine, but your daughter... nerfin. She was traumatized by the accident."
Leon closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling deeply. (First the bloodshed that happened yesterday, then this series of terrorist attacks, and now the problems of elite families that never cease to provoke me... the evanhart family.)
He slowly raised his head and asked:
– "So, when Will dad come back?""
Smith replied:
– "He will probably not attend the golden crown ceremony, which will be held in three months."
A bitter laugh slipped out of Leon's lips. (This is what I lack now... to be able to afford to deal with other members of elite families.)
Then his thoughts plunged deeper, and his heart trembled with one name:
(I really miss you, brother... Elder.)
Elder ivanhart-the older brother, who has always been the wall on which he rests. But he's gone, leaving a void that can't be filled.
Smith's voice cut off his fugue:
- "Sir, we have arrived."
The car stopped in front of the majestic gate of the Magic Tower. There, waiting for them was a man in his mid — forties, tall, majestic posture-malkorn Drais, vice-president of the tower, and one of the greatest awakeners of the SS. , The fourth most powerful Mana user of this era after the tower boss and two others.
He smiled as he approached:
- "Leon... it's been a long time."
Leon replied coldly:
- "Malkorn."
As they exchanged glances, it was clear that they had a black history
At that moment, malkorn cast an amused glance at Adam, and a mocking smile flashed on his lips:
- "So, this is the boy you would like to die?""
Adam did not move, as if he had not heard.
Leon responded with cold sharpness:
– "I did not ask for his death, but for his protection... if he could not wake up."
A chuckle shook malkorn's shoulders, before he raised his hand in a signal. It was then that Smith stepped forward with steady steps, holding a stone wrapped in a black cloth. As soon as it was revealed, even a heavy silence filled the place. The stone is of the SS rank, a faint glow like a heart burning from the inside.
One of malkorn's assistants muttered in surprise:
– "A stone from this mattress... for a child who has not yet woken up?" This is what is usually given to awake +S in order to rise to -SS..."
Another objected sharply:
– "How can a stone of such value be given to someone from the Gerfen family?"!"
A murmur rose between the two standing. But Leon ended the discussion strictly:
- "Enough. Let's get started."
Malkorn led them to the automated transition Hall. Its walls were rippling with shimmering blue Mana lines, while the Magic Barrier glowed like an arc connecting the worlds. Adam walked into the center of the hall, and the tower guards surrounded him with interlocking Mana Shields, overlapping layers, while hundreds of runes and mana stones glittered on the floor.
Malkorn raised his hand, warning:
– "You better get ready, child... you are about to fall into the very void."
And the next moment, everyone disappeared in a bright glow.
---
The middle continent is in the area of the Mana hole
Adam got into the Mana hole with all the awakened ones. As soon as they passed through the gate, they were engulfed by raging Mana waves. The awakeners immediately reacted to her, spreading their mana to all of them to protect Adam.
Leon's voice sounded like he was addressing his son:
- "O Adam... we will protect you until you adapt to Mana."
After some time, the awakened ones gradually began to regain their mana, leaving the boy alone in the face of the current.
Malkorn sat next to Leon, his voice carrying a mixture of curiosity and awe:
- "What do you think?" How far will the purity of Manah reach"
Leon answered with hesitant confidence:
– "Ninety-two percent... or even more."
Malkorn's eyebrow rose:
– "That's a lot for this boy."
(Even I wouldn't have believed it... if Talia herself hadn't told me about his tremendous learning speed and high quality of control.)
Malkorn smiled broadly:
– "You know that the highest figure recorded in history was the share of your grandfather, Irwin evanhart, 95.95%. I also heard rumors that Carlos, from the Dragan family, reached 95.30%."
Lyon responded with a drought:
– "Purity is not everything. Remember the director of the Union Academy"
Malkorn laughed:
– "True... but it remains an important factor. I heard that your two sons are also over 90%."
Leon looked at him coldly:
- –Not only my sons. The descendants of the head of the Magic Tower exceeded 90% as well... and the Sons of the Greville family showed amazing results, even some subfamilies were not excluded. Even among the general public, talents are being born that we have never seen before. And do not forget about the son of the president of the World Federation, it is said that he is a talent that will change the balance of power."
Malkorn's smile receded a little, before he said:
– "It seems that this generation is already experiencing a radical change ."
There was a short silence before malkorn leaned forward slightly, his voice low:
- "Leon... have you heard what happened in the Dragon family?""
Leon did not show any emotion, he answered coldly:
- "Do you mean the awakening of the Princess?""
A wide smile flashed on malkorn's lips:
- "Exactly... the awakening of Princess Gerfen. It seems that this generation lacks only to ignite a new war."
But before he could finish, his face and Leon's face turned stone in one moment. A wave of Mana came from Adam's place, a wave that could not have happened in the waking phase.
The gasps of the assistants rose, the guards froze in their places.
The wave was weak but impossible... something that only happens when a person climbs from B to a rank.
Leon muttered in shock:
– "This is... impossible."
Adam, on the other hand, remained standing in the center of the circle, his eyes hanging in emptiness... as if hiding something greater.