---
The moment the carriage passed beneath the towering gates of Stone River City, Zion felt as though he had crossed into an entirely different world.
The bustling sounds of the checkpoint faded behind them, replaced by a sea of voices that seemed to stretch endlessly through the city. Merchants called out from roadside stalls, the rhythmic clang of blacksmiths' hammers rang through the streets, and the aroma of roasted meat, fresh bread, and unfamiliar spices drifted through the cool morning air.
For a brief moment, Zion simply stared.
The streets alone were wider than Blue Star Village's main road. Rows of stone buildings rose on both sides, some reaching four or five stories into the sky. Their balconies overlooked the crowded avenues below, decorated with colorful banners that swayed gently in the breeze.
Everywhere he looked, people moved with purpose.
Cultivators in robes embroidered with clan insignias walked beside ordinary craftsmen carrying heavy tools. Merchants displayed dazzling treasures beneath bright canopies, while children darted through the crowds with carefree laughter.
It was noisy.
It was crowded.
It was alive.
Kellan slowly turned in every direction, his mouth hanging open.
"...This place is insane."
Mira clutched her notebook against her chest, her eyes darting from one street to another, trying to take in everything at once.
"I don't even know where to start looking."
Captain Roran smiled at their reactions.
"The first time is always like this."
He guided the carriage deeper into the city as the crowd naturally parted before them.
"Remember this feeling."
"One day..."
"...Stone River City may seem small to you."
Zion didn't answer.
His attention had been stolen by something else.
A massive black tower stood in the distance, rising high above every surrounding building. Strange runes shimmered faintly across its surface, and even from this far away, it radiated an ancient, solemn aura.
"What is that?"
Captain Roran followed Zion's gaze.
"That..."
"...is the Origin Tower."
"One of Stone River City's greatest landmarks."
---
The carriage rolled steadily through Stone River City's broad avenues, weaving between merchant wagons, mounted cultivators, and bustling crowds. Zion's gaze, however, remained fixed on the colossal black tower rising above every other structure in the city.
From a distance, it had looked impressive.
Up close...
It was overwhelming.
The tower pierced the heavens like a pillar connecting earth and sky. Its surface was carved from an unfamiliar black stone that reflected neither sunlight nor shadow. Ancient runes, faint as flowing starlight, drifted across its walls before fading away, only to reappear moments later.
It looked less like something built by men...
And more like something that had existed since the beginning of time.
"What is that place?" Zion finally asked.
Captain Roran followed his gaze and smiled.
"That is the Origin Tower."
"It is the most important building in Stone River City."
Kellan scratched his head.
"It doesn't look like a market."
"It isn't."
Captain Roran chuckled.
"The Origin Tower isn't meant for ordinary trade."
"It serves as the administrative heart of the entire region."
Mira leaned forward with interest.
"What does that mean?"
Captain Roran raised a finger.
"The Regional Alchemist Association is headquartered there."
He raised another.
"The Regional Blacksmith Association occupies several floors."
"Every blacksmith capable of forging Origin-grade equipment must register there if they wish to receive official commissions."
Zion's attention sharpened.
Blacksmiths.
For the first time since entering the city, he found himself wanting to visit a place more than anywhere else.
Captain Roran noticed but continued.
"The Formation Masters have their own division."
"So do Artifact Appraisers, Beast Researchers, Array Engineers, and many other professional organizations."
"The tower is where talent is recognized."
"It is where professions are regulated."
"It is where achievements are recorded."
Mira's notebook was already open.
"So if someone becomes a famous alchemist..."
"...their records are kept there?"
Captain Roran nodded.
"Not just within Stone River City."
"Across the entire region."
He looked back toward the towering structure.
"An official badge issued by the Origin Tower is recognized in every city under its jurisdiction."
Kellan let out a low whistle.
"So one tower controls all that?"
Captain Roran smiled.
"This tower governs only one region."
"There are many Origin Towers scattered across our world."
The three fell silent.
Even something this enormous...
Was only one among many.
After allowing them a moment to digest the information, Captain Roran spoke again.
"The Star Realm Academy's Regional Recruitment Hall is also located inside the Origin Tower."
Kellan's eyes widened.
"So the academy is inside that tower?"
Captain Roran laughed.
"If only it were that simple."
"The Recruitment Hall merely represents the academy."
"The academy itself..."
He paused before looking toward the endless blue sky.
"...does not exist on this planet."
The carriage suddenly became silent.
Even Mira stopped writing.
Captain Roran's voice remained calm.
"Star Realm Academy exists within an independent dimension."
"A world created countless ages ago by beings whose power is beyond imagination."
"It belongs to no kingdom."
"No empire."
"No single planet."
"It stands apart from them all."
Zion stared at him.
"...A separate world?"
Captain Roran nodded.
"Yes."
"The academy recruits disciples from countless inhabited planets spread across the entire Star Realm."
"The Origin Towers serve as bridges between those worlds."
"They oversee recruitment, examinations, communication, and the transportation of qualified candidates."
Kellan blinked several times.
"So..."
"...we're not competing against people from Stone River City?"
Captain Roran smiled knowingly.
"No."
"Not even against everyone on this planet."
"When you enter Star Realm Academy..."
"...you'll stand beside geniuses born under different skies."
"You'll meet cultivators raised by ancient clans."
"Sons and daughters of powerful sects."
"Princes."
"Princesses."
"And talents whose names have echoed across entire worlds since childhood."
His words settled heavily over the carriage.
For the first time...
Stone River City no longer seemed like the destination.
It was merely the first step.
Captain Roran pointed toward the peak of the Origin Tower, where a massive crystal floated above its highest spire.
The crystal shimmered with countless colors, as though miniature stars had been sealed within it.
"That Star Beacon is connected to every Origin Tower throughout the star system."
"It allows messages to cross the void between planets in moments."
"Without it..."
"...communication between worlds could take years."
Zion looked up at the floating crystal, his heart beating a little faster.
Until recently...
He had believed Blue Star Village was his entire world.
Now...
He had learned his world was only one planet.
That planet was only one among countless others.
And somewhere beyond the endless sky...
A legendary academy awaited the greatest talents of an entire star system.
For the first time since leaving home...
Zion truly understood how insignificant he was.
Yet strangely...
Instead of fear...
He felt anticipation.
His grip tightened around the hilt of New Dawn.
One day...
He would stand in that academy.
Not as an unknown village boy.
But as a cultivator worthy of carving his own name among the stars.
---
The carriage continued deeper into Stone River City.
The streets became even livelier the farther they traveled from the city gates. Every avenue branched into countless smaller roads, each lined with buildings of different styles and purposes. Some were built from polished white stone, while others combined dark timber with crimson roof tiles that gleamed beneath the afternoon sun.
The city pulsed with life.
Vendors stood outside their shops calling out to passing customers, their voices blending into a constant hum that echoed through the streets.
"Fresh Crimson Spirit Fruit! Picked this morning!"
"High-quality beast leather! Strong enough for Origin Rank armor!"
"Medicinal herbs! Direct from the Mistwood Forest!"
The aroma of roasted meat mixed with fragrant spices drifted through the air, making even Captain Roran smile faintly.
Kellan's stomach growled almost immediately.
"...Can we stop somewhere?"
Captain Roran didn't even glance back.
"We just ate."
"I know."
Kellan sighed dramatically.
"But the food here smells richer."
Mira couldn't help laughing.
"I think you and Zion are becoming more alike."
Zion looked genuinely puzzled.
"...Is eating when you're hungry unusual?"
Both of them stared at him before bursting into laughter.
Even Captain Roran shook his head with a helpless smile.
"It seems the academy will need to prepare double rations."
---
As they moved farther into the city, Zion found it increasingly difficult to decide where to look.
Every shop displayed things he had never imagined existed.
One storefront was filled with swords suspended in midair without any visible support.
Another displayed armor that shimmered with flowing blue light as if water coursed beneath its surface.
Several transparent crystals projected moving images above a merchant's stall, allowing customers to inspect items without touching them.
Kellan rubbed his eyes.
"Am I seeing things?"
Captain Roran smiled.
"No."
"Those are projection crystals."
"They're commonly used in larger cities to display goods."
Mira quickly wrote down another note.
"So they're powered by Origin Essence?"
"Most are."
"Others are powered by small Origin Crystals."
Zion silently watched the floating swords.
For a moment...
He wondered what kind of blacksmith could create weapons that refused to obey gravity.
---
A loud clang echoed from somewhere nearby.
Then another.
Then another.
The rhythm was unmistakable.
Hammer striking metal.
Zion instinctively turned toward the sound.
Down a side street stood a massive forge.
Its chimney poured thick smoke into the sky while sparks burst from the open entrance.
Several muscular blacksmiths worked together around glowing furnaces, each hammer blow causing faint ripples of Origin Essence to spread through the air.
One of them raised a blazing sword from the forge.
The crimson-hot blade glowed brilliantly.
Instead of cooling...
Golden flames suddenly erupted around it.
The surrounding crowd applauded.
Zion unconsciously slowed the carriage.
His eyes never left the forge.
Captain Roran noticed.
"I thought that might catch your attention."
Zion nodded slowly.
"They're forging with Origin Essence..."
"They are."
Captain Roran smiled.
"Ordinary fire can shape ordinary steel."
"But Origin-grade metals require far more."
"The moment a blacksmith reaches a certain level..."
"...his cultivation becomes as important as his craftsmanship."
Zion watched the blazing hammer rise and fall.
Each strike was precise.
Deliberate.
Almost...
Beautiful.
For the first time since arriving in Stone River City...
His heart stirred with excitement.
Perhaps...
One day...
He would stand before a forge like that.
Not as a spectator.
But as the one holding the hammer.
---
Just then, the carriage emerged into an enormous circular plaza.
At its center stood a magnificent fountain carved from white jade.
Instead of ordinary water, streams of shimmering Origin Essence flowed through the sculpture, gathering into the shape of a soaring dragon before cascading back into the basin below.
Hundreds of people had gathered around the plaza.
Cultivators.
Merchants.
Children.
Scholars.
Travelers from distant lands.
And towering above them all...
The Origin Tower.
Now that they stood within its shadow, Zion realized something astonishing.
The tower was even larger than he had imagined.
Its upper floors disappeared into the clouds.
He slowly exhaled.
Stone River City wasn't merely a city.
It was a crossroads.
A place where countless paths converged before stretching outward toward worlds he had never dreamed existed.
Captain Roran gently pulled on the reins.
"Our first stop..."
He looked toward the towering black structure.
"...is the Origin Tower."
The three youths immediately straightened.
Their first step into the wider world...
Was about to begin.
---
The carriage rolled steadily through the bustling streets, leaving the commercial districts behind as the surrounding buildings gradually changed.
The noisy markets disappeared.
In their place stood broad avenues paved with polished gray stone. Every building here possessed a quiet dignity, their architecture grand yet restrained. Cultivators in elegant robes walked calmly through the streets, while guards patrolled every intersection with disciplined precision.
Even the atmosphere felt different.
The excitement of commerce gave way to an air of authority.
Captain Roran slowed the horses.
"We've arrived."
The three youths looked ahead.
Standing before them was an enormous circular plaza.
At its center rose a tower unlike anything they had ever seen.
It was neither palace nor fortress.
The tower appeared to have been carved from a single pillar of black crystal that stretched into the heavens. Countless silver runes shimmered across its surface like flowing rivers of light, while floating platforms drifted lazily around its upper levels.
People constantly entered and exited through its massive doors.
Some wore the robes of alchemists embroidered with golden cauldrons.
Others carried heavy hammers across their shoulders, their clothing stained with soot from the forge.
Formation Masters in blue robes discussed intricate arrays as glowing symbols floated between their fingers.
Messengers hurried in and out carrying sealed jade slips.
Merchants negotiated with officials from distant cities.
Cultivators of every realm gathered beneath one roof.
Kellan slowly opened his mouth.
"...How many people are in there?"
Captain Roran smiled.
"Enough to influence the fate of an entire region."
Mira looked upward in amazement.
"So this is the Origin Tower..."
Captain Roran nodded.
For the first time...
The Academy no longer felt like a distant dream.
Captain Roran led them toward the entrance.
The massive doors stood open without any visible guards.
Instead, two enormous stone statues flanked the entrance.
Each held a sword pointed downward.
Their expressions were cold and lifelike.
As Zion stepped past them...
He suddenly felt something.
A faint ripple swept across his body.
It vanished almost instantly.
He glanced back.
The statues remained motionless.
"...Did you feel that?"
Kellan frowned.
"Feel what?"
"...Nothing."
Captain Roran looked back briefly.
"The entrance is protected by identification formations."
"They confirm every visitor isn't carrying cursed artifacts or concealed dangers."
"Don't worry."
"They're perfectly safe."
Zion nodded.
Still...
Something about that brief sensation lingered in his mind.
---
Inside...
The first thing that greeted them wasn't a hall.
It was an entire world.
The ceiling arched hundreds of meters overhead, supported by towering crystal pillars that glowed with soft white light. Numerous floating staircases connected different levels of the building, while transparent platforms carried people silently through the air.
No one seemed surprised.
Except the three newcomers.
Kellan rubbed his eyes.
"...The stairs..."
"...They're floating."
Mira stared at a platform carrying dozens of people upward.
"How...?"
Captain Roran chuckled.
"Formation Masters."
"Get used to seeing impossible things."
"You've only just entered the wider world."
They continued deeper inside until they reached a spacious reception hall.
Behind a long jade counter sat several officials dressed in silver robes.
Captain Roran approached one of them and placed his jade token upon the table.
"Escort Captain Roran."
"I've brought three successful candidates for Star Realm Academy registration."
The young woman behind the counter bowed politely before accepting the token.
She waved her hand.
A translucent screen of light appeared before her.
Kellan stared with his mouth hanging open.
"...It's floating..."
Unable to resist, he slowly reached out and poked the glowing screen with one finger.
Ripples of light spread across its surface like a pebble dropped into still water.
"Woah!"
He quickly pulled his hand back.
Mira's eyes sparkled as she hurriedly scribbled another note into her notebook.
Even Zion couldn't hide the surprise in his eyes.
The official merely smiled.
"Please don't worry. It won't break."
The official calmly entered several details before looking at the three youths.
"Names."
One after another, they answered.
She nodded and continued recording their information.
Everything proceeded smoothly.
Until she reached Zion.
The moment his name appeared upon the floating screen...
The light suddenly flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then...
A faint golden symbol briefly surfaced beneath his information before disappearing as though it had never existed.
The official's fingers froze.
"...That's strange."
Captain Roran noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
The woman frowned.
"...Nothing."
"...Probably a minor fluctuation."
She completed the registration, though her gaze lingered on Zion for another heartbeat.
Then, without saying another word...
She quietly picked up a small jade communication token hidden beneath the counter.
A single thread of Origin Essence flowed into it.
No one noticed.
Except...
The old man sweeping the floor in the far corner.
His broom paused for the briefest instant.
His cloudy eyes slowly lifted...
And settled upon Zion.
A faint smile appeared on the old man's wrinkled face.
"...Interesting."
The old man watched Zion disappear into the crowd.
His aged eyes, which had remained dull for decades, slowly brightened.
"...After all these years..."
"...another one has finally appeared."
He lowered his broom and quietly walked away.
No one in the vast reception hall noticed.
Not Captain Roran.
Not the officials.
And certainly not Zion.