Finley was a breathtaking kingdom, surrounded by rolling hills and lush valleys. From above, the kingdom unfolded like a vibrant canvas, where cascading waterfalls, winding rivers, and tranquil lakes painted a picture of serene beauty. As they drew closer to the center, the vegetation grew denser, forming a rich tapestry of greenery. Along the way, they passed herds of single-horned mountain goats led by shepherds, white-armored mammoths bathing and drinking by the river, and graceful four-horned kudus bounding across the valleys. Diamond-crowned pigeons glided alongside their fleet, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight.

The children were more excited than ever. Julian gazed down in awe, his wide eyes taking in every detail. Ayden couldn’t sit still, darting back and forth to get a better view of the scenery. And Athena—well, according to her father, her calm and expressionless gaze out the window was her unique way of showing excitement.

As they traveled, Ayden bombarded Alexander and Frederick with a flurry of questions, his curiosity endless. The lively chatter brought a sense of relief to everyone on board. It was comforting to see that the earlier events hadn’t dampened their spirits, and the anticipation of this new chapter in their lives shone brightly in their eyes.

They were the last to arrive at the venue, which was already packed with students and parents gathered at the base of the mountain. In front of them lay numerous steps leading up to the portal. At the foot of the steps stood a young, striking man in a black and red cloak, adorned with a golden monocle. The monocle’s chain dangled elegantly, tucked behind his ear, while a snow owl perched majestically on his shoulder.

This man carefully collected admission letters from the children in line, examining them with precision before scanning each with a glowing verification stone. Once he confirmed the authenticity of the letter and its rightful owner, he presented the child with a token, granting them permission to ascend the steps.

Despite the continuous stream of children climbing the stairs, not all succeeded in reaching the portal. Some returned shortly after starting, unable to advance, while others failed to even step onto the first stair.

As the three children and their entourage waited near the back, they noticed the arrival of the Northern Prince’s group. They had reached only moments earlier and were already attempting to cut the long line of parents and children. One of their guards spoke loudly and mockingly, his voice cutting through the crowd:

“It seems the First Prince of Arcane has nothing better to do in his empire. Our Crown Prince is so busy that he can’t spare a moment to escort the young highness himself.”

Julian laughed audibly, his voice carrying through the crowd. “Is he an idiot? Was he mocking His Highness for sending off his daughter personally, or admitting their little prince is so pathetic his father couldn’t even bother to see him off?”

The surrounding crowd snickered, and Frederick looked at his son with pride. Embarrassed, the Northern Prince’s guard captain scolded the foolish guard for his reckless comment. However, as a citizen of the Northern Empire, the captain couldn’t let Arcane have the upper hand in the exchange.

“Well, well, who do we have here?” the captain sneered. “The First Prince of Arcane himself! Hiding behind his family, too scared to face common trash like us.” His fellow guards burst into laughter.

Athena, unable to tolerate her father being insulted, stepped forward. Her voice was firm and unwavering as she replied, “A true ruler protects their empire, values their family, treats all with fairness, and never robs their subjects of their rights. That is true strength.”

The crowd began murmuring among themselves, casting curious and disapproving glances at the guard captain.

The guard captain’s face reddened with anger, and he opened his mouth to retaliate, but before he could speak, the young man at the base of the steps amplified his voice with a spell. His tone was crisp and commanding as he addressed the crowd:

“This is neither the time nor the place for a battle between the Northern Empire and Arcane. Refrain from unnecessary disputes.”

Reluctantly, the guard captain turned back to his group. Frustrated but powerless to retaliate, he shoved through the crowd, forcing his way to the front of the line in a desperate attempt to salvage his pride.

The young prince in the group turned his attention to the three children beside Alexander. He directed what he thought was a charming, flirtatious smile at Athena, confident it would captivate anyone of the opposite gender. To his surprise, the girl met his attempt with a look of pure disdain. Undeterred and unwilling to admit defeat, he shifted his focus to another girl standing two rows ahead. When he flashed her the same practiced smile, she turned beet red and quickly covered her face in embarrassment. Reassured that his charm was still intact, he convinced himself it was Athena’s eyesight that had failed her.

Determined, he tried again to win Athena’s attention, but she didn’t even spare him a glance. Instead, the ones who did were Julian and Ayden. With their combined ten years of mischievous wit, the boys mimicked the northern prince’s flirty look and smile, exaggerating it to a comical degree. The northern prince, thoroughly offended and disgusted, avoided their gaze entirely and hastily marched off with his guards and entourage.

Meanwhile, Julian and Ayden stifled their laughter, their eyes gleaming with amusement. Athena, having observed the entire exchange, couldn't help but smirk at their antics, clearly entertained by how effortlessly they had outmaneuvered the northern prince.

Once the northern prince reached the young man at the base of the steps, he handed over his admission letter with an air of arrogance. After receiving his token, he turned back to glance at Athena and the rest of her group. Raising his voice for everyone to hear, he sneered, "Hunters Academy is not a place for the weak but for brave men. All the lowly ants should leave before they embarrass themselves." With a smug grin, he began ascending the steps.

He climbed swiftly at first, his confidence apparent. However, as he reached the middle of the staircase, the pressure suddenly intensified, and each step became more laborious. His pace slowed visibly, and the strain was evident on his face. Behind him, others took their turns—some faltered and failed, while others persevered, pushing forward with sheer determination.

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When it was finally their group’s turn, the young man at the base of the steps approached Alexander’s group. He looked at Alexander with thinly veiled disdain, but when his gaze shifted to Athena, it softened into what he assumed was affection. Resting his palm lightly on her head, he remarked, "You are so beautiful, just like your mother."

Athena froze, feeling a strange current flow through her body. It wasn’t painful, but it was unfamiliar and disconcerting. The young man, Alfred Leylani, had attempted to gauge her potential by channeling his mana into her. His eyes widened in shock as he realized the latent power within her. Without hesitation, he asked, "Will you be my disciple?"

Before Athena could respond, Alexander stepped forward, his expression darkening. He firmly removed Alfred’s hand from his daughter’s head. "Alfred Leylani, who do you think you are to touch my daughter so casually?"

Alfred, unfazed, met Alexander’s intense gaze and replied with a calm yet confident tone, "My future disciple."

Athena narrowed her eyes, contemplating Alfred's words. Her voice was calm but carried a hint of skepticism. "Mister Vice-Principal, you’re the second person to claim I’m your future disciple. I didn’t like the first one, but judging by the mana you used on me, I can tell you’re a strong person."

Alfred smiled warmly and bowed slightly. "Your Highness, I’ll do my best to earn the honor of being your master in the future."

Alexander, who had been quietly observing, chuckled. "Says the man who couldn’t impress her mother."

Alfred shot Alexander a look of mild exasperation, as though he were dealing with a particularly troublesome student. "Oh, for heaven’s sake, you never change."

Turning back to the children, Alfred adjusted his demeanor and addressed them. "You three are the last group to climb the steps. May I see your letters?"

Frederick, always prepared, retrieved the three letters from his coat pocket and handed them to Alfred. After carefully scanning them with a glowing scanning stone, Alfred produced three tokens. The tokens were shaped like shields, with each child’s name engraved at the center. At the top of each token were the words "Clairvoyant Hunters Academy," above which was a delicate floral pattern embedded with a translucent gem.

Ayden examined his token curiously. "Sir, may I ask why this gem looks different?"

Alfred raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Why do you think it’s different?"

Before Ayden could answer, Julian interjected. "Because it’s trying to read our minds."

Alfred’s expression shifted to one of genuine surprise. He took both boys’ hands in his, his tone filled with admiration. "May I have the honor of being your master?"

Ayden met his gaze steadily. "Only if my sister agrees to be your disciple too."

Alfred glanced at Athena, whose eyes were now pleading softly. Before he could reply, Frederick cleared his throat, stepping forward with a calm yet firm voice. "Your Highness, Alfred may not be the biggest fan of your father, but he is one of the most brilliant mages in the history of Arcane. There’s no one better suited to guide you."

Athena shifted her gaze to her father, who gave her a playful wink. Smiling faintly, she turned back to Alfred. "Alright, I’ll agree—because someone once told me her childhood friend was a great mage and would be the perfect master for me."

Alfred’s expression softened, and a proud smile spread across his face as he looked at the young girl. In her temper and smile, he could see glimpses of her mother, a memory that filled him with both nostalgia and determination. "You won’t regret this, Your Highness," he promised.

After bidding their farewells, the three children began ascending the steps with Alfred Leylani accompanying them. As they climbed, Ayden’s sharp eyes noticed something peculiar: the color of the gems in their tokens was changing—not just his own, but also those of Athena and Julian. Tugging gently at Alfred’s robe, he asked, “Why is it changing color?”

Alfred, noticing Ayden’s curiosity, felt a spark of excitement. Rarely did children notice this detail so early, let alone ask about it. It further reaffirmed why he had chosen these brilliant young minds as his disciples. “The color reflects your mental strength,” Alfred explained. “The higher you climb without succumbing to the pressure, the more advanced your mental strength is. The gem adjusts to represent that level.”

This explanation ignited a newfound eagerness in the children, who immediately started racing upward to test themselves. As they ascended, they passed many other children struggling under the mounting pressure. Among them was the Northern prince, who had resorted to crawling up the steps, his face contorted with effort. Julian, observing the scene, couldn’t help but find the sight of a prince in such an undignified state rather unsightly.

As they climbed higher, Ayden and Julian began to feel the weight of the pressure. It wasn’t until they were three-quarters of the way up that their gems settled on purple, indicating exceptional mental strength. Alfred, trailing behind them, was deeply impressed. It was extraordinarily rare for children to reach purple on their first climb. Even he, a renowned mage, hadn’t reached that level at their age.

What astonished him even more was Athena. While Ayden and Julian were visibly tired as they neared the final steps, Athena remained energetic, her movements fluid and unstrained. Alfred’s attention snapped to her token, and his breath caught in his throat.

The gem on Athena’s token was changing again.

By the time they reached the top, Ayden and Julian were exhausted but triumphant. Alfred, however, was fixated on Athena’s token, where the gem had settled on a radiant gold.

Alfred stood frozen, his mind reeling. Gold. The color signified an unparalleled level of mental strength, a level even he hadn’t achieved. In fact, there was only one other person in the kingdom known to possess such mental fortitude: Alexander Quinn Arcane.

As the realization sank in, Alfred felt a rush of awe—and an undeniable sense that this little girl was destined for greatness. “Golden,” he murmured under his breath, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and pride. “Stronger than even her father...”

As they approached the root, Athena’s eyes widened in awe at the enormous portal towering before them. It was taller and broader than the royal training grounds and framed by a massive root adorned with vibrant green moss and delicate, colorful flowers. On either side of the portal stood two colossal guardians, their forms seemingly crafted from an intricate blend of wood and shimmering gems. Each guardian held an immense wooden scepter crowned with a glowing mana stone, radiating a soft, pulsating light.

The guardians' presence was imposing, their unblinking eyes fixed on the group. But what truly startled Alfred was when the guardians suddenly spoke in unison, their voices resonating like a symphony of ancient timbres:

“We welcome the ruler.”

Alfred froze, his heart pounding. The last time these ancient sentinels had spoken was to greet the saint—a memory etched in the annals of the academy. But now, they addressed someone as "ruler," a title that left Alfred puzzled. Who among these children could possibly warrant such a greeting?

He watched with growing intrigue as the children walked past the guardians and through the portal. As Athena, Ayden, and Julian crossed the threshold, a faint, almost imperceptible shift seemed to ripple through the air.

In that moment, Alfred felt a deep certainty settle in his chest. The world was on the brink of transformation, and the spark for that change had just stepped through the portal. These children, with their extraordinary potential, would be the catalysts for a future no one could yet foresee.