Bahyun’s mind was bit blurry when he woke up, but soon he remembered he was walking in the secret realm with Almandine, and she was about to disappear. He sat up hurriedly, realizing one thing: he heard a voice mentioning taking away his life in exchange for Almandine’s, and he was still alive. That meant...

His racing heart began to slow as he sensed the warmth of the hand he held in his palm; the body beside him appeared alive and was not disappearing. He checked her breath and temperature; everything seemed normal. Just as he was about to breathe a sign of relief, he noticed that the surroundings felt different now; gusts of wind were blowing, all draining toward one direction like a greyish-black tornado. He raised his head and saw a boy floating at the center of the tornado.

Bahyun had a good memory; he could still recall every moment when Almandine fought against a dark beast months ago. There was a teenage boy involved in that particular incident, collapsed on the ground after being injured by the debris thrown by the dark beast. He remembered purifying the scene when he picked up Almandine so that the injured victim wouldn’t fall ill due to dark energy pollution...So, how did this boy appear here? Was this the challenge set by the secret realm? To save the boy they had met before?

The boy floated in midair, carried by the gusts of wind, with both hands in front of him, clutching a gemstone that shone brightly. However, his expression was contorted as if he were struggling against some unseen force, which Bahyun suspected was the influence of the stone he held. Was it a stone that induced illusions? Or perhaps...No, the mana flow...

The stone emits the same mana flow as Almandine’s! That’s Almandine’s stone!

If he was holding the stone, then Almandine has no core in her body now! But she seemed normal...What’s going on here? A boy holding a FayOra... Was he one of the candidate at the entrance? If he was a candidate, and he held a stone, that meant...the stone once belonged to Almandine, and now it chosen this boy as her successor? The fifty-third Mage? A Mage who controlled such dark and violent energy? Could it be?

Bahyun quickly moved Almandine away from the turbulent scene, extending his fingers to trace a series of purifying runes to counteract the oppressive effects of the dark energy swirling within the wind. He approached the boy, the complexity of the runes he drew increased along the way and creating a circumference around the boy as he walked around the boy. His footsteps left runes on the and the bright light emitted from the drawn rune formed a perfect ring, binding the oppressive dark energy within and slowly contracting.

The boy’s expression contorted further, showing signs of pain, likely due to the violent mana bombarding his body. Bahyun increased the intensity of the mana input into the rune ring, shouting instructions to the boy, “Control it, direct it, find the balance within! Don’t resist it; it’s your sword and blade, a weapon you can control! Don’t push it away - use it! Just like how you would use a kitchen knife! A scissor!”

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Bahyun understood the feeling of being embraced by dark energy, knowing that the violent energy could drive one insane if they couldn’t find an anchor point to hold onto their sanity. But, as he had instructed the boy, he knew it was a tool that could be controlled - a dangerous one, yes, but with the right mentality and skills, it could be managed. Once you understood its working, it could be wielded effectively.

Bahyun continued shouting instructions to the boy, guiding him step by step in gaining control while maintaining the ring of purifying rune. As the boy began to grasp the concept, Almandine woke up and joined Bahyun, helping to direct the flow of dark energy to demonstrate the idea more clearly. Gradually, the greyish gust of wind slowed and eventually came to a halt as the boy’s expression became calm and peaceful. The stone in his hands shone remarkably, and a complex reddish-black light enveloped him...He transformed.

“I am the saber of Dark FayOra, one committed to walk the rugged path. Black Dragon, at your service!”

The Mage who stood before them after the light dissipated was a teenage boy dressed in dark red and black battle gear. His eyes gleamed red like rubies, and his expression mirrored the fierce and sharp look Almandine once possessed. However, the widened eyes that shockingly found himself clad in Mage’s battle gear shattered the moment of the badass villain vibe, making him resemble more of a college student at an ACG expo...An expression that clearly indicated he wasn’t being controlled by the dark energy, but rather the other way around.

“What...How...Why? Me?!” The boy stared at the blade in his hand and the unusual color scheme that didn’t seem like that if a typical Mage, nervousness spreading across his face.

Bahyun approached his and gently patted his shoulder, “You’ve become a Mage now, happy?”

“Me? But...this color...” The boy’s voice trembled with uncertainty.

“Well, you’re the fifty-third Mage, I suppose it’s normal to have some differences.” Bahyun replied with a shrugged, his relaxed demeanor calm boy’s nerves.

However, upon pondering Bahyun’s words, the boy’s anxiety resurfaced, “Fifty-third? But I thought there were only fifty-two Mages. Is it normal for me to be the fifty-third?”

“Um...It’s complicated. Let’s talk outside, I think we’re being rejected by the realm now. Don’t worry, you’ll get all your answers soon.” Bahyun ruffling the boy’s hair with a grin. He then took Almandine’s hand with a warm smile, “How do you feel now?”

“I feel...different.” Almandine replied with a puzzled expression. With her other hand pressed against her chest, she felt a beat she had never experience before, “I...I have a heartbeat now.”

Bahyun’s smile widened, “Yes, Almandine. You’re not a circuit anymore, you’re a human now, like me.”

“Is that so?” Almandine asked softly, a curious tone in her voice.

Bahyun felt content with her question, his earlier anxieties finally at ease.

He owed this secret realm a debt of gratitude.It was the hidden enchantment crafted by the First Mage, and the magical power accumulated here over centuries had transformed Almandine into a true human. Moreover, it had even chosen a Mage to inherit the stone that once belonged to Almandine, giving everyone the best possible outcome.

How should he repay this favor...perhaps by offering his services to the Mages?

As the trio’s figures gradually faded from the secret ream, all three stones involved in the test found their respective Mage. The realm regained it’s serenity once more, awaiting its next activation.