Under a pale grey sky, the gates of Litha Village creaked open slowly.

  Inside a humble wooden hut, the protagonist sat tying his bag. His friend stood by the door, watching the morning fog roll across the ground.

  Friend:

  “How many times did you imagine this day?”

  Protagonist: (after a moment's silence)

  “Many times… But never this heavy.”

  Their adoptive mother entered, carrying a small cloth bundle.

  Mother:

  “I only packed bread... but I prayed it would be enough for the road.”

  (softly, with a trembling voice)

  “You're not of my flesh... but you're of my heart.”

  Outside the hut, neighborhood children waved their wooden sticks like swords. The friend chuckled.

  Friend:

  “If I become a soldier and you become nothing... would we still be friends?”

  Protagonist: (with a faint smile)

  “If you become a knight… I won't let you boast alone.”

  At the village gate, the old man awaited them.

  Old Man:

  “Don’t trust every smiling face in the Citadels…

  Some smiles are just empty masks.”

  The two climbed the hill overlooking the village.

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  Friend:

  “Don’t forget… If we get separated, we meet again on the tenth floor.”

  Protagonist: (staring ahead silently, then murmurs)

  “I’ll be there.”

  At the registration window, the friend boldly wrote his name, then handed the pen to the protagonist, who calmly wrote his own.

  Registrar:

  “Your name… feels heavy.”

  Protagonist:

  “But it’s mine.”

  ---

  Pages 11–20: The Beginning of the Test – The Resonance Orb

  The candidates gathered in the testing square.

  Silence. Whispers. Nervous breaths.

  Friend:

  “What if your hand doesn’t light up anything?”

  Protagonist: (calmly, no smile)

  “I don’t know… but I won’t back down.”

  On the platform, the head instructor stood tall.

  Head Instructor:

  “The color you reveal… will decide your place in this world.”

  He explained the resonance levels:

  White – Weak Will

  Red – Initiate

  Blue – Soldier

  Green – Knight

  Names were called one by one.

  Some touched the orb—white light.

  Others—red.

  When the friend placed his hand, the orb burst into bright crimson.

  Crowd Whispering:

  “Sword’s Flame!”

  Then the protagonist stepped forward.

  He placed his hand on the orb.

  Nothing.

  Not even a flicker.

  A deadly silence swept the square.

  Delegate 7:

  “Not even white? Nothing?”

  Delegate 9:

  “He bears no Will… That’s impossible…”

  Protagonist: (whispers to himself, staring at his hand)

  “Even the orb… rejects me?”

  ---

  Pages 21–30: Tension Among the Delegates

  Delegate 1:

  “This isn’t a normal failure… He touched the orb. It did nothing.”

  Delegate 6:

  “And his body remains intact? That’s an anomaly.”

  The protagonist stood still. Calm.

  He lifted his hand off the orb with quiet grace.

  Delegate 3:

  “He must be eliminated immediately!”

  Delegate 7:

  “Do we execute those who are different?”

  Head Instructor:

  “He will be transferred to the Sixth Citadel… under surveillance.”

  Protagonist: (looking straight at the instructor)

  “I’ll go… but don’t treat me as if I’m already dead.”

  Delegate 10: (with a faint, unsettling smile)

  “So be it…

  Let us shatter this world in silence.”

  ---

  Pages 31–40: Phase Two – The Nature of Will

  Candidates now demonstrated the nature of their Wills:

  A girl ignited flames in her palm.

  A boy shifted stones with a gesture.

  The protagonist was called again.

  He was instructed to place his hand on the Frequency Stone.

  He did.

  Nothing moved. No energy. No rejection.

  Delegate 2:

  “Nature does not refuse him…

  But it does not understand him either.”

  Head Instructor:

  “He is to proceed to the Third Phase… under full observation.”

  From a distance, his friend watched, his flame-covered hand trembling.

  Delegate 10: (quietly)

  “If he bears no Will…

  He might bear something older.”

  ---

  Page 41: The Mysterious Withdrawal

  Just before the third phase began, one of the delegates suddenly stood.

  His aide approached, whispering:

  Aide:

  “Sir… the third phase is about to begin, shall I—?”

  But the delegate was sweating, eyes unfocused, steps unsteady.

  He left the arena without a word, never once looking back.

  Delegate 10: (barely audible)

  “This… this isn’t normal…

  I must inform the leader—immediately.”

  ---

  End of Chapter 2