Elsewhere, inside Ragnar, a middle-tier city far beyond Tempest.

A green-robed old man sat at the peak of a secluded mountain, still as an unmoving boulder. He inhaled and exhaled in practiced rhythms.

To an ordinary person, it would have seemed unremarkable. But to a trained eye, far more was happening. With every breath, the currents of mana around the old man surged wildly.

This continued for several moments before his eyes suddenly snapped open. A distasteful expression twisting across his face.

"Not yet," Kael growled, his fists clenching tightly.

The simple gesture caused the air around him to scream violently as fissures spread across the mountain.

He could feel it. His breakthrough was close. So unbearably close. Yet it kept eluding him, just as it had for decades.

His patience was running thin.

Just as frustration welled inside him, his gaze shifted toward what appeared to be empty space.

"What is it?" he snapped.

Instantly, the air rippled as a figure stepped out.

A low C-rank woman.

In lower-ranked cities, she would have been viewed as an overlord. But before the figure standing before her, she could only lower her head. The slight pressure leaking from him was enough to send chills racing down her spine.

Swallowing audibly, she began.

"My lord, your strength grows every day. If this continues, it won’t be long before you have no match..."

Before she could continue, the green-robed figure cut her off, his expression growing even more displeased.

"Don’t make me ask twice."

A moment of silence descended as the woman grew flustered. Then she finally stuttered. Forcing the words out of her throat as she felt the weight of his gaze pressing down on her.

"The academy instructor is here. He’s been... waiting for you for a while."

As her words echoed into his ears, a faint smile spread across Kael’s face, only to vanish almost instantly as he processed the implication.

"Waiting?" he muttered beneath his breath.

For the first time since she arrived, he looked unsettled.

"Why didn’t you inform me sooner?" he growled, his pupils constricting violently as they narrowed on her.

Instantly, the pressure crushing her increased multifold, forcing her to her knees.

A cracking sound echoed as blood spilled from her seven orifices. The pressure crushed her inner organs painfully.

Struggling to breathe, the woman forced words from her throat, panic flooding her eyes.

"I didn’t... want to interrupt your breakthrough," she sputtered.

Glaring at her for a moment longer, the green-robed figure walked up and smacked her away with a single gesture.

"Useless trash."

His voice trailed behind him as he hurriedly made his way down the mountain.

***

At the base, a single figure stood.

The figure appeared inconspicuous at first glance... But Kael saw through the facade instantly.

As he appraised the grey-robed figure, he appeared relatively young. But Kael knew better than to judge by appearances. Once one ascended the ranks of power, their lifespan extended greatly, allowing even old monsters to retain youthful appearances.

But that wasn’t what truly piqued his attention.

His eyes froze on the crest engraved onto the figure’s robe.

That of Glaivemire Academia, one of the top academies in the kingdom.

His thoughts were cut short as the figure broke the silence.

"So you seek inspiration for your breakthrough... how quaint."

At those words, Kael winced slightly, his fingers clenching as he sensed the disdain hidden beneath the tone.

If it had been anyone else who dared speak to him this way, they would have long been obliterated. But the grey-robed figure was different.

Despite appearing like a regular mortal, Kael could tell he had ascended to the elusive B-rank realm.

He could not only wield the realm’s energy but had incorporated it into his being to form a mana core.

Just the pressure hidden behind a few casual words was enough to make Kael’s heart thud rapidly. At that rank, they could imbue anything with mana, turning even the simplest actions deadly within a single breath.

Not waiting for a response, the grey-robed figure continued.

"The academy selections draw near. Do you have something for me?"

He paused briefly.

"Or are you wasting my time?"

His eyes narrowed slightly.

Causing Kael’s heart to beat even faster.

"Of course not... I wouldn’t dare," he chuckled nervously as he gestured toward a trail leading deeper into an enclosed training ground.

Each year before the academy selections, instructors from various academies traveled across the kingdom searching for talented youths.

Recruiting promising figures who piqued their interest before the greater academies could snatch them away. Of course, with the promise of endless benefits in return. Benefits that would greatly strengthen both the clan and the chosen youths.

And that was precisely why clan leaders like him reached out to academy instructors.

***

Within a massive arena, Kael gestured toward three youths currently locked in battle against a peak D-rank beast.

"These are among the most talented figures in the clan," Kael boasted, watching with satisfaction as the grey-robed figure appraised them.

The previously blank look on the instructor’s face eased into a soft smile.

"All three advanced to D-rank barely a week ago. Yet together, they can already contend against a peak D-rank beast."

At those words, the grey-robed figure turned toward him, one brow arching slightly.

Feeling the doubt hidden within that gaze, Kael hurriedly reassured him.

"I wouldn’t dare lie to you."

Then he added smugly,

"If anything... this is to be expected. Two of them had their S-rank talents bloom into top-grade arts, while the last possesses an ancient art."

"An ancient art?" the grey-robed figure repeated.

His breath hitched slightly as disbelief flashed across his eyes.

The art formed upon advancing to D-rank played a massive role in one’s future strength.

A normal art sealed one’s fate at D-rank forever. Only those who formed elite-tier arts or higher were qualified to even participate in academy selections.

Top-grade arts were far stronger, though relatively common within major academies.

Epic-grade arts, like his own, had allowed him to ascend to B-rank, with the possibility of climbing even further someday.

But an ancient art...That was rare even among academies.

If he managed to recruit even one such genius, they could easily rise to become one of the academy’s core prodigies.

And the rewards he would receive for that would be enormous.

Taking all this into consideration, the grey-robed figure nodded repeatedly.

"Good, good, good." He chuckled softly. "I’ll write a letter of recommendation. Once they join our academy, your clan will be rewarded for nurturing such talents."

Nodding at the words, a greedy glint flickered across Kael’s eyes as he rubbed his fingers together eagerly.

This was the true reason he had invited the academy scout.

Even if one of them possessed an ancient art, the chances of joining one of the Ancient academies remained almost impossible.

In the end, they would still enter top-ranked academies.

This way, he could establish a favorable relationship early while securing valuable resources for the clan.

Possibly enough to finally shatter his bottleneck.

Each thought only fueled his excitement further.

But before he could sink deeper into those thoughts. A sudden explosion rocked the distance.

Instantly drawing the attention of everyone present.

Their gazes snapped toward the sky as their eyes widened in shock at the influx of elemental energy crashing through the heavens in violent waves.

"Huh... this?" Kael muttered, stunned.

He recognized this energy.

Any D-rank being would.

It was the type formed during advancement into D-rank.

But that wasn’t what truly stunned him.

It was the sheer purity of it.

As the energy washed over him, he felt the bottleneck that hadn’t stirred in decades loosen ever so slightly.

The shock on his face deepened.

At the side, the grey-robed figure looked even more shaken.

It was widely known that the purer the energy, the greater the art formed from it.

But this...This was absurd.

If an ancient-ranked art was like a muddy pond, then this was a heavenly river.

There was no comparison.

Even more terrifying. After scanning the surroundings, he still couldn’t locate the source of the energy.

Which meant the phenomenon had originated from somewhere incredibly far away.

Meaning this...Was only a trace.

His heart began pounding violently as countless thoughts raced through his mind.

"Could this mean the... birth of a supreme genius?" he mumbled in disbelief.

Snapping out of his daze, he waved his arm.

Overwhelming surges of mana erupted outward, devouring the stray energy as his eyes lit up brilliantly.

He couldn’t allow anyone else to discover this first.

He had to find this supreme genius before anyone else.

The moment the thought formed, he rushed into the distance without hesitation, desperately chasing the source.

At the side, Kael stared dumbfoundedly.

Despite being shocked by the phenomenon itself, watching the grey-robed figure mobilize a sea of mana hundreds of times greater than his own made him gulp slightly.

Just as he was about to follow behind, a familiar battered figure stepped into his path.

"You..." Kael growled, pointing toward her.

But before he could lash out, the woman lowered her head even further, growing visibly tense.

"More news, my lord," she sputtered, taking a cautious step back.

Though she doubted it would help.

"Lady Valeria..." she mumbled.

Hearing the first part, Kael’s expression softened slightly.

One of his daughters.

Despite awakening only a low-ranked talent, he still viewed her favorably. Which was why he had sent her to a low-tier city with the task of bringing it under the clan’s influence.

But as he heard the rest. His expression darkened instantly.

"Her soul shard has been extinguished."

"She is...dead."

Rage exploded within his eyes.

"Why didn’t you start with that?" he roared, barely suppressing his aura.

Beyond losing his daughter, this was an open act of defiance.

Whoever had done this would face the full wrath of his clan. And if necessary, the destruction of the city sheltering them.

But first. He had to find this supreme genius.

As the thought crossed his mind, his figure vanished into the distance, chasing after the grey-robed figure.

Not before casually imploding the battered woman into a mist of blood.

Barely enough to soothe the fury burning within him.