📖 Chapter Five: The Heir's Prestige and the Shadow Market
Albert arrived at the first of the "Islands of Dispersion" in a small boat he had crafted from the condensation of earth and gold mana. The moment his feet touched the sands of "Gray Harbor," a sudden silence fell. This was not only due to his appearance but also to the sovereign aura he could not completely conceal; an aura that made the weak instinctively want to bow down.
Albert walked through the market with calm, confident steps, wearing the "River of Life Garments," which shimmered with subtle water ripples that absorbed any hostile energy directed at him. His eyes, brimming with the light and stars, pierced anyone who dared to look directly at him.
A Clash of Prestige:
Three professional mercenaries (of the intermediate warrior rank) blocked his path. "Hey kid, you don't look like you're from around here," one of them said sarcastically, trying to hide his trembling hand. "That cloak and blade look expensive. Hand it over..."
Before the mercenary could finish, Albert calmly raised his hand and used the "Control Hand" skill.
In a split second, the air around the mercenaries froze. Albert didn't move his sword; he simply compressed the mana into the atmosphere around them. The three of them fell to their knees at once, as if mountains had been placed on their shoulders.
Albert looked at them coldly and said in a deep voice that echoed through the marketplace,
"I don't look for trouble, but if you cross me again, you won't find your bodies to bury. I am Albert, descendant of T-Reagle... Remember that name well."
The Encounter with the Unknown:
The mercenaries retreated in terror as an old man in a tattered cloak pushed through the crowd. He was a renowned information dealer from the Continent of Dispersion. The old man bowed slightly, not out of respect for his age, but in recognition of the power this boy possessed.
"Your Highness," the old man said, "news of you has spread through the islands of the ruling families faster than lightning. They have placed a reward of one million mana stones for your capture. You are no longer just a boy; you are the 'number one target' in Croyton."
Albert smiled a calm smile, one that held a certain majesty that even frightened the old man. "Only one million stones?" he said. "They don't seem to appreciate the 'Will of the World' for what it truly is. I want information about the 'Love Stone' that is missing in these islands, and I want it now."
Albert took out a piece of silver element from his pocket and forged a rare coin, which he tossed to the merchant. The merchant caught it with a trembling hand, realizing that this boy was no mere passerby, but the storm that would uproot the ruling families.
🟢 What will happen tomorrow? (Chapter Six)
Albert will enter the Four Star Academy in disguise, where he will face his first real rival; A young genius from the "Rulers" family possesses the elemental substance "Black Fire." We will see how Albert will use the "Heart of Light" to extinguish his flames in front of thousands of students.