After slipping into a narrow alley, Lynn was met by a Little Beggar who had clearly been waiting for a long time. Without saying a word, the boy quickly shoved a package into his hands before disappearing back into the shadows.
Inside was a full-body hooded robe. Lynn didn't waste time. He pulled it on immediately, fastening it tightly before leaving the alley.
With the hood drawn low over his face, he moved swiftly through the crowd. His heart pounded hard in his chest, each step carrying a thread of tension. He expected trouble at any moment.
Yet the journey passed without incident.
The One-Eyed Wolf, it seemed, was not nearly as sharp as Lynn had feared.
Even so, Lynn stayed alert. Caution never hurt.
By the time he reached the City Lord's Manor, only a handful of youths remained in line at the gates. Outside the manor, clusters of older people stood anxiously, craning their necks toward the entrance.
Their expressions were filled with hope and worry, like parents waiting outside an examination hall, desperate for news of their children.
Lynn slowed his breathing and joined the remaining queue.
"The testing fee is one Gold Coin."
The guard's voice was flat and emotionless as he blocked Lynn's path.
Without a word, Lynn reached into his robe and handed over a Gold Coin.
The guard weighed it in his palm, nodded, and motioned for a search.
Another guard stepped forward. Rough hands patted Lynn down thoroughly before pulling a poisoned dagger from the inner lining of his robe.
Lynn's heart skipped.
It was a weapon he had prepared after the last assassination attempt. He had never had the chance to use it.
"This can't go inside," the guard said coldly as he confiscated it. His sharp gaze lingered on Lynn for a moment. "Behave yourself once you're in there."
Lynn nodded calmly, his expression unchanged, though tension tightened in his chest.
That was careless.
Fortunately, they didn't revoke his qualification.
Losing the dagger left him uneasy, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
The test came first.
The moment Lynn stepped into the City Lord's Manor Hall, the atmosphere shifted completely.
The City Lord of Black Marsh City, a man who should have been lofty and unapproachable, was smiling warmly at someone dressed in an ordinary black hooded robe. His posture was almost servile.
Nearby, the Great Knight, known as the strongest fighter in the city, stood silently behind that same figure, hands clasped behind his back like a personal attendant.
That black-robed figure was the focus of everything here.
The legendary Wizard.
Compared to a Wizard, even the Great Knight meant little.
Lynn's gaze drifted toward the figure before he could stop himself.
The Wizard wore a hood similar to Lynn's, but beneath it was no human face. Instead, thick black mist churned endlessly, swallowing all detail.
After only a brief glance, Lynn felt dizzy, as if something deep within him was being tugged forward.
He immediately looked away, a chill running down his spine.
Just looking caused this much discomfort. If the Wizard acted directly, how terrifying would that be?
Off to one side of the hall stood five young men and women dressed far more finely than the rest. Their faces were filled with excitement and thinly veiled curiosity as they whispered and commented on the ongoing tests.
They were clearly the ones who had passed over the past two days.
The line moved quickly.
The test itself was simple. Each examinee placed a hand on a Crystal Ball. The Wizard's hoarse, emotionless voice announced the result.
"No Talent Inclination. Mental Power 6. Failed."
"Inferior Water Affinity. Mental Power 5. Failed."
"No talent. Mental Power 7. Failed."
One hopeful face after another stepped forward, only to leave moments later pale and defeated. The pass rate was terrifyingly low.
Sweat gathered in Lynn's palms.
This wasn't something effort could fix. Talent alone decided everything.
"Next."
The cold voice echoed through the hall.
It was his turn.
Lynn took a deep breath, forced his mind to steady, and stepped forward. He could feel the gazes of the failed examinees behind him, as well as the faintly disdainful looks from the five Apprentices beside the Wizard.
Pushing all thoughts aside, he pressed his trembling right hand onto the Crystal Ball.
Buzz
The instant his palm made contact, the Crystal Ball exploded with blinding light. The hall was flooded with brilliance, bright as full daylight.
Cries of surprise rang out as people shielded their eyes.
After several long seconds, the light slowly faded.
Inside the Crystal Ball floated a translucent Soul Body, identical to Lynn himself. Around it swirled a thick halo of earthy yellow light.
"What?!"
The confident expressions on the faces of the five Apprentices shattered instantly, replaced by shock and disbelief.
They hadn't caused anything like this during their tests.
"Hm?!"
The black mist beneath the Wizard's hood surged violently. He stepped forward, carefully studying the scene within the Crystal Ball.
Then he laughed.
"Hahaha… good. Very good." His voice carried clear excitement. "Mental Power 17. Superb Soul Affinity Talent."
He paused, then added, "Medium Earth Affinity as well."
His gaze locked onto Lynn, sharp and appraising, like a man inspecting rare treasure. "Child, what is your name?"
"Lynn, sir," Lynn replied respectfully, keeping his excitement firmly in check.
But inside, his heart was racing.
Seventeen Mental Power.
Superb Soul Affinity.
Was this body naturally gifted, or was it the result of two souls overlapping?
"Very good, Lynn," the Wizard said gently. "Stand over there."
He pointed toward the group of Apprentices.
The Wizard hadn't expected much from this city. Even after lowering the requirements, only five mediocre Apprentices had been recruited over two days.
Finding a true genius here was an unexpected gift.
More importantly, Lynn's talents were perfectly suited for the Withered Bone Spire Academy.
This secret recruitment already bent the rules. Because of their academy's high Apprentice mortality rate, they couldn't afford to share talent through the usual exchange systems.
The official Recruitment Conference only occurred once every five years, with apprentices distributed based on talent. Each academy had its own focus, ensuring proper training and preventing wasted potential.
The Boneyard Spire specialized in Necromancy.
Soul affinity, Mental Power, and death-related talents were exactly what they needed.
Lynn fit perfectly.
His Medium Earth Affinity was nothing special by comparison, but it wasn't useless. If he wished to pursue it, the academy would have someone capable of teaching him.
But his true value would lie elsewhere.