Rowen scrolled through the first line of search results and paused at a post titled "The Foundation of Mana Cultivation: Rings of Power."
Lyra nodded, her eyes bright. "We’ve all hit the peak of Apprentice. Soon we’ll be stepping into the trainee level."
"We’ve all hit the peak of Apprentice. Soon we’ll be stepping into the trainee level."
Rowen stayed quiet for a mont, watching them. Compared to his own uncertain path, their steady growth was almost frustrating. Still, he managed a small smile.
"Sounds like things are going well for you three," he said.
Calen wasn’t alone. Behind him padded his contracted beast, the dog-like creature he had bonded with after his awakening. It crossed the door of the shop cautiously, instincts sharp despite its growth to peak apprentice level.
The mont it spotted Shade perched on the counter, however, all that strength shrank away. Its ears flattened, and it hesitated, tail lowering.
Shade lifted her head, letting out a soft "ow," nothing threatening, just her way of acknowledging them. Still, the sound was enough to make the beast step sideways, trying to keep distance.
Calen rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "You’d think by now he’d stop being afraid of a cat."
Rowen said nothing. He just reached out, stroking Shade’s head once. She leaned into his hand before settling back, eyes half-lidded as though amused by the reaction she caused.
Lyra and Aria both laughed under their breath, clearly entertained.
After buying what they needed, Lyra and Aria said their goodbyes and left together, chatting about their recent hunt.
Calen, however, didn’t follow. He lingered near the counter, his beast waiting by the door. His gaze settled on Rowen, serious in a way that felt unusual.
"Rowen," Calen said, "why don’t you ever co by my place anymore? Did you forget we’re friends or what?"
Rowen blinked, caught off guard.
Calen sighed and shook his head. "My mother and father ask about you too. They miss you. If you’ve got ti, at least co visit once in a while."
Rowen stayed quiet for a mont, unsure how to respond.
Rowen’s lips curved into a small smile. "I’ll visit, Calen. Just... when I get so free ti. I’ve been too busy these days."
Calen frowned, clearly not satisfied, but he nodded anyway. "Fine. Just don’t forget, alright?"
Rowen gave a short nod, and Calen finally turned to leave, his beast padding out behind him.
The shop grew quiet again once the door shut.
After Calen left, the shop didn’t stay quiet for long. More and more people ca in, buying what they needed before leaving with satisfied looks. The steady stream of custors made the small shop feel livelier than usual.
After a while, four people entered together. They paused just inside the doorway, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity. Word had spread quickly: this shabby little shop, without even a signboard, was where students were sohow gaining a sudden edge in their hunts. To outsiders, it must have looked like people were walking in empty-handed and leaving as if they had bought treasure.
The group of four stepped inside, and Rowen imdiately recognized them. Talia led the way, followed by Marn and two other Westlight Academy teachers—Alric and Cedric.
Talia’s eyes flicked around the shop, a faint crease in her brow. She had already realized the truth—whatever secret Rowen was keeping here wasn’t going to remain hidden for long. Too many students were showing results far above what should have been possible.
For Marn, Alric, and Cedric, however, the place was a complete mystery. They glanced at the plain wooden shelves and narrow aisles with doubtful expressions. To them, it was hard to believe that this modest, naless store was sohow connected to the sudden surge of talent among their students.
Alric and Cedric stepped further inside, glancing around the modest interior.
"What kind of shop is this?" Cedric muttered under his breath.
"It looks like... a vegetable store," Alric replied after spotting the baskets neatly arranged with bright red tomatoes and fresh potatoes.
But both n frowned, recalling the students they had seen leaving earlier. The expressions on those faces hadn’t been the look of soone buying groceries. They looked as though they had walked away with treasures.
Curiosity pushed them closer to the shelves. When they finally spotted the price tags, their eyes widened.
"These are... expensive," Alric whispered, his tone sowhere between disbelief and suspicion.
Beside the price labels was a small note, written in Rowen’s neat handwriting:
Tomatoes—Enhances focus.Potatoes—Boosts mana and energy recovery.
Cedric exchanged a stunned look with Alric and Marn. The ordinary produce suddenly didn’t seem ordinary at all.
Rowen walked out of the room with steady steps, leaving the panicked guide behind. His thoughts, however, were far from steady. The crystal had declared that he was compatible with a mage. Yet his panel in the portal space had clearly shown a Farr path. The contradiction gnawed at him until he finally gave in.
Inside the quiet of his inner space, Rowen called softly, Fern.
The familiar glow stirred within the lush greenery, and Fern’s form slowly erged from the vines. "You look troubled, Rowen."
He frowned. "The crystal said I was compatible with a mage path. It didn’t even acknowledge the Farr path. I don’t understand what’s happening. Am I one or the other?"
Fern tilted his head, eyes warm with patience. "You are both and neither, in the way the crystal understands."
Rowen blinked. "Explain."
"When you absorbed the void-tier mana stone, you awakened ," Fern said gently. "I am the Spirit of Growth, bound to you. Because of that bond, you inherited the Farr path through . The Federation’s crystal wasn’t designed to recognize a spirit’s influence; it only asures innate potential. To it, you appear purely Mage."
Rowen’s brow furrowed deeper. "So the farr path... isn’t really mine?"
"Oh, it is," Fern assured, his voice calm but firm. "Through , you cultivate growth, crops, and vitality itself. That is your farr path. But when your inner space upgraded, you also gained access to a mana tactic. That made you capable of absorbing mana directly. That is what the crystal sensed the mark of a mage. The mont you absorbed that void stone, Rowen... that was your true awakening."
Rowen crossed his arms, exhaling slowly. Pieces began to fall into place, though questions remained. "So, to the outside world, I’m just a Mage. But in truth, I walk both paths."
Fern smiled faintly. "Yes. And that truth is sothing only you and I must understand for now."
Rowen decided it was ti to visit the Mage Path guidance room. The line of people waiting was long, filled with students, hunters, and a few other awakened individuals. He waited patiently, keeping his focus on the goal: discovering which elent he was compatible with.
Finally, after so ti, his turn arrived.
A middle-aged woman greeted him behind the desk. Her sharp eyes gave nothing away, but her presence carried the calm authority of soone who had guided countless aspiring mages.
"I want to know which elent I am compatible with," Rowen stated simply.
The guide nodded. "Very well. This crystal has been specifically designed to asure elental compatibility for mages," she explained. She carefully lifted a small, polished crystal from the desk. Its surface shimred faintly, as if alive. "Place your hand on it. Visualize and guide your mana toward the crystal. Within your ntal space, the elent you are compatible with will reveal itself. The result is private; you alone will know it. Any questions you have afterward, you may ask ."
She paused, then added, "The assessnt fee is five low-grade mana stones."
Rowen nodded, reaching into his pouch and sliding five stones across the desk. The woman collected them without comnt and gestured toward the crystal. "Go ahead. Let your mana flow."
He took a deep breath and placed his hand on the cool crystal surface. Inside his mind, he centered himself, feeling the familiar pulse of mana. The crystal began to hum softly, responding to the energy he projected, guiding his senses to recognize the elental affinity hidden within him.
Rowen closed his eyes, letting the crystal synchronize with his mana, ready to discover the elent that defined his mage path.
At first, nothing happened. Rowen waited, feeling the faint hum of the crystal under his hand. His mana flowed towards the crystal.
Then, unexpectedly, the first elent appeared—Earth. A small mound of soil and stone ford inside his mind’s eye, solid and grounding. He felt its weight and stability, like the foundation of the world itself.
Next, Wood erged. Sprouts pushed upward from the earth, twisting and turning, leaves unfurling as if breathing life into the soil. The plants swayed slightly, complenting the firm earth beneath them.
Then ca Air. Gentle winds spiraled through the growing forest, bending the leaves and carrying the scent of life. It flowed naturally, harmonizing with the earth and wood, bringing movent and freedom.
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