The training grounds fell silent.
Thousands of young prodigies stood motionless beneath the vast morning sky.
Not a single voice could be heard.
Only the wind drifted gently across the enormous field, carrying with it the scent of fresh earth and ancient stone.
The dozens of elders who had been scattered throughout the gathering slowly returned to the central platform.
Their expressions remained calm.
Unreadable.
One after another, they took their places behind Aureon Valeris.
No one spoke.
No one needed to.
Their silence alone carried authority.
Aureon swept his gaze across the crowd.
His eyes lingered on every face.
Every expression.
Every heartbeat.
Then—
He smiled faintly.
"...Interesting."
His calm voice echoed throughout the training grounds.
"This generation..."
"...is far more promising than I expected."
A ripple of excitement spread through the gathering.
Some smiled proudly.
Others exchanged confident glances.
Several children straightened their backs unconsciously.
Praise from an elder...
Was not something heard every day.
But Aureon raised a single finger.
The whispers died instantly.
"Do not misunderstand."
"The potential I see today..."
"...is merely the beginning."
His eyes sharpened.
"Many of those standing before me will surpass their ancestors."
"Many will awaken powers long thought extinct."
"Many..."
"...will die before reaching adulthood."
The excitement vanished.
Reality settled heavily over the gathering.
No one questioned his words.
This was Zeraphyx.
Strength was life.
Weakness...
Was a luxury the world could not afford.
Aureon clasped his hands behind his back.
"Talent is important."
A brief pause.
"Strength is important."
Another pause.
"But neither decides your future."
Confusion appeared on many faces.
"If strength alone determined greatness..."
"...history would never change."
"If talent alone determined victory..."
"...geniuses would never fall."
His voice remained calm.
Steady.
"Your future is determined by countless factors."
"Your determination."
"Your will."
"Your experiences."
"The choices you make."
"And..."
He slowly turned toward the center of the enormous training grounds.
"...your bloodline."
RUMBLE...
The earth trembled.
A deep vibration rolled beneath everyone's feet.
Dust danced across the stone floor.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM—!!!!!
The center of the training grounds split apart.
Massive slabs of ancient stone slowly separated.
Something enormous began rising from beneath the earth.
At first—
Only darkness.
Then—
A towering black monument emerged into the sunlight.
Nearly thirty meters tall.
Its surface was impossibly smooth, darker than obsidian, yet faint silver patterns drifted beneath its exterior like constellations hidden beneath a moonless sky.
Ancient runes covered every side.
Some glowed softly.
Others remained dormant.
The monument radiated no overwhelming pressure.
No terrifying aura.
It simply...
Existed.
Timeless.
Eternal.
The moment it completely emerged—
The entire training ground became strangely quiet.
Even the wind seemed unwilling to disturb its presence.
Many of the younger children stared in open amazement.
Others instinctively swallowed.
Something about the monument...
Inspired respect.
Not fear.
Respect.
Aureon placed one hand upon its cold surface.
"This..."
"...is the Monument of Resonance."
His voice carried effortlessly across the silent gathering.
"It has stood within our clan for longer than any living elder can remember."
"It has witnessed generations rise..."
"...and generations fade."
His fingers slid gently across the ancient stone.
"It does not measure your current strength."
"It does not measure the amount of energy within your body."
"It does not care how many techniques you possess."
"It cannot predict your future."
His gaze swept slowly across the crowd.
"It resonates with the deepest foundation of your existence."
"...Your bloodline."
The atmosphere changed.
Everyone became serious.
"You were all born with different inheritances."
"Different ancestries."
"Different levels of purity."
"Some inherited extraordinary bloodlines."
"Others inherited ordinary ones."
"But remember this..."
His voice grew firmer.
"A bloodline..."
"...is not destiny."
Many looked surprised.
"It can evolve."
"It can awaken."
"It can become purer."
"It can mutate."
"It can even surpass what your ancestors believed possible."
His eyes became sharper than ever.
"Through opportunity."
"Through hardship."
"Through treasures."
"Through life-and-death battles."
"Through your own will."
"The Monument merely reveals the foundation upon which you currently stand."
"It does not decide how high you shall climb."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The nervous expressions among many of the younger children gradually eased.
Even those born with weaker bloodlines found themselves breathing a little easier.
Aureon nodded approvingly.
"Good."
"Never allow today's result to become tomorrow's limit."
He stepped away from the monument.
"The First Selection..."
"...is simple."
"You will approach one at a time."
"You will place your hand upon the Monument of Resonance."
"It will respond."
"No one can influence the result."
"No elder."
"No technique."
"No artifact."
"No deception."
"The monument resonates only with truth."
He paused.
Then smiled.
"But remember..."
"The result is not a sentence."
"It is merely the beginning of your journey."
Behind him—
The other elders quietly nodded.
One elder stepped forward.
"There are three thousand two hundred and forty-one children gathered here today."
"We will not personally train all of you."
Another elder continued.
"Only those who demonstrate sufficient potential..."
"...will receive direct guidance."
A third elder folded his arms.
"The rest will still belong to the clan."
"But opportunities..."
"...must be earned."
The excitement within the crowd immediately returned.
This was no ordinary gathering.
This was the first step toward becoming one of the clan's true elites.
Aureon raised his right hand.
A list of names appeared upon a floating screen of condensed energy.
"The selection..."
"...begins now."
The first name slowly illuminated.
A young boy took a deep breath.
He stepped out from the crowd.
Thousands of eyes followed him as he walked toward the ancient monument.
The closer he drew...
The quieter the world seemed to become.
Even I found my attention fixed upon the towering black stone.
For some reason—
The moment I looked at it—
Something deep within me...
Stirred.
Not my energy.
Not Prime Instinct.
Something...
Far older.
Far deeper.
It was only a faint sensation.
Like a sleeping existence shifting beneath an endless ocean.
Gone almost as quickly as it came.
I frowned.
"...What was that?"
The monument remained perfectly still.
Silent.
Ancient.
Waiting.
And somewhere...
Deep within its endless darkness...
Something had begun waiting as well.
— End of Part III —