Chapter 902: Old Zeno

Chapter 902: Old Zeno



Three years had passed since Vale's transaction with the Chaos Alchemist, and during this time, a lot of things had changed.

The Philosopher's Elixir, once a rare and coveted potion, was now available to all. It had become a rite of passage, allowing every child over the age of twelve to unlock their magical potential.

While the elixir was powerful, it came with its limitations-those under twelve suffered bizarre mutations if they dared to drink it too early.

These mutations weren't harmful at all, but it was better to avoid them. These mutations could be having white streaks of hair, numerous moles, and yellowed teeth. They had become the hallmarks of impatience...

So, it became law to every nation that only those twelve and older could consume it.

Among those new Arcane Talents was Armin, a quiet but talented boy from an orphanage in Milton Kingdom's Melthorn City. He had spent his life within the stone walls of the orphanage, watching from the windows as the world outside changed.

Now, his time had come.

"It's really happening..." He muttered to himself.

Armin's reflection stared back at him through the window of the train as it sped westward.

His pale skin and dark eyes were quite common to see with his short, messy brown hair. There was only his bright and hopeful gaze that set him apart from the other children he'd grown up with.

At this time, he wore a simple tunic, patched at the elbows, and trousers that were too short- remnants of the orphanage's humble resources.

Despite his modest background, Armin had something others didn't. When he had consumed the Philosopher's Elixir just a few weeks ago, the examiners in the orphanage had been astonished.

Not only did he complete the transformation process quickly, but he had been marked as capable of mastering three distinct Arcane Paths-Dark Arts, Transformation Arts, and Combat Arts. Among the twelve known Paths, these were considered a formidable combination, and his talents had earned him the chance to several Academies, but in the end, he decided to choose the Marshall Academy, one of the new and most prestigious institutions for Arcanists in the west.

After all, it was an Academy that was built by a living Immortal!

The Academy was located in the Shadow Immortal's Domain, a vast and mysterious land governed by the legendary Vale, who had risen to power over the years.

His mind wandered back to the stories he had heard of the Vorathi, the ancient Practitioners of Void Arts, one of the Lost Arcane Paths.

It was said that they had once walked this very land, long before the rise of the Shadow Immortal, and now they threatened to return.

According to the information that had been spread by the Arcane Bureau, the world needed more Arcanists, warriors capable of standing against the Void's power, and that's what Marshall Academy was training them to become.

Clunk... Clunk...

The train slowed as it approached a station for a brief stop.

The sound of the steam whistle then jolted Armin from his thoughts.

He glanced around, watching the other passengers preparing to disembark...

It wasn't his stop yet, so he remained seated. As soon as the new passengers came, he noticed

a few children his age together with their parents, their eyes wide with excitement or fear as

Armin realized that they too, made their way toward the Academy.

A grizzled old man across the aisle caught his eye and grinned, revealing teeth yellowed with age. "First time heading west, boy?" he asked.

Armin nodded. "First time on a train, too," he admitted...

The old man chuckled. "You'll be fine. If you manage to pass, you might actually become one

of my students."

"Ahh... Really?!" Armin was shocked. He didn't expect to meet a professor here.

"May I ask for your name, Professor?" He added.

"Zeno... Zeno Roquemont."Nôv(el)B\\jnn