After everyone chose their rooms, Kassandra lay on the bed in hers, exhausted from the long and tiring day. Before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep.

  To her surprise, she found herself back in her mind space. The infinite void stretched endlessly before her, and standing amidst it was her origin, the broken source resting beside him. Kassandra approached cautiously.

  “I’m back,” she said softly.

  The entity turned his piercing green eyes toward her and gave a single nod.

  After a moment’s hesitation, Kassandra asked, “What am I supposed to do now?”

  “The first step is complete. You’ve seen Catharsis. Now, it’s time for the second step: experience Agony. Only then will you unlock the second fragment,” the origin explained, his gaze fixed on the endless nothingness.

  “Okay, but... how?” Kassandra asked, her confusion evident.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “You’ll have to figure that out for yourself. When I obtained my source, everything was already there. But you don’t have my source—you’re borrowing it. Because of that, unlocking more of my power will require fulfilling certain conditions, likely connected to me as well. For now, live your life. When the time comes, you’ll know.”

  His response only deepened Kassandra’s confusion. “Alright... so, does this mean I’ll have to come here every night?”

  “No,” he replied, his voice calm. “But you can enter this space whenever you fall asleep.”

  “Good,” she said with a hint of relief.

  With that, Kassandra’s consciousness faded from the void, leaving the origin alone. He watched the spot where she had disappeared and muttered, “Endure,” before turning his gaze back to the infinite expanse, his eyes heavy with memories.

  ***

  Sunlight streamed through the window, landing on Kassandra’s face and making her eyelashes flutter. Slowly, she opened her eyes, her mind heavy with thoughts. She rose from the bed and walked to her luggage, which she had yet to unpack. Pulling out some simpler clothes than the dress she had worn the day before, she laid them on the bed before heading to the bathroom.

  Inside, she found a bucket filled with water. She dipped her hands into the cool liquid and splashed it onto her face, then looked into the mirror.

  Her reflection stared back at her with lifeless eyes, eyes that betrayed the cracks in her soul. She forced a smile, but it felt hollow. The emptiness in her gaze reflected the toll her awakening had taken. On the surface, she seemed fine, but inside, she was fractured.

  As if responding to her emotions, her eyes suddenly glowed green, a faint manifestation of her Catharsis fragment. Startled, Kassandra watched her reflection. Her brows furrowed, and her mouth curved into a frown. Overcome with frustration, she punched the mirror, cracking it.

  Breathing heavily, she stared at the broken shards for a moment before her face returned to its neutral expression. With one final glance at the shattered mirror, she left the bathroom, dressed quickly, and stepped out into the hallway.

  The door to the room next to hers opened, and Karis stepped out. Noticing her, he nodded.

  “Good morning,” Kassandra greeted as she approached him.

  “Good morning to you too,” Karis replied with his gruff voice.

  The two walked downstairs together, exchanging small talk. When they reached the main room, they found Lucian and Asna already seated, sipping tea. Asna glanced briefly in their direction before returning to her drink, while Lucian didn’t even acknowledge them.

  Spotting the tea, Kassandra asked Karis, “Do you want something to drink? I’m going to grab some tea.”

  “Just water, thanks,” he replied, settling onto one of the couches.

  Kassandra headed to the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a cup of tea for herself and a glass of water for Karis.

  “Here you go,” she said, handing him the water.

  “Thanks,” he replied.

  She sat down beside him, and the room fell into an awkward silence, broken only by the sound of tea being sipped.

  That silence didn’t last long. Moments later, loud footsteps approached from the other side of the door. It swung open to reveal Ajax, his hair messy and his clothes wrinkled, as if he had just rolled out of bed.

  “Good morning, everyone! Spoiled Pomeranian, Grump-face, Emerald-eyes, and Silver-hair!” Ajax announced loudly, grinning as he sauntered into the room.

  Lucian’s eye twitched at the nickname, and a vein pulsed on his forehead. The others remained unfazed.

  “Good morning to you too, Ajax,” Kassandra greeted politely. Karis offered a brief nod in acknowledgment.

  Ajax plopped down on a couch beside Asna, spreading out comfortably. Meanwhile, Lucian was visibly trying to maintain his composure, though his anger simmered just below the surface.

  Minutes later, Nadia entered the room. Orn was the only one still missing. While Nadia and Ajax exchanged casual conversation, their handler, Anach, walked into the room.

  “Today marks your first official day as Seekers of the Primordial Tower,” Anach announced without preamble. “I’ll explain what your duties will be during your first year here.”

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  He paused, scanning the room. “But before we begin, can someone go get Orn?”

  No one volunteered.

  With a sigh, Anach pointed at Lucian. “Lucian, go bring Orn here.”

  Lucian scowled but complied, muttering under his breath as he left the room.

  ***

  Lucian didn’t bother knocking and walked straight into Orn’s room. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. The room was in complete disarray—furniture overturned, cracks in the walls—and Orn was sitting on the floor with his back to the bed, seemingly asleep.

  “Hey, wake up!” Lucian called, shaking Orn by the shoulder.

  Suddenly, Lucian backed away as if sensing something was going to happen, then Orn’s eyes shot open, and in a flash, his hand was around Lucian’s neck, who was unable to back away in time.

  Gasping, Lucian struggled, his face turning red. But as Orn’s awareness returned, his grip loosened.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Orn said quickly, releasing Lucian.

  Lucian fell to his knees, gasping for air. After a moment, he stood and glared at Orn.

  “What’s wrong with you?”

  “I already said I’m sorry,” Orn replied flatly. “Why are you here?”

  “Anach wants you downstairs,” Lucian said with a frown, clearly still annoyed.

  The two headed back to the main room together.

  When Orn and Lucian walked into the room, all eyes turned toward them. Ajax smirked and quipped, “Here he is, Mr. Sleepy.”

  Orn, unbothered, ignored the comment entirely, acting as if Ajax hadn’t spoken.

  “Now that everyone is here,” Anach began, pausing briefly to ensure he had everyone’s attention, “let me make something clear. I am not your teacher, and this is not a school. No one here will dictate how you should use your powers—whether for saving lives or taking them. What you’ll do here is pursue your own path to understanding the Age of Origin.

  “For the first year, however, things are different. You are not yet ready to go out into the world as successors. This first year is the only structured period you’ll have, and I’m here to guide you through it. During this time, you’ll learn how to fight with a weapon of your choice, as well as study general knowledge about successors and origins.”

  He paused to let the group absorb his words before continuing.

  “Once you complete this year, you’ll officially become Seekers—those who seek knowledge of the past, particularly the Age of Origin. Outside the Primordial Tower, Seekers are ranked into four tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Crystal.

  Bronze-ranked(Single-Fragment) Seekers have passed their first year and have one fragment awakened.

  Silver-ranked(Double-Fragment) Seekers have awakened their second fragment.

  Gold-ranked(Triple-Fragment) Seekers have reached their third fragment.

  Crystal-ranked(Quadruple-Fragment) Seekers are the rare few who have awakened all fragments.”

  Anach stopped again, scanning the room to gauge their reactions before switching topics.

  “Now that you understand the rankings, let’s move on to what you’ll be doing this year. You’ll start by choosing a department. In the Chaotic faction, there are two: Fighter and Scholar.

  The Fighter department focuses on physical skills—weapon techniques, war strategies, and combat training.

  The Scholar department focuses on research—history, politics, crafts, and nobility.”

  Anach glanced around the room. “In the first year, however, you’ll be doing a mix of both departments. You’ll only officially choose your department once you’ve completed the year and become a Seeker. For now, your task is to get dressed and prepare to choose your weapon.”

  Ajax stretched lazily as he stood from the couch, yawning dramatically. “Finally,” he muttered before heading to his room. Orn followed him.

  As they walked, Ajax glanced sideways at Orn and grinned. “Yo, Sleepy, what did you do to the Pomeranian?”

  Orn frowned at him in confusion before realizing who Ajax was referring to. “Nothing,” he said flatly.

  Ajax smirked knowingly. “If you say so,” he replied, looking straight ahead. Neither spoke again until they reached their rooms.

  ***

  Once everyone was ready, they gathered back downstairs.

  “Follow me,” Anach instructed, stepping outside. The group trailed behind him as he led them through the streets of the Chaotic faction’s region.

  They soon arrived at a massive building—far larger than the one they’d been assigned to. Anach stopped in front of it.

  “This is the Chaotic faction’s training sector,” he explained, gesturing toward the structure. “The left section is for fighters, and the right is for scholars.”

  They entered and Anach led them to a desk near the entrance, where a woman sat, scribbling notes. She looked up as they approached and broke into a wide grin.

  “Good to see you, Anach,” she said, her tone overly enthusiastic.

  “You too, Senna. How’s the work here been?” he replied.

  “Oh, you know... same old, same old,” Senna said with a dramatic sigh. Her eyes flicked to the group behind him, and her curiosity sparked. “So, who are these lovely people?”

  “They’re new members,” Anach answered. “I was assigned as their handler for this season.”

  “Ah, right. It’s about that time again,” Senna said with a knowing nod. “You’re here to show them around the training sector, right? Go on, then. If you need anything, you know where to find me—though I doubt you’ll need help.”

  “Thanks, Senna,” Anach said with a wave before turning back to the group. “Come on.”

  The seven recruits followed Anach deeper into the training sector

  Their first stop was the Fighter section, which featured both outdoor and indoor training grounds. Anach led the group to one of the private indoor rooms. The space was simple yet functional, with weapons of all kinds lining the walls—spears, daggers, bows, gauntlets, and more. The room was spacious enough for the group to move around comfortably.

  “Now, you will choose a weapon,” Anach began, his tone firm but instructive. “Take your time—this is an important decision. Weapons are a vital part of a Seeker’s journey. Most successors’ fragments don’t grant offensive abilities; their powers are usually auxiliary. Your weapon will often be your primary means of defense and attack.”

  Kassandra and the others surveyed the room, taking in the array of options before stepping forward to examine and test the weapons.

  The first weapon Kassandra tried was a short sword—80 centimeters in length, with a 20-centimeter handle and a double-edged blade. It was a simple, functional weapon. She swung it experimentally—left to right, right to left, diagonally—but her expression remained unsatisfied. She set it down and moved on.

  Next, she picked up a rapier. Its thin blade was designed for precision and piercing. She thrust it forward once, twice, thrice, but quickly decided it wasn’t for her either.

  Weapon after weapon passed through her hands. Swords, spears—she even tested a bow—but nothing felt quite right. Finally, after what felt like endless trial and error, she found something that intrigued her: a slender glaive.

  The glaive featured a long, thin hilt with a sharp blade shaped like a curved dagger. It was approximately 200 centimeters in total length, with the blade measuring 40 centimeters. Kassandra swung it a few times, testing its weight and balance. A small smile tugged at her lips—this one felt different.

  When Kassandra returned to Anach, she noticed that a few others had already finished selecting their weapons. Karis carried an enormous one-sided axe, its sheer size making it seem almost impractical for anyone less physically imposing. Lucian had chosen a small, elegant rapier that matched his refined demeanor. Asna swung a massive claymore with surprising ease, its weight seemingly no obstacle for her.

  The rest of the group trickled in over the next 10 to 15 minutes, each carrying their chosen weapon.

  “Good,” Anach said, his sharp gaze scanning the group. “Everyone has a weapon. This will be your partner for the first year, so treat it with care. Try not to lose it,” he warned.

  Before anyone could relax, Anach’s tone shifted, and his next announcement shocked several of them.

  “Now, everyone will spar against me,” he declared.

  A ripple of surprise passed through the group.