For the remainder of the day...
The mountain range never seemed to grow closer.
It dominated the horizon like an ancient wall separating two worlds.
Snow crowned its highest peaks despite the warmth below.
Waterfalls descended from impossible heights, feeding rivers that disappeared into the valleys.
Mira stared in amazement.
"I've never seen mountains this tall."
The elderly Beast Tamer smiled.
"They're called the Sacred Peaks."
"Not because they're worshipped..."
"But because they've stood here longer than any kingdom or empire."
---
As the caravan drew nearer...
The road widened once more.
Travelers from every direction merged onto the King's Road.
There were noble convoys escorted by armored guards.
Independent Wanderers traveling alone.
Merchant caravans carrying rare goods.
Even monks in simple gray robes walked with steady, unhurried steps.
Everyone...
Regardless of status...
Was heading toward the same destination.
---
Late in the afternoon...
The caravan rounded a bend.
Darius raised his hand.
"We've arrived."
The applicants hurried forward.
Even the usually calm Ronan unconsciously quickened his pace.
Kieran stepped onto a rocky overlook.
Then...
He saw it.
Nestled within a vast valley at the foot of the Sacred Peaks...
Stood a city unlike anything he had ever imagined.
Massive walls of pale stone encircled it.
Countless towers rose above tiled rooftops.
Wide avenues stretched from gate to gate.
Bridges crossed sparkling canals that wound through different districts.
The city itself was enormous.
Yet...
It was overshadowed by what stood beyond it.
High against the mountainside...
As though carved into the very cliffs...
Rose the Grand Academy.
Its white buildings blended seamlessly with the mountain.
Ancient stairways climbed toward halls hidden among the clouds.
Great waterfalls flowed beneath stone bridges connecting one section of the Academy to another.
Training grounds occupied broad terraces.
Towering pagodas overlooked the entire valley.
At the highest point...
A solitary structure stood above everything else.
It was so distant that its details couldn't be seen.
Yet simply looking at it filled many with awe.
No one spoke.
Even the wind seemed quieter.
---
"...Is that..."
Mira whispered.
"The Grand Academy."
Darius finished.
His usually stern face carried a hint of pride.
"For over three thousand years..."
"It has stood there."
"It has witnessed the rise and fall of empires."
"It has taught kings."
"It has guided sages."
"And it has buried fools."
---
Kieran remained silent.
He wasn't looking at the grand halls.
Nor the waterfalls.
Nor the magnificent architecture.
His gaze rested upon the highest tower.
For reasons he couldn't explain...
It felt...
Familiar.
Not in memory.
But in feeling.
As though something there was quietly waiting.
The sensation vanished as quickly as it had come.
---
The caravan descended toward the city.
As they approached the main gate...
Its scale became even more apparent.
The gate alone stood nearly thirty meters high.
Imperial soldiers inspected every traveler with disciplined efficiency.
Above the entrance, carved into the white stone, were four ancient characters.
Academy City.
No empire's crest accompanied them.
No noble insignia.
Only those words.
Ronan noticed Kieran studying them.
"The city belongs to the Academy."
"Not the Empire."
Kieran looked surprised.
"The Empire allows that?"
Ronan nodded.
"My master once told me..."
"The Academy existed before the Gardenia Empire."
"And if the Empire ever disappeared..."
"The Academy would still remain."
Kieran quietly absorbed those words.
Just how ancient...
Was this place?
---
After passing through the gates...
The caravan entered streets filled with life unlike anywhere Kieran had seen before.
Robes of every color.
Languages from distant provinces.
Beasts both common and exotic walked beside their masters.
Shops displayed rare ores, spirit herbs, enchanted scrolls, and countless unfamiliar items.
Children practiced sword forms in public squares.
Old scholars debated beneath tea houses.
Cultivators sparred openly in designated arenas while curious crowds watched.
No one found it unusual.
In Academy City...
Cultivation was part of everyday life.
---
Darius led the caravan to a large Guild residence reserved for Academy applicants.
"You'll remain here until registration begins in three days."
"Do not cause trouble."
"And remember..."
He looked at every applicant in turn.
"The Academy examines more than talent."
"Even now..."
"You are being watched."
Several applicants instinctively looked around.
They saw nothing.
Darius merely smiled.
"Good."
"If you can't tell who's watching..."
"Then neither can those who intend you harm."
---
That night...
Kieran stood on the balcony outside his room.
The Sacred Peaks loomed beneath a sky filled with countless stars.
Far above...
The Grand Academy was illuminated by soft golden lights that resembled stars resting upon the mountains themselves.
He placed a hand upon the wooden pendant around his neck.
"I've arrived."
Though Crystal could not hear him...
He spoke as if she were standing beside him.
"I'll do my best."
A cool mountain breeze answered.
Hidden somewhere within the Academy...
An elderly man paused in the middle of reading a scroll.
His eyes drifted toward the Guild residence below.
For a fleeting moment...
He frowned.
Then smiled.
"Interesting..."
He sensed nothing specific.
Only the faint feeling that this year's new students...
Might bring unexpected changes.
End of Chapter 65