The City of Dreams is a place known throughout the world, famous for its magical attractions along with the fact that it's the capital city that houses the royal family. Besides being the home of human Royals; the city of dreams hosts an annual competition consisting of various people sent from all over Xodale to compete for the 39 seats on the boat to the Grand Line.
This competition determined your family's social standing in Xodale; pass and your family moved to the city of dreams most excellent facilities, and you'll be given the title of noble but fail, and you'll remain a dog, lower than the dirt beneath nobles feet. That is why every child is groomed from birth to surpass the human limits, but some rather than all give up and turn to darker means to make their children stronger.
And as you can guess this result isn't always favourable to the child, yet human greed can be a strange and devious thing, it completely consumes the soul making it crave nothing but power and riches; that is what makes us weak. It's what makes us look pathetic to all those watching because we are so easily swayed by non-sensual objects that we throw away what little pride we have. That is why the number never reaches 39
Since the years that they started allowing humans to attend The Academy the highest number of seats for humans to hold has been 10. Before that record was set barely two have managed to step on the Poseidon, a boat able to withstand the rough waters of the grand line, and this year nobody thought it was going to be any different. That's why even though the children had fresh and hopeful faces, the spectators including the judges couldn't help but feel pity, some of the children here were barely into their teens, and they would have to face the harsh reality that is The Test.
Even though they pitied these children, they could help but marvel at a selected few. You usually would see those who tried to put up a false facade of bravery; trying to seem different from the others and hoping to catch the attention of someone powerful, because that's what it all comes down to in the end. Those who don't have power won't make it in this world, and they all knew it.
Above the plaza, in a high building positioned conveniently over the contestants, a pair of eyes with an eerie look in them couldn't help but marvel at a selected few individuals who caught his attention. In a far corner, a little ways away from the crowd stood a boy with jet black, straight hair that gently hung over a bored face.
Eyes brighter than the blue sky stared almost annoyingly at nothing high over his head. He had creamy skin that complemented his all-black outfit donned with belts and pockets which were full of; from what he could tell they were hidden weapons covered by a black cloak, but it was impossible to hide anything from his eyes. Thus the figure and his extremely keen eyes looked at all the amusing children that would make his time less of a bore than it already was, beside the boy in black, there were six more others that he found wishing the crowd of flesh that was at least remotely interesting.
He was able to discern their strengths as well as their weaknesses immediately. However, just as he was about to go back to his previous position of sleeping and not giving a damn about this stupid show; his eyes passed over a petite and delicate figure sitting on the fountain. The man didn't know how he missed her before, but now that his eyes had found her he found himself not being able to look away.
It was like nothing he'd ever felt; his blood heated like a raging volcano that was about to erupt, his palms covered in sweat, and no matter how many times he tried wiping it his sweat glands wouldn't cease but just as he was about to move towards the girl.
The feeling suddenly stopped, like a bucket of cold water was poured on him, his blood pressure returned to normal, the sweat on his palms evaporated, and nothing transmitted in his mind but darkness and a faint, unrecognizable figure with flaming red hair.
⌬ ⌬
"Master, there seems to be an Earth Realm cultivator hidden in this area," said a low soft voice
"And?"
"Of course, as your loyal subject I was able to hide your majestic presence Master " the voice replied proudly. If one could see him, you would see a tail wagging back and forth and ears erect and alert as if he was a dog awaiting his master's praise, yet no matter how long he waited for, nothing but silence greeted him. It took about 5 minutes for him to realize that the woman who he was waiting for had shut him out, blocking their telepathic link and leaving him in nothing but darkness.
On the other side of the telepathic link was a smooth-skinned, platinum-haired girl with a rosy smile, her attention wasn't on the pouting dog that was currently drawing imaginary circles on the ground but on a certain boy with rimmed glasses.
The last time she saw him was three years ago in that cursed forest; the boy was currently sitting underneath a tree staring at an object in his palms with a complicated expression on his face.
Kia had said a tearful and emotional goodbye to his family, back at the station in Port City; about three days away from his small little village. Before his departure, his father gave him something that he never knew even existed in Xodale; he only knew that these types of items were found in The Void.
In his hands lay a small silver ring, though simple in the design it excluded faint magical energy that only the contractor could feel. This magical energy was designed to block unwanted eyes that could see past flesh and into your soul, discerning you're level in terms of cultivation and your soul power, which was a massive violation of privacy to any cultivator.
That was why almost everyone that can be found in the void is wearing some form of shackle that suppresses your soul power and hides it from peering eyes, like the man above the city square, who hadn't noticed the boy with the rimmed glasses. 𝘪𝘧 the man had looked under the large evergreen oak tree, and 𝘪𝘧 Kia didn't have the ring then he would have seen a raging red fire hidden deep inside his soul, he would have seen a monster that shouldn't be awakened just waiting for the right time to pounce.
What Lee had subconsciously done that day in the forest had changed Kai's life forever, and hers as well for this boy would be someone who will change the course of the world and make her hold the title Queen again