My name is Magnus Apollyon Van Tarsus Edward Lawless Kingsley, but you can call me Magnus K for short. Most people refer to me as Grandpa or Old Geezer. Personally, I dislike that nickname; I'm only 42 years old! They call me that mainly because of my white hair, which makes me seem older than I am, and I can't really blame them. From the moment I was born, I've always had white hair and a mustache. Heck, my parents even claimed I had a well-developed set of abs!
I think they're exaggerating, so take that last part with a grain of salt. Ah, what a nice day it is! The air is clean, there are no senseless massacres happening, and the hot sun is shining brightly in the sky. Although, perhaps it's a bit too hot. It would be perfect if I didn't have to walk all this distance in the middle of nowhere.
As the leader of the only, possibly the only, group of non-synergist guilds in the world, I can confirm this is an average day's experience—except this time, I'm doing it alone.
If you're wondering why I'm in this predicament, casually strolling through the desert without food or water, it's quite a long story. A few days ago, my overly ambitious vice captain managed to break his sephiric wall and become a synergist after acquiring an astral stone. Since then, he has been far too daring, going against my orders countless times.
A leader cannot afford to be weak, but honestly, it's exhausting to compete with a junior. Normally, I would ignore him, but if I don't do something about it, I risk allowing him to take control of the entire guild. With his ambitious nature, I know he might actually try to shift from being the neighborhood-friendly, community-helping menial task guild to competing with actual synergists.
As a leader, I shouldn't allow that to happen. That's why I'm here. According to rumors, he found the astral stone in this desert, and since astral stones form in pairs, it likely isn't the only one. So, I'm testing my luck.
I've been walking for hundreds of kilometers. I'm tired and thirsty. The sun is too hot, and with the way I'm sweating, I might die from dehydration any moment now. I've been walking in circles; this desert is vast, and all I see for hundreds of meters are small rocks, cacti, and scattered debris stretching on and on. I'm not sure if I should stop; after all, an elderly person like me shouldn't. I've been going through all this stress. Compared to my mates and even younger people, I've always had exceptional stamina and overall physical attributes. Even in my youth, I displayed an absurd level of physical prowess for someone my age. It's a shame I couldn't break through my sephiric walls and open my mana veins. Any synergist could easily fly over here or use their abilities to scan the area, avoiding all this pointless wandering. Me? I just have to walk and hope for the best.
Another two hours passed, and my feet were sore. My thighs would soon begin to spasm from the intense pain, but I continued moving forward until I reached a mountain range. I walked around for some time before I could go on no longer.
I collapsed at the edge of a cave as my legs gave out on me. With no food or water, it was pointless to keep moving. Now I don't even know how I'll get back. It's very likely that in this wilderness, no one will come to get me. Meanwhile Jack, my vice captain would be having the laugh of his life; this would be his perfect opportunity to take control of the guild. Ah, damn it. It was my fault for listening to rumors. Now that I think about it, why did I go on this journey in the first place? Perhaps it was because I didn't want Jack Quie to succeed or because I couldn't stand the humiliation that has bothered me all these years. Whichever it was, it doesn't really matter now. I might as well die here without a proper barrier or anyone by my side. But at least I tried.
I closed my eyes as I waited for the new day. However, in the next moment, a bright light flashed in my eyes, forcing me to open them. I looked to my side and saw the source of the light coming from the deeper parts of the cave. It was a bright pink glow, and I was shocked as I turned to face it. I knew that when astral stones were born, they would create an electric current in the atmosphere and release a brilliant light of color. Could this be an astral stone? This was my only chance to find out.
I immediately pulled myself together and began crawling toward the edge of the cave. I pushed deeper and deeper, exhausted, as a bright light assaulted my eyes. I covered them with my hand, waiting for the light to fade. When it finally dissolved, I saw it: a pink quartz shining between two rocks, emitting a pinkish glow. My eyes widened. It really was here, An astral stone!