The Hall of Heroes slowly emptied.
Students flooded into the academy grounds, their conversations buzzing with excitement.
"The Tower of Echoes!"
"I heard no one has entered it in decades."
"My family’s records say it grants legendary relics."
"I just hope I survive."
Noah remained where he was.
His eyes stayed fixed on the seven empty pedestals.
The strange voice had vanished.
But the feeling...
Hadn’t.
Eric walked over.
"You coming?"
Noah blinked.
"Hm?"
"The cafeteria."
"You’ve been standing here for like five minutes."
Sophia appeared beside him.
"He’s thinking."
Eric laughed.
"I’ve noticed. He does that a lot."
Damien crossed his arms.
"He also attracts trouble."
"...Fair."
Even Luna allowed herself the smallest smile.
As they left the hall...
Professor Elena called out.
"Noah."
He stopped.
"The rest of you may go."
The others exchanged curious glances before walking away.
Soon...
Only Noah and Professor Elena remained.
She studied him carefully.
"The Commander..."
"...called you the Seventh Successor."
Noah kept his expression calm.
"I heard him."
"And?"
"I don’t know what he meant."
It wasn’t entirely a lie.
Elena sighed.
"I expected that answer."
She reached into her coat and produced the cracked mana crystal from the inspection.
"This crystal has never failed."
The crimson crack running through its center glowed faintly.
"It shattered because of you."
Noah looked at it but said nothing.
"I won’t force you to tell me your secrets."
She slipped the crystal back into her pocket.
"But listen carefully."
Her expression hardened.
"There are people in this academy who will smile at you while planning your funeral."
"And there are others..."
"...who would burn kingdoms just to protect you."
Noah frowned.
"Which one are you?"
A long silence followed.
Finally...
She smiled.
"I haven’t decided yet."
Then she walked away.
Leaving Noah with even more questions than before.
That evening...
The Tower of Echoes stood silently on the edge of the academy grounds.
Students weren’t allowed near it.
Powerful barriers surrounded the entrance.
Professors patrolled every path leading toward it.
Yet...
Someone was already inside.
Deep within the first floor...
An old caretaker slowly swept dust from the stone floor.
He looked completely ordinary.
Grey hair.
Simple robes.
Bent back.
Suddenly...
He stopped sweeping.
He turned toward the entrance.
A faint smile appeared.
"So..."
"The Seventh has arrived."
His cloudy eyes suddenly became crystal clear.
"The tower has finally awakened."
Around him...
Ancient gears hidden inside the walls began turning for the first time in a thousand years.
Stone statues opened their eyes.
Torches ignited with blue fire.
Far above...
Every floor of the Tower of Echoes began to glow.
Students across the academy looked up in shock.
"It wasn’t glowing before!"
"What changed?"
The Headmaster looked out from his office window.
His face remained unreadable.
"So it recognizes him..."
He whispered.
"Just as the prophecy said."
Meanwhile...
Noah sat alone in Room 117.
The black key rested on his desk.
Beside it lay the ancient book from the Archive.
For the first time...
A second page had appeared.
No longer blank.
Slowly...
Words began writing themselves across the parchment.
The First Throne is not inside the Tower.
The Tower is the gate.
Those who seek power will climb.
The one chosen by Ragnarok must descend.
Noah read the final sentence twice.
"...Descend?"
His room suddenly became colder.
A familiar voice echoed softly from the darkness.
"Good."
Seraphina stepped out from the hidden passage behind the bookshelf.
"You’ve reached the point..."
"...where the truth becomes dangerous."
She looked toward the Tower through the window.
"The academy believes tomorrow is an entrance exam."
She turned back to Noah.
"It isn’t."
"It’s an invitation."
"To what?" Noah asked.
Seraphina’s expression lost all warmth.
"To the place..."
"...where the First Successor disappeared."