Mage Graduation

Today marked one of the most important marks in thousands if not hundreds of thousands of youths' lives. 

The day when one awakens their Magical Core talent and officially steps into a realm where they can control Magical energy!

It was at this time that a lively atmosphere, filled with the bustling hopes and dreams of many people young and old was observed by a youth whose calm expression was rare to see among the bustling, massive crowd. 

This youth stood slightly more secluded than others, actually having the ability to find a lone spot in the massive field he was currently waiting in. 

On a day filled with happiness, excitement for the future, or a serious drive for their life, this youth just calmly studied the roaring excitement. 

He didn't look anything out of the ordinary. Simply had decent enough looks to fit in with the crowd, wore nice enough clothes that highlighted his good features, and stood with a sense of confidence. 

This young man was named Ervin, a youth who had just recently graduated from the standard academy and officially became a world-renowned mage. 

Many thoughts were swirling around in Ervin's head. As he looked around with a slightly bored gaze, he thought to himself, 'Everything should go as planned. Though a better talent would be better, I can work with what I have.'

Before he could continue on, an excited voice broke Ervin out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Ervin! I knew someone so focused like you would become a Mage!" A decent-looking young man along with his friends had happened to pass by Ervin and the decent-looking young man had called out to Ervin.

Ervin's lips curled into a polite smile, waved at them, and spoke in the same hopeful tone. "I'm glad to see you all became Mages. Hope to finally make a difference in our city."

"Mn. All of us the same way." The young man and his friends waved back as they walked along with jubilant excitement. 

Ervin was smiling on the outside. But internally, there was nothing but pure indifference over that interaction. He doesn't even remember that young man's name.

However, he can share that young man's excitement over becoming a Mage. 

Anyone in today's society is born with magical genes that allow them to have magical veins throughout their bodies. These magical veins developed until the point they could withstand absorbing the magical essence flowing throughout the air.

This process typically takes eighteen years, in which young children go off to academies to learn the fundamentals of Magics if they can become a Mage. 

But of course, in the off chance one cannot awaken their Magical Core talent, the academy requires all students to learn some sort of mortal field so they can still have a job in the future. 

Most of the time, nobody wanted to be a simple average mortal. Their opportunities are far limited and they're nowhere near as respected as the common Mage.

A Mage holds power beyond the common man, can do a variety of things that make technology and medicine completely obsolete and is heavily depended on by thousands of others.

Such a rich offering, it is impossible for even the most stone hearted to not feel temptation.

It is easy to tell if one has some sort of talent to become a Mage even before the talent-awakening day. That is if they can at least comprehend enough of the Magical energy in the air to absorb it into the magical veins, which then gives anyone the ability to control a small amount of Mana energy.

Mana is what anyone converts from Magical essence permeating the air to use. Ervin is one of many who managed to begin controlling their Mana even before graduation day.

On graduation day, all students undergo a ritual that flows higher Mana power through their magical veins to stimulate their Magical Core, if they have one.

If one does have one, then once their Magical Core awakens, they will then step into the first realm of Mages, the Novice Mage realm.

If there's no Magical Core, then that person is destined to barely have any control over Mana because they lacked the Magical Core. The Magical Core awakening is what evolves anyone's mortal mind into having a Magical Sense, allowing them to advance down on the Magical Paths.

Numerous plans were already flowing through Ervin's mind. But for this moment, he focused himself on studying the massive field that had thousands of other Mage graduates. 

As Ervin's silky black hair flapped from the incoming wind, he watched on particular group of young adults cheerfully laughing with an older protector overseeing them. 

Their voices were loud and rowdy as one would expect from just becoming a Mage. Ervin could clearly hear one of the group's conversations by straining his magical focus. 

"Hahaha! Thank the light gods I can be a Fire Mage!" A wistful young man of the group cheerfully pumped his fists high into the sky. "Among all professions, Fire Mages are still in considerable demand. And, best of all, I don't have to go down the combat profession."

"Same." A friend right beside the young man vigorously nodded his head. "Being a combat mage does look so glorious and kind of fun. But, man, I actually want to live my life! I don't want to potentially lose my life or be bogged down with all that extra stress crap. I got enough stress going on right now." 

"There's that. And those scary events that just always occur. I especially don't want to be an enforcer who has to deal with the Heavy Black Mist. Just gives me shiver even thinking about it." A young woman beside them spoke with a relieved expression. 

This was the versatility of being able to become a Mage. If one's talent is high enough, numerous doors in life become open to them. 

Of course, this still means one has to put in the work if they want to make anything of their life. 

The older man who was overseeing this group lightly sighed and shook his head. "Look, kids. No matter what you do, do not ever take being a Mage so lightly. We all still have responsibilities to uphold to be good people in society. Do not ever forget that." 

His words did cause some to seriously nod. But many others were too enthralled in their thoughts to truly care.

Ervin silently regarded this group. Everyone there has a red-level of Magical Talent just like him. They will be able to move through the realms of magic and have the ability to study other magical paths on a deeper level due to the abilities their Magical Talent provides. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Ervin gazed over to a group of youths with much more somber expressions. 

They all have the lowest level of Magical Talent possible. The white-color level. 

Compared to the Non-Mages, their choices in life weren't necessarily so limited. But the amount of work they would need to put in to actually live will be double, if not, triple the amount of any red-level Magical Talent. 

The elder of this group took notice of everyone's somber expressions. 

The elder in question was an older-looking woman. But her face was gentle, the smile curling her cute face looked so welcoming, inviting anyone to stare deep into her eyes. 

The light rippling from her clear eyes captured nearby attention, forcing them all to look at the ball of warmth her face was exuding. 

She spoke in a warm, yet firm tone. "I know everyone here wished to at least have a red-level of talent. And you may think you're far below everyone else. However, do remember that the number of red-talent Mages that actually become enforces is only half. Many simply decide to take a more simple way out to live. Those who are white-talent, do not think that becoming an Enforcer is just your best option to make a living. Enforcers help keep peace and order in our city. We help create an environment so we all can peacefully live our lives. We are what the average person needs, do not ever forget that."

"Yea...yea! That's right!" By the end of the elder's speech, many across the crowd were influenced by her words. 

Eagerness to actually make a difference flowed many of them. They all could feel a spark of determination to actually make something of the life they were given. 

Although, they were still a considerable amount in the crowd still unsure if that line of work was what they wanted to do with themselves. 

Among all Magical Talents, white and red were by far the most common. It wasn't an exaggeration to say hundreds of thousands become either white or red Mage and even more fail to awaken their Magical Core at all. 

But these types of people weren't what Ervin was truly looking for. He was watching for the Mages that stood directly above them all. The people who have far greater and better options to live their lives. 

'Alright...there they are!' Ervin's eyes mysteriously glinted. His lips tugged at a strange smile. Among all the people here, one person whom he never interacted with or really cared about, sparked great interest within him.

His attention stayed focused on an earnest young man. 

This young man whose face held a hint of naivety but whose eyes burned with determination was walking over towards the person that stayed on his mind for nearly his entire time in the standard academy. 

His calm walk forward started to get noticed by the other surrounding graduates. 

"Hey, hey! Looks like Robert is trying to impress Miss Caryla again. Wonder how he'll fail this time." 

"I'll give the guy this, he sure is persistent even after being given such unreasonable demands. I would've called it quits." 

No matter what was being said, Robert did not stop his walk. 

The one the other referred to as Miss Caryla was a maiden nobody would be able to forget. She was truly elegant, every small action she did was like a princess of noble birth. 

The faint smile curling on her beautiful face showcased how calm she typically is, but also welcoming enough to talk with others. 

One wouldn't feel a sense of inferiority. But a sense of longing. That getting close to Miss Caryla would be the ultimate dream for both men and women. 

Miss Caryla was currently talking with some other good-looking young women. But when spotted Robert walking up to them, she held her hand to stop their conversations. 

The two other young women looked like they had something to say but held their tongues. 

"Robert. I hope you come with good news." Miss Caryla spoke with a calming smile. 

This seemed like the typical lover chase Ervin had seen numerous times before. He truly wouldn't care about this if it was anyone else.

But these two had something that he desperately needed if he ever wanted to truly step into the Magical Paths. 

At this time, Robert didn't even speak. His smile was wide as it could be. He swiftly took out a beautifully carved badge that faintly glimmered in the sunny light. 

The appearance of this badge caused many around Robert to audibly gasped. 

But Robert wasn't done yet. His other hands began to glisten in intense, fiery red light. The heat massively surged all around him. Beautiful rays of red light whirled out of his palm, glimmering across the air. 

Robert's presence changed. A sensation rippled out of his body. It made other graduates tremble, forcing them to hurriedly scurry backward.

They all stared in absolute awe at the mass of swirling flames hovering straight above Robert's palm. The sensation whirling out of his body was the dominating pressure of Magical Power!

Even the most physically fit youth there felt absolutely inferior to the current Robert. 

Robert had his head held up high as he proudly said, "You see Carly. Even as a Yellow-level Mage, not only was able to achieve Small Success in the Frantic Fire Storm Art, but I was also still able to overcome the Advanced Mage test! And above all, I used the ritual early in the morning to awaken my core, achieve the Small Success stage and pass the Mage test. Now, I will ask again. Will you go out with me?" 

"Wow! This guy actually finished that test and actually understood a Noble Mage Art?!"

"That badge can't be get anywhere else and his family publicly gave that art in front of the entire news...he really did everything! His potential is higher than all of us!" 

The other graduates couldn't help but feel amazed at such crowning achievements. 

Even the elders took serious notice of Robert. One of them openly murmured, "Passing the Advanced Mage Test? Already reaching the Small Success stage? Going by the standards, his magic energy control is great to the point he can easily wield any Common Mage Arts. His thinking of situations is in-depth, good enough to favor greatly in combat. And his reaction time in a death situation must be quick. He will be a great Enforcer!" 

The other elders couldn't help but nod at this assessment. Another one said, "That boy is nearly the same as Miss Hill. The Reid Family is only slightly weaker than the Hills. And Caryla herself had also comprehended a Noble Grade Art to the Small Success stage. Mn. They have quite a bright future."

Out of everyone here, Ervin was quite eager for his own reasons. Specifically, the fact that Robert and Caryla own Noble Mage Art. 

Any Mage Art is fantastic to have. Before Noble, there is the first one Common, then Nascent, and then Noble Mage Arts.

Both Common and Nascent Mage arts can't ever compare to even the lowest Noble Mage Art.

A Noble Mage Art will increase the rate a Mage can absorb Magical Essence and their magical perception abilities by at least fifty times! 

And fifty times was just the baseline for low-grade Noble Arts. It only increases with higher-graded Noble Mage Arts. 

Naturally, Noble Mage Arts can't just be accessed by anyone. Only wealthy families with stars next to their names are powerful enough with enough resources to give Noble Mage Arts to their descendants.

Robert comes from the one-star Reid Family. And Caryla also comes from a one-star Hill Family. It was only that the Hill Family had been around for slightly longer, allowing them to be slightly stronger than the Reids. 

Unless one is also from a one-star Family, nobody should even think about messing with people from Star Families. That was only asking for chaotic trouble. 

But Ervin knew today would be his only day to ever gain a chance of scoring two Noble Mage Arts. He didn't care about the higher forces. And he had a good feeling his chance would be realized. 

At this time, Miss Caryla ignored the distracting words. She stared into the depths of Robert's eyes and said, "Come meet me later." 

"She actually agreed?!" An uproar began to stir among the other graduates. 

Ervin gained a genuine small smile that went completely unnoticed.