Chapter 7: Go To The Magic Association
Raiden's eyes sparkled with unbridled enthusiasm as he delved into the endless possibilities of creating new techniques. His imagination ran wild, leading him to discover small yet mind-blowing innovations.
A hundred meters ahead stood a massive tree, its trunk a perfect target. Raiden raised his right hand, index finger pointing straight at the sturdy bark. The air around his fingertip vibrated, materializing into a stable, hovering ice projectile.
With perfect control, he channeled energy in an impeccable ratio. Waves of silvery-blue lightning began enveloping the ice bullet, creating a breathtaking harmony—two opposing elements united without destroying each other.
"So this is what elemental duality harmonization feels like," Raiden muttered in awe. His gaze remained fixed on his creation—an ice projectile now glowing brilliantly, wrapped in pulsating silvery-blue lightning arcs brimming with power.
Slowly, he straightened his right arm. Eyes narrowed, focusing his aim with deadly precision. In the next instant, the projectile shot forth like a meteor—a silvery-blue streak of light splitting the air, leaving a trail of sparkles in its wake.
In an immeasurable fraction of time, the lightning-wrapped ice bullet perfectly pierced its target tree trunk. The impact was insane—a clean hole formed while secondary effects spread rapidly. The area around the hole instantly froze, thin ice crystals creeping like spider webs.
Simultaneously, the silvery-blue lightning encasing the bullet exploded with devastating force. Electric sparks lashed out in all directions, jumping from tree to tree. An unnatural silvery-blue flame ignited, devouring leaves and branches at a terrifying speed.
The projectile continued its path, penetrating several more tree trunks before finally shattering against the last one. The uniqueness of the attack was evident—the shot-through trees remained standing with clean holes through their trunks, but the surrounding area became a battleground of two elements.
The silvery-blue flames consumed everything perfectly, vaporizing trees without leaving ash—a sign of extreme temperature combustion. Meanwhile, the ice-coated trunk sections remained intact, protected from the fire's fury by the frozen shield created by Raiden's projectile.
"Amazing!" An exhilarated shout burst from Raiden's lips, a bright smile adorning his face. His first success in creating a simple offensive magic technique made his heart overflow with pride.
Lysandra and Calista stepped closer, appreciating his first achievement. In the eyes of both women, Raiden's vast yet structured imagination was the key to his success in creating a new technique on his first try.
"The day's getting late. We should head back to the estate," Lysandra said softly while patting her son's shoulder. Her slender fingers grasped Raiden's right hand, leading him toward a dimensional portal that suddenly appeared several meters before them.
With Lysandra as the guide, Raiden stepped into the portal, followed by Calista walking right behind them.
In the blink of an eye, the scenery morphed into the luxurious interior of the building they'd left before dimension-hopping.
Upon reaching the front yard, a group of female holy knights was already waiting. One of them stepped forward, bowing respectfully before delivering her greeting with utmost elegance.
"Seraphina, long time no see. Where've you been?" Raiden greeted warmly, curiosity lacing his voice.
Seraphina von Emberstone - a stunning adult woman with long red hair and bright pink gem-like irises - was one of the strongest holy knights of the Heliosbane family. Her position as the vice supreme commander of the holy knights wasn't without reason.
Like the color of her hair, she was blessed with unique crimson fire elemental magic. Her fiery character, cruel and brutal when facing enemies, naturally transformed into grace and calm before Raiden - purely of her own volition.
"Good afternoon, Young Master. I hope your magical awakening has been successful. Seeing your cheerfulness, it seems everything went smoothly," Seraphina said in a soft, feminine voice. "Last week, my team and I received a Conquest mission in a neighboring country, which is why I couldn't meet you."
Raiden nodded gently, his hand reaching out to stroke her hair with affection, like a father channeling love to his daughter.
"Well done. You're truly my best holy knight," Raiden praised softly, a charming smile gracing his face.
Seraphina closed her eyes, savoring the touch with a blooming heart. Behind her proud, cool, and cruel persona, before Raiden, she was just a little kitten craving her master's affection.
The other holy knights showed no surprise at their leader's shy expression. Instead, they secretly smiled, a tinge of envy creeping into each of their hearts.
Observing the line of elegant jeeps belonging to the holy knights, Raiden turned his gaze to his mother. "Mom, why are we bringing this many holy knights? Where are we heading?"
"To the Magic Association, to register your magic user license," Lysandra answered softly. "Although our family isn't bound by any rules, the Magic Association is an effective means to spread the news of your magical awakening to the whole world in a credible way."
Raiden nodded understandingly at his mother's explanation. As the heir to the illustrious Heliosbane family, renowned for their brilliant achievements in the magical community, news of his awakening would swiftly dispel any lingering doubts.
The Holy Knights opened the doors of the luxurious limousine parked amid the line of jeeps. They ushered Raiden, his mother, and aunt inside. Seraphina took her position in the front seat, next to the driver, who was also a Holy Knight.
"Move out, everyone!" Seraphina extended her right hand out the window, commanding with unmistakable authority.
The Holy Knights, each stationed in their respective jeeps, fired up their engines in perfect sync. The vehicles moved in tight formation, escorting the limousine toward the Magic Association in the capital.
This impressive convoy traversed the immaculate, well-ordered streets of Empyrean Metropolis, drawing varied reactions from nearby residents.
Empyrean Metropolis - the magnificent city that stood as the world's largest economic hub. Nearly every major corporation had established their headquarters here. Eco-friendly factories lined up neatly in designated zones on the city outskirts. With a population surpassing 37 million, this metropolis stood firm as the second most densely populated city globally.
As the capital of the Sovereign States of Arcania - one of the world's three superpowers - Empyrean Metropolis embodied progress itself. Magic, evolved since ancient times, had become inseparable from society's fabric. This integration was further reinforced by various technologies developed by gifted magic users to simplify ordinary citizens' lives.
Major industries' dependence on magic users was inevitable. Nevertheless, there were always extremist activist groups opposing their existence.
These extremists believed magic users had corrupted the natural social order of human development. Yet their propaganda always sparked controversy, given the numerous renowned magic users who had brought positive change to the world.
On the flip side, radical organizations harboring rogue magic users kept emerging, spreading chaos wherever they operated. Each year, incidents involving these shadowy radical organizations never failed to make headlines.
Fortunately, thanks to the crucial role of the Seven Supreme Sorcerer Clans, various disasters and incidents involving magic use could be minimized, if not completely neutralized.
And the Heliosbane Family stood proudly as one of these Seven Supreme Sorcerer Clans.