The Evolution of Mana Echoes

Ch 3 - Pt 1 The Great Sage's Castle

The path up Sigil Mountain felt much shorter than Tyda expected. His legs moved forward on their own, carrying him without feeling tired. Maybe it was pure excitement. Maybe it was just that his mind was too busy to settle down.

The huge castle grew bigger with every step they took. It stood high above the mountain, looking like something that had existed long before any kingdoms or cities were ever built. Its old stone walls reached toward the sky, covered in carvings so ancient that no one could read them anymore.

Behind Tyda, Bren and the rest walked in quiet silence. No one was joking or complaining. For once, even Rona had nothing to say.

The closer they got, the heavier the air around them felt.

Teacher Long walked at the front, never slowing his pace. He moved as calmly as if he was just taking a walk through the village fields. Eventually, the whole group came to a stop right in front of the main entrance.

Tyda’s eyes went wide.

The castle gates were already open. The doors were so large that even the biggest trees looked small next to them. Thick iron hinges held them in place, covered in rust from hundreds of years of rain and wind.

“Well,” Tyda said with a grin. “Looks like they are expecting us.”

“Can you try to act normal for at least five minutes?” Bren muttered beside him.

Tyda laughed. “No promises.”

The eight students stepped through the doorway. The moment Tyda crossed the threshold, his smile faded.

It wasn’t from fear.

It was from surprise.

The great hall was packed. Completely packed. He looked from one side to the other. People were everywhere. Dozens and dozens of them. More and more kept appearing as he looked deeper into the room.

Slowly, Tyda realized there were more than a hundred people gathered inside the castle.

His heart skipped a beat.

“That’s… a lot,” Bren said, sounding just as shocked.

“So many people…” Maya froze in place beside them.

“I thought there would only be a few from nearby villages and towns,” Judy whispered. “I never imagined it would be this crowded.”

The whole hall was filled with young men and women around their age. Some wore fine clothes marked with family symbols. Others had armor that shone like mirrors. Some stood tall and steady, looking like trained soldiers. A few looked like nobles who had never done a hard day’s work in their lives.

The sound of hundreds of conversations bounced off the stone walls.

All these people came here for the same reason?

Tyda thought to himself.

The world is much bigger than I ever realized.

His eyes shifted toward the front of the hall. Rows of fine chairs stood on both sides, separated from the crowd by an empty space no one dared step across. Those seats were already filled.

Not by people taking the test.

By members of the great guilds.

Important ones, too.

They sat there watching the crowd closely. Some looked relaxed, arms crossed, smiling as if they were just watching a show. Others studied every new arrival with sharp, careful eyes.

Tyda understood right away. These were scouts. The guilds were here to find new talent.

Six guilds were represented. The strongest six across the entire Eastern Continent. Just having them there made the air feel heavier, as if an invisible weight was pressing down on everyone’s shoulders.

Mixed in with the crowd were also young people from royal and noble families. Tyda noticed expensive marks sewn onto their clothes, made with gold thread and silver clasps. Some wore jewelry worth more than everything in his whole village put together. A few carried themselves with the confidence of people who had never had to struggle for anything. Others clearly came from military lines, the children of commanders and famous warriors.

People who had spent their whole lives preparing for this exact moment.

Tyda stared at them.

Then slowly…

A grin spread across his face.

A wide one.

And a little dangerous.

“Oh no,” Bren said immediately.

“What?” Maya asked, looking confused.

Bren pointed toward Tyda. “Look at him.”

The others turned their heads.

Tyda was trembling. But not from fear. It was from excitement. His smile grew bigger and bigger until it showed all his teeth.

Hehe…

This is getting really interesting.

I never thought there would be this many people.

My heart won’t slow down. Why is it beating so fast?

My head feels empty, but my body won’t stop shaking.

I’m more excited than I’ve ever been.

Suddenly—

“ALRIGHT!!! LET’S GET STARTED!!”

His voice boomed through the hall.

Every single conversation stopped instantly. More than a hundred heads turned toward him. Complete silence filled the room. Tyda stood there with both fists raised, his blue hair messy from the climb up the mountain, and his grin stretching across his whole face.

The crowd stared. Some looked confused. Others were shocked. A few looked annoyed.

Bren quickly grabbed Tyda’s face with both hands. “Tyda! Lower your voice! That is so embarrassing!”

“What?” Tyda asked, pulling away.

“Pipe down!”

Rona covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know this idiot.”

“You absolutely do know me,” Tyda said, laughing.

“I wish I didn’t,” Rona replied.

Soft whispers started spreading through the crowd. Tyda ignored every single one. His eyes locked onto the large throne at the far end of the hall.

That was where the Great Sage sat.

An old man. Very old. Long white hair fell down his back, and his beard reached almost to his waist. He wore simple white robes that covered his thin frame. But even with his age, no one could look away from him. Just his presence alone quieted the loud, excited thoughts in Tyda’s head.

Tyda took a step forward. Then another.

“Great Sage!”

The whole hall looked at him again. Bren almost wanted to hide behind a pillar. “Please stop talking so much.”

Tyda pointed straight toward the throne. “I don’t care what kind of mana I get!”

The whispers grew louder.

“Even if I get the weakest type, I will make it strong enough to stand above everyone else!”

Several people stared at him. A few laughed. Tyda raised both arms into the air.

“SO BRING IT ON!”

Whispers and comments filled the room.

“Who is that guy?”

“Is he being serious?”

“He has way too much confidence.”

“Which village did he come from?”

Near the front rows, a young man with messy blond hair watched with clear irritation. He wore a red tunic with pieces of armor attached, and the way he sat and moved showed he was from a noble family. His jaw tightened.

“Tch.” His face turned dark. “What a fool.”

Next to him sat a woman with long brown hair. She wore a loose white tunic. Unlike the blond man, she looked amused.

“Interesting,” she said with a small smile. “Some people really jump right in without thinking first.”

The blond man crossed his arms. “He is just full of himself.”

“Maybe,” the woman replied, still watching Tyda. “I wonder what he will do once reality catches up to him.”