CHAPTER 323: HE IS THE LIGHT

"Alright, let go."

Silvanus suddenly spoke, startling Matthew so much that he jumped. He shook his head frantically. "No, Silvanus, you can’t! If you fight now, you’ll lose your qualification for the selection!"

Silvanus frowned, unable to understand why Matthew always acted as though he were some brawler. In truth, Silvanus wasn’t fond of violence at all.

"It’s your turn to go up. Or do you plan on heading home instead?"

Silvanus pulled Matthew’s hand away, frowning at him.

Matthew pressed his lips together, nearly blurting out whether that might be possible. Why couldn’t they live like before? Silvanus kept chasing this dream of becoming a hero, yet the outside world was far too dangerous. They could live ordinary lives and be fine.

But Matthew knew that Silvanus would get angry if he dared to say such a thing—so he stayed silent.

Silvanus tapped Matthew’s forehead lightly, frowning. "Get a grip. You keep spacing out like this... Go on up there—and don’t wander off alone."

As Matthew walked away, he could still hear Silvanus muttering behind him.

The mage smiled kindly at everyone, and after explaining what needed to be done, fixed his gaze on Matthew.

Matthew took a deep breath; his heart was pounding too fast. Please... please let me have at least a little talent. At least enough to make it to tomorrow’s selection. Because Matthew knew that as long as he could stay by Silvanus’s side, he would surely make it into Lumina too.

He couldn’t leave on his own without Silvanus...

Clenching his eyes shut, Matthew steeled himself and touched the orb.

Immediately, faint murmurs rose from the crowd below. The mage’s voice soon followed, sounding cheerful: "Not bad—quite a decent talent. After today, you’ll have the chance to learn much more."

Matthew’s eyes flew open in shock. Before him, the orb was glowing brilliantly—so bright that he had to squint against the dazzling light.

He stared in disbelief, not caring that the radiance stung his eyes to tears.

So I’m not useless after all. Silvanus, look—my talent’s great!

Matthew had been watching earlier; hardly anyone had made the orb shine this brightly!

Feeling giddy, he returned to his place, acutely aware that everyone’s eyes on him had subtly changed.

He flinched slightly and quickened his pace—until he bumped into someone.

"Sil... Silvanus..." Matthew mumbled, his voice barely audible. He was curious—how would Silvanus react? He didn’t even understand what kind of reaction he was hoping for.

Suddenly, a firm pat landed on his back, followed by Silvanus’s cheerful voice. "Matthew! That was awesome! Why can’t you learn this fast when I teach you?"

Matthew scratched his head awkwardly. He remembered all those times Silvanus had tried to teach him—things like "feel the flow," or "sense the light." No matter how hard he tried, Matthew couldn’t feel anything.

Silvanus sighed with exaggerated melancholy. "Could it be that I just don’t have the talent to teach others?" He paused, then added, "But that’s fine. Geniuses usually aren’t great at explaining things anyway."

Matthew was speechless. And by then, it was already Silvanus’s turn—he had been standing right behind Matthew the whole time.

The testing platform floated in midair, with steps leading up to it, but Silvanus didn’t bother with them. He leapt upward, somersaulted midair, and landed gracefully—or at least, that’s how he thought it looked.

The crowd below couldn’t help but murmur in surprise. Silvanus straightened his back and lifted his chin, brimming with confidence under countless watching eyes.

Ariana chuckled softly, while Matthew felt secondhand embarrassment creeping up on him, wondering how Silvanus could always act so naturally in moments like this. But as he glanced around, he saw that everyone’s eyes were fixed on Silvanus. Some were mocking him for showing off—but others looked at him with awe and admiration.

Silvanus... he’s always like that.

No matter where he goes, he shines—while I... I can only ever look up to him from below.

A sudden curiosity rose in Matthew’s heart. Just how high would Silvanus’s Light aptitude reach?

Standing beside him, Ariana smiled. "With a talent like yours, you’ll definitely become a great Mage one day."

Matthew smiled awkwardly and murmured, "You’re amazing too."

Above, the young Mage smiled calmly at the boy before him and spoke slowly, "All you need to do is place your hand on the Orb of Light. It will glow on its own—the brighter it shines, the stronger your Light affinity."

Of course, if someone of dark origin—like an Undead or a Demon—were to touch the orb, it would turn black instead. That was also how the Academy filtered out those filthy creatures who tried to sneak in, though every time that happened, it caused quite a commotion.

Silvanus nodded in understanding, then placed his hand upon the glowing orb.

The orb flickered faintly at first. Deep within, light churned like a miniature vortex—and then, under the young Mage’s astonished gaze, it suddenly erupted, blazing like a supernova detonating inside the sphere!

The light was so blinding that it illuminated the entire plaza, making it impossible for anyone to keep their eyes open. The figures of the Mage and Silvanus were buried entirely in their brilliance.

"This... how is this even possible!"

The headmaster of The Lumina Magic Academy, silently observing the selection process, couldn’t help but leap to his feet. The Elders around him showed expressions of shock and fear—fear at witnessing such an immense Light talent in a lifetime.

"For the first time... the first time on this continent, a Light aptitude this strong has appeared!"

"My God... a child of the God of Light!"

"Whether he passes the selection or not, he must enter Lumina!"

"Silvanus..." the headmaster muttered.

Meanwhile, the entire plaza was filled with astonishment. As the light dimmed, faces were revealed, each reflecting disbelief at what had just happened before their eyes.

Matthew stared blankly up at the elevated platform. Silvanus stood there, receiving the Mage’s approving gaze, with everyone’s attention on him. Standing beside Matthew, Ariana had her mouth agape, eyes shining with unmistakable admiration.

The small moment of brilliance Matthew had created felt like a mere flicker—completely buried and overshadowed by the sun that was Silvanus.

Plop!

At that moment, Silvanus jumped down from the platform. The crowd instinctively parted, creating a path for him.

Silvanus could see Thora’s face, pale as if drained of blood. He chuckled, snapped his fingers, pointed his index finger at him, and winked teasingly.

Thora was so furious she nearly choked.

Silvanus returned to his place. Ariana practically bounced over like a rabbit. "Silvanus, you’re incredible! That light... it must have never appeared in history before!"

Silvanus waved her off. "It’s nothing."

Then he looked at Matthew, still staring at him in awe. Silvanus frowned slightly. "What’s the matter? Too stunned by my handsomeness? Aren’t you going to congratulate me?"

Matthew jumped, quickly shaking his head. "No..." He hesitated, then whispered, "Silvanus... you’re amazing."

Silvanus clicked his tongue. "How many times have I heard that? Always the same lines."

Standing beside him, Ariana quickly added, "Silvanus, your presence is truly number one in the world. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely stick close to you."

Silvanus waved his hand generously. "Be my guest."