CHAPTER 348: NEW HOME

The card was firm and smooth between his fingers, its edges crisp, its surface faintly gleaming under the dim light.

Stamped boldly across the front was his name, clear and unshakable in dark lettering.

Beside it, a still image of his face—a portrait that had been captured earlier when the guild recorded his information.

Below it, the name of the guild he now belonged to stood printed in sharp letters: Black Dragons.

And there, just off to the side of his name, was the mark of his rank. A bold letter C, etched in a thick, commanding font that left no room for doubt.

Harry’s gaze lingered on it, his expression unreadable.

Another breath slipped out from his lips, softer this time, carrying with it a quiet murmur of thought.

’I’m an adventurer now...’

The words echoed faintly in his mind, tasting almost foreign on his tongue.

This was what he had wanted. His dream since he was young, since the earliest days when he had nothing but scraps of hope to cling to. To become an adventurer. To hold a card like this in his hand. To be recognized, to step into a life of battles, quests, and freedom.

And now, finally, it was real.

He had reached it. The goal that had seemed so distant, so impossible once upon a time, was now sitting squarely in the palm of his hand.

However, he couldn’t exactly say he felt glad.

If anything, he barely felt anything at all, almost like the card in his hand was just a random piece of paper.

His lips tugged into the faintest curve, a smile that was not entirely happy nor entirely sad. A wistful smile.

’It’s a bit strange...’ he thought to himself, shaking his head faintly.

Harry let out a slow exhale, the faint smile still ghosting across his lips fading into nothingness.

With a light motion, he turned the adventurer card over in his hand one last time before sliding it carefully back into the pocket at his side.

The faint weight of the card settled against him, solid and real, a constant reminder of what he had now become.

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, then opened them again and allowed his gaze to roam across his surroundings.

His eyes narrowed slightly, the dim lantern light drawing sharp shadows across his expression.

The room he was lying in was different from his old one.

After joining the Black Dragons, he had moved away from Vernil, and now stayed in Sky City, which was also where the guild was located.

His gaze lingered on the window for a moment, though the curtains were drawn shut, and he allowed his mind to drift back to the journey here.

Sky City—the heart of the central continent. One of the largest, most prosperous cities in the entire world. Its name carried weight wherever it was spoken, its reputation woven into stories, records, and history itself.

Alongside Zenith and a handful of others, Sky City stood tall as one of the continent’s crown jewels, a hub of culture, trade, and power.

It was this very reputation that ensured people’s eyes had been drawn to Sky Academy during the tournament.

The academy wasn’t simply known because of its students—it was known because of where it stood, rooted in a city that commanded respect from all corners of the world.

Harry remembered the journey here well. Even before he reached the gates, he had noticed the sheer difference between this place and Vernil.

Vernil had been quiet, a provincial town with narrow streets, simple markets, and buildings that leaned more toward practicality than display.

But Sky City... Sky City was alive. Its skyline stretched upward, towers and spires glittering with enchanted stones that pulsed like stars even under the sun.

Roads here were wider, filled with more people in a single afternoon than Vernil could see in a week.

The air itself thrummed faintly with denser mana, as though the city itself breathed power.

It had been impossible not to notice the difference.

And yet, despite all of that, Harry hadn’t been moved.

The marvel of the city, its advanced technology, its vibrant hum—none of it stirred much in him. He had seen better.

He had seen far more. Leon’s memories had shown him wonders that Sky City couldn’t even begin to compare to, fragments of knowledge from an age of technology and magic so intertwined it made this city look like a child’s toy. And apart from that, this wasn’t his first time here.

He had already set foot in Sky City once before.

The academy tournament had been held here, after all. So unlike most relocating from backwater cities like him, he wasn’t too overwhelmed with excitement.

After joining the Black Dragons Guild, Harry hadn’t been left to wander or arrange his own lodgings.

Almost immediately, an apartment had been assigned to him, one that was supposed to reflect his new status as a guild member.

Compared to the simple room he now lay in, the guild’s assigned apartment was far grander, closer to something a noble might live in than what he had ever called home.

But beyond its outward appearance, what made the apartment most striking wasn’t just its luxury—it was the very air within.

The mana there was rich, dense, and pure, far beyond what a normal Elementalist could ever dream of training in.

Every breath drawn in that place carried a subtle heaviness, as if the mana itself seeped into one’s body with each inhale.

Every moment spent there promised quicker recovery, faster refinement, sharper focus. To anyone else, it would have been a perfect cultivation ground, a blessing they wouldn’t even think to decline.

And beyond that, the apartment had even been equipped with its own training facility.

A hall wide enough to unleash spells without restraint, its walls reinforced with both physical and magical barriers strong enough to withstand explosive impacts.

It had dummies, enchanted to mimic resistance, mobility, even counterattacks, so an Elementalist could hone their skills with accuracy and force.

It was, in all ways, the ideal place for him to live. A place that could push his growth forward, accelerate his rise to power.

Yet Harry hadn’t chosen to stay there.