After a few hours that felt like the longest hours of his life, Skyler sat in the backseat of a sleek white car his father was driving, heading home with his parents. He wore a navy-blue suit that his mother had selected for his special day that morning, but today had become the worst day of his life.
His family was relatively well-off, but they still lacked the means to afford advanced technology like flying cars, ships, and other famous high-tech vehicles that could float and travel at the speed of light.
Skyler gazed out the car window. Besides some high-tech flying vehicles, there were numerous crystals of various sizes floating amidst the clouds above Nowan City, just like throughout the entire universe.
These beautiful crystals served as gateways to other dimensions and realms, filled with a variety of monsters, beasts, and spirits, alongside many treasures. The difficulty or strength of these dimensions and realms is also divided into five tiers: Novice, Adept, Epic, Legendary, and Mythic. The larger the crystal size, the stronger the monsters within and the higher its tier.
Right now, all the crystals above Nowan City are white, meaning they are stable. If their color turns grey, it indicates a high but manageable number of monsters inside.
White and grey crystals are open to everyone according to the rules set by the royalty in the human continent. Lights who have awakened are allowed to use them freely as long as their strength is greater than that of the crystal they are entering.
However, if a crystal turns orange, it indicates that the realm inside requires urgent clearing to prevent a breach. If the orange crystal isn't cleared in time and turns red, it will shatter, releasing all the monsters inside into the surroundings to wreak havoc. Therefore, only official Lights affiliated with guilds and graduates of the academies are permitted to enter and clear orange crystals to handle the situation.
These crystals began materializing a few years after the Battle Royale appeared. No one has yet found the reason, but a crystal can materialize out of thin air anytime and anywhere. That's why citizens are required to undergo basic training to hide and fight in such situations at the age of 10.
It was true that the inhabitants of the universe could harness the power of natural elements from the beginning, and that monsters and spirits existed within it, but that was an era of peace. The day the 'Battle Royal' appeared, peace shattered, prompting everyone to desperately seek ways to become stronger.
Skyler's fingers itched to touch the crystals, but he looked away. He had always been a fan of sparkling things. It was a desperate urge to hoard them all and never share. But now he wondered if he could ever reach them in this life, let alone touch them.
The image of his sister's disappointed and embarrassed face flashed in his mind, and he let out a self-deprecating smile. He took a deep breath and fiddled with his fingers to alleviate the pain in his heart.
Silence enveloped the car. Riya Ironhart anxiously glanced at her son in the rearview mirror. She couldn't take it anymore, and to end the silence, she pinched her husband.
Johnson Ironhart winced but shut his mouth when he noticed her red-rimmed eyes. He was a handsome man in his mid-forties.
However, just like his beautiful wife, who was the same age as him, he appeared as though he were in his early thirties. This was because everyone's lifespan extends with each star in strength they ascend in their awakened elements. A typical 1-star elementalist in Eldoria can live a few years longer than the average human lifespan, which is 70 to 90 years.
Johnson was also one of the two guild leaders of the only Lights' guild in Nowan City—renowned institutions that eliminate monsters from other dimensions.
They can also enter the famous Battle Royal, but after the preliminary challenge, where everyone with a potential of 15-stars or higher is forcefully called at the age of 20, it is up to the Lights to challenge the advanced levels of the Battle Royal.
He ran his calloused fingers through his dark hair and glanced at his son from the corners of his deep gray eyes. The couple had expected Skyler to complain and cry when he faced such a big setback. But their son hadn't said anything—nothing at all.
"Boy, are you okay?"
His voice finally broke the silence, and his wife held her breath when she saw Skyler lift his crystal-blue eyes. Her heart sank when he smiled sweetly.
"I am fine. Don't worry..."
He murmured, but his parents' eyes widened when they didn't sense even a single fluctuation in his voice. They had been by his side for all 16 years of his life and had seen him cry and laugh. When did their child learn to mask his emotions?
Johnson sighed and prevented his wife from crying in front of their son to avoid making matters worse. They needed to handle this carefully.
He parked the car in the parking area outside one of the tall buildings along the straight road where they lived in one of the apartments and stopped Skyler with his hand from getting out of the vehicle.
He looked back and reached out to ruffle Skyler's ash-brown hair. His voice was soft but carried a hint of sternness.
"Sky... We know it's tough. But Riya and I know that our kids aren't weak. So, don't you dare take this setback to heart."
Skyler nodded, and he went on.
"You know there are plenty of other paths you can choose? You're very talented, and it's clear from all the A's you have gotten in school just by flipping through your books."
He chuckled at the end, and the atmosphere in the car lightened because both he and his wife knew that their son had never focused on his studies yet still managed to achieve the highest scores in class throughout his school life. This was the reason why Skyler's teachers always found themselves tongue-tied and couldn't complain about him playing games and dozing off in class, even if they wanted to during parent-teacher meetings.
"We know that you won't be able to get into any academy that trains Lights now. But my son, with your intelligence, you can easily gain admission to a good college."
Riya agreed with her husband and reached out to hold Skyler's hand while her husband continued speaking in a calm voice.
"How about you explore technology, become an alchemist, or pursue a career as a scholar? These are just some of the jobs you can get. Plus, you could even become a famous game streamer online. Haven't you always loved games?"
Riya picked up when he stopped as she tapped Skyler's hand with a warm smile.
"Your father and I are always here for you and will support you. It doesn't matter if you can't become a strong Light... But..."
She paused for a moment, swallowing hard while gazing at Johnson with an expression that held secrets they had kept hidden.
"If you truly want to become a Light, then we can acquire treasures that will help enhance your—"
Skyler immediately interrupted her.
"No, mum. I am really fine. If I really have a future where I can become a powerful Light, I will on my own. But if I can't, then I need to learn to adjust and face the truth."
Both Riya and Johnson were surprised to see the resolve on his face. They could tell their son had grown up, but they didn't like how it had happened so suddenly. Still, they hoped he would be okay with time. But they soon realized how wrong they were when he stopped playing games, the one hobby he had once been unable to live without.