Current Date: Year 24,991 | 7th Month Terros | Day 16
The air felt different today.
Fresh. Alive. Buzzing with unseen energy.
New stars shimmered faintly above Jack's head as he meditated beneath the early morning sky, still and composed. The elements around him didn't just exist, they danced. Twirling around his body in reverent harmony, responding to his breath, to his heartbeat. Nature bowed to him in silence.
WHOOSH…..
A gentle wind brushed past the trees.
This was no ordinary day. Jack had done it he had broken through yesterday.
2nd Star Mid Stage Ascendant.
His body pulsed with newfound strength. Every nerve hummed with energy. His senses had sharpened to a razor's edge. Mana flowed through him like a calm yet unstoppable river.
But that wasn't the only reason this day was special.
Yesterday, Jack had stepped further into his Production Path and passed not one, but two 1st Star Novice Master Certification Exams: Alchemy and Blacksmith.
The exams were brutal. Timed. Full of traps meant to break even the most confident students. But Jack… Jack had crushed them with calm precision. His knowledge ran deep. His control is flawless.
And today… The Capital City's guild representatives were coming to award the official badges.
While Jack dressed quietly in his navy-blue academy uniform, embroidered with the proud silver crest of his academy, his parents had their own glow of excitement.
Just yesterday
They'd completed a fierce D-Rank Promotion Quest from the Adventurer Guild. Monsters. Traps. Blood. Victory. Today, they'd finally be receiving their upgraded D-Rank Adventurer Cards.
They hadn't told Ava and their family yet.
Not because they wanted to hide it, but… last night, Jack's elemental breakthrough had caused a storm of unnatural proportions.
RUMMMBLE…!
The sky had trembled. The winds had gone wild. Even distant mana-sensitive creatures had fled in fear. That level of disturbance wasn't normal, not even for breakthroughs between stages.
It was something else.
At the breakfast table, the atmosphere was warm and buzzing with energy.
Jack walked in, his aura suppressed but his presence… radiant.
"Good morning," he said, offering a rare, gentle smile.
"Morning," Emma greeted, arranging dishes on the table. Her voice carried pride and joy.
James simply nodded, the glint in his eyes saying everything words couldn't.
Sofia grinned, juice on her lips. "Big Brother's going to the Academy today?"
"Yeah," Jack replied, adjusting his collar. "The guilds representatives are coming. I'll be receiving my Novice Master Badges."
DING!
Ava stepped in just then.graceful, otherworldly. Her platinum-blonde hair shimmered under the morning light like moonlight upon snow. Her violet golden eyes, calm yet deep, locked onto Jack.
"You passed both the Alchemy and Blacksmith Exams?" she asked, her tone sharp as a sword yet calm as a river.
Jack gave a slight nod. "Yes. Yesterday."
She blinked. "Even for an Angel like me… that's impressive feet at your level when I was at your age."
He chuckled lightly. "Still a long path ahead."
James stood, placing a firm hand on Jack's shoulder. THUD."We're proud of you."
Emma's eyes softened. "Be sure to return before evening. We've got something to celebrate too."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Something?"
The two only smiled.
Ava watched, curiosity glimmering, but chose silence.
---
Later that morning…
As Jack walked into the Academy, a magical broadcast exploded across the sky.
DONG! DONG! DONG!
"Attention! Today's classes are officially canceled! All students report to the Grand Hall immediately! Representatives from the Capital City's Alchemy and Blacksmith Guilds have arrived! Students who passed the Novice Master Certification Exams in Alchemy, Blacksmith, Rune Inscription, Artificer, and Enchanting will now receive their official badges!"
BOOM!
The announcement sent shockwaves through the campus.
Cheers erupted. Conversations burst like fireworks. Excitement flooded the air.
But amidst the chaos, Jack remained calm. Unshaken. Each step he took was filled with quiet strength as he moved through the crowd toward the Grand Hall.
---
Inside the Grand Hall…
The atmosphere buzzed with reverence.
Dozens of guild representatives stood at the front, dressed in formal robes glowing with enchantments. Behind them, magical containers hovered in the air each holding a shimmering badge. Holographic screens flickered with the names of successful students.
FZZZZT!
Light crackled as names updated in real time.
A senior staff member stepped forward, his voice resonant and clear.
"Congratulations to all students who passed the 1st Star Novice Master Certification Exams! From today onward, you are officially recognized by the Otherworlders Production Guilds. This is your first step toward becoming a true master!"
APPLAUSE!
Thunderous clapping rang out across the vast hall.
Names were called one by one.
Then
DING!
"Jack Wilson."
The Alchemy Guild Representative, a dignified woman in emerald robes, smiled and handed him a glowing green badge etched with potion runes.
"You are hereby recognized as a 1-Star Novice Master of Alchemy."
Next came the Blacksmith Guild Officer, a burly man whose presence felt like a mountain. He handed over a crimson-gold badge shaped like a hammer striking an anvil.
"You are now officially a 1-Star Novice Master Blacksmith."
Murmurs spread like wildfire.
"He passed both?"
"Alchemy and Blacksmith?"
"No way…"
"What kind of monster is he?"
Jack walked forward with grace, not pride. His expression didn't change as much as ever.
CLANG!
The sound echoed magically across the hall, signaling Jack's dual recognition.
He bowed politely, turned, and walked back to his seat.
Eyes followed him. Whispers swirled.
But Jack?
Jack didn't care.
His thoughts were already beyond this moment.
---
Later, at home…
He returned to the warm scent of food and quiet laughter.
Emma was cooking. Sofia was humming while decorating the table. James was pouring rare fruit wine and normal fruit juice for Jack and Sofia into crystal glasses. Ava was skinning meat like a seasoned hunter.
It wasn't extravagant.
But it was perfect.
Home. Family. Peace.
Click-clack.
"I'm back," he said calmly. "Got both."
Jack's boots echoed against the wooden floor as he stepped in, a quiet confidence in his stride. He set down two glowing badges with a soft clink on the table.
And Jack sat quietly at the table, his badges placed beside his bowl, a gentle smile on his lips as they shared food, drink, and laughter.
His family waited at the dining table.
Ding!
The badges shimmered with soft magical light.
Sofia gasped, her small hands reaching toward the badges as if they were holy relics. "They're real!"
Emma clapped, eyes gleaming. Clap clap! "Well done, Jack!"
James gave a proud nod, his voice steady. "Your production path… it's truly opening up now."
Ava stood silently, her platinum-blonde hair catching the bright stars at night. For a moment, her golden eyes flickered with something unreadable. Then, softly "This is only the beginning. You're doing well, Jack. Stay focused."
Jack smiled, a rare warmth behind his composed gaze. "Thanks. I'll keep walking the path."
Fwoosh!
Just then, James and Emma pulled out two new Adventurer Cards, silver-hued and glowing faintly like moonlight.
Emma held hers out. "Your father and I… We've been promoted. D-Rank Adventurers."
Jack's brows lifted. "You didn't tell us earlier?"
James chuckled, crossing his arms. "Your breakthrough last night kinda… stole the spotlight."
Thud!
Sofia jumped from her seat. "Everyone's leveling up! Brother, Mom, and Dad! We're unstoppable!"
Jack glanced at both his parents. "D-Rank already? You two really are hiding things."
Ava's voice cut through with a hint of amused mystery. "Even your parents are unusual like you, Jack."
Emma laughed softly. "Well… we're Jack's parents. Can't let our son leave us in the dust."
Ava's smile was faint but serene. "I was sent to guide you on the Ascendant Path… but it seems you're walking it better than most."
The room filled with gentle laughter, soft and warm like a lullaby. For a moment, it felt like time paused just this family, this firelight, this joy.
---
That evening, they celebrated.
The table was a feast of aroma and color, sizzling roast meat, fresh garden vegetables, buttered bread so soft it melted on the tongue, and fruit wine that sparkled under the dusk sky.
Clink!
They raised their cups together.
"To Jack!" James declared, voice booming.
BOOM!
"Dual Novice Master!" Emma echoed.
"To our new adventurer journey!" she added with grace.
"To the best family ever!" Sofia cheered, giggling.
Ava simply watched, her expression thoughtful, almost wistful.
Crack!
Firecrackers burst softly in the distance as night began to fall.
They didn't yet realize how powerful and how dangerous their potential truly was.
But Ava knew.
As their guide, their silent sentinel, she would walk beside them through trials, through light and shadow.
In this small, quiet corner of the world…
A family of rising stars had begun to shine.
And this
Was only the beginning.
--------
To Be Continued…!!