"Next."
The guard's voice came without emotion. The butt of his spear struck the stone floor with a sharp *clack* — the signal for the crowd lining up before the gates of Jade Falls City to shuffle forward.
Arthian stepped through the towering stone archway, Elin walking silently at his side.
At both their wrists, strips of rough grey cloth were tied tight — plain fabric, bearing no emblem, no pattern.
But in this city, it was a declaration of status clearer than any words.
*The Unranked.*
The people around them drew back slightly without thinking — not out of fear, but out of an unwillingness to be *contaminated.*
---
### [ Before the Gate — 15 Minutes Earlier ]
"Are you certain you want to go in?"
Elin stood in the shadow of the cliff outside the city walls, gazing up at the towering stone barrier.
Arthian did not answer right away. He looked down at the grey cloth strip bound to his own wrist — something he had taken from the body of a traveler who had died somewhere in the Rift.
The cloth was stained with dried blood. The smell still clung to it.
"I'm certain," he said simply.
"But you know that if they find out who you are—"
"They won't," Arthian cut in. "Because I won't let them."
Elin was quiet for a moment, then asked, "What if someone notices? Your soul core... it's denser than an ordinary person's."
"I know." He gave a faint smile. "That's exactly why I have to make myself look as weak as possible."
She didn't follow.
Arthian crouched and picked up a small stone, closed his fist around it.
"If you were hiding a diamond... where would you hide it?"
"...Somewhere secret?"
"Wrong." He tossed the stone aside. "You hide it among other stones... and make it look like one of them."
She began to understand.
"You're going to make yourself look like someone weak who barely made it through?"
"Not barely made it." Arthian shook his head. "Just... enough to pass."
He turned to look at her. "And you'll have to do the same."
Elin gave a small nod. "I understand."
"Good." He stepped out of the shadow. "Then let's go."
---
### [ Inside the City ]
Arthian registered every set of eyes but responded to none of them. He adjusted his breathing to a measured calm, like someone long accustomed to being looked down upon.
All while, in truth — he was *counting.*
*Guards at the gate: seven.*
*Watchtowers: three, two hundred meters apart.*
*Weapon storage point: left of the main archway.*
*Direction of energy flow: up from underground to the tower... then deflecting northward.*
Jade Falls City had been built in the depths of a valley. A great waterfall ran through the heart of the city like a vein, sustaining the spiritual energy of the entire area.
But what Arthian saw... was not beauty.
He saw *structure.*
The Eye of Veracity swept across the buildings one by one. Faint energy threads layered over each other in strata.
*Filtration system.*
*Control system.*
*Suppression system.*
*This city wasn't built for people to live in... it was engineered to sort them.*
---
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
Elin walked half a step behind him. Silent. No questions.
But her eyes were not as blank as an ordinary person's. She was reading the reactions of those around her, marking escape routes, and deflecting the contemptuous gazes of sect disciples with natural ease.
Not fear. *Survival.*
---
Light laughter rose from the side.
"Look at this — refuse from the border actually thinks it can walk into Jade Falls City."
A young disciple in blue robes embroidered with silver patterns came walking the other way. His shoulder struck Arthian's deliberately.
The force wasn't much. But it was *deliberate.*
Arthian stumbled back half a step.
He *yielded.*
His hand tightened for a single instant, then released. He bowed his head slightly, in the manner of one who knows his place.
"I apologize," he said, voice even.
The disciple stopped. Turned back and looked.
"I apologize?" He smirked. "That's all?"
Arthian did not respond.
"I'm talking to you... *refuse.*" The disciple stepped closer. "That's all?"
"..." Arthian remained silent.
"Hey! I asked you—"
"I apologize," Arthian repeated. His tone did not change.
The disciple's brow creased — annoyed by the excessive calm.
"...Boring." He muttered and walked on.
Laughter rose from his companions.
"Why didn't you play with it a little longer?"
"Not worth it... just tedious refuse."
---
Elin's brow tightened slightly. But she said nothing.
She knew. He knew that she knew.
And that was enough.
---
Arthian walked on, as though nothing had happened.
But inside, he was *recording everything.*
*Trailing disciple, but energy level above standard.*
*Arrogant bearing — someone is backing him.*
*Energy pattern... consistent with the Water lineage.*
*Low tolerance — dislikes those who don't retaliate.*
Every detail was filed away.
Not for revenge. But for *future use.*
---
A few streets further, a large notice board stood at the center of a stone courtyard.
**Recruitment of Service Disciples — Cascading Water Sect**
Arthian stopped. Only for a breath. But long enough.
The seal on the notice bore three spiraling layers of water.
The Eye of Veracity *caught* something at once.
*The logical flow of energy... incomplete.*
*There is a cutoff — for redirecting resources.*
He saw an overlapping image.
Energy threads drawn from the city were being drawn up into the sect, before *deflecting outward* toward a direction they should not have gone.
A name surfaced in his mind. A name he had not thought of in a long time.
The name of *the traitor.*
---
"Here," Arthian said.
Elin followed his gaze and read the notice quickly.
She looked up. "Service disciple... that's an extremely low standing."
"It suits us," he replied.
"But—"
"Elin." Arthian cut her off, his voice level. "The lower you are... the less you're seen."
Elin was quiet for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand."
---
### [ The Selection Courtyard ]
They walked into the selection courtyard, surrounded by eyes full of amusement.
"Look at those two."
"Grey cloth and they still dare to apply?"
"Broad daylight dreams, clearly."
About fifteen applicants were present. Most wore brown cloth — *those with some rank, but not high.* Only two or three wore grey like Arthian.
One young man standing nearby looked at Arthian and snorted.
"Hey, you... how many heavy stones have you ever carried?"
Arthian looked at him. "I've never counted."
"Never counted?" The man laughed. "Then you definitely can't lift them."
"Perhaps," Arthian answered simply.
That answer made the man stop laughing.
"...You're really indifferent, aren't you."
"I simply know myself," Arthian said calmly.
The man stared at him for another moment, then shook his head.
"Boring."
---
Arthian let those sounds pass through him.
He stood before the selection table, received the bamboo form with composure.
**Basic Questions:**
Age.
Place of origin.
Power level.
He wrote each character slowly, carefully. No lies — but *selected truths.*
**Name:** Aten
**Age:** Twenty-three
**Place of origin:** Eastern Border
**Power level:** Unspecified
**Proficiency:** General labor / hauling / cleaning
The selector glanced at it and smirked.
"Self-aware, I see."
Arthian did not respond.
---
### [ The Tests ]
"Everyone! Form a line!"
The selector's voice rang out across the courtyard.
All applicants fell into line. Arthian stood at the very back. Elin stood beside him.
"The test is divided into three stages!" the selector announced.
"First: **Stone Lifting** — measuring baseline physical strength."
"Second: **Energy Arrangement** — measuring precision and endurance."
"Third: **Impurity Separation** — measuring capacity for service."
He pointed to a large pile of stones.
"Starting from the first in line!"
---
The first applicant stepped forward — a broad-shouldered man in brown cloth.
He bent down, lifted a stone of roughly forty kilograms without difficulty.
The selector nodded. "Pass."
The next was a slim young woman who managed only twenty kilograms.
"Meets the minimum threshold." The selector noted it down.
Then it was Arthian's turn.
He stepped forward and looked at the pile.
*If I lift too heavy... I stand out.*
*If I lift too light... I won't pass.*
He chose a stone of about thirty kilograms.
*Bent down.*
*Lifted.*
His body trembled slightly — *visibly* — not because it was heavy, but because it *had to look* heavy.
He lifted it above his head, held it for three seconds, then set it down.
The selector looked over.
"...Pass. Barely."
Arthian gave a small nod and stepped back into line.
---
Then it was Elin's turn.
She stepped forward and looked at the pile.
Some applicants began to laugh.
"Look at her... how is she going to lift anything that thin?"
She paid no attention. She chose the smallest stone — roughly fifteen kilograms.
*Bent down.*
*Lifted.*
Her hands shook considerably. But she got it up.
Held it for three seconds. Set it down carefully.
The selector wrote in his ledger.
"...Pass."
---
### [ Second Stage: Energy Arrangement ]
Each applicant received a cup of spiritual water. Inside, fragments of energy were mixed — blue and red intertwined.
The task: separate the colors cleanly.
Most applicants managed it, but imprecisely — traces of each color remained mingled with the other.
Arthian performed *just at threshold* — the separation was clear, but not flawless.
But Elin...
She did it with *more precision than anyone else.*
The selector looked up.
"...How did you do that?"
Elin answered softly. "I just... looked more carefully."
The selector studied her for another moment, then wrote it down.
"Pass."
But this time... others began to look at her.
---
### [ Third Stage: Impurity Separation ]
The final stage — separating metal powder from sand using a small amount of spiritual energy.
Most applicants managed about half.
Arthian performed just at threshold.
Elin performed slightly better — but not enough to stand out.
---
### [ Results ]
"Those who have passed the test — step forward!"
Names were called. Arthian and Elin were on the list.
The grey cloth strips remained on their wrists. But now... they were *passes.*
The selector looked them over once more.
"You two are fortunate... especially you." He pointed at Elin.
She did not respond. Only gave a slight bow of her head.
---
### [ The Sect Gates ]
Arthian stepped into the sect's grounds.
Then, without warning, a voice came from behind.
"Hold on."
The air around him grew heavier.
One of the selectors stepped forward — a deep blue robe, bearing the two-layered Water seal.
*Tier 1.*
He looked directly at Arthian. Not with contempt, but with the eyes of someone *analyzing.*
"I'm not sure why..." the man said slowly.
"But the emptiness in you..."
He paused. Smiled, faint.
"...looks unusually deep."
---
Arthian stood still.
His heart slowed by one beat.
But his face did not change.
"What do you mean, sir?" he asked evenly.
The man stepped two paces closer, fixing his gaze directly into Arthian's eyes.
"I mean... you are not an ordinary person."
"You're reading too much into it," Arthian replied simply. "I'm just... a survivor from the border."
"Hmm..." The man nodded, slowly.
"Then let's try this."
He raised his hand.
*Whoosh!*
Spiritual energy pulsed outward — not forcefully, but *deliberately.*
It struck Arthian's body.
And in that moment —
The man *felt it.*
*Emptiness.*
*Deep.*
*And quiet enough to be unsettling.*
---
He withdrew his hand. His smile widened.
"Genuinely interesting."
"...What will you do?" Arthian asked, voice still calm.
"Do?" The man laughed softly. "I'm going to *observe* you."
He turned and walked away, then raised a hand in parting.
"Welcome to the Cascading Water Sect... *exceptional one.*"
---
Arthian stood without moving.
His heart slowed by one beat.
The game had begun.
And he... was at the lowest position possible.
*Ready to dig upward, one layer at a time.*
---
*[ End of Episode 52 ]*
---
