Chapter 1 — The Boy With No Magic
The Kingdom of Flowers was known as one of the most peaceful kingdoms in the world.
Its cities were beautiful, its markets were lively, and its people lived simple lives surrounded by colorful gardens and fields.
Every morning, the streets of the capital filled with the smell of fresh bread.
Most of that bread came from a small bakery near the center of the city.
Inside the bakery, a boy suddenly woke up with a loud shout.
"Sam!"
From the other room, someone groaned.
"Relax, Leo… the sun just came up."
Leo sat up quickly and rubbed his eyes.
The room was small but comfortable. A wooden bed stood beside a window where sunlight slowly filled the room. Outside he could already hear people walking through the streets and merchants preparing their shops.
A few seconds later, a woman's voice came from downstairs.
"If you two don't come help me soon, the customers will eat all the bread before we even open!"
Leo smiled.
"That's Mary."
Sam stood up and stretched.
"Well yeah… she owns the bakery."
The two boys walked downstairs together.
Mary stood behind the counter holding a tray of freshly baked bread. Her hair was slightly messy from working since dawn, but her face carried the same warm smile she always had.
"There you are," she said. "Sleeping like kings while I do all the work."
Leo laughed.
"Sorry."
Mary placed the tray on the counter and crossed her arms.
"You've been saying that for three years."
Three years.
That was how long Leo had lived here.
Three years ago, Mary had found him lying unconscious near the shore outside the kingdom. His body was injured and he barely survived.
When he woke up, he couldn't remember anything.
No name.
No family.
No past.
Mary decided to take him in anyway.
"Someone has to look after lost kids like you," she had said.
From that day forward, Leo lived with Mary and her son Sam.
Over time the two boys became closer than friends.
They became brothers.
Leo picked up a broom and started cleaning the bakery floor.
Sam carried sacks of flour from the storage room.
Customers began arriving shortly after.
The bakery quickly filled with people.
"Two loaves please!"
"I'll take three!"
Mary moved around the shop quickly while Leo handed bread to customers.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful.
But Leo's thoughts were somewhere else.
Across the street stood a group of soldiers wearing shining armor.
They were members of the Elite Army.
The strongest warriors of the kingdom.
Leo watched them carefully.
Sam noticed.
"You're thinking about the exam again, aren't you?"
Leo nodded.
"Of course."
Every year the kingdom held an examination to recruit new members for the Elite Army.
Only ten people were selected.
Thousands tried.
Most failed.
Sam wiped the flour from his hands and leaned against the counter.
"You know the biggest problem, right?"
Leo sighed.
"I know."
Magic.
Every soldier in the Elite Army possessed powerful magic.
Leo did not.
Not even a little.
Sam spoke quietly.
"Maybe you should try something else."
Leo shook his head immediately.
"No."
Sam raised an eyebrow.
"You're really stubborn."
Leo looked back toward the soldiers outside.
"When I hold a sword…"
He paused.
"It feels natural."
Sam crossed his arms.
"You're good with a sword, I'll admit that."
"But without magic—"
"I'll still try."
Leo interrupted him.
Sam stared at him for a few seconds.
Then he laughed.
"You really won't give up, will you?"
"No."
Mary suddenly joined the conversation.
"If you two are planning to become famous warriors, you should probably finish helping me first."
Both boys froze.
Mary smiled.
"Dreams are important."
"But bread comes first."
The three of them laughed.
Outside the bakery, the soldiers continued walking through the streets.
Leo watched them again.
Something deep inside him stirred.
A strange feeling.
Like a memory he could almost reach.
But when he tried to focus on it…
It disappeared.
Leo clenched his hand quietly.
One day…
He would become a warrior.
Even if the entire world believed he couldn't.
And somewhere far away, beyond the peaceful kingdom…
Something ancient had already begun to awaken.
But Leo did not know that yet.
Chapter 2 — The Examination
The capital of the Kingdom of Flowers had never been this crowded.
Thousands of people gathered around the massive stone arena at the center of the city. Nobles sat in the higher stands while ordinary citizens filled every empty space they could find.
Today was the day of the Elite Army Examination.
For many young warriors, this was the most important day of their lives.
Only ten people would be selected.
Hundreds would fail.
Leo stood among the candidates waiting near the arena entrance.
Most of them looked confident.
Some wore expensive armor.
Others carried enchanted weapons.
Many of them had trained for years under famous masters.
Leo adjusted the simple sword hanging from his waist.
Next to him, Sam stretched his shoulders casually.
"Relax," Sam said.
"You look like you're about to fight a dragon."
Leo sighed.
"With the way everyone here looks… that might actually be easier."
Sam laughed.
"You'll be fine."
Leo shook his head slightly.
"Easy for you to say. You actually have magic."
Sam placed a hand on Leo's shoulder.
"You're the best swordsman I know."
"That counts for something."
Before Leo could answer, a loud horn echoed across the arena.
The noise silenced the entire crowd.
A tall soldier wearing the armor of the Elite Army stepped forward onto the central platform.
His voice carried across the arena.
"Welcome to the Elite Army Examination."
"Today you will prove whether you are worthy of protecting this kingdom."
The candidates straightened immediately.
The commander raised three fingers.
"The examination will consist of three stages."
"First — Physical ability."
"Second — Magical capability."
"Third — Combat."
A quiet tension spread among the candidates.
"Anyone who fails a stage will be eliminated immediately."
"And remember…"
The commander paused.
"Only ten of you will succeed."
The first stage began shortly after.
Candidates were tested for speed, strength, and endurance.
Leo moved quickly through each challenge.
He climbed the stone wall faster than most competitors.
He completed the endurance run without slowing down.
When the first stage ended, the examiners nodded slightly.
"Pass."
Leo quietly stepped aside.
Stage one was complete.
The second stage was the one Leo feared.
Magic.
Each candidate stepped forward and placed their hand on a large mana crystal.
The crystal would glow depending on the strength of their magical energy.
One by one, candidates approached it.
Blue light.
Green light.
Golden light.
The crowd cheered when the brighter colors appeared.
Then it was Leo's turn.
He walked forward calmly.
Slowly he placed his hand on the crystal.
For a moment…
Nothing happened.
Leo focused harder.
Still nothing.
The crystal remained dark.
The examiner looked at him briefly.
"No mana detected."
"You have failed the second stage."
The words felt heavy.
But Leo didn't argue.
He already expected this.
He simply nodded and walked away from the platform.
Behind him, the exam continued.
Later that evening the arena finally emptied.
The sun had already begun to set.
Leo sat quietly beside a river just outside the city.
The water flowed slowly beside him.
He skipped a small stone across the surface.
"So that's it."
He watched the ripples disappear.
"Maybe some dreams just aren't meant for people like me."
Footsteps approached from behind.
Leo turned slightly.
A young woman stood there.
Her clothes were elegant and decorated with royal symbols.
Leo immediately recognized her.
Princess Lily.
He quickly stood and bowed.
"My apologies, Princess."
Lily looked at him silently.
She studied his face carefully.
Something about him felt strange.
Familiar.
Leo raised his head slightly.
The moment their eyes met—
His left eye suddenly watered.
Leo blinked in confusion.
"What…?"
He wiped his eye quickly.
He didn't understand why it happened.
Lily noticed it too.
Her expression changed slightly.
"Why are you sitting here alone?" she asked.
Leo hesitated before answering.
"I failed the examination."
Lily nodded slowly.
But she continued staring at him.
That strange feeling inside her didn't disappear.
Leo felt slightly uncomfortable.
"Princess?"
She shook her head.
"It's nothing."
Then she turned and began walking away.
But after a few steps she stopped.
For a moment she looked back at Leo.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Then she continued walking.
Leo watched her disappear into the distance.
He still didn't understand why his eye watered when he saw her.
Eventually he stood up and returned toward the city.
Later that night…
Inside the royal garden of the palace, Princess Lily stood quietly in front of a small grave.
The moonlight illuminated the stone.
In her hand she held a silver ring.
A small child — no older than three years old — stood beside her.
The child held her dress quietly.
Lily stared at the grave for a long time.
Then she whispered softly.
"He looks like you…"
Her fingers tightened around the ring.
But then she shook her head.
"No…"
"That's impossible."
"You died four years ago."
The wind moved gently through the garden.
The child looked up at her.
Lily slowly closed her eyes.
"…It couldn't be him."
But deep inside her heart…
The doubt had already begun.
ch-3 the exam of chaos
Two months passed after the Elite Army examination.
For Leo, those months were not easy.
Even though he tried to stay positive, the memory of the magic crystal remaining dark still bothered him.
Every morning he trained with Sam.
Sword practice.
Reflex drills.
Combat training.
Sam kept telling him the same thing.
"You're better than most people already."
"But without magic…"
Leo would always finish the sentence himself.
"…it doesn't matter."
Still, Leo had not given up.
The Strategist Division Examination was approaching.
Unlike the army exam, this one focused on intelligence, awareness, and decision-making.
For the first time, Leo felt like he might actually have a chance.
The day of the Strategist Division examination finally arrived.
Leo walked toward the capital hall where the exam was being held. The building was not as large as the arena used for the Elite Army exam, but the atmosphere was much more tense.
Inside the hall, around eighty candidates had already gathered.
Some looked confident.
Others looked nervous.
Everyone knew one thing — this exam could only be taken once.
Leo walked inside and sat down at one of the desks.
A boy sitting at the same table looked extremely focused, writing calculations inside a small notebook.
Leo looked at him and spoke.
"You seem pretty serious about this exam."
The boy looked up.
"I'm trying to predict what kind of test they might give us."
Leo smiled slightly.
"I'm Leo."
"Elios," the boy replied.
Before they could continue talking, the invigilator walked onto the stage.
The entire hall became silent.
He looked around the room calmly before speaking.
"Welcome to the Strategist Division Examination."
"Many of you believe strategy is about solving problems."
He paused for a moment.
"But real strategy…"
"…is about survival."
Some candidates looked confused.
Then the invigilator continued.
"There are no rules in this examination."
The room instantly filled with murmurs.
"You will fight until only thirty people remain."
Shock spread across the hall.
"And remember…"
"You only get one chance at this exam."
"If you fail today, you will never be allowed to take this examination again."
The moment he stepped down from the stage—
Chaos erupted.
Candidates immediately started attacking each other.
Magic spells filled the air.
Tables flipped over.
People shouted while drawing their weapons.
Elios looked shocked.
"This is madness!"
Leo remained calm.
"Relax."
"Relax?!" Elios shouted.
Leo pointed toward the center of the hall.
"Look."
Everyone in the middle of the room was attacking randomly.
"They're panicking," Leo said calmly.
"They'll eliminate each other first."
Elios looked again.
Leo was right.
Most of the candidates were already wasting their energy fighting each other recklessly.
Suddenly a man rushed toward them with his sword raised.
Leo reacted instantly.
His reflexes were sharp.
He dodged the attack and struck the opponent with a quick slash.
The man collapsed unconscious.
Elios stared at him in disbelief.
"You're fast."
Leo shrugged.
"Just reflexes."
But suddenly the atmosphere inside the hall changed.
A powerful presence filled the room.
Everyone turned toward the center.
A tall warrior stood there holding a large sword.
Several candidates were already lying unconscious around him.
Every movement he made knocked another person down instantly.
Elios whispered nervously,
"That guy is insane."
Leo watched carefully.
Then he noticed something strange.
"Look at his legs."
Elios squinted.
A faint glowing aura surrounded them.
Elios suddenly realized.
"The Aegis Stone."
Leo looked at him.
"What's that?"
"It's an ancient artifact," Elios explained.
"It enhances the user's physical abilities — strength, speed, durability, everything."
Leo nodded slowly.
"That explains why no one can fight him."
The warrior suddenly rushed toward Leo.
His sword came down with terrifying force.
Leo barely managed to dodge.
The impact cracked the floor.
Leo knew he couldn't defeat this man directly.
Suddenly—
A shadow appeared behind the warrior.
Before anyone could react, a sword flashed.
The warrior's head fell to the ground.
The entire hall froze.
Standing behind the body was another man.
Leo stared at him.
The man looked at Leo and laughed.
"Hm… you look interesting."
Leo frowned.
"Huh?"
The man laughed again.
"I thought you looked like someone I knew from the past."
"But you're not him."
Leo looked confused.
"What are you talking about?"
The man shook his head.
"Don't worry."
"That person is already dead."
With that, he turned and began walking away.
Leo stood there thinking,
What the hell just happened?
Moments later the examiner returned to the stage.
Only thirty participants remained.
"Congratulations," he announced.
"From this moment on, you are members of the Elite Army Strategist Division."
Relief spread across the hall.
Elios sighed.
"We survived."
Leo nodded.
But his mind was still focused on the mysterious man who had killed Liam.
Something about him felt important.
But Leo didn't understand why.
Not yet.
End of Chapter 3
Chapter 4 — The Legendary Incident Begins
Before Leo could ask anything else, the mysterious warrior simply turned and walked away.
Leo stood there staring after him.
"What the hell just happened…?" he muttered.
Before he could think further, a loud voice echoed across the hall.
"All remaining candidates assemble at the stage immediately."
The thirty survivors gathered in front of the stage.
Moments later the Commander of the Elite Army stepped forward.
His presence alone was enough to silence the entire hall.
He looked at the candidates with sharp, evaluating eyes.
"Congratulations," he said.
"You have survived one of the most brutal examinations in the history of this kingdom."
He paused.
"From today onward…"
"You are the members of the Elite Army Strategist Division."
Cheers erupted across the hall.
Years of hard work had finally paid off.
The commander raised his hand and the room fell silent again.
"Never forget this."
"From this moment forward, thousands of lives will depend on your decisions."
"If you fail… people die."
"So become worthy of the title you now carry."
Searching for the Mysterious Warrior
As the crowd slowly began leaving the hall, Leo's eyes moved across the room again and again.
He was looking for one person.
The mysterious warrior who had killed Liam.
Leo walked through the hall, scanning every face.
But the man was gone.
Leo stepped outside the academy building and looked across the courtyard.
Soldiers were talking.
Candidates were celebrating.
But the warrior was nowhere to be seen.
Leo checked the training yard.
The entrance gate.
Even the side corridors of the academy.
Nothing.
It was as if the man had disappeared into thin air.
Elias eventually caught up with him.
"What are you doing?" Elias asked.
Leo hesitated.
"I'm looking for that guy."
"The one who killed Liam."
Elias shook his head.
"I haven't seen him since the exam ended."
Leo looked around one last time.
The courtyard was now almost empty.
He sighed.
"Strange…"
Someone that strong shouldn't be able to vanish so easily.
But there was no sign of him.
For now, Leo had no choice but to let it go.
The New Team
Later that day the new strategists were assigned their rooms.
Leo ended up sharing a room with three others.
Elias.
Alison.
Carl.
All four of them were bruised and exhausted from the exam, yet they were smiling.
They had survived something that most people couldn't.
That alone felt like a victory.
The Walk Home
That evening Leo left the academy to return home and tell Mary and Sam the good news.
The sunset painted the capital city in warm orange light as he walked through the streets.
His heart was full of excitement.
But suddenly he stopped.
A few meters ahead he saw someone familiar.
Rose.
The girl he had known since childhood.
The girl he secretly loved.
But she wasn't alone.
Standing beside her was a tall Elite Warrior.
They were laughing together.
And their hands were tightly holding each other.
Leo froze.
For a moment the world went quiet.
Memories began flooding into his mind.
He remembered the day he first met her.
It had been years ago, shortly after Mary took him in.
Leo was helping Mary deliver bread in the market when he accidentally tripped and dropped the basket.
Bread rolled across the street.
Leo panicked.
But instead of getting angry, the girl he had bumped into laughed and helped him gather everything.
"My name is Rose," she had said with a warm smile.
After that they slowly became close friends.
She helped Mary at the bakery sometimes.
She watched Leo and Sam train.
They talked about dreams, about the future, about everything.
Somewhere along the way, Leo had fallen in love with her.
But he never told her.
And now…
she was smiling at someone else.
The Elite Warrior placed his arm gently around her shoulder.
Leo quietly looked away.
"So that's how it is…" he whispered.
He kept walking.
Brothers
Leo finally arrived at Mary's bakery.
He pushed the door open.
"Mary! Sam! I passed!"
Mary dropped the tray she was holding.
Sam rushed forward.
"You passed?!"
Leo nodded proudly.
"I'm officially part of the Elite Army Strategist Division."
Mary hugged him immediately.
"I knew you could do it!"
Sam laughed and punched his shoulder.
"You did it, little brother!"
Later that night, after the celebration had quieted down, Sam found Leo sitting outside the bakery.
"You should be celebrating," Sam said as he sat beside him.
Leo stayed silent for a moment.
"I saw Rose today."
Sam didn't interrupt.
"She was holding hands with an Elite Warrior."
Leo stared at the ground.
"I guess I was stupid for thinking…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Sam placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You're not stupid."
"You just loved someone."
"That's nothing to be ashamed of."
Leo let out a quiet laugh.
"You always know what to say."
Sam grinned.
"That's what brothers are for."
The Celebration
Later that night the bakery was filled with laughter.
Mary had prepared a big dinner.
Sam invited some of their friends.
Rose.
Wilson.
Chester.
And others from the neighborhood.
Everyone congratulated Leo.
Even Rose smiled warmly.
"Congratulations, Leo."
"I knew you would pass."
Leo smiled politely.
"Thanks."
Despite everything, he didn't want to ruin the celebration.
Later that night he stepped outside and looked at the sky.
Thousands of stars filled the darkness.
A quiet thought crossed his mind.
Have I ever been this happy in my past…?
But no matter how hard he tried…
he couldn't remember anything from before the day Mary found him near the sea.
Four Years Later
Four years passed.
Leo and his team trained relentlessly.
Leo became known as a monster on the battlefield.
Even without magic, his swordsmanship was terrifying.
And when it came to strategy…
Leo, Elias, Alison, and Carl led the kingdom to many victories against rival nations.
Eventually Leo and Elias were promoted to Senior Strategists.
But peace never lasts forever.
Deep within the Kingdom of Flowers lies a mysterious place.
God Valley.
Legends say it is connected to the realm of the gods.
To protect it, an elite order exists.
Warriors whose power rivals divine beings.
They are known as the Divine Wardens.
Each Warden carries abilities said to be blessed by the gods.
The Kingdom of Flowers became one of the protectors of this sacred place for one reason.
Princess Lily.
From childhood she possessed extraordinary powers.
She could control poison, nature, and water.
With a gesture she could summon poisonous vines from the earth.
Her water magic could control rivers and storms.
And her toxic magic could paralyze entire armies.
Because of her overwhelming strength, the kingdom earned its place among the protectors of God Valley.
But peace was suddenly shattered.
One morning an emergency message arrived at strategist headquarters.
A powerful rival nation had launched an invasion.
The empire feared across many lands.
The Obsidian Dominion.
Their target was clear.
They wanted to seize the secrets of God Valley.
The king immediately ordered reinforcements.
Leo's strategist unit was chosen for the mission.
Leo, Elias, Alison, and Carl would command the strategy.
Alongside them:
10 Elite Warriors.
And 30,000 soldiers.
Even Princess Lily had no prior warning of the attack.
The entire kingdom prepared for war.
Leo looked down at the battlefield map.
At the center of it was one place.
God Valley.
The battlefield where the next great war would begin.
End of Chapter 4