Lord: Sequence Master

Rosen sat by the roadside, flipping through the city guidebook. Blazing Shadow Royal City was an overwhelming place, with some areas open to the public while others were off-limits, reserved for private domains like wizard towers and floating islands owned by the elite.

The more he read, the more Rosen appreciated the guidebook. Blazing Shadow Royal City was a massive urban sprawl, extending over dozens of miles if you included the surrounding farmland, with a permanent population of over 10 million. Navigating such a vast city without some form of guidance was impossible, even for its longtime residents.

The guidebook, an alchemical product, was more than just a map. It was equipped with search and navigation functions. Rosen input "professional guild" into the device, which immediately displayed the route to the Blazing Shadow City Professional Guild.

In Blazing Shadow Royal City, the professional guilds did not fall under the control of the Blazing Shadow Duchy. Instead, they were overseen directly by the World Government, staffed primarily by people from various other countries. The guilds served three primary purposes: career evaluation, world recruitment, and spiritual realm ticket sales.

World recruitment offered opportunities for those in extraordinary sequences to join expeditions to the frontier and help expand human borders, although participants below Sequence 6 had to pay their own way. Those of Sequence 6 or higher were often sponsored by the World Government.

The sale of spiritual realm tickets was also an important guild service. Many noble families owned inherited spiritual realms, but the resources within them were often insufficient for their needs. Therefore, they would sell tickets to outsiders for training purposes.

Rosen, however, wasn't interested in frontier work or spiritual realms just yet. He had just survived the Forest of Death Spiritual Realm and wasn't eager to jump into another spiritual journey. His primary goal was a career evaluation—a test of his potential. In Blazing Shadow Royal City, career evaluations were a prerequisite for entering the best official academies, and their results significantly impacted one's future prospects.

Following the guide's instructions, Rosen boarded a public alchemical carriage. After half an hour, he arrived at the Artist's Guild.

Few people came and went from the guild, which made sense. Nobles were a rare class, and in a city of over 10 million, there were probably fewer than 10,000 titled individuals. The Painter Sequence was even rarer, with perhaps fewer than 1,000 members across the entire city.

Rosen estimated that the most elite official academies wouldn't be too difficult to get into—assuming he had enough wealth. Pursuing art wasn't cheap, and the civilized sequences had little room for those without means.

"I'm here for a Painter Sequence career evaluation," Rosen said to the receptionist at the front desk, a blonde woman who eyed him with the polite curiosity reserved for someone stepping into an elite world.

"Please proceed to the 12th floor. I'll notify the Painter's Division to receive you there," she replied, pointing to a large painting on the wall. "That painting is a spiritual realm portal to the 12th floor. Simply walk into it, but be warned: entering without being part of the Painter Sequence could lead to unpredictable dangers."

"Understood," Rosen nodded, walking toward the painting. As he stepped into the frame, the surface rippled like water, engulfing him.

In an instant, he found himself standing before a grand gallery filled with countless spiritual paintings. The space buzzed with creativity, and Rosen could feel the sheer presence of countless artists' works, each radiating spiritual energy.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man leaped out of one of the paintings near the entrance. Dressed in a tuxedo, he sported two meticulously groomed golden mustaches, which he stroked as he took in Rosen's appearance. With a flourish of his hand, the man conjured a paintbrush and made several strokes in the air, summoning a tailored suit that floated toward Rosen.

With a final flick of his wrist, the middle-aged man pointed at Rosen, and in a flash, Rosen's modest attire transformed into an elegant, high-end outfit.

"Now you look the part of a Painter," the man said with satisfaction. "Clement Curtis. It's always a pleasure to see someone embarking on the path of the Painter Sequence."

"Rosen Howard. I'm honored to be part of the sequence," Rosen replied, shaking Clement's hand.

"Follow me," Clement said, leading Rosen through the gallery. He gestured to various paintings as they walked, offering brief explanations. Each painting was a spiritual work left behind by past Painters of the Blazing Shadow Duchy. These paintings were protected artifacts and held immense significance.

Clement explained that the gallery's spiritual paintings were linked to the painters' lives. If a painter encountered danger, the gallery could be used to locate them and offer a lifeline. However, such a service required the painter's permission, the President of the Artist's Guild's approval, and authorization from the Grand Duke of Blazing Shadow himself. This ensured privacy and safety while maintaining the power of the guild as a life-saving resource.

Reaching an empty wall, Clement summoned a blank frame. "This will serve as your career evaluation. Show us your work, Mr. Howard."

Rosen unpacked his storage backpack, taking out the paintbrush and pigments he had exchanged from Masadora using his spiritual points. Focused intently on the canvas, he began to paint, drawing on his memory of the Golden Ancient Tree he had once glimpsed in his dreams.

As he worked, he infused the painting with nine points of spiritual energy. This surprised Rosen, as he had only recently reached nine spiritual points after the awakening of his Divine Territory. Typically, using all nine points at once would have drained him, leaving him in a state of exhaustion.

But this time, Rosen felt no such fatigue. In fact, as he painted, he could feel his spiritual energy replenishing itself rapidly. He was on the verge of crossing into ten points of spiritual energy, a feat that should have taken much longer.

Something about the gallery or perhaps the atmosphere within the Artist's Guild seemed to be amplifying the effects of his spiritual practice. Painting here felt like a thousand times more rewarding than working in solitude.

Rosen smiled to himself, more excited than ever about his future as a Painter.

(End of Chapter)