The moment the final light faded from the match's simulation interface, silence settled over the arena like a smothering fog.
Then suddenly, the cheers erupted everywhere.
Students were shouting, instructors chatting softly, some even standing up in disbelief. Turns out, an underdog team from the Grey Class had just outperformed two Tier 2 groups from the Silver Division!
And right there in the middle of it all was Ethan Thorne, standing with his arms hanging at his sides, breathing pretty hard as if he'd just run a marathon. His vision flickered a little, like reality was still stitched with echoes from his realm's last command:
We adapt.
We remember.
We reshape.
I didn't even give that order… it just knew.
He blinked in surprise. Jasper gave him a hearty slap on the back, nearly knocking him over.
"Bro! That was insane! You saw what the vines did at the last second, right? It's like your realm's got reflexes now!"
Ethan just nodded quietly, eyes scanning the crowd. Some faces looked amazed, others a bit suspicious, and a few seemed like they were already calculating their next move.
Iris stood nearby, brushing dust from her shoulder. "Well, that's one way to get everyone's attention," she said dryly.
"Bet my boots someone's already running our data through every analyzer they've got."
Before Ethan could say anything, a sharp, clear tone cut through the arena—like glass cracking.
----------------------------------------------
[Announcement: Match Complete.]
[Victory Achieved by Team: Scrap Reclaimers.]
[Eligibility confirmed for Tier 2 Reward Selection.]
----------------------------------------------
A hushed wave of anticipation rippled through the students.
"About time," Jasper muttered, cracking his neck. "I've been dreaming of this since week one. Fingers crossed it's some good cards, not just duds."
The air shimmered as three transparent projection windows flickered into existence above the team's heads. The interface was universal—used in almost every academy—and yet the Tier 2 header pulsed faintly gold, signaling official recognition.
They each saw their own screen:
________________________________________
[Card Selection Interface – Tier 2]
Candidate: Ethan Thorne
You may select one (1) Tier 2 Race Card to integrate into your realm. The choice will be locked upon confirmation. Realm Compatibility Adjustment Protocol: Active. You may preview up to 3 cards. Remaining time: 10 minutes.
________________________________________
Ethan swallowed hard. The clock ticked in the corner.
His fingers hovered over the screen, then he tapped the first preview:
----------------------------------------------
[Card: Rotbark Sentinels]
Tier: 2
Type: Race
Affinity: Wood/Decay
Description: These semi-sapient guardians are grown from corrupted trees and reinforced with natural armor and fungal cores. Though slow to react, they form a perfect perimeter defense.
Special Trait: "Decompose Aegis" – Absorbs environmental toxins and transforms them into layers of pointy bark fences.
Realm Synergy: High (Polluted/Broken Biomes)
----------------------------------------------
They'd definitely hold the line, Ethan thought.
But are they smart enough for where my realm's headed?
He flicked to the next:
----------------------------------------------
[Card: Verdant Bloomshades]
Tier: 2
Type: Race
Affinity: Light/Nature
Description: Gentle, fast-growing floral folk who cultivate mini-ecosystems and aid in healing polluted environments.
Special Trait: "Bloomveil" – Converts ambient toxins into nourishing spores.
Realm Synergy: Moderate to High (Accelerated Recovery Potential)
----------------------------------------------
A faint pull tickled at the edge of his thoughts when he read that one.
Then the last card:
----------------------------------------------
[Card: Ironroot Binders]
Tier: 2
Type: Race
Affinity: Earth
Description: Humanoid root creatures that specialize in binding fragmented landmasses together, creating roads, bridges, and fortresses from ruined soil.
Special Trait: "Anchoring Pulse" – Stabilizes unstable terrain and boosts realm cohesion.
Realm Synergy: High (Structural Instability Detected)
----------------------------------------------
Ten minutes passed in seconds.
Jasper grunted nearby. "My screen had something called Pyrelings. They literally eat trash and explode when excited. Might just name one Boomie."
Iris didn't even look up from her display. "I think I just fell in love. Mine screen has a crystal butterfly race that sings plants awake."
Ethan blinked again at his options, feeling a bit lost.
I have no idea what I'm doing, he thought.
But then his realm pulsed gently in his mind—warm and subtle, like it was nudging him toward one choice.
Then without overthinking it, he tapped Verdant Bloomshades.
And the moment he did, a small flicker of green light arced across his interface—and vanished.
The system confirmed:
----------------------------------------------
[Card Integrated: Verdant Bloomshades]
Tier: 2
Population Cap Unlocked: 120 Units
[Integration Underway… Adapting Realm Matrix…]
----------------------------------------------
A faint tingle ran up his spine.
Then came Jasper's voice. "Wait… did your realm just shimmer around?"
Ethan blinked, caught off-guard. "What?"
"You've got that glow again," Iris said as they walk down. "Same as last time."
Before Ethan could say anything, the realm responded.
A soft tremor—not something physical, but deep in his senses—buzzed behind his eyes. He almost lost his balance as they stepped off the arena's lift platform, catching himself on the wall.
No one else seemed to notice anything unusual.
Except Iris.
She looked at him closely, her voice low and sharp: "You felt that too. Don't even try to deny it."
Ethan didn't answer right away. He was still processing the faint bloom he felt in his Divine Realm. It wasn't explosive or something dramatic; it was more like a slow, deliberate blossoming like something ancient exhaling for the first time.
"It's… awake," he muttered.
Jasper turned around. "What?"
"Nothing." Ethan cleared his throat. "Just tired."
They continued walking in silence until a ping echoed through the system—an alert meant for everyone.
----------------------------------------------
[System Bulletin: Tier 2 Card Integration Confirmed]
– Student: Ethan Thorne
– Realm Compatibility: High
– Observation Level: Increased (Division Oversight Active)
----------------------------------------------
Ethan's heart dropped.
"I thought they didn't send those out," Iris muttered, reading the alert over his shoulder.
"They don't," Jasper said, eyes narrowing. "Unless it's flagged. You just got flagged."
"Oh great," Ethan mumbled, feeling the weight of another pair of eyes on him. "Just what I needed."
They returned to the dorm wing and split up. Ethan's door shut with a soft hiss, sealing him into the quiet.
Or… what should have been quiet.
But his Divine Realm was whispering.
He lay down, placing a palm against the flat disk that connected him to the realm interface—and slipped in.
—
The realm had changed.
Where once there were dark, tangled trees and sluggish, toxic streams, now patches of vibrant blooms dotted the landscape. Softly glowing, radiating warmth like tiny suns trapped within petals.
It wasn't beautiful.
But it was no longer seemed dead.
The Verdant Bloomshades had arrived.
And they were working.
Tiny floral figures with vine-laced limbs and glowing eyes drifted through the corrupted marshes, almost like living lanterns. They weren't just cleaning the pollution, they were digesting it, transforming toxins into fertilizer, spores, and new growth.
Ethan stepped forward in the mental projection of his avatar. The realm felt responsive, alert and...
Almost watchful.
A Bloomshade turned its glowing gaze toward him.
Not words—just a feeling.
You gave us this place. We will reshape it with you.
Ethan wondered, "Why does it feel like you already knew what to do?"
Because we remember what you wanted.
Even when you forgot.
________________________________________
He quickly pulled himself out of the realm connection, gasping.
His dorm lights flickered once, briefly. His hands were shaking.
Then his terminal buzzed—an incoming message.
From Felix Crane.
----------------------------------------------
[CONFIDENTIAL – DIVISION A INTERNAL]:
"You weren't supposed to see this yet, but Mira's pushing for transparency. Your realm's Bloomshade integration caused a temporary spike in environmental stabilization metrics across your simulation sector.
----------------------------------------------
That shouldn't happen this fast. We'll be reviewing again tomorrow.
You may want to prepare an explanation."
– Felix
Ethan stared at the message. Then at the faintly glowing connection disk.
You're evolving without permission, he thought.
And somehow… I don't think even I could stop you now.