One week had passed since the legendary World Ascension Tournament—and the academy was finally quiet.
Too quiet.
No battles in the training yard.No rival fights after dark.Just… phones buzzing. Constantly.
Kael sat in the dorm lounge, half-asleep, when his phone lit up again.
BZZZT.📩 [Incoming Offer: Apex Vanguard Guild – Rank A]📩 [Sponsorship Inquiry: Orion-Tech Industries]📩 [Special Invitation: Grandmaster Takeshi's Elite Apprenticeship Program]
He blinked. "That's the fifth one today…"
Across the room, Tetsu let out a whistle, holding his phone upside down like it was cursed.
Tetsu:"Dude, I just got a sponsorship offer from a company that makes combat ramen. What even is that?"
Kael (deadpan):"I'd take it. Instant noodles with explosive power."
Tetsu (grinning):"I'm listening."
Meanwhile, Ryuu sat on the rooftop, messages pinging in rapid succession.
He ignored most of them—until one caught his eye.
📩 [Invitation: Shadow Crest Guild – Direct recruitment by Division Leader K.]
Ryuu narrowed his eyes.
"K?"
He closed the message, tucking it away in the back of his mind.
In the workshop, Eri had her feet up on a cluttered desk, sipping juice while watching Hana scroll through her phone.
Hana:"Everyone's getting something. I got invited to join three elite training programs, two combat research projects, and—oh—someone wants to name a weapon after me?"
Eri (smirking):"Should've worn the hairpin sooner. Stardom suits you."
Hana (laughing):"You sound jealous."
Eri (grinning):"I'm just waiting for my fan mail to start."
Right then, her phone buzzed.
📩 [Request: Lead Tech Advisor – Vanguard Guild]
Eri:"...Okay, never mind. I take it back. I'm famous now."
Later that night, all the students who made it into the tournament's top 100 received a universal alert on their devices:
📡 [SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT: Selected Participants of the World Ascension Tournament — You are now eligible to be scouted by global guilds, combat companies, elite factions, and secret orders. Expect increased activity and encrypted contact.]
📍 All offers are to be reviewed with guidance from your academy advisors.
📩 [End Transmission.]
Kaede Mizuno stood in his office, watching the messages pour in from all directions. Guild names. Faction emblems. Sponsor tags.
Kaede (muttering):"It's begun… The real test starts now."
Back in Kael's dorm, he stared at one particular invitation glowing on his phone.
📩 [Confidential Guild Offer: Black Eclipse – We watched your performance closely. We're very interested.]
He didn't know why—but something about that name made his stomach twist.
It wasn't just him.
Across the country, hidden in shadows, certain guilds moved pieces across a much bigger board.
And the World Ascension Tournament?
That was just the opening move.