The square erupted with thunderous cheers. The golden gates of Zeyrus' capital had opened, and the black-uniformed heroes of the ADM Corps returned from yet another mission. Their boots echoed power as they marched through, elemental rings on their fingers glowing faintly with raw energy. Children screamed their names. Adults clapped until their palms turned red. Flowers rained from rooftops.
Yuji Kazehaya stood at the edge of the crowd, his eyes wide with awe. He clutched his worn bag tightly, standing like a ghost among the worshippers. He watched as one soldier waved gently to a group of orphans, his silver ring flickering with Wind energy. Another had ice crystals trailing his steps.
But as the last soldier passed, the tone changed. The crowd's gaze shifted slowly... to Yuji.
Silence.
Then came the whispers.
"Why is he here?"
"That cursed brat from Sector 3?"
"He shouldn't even be breathing."
Their cheers turned to scowls. Mothers pulled their children closer. A man spat at the ground before Yuji. Panic flooded his chest, and he turned and ran, shoving through the crowd, trying to breathe.
He didn't stop until the crowd was gone.
Why do they all hate me?
His footsteps slowed near an old cracked wall. There, a half-torn poster flapped in the wind. Bright letters in gold said:
> "Join the ADM Corps. Serve Zeyrus. Be a Hero."
Just beneath it, another hand was tearing down an older poster. Bloodstains still marked its faded slogan:
> "Sacrifice Makes Peace."
Yuji stared at both.
Minutes later, he was on the train to Sector 2—Kahai City. The largest and most powerful district in all of Zeyrus. His heart pounded with hope and fear. Towering skyscrapers loomed outside the window. Giant banners displayed elemental warriors striking enemies in dramatic poses. People bowed to soldiers on the street. News screens echoed,
> "ADM Corps secures another cave vein in a flawless operation!"
Yuji lowered his gaze.
I want to be useful... even if no one believes in me.
---
ADM Registration Center – Kahai City
He stood in line. Dozens of applicants waited in silence. Every one of them looked confident, some even cocky. A few flexed their magic: small bursts of flame, gusts of wind, sparkles of light. Their rings glowed with pride.
Yuji looked down at his own. A dull gray ring. No light. No warmth.
The receptionist scanned his name.
"Yuji Kazehaya. Sector 3."
Her eyebrows raised. The scanner flickered. Glitched. She tapped it again.
"Hm. Your core is... unstable. Wind, apparently. One Star." She stared. "Only one?"
She handed him a tablet and said, flatly, "Next."
Laughter behind him. Murmurs. Mockery.
> "Sector 3 loser." "Did he forge that ring?" "One Star? Is that even real?"
Yuji said nothing. He clutched the tablet and walked into the next hall.
---
Training Dome Alpha
Inside stood Commander Xian, a tall, intimidating figure in a black coat that trailed like smoke. His voice echoed through the chamber as all applicants gathered.
"You all passed the minimal threshold. That means you're lucky enough to still be breathing. But let me tell you something about luck—it runs out."
He raised a finger, and a hologram appeared above him: five stars.
"The ADM Gear you wear on your finger has five stages. Five stars of evolution."
He pointed to each star as he explained:
"Star One: Basic reinforcement. You can punch harder. Run faster. Maybe use a spell if your element allows."
"Star Two: Unlocks three skills based on your element. This is where real combat begins."
"Star Three: Explosive magic. Power bursts. Area attacks."
"Star Four: Physical transcendence. Speed and power beyond human limits."
He paused. His eyes narrowed.
"Star Five...?"
Silence. He let it hang.
"...No one has ever reached it. If someone did, they're either dead... or erased."
The room stiffened.
A student raised a hand, trembling. "Commander, how does the ADM gear work exactly? How do we fuel it?"
Xian replied, "Your ring means nothing without EB units—Energy Bottles. Ten EB units equals five days of activity. Run out, and your own soul becomes the cost."
The room fell deathly silent.
He snapped his fingers. Groups formed. Four groups of ten. Yuji was pushed toward Group 2.
A boy beside him smiled and extended a hand.
"Name's Kai. You nervous too?"
Yuji blinked, unsure, then slowly nodded. For a moment, he felt seen.
They were led into the next hall: Xiani Arena. A massive metallic dome, empty, cold, lit only by a single sunbeam through the ceiling.
Commander Xian walked to the center. His voice, now cold:
"Congratulations, Groups. You've made it to your first real test."
He looked over them like a hawk.
"Now listen well. There will be no further exams. No interviews. No second chances."
His next words slammed into Yuji like a hammer:
> "Kill each other. Only one from each group survives. The weak don't deserve to live."
For five seconds, no one moved.
Then panic. Eyes widened. Whispers. Kai backed away, his hand trembling.
Yuji's chest heaved. Was this a joke?
Xian grinned, arms behind his back.
"The countdown begins. Ten seconds. You kill, or you die."
Yuji slowly turned to Kai, whose smile was long gone.
Their eyes locked.
Breaths shallow. Hands clenched.
I don't want to die...
...but do I have to kill?
A storm raged in his heart.
And somewhere deep in the shadows of his soul...
...something grinned.
The crowd outside roared behind the walls of the arena, unaware of the slaughter about to begin. It was all part of the show.
As Yuji gripped the dull ring on his finger, it remained motionless. No light. No sound. No magic.
I want to live, he thought, even if I have to crawl to survive.
The final second ticked.
The air cracked with the sound of the first strike.
Then...
From the gates of the arena, high above in the VIP chamber, a single figure stepped forward to observe.
He wore no medals. No cape. Just a sleeveless black combat shirt with frozen breath lingering around him.
His icy blue eyes narrowed as they watched the bloodbath begin.
Ryen Sylvan.
No one cheered for him. No one dared.
He wasn't a hero.
He was something the system feared.
And as he watched, he whispered to himself:
> "Let's see how long the mask stays on, Yuji Kazehaya."
---
END OF CHAPTER 3