"Congratulations, Kyren," Rayn said with a genuine smile, offering a handshake.
Kyren was momentarily stunned by Rayn's beautiful smile but accepted the handshake.
"Thank you," Kyren smiled back.
"Anyway, I have an offer for you," Rayn continued, still holding his hand.
"What is it?" Kyren asked, still shaking hands.
"Join my team, and I guarantee you'll pass this academy. You'll be one of the first members of my guild once we graduate," Rayn said politely, not letting go of Kyren's hand.
Kyren, feeling uncomfortable, forcefully broke the handshake. "Nah, thanks."
"How dare you... Why are you rejecting me?" Rayn's tone became more serious.
"Well, I don't need to give you a reason," Kyren said, looking away.
"What's with the attitude?" Rayn asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I know you're only being kind because you want something from me," Kyren said.
"Excuse me?" Rayn felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm offering you an opportunity here."
The Sky Official arrived. "Sorry, I'm a bit late."
"It's okay, Ms. Official. Let's go," Kyren said.
"NOW YOU'RE IGNORING ME!" Rayn exclaimed. "I'll never forget this moment. Prepare yourself."
As Kyren and the Sky Official walked away, Kyren waved dismissively, signaling that it didn't matter.
"Why am I letting that weakling bother me? There are more deserving students I can recruit," Rayn muttered. "But why do I have a feeling that I need to recruit him? And why is he acting so cool around me? Is he just dumb?"
After the Sky official completed the tour, showing Kyren and his friends the various luxurious amenities of the VIP dormitory, Kyren returned to his room, feeling both exhilarated and exhausted. He fell into his bed, the comfort and warmth enveloping him, and soon drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Kyren, Hiro, Zeeha, and Beatrix awoke early, eager to see what their first full day in their new section would bring. As they stepped out of their suite, they were greeted by a group of students from Section 11, who welcomed them warmly.
"Welcome to Section 11," an older and tall buff student with a friendly demeanor said, extending a hand to Kyren. "We've heard about your victory. It's great to have you with us, Mr. 16th."
Kyren gave a silent nod, his expression stoic but appreciative. Hiro, ever the friendly one, jumped in with a grin. "We're looking forward to working with you all."
The positive reception from Section 11 was encouraging, but not everyone was pleased with the new arrangements. A group of students from Section 12 stood nearby, their expressions dark and unwelcoming. The tension was palpable as they exchanged cold glances with the newcomers, especially with Beatrix, who had lost to Sparoo.
Among the Section 12 students, Sparoo stood out, his presence intimidating and unmistakable. His eyes locked onto Vilon, his unpredictable demeanor causing Vilon to feel intimidated. The memory of what Sparoo had done to Beatrix was still fresh, and Vilon couldn't help but feel a wave of anger and apprehension.
"Looks like our newly merged section has three GAs. This is the most stacked section, I would say," Sparoo said with a friendly and mysterious approach. "Plus, it looks like we are in the same section again," he continued, his voice dripping with mockery as he addressed Kyren, Hiro, and Zeeha. His smile was anything but friendly.
Zeeha couldn't read what Sparoo was trying to convey, but she knew he was someone to watch out for. Nonetheless, Kyren offered a handshake to Sparoo. "Congratulations on your promotion, Sparoo."
Sparoo accepted the handshake. "Yeah, you too. Let's have fun and help each other."
They got interrupted when the door to their suite opened, and a figure stepped inside. It was the proctor, a stern-looking with eye glasses woman with sharp features and an air of authority. She looked around the room, her eyes briefly settling on each of them.
"For those who don't know, I'm Proctor Mint," she introduced herself. "I'm a 3-Starred Sorcerer and a member of Arramaya's Legacy Guild. I'll be your adviser for this month."
The room fell silent as everyone listened intently. Proctor Mint's reputation preceded her, and her presence commanded respect.
She continued, "For a brief summary of our previous month of training, we've learned about the basics and fundamentals in choosing your fighting style based on your race and preferred job. Today, we will proceed with learning about the latest inventions from our researchers: Runes and Artifacts."
Proctor Mint continued her explanation, holding the attention of every student in the room. "For runes, our researchers have found a way to store roots inside small orb objects. These orbs can be made from various rare materials, and the rarity determines how strong the roots they can hold are."
Kyren glanced at the ring on his finger, now understanding that the small embedded object was one of these orbs.
Proctor Mint noticed his look and nodded. "Sounds familiar, right? I'm sure many of you have seen other students using them already. But what you might not know is that these orbs can be upgraded."
One student looked puzzled. "Upgraded? There's more to it?"
Proctor Mint smiled slightly, appreciating his curiosity. She produced two orbs from her pocket: one clear and the other marked with a symbol. "Yes, Allow me to explain. This clear orb is a basic model. You can recharge it after it runs out of energy. But this one," she said, holding up the orb with the symbol, "is different. This is a contracted orb, created by sorcerers. It has the ability to recharge itself."
The room buzzed with intrigue, but Proctor Mint's tone grew serious as she continued. "However, there is a downside. Once an orb is contracted, you can't add any other roots to it. It's a one-time configuration, unlike the regular orbs which can be adapted as needed."
Beatrix raised her hand. "So, the contracted orbs are more reliable but less versatile?"
Proctor Mint continued her explanation, her voice steady and authoritative. "Some of you are probably thinking that maybe the regular orb is more reliable because of its versatility. However, I would argue that the contracted orb, which we refer to as a rune, has a mysterious function that makes it truly unique."
She held up the rune with the symbol again, letting the light catch its intricate design. "A rune's power evolves based on its own conditions. Researchers are still trying to understand why this happens, but through extensive testing, we've discovered that basic root runes—like water, fire, lightning, wind, and earth—can enhance their power by clashing with their elemental weaknesses."
The students leaned in, intrigued by this revelation. Proctor Mint's expression grew more intense. "For example, a fire rune can grow stronger if it clashes with water. Similarly, a lightning rune can enhance its power by being exposed to earth elements. We don't fully understand why this happens, but it seems that these runes can harness energy from their elemental opposites to evolve."
Proctor Mint smiled slightly, seeing the interest and curiosity in their eyes. "And that's the beauty of our realm. There are many mysteries yet to be unfolded and countless questions that need to be answered. Each of you has the potential to discover new aspects of these runes, pushing the boundaries of our understanding."