But if he became a Syndicate member? That risk would be gone.

  He forced himself to stay calm, biting down the rush of excitement bubbling inside. Instead, he leaned back and let out a casual, uninterested "Oh."

  "Does food and accommodation come with the job?"

  Vince’s confident smile froze for half a second. Of all the questions... "You’ll be making $100,000 a month, and you’re asking if we cover food?"

  "Hey." Axel spread his hands. "It’s a reasonable question. Work benefits matter."

  Vince’s eye twitched, but he kept his smile. "There’s no free food, but the Syndicate headquarters has rooms and a cafeteria. You can pay out of your salary."

  Axel nodded approvingly, like he was negotiating the terms of a job at some small-town diner.

  Vince was starting to regret this recruitment trip. "You have any more… pressing questions? Maybe something about, I don’t know, the danger or the mission requirements?"

  Axel shrugged. "With that kind of paycheck… who cares?"

  Vince nearly choked on his tea. This guy…

  Annabelle, who had been quietly listening until now, suddenly piped up. "I think it's a great deal." Her green eyes were practically glowing at the mention of $100,000.

  Vince stared at the two siblings. "Goddamn money-grubbers…" he muttered under his breath.

  Axel grinned, playing it cool. Hook, line, and sinker.

  "Alright, I agree," Axel said, trying not to sound too eager.

  Vince arched an eyebrow. "That’s it? No questions about what the Syndicate actually does? Or how likely you are to get your ass killed?"

  Axel smirked. "With that kind of salary, I'll figure it out along the way."

  Vince leaned back, shaking his head with a half-smile. He liked this kid—annoying as hell, but sharp. Still…

  "You’re getting ahead of yourself," Vince said. "Just because I found you doesn’t mean you’re in. The Syndicate’s standards are insanely high. There’s an entrance assessment—the toughest shit you’ll ever face."

  Axel’s cocky smile didn’t budge. "Assessments? I’m a student, man. That’s what I’m best at."

  Vince’s smile turned wolfish. "Yeah… this won’t be like your little school exams."

  He leaned forward, voice low. "The Syndicate only holds one recruitment round every year. Each of Krythos’s 120 teams gets to nominate one candidate. Only 12 make the cut."

  Axel’s heart skipped. One in ten.

  If the Syndicate was only pulling candidates from its own ranks, that meant every single person in the assessment would be a monster. Most of them would have been training for years—not just two months like him.

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  Vince caught the flicker of doubt in Axel’s eyes and finally let out a breath of relief. Good. He’s taking this seriously now.

  "You’re still low-tier—First-Level Low Grade."

  He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small USB drive instead of the old-fashioned secret manuals Axel had been expecting.

  "These are two Force-cultivation methods used by Syndicate rookies. With your talent, I expect you to hit First-Level Middle Grade by the time the assessment starts."

  Axel took the drive, weighing it in his palm. It felt… heavier than it should have. This wasn’t just a recruitment offer anymore. This was a gamble.

  "Two months, huh?" Axel muttered.

  Vince leaned back, smirking again. "Two months to climb a whole sub-tier. Think you’re up for it?"

  He stuffed the USB drive into his pocket and grinned.

  .......

  Listening to Vince talk, Axel realized just how **little** he actually knew about Awakeners.

  According to him, breaking past 100 Force only put someone at First-Level Low Grade. At that stage, using an Awakening skill drained almost all of the user’s Force, leaving them weak and vulnerable. Recovery took forever.

  If a combat-type Awakener couldn’t finish a fight before running out of Force? They were as good as dead.

  Vince pulled out the USB drive and tapped it against the table.

  “These contain two essential training methods. One is called Body Forging—designed to strengthen your physique. The other is Meditation—which hones your mental power.”

  Axel spun the USB between his fingers, listening intently.

  “These methods were developed by a team of Ninth-Level Awakeners right here in Krythos. Force is the foundation of an Awakener’s power. But raw Force alone isn’t enough—you need to integrate it into every cell of your body.”

  He leaned forward. “Body Forging does exactly that. It reshapes your physical structure, making you stronger, tougher. Once you complete your first fusion, your Force will start regenerating faster after skill use. That’s what separates Low Grade from Middle Grade.”

  Axel narrowed his eyes. "How big of a difference are we talking?"

  Vince smirked. “Let’s put it this way—right now, you probably burn through everything after one or two skills, right?"

  Axel nodded. Recharge always left him completely drained.

  "Once you reach Middle Grade, you’ll recover fast enough to stay in a fight. And when you hit Peak First Level, you’ll be able to unleash at least three Awakening skills per battle.”

  No wonder the power gap was so damn massive.

  Vince continued. “Meditation is different. It’s for training your spirit. Early on, it won’t seem that important, because you won’t even be able to feel your spirit power yet. But trust me—it’s crucial in the long run.

  Your Undead Guide ability isn’t strong in direct combat yet, but once your body is fully fused with Force, your natural resilience will skyrocket. Small stuff like colds, fevers? Won’t even touch you.”

  Axel’s lips twitched. “Well, that’s one way to save on medical bills.”

  Vince chuckled. “Even non-combat Awakeners are physically way stronger than regular people. Once you start training, you’ll notice it.”

  "Both of these methods burn through a lot of Force. So, wait until the test day is over before you practice."

  Vince hesitated for a second, and didn't say more. If he wanted to practice, he would need to replenish constantly, and that means a shitload of raw stones and pills. As a member of the Whisper Syndicate, resources are still sufficient. But the problem is that Axel is currently just a candidate, and Vince can't help him more.

  Vince stood up, stretching. “I’ll be back in two months. If you haven’t reached Middle Grade by then, don’t even think about passing the assessment.”

  Axel nodded, tucking the USB into his pocket. Once Vince left, Axel sat at his desk, rolling the USB drive between his fingers.

  Earlier, he’d kept his excitement under wraps. In fact—he was holding back a grin. Because unlike the others, he didn’t need raw stones or pills. He had Green Crystals. And their replenishment speed was on a whole different level.

  Before, it was his physical and mental strength that limited him. Now that he has a special method to temper his physical and mental strength, can he make rapid progress? At least the green crystals he harvested this time will be enough for him to consume for a long time.

  Axel wanted to try it now, start physical training, and then use crystals to restore the Force, but he still suppressed his excitement.

  Joining the Whisper Syndicate is just a direction. Vince also said that his selection rate is very low. He still has to make plans for both ends. Tomorrow was the test. And he couldn’t afford to screw it up.