A sharp knock at the door jolted Elric from sleep.

  Who is it? he thought groggily, dragging himself out of bed. He stumbled to the door and cracked it open.

  Standing there was Neve, arms folded, fully dressed and ready for the tournament. Her face was impassive, her posture stiff.

  “Hmm? Why’d you wake me?” Elric mumbled, still half-asleep, squinting at her.

  Neve gave him a quick once-over before saying flatly, “There’s a meeting the other academy students at the main hall in thirty minutes. Get dressed.”

  “How do you know that?” Elric asked, blinking as the fog of sleep slowly lifted. It was then he noticed her eyes — sharp, weary, and sleepless.

  Frowning, he asked, “Did you even sleep?”

  Without a flicker of emotion, Neve simply said, “Hurry up,” and closed the door in his face.

  “I bet she didn’t sleep at all,” Elric muttered with a half-smile as he made his way to the bath. He washed up quickly, dressed, and stepped out of his room.

  Still waiting by the door, Neve arched an eyebrow at him.

  “You made me wait” she said, her tone even but unmistakably pointed.

  “It was barely ten minutes,” Elric replied, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk before he quickly shifted topics. “Let’s go.”

  They crossed the quiet corridor without encountering a soul. But as they descended the stairway, a wave of noise hit them — the main hall was packed. Students crowded together, shouting over one another so fiercely it felt as if the walls themselves were shaking.

  “Where do they find all this energy so early?” Elric muttered aloud, but his words were instantly swallowed by the roar of conversation. Only Neve, walking silently at his side, caught what he said.

  Too tired to bother with a reply, Neve found a nearby chair and sank into it, waiting for the meeting to begin.

  With a sigh, Elric scanned the hall for a place to sit. No luck. Resigned, he slumped down onto the stairs, his gaze drifting aimlessly across the room as he lost himself in thought.

  Fifteen minutes slipped by in a blur — until a loud yet composed voice cut sharply through the noise.

  "Quiet!"

  The effect was immediate. Most students, recognizing the voice, fell silent at once. Even those who didn’t know who had spoken quickly followed the sudden stillness of the crowd, instinctively turning their heads toward the source.

  Elric’s gaze followed the sound, landing on a man in his thirties with jet-black hair, clad in the academy’s red instructor uniform. Standing beside him, Carl wore a grave, almost somber expression.

  The man didn’t speak for a full minute. He simply stood there, waiting patiently as the last murmurs died down until only the sound of breathing filled the vast hall.

  This instructor must either be a true leader or a tyrant, Elric thought, quietly studying the man’s commanding presence.

  At last, the instructor cleared his throat and spoke, his voice steady and deliberate.

  “Today is the day you’ve spent the last seven months preparing for.”

  He paused, his gaze sweeping slowly across the hall, making sure to meet the eyes of as many students as he could.

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  Many nodded solemnly, their expressions grave. Others seemed to drift inward, lost in memories of the grueling months that had brought them here.

  The instructor continued, his tone firm but not unkind.

  “I know it’s asking a lot — to fight until there’s no strength left in your body — but I hope each of you will give everything you have. Do it for yourselves, and for the academy that nurtured you. The more names we place on the ranking lists, the more funding we earn. And with that, better training, better equipment, and greater futures await you.”

  Taking a deep breath, the instructor continued, his voice carrying a heavier weight.

  “Don’t get me wrong. This tournament isn’t just about helping the academy grow. The greatest opportunity here is yours — to make a name for yourself... and to earn enough money to change your lives. Enough to survive the future challenges you’ll face inside the portals.”

  At the mention of the academy’s benefit, only a handful of students had shown any real spark — a few glints of fighting spirit, a few determined nods.

  But when the focus shifted to their personal gain, the atmosphere changed instantly.

  Muscles tensed. Eyes lit up with raw excitement. A fire had been ignited.

  The instructor paused for a moment, taking in the bubbling energy with a faint, knowing smile before speaking again.

  “Give this tournament everything you’ve got. Because if you place in the top twenty, you’ll have a real shot at surviving a Blue portal — with a party to back you up. Place in the top ten...” He let the words hang for a moment, fueling the tension, “...and you might even be able to clear it alone.”

  The faint smile curled into a full grin.

  “But if you place within the top three — you will be strong enough to clear a Blue portal on your own.”

  A wide grin spread across the instructor’s face as he declared,

  “If you win this tournament... you won’t just be celebrated — you’ll be remembered as the first and strongest human on Earth. The one who will kickstart a new era. Future generations will call you ancestor when they speak your name.”

  He paused, letting the words sink in, then added with a glint in his eye,

  “And if fame and glory aren’t enough to tempt you... then perhaps the prize will. Thanks to the growth of our people, the reward has been increased.”

  Sitting quietly on the stairs, Elric narrowed his eyes, a thought slipping through his mind.

  This mission is becoming more and more important.

  The hall, which had been buzzing moments ago with barely-contained excitement, suddenly fell into a heavy, breathless silence. It was so quiet that the sound of a pin dropping might have echoed off the walls.

  Everyone knew the original prize — 350,000 Gold coins — a fortune large enough to instantly catapult someone into the highest ranks of humanity’s elite.

  But now... they were being told the prize had grown even larger?

  Was such a thing even possible?

  The instructor enunciated each word with deliberate clarity, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

  “The new prize is 500,000 Gold coins.”

  A collective gasp rippled through the hall.

  Elric couldn’t help but smile wryly to himself. If Boss knew the prize had been increased this much, I’m sure he’d have rushed here himself, he thought. What had started as a “give it your 100%” mission had now escalated to a “fight until you die” kind of task.

  It wasn’t long before the instructor spoke again, his tone steady.

  “The academies are offering you the chance to change your lives. It’s up to you whether you reach for it or let it slip away.”

  Changing their lives — that was why they trained so hard, why they poured blood and sweat into each hour of grueling practice.

  Some students were practically shaking with determination, swearing under their breath that they would win.

  Others simply sighed, their faces solemn. They knew this opportunity wasn’t theirs to seize, but they didn’t crush the hopes of their peers. Instead, they remained silent, their thoughts perhaps leaning on the hope of a miracle — that a friend might rise to the occasion and win, granting them a share of the spoils, even the connection to someone that strong was enough.

  The head instructor didn't stop their excitement, letting them bask in this moment and, due to that, the hall didn’t fully settle until ten minutes later.

  When the chatter finally died down, Carl spoke up.

  “We debated whether to give you this news now or later, and decided now would be the best time, hoping it would fuel your drive for the top. But...” His voice shifted, becoming more serious. “A word of warning: this news may cloud your judgment. Don’t let it. I expect you to be courageous, but not reckless. Keep that in mind.”

  Many students nodded in solemn agreement. Carl’s gaze softened, and he offered a light smile before speaking again.

  “Now, it’s time to head to the arena.”

  Carl, alongaide the head instructor, was the first to leave the hotel. The students followed, moving in a sea of eager anticipation, while a dozen other instructors darted about, ensuring everything was running smoothly.

  Elric stood up, scanning the room. He spotted Neve already moving toward the exit, following the instructors. Elric picked up his stride and caught up with her, his eyes glinting with curiosity.

  "Will you take this seriously now?" he asked, a teasing edge to his voice.

  Neve gave a simple, noncommittal hum, her gaze now laser-focused. She didn’t hesitate. “I’ll win.”

  If I let you, Elric thought with a smirk, the challenge already sparking in his mind as they walked side by side.

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