(Twin Fang City, Black Serpent's Guild Residential Quarters, Unit 5 C)
The communication crystal glowed softly in Leo's hand, its blue hue intensifying as it absorbed more and more of his mana to establish a connection.
Once the mana input stabilized and the receiver accepted the call, the projection shimmered, then took form.
The woman who appeared on the other side was no longer Instructor Muiyan Faye of Rodova Academy.
Gone were the prim academy clothes and the carefully placed make-up, as in her place stood Mu Fan, red-haired and radiant, dressed in the sleek tactical robes of the Mu Clan's covert operatives, her expression calm and cautious.
"Did you do it?" she asked without preamble, eyes locked onto his. "Did you get accepted into the Serpents?"
Leo tilted the crystal slightly, revealing the unadorned walls and training dummy behind him.
