THE VALKYRION HEADQUARTERS STOOD LIKE A FORTRESS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY—BLACK STEEL TOWERS, MAGIC BARRIERS HUMMING IN THE AIR, AND GUARDS EVERYWHERE.
KAI LOOKED AROUND WITH HIS MOUTH HALF OPEN.
"BRO… THIS PLACE IS INSANE."
RYUJIN FOLLOWED QUIETLY BEHIND, HANDS IN HIS POCKETS. HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE GLAMOUR—ONLY THE POWER IT COULD GIVE HIM.
MEETING THE ELITES
ARIANA VALE HERSELF WAS WAITING FOR THEM IN THE GRAND HALL.
SHE GAVE RYUJIN A BRIEF NOD.
"WELCOME TO VALKYRION. LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT YOU'VE JOINED."
SHE LED THEM TO THE TRAINING ARENA, A MASSIVE DOME FILLED WITH ELITE HUNTERS.
EACH ONE LOOKED STRONG ENOUGH TO LEVEL A CITY BLOCK.
"NEW RECRUITS?" ONE OF THE HUNTERS ASKED, SIZING RYUJIN UP.
"HOPE YOU CAN KEEP UP, KID."
RYUJIN IGNORED THE COMMENT AND SIMPLY STOOD IN THE CORNER, OBSERVING.
TRAINING REGIME
ARIANA EXPLAINED THE RULES.
"EVERY MEMBER TRAINS DAILY. COMBAT, MAGIC, STRATEGY—WE SHARPEN EVERYTHING.
RYUJIN, KAI, TODAY YOU'LL SPAR AGAINST OUR ELITES."
THE MATCHES WERE BRUTAL.
KAI FOUGHT HARD BUT WAS QUICKLY OUTMATCHED.
WHEN IT WAS RYUJIN'S TURN, HIS OPPONENT WAS A MUSCULAR A-RANKER WITH A WARHAMMER.
"DON'T HOLD BACK, NEWBIE," THE MAN GRINNED.
THE SPAR LASTED ONLY SECONDS.
RYUJIN EVADED EVERY STRIKE WITH INHUMAN PRECISION AND TAPPED HIS KATANA AGAINST THE MAN'S THROAT.
"OUT," ARIANA SAID, IMPRESSED.
WHISPERS ERUPTED THROUGH THE ROOM.
"DID YOU SEE THAT? HE DIDN'T EVEN BREAK A SWEAT."
ARIANA'S CURIOSITY
AFTER TRAINING, ARIANA CALLED RYUJIN TO HER OFFICE.
SHE STUDIED HIM CAREFULLY.
"YOU'RE STRONGER THAN I EXPECTED. BUT YOU HOLD BACK. WHY?"
RYUJIN MET HER GAZE, EXPRESSIONLESS.
"…I DON'T LIKE WASTING ENERGY."
ARIANA SMILED SLIGHTLY.
"INTERESTING. I'LL BE WATCHING YOU CLOSELY, RYUJIN KAZURO.
YOU MIGHT JUST CHANGE THE FUTURE OF THIS GUILD."
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
THAT NIGHT, RYUJIN STOOD ALONE ON THE GUILD'S BALCONY, STARING AT THE CITY LIGHTS.
KAI JOINED HIM.
"HEY, YOU'RE FITTING IN BETTER THAN I THOUGHT."
RYUJIN DIDN'T RESPOND.
HIS MIND WAS ELSEWHERE—ON THE PROMISE HE'D MADE TO HIMSELF YEARS AGO.
"THIS PLACE WILL MAKE ME STRONGER.
STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL THEM ALL."