"Sir, we just received a report from one of the guards—Stacy Burke will be mentoring two orphans. They're from the West Orphanage Village."
A large man with scruffy black hair and a thick beard sat up in his chair, raising an eyebrow. He adjusted his thin, armored suit, which displayed multiple badges of honor—each representing a heroic title. His imposing demeanor, paired with an ever-present smirk, made those around him uneasy.
"Really? What are their names, Private?"
The private stood a few meters away, maintaining a rigid stance. Under General Stone's cold stare, he struggled to find his voice.
"Sir, the hero Stacy requested that the students remain anonymous," he said, his body trembling slightly. "But, General Stone! The orphans weren't expected to arrive until tomorrow, yet they're already here today. We can probably figure out who they are."
He closed his eyes, bracing for a response.
General Stone chuckled, trying to ease the tension. He noticed the private flinch slightly when he waved his hand, prompting him to shake his head dismissively.
"I'm sure it's none of our business. The more, the merrier. Just make sure she doesn't show favoritism—that's an order."
He forced a smile, attempting to appear friendly rather than intimidating, but the private still stood stiff, his nervous trembling persisting.
"Y-Yes, sir!" The private stammered before giving a sharp salute and vanishing from the office in an instant.
Leaning back, General Stone smirked. "Ahh, teleportation really is a handy ability. Those guys play a huge part in our village. Anyway… where was I?"
He glanced at the holographic data sheet floating above his desk. "Oh yeah! This report."
His eyes scanned the classified information not meant for public access. As he read, his lips curled into a knowing grin.
"This should be a very interesting year."
Alex and Erie materialized in the heart of the city. Fortunately, instead of being teleported to the outer gates like common citizens, they had been transported directly to City Hall.
Before they could fully take in their surroundings, Alex's system chimed.
"Quest Update: 7 minutes remaining."
Erie smiled. He couldn't help but think the system had shown him mercy, granting him extra time to complete his mission.
As they gathered their bearings, they finally took in the breathtaking sight before them—massive skyscrapers, floating buildings, and hundreds of structures arranged in an immaculate grid.
"Wow! I've never seen anything like this!" Alex exclaimed, pointing at the sleek, futuristic vehicles hovering along the streets. These hover cars had no tires, gliding smoothly above the ground.
One building, in particular, caught their attention. It was massive, with a bright "Now Hiring" sign displayed on its exterior. Its structure was a combination of energy-infused glass and high-density alloy, making it both elegant and impenetrable. The surface gleamed under the sunlight, reflecting the outside world while concealing the interior. Instead of a traditional entrance, a teleportation pad was stationed at the front, allowing people to phase in and out.
"Hey, that's awesome, don't you think?" Alex's face lit up with excitement as he admired the city's advanced technology.
The contrast between the city walls and the orphan villages was staggering.
Outside the city, houses were made of brick and wood, powered by solar panels. The streets were clean but lined with simple stalls where villagers worked, making a living through trade. Compared to the immaculate structures of the inner city, their homes looked ancient, built centuries ago.
"Man, oh man!" Alex said aloud, shaking his head. "To think, if the draft had never happened, we'd never have had a chance to see this place!"
As they walked, Alex suddenly stopped, pointing at a group of moving figures. "Are those robots?"
Several mechanized units were carrying giant crates, pushing them into a designated lane. One by one, the robots dumped the crates into a massive hole in the ground.
As the boxes emptied, a pile of spherical objects spilled into the pit.
The sight caught Erie's attention.
His system chimed again.
"Analyzing…"
"B-Ranked Core detected."
"Affinity: Lightning."
"System Update: B-Ranked Core has been spotted."
"Error: Skill locked."
Erie stared at the glowing orb inside the crate, his mind racing.
Meanwhile, Alex continued talking, oblivious to Erie's fixation. The longer Erie stared, the more heads turned his way—even passersby on the street began to take notice.
"What is that orphan doing? Is he going to steal the core?" one bystander murmured.
"We need to keep an eye on him. He looks like a thief, and if we let one steal our cores, then they all will."
Alex nudged Erie, urging him to move forward. Ignoring the comments, the two continued walking toward City Hall until they finally reached the registration booth.
Eight long rows of recruits stood in line, each row holding about fifty students, all dressed in sleek combat armor, fitted suits, or carrying beast weapons.
In contrast, Erie and Alex stood out like sore thumbs—dressed in ragged clothes, mismatched shoes, and covered in the undeniable stench of sweat.
Alex, however, didn't care about the stares. He was too excited to be here.
Erie, on the other hand, felt his face flush red with embarrassment. He lowered his head, shaking it slightly.
"So judgmental," he muttered under his breath. Then, clenching his fists, he raised his voice slightly.
"I promise I'll change this world!"
A few students chuckled at his words.
Erie felt the weight of several sharp glares fixating on him, followed by hushed whispers.
"What are those orphans doing here so early?"
"They probably slept outside the building," another student scoffed. "There's no way they made it here today. They were scheduled to arrive tomorrow with the bus."
Erie clenched his fists but remained silent. He could hear every word.
The line moved quickly, and before he knew it, Erie was up next.
"Next!"
Stepping forward, Erie approached the registration desk. A worker sitting behind the booth barely spared him a glance.
"State your name, sir."
Erie turned to Alex, who flashed him a thumbs-up with a sly grin. Taking a deep breath, Erie faced forward again—only to notice the worker struggling to keep a straight face while speaking to him.
"Erie Sunheart, sir."
The worker flinched, turning his head to cough into his sleeve. Snickers echoed from behind.
"Which village are you from, Erie?"
"The Western Orphanage Village, sir."
The worker raised an eyebrow. "That's the furthest orphanage from here… how did he get here so early?"
After a brief pause, he handed Erie a bag and gestured for him to extend his wrist. Erie obeyed, watching as the worker swiftly strapped a device onto him.
"Please take your bag and this watch. The watch will not activate until the first trial begins tomorrow. Please proceed to your assigned room. Your bag contains essential supplies, including soap, extra clothes, and more soap. Please use them accordingly. Thank you."
Erie blinked, overwhelmed by the rapid instructions. Before he could ask anything, the worker had already moved on to the next student.
He looked down at the watch strapped to his wrist, then at Alex, who was still grinning like an idiot.
Tomorrow, their real challenge would begin.