Victor Jhon reached into his coat pocket, retrieving a sleek, black card with a faint metallic sheen. Without a word, he flicked it toward Keon with practiced ease.
Keon caught it midair, the weight of it unexpectedly solid in his grasp. He glanced down, his eyes scanning the details etched into the surface:
— Recruit Identification Card —
Name: Keon
Age: 17
Esperia Rank: A
Keon's brows furrowed slightly. A-rank? That was high—absurdly high for someone who had barely gotten a grasp on this world's power system. His fingers traced over the engraved letters, the reality of it settling in.
Azira peered over his shoulder, whistling. "A-rank, huh? Not bad for someone who claims to be good at running away."
Keon huffed, slipping the card into his pocket. "I don't even know what the ranking system is yet."
Victor Jhon crossed his arms. "You'll learn. Soon." His tone left no room for doubt.
Keon glanced back at the card, exhaling. A-rank. Whatever that meant, it was now attached to his name. And something told him this wasn't just for show.
Victor Jhon took one last glance at Keon, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he raised his hand.
The air behind him shimmered, twisting as if reality itself were folding inward. That same deep violet glow crackled into existence, swirling and expanding until the portal—a perfect sphere of roiling purple energy—stood before him once more.
The hum of raw power filled the room, faint arcs of energy flickering along the edges of the portal. Azira and Darlic barely reacted, as if they had seen this a hundred times before.
Keon, still holding his recruit card, watched as Victor Jhon stepped toward the portal with effortless ease. Just before crossing through, Victor spoke without turning back.
"Don't fall behind."
And then, in a single step, he was gone.
The portal pulsed for a brief moment before rapidly shrinking, collapsing inward like a star imploding. In an instant, it was gone, leaving nothing but silence in its wake.
As the last traces of the portal faded into nothingness, Keon remained still, his fingers turning the recruit card over, inspecting it from every angle. The sleek material had a strange weight to it—not heavy, but solid. The edges gleamed under the soft light, and his own name stared back at him in clean, sharp print.
Name: Keon
Age: 17
Esperia Rank: A
A rank.
His gaze lingered on that single letter. It felt… unreal. He barely understood this world's ranking system, yet here he was, holding undeniable proof that he had been classified as something far above the ordinary.
The sound of quiet footsteps pulled his attention.
Azira.
She moved toward him, her steps light but deliberate. The dim overhead lights caught the faint glint in her sharp eyes, a hint of amusement dancing in them as she tilted her head slightly.
"Not gonna lie, I expected something lower," she remarked, stopping just a few feet away. "But hey, surprises are fun."
Keon arched an eyebrow. "Gee, thanks."
Another set of steps followed. Steadier. More controlled.
Darlic approached from the opposite side, hands clasped behind his back. He didn't speak at first, simply letting his gaze drop to the card in Keon's hands. His expression remained unreadable, though his eyes lingered a moment longer on the A Rank before shifting back to Keon's face.
Azira leaned in just a bit, her smirk widening. "So? How does it feel to be 'official'?"
Keon exhaled, running his thumb over the card's surface before flipping it once more between his fingers.
"…Weird."
Azira chuckled. "Get used to it."
Darlic simply nodded. "You'll understand soon enough."
Keon glanced between them, the weight of the card settling in his grip—not just physically, but mentally. This wasn't just some piece of plastic. It was a statement. A classification. A step deeper into a world he was still figuring out.
For better or worse… he was in it now.
Keon flipped the card between his fingers once more before glancing up at the two standing close by. A thought crossed his mind, and without hesitation, he asked,
"…What about you two? What's your Esperia rank?"
Azira smirked, arms crossed. "Same as you."
Darlic gave a small nod. "A rank."
Keon blinked, glancing between them. He wasn't sure what answer he had been expecting, but hearing it confirmed left him with more questions than answers.
Azira caught his expression and chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Hard to believe, right? But trust me, A-rank isn't all that rare. At least, not here."
Keon frowned slightly, his grip tightening on the card. "Then what is rare?"
Darlic adjusted his gloves, his tone calm but firm. "S-rank."
The weight behind the answer settled in the air between them.
Keon exhaled slowly, storing that information away. He had a feeling he'd be learning a lot more soon enough.
Keon twirled the recruit card between his fingers, a small smirk playing at his lips. "Well… I could be S-rank," he joked, tilting his head slightly.
Azira chuckled, shaking her head. "Possibly."
Darlic, ever composed, simply nodded. "Not impossible."
Keon blinked, caught off guard by their lack of outright dismissal. He had expected a scoff, maybe a sarcastic remark—but instead, they actually considered it.
For a moment, he wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or slightly unnerved.
Azira leaned in slightly, her expression shifting from amusement to something more thoughtful. "Your ability to manipulate rifts… or dimensions—whatever you call it—is already an S-rank Espria by itself."
Keon blinked, his grip tightening slightly on the recruit card.
Darlic crossed his arms, nodding. "But since you're inexperienced—or still hiding something—they put you at A-rank."
Keon exhaled slowly, tapping the card against his palm. So that's how they saw it. It wasn't about raw power—it was about control. And right now, as far as they were concerned, he didn't have enough of it.
Keon rolled the recruit card between his fingers, staring at his name and rank again. His expression was unreadable, but inside, thoughts swirled.
"Inexperienced, huh?" he muttered, half to himself. He smirked slightly. Well, they're not wrong.
Azira tilted her head, watching him closely. "You don't seem too bothered by it."
Keon glanced up. "Why would I be? It's not like ranks mean everything." He twirled the card one last time before slipping it into his pocket. "Besides, ranks can change."
Darlic adjusted his gloves. "That's true. But it depends on whether you actually earn it."
Azira grinned, arms crossed. "And trust me, earning an S-rank isn't easy."
Keon shrugged, his tone casual. "Well, guess I better start collecting my achievements, then."
Darlic raised an eyebrow. "That simple?"
Keon's smirk widened. "Why not?" He gestured vaguely. "I mean, sure, I just got dragged into this whole thing, but if my Espria is already considered S-rank, then it's just a matter of proving it, right?"
Azira chuckled. "Confident."
Keon met her gaze. "Confident or realistic?"
Darlic let out a short breath, shaking his head. "We'll see soon enough."
Keon felt the weight of their words. This wasn't just a casual conversation anymore—it was a quiet challenge. The unspoken truth hung in the air: Power alone wasn't enough.
He would have to prove himself. And something told him this was just the beginning.