“144...145...146...” 

My breath came in steady rhythm as I pushed through another sit-up, feeling the burn in my core intensify. 

“147...148...149...”

“150.” 

I exhaled sharply, sitting up and letting my hands rest on my knees as I took a moment to catch my breath.

“Nice of you to join us.” 

he called out, his tone calm as he crossed his arms over his chest.

I brushed my hair back from my face, meeting his gaze with a grin. 

“You know I can’t let you get ahead of me. Every day counts, especially now.”

Ryu nodded, his expression steady. 

“Then let’s make sure today counts for something.”

The sun hung high in the sky as Ryu and I made our way toward the Citadel. 

The stone path leading to its imposing entrance felt familiar, a testament to the countless times I had come here for various reasons. 

Today, however, was different. 

There was an air of anticipation swirling around us, the kind that prickled the skin and made the heart race.

As we entered the grand structure, the high ceilings and ornate decorations enveloped us.

I spotted Eloise near the reception area, her face lighting up when she saw us.

“Yvette! Ryu!” she called, waving us over. “I’m glad you made it.”

“I’m here to escort you to your debriefing.” 

she said, motioning for us to follow her. 

“The higher-ups are eager to hear about your mission.”

We navigated through the labyrinthine hallways of the Citadel, the echo of our footsteps mingling with the low hum of conversation and the occasional clatter of armor. 

Eventually, we arrived at a conference room where a man sat behind a large wooden desk, scribbling notes on a clipboard. 

He looked up as we entered, his demeanor professional and attentive.

“Welcome.”

 he said, gesturing for us to take a seat. 

“I’m Head Officer Merek. Please, sit down.”

I settled into the chair.

“Let’s get right to it.” 

Merek began, his voice steady.

“The Casualties Were…lets see…Cedric Allard...and…Alban Moreau.”

“I want to hear everything about your recent encounter at the camp on the outskirts of Valenor. What happened out there?”

I leaned forward in my seat, feeling the weight of the moment settle over me. 

My voice was steady, but the memories still stung.

 "The beast they were investigating… it was a Rank 3," 

"It turned out to be a Kaldrith."

Merek’s pen froze mid-motion, his eyes flicking up to meet mine. 

Kaldriths weren’t your average monsters—they were lethal, rare, and nearly unstoppable if you weren’t prepared. 

"A Kaldrith?"

 he repeated, his brow furrowing.

I nodded, the painful images flashing in my mind. 

"It killed… Cedric." 

I hesitated, the name bitter on my tongue. 

"And... it crushed Alban."

There was a brief silence in the room.

Merek’s pen hovered above the paper, waiting for the final piece.

"But."

 I continued, my voice hardening with resolve. 

"before it could do any more damage, we took it down."

Merek looked down at his paper, flipping through a few pages before pausing. 

"Nicholas Forton mentioned something in his report…" 

His gaze shifted back to me, curiosity evident in his eyes. 

"He said you’re a Marksman Mage."

I blinked at him, surprised he brought it up now. 

"What’s that all about?" 

he asked, leaning back slightly in his chair, waiting for an explanation.

I straightened in my seat. 

"It means I combine arcane flux with ranged weaponry. I use shards—arcane-infused material—loaded into my rifle. When fired, the shards can tear through just about anything before they shatter."

“My older brother had taught me how to condense the shard down to a sharp point.”

Merek raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. 

"Impressive. But that's not something you see often. A rare skill set."

I didn’t respond immediately, letting his words hang in the air. Instead, I looked at him calmly, waiting for the next question. He glanced down at his clipboard again, scribbling a few notes before looking up.

“Well, that concludes the debrief. You’re free to go,” 

he said, closing the folder in front of him with a sharp snap, as if sealing away the details of the report.

I gave him a short nod, standing up and turning on my heel. 

The heavy door creaked open as I stepped back out into the corridor, the cold air of the citadel brushing against my skin.

 Eloise stood waiting by the entrance, her hands clasped in front of her, a look of curiosity on her face.

She glanced up as I approached, raising an eyebrow. 

“Done already?”

“Yeah, just finished.”

I replied, my tone lighter now. I hesitated for a second, then asked. 

“Can you sign me into the Syndicate?”

Eloise blinked, clearly surprised by my request. 

“You’re sure about that? I thought you’d wait a little longer.”

I met her gaze, unwavering. 

“I’m sure. I want to make it official.”

She studied me for a moment, then nodded slowly, her expression softening into one of understanding. 

“Alright, I’ll get it done. I’ll have the paperwork processed by tonight. You should receive your first assignment in two days…”

Back at the inn, the quiet hum of the fireplace filled the room. 

Yvette sat at the table, absentmindedly tracing her finger along the edge of her glass. 

Across from her, Ryu leaned against the wall, arms folded, his eyes fixed on her, as if weighing his next words.

“So.”

 he started, breaking the silence. 

“What’s the next step? This is your idea after all.”

Yvette looked up at him, meeting his gaze. 

She had been thinking about that exact question for hours.

 The Syndicate was their path, but they couldn’t just wait for small assignments to come their way if they wanted to make real progress. 

“We get into the Syndicate officially.” 

she began, her voice steady. 

“and we take on a big assignment. Something that’ll get us noticed right away, so we can move up the ranks quicker.”

Ryu raised an eyebrow, sensing where this was headed.

 “How big are we talking?”

Yvette took a breath, her fingers tightening around the glass. “We take on a rank 4.”

The air in the room seemed to shift, the weight of her words settling between them. 

Ryu’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable for a moment. 

Rank 4 beasts weren’t just powerful—they were deadly. 

It was a serious step, one that most new members of the Syndicate wouldn’t even dream of attempting. 

“You realize what you’re suggesting, right?” 

Ryu asked, his tone even but tinged with caution. 

“A rank 4 isn’t just a tough fight. It’s the kind of thing that could get us killed.”

“I know.” 

“But if we want to rise quickly, we need to show them we’re capable of more than just taking down smaller threats. Rank 4 is exactly the kind of challenge that will make them notice us.”

Ryu didn’t respond immediately, his eyes shifting to the flickering flames in the fireplace. 

He was quiet, thoughtful, before finally speaking.

“We’ve taken on worse.” 

He sighed. 

“Alright. If that’s the plan, I’m in.”