The guild hall which Ethan renamed the AMAX Accelerator felt different on its third morning It no longer felt like a forgotten ruin Instead it carried the messy vibrant energy that always filled early stage incubators in his previous world There were half drawn runes on the floor piles of chalk on every table test creatures sleeping in corners and that persistent faint smell of smoke from the fire sprite who refused to stay still Ethan walked through the main room with a sense of purpose He was building more than a company He was building an industry He set up a long stone table at the center and called it the Pitch Room He explained to Lorian and Mira that a pitch room was the place where founders presented their ideas tested assumptions and practiced telling their story Lorian looked worried I am not good at telling stories I know runes not speeches Ethan shook his head Founders do not need grand speeches They need clarity If you cannot explain your idea simply you do not understand it Lorian nodded nervously and Mira stood beside him holding a scroll filled with spell diagrams Ethan had assigned them homework the night before Write down what problem you solve why it matters and what future you want to build Lorian was first He stepped forward clearing his throat and placing the fire sprite on the table The sprite chirped and almost burned the wood before Ethan gently tapped its head stay He pointed at Lorian Start simple Lorian swallowed hard and said My service is FireCourier a company using fire sprites to send messages quickly across Astravar Ethan nodded Keep going Lorian continued in a shaky but clear voice The problem is that sending messages through runners scroll pigeons or spell shops takes too long and costs too much Especially for adventurers merchants and nobles who need quick communication Ethan smiled because the statement was simple precise and understandable Then Lorian added Fire sprites can travel faster than enchanted birds and use less mana than long range spellcasting With stability runes they can carry parchment stones and small items Mira clapped quietly Ethan said That is a good pitch Now show us a demonstration Lorian snapped his fingers and the sprite rose into the air Ethan had taught him to design a small delivery path made of floating runes The sprite followed it smoothly then dropped a packet on the target stone Ethan nodded Good Repeatable reliable scalable That is the foundation of a business Lorian breathed out in relief Then it was Miras turn She stepped forward holding her summoning scrolls but Ethan raised a hand Put the scrolls down Just explain the heart of the idea Mira hesitated but obeyed She said I want to build a network of summoned creatures that move goods around the kingdom not just for speed but for safety and cost reduction Merchants lose cargo to bandits slow roads and storms My system uses bound creatures who follow fixed paths to deliver goods Ethan asked What is the biggest challenge in your idea Mira answered Control Without structure my creatures act on instinct Ethan smiled And what have you improved She said I built behavior loops control anchors and better drawing discipline with your help Ethan nodded Then how will you scale Mira answered By training different creature classes for different cargo sizes and connecting routes across cities Lorian clapped this time Ethan marked the pitch session as a success They both had visions and both were learning the language of founders Ethan then called them back to the table Now we talk about the most important concept of all feedback loops They sat down quietly Ethan drew a simple circle on the table Problem Solution Test Feedback Improvement Lorian stared at it What does this mean Ethan replied It is how a startup survives You never build once You test adjust and test again Mira leaned forward Like refining a summoning circle repeatedly Ethan nodded Exactly That is why we pitch often not to impress others but to find holes in the idea Lorian sighed Then we will pitch many times Ethan smiled Many The best founders fail repeatedly but fast and cheaply Failure is not the enemy Stagnation is They spent the afternoon practicing their stories while Ethan walked around adjusting their explanations correcting assumptions and forcing them to think in simpler terms Then came the first unexpected visitor A young nobleman in elegant robes walked into the pitch room flanked by two armored guards His clothing sparkled with floating runes and he carried the attitude of someone used to being obeyed Ethan raised an eyebrow Can we help you The nobleman spoke with a smooth polished voice I heard rumors of a strange guild with strange ideas My name is Alden heir to House Valtor We sponsor magical research in Astravar and I came to see if the rumors were true Ethan stepped forward welcoming yet cautious This is the AMAX Accelerator We help mages build services not research Alden walked around the hall touching tools and observing creatures Business for mages he said as if tasting the concept Curious Mira tensed Lorian hid behind a crate Both feared nobles because nobles controlled guilds and guilds controlled magic Ethan however saw opportunity Alden finally said If what you build has value perhaps House Valtor could provide resources But only if I understand what you actually do Ethan replied Then sit We will show you Pitch time He called Mira forward She froze The nobleman raised an eyebrow but nodded Mira inhaled deeply stepped toward the table and gave the cleanest highest clarity version of her idea yet Summoned logistics scalable safe repeatable Alden listened chin resting on his hand Then Lorian pitched fire sprite delivery Alden watched the sprite loop above the table letting out a tiny spark When the pitch ended Alden stood silent for a long moment Ethan waited Finally the nobleman said You are either mad or brilliant Perhaps both But brilliance often begins as madness He placed a small crystal on the table This is a mana grant token It provides access to guild workrooms training floors and official business licenses Use it wisely He turned and walked away leaving his guards scrambling to follow Ethan stared at the token impressed Lorian whispered He likes us Mira whispered Or he wants to control us Ethan said Neither He wants to see if we can build something real and so do I That night Ethan stayed in the pitch room drawing diagrams in charcoal imagining the future There would be more founders more pitches more pressure but also more possibility AMAX had taken its first step into the citys attention and Ethan knew exactly what came next They needed traction They needed customers They needed their first real test