Five days remained until Demo Day and the warehouse had transformed into a hive of disciplined energy The founders woke earlier and trained longer Their spells grew sharper their words clearer their ideas stronger Ethan could feel their momentum building like a spell gathering charge before release He had seen this energy in Silicon Valley accelerators and it thrilled him now even more because this realm had never experienced structured innovation before

Ethan began the morning by writing a new schedule on the wall Final pitch shaping Customer refinement Value validation Prototype polishing Demo sequence rehearsal Stress test The words meant nothing to the world outside but inside ArcSpark they carried weight Every founder circled the tasks taking notes marking their progress with charcoal smudges across parchment sheets

Toren stood at his testing station practicing a sequence of precisely measured heat pulses He recorded output duration and mana draw in a table Ethan had designed His numbers were improving and he could now deliver five consistent heat applications with minimal fatigue For the first time in his life Toren no longer thought of himself as a performer but as a provider of serviceable value

Lira rehearsed her timed summoning loops The small bird creature appeared with such regularity that other founders began timing it without being asked Lira adjusted her breathing rhythm to improve spell smoothness Each test increased her confidence She imagined a communication network powered by simple summoning loops and Ethan could see the beginnings of a scalable business forming in her eyes

Velra refined her cooling potion batches with help from the crystal tuner They tested mana density gradients using colored markings on a stone slab The potion cooled in predictable patterns Ethan praised the consistency Velra felt a surge of pride something she rarely experienced in a world that valued flashy spells instead of stable craft

Corren’s stone lizard trotted along a drawn route showing impressive reliability Corren experimented with reward placement optimizing the creature’s motivation Ethan told him that predictable routes formed the backbone of logistics Corren looked at his lizard as if seeing a business partner not an animal Mira meanwhile practiced healing pulses on tired founders She applied measured mana treatment intervals learning to deliver stable cycles that could eventually scale into structured clinics

The rune engraver created temporary mana seals small tags that amplified or dampened effects The necromancer practiced sending his skeletal squirrel between points carrying different small items He focused on minimizing shaking and maintaining steady motion The squirrel moved with growing confidence and even some charm Ethan noticed that founders supported each other cheering small improvements Celebrating progress built momentum and momentum built belief

In the afternoon Ethan conducted pitch drills He had each founder stand before the group and deliver their structured pitch This time he gave tougher feedback pushing them to remove unnecessary words clarify value and explain their target market with simplicity

Toren said blacksmiths needed predictable heat Ethan said good now describe your path to scale Toren said he would start with blacksmiths then expand to metalworkers signal tower operators and cooks Ethan nodded that was progress Lira described a message loop service Ethan asked why now Lira explained communication delays caused mission failures Ethan told her to highlight that as her key narrative hook Velra explained stable cooling potions Ethan asked her to clarify pricing Mira described structured healing cycles Ethan pressed her to define treatment frequency

Corren explained his delivery routes Ethan challenged him to identify the most profitable use cases He said document transfer gem delivery and potion transport might be ideal Ethan nodded impressed The rune engraver and crystal tuner described their mana stabilization tags Ethan guided them to mention potential partnerships with lantern vendors Finally the necromancer presented his undead courier idea Ethan asked how he would ensure safety The necromancer said he used Mira’s stabilizing spell to prevent instability Ethan smiled broadly because that synergy mattered

After the drills Ethan gathered the founders and spoke softly You are no longer practicing You are building companies You are shaping a future that never existed until now The founders absorbed the words as if they were sacred spells

Evening fell and the warehouse glowed with faint residual magic The founders worked in smaller groups reviewing their notes repeating critical lines and adjusting their demos Ethan walked between stations giving encouragement correcting structure and ensuring they stayed focused on clarity and value

But outside the warehouse shadows moved Several robed figures observed from atop a distant rooftop The Mage Guild would not remain passive Ethan knew it He sensed that they were preparing something a policy a restriction or a test But he also sensed they were fascinated Demo Day would not be ignored

He returned inside and gathered the founders once more He told them the truth The guild was watching intensely They must be ready not only to impress customers but also to prove legitimacy and safety The founders nodded firmly no fear only purpose The pressure had become a forge shaping their confidence

As the last glimmers of light faded Ethan wrote another phrase on the wall Build with intention Serve with clarity Innovate with integrity
The founders repeated it with quiet conviction

In five days the world would see ArcSpark
And nothing would ever be the same again