Chapter 11: The Phantom’s GauntletSamuel awoke to a system ping just before dawn. The holographic text shimmered softly in the dim light of Dormitory 17.> [URGENT MANDATE – ELITE DEPLOYMENT]Designation: “Unbound Training Gauntlet – Tier D”Mission Class: LIVE SIM – LETHAL RISK POSSIBLETeam Assigned: Mixed-Faction CadresObjective: Relic Recovery – Zone Theta-4Estimated Duration: 3 HoursClearance Level: Granted (Override: Null)> “They’re testing me already,” he muttered, rubbing the fatigue from his eyes.He dressed swiftly, adjusting his rankless uniform unmarked, dull gray just another nobody in a sea of elite flames.But this wasn’t just a test. It was a chess move.Someone wanted to see what he would do.The Briefing Room – Sector 4The circular chamber thrummed with tense energy. Six students sat in a semicircle, each from a different faction. All ranked. All dangerous.Samuel kept his posture slouched, his eyes low.His team captain was a third-year tactician from House Vi

Chapter 13: Shifting Currents The morning sun broke through the high walls of Zenith Academy, casting golden beams across the training fields and spires of the vast campus. Birds soared above, their shadows sweeping over the students who gathered in cliques and ranks, each adorned with the insignias of their respective factions. The academy was no longer just a schoolit was a battlefield of politics, hidden agendas, and silent wars fought with words, glances, and power. Samuel walked through the central courtyard with calculated ease. His face wore a passive expression, eyes dull enough to make anyone overlook him. To most students, he appeared as just another average transfer, a late arrival with no clan backing or prior achievements. But beneath that quiet surface was a growing storm. Ever since the masked servant from the high hierarchy had sent word to faction leaders, whispers had begun to ripple through the ranks. The balance had shifted the moment Samuel’s presence was ackno

Chapter 15: Whispers and ReckoningsThe moonlight filtered through the towering glass of Zenith Academy’s central hall, casting cold, silver streaks across the stone floor. Samuel stood alone beneath one of the arching pillars, his uniform slightly disheveled from the earlier encounter. His fingers twitched faintly by his side not out of weakness, but restraint. He could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Since the mission, eyes had begun to follow him more openly. Whispers trailed after his footsteps. Rumors moved faster than truth.He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing.“You didn’t have to go that far back there,” a voice cut through the silence. Crisp. Controlled.Aralyn stepped forward from the shadows, her long black coat trailing slightly behind her. Her gaze pierced him not angry, but searching.“You saved all of them, even the ones who looked down on you. Why?”Samuel tilted his head, the corners of his lips curling slightly. “Was I supposed to let them die?”“That’s not what I mea