The swirling silver-blue light of the portal. shimmered behind Arman before collapsing in on itself, vanishing into nothing. He stepped into the familiar confines of his room, and for a moment, the tension of the Order's stone halls felt like a bad dream.His bed greeted him like an old friend -the same soft mattress, the faint scent of laundry detergent and a hint of his own. shampoo lingering in the pillow. It was grounding, almost comforting. He ran his hand across the blanket and let out a slow breath.Glancing at the wall clock, his eyebrows shot up. "Man... it's only five a.m.?" he muttered, rubbing his face. The early dawn light barely touched the curtains.Tomorrow, his real training with the Order would begin. That meant waking before sunrise, probably sweating buckets, and facing instructors who made the Elderslook like friendly grandparents. And before that... there was one thing he couldn't avoid."I have to talk to Mom and Dad," he murmured to himself. "If I've only got

Arman stood still for a moment, his chest rising and falling heavily. The group of troublemakers scrambled away, dragging their battered leader along, leaving only silence behind. The park suddenly felt emptier, as though even the air was afraid to stay too close to him. Arman glanced down at his hands. They trembled slightly, not from weakness, but from the rush of what he had just done. Damn... I lost control again. I didn't even need to use that much force. If I keep this up, people will start noticing I'm not normal. He quickly shook his head, pushing the thought aside, and turned toward Ayesha. She was staring at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted. "Ayesha... they won't bother you again," Arman said, trying to steady his voice. "But please—don't tell anyone about this." She nodded slowly, her expression still caught between fear and awe. "I won't. You saved us... that's all that matters." Arman gave her a small smile, though inside his chest his heart was pounding

Chapter 26: The First Test The doors shut behind Arman with a heavy thud, sealing him inside the training chamber. The air inside was different—charged, as though the walls themselves pulsed with energy. In the center stood a massive circular platform, easily large enough for five people to stand side by side. At the far end of the chamber, glowing faintly, was a tall crystal-like meter connected to several consoles. Thin wires ran from its base, disappearing into the floor, feeding into hidden systems beneath. Sarah crossed her arms and tilted her head toward the platform. "Step on it, kid. Let's see what you're made of." Arman nodded, his expression calm even though his heart thudded harder with every step he took toward the circle. He stepped onto the platform, and a faint hum vibrated beneath his feet. From the side, a woman with glasses sat before the consoles. She was the assistant for this test, her fingers already dancing across the keys, awakening the machine. "Initial

Sarah gave Arman a satisfied nod, lowering her guard completely. "Like I said... you passed." A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Congratulations. You're officially one of us now." Arman slowly relaxed, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The tension in his shoulders faded, and the Spirit Energy surrounding him dispersed completely. "So..." he said with a faint smile, "that means I'm really part of the Order now?" "It does," Sarah replied. "From this day forward, you'll train alongside the other rookies." She turned and began walking toward the exit of the arena. "Come on. I'll show you around." Arman followed after her. Other rookies... So I'm not alone in this anymore. But... does that make things easier? Or even harder? "Before you start getting comfortable," Sarah said without looking back, "there's something you need to understand." Her boots echoed against the stone floor until she stopped only a step away from him. "The instruc

The cafeteria was enormous. Towering glass windows stretched from floor to ceiling, allowing warm afternoon sunlight to flood the spacious hall. Long rows of polished wooden tables filled the room, and the rich aroma of freshly cooked food drifted through the air. Laughter, conversations, and the clatter of trays echoed from every direction as hundreds of rookies finally enjoyed a well-earned break after the morning's brutal training. Arman grabbed a tray and joined the serving line beside Kenny. Steam rose from trays of rice, grilled chicken, vegetables, and soup. Kenny loaded his plate without hesitation. "Man..." he sighed happily. "I'm starving." Arman chuckled as he scooped rice onto his own plate. "Same here." He glanced sideways at Kenny. "But don't think I've forgotten." Kenny looked confused. "Forgotten what?" "You still owe me that rematch after lunch." A grin spread across Kenny's face. "Oh, that's right." He pointed his spoon toward Arman. "You're going down