Four months had crawled by like wounded beasts dragging themselves across scorched earth. Asta lay sprawled on the top bunk of his assigned bed, his back pressed against the thin, lumpy mattress that had become all too familiar. The wooden slats creaked beneath him with every slight movement, a sound that had become the soundtrack to his restless nights. His arms were folded behind his head, fingers interlaced, as his brown eyes traced the cracks spider-webbing across the ceiling above him. Those cracks had become like old friends,he'd memorized every line, every junction where they split and spread like veins beneath skin.The room was dim, lit only by the weak morning light filtering through a small window near the door. Dust particles danced in the pale beam, swirling lazily in the stale air. The bunker smelled of sweat, wood polish and the faint metallic tang that seemed to cling to everything in the labor quarters.“It's been four good months.”Asta muttered, his voice barely ab

The smile stayed on Asta's face even as heat crept up his neck. He wasn't embarrassed exactly,more resigned. Of course Kael would single him out, even without naming him directly. The old man had spent countless hours trying to coax the dragon flame out of Asta's stubborn body, and they both knew how spectacularly those attempts had failed. But Asta had excelled at everything else,the sword work, the hand-to-hand combat, the tactical drills. That had to count for something, didn't it?Old man Kael's gaze moved on, and Asta released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The old man's expression softened slightly as he continued addressing the crowd."But I want you all to understand something important." Kael said, his voice growing stronger, more passionate. "Difficulty is not the same as defeat. Struggle is not the same as failure. Every single person in this room has faced challenges,that's why you're here in the labor section instead of in some prestigious squad, right?

Very few hands went up. Asta certainly didn't,he'd never been outside the academy grounds except for that one disastrous encounter with the shadow beast, and that had been a pure accident, not a planned mission."Exactly." Kael said. "This guild system will give you that experience. It'll test you in ways that training never can. And more than that…" His voice grew more animated. "...it'll give you freedom. You won't be waiting for some higher-up to assign you tasks. You'll choose your own missions from the guild board, work at your own pace, build your own reputation. You'll have control over your own progress in a way you never have before."Asta found himself nodding slowly. Put that way, it actually did sound appealing. The idea of choosing his own path, of proving himself through actions rather than just endless training sessions... yeah, that had potential."Now." Kael continued."There are some requirements. You need to form a four-person party to register as a guild. Not

"Myself, Asta, and…" Flora paused, her eyes moving past the official to where Jabber was now standing, leaning heavily against the pillar, blood still dripping from his nose. "....and Jabber. He's our fourth member."Now the official laughed, but it was a harsh, mocking sound with no humor in it. "Jabber? You're taking the Sun Arising Flame reject into your party? The boy who can't even follow simple instructions about when to show up to a gathering?""Yes." Flora said simply, not rising to the bait. "We're taking him.”"Then you're an idiot." The official said bluntly. "He'll drag you down. He's got power he can't control, discipline he doesn't have, and a complete inability to follow orders or show proper respect. He'll get you killed on your first real mission.""That's our choice to make." Flora replied, her tone still even but with steel underneath. "Not yours."The official stared at her for a long moment, then shifted his gaze back to Asta, who still hadn't moved from

Jabber was quiet for a moment, clearly not used to being asked his opinion. "I... I can do crowd control. My flame, when I can manifest it properly, it spreads wide. Not as focused as most flame types, but good for covering large areas. And I'm... I'm fast. Faster than I look.""Mobility and area control then." Mira said, nodding approvingly. "That's actually a solid composition. We've got close, mid, and long-range cover, plus someone who can control the battlefield." She looked back at Flora. "You know I was planning to join Marcus's group, right?"Flora's face fell slightly. "Oh. I didn't realize you'd already…""But I like this better." Mira interrupted, a small smile tugging at her scarred face. "Marcus's group is all about brute force,no real strategy, just hitting things harder until they stop moving. This has potential. You've actually thought about roles and composition." She extended her hand to Flora. "Count me in."Flora clasped her hand, relief and happiness cle