“P.P.S. Marcus, I'm holding you to that promise about the sword techniques. Start preparing your best teaching voice.”“P.P.P.S. Gregor , please tell me honestly how bad your back is. If you need money for a healer, I'll find a way to send some. The labor section pays a pittance, but I've been saving every copper.”He read through what he'd written one more time, checking for anything he'd forgotten or wanted to add. Then he carefully folded the letter, sealed it with the basic wax provided at the portal station, and addressed it with their names and the return address they'd included in their letters.Asta placed his reply into the outgoing section of his portal,a separate small compartment meant for letters to be sent out,then locked everything back up. His hands were steadier now, the act of writing having helped him process some of the overwhelming emotions.He gathered Gregor 's, Helena's, and Marcus's letters carefully, tucking them into the inner pocket of his tunic where they

The gathering quarters continued to fill. More and more laborers streaming in, the noise level rising as hundreds of conversations overlapped. Asta recognized some faces from training sessions or work details. Others were complete strangers,the labor section was large enough that you couldn't possibly know everyone.Finally, when the space was packed nearly to capacity, Old Man Kael raised one hand. The gesture was small, but somehow it cut through the noise like a blade. Conversations died down in ripples, starting near the front and spreading backward until the entire room had fallen into expectant silence.Kael let the silence hold for a moment longer, his cloudy eyes seeming to see through and past the assembled laborers to something beyond. Then he spoke, his voice carrying clearly despite not being particularly loud. There was something about his tone,the weight of experience, the authority of someone who'd earned respect rather than demanded it,that made people want to listen

Flora reached out and squeezed Asta's shoulder, then did the same to Jabber. "...whoever gets called first, remember we've got your back. You're not alone out there. You're representing Ember Watch, and we believe in you.""Hell yeah." Mira added with a fierce grin. "Go out there and kick ass."With that, they split up. Flora and Mira heading down one corridor, Asta and Jabber heading down another. The walk back to their room was quiet, both of them lost in their own thoughts, the earlier excitement giving way to a more contemplative mood.When they reached their door, Asta pushed it open and stepped inside. The room looked exactly as they'd left it this morning,unmade bunks, his practice sword leaning against the wall, the small window letting in weak afternoon light. Nothing special, nothing fancy, but it was theirs.He'd barely had time to sit down on the edge of Jabber's lower bunk when there was a sharp knock at the door."Come in." Asta called.The door opened and a higher o

The word "BEGIN!" still echoed across the training yard, bouncing off the wooden barriers and fading into the evening air. But nothing happened.Jabber stood in his fighting stance,his feet shoulder-width apart, his knees bent and his hands raised in a guard position that looked textbook correct but somehow fragile, like the whole posture might collapse at any moment. His weight was balanced on the balls of his feet, ready to move, but he wasn't moving. Just standing there, frozen, his dark eyes locked on his opponent.Brick hadn't bothered with any stance at all. He just stood there, completely relaxed, arms hanging loose at his sides, head tilted slightly to one side like he was examining something mildly interesting but not particularly threatening. His massive frame cast a long shadow across the ring as the torches flickered behind him, making him look even larger, even more imposing.The two of them simply stared at each other.Five seconds passed. Then ten. Then fifteen.The c

"He moves like he's been training for years!""Maybe he has." Asta said, unable to look away from the ring. "We never asked about his training before the academy. Maybe his father taught him combat basics."Brick was growing more frustrated with each missed strike. His punches were getting bigger, more powerful, which meant they were also getting slightly slower and more predictable. He overextended on a right cross, putting too much force behind it, and Jabber saw his opening.Jabber stepped inside Brick's guard, getting past those long arms and drove his fist into Brick's sternum with everything he had behind it.The impact wasn't huge,Jabber didn't have the size or raw strength to match Brick pound for pound. But it was well-placed, hitting right at the solar plexus, and it was unexpected.Brick's eyes went wide. Air rushed out of his lungs in a whoosh. He staggered backward, his hand coming up to clutch at his chest, his face showing genuine shock.The crowd exploded again:"HE