The suite’s doors slid open with a faint hum, and Elara stepped inside. Adrian had been standing by the window, watching the endless sprawl of the Organization HQ below, but turned at once when he saw her face.

She didn’t waste time. “The Board has decided,” she said, voice steady. “You’ve graduated.”

Adrian blinked, surprise flickering across his usually composed expression. “Graduated? But… the Vanguard had stricter requirements than the rest. Higher standards.”

“All I did was kill a few D-Rank monsters. How does that meet their conditions?”

Elara’s lips curved faintly, though her eyes were serious. “It wasn’t just that. You stood alone when others fell.”

“You held the line when it should have broken. You saved lives.” She paused, gaze lingering on him. “And your pseudo manifestation. That is what shook them most.”

“Even A-Ranks rarely achieve such a thing. The Board decided you’re already beyond what the Academy can offer. More than that, they want you here, under the Organization’s eyes.”

Adrian exhaled slowly, then shrugged. “They can watch me all they want. I don’t care.”

His voice was calm, but his eyes carried iron certainty. The window’s light caught the determined set of his jaw.

Elara studied him for a moment, then shifted the topic. She moved to the chair across from him, “You asked me before about paths, when Selena mocked us in the corridor. Let me explain.”

She sat opposite him, her tone turning instructive. “The Academy was only meant to shape children, to teach them to wield mana, to survive the basics of battle.”

“But humanity cannot live on warriors alone. Look closer, Adrian.” Her hand gestured toward the window. “The walls, the airships, even the skill books you’ve used, every one of them was made possible by the Rune division.”

Adrian’s gaze followed her gesture, taking in the sprawling complex below. Defenders moved like ants between buildings, each serving different purposes.

“Rune Masters, weapon smiths, researchers, healers, they are the reason we’ve survived this long.” Elara’s voice carried deep respect for each profession she named.

Adrian listened silently, absorbing every word. His mind catalogued the implications, already seeing connections between what he’d observed and what she explained.

“When someone graduates,” Elara continued, “they do not choose a path immediately. The Organization grants every new Defender two years as a Provisional Defender.”

“In that time, you may enter any division, train under their masters, and learn their crafts.” She leaned forward slightly. “You can test everything, combat, runes, weapons, healing, strategy.”

“At the end of those two years, you will choose one division to dedicate your life to.” Her words carried the weight of a permanent decision.

Adrian’s gaze sharpened. He understood the scale now. The Academy was a pond, this was the ocean.

The possibilities stretched before him like an infinite web. Each division would reveal new secrets, new applications for his Source connection.

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Elara’s tone grew firm. “Do not think these years are freedom to waste. The Organization pushes everyone, even here.”

“To make sure no one grows lazy, they created the point system.”

She leaned forward. “Every Provisional Defender begins with one hundred points. Points are our internal currency. You need them for everything, attending classes, accessing libraries, buying artifacts, even food beyond the basics.”

“If you want advanced training, rare materials, or stronger skill books, you’ll pay in points. And to earn more, you must work.”

“Missions?” Adrian asked.

She nodded. “Each division offers its own. Scholars reward research, warriors pay for raids, artificers need testing. Even competitions inside the divisions award points.”

“It’s a constant struggle, Adrian. People compete fiercely here, quietly, but with teeth.”

Adrian absorbed it all, then finally asked, “And which division should I begin with?”

Elara’s expression softened briefly. “That’s your choice. What calls to you?”

Adrian thought for only a moment. The answer came easily, as if it had been waiting. “Runes. I’ll start there.”

“I’ve always been curious. The Academy offered nothing about them. But I’ve seen how important they are, skill books, walls, ships, shields.”

“If humanity’s survival rests on them, then I should learn.”

Her jaw tightened slightly. The mention of runes brought immediate concern to her features.

“If you choose runes, be wary of Selena. She’s not evil, Adrian, but she’s… difficult.”

“She delights in trouble, in stirring the waters. She will test you.”

Adrian’s lips curved faintly. “Let her.”

The confidence in his voice was absolute, carrying no trace of doubt or fear.

“Very well.” She stood, smoothing her robes. “Rest tonight. Tomorrow begins your real education.”

…

The next day, Adrian set out for the Rune Division.

Each division had its own territory within the HQ, and the Rune District was like a city within a city. Streets were lined with stalls where parchment and etched metal plates were displayed, each inscribed with faintly glowing runes.

Vendors shouted prices, all in points. Arrays shimmered on buildings, keeping the air fresh, lighting the streets, even warding off stray sparks of mana.

“Fresh inscriptions! Basic ward patterns, only fifteen points!”

“Barrier ruins here! Tested on real monsters!”

The cacophony of commerce filled the air. Adrian paused at one stall, watching a vendor demonstrate a small metal disc that projected a shimmering barrier when activated.

“Interested, young man?” The vendor’s eyes gleamed. “Protection runes are essential for beginners. This beauty will stop any E-Rank attack.”

Adrian shook his head politely and moved on. His gaze swept the surrounding chaos, cataloguing everything.

Everywhere Adrian looked, knowledge was alive. Students clustered around demonstration tables, watching masters etch glowing symbols into various materials.

Some runes pulsed with steady light, others flickered in complex patterns. The very air thrummed with contained power.

At the district’s heart rose the Grand Rune Hall, a towering structure of white stone and golden light. Its walls were etched with thousands of runes that seemed to breathe with their own rhythm.

Some glowed faintly, others pulsed in harmony, feeding into a web of energy that hummed with life. The building itself was a masterwork of runic engineering.

Adrian approached the main entrance, where a bronze plaque listed course offerings and their point costs. Basic Theory: Twenty points. Fundamental Inscription: Thirty points. Combat Applications: Fifty points.

“First time?” A voice spoke behind him.

Adrian turned to find a young woman with ink-stained fingers and tired eyes. She wore the simple robes of a Provisional Defender.

“Yes. I’m looking for introductory classes.”

She laughed, but not unkindly. “Smart choice. Most people rush into advanced courses and waste their points on things they can’t understand.”

“I’m Maya. Been here six months.” She gestured toward the building. “Word of advice? Start with Professor Chen’s Basic Theory. He’s strict but fair.”

Adrian nodded his thanks.

This was the Rune Division’s center. Scholars lectured within, forging and studying day and night. Provisional Defenders came here to take classes, each session priced in points.

Adrian stepped through the gates, eyes sharp. The marble floors were inscribed with guidance runes that pulsed gently, directing visitors toward different sections.

He would begin here, with the basics. But he already knew that his path would not remain basic for long.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep