The academy was still reeling.
Aira Flameheart had turned down every major guild. Every offer. Every promise of power, protection, and prestige.
"Who does she think she is?"
"Is she planning to go solo?"
"She'll be crushed without backing."
But Aira wasn't alone.
Not anymore.
Classroom 7-G – After Hours
The old classroom was dusty and mostly abandoned, with broken desks and cracked walls. Aira stood at the center, staring at a crudely drawn map pinned to a board.
Three figures stood behind her:
Mira Vale, her loyal healer friend, quiet but tenacious.
Korin Thorne, a B-rank lightning swordsman who lost his spot in an elite squad after refusing to follow a cruel command.
Lina Crestvale, a rogue with illusion and shadow-step talents, kicked out of her family's noble house for defying a marriage contract.
All outcasts. All underestimated.
Exactly who Aira needed.
She tapped the board. "We start here—Newbie Dungeon Zone 4, South Crag Hollow. Everyone avoids it because the mana winds are unstable."
Mira frowned. "Isn't that place ranked too high for our level?"
Korin cracked his knuckles. "Perfect. I'm in."
Lina smirked. "I've stolen from worse."
Aira stepped forward and placed her hand on the center of the map.
"Let's set it on fire."
Blazing Dawn – Party Registry
Three days later, the announcement dropped.
A new team had registered on the global Adventurer's Guild network under a fresh name:
[BLAZING DAWN]
Team Leader: Aira Flameheart (SSS – Phoenix Heart)
Classification: Independent
Alignment: Non-Guild
Motto: "We rise from ash."
The news spread like wildfire.
Not just because of who she was.
But because she dared to reject them all—and build something from nothing.
---
Training Grounds – Emberglow Academy
"Alright," Aira said, standing before her team. "We train like we fight—brutal, fast, and together. We're not here to match the big guilds. We're going to outgrow them."
She held up a flame-forged pendant shaped like a rising sun.
"From now on, we don't bow. We blaze."
One by one, her teammates touched the pendant and pledged their flame.
System Notification: Party Established — "BLAZING DAWN"
Party Bonus Activated: +15% XP Gain in Unregistered Dungeons
Phoenix Resonance: 48%
Next Evolution Talent Trigger Available at 50% Resonance
Aira looked to the horizon.
The world thought she was too bold. Too reckless.
But she didn't need their approval.
She only needed her flame—and the will to keep rising.