Before the attendant could even open her mouth, likely to offer some carefully rehearsed words of encouragement, Hyun-Jae turned and walked straight out of the room.
The door hissed shut behind him, leaving the attendant staring blankly at the spot where he'd stood. For a moment, she expected to hear footsteps returning or perhaps an outburst of frustration. Nothing came. She crossed her arms, lips curving into a faint pout. "How rude," she muttered under her breath, though her voice carried more surprise than irritation.
Outside, Hyun-Jae exhaled deeply and leaned against the smooth, metallic wall of the corridor. The faint hum of the facility filled the silence as he stared at the rows of doors stretching endlessly down the hall. He didn't feel angry or disappointed, just… tired.
He folded his arms and waited patiently, eyes flicking toward each door that opened. It didn't take long before he began wondering how Soo-Min had done, half-expecting her to come out smiling like always.
Hyun-Jae looked around as more doors slid open one by one, releasing waves of mixed emotions into the hallway. Some people stomped out, cursing under their breath or kicking at the ground, their faces twisted with anger or disbelief. Others looked hollow, heads down, shoulders slumped, as if their strength had been taken along with whatever that pedestal drained from them.
Most of them, he noticed, wore the faint, glowing emblem of an E-rank projected near their chest, just like his. It was almost like a mark of failure to everyone and he could hear snippets of quiet grumbling, people trying to console each other or muttering that it wasn't fair.
But among the defeated, a few stood taller. The D-ranks. Their symbols glowed a shade brighter, and they carried themselves with the smug confidence of people who thought they had already proven themselves superior. Hyun-Jae sighed quietly, watching one of them boast to a small crowd, and thought, Guess it didn't take long for the hierarchy to start forming.
He shifted his weight against the wall again, still waiting for Soo-Min's door to open.
A small commotion began to ripple through the hallway, hushed voices at first, then louder ones filled with disbelief and excitement. A crowd was starting to form around one of the doors, people craning their necks and standing on tiptoe to see what had caused the sudden stir.
Hyun-Jae glanced over but didn't move at first. He figured it was probably just another D-rank showing off again, and he didn't have the patience to deal with more bragging. But when the whispers reached him words like "C-rank… there's a C-rank here?", he frowned and pushed himself off the wall. Curiosity finally got the better of him.
He stepped closer, weaving through the small crowd until he could see the source of the commotion. His eyes widened the moment he did.
Standing there, looking a little embarrassed under all the attention, was Soo-Min. The glowing mark hovering near her read C-Rank, bright and unmistakable, the highest in the entire corridor.
Hyun-Jae blinked once, then let out a quiet sigh, a mix of surprise and resignation. Of course it'd be her, he thought, a faint, tired smile tugging at his lips. Somehow, he'd already expected this.
He decides against approaching her after all, she's clearly drawing attention now, and he doesn't want to be one more person hovering around. Besides, someone like her shouldn't have to worry about someone like me. With that quiet thought, Hyun-Jae turns away from the crowd and leaves the corridor.
As he walks through the main building, he notices the steady stream of people exiting the training facility like him. Almost all of them have the faint, defeated look he's seen in the mirror countless times before. A few are whispering to each other, exchanging ranks like battle scars E, E, and E again. It's obvious now that the majority share the same standing as him.
Hyun-Jae exhales, half in relief and half in resignation. "Guess I'm not alone after all," he mutters under his breath, forcing a small, tired smile as he steps into the teleporter that takes him back to his room.
He enters and immediately collapses onto his bed, the weight of the entire day pressing down on him all at once. His body aches, not from pain, but from exhaustion that runs deeper than he's ever felt before. Between the teleportations, the suffocating aura, and the ranking ordeal, his mind finally gives in, and before long, sleep consumes him completely.
When he wakes up the next morning, the first thing he feels is the gnawing emptiness in his stomach. He sits up groggily, rubbing his eyes and mumbling, "I didn't even eat yesterday…" The thought alone is enough motivation to get him moving. He throws on a jacket and steps out of his room, following the faint aroma of food that wafts through the hall.
As he turns the corner toward the teleport pad that leads to the food court, he nearly walks straight into a towering figure. Hyun-Jae freezes mid-step, his sleepy mind catching up a second later and his eyes widen.
It's Kharvos.
The Veylari warrior looms over him, his broad frame practically blocking out the corridor light. His grin spreads the moment he spots Hyun-Jae.
"Ah, little human!" Kharvos booms, his voice echoing through the hallway like a thunderclap. "Good to see you alive after that awakening ordeal. I thought half of you would shatter like glass!"
Hyun-Jae blinks, still half-awake and clutching his stomach. "...Morning to you too."
Kharvos laughs heartily, clapping him on the shoulder with enough force to make Hyun-Jae stumble. "A strong spirit! You look hungry. Come, let's see if this place serves anything worthy of warriors!"
Hyun-Jae sighs, knowing full well he won't be getting out of this one, and mutters under his breath
As they walk side by side toward the food court, Hyun-Jae's eyes drift to the glowing sigil etched faintly above Kharvos's chestplate-C Rank. His steps slow for a moment. It's the same as Soo-Min's.
Curiosity gets the better of him. "Hey, Kharvos," he says, glancing up at the massive Veylari, "how does your rank compare to the others from your planet?"
Kharvos's tusked grin grows even wider. He straightens his back proudly, his armor faintly shimmering with energy. "Among the Veylari, I am among the younger elites," he says, his tone brimming with confidence. "But my elders… hah! They stand beyond even my level. Some are B ranks and one or two may even touch A. The blood of warriors runs deep in our kind!"
Hyun-Jae nods thoughtfully as they finally reach the food court, a massive hall suspended in a soft golden glow, tables stretching endlessly beneath translucent skylights, Kharvos is deep into one of his rants.
"and in my clan, when a youth comes of age, they must wrestle a thunder-beast bare-handed! It is tradition! Strength is not proven by words, only by scars!"
Hyun-Jae blinks, tray in hand, staring at the alien's animated gestures. "You… wrestled a thunder-beast?"
Kharvos lets out a booming laugh that turns a few heads. "Of course! Though it was only a young one. My brother fought two!"
Hyun-Jae exhales as they find a seat. Between bites of food, he can't help but think that despite the cosmic chaos of everything, sharing breakfast with a bragging alien warrior feels strangely… normal.
However even after days in this place, Hyun-Jae still couldn't get used to it, the sheer number of species moving through the food court was staggering. Some floated, some slithered, others barely looked solid at all. The air buzzed with different dialects, tones, and even scents some sharp, some sweet, some indescribable. Every few seconds, his eyes caught on something unfamiliar, and his brain had to scramble to decide whether it was rude to stare.
Kharvos, noticing Hyun-Jae's darting gaze, let out a hearty laugh. "You'll strain your neck at this rate, human," he said, his tusks glinting under the warm light. "Do not be intimidated. They might look strange to you, but every one of them bleeds and breaks the same way. We're all here fighting under the same banner our worlds' survival."
Hyun-Jae gave a small nod, still a bit overwhelmed. "Right… I know. It's just—different, seeing it up close."
When they reached the serving counters, his confusion deepened. Rows upon rows of glowing trays held things that defied easy description, meals that steamed, shimmered, or even hummed softly. The signs were written in several languages, only half of which translated properly through the facility's systems. Hyun-Jae frowned, unsure what was edible, let alone human-friendly.
Before he could decide, Kharvos stepped forward. "He'll have the Veylari meal. with a extra portion," he barked to the attendant behind the counter.
"Wait, what's in-" Hyun-Jae began, but Kharvos had already gotten the food and was moving toward an open table.
"Trust me, little human," Kharvos said as they sat down. "If you can survive the awakening trials, you can stomach a bit of Veylari breakfast."
Hyun-Jae eyed the plate suspiciously. It was steaming faintly, the contents somewhere between bread and glowing moss. He looked up at Kharvos's wide grin and sighed
Kharvos let out a booming laugh that drew the attention of a few nearby tables. "Sharing food is the first test of friendship where I'm from. Now eat, before it eats you."
Hyun-Jae hesitated for only a second longer and took a cautious bite and blinked in surprise. It wasn't bad at all. The texture was soft yet crisp, and the flavor reminded him vaguely of a tangy salad, refreshing and oddly satisfying. He'd braced himself for something awful, but instead found it… edible. Even pleasant.
Across from him, Kharvos leaned back with a smug grin, arms crossed. "See? No complaints. I knew you'd like it."
Hyun-Jae chuckled lightly, swallowing the last bite. "It's not what I expected, but yeah… not bad."
"Ha! You're tougher than you look," Kharvos said, his tone half teasing, half approving. "Most humans would've spat it out by now."
Hyun-Jae gave him a sideways look but couldn't help the faint smirk tugging at his lips. He had to admit, he was starting to appreciate Kharvos's company. The Veylari's brashness felt strangely grounding amidst the overwhelming strangeness of this place.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, the hum of conversation across the food court suddenly died down. A soft chime echoed through the air, followed by a commanding, resonant voice that filled every corner of the celestial sphere.
"All participants, please direct your attention to the nearest projection screen. Information regarding the next step in the tournament's initiation phase will now be revealed."
Hyun-Jae's eyes darted to the nearest floating screen as it flickered to life, glowing with golden light. Around them, hundreds of beings turned their gaze upward, the entire room falling silent in tense anticipation.