'Valhalla.'
Located in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, this massive institution is one of the world's top three contractor academies. Its fame is immense, and its honor reaches the skies.
Every year, a tremendous number of contractors apply, hoping to carry the prestige of Valhalla on their backs.
From that flood of applicants, only 1,500 survive the absurd competition ratio of 250:1 to step across Valhalla's threshold.
But admission is not the end of the struggle.
Fewer than 150 cadets manage to graduate and enter society bearing the Valhalla name.
Thus, from the moment they enter, every student begins a new war.
A competition to prove they are worthy of the name.
When does it start?
From the very moment the entrance ceremony begins.
❋ ❋ ❋
"Wow. It's packed again this year."
High atop the massive stadium within the Valhalla grounds.
From a vantage point overlooking the entire campus, Lee Sang-cheol, a combat instructor observing the fights across sixteen arenas, turned his gaze to the approaching man.
"Well, it is the Entrance Ranking Battle. It's bound to be crowded."
Entrance Ranking Battle.
It was an exam held for confirmed freshmen to determine their hierarchy before the semester officially began.
"So, did you come to watch your niece?"
At Lee Sang-cheol's question, the man, Yoo Min-jun, nodded with a smile.
"That's right. The Yoo Shin Family has high expectations for So-yeon this time."
"Yoo So-yeon…."
Lee Sang-cheol instantly recalled her personnel file.
"…Certainly. She seemed worth the Family's expectations."
Yoo So-yeon.
A genius from the Yoo Shin Family, one of South Korea's 'Five Great Families.' Her file was as flashy as her reputation.
"She began handling mana at age ten, a feat usually reserved for high schoolers, and by thirteen, she could naturally imbue a sword with mana. Is that right?"
"She didn't stop there. At sixteen, she scored multiple victories against professional contractors affiliated with our family. On top of that…."
"There's more? As far as I know, that is where the file ends."
Yoo Min-jun grinned.
"Actually, those achievements alone would justify the hype, but the most important factor is this: So-yeon can already communicate with our Guardian Constellation."
"…What?"
Lee Sang-cheol looked at him in disbelief.
Yoo Min-jun only stared back with confidence. After a heavy silence, Lee Sang-cheol asked again.
"Is that true?"
"Of course."
"Ha."
The reason the Five Great Families ruled Korea was simple.
It was the Guardian Constellations attached to each house.
'Sword God' of the Yoo Shin Family. 'Spear Ghost' of the Jang San Family. 'Blade King' of the Choi Jin Family. 'Fist King' of the Oh Seon Family. 'Bow God' of the Do Jon Family.
Unlike the B-rank Constellations that contracted with ordinary hunters, these Guardians possessed power ranked S-class or higher. Thanks to them, the Five Families stood above all others.
Members of these families received a 'Blessing' from their Constellation, granting them talent far superior to the norm.
However, direct communication was a different beast entirely.
To speak with a Guardian Constellation at her age meant Yoo So-yeon's magical power was already vast enough to commune with an S-rank entity.
It meant she could go beyond a simple 'Blessing' and potentially form a full 'Contract.'
Naturally, contracting with a Guardian Constellation so young was a feat almost unheard of, even for a direct descendant. Lee Sang-cheol let out a hollow laugh.
"…She truly is a genius."
"Right? I'm looking forward to it."
Yoo Min-jun grinned proudly.
"So, which arena is my niece in?"
"It probably isn't over yet. Did you come just to watch her match?"
Yoo Min-jun shook his head.
"Well, I assume So-yeon will easily make the finals, or at least be the runner-up. I just stopped by to pick her up on my way home."
Lee Sang-cheol tapped his tablet, checking the schedule.
"Round 8. It's the last match of the day. Starts in 30 seconds."
"Oh, really? Then let me watch."
"You just said you didn't need to see it."
"Well, it would be funny to ignore a match happening right now, wouldn't it?"
"Then go down and watch."
"In that crowd? No thanks."
Indeed, the stadium floor was packed.
First, there were the scouts. Excluding the Five Great Families, whose affiliations were set in stone, scouts from every major guild were rolling their eyes, desperate to find any scrap of talent.
Next were the reporters. Since contractors enjoyed celebrity-level popularity, the press was out in force, hunting for scoops.
Finally, the citizens, mostly friends and parents of the freshmen. Aside from the professionals, no regular citizen would come to watch rookies who hadn't even made a name for themselves yet.
"Come on, just show me. What's the point of being a senior if you can't do this much?"
"Tsk. Since when have you ever treated me like a senior?"
Despite his grumbling, Lee Sang-cheol sighed and operated the tablet.
[Wuuong—]
One of the sixteen arenas displayed on the glass window zoomed in, filling the screen.
"Oh."
Inside the magnified arena stood two figures.
One was Yoo So-yeon, the girl Yoo Min-jun had praised so highly. With a cool, composed expression, she gripped the hilt of the sword at her waist.
Opposite her stood an ordinary freshman, wearing the standard-issue gauntlets provided by the academy.
"…He looks relaxed."
Lee Sang-cheol frowned at the boy, who stood without even taking a combat stance. Yoo Min-jun, however, kept smiling.
"Looks like he gave up. Well, So-yeon is already famous."
Indeed, a large crowd had gathered around their specific arena. Scouts, reporters, and citizens watched with bated breath, or rather, they watched Yoo So-yeon.
The spotlight was fixed on her.
That alone was enough to crush the spirit of an ordinary student. Unlike the direct descendant of a Great Family, the boy on the other side was nobody.
Still, Lee Sang-cheol didn't like the kid's attitude.
"Tsk. Assuming he'll lose and giving up already? Unsightly."
"I doubt it'll take five seconds."
As Yoo Min-jun predicted the boy's instant defeat, Lee Sang-cheol nodded.
"Pathetic."
"He's just unlucky. Imagine meeting the Yoo Shin Family's genius on day one."
[3]
The countdown began.
[2]
Yoo So-yeon, eyes locked on her opponent, lowered her stance.
[1]
She tightened her grip on her sword.
[Start]
She exploded forward the moment the signal dropped.
Leaping with perfect posture, clean enough that even veteran contractors would praise it, Yoo So-yeon closed the distance in an instant and swung her sword.
Watching her move, Lee Sang-cheol understood the praise.
'Flawless Sword Qi at that age?'
Sword Qi.
Handling mana was one thing; using it in live combat was another. The Qi embedded in her blade was stable, without a single fluctuation.
It was proof of perfect control.
Seeing that blade descend, Lee Sang-cheol was certain the match would end instantly.
And the next moment—
[Whack!]
It did end instantly.
But there was one deviation from their prediction.
"…Uh?"
[Kim Joohyuk Wins.]
The person lying on the arena floor was not the ordinary freshman.
It was Yoo So-yeon.
And the winner?
"What is this?"
The boy who had just swatted down the genius of the Yoo Family stood there, looking confused.
"Why is everyone so weak? Is this really 300 years later?"
He muttered the words with a scoff, as if the entire situation was absurd.
(End of Chapter 1)
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