Chapter 78: Private Training

The top floor of the Gatewalkers Guild headquarters was quiet.

Far below, the city stretched endlessly beneath the glass walls of the skyscraper. Thousands of lights illuminated the streets, cars moving like streams of glowing insects between towering buildings.

The office itself was spacious and modern, with an enormous desk positioned directly in front of the windows.

Behind it sat Luna.

The Guildmaster of Gatewalkers.

An S-Rank Awakened.

And, unfortunately for the person sitting across from her, an older sister.

Sonne sat rigidly in one of the leather chairs.

Her hands rested on her knees.

She had been sitting there for several minutes.

Luna had said nothing.

She simply watched her younger sister.

Eventually, Luna leaned back.

"So."

Sonne looked up.

"You wanted to see me."

"Yes."

"And you want me to train you?"

"...Yes."

Luna raised an eyebrow.

That alone made Sonne uncomfortable.

Her sister wasn’t smiling.

Yet.

"That’s quite the change."

Sonne looked away.

"I’ve been thinking."

"Apparently."

Luna folded her arms.

"You’ve rejected private training from me several times."

"I wasn’t ready before."

"You weren’t even interested before."

Sonne remained silent.

Luna tilted her head.

"Yet suddenly, after the first round of the Association’s tryouts, my little sister walks into my office and asks me to personally train her."

Sonne’s fingers tightened slightly.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Sonne’s face immediately warmed.

A memory surfaced.

The stadium.

Eden.

The fight she’d been so confident about.

And then that ridiculous trick.

Eden closing the distance.

His lips—

’No!’

Sonne’s face turned bright red.

"Shut up."

Luna blinked.

"...I haven’t even said anything."

"I know."

"Then why are you telling me to shut up?"

"Because I know what you’re going to say."

Luna’s lips slowly curled upward.

"Oh?"

Sonne realized her mistake.

Luna leaned forward.

"Is this about that Eden boy?"

Sonne froze.

"No."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"The boy who defeated you?"

"I said no."

"Inside your very own domain?"

Sonne’s cheeks became even redder.

"Stop."

"The very same Eden who somehow managed to bypass your Frozen Will and defeat you in the matter of a few min—"

"STOP!"

Sonne shot out of her chair.

Luna burst into laughter.

"You’re impossible!"

"You deserved that!"

Sonne sat back down, glaring at her sister.

Luna wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"I haven’t seen you react like that in years."

Sonne crossed her arms.

"It was a battle."

"Of course."

"A legitimate battle."

"Mhm."

"He used a dirty trick."

"I’m sure he did."

Sonne’s eye twitched.

"Luna."

Her sister finally calmed down.

"Fine. Fine."

Luna leaned back again.

"But seriously."

Her expression became more thoughtful.

"Eden is interesting."

Sonne looked away.

"He is."

"You noticed too."

"Anyone could."

"Not anyone."

Luna tapped her finger against the desk.

"Someone who can defeat a C-Rank in a way that catches the attention of experienced Awakeneds is already noteworthy. But someone who can defeat you inside your own domain?"

She smiled.

"That’s rare."

Sonne muttered.

"I know."

"And I actually made him an offer."

Sonne’s head snapped around.

"What?"

Luna casually reached for a document on her desk.

"I invited him to become an executive of Gatewalkers."

A long, uncomfortable silence stretched across the office.

Sonne slowly stood.

Bang!

Both of her hands slammed onto Luna’s desk.

"Absolutely not!"

Luna blinked.

Sonne realized what she’d done.

Her face was red again.

Luna’s smile returned.

"Oh?"

"I mean..."

Sonne tried to regain her composure.

"He shouldn’t."

"Why?"

"Because..."

She hesitated.

Because Eden wasn’t someone who could be easily controlled.

Because he had his own path.

Because she’d fought him.

Because she couldn’t stop thinking about that humiliating defeat.

Because she wanted to beat him next time.

"...He’s difficult."

Luna’s smile widened.

"That’s your reason?"

"Yes."

"Interesting."

Luna studied her sister.

People rarely managed to provoke such strong reactions from Sonne.

Even fewer could make her abandon her usual composure.

And apparently, Eden had managed to do both.

Luna glanced at the document again.

Her offer had been generous.

Very generous.

Yet Eden had rejected it without the slightest hint of hesitation.

That made him even more interesting.

’What kind of nineteen-year-old rejects an executive position from an S-Rank Guildmaster without even considering it?’

Luna leaned back.

For a fleeting moment, she wondered whether she should visit him herself.

Not as Guildmaster.

Just to see what kind of person he was.

Then she dismissed the thought.

’No.’

She had enough work already.

Instead, she looked toward Sonne.

"Alright."

Sonne blinked.

"Alright?"

"I’ll train you."

Sonne’s expression softened.

"Really?"

"Personally."

A small smile appeared on Sonne’s face.

"Thank you."

Luna smiled back.

"But don’t expect me to go easy on you."

Sonne’s smile disappeared.

"...I knew there was a catch."

"There are several."

Elsewhere in the city, another conversation was taking place.

A much quieter one.

A restaurant overlooking one of the city’s main streets.

Lucy sat across from a Man with beautiful, long white Hair.

The man was known as one of the Association’s Elites.

Levi.

She had been nervous ever since she arrived.

Not because Levi frightened her.

Quite the opposite.

The S-Rank’s calm demeanor made the entire situation feel strangely serious.

Levi took a sip of his drink.

"You seem nervous."

Lucy immediately straightened.

"I-I am."

"You don’t have to be."

"I didn’t invite you here to pressure you."

Lucy looked at him skeptically.

"You invited me because you want me to join the Association."

"Correct."

Levi didn’t deny it.

He placed his glass down.

"Your talent is rare."

Lucy lowered her gaze.

"Rare?"

"Very."

He leaned back.

"I’ve met hundreds of Awakeneds. Thousands, if you count everyone I’ve encountered through the Association."

Lucy listened quietly.

"Most people have clear limitations. Their Essence reserves. Their skills. Their bodies. Their growth."

His eyes focused on her.

"You don’t seem to have those limitations."

Lucy didn’t know how to respond.

Levi smiled.

"I believe you’ll become an S-Rank."

Her eyes widened.

’Did he just say...’

"An S-Rank?"

"Yes."

Lucy stared at him.

"That’s..."

She swallowed.

"That’s a lot."