The WHU headquarters looked calm in the morning light.
Behind the glass walls stood hundreds of young recruits. Different powers. Different eyes. Different fears.
Asher stood at the edge.
Vale wasn't there.
That space was empty.
The absence felt heavy, as if the room itself carried weight.
Asher didn't speak.
He only watched.
The ceiling of the central hall opened, and a platform descended slowly. Standing on it was Sebastian.
His golden hair reflected the light. His face was calm. As always, he was smiling.
The entire hall fell silent.
As Sebastian walked down the steps, the tension in the air eased. It felt as if the atmosphere itself had stabilized.
Because everyone knew:
If he was here, there was no danger.
Power Rank Announcement
A holographic screen lit up on the wall.
Rank D
Rank C
Rank B
Rank A
Rank S
Rank SS
Rank SSS
Sebastian began to speak.
"Even if you are ranked low, do not worry. You can rise. Everything here depends on effort."
The results appeared on the screen.
Rank D – Vale Ashborne and Laura Berg
Rank C – Tobias Roth, Emilia Lutz, Claes Jacobs, Martin Lambert
Rank B – Julia Hansen, Julian Hansen
Rank A – Vincent Rossi, Asher Ashborne
Whispers spread through the hall.
Some were excited.
Some were disappointed.
Vale stood quietly. He said nothing.
Asher didn't react to seeing his name.
Sebastian spoke again in his soft voice.
"Congratulations to all of you. You will be my students. In WHU, there are five classes under my supervision. There will be training sessions and competitions. You will prove yourselves."
Julia raised her hand.
"Are you the strongest?"
The hall fell silent again.
Sebastian smiled.
"Yes. In the ranking system, I am Rank SSS."
There was no arrogance in his tone. Only certainty.
"Behind me are Rank SS – Lance Poll and Ella Wang. Rank S – Oliver Mark and Lina Charlotte. We protect the world."
A quiet sense of confidence filled the room.
Asher kept his eyes lowered.
Sebastian continued:
"You may now return to your rooms. Training begins tomorrow."
The students slowly began to leave.
Excited conversations. Nervous laughter. Low whispers.
Vale left quietly with Laura.
Asher did not move.
Sebastian noticed.
When the hall was nearly empty, Sebastian walked toward him.
"Rank A."
Asher looked up.
Sebastian's eyes were calm.
"This level will be heavy for you."
Asher answered quietly.
"It doesn't matter."
At that moment, faintly, the air compressed.
The glass panels trembled slightly.
Sebastian felt it immediately.
But he did not activate Zero Field.
He simply said:
"It does."
Silence hung between them.
Then Sebastian turned and began walking toward the exit.
"Tomorrow morning. First training session. Don't be late."
Asher remained alone in the hall.
He looked at the empty space.
Where Vale once stood.
The air grew heavy again.
But this time—
No one was there to notice.