High above Horizon Zone-01, on the upper floors of the Synchro Tower, a young woman stood beside a massive glass window.
The entire city spread beneath her like a glowing circuit board of lights.
Jessi folded her arms and gazed into the distance.
"Alex… Alex… Alex…"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"You think becoming a warrior will be easy?"
She tapped her finger lightly against the glass.
"It won't be."
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Because your path…"
"…will cross mine."
She leaned forward, staring into the night.
"I want to see something."
"Are you really special?"
"…or just another ordinary human like the rest?"
The city lights flickered beneath her gaze.
Then the scene shifted.
Rooftop – Alex and Darex
Alex was staring at Darex with complete disbelief.
"Wait."
"How?"
"When did you sign my application form?"
Darex was busy cleaning his teeth with a toothpick after finishing the last burger.
"Sign?"
"You mean the signature part?"
"Yes!"
Alex shouted.
"The application needs a signature!"
Darex shrugged casually.
"No problem."
"I used your duplicate signature."
Alex froze.
"You WHAT?"
Darex grinned proudly.
"I forged it."
"You can't forge my signature!"
"Oh I can."
"How?!"
Darex leaned back comfortably.
"Two or three years ago I started practicing."
"Practicing what?"
"Your signature."
Alex's eyes widened.
"Why would you do that?!"
Darex coughed awkwardly.
"Well… sometimes I needed money."
Alex slowly turned toward him.
"…from my account?"
Darex nodded innocently.
"Yeah."
"What did you spend it on?"
"Nothing big."
He counted on his fingers.
"Movies…"
"Restaurants…"
"Taking my girlfriend out…"
Alex's eye twitched.
"You WHAT?"
Darex quickly waved his hands.
"Wait wait wait!"
"Not that much!"
"How much exactly?"
Darex scratched his head.
"Maybe…"
"…ten thousand."
Then he suddenly panicked.
"I mean TEN RUPEES!"
Alex stared at him.
"Ten thousand."
Darex gulped.
"…maybe."
Alex stood up slowly.
"Now I understand."
"Why money kept disappearing from my account."
Darex raised both hands defensively.
"Relax!"
"I always took you to the movies too!"
"We both ate food!"
"That counts as sharing!"
Alex crossed his arms.
"And your girlfriend?"
"You paid with my money."
Darex coughed.
"My money was being saved."
"For what?"
"Important future investments."
Alex picked up a chair slowly.
Darex's eyes widened.
"Hey… hey… calm down."
"That chair looks heavy."
"If you hit me with it I might get injured."
"No problem."
Alex smiled dangerously.
"You used my money."
"So your medical bill will also be covered."
Darex jumped up instantly.
"Wait wait wait!"
"Don't hit me today!"
"Why not?"
"Because tomorrow we become warriors!"
Alex paused.
"What proof do you have that you'll become a warrior?"
Darex shrugged.
"If my synchronization rate is low…"
"I'll become a warrior assistant."
Alex burst out laughing.
"You're unbelievable."
The Missing Stick
Alex suddenly walked toward the stairs.
Darex frowned.
"Where are you going?"
Alex shouted downstairs.
"Sis!"
"Where's the stick?"
His sister's voice came from below.
"Upstairs!"
"Left side!"
"Why?"
"Nothing!"
"I'm beating a donkey!"
Darex instantly sprinted toward the stairs before Alex.
He grabbed the stick first and threw it outside the rooftop.
"The stick is gone!"
Alex glared at him.
"Forget the stick."
"Tell me something."
"My account had no money."
"So how did you pay the application fee?"
Darex grinned proudly.
"Twenty thousand."
Alex froze.
"TWENTY THOUSAND?!"
"Relax."
"I paid it."
"You paid it?"
"Yeah."
Darex shrugged.
"When my money runs out I use yours."
"When yours runs out…"
"…you can use mine."
"No difference between friends."
Alex sighed.
"You're insane."
"Just return it."
Darex nodded seriously.
"Sure."
"But with 200% interest."
Alex stared at him.
"You're charging me interest… for my own money?"
Darex nodded proudly.
"Business principles."
Alex grabbed him by the collar.
"I was joking!"
Darex shouted quickly.
"Don't bring the stick!"
"Please!"
Alex finally let him go.
"Go home."
"Why?"
"Because you're giving me a headache."
"It's already late."
"We have to wake up early tomorrow."
"For the warrior serum test."
Darex suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Oh right!"
"The warrior test!"
He started walking down the stairs.
Then Alex grabbed his shoulder.
"You forgot something."
"What?"
"Where is the center?"
"You filled the application."
"How would I know?"
Darex smirked.
"Your dream building."
"The 300-floor tower."
Alex blinked.
"My dream tower?"
"That's not your dream tower."
"That's Synchro Tower."
"The headquarters of the Synchro Organization."
Alex stood silent for a moment.
"That's where the test is?"
"Yep."
Alex immediately kicked Darex lightly from behind.
"Get lost."
Darex stumbled down the stairs.
"HEY!"
"Next time I'll warn you before doing something like this!"
"…though it's actually fun."
He scratched his head.
"Why do I enjoy getting beaten?"
"I seriously need to fix this habit."
Darex Arrives Home
Darex reached his house.
His father was sitting in the living room waiting.
The moment Darex stepped inside—
His father spoke.
"So the prince finally returned."
Darex smiled awkwardly.
"Dad… you're still awake?"
"How can a father sleep when his son disappears all day?"
Darex laughed.
"Wow."
"You've been watching too many movies."
"Great dialogue."
His father stood up slowly.
"Oh don't worry."
"I've learned more than dialogue."
"Like what?"
"How to beat my son with a belt."
He removed his belt.
Darex immediately stepped back.
"Dad wait!"
"I already fell down the stairs today!"
"So please hit lightly!"
Thirty minutes later…
Darex lay flat on his bed.
His father sat beside him calmly.
"So tell me."
"What is your future plan?"
Before Darex could answer—
His father spoke again.
"I already decided."
"You'll take over my business."
"Business?"
"Yes."
"My business."
Darex sighed.
"Sorry for informing you…"
"…but I'm becoming a warrior."
His father stared at him.
"Do you even know what discipline means?"
"Warriors follow strict orders."
"Do you think you qualify?"
Darex scratched his head.
"Maybe not."
"But my friend is going."
"So I'm going too."
His father's eyebrow twitched.
"So you dragged him into this?"
"No!"
"He dragged me!"
Darex quickly raised his hands.
"Listen first!"
"Warriors are powerful."
"They're at the top of society."
Then he explained everything—
The school incident.
The injured student.
The warrior hierarchy.
When he finished speaking—
His father sat silently.
"So warriors… are above the government?"
Darex nodded.
"Yes."
"And they're extremely wealthy too."
His father leaned back slowly.
"I see…"
The room fell silent.
Meanwhile—
Across the city—
Inside Synchro Tower—
A new notification appeared.
APPLICATION CONFIRMED
Candidate ID: 45 – Alex
Candidate ID: 46 – Darex
Jessi watched the screen quietly.
Then she smiled.
"Perfect."
"The game begins tomorrow."