[ADVENTURER'S GUILD - INVESTIGATION OFFICE - 9:47 AM]

  Alex had been in many uncomfortable places lately—dark alleys, deadly dungeons, illegal auctions—but none compared to the pure discomfort of sitting in front of three guild bureaucrats who looked at him like he was a particularly annoying puzzle.

  The Guild Investigation Office was exactly what you'd expect: gray, sterile, filled with filing cabinets and the unmistakable aroma of paperwork and suspicion. Three investigators sat across the table, each with a tablet displaying his profile.

  The one in the middle—a man in his fifties with glasses that magnified his eyes to a disturbing size—spoke first.

  "Alex Carter. Iron Classification. Level 22. Companion: skeleton, rank..." He paused, frowning. "The system says E, but your original academy record says F. Which is it?"

  "He evolved," Alex said, keeping his voice neutral. "Battle bonding can cause unexpected evolutions. It's documented."

  "Documented in extremely rare cases," said the woman on the left, forties, gray hair tied back severely. "Of which there are approximately... twenty recorded cases in the last hundred years."

  "I guess I'm number twenty-one," Alex said.

  The third investigator—young, thirties, with the nervous energy of someone trying to impress his superiors—typed on his tablet.

  "Let's review your history from the last thirty days," he said. "According to guild records:

  · 12 missions completed, all ranked D or higher

  · 3 solo dungeon clears

  · 1 emergency assist in East Sewer Dungeon, where you helped defeat a level 22 boss

  · Average soul gain..." He paused. "Wait. How are we tracking soul gain?"

  "We don't," said the woman. "Only levels. And Carter gained 7 levels in three weeks. That's... highly unusual for Iron Classification."

  "I took more risks," Alex said. "I took the missions no one else wanted. They paid more, had more danger, more experience."

  "Or," said the glasses man, "you're hiding your companion's true strength to take low-risk missions while appearing high-risk."

  Alex kept his expression neutral. "Why would I do that?"

  "Good question." The man leaned back. "Maybe because Iron Classification receives less scrutiny. Less tax on earnings. Less regulation. More freedom to operate in... gray areas."

  "I haven't violated any guild laws," Alex said firmly.

  "We haven't said you have," said the woman. "But your patterns are... atypical. And when we see atypical patterns, we investigate."

  The young investigator interjected: "There are also reports that you use necromancy. Reanimation magic. Is that correct?"

  Shit. Alex had known this was coming.

  "[Reanimate] is a skill from my system," he said carefully. "Granted when my companion evolved. It's not external forbidden magic—it's a system function. Completely legal."

  "Legal, yes," agreed the glasses man. "But highly regulated. Necromancy users require special registration and monitoring—"

  BANG.

  The office door slammed open.

  Marcus Holloway entered, his presence filling the room like a contained storm. The three investigators immediately tensed.

  "Director," the woman said quickly. "We were in the middle of—"

  "A waste of time," Holloway interrupted. He dropped into a chair next to Alex, his massive body making the chair creak. "Carter, have you violated any guild rules?"

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  "No, sir."

  "Have you endangered civilians?"

  "No, sir."

  "Have you falsified mission reports?"

  "No, sir."

  Holloway turned to the investigators. "Then what the hell are you doing? This kid has completed a dozen missions cleanly, helped save a Silver-ranked team from getting crushed by an Ogre, and earned his classification honestly."

  "Director, with respect," said the glasses man, "his progress is statistically improbable—"

  "Improbable?" Holloway laughed—a harsh sound. "You know what else is improbable? Surviving the Lower District as an orphan. Getting into the Celestial Academy on scholarship. Getting expelled and not ending up dead in a ditch. Carter is a survivor. Survivors do improbable things. That's why they survive."

  He leaned forward, his tone turning dangerous.

  "And if you're insinuating he's somehow cheating or violating rules without a single piece of actual evidence, then you're wasting guild resources on a witch hunt."

  The investigators exchanged glances.

  "Director," the woman said carefully, "we understand your position. But given the... unusual nature of Carter's companion, we believe continued observation is justified."

  "Observation." Holloway pronounced the word like it was poison. "Fine. Observe. But don't harass. And if you find something—something real—then come to me first. Understood?"

  "Yes, sir."

  Holloway stood. "Carter, with me."

  Alex followed him out of the office, relieved to escape the scrutinizing stares.

  Once the door closed behind them, Holloway turned.

  "You're lucky I like you, kid," he said quietly. "But I'm not stupid. I know there's more to your story than you're telling."

  "Sir—"

  "Don't tell me." Holloway raised a hand. "What I don't know officially, I don't have to report. But here's some advice: the Investigation Office won't stop just because I told them to. They'll keep watching. Keep looking for inconsistencies. So either you keep a low profile..."

  He paused, looking directly at Alex.

  "Or you become so publicly successful that questioning your classification makes them look incompetent."

  "What do you mean?" Alex asked.

  Holloway smiled—not kindly, but the kind of smile a shark might give.

  "You'll see."

  ---

  [ADVENTURER'S GUILD - MAIN LOBBY - 10:23 AM]

  Alex emerged from the administrative floors feeling like he'd just survived another dungeon. Grim followed in his one-meter form, trying to look small and harmless.

  The guild lobby was busier than usual. Groups of adventurers crowded around the main notice board, pointing and talking excitedly.

  "—they say the prize is access to Fallen Citadel—"

  "—50,000 crowns, can you believe it?—"

  "—Celestial Academy co-sponsoring means it'll be legit—"

  Curious, Alex pushed through the crowd.

  In the center of the board, impossible to miss, hung a massive poster:

  ---

  ?? NOVICE SUMMONER TOURNAMENT ??

  THE EVENT OF THE YEAR!

  Date: 3 weeks from today

  Location: Central City Grand Arena

  Format: Single elimination combat, 128 participants

  ELIGIBILITY:

  · Classification: Iron to Silver

  · Age: 25 or younger

  · Bound companion of any type

  GRAND PRIZE:

  ?? 50,000 Crowns

  ?? Exclusive Access to Legendary Dungeon "Fallen Citadel" (5-person team, 1-week access)

  ?? Official Recognition + Possible Rank Promotion

  SPONSORS:

  · Celestial Academy

  · Adventurer's Guild

  · Celestial Temple

  REGISTRATION OPENS TODAY!

  ---

  Alex read the poster three times, his mind racing.

  Legendary Dungeon.

  That meant levels 25-40 minimum. Multiple bosses. Elite souls.

  Enough to complete Grim's evolution easily. Possibly enough to reach 500-600 souls out of the 1,000 needed.

  But it also meant massive exposure. Nationwide broadcast. The Temple watching. Guild Investigation watching. Every fight analyzed, every ability scrutinized.

  "Thinking of signing up?"

  Alex turned. Maya was standing behind him, Jake and Lin flanking her as always.

  "Maybe," Alex said cautiously.

  "You should." Maya smiled. "With my team, of course." She gestured to herself and her teammates.

  "I'm not sure that—"

  "Look, I know you're a lone wolf type," Maya interrupted. "And I know you have your secrets. But Fallen Citadel is A-Rank minimum. Even you can't handle that alone."

  "The prize says five-person team," Alex pointed out. "If I win, I can choose my own team."

  "If you win." Maya crossed her arms. "There will be 128 competitors. Many from the Celestial Academy. Elite students with resources, training, well-documented companions. Do you really think you can make it to the top alone?"

  Honestly, Alex wasn't sure. But the idea of exposing himself more by working with Maya's team...

  "I need to think about it," he said.

  "Don't think too long." Maya walked away. "Registration closes in a week. And Carter—" She looked back. "If you do decide to sign up solo, at least don't underestimate us if we face each other."

  After they left, Alex stood staring at the poster.

  His phone vibrated. Message from an unknown number:

  "Tournament, huh? Entertainment. Don't die, that'd be boring. - R"

  Raven. Of course.

  Another message, this one from Viktor:

  "I saw the announcement. Exposure is risk, but Legendary Dungeon has enough souls to complete Grim's evolution. Worth the risk. If you decide to participate, the Circle will support you from the shadows. - V"

  Alex looked at Grim. The skeleton looked back at him, red lights glowing faintly.

  "What do you think?" Alex asked quietly. "Is it worth the risk?"

  Grim couldn't answer in Latent form, but tilted his head. The gesture seemed to say: Your decision. I follow.

  "Helpful as always," Alex muttered.

  He spent the next few hours researching. Went back to his apartment, searched everything about Fallen Citadel:

  LEGENDARY DUNGEON: FALLEN CITADEL

  · Classification: A (Level 25-40)

  · Location: Northern Ruins, 200km from Central City

  · History: Ancient fortress of a Lich King, fell 1,000 years ago

  · Structure: 5 levels + final boss chamber

  · Final Boss: Unknown (never fully explored)

  · Mortality rate: 15% (properly equipped teams)

  · Known loot: Rare items, elite crafting materials, A-grade mana crystals

  And buried in the comments of a dark forum:

  User: AnonymousLorekeeper

  "Fallen Citadel isn't just a dungeon. It's a tomb. The Lich King guarded something there. Something the Gods sealed along with him. If anyone ever reaches the deepest level..."

  The post ended there. No follow-ups. The user never posted again.

  Something the Gods sealed.

  Alex's system didn't say anything, but he felt the connection. Fragment 3. It had to be there.

  He opened the Circle Network on his phone, checked private messages.

  Seraph had sent something an hour ago:

  "The Fragments are calling to each other stronger now. I've sensed Fragment 3 for days. It's in the north. Probably in some ancient dungeon. If there's a tournament with access to Fallen Citadel... that has to be it. I'll see you there. Don't trust anyone else. - S"

  Alex leaned back on his mattress, staring at the cracked ceiling.

  Every instinct said this was a trap. Too convenient. A tournament announced just when he needs massive souls, with access to a dungeon that likely contains the next Fragment.

  But if it was a trap... whose? The Temple's? The Gods'? Some other faction he hadn't encountered yet?

  His phone vibrated again. This time, an official guild message:

  REMINDER: You have 24 hours to register if you wish to participate. Registration closes tomorrow at midnight. Entry fee: 500 crowns (refundable if not selected in the 128-participant draw).

  500 crowns. Almost all he had left after the necklace.

  "Screw it," he said aloud.

  He got up, grabbed his phone, navigated to the tournament registration page.

  He filled out the form:

  · Name: Alex Carter

  · Age: 19

  · Classification: Iron

  · Companion: Skeleton (E-Rank)

  · Team or solo participation: SOLO

  He hesitated on that last one. Maya was right—Fallen Citadel would be brutal alone.

  But also... if he went with a team, he'd have to constantly hide his true abilities. Coordinate. Explain. Lie.

  Solo meant freedom. Meant he could use all his power without worrying about witnesses.

  He pressed submit.