The Number Cookie Bet
The awards ceremony and various events had finally wrapped up. It had been an exhausting schedule, but Irel was still grinning from ear to ear.
"Aigoo~ My junior dumps all the work on her senior~ What am I supposed to do with this guilt?"
"Then take it back."
Jackson wore a sullen expression that didn't suit him at all. In truth, he knew about Lucia's magic tool.
Pretending ignorance had been a lie to tease Irel as part of their bet. But Zien had gone and beaten Lucia.
'That ridiculous magic tool... His skills are truly unfathomable.'
The first time Jackson saw Zien—on the day of Arcana Academy's entrance exam—he hadn't possessed that level of power.
'He went from dead last to number one... Is he hiding his strength? For what reason?'
Zien was an enigma to Jackson.
'No wonder the guild leader takes such a keen interest in him.'
But Zien had grown too big for Broom of Extermination to snag him now.
It was getting hard to even extend a recruitment offer. Jackson turned his attention back to Irel and shrugged.
"Fine, a promise is a promise."
"Yesss~ That's right! Promises are promises! So I'll set aside my guilt toward my senior for now? Hehe! Handsome guys are the best!"
Irel laughed brightly and melodiously.
Jackson sneered at her.
"Yeah, tuck away that guilt. You should be worrying about yourself right now."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
As Irel tilted her head, Jackson showed her the text from Bluma.
Irel's face drained of color as she read it.
"Eek! I-Is this for real? No way! That's not fair!"
"Beats me. Take it up with the guild leader if you want."
"Argh, seriously! I was this close to being happy!"
Irel and Jackson bickered all the way out of the stadium.
Now, the only ones left in the stadium were the broadcasting staff.
The tournament had just ended, but the party in Sky Lounge was only getting started.
Brodo and Caston popped champagne and hugged it out. Their months of grueling overtime had been rewarded with record-breaking ratings.
"We—"
"Did it!"
"You worked hard, Caston!"
"You too, PD-nim! No more overtime from now on! Whew, the broadcast's done. Time to chill at a resort. Ragna Beach sounds perfect?"
Caston flipped through a travel pamphlet with a sunny smile. His body might have been at the stadium, but his mind was already lounging on Ragna Beach.
"It's all thanks to Zien. Not just skilled—he knows drama too. And that streamer he brought! Amy?"
"Amy."
"Right! She was a total character."
Brodo had been the one monitoring the broadcast and sending sponsorship funds to Amy.
"Spot on! She had that instinct. If Zien and Amy quit being Sabers, we should hire them here?"
"Pfft! You call that an idea?"
The two were chuckling innocently when—
Bang!
The door to Sky Lounge flew open.
Brodo and Caston jumped in shock upon recognizing the newcomer.
"G-Guild director! What brings you here so suddenly? You should've called—we'd have come to greet you!"
The director shook his head at Brodo's words. With the kindest face imaginable, he pulled them into a tight embrace.
"Called? What call? To see the heroes who saved G Channel, I had to come myself! Of course!"
Brodo subtly wiped his nose at the director's words.
'Zien...'
The director patted their backs.
"I've already made sure you won't feel shortchanged."
"Th-Thank you, sir!"
Caston bowed deeply. But one must always hear people out to the end.
"So... while the mood's good... how about we line up one more gig right away?"
The director smiled amiably, just as before.
"R-Right now, sir?"
Brodo, who rarely got flustered, swallowed hard.
"Haha, I'm all for it, but—"
Ragna Beach faded into the distance.
Caston forced a smile and continued.
"We'd probably need an idea meeting first."
"No worries! I've got it all prepped!"
But the director was already off to the races.
"The planning team's got some Saber-related items ready—just polish 'em up and go! Shouldn't need much tweaking. Haha!"
As the director laughed heartily,
Brodo and Caston thought:
'We're screwed.'
'Polish... Has this guy's lost it?'
But when they saw the texts with their bonuses, they couldn't say a word.
'Feels like getting hit with money.'
Brodo plastered on a fake smile.
"Yessir! We'll prep right away."
"Good thinking! Oh, and the winner this time... that Arcana student. Give him a seed spot and make sure he joins."
The director's word was law at G Channel. If he wanted Zien, they had to make it happen.
"Yes, we'll contact you once the broadcast's ready."
"Hahaha! Perfect! Scouting's a skill too, right? I'm counting on you!"
With that, the director left without a backward glance. Now Sky Lounge held only the victorious defeated. Brodo spoke with a blank expression.
"Caston."
"Yes."
"To the meeting room."
"Yes."
Riiip.
Caston tore up the travel pamphlet with dead-fish eyes. Vacation was still a distant dream for him.
The beautiful nightscape of Cornet City.
In its heart, three executives of the terrorist group Desire sat in a small restaurant.
"Whoa~ This guy's a total monster?"
Fatal gawked at his phone, the number 5 etched prominently on his tongue.
"A student? And the boss's AIA raid today? All buried by this one guy. Check the trends: Zien Rushel, Arcana... Huh? Pfft! Cloa, that girl you missed is there too?"
As Fatal teasingly waved his phone,
a vein bulged on Cloa's forehead.
"...What could a lowly branch like me do? He's just a 7th rank anyway."
Cloa smirked and glanced at the tall, handsome man beside her.
"The real blame lies with Number 3, Illusion."
As division brewed, an excited Fatal spoke faster.
"True! Cloa's combat power is generous at 4th rank? But you, a 6th rank Illusion, let him slip too."
Illusion didn't even respond.
He just stared coldly at Fatal and clicked his tongue.
"...Tch."
"Hey, too harsh! But if the boss comes back, he'll bury us again. Can we really leave this kid be?"
Cloa filed her nails and replied indifferently to Fatal's question.
"What about him?"
"His related searches are popping up Desire, remember? Getting beaten by a student is embarrassing."
Fatal grimaced, but Illusion showed no sympathy.
"What's honor in Desire's name? We take what we want. That's it."
As Illusion said, Desire's members each pursued their own goals. Only Number 1 bound these free agents together.
Excluding the boss, Number 1, most members cared little for each other.
"Whatever—kill him or leave him! Do what you want! We're 10 minutes past schedule, no sign of the boss or anything! They just do whatever!"
Fatal stormed out in a huff. The people, frozen like puppets with cut strings, resumed moving.
"Huh? What's wrong with the clock?"
"Your orders... they're all cold now?"
Cloa sighed at the sight, then whispered to Illusion—unlike before.
"Hard keeping the kids happy, huh? So, what's your plan?"
"Nothing."
"That Zien kid's pretty threatening, no?"
Just thinking of Zien made Cloa's side ache, despite the wound being gone. But Illusion's assessment was harsh.
"Swordsmanship is his only standout trait."
"Hmm~ Surprising? But he reeks of something hidden, right?"
As she said it, Cloa pressed close to Illusion. Her deep neckline revealed the number 7 etched small on her collarbone.
"Just one student. Not a threat to Desire yet. But if he blocks our path..."
Illusion's voice turned chilling.
"I'll kill him myself."
The other members weren't even there, but Cloa stood.
She eyed the building across from the cafe and pulled out her magic tool, a velvet cloak.
"Got it~ But how about we handle it ourselves before the boss arrives? Just us, cozy."
"...If you become baggage, I'll ditch you."
Illusion and Cloa headed for the opposite building. Known as AIA—the artifact vault—it was Cornet City's most heavily guarded spot. But today's foes were Desire's 6th rank Saber.
Illusion's shoes morphed into dress shoes as pitch-black shadow energy enveloped the building.
'...Zien Rushel. Who the hell are you?'
Illusion grimaced, mind tangled, and donned his mask.
After the tournament.
Selphis and Raymond, the two principals, received an invitation from Gate Management Minister Metis.
The Deberry
A luxury restaurant with private box seats. Exquisite courses kept arriving at the table.
"What an honor to have the principals of two prestigious academies here together."
Metis spoke humbly in a gentle tone. Raymond beamed back.
"Haha, no need. We're not busier than you, Minister. What brings you all the way from Central?"
"First, my thanks before we talk business. Thanks to Arcana and Celia shining today, my position's strengthened."
Metis's policy was simple.
"With hands short right now, the Gate Bureau desperately needs talents like these."
Today's Sabers—students included—were strong enough for gates.
Selphis, who had anticipated this, boomed heartily.
"Het het het! I've heard the pitch already. Who else but our Arcana?"
Raymond agreed.
It was a virtual gate anyway—pure gain as student experience.
"Kell kell! We're in too. How many do you need?"
Raymond asked kindly, and Metis held up three fingers.
"Three each is plenty."
"Haha, just three for a 4th rank gate? Even for Arcana, that might be tough! Het het het!"
As Selphis feigned modesty, Metis shook his head.
"No. The gate for students to clear is 5th rank."
Silence fell over the restaurant.
Raymond set down his utensils, smacking his lips.
"Even for our school, 1st years on a 5th rank is impossible. And just three..."
"Not at all. Three per school—the 5th rank gate we have requires a minimum of six. More is fine."
Metis wanted three as baseline to bring the tournament members directly.
Zien, Isabel, and Chris from Arcana, plus Lucia, Kua, and Demona from Celia—an all-star 1st-year party without peer.
"Ahem! So you're saying our schools should team up?"
As Raymond showed discomfort,
Metis continued even softer.
"It's virtual, but 1st years clearing a 5th rank gate? Historic first. Only way is Arcana and Celia joining forces."
Celia-Arcana alliance.
The first-ever 1st-year 5th rank clear in history. The principals racked their brains, then shook hands.
"But Raymond."
"Speak, Selphis."
"For the alliance, we'll need joint training camp... Naturally at our spacious campus?"
"Kell kell! In your dreams! Obviously the new Celia building."
As the principals hit impasse,
Metis pointed to the plates on the table.
"How about this? A bet with number cookies."
Number cookies contained paper slips numbered 1 to 9.
"Higher number wins."
Selphis snatched one and eyed Raymond sharply.
"You're on!"
The 1st years' 5th rank gate challenge.
The historic Arcana-Celia alliance.
It all began in the restaurant with a cookie grab.
My Previous Life was the Strongest Sword God