Kalon returned to Earth in the quiet hours of the night.
The residual sensation of nectar-slick leaf breasts and moving vines still lingered on his skin as he made his way down from the rooftop to his dormitory room.
He stripped off his clothes, and showered, washing away the lovely fluids.
Then, he fell onto the bed, and slept harder than he had in days.
...
The next morning Kalon woke up with a stamina buff, making him feel energised.
He sat up, rubbed his face, and reached for his phone out of habit. A single new message waited at the top of the screen.
The sender was listed simply as "Ten Dragons Corporation"
His jaw fell open. This was the organisation that he had admired ever since he was a child.
Without wasting any time, he opened the message.
To: Kalon Manchester,
> We have reviewed the available footage of your combat performances daily since your public displays of fire affinity at the mock battles. The skill you demonstrated is exceptional in both scale and control.
> We formally invite you to our headquarters to discuss potential cooperation and to witness the skill in person.
> Attendance today is requested. We have already contacted the academy to let them know of your potential absence.
> Location and access instructions attached.
From: The Ten Dragons
...
1
Kalon read with wide eyes of disbelief.
The Ten Dragons. One of the top professional fighting organisations in the country, and one that was even well recognised in the entire world.
They did not usually reach out to first-year students unless the talent was extreme.
The fact that they had been studying his footage every day meant the fire skill had left a stronger impression than he realised.
It made sense after all, it was an SSS rank.
He typed a short reply accepting the invitation, then set the phone down.
There was no way he would turn such an offer down.
School could wait.
Visits to professional organisations for sponsorship opportunities were officially excused, so no one would question his absence.
After a quick shower and a change into clean clothes, Kalon left the dormitory and headed into the city.
The address led him to one of the older districts of London where a handful of medieval-looking castles still stood among the more modern buildings.
Most had been converted into museums and landmarks for tourists to visit and explore the history.
One of them however, taller and darker than the others, was not accessible to the public. Its stone walls were blackened with age, and the windows were too high up for anyone to see inside.
Kalon stopped at the base of the main steps and looked up.
There were no guards. No reception desk visible through the open arched doorway. No cameras that he could see.
The entire place gave off a dangerous pressure that made anyone who approached second guess themselves.
It felt less like a corporate headquarters and more like a place that contained real living dragons from mythical tales.
He climbed the stairs and stepped inside.
The interior was incredibly hot. Too hot for someone without an Emberheart Physique to withstand.
The floor was made of stone, and the room was lit by wall torches that really made the place look medieval.
A single wide staircase spiralled upward along the inner wall.
According to the instructions, the Ten Dragons facilities was waiting for him on the highest floor.
Kalon began to climb.
Each floor he passed was silent. Only the sound of his own footsteps on the stone could be heard.
The higher he went, the stronger the ominous feeling became, and the hotter the temperature became.
By the time he reached the final floor, his gold-rank senses were fully alert.
A pair of heavy wooden doors stood closed at the end of the short corridor. They opened inward before he could even knock.
The room beyond was circular and large. Tall stained-glass windows surrounded the walls, letting in the sunlight.
In the centre was a wide round table of dark wood. Nine figures sat at the seats around it. The tenth seat, directly opposite the door, was empty.
Every person at the table carried the incredible presence of high-level fighters. Their ranks were not displayed, but the pressure that came from their bodies made the air feel heavier still.
Some wore formal suits. Others dressed in more practical combat attire. All of them watched him with calm, measuring eyes.
Kalon stepped inside. The doors closed behind him without a sound.
One of the figures, a broad-shouldered man with silver hair and a deep scar along his jaw, spoke first.
His voice was deep and carried easily across the chamber.
"Kalon Manchester. We are glad you came."
Kalon recognised the man as Jacques Roulet, the 2nd Dragon.
Murmurs of agreement moved around the table. None of the nine looked surprised by his arrival. They had clearly expected him to accept.
Kalon walked forward until he stood a short distance from the empty chair. He kept his posture relaxed and his expression neutral, even as his senses continued to flare at the strength sitting in front of him.
These were not like the standard higher ups of a professional organisation who never got their hands dirty and only dealt with things behind the scenes.
These men and women were people who had been in the most gruesome of battles themselves, yet still managed the logistics of the company too.
The scarred man, Jacques, continued...
"Footage of your fire skill has been examined carefully. The scale, the control, and the destructive potential are all far above what we usually see from students your age. We wanted to see the man who produced that skill with our own eyes, and to discuss what cooperation between you and Ten Dragons might look like."
He gestured to the empty seat.
"Sit. We have some questions for you."
Kalon glanced once around the circle of powerful faces, then pulled the chair back and sat down at the round table with the nine members of Ten Dragons.
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