The morning sun crept lazily through the curtains of Grim's dorm room, casting a golden hue over the wooden floor. Grim sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, but there was something different about today. It wasn't the light—something in the air felt thicker, heavier. He couldn't place it. The silence of the room was deafening.
Grim swung his legs over the edge of the bed, feeling the stillness press down on him. The usual hum of conversations and footsteps in the hallways was gone, replaced by an almost eerie quiet. He stood up and shuffled to the door, stepping into the corridor.
The usual bustle of students moving through the halls was absent. The door to the dormitory commons opened, and Grim noticed the first oddity: students were glancing at him, some even stopping their conversations when he passed. His presence caused an unsettling ripple through the space. Most of them avoided eye contact, but some stared at him with a mix of awe and suspicion.
He tried to shrug it off, but it was hard to ignore. Something had changed since yesterday's incident in the simulation dome.
Grim made his way to the cafeteria. As soon as he entered, the usual chatter came to an abrupt halt. A hush spread across the room, and the eyes of dozens of students locked on him. Whispers rippled through the crowd like an electric current.
"Did you hear? He summoned a *mythical-class* creature."
"They said it wasn't even part of the simulation. It was real."
"I heard the Minokawa *bowed* to him. Like he was royalty or something."
Grim felt the weight of those words pressing down on him. He grabbed a tray and made his way over to Marcus and Liya's table. They had saved him a seat, though both wore expressions of shock and curiosity.
"Dude," Marcus said, his voice low but full of excitement. "What *did* you summon yesterday? The simulation dome practically exploded."
Liya leaned in, whispering, "The whole school's talking about it. Even upperclassmen are curious now. You've become… kind of a big deal."
Grim poked at his food, hardly noticing it. "I didn't plan for any of that. It just happened."
Marcus blinked, a half-smile forming. "You make it sound like you summoned a pet cat, not a creature that could eat the sun."
Grim sighed, but before he could respond, the cafeteria doors slid open with a mechanical chime, drawing everyone's attention.
"*First-year Grim Arclight*," a robotic voice announced, cutting through the buzz of conversation. "You are summoned by the Student Council. Report to the Tower Room immediately."
The room fell silent. Every student turned to look at him.
Liya squeezed his arm lightly. "Be careful. They don't summon just anyone."
Grim gave her a wry smile but felt his stomach twist into knots. *What now?*
---
The Tower Room was located in one of PHU's highest spires, overlooking the entire campus. It served as the nerve center of the Student Council—a place where important decisions were made, punishments handed down, and where secrets were carefully guarded. Grim felt his nerves tighten as he ascended the staircase, each step echoing through the empty hall.
As he reached the door to the Tower Room, he hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts. The heavy wooden door opened with a soft creak, and Grim stepped inside.
The room was bathed in the pale glow of enchanted lights that hovered near the ceiling. Six chairs formed a half-circle around a long, polished table. A large window overlooked the sprawling campus, the wind making the trees outside sway gently in the breeze.
Grim's gaze swept over the members of the Student Council, seated at the table. Elyse, the Student Council president, sat in the middle, her cool eyes studying him intently. To her right sat Kyle, a tall, imposing figure with an aura of electricity sparking subtly around his shoulders. Beside him was Kana, the secretary, who sat with a pencil in hand and a sharp gaze that seemed to calculate every movement. On Elyse's left was Zeke, the enforcer, his muscular form lounging in his chair with a confident, almost amused smile on his face. Mika, radiant and calm, sat beside him, her fingers lightly tapping on the table as she gave him a polite nod.
The sixth seat was empty.
Grim felt a strange pressure in the air, like they were all sizing him up in a way that was both curious and cautious. The stillness in the room only deepened the tension.
Elyse spoke first, her voice even but carrying an undercurrent of authority. "Grim Arclight. It's not often that a first-year student changes the mana pattern of an entire training facility. That's a record, you know."
Grim scratched the back of his neck, feeling a flush of embarrassment. "Sorry. I didn't know it would turn into a whole… thing."
Zeke chuckled softly, his voice low and warm. "He's either incredibly brave or incredibly clueless. I like him already."
Kyle, sitting on the opposite end of the table, straightened in his chair, his expression hardening. "Do you understand what you summoned yesterday?"
Grim hesitated. "A Minokawa. That's all I know. I just… called it, and it appeared."
Kana leaned forward, her gaze piercing. "A Minokawa? That's not just some mythical beast. It's a *legendary* creature—one bound to the stars themselves. There's no record of any student summoning something of that caliber before."
Elyse studied Grim intently. Her sharp gaze softened just a touch, and she spoke with a more measured tone. "We're not here to punish you, Grim. The fact is, people are both scared and curious. But we've seen power like yours before. We just want to know if you can handle it."
Grim met her gaze, the weight of her words settling on him. "I don't know if I can yet. But I'll figure it out. I promise."
A long, pregnant silence followed. Grim could feel their eyes on him, weighing his every word.
Just as the silence became unbearable, the door behind him opened with a heavy thud. The sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed into the room.
The air thickened as a man stepped into the room, his presence commanding attention. Dressed in a black coat trimmed with silver, his long strides carried an aura of authority that seemed to bend the air itself. The room went still as the figure's gaze swept over Grim.
**Jack Rizalde.**
The Sword Saint.
Founder of PHU.
One of the five S-rank hunters of the Philippines.
He was a living legend.
"Grim Arclight," Jack's deep voice rumbled, his gaze settling on the young summoner. "I've been watching you."
Grim straightened, feeling both honored and overwhelmed. "Sir."
Jack nodded, his gaze never wavering. "A Minokawa is no simple creature. It is a beast bound to the stars themselves. The fact that it answered your call means your blessing is not simply about summoning. It is something much more... ancient."
Grim's heart skipped a beat. He swallowed hard, struggling to keep his composure. "Do you know what it means, sir?"
Jack met his gaze, the weight of centuries in his eyes. "It means you weren't just *blessed* by a god, Grim. You were *chosen* by one." He paused, allowing the words to hang in the air before continuing. "Your blessing is not merely a gift. It is a pact."
The room fell into stunned silence, and Grim's mind raced, trying to comprehend what he'd just heard. His fingers tightened around the edge of the table, his breath coming in shallow gasps.
Jack turned away, his coat swishing as he moved toward the door. "There's a gate opening in Zamboanga. Unstable. Something celestial stirs within it. I'll handle it—for now."
Before leaving, Jack glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes sharp. "Train hard, Grim. The world will not need hunters when the veil breaks. It will need *champions*."
---
Far across the ocean, in a dark room lit only by the soft glow of a map, a cloaked figure traced a path with his finger.
"The Minokawa has awakened," he murmured to the empty room. "So the prophecy is beginning after all…"
Behind him, a shadow twisted unnaturally, its form warping in the dim light.
"And the boy's name…?"
A whisper responded from the darkness.
"Grim Arclight."
A cold smile spread across the figure's face.
"Then let us begin preparing. The gods have moved their pieces."