The evening sky above Caelora burned orange and gold.
Birds drifted across the horizon.
The sea breeze wandered through the streets, carrying with it the smell of salt and distant rain.
6:00 PM.
The front door opened.
Luke stepped inside with a tired sigh and tossed his school bag onto the couch.
"Welcome home!" Eve shouted cheerfully while wiping the windows.
Maya sat nearby, carefully polishing her sword. Beside her rested a longbow and a quiver full of freshly cleaned arrows.
The dark elf moved with the elegance of a dancer.
Every motion was deliberate.
Every movement graceful.
Luke glanced around the house.
It felt... quieter.
Too quiet.
He frowned.
"So where's the gear head, the doom scroller, and the dense one?"
Eve nearly dropped her cloth.
"Oh! They're just... uh... strolling somewhere!"
Maya didn't even look up.
"They went to Japan with the guild."
Silence.
Eve slowly turned.
"HEY, MAYA!"
The dryad pointed dramatically.
"Don't just surprise Luke like that!"
Luke froze.
"What?!"
He stared at both of them.
"Why didn't they tell me?!"
"I wanted to go too!"
Eve folded her arms.
"See what you did? You made Luke upset!"
Maya continued cleaning an arrow.
"The kid needs to know the truth."
"Truth hurts," Eve replied.
Luke let out an exhausted groan and collapsed onto the couch.
"They seriously left without me..."
Maya finally looked up.
"There was an emergency in Japan."
Luke blinked.
"Emergency?"
The atmosphere shifted.
The usual warmth in the house dimmed.
Eve sat beside him.
"The earthquake you saw on television yesterday."
Maya nodded.
"Mana fluctuations."
"Black portal activities."
"The guild sent an investigation team."
Luke swallowed.
"So Uncle Zacky, Uncle Rhody, and Uncle Michie..."
"Went with them," Maya finished.
For a moment, Luke remained silent.
Then he crossed his arms.
"Still rude."
Eve giggled.
"Agreed."
Maya shrugged.
"They'll return in four days."
"Hopefully."
Eve immediately smacked her shoulder.
"STOP ADDING THAT LAST PART!"
The evening continued peacefully.
Dinner was simple.
Rice.
Fish.
Soup.
The kind of meal that tasted better because everyone shared it together.
Outside, the wind whispered through Eve's garden.
The flowers swayed gently.
Almost like they were listening.
Later that night, Luke climbed into bed.
The house felt unfamiliar without the three bishops arguing downstairs.
No loud videos from Michie.
No engine discussions from Rhody.
No deep philosophical nonsense from Zacky.
Just silence.
Morning arrived.
7:00 AM.
Luke opened his eyes.
He stretched.
Sat up.
Placed his feet on the floor.
The door exploded open.
"LUUUUUUKE!"
Eve charged into the room with enough enthusiasm to start wars.
Then stopped.
Her smile vanished.
Luke was already standing.
Fully awake.
"...Huh?"
Luke blinked.
"Morning?"
The dryad looked genuinely offended.
"You woke up before me?!"
"A historical event!"
Luke ignored her dramatic suffering and headed toward the bathroom.
Ten minutes later:
Shower.
Breakfast.
Brushed teeth.
School uniform.
Everything done.
Michie would have called it a miracle.
Luke grabbed his bag.
Then paused.
"Eve."
The dryad looked up from watering a small potted flower.
"Hm?"
"Can you drive Rhody's truck?"
"No."
Immediate answer.
Luke turned.
"Maya?"
The dark elf folded her arms.
"No."
Luke stared.
"Seriously?"
Maya nodded.
"The school is only two kilometers away."
"It's close."
"We walk there all the time."
Luke raised both hands.
"FIIINE!"
Eve smiled brightly.
"Plus, you'll get exercise!"
Maya agreed.
"Cardio builds discipline."
Luke sighed with the sorrow of a teenager forced to endure unimaginable suffering.
Otherwise known as walking.
The morning sun bathed the streets in gold.
Leaves danced through the air.
The breeze carried distant laughter from nearby neighborhoods.
And after several minutes of complaining internally, Luke finally arrived at CNU.
Caelora National University.
The academy grounds buzzed with life.
Students gathered around lockers.
Others rushed to classrooms.
Some simply stood around discussing yesterday's exams.
"YO, LUKE!"
James appeared out of nowhere.
The giant idiot grinned from ear to ear.
"You look like you've been hit by a bus!"
Luke blinked.
"What?"
James burst into laughter.
"Nah, I'm kidding!"
Luke frowned.
"I really don't get your humor."
"That's because he doesn't have any," Kyle said.
Brian adjusted his glasses.
"He's awkward."
James pointed dramatically.
"Traitors! Every single one of you!"
The three ignored him.
Luke opened his locker and placed several papers inside.
Then closed it.
The hallway suddenly quieted.
Students turned.
Whispers spread.
Alicia had arrived.
Golden hair.
Cold expression.
Graceful steps.
Her presence alone commanded attention.
Boys practically forgot how to breathe.
James stared.
"She's gorgeous."
"Damn right," Kyle agreed.
Brian folded his arms.
"Luke, you're really not into her anymore?"
Luke only glanced once.
Then started walking.
"Don't bother me."
The three immediately followed.
The bell rang.
Students flooded into their classroom.
A tall man entered carrying several books.
His badge read:
Mr. Calderon
The collective spirit of the room died instantly.
"Today's subject is history."
Groans erupted.
Someone whispered,
"We're finished."
Mr. Calderon smiled.
"Good morning, everyone."
He pressed a remote.
Ancient footage appeared on the projector.
Massive forests.
Cities carved into mountains.
Giant glowing mushrooms reaching into alien skies.
The classroom fell silent.
"Can anyone tell me what large portals truly represent?"
A girl raised her hand.
"They're gateways to other places."
Mr. Calderon clapped.
"Correct."
"But they are much more than simple passages."
The footage changed.
An enormous tree touched the heavens.
A voice from the recording spoke:
"Behold! The Tree of Life! One of the greatest treasures of the Elven Realm!"
A human cameraman asked:
"Can we take a closer look?"
An elf laughed.
"No."
The cameraman tried again.
"Just five minutes?"
"No."
"One minute?"
"No."
The recording ended.
Laughter spread through the classroom.
"Elves remain difficult people," Mr. Calderon admitted.
He folded his hands behind his back.
"A thousand years ago, they nearly went extinct during a devastating war."
The room became quiet.
"They sealed their borders."
"They destroyed most connections to neighboring realms."
"Dwarves."
"Beastkin."
"Fairies."
"All isolated."
He pointed toward Earth on the screen.
"Only one portal remained."
"The one connected to humanity."
"If any race wishes to communicate with the elves..."
"They must first pass through Earth."
A student raised his hand.
"So that's why we rarely see elves?"
Mr. Calderon nodded.
"Exactly."
"Wonders beyond our world still exist."
"But not every civilization wishes to share them."
The bell rang.
Instant salvation.
Students nearly escaped their seats.
James stretched dramatically.
"I survived history class."
Kyle shook his head.
"You're acting like we fought a dragon."
"Worse."
James pointed toward the door.
"It had dates."
The cafeteria buzzed with noise.
Trays clattered.
Students laughed.
Some argued about rankings.
Others discussed yesterday's combat demonstrations as though they had personally fought dragons and returned victorious.
The four friends occupied their usual corner table.
James stuffed bread into his mouth.
"I still can't believe elves barely visit Earth anymore."
Kyle nodded.
"My grandfather only saw one once."
Brian calmly opened his lunch.
"I heard some people spend their entire lives without meeting one."
James leaned forward dramatically.
"Imagine dating an elf."
Luke nearly choked on his water.
"Where did that even come from?"
James shrugged.
"I'm thinking ahead."
"To what?" Kyle asked.
"International relations."
Brian stared at him.
"That's the stupidest thing you've said today."
"Today isn't over yet."
The table erupted into laughter.
Behind them, another group of students discussed mythical races.
A girl raised her voice.
"Dryads are even rarer than elves."
James stopped chewing.
"What's a dryad?"
The girl looked genuinely shocked.
"Exactly!"
Several students joined the conversation.
"I heard they only appear deep inside ancient forests."
"My uncle says they glow at night."
"They can control giant trees!"
"They speak old languages!"
"They probably live for thousands of years!"
James turned toward Luke.
"Dude, have you ever seen one?"
Luke quietly continued eating.
"No."
Technically true.
He lived with one.
That was an entirely different problem.
The image in everyone's minds seemed almost divine.
Ancient.
Elegant.
Wise.
Meanwhile, Eve once attempted to water artificial flowers because she thought they looked thirsty.
Luke kept that information to himself.
Some truths were too dangerous.
The lunch bell rang.
Students returned trays.
Conversations faded.
The next class awaited.
Training Grounds B.
A massive open field surrounded by wooden barriers.
Weapon racks lined the edges.
Targets stood in neat rows.
The scent of grass mixed with sweat and polished wood.
A tall man wearing a whistle around his neck stepped forward.
His badge read:
MR. TYRONE
The instructor blew the whistle.
Everyone immediately quieted.
"Listen up!"
Students gathered.
"Today's lesson is team combat."
Excited murmurs spread.
Finally.
Something interesting.
Tyrone crossed his arms.
"Everyone will be divided into groups of four."
A hand shot upward.
"Can we choose our teammates?"
"No."
The disappointment was immediate.
Complaints erupted like a natural disaster.
"Come on!"
"Seriously?"
"That's unfair!"
Tyrone raised a hand.
"Relax."
"We need social interaction."
"We're building teamwork."
Another student asked,
"Why four members specifically?"
Tyrone smiled.
"Glad you asked."
He pointed toward the field.
"Every proper combat squad requires four roles."
He raised one finger.
"Tank."
Another.
"Close-range attacker."
A third.
"Long-range specialist."
And finally:
"Support."
"The backbone of any functioning team."
The students nodded.
At least the logic made sense.
Then Tyrone began assigning groups.
And chaos immediately followed.
People switched places.
Some pretended not to hear their names.
Others literally walked into different lines.
One student attempted to trade teammates like sports cards.
Twenty exhausting minutes later...
Tyrone finished.
Sweating.
Panting.
Emotionally broken.
"Okay..."
He inhaled deeply.
"Perfectly organized."
The first matches began.
Nothing worked.
Absolutely nothing.
No communication.
No strategy.
No formations.
No teamwork.
Four individuals simply fought four other individuals.
One team accidentally abandoned their support.
Another tank charged alone.
A mage hit his own teammate.
Tyrone watched his educational philosophy collapse in real time.
He finally snapped.
"OKAY!"
The entire field froze.
Tyrone pointed aggressively.
"PICK YOUR OWN MEMBERS!"
"God dammit!"
The students erupted in celebration.
James immediately found Luke.
"WE'RE BACK!"
Kyle appeared.
Brian followed shortly afterward.
Brian adjusted his glasses.
"I'm not replacing any of you."
"Good," James replied.
"Because nobody else understands my genius."
Kyle sighed.
"Nobody understands your genius because it doesn't exist."
Meanwhile, Tyrone sat on a wooden bench.
Completely exhausted.
He opened a bottle.
Empty.
Not a single drop remained.
A hand suddenly extended another bottle of water.
"Here."
Tyrone accepted it.
"Thanks."
Then he looked upward.
Standing beside him was a tall man wearing traditional training attire.
A katana rested at his waist.
Sharp eyes.
Calm expression.
Tyrone immediately groaned.
"God dammit."
"Another meathead."
The newcomer raised an eyebrow.
"Whaaat?"
"I brought you water."
The students nearby suddenly erupted into whispers.
"Wait..."
"Is that him?"
"No way!"
"That's Sir Jin!"
"The Katana Master!"
"An S-Rank!"
The excitement spread through the entire field.
Sir Jin simply waved.
Tyrone stood.
"Everybody calm down!"
The crowd slowly settled.
James leaned toward Luke.
"An actual S-Rank..."
Kyle nodded.
"I heard he defeated an ogre chief alone."
Brian added,
"And cut through a steel barrier with one strike."
James stared in admiration.
"I want to be that cool."
Luke folded his arms.
"You already think you are."
James grinned.
"Confidence is important."
"Delusion isn't," Brian replied.
Meanwhile, Tyrone and Jin walked toward the center of the training grounds.
The afternoon breeze swept across the field.
Grass swayed like green waves beneath the sunlight.
Somewhere in the distance, gulls cried near the coastline.
Tyrone sighed.
"Alright."
"Now that society has collapsed and rebuilt itself..."
He pointed at the students.
"Find your teams."
"And figure out your roles."
James immediately raised his hand.
"Tank!"
Kyle twirled his staff.
"Support."
Brian lifted his bow.
"Long range."
That left only one position.
The others looked toward Luke.
"Close range."
James slammed a hand onto his shoulder.
"Perfect!"
"Nobody else reads fights like you do."
Brian nodded.
"Your positioning advice helped during the exam."
Kyle agreed.
"We'll follow your calls."
Luke looked uncomfortable.
"Don't expect miracles."
James laughed.
"Too late."
Around them, teams formed.
Strategies emerged.
The atmosphere shifted.
This time...
Things would actually become interesting.
The whistle sounded.
Tyrone lifted his clipboard.
"First match!"
Across them stood another group of four.
No formation.
No strategy.
Just confidence.
The most dangerous resource available to teenagers.
James slammed his shield against the ground.
"LET'S GO!"
Luke immediately grabbed his shoulder.
"Wait."
James blinked.
"What?"
"We have a plan."
Brian lifted an arrow.
Kyle spun his staff.
James sighed.
"Fine. The commander speaks."
The match began.
James charged first.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the field.
The opposing team reacted instantly.
Their attention focused entirely on the giant shield user rushing toward them.
Exactly as planned.
Brian nocked multiple arrows.
He deliberately fired them into the ground.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
Soft-tipped arrows struck the dirt, releasing thick gray smoke.
The battlefield vanished beneath a cloud.
Students erupted into murmurs.
"A smoke screen?"
"No way."
Luke moved.
Silent.
Fast.
Kyle followed close behind.
The enemy panicked.
They couldn't see.
Couldn't communicate.
Couldn't react.
By the time the smoke cleared...
Four students lay defeated.
Complete silence.
Then cheers.
Mr. Tyrone lowered his clipboard.
"Wow."
Sir Jin folded his arms.
"Efficient."
James raised both hands triumphantly.
"If it's Luke's plan, we'll surely win!"
"No doubt," Brian agreed.
Kyle nodded.
"He actually thinks before fighting."
Luke scratched his head.
"It wasn't that complicated."
James pointed dramatically.
"Humility!"
"The mark of a great leader!"
"It means he doesn't want responsibility," Brian corrected.
The next problem arrived immediately.
"Team name?"
Tyrone stood waiting.
Pen ready.
Notebook open.
The four boys froze.
James suggested:
"The Iron Guardians."
Rejected.
Kyle suggested:
"The Arcane Alliance."
Rejected.
Brian suggested:
"The Strategic Unit."
Instantly rejected.
Twenty painful minutes passed.
Tyrone looked spiritually exhausted.
"Guys."
"We need a team name."
"ASAP."
Kyle suddenly jumped.
"I GOT IT!"
The others turned.
Kyle grinned.
"THE FOUR MUSKETEERS!"
Silence.
James slammed the table.
"THAT'S PERFECT!"
Brian nodded.
"Simple."
Luke shrugged.
"Works for me."
Tyrone wrote it down.
"The Four Musketeers."
He smirked.
"Against all odds..."
"It actually fits."
The whistle blew again.
Second match.
This time, the enemy had observed their previous strategy.
They prepared.
Luke narrowed his eyes.
The opposing team formed a wedge.
A V-shape.
The tank stood at the front.
Close-range on the left.
Long-range on the right.
Support positioned safely behind them.
James whistled.
"They actually know formations."
Luke crossed his arms.
"That makes rushing harder."
Kyle tightened his grip.
"What now?"
Luke thought.
Then pointed.
"Column formation."
The team immediately aligned.
James at the front.
Kyle behind him.
Luke third.
Brian at the rear.
A single line.
A spear pointed directly at the enemy.
The match started.
The opposing archer fired immediately.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
James absorbed every hit with his shield.
The soft-tipped arrows bounced harmlessly away.
The distance closed.
Thirty meters.
Twenty.
Fifteen.
Ten.
Then...
James stopped.
Just a few meters before reaching the enemy line.
The opposing team hesitated.
Why stop?
Kyle raised both hands.
Air gathered.
Compressed.
Twisted.
A dense sphere formed above his palm.
Wind screamed quietly within it.
Luke turned.
"Brian."
The archer grinned.
"Already on it."
James lifted his shield higher.
The enemy long-range unit released another volley.
It failed.
The shield held.
Then Kyle lowered the compressed sphere.
Brian drew his bow.
The arrow aligned perfectly.
Release.
The arrow pierced through the compressed air.
BOOM.
It accelerated.
Ten times faster.
The enemy tank barely reacted.
The projectile missed him.
Missed the long-range.
Missed the support.
Students gasped.
"It missed!"
But Luke smiled.
"No."
The arrow slammed into the ground.
The compressed air exploded outward.
A violent burst of wind erupted.
The enemy formation collapsed.
Their shield user stumbled forward.
The long-range lost balance.
The support nearly fell.
The protective formation broke apart.
The enemy healer cast a defensive barrier.
Too late.
The spell consumed nearly all her mana.
Brian unleashed rapid fire.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The tank.
The long-range.
The support.
All eliminated.
Only the close-range fighter remained.
He looked around.
Four opponents.
One exhausted sword.
He immediately raised both hands.
"I surrender."
The crowd laughed.
Sir Jin smiled.
"Damn."
"How about that?"
Tyrone grinned.
"This team is impressive."
James crossed his arms proudly.
"Told you."
Sir Jin looked toward the Four Musketeers.
"They're unpredictable."
Tyrone nodded.
"I think I've finally found the team that might beat the highest score."
Jin raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think they'll surpass the Lightning Angel."
"The Lightning Angel?"
Tyrone blinked.
"Alicia."
Jin folded his arms.
"Outstanding in solo combat."
"Outstanding in team battles."
"The guild already considers her a future S-Rank candidate."
Tyrone scratched his chin.
"Huh."
"I didn't know people called her that."
"It's an internal nickname."
"We still don't fully understand her limits."
"Or her weaknesses."
Meanwhile, the Four Musketeers quietly listened.
James whispered,
"That's ridiculously cool."
Kyle nodded.
"S-Rank potential..."
Brian sighed.
"And we're celebrating winning gym class."
Luke remained silent.
Sir Jin suddenly glanced at Luke.
"That's Zacky's nephew, right?"
Tyrone nodded.
"Yeah."
Jin looked thoughtful.
"How come I've never met his father?"
The coach's expression softened.
"Mike Gryphon."
"A B-Rank."
"Still on a mission."
"Should've ended months ago."
"But nobody has heard from him."
Silence.
"And his mother?"
"Lucy Gryphon."
"An A-Rank."
"One of the best duos we've ever had."
Jin looked toward the horizon.
"I wish I could've accompanied them."
Tyrone laughed.
"I wish I could've too."
Jin immediately smirked.
"Don't get cocky."
"You're only a C-Rank."
Tyrone pointed back.
"My swordsmanship is better than yours."
"I'm flexible."
Sir Jin stared.
"Delusion."
"Confidence," Tyrone corrected.
The whistle sounded once more.
Third match.
This time, the enemy possessed a long-range mage.
Fire magic.
The atmosphere immediately grew heavy.
Kyle swallowed.
"That's troublesome."
Luke observed quietly.
Their positioning.
Their spacing.
Their movements.
Then he relaxed.
"They don't know formations."
Kyle blinked.
"You sure?"
"What if it's something new?"
Luke shook his head.
"My uncle Zacky and Aunt Maya trained me."
"Trust me."
The Four Musketeers spread apart.
Wide.
Unpredictable.
The enemy mage suddenly found herself without proper targets.
The opposing close-range fighter and tank rushed Kyle.
The support.
Exactly as Luke expected.
"HEY!"
The enemy mage shouted.
"GET BACK HERE!"
Too late.
Kyle retreated.
Leading two enemies away.
Brian fired.
Arrow after arrow.
The mage dodged.
The support cast barriers.
James advanced.
Luke walked behind him.
Patient.
Calm.
The enemy focused entirely on Luke.
Fireballs launched.
Luke sidestepped.
One.
Two.
Three.
The crowd erupted.
"He's dodging everything!"
The mage stopped.
Mana gathered.
One powerful spell.
One decisive attack.
She focused solely on Luke.
And forgot James existed.
The tank rushed forward.
Shield first.
BAM.
The spell collapsed.
The mage stumbled.
Brian's arrows followed immediately.
The support fell next.
Then the battlefield became four versus two.
The remaining opponents surrendered.
Cheers exploded across the training grounds.
Three victories.
No losses.
The Four Musketeers walked away through lingering smoke from training equipment nearby.
The afternoon sun stood behind them.
The drifting gray clouds formed a natural backdrop.
Pure aura.
James folded his arms.
Kyle twirled his staff.
Brian rested his bow over his shoulder.
Luke walked at the center.
Tyrone watched in disbelief.
"Well..."
He laughed.
"Well, well, well."
He closed his notebook.
"I guess we actually have..."
He pointed toward the four boys.
"The one and only Four Musketeers."