Chapter 9: The Rise of the Scavenger Army
After returning from the Ruins of Forgotten Power, Arin could feel the pulse of the legendary scraps in his veins. Each one amplified his ability to adapt, strategize, and manipulate even the smallest pieces of debris. But he knew that raw power alone wouldn't be enough—the world beyond the academy was vast, dangerous, and full of rival factions who wouldn't hesitate to claim the scraps for themselves.
If I want to change the world, I can't do it alone, he thought.
Gathering the Misfits
Arin returned to the city, seeking those like him—students who had been overlooked, ridiculed, or cast aside:
Lyra, the skilled dagger wielder he had bested in the ruins, agreed to join him after witnessing his vision of turning "trash into opportunity."
Taro, a mage whose fire spells were unstable but explosive, now could channel fragments of Arin's legendary scraps to control them.
Mina, a healer-class student who had been dismissed for her lack of combat strength, now could amplify the shards to create protective barriers for the group.
Together, they formed a small but highly adaptable team, each member empowered by the scraps Arin had collected.
Training the Army
Over the next few weeks, Arin trained them in the art of scavenging: seeing value in what others discard, turning weaknesses into strengths, and thinking two steps ahead in every battle.
They practiced:
Using broken weapons as traps.
Creating passive defense systems with scattered debris.
Combining scraps and magic to amplify attacks.
By the end of their training, even Lyra admitted with a grin, "I've never seen anyone turn garbage into this kind of battlefield advantage. You really are the Trash King."
First Confrontation with a Rival Faction
Word of Arin's growing influence reached a powerful faction outside the academy, known as the Crimson Talons, who had been collecting legendary scraps for themselves. They sent a group of elite scavengers and warriors to ambush him.
The battle took place in the outskirts of the city. Arin didn't wait for them to strike first. He turned the environment into his weapon:
Broken carts became spinning barricades.
Shattered stone pillars formed launchpads for shards.
Discarded metal sheets reflected incoming fire attacks.
The rival faction attacked fiercely, but Arin's army moved with precision, using strategies that turned every scrap into an advantage. Within hours, the Crimson Talons were defeated, fleeing in chaos.
Arin stood amid the debris, shards spinning around him like loyal soldiers. "The world underestimates what we can do," he said, smiling. "Let them. That makes our victory even sweeter."
Foreshadowing the World Threat
That night, as the city slept, Arin looked at the horizon. The storm he had noticed after the ruins had grown into a dark, swirling vortex of energy. Legends said that when scattered pieces of the ancient world began to react, it signaled the awakening of a world-altering force—one that could either destroy civilizations or forge new ones under a single ruler.
Arin touched the Heart of the First Scavenger, feeling it pulse in harmony with his other scraps. "If it's coming, we'll be ready," he whispered. "The Trash King doesn't fear the storm… he controls it."
The shards shimmered brighter than ever, circling him in a radiant halo. Misfits, scavengers, and legends yet to be born would rally to him. The Trash King's army, strategy, and power were no longer confined to the academy—they were spreading across the world.