On the twenty-eighth floor of Titan Guild's headquarters, a meeting room with a panoramic view of the city housed four executives. The soft afternoon light streamed through the tempered glass windows as they analyzed the data projected on the large holographic screen.
"The updated projections show that Kael Ventura's chance of victory has dropped to 60%," said the Director of Evaluation, Marcus Hale, pointing at the chart. "Last year it was at 73%. That's a significant drop."
The Financial Director, a bald middle-aged man named Roberto Lima, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
"It's still the highest probability among all participants. I don't see any reason to panic. Kael remains the clear favorite."
"I agree," added the Marketing Director, Helena Vargas. "He has charisma, experience, and stage presence. The audience likes him. But a 13-point drop can't be ignored."
Marcus zoomed in on the screen, highlighting two names below Kael's.
"The explanation is right here. Two new talents are pulling the probabilities down: Zeki Shinzu, Rank 2, and especially Isadora Wexford, Rank 3."
Helena raised an eyebrow.
"Zeki is the boy with psychic powers, right? He has an interesting profile, but he's still very discreet."
"Yes, but he's stable and extremely efficient," Marcus replied. "The bigger issue is the girl."
Roberto tapped his fingers against the table.
"Isadora Wexford… daughter of Vicente Wexford. Former Rank S. One of the richest and most influential men in the private sector. If we lose her to another guild, it'll hurt. Financially and politically."
Helena nodded.
"Exactly. We're waiting for her to turn 18 next month so she can make more independent decisions. Her father is… complicated. Controlling. If he thinks we're pushing too hard, he might pull her out of Titan."
"And the most curious part," Marcus commented, "is that she didn't inherit her father's abilities. Isadora ended up inheriting her mother's abilities instead: Total Physical Enhancement. A completely different path, but an extremely promising one."
Roberto gave a slight smile.
"That might actually be even better for us in the long run. A more 'visual' fighting style, easier to sell to the public. It works well for broadcasts. If she shines in the tournament, we can build a strong narrative around her."
Helena looked at the numbers again.
"Either way, Kael still has a 60% chance. That's not bad. But we need to keep an eye on those two young talents. Especially the girl. We don't want her getting frustrated and starting to look at other guilds."
Marcus turned off the holographic projection.
"Then it's settled. We'll maintain discreet monitoring. We'll focus support on Kael and Isadora, but without explicit favoritism. Let the tournament speak for itself."
The other executives agreed in silence. The meeting ended with brief handshakes and the sound of chairs scraping across the floor.