"Wake up…"
Arjun blinked as a small hand shook his shoulder.
"Brother! It's already morning!" Ayaan's voice rang through his foggy brain like an alarm clock with legs.
"Ugh… fine, I'm up, I'm up…" Arjun groaned, pushing himself upright. His body felt like it had been hit by a truck—again.
He dragged himself to the dining table, where the usual morning scene played out. His mother sat quietly, sipping her herbal tea, pale but composed. Ananya, his sixteen-year-old sister, sat cross-legged on the chair, dunking a toast into her chai, lost in thought.
Ayaan was already on his second plate.
"Morning," Arjun muttered, sitting down.
"You're late," Ananya said, not looking at him.
"You could've woken me up earlier."
"I was busy keeping this maniac from putting ketchup in the tea." She nodded toward Ayaan, who just grinned like it was a badge of honor.
As they ate, Ananya glanced at him again. "Did you think about what I said last night?"
Arjun paused mid-bite.
"I did."
"And?"
"You're right," he admitted. "We can't keep relying on this cycle forever. I'll find something better... just not today."
Ananya stared at him for a second, then nodded slowly. "Good."
Even though they bickered often, she was sharp. Too sharp sometimes. But he was glad she cared.
After breakfast, Arjun grabbed his worn-out satchel and headed out to the mana crystal market. Another day, another hustle.
---
The market was chaos, as always. Warriors shouted prices, merchants screamed back, and the scent of sweat and roasted peanuts hung in the air like a fog.
Arjun pushed his way through the crowd, heading toward a stall run by a lanky man in mirrored sunglasses.
"Yo, Parvez!" Arjun called out.
Parvez turned around with a grin. "Ah, the mighty hunter returns. What did you bring me this time? Pebbles or actual mana crystals?"
Arjun smirked, dropping a small pouch on the table. "Two E-rank beast cores and a bunch of low-grade shards. Got anything decent for me?"
Parvez examined the haul, clicking his tongue. "Hmph. Barely worth my time. I'll give you four thousand for the lot."
"Four? That's daylight robbery."
"This isn't charity, Arjun. Go try someone else if you think you'll get more."
Arjun sighed. "Fine. Just give me the cash."
As Parvez handed over the notes, someone bumped into Arjun from behind.
"Oi, watch it," he muttered, turning—but the person was already walking away.
He looked down. A white envelope was tucked under his arm.
"What the—?"
He flipped it over. Silver seal. No name on the front.
He looked around, but whoever gave it to him had vanished into the crowd.
Weird…
He tore it open.
---
Invitation to ARM Guild Expedition
You are formally invited to participate in an upcoming B-Rank Gate Raid organized by the ARM Guild.
The party includes:
1 A-Rank
4 B-Ranks
6 F-Ranks (including you)
Report to the Dadar Outpost in 48 hours.
All participating members are contract warriors and will be paid accordingly.
—Thyan, Officer of the ARM Guild
---
Arjun blinked.
A B-rank raid? The ARM Guild? This had to be a mistake.
He flipped the letter, checking every line again. No mistake.
"Why would they invite me?"
Parvez leaned over the stall. "What's that? You look like you saw a ghost."
"Probably just a mistake," Arjun muttered. "Some guy dropped this on me like I was on a VIP list."
Parvez snorted. "Maybe they saw your handsome face and couldn't resist."
Arjun didn't laugh.
He was still staring at the letter, heart pounding.
Arjun stared at the letter.
B-Rank…?
He looked up, heart pounding.
The ARM Guild was one of the Top Five in India. Getting invited to one of their raids? That wasn't just lucky—it was unheard of for someone like him.
But… a B-rank gate?
He wasn't ready.
He didn't even have a contract yet.
Still…
He thought of his mom. Of Ananya. Of Ayaan.
They needed money.
"I'll go," he said aloud, as if speaking it made it real.
---
Two Days Later – Dadar Outpost
The team was gathering, the swirling vortex of the B-rank gate casting an eerie light over everyone's faces. Arjun stood a little apart, gripping the envelope still folded in his pocket like a lifeline.
A tall, broad-shouldered man with a faded scar along his jaw approached him, helmet tucked under one arm. His eyes were sharp but not unkind.
"You must be the new kid," he said. "Arjun, right?"
Arjun nodded slowly. "Yeah."
"I'm Vikram. Team lead." He extended a hand.
Arjun shook it, though his grip was a bit hesitant.
"You seem a little tense," Vikram observed. "First B-rank gate?"
"Yeah… and I think—" Arjun hesitated, then said it, "—I think I wasn't supposed to be invited. I got the letter by mistake."
Vikram raised an eyebrow. "You serious?"
"I was at the market. Some guy just bumped into me and left it. I thought… maybe it was meant for someone else."
Vikram chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, too late now, rookie. You showed up, which means you've got guts—and that's good enough for me."
"But I'm just an F-rank. I haven't even made a contract yet."
Vikram looked him over. "You look like someone who's had it rough. You know how to survive?"
Arjun nodded slowly. "I do."
"Then you're better than half the idiots who charge in thinking they're heroes."
Arjun gave a small, surprised smile.
"Stick close," Vikram added, his voice lowering. "Watch the veterans. Don't try to prove anything. Just live. Survive this raid, and maybe that 'mistake' turns into something real."
Arjun exhaled, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet." Vikram grinned. "Thank me when we all walk out alive."
Then he turned to rally the rest of the team.
Vikram stepped forward and raised his voice so the whole squad could hear.
"Alright, everyone—circle up. We've got a new face today. F-rank, no contract yet, but he's here, so treat him like one of us unless you want me to shove you into the boss room alone."
A few chuckles followed as Arjun shifted awkwardly under the attention.
Vikram pointed to each group in turn. "Let's run a quick intro for the rookie."
He started with the B-ranks.
"First up—our heavy hitters. Leena, twin daggers, speed freak."
Leena, a lithe woman with short hair and sharp eyes, gave Arjun a toothy grin. "Hey, rookie. Stick behind me and try not to trip."
"Riya, shield specialist and healer. She's got your back—if you don't piss her off."
Riya rolled her eyes but offered a calm smile. "Stay close and follow orders."
"Rohit and Sameer, long-range support. Bow and rifle. They keep things clean from a distance."
The two men gave him a casual salute.
Then Vikram moved to the F-ranks.
"Maya, Priya, Anika, Tara," he said, pointing to four young women who looked battle-worn despite their lower rank. "They've all survived more gates than you'd guess."
Tara, tall and no-nonsense, gave Arjun a nod. "Hope you're not dead weight."
"Vinod and Ashok," Vikram continued, motioning to two stocky guys who were laughing about something, "close combat junkies. Good guys. Loud as hell."
Finally, he turned back to Arjun. "And this is Arjun. No contract yet, but he's got fire. So let's not let it go out."
Everyone gave a few nods, greetings, and smirks. The air was relaxed, even friendly—surprisingly so for a raid team.
Vikram clapped his hands once. "Alright, people. You know the drill. Stay sharp, don't get cocky, and if something feels wrong, call it out. We're all contract warriors here—fight smart, earn big."
He turned toward the gate, swirling with darkness and silent promise.
"Let's move."
And just like that, the team stepped into the gate—together.