Kaia’s skill, Holographic Vision, was highly tactical—she could use immense mental power to scan the battlefield and share real-time intel with the team. But when it came to actual healing, they had no solution other than basic medicine.

  Axel’s arrival changed everything. It wasn’t that they couldn’t recruit support awakeners—the problem was that their missions were too dangerous. Most support types had zero combat ability, making them liabilities in the field.

  But Axel? He could heal and fight. That made him priceless.

  Vince leaned forward. “Got anything else?”

  Axel nodded casually. “Yeah. Undead Guide. That’s the last one… for now.”

  Inside, he felt a slight twinge of guilt. He didn’t have Undead Guide at all. But it sounded believable enough, and right now, that’s all that mattered.

  No one seemed surprised. If he could already mimic two abilities, then it made sense he had at least one more.

  “I’m guessing you’ll unlock more as you level up,” Vince mused. “But regardless, this is good news.”

  Then— “Wait.” Rosaline’s voice cut through the conversation. Her sharp eyes were locked onto Axel. “Didn’t anyone else notice?” she said slowly. “When he used those skills just now… his Force fluctuation was different from yesterday.”

  Vincent and Kaia exchanged looks. Vince, however, just smiled knowingly.

  “Maybe because he hadn’t hit 300 Force before.” He glanced at Axel. “But I’m guessing you’ve broken past it now, huh?”

  In just a day and a half, Axel had leveled up again.

  Rosaline’s posture relaxed slightly. For the first time since Axel had arrived, she looked less concerned. Breaking 300 Force put him on the same level as other second-level lower-grade awakeners.

  Combined with his strategic mind and Healing ability, his chances of survival in the selection had just increased significantly.

  Vince’s voice turned serious. “Listen up,” he said. “The selection process for Whisper Syndicate isn’t just about fighting. The choices you make will determine whether you live or die.”

  “There are three optional tasks,” Vince explained. “Solving a case, arresting a criminal, and fighting.”

  He leaned back, arms crossed, as he broke it down.

  “Solving a case” meant being assigned to an unsolved investigation—either one from Whisper Syndicate or a local police case. The authorities would cooperate, and overall, it was the least dangerous. But it tested your intelligence more than anything.

  “Arresting a criminal” was similar—except you’d be working alone. While there were usually more clues available, there was a major catch: Whisper Syndicate didn’t match criminals based on your strength.

  Whoever you were assigned, you had to deal with them.If you got unlucky and pulled a third-level awakener, then tough shit—you were on your own.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  And finally, the third option—fighting.

  “The most difficult one,” Vince said bluntly. “There are a hundred candidates. About forty will probably pick the fighting category. The tournament follows a ring battle format, and only six winners get a spot.”

  Meanwhile, the other two categories—solving a case and arresting a criminal—each have two slots available.

  Axel immediately grasped the implications. Fighting was the most brutal, but if you were strong enough, it was the best path.

  Arresting was mostly luck-based. The clues made things easier, but if you drew a monster opponent, you were screwed.

  And solving a case? On the surface, it seemed the safest since it didn’t require raw power, but in reality… If the Whisper Syndicate hadn’t solved a case yet, how the hell was a rookie supposed to crack it?

  Vince finished talking. Everyone turned to Axel, waiting for his decision.

  But he hesitated. Rosaline’s sharp gaze landed on him immediately. "What’s there to think about? Pick the damn case-solving task."

  Axel glanced up at her, Rosaline had the stronger voice in this group. And she wasn’t done. “Forget fighting—out of the hundred candidates, six third-level awakeners are competing. You’re not winning that.”

  “As for arresting a criminal—sure, the clues are clearer, but it’s too much of a gamble. Every year, at least seven or eight candidates die in that category.”

  Her voice was firm. She had already made the choice for him. “Case-solving is the smartest option. Don’t be scared by Whisper Syndicate’s reputation. Some of their teams are full of muscle-brained idiots. They can fight, but they can’t think. You’re smarter than them.”

  Axel scratched his chin, feeling a little helpless. She had a point, sure… but did she really have to make the choice for him?

  No wonder Vince barely spoke. Still, he was about to agree—until Vince’s phone rang.

  The room immediately fell silent. Vince’s usual ringtone was “Symphony of Fate”. But this time, there was no sound at all.

  Which meant only one thing— An emergency call from the higher-ups.

  Without a word, the team members suppressed their Force, deliberately avoiding eavesdropping. A full minute passed.

  Then, for the first time, Vince—normally calm and easygoing—showed a change in expression. His gaze briefly flicked to Axel, unreadable. Then, he spoke into the receiver. “…Can they still back out?”

  The answer came. Vince exhaled slowly and hung up. When he turned back, his expression was serious. “I just got word,” he said. “This time, the newcomer selection will be a joint mission.”

  "Joint mission?!" Kaia and Vincent both exclaimed at the same time. Rosaline didn’t react as visibly, but her fingers tightened against the table.

  Axel, on the other hand, was still in the dark. He had no idea what the hell a joint mission meant. But judging by their reactions, it was bad news.*

  Rosaline’s voice was cold. “Why the hell is it a joint mission? The last one was three years ago—and it was a disaster.”

  Vince shook his head. “I don’t know. The higher-ups just said candidates can still withdraw if they want. The final gathering is in Ebonveil—three days from now.”

  There was no hesitation in Rosaline’s next words. She turned to Axel. “Withdraw.”

  For a moment, the room was dead silent. Axel hesitated before speaking. “Uh… can someone explain what a joint mission is?”

  Rosaline shook her head, looking away. Vince sighed and answered. “It means you’ll be carrying out a mission alongside the official team members.”

  Axel frowned. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Bullshit.” Rosaline spun back around, shooting Vince a glare.

  “It’s called a joint mission on paper, but in reality, your task will be completely different from ours. No one will be looking out for you. Your survival? That’s entirely on you. And since you’ll be in the same operation as full-fledged Syndicate members, the difficulty skyrockets.”

  Her next words were like ice. “Three years ago, sixty-eight candidates went in. Only five came out alive.”

  Axel’s breath caught in his throat. That death rate was insane.

  Seeing his expression finally shift, Rosaline didn’t say anything else. But internally, she was fuming. Joint missions were never meant for rookies. They were large-scale, high-risk operations that even veteran teams struggled with. Newcomers? They were nothing but cannon fodder.

  She knew exactly why this was happening. That man. The cold-blooded leader of the Whisper Syndicate.