The Ruler's Stone

The Unusual Recruitment

The scene shifts.

Darkness. A cold, empty storage room. The air still smells of burnt mana.

Two people stand face to face, their voices sharp with anger.

"Our job was only to eliminate Afe," the first one says, his voice low and frustrated. "That was it. We were not supposed to cause more trouble. Not supposed to let them notice us before we even start our main plan."

The second person lets out a cold laugh. "Oh, so you think it's easy? You think targeting an X-Army soldier was a joke to you? He is not a normal soldier. He is a Mahu fighter. The strongest. Everyone knows his name. Killing him quietly was never an option."

"That is exactly why I said we should only handle Afe!" the first one snaps back. "We should not have messed with the others. Now the whole academy will be on alert."

Silence falls for a second.

Then, in the corner of the room, a weak cough breaks it.

Another man is lying on the floor, badly injured, breathing hard. His uniform is torn. It is the mark of the Storage Department. They had kidn*pped him. He was the inside man. The one who helped them. He was the one who secretly released that abnormal amount of Zvaru Mana all at once, causing the chaos that gave them a chance to attack.

The second figure slowly turns his head and looks at the injured man. His eyes are empty, no pity at all.

He walks closer.

"Sorry," he says in a calm, almost gentle voice. "We got strict orders. We are not allowed to leave a single piece of evidence behind."

The injured man tries to speak, tries to beg, but no words come out.

The figure just smiles. A cruel, cold smile.

He lifts his hand and places it softly on the injured man's head. Like a blessing.

In the next second — _WHOOSH!_

Bright orange flames explode from his palm. The fire swallows the injured man's head, then his whole body. He doesn't even get time to scream. The flames burn hot and fast, turning flesh and uniform into nothing but black smoke.

Only the smell of burning remains.

The two figures don't even look back.

They turn and walk out of the storage room, their footsteps echoing. Behind them, on the cold floor, there is nothing left but a small pile of gray ash .

Early Morning - Investigation Office*

The sun is just rising. Inside the Investigation Office, the air is heavy and tense.

A few investigators stand around a table, looking at reports. Their faces are serious.

"That employee from the Storage Department is missing," one of them says, frowning. "The same one who released all that mana at once."

Another investigator crosses his arms. "So he ran away? After causing all this trouble?"

The first one nods slowly. "Looks like it. But this was not a mistake. What he did... it was planned. Someone told him to do it."

No one speaks for a moment. They all know what that means — there is a traitor, and there is someone bigger behind him.

Meanwhile - Somewhere else

Far away from the academy, in a dark, quiet alley where no one goes, that two person from last night are standing.

In front of them is a third person. His face is hidden under a dark hood. His voice is calm. He is their boss.

"You both did a good job," the unknown person says, his voice showing a little praise. "You are really useful to me."

One of the two person smiles when he hears that, feeling proud.

"Then... will we get another chance too?" he asks eagerly. "Another big job?"

The hooded person lets out a small laugh.

"Yeah," he says. "You will. But not now. For now, just wait. I have new work for you."

The two person bow their heads slightly, waiting for his next order.

Morning - Marki's Home*

The morning is quiet. The sun is soft. At Marki's small, simple home, there is a sudden knock on the door.

_Knock. Knock._

Marki's father opens the door — and his eyes go wide. His hands start shaking a little.

Standing at the door is the Chairman of the Mahu Fighter Department himself. Tall, powerful, with his guard behind him in black uniforms.

Marki's father quickly salute with deep respect. His voice is nervous but full of honor.

"C-Chairman sir! Please... please come inside."

He steps aside and lets the Chairman and his guard enter. The small living room suddenly feels too small for such a big person.

They sit down. The room is silent. You can feel the tension in the air.

Meanwhile, Marki's mother rushes to Marki's room. She opens the door quietly and shakes him.

"Marki! Marki, wake up! Son, wake up!" she whispers loudly, her eyes full of excitement. "The Chairman of the Mahu Fighter Department is here! He is sitting in our house! He wants to meet YOU!"

Marki wake up, still half asleep, confused. "What? Chairman? Here?"

He quickly changes his clothes, his heart beating fast. He fixes his hair with his hands and runs out of his room.

When he comes into the living room, he sees the Chairman sitting calmly, looking at him with sharp, deep eyes that seem to see everything.

Marki quickly salute . "Chairman sir."

"Sit," the Chairman says with a small, calm smile.

Marki sits down on chair, nervous, his back straight like a student in front of a teacher.

The Chairman looks at him for a few seconds, studying him. Then he speaks, his voice low and powerful.

"Ah... your mana level is low,". He pauses, and his eyes shine a little. .. But look like your control on that is extraordinary. Just like I thought.

Marki's parents look at each other, not understanding fully,

Then the Chairman leans forward a little. His face becomes serious. Now he comes to the real point.

"Listen, Marki. I will come straight to the point," he says. "I know you were at Zvaru level. I know everything. But talent is not just about mana numbers."

He looks straight into Marki's eyes.

"If you work by my side... if you trust me... I will personally sign you as a Mahu fighter. I will help you in every way possible. Training, resources, protection — everything. I will give you the future you deserve."

He stops and lets the words sink in.

"What do you think about that?"

The room goes completely silent for some seconds.

Marki's parents are shocked. Their mouths are slightly open. Then, slowly, their shock turns into pride. Tears come into his mother's eyes. His father looks at his son with a proud, trembling smile —