Live bait, untouched souls.

All recruits were treated with low-level potions to restore their health.

health.

Some murmured among themselves, still impressed by the display of power they had witnessed.

— She pushed me with just the handle of her dagger, and I felt enormous pressure in my chest... If it hadn't been for those potions, I'd be in pain!

Others just babbled on, trying to understand how an S Rank could be at such an unreachable level. It was an inhuman difference.

Doctors passed between the recruits until they stopped in front of Satsu's unconscious body. One of them frowned and looked at his colleague next to him.

— Should we take him to the hospital at the Brotherhood headquarters? The other looked down and rolled his eyes.

— Of course not, you imbecile. Look at his badge. Rank F. Give him that diluted potion and send him to that rest room... The same one where we dump broken equipment and old furniture.

Without a care in the world, they threw Satsu onto a thin mattress and left him there, without even checking to see if he would wake up. There, amid the smell of old wood and dust, Satsu slept soundly.

Satsu lay unconscious on the floor, enveloped by the bittersweet smell of old wood and dust. His mind oscillated between confused dreams and a persistent feeling of crushing weight in his body.

When the first signs consciousness emerged, the pain came like thunder. A groan escaped his lips as he wriggled, trying to sit up.

His legs throbbed with a sharp pain, as if they had been twisted and squeezed by invisible forces. His chest burned with unbearable pressure, making it difficult to breathe.

... happened to me? — he muttered, his voice hoarse.

He leaned on the cold wall to get up, each movement accompanied by a new wave of pain. Satsu knew the answer, even if he didn't want to admit it: the overwhelming magical pressure that Aiko had released during her training.

For stronger adventurers, this was just an intense challenge, but for Satsu, weak in mana and ranked F, it was like being hit by an invisible storm. His body simply couldn't take the load.

Staggering, he took a deep breath, trying to ignore the discomfort. Another urgent need screamed in his stomach: hunger. Satsu clutched his abdomen with his hand, feeling weak. He needed food.

With difficulty, he made his way through the corridors of the Brotherhood of the Phoenix headquarters to the cafeteria.

The inviting aroma of grilled meats, fresh bread and instant noodles seemed to increase his hunger, but as he approached the entrance, he ran into an obstacle.

— Hey, wait a minute. — One of the entrance staff crossed his arms, blocking Satsu's passage with a stern look. - You're not allowed in.

Satsu , confused.

— But... I'm a recruit. I'm entitled to a meal. The official snorted with disdain.

— Only if you're a recruit worth something. F rank? You should eat leftovers. Satsu felt his face heat up with shame and frustration.

— That's not fair... I said, trying to calm. Before he could continue, a familiar voice cut through the air.

— Is there a problem here? — Haruto appeared next to Satsu, his posture confident and his gaze serene.

The employee rolled his eyes.

— Haruto, you should choose your company better. This kid here is a useless F

Rank.

Haruto gave a slight smile, but his eyes shone steadily.

— And he's an adventurer like any other. He has as much right as I do.

You're going to let us pass, arent you?

The official hesitated, but Haruto's confident presence was hard to ignore.

With an irritated snort, he took a step to the side.

— Just because it's you, Haruto. But don't get used to it. Haruto gave Satsu a friendly pat on the shoulder.

— Let's . There's no point arguing with people like that.

As they walked through the cafeteria, Satsu couldn't help but feel grateful.

— Thank you, Haruto. Thank you again. — Haruto smiled.

— We're together, Satsu. Don't let these guys get you down. Everyone has a beginning, and yours doesn't have to be defined by what they think.

The cafeteria was bustling, with adventurers of all ranks occupying long tables. The smell of the food was almost intoxicating for Satsu, who couldn't wait to eat something decent.

 Haruto guided him to a free table, but before they could sit down, a group of four adventurers at a nearby table started waving encouragingly at Haruto.

— Hey, Haruto! Come here! — called one of them, smiling broadly.

— You finally showed up, huh? We had already bet that you wouldn't be able to today's mission! - joked another, causing laughter among the others.

Haruto laughed softly.

— Give me a second. Let me take care of my friend here first.

Satsu watched curiously as the group maintained a relaxed atmosphere, clearly in tune with Haruto.

 The scene brought a brief respite from the tension he had been carrying since training.

Haruto turned to Satsu with an encouraging smile.

— Let's get something to eat. Then I'll introduce you to the guys.

Satsu nodded, feeling that, despite all the difficulties, he was no longer alone.

Hungry Satsu wasted no time in grabbing a generous pile of food: meat, bread, fruit and two drinks balanced precariously on the tray he was carrying with hands trembling with anxiety. Haruto watched the scene in disbelief.

— Hey, Satsu, take it easy, man! Are you going to open your own buffet or is that it? — I said, letting out an amused laugh.

Satsu, looking embarrassed, tried to justify it:

— I'm starving, Haruto. And I don't know if I'll get another chance like this...

— Just don't drown before dessert. - Haruto joked, patting him lightly on the shoulder.

Struggling to balance his food, Satsu followed Haruto to a table in the center of the cafeteria, where a small, excited group of adventurers were waving enthusiastically.

— Haruto! At last! I thought I'd run away after that insane mission! — said Akira Fujiwara, a sorceress with short hair and a mischievous look. She laughed out loud, clearly extroverted and full of energy.

Haruto smiled, greeting her with a friendly gesture.

— It's not every day that you survive a mission without turning to dust. I've brought company. Guys, this is Satsu.

The group members introduced themselves enthusiastically.

— Akira Fujiwara, earth sorceress and quake specialist. — She winked at Satsu, a mischievous smile on her face. — I hope you have patience with a Rank F.

Satsu smiled shyly.

— Don't worry, I'm also an F Rank.

— Ah, so we're in the same boat! — Akira laughed.

Daichi Tanaka, a large robust man with a sword resting next to a bitten apple, nodded vigorously.

— I'm Daichi Tanaka, warrior class, Rank E. And if you're down on your luck, I'll lend you one of my lucky charms. - He pulled a small, rudimentary amulet from his pocket.

— Do they work? - Satsu asked, curious.

— See for. — Daichi threw the amulet to Satsu, who caught it in the air, examining it with an arched eyebrow.

Haruto laughed.

— Don't fall for it, Satsu. Those fake amulets he makes are horrible.

— Hey, not horrible! It's rudimentary art. - Daichi feigned offense. - You just have bad taste.

Everyone at the table laughed.

The presentations continued.

— Hana Kobayashi, fire mage, Rank F. — The young woman with the short, wavy red hair said dramatically.

— Maybe I'll be your friend if you survive the next training session. And you know... you're kind of cute.

Satsu choked slightly.

— What an honor... I think? — he replied, bewildered.

Yumi Sato, a gentle-looking woman, smiled warmly.

— Yumi Sato, healer, Rank E. Have you eaten fruit today? Are you hydrated?

He looks like he's been hit by a truck.

Akira laughed out loud.

— Hey, Yumi, leave the boy alone! You always want to take care of us as if you were our mother! Relax a bit.

Yumi crossed her arms, making an expression of false indignation.

— Humph! You don't look after yourselves at . Someone needs to be responsible

Here.

Satsu laughed.

— Thanks for your concern, Yumi.

She back.

— Kaito Nakamura, summoner, Rank F. And this one is Hungry. — The shy young man pointed to a clever ferret peeking out of his pocket. It was black with purple details, the fruit of a summoning.

— Does he have that name for a reason? — Satsu asked.

Kaito sighed.

— Because he eats everything. Even my pet cookies.

Hungry sniffed the air and tried to jump onto Satsu's tray, but Kaito caught him in time.

— Hey, control yourself, little guy. — Haruto laughed. — That ferret has more energy than some adventurers around here.

As everyone settled down and began a lively conversation, Akira suddenly slapped his forehead.

— Ah, my cookies! You took me, kaito! I brought them for you! I was up all night making them. - I said, sticking my hand in my pocket.

She pulled out a crumpled package, with crumbs escaping from the corners.

— Well, they didn't survive intact... — I said, embarrassed.

Yumi laughed.

— Even cookies can't resist you, Akira.

Haruto added, amused:

— Hahaha, you always crush them.

Everyone laughed as Akira tried to offer the broken pieces.

— Anyone? They're still good!

— I'll pass. - Daichi joked. - I'd rather eat something whole, look how slimy they are.

The light and relaxed atmosphere made Satsu feel, for the first time, part of something bigger. He observed the group with admiration — clumsy, but united by genuine camaraderie.

— You guys are a lot of fun. — said Satsu, smiling.

Haruto gave a slight smile.

— Welcome to the group, Satsu. I was thinking of recruiting you to join our guild.

Ebony Wings always has an open door.

Satsu smiled more broadly, feeling that, despite the difficulties, perhaps he was in the right place.

Kaito looked Satsu with innocent but sincere curiosity.

— What's up, Satsu? What are your skills?

Satsu stopped, uncomfortable with the question. He stared at the group, all waiting for an answer, and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

— I have no idea. I... should I have known? Today is my first day.

Silence fell over the table like a heavy blanket. The relaxed expressions turned serious. Haruto slightly, while Yumi looked away with a resigned sigh.

Everyone there knew what this meant: new recruits usually went through basic training to understand their abilities and survive the missions.

But they also knew how the Brotherhood treated F-rank recruits — with absolute contempt.

It was a cruel system: throwing them straight into battle, without preparation, leaving them to die as bait or mere statistics.

Haruto broke the silence, his voice laden with controlled bitterness.

— Didn't they explain anything to you? Didn't you have an instructor? Satsu shook his head.

— No. They told me to come here and... just, I guess. Akira slammed his hand on the table, frowning.

— This is ridiculous! They always do that to F-rankers. As if were disposable! Daichi sighed deeply.

— Not disposable, Akira. Live bait. They don't want to train recruits who don't give an immediate return.

Yumi put her hand to her chest, visibly annoyed.

— And then they talk about protecting the brotherhood as if it were an honor... Haruto looked steadily at Satsu.

— You're not disposable. We'll help you. You'll discover your abilities and learn to

fight.

Satsu felt a comforting warmth at those words. Before he could answer — Hana asked:

— Where you from, Satsu?

He hesitated for a moment, but answered frankly:

— From Soraoka.

The group immediately exchanged glances. Soraoka was one of the most marginalized communities

 A forgotten slum on the outskirts of the region, where poverty and social exclusion were constant. Those who came from there were often treated with prejudice and mistrust.

Daichi scratched his head, uncomfortable.

— So that's why they treated you like that... Yumi spoke softly, with sadness in her eyes.

—mIt also explains why you took so much food. You probably didn't have much to eat there, did you?

Satsu , shame burning on his face.

— It's... there's not always enough food for everyone. Hana clucked her tongue, visibly annoyed.

— This disgusting system always marginalizes those who already have less.

But you know what, Satsu? You're not alone anymore.

Hana pulled a small cloth bag out of her purse and placed it on the table.

— Here, take this. There's fresh bread and some fruit. Take it with you. Akira did the same, taking out another carefully tied bag.

— Take that one too. There are homemade cookies... I promise they're not broken this time.

Daichi smiled and pushed a third bag towards him.

— There's one of my amulets here too. It may not work, but it's from the heart.

Satsu looked at the bags stacked in front of him, his throat tight. Tears threatened to fall, but he blinked rapidly, trying to control himself.

— I... I don't know what to say. Thank you, really. You didn't have to do that. Haruto smiled kindly.

— We take care of each other, Satsu. That's how we survive. Akira crossed her arms, trying to look tough.

— And if you need more food, you can count on me. I can't promise that the cookies won't break on the way, but ...

Hana laughed softly.

— And don't forget: survival is just the beginning. You're still going to shine, Satsu.

Satsu took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his prejudice dissipate in the face of the unexpected solidarity of his new friends. The atmosphere, which had seemed dark and heavy before, now pulsed with warmth and hope.

He smiled a sincere, relieved smile.

— Thanks, guys. I really needed that. — Haruto raised his hand as if summoning a toast.

— To the Ebony Wings. United until the end. — Everyone repeated in chorus with smiles

— United to the end!