The next step was clear.

  I needed a team.

  The Association had made it abundantly clear during orientation, solo raids for new recruits were not allowed.

  I could decide to break the rule and go alone, but I just felt it was better to have team expirence first.

  Just to learn.

  I stood in the bustling lobby of the Association building, clutching my new awakened ID.

  The sleek black card was a reminder of my progress, but it felt oddly heavy in my hand.

  Around me, awakeneds moved with purpose, their conversations blending into a low hum.

  I needed a team.

  And in this lobby, awakeneds come here to place out team recruitment board, it is only for those who need teams.

  I turned to see a board near the wall, covered in flyers and digital screens displaying team recruitment ads.

  Some were flashy, with bold fonts and phrases like.

  “Elites Wanted!” or “High-Paying Dungeon Runs!”

  Others were simpler, listing requirements like elemental compatibility or specific ranks.

  I scanned the board, looking for something, anything, that didn’t sound like a death sentence for someone new.

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  “Fresh meat, huh?”

  The voice came from a man leaning against the wall near a board.

  He was older, maybe in his late thirties, with a scruffy beard and a cocky grin.

  His gear was worn but well-maintained, and the badge on his chest marked him as a Rank C awakened.

  Which idiot would be so proud to the extent of showing off his rank which is just only C, not even S or SSS rank.

  “Looking for a team?” he asked, his tone teasing.

  I nodded, keeping my expression neutral.

  “Yeah.”

  He chuckled.

  “Good luck, kid. Most teams don’t want a newbie dragging them down. Better hope you’ve got something special to offer.”

  I didn’t reply, but his words stung.

  I turned back to a board.

  Most of the teams listed wanted experienced members, people who had already survived a few dungeons.

  But one board caught my eye:

  “Recruiting Awakened for Low-Rank Dungeon Runs. Elemental Ability Preferred. Group 17, Jace.”

  Element preferred?

  That was rare.

  Most teams were looking for healers or tank-types, not someone with element.

  "Interested?"

  A young man was looking at me, his sandy hair falling close to his eyes.

  “Jace?” I asked.

  He studied me with sharp green eyes.

  “You want to be recuited, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What’s your rank?”

  “D Rank,” I said, holding up my ID.

  He raised an eyebrow but didn’t dismiss me outright.

  “Element?”

  “Lightning.”

  That got his attention.

  “Lightning, huh? That’s not common. Can you control it?”

  I hesitated for a moment, then raised my hand.

  Sparks danced across my fingers, crackling softly before fading.

  Jace nodded, impressed but cautious.

  “All right,” he said. “We’re running a low-rank raid tomorrow. Goblins, mostly. Think you can handle that?”

  “I can,” I said, keeping my tone steady.

  “Good.” He handed me a small card with the details of the raid, time, location, and what to bring. “Be there on time. And don’t screw up.”

  "Sure,"

  As I left, I felt a mix of relief and nerves.

  I had a team, at least for now.

  But as I walked home, the weight of what lay ahead settled on my shoulders.

  Tomorrow would be my first raid, my first real test as an Awakened.

  Failure wasn’t an option.