"Uno, dos, tres, cuatro

Marchando mi combo forma un alboroto

Uno, dos, tres, cuatro

Salte, que va pasando mi combo

Uno, dos, tres, cuatro

Marchando las gatas forman alboroto

Uno, dos, tres, cuatro

Que va pasando mi combo"

"Conteo" by Don Omar blared through the speakers of Eden’s brand new, deep blue car as he navigated through the usual throng of students blocking the entrance to the parking lot.

"Hello, hi, hello to you too, cutie," Eden muttered to himself, saluting casually from the car window with a smirk.

He parked next to Cole’s car, his movements fluid and confident as he stepped out of the vehicle, adjusting his shirt and inhaling the scent of his own cologne. He was oozing self-assurance, striding toward the academy gates like a Hollywood star on a red carpet. Today was important. Not only did he have the upcoming meeting with Jason Forbes, but the official papers for his new workshop, "Light of Dawn," were finally coming through.

Cole had taken care of the paperwork since his funds couldn’t match Eden's investment. His father had refused to lend him money for what he called a "risky project," leaving Cole with his own funds, just over a hundred thousand credits—far from the amount needed to properly launch the workshop.

It was a laughable situation as the poor guy, in this case Eden, ended up investing more then Cole, the son of a rich family.

Cole said he has a surprise for me today, Eden mused as he walked, still humming the song stuck in his head. I like surprises, as long as they’re the good kind.

"Good morning, class!" Eden announced as he entered the classroom, but no one responded. Everyone was preoccupied with their own conversations and activities.

He stopped in his tracks. "That’s not how this works, dear colleagues. Arman, show some life! I say 'Good morning, class,' and you say 'Good morning, Eden!'"

Still, no one joined in his joke, though he had managed to capture a few more glances.

"Good morning, class!" Eden repeated, louder this time.

Silence. Students stared at him with puzzled expressions, but he stood there, eyes closed, waiting for a response. Nothing.

"Tough crowd," Eden muttered, heading to his seat.

'Are you seriously going to start with your antics again?' Zizi’s voice echoed in Eden's mind.

He smiled to himself just as Mia, the class rep, approached him.

"Eden, do you have a minute? I need to ask you something," she said.

Eden's eyes lingered on the velvet choker around Mia's neck for a moment, the corner of his mouth twitching in curiosity.

What’s with that thing on your neck? he thought. But he quickly masked his thoughts, replying in his usual playful tone, "Of course, class rep. I’m all ears."

"I have the list of participants for the fighting competition, and your name’s not on it. You know, the party this Friday is a big deal. Are you sure you don’t want to try your luck for an invitation?"

Friday party? Eden took a moment to gather his thoughts. "You’re talking about the student competition for invitations to the party, right?"

"Yes," Mia confirmed.

Eden smiled politely. "I won’t be entering because I already have an invitation."

Mia’s eyes widened. "You do?" she asked, surprised. Usually, only the elite class and their families received direct invitations. From what she knew, Eden wasn’t part of that circle.

"Yep," Eden said casually. "In fact, I’ll be taking part in the main event. But thanks for looking out for me—I appreciate it."

Mia’s expression tightened. "Don’t read into it. I was just doing my job," she said, clearly annoyed as she turned to leave.

"Wait a second, class rep," Eden called after her, stepping closer. "I’ve got a little piece of an unasked advice for you."

Mia stopped, sensing the shift in his tone.

"You should take off that choker of yours," Eden said, his gaze lingering on her neck again. "You probably don’t know what it symbolizes, do you?"

Mia's body stiffened under his gaze, feeling as though he wasn’t just staring at her, but through her. "What does it mean?" she asked softly.

Before he could answer, Cole burst through the door. "Eden, brother, I’ve got big news!"

Eden gave him a quick nod before returning his attention to Mia, alternating his gaze between her eyes. "Let’s just say it doesn’t match your personality. Look it up on the net when you get a chance," he said with a friendly smile before turning toward Cole.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

"So, what’s this big news?" Eden asked as he approached his friend.

"I’ve set everything up for our workshop!" Cole said excitedly. "The announcement’s out, and we’re officially recruiting starting today. I even got permission from the dean to use a classroom for the interviews. We’re all set!"

"Amazing, man! Well done," Eden praised. He had told Cole they needed to start recruiting before Friday, but he hadn’t expected his friend to move this quickly.

"There’s more," Cole continued. "We got the dean’s approval so fast because four other workshops are starting their recruitment here as well."

The academies must’ve gotten the green light to support workshop expansions. It’s impressive how fast things move when the government’s involved, Eden thought. "And who are our competitors?" he asked, intrigued.

"There are two other startup workshops created by our colleagues from Jaquelin Academy," Cole began, his voice tinged with concern, "but they can't really compete with us. The bigger problem is Blue Feather and Complete Night—both mid-sized workshops recruiting from all the academies in the city."

"Hm?" Eden gave a wicked grin. "Don't worry. I'll eat them for breakfast."

Cole looked uneasy. "I don’t think we should provoke the mid-sized workshops just yet."

"They won’t be able to touch us," Eden said confidently, patting Cole on the shoulder. "We’ll slip off their radar soon enough. Once we join the kingdom’s volunteer army, we’ll be untouchable."

"The army?" Cole asked, clearly surprised.

"You’ll see," Eden replied, his tone hinting at something bigger. "We’re going to have a lot of fun. Come on, let’s check things out and start recruiting after the first class."

* * *

At one of the desks in the recruitment room, a student was speaking with one of Cole’s assistants. "So, what benefits are there if I join you?"

"The main team of Light of Dawn consists of veterans from VR games and military personnel," the assistant explained, keeping her pitch concise. "We also have two Beta Testers managing operations. As for the salary, you’ll receive a customized offer based on your skills at the end of the probation period."

The student smirked. "Blue Feather is offering 2,000 credits upfront, a six-month contract, and access to their training facilities. They also have Beta Testers and more experience. If you can’t beat their offer, I’m not wasting my time here."

Eden, who had been quietly observing, stepped in. "Then feel free to leave. I’m not sure why you’re still breathing the air in this room."

The student's face flushed with surprise, but Eden wasn’t done. "Blue Feather might offer those benefits for the moment, sure. But if you think that they're so kind to give you that salary for nothing, you you're mistaking. When you fail their trial tests that will sort the new employees after a few weeks, you’ll be stuck with 500 credits a month and no access to their premium facilities. But at that point in time, you would have already signed the contract that you didn't even bother to read because it's filled with unimportant and hard to understand information. You will be stuck for half a year with a survival salary and not even the time to do something else. Good luck on that path."

Cole chimed in, "You also seem unaware that Ahartohaim is different from other VR games. If you’re not skilled in combat, you won’t last long. There’s no room for amateurs with high pretense but low skills."

Eden took a step forward, addressing the room. "Let me make something clear: We didn’t come here to beg anyone to join us. Light of Dawn is a new workshop, yes—but the people behind it aren’t rookies. We’re here to offer you an opportunity, not to butter you up. So before you ask what we can do for you, ask yourself what you’re willing to bring to the table. If you’re just here for the perks, grab a soda and a cookie on your way out."

The student scoffed. "You think you’ll recruit people with that attitude? No one will join you if you talk to us in this manner. You’re a low-level workshop, not Equinix, Eden."

Eden chuckled. "Funny. You know who I am, but I don’t know anything about you. And don't worry, if you're so fragile that you can't take my words, we have no need for spoiled princesses like you."

Some students left right after these words, but Eden was unfazed. He had no time to groom little kids into grown ass men before training them to fight.

"Hey guys, how’s it going?" Raul asked as he walked up to Eden and Cole. Though he was more Cole’s friend, he had no problem getting along with Eden.

"We’re making our pitch," Cole replied. "Whoever joins is up to them. But we’re taking notes, and anyone who walks out now won’t be welcomed back later."

"Did you really start your own workshop?" Raul asked, still processing the news.

"Of course," Cole said confidently. "We’re building our future."

Raul knitted his eyebrows. "So you’re serious enough to get your family's support?"

"My parents just provided the connections. Eden supplied most of the money, and I handled all the bureaucratic stuff," Cole explained briefly.

Raul turned to Eden, incredulous. "You put up the money? Did you win the lottery or something?"

"No, I’m just smart, lucky, and beautiful," Eden said with a grin. "Everything I need to make my own fortune."

Raul laughed. "Okay, but seriously, do you think this will work? The competition between the workshops has increased this year."

"We’re both Beta Testers, and we know more about Ahartohaim than most," Eden said, lowering his voice. "We’ve got the funding and the right team to start strong. You play Ahartohaim, right? You won’t achieve much by staying here as a student. If you have the skills, join us for the time being. You can decide if you stay or not later."

"How long’s the probation period?" Raul asked. Cole was his good friend after all, so supporting one's dream couldn't be such a bad decision.

"A few days," Cole answered. "We’ll test you, and you’ll test us. If it doesn’t work out, no hard feelings."

Raul nodded. "Well, I’m a Level 2 spear user, and I’ve been training since my dad forced me to start four years ago. Don’t mistake me for a noob."

Cole smirked. "Alright, Mr. Pro Player. We’ll see what you’re made of. By the way, I’m a Level 4 sword user, so maybe dial back the arrogance."

"No way. You’re joking!" Raul laughed in disbelief.

"Bet?" Cole asked, extending a hand.

Just then, a new voice interrupted. "Did I hear correctly? You’re a spear user with four years of training?" A man in a blue jacket walked up to Raul, sizing him up.

Raul said nothing, assessing the newcomer.

"I’m Andrew, from Blue Feather," the man introduced himself. "We’re recruiting just down the hallway. You should check out our offer before making any decisions. Your future’s at stake."

Andrew handed Raul a business card, his expression confident.

Cole’s face darkened as he placed a hand on Andrew’s shoulder. "You’re overstepping. It’s not of good omen to poach the people that came to us."

Andrew’s eyes narrowed, his tone sharp as he forcefully removed Cole's hand. "Don’t touch me. I’m just looking out for someone’s future. There’s nothing disrespectful about that."