Cross forced a grin. “Nope. Just Cross, no Familia. I was planning to keep it that way, too.”

“Is that so?” Juliet replied, a little skeptical. “Well, my name is Juliet King, and that’s Bronx King—my sister.”

Cross had to bite his tongue to keep from snapping. Of course, I know who you are! The King Familia was famous. But he wasn’t about to let them see how rattled he was.

“And I’m Cross,” he said, trying to sound casual, “just a guy who wants to go about his day, register as a Ranker, and maybe get some lunch. So if you ladies don’t mind, I’ll just—”

“You,” Bronx interrupted, pointing at him. “Join my Familia.”

Cross felt his entire body freeze. He stared at Bronx, blinking rapidly, as if he hadn’t just heard what she said. “Uh… what?”

“Join my Familia,” Bronx repeated, her tone firm, like it wasn’t even a question but a command. “You have a Talent, and I want you in the King Familia.”

Cross wanted to cry. Seriously? He’d been in this world for just over a day, and now he was being roped into one of the most powerful Familias in the country. How unlucky could he get?

Juliet’s eyes widened in surprise, her gaze shifting between her sister and Cross. “Wait, you’re saying this guy has a Talent? Him?”

Bronx nodded, her expression unchanging. “And it’s strong. Maybe as strong as mine, if not stronger.”

Cross nearly lost his composure. Stronger than hers? He cursed inwardly. This is bad. Really bad.

He forced himself to stay calm, even though his instincts were screaming at him to run. He had thought about joining a Familia before—of course he had. Everyone who wanted to climb the Towers or fight Fiends knew that being part of a Familia was a huge advantage. But he wasn’t ready to reveal his abilities to the world. Not yet. He wanted to at least reach Stage One in both Body and Domain before anyone figured out what he could really do. He needed time to train, to grow stronger, and to protect himself from being exploited.

Bronx, however, wasn’t giving him that time.

Cross opened his mouth, about to protest, but Bronx’s steady gaze made him pause. Instead, he grumbled under his breath, “Could you at least give me some time?”

“How long?” Bronx asked immediately, her voice calm but commanding.

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Cross hesitated before responding, “Until I reach Stage One in Body or Domain. I’m not ready yet.”

Juliet looked at him with mild surprise. “You’re dual-affinity? Like her?”

Cross nodded, and Bronx narrowed her eyes, considering his request. Juliet, clearly seeing the potential Cross had, leaned in closer to her sister, whispering something in her ear. It didn’t take long for them to come to some sort of silent agreement.

“Six months,” Bronx finally said, her voice carrying an air of finality. “You have six months to reach Stage One in Body or Domain. But there’s a condition.”

Cross raised an eyebrow. “What condition?”

Bronx’s eyes sharpened. “You deny any other offer made to you during, before, or after you reach Stage One. No other Familias. No exceptions.”

Cross blinked. That wasn’t exactly what he had hoped for, but before he could argue, Bronx pulled something from the breast pocket of her trench coat and tossed it to him. Cross instinctively caught it, his Heavenly Eyes flickering on for a split second to analyze what it was.

It was a small insignia, a gold symbol of a crown—the emblem of the King Familia.

“This will mark you as a temporary member of the King Familia,” Bronx explained. “We’ll support you with any viable resources you need, but you’ll have to request them through either me or Juliet. In return, you honor the contract: six months, no other offers, and once you’re at Stage One, we’ll revisit the conversation.”

Cross stared at the insignia in his hand, the weight of the situation finally sinking in. This was it—an opportunity, but also a binding contract with one of the most powerful Familias in the world.

“Do you accept?” Bronx asked, her eyes locked onto his.

Cross hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “I accept.”

The insignia glowed gold for a moment, then dimmed. Bronx nodded approvingly. “The contract has been made.”

Juliet stepped forward, a smile tugging at her lips. “You know, my sister doesn’t invest in just anyone. Don’t let us down, okay?”

Cross swallowed hard. No pressure or anything, he thought. But before he could say anything, Juliet added, “If you need anything, come by the Castle. It’s our headquarters down in Golden Valley. We’ll be expecting you.”

And with that, the two sisters turned and left, leaving Cross standing in front of the W.R.O. building with the King Familia’s insignia clutched tightly in his hand.

He had just agreed to one of the most dangerous contracts of his life.

*

Cross waved the two sisters off, still holding the insignia in his hand, turning it over to inspect it. At first glance, it didn’t seem like much—just a polished badge with the emblem of a crown, symbolizing the King Familia. It reminded him of a police officer’s badge, but with more flair.

“A crown for a king,” Cross mused quietly, appreciating the fitting symbolism.

But, naturally, curiosity got the better of him. He opened his Heavenly Eyes for just a second to take a closer look. Almost immediately, he saw it—a white-ish aura clinging to the insignia, barely perceptible but definitely there. He squinted, focusing on the aura. After a closer inspection, he could tell it wasn’t just decoration—it was more like a tracking device, infused into the insignia itself. The realization made him smile slightly.

Ah. So that’s why they gave me this.

It made sense. Bronx wanted to make sure no other Familias or guilds could get their hands on him. She wanted to keep an eye on him, making sure he wasn’t poached. Cross blushed slightly. She really thinks that highly of me, huh?