Jun’s face flashed on the large screen, and both Taehyun and Soobin saw it. Taehyun’s eye twitched slightly, He glanced at Soobin, then leaned over and muttered, "So, it’s his turn now, huh?"
Soobin didn’t respond, his gaze was fixed on the screen.
Jun stepped forward confidently, Eunhee and Eunjeong were cheering loudly from their guild’s booth. Their voices carried through the noise of the crowd. As Jun approached the Tree of Life, he placed his hand gently on the glowing bark, it shone slightly .
A faint glow emerged from the tree, followed by the announcement flashing on the screen above:
"Shin Jun. Spirit Rank: Silver. Points: 42,094."
The crowd cheered with approval, as they always did, but Eunhee and Eunjeong cheered the loudest, their voices filled with excitement.
"Oh my god, my son!" Eunhee exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. “A silver-ranked spirit! I knew his talent was something special!”
Turning to Seojin and Yuna, who were sitting in the Silverlight Guild’s booth along with Taehyun’s and Soobin’s parents, Eunhee smiled with barely concealed pride. "He got the same rank as yours, didn’t he? Silver, just like you two. I’m sure he’ll get some offers, doesn’t he? And there’s always you guys too, right?" She gave a pointed look in Soobin’s direction. "I mean... if Soobin doesn’t end up getting a high rank..."
The mood in the booth shifted slightly, a wave of discomfort rolling over the parents. Seojin and Yuna, however, ignored the comment, choosing instead to smile politely and offer their congratulations. They were good people and didn’t let such remarks get to them.
Meanwhile, Jun returned, waving confidently to the crowd as he made his way back.
“Ehh, it’s normal,” Taehyun said, giving Jun’s score a quick glance before turning his attention to Soobin. “ you’ll get a way better one.”
Soobin just smiled, His mind was elsewhere. Both Jiho and Jisoo were quiet. They probably understood something and didn't talk much. They too glanced at Soobin and looked away.
In the Golden Zone booth, Kim Jinsoo sat watching the screen with a keen eye. When Jun’s name appeared, he turned to Kai, with a a slight smirk. "Shin Jun? Is he from your family?" Jinsoo asked, glancing over at Kai.
Kai nodded. "Cousins."
"Ah," Jinsoo replied with a knowing smile. "He’s alright, I guess... but you don’t look too excited." His voice had a teasing edge, but Kai didn’t respond, his face was as blank as ever.
Switching the subject, Kai asked, "What about you? Jisoo’s done… what are you still here for?"
Jinsoo’s smirk widened. "Hmm… there’s someone I’m waiting for. His turn’s coming up soon." His voice carried a subtle excitement, and as if on cue, the screen changed, and the announcer’s voice boomed across the arena.
“Next up... we have... Choi Jiho!”
"There it is," Jinsoo said, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the screen.
Kai, who had been leaning back lazily, perked up slightly. "Hmm?" he muttered, confused by Jinsoo’s sudden shift in focus.
"It’s my turn now," Jiho said quietly. His expression was calm, though there was a glint of determination in his eyes. As he walked past, Jisoo called out softly.
“Good luck, Jiho.”
Stolen novel; please report.
He turned and gave her a small nod before continuing toward the tree.
Soobin’s heart raced as he watched Jiho move forward. "It’s time," Soobin thought, swallowing hard. "The main character’s contract ceremony… this is where the novel starts from."
Jiho placed his hand on the Tree of Life, and immediately, the atmosphere shifted. A powerful surge of energy radiated from the tree, and suddenly, a blinding golden light burst forth, engulfing the entire space. The crowd gasped in awe as the light enveloped everything, shining brighter than anything they had seen before.
And then, from the top of the tree, another light shot out, taking shape in the air. Slowly, the form of a majestic golden lion emerged, translucent but radiating a fierce and powerful energy.
The crowd was stunned into silence. They were covering their eyes due to the bright yellow light.
“Spirit manifestation…” Jinsoo muttered under his breath, with his eyes wide with both shock and admiration. A subtle smile spread across his face, the reflection of the golden light glimmering on his skin.
Kai, still standing with his hands in his pockets, watched intently. His thoughts raced. "This can only mean one thing…"
The lion let out a deafening roar that shook the stadium, and in a flash, it surged forward, diving directly into Jiho’s body. The entire space was bathed in golden light once more before it finally began to fade.
As the light cleared, Jiho stood alone in the center of the platform, his body surrounded by a bright, glittering golden aura. It matched his golden hair and eyes perfectly. His hand had a glowing, intricate golden tattoo— which was the proof of the spirit he had just contracted. He lifted his head, his eyes calm and steady.
The screen above flashed his name in large, bold letters:
Choi Jiho. Points: 91,245. Spirit Rank: Platinum.
The crowd erupted into chaos, cheers reverberating through the stadium. People were screaming, clapping, completely losing their minds. The announcer’s voice came through the speakers, nearly drowned out by the noise.
“This... this is amazing! The first Platinum in Korea after so many years!” the announcer shouted excitedly. "A Platinum-ranked spirit! Unbelievable!"
Soobin was in shock, staring at Jiho as the realization hit him. He had read about this moment in the novel, but seeing it unfold in real life... it felt entirely different. His chest tightened, and his hands were trembling. He glanced at Jisoo, who was watching the scene intently.
jisoo then turned to taehyun, “He’s outdone us again” she said, her tone was soft, but the frustration was evident in her voice." i told you, hes the main character"
Soobin glanced over at Taehyun, who had gone unusually quiet. Though Taehyun tried to mask his emotions, the frustation in his body was visible. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides. He was clearly affected, even though he didn’t want to show it.
As Jiho made his way back, still glowing faintly with the golden aura, Jisoo offered him a smile. “Congrats,” she said.
“Thanks,” Jiho replied, with a calm voice.
Taehyun, having regained his usual demeanor, said in a normal tone, “Well done... a Platinum rank is no joke.”
Jiho nodded, “Thank you. There's barely any difference in our points, though. Let’s spar after this.”
“We will see” Taehyun replied.
In the Golden Zone booth, Kai remained silent, but the tension was evident in his posture. A Platinum rank... it was a rare sight, one that even he hadn’t expected.
Kim Jinsoo, his smile never fading, suddenly spoke up. “He’s someone I’ve been sponsoring. Jisoo’s friend, actually. Exceptional talent.” His voice was filled with pride as he watched Jiho make his way back.
Kai glanced at Jinsoo.
"We’ve found the next face of our guild," Jinsoo added, the smile widening on his lips.
After a moment, Jinsoo turned, retreating inside the booth. “Well, I need to talk to the guild officials about this. are you coming?”
“No,” Kai replied quietly.
Jinsoo paused. “Hmm? Oh, your brother’s left.”
Jinsoo came back and stood where he was.
"Arent you going?" Kai asked..
" Well i cant miss this... ill go after your brother's done.."..
"hes a rare case after all"
"tch" kai looked back again..
Meanwhile, in the shadows, two figures in dark robes stood watching the entire event from a distance. One wore a silver mask and the other a blue mask.
“A Platinum rank,” the one with the silver mask said, his voice low. “This ceremony is quite something... He might be useful.”
The other, wearing the blue mask, shook his head. “He’s already taken by Jinsoo.”
“Huh. Already?” the silver-masked figure replied with a bitter tone. “Then he’s untouchable for now... that guy is already a pain to deal with.”
The blue-masked one nodded. “We need to report this to him.”
The silver mask scoffed. “Don’t you think he already knows?”
"True," the blue mask replied. “But it’s becoming a problem... the guilds are getting too strong. And the Silverlight Guild’s heir seems powerful too.”
They both turned back to watch the arena. “Let’s observe for a while longer before anyone else notices... see if anyone else is worth paying attention to.”
image [https://i.imgur.com/DwogoRl.jpeg]
Young jiho