The room went silent again when Evelyn's voice dropped into something quieter—almost gentle, but the kind of gentle that could cut bone if you weren't paying attention.

"And things will get rough. Maybe not this week, maybe not next month… but remember this—Velcrest doesn't produce average people. You're all here because you're capable of more. So we will push you toward it. Whether you like it or not."

Nobody laughed this time.

Even Lyra, who'd been tapping her foot impatiently, stilled. Leon's grip tightened on his pen. Maria sat perfectly still, almost reverent.

My throat was dry.

That weight in her words—it wasn't just a teacher being dramatic. Evelyn was S-rank. She knew. She'd seen what came after all this training, all this pretending.

Then, like flipping a coin, she smiled. Bright. Effortless. Disarming.

"So!" she clapped her hands lightly, breaking the heaviness. "Orientation Week starts today. Club booths will be open in the central courtyard right after classes. You're free to visit as many as you want. You can even join multiple clubs if you're ambitious—but remember: if your academic performance drops, you'll only have yourself to blame."

That got a few chuckles, a few groans.

Evelyn straightened, her gaze sweeping across the rows one last time.

"If you're not sure where you belong, that's okay. Talk to people. Watch the demonstrations. Think about where you want to grow—not just what looks cool. A strong club match can shape your entire trajectory at Velcrest."

Her eyes flicked briefly—very briefly—to me.

"And remember," she said, her voice softening just enough to make it personal, "sometimes the right choice isn't about what others want for you… but what you want for yourself."

I swallowed hard.

Yeah. I got the message.

---

Homeroom wrapped not long after. Evelyn gave a few final reminders, a warning not to rush the booths like wild animals—students immediately rushed the booths like wild animals.

The classroom emptied fast. Chairs screeched. Voices overlapped.

Eric swaggered out first, muttering about how the Tactics Society was already "practically begging" for him. Petric loudly bragged about how no "lowborn club" was worthy of him, which earned him a very pointed side-eye from Aurelia.

Maria brushed her hair behind her ear, smiling warmly as she leaned toward Sakura. "Let's go see the combat clubs first. Maybe they'll let us spar."

Sakura gave a faint, rare smile. "Archery Society too. I want to see their ranges."

Aurelia smirked at them both. "Combat, of course. I'm curious who's actually worth crossing blades with in this place."

I stretched my arms, shouldering my bag. My mind was less on clubs and more on Evelyn's words.

Velcrest doesn't produce average people.

It wasn't encouragement. It was a warning.

---

By the time I stepped outside, the Academy's central courtyard had transformed.

Colorful banners strung across tall marble arches, enchanted lanterns glowing with faint runes, club booths packed tight in rows.

Each stall tried to outdo the next.

The Alchemy Guild had set up bubbling cauldrons that emitted candy-scented steam. The Beast Tamers Club had an entire caged gryphon chick—squawking loudly, feathers ruffling, drawing a huge crowd of gawking first-years.

The Sword Arts Club had a sparring ring where two upperclassmen clashed steel with sparks flying, while the Magic Theory Circle floated glowing diagrams in the air, their formulas shimmering like constellations.

It felt less like an academic orientation and more like a festival.

"Whoa…" Maria breathed beside me, eyes darting across the chaos with sparkling excitement. "This is way more lively than I expected."

Sam adjusted his glasses nervously, muttering something about the Healing Pavilion booth already being swamped.

Aurelia tilted her head at me, smirk tugging at her lips. "So? Where are you going first, commoner? Combat? Strategy? Or are you heading straight for the Cooking Club?"

I gave her a deadpan look. "Ha ha. Hilarious."

But honestly? I had no idea.

In the original game it was one-time event that happen, this week had been a massive branching point. Clubs weren't just flavor they were power. Each had their own missions, training regimens, and connections. Choosing one meant choosing allies… and enemies.

And with me being me, every choice has twice the consequences.

I adjusted my bag strap, Maria walking quietly beside me. Her hand brushed mine once, maybe by accident—maybe not.

She tilted her head, lips curling. "So… which one first?"

Before I could answer, Aurelia swept past us like she owned the place, eyes glittering with mischief.

"Obviously he'll join the Knitting Club," she announced loudly, just enough for nearby students to chuckle. "That way he can finally patch the holes in his training uniform."

I sighed. "You've been sitting on that one, haven't you?"

"Two weeks," she said proudly.

Maria giggled softly, covering her mouth.

---

We passed the Alchemy Guild first. Their booth steamed like a cauldron factory, sweet candy-scented clouds puffing up in colorful bursts. A tall second-year in golden-rimmed goggles barked at curious students:

"Alchemy is the backbone of survival! Potions, elixirs, explosives you name it, we brew it! And unlike combat clubs, our members live longer!"

He held up a vial that promptly exploded in his hand, showering glittery pink foam across the booth.

"...usually," he added sheepishly.

Maria's eyes lit up. "That looks fun—"

"Nope," I said immediately. "Last thing I need is to lose my eyebrows every other week."

She pouted. "You're no fun."

---

Next came the Beast Tamer Society.

A gryphon chick screeched from inside its rune-sealed cage, wings beating furiously as handlers tried to keep it calm. Students were lined up to pet it, but the creature snapped at anyone who got too close.

"Join us, and you'll earn a companion for life!" one handler shouted.

"Or a beak through your arm," Aurelia muttered, smirking.

I had to admit, the sight was impressive but my attention wasn't fully here. Not anymore.

Every few seconds, my eyes flicked down to my wrist.

The glowing message still sat there:

[Request approved. Your VIP pass for the Black Auction is ready.]

My stomach twisted. My head buzzed.

This… was bigger than any club.

---

We pushed through the crowd toward the Sword Arts Club.

The sparring ring was massive, already drawing a crowd. Blades clashed, sparks flying, cheers rising with every strike. The duelists moved with a speed that made first-years gape like children at a fireworks show.

One upperclassman cut the air with a clean arc, disarming his opponent in three strokes. The crowd erupted.

"See?" Aurelia leaned closer, her voice smug. "Now that's a club worth joining. Pure skill. No gimmicks."

Maria tilted her head. "But combat isn't just swords. What about tactics? Magic? Support?"

Aurelia gave her a slow side-eye. "And what, you're going to stand behind him with pom-poms?"

Maria flushed pink, eyes darting toward me before she quickly looked away.

"…I meant battlefield support," she muttered.

"Sure you did," Aurelia teased, her smirk widening.

Maria shot her a glare, cheeks glowing brighter.

I cleared my throat. "Maybe let's not start another duel right here in the courtyard."

Aurelia chuckled, clearly enjoying herself.

---

We drifted toward the Strategy and Tactics Society booth next.

Unlike the noisy stalls, theirs was quiet. Neat tables. Stacks of maps. A giant magical chessboard projected overhead, pawns glowing with faint runes.

Eric was already there, of course, bragging to a recruiter about his "natural talent for leadership."

Maria leaned closer to me, whispering, "He's been talking for five straight minutes."

"Feels like five hours," I muttered.

Eric gestured wildly at the board, saying something about "turning the tides of battle singlehandedly." The recruiter smiled politely, clearly just humoring him.

Maria stifled a laugh, covering her mouth again. "Should we save them?"

I smirked. "Nah. Let him dig his own grave."

---

By the time we circled halfway through the courtyard, I'd seen everything from Gardening Club (their vines nearly tripped Aurelia, much to my secret amusement) to Music Society (a bard nearly deafened us with a mana-enhanced lute).

It was chaotic. Colorful. A glimpse of normal academy life.

But through it all, the weight of that message never left me.

[Your VIP pass for the Black Auction is ready.]

Every laugh, every booth, every spark of excitement it all felt like static, background noise against the shadow humming at the edge of my thoughts.

The Black Auction wasn't just some underground market. It was where the real game pieces moved. Artifacts. Secrets. Information no normal student was supposed to touch.

And now, I had a way in.

Maria tugged my sleeve gently. "Michael?"

I blinked, realizing I'd been staring off at nothing.

She frowned. "Are you… okay? You seem… distracted."

Aurelia's eyes flicked toward me, sharp. Observant.

I forced a smile. "Yeah. Just… thinking about clubs."

Maria tilted her head like she didn't quite believe me. But she let it go for now.

I walk towards the Centre of other club to see is there any suitable club to join or should I just skip joining any of this club .

And then—

His watch buzz

With a notification.

---

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.