She composed herself, turned toward Moon, and nodded.
"You did great. Based on your evaluation, you are officially registered as a 0-Star Evolver."
She explained the ranking system in detail, much as Aaron had before. A First Star Evolver was equivalent to ten acupoints opened and filled. Moon's current output placed him at roughly three acupoints worth of power, which was above extraordinary for soone with only one, but still so distance away from the First Star threshold.
"You may return here for re-evaluation at any ti once you believe your power has reached the First Star level."
Moon nodded, absorbing the information.
The assistant then handed him a leaflet. It was a concise docunt explaining the Spirit Art system and Spirit Art Manuals, covering the different ranks and a simple explanation of how spiritual power was channeled through acupoints.
After the handout, Moon expected to be escorted back to the main lobby. But before that could happen, the door to the testing room opened.
A middle-aged man stepped inside. He wore a black tuxedo with a long tie, his full black beard neatly trimd, and his dark hair slicked back without a strand out of place. His aura swirled around him freely, unrestrained and unhidden, filling the room the mont he crossed the door post.
Moon felt it instantly.
'That's not an ordinary Evolver. He might be a Surpasser.'
The aura was powerful, but Moon felt no hostility from it.
Moon wasn't stupid. He understood exactly what was happening. His results had caught soone's attention, and that soone had co down personally. His eyes gave the woman a quick glance, knowing that she was the one that inford the man.
The assistant simply smiled in return, acting oblivious to his knowing look.
"Mr. Outlaw, a pleasure to et you." The man said, extending his hand toward Moon. "I'm Alex Ferguson, the manager of this branch."
Moon shook the man's hand out of respect. "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Ferguson. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
The man laughed softly before saying, "Well, I'll be straightforward with you, Mr. Outlaw. Your results are quite frankly terrifying. These numbers you've put up today, these are the numbers of Ascenders when they were at your level of strength. I would have been negligent in my duties if I didn't co down to pass my greetings personally."
Moon dipped his head slightly. "You flatter , Mr. Ferguson. It's not that impressive. I've only just beco an Evolver. Becoming an Ascender is a very long road ahead, and nobody is guaranteed to live the next day."
"Indeed. But the Association is willing to make such a bet."
Moon's eyebrows rose. "What does Mr. Ferguson an by that?"
Alex turned his head towards the assistant and gave her a single look. The woman understood it at a glance. She nodded her head, bid her farewell, and left the room. The door sealed shut behind her with that sa pressurized hiss.
The two of them were now alone.
"We would like to offer you a direct invitation to enter the Association as a mber of our Seventh Special Squad." Alex said, his voice dropping half a register. "I'm sure you understand what that ans."
Moon's expression didn't change, but his pulse quickened.
The Special Squads.
Most Evolvers would go their entire careers without hearing that na spoken aloud. The squads didn't recruit publicly. They didn't advertise. They didn't hold interviews or accept applications. If you knew they existed, it was usually because soone decided you were worth knowing.
Each squad operated in the shadows of the Association. Their mbers were handpicked from the most talented and dangerous Evolvers alive, people whose potential was deed too valuable to leave in the open. Their identities were altered in public records. Their faces were unknown to the dia, to other Evolvers, even to the lower ranks of the Association itself. Only the highest-ranking officials knew who sat behind those numbered designations.
The benefits that ca with mbership were the kind that most people didn't even know existed. Access to the Association's finest resources. The best Spirit Arts, the rarest opportunities, and training facilities that the general population would never set foot in.
Direct protection for friends and family at the Evolver level, aning that anyone connected to a squad mber was untouchable by most ans on Earth.
And, there was the immunity—
As a mber of a Special Squad, you operated outside the reach of normal law. No court, no normal force, no governnt body could take legal action against you. The only authority that could hold you accountable was the Association itself, and they almost never turned on their own. You could walk through doors that were closed to everyone else, make decisions that would land most awakeners and evolvers in prison, and never once look over your shoulder.
You could get away with a great deal of things. And that was perhaps its most valuable perk of all.
But none of it ca free.
Such an exclusive mbership ant loyalty. It ant being tied to the Association at the deepest level, answering calls that couldn't be refused, carrying out missions that couldn't be questioned, and following orders from people whose nas you might never learn if you don't climb the ladder high enough.
Once you were in, you didn't simply walk away.
"That's a very generous invitation. I'm flattered, truly." Moon said, his tone asured. "But as you know, I'm currently under contract with the Glassy Group. I can't make a decision of this magnitude on the spot. If possible, could you prepare a contract outlining what the Association is willing to offer? I'll read through it, weigh the pros and cons, and give you my answer."
Alex remained silent for a mont. His eyes stayed on Moon's face, searching for sothing. Whether he found it or not, he didn't show.
Then he nodded.
"Sure. I will have a contract prepared with our full offer given to you within the next few minutes. However, I should ntion that we won't be disclosing the specific details of the Seventh Special Squad or their privileges until you formally accept. As you understand, it's highly secretive."
"That's not an issue." Moon replied.
Alex extended his hand once more. Moon shook it. Alex then left the room, then returned shortly after with the contract.
He wasn't as ignorant about the Special Squads as Alex probably assud. Moon had only recently learned of their existence, but he had learned from a reliable source.
Selene had been invited to one herself not long ago.
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