Ethan's first proper day as a merary began in the shadow of Valeris City's gleaming towers. The stant hum of his ship's systems reminded him that while he had taken the first step, there was still a mountain to climb. He hadn't fotten Kael's words so he knew repairs and supplies would drain his credits quickly if he didn't get his act together.

  The guild's front doors slid open smoothly, the inner halls humming with activity. A few veteran mercs exged hushed versations while Kael, ever the sharp-dressed man behind the front desk, gave Ethan a quiod as he approached.

  "Right on time," Kael remarked, tapping a sleek tablet that synced with Ethan's own. "Your access to the guild's private work is now live. You'll be able to view avaible missions, training modules, and guild resources. Some are locked behind rank or credits, so don't get too ambitious too quickly." Kael paused, gng up. "And remember: ship repairs and resupply services aren't free."

  Ethan sed through the tablet. The interface was straightforward and filled with mission listings, guild information, training simutions. Much of it was grayed out, inaccessible until he earher a higher rank or enough credits. The reality of his situation hit him hard. Without a steady ine of credits, his ship wouldn't even leave the atmosphere, let alone make it to space.

  "The beginner's VR training is free," Kael tinued, pointing to the rows of VR pods at the back of the room. "You'll if you don't want to burn out before your first real mission. Think of it as a safety for rookies."

  Ethan's jaw tightened. He'd already learhe basics of piloting from Iris, his ship's AI, but bat systems were a different story. This wasn't just about flying, it was about surviving.

  Stepping into the VR pod, he felt a flicker of uainty. The hatch closed around him, the simution snapping into pce with unnerving realism. He found himself in his ship's cockpit once more, but this time, the trols were more intricate. The ss blinked with ons systems, targeting protocols, shield ma...all of it desigo turn him into a bat-ready merary.

  "Alright, rookie," came a gruff voice over the s. "I'm Grayson, your instructor. Pay attention, and maybe you'll survive your first missio's see if you keep up."

  The training began, and at first, Ethan struggled. Managing the ship's ser ons while maintaining shield iy wasn't as intuitive as he'd hoped. The targetiicle darted across the s as he fought to keep it tered.

  But then, something shifted. The trols, which had seemed overwhelming just moments ago, became... smoother. Easier. His reas sharpened, his mind grasping the plexity of the systems faster than expected. He felt strange, almost detached, as if his instincts were taking over.

  The thought him, was this some leftover from his transmigration? Or was it something else entirely? The improvemeoo sudden, too precise. Either way, he wasn't pining.

  After hours of simuted bat, Grayson's voice finally cut through the virtual haze. "Not bad, rookie. You'll need a few more sessions before you're ready for the real thing, but you've got potential."

  The simution ehe pod opening with a hiss of cool air. Ethan stepped out, stretg his limbs, his mind still reeling from how quickly he had adapted. He couldn't shake the feeling that something inside him had ged, something that wasn't just the result of training.

  Kael was waiting by the desk as Ethan walked over. "How was it?"

  "Faster than I expected," Ethan said, his voice calm. "I'm pig things up quickly... too quickly."

  Kael raised an eyebrow but didn't pry. "Good. You'll hat edge. But remember—improving your ship, refueling, and ammo resupply will drain your credits. If you don't hustle, you'll be grounded before you know it."

  Ethan nodded. "I'll make it work."

  He wandered over to the mission board , sing the jobs avaible to rookies. Most were dangerous such as esissions through tested space, bounty hunts, arieval operations. Not the kind of work he wao jump into without getting his feet under him.

  But one job stood out: a simple supply run tefall Outpost. No bat, no real risk. Just enough pay to get by and earn a few credits. It wasn't gmorous, but it was what he needed.

  Ethan tapped the s, accepting the mission. His first real step.

  As he headed back toward his ship, he g the city outside through the guild's wide windows. The sprawliropolis of Valeris gleamed uhe twilight, its streets filled with the sounds of life, ambition, and danger. For now, he was tent to y low, focus on the basics, and avoid drawing too much attention.

  But soon enough, he'd be ready to tackle the bigger challehis world had to offer. For now, it was time to sharpen his skills, earn his keep, and prepare for the road ahead.