Leo sat silently in front of the leather-bound file, his fingers absently tracing the edge of the crisp pages as his eyes skimmed through each offer, expressionless, as if indifferent to the life-changing decisions listed before him.
He had never given much thought to sponsors before, as such trivialities had never been a part of his fragmented world, yet with Alric's earlier explanation ringing in his head about how essential sponsors were to a warrior's future, Leo found himself cornered into accepting the necessity of choosing one.
'Silverlight Consortium,' Leo mused internally, as his eyes hovered over the first page with its neat bullet points laid out like a topper's class notes.
'Reliable. Stable. Deeply rooted in military and noble circles. Their influence reaches across sectors, and their reputation is spotless.'
He knew well that with Silverlight's backing, he would never lack gear, resources, or protection. Access to their black-market channels and elite training facilities alone would make most warriors desperate to sign.
Yet, as his fingers tapped idly against the file, Leo couldn't ignore the glaring flaw. 'They're too safe. Too loud. Too eager to showcase every warrior they groom.'
Silverlight didn't just sponsor fighters—they paraded them, splashing their names and faces across every Federation broadcast. 'The whole point of their model is visibility, making their talents impossible to ignore,' Leo thought, as his lips curved downward slightly.
And visibility, for Leo, was fatal. 'The Black Serpents won't want a celebrity. And I certainly can't walk into their ranks with my face recognized by every child with a holo-pad.'
Turning the page, Leo suppressed a sigh.
'Crimson Phoenix,' he read silently, eyebrows narrowing ever so slightly. The file was dense—not with power, but with glamour. Reality shows, PR teams, exclusive documentaries, personal stylists, and commercial contracts—it reeked of a showman's fantasy.
'Su Yang would love this circus,' Leo noted dryly. 'He lives for the spotlight.'
But Leo had no interest in such nonsense. 'I don't need millions buying my perfume or speculating about my love life. The moment the circuits end, I need to vanish.'
The reality settled heavily within him. 'Once this tournament ends, my next destination isn't the entertainment industry—it's the underworld. The Black Serpents don't care if I'm trending on Federation Net or if I've got a fashion line; if anything, it will make them put me down before I ever step through their door.'
The sheer weight of attention Crimson Phoenix offered wasn't a blessing—it was a death sentence and hence Leo counted them out and instead flipped to the next page.
'Horizon Dominion Group,' he read, eyes lingering on the word 'Dominion', as somehow that naming felt intimidating yet impressive to him.
'Their offer is plain, there's no glitter, no public campaigns, no tailored brand image….. just access.'
His breathing steadied, as every line he read only confirmed his instincts. 'Access to relic-grade equipment, to restricted ruins and dungeons, to private black-market auctions known only to those with real power.'
Horizon's business wasn't about being seen—it was about controlling the parts of the world unseen.
'Experimental equipment, connections with off-record mercenary companies, and an intelligence network that probably knows more about me than I do.'
It was exactly the kind of backing an assassin needed.
Of course, they wanted him to participate in showcase fights—demonstrations for weapon sales to powerful buyers—but that was a small price to pay for the backing they have him.
'Better to show off in a private, invite-only duel than parade myself before the whole universe.'
And above all, Leo's thoughts darkened as a quiet realism slipped into them. 'If—if my past is worse than I imagine, if someone from the universal government comes knocking to arrest me one day—then only Horizon has the power to sweep it under the rug, as they are clearly the group with the most connections and power that could potentially get rid of my past, if I need them to–'
Leo thought, as he leaned back, gaze distant for a heartbeat.
"How much time do I have to decide?" Leo asked Alric, as he wanted to take a couple days to decide.
However, unfortunately, Alric did not give him such time.
"Five minutes, kid. The representatives from all three are sitting in the VIP lounge on the ground floor.
They'll need to get your measurements and styling done today if you want your gear ready before your first match.
What did you think? Custom-grade equipment just falls from the sky?" Alric scoffed with trademark sarcasm, as Leo let out a soft sigh.
For a few more seconds he thought about his choice, but after thinking it through, he felt positive that Horizon was the best he could do for now, and hence—-
"I'll go with Horizon Dominion," he declared, as Alric let out a low chuckle, giving a knowing nod.
"That's the choice I would've recommended too—even if I've got a personal grudge against them lately.
You might not know this, but Horizon sponsored the entire Rodova team for two decades straight before suddenly jumping ship to Clarence this year. But, I'll admit, grudges aside—they're definitely resourceful."
Alric stood, pouring himself another drink as he continued.
"They'll ask you to show up at some private arms demonstrations and might throw you into a few weird exhibition fights now and then, but... they'll get you what you need. Meditation manuals, equipment, even the kind of rare materials others won't find in ten lifetimes."
Alric glanced back, eyes slightly more serious.
"You're not making a mistake, boy. If anything—you might've just made the best move of your fighting career." Alric said, as he gestured for Leo to leave his office.
"Go down to the VIP room 3 and have your sizing taken. I'll inform them of your decision before you arrive.
Also, make sure to read all the terms and conditions before you sign their contract, as they're cheeky little bastards who submit one contract to the academy, but make small changes to the one that is actually signed by you–" Alric warned, as Leo gave him a curt nod before leaving.
"Thankyou—" Leo said, as he walked out of the principal's office and made his way towards VIP room 3, where representatives from Horizon were thrilled to see him.