Chapter 52: Rising Stars

Chapter 52: Rising StarsThe Crescent Moon Agency's headquarters looked busier than usual as the front side was undergoing renovations. The scaffolding was set up, workers were busy hammering, drilling, and taking measurements, the sounds of construction that filled the air.

The new updates were thanks in large part to the increase in the agency's income, a surge that had nearly doubled with Eratz's performances.

He stood at the entrance for a moment, watching the construction workers. He couldn't help but smile, the agency was growing, thriving, and he was a big part of that growth.

He adjusted his bag and made his way inside.

"Hey, Eratz!"

"Morning, Eratz!"

Several staff members greeted him warmly as he made his way down the hall. He returned their greetings with a nod and a smile. Everyone noticed when Eratz walked in. He had become the kind of person you couldn't ignore, with his reputation, and the aura that surrounded him.

Some whispers rose as he passed by, people talked about him, their voices full of admiration. "That's him."

"Yeah, did you see his last match? He's incredible."

Adrian stood off to the side, hearing every word. His eyes narrowed as he listened to the praise heaped onto Eratz. The compliments grated on him, and he clenched his jaw in frustration.

Eratz walked into the locker room, opened his designated locker, and put his bag away. After a quick stop at the bathroom, he headed towards the training room.

The moment he walked in, it was like the atmosphere shifted. People turned to look, their eyes widening slightly as they watched him. There was respect and curiosity in their gazes, Eratz was not just another trainee, He was one of the two aces. The murmurs started up almost immediately.

"There he is."

"Wow, he comes so rarely..."

"Yeah, hey, let's ask his contact infos."

Eratz gave a small wave to those who met his eyes and then moved to the section reserved for warming up. He began his stretches, feeling the eyes still on him, the whispers still going. It wasn't unusual anymore, people always seemed curious when he arrived and he was now used to it.

Adrian standing further away, doing his best to ignore him. his expression was tense, his jaw clenched as he heard the admiration for Eratz echoing around the room. Many things had changed in a month.

"Eratz!"

Eratz turned to see Zara walking towards him, with Ryder beside her. A grin broke across his face as he waved them over.

"Long time no see."

"Tell me about it," Ryder said, a smile on his face. "It's so rare to see you around!"

Eratz chuckled.

"You would see me more often if there was monsters to tame around. How are you doing?" Ryder's eyes lit up with enthusiasm.

"Training, mostly. Been working on using beastification in combat with each of my monsters, not bragging but I'm trying to match up to your physical strength and I think I'm finally able to counter your strongest point."

Eratz raised an eyebrow.

"Which one?"

Ryder laughed nervously.

"Boastful..." he said, scratching the back of his head.

Zara shook her head, her gaze settling on Eratz's physique. She couldn't help but notice the change. He seemed sharper, stronger.

"Every time we see each other, you're always stronger. Maybe it's really time..." She murmured to herself.

Eratz gave her a questioning look, but before he could ask, a commotion erupted from across the room.

Mercury had just entered, and her presence was just as magnetic as always. The moment she walked in, heads turned. People watched her with a mix of admiration and awe.

She had that same effect as Eratz, her reputation preceded her, and her confident stride only reinforced it.

"There she is, our other superstar."

"Mercury and Eratz... they're like the power duo of this place." Sёarch* The NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"She's amazing... we're so lucky to be in this agency."

Ryder leaned in, nudging Zara.

"Look at them, Mercury and Eratz, they've become the celebrities of this place."

Zara nodded, her expression amused.

"Well, you could be too, you know. But you focus too much on training and forget to meet

your quotas."

Ryder sighed dramatically.

"Oh, please. Eratz and Mercury are geniuses, you can't ask everyone to meet their quotas."

Eratz shrugged.

"I prefer hard workers, and it's not like we take every match. We've reduced the number since we always hit the 500-point quota by Thursday."

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Mercury, her signature smile

in place.

"If it's no big deal, why do you always do one more match than me?"

Eratz smirked.

"Meeting the quota is one thing. Asserting dominance is another."

They both laughed, and Zara, feigning indignation, pointed an accusing finger at Mercury.

"You know, you could hang out with me if you weren't always so busy with matches!"

Mercury crossed her arms, an innocent look on her face.

"Hey, I'm free in the afternoon, but you're always busy at that time."

Zara's eyes widened as she pretended to cry.

"Swap schedules you morons! Hang out with me in the morning too."

Eratz shook his head, a playful smile on his lips.

"Sorry, Zara, but night matches are too good to pass up."

Mercury gave a slight, knowing smile. It wasn't known to others, but she and Eratz had chosen their schedules to make sure she had time in the afternoon for her friends. It was just how

things worked best for all of them.

Across the room, Adrian watched, his face twisted in frustration. He could hear the whispers around him, people talking about how well Eratz and Mercury fit together, how they were both prodigies, the untouchable stars of the agency.

"They're like a perfect match," one of them murmured, drawing an annoyed groan from

Adrian. He crossed his arms, glaring at the ground.

Before he could dwell on it further, Victoria entered the training room. The chatter died down

as she clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

"Good morning, everyone. Thank you all for being here on time," she began, her voice carrying through the room. "I want to take a moment to acknowledge how far we've come as

an agency, and how much we've achieved together."

She paused, her eyes scanning the crowd, her smile proud.

"Thanks to all of you, our resources have improved significantly, and we're able to take on

bigger challenges. I want to give a special thanks to Zara, you've been the heart of this agency. Without you, there would be no hope, no foundation for us to build on. You're the core of our

operations."

Everyone clapped, and Zara gave a modest smile, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Victoria continued.

"And Mercury, thank you for carrying us with your strength and dedication. You've been one

of the pillars holding us up through thick and thin. You and Zara are the two feet of this agency, and you'll always have a special place here."

The applause grew louder, and Mercury gave a small nod, her lips curving into a smile.

"And now," Victoria said, her gaze shifting, "I want to thank our new recruit, Eratz. You've made an incredible difference since joining us. You've nearly doubled the amount of points we've accumulated as an agency. I knew you were capable of great things, but you've surpassed all my expectations."

The applause for Eratz was loud and enthusiastic. He felt a swell of pride, a grin spreading across his face. From the sidelines, Adrian crossed his arms tighter, his face darkening as he

looked away, a groan escaping his lips.

Mercury leaned in, her elbow resting on Eratz's shoulder. She grinned at him.

Victoria wrapped up her speech, her tone becoming more serious. "Thanks to everyone's hard

work, we're now in a position to take the next big step forward. Crescent Moon Agency has accumulated enough points to register our agents in the regional league."

A collective gasp filled the room. Mercury's jaw dropped, and Zara's eyes shone with excitement. Eratz blinked, looking around at the sudden buzz of energy.

The excitement in the room was palpable, Eratz noticed Mercury's eyes sparkling with

excitement and Zara's jaw dropping.

"The regional league?"