"Rank 9, Pan Soomin."
The pink-haired girl practically floated to the podium, her movements delicate and hesitant. She still appeared somewhat dazed from her earlier transformation, her wide blue eyes slightly unfocused as though returning from some distant place.
Her small, trembling hands fidgeted nervously with the worn seashell charm dangling from her wrist—a humble talisman from her fishing village home, carried like a lifeline in this overwhelming sea of strangers and expectations.
"The Verdant Strikers value your potential, Soomin-san," Professor Mori said warmly. "Your Aspect has remarkable applications for team support and synchronized combat maneuvers."
"The Cobalt Vipers see great things in your future," Valentine added with a sharp-toothed smile that never quite reached his calculating eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his platinum blonde hair catching the light. "Such raw potential deserves... careful cultivation."
