Cael felt the floor tremble beneath his feet as he walked toward the stage, clutching the cardboard box to his chest, the blue sphere carefully tucked inside.
The stage's blinding lights dazzled him, and the audience's murmurs filled the air like a constant hum.
The host, her blonde hair perfectly tied in a bun and her smile almost painted on, waited at the center, holding a cue card.
Cael swallowed hard, trying to ignore the knot in his stomach.
He didn't want to be here, facing all these people, with cameras capturing his every move.
But Lena had said he was going first, and there was no turning back.
The host raised the microphone and beamed at the audience.
"Let's give a round of applause for the first participant in our ArcanTech Industries Innovation Event!" she exclaimed, gesturing toward Cael.
She glanced at the card in her hand and read in a clear voice.
"Cael Blackwood, no registered profession, dropped out of Eldoria's Advanced Research University—one of the country's most prestigious institutions—midway through his studies, but today he's here to present… a revolutionary invention?"
A murmur rippled through the audience, and Cael felt his cheeks flush.
The three executives seated at the table in front of the stage stared at him with unreadable expressions.
Victor Kade, in his tailored navy suit and thin-framed glasses, kept a stern face, his hands clasped on the table.
Elena Marrow, in her gray dress with short brown hair, raised an eyebrow, as if weighing whether Cael was worth her time.
But it was Darius Holt, ArcanTech's president, who made Cael clench his jaw. The white-bearded man let out a short laugh, covering his mouth with his hand as if to hide it, but the sound reached Cael.
'Who the hell wrote that?' Cael thought, a mix of shame and anger bubbling inside him.
The card made him sound like a failure, someone with nothing to offer.
And the worst part? Lena must have prepared that introduction.
She knew he'd left university because he couldn't afford tuition, not because he was a slacker. She knew how hard he'd worked on the sphere.
Why didn't she mention any of that?
Why make him look like a nobody?
Cael scanned the crowd for Lena, hoping to spot her familiar face for a shred of support.
But she wasn't there.
Lena had vanished, leaving him alone on the stage with his box and every eye on him.
His heart pounded faster, and for a split second, he considered bolting.
But then he took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and stepped forward.
He wasn't going to let this stop him.
Not after everything he'd been through to get here.
The host smiled at him, though there was a hint of skepticism in her eyes.
"Mr. Blackwood, welcome," she said, bringing the microphone closer. "What invention are you presenting today?"
Cael cleared his throat, his voice quivering slightly.
"I developed a crystal… a core, actually," he said, adjusting the box in his hands. "It's capable of manipulating mana."
The silence that followed was so heavy Cael could hear his own heartbeat.
The host froze, the microphone still near her mouth, her eyes widening.
The audience murmured—some chuckling nervously, others whispering to each other.
The three executives exchanged glances, and even Darius Holt, who'd been laughing earlier, sat up straighter, his face serious.
The host blinked, regaining her composure.
"That's… quite a claim, Mr. Blackwood," she said, forcing a smile. "No such invention exists. Manipulating mana is something only mages or certain creatures, like dragons, can do. Could you… give us more details?"
Cael nodded, though his hands were sweaty.
"I thought it was impossible too," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "But I found that if you combine certain materials and align them in a specific way, you can create a core that interacts with mana. It's like… a battery, but for magic."
Before he could elaborate, Victor Kade raised a hand, cutting him off.
"Young man, enough theories," he said, his tone sharp. His glasses glinted under the stage lights. "Show us your invention. Tell us what you want from us. If we like it, we'll fund it or buy it. But if you're here to spout nonsense and waste our time, leave now."
Cael felt the air leave his lungs.
Kade's words hit like a punch, and for a moment, he doubted himself.
But then he thought of Yuna, the sleepless nights, the blackout he'd caused to make the sphere work.
He wasn't going to let them dismiss him without even trying.
"Alright," he said, his voice steadier than he expected. "I'll set up the device now."
The host stepped back, gesturing to the table at the center of the stage.
"Go ahead, Mr. Blackwood," she said, then turned to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, if what this young man claims is true, we could be about to witness an invention that will change the world. Though, I must admit, coming from someone without formal credentials…"
She paused, letting the words hang, and the audience let out a few laughs.
"Well, let's see what he's got to show us."
Cael clenched his jaw, a surge of anger rising.
The host didn't take him seriously, and the audience seemed more interested in mocking him than listening.
But he wasn't going to let that stop him.
He set the box on the table and carefully pulled out the components.
The blue sphere glowed softly under the stage lights, and some in the audience stopped murmuring, leaning forward to get a better look.
As he connected the cables and adjusted the metal pieces, Cael tried to block out the noise around him.
His hands trembled slightly, but he forced himself to focus.
He'd assembled this device hundreds of times in his cramped apartment, sometimes until three in the morning.
He knew exactly what to do.