SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 47: Where I Stand

Still, when the duo arrived at the bronze squad residence, Arthur found himself pausing slightly.

The building was simple.

No decorative carvings.

No glowing crystals embedded into the walls.

No luxurious lighting.

Just a sturdy structure made of reinforced stone and metal.

But it was clean.

And more importantly, intact.

Ryn pushed the door open.

"Welcome to bronze housing."

Inside, the hallway was plain but well maintained.

Stone floors with simple lighting panels and doors lined neatly along both sides.

Arthur looked around quietly.

It wasn’t glamorous.

But compared to the slums... Dry floors. No leaks or broken walls. No smell of rot.

No overcrowded bodies stacked together.

It already felt like a different world.

Ryn glanced at Arthur.

"You look like you were expecting worse."

Arthur didn’t deny it.

"I was."

Ryn chuckled.

"Most people do."

They walked deeper inside.

And soon, Ryn stopped in front of a door near the end of the hall.

"This one’s yours."

Arthur frowned slightly.

"Alone?"

Ryn nodded.

"Bronze squads get small private rooms. No shared bunks unless we’re short on space."

Arthur took the key Ryn handed him.

He turned it between his fingers once.

A private room.

In the slums, families shared spaces smaller than storage closets.

But he accepted the key carefully.

Ryn noticed the reaction.

"Not bad, right?"

Arthur answered honestly. "It’s good."

It wasn’t that great or amazing.

Just good, but good was more than he was used to.

Ryn leaned against the wall.

"So, since you’re officially part of my squad now, I should probably give you a quick rundown."

Arthur nodded.

"I’m listening."

Ryn folded his arms loosely.

"Bronze rank squads handle F and low E-rank content. That means dungeon sweeps, perimeter patrols, monster hunting near safe zones, escorting supply teams, and cleanup support after larger operations."

Arthur absorbed the information quietly.

Ryn continued.

"It’s not glorious. You won’t be slaying legendary beasts or getting famous."

He shrugged.

"But it’s steady work, and if you’re careful, you live long enough to climb."

Arthur asked, "Do most people move up?"

Ryn shook his head.

"Some do. Most don’t."

Arthur didn’t look surprised.

And Ryn noticed.

"You already figured that out, didn’t you?"

Arthur nodded.

"Not everyone survives long enough."

Ryn smiled faintly.

"Exactly."

He did not say it bitterly or with anger.

But like someone stating a simple truth.

Arthur realized something then.

Ryn didn’t seem to hate being bronze.

He didn’t feel resentful.

And felt like he stood where he was because he chose to.

Ryn continued.

"Bronze squads work in rotations. Some days you’ll be assigned with your full squad. Other days, you’ll be attached to mixed teams depending on mission type."

"So we won’t always work together," Arthur said.

"Right." Ryn answered calmly.

Arthur nodded in response. That made sense.

Ryn looked at him seriously, and finally broke the pause.

"But I am looking forward to working with you."

Arthur met his gaze.

"Why?"

Ryn shrugged.

"You walked out of your first dungeon with a boss core."

Arthur replied calmly.

"I was lucky."

Ryn laughed. "Luck still counts."

And Arthur didn’t argue.

Ryn studied again him for a moment.

"You don’t complain much."

Arthur answered simply.

"Complaining doesn’t change anything."

Ryn’s smile grew a little wider.

"I like that."

They started walking again, slowly heading into Arthur’s room.

Ryn spoke again, more casually.

"You know... I was part of the Emergency Awakening Program too."

Arthur glanced at him.

"You were?"

Ryn nodded.

"One of the early batches."

Arthur did not interrupt.

As Ryn continued.

"I awakened with low talent. Nothing special. Nothing flashy. People wrote me off immediately."

Arthur understood that feeling too well.

Ryn went on.

"Most of us from that batch either died or disappeared."

Arthur asked, "How did you survive?"

Ryn was quiet for a moment.

"Luck. And one commander."

Arthur already had a guess.

"Lyra."

Ryn nodded.

"She was part of the program too. Long before I was."

Arthur’s steps slowed slightly.

Ryn noticed.

"She had it worse than most. Bad talent. Bad reputation. Bad background."

Arthur asked, "Then how did she become a commander?"

Ryn smiled.

"She figured out how to use what she had better than anyone else."

Arthur listened carefully.

"She didn’t suddenly become a genius," Ryn said. "She just kept forcing her talent to work in ways the system didn’t expect."

Arthur felt a faint stirring in his chest.

Ryn continued.

"She noticed me during a screening. Said my talent wasn’t useless. Said I just didn’t know how to apply it yet."

Arthur asked, "And she trained you?"

Ryn nodded.

"She taught me how to fight around my weaknesses instead of crying about them."

Arthur didn’t comment, but he understood.

Ryn looked genuinely relaxed as he spoke.

"She dragged a lot of people like me into the Sixth Division. People nobody wanted."

Arthur said, "That explains the reputation."

Ryn chuckled.

"Yeah. We’re the division of misfits."

Arthur thought about it.

Emergency awakened.

Low talent.

Strange cases.

And now him.

It fit too well.

Ryn continued.

"She doesn’t treat bronze squads like trash. She actually expects us to improve."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "That’s not normal?"

Ryn shook his head.

"Most divisions see bronze as expendable labor."

Arthur didn’t like that word. Expendable.

Ryn noticed his expression, and continued.

"Lyra doesn’t."

He spoke firmly.

"She looks for ways to make us useful. Ways to keep us alive. Ways to squeeze value out of what we have."

Arthur said quietly.

"That’s rare."

Ryn nodded.

"That’s why people like me stay."

Arthur could see it clearly now.

Ryn didn’t admire Lyra because she was strong.

He admired her because she understood.

Ryn stopped inside the room finally.

"Our division has two main rules."

Arthur looked at him.

"First. Get stronger."

"Second. Keep each other alive."

Ryn continued.

"We currently have the lowest death rate among all divisions."

Arthur was slightly surprised.

"That’s not by accident."

Ryn met his eyes.

"Everyone pulls their weight. Everyone improves. No dead weight."

Arthur replied calmly.

"I wouldn’t plan on being dead weight."

Ryn smiled.

"Good."