Every year, during the finals of the Rank-Ascending Competition, the betting market opened—and it was always a high-stakes affair. Some families became overnight billionaires, while others lost everything.

Since Star Alliance itself hosted the betting pool, there was no limit to how much you could wager, so the numbers involved were staggering.

While the crowd outside the mist was going wild placing bets, inside the fog lay a massive mountain. All across the slopes were stone-built structures