Chapter 4 — Part 1 The Cloak
Aria met me at the door with her sketchbook already tucked under her arm.
“Come on,” she said. “I have time to show you before I leave.”
Her house still didn’t feel real.
It wasn’t just big—it was engineered. Clean lines, tall ceilings, and walls that looked like they were made to hide things inside them. Subtle mana-integrated fixtures were embedded everywhere: temperature control that didn’t hum, lighting that adjusted without switches, security sensors that were invisible unless you knew what to look for.
Her parents weren’t home.
Aria had mentioned it earlier like it was nothing.
“They won’t be back for a week,” she said, leading me through the hallway. “Some party. Work thing.”
Well off didn’t even cover it.
Her parents were awakened engineers—the kind that didn’t clear Gates, but built the tech Hunters relied on. Awakened devices. Stabilizers. Reinforcement systems. Things that kept infrastructure from collapsing when monsters showed up.
It made sense now why her art felt… different.
She didn’t just draw pretty things.
She drew systems.
We stepped into her studio. It was the only room in the house that looked lived in. Sketches stacked in uneven piles, half-finished drafts taped to the wall, notes scribbled in the margins like she was constantly arguing with herself on paper.
She placed the sketchbook on the table and opened it.
“I’m warning you,” she said. “This took a ridiculous amount of work.”
On the page was a cloak.
It looked like something a top-tier Hunter would wear if they had access to prototype gear—sleek fabric with faint lines woven through it like embedded circuitry. The clasp at the collar looked like a compact control module, minimal and clean.
“Drawing a normal cloak wouldn’t give the effect we wanted,” Aria said. “So I designed it like advanced awakened tech.”
She flipped a few pages back.
Notes. Diagrams. Words like refraction, bend radius, edge distortion, thermal bleed, scribbled between rough sketches of cloaks and silhouettes.
“I did research on how visibility is supposed to work,” she said. “I don’t need to fully understand everything. Just enough that my skill can fill in the gaps.”
She tapped the page once, then placed her palm over the drawing.
Mana shimmered.
The cloak lifted from the paper like it was being pulled out of a screen.
Real.
Weighty.
Soft fabric, but with a strange firmness where the “tech” lines ran.
She handed it to me.
“Put it on.”
I draped it over my shoulders. It settled naturally, one-size-fits-all like she promised, adjusting so smoothly it felt like it had always been mine.
“It doesn’t need to cover your whole body,” she said. “Just press the button.”
“The button?”
She pointed at the clasp.
I pressed it.
The air shimmered for half a second.
Then my hands disappeared.
My body vanished.
The cloak vanished with me.
I stared down at where I should’ve been.
Nothing.
“Don’t freak out,” Aria said, voice calm but sharp. “Move slow.”
I took a careful step.
No flicker.
No distortion.
It held.
“It’s powered by my mana,” she said. “Which means it’s draining me the entire time. You have to stay within one hundred feet. If you move out of range, it drops.”
“What about powering it myself?” I asked.
Aria hesitated.
“Maybe later,” she said. “You just awakened. You probably don’t even know how to use mana yet. And even if you did… it depends on whether our powers resonate enough to harmonize.”
My head spun slightly at the words.
Resonate. Harmonize.
I didn’t fully understand.
But I got the point.
“For now, I’m the battery,” she said. “And I can hold it for about an hour max. After that, I’m out.”
I pressed the clasp again.
The shimmer returned.
My body snapped back into view.
I took the cloak off carefully like it was fragile.
Aria pulled it from my hands and returned it to her sketchbook. The cloak folded itself flat across the page like it belonged there.
She exhaled.
“Okay,” she said, slinging her bag onto her shoulder. “Now I have to go.”
“The exam?” I asked.
“My Hunter exams,” she said.
She paused at the doorway.
“Get comfortable,” she added. “Seriously. My parents won’t be home for a week.”
Then she pointed at me like she was issuing a warning.
“And don’t touch anything that looks expensive.”
“That’s everything,” I said.
“Exactly.”
She said jokingly.
The house went quiet again.
I stood in the middle of a place that felt way too big for two people.
Then I wandered back to the living room and sank into the couch.
I grabbed the remote and flipped on Rexflix.
Something called Hers and His was trending.
Apparently it was a murder mystery.
I stared at the screen for a moment, then laughed quietly to myself.
Her parents could have probably built me an invisibility suite but I would rather not get them involved.
Don’t want to risk their jobs over this. At least if me and Aria get caught it would be a slap on the wrist.
The Hunter Licensing Center didn’t look intimidating.
It looked administrative.
White floors. Clean walls. Digital kiosks lining the entrance. A large screen displaying rank classifications and Gate color codes like it was a DMV for superhumans.
Aria checked in with her ID.
Her combat evaluation had already been recorded months ago. A-rank output. Stable control. High precision.
She had never followed through with the written portion.
Until now.
She sat down at her assigned terminal.
The screen lit up.
United States Hunter Licensing Examination
Candidate: Aria M.
Rank Evaluation: A-tier Output (Provisional)
Status: Written & Operational Knowledge Required
She rolled her shoulders once and began.
Section 1: Rank Classification & Bottleneck Recognition
Question 1:
Match each rank with its official Hunter title, Gate color, and CP bottleneck point.
Rank | Hunter Title | Gate Color | CP Max / Bottleneck
E — Novice Hunter — Grey — 8
D — Operative Hunter — Green — 25
C — Striker Hunter — Light Blue — 99
B — Ironclad Hunter — Dark Blue — 299
A — Elite Hunter — Light Purple — 1,499
S — Ascendant Hunter — Dark Purple — 5,999
SS — Sovereign Hunter — Gold — 29,999
SSS — Apex Hunter — Crimson — 199,999
She selected them without hesitation.
The system locked in her answers.
Section 2: Mana Cost & Activation Knowledge
Question 2:
What is the standard average mana cost required to activate skills at each rank?
Rank | Mana Cost
E — 10
D — 20
C — 40
B — 80
A — 160
S — 320
SS — 640
SSS — 1,280
She tapped through.
Basic scaling logic. Each rank doubling from the previous tier. Standardized for training reference, not exact combat usage.
Section 3: Historical Foundations
Question 3:
In what year did the Great Catastrophe occur?
2040
Question 4:
When did the Day of the Devourer take place?
2045
Question 5:
What was Nullwyrm officially classified as?
Apex-tier (SSS-ranked entity).
Question 6:
How many SS-ranked Sovereign Hunters mobilized during the Devourer incident?
Ten.
Question 7:
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
When was the CP Standardization Protocol implemented?
Within the first year of the Great Catastrophe, after global survival bottleneck studies.
Question 8 (Written Response):
Explain the known classifications of Gate recurrence patterns and summarize what is currently understood about monster cores and their applications.
Aria’s Response:
Gates are not uniform in behavior. Based on recorded global data since 2040, Gates generally fall into three behavioral categories.
First, there are recurring Gates. These are Gates that are cleared but later reappear in the same or nearby geographic location. Their internal ecosystem is often similar to prior manifestations, though monster composition may vary slightly. Recurring Gates are typically used for controlled resource extraction and routine Hunter deployment.
Second, there are one-time Gates. These appear once and never reoccur. They are usually more unstable and tend to be more dangerous. However, they are also known to contain higher-quality loot, rarer materials, and unique monster types not found in recurring environments.
Third, there are corrupted or modified Gates. Very little is known about them. Only one confirmed case exists in history—the Devourer’s Gate. It exhibited anomalous behavior inconsistent with known classification systems. The internal structure, ecosystem control, and power density exceeded its projected model. Research remains inconclusive.
Monsters within Gates drop cores upon defeat. The color of the core corresponds to the color classification of the Gate, and the strength of the core scales with the monster’s rank and Combat Power. Monster cores are used in research, artifact crafting, energy systems, reinforcement materials, and awakened technology development.
Question 9 (Written Response):
What is a Gate Breach? Describe the conditions under which it typically occurs and provide known historical exceptions.
Aria’s Response:
A Gate Breach occurs when a Gate is not cleared within a certain timeframe, causing monsters to spill out into the surrounding physical environment.
Breaches most commonly occur when a Gate goes uncleared for several months. As internal monster populations grow and CP density increases, pressure builds against the dimensional boundary. If left unresolved, the barrier fails.
However, not all breaches follow this slow pattern. Some Gates have breached far more rapidly. In rare cases, certain Gates have breached almost instantly upon manifestation.
The most notable historical example is the Day of the Devourer, during which high-tier Gates demonstrated immediate instability and monster emergence without extended dormancy.
Because breach timing is inconsistent, all active Gates must be monitored and cleared within designated safety windows to prevent civilian exposure and large-scale damage.
Section 4: Operational Law & Gate Protocol
Question 10:
If a Gate exhibits classification anomalies inconsistent with its color designation, what is the required procedure?
Immediate reporting to the Hunters Commission and escalation review.
Question 11:
What determines the official Gate color assignment?
internal CP
Question 12:
What is the maximum theorized human CP threshold before structural collapse risk?
199,999 CP.
Section 5: Ethical & Legal Compliance
Scenario 1:
If a licensed Hunter falsifies CP readings for financial gain, what is the correct course of action?
Report to the Commission for investigation and license review.
Scenario 2:
If civilians are present within a Gate breach zone?
Secure civilians before monster engagement when feasible.
Scenario 3:
If a Hunter enters a Gate without a valid license?
Subject to fines, suspension, or arrest depending on severity.
She smirked slightly at that one.
She finished in under an hour.
The system processed.
Result: PASS
Rank Classification Confirmed: A-Rank Elite Hunter
License Status: Active
Her phone vibrated immediately after she exited the building.
She texted me.
“Passed.”
Back at the House
I was halfway through episode two of Hers and His when she walked in.
“Well?” I asked without turning around.
She tossed her certification onto my chest.
“I’m an Elite Hunter now.”
I paused the show.
“Congratulations.”
She dropped onto the couch beside me.
“That was easier than my art finals.”
“I would hope so.”
She leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
“It’s official now,” she said quietly. “I can legally enter Gates.”
“And I can illegally enter with you.”
She turned her head slowly.
“One thousand dollar fine.”
“I know.”
She shook her head and laughed.
We ordered takeout.
Watched another episode.
Argued about which suspect was lying in the murder mystery.
Eventually it got late.
The house was quiet.
“You might as well stay,” she said casually. “No point walking back this late.”
“Fair.”
So I stayed.
Tomorrow, we shop.
Gear.
Supplies.
The awakened supply district didn’t look like a fantasy marketplace.
It looked like a tech strip mall.
Glass storefronts. Clean signage. Security scanners at every entrance. Subtle mana barriers embedded in doorframes to detect unstable artifacts. Digital boards flashing Gate alerts and price changes like stock tickers.
Aria walked like she belonged there.
Technically, now she did.
A-rank Elite Hunter.
Licensed.
Recognized.
I walked a half step behind her, hood up, hands in my pockets. Not hiding. Just… unregistered.
We started small.
Basic field supply shop.
No neon weapons. No legendary relics.
Just practical gear.
The clerk behind the counter didn’t even look up.
“Rank?” he asked.
“A,” Aria replied casually.
That changed his posture immediately.
“Elite clearance aisle three,” he said.
Dungeon escape crystals.
Clear spheres the size of a coin, sealed in protective cases.
“Single-use teleport,” the clerk recited automatically. “Activates upon mana injection. Emergency extraction to the nearest registered Gate perimeter.”
“How reliable?” I asked.
“E to B rank, ninety-eight percent success rate.”
We bought two.
We bought E rank: health potions, mana potions and reinforcement wraps.
Light compression material that stabilized muscle strain and reduced injury from blunt impact.
Low-tier but useful.
Then rations.
Compact protein bars. Mana-stable hydration packs. Nothing that would rot mid-dungeon.
“Feels weird buying snacks for something that might try to kill us,” I muttered.
“Professional snacks,” Aria corrected.
Aria paid 2,000 USD.
When I heard the price it felt like the Vaelreth king had flicked me again!
Aria looks at me and laughs “ don’t worry about it, consider it an investment.”
I opened my system panel discreetly.
Inventory
I touched the crystals and willed it inward.
It vanished.
A faint grid slot filled.
Aria leaned closer.
“Okay, that’s really cool.”
I tested the wraps next.
They disappeared too.
The grid was almost at half capacity already.
“This thing is tiny,” I said under my breath.
“How much space?”
“Just enough for the supplies.”
“Probably scales with you.”
That was becoming the running theory for everything.
We stepped back onto the main street.
Into the weapon shop.
The weapons store felt different.
Dimmer lighting.
Walls lined with steel, alloy, reinforced composite materials.
Blades suspended in display fields.
A faint hum of mana running through certain racks.
The attendant this time actually looked at us.
“Looking for anything specific?” he asked.
Aria glanced at me.
“Beginner weapon,” she said. “Unenchanted.”
He blinked.
“Unenchanted?”
“Yes.”
He gestured toward a section near the back.
We walked slowly.
Spears with weighted balance grips.
Short blades optimized for speed.
Heavy blunt weapons built for brute force.
I picked up a spear first.
Too long.
Tried a dagger.
Too close-range.
An axe.
Too heavy.
My movements felt untrained.
Because they were.
“I’ve never used weapons,” I admitted.
“Then go standard,” Aria said.
We stopped in front of a rack of swords.
Nothing ornate.
Just clean steel.
Balanced grip.
Medium length.
I picked one up.
It felt… right.
Decent range.
Defensive options.
Offensive reach.
If I mess up, at least I have space.
The clerk approached again.
“That model has an E-rank enhanced variant,” he said. “Reinforced core, minor edge retention enchantment.”
Aria looked at me.
“Get that one.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
She frowned.
“It’s not even that expensive.”
“That’s not the point.”
She crossed her arms.
“I don’t want to take advantage of you,” I said quietly. “You already built me a cloak. You’re registering for me. Buying Gate rights.”
“It’s not charity.”
“I know. But still.”
She stared at me.
I smirked slightly.
“Besides, if I become absurdly powerful one day, maybe your parents can build me something ridiculous.”
She blinked.
Then I laughed.
“They design infrastructure-scale awakened tech. Not vanity swords.”
“So you’re saying there’s a chance.”
“They’re insanely busy,” she said. “We’ll see when the time comes.”
We settled on the basic model.
No enhancement.
Just steel.
I paid for it myself 100 dollars, it still hurt ;/ .
It wasn’t glamorous.
But it was mine.
Back outside, Aria stopped at a digital Gate registry terminal.
A holographic list appeared.
Active Gates in surrounding region.
Grey — E-rank — Stable
Green — D-rank — Active
Light Blue — C-rank — Limited Slots
She filtered to E-rank.
Recently manifested.
Low internal CP density.
Cleared twice before in similar variants.
Recurring pattern probability: Moderate.
She selected it.
“Purchasing entry rights,” the terminal confirmed.
Payment processed.
Gate assigned under license: Aria M. — A-Rank Elite Hunter.
She turned to me.
“We’re officially scheduled.”
I asked her “how much was it?”
“You don’t wanna know”
I looked down at the sword in my hand.
Then at the faint inventory grid in my vision.
Then at her.
This wasn’t theory anymore.
Tomorrow—
We step inside.
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it.
My first real fight.
E+ rank.
8 Combat Power.
And a sword I barely knew how to hold.
I rolled onto my side and stared at the ceiling of Aria’s guest room.
She was helping me more than she had to.
Registering.
Taking exams.
Creating an invisibility cloak.
Buying Gate access.
I didn’t know how I could ever repay her.
Eventually, exhaustion won.
—
The next morning, we met at 11 am.
The Gate sat at the edge of a half-constructed business district—temporary fencing surrounding a warped oval tear in space.
Grey.
Stable.
A small perimeter had been established. Warning tape. A digital sign flashing:
E-Rank Gate — Licensed Entry Only
Two C-rank guards stood nearby in Commission-standard field uniforms. They were relaxed.
E rank Gates weren't a high threat.
This was routine.
Still—
Protocol demanded oversight in case of destabilization.
I stood behind a parked utility van while Aria opened her sketchbook.
She handed me the cloak.
“Stay close,” she said quietly.
I fastened it around my shoulders.
Pressed the clasp.
The world shimmered.
I vanished.
“There’s a noise suppression layer built into it,” she continued calmly. “The cloak disperses sound vibrations through the field. Even A-rank Hunters would struggle to hear you moving.”
I shifted slightly.
My boots made no sound.
“But I’ll still sense you,” she added. “Because it’s running off my mana. I’ll feel the drain. Stay within one hundred feet.”
“I know.”
She closed the sketchbook and tucked it under her arm.
Then she walked toward the guards.
I followed.
Invisible.
The two C-rank guards straightened slightly when they saw her approach.
“License,” one of them said.
Aria held up her digital ID.
They scanned it.
Their brows furrowed.
“A-rank?” one of them said.
The other glanced between her and the grey Gate.
“You’re clearing this?”
“Yeah,” she said simply.
They exchanged a look.
For a second, I felt the tension.
Then one of them pulled up her clear history.
Minimal activity.
Newly licensed.
No completed Gates yet.
Understanding dawned.
“First gate jitters?” one of them asked casually.
Aria gave a small shrug. “Something like that.”
They nodded.
That made sense to them.
An A-rank Elite starting with something safe.
No shame in that.
“Gate’s stable,” the guard said. “No recorded internal anomalies. Clear window’s open.”
He stepped aside.
The air near the Gate felt colder.
Heavy.
Like standing near deep water.
Aria took one step forward.
I stayed close.
The grey surface rippled faintly.
My heart pounded so hard I thought the cloak might malfunction from the vibration alone.
No backing out now.
Aria didn’t look back.
She walked straight into the Gate.
And I followed her into the unknown.
