Location: Draco’s Apartment — 2:30 AM
The dungeon was still on my mind.
I cleared it.
Showered.
Ate whatever was left in the fridge.
Then I lay down.
Waiting.
He said he would return when I was alone.
So far nothing. I lay down in my bed and eventually fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes,
The ceiling of my apartment faded into drifting starlight.
The floor disappeared.
Gravity ceased to matter.
And then—
A throne.
Fragmented starlight suspended in impossible geometry.
And seated upon it—
The white silhouette.
Featureless.
Humanoid.
Entirely radiant.
“ You might be wondering what's going on, It costs less authority to appear within dreams.”
The voice was clearer than before.
Stronger.
“Direct manifestation within the physical plane would require expenditure neither of us can currently afford.”
He studied me for a moment.
Or at least it felt like he did.
“Before we proceed, it would be appropriate to introduce myself thoroughly.”
The stars behind him shifted.
Galaxies rotated slowly in silent arcs.
“You would not be able to comprehend my true name.”
The void trembled.
Symbols formed in front of me.
Unfamiliar.
???
They felt heavy.
Like concepts too large to translate.
“This is the closest your cognition can approximate.”
A pause.
“You may call me Aetherion Prime, I am one of the Constellation Authorities aligned with the Luminarch Assembly.”
The throne pulsed faintly.
“Among my peers, I am responsible for Earth. When the System was designed, multiple authorities contributed fragments of governance. I contributed structure, manifestation logic, and adaptive scaling parameters.”
So he helped build it.
The hunters.
The ranks.
“You were not chosen randomly. You are compatible with my domain. That compatibility allows for symbiosis.”
The Creation Seed flickered in my awareness.
“The Seed accelerates your growth under stress. In return, your growth restores my depleted authority. You are my representative within the terrestrial conflict.”
Not servant.
Not pawn.
Representative.
Avatar.
The void darkened slightly.
“The hostile Nebula we are dealing with primarily is known as the Drowned Choir.”
“They are aligned with entropy, despair, and systemic collapse. They feed upon instability across developing civilizations.”
My jaw tightened.
“If you remember, the Crimson Gate was not random. It was a coordinated authority expenditure designed to eliminate you before your awakening could stabilize. The Luminarch Assembly counteracted that escalation. Both sides are now weakened.”
The stars behind him dimmed briefly.
“Neither Nebula can act openly without provoking direct cosmic confrontation.”
Which meant—
Earth.
“The battlefield has shifted to the material plane.”
Through humans.
Through Gates.
Through growth.
“The Cult of Evolution is a surface-level destabilization vector. They believe they are guiding humanity forward. They do not understand the forces nudging their ideology.”
So they were being used.
But not directly controlled.
“True agents remain hidden.”
The throne shifted slightly.
Authority humming faintly.
“System limits exist because unrestricted growth would destabilize planetary equilibrium and expose higher existence prematurely.”
So the rank ceilings weren’t arbitrary, They were containment.
“You will exceed them.”
I crossed my arms.
“Why can’t you just tell me everything now?”
“There are many rules binding the system together, even though I had a hand in making it I must still follow the rules enacted by the covenant. The stronger you become the more I will be allowed to say. I am also too weak to spend authority hastily. I have not yet fully recovered.”
The Seed pulsed faintly.
“Continue climbing. Each threshold restores more than your strength.”
“You are no longer alone. Remember I am always with you. … Till we meet again.”
I woke up in my apartment.
10 AM.
Heart steady.
Mind racing.
I sat there for a second.
Processing.
Aetherion Prime.
Nebulae.
Cosmic stalemates.
Then my stomach growled.
Reality wins.
I rolled out of bed, grabbed a bowl, and poured Cinnamon Toast Brunch until the cereal mountain nearly collapsed. Milk. Spoon. Couch.
I turned on the TV.
News channel.
Red banner across the bottom.
BREAKING: AWAKENED ROBBERY IN PROGRESS — DOWNTOWN DELAWARE
I stopped chewing.
The camera cut to a bank.
Glass doors shattered.
Police cruisers surrounding the building.
Helicopters overhead.
A reporter stood crouched behind a vehicle.
“We can confirm at least three Awakened individuals are inside the building. Authorities believe they are A-rank Hunters operating independently. Hostages are currently being held. Police are unable to engage due to the risk of collateral casualties.”
The feed cut to shaky phone footage from inside.
Three figures.
Masks.
Flashy.
Overconfident.
One was tall and broad with glowing reinforced skin.
Probably a body enhancement type.
Another had flickering arcs of electricity dancing between his fingers.
The third levitated slightly off the ground, gravity distortion rippling around her boots.
The big one slammed a fist into a vault door.
Metal buckled inward.
“Let’s move! Grab everything!”
The electric guy laughed.
“Relax, man. No Sovereign’s gonna show up for a couple million.”
The gravity girl snapped at a crying hostage.
“Shut up and sit still. Nobody dies if you behave.”
Simple.
Just power and money.
Outside, police commanders barked into radios.
But no one moved.
Because if they rushed in—
A rank Awakened versus civilians?
Too risky.
I crunched cereal slowly.
Awakened crime, It is all over the place. With how easy it is to make money as a hunter you would think people would stop trying “get rich quick” schemes but many people don’t like the thought of risking their life in a dungeon.
The camera feed switched.
Black luxury sedan pulling through traffic a few blocks away.
On-screen caption:
SOVEREIGN KOFI ADEYEMI ARRIVES IN U.S. FOR RESOURCE SUMMIT
The vehicle was sleek and angular.
Matte black.
Badge on the grille read:
Burelios V12 Sovereign Edition
Inside, Kofi Adeyemi sat calmly.
Tall.
Broad.
Green-trimmed formal attire beneath a tailored coat.
Eyes forward.
Then—
He glanced at a side monitor showing the robbery coverage.
“Change of plans take me to this robbery.”
His driver spoke quietly.
“Sir, we are already behind schedule.”
Kofi’s expression didn’t change.
“I'd rather be late than let this robbery go down.”
After a couple minutes of driving, the car slowed.
Stopped.
The door opened.
He stepped out.
Outside the bank, police froze.
Whispers moved like wind.
“The Verdant Tyrant…”
Kofi closed his eyes briefly.
The ground beneath him trembled softly.
Subtle.
Invisible to most.
But under the asphalt—
Roots.
Microbial threads.
Urban tree networks.
He extended his awareness downward.
Bio-mana diffusing outward like a pulse.
Through soil.
Through sewer systems.
Through forgotten cracks in the foundation.
He listened.
Vibration mapping.
Heartbeats.
Three enhanced pulses.
Twenty-seven civilian pulses.
Vault breach progress.
He opened his eyes.
Inside the bank, the electric robber laughed.
“Yo! We’re rich!”
Behind him—
A faint shift in the floor.
Unnoticed.
Kofi’s fingers moved slightly outside.
In the street.
He pressed his palm to the pavement.
Emerald veins pulsed outward beneath the surface.
Root Sovereignty.
He saw through fine root filaments threading through foundation cracks.
Blurry.
Organic.
But clear enough.
He inhaled slowly.
Then stepped forward—
And disappeared.
Not teleportation.
Transfer.
His body dissolved into compressed bio-mana.
Flowed through root lattice beneath the building.
Reassembled—
Behind the robbers.
The gravity girl sensed something.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Turned.
Too late.
Thorned vines erupted from beneath her boots.
Wrapped her ankles.
Spiked upward.
Pinning arms and torso mid-air.
The electric one fired instinctively.
Lightning cracked across the lobby.
Kofi lifted one hand.
Verdant Bastion.
A wall of hardened interwoven plant matter surged upward.
Absorbed the current.
Converted it.
The big one roared and charged.
Skin glowing metallic.
Kofi didn’t move.
He stomped once.
Thorn Ascendancy.
Dozens of reinforced spikes shot upward from polished marble.
Pierced through sleeves.
Pinned limbs to the floor.
No fatal strikes.
Perfect control.
The electric one tried to overcharge.
Roots surged across his chest.
Compressed.
Disrupted nerve flow.
He collapsed.
Three A rank Hunters.
Neutralized in under seven seconds.
Hostages stared.
Silent.
Kofi looked around calmly.
“Remain seated.”
No one argued.
He stepped outside.
Media instantly swarmed.
Microphones shoved forward.
Flashes exploded.
“President Adeyemi! Was this coordinated?”
He adjusted his cuffs.
Voice steady.
“When power grows faster than discipline, instability follows.”
A slight pause.
“Nature corrects imbalance.”
He walked back to the Aurelios.
Entered.
Door shut.
Engine purred.
Car pulled away toward Washington.
Cut back.
I was still on the couch.
Spoon halfway to my mouth.
Cereal soggy.
I chewed slowly.
“Nature corrects imbalance,” I muttered.
A rank criminals stopped in seconds.
Sovereigns moving like chess pieces.
Nebulae watching.
And I was sitting here eating Cinnamon Toast Brunch.
The world was accelerating.
And I felt like just another pawn on the board. But hey isn't the saying that pawns are one of the mightiest pieces on the board? They have infinite potential.
Location: Draco’s Apartment — Afternoon
I finished the last of my Cinnamon Toast Brunch and set the bowl down.
Reality settled back in.
I gave Aria almost everything yesterday.
The cores.
The rabbits.
I only kept five E-rank cores in reserve — emergency stock. Health and mana replenishment if things go sideways.
Everything else was sold.
If I was going to attempt a D- rank Gate, I couldn’t walk in underprepared.
I was already pretty badly injured during the last boss fight. I rather not go through that again.
Cores Collected:
- 14 × E-Rank Goblin Patroller Crystals
- 5 × E-Rank Goblin Guard Crystals
- 1 × E+ Rank Crystal (Goblin General)
Total cores collected: 20
I kept:
- 5 × E-rank cores (for restoration use)
Sold:
- 15 cores total
- 14 × E-rank cores
- 1 × E+ rank core
Plus:
- 21 rabbits
Later that afternoon, Aria texted me.
“Should get paid tomorrow for the cores and rabbits.”
I leaned back in my chair.
Good.
I decided to take it easy that day.
No training.
No dungeon prep.
Just adjusting.
D rank felt different.
My body felt lighter.
Sharper.
My mana circulation smoother.
But just because I went up one rank didn’t mean I was strong.
My phone buzzed mid-morning.
Transfer received.
I opened the banking app.
My jaw dropped.
$2,440.
I blinked.
No way.
Rabbits:
21 × $40 = $840
E-Rank Cores:
14 × $100 = $1,400
E+ Rank Core:
1 × $200 = $200
Total:
= $2,440
After tax.
From an E-rank dungeon.
I stared at the number.
I knew hunting was lucrative.
But almost $2,500 from goblins and rabbits?
Soon I’d be swimming in cash.
No wonder Beginner gear cost what it did.
No wonder Sovereigns lived like kings.
This industry prints money … If you survive.
Aria called shortly after.
“I signed us up for a D- Gate that’s supposed to be activating in a couple days.”
“Which one?”
“Kobold dungeon. Stable pattern. A lot of archived data.”
Good.
That’s exactly what I asked for.
If I’m stepping up in rank, I want predictability.
Information is survival.
I spent the next several hours researching:
- Kobold attack formations
- Trap guides
- Pack behavior
- Weak points (underarm, throat, rear knee tendon)
- Fire sensitivity
- Fear response to sudden flash explosions
- How they respond to poison gas
Kobolds aren’t strong individually.
But they swarm.
They use tunnels.
Ambush angles.
Flanking pressure.
Dungeons are not meant to be cleared solo.
That wasn’t an exaggeration.
It was design.
And I didn’t have:
- Party members
- Active combat abilities
Just Core Assimilation.
And brainpower.
So this time—
I wasn’t brute forcing.
I was preparing.
I headed to the Hunter Supply Store downtown.
My current sword?
Is not even ranked
Good against goblins.
Not good enough for a D- rank dungeon.
I picked up a D rank steel longsword.
Balanced. Reinforced spine. Mana-conductive core channel.
Price: $800
I swiped my card.
Next:
Light armor.
Layered plating over flexible under-weave.
Enough to deflect glancing blows without sacrificing mobility.
Price: $400
That left me with:
= $1,240 remaining
I invested it.
- Flash bombs
- Basic mana-triggered fragmentation charges
- Paralytic toxin vials
- Gas capsules
- Reinforced climbing rope
- Collapsible spike traps
I had to dip into my savings to cover all the supplies. I am down to 7,000 in my bank account
If kobolds swarm—
I funnel them.
If they tunnel—
I collapse exits.
If they charge—
I blind and disrupt.
No heroics.
No ego.
Dungeons are war zones.
And I am still a small fish in an ocean full of sharks.
As I laid the gear out across my apartment floor, I stared at it all.
I felt prepared.
I’d rather be cautious than dead.
Because in this world?
There are no respawns.
Chapter 7 — Part 4: Crossing Threads
I messaged bother Camila and Aria
Me: Free tomorrow?
Camila: Yeah.
Me: Free tomorrow?
Aria: Depends. Are you buying? you just made a small fortune.
Me: Sure.
Aria: I'll think about it >:D
( Thats a yes )
Location: Moonleaf Café — Late Morning
I got there first.
On purpose.
Moonleaf Corner was quieter around this time. Late morning meant the rush had passed, but the brunch crowd hadn’t fully taken over yet. Soft sunlight filtered through the windows, warming the wooden tables.
Hana Sol was behind the counter as usual, sleeves rolled up, espresso machine humming under her hands. She glanced up when I entered.
“You’re here early.”
“You could say I have somewhat of a date today” I replied.
“A date?”
“Yeah let’s call it news is blind ;)”
“No Idea what you’re talking about but have fun”
Jae moved past me with a tray balanced effortlessly in one hand.
“You’re alone though?” he asked casually.
“For now.”
He gave me a look that suggested he already knew where this was going.
I decided to switch it up and chose the window table.
In case this went south at least we had a view.
Aria walked in first.
Hair slightly messy. Sketchbook tucked under one arm.
She spotted me immediately.
“You beat me here?”
“I know. Shocking.”
She slid into the seat across from me.
“So why did you want to meet up so last minute anyway? Is anyone else coming? Because you could of just came to my house if you wanted a secret in person meeting”
I shrugged lightly.
“Maybe.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“Define maybe.”
Before I could answer—
The bell above the door chimed again.
Camila Reyes stepped inside, scanning the café before her eyes landed on us.
There was a small pause.
Then she approached.
“Hey,” she said.
Aria blinked.
Camila blinked.
They looked at me at the same time.
“You invited her?” Aria asked.
“You invited her?” Camila asked.
Simultaneously.
I raised both hands slightly.
“I invited both of you.”
Silence.
Not hostile.
Just… recalibrating.
Aria leaned back slowly.
“Oh.”
Camila adjusted the strap on her bag.
“Right.”
There was a beat.
Then Aria gave a polite half-smile.
“Hi. We’ve technically met. Briefly.”
Camila nodded.
“Yeah. Gate chaos isn’t the best icebreaker.”
Aria exhaled lightly.
“No, it’s not.”
I gestured to the chair beside me.
“Sit.”
Camila hesitated for a second—then did.
Not tense.
Just cautious.
They weren’t enemies.
They just didn’t properly know each other yet.
Menus appeared in front of us.
Jae had materialized silently.
“Good morning,” he said evenly.
He looked at Camila.
“New face.”
“Camila,” she replied.
“Jae.”
No handshake.
Just acknowledgment.
He set down three menus.
“You’re all eating?”
“Yes,” Aria said immediately.
“Very much yes.”
Jae nodded and disappeared again.
The table fell into that slightly awkward rhythm of three people trying to sync conversation.
Camila leaned toward Aria.
“I saw your sketches online after the campus incident.”
Aria perked up slightly.
“Oh?”
“The skyline one. With the cracks in the sky.”
Aria relaxed just a little.
“You noticed that?”
“It was good.”
That earned Camila a genuine look of interest.
Aria tried to break the ice with one of her jokes
“So are you going to try to get a story out of us over brunch?”
Camila smirked faintly.
“Not unless you start confessing things.”
A beat.
Then Aria laughed softly.
Jae returned with his notepad.
“What are we having?”
Aria didn’t hesitate.
“Spinach omelet. Mushrooms. Feta. Extra toast.”
Camila glanced at the menu.
“I’ll do the avocado toast plate. And coffee.”
Jae looked at me.
“Combo again?”
“Yeah.”
“Cheese?”
“Obviously.”
He wrote nothing down.
“Of course.”
He walked away.
The awkwardness had softened.
Aria stirred her water idly.
“So,” she said to Camila, “what’s the most ridiculous rumor you’ve heard this week?”
Camila didn’t miss a beat.
“That Sovereigns are secretly lizard people.”
Aria blinked.
“…I kind of love that.”
I leaned back in my chair, watching them.
They weren’t fully comfortable yet.
But they were trying.
Careful jokes.
Measured tone.
Testing boundaries.
Which was exactly what I’d hoped for.
And for the first time that morning—
The air didn’t feel tense.
Just… transitional.
Three people.
Same table.
Different worlds.
Starting to overlap.
Brunch had settled into something steady.
The initial awkwardness faded into manageable conversation. Camila was explaining how online engagement metrics spike during crisis cycles. Aria was countering with how artists secretly love crisis cycles because suffering sells.
I was halfway through my second sausage when Hana Sol stepped out from behind the counter.
She held her phone in one hand.
“Small problem,” she said calmly.
We all looked up.
“The flour delivery truck broke down two blocks south. It’s sitting on the shoulder. I need someone to retrieve the shipment.”
Jae glanced over but didn’t move. He was balancing three plates at once.
“I can’t leave,” Hana added. “And we are short-staffed. Sorry to bother you during your date, I just know I can trust you with this.”
There was a brief silence.
Aria looked at Camila.
Camila looked at Aria.
I wiped my hands on a napkin and stood.
“I’ll go.”
Aria frowned slightly. “You sure?”
“It’s two blocks.”
Hana studied me for a second.
Then nodded.
“White truck. Company logo says Eastfield Supply.”
A couple minutes later …
The Truck
It was easy to spot.
Hazard lights blinking. Hood up. Driver pacing with mild frustration.
“Moonleaf?” he asked when I approached.
“Yeah.”
He opened the back.
I immediately questioned volunteering alone.
Industrial flour sacks.
Stacked high.
I grabbed one.
It wasn’t heavy given my strength but I didn’t realize just how many bags I was going to have to carry. It would be hard carrying them all by myself.
I adjusted my grip and carried it down to the sidewalk.
Then went back for another.
When I started stacking the bags on top of each other by the fifth bag, I was visibly struggling.
Shirt slightly dusted in flour.
I lifted another sack and nearly lost my grip.
That’s when an engine slowed beside the curb.
A dark metallic SUV rolled to a stop.
Clean lines. Gloss finish.
The badge on the front grille read:
Lincoln Mautilus premiere
The driver’s window lowered.
A man in his early thirties leaned slightly toward me.
Well-fitted jacket. Clean haircut. Calm eyes.
“You planning to carry the whole bakery on your own?”
I exhaled through my nose.
“Was hoping it would look less obvious.”
He chuckled lightly and stepped out.
Tall. Athletic build. Effortless posture.
“You need a hand?”
I hesitated for half a second.
Then nodded.
“Yeah. That’d help.”
He walked to the back of the truck, grabbed two sacks at once like they were gym weights, and carried them to the SUV.
He shut the trunk and extended his hand.
“Ethan Vossler.”
I shook it.
“Draco.”
“Iron Howl,” he added casually. “Field unit.”
Iron Howl.
Weiss’s guild.
I kept my expression neutral.
“Didn’t expect guild support for flour runs,” I said.
He smirked faintly.
“You looked like you were about to wage war against carbohydrates.”
We loaded the rest quickly.
Efficient. No wasted motion.
Once the last sack was secured, he gestured to the passenger side.
“I’ll drive you back. No point double hauling.”
The interior smelled like new leather.
Minimalist dash. Clean interface.
He drove smoothly.
“So,” he said casually, “you a Hunter?”
“Something like that.”
He glanced at me briefly.
“You fight?”
“Trying to.”
A faint nod.
“Climb smart,” he said. “Iron Howl recruits don’t survive by rushing.”
“For someone who is in a guide known for violence you seem pretty chill”
He laughs,
“We aren’t all roughians you know. Sometimes a few bad apples can ruin the reputation of the entire organization.”
We pulled up to Moonleaf.
He stepped out and unloaded the flour with the same effortless strength.
Before getting back into the SUV, he paused.
“You seem like a good kid”
( only a couple years younger but some people just love calling people younger than them kid )
Ethan handed me a card, “If you ever need help consider reaching out to Iron Howl we are always willing to help someone if they have the skills to back up the investment.”
Then he shut the door.
When I pushed the door open—
Aria and Camila were mid-laughter.
Not forced.
Not polite.
Actually laughing.
Camila was explaining something animatedly with her hands. Aria was sketching rapidly in the corner of her page while listening.
They’d synced.
Hana looked at the flour stacked neatly by the counter.
“Oh my, I totally forgot how much flower I ordered. If I knew it was this much I would have asked for more help. I'm sorry about that,” she said.
“It’s alright, someone gave me a ride.”
I sat back down at the table.
Camila tilted her head.
“Nice SUV.”
“You noticed?”
“Hard not to.”
Aria leaned forward slightly.
“Who was that?”
“Guild member,” I said casually. “Iron Howl. A-rank.”
That got a look.
I picked up my fork again.
Brunch resumed.
After talking for about half an hour, Aria agreed to talk with Camila about her theory after we cleared a D rank dungeon. She plans to bring in a camera and get proof that way they can publish it online.
That's when Aria’s phone buzzed, the kobold gate appeared sooner than expected and it was ready to be raided.
Our “date” ended with them exchanging numbers and Aria wanted to go grab some supplies before the dungeon.
I told her I wanted to go for a walk and clear my head that I had some things on my mind and for her to meet me near the entrance.