Total Lockdown.

  The heavy wooden door had barely clicked shut before the atmosphere in the room shifted. Master Haephastus, the man who looked like a jovial Santa Claus only moments ago, now sat in front of Jin with an intensity that seemed to burn the very air inside the room.

  Jin wiped the sweat off his forehead, his breath stalled.

  The rows of question marks on his interface had finally dissolved, replaced by a crimson, shimmering script that felt like it was burning into his retinas.

  Master Haephastus watched Jin’s eyes as they scanned the golden text of the item description. He didn’t speak at first, letting the silence of the sealed room amplify the gravity of the reveal.

  “That item is the only one of its kind in the world, boy,” Master Haephastus said, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. "Look at that shimmering glow. That’s the pulse of something that shouldn’t exist in anyone’s pocket. Much more from a newbie like you."

  Jin swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the rarity tag: Divine Artifact. "You said... this is the only one? In the whole world?"

  "The only one," Master Haephastus confirmed with a grim nod. "To bring someone back from an unnatural death? If you think that the best healers in the world have that kind of skill, then you’re dead wrong. None of them could resurrect anyone. This is a direct intervention from the divine. An act of God.” He mimed biting movements with his hand, "And there will be 'sharks' out there who would burn down entire cities just to get hold of that gemstone’s power.

  Jin gulped but said nothing.

  “Now, do you understand the target you’ve painted on your own back?"

  Jin didn't answer immediately. He was staring at a specific word on the screen. ‘Ka-Maat’. He looked up at Master Haephastus. "The charge requires something called Ka-Maat. Ancient Egyptian for karma, isn't it?"

  "Sharp lad," the Master chuckled, though his eyes remained serious. "It’s a battery that runs on the weight of one’s deeds. In this case, yours. And since you got that thing from Anpu – or Anubis, as the history books like to call him – I have a feeling you already know what you have to do to fill it.”

  Jin’s mind flashed to his 'secondary work' as the man known as Doctor Frankenstein. The grim reality of his situation settled in. The Gem of Life was a miracle, but a miracle that required him to walk a path of bloodied mess and face the judgment of a hidden divine power to fully charge it.

  "If I were you," Master Haephastus leaned in, his shadow looming large over Jin, "I’d never use that thing in the light of day. Not for a friend, not even for a family member, unless you’re prepared to be hunted until the end of your days.”

  "I get it," Jin whispered, finally closing the inventory screen to break the gem's hypnotic glow. "I need to act like an imbecile. A rude bastard. Crazy and unreasonable. Someone so insignificant that no one would ever suspect I’m carrying the power to defy the grave.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  "Exactly," the Master Haephastus said, his jovial mask slipping back into place, though the warning remained in his eyes. "Because in this world, if you aren't an elephant, then you're nothing more than an ant waiting to be stepped on.”

  He sat back, rubbing his thick white beard. Then, his eyes sharpened again, pinning Jin with a look that felt like there were more questions that needed answers.

  “Hey, boy,” Master Haephastus called out. “You said your name’s Frank?”

  Jin felt the air in the room thicken once more. He had introduced himself less than half an hour ago; a man with the legendary mental acuity of a legendary Appraiser wouldn't forget a name so soon. This was a probe – a final test of his composure.

  “Yes,” Jin replied, his voice as monotonous as it could be. “It’s Frank. Frank Stein.”

  Master Haephastus let out a slow smile, his fingers buried in his snowy beard. “Excellent. For someone so young, you’re calm enough to keep your true self buried deep. That silence might be the only thing that keeps your head on your shoulders. “And yes, if you’re wondering why I’m asking, it's because my skill allows me to see that little bit of information in your Player profile.”

  Jin’s blood turned to ice. Sweat beaded his brow. His secret identity, the very thing he used to protect his daughter's future, was exposed as if he had never hidden it in the first place.

  “Don't look so pale,” Master Haephastus chuckled. “I’m the least of your worries.”

  “So, this stays between us?”

  “That’s a dangerous question, boy. Are you planning to silence me?”

  In an instant, the room felt like it was plunged into an active volcano. An intense, suffocating killing aura erupted from Master Haephastus. Even as an Artisan-Class, this Legendary-Rank Player possessed a raw power that dwarfed anyone Jin had ever encountered except for the powerful Chairman Heihachi Mashimoto.

  “Nope,” Jin replied, trying to keep his composure. He reached out, closed his inventory screen, and took a slow sip of his wine. “Since there are only two of us, if the world finds out about this, it either came from me or you. And since my lips are tighter than a triple-sewn constipated arsehole... well, you know the rest.”

  The tension snapped. Haephastus roared with hearty laughter. “Triple-sewn constipated arsehole? That’s a new one!” He wiped a tear from his eye. “Rest assured, kid. I wouldn't have survived this long if I had a lip looser than a cheap gauntlet's rivets. You’re not the only one in this world with secrets that people would kill to possess.”

  Jin heaved a sigh of relief. But it wasn’t for long.

  “But it leads me to my next point. You’re wondering how to survive carrying that gemstone? Wondering if getting to a higher Rank or Level would save you?”

  Jin gave a slow nod.

  “Short answers? No. Ranks and levels are a fairy tale told to children like you to make them think power is measurable.” Master Haephastus then took a sip of his wine, heaving a deep sigh. “I’ve spent a lifetime reaching the top of the Artisan-Class. Without peers, without challenges to the throne I’m now sitting on. And even I am powerless against the true monsters of this world. You’re what? A Bronze III-ranked Player? Level 15?”

  “Around there,” Jin admitted. “I’m trying to level up as much and as fast as I can.”

  Master Haephastus shook his head. “That makes you an even bigger meal,” he said. “What you need isn't a higher number on a screen, Frank. You need absolute power. The kind of power that doesn't negotiate. The kind that annihilates anything trying to harm you before they even realise they've made a mistake.”

  He slammed a fist onto the desk, though not a single drop of wine spilt from the crystal glasses. “Like I said, elephant stomping on an ant. Do you think the elephant worries about the ant's 'Level' or 'Rank'? No. It simply steps, and the ant ceases to exist. That is the only way you protect that gemstone. Yourself. And above all, that is the only way you protect your family. A daughter, maybe?”

  Jin’s eyes hardened at the mention of his daughter. He didn’t ask how Master Haephastus knew about Eleana. But one thing was certain – the man was right. The awkward smile he usually wore vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating resolve.

  “This absolute power,” Jin said, his voice solemn. “How do I go about getting this absolute power?”

  Master Haephastus laughed, his voice boomed inside the room. “You ask me how? Didn’t you lead of group of ragtag and has-beens to defeat an evolved Boss Monster at Level 1?” he grumbled, though his eyes held a glimmer of genuine respect. “If you can do that, I’m sure you can survive the sharks. But then again, you can always be creative.”

  “Like?” Jin asked.

  Master Haephastus didn't answer immediately. He stood up, his massive frame casting a shadow that filled half the room and walked towards the heavy, reinforced door. Jin, sensing the meeting had reached its conclusion, followed.

  As they reached the threshold, the lockdown seals hissed, releasing the pressure with a sound like a rhythmic exhale of a smothered furnace. The sudden sound caught Jin by surprise as he hadn’t heard anything when the seals locked the door earlier. Before he could step out into the hallway, Master Haephastus reached into the pocket of his leather apron.

  “Here,” the master said, handing the item to Jin. “Take this. Consider it a fee for the eye-catching entertainment.”

  The item was a wooden token, heavy and warm to the touch, framed in ornate gold furnishings. On one side was the seal of the house: two hammers striking an anvil. But on the reverse side, there was a different engraving – sharp, aggressive strokes of traditional Chinese calligraphy that seemed to pulse with a faint, embers-like heat.

  “Yàn Shén,” Jin read aloud.

  Master Haephastus’ eyebrows shot up, his eyes lighting up with genuine surprise. “Oh? You can actually read that?”

  Jin nodded, tracing the grooves of the wood. “It means God of Fire. It’s a fitting title for a man of your craft.”

  “Hahahaha! Aren’t you a clever bastard?” Master Haephastus slapped Jin on the shoulder with a force that would have buckled a lesser man’s knees. “Most of the other VIPs who get that token think it’s nothing more than a fancy coaster. They have no idea of the history behind it.”

  He leaned in one last time, his voice turned serious. “That token brings you under the protection of the Forge. It’ll open some doors, and it’ll keep the smaller sharks from biting. But remember what I said, Frank. Never let anyone see the gemstone. Not until you’re the elephant.”

  “I understand,” Jin said, tucking the token into a secure inner pocket of his new jacket.

  “Now, off you go. Any longer and those friends of yours will think I’ve turned into Faustus, experimenting on you.”

  With a final nod, Jin stepped out. The door slammed shut behind him with a finality that echoed along the stone corridor.

  As he walked back towards the bustling Olympus’ steps, the hum of the crowd below replaced the silence of the fifth floor. He was still processing Master Haephastus’ warnings when a familiar voice cut through the noise, calling his alias from the shadows of the hallway.