Cale followed Darius into an office that reeked of power.


    Not in the way of sheer size or opulence—no, this wasn’t some ostentatious palace of a workspace. It was streamlined, efficient, and lethal. Like a well-honed blade.


    The walls were smooth black stone, trimmed with thin streaks of glowing silver. One entire side of the room was a floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the vast, floating cityscape beyond. From up here, the mortals looked like insects.


    A single, massive desk of polished obsidian dominated the center of the room, flanked by two curved black chairs. Behind it, lounging with a glass of deep amber liquor in her hand, was Ravia Wren. Luxurious auburn hair was flowing around her in a way that was distinctly magical. She was wearing a slim red dress that clung to her body. But the most defining feature of her were the ten or so red crystals that floated behind her like a halo. When Darius and Cale entered the crystals flared up slightly.


    She didn’t look up immediately.


    Instead, she took a slow sip of her drink, eyes still fixed on the tablet in front of her, fingers flicking through reports. The silence stretched.


    Darius, unbothered, helped himself to a seat. Cale hesitated for half a second, then followed.


    Ravia finally looked up.


    Her gaze was sharp, evaluating. Predatory.


    “Darius,” she said coolly, setting her glass down. “Looks like you dragged in more than just loot.” Her eyes flicked to Cale. “A new pet?”


    Darius smirked. “I prefer the term investment.”


    Cale didn’t like the way they were talking about him like he wasn’t even in the room. He leaned back in his chair, deliberately relaxed. “Heard it was bad manners to ignore people in conversation,” he said.


    Ravia turned to him fully now, a slight arch to her brow. “You’re cute.”


    “Not what I was going for.”


    Ravia’s lips twitched, but she didn’t smile. Instead, she looked back at Darius. “You’re peak of Core Formation now?”


    “On the cusp,” Darius corrected. “Which means I can take an apprentice.” He gestured lazily at Cale.


    “Never took you for the nurturing type,” Ravia mused.


    Darius shrugged.


    Ravia’s eyes flickered with something unreadable. Then she said, “You want to sell him to me?”


    Cale blinked. “Uh. What?”


    Both of them turned to him at the exact same time with the same cold, unreadable expression.


    Cale immediately did not like this.


    “I told you how it is, kid,” Darius said, folding his hands together. “You perform well in the Corussi academy, I get a slice, Ravia gets a slice.”


    “What do I get?” Cale asked.


    Ravia cast him a glance. She had cold green eyes that assessed Cale with a robotic indifference.


    “You get a chance,” Darius said. “Now shut up and let adults talk business.”


    Ravia took another slow sip of her drink. “Always looking to increase your revenue.”


    “Don’t pretend you wouldn’t do the same,” Darius said smoothly.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Ravia set her glass down with a quiet clink. “We’ll circle back on the kid.” She leaned back in her chair. “Speaking of revenue, what are you doing with the Mana Adapter?”


    Darius grinned. “Squeezing it for every chit, obviously. I’ll be able to use it once I ascend to Core Crystallization. Until then? I’ll rent it.”


    Ravia hummed, swirling her drink. “To who?”


    “Jana Lilata.”


    Ravia snorted. “She hates you.”


    Darius tilted his head. “Does she?”


    “Ever since you pulled that stunt in Nicau.”


    “That was eight years ago.”


    Ravia gave him a look.


    Darius exhaled through his nose. “Fine. How about Hieronymus Tobb?”


    “We’re at war with the Arcane Veil, you idiot.”


    Darius waved a hand. “And? We’re also at war with the Chimera brutes. Doesn’t stop us from trading with them.”


    “That’s different, and you know it.”


    Darius rolled his eyes. “Fine. You broker it then. Take five percent.”


    “Ten.”


    Darius scoffed. “Four.”


    Ravia’s expression turned dangerous. “Don’t play with me.”


    Darius sighed. “Seven.”


    Ravia held out her hand. “Deal.”


    They shook on it.


    Then, finally, Ravia turned her full attention to Cale.


    “So,” she said, propping her chin on one hand. “This kid.”


    “Interesting one,” Darius said lazily. “Found him in the ruins. No gear, no alliances. Doesn’t seem to know anything about anything except basic cultivation.”


    “You don’t say?”


    “He finished Scarroid off.”


    Ravia’s entire demeanor shifted.


    Her jaw did not drop. She did not gasp. She just stared. Flat, intense, evaluating.


    “Shut your lying mouth,” she said.


    “It’s true,” Darius said, still grinning.


    Ravia’s gaze snapped to Cale. “What’s your cultivation?”


    Cale met her stare. “Middle Body Tempering. Fourth stage.”


    Ravia leaned forward slightly. “And you killed a Middle Core Formation cultivator?”


    “I absorbed mana from a large crystal and detonated it at him,” Cale said honestly.


    Ravia’s fingers tapped slowly against the desk. “You absorbed mana? In the middle of a fight?”


    “Yeah,” Cale said. “I have… a unique adapter.”


    Ravia didn’t respond immediately.


    Instead, she turned to Darius.


    Darius was still grinning.


    Ravia exhaled slowly. “What the hell is this kid?”


    “He’s pretty interesting, isn’t he?”


    Ravia opened her mouth—


    A soft, nearly imperceptible click echoed through the room.


    Ravia and Darius both froze.


    Cale felt a whisper of movement above him. He looked up.


    In the farthest corner of the ceiling, so small it was nearly invisible, a drone was latched onto the rafters.


    It was the size of a coin—thin, sleek, and eerily quiet.


    But its pulsing white lens was unmistakable, glinting with the morning light from the windows.


    Ravia’s crystals flared faster than Cale could turn. A red streak of energy shot through the little drone in the corner.”


    “Got you, you little shit,” she hissed.


    The drone shuddered, sparked—then exploded.


    Cale flinched as tiny fragments of metal rained down.


    Ravia’s expression didn’t change. But Cale could feel the murderous tension rolling off her.


    Darius picked up one of the smoking pieces, inspected it, then let out a low chuckle.


    “Whispers,” he said. “They’re getting bold.”


    Ravia’s jaw tightened. “Did it transmit?”


    Darius’s smile finally faded.


    “Oh, absolutely.”


    A beat of silence.


    Then Ravia leaned back, downed the rest of her drink, and exhaled through her nose.


    “Well,” she muttered. “The kid’s done.”


    Cale’s stomach dropped. “What?”


    Ravia set down her glass, her piercing gaze locking onto him.


    “Hope you’re ready, Cale,” she said. “Because every major faction in this city just got a heads-up about you. They’ll know we have someone who can absorb mana without attuning it, and they will want to know how and why.”


    The room felt colder.


    Cale swallowed.