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 Chapter 1: Feels like the first time

    It''s always the start that''s the hardest. That initial step feels like facing a colossal mountain, a daunting ascent into the unknown. It''s as if standing at the threshold, facing the gatekeeper to greatness, a formidable guardian of artistic destiny. All doubts reside in the first step. The only thing more challenging than slaying the dragon is summoning the courage to embark on the journey to face it, right?

    This was the turmoil in the mind of the self-proclaimed genius sculptor, about to bare his soul to the world. Jittering before an elevated 4-foot-tall block of marble stood Jun Hopper, a lean muscled, 5¡¯ 9¡±, 20-year-old aspiring sculptor in a world that had long forsaken the profession. Dressed in dirty jeans, a worn shirt that had once been white and a leather apron with pockets filled with the tools of his trade, his sweaty palms tightly gripped well worn tools, attempting to regain composure. If he could just gather himself, everything would be fine. Once started, everything would flow, he reassured himself.

    To be fair, Jun wasn''t usually the nervous type when it came to his work. Obsessed with the arts since a young age and never ceasing to better his skills, he was confident in his craft. The issue was that others were observing him. Sculpting had been such a deeply personal thing to him that having onlookers now felt more exposing than being naked, even after so many sessions. It was disconcerting.

    ''No, just tune out the drone cams. Focus on the piece. It¡¯s just me and her now. She¡¯s more than ready to be free, so what am I waiting for?'' He took a deep breath.

    Though his face was hidden by a scuffed and worn gray breathing mask and plastic safety goggles, Jun''s observers could still make out his expressive black eyes, so it was instantly clear to all when the shift took place. Gone was the nervous young man trying to get comfortable in front of the hovering drone cams, replaced by a master craftsman beholding his work through his critical eyes.

    Nothing else existed for him now.

    His followers were familiar with the ''Switch,'' as they had admiringly dubbed the phenomenon. It signaled the beginning of a process few believed was even real. Many dismissed it as an impressive AI-generated hoax posing as reality. Despite the skeptics, there were those with broader vision and experiences who saw the beauty in his movements, recognizing a master of his craft at work.

    Jun had been very excited for this session.

    When he first obtained the mass of marble, he had gone wild with excitement. Secretly leaving the city limits, he ventured into the ruined remains of an old city for inspiration and materials. Initially, he thought it was a broken half of a stone column, but feeling the textured surface along it¡¯s side, Jun had a suspicion confirmed by a scan with his wrist com.

    This was the epitaph of someone who had once lived in the city.

    Luckily, the main surface was well-preserved. It read:

    In loving memory of Marcia Wellby. Brilliant of mind, generous of heart and kind beyond measure, the best Mother a son could be blessed.

    2124 - 2196

    Jun did not know Marcia Wellby. He could not even imagine what kind of life someone from before The Fall could have lived, but he knew she was loved. Someone had cherished Marcia enough to leave a memento that had survived beyond civilization to reach him. It had moved Jun deeply.

    It also made him remember his own mother. She was a proud and strong mom, and she loved him fiercely. He missed her.

    For days, Jun pondered how to transform the stone that held such memories and emotions. It was a tribute that had survived the end of the world and into the new. How could he preserve the love for someone he had never met?

    He spent hours feeling the different sides of the stone and its weathered etchings, wondering what images had been deemed worthy of representing Marcia Wellby upon its weathered surfaces and what form lay beneath the layers of stone.

    Had she been a great warrior? No, there were no Hunters back then, right? She was a splendid mother, that was for sure. She was brilliant, so obviously intelligent and accomplished, probably very kind and patient. Perhaps she was also strict, like his own mom. She obviously did a great job raising her kid. He could afford a giant stone epitaph, so he must have done well for himself, and how can a son¡¯s success not be related to the loving nurturing of a mother¡¯s love?

    Jun had, of course, held back a few tears during his process of finding the image in the stone, but it was close.

    The more he pondered Marcia Wellby and the story he was constructing, the clearer the image became until the moment he knew it was perfect.

    Now it was time.

    With hammer and chisel, Jun knocked and chipped. Stone fragments flew in all directions, but his focus never wavered. A constant rhythm of taps sang a song that could capture the heart and suddenly a singular block of marble was transforming.

    Hours felt like minutes as a rough block of rock transformed into something beautiful and refined.

    To the casual viewer, the rough and weathered stone was simply shedding its excess to release the trapped figure within. His movements were so effortlessly refined that it felt like the sculpture had always been there and was only just being released.

    A woman sitting upright on a rough stone with her worn and accomplished hands resting on her lap.

    Her long flowing hair fell freely over her right shoulder, and she elegantly draped her figure in a dress of soft fabrics that hugged her body comfortably in its folds and creases of silk. She had a beauty that could only come with the passing of time, with eyes that had seen the world change. Her face was oval and happy, and her figure was comfortable and strong, her posture relaxed and in harmony with the world.

    It would be wrong to say that she was a peerless beauty, but she had a charm that drew the eye and raise a natural curiosity about the stories she could tell.

    The small stone upon which she sat read the original etching scaled to fit the new surface.

    Jun didn¡¯t know Marcia. Jun didn¡¯t know Marcia¡¯s son. But Jun knew a mother¡¯s love, and he knew what it was to love and adore his mother, and in that moment, he knew Marcia Wellby, and he loved her. He hoped that this nameless son would at appreciate the tribute.

    What would have taken weeks of a Master Sculptor¡¯s time and dedication of endless refinement in the pre-Gate era only took Jun, a body refinement practitioner, a few hours. The speed and grace of the process were visually remarkable, captivating the casual viewers of the live stream who found it impossible to stop watching. It wasn¡¯t until Jun stepped away and allowed the drone cam to hover around the finished work that many viewers realized they had not moved in hours.

    The hundreds of viewers within the Ten Gate Cities around the world observing the final work of art all had the same thought.

    The marble had come alive.

    How could anyone say that this dignified lady be of stone?

    Obviously, she is the proudest mother in the world. Oh, there are tears in my eyes? Liar! You¡¯re crying, not me! Wanna go?!

    Jun didn¡¯t know what kinds of emotional responses his work was generating. He was proud of what he had created, and that was enough.

    OK, no, it wasn¡¯t, but it was for him.

    OK, no, it wasn¡¯t, but people liked it, so it was fine.

    OK, no, most people didn¡¯t like it, but some did, so that was great.

    And yes, yes, it actually was.

    This whole streaming business was stressing Jun out like crazy. He absolutely hated it. Well, ¡®hate¡¯ was a strong word. Perhaps ¡®overly fatigued?¡¯ There were a few aspects he liked, especially at the beginning when he started streaming his sculpting sessions a year before because of Danny.

    Danny, his best bud, had made the astoundingly astute observation that Jun wasn¡¯t doing shit to progress his dreams of reintroducing the fine arts to society. A society that only cared about cold efficiency and killing Gate monsters. Danny argued that now was the perfect time to press his agenda.

    After 200 years of fighting and development, society had finally progressed to the point where humanity was no longer in constant danger of extinction. The greatest indicator of that was the reemergence of global communication for the masses through the newly established Global Rune Information Network and the ever sprouting and developing entertainment industries that followed which hadn¡¯t been seen since before The Fall.

    People finally had the leeway to care about other things besides survival and were essentially starving for some cultural nourishment. If Jun wanted to reintroduce the arts to this world, now was the time to do it.

    Hence the live streaming.

    Multiple live streaming platforms, well documented as a popular platform before The Fall, had formed almost immediately after GRIN was up. Many with talents buried without a chance to shine were given opportunities to showcase what they could do. Most, of course, did not go beyond the initial presentations of their skills, but some were shot straight to stardom and financial success, which only bolstered others to also try their fortunes.

    Jun had actually enjoyed the first few months of his streaming career.

    No one had sculpted anything with their hands since fabrication tech took its final steps toward complete automation by the end of the Last War, so his whole streaming concept was unique only to him.

    Well, when 80% of all streamers was focused on Gate-related content, it wasn¡¯t hard to be unique.

    He also didn¡¯t struggle in being interesting, which was saying much, especially since he hadn¡¯t been saying anything at all. Jun was an introverted guy who would rather work on his next sculpture while hanging out with his girlfriend Desi than go to a party, for instance. It didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t speak in front of crowds, he just reaaally loathed it. He just didn''t like being the attention of a crowd and the thought of talking to so many hundreds of strangers through a drone cam was a nightmare and a half.

    So yeah, nope. He just didn''t talk. Mystery concept, right?

    Blah.

    It was fun reading the comments and infinitely flattering when monetary gifts started coming in.

    At the time, the question about its authenticity was a fun conversation that he and Desi loved to giggle about.

    Then it got mean.

    All of a sudden, Jun''s live stream was flooded with haters. It was confounding at first. He had been hurt and demoralized, seriously considering quitting altogether until Desi and Lily combed through and found many loud voices of support buried in the muck.

    That and the ever-increasing donations gave Jun the courage to continue.

    Hell, with the current rate of gifts, it was possible to really pursue his dreams, so he was thankful. Just don''t look at the comments and all was well in the world.

    The gifters were relatively few in number, but faithful and generous. Generous to the point Jun was feeling guilty. Well, he had a rough plan for that.

    He let the drone cam do its thing for a bit more as he walked out of his Streaming Corner and towards a familiar figure lounging on his couch, watching something from his wrist com projection.

    Although the Streaming Corner was well organized for the audience, the rest of his studio was a clutter of projects at different stages of completion.

    Jun carefully passed around a four-foot-long glass piece that just needed rune engraving and the fittings to hang from the ceiling. Right behind it was an eight-foot metal monstrosity that never made it past conceptual. Jun wasn''t sure if it deserved a revisit or scrapping.

    Passed the working space was what most would consider a gallery of madness rather than a home. Finished works of art hung elegantly and strategically from almost everywhere; ceilings, floors and walls filling the open two-story space with Jun¡¯s numerous creations. Although a bit overwhelming at a glance, as one passed through the spaces they would find the order to the madness. Jun positioned everything to encourage natural movement and lit the space to create different experiences. Small intimate pockets existed throughout the space for resting while appreciating the works from different perspectives.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    It was all a great blessing, and none of this would have been possible without the support of his best friend Danny.

    It had been Danny that had encouraged Jun to follow his dreams and who helped at every step.

    For reasons Jun never disclosed, he could not buy property, so he was stuck with rental and no property owner was comfortable with Jun''s ''hazardous'' hobbies. To them, anyone wanting to make anything without a fabricator was a lunatic and the worst tenants.

    So it seemed that Jun''s short dash towards his dreams had come to a dead end. Then entered Danny.

    With utmost nonchalance, he came by one day and handed Jun a rental agreement form. Apparently, an old warehouse in the East District had gone up for sale on the cheap because a lack of maintenance and he snatched it with a small chunk of his inheritance.

    What could he say? His bro was the best.

    Danny Guard, at 20 was a tall guy at 6'' 8¡± and after years of focused training, had created an impressive warrior''s body. Dark-skinned and classically handsome with his prominent nose and cheekbones, the son of a bitch even had glorious silken brown hair that did whatever its owner wanted, as opposed to Jun''s unruly black mop that even Desi had given up on.

    Still dressed in his bright red workout gear, Danny lounged on a comfy chair, relaxing with his feet on the coffee table. Thankfully, Desi wasn''t here to see that cause she would have gone nuts. By the Nexus, had she not been by once since the argument?

    Nearing closer, he saw that it was a live stream of a Hunter team on an active hunt. These were hugely popular and had birthed numerous local Hunter heroes and sponsorships. This team looked to be in a bit of a bind, though.

    ¡°Whose team is this? I don''t recognize the armoring.¡±

    A deep and lazy voice responded. ¡°It''s a new team. And I mean brand spanking new. These idiots are apparently the top of some graduating Hunter class from Lions Gate City. The team leader made a big deal about how their journey to the top was starting today. Ha!¡±

    ¡°Man, I can''t even laugh. They''re getting slaughtered. Did they seriously go that deep without at least one mech? Why isn''t anyone helping- OH SHIT!¡±

    On screen, two of the forward attackers had been battling a giant, black-shelled insect like monster with giant ferocious scythe-like arms, while the rest of their party attempted to fend off smaller versions of the monster that were threatening to overwhelm their lines when the attackers were brutally bisected from the crotch up by a second giant insect that had just exploded from the ground.

    The blonde-haired defender gave a shout of retreat as he activated his rune. A brown symbol manifested on his right arm that glowed with a gathering power. The defender gave a mighty shout and stomped his right leg with a boom. A rock wall 10 feet tall shot up with a bright flash to cover the retreat. Only if it was thick enough.

    The light show was impressive, but it was also painfully obvious that it wasn''t nearly adequate.

    The two giant monsters slammed through the barrier like it was paper before grappling in competition with what was but a moment ago, the body of a talented but foolish Hunter.

    The rest of the party quickly met similar fates.

    ¡°Damn.¡± Danny mumbled. ¡°K. Didn''t need to see that.¡±

    The screen fizzled out of existence as Danny sat upright.

    ¡°Sorry bro,¡± Danny apologized, looking sheepish.

    ¡°Yeah, that wasn''t helpful.¡± Jun collapsed into another comfy chair, having lost all the good feelings from the session. The Gate was a dangerous place. It was rare to see such talented young hunters disregard that danger in arrogance. Now they paid the price.

    ¡°So, I guess you''ve talked to Desi?¡± Jun asked, realizing the meaning of Danny''s sheepishness.

    ¡°Just a short chat between classes. I didn''t get the chance to even get a word out honestly. She just gave me the short of it, but not the whys. She''s pretty pissed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. She hasn''t spoken with me since.¡± Jun felt a bit ridiculous about the whole thing honestly. ¡°And as for why she''s letting go of her dreams of being the world''s greatest Film Prompt Master, that she''s worked so hard for and become a Hunter which she¡¯s never had any aspirations for is, get this, Sandy Dandy.¡±

    Seeing the blank look on Danny''s face, Jun elaborated. ¡°Sandy Dandy is some new Film Prompter from Blue Sea Gate City. He''s been very active this year. He popped out a new Hunter-themed project basically every week. Personally, I feel like his work is monstrously overrated, but he''s been getting some steady traction. Especially the female teen demographics.¡±

    Danny was getting impatient.

    ¡°Aaaaaaanyways, Desi became obsessed with his new series, ''The Reborn Hunter Saves the World.'' Blah. It''s just epic fight scenes and corny one-liners, but it''s a serious over glorification and romanticized view of the Hunter lifestyle. I''m sure this dude has never actually gone beyond the Gate.¡± Danny scoffed at the thought.

    No one really respected the Film Prompters that made Hunter-themed content without having at least braved stepping past the Gate. These were cowards that worshiped and idolized the Hunters the most, and their glorification of what they were too scared to even face and clearly didn¡¯t understand, lacked the realism for those who knew better.

    Because Hunters were not heroes.

    ¡°No matter how much I''ve pointed out how ridiculous it all is, Desi''s been charmed by this crap so much she can''t seem to hear me or anyone else,¡± Jun recounted with growing frustration before he laughed.

    ¡°Her mom was soooo mad. She chewed her out for even suggesting switching career paths right before finals and graduation and after she found out she was pregnant, but I''d bet my left nut Desi didn''t hear a word of it."

    ¡°Haha yeah when she gets li - What?!¡± Danny stood up so fast he almost knocked the coffee table over. ¡°You knocked up my sister?!¡±

    ¡°Yup! Hahahahaha! Yo- your face!¡± Jun was clutching his chest in laughter at the reaction of his best friend.

    The three had been childhood friends ever since they were twelve, but Danny and Desi were cradle buddies and as close as any siblings.

    The three had bonded easily, since they all shared a similar history of loss. Shortly before Jun''s arrival a great scandal had shook both families. Danny''s mother and Desi''s father were caught having an affair.

    The divorce was fast, brutal, and final. Neither wanted the children. They both went off together to who knows where.

    When Jun showed up, he found two broken families in need of healing. The five children, including Lily, Desi''s younger sister and lil Davie, Danny''s younger brother, learned to lean on each other for support and formed a close bond.

    Right now, he was enjoying watching Danny, his best friend and soul brother, freak the fuck out. He had never ceased teasing Jun and Desi since they started dating five years ago, at fifteen. In retaliation, Jun loved to steal a smooch with Desi when Danny was around to watch him gag.

    This definitely topped that.

    After Danny managed to calm down, he went around to give Jun a brotherly power punch in the chest.

    ¡°Well, congrats Daddy. Way to break the news, bro. Wait. Desi''s prego and wants to be a Hunter, now? She hasn¡¯t practiced nearly enough for her First Cleansing, right?¡±

    ¡°Yup. My cute lazy butt never had time for practice.¡± Jun laughed before becoming lifeless again.

    ¡°I''ve always encouraged her to practice more, but it''s only now she''s been motivated. Not that she is practicing now, don''t worry. She''s gonna have to wait for after the baby. That means we''ve got a little over nine months to convince her out of this. I mean, I''ve never seen anyone clumsier in basic combat practice. Just the thought of her on a hunt gives me nightmares.¡±

    Flashes of the poor idiot getting bisected came and went unannounced and unwelcomed. Jun felt like puking a little.

    Desi had never shown any talent in any of the weapon''s introductions or combat classes and no matter how much Jun helped her study runetech, the fundamentals for rune weaponry, it just looked like squiggly lines to her. It was a miracle to get her to pass Basic Runetech Maintenance last year, her own graduation having been threatened.

    Naturally fickle in character, the only thing Desi had shown a consistent and unwavering passion for was Film Prompting and Jun.

    With the AI tech readily available to the masses, it was possible to create simple films with just a few prompt words. Those that could push this craft to the next level were commonly termed as Film Prompters.

    Desi Khis had been producing various carefully crafted films with guidance from both her mom, Mary Khis, a reputable Film Prompter herself, and Danny''s father, Juan Guard, who was a popular Set Prompter of great demand. For years, Desi had been steadily improving in her productions and had developed her own gathering of faithful fans. Jun imagined their reactions to her retirement plans.

    She, like many others, had been driven creatively by the occasional excavated cultural artifacts from before The Fall. Many civilian databases from military bunkers survived the conflicts. Contained were vast libraries of movies, music and media that were considered popular at the time. It offered a rare glimpse of what the world and their culture was like in the age of prosperity, but too many it was much more than even that. It inspired a wave of creativity that saw the start of many Film Prompter careers and the birth of a few revered Film Prompt Masters with social standings and influence rivaling the powerful Hunter Families.

    But for every success story lied ten thousand failures at their feet. It was an over-saturated market that saw a constant influx of new blood. So for Desi, a junior in the industry, to achieve what she had at such an age was monumental for her career.

    Jun suspected a combination of stress from being newly pregnant and her recent burnout from over production had her emotionally worn out and made her in need of a new stimuli. Only if it weren¡¯t so life threatening. Go-carts were fun, right?

    He couldn''t watch her throw away everything she built and endanger her own life on such an unstable whim.

    ¡°I''m not crazy for not supporting her on this, right? I mean, I always want to support her on everything, but this is crossing some lines she''s gonna regret, right?¡± Jun asked weakly, waiting for someone to make him feel less like an asshole for not backing her.

    ¡°No way dude,¡± Danny said resolutely. ¡°This came so out of nowhere, man. She can''t be this upset with you for this when we all can see it¡¯s insanity. I''m gonna talk to her again and find out what''s going on in that crazy brain of hers. I mean, if she wants to be a Hunter now, why didn''t she come talk to me? An actual Hunter Cadet?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that was another ''issue'' she''s having. She wants me to be a Hunter too.¡± Jun said, looking even less like a human being as he melted into his comfy seat.

    ¡°...your puny ass a Hunter? Is everything all right with you guys? Is this a double suicide attempt or something?¡± Danny asked, looking genuinely concerned.

    ¡°Hey! I''m not as good as you, but I still had my First Cleansing by twenty. That still puts me in the top 40 percent.... Bitch....¡± the blob that was slowly finishing its assimilation with the chair weakly protested.

    ¡°Is that supposed to be a brag when you''re ranked at the bottom of that forty percent you''re so proud of? And then there''s Si, someone ranked so far down that it would be easier to count from the bottom to find her, wants to play Hunters?¡± he asked before looking sorrowful.

    ¡°As the big brother I feel like I''ve succeeded in protecting her physically but neglected her intellectual development. Sigh~.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you suck.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you.¡±

    ¡°Not now. I''m still sore from getting railed by Desi.¡±

    They laughed. It felt good to laugh.

    ¡°What''s she doing now, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Jun looked down at his wrist com to check the time. ¡°I think she should still be out shopping. Lily told me she went out with Nicole and some of the other girls to buy baby stuff. The girl''s night out is baby themed tonight.¡±

    ¡°Damn, am I the last to find out or something?¡±

    ¡°Haha nah. The list was relegated between the two of us. She tells everyone and I tell you. I just forgot to mention it to you earlier. My bad.¡±

    Danny knew what Jun''s mind was like before a sculpting session, so he could only give up.

    ¡°I''ll call her later than. Look, the guys and I are planning on hitting up a club tonight. You should come with me and unwind, man. You gotta relax some, bro.¡±

    Jun just shook his head. ¡°Nah, tired tonight. And we still have finals this week, you know. What are you all doing out partying?¡±

    Danny laughed. ¡°Its fine bro, relax. You knew last year was my last difficult exams. Physics bro, why.¡± His eyes lost their life for a moment before regaining clarity with a shiver. ¡°Thankfully, I''ll never have to do that again.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you have left?¡± Jun asked with a chuckle.

    ¡°Some physical exams and then the Five Team Hunter Battle Simulations the rest of the week. Just showing off the routine battle drills. It''s gonna be time for my big reveal. Peak of First Rank of Body Refinement before Graduation! Guild Scouts cometh! I welcome thee!¡±

    Danny stood, striking some poses that defined his impressive physique.

    ¡°Yeah, shake that ass,¡± Jun laughed, though inwardly he couldn''t help but sigh.

    If Danny had access to his birthright as a recognized descendant of the Vaults Family, then he could have soared to much greater heights.

    Danny''s mother was from a small branch family to the prestigious Vaults Family. As one of the few S-Rank Hunter families that lorded over the city, an opportunity to become recognized as a child of the Family would have been huge.

    At the very least, Danny would have had gained access to the Vaults Outer Family Arts. Although it paled in comparison to their Main Family Arts, relegated to members outside of the core family circle, it would have been many times better than the standard Beginners Body Refinement Manual.

    Unfortunately, Danny''s mother had rescinded any claim on her children when she disappeared with Desi¡¯s dad. Thus was cut any connection he should have had with the Vaults Family. Everything except his history of abandonment that kept the other Families and Guilds from touching him early.

    Even for the esteemed scions of the various S-Rank Families, few could claim to have reached Danny''s current heights at his age. If he had their methods and resources, Jun was sure his brother would have blasted past through Second Cleansing long ago.

    Most average hard workers would rejoice if they could reach the peak of the 1st rank in their thirties while the moderately talented could get there in their late twenties. Then there was his brother, with the most primitive tools, building a fortress before he reached twenty, only one step away from his second cleansing and joining the ranks of the strong.

    Jun felt such injustice for Danny, which always followed with guilt. Danny had done so much for him and here he was, his so-called brother, holding out on him. He knew Danny wasn''t compatible with his art and even if he was, it would only endanger him and his family by just being aware of it, but the mere act of hiding his practice from someone that had been so consistently genuine towards him made Jun feel despicable.

    Although Jun prided himself on his intelligence, it only encompassed his interests. He didn''t know the first thing about rental spaces, or setting up financial accounts for his live streaming. Danny had taken care of all that because he wanted Jun to only focus on his craft.

    There were few good men like Danny in the world. Danny had shown him so much support over the years and what had Jun done for him?

    ¡°I''mma get pumped for them scouts tonight. There''s a girl I''ve had my eye on and I''m thinking tonight''s the night, bro.¡±

    ¡°Who you been talking to? Wendy?¡±

    ¡°What? Wendy? No man, com''on ew!¡± Danny spat.

    ¡°What''s wrong with Wendy? She''s super cute and way too smart and interesting for your dumb ass, but for some reason only the Nexus know, she''s into you and you say ew?!¡± Screw this guy! Wendy was great. She was a close friend of Desi''s from her Film Prompter circles that was very smart and had a wonderful creative process that Jun admired. This bastard should be groveling to the Nexus Gods in thanks for her looking his way and he goes ew?!

    "Hey hey hey calm down! Wendy is awesome! She''s a real nice girl but thats the thing bro. She''s a nice girl. When did you see me mess around with nice girls. Hell man you''re her friend! You should warn her about me bro, not try and hook us up.¡± Seeing Jun lose some steam Danny pressed on.

    ¡°Anyways man I''ll let you know how things go tonight and if things work out you''ll be the first to know.¡± And with that he was gone.

    Jun chuckled to himself. His good brother needed a good girl to keep him see straight like he had Desi. He had so much potential but lacked motivation and focus, only ever taking Body Refinement seriously.

    The guilt came back.

    He was sure he had made the correct choice. It was to protect his family. Aunt Mary, Uncle Juan, lil Davie, Lily, Danny, and the love of his life, Desi. He couldn''t risk their safety by exposing them to some ugly truths.

    Later, when he was stronger. It wouldn''t be too late then.

    He was sure.

 Chapter 2: The last day of school

    The same tall and boring glass towers lined both sides of the Travel Lines to his university. The morning sun began to peak through the thinner patches of the Veil of Darkness to glitter on the maze of reflective urban surfaces, giving them a rare touch of natural beauty.

    The public Transit Rune Cart glided above smooth white rune lanes in such perfect silence that Jun could hear the breathing of the old man sitting behind him and the young girl across giggle at something she found funny. He wished he could open a window and feel the gust of the wind on his skin as he looked out with interest.

    He wasn''t the only one that found the cold repetition to be distasteful. Some people were expressing their individuality on their real estate of building surfaces with colorful projections, resulting in a continually changing landscape of human expression.

    It was a new trend that he was thankful was catching on. He wouldn''t say everything was to his taste but he loved that there was a more human touch to the once boring and monotonous scenery this journey was only recently like.

    Danny was right. Now was the time take advantage of the times to get his work out there. He had remained anonymous and not responded to all the controversies because Danny had assured it wasn''t time yet. He wasn''t sure what Danny was waiting for, but he felt like if he didn''t get some momentum soon that he would lose courage.

    But that''s not what was weighing on Jun''s mind at the moment. Neither was it about his final day of exams that would finish off his academic career.

    It had been over a week since the fight, and Desi had refused to speak or meet with him. It had made what would have been a mildly stressful finals week into an emotional hurricane.

    She had been more upset about his lack of backing on her Hunter career change idea than he thought. She said she needed some personal time to breathe, and he had tried to respect that, but it had been a week of silence and he was reaching his mental breaking point. This was the mother of his child that was emotionally pulling back from him. He couldn''t accept that.

    Lily informed him that Desi hadn''t been talking with anyone else in the family either and their mom was PISSED.

    Danny had promised to try talking with her, but hadn''t had an opportunity with everything he had going on.

    She had finally sent him a message promising to meet at his thesis presentation, after which the two families would go out to celebrate like they had planned.

    That was progress, right?

    It took some serious planning, but Jun had managed to alter his thesis presentation into a bit of an event. One he was relying on to get back into Desi''s good books.

    He hoped the gift he had worked on for the last year would appease her enough to come back to talking terms. The plan was desperate, but that was how he was feeling. He hadn''t even considered his thesis being rejected. That would be ridiculous.

    Gates, he was gonna be a dad. What if it was a boy? Would he be like all the other kids and dream about risking his life as a hunter? If it was a girl? Some asshole kid was gonna try to take his baby from him.... he knew how to hide a body.

    The rune cart came to a graceful stop and a cool voice announced his destination.

    ¡°Stopping at Trident University Transit. Have a pleasant day.¡±

    Walking out of the busy transit terminal, the first thing people were forced to see was an enormous, intimidating bronze monument of the Founder of Trident Gate City who was also the Founder and only Headmaster of Trident University.

    General Anthony Trident the Third, a legendary figure that had been a naval officer who survived the Last War that went on to establish a force with the remains of humanity and conquered all the emerging Gates and monsters that spilled out.

    He established order within the chaos and was instrumental in the establishment of numerous Gate Cities.

    A quote was inscribed in the intimidating 8'' black stone that served as the base of the 20'' bronze sculpture of an even more intimidating man with an imposing physique in military garb with a face that spoke of the years of hardship and duty.

    ¡°Never doubt, the Gates were our salvation.

    In our hubris and despair, we destroyed the world with our own hands.

    The days of nothing were hard. We tried to rebuild, but there was nothing left. Starvation threatened to break the wills of iron men.

    Then the Gates opened and out poured a bounty. Like mana from heaven, food came to us when even the strongest of us began to waver.

    After the years of hunger, God had gifted the undeserving an opportunity. The Wave was a time of celebration.

    No more wars. No more hate between men because of our skin colors or beliefs.

    There was only the endless joy of having survived the end times.

    To be given one more chance.

    All that was left of humanity was united in the exhilarating thrill of the hunt.

    It was a time of feasting.

    When the Wave had subsided, one by one we awoke from our battle lust and knew that this was to be our future.

    Our old world, shining but rotten, was ruined by the foolish games of a few, but here lied our opportunity to build anew.

    The Nexus and the Gates had given all of our despairing souls hope for a future still.

    We must never forget.

    Let this be a place where wisdom and knowledge can be shared so that we may learn from our past as we pave the way for future generations to thrive.¡±

    -General Anthony Trident, the Third of the New World Alliance

    Jun always shivered a little when he passed by the memorial. He could just feel the madness and desperation in those words. The Wave, the event when the mysterious rifts in space termed as Gates simultaneously appeared in ten different locations throughout the world, was well documented. It was not a peaceful time. Monsters and beasts of nightmares poured out of them by the tens of thousands. Only once the areas around the Gates were conquered did mysterious stone monoliths emerge to swallow the cracks in space, and the situation took a turn, and new opportunities arose.

    If it had been the old era before The Fall and the Last War, perhaps the monsters would have been the cause of the end of times. But humanity had beaten them to it. The Last War had purged all the weak, leaving only warriors bathed in blood. What the monsters found when they crossed the Gate into their world were not fat, helpless prey to be devoured, but savage beasts that eyed them with joyous hunger.

    They didn''t have a good time.

    Passing by the bronze giant, Jun stood before the imposing gates of Trident University. The most prestigious educational institute in Trident Gate City and arguably the world, where Jun had spent the last four years earning his Masters in Rune Studies in the time it took a regular student to get their Bachelors.

    This would be the last time he stepped past these gates as a student. After his last finals and thesis presentation and upon confirmation of his scores, Jun''s status would automatically shift to Graduate.

    He''d hoped to have shared this moment with Desi, but who said life was perfect?

    The buildings here had more character and a very different kind of energy than most of the Middle City.

    While the world outside the campus could only be characterized as monotonous efficiency, here within the university grounds where every department was in constant competition for students and prestige, the structures reflected the spirit of each field of study.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    The buildings of the Hunter''s Athletics Department were all visually tall and sturdy, just like their students. Powerful protective runes flashed at the borders of the massive Colosseum where the youthful shouts of students pursuing strength could be heard training at all hours of the day and night.

    The Traditional Sciences Department was steeped in history and tradition, which was reflected in their style of stone architecture of the pre-War era that blended with modern aesthetics. All their ornate buildings didn''t exceed three levels in height except the main lecture hall that had an impressive glass and gold domed roof, atop a stone building worthy to be called a palace. Intricately detailed buildings formed individual charming courtyards with shaded seating and fountains and other spaces of leisure for the intellectuals of the department to gather and study.

    The Military Mecha Department was a mix of the cold military efficiency he was used to with a healthy blend of irrational chaos. The place where students went to train as disciplined Mecha Pilots for the New World Alliance Military was also where future mad scientists were nurtured in the Mecha Design School.

    Giant individual transparent hangers housing student mecha design projects doted the department, breaking up the monotony of repetitive glass and steel buildings that housed the different arrays of simulation pods with the most outrageous mecha designs that only students could freely think up. Seeing the amateur mechs, designed with all the visual pomp and pageantry and their attempts at intimidating and regal, wobble around like drunken freshman was a department staple.

    As Jun walked on familiar pathways passed hurried and stressed out finals takers towards his department, he couldn''t help reminiscing of his experiences he''d cherish from this place.

    The time Desi had convinced him to fool around behind the Mathematics building, unaware of how extensive the surveillance system was back then. The conversation they had with Campus Security had been both humiliating and hilarious.

    The scar-faced middle-aged man that reprimanded the embarrassed duo after showing them the security footage that had caught their youthful passions had also been too embarrassed to look either of them in the eyes. To see a grown man blush and avoid eye contact while acting stern was weirdly adorable.

    Instead of learning from her folly, Desi had instead taken it as a challenge to not get caught.

    Jun would say to anyone that asked that he was the voice of reason in their relationship, but everyone that knew them well knew he loved Desi''s free spirit too much to ever say no to anything she wanted. It made him happy to see her smile so freely.

    He was determined to bring that smile back to him tonight.

    A voice calling out his name brought him back to reality.

    Stopping and looking back, Jun saw a familiar aged figure walking towards him with his signature slow and eternally relaxed pace.

    ¡°Good morning, Professor Kindley. How are you today?¡±

    ¡°Good morning to you as well, Jun. It''s a beautiful day for conflicted emotions, don''t you think?¡±

    ¡°Oh? How so?¡± Jun asked politely.

    ¡°Its a day of accomplishment for my cute little students, so that''s good, but it''s also a day for partings. For most, I''m just thankful if they learned anything at all.¡± They both laughed as they resumed their walk. ¡°But for students like yourself Jun, It''s a true loss for the University to see you go,¡± Said Professor Kindley, now more serious.

    ¡±You know our offer to continue your research here at the University still stands. Your thesis project on the Simplification and Modulation of Rune Purification Systems is simply groundbreaking. If you can continue your research, I''m sure it wouldn''t be long before we see applications of your research being used across the ten Gate Cities.¡±

    Jun''s smile couldn''t help but strain a bit. He didn''t know how many times he had declined this offer. Professor Kindley had been pushing for him to go for his doctorate in Rune Studies and then Professorship.

    He had already elaborated his plans but Professor Kindley couldn''t accept his ''most prized pupil go off into the Arts rather than what the Fates clearly demand based on his talent in Runes alone.''

    Jun decided to try a different approach this time.

    ¡°Well professor,¡± Jun gave a dramatic sigh, ¡°I''d love to but didn''t Dean Banderby say my direction lacked realism and decide to endorse Professor Dickinass in his Strengthening and Expansion of Purification Runes System? Even if I decided to stay on I wouldn''t be able to get the funding for my research so-¡±

    ¡°Banderby wouldn''t recognize a genius idea even if it shat on his face and Dickinass''s theories are a mishmash of hopeful fantasies without any competence or foundation to make them work. Your work is both graceful and cost effective and most importantly, real. Its merely the form of your Purification System being in the shape of a tree that''s confusing the old man.

    He''s so entrenched in what he considers orthodox that he can''t wrap his stupid dementia addled brain around your organic Rune Structures! He''s become so comfortable sitting on his gilded throne he''s forgotten the innovative spirit that brought him where he is! Once he sees an actual working model, I''ll make him eat-¡±

    Jun didn''t know what to say to his professor''s uncharacteristic outburst. He had long suspected that his professor had history with the Dean he didn''t want to know about.

    ¡°Actually,¡± Jun decided to interject. ¡°I was planning on telling you earlier, but I''ve finished the Project I consulted you on early and brought it for my thesis presentation this afternoon. I didn''t just bring a single demonstration piece, but the entire project.¡±

    ¡°You''re finished already?¡± Professor Kindley was stunned for good reason. He had personally helped with some of the underlaying original rune structure design. He didn''t know the full extent of what his student was trying to achieve, but even from what he''d seen, he knew it was an extensive project.

    Runes couldn''t be created with fabrication technology. Each rune had to be done by hand to ensure a fluid and natural flow of energy. A single mistake meant the entire rune chain was useless and had to be redone. Jun''s thesis had been about breaking that process into smaller, more manageable chunks beyond current practices. It was only possible for Jun''s flexible and imaginative thought process that allowed for such a work-flow to be possible.

    Even so, they were talking about thousands of runes that needed to be made by hand on complex structures. And he was done?

    ¡°What time was your presentation slot again?¡± He had to see this. After trading details, the two finally separated to their respective destinations.

    Jun couldn''t help but sigh. Professor Kindley had been of tremendous assistance throughout his academic studies. No other professor was willing to hear out Jun''s often wild ideas on rune structures that differed from the academic norm and take him seriously.

    Over the years, he had become more like a grandfather like figure to Jun, always excited to listen to Jun''s new ideas and inspirations and help guide his thought processes in manageable directions.

    Jun had chosen this field of study for a variety of reasons. Mainly because there was no such thing as an Arts program, which he wouldn''t dare say to Professor Kindley, but also because Jun was good at it.

    Jun was smart. Much smarter than he normally let on. He found runes to be interesting, and it came naturally to him. Having always been an acutely observant person, Jun found reading the lines of energy of runes to be a fascinating and relaxing practice. The harmony of the flows and tides of energies were beautiful, and it just made sense to him in a way that was difficult to explain and made him the envy of his peers. The latter issue which he could only blame Professor Kindley.

    He''d originally intended on coasting on his talent and graduate peacefully in the middle of the pack. That way, he could comfortably focus on his art and his girlfriend. Those were important priorities, right?

    Unfortunately, Professor Kindley wasn''t a tenured professor for nothing. He easily saw through Jun''s charade of mediocrity and ruthlessly exposed his high potential in rune studies.

    It didn''t take long before it became widely known to the rest of the department that Professor Kindley had a new treasured pupil. Special accelerated classes were setup for him alone and he was often brought into research projects of much higher levels than what everyone believed was merited. He couldn''t avoid the overwhelming flood of jealousy of not only his peers, but even some of the professors.

    Luckily, Jun had come to an understanding early on with his ''peers''. He wasn''t a threat to their advancement grant opportunities and Guild selection quotas, and since Jun didn''t actually take up any of the official slots since he was always brought in through the back door by the Professor''s arrangements, they kept their distance with resentment.

    Jun felt a complicated helplessness when he thought of his classmates. He had been really excited to make friends here.

    ''Oh, how fleeting the dreams of youth,'' Jun often mourned.

    The Trident University Department of Rune Studies was one of the most competitive programs at the university. Getting into the program meant beating down thousands of other hopeful applicants from throughout the ten Gate Cities. Once they entered, the fight continued for resources and funding and, most importantly, attention from the professors, the key holders of all future opportunities and advancement. It was cutthroat and merciless. If you didn''t watch your back, you could find your project mysteriously ruined.

    Jun hated the environment from day one.

    All he wanted was to learn in peace, do his own thing, and then graduate. He had wanted to add making friends to that list, but based on the hostile environment he was in, Jun thought better of it lest he get poisoned by his ''friends''.

    After four years of study, he had only managed to make one friend from his department, which was only more than a little depressing.

    Jun''s wandering thoughts came to an end once he reached the lecture hall where his final exams in Advanced Rune Stabilization were taking place.

    Regardless of his failures at socializing with this group of nut jobs, everything would be over after today.

    A new chapter awaited him.

    It was bright.

 Chapter 3: Frenemies

    Jun walked out of his last exam with an hour to spare. He''d been prepared and was confident he''d done more than simply pass. His plans for the future didn''t require stellar grades, but it still felt good to do well. No matter how these kids tried, there was no way anyone was gonna take his position at the top of the class... Maybe this was why he had no friends here...

    Feeling both antsy from accomplishment and anxiety for the plans he had later that evening, Jun was walking towards the Student Square where Aunt Mary and Lily should still be setting up the last bits for his thesis presentation / Unveiling Event / desperate plot to get on the good side of his wifey when he heard some familiar voices. They were loud and angry. ''Who''s voices were these again?'' Jun thought with a chuckle.

    Pulled by his curious nature, Jun followed the voices to a bigger situation than he assumed happening right in front of the Experimental Runes Research Facility.

    The day was blessed with unnaturally good weather, with the black clouds of poison that blanketed the skies in centuries of darkness high above the atmosphere blessedly thinner, allowing a few glimpses of rare sunshine to pass through. The world was no longer as dark, with patches of warmth blessing the city for a few hours.

    There were, of course, many more people outdoors on days like these to enjoy the treat of nature¡¯s gift that their ancestors had taken from them. It was generally a very joyous time that the peoples of Trident City rarely savored.

    Yet, despite the serenity, there seemed to be an angry patch of darkness that even the gifted light could not shine away. Two powerfully spiteful but beautiful voices clashed and chased all the happiness away while attracting more and more attention of the curious.

    Two figures stood tall, at odds, and battled with such sharp words that they even hit the growing crowd of bystanders.

    ¡°Your chest is so flat I thought you were just some weird little pervert that liked to cross-dress.¡±

    Three flat chested girls in the crowd went down.

    ¡°You surround yourself with simps that only know how to lick your pretentious flat ass and now a whore like you thinks you can judge my charm as a woman?¡±

    Five simps in the crowd went down.

    Seeing as how the argument had devolved to name calling, it was time to bring it to a close.

    Desi''s best friend, Nicole Silverwind, was arguing fiercely with the infamous Queen of the Rune Research Department, Tiana Firestorm and her gang of followers, while a couple of freshmen were caught shivering like puppies between the two unopposable forces and the growing crowd of spectators.

    He''d heard enough as he approached to understand what was happening.

    ¡°Hello ladies. Having a pleasant afternoon? Have you all finished with your Finals as well?¡±

    Both women shot fierce glares at the rude intruder, only to soften when they saw who it was.

    ¡°Hey Jun,¡± said Nicole, ever the polite and more approachable of Desi''s circle of girlfriends. Standing at a little over five and a half feet, even with her increasingly dangerously high-heeled boots, Nicole was anything but small in presence.

    Shoulder-length blonde hair styled into sophisticated glossy waves that worked well to highlight her delicate features. Wearing a black and gold formfitting dress that reached her ankles and wrists while hugging her petite figure that gave her a heroic air of beauty befitting her identity as a daughter of the S Rank Silverwind Family.

    ¡°Hello Jun. I was having a very pleasant day until very recently. Thank you for asking. How about yourself?¡± said the second force of power in this conflict. Tiana Firestorm, the red-haired goddess of the Runes Department and daughter of the S Rank Firestorm Family, in her yellow sundress, was as tall as Jun normally, but in her heels she got to look down at him, which she loved.

    Since she was the only friend Jun made in the Rune Research Department, he knew it wasn''t malicious. She was just frustrated that she was always stuck as number two over the entire four years they were in school together. She just liked to enjoy the little victories. Poor thing.

    Tiana¡¯s larger frame and eyes that glinted with danger seemed equally fierce as Nicole, but Jun knew better.

    ¡°Well, I''ve had more emotionally stable weeks, but what''s life without the parties?¡± Jun had finally arrived before the small group.

    He couldn''t help but give these two silly friends of his a confused look before asking them, ¡°Have all the exams ended in the Rune Res Building?¡± With that, he made a show of looking up and passed them.

    As if he had been the conductor, all heads followed suit. The actual conflict was happening only feet from the entrance to the academic facility. Looking up, they saw numerous pairs of curious and bemused eyes looking down at them, including a furious Professor Dillion, who they saw bring a finger to his mouth, signaling to shut up or else.

    While Nicole and Tiana were busy blanching, he looked at the two freshmen and said gently, ¡°It''s alright. They''re just kind of naturally scary, but they''re good people, I swear.¡±

    The two social titans pouted a bit before making eye contact with each over and quickly looking away in a huff.

    The two smaller students began to relax a bit once they realized no one was screaming anymore.

    ¡°This is the Experimental Rune Research Facility. You''ll be spending a lot of time here in your third years. If you go down this way, you''ll get back to the Quad. You split off from one of the new student group tours, right?¡± Two little heads nodded with vigor, seeking salvation.

    ¡°Haha. It''s alright, everyone''s friends here. This is Nicole Silverwind, a top graduating member of the Elite Hunter Class and a rising star in Trident''s newcomer Hunters circles and a top pick for Rookie of the Year. You''ll for sure be hearing a lot about her in the coming years.¡± He couldn''t help smirking a little when he saw how Nicole puffed up her little chest at Jun''s praise. She kept glancing smugly at Tiana, who was firmly staring in any direction but hers.

    ¡°She''s also very passionate about standing up for the little guy. In fact, she''s so passionate that she can sometimes not recognize when someone''s being a bully or not. For instance,¡± Jun gestured towards the pouting girl that cutely had her face turned away.

    ¡°... Tiana here may have PBF Syndrome, but is in fact one of the most thoughtful people you''ll ever meet. Don''t know about PBFS? Perpetual Bitch Face Syndrome. It''s not contagious, I swear...¡± He glanced at the chilly faces of Tiana''s entourage. ¡°Maybe it''s contagious.¡±

    ¡°JUN!¡± Tiana barked with a blush that matched her hair.

    ¡°Jokes! Jokes!¡± He gently placated her briefly before turning back to the freshmen. ¡°But seriously, I''m not joking. This is Tiana Firestorm, the second highest ranked student in the Rune Research Department, the next Associate Professor and the only person that can compete with the number one. You are in the presence of a legend.¡±

    Jun could see the cocktail of emotions playing across Tiana''s pretty face, represented in shades of reds and purples and the old faithful pulsing vein on the right side of her forehead. Oh, she was gonna blow soon. Better wrap this up.

    ¡°She just looks mad all the time, but I swear she only has good intentions. I heard she caught you trying to get into the Experimental Rune Research Facility. You can get into a lot of trouble going into these buildings without authorization. Sometimes it can be as harsh as expulsion.¡± Both of the little chicks paled in fright. ¡°She just doesn''t want you guys losing out on the opportunity to study here for something like that. Anyone else would have just let you get in trouble, but she didn''t. Understand her good intentions?¡±

    Nodding even more emphatically, they both glanced at each other before turning towards Tiana and bowing. ¡°Thank you for your good intentions, Seniors.¡± They quickly did the same for Nicole.

    Wow, talk about close friends. They were so in sync. Creepy.

    Having been impressed by something weird, he steeled himself to be shameless and addressed the group in general.

    ¡°Well, since a whole crowd is here, don''t forget to check out my thesis presentation in the Student Square in an hour. There will be a big unveiling of my latest masterpiece. You won''t regret it.¡±

    Seeing that the fun was over, the extras began to trickle away while the two little chicks still looked a little unsure. With a gesture of his eyebrow, he let them run away from the two scariest girls in the University, ready to brag to all their friends.

    Front row tickets to the clash of the two legendary women of Trident University. There was also a cute senior boy. Their friends were going to be so jelly.

    The crowd finally dispersing, Jun once again looked back at his two exasperating friends. As scions of two of the six S Rank Families that ultimately ruled the city, their relationship couldn''t help but be volatile.

    Their attitudes in public often reflected the relationship of the two Families. When the two Families were friends, they were friends. When the two Families were neutral, they were neutral. And when the two Families were enemies, they were enemies. It was freaking exhausting.

    ¡°I just want you both not to forget that while you may be members of your respective families, your identities go beyond that. Don¡¯t you think this one was a bit silly?¡±

    He was heartened to see his friends hear him and have the grace to be embarrassed. Lackey number three - or was it four? - however, had had enough.

    ¡°How dare you tease and lecture the Princess of the Firestorm Family! Know your place, you filthy orphan!¡± yelled a real greasy looking kid. No matter how good his features were, he couldn¡¯t hide the arrogant, demeaning sneer that proclaimed to the world how much better he was. This did not bother Jun. It didn''t need to.

    ¡°Clines...if you say another word, I''ll have you shipped back to my mother in a shoe box. Now apologize to my friend for being a little bitch.¡± Everyone present knew when they heard the soft and gentle mannered threat that Tiana was truly angry. The scuffle with Nicole earlier had been more out of family obligation than real emotion for both sides, but to these annoying flies that hovered around her constantly by the designs of her family, she couldn''t care if they dropped dead that instant.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Clines and lackeys one and two knew it too. Those deep green eyes that usually inspired great fantasies now only produced dread. She would totally do it. The blank stare didn''t even see him as human. He was so scared that he didn''t have a chance to feel disappointed.

    Survival first, moping second.

    The normal arrogance was replaced with fear and unwillingness as Clines gave a reluctant bow and mumbled an unintelligible apology.

    ¡°...All of you get out of my sight. I''m going to speak with my friend..s...¡± Fed up with these children, all she could do was shoo them away with exhaustion.

    ¡°I''m sorry Jun, I''ve failed in disciplining my subordinates. Again. Sigh.¡± Tiana was looking very tired now.

    Seeing this, he led the duo over to sit and chat, away from the main crowds. He still had time, and it looked like Nicole had come for him.

    ¡°You know, of these duets you two perform, it''s the ones when you two are playing friends that are the most genuine.¡± And it was true. In the instances when the two families had amicable relations, the two were free to be friends. The windows were brief, but they were the moments when the two had permission to be themselves with each other. But when the windows closed, they also closed their hearts. He wished they could finally be a bit more honest with themselves.

    Seeing their blushes and reluctance to address the issue, he decided he had meddled enough.

    ¡°Nicole, what brings you to visit our lovely corner of the world?¡± he asked, hoping to move things along.

    ¡°Well, um...¡± she glanced at Tiana and hesitated, so Jun reassured her that everyone was friends so she could speak. Neither noticed Tiana''s small smile.

    Seeing that he didn''t mind, she shrugged and decided not to care, either.

    ¡°I''m worried about Desi.¡± That statement woke Jun up.

    ¡°Is she alright? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°She''s fine. Nothing happened, but she''s been saying some concerning things and she''s been increasingly more distant.¡± Nicole said, looking uncomfortable.

    Jun''s heart clenched and asked for clarification. Why couldn''t this girl just say everything at once? Didn''t she know she was killing him here?

    ¡°Well, it''s about her obsession with becoming a Hunter and living in the Fortress. We''ve mostly laughed it off at first, thinking she was messing with us or something, but she''s been so serious. She almost didn''t even attend her finals. We finally told her mom so she could knock some sense or fear into that girl, but even if she went, I''m not sure if she did more than attend.¡± she explained looking even more helpless now.

    Jun was silent. He hadn''t known about this. Last time he visited their house was a few days ago. Aunt Mary was so mad about something that she wouldn''t leave her room, and with Desi locking him out of hers and actively not speaking with him, the only outlet for news was Lily. She didn''t mention anything about this though.

    ¡°Jun, what do you think about becoming a Hunter?¡± Nicole suddenly asked.

    ¡°Not interested.¡± Jun replied flatly.

    ¡°You''re not interested in becoming a powerful Hunter and making lots of merit? What about the prestige and benefits?¡±

    ¡°I don''t care about those things Nicole, you know that. And even if I were, with my potential, I could never rise to those heights.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I mean first Cleansing at 20 is pretty good but it''s nowhere near enough to even get noticed by the guilds right?¡±

    ¡°Really. First Cleansing at 20 huh.¡± Nicole stared intensely into Jun''s eyes as if she were trying to see into his soul.

    ¡°Of course. Remember? A few months after my birthday before midterms. First Cleansing. Please stop looking at me like that.¡±

    Tiana, having caught up from the shocking news that Jun''s fianc¨¦e wanted to suddenly become a Hunter, responded to Nicole''s shameless poaching attempt with real heat.

    ¡°Nicole, everyone knows about Jun''s mediocrity in Body Refinement, just as everyone knows about Jun''s position as a once in a lifetime genius rune-smith that''s going to change the world! How could you even suggest putting him on such a dangerous path? What if he died!? Do you know what the world would be losing!?¡± Tiana demanded with surprising passion.

    She was convinced that Jun was the most brilliant Rune-smith of their generation, whose genius rivaled and maybe even surpassed the great minds that cracked the code and laid the foundations for modern rune research. Turning his attention to something so barbaric as becoming a common Hunter when he should be here focusing on changing the world of rune studies with her, was not permissible.

    Nicole and Jun were both a bit stunned by the outburst. Jun had never known how highly his friend had regarded him while Nicole was genuinely unaware of Jun''s status within the Runes Department.

    Ever since she caught a glimpse of Jun¡¯s secret, all she had observed was that Jun was an amazing artist and boyfriend. She wasn''t ashamed to admit to anyone else besides Jun that she was jealous of her best friend as a fan of Jun''s streaming and art.

    But even with this, she hadn''t considered his talent in runes because it had never come up before. As a fairly busy person herself, she had few friends at the University and none within the Runes Department besides Jun. She had always assumed that he did well since she couldn''t imagine Jun doing anything poorly but very precious few had any real talent in Runes.

    Those given such high praise from someone as proud as Tiana Firestorm had to be a monster.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect then! The Guild I¡¯m about to found will have its own rune research department so you can head it! Then, even if Desi goes over, we can ensure her safety!¡± Nicole exclaimed, genuinely excited.

    ¡°Research! He needs to do research! Here!¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡± These girls looked like they were about to throw down in a bit.

    Both girls turned to look at Jun who was still a bit rosy, but he was resolute with his response.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I already have a path in mind, and it doesn¡¯t involve staying at the university or going into the Gate. But even if I did, it¡¯s the idea of Desi fighting monsters that I think should be our focus.¡±

    ¡°There are other paths then active hunting if you live in the Fortress. I think if we can get her a position exposed to the Hunter world away from the action, that would be enough. I don¡¯t want her out there exposed to danger either. If you¡¯re concerned about streaming, you can do that in Fortress. There will be more interesting ways to film there then just here, right?¡± Nicole encouraged.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. I¡¯ve had some ambition recently to do something for our home, maybe involving my art.¡±

    ¡°Trident City?¡±

    ¡°Um, the planet.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Please speak in complete sentences.¡± Tiana demanded, irritated that Jun kept wanting to leave.

    ¡°I was thinking. ''We broke it shouldn''t we fix it?'' If babies could be born beyond the Gates, then it wouldn''t take long for all mankind to end up migrating because it¡¯s so shitty here but they can''t. That means the planet is important. And yet there aren''t even any discussions about it. I think that''s insane.¡±

    They both nodded in agreement, knowing that he was making sense.

    Not everything about the Last War was clear but the initial trigger to the chaos was well known. It was the violent collapse of the space colonization programs. The reason wasn''t because of politics or financing.

    The world''s supply of natural resources was rapidly dwindling and the unregulated destruction of the world in search of more was only hastening the planets expiration date.

    All governments around the world were forced to make peace in order to solve the very real danger of human extinction.

    Great space faring colony ships were designed and constructed with the entire world working as one. A new age of humanity was being birthed, and it would start with peace. Humanity had finally learned to come together.

    It was considered The Great Human Miracle.

    Until the day the first baby was born without a soul.

    Numerous fertility studies were conducted in the United Earth Space Station, an orbital laboratory that housed two thousand scientists studying the affects of living in space in preparation for the Great Migration. Many healthy children were successfully birthed on the UESS so why was the first child born on one of the numerous construction stations orbiting Mars not showing any active brain activity?

    What first was thought to be a unique case due to a radiation breech in the station hull turned out to merely be the first.

    After the second, people started paying attention.

    After the third, scientists became seriously concerned.

    After the 143rd within six months, many of the greatest minds on Earth had gone literally mad from the conclusion.

    Humanity could only gain a soul if born within Earth¡¯s influence. The UESS was within the range of influence but even the newly established Moon Bases reported similar cases.

    The Earth gave humanity its souls and were tied to it. They could not leave.

    The Last War started one hour and twenty-three minutes after the scientific conclusion was drawn and announced.

    Over eighty percent of the global human population of thirty billion was wiped out in the next 24 hours.

    The rest kept fighting for reasons they didn''t even care about anymore.

    For years.

    Until there was nothing left but a lifeless, radioactive rock with poisoned oceans and skies.

    Now in the Gate Era, the rule applied still. Humans could only be safely birthed on this side of the Gate.

    ¡°This planet is all we have as our foundation, and I think I¡¯ve got a great platform to do something to help it.¡±

    ¡°And how does your art play into this?¡± Nicole asked, unsure of the connection.

    ¡°Well at my core all I want to really do is make beautiful things and raise beautiful babies with Desi. After so many visits out of the city walls, I also grew a desire to do something about cleaning things up. Especially when I found out about our baby. I want them to someday see real trees. I realized while I was here that those two things don''t have to be mutually exclusive.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Babies?¡± Tiana blushed in a daze.

    ¡°Ah, yeah we''re having a baby.¡± Jun said, now sporting the biggest, dumbest smile that either had seen Jun make. Now both girls were beginning to feel uncomfortable for reasons.

    ¡°Congratulations.¡± Tiana said in a soft voice.

    ¡°Thanks¡± Jun replied, not thinking much of it.

    ¡°Anyways.¡± Nicole said, trying to ignore the uncomfortable pressure in her chest.

    ¡°Well... if you guys both come to my thesis presentation, you''ll see something I think is special. You''ll understand more of what I''m aiming to do I think.¡±

    Neither could understand their overwhelming desire to punch that mischievously smiling face.

    ¡°Desi has always been my number one supporter. She''s been with me every step of the way and she knows how important it is to me as well as my deep aversion to the Gates.¡± Jun said, reminding the two why they were even having this conversation.

    ¡°Honestly, I don''t know what she''s thinking right now. That fight we had didn''t make any real sense to me and we haven''t talked since.... I''m hoping to change that tonight so wish me luck yeah?¡± Jun said more subdued than the moment before.

    ¡°I actually gotta go and make sure everything is in order. Don''t be late or you''ll regret it.¡± and with that he was gone.

    There was an awkward silence as both girls found themselves alone during a period where they were supposed to be enemies, without Jun to act as the mediator.

    At the moment Tiana wasn''t interested in politics. She had too many questions and the only person who could give her any sat before her.

    ¡°What does he mean by art? Is Jun also into Prompting?¡± Tiana asked.

    Nicole looked up and considered only briefly before answering honestly. ¡°Jun is a talented sculptor. Sculptors are artists that create things with their hands and tools. He has a live-streaming channel where he shows his process. Did you not know about that?¡±

    ¡°....No.¡±

    Nicole was about to act smug out of habit when she stopped herself after seeing her frenemy''s pitiful expression. It was the first time she''d seen Tiana Firestorm make an expression of true vulnerability. Right now, she didn''t look like the Youngest Princess of the S Rank Firestorm Family. She looked like a puppy that had been abandoned by its owner. After some consideration, Nicole understood.

    ¡°The only reason any of us know about the streaming is because Desi told us. From my understanding Jun doesn''t like to actively talk about it. I''m not sure why. So, stop looking at me like that.¡±

    Tiana''s furrowed brows relaxed a bit before softly asking for more information.

    Nicole rolled her eyes before bringing up her vid files that she saved of his streaming sessions. All of them. She was a fan.

    While the two most terrifying women in Trident University sat huddled together watching clips, Nicole was interrupted from her evangelizing the fangirl way when an incoming message popped up.

    Seeing as it was a message from her best friend, she opened it without much thought while Tiana politely looked away. She quickly turned back when she heard a horrified gasp from her new fangirl mentor.

    Nicole had burst to her feet while she continued reading the message. Whatever it was, it was obviously bad news. Tiana grew concerned when Nicole''s hands began to tremble, her eyes began to tear up as they read on. Finally, the screen fizzed out of existence as Nicole raised both her hands to her face, still in shock of what she had read.

    It was too much.

    Jun had to know.

    Nicole tried to start running but in her state of distress she tripped on her own feet, face rapidly about to be introduced to floor. A hand grabbed her by the back of her collar, stopping her descent mere inches from the ground.

    ¡°What is going on? What''s happened to make you like this?¡± Tiana asked, still shocked as she set the girl straight.

    ¡°I have to tell Jun.¡± Nicole replied, her hand rubbing her throat as her eyes watered from both the fall and her emotions.

    Seeing her still unable to focus, Tiana merely offered to help her get to the Student Square. They still had about 15 minutes before the start of Jun¡¯s presentation. She hoped it wasn''t too bad but to earn such a reaction, how could it not be awful?

    Well maybe Nicole was just over-reacting.

    Maybe the dinner reservations for the after-party were canceled last minute?

    She just didn''t want her only real friend to get hurt.

 Chapter 4: Anxious

    Clothes check.

    Shave check.

    Mouthwash check.

    Hair¡­ uuurgh.

    Jun threw his hair brush into the sink in disgust and looked back into the mirror. Dressed to impress in a specially tailored suit that was a gift from his baby momma, Jun was looking pretty suave with simple silhouettes and silver framed glasses to establish the look of an intellectual. If only his hair would work with him.

    Desi had planned out his entire look and was in charge of getting him ready. He could have asked Aunt Mary or Lily for help, but even till the last moment, he hadn¡¯t given up hope that she¡¯d show up.

    She hadn¡¯t. But she would. She promised, after all.

    Frustrated hands roughed up ten minutes of failure, and the mop returned to its natural state. Mopy .

    Leaving the men¡¯s room, feet still uncomfortable in his new shoes, Jun power walked towards the Student Square. Even from a distance, he could already see the crowds beginning to form around an enormous white cube that was a hundred feet wide, long, and tall. It was a simple, solid magic light barrier that was hiding his surprise from view and access.

    The entire project had been designed into individual modules and handcrafted for over a year. Hours had been spent the night before, assembling all the components behind the veil of the barrier that would soon play the role of the backdrop for his presentation.

    A lot of preparation had gone into planning and execution with a lot of help from Davie and Lily. Lily composed the accompaniment and designed the acoustics program while Davie had taken it upon himself to handle the fleet of drones that were going to make it all possible. Davie was great with drone cams and they all had a lot of fun coming up with the coordination. Even Aunt Mary had lent a hand by coming early to help with the setup while he was finishing exams. Uncle Juan had a collaborations project with a few other film prompters and couldn''t help but promised to make it on time.

    Jun owed them a lot.

    He scanned the crowds in search of a face. One small group standing by his nervous looking aunt and Lily was especially noticeable as the only group of old people in a sea of young students. Professor Kindley and several of his colleagues amiably conversed with Aunt Mary, who nervously eyed the Dean and five other professors, including Professor Dickinass, who looked like they had a thousand other, more important places to be. What a bunch of dicks.

    Scanning around, he still didn''t see Desi or Danny. The plan was for Danny to check in and make sure Desi came before the presentation. He was the only person he trusted to take the assignment. After his chat with Nicole, although he seemed calm, Jun was beginning to feel a gradually growing unease in his chest. He couldn''t explain it, but he was desperate to hold the mother of his child in his arms again. It had been too long.

    ¡°Jun!¡±

    Excitedly, Jun turned to the voice, only to be disappointed.

    ¡°Geez, don''t be so happy to see me bro,¡± said lil Davie, Danny''s 16-year-old little brother who, along with Lily, was entering the University as freshmen. Although younger, it was clear that Davie was going to be much larger than his older brother. Even at just 16, Davie was already 6'' and almost as bulky as his brother. He had the same good looks and dark hair his brother had, and an even greater blessed talent in body cultivation. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    What Davie got from his mother that his brother hadn''t, was an impressive temper. Boy liked to fight. A week wouldn''t go by without lil Davie getting into trouble.

    Thankfully, the comparisons with the woman stopped there. Perhaps due to the trauma of the early abandonment of his mother, Davie valued bonds and loyalty as his personal ethos. His and the Khis Family were his number one priority. He didn''t open up to others easily, but once someone managed to earn his trust, lil Davie wouldn''t mind making any sacrifice for a friend in need, so was especially hurt whenever a friend would betray that trust. Jun was always honored to be included in the core circle of Davie''s heart.

    ¡°Haha sorry Davie, I''m just anxious. Have you heard from your brother yet? They should be here by now.¡± Jun asked, giving the surroundings another scan.

    ¡°No, neither of them has been answering our calls. Danny said he was going to have a talk with Desi on the way over. I''m sure they''ll show up any second now.¡± Davie reassured him. ¡°Actually, I came by because of something else.¡±

    Davie became more serious, so Jun did too.

    ¡°What''s up?¡±

    ¡°It''s the streaming platform. I can''t seem to log in. I''ve tried contacting the devs, but I''ve been on hold since forever. We need to start soon, right?¡±

    Jun didn''t like the sound of that. Davie helped out with his streaming sometimes, but it was Danny that really drove the technical side to the business. Now the question was, could he afford to wait for Danny to resolve the issue, or did they need to act now?

    The plan had been to stream his thesis presentation and unveiling. He''d take this opportunity to reveal his identity while also introducing his rune concepts, as well as thank his supporters with the prepared gifts. Most of this had been planned with Davie so as not to distract Danny from his own finals period. Now he was regretting not running things by him first. Whatever. Decisions had to be made.

    Jun accessed his wrist com and sent a file to Davie.

    ¡°I just sent you the list of my live stream supporters. Let''s just start up a new channel for now and only invite that list. We already notified them of tonight, so a quick message for the change in room should be fine. Once you''ve got that done, release the drone cams. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Without another word, Davie was gone. Jun was thankful.

    ¡°Jun!¡± Once again, Jun turned with anticipation, only to be disappointed, which he couldn''t show.

    ¡°Professor Kindley, thank you for comforting my aunt. She''s been very anxious.¡±

    ¡°Not at all, not at all. Delightful young woman. Absolutely delightful. I told her honestly that she had nothing to be concerned about, which is true, but then the Old Farts Gangs came over to be snotty.¡± The Professor actually spit on the ground at this, shocking Jun once more, ¡°Childish. Utterly disgraceful behavior. I''m very much looking forward to seeing their stupid faces when they see what you''ve brought. Hell, I''m looking forward to my stupid face when I see this. I''ve even set up my wrist com for a selfie. Heehee.¡±

    His confidence touched Jun and felt it was well placed. He, too, was interested in everyone''s stupid faces. Recorder drones equals memories of youth, get.

    ¡°Anyway, I understand it from the lovely Ms. Khis that you''re planning to start things off with a dedication? Has the young lady made her appearance? We should start soon, I think.¡± Professor Kindley said, looking around as if expecting to see her hiding behind Jun''s back.

    ¡°Um, no Professor, but she should be here any second now.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. I''m very excited Jun. Very excited.¡± The Professor said one last time before sauntering back towards his aunt, waving excitedly with a smile. It seemed his professor was crushing on his aunt. Dirty old man was 165 this year and making moves. He was excited to see what would happen when Uncle Juan finally made it.

    ¡°Jun!¡± Heart in his throat, he turned to find Nicole and Tiana running towards him, looking stricken.

    Jun didn''t know why his friends were so anxious but it awoke something. Something revolting that had been hiding in the corners of his heart. Something he couldn''t face was now demanding his attention.

    He didn''t know why he felt like he was about to suffocate, why a chill was forming in his core, or why he suddenly wanted to run far away, but he knew that there was a change.

    Something had shifted.

    He didn''t know what, but rather than finding out, he wanted to flee.

    But he didn''t. He couldn''t.

    He wished he had.

 Chapter 5: The show must go on

    Something was wrong.

    Everyone saw the shocking scene of two of the most fierce and respected characters in the university have an emotional breakdown.

    The once bustling and excited atmosphere had fallen mostly silent.

    No one approached out of respect or fear and so no one knew what Nicole and Tiana had said to Jun. The amount of tears shed and the looks of distress on the faces of the two women that prided themselves at never showing weakness was incredibly unnerving to those who knew them.

    Davie couldn''t see what was going on since he was too busy trying to set up the new streaming account. He wasn''t normally mentally equipped for tasks like this, but knowing how important the event was for his bro had given him an unprecedented focus. As he entered the last confirmation key, he was feeling pretty good about himself as he checked the time.

    He was so happy as he was running back that he didn''t notice the strange atmosphere till he was standing right behind his bro and slapped his back. Then he froze.

    He too knew the identities of the two girls that were now weeping into his bro''s arms.

    ''Okay, what the hell?''

    Then Jun turned around.

    ¡°Is everything ready?¡±

    ¡°Ye-ye-yes. Yeah, just say when and drones are up.¡± Davie stuttered. Jun''s eyes.

    ¡°Great Davie. Thank you for that. Start it up now and start the presentation now too. I''ll be inside. I''d like a few minutes for myself in there thanks.¡± Jun said as he gently disengaged from a snot-nosed Nicole and Tiana, which was enough to fuck with Davie''s brain except Jun''s eyes...

    ¡°What happened bro? What''s going on?¡± Davie had finally asked.

    ¡°...They can tell you. I think. In a bit maybe. It''s a crazy story.¡± Jun tried to joke with a small smile but his eyes were still....

    ¡°We have to start now.¡± Jun said again patting Davie on the shoulder without any strength. ¡°Let Aunty and Uncle hear it too. They should know.¡±

    He walked away nodding politely to those concerned saying the presentation was about to start. He looked back at Davie again and smiled, nodding, before disappearing around the corner opposite where his Aunt and Lily were waiting with the professors. Jun''s eyes...

    They were eyes that Davie would never forget.

    Eight years ago, it had been Lily that had discovered a filthy and injured child sitting in the park they had favored for after school games for its relative solitude. No one else played there so it felt like their personal play heaven. Davie had been late in meeting with Lily at their regular place to find her sitting quietly, comforting a little monster. At least that''s what he thought it was at first.

    The memory still sent chills down his spine. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Covered in filthy rags and animal furs, it was also heavily injured. Dirty bandages, dyed black in dried blood, had been roughly applied, probably by itself, on almost every inch of his body.

    It¡¯s hair was long and tied into ropes like a black snake that wrapped around its neck and lower face. But the reason Davie thought it a monster was because of its eyes.

    They looked into space and at nothing and had an emptiness that the little eight-year-old Davie had never encountered. He didn''t know humans could have such lifeless eyes. It terrified him. He didn''t want those eyes to look at him. He was afraid of losing his own soul to fill the void in the monster.

    It was only when Lily''s little voice registered that he awoke from his terror induced stupor.

    The eight-year-old Lily, in her little blue sundress, sat as closely as she could without touching him. Her hands were clutching her dress tightly in anxiety. She spoke softly and earnestly.

    ¡°Does it hurt? My mom said it''s a light to cry when it hurts. It''s not good to keep it in. I think she means the tears. I guess it''s not good for your eyes to keep your tears in, so if you want to you should. I won''t tell anyone you cried, I promise.¡±

    It was this final plea that brought a change.

    The monster''s eyes became a little bit human. Lost and confused, but human.

    It slowly turned to look at Lily, and after another pause, it shook. It was a little at first, but then it trembled. The little monster began to cry. Its eyes looked so lonely then.

    A soft little hand gently reached out and rested on the dirty, blood-stained hands of a monster that turned into a boy.

    To the boy it was so warm. He remembered another hand that used to give him warmth. The hand that was lost to him twice. The boy tentatively brought his free hand and laid it atop the little girls.

    Gratitude and warmth had filled a bit of the void, and he was thankful.

    This had been a private memory for Davie, Lily, and Jun that bonded them more closely than even Danny and Desi, who had never seen Jun at his lowest. They were Jun''s saviors and he loved them and had been their fierce protector ever since.

    Danny and Desi had come home from a class trip to find that there was a new, odd addition to their family.

    The official story had been that Jun was the son of a family friend that had died in an accident that left Jun with his injuries. He had nowhere else to go and out of gratitude for a past favor from Jun''s mother, Mary decided that Jun should live with the Guards boys. Davie and Lily never contradicted and Danny and Desi had never asked.

    Jun''s transformation into a proper human was an experience in itself. Davie and Lily loved their creative and over protective big brother, but they never forgot those eyes.

    The eyes he had now.

    Aunt Mary and Lily were rushing over as Davie input the commands to start. The stream officially began as dozens of tiny drones arose from their containers. Some began projecting lights and images onto the white surfaces of the giant cube, bringing it alive with colors and brightness, while others lit the audience and surroundings. Many began to play music that filled the space with a festive energy.

    As attentions were drawn to the visually and audibly impressive presentation, no one else but a few paid any attention to the gathering of emotions in the back corner. So distraught were the gathered family members that they didn¡¯t notice a few overly curious onlookers stand a little too close.

    Juan Guard had arrived in time to join his son and his best friend and her littlest daughter to hear the worst thing he''d heard since his wife left him and their children with Tony.

    He couldn''t believe the things that these two daughters of S-Rank families were telling them. If they weren''t so obviously distraught, he would have thought, hoped, they were messing with them as some sick joke of the wealthy.

    He supported Mary, who looked like she might faint. His heart hurt for her as well. She was devastated. She had been destroyed by her husband''s betrayal but held on for the love of her children. Now this.

    He looked over and saw lil Davie doing the same for lil Lily, who was crying into her hands as Davie rocked her comfortingly in his arms. Even in his grief, he was proud of his remaining son when he saw how he controlled his rage to be gentle. He could see it building in his eyes, but Davie had such a brave hold on it. His obvious concern and care for his family as he gently held Lily in his embrace was strong enough to tame even this. Good boy.

    But was he strong enough? Would he be strong enough to face Jun?

 To the nine people following this

    Hey yall! I know it''s been awhile, which is an arrogant thing to say when I''ve only posted a few chapters, but I wanted you to know that this story didn''t end there.

    In truth, I had intended to come out swinging with a mass upload of about 10 chapters in the first week with a link to my patreon where you''d find 30 more. I''ve been working on this story for a few months and I felt like I was ready to share it with you.

    It wasn''t until I uploaded the first chapter that I noticed there was a small but important plot hole that I never fixed. No biggie right? I can patch those up as I post em since I already released the story. It was such a small thing anyways. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Have you ever looked down at your shirt and noticed a small stray thread poking out and thought ''I''ll just pull this little thing off and go about the rest of my day'' ?

    How did that work for you?

    One thing led to another and now 5 chapters have been cut. I did not enjoy it. I really liked those chapters. My stomach ached for two days.

    I''ve got it all sorted now, but my momentum....

    So I''m going to try this again.

    I''ll be reposting The Streaming Sculptor, starting with the first ten, with four new chapters a week and a link to my patreon where you''ll find a bunch more so you should *cough cough* check that out.

    Thank you to the nine wonderful people with excellent taste that followed this story and I''ll see you soon!

    Moonhopper