《Visionary Code: Riftborn Hunter》 The Blind Deadweight Aiden Kain had long since accepted his place at the bottom. The Hunter System didn''t favor the weak. Strength meant everything¡ªrank, survival, respect. If you had power, you were worth something. If you didn''t? You were nothing. F-Ranks weren''t even considered real Hunters. They were cleanup crews, cannon fodder, disposable. D-Tiers and C-Tiers were foot soldiers, competent but replaceable. B-Tier Hunters were the kind who commanded guilds, who made the rules. And S-Tiers? They weren''t Hunters. They were monsters. Aiden was F-Rank. The absolute bottom. And now he was walking into an S-Rank Rift. [Hunter System Status] [Rank: F][Strength: 0.6][Agility: 0.8][Perception: 0.3][Mana: 0.0][Core Trait: None] Aiden stared at the stats on his Hunter-issued wristband, not that he needed to. He had them memorized. The System had labeled him weak his entire life. Nothing he did had ever changed that. And it never would. He should''ve never been here. Should''ve never even set foot in a Rift. And yet¡ªhere he was, standing in an S-Rank Rift, walking toward his own death. He could feel it in the way his squad sneered at him, the way their steps always stayed just a little ahead, as if he were already falling behind. Even the lowest-ranked Hunters treated him like a joke. A pity case. Born blind. Born weak. Born useless. Squad Eclipse only let him join out of pity. And even then, he knew what they thought. He could hear it in their whispers. "The Kain family disowned him for a reason.""Why''s he even here? He can''t even use an ability.""He should''ve just been a civilian." Aiden agreed with them. But the Rifts didn''t care if you were weak. When the world needed warriors, every able body was thrown into the meat grinder. And tonight, Aiden had been thrown into an S-Rank Rift.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The air inside the Rift was wrong. Aiden couldn''t see it, but he could feel it¡ªlike stepping into a room where someone was waiting for you, unmoving, unblinking. The Veil of Midnight had appeared three days ago, swallowing an abandoned city block. Every piece of technology inside had stopped working. Drones sent in never came back. The Hunter Association designated it S-Rank. That meant mass extinction threat. Only the strongest should enter. If it spread, entire cities could fall. Squad Eclipse was not made up of the strongest. "Recon only," Dain Varos, their squad leader, had said. "No fights. We get in, scan, get out. Simple." But Dain was a liar. And Aiden already knew¡ªthis was a trap. "Why''d they even send you? What are you gonna do, listen the monsters to death?" Laughter rippled through the squad. Aiden didn''t respond. He just kept walking. It didn''t matter what he said. They''d already made up their minds about him. Squad Eclipse moved ahead through the abandoned city streets, weapons raised, boots crunching softly on the cracked pavement. Buildings loomed around them, twisted by Rift corruption. Aiden''s fingers brushed the walls as he walked, feeling the strange, smooth texture beneath his gloves. Glass? No. Something else. Something alive. The Rift pulsed. Something was watching. Hunters were ranked based on raw combat ability. Every awakened Hunter possessed a unique ability¡ªa "Core Trait"¡ªgranted upon their first Rift clearance. Some could manipulate fire, lightning, or gravity. Others had enhanced strength, reflexes, or regeneration. The best of the best had multiple abilities, combining them into unstoppable forces. Aiden had nothing. No awakened Core Trait. No enhanced senses, no physical strength. Even his **combat knife¡ªstandard-issue for all Hunters¡ª**was useless in his hands. He had trained, memorized attack forms, but his body was too slow, too weak. If they were attacked, he would die first. "Dain, something isn''t right," Aiden murmured. The squad leader scoffed. "We''ve been here for ten minutes, Kain. Stop pretending you know what''s going on." Aiden clenched his fists. He did know. Not with sight. Not with power. But he had spent his whole life navigating a world without vision. He knew when a space was empty.He knew when something was waiting. And right now? The air wasn''t empty. It was waiting. "No threats detected," Dain announced, voice dripping with arrogance. Aiden''s frown deepened. He wasn''t sure what was wrong, but something was. The buildings around them seemed too quiet. The wind didn''t move. The city felt like a painting, something designed to be looked at, not lived in. His stomach churned. He heard something shift. A single step. A dragging motion. Then¡ª The screaming began. The Ambush The first scream cut through the silence like a blade. Aiden froze. He had never heard a person die before. But he knew instantly¡ªthat sound didn''t belong to someone still breathing. It was raw, guttural, choked off too soon. Then came the second scream. And the third. Squad Eclipse broke. Boots pounded against concrete, the sound echoing like a frantic drumbeat. Shadows shifted unnaturally, twisting and stretching in ways that defied logic. Aiden turned his head toward the noise, but all he could do was listen. "What the hell is that?!" someone shouted, their voice cracking with panic. "Fall back! Fall back!" Aiden moved purely on instinct, throwing himself against a nearby wall. His pulse thundered in his ears as another shriek tore through the squad, followed by a wet, sickening crunch. A body hit the ground. Then another. Something was hunting them. But it wasn''t moving like a mindless beast. It wasn''t charging them head-on like the lesser creatures that usually emerged from Rifts. This was a predator. It was waiting, lurking, striking when they least expected it. And Squad Eclipse had no idea what to do. Aiden tried to control his breathing, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven gasps. He needed to think. The mission was supposed to be reconnaissance. No engagement, no unnecessary risks. Yet Dain had pushed them deeper, ignoring every warning sign. Now, half the squad was dead, and the rest were blindly scrambling to fight something they couldn''t see. Another scream ripped through the air, closer this time, followed by the sound of tearing flesh. Aiden tensed. That was too close¡ªway too close. Someone stumbled past him, gasping for breath. Aiden recognized the voice. Varon. One of the squad''s stronger fighters. C-Rank. Aiden reached out blindly. "Varon!" he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. "What''s happening?" A choked sound escaped Varon''s lips. "They''re¡ªthey''re inside the shadows." His voice trembled, each word laced with terror. "They don''t move like anything I''ve seen before. They¡ªthey don''t make sense."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Aiden''s stomach twisted. Shadow creatures. That explained why the squad hadn''t noticed them at first. Some Rifts produced entities that could merge with the environment, lurking just beyond the edges of perception. Most Hunters had enhanced vision traits to detect them. Aiden had nothing. And yet¡­ he could feel them. The weight of the air. The unnatural way sound warped and bent. The pulsing pressure in the Rift itself. The entire space was alive. And it was watching them. Varon coughed, struggling to catch his breath. "Dain¡ªDain''s lost it. He''s trying to fight, but you can''t hit them. They move before you even strike. They''re¡ªthey''re toying with us." Aiden pressed his back against the cold wall, his hands tightening into fists. He was useless. No weapons that could harm these things.No power to protect himself.No way to even see the enemy. The others were dying. And soon, so would he. Varon gasped. His breathing grew heavier, more labored. "Varon?" Aiden whispered, his voice barely audible. Silence. Aiden''s chest constricted. Then he heard it. A slow, wet tearing sound. A breathy, inhuman whisper, so close it sent ice through his veins. Then¡ªsomething dropped at his feet. Aiden recoiled. His fingers brushed against something warm. Slick. His stomach lurched. It was Varon. No. Not Varon. A part of him. A hand. A severed hand. Aiden staggered back, bile rising in his throat. His mind screamed at him to move, to run, to do something. But there was nowhere to go. Then, for the first time, he heard them. Not the Hunters. Not his squad. The things inside the Rift. A whisper, layered and distorted, slipping through the air like a phantom breeze. "One remains." Aiden''s body turned to ice. Another whisper, lower this time. "He does not belong." The presence around him thickened, pressing in from all sides. The air itself seemed to shudder, as if the Rift was reacting. Aiden''s breathing came fast and shallow. His hands scrambled against the concrete wall, searching for something¡ªanything¡ªto hold onto. The whispers twisted. Almost amused. "Shall we show him?" Something slammed into his chest. Aiden''s world tilted. For a moment, he was weightless. Then¡ªhe hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. Pain exploded through his ribs. He coughed, tasting blood. A deep, vibrating growl rumbled through the air. Something shifted above him, the space growing thick with the scent of decay. Aiden squeezed his eyes shut. This was it. This was where it ended. Left behind. Forgotten. He had always known he would die this way. Alone. The shadows moved. Something reached for him. A pressure built behind his eyes, sharp and burning. A pulse of something foreign, something ancient ignited deep in his skull, like a crack splitting through stone. A sound, low and distant, echoed through the Rift. Not a growl.Not a whisper.Something deeper. Something that did not belong here. Aiden gasped as his vision exploded into light. And for the first time in his life¡ª He saw everything. True Vision Aiden''s world erupted in light. Not the soft glow he''d imagined as a child, lying awake at night and wondering what colors looked like. Not the flickering warmth of torches or the harsh glare of city lamps. This was something else entirely. It wasn''t just light. It was sight. And it shattered him. His mind fractured under the sheer weight of it, overwhelmed by a flood of sensations he had no words for. The Rift wasn''t black¡ªit was alive. A writhing, twisting mass of impossible shapes, layers of reality stacked and folded like a nightmare origami. The buildings around him weren''t just abandoned structures; they breathed, their surfaces pulsing like stretched skin over bone, veins of glowing energy coursing through their walls. The air itself moved, rippling like liquid, charged with an unseen force that made his skin crawl. And the creatures¡ª Aiden''s stomach twisted. They weren''t beasts. They weren''t even monsters. They were wrong. Shadows peeled themselves from the walls, limbs twisting at angles that defied logic. Their bodies flickered between solid and formless, stretching, shrinking, distorting like reflections on rippling water. Some hung from the buildings, eyeless heads turning toward him, jaws splitting open too wide. Others slithered between cracks in the pavement, their elongated fingers dragging behind them, bodies writhing like puppets with severed strings. And they were watching him. Not with eyes. Not with hunger. With recognition.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. A voice, layered with thousands of whispers, rippled through the air. "He sees." Aiden''s breath hitched. He tried to move. His body refused. His mind was drowning, overwhelmed by the flood of information. Every creature had patterns in their movement, every surface was lined with fractures where the Rift was weakest. His eyes¡ªno, his vision¡ªfollowed the shifting layers of reality, watching possibilities unfold before they happened. A Hunter''s body being dragged into the dark. Another being torn apart before the creature even moved. Futures. Aiden was seeing them before they happened. No. This wasn''t right. The Rift pulsed. Something shifted. And then¡ª A glitch. [SYSTEM ERROR¡ªPROCESSING FAILURE.][UNKNOWN SENSORY ACTIVATION DETECTED.][RECALIBRATING¡­][ERROR. ERROR. ERROR.][USER STATUS: UNDEFINED.] Aiden gasped. The System was reacting. Not guiding him. Not controlling him. Just struggling to process him. This wasn''t supposed to happen. A figure stepped forward from the shadows. Tall. Wrong. Its face was smooth, featureless, but its presence was suffocating. It stood apart from the other creatures, as if the laws of reality refused to touch it. The moment Aiden''s gaze locked onto it, his vision fractured. A warning burned in his skull. [UNKNOWN ENTITY DETECTED.][SYSTEM ERROR¡ªDATA CANNOT BE PROCESSED.][UNKNOWN TRAIT INTERFERENCE DETECTED.][RECALIBRATING¡­ RECALIBRATING¡­] The thing tilted its head. The Rift shuddered. Aiden''s body locked up as the weight of its gaze crashed down on him. The whispers grew frantic. The other creatures backed away. "Not him.""Not yet." The figure did not speak. It did not move. But Aiden felt it reach for him. His vision split apart. His mind cracked open. [SYSTEM OVERRIDE ATTEMPT: FAILURE.][UNABLE TO PROCESS USER''S STATUS.][ERROR. ERROR.][ERROR.] And something deep inside him stirred. Something that had been waiting. Aiden''s breath hitched. This wasn''t just sight. It was something else. The System hadn''t given this to him. The Rift hadn''t forced it onto him. This had always been there. It had simply awakened. A voice, deeper than anything human, thundered inside his skull. "Wake up, Seer." Aiden screamed. And then¡ª Everything collapsed. The Hunters Eye Aiden woke slowly. His body felt heavy, like he''d been dragged through hell and barely stitched back together. His head pulsed with a dull, rhythmic ache, and his throat was raw and dry. He exhaled, focusing on his breathing. For a moment, everything was still. No screaming. No shifting shadows. No voices pressing against his skull. Just silence. A dream. That''s what it had to be. The Rift. The massacre. The thing in the dark. The light. It wasn''t real. How could it be? He had been blind his entire life. Aiden clenched his fists, nails biting into his palms. His fingers twitched, brushing against something¡ªfabric. Smooth, crisp sheets. The faint hum of air vents overhead. A low beep from nearby machines. The air smelled clean. Sterile. Processed. Not blood. Not decay. Something wasn''t right. His pulse picked up. His hand twitched, rubbing at his eyes¡ªa habit. Then he froze. He could see. His fingers hovered near his face, hesitating. It should have been pitch black. It always had been. But now¡ªhe could see the creases on his palm. The way the dim hospital lighting reflected off his skin. The sterile white of the sheets beneath his fingertips. Panic twisted in his gut. This was not normal. Then a much worse thought hit him. Oh, crap. The Association. If they knew¡ª His breath hitched. His heart slammed against his ribs. His instincts screamed at him to look around, to take in everything he had missed his entire life. But he couldn''t. Not if he wanted to walk out of here alive. So, instead of drinking in the world for the first time, he did the opposite. He stared straight ahead. Expression blank. Unfocused.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The way a blind man would. And just in time. Aiden sat still. Unmoving. Listening. The soft beeps of the monitors. The distant chatter outside the door. No immediate footsteps heading toward his room. Good. Slowly, carefully, without moving his head, he shifted his fingers toward the Hunter-issued device resting on the bedside table. It was risky. If the Association was monitoring his terminal, they''d see this. But he had to know. The device buzzed softly as he swiped it open. And then¡ª His stomach dropped. [Hunter System Evaluation ¨C Subject: Aiden Kain] [Rank: F][Core Trait: Unactivated][Classification: Non-Combatant][Potential Trait: UNKNOWN][Mana Capacity: 0.0 ¡ú 0.7] [Perception: .3¡ú 2][Stat Allocation: Pending¡­][System Override Attempt: Failure] Aiden''s throat went dry. His mana capacity increased? That wasn''t normal. F-Ranks didn''t just gain mana out of nowhere. Especially not ones like him¡ªweak, powerless, and unawakened. The "Potential Trait: UNKNOWN" line was still there. And then there was the worst part. [Stat Allocation: Pending¡­] Pending? Pending what? Aiden exhaled slowly, forcing his hands to stay steady. This wasn''t right. Even if his Core Trait hadn''t activated, something inside the System was registering a change. And worse? It was waiting for something. A sudden, mechanical hiss filled the air. Aiden stiffened. The door unlocked and slid open. A figure stepped inside, moving with the deliberate control of someone trained for combat. Tall. Broad. Wearing dark combat gear lined with silver. Aiden did not react. Did not look. Even though he could see them perfectly in his peripheral vision. Instead, he did what any blind man would do. He listened. "¡­You survived an S-Rank Rift." Aiden nearly winced. Varyn. The name surfaced instantly. Commander Varyn. A Hunter who specialized in Rift anomalies. A man who didn''t deal with weaklings. Or survivors. If he was here, that meant the Association thought Aiden was more than just lucky. Varyn took another step inside, the door shutting behind him. His eyes never left Aiden''s face. Aiden kept his gaze just slightly off-center. Not quite meeting Varyn''s stare, but not too exaggerated. Just enough to be natural. "No one else made it." Aiden exhaled slowly. Let his brows pull together slightly¡ªjust enough hesitation to pass as someone adjusting to the news. "I know." Varyn studied him. Then he flipped through the holo-display in his hand. Aiden couldn''t see the details¡ªor rather, he shouldn''t have been able to. But he already knew what it said. [Hunter System Evaluation ¨C Subject: Aiden Kain] [Rank: F][Core Trait: Unactivated][Classification: Non-Combatant][Potential Trait: UNKNOWN][System Override Attempt: Failure] Varyn frowned. "Your readings haven''t changed. Still F-Rank. No Core Trait. No mana signature. As far as the System is concerned, you''re the same Hunter you were before." Aiden forced himself to relax. Good. That meant they didn''t detect his pending stat change. But Varyn''s frown didn''t ease. "Your status came up as an anomaly during the scan. Your Hunter ID flagged ''Potential Trait: UNKNOWN.''" Aiden''s stomach dropped. Crap. "Not common," Varyn continued, watching him. "Usually, Hunters awaken a Core Trait immediately upon entering their first Rift. Some never awaken at all. But you¡ª" He narrowed his eyes. "Your status hasn''t changed, but something in the System is trying to register¡­ something." Aiden stayed silent. Varyn tapped the side of the display. "Most F-Ranks are either basic reinforcement types or completely useless. But even they have a classification. You don''t." Aiden fought the urge to react. Because the real answer was worse than that. He did have something. And the System was waiting for it. Something Isn’t Right Aiden stepped out of the Hunter Association facility and into the open air. The cold hit him first. A sharp breeze cutting through his jacket, crisp and biting. The city stretched out before him¡ªtowering buildings, neon signs flickering, the distant hum of traffic. Everything looked normal. But it wasn''t. He stood still for a long moment, letting it sink in. He had walked these streets before. Not as a Hunter. Not as a fighter. As a blind man. Every step, every curb, every shift in the air¡ªhe had learned them through memory, sound, and instinct. Now? Now he could see. And it was too much. His eyes darted between details he had never known existed. The fine cracks running along the edges of buildings. The way the neon signs buzzed with faint electrical pulses. The way the dust hung in the air, drifting in slow, unnatural patterns. It wasn''t just sight. His mind registered things faster than it should. Aiden''s breath hitched as he turned his head¡ªand the world lagged behind. The delay was small, barely noticeable, but he felt it. Like reality itself was struggling to keep up with him. His stomach churned. A passing cab rolled to a stop ahead of him. Aiden wasn''t looking at the driver¡ªbut he already knew the man had tensed his grip on the wheel, his foot shifting to ease into the brake seconds before it happened.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He wasn''t just seeing it. He knew it. Aiden exhaled slowly, taking a hesitant step forward. The city moved around him. People walked, talked, shouted, laughed. A normal night, a normal world. Oblivious to the fact that a man who shouldn''t be able to see was standing in the middle of it, trying to convince himself he still belonged here. The Hunter Association had let him go. But something inside him knew¡ª They were watching. And worse than that? So was something else. Aiden wandered for hours. Not because he had anywhere to go. Not because he had a plan. Because he was waiting. For what, he didn''t know. But something in his gut told him that if he just kept moving, if he just kept looking, something would happen. He cut through side streets and back alleys, moving on instinct. It should''ve felt reckless, walking without purpose. But the strange clarity in his vision made it feel¡­ natural. Like he was following a path already laid out before him. Aiden stopped in a narrow alley, rubbing a hand over his face. He was being stupid. He needed rest. He needed food. He needed¡ª The air shifted. Aiden froze. His breath hitched as something warped in the space ahead of him. A ripple in the air, faint, almost invisible, like heat distortion. But it wasn''t heat. It was wrong. The space in front of him wavered, bending like glass under pressure, like something was trying to push through. Aiden''s pulse spiked. The same feeling from the Rift crawled up his spine. Something wasn''t right. Then¡ª A flicker. A glitch. The world cracked open. A transparent screen snapped into place in front of his vision. [SYSTEM WARNING: CALIBRATION INCOMPLETE.] Aiden flinched. The text wasn''t just floating in front of him¡ªit felt burned into his skull. It pulsed. Glitched. Shifted between words and something else. [VISIONARY CODE: PARTIAL ACTIVATION.] [SEEK THE SOURCE.] Aiden''s breath caught. His fingers twitched at his sides, muscles locking up. This¡ªthis wasn''t the Hunter System. It wasn''t like anything he''d ever heard of. The screen flickered. Distorted. Twisted in on itself. And for the first time since leaving the Rift¡ª Aiden remembered the figure in the dark. The thing that had spoken to him. Its voice¡ªlow and hollow¡ªrippled through his mind like an echo from something ancient. "Wake up, Seer." Aiden''s stomach turned to ice. He had thought it was a hallucination. A fever dream. Something his dying brain had conjured up in the last moments of the Rift. But now? Now he wasn''t so sure. Aiden clenched his fists, heart hammering in his chest. This wasn''t over. It had never been over. Something had changed inside him. Something that wasn''t supposed to exist. The Lowest of the Low Aiden needed money. That was the first, most basic problem. The Hunter Association had let him go, but they sure as hell didn''t hand out "congratulations on surviving an S-Rank Rift" bonuses. He had nothing¡ªno savings, no support, no guild to back him. And while Hunters were paid based on Rift clearances, F-Tiers barely got scraps. Aiden wasn''t even sure if he was an F-Tier anymore. He sat on the edge of a rusted bench in a quiet corner of the city, staring at the job listings on his Hunter-issued device. His fingers hovered over the screen, scrolling through the lowest-ranked missions available. [Hunter System: Mission Listings] [E-Tier Rift ¨C Hunters Needed] [Status: Low Threat Estimated Combat Level: E to D-Tier] [Recommended Reward: 1000 Credits + Material Drops] A Rift cleanup. No one in their right mind wanted cleanup jobs. They were low-paying, dull, and occasionally dangerous if the Rift hadn''t been fully stabilized. But that was exactly what Aiden needed¡ªsomething where he could blend in. He wasn''t here to fight. He was here to see if he had actually changed¡ªor if his mind was just broken. Aiden was about to confirm his application when his phone buzzed. His stomach sank. Only one group of people ever messaged him. [Kain Family Group Chat] His fingers curled into a fist before he even opened it. Aiden had spent his entire life having messages read out loud to him. The synthetic voice repeating every cruel comment in its flat, emotionless tone. Now, for the first time, he could see the words himself. And somehow, that made them worse. Cailen Kain: You survived an S-Rank Rift? Lena Kain: Are they serious? There''s no way. Reiss Kain: What, did you run and let everyone else die? Aiden exhaled through his nose. Of course. No congratulations. No concern. Just disbelief.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Because to them, he was still the blind, useless failure of the Kain family. Cailen Kain: The Association already gave their report. They''re calling it an anomaly. Figures. Just another fluke. Aiden clenched his jaw. A fluke. That''s all he had ever been to them. Even before he had ever stepped foot inside a Rift. Even before he had proven he could survive. Lena Kain: You should quit while you''re ahead. Whatever happened in that Rift, it won''t happen again. Reiss Kain: You got lucky. That''s all. His thumb hovered over the Leave Chat button. Then he hesitated. Slowly, he tapped the settings icon and disabled Text-to-Voice. It felt¡­ final. Like he was closing a door on his old life. His entire world had been built around that robotic voice. From the first time he had held a phone, it had been his only connection to words on a screen. Now, he didn''t need it anymore. It should have felt like a victory. Instead, it just felt strange. He blinked down at the messages again, then typed manually. Aiden Kain: Maybe. Then he shut the screen off and accepted the Rift cleanup mission. Aiden stood, stretching his sore limbs. His ribs still ached¡ªhis body still wasn''t fully recovered. But as he moved, something felt... different. Then¡ª [PASSIVE SYNCHRONIZATION INITIATED.] [USER PHYSICAL LIMITS ADJUSTING¡­] [STAT ADJUSTMENT: REFLEX +0.2 | AGILITY +0.3] [SYSTEM WARNING: FULL ACTIVATION NOT YET REACHED.] Aiden froze. That was new. The System hadn''t updated since the hospital. But now¡ªit was registering something. His reflexes and agility had increased. Not much. Barely noticeable. But it was there. Aiden''s fingers curled into fists. His stats weren''t stuck anymore. And that meant his F-Rank status wasn''t permanent. The meeting spot for the Rift raid was an old loading dock near the city''s outer district¡ªone of the many places where low-ranked Hunters gathered before missions. It was rundown, dimly lit, with a few makeshift benches and a table covered in mission paperwork. A handful of E-Tier Hunters stood around, checking gear or chatting like this was just another day. The only one who stood out was their leader¡ªa D-Tier, judging by the way she carried herself. Aiden kept his hood up, staying toward the edges. The less attention he got, the better. Then someone scoffed nearby. "Great. Another stray." Aiden turned his head slightly, his eyes landing on the speaker¡ªa broad-shouldered guy with a scar cutting down his cheek, wearing cheap, reinforced armor. He didn''t recognize the face. But the voice? Something about it was familiar¡ªnot the words, but the tone. The kind of arrogant, dismissive tone he''d heard his whole life. "I thought we were already scraping the bottom of the barrel," the guy muttered. "Didn''t know they were hiring straight off the street now." Aiden didn''t react. He''d heard worse. A girl sitting on the table nearby¡ª**lean, dark-haired, flipping a knife between her fingers¡ª**snorted. "Leave him alone, Garrick. Maybe he''s bait." "Tess, don''t waste your breath. Kid''s a lost cause." Some laughter rippled through the group. Aiden exhaled. Yeah. This was gonna be fun. "Alright, settle down," a new voice cut in. This one was different. Sharper. More controlled. Not mocking, but firm. Aiden shifted his gaze. A woman had stepped forward¡ªshort, built like a runner, with sharp eyes that looked like they missed nothing. Her name tag read Jenna Vale. The name meant nothing to him. He had no reason to recognize her. But the way her voice carried weight told him all he needed to know¡ªshe was the squad lead. "Don''t care who you are or why you''re here," Jenna said, looking over the team. "Just follow orders, don''t do anything stupid, and try not to die. This is a cleanup, not a real raid. Stick together, and we''ll be fine." She looked at Aiden. "You. Name?" Aiden met her gaze, keeping his voice even. "Kain." Jenna narrowed her eyes slightly. Then she shrugged. "Whatever. You''re team three. Hope you can keep up." Aiden nodded, falling into step as the Hunters finished prepping. The Gate loomed in the distance, a swirling blue Rift pulsing faintly in the evening light. He wasn''t sure what he''d find inside. But something deep in his gut told him¡ª This wasn''t going to be just another cleanup mission. Routine Extermination The Rift hummed around them, its pulsing glow casting eerie shadows against the cracked pavement. Aiden kept to the back, hands loose at his sides, watching. Always watching. The team wasn''t nervous. Why would they be? This was just an E-Tier Rift. No one cared about Rifts this low-ranked. They were glorified training grounds¡ªperfect for rookies, side cash for weak Hunters, and just dangerous enough to pretend they mattered. But Aiden knew better. Something was wrong. He just didn''t know what yet. Jenna moved ahead, scanning the streets with sharp eyes. "Standard formation. Sweep, clear, regroup. Boss is still active, so stay alert." "Yeah, yeah," Garrick muttered, flexing his hands. The metallic sheen of his reinforcement Trait thickened slightly over his gauntlets. "E-Rank boss in an E-Tier Rift? Not exactly a death sentence." "It is if you get careless," Jenna shot back. Aiden barely listened. His focus was elsewhere. For a moment, his vision flickered. The Rift twisted¡ªjust slightly, just enough to notice. Like something was pressing against it from the other side. Then it was gone. Like nothing had changed at all. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe. Jenna gave a sharp gesture. "Move in." The air inside was stale, the sky a dull, overcast gray that never moved. A fake world, stitched together by the Rift''s rules. Ruined buildings stretched ahead, crumbling at the edges like they had been left to rot for centuries. The occasional streetlamp flickered weakly, powered by something that wasn''t electricity. "Alright, spread out," Jenna ordered.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The team moved without hesitation. Aiden stayed in the back. Watching. The Hunters weren''t just using weapons. They were using their Core Traits. Weak abilities¡ªD-Tier, E-Tier at best¡ªbut useful. Marcus, a wiry guy with twin daggers, moved ahead first. His Trait let him send weak vibrations through metal, sharpening his blades just enough to cut deeper. Tess walked beside him, her boots making no sound at all. Her Trait dampened her movements, making her nearly silent¡ªgood for ambushes, but nothing special in a straight fight. Even Garrick¡ª**loud, arrogant Garrick¡ª**had a decent reinforcement Trait. His gauntlets gleamed slightly, his skin beneath them coated in a thin layer of hardened metal. Stronger than the others, but still nothing close to real power. Fodder ranks. That''s all they were. And yet¡ª They were still stronger than him. Or at least, they should have been. The first strays showed up within minutes. Thin, spindly creatures with elongated limbs and jagged teeth. E-Tier trash. Jenna moved first. One clean strike¡ªthe nearest creature dropped, throat severed. Marcus darted forward, his vibrating daggers carving through flesh like butter. Tess moved between them, her silent steps letting her slip behind a creature before driving a knife into its skull. Soren flicked his wrist, a superheated wire shooting out, cutting through two creatures at once. Aiden didn''t move. Didn''t fight. Just watched. The others barely noticed him. That was fine. It gave him time to see. And his vision¡­ It wasn''t normal. Every movement. Every shift in their stance. Every twitch before an attack landed¡ªhe saw all of it. Before it happened. The creatures died in seconds. Within minutes, half the strays were gone. Routine. Simple. Exactly what they expected. Aiden''s fingers twitched. Something was wrong. Not with the team. Not with the fight. With the Rift. [SYSTEM UPDATE: PASSIVE SENSORY SYNCHRONIZATION IN PROGRESS.][STAT ADJUSTMENT: PERCEPTION +0.4][WARNING: ENVIRONMENTAL DISTORTION DETECTED.] Aiden''s stomach clenched. There it was again. That same System calibration message. It wasn''t just happening when he stepped into the Rift. It was happening now. His Perception had increased again. Something about this place was interfering with him. He glanced up. The buildings in the distance¡ªthey weren''t stable. Not physically. Not visually. Something about the way they shifted, **flickered¡ª**like the Rift itself was being rewritten in real time. A new sound. A low, grinding noise rippling through the air. Metal scraping against stone. Aiden stiffened. No one else reacted. They hadn''t heard it. His pulse quickened. And then¡ª The ground shook. A guttural, distorted screech ripped through the air. A building in the distance collapsed inward. A massive silhouette emerged from the dust. The E-Tier Rift Boss. Or at least¡ª What was left of it. Its torso had been caved in. Ripped open, shredded¡ªtorn apart from the inside. And crouched in the ruins of its corpse¡ª Something else. Something that wasn''t supposed to be here. [WARNING: UNIDENTIFIED ENTITY DETECTED.][SYSTEM ERROR¡ªTHREAT LEVEL ABOVE EXPECTED PARAMETERS.] The creature rose. Low D-Tier, maybe High. Too strong for this Rift. Too strong for them. And the worst part? It wasn''t attacking. Not yet. It was watching. And Aiden knew, deep in his gut¡ª It wasn''t looking at the team. It was looking at him. The Wrong Enemy The Rift pulsed. Aiden felt it¡ªdeep in his bones, in his lungs, in the slow, rhythmic pulse pressing against his skin. Something was watching them. But no one else reacted. The E-Tier boss should¡¯ve been here. Instead, something else stood over its corpse. A hulking shadow, its limbs slick with something too dark to be blood, its presence wrong in ways that made Aiden¡¯s stomach churn. This thing wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. And the worst part? And the worst part? It wasn¡¯t looking at the team. It was looking at him. Jenna adjusted her stance, shoulders squared, blade steady. "Everyone, hold formation." Marcus twirled his daggers. "It¡¯s just a D-Tier. We handle these all the time." Garrick scoffed. "We¡¯ve got, what¡ªfive people? This is nothing." No. They didn¡¯t get it. Aiden¡¯s fingers twitched at his sides. This wasn¡¯t normal. The air was wrong. The Rift itself felt off. Even Tess¡ªthe dark-haired girl flipping a knife between her fingers, lounging like this was nothing¡ªsnorted. "Scared, blind boy?" She spun the blade absently. "Or did you see something we didn¡¯t?" Aiden clenched his jaw. He didn¡¯t answer. Jenna¡¯s grip tightened. "Stay together. We take this thing down, we finish the job." No one listened.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Because the creature moved. Not forward. Not lunging. Just¡ªflickering. One second, it stood in the wreckage of the Rift Boss. The next¡ª Marcus wasn¡¯t there anymore. A clawed limb had speared him clean through the ribs, lifting him off the ground like a toy. Marcus twitched, his mouth opening, blood bubbling past his lips¡ªthen the creature tossed his corpse like garbage. No hesitation. No struggle. It hadn¡¯t even noticed him. Tess cursed, stumbling back, blade raised. "Oh, hell no." She flipped her knife, crouching into a stance¡ªthen sprinted forward. Aiden already knew it wouldn¡¯t matter. The way the air shifted, the way the Rift¡¯s pulse warped around her¡ª She thought she was fast enough. She wasn¡¯t. The creature blurred. Tess never even got to scream. A claw snapped through her spine. Her body crumpled. Dead before she realized it. Aiden swallowed hard. This wasn¡¯t a fight. This was a massacre. Jenna was already moving, sword flashing in a sharp arc¡ªclean, fast, aimed for the thing¡¯s throat. It should¡¯ve landed. Instead¡ªit flickered again. Reality skipped a frame. Jenna¡¯s sword carved through empty space. Soren reacted next, his heated wires lashing forward¡ªcoiling around the creature¡¯s arm. For a second, the air buzzed with heat. Then the creature twisted its arm. The wires snapped like thread. Soren barely managed to dodge. The creature lashed out¡ªSoren twisted just in time, the claws ripping through his side instead of his chest. He crashed into the pavement, gasping. Alive. But barely. Blood dripped between his fingers. Aiden¡¯s stomach turned. It wasn¡¯t done with him yet. Garrick panicked. Aiden saw it in the way his breath hitched, the way his feet shifted¡ªpreparing to run. And then¡ª He grabbed Soren. The injured Hunter barely had time to react before Garrick shoved him forward. A human shield. Aiden felt his stomach drop. Soren¡¯s eyes widened. "You¡ª" The creature pounced. Soren barely had time to scream before a claw speared straight through his chest. Blood splattered across Garrick¡¯s face. He took a step back, gasping, stumbling¡ªrealizing too late that it hadn¡¯t saved him. The creature turned toward him. A blur of black claws. A sickening crunch. Garrick didn¡¯t survive. His reinforced arms shattered like brittle glass. His body hit the ground in two pieces. Aiden didn¡¯t move. Jenna exhaled sharply, blade still raised, shoulders tight with tension. Now? Now it was just them. The creature stopped. Not attacking. Not rushing. Watching. Aiden swallowed the lump in his throat. Jenna¡¯s grip on her blade was tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Her breathing was steady. Controlled. But Aiden could see the truth. She was injured. Tired. She couldn¡¯t do this alone. The creature tensed. Aiden knew¡ªit would attack again soon. It would end this. And Jenna wouldn¡¯t stop it. Aiden took a breath. And stepped in front of her. Against the Inevitable Aiden took a slow, shaky breath. The Rift pulsed, thick with the weight of something wrong. The thing standing before him¡ªthe real boss of this place¡ªwasn''t just strong. It was waiting. Waiting for him. And now, for the first time, Aiden saw it clearly. A hulking shadow. Its limbs were slick with something too dark to be blood, its form constantly shifting at the edges¡ªnot flickering like before, but warping, bending. The thing looked humanoid in the vaguest sense. Broad, thick-limbed, with a torso that pulsed like it was breathing. Its fingers were long, jagged claws, still dripping with the remains of its last kill. No face. No mouth. Just a hollow void where a head should be¡ªa spiraling abyss of shifting black, pulling in the light around it. Aiden''s stomach twisted. It was staring at him. Not at Jenna. Just him. Aiden clenched his fists. And then, it moved. It didn''t lunge. Didn''t charge like some mindless beast. It flickered. Aiden barely had time to react before a clawed limb lashed toward him. He tried to dodge¡ªtoo slow. The impact hit like a hammer to the ribs. Aiden crashed into the pavement, gasping. His entire body screamed in protest, but he forced himself up, staggering to his feet. The creature was already there. Another flicker¡ªanother strike coming too fast. Aiden barely twisted away, rolling across the ground as the claws tore deep gashes into the concrete where he''d just been. Jenna had been fast. Tess had been faster. Neither of them had been fast enough. And Aiden?This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He wasn''t even close. His lungs burned. His ribs throbbed. The monster was playing with him. It could''ve killed him already. Aiden gritted his teeth, his hands curling into fists. Something inside him cracked open. A sharp, electric burn surged behind his eyes¡ªlike white-hot wires threading into his skull. Pain. Too much. Aiden''s eyes erupted in golden fire. Reality split. The battlefield fractured¡ªshifting between multiple versions of itself at once. The air itself felt wrong, warping between possibilities. Golden afterimages of himself scattered across the battlefield¡ªeach one acting out different futures. One lunged.One dodged.One froze.Most died. It was too fast. Too many deaths, too much to process. Aiden''s breath hitched. His body locked up. His own visions paralyzed him. The monster didn''t wait. A claw tore through his side. Aiden stumbled, nearly falling. Blood spilled. He was too slow. His power wasn''t an answer. It was a flood. Drowning him. Aiden barely dodged the next strike, but his body lagged behind his vision. His foot caught on the uneven pavement. Another afterimage of himself flickered beside him¡ªone that dodged faster. Too late. The monster''s next attack ripped across his shoulder. Aiden gasped, blood dripping onto the pavement. He wasn''t fast enough. The golden echoes of his failed futures flickered, each one shifting through different possibilities. A future where he dodged too late. Dead.A future where he attacked too early. Dead.A future where he hesitated for a second too long. Dead. He had to choose. Aiden lunged¡ªbut his body couldn''t keep up. Pain blurred his vision. The monster''s form flickered, preparing to strike again. Aiden forced himself to move¡ªbut his body rebelled. Too much strain. His afterimages were collapsing too fast. He didn''t have a perfect future to follow. No ideal path. Just survival. Aiden picked the best failure. The one that lived. His body blurred, a golden afterimage barely keeping up. The monster struck. Aiden was already moving. Pain¡ªsharp, brutal¡ªtore through his ribs as he slipped under the claw, barely surviving. His fingers wrapped around his fallen knife. The world stabilized for just one second. Aiden drove the blade deep into the abyss where the creature''s head should''ve been. The Rift convulsed. The monster froze. Then, it collapsed. Aiden barely stayed standing. The golden afterimages of his failed futures disintegrated, scattering like dying embers in the wind. The world snapped back into place. The body of the monster began to dissolve¡ªbut something remained. A small, flickering wisp of light. It drifted toward him. And then¡ª It slammed into his chest. Aiden locked up. The System flashed. [SEEK THE SOURCE.] [VISIONARY CODE ACTIVATION: +3%.] [UNSEEN ENTITY INTERACTION CONFIRMED.] [ANOMALY STABILIZED¡­ PARTIALLY.] Aiden gasped. His head pounded. His vision swam. His body couldn''t handle the strain. He felt closer to something. Something deep. Something old. But he didn''t understand. Not yet. His fingers twitched. Something felt¡­ different. Then¡ª He remembered his Hunter-issued wristband. Aiden forced himself to glance down. It was a standard model, designed to track rank and Hunter stats. He shouldn''t have changed. He was still F-Rank. Right? He pressed the small interface on the side, letting the display flicker to life. His breath caught. [HUNTER STATUS UPDATE] [Rank: F ¡ú E] [Core Trait: Unactivated] [Potential Trait: UNKNOWN] [Mana Capacity: 0.7 ¡ú 1.2] [Reflex Calibration¡­ Incomplete.] Aiden''s pulse spiked. He wasn''t F-Rank anymore. His body had changed. And he hadn''t even realized it. What the hell was happening to him? A voice broke the silence. "You¡­" Aiden turned. Jenna was still standing. Her eyes were on him. No, not him. His eyes. She took a slow step forward, grip tightening on her sword. "I thought¡­" Jenna''s voice was hoarse. "I thought the Kains'' loser son was blind." Aiden didn''t answer. Because he didn''t know what to say. The Price of Survival "I thought¡­" Jenna¡¯s voice was hoarse. "I thought the Kains¡¯ loser son was blind." Aiden didn¡¯t answer. Because he didn¡¯t know what to say. His body felt like hell. Every breath rattled in his lungs, every muscle screamed in protest. His vision still flickered at the edges, golden afterimages lingering like ghosts burned into reality. He wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed. Jenna was watching him¡ªclosely. Too closely. The silence stretched. Aiden cleared his throat, rolling his shoulders¡ªwincing when the pain shot through him. "You know, I just had the fight of my life, and that¡¯s your first reaction?" Jenna¡¯s eyes narrowed. "You saw something." Aiden hesitated. "Yeah. My life flashing before my eyes." Jenna crossed her arms. "You dodged before that thing even moved." Aiden exhaled. "Reflexes?" She stared at him. He stared back. Neither of them blinked. Finally, Jenna sighed, rubbing her temple. "You¡¯re a terrible liar." Aiden didn¡¯t argue. Mostly because she was right. They didn¡¯t have time to argue. The Rift was still open, but the battle was over. Aiden was barely standing. His body was running on fumes. Jenna wasn¡¯t in much better shape. But they weren¡¯t alone anymore. Outside the Gate, the Hunters Association was waiting. Aiden cursed under his breath. Of course, they were. A Rift that killed almost an entire cleanup team? No way they weren¡¯t sending people. Jenna was already stepping forward. Before Aiden could say anything, she spoke first. "The Rift fluctuated," she said, voice level. "The monster wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. It was too strong. We got lucky and landed the final blow." Aiden blinked. That was¡­ not the full story. The Association agent squinted. "Lucky how?"Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Jenna shrugged. "Desperation. I stabbed it, it kept moving. He stabbed it. It died." The agent¡¯s eyes flicked to Aiden. "That true?" Aiden paused. Technically¡­ yes? He forced a weak grin. "Yeah. I was swinging and hoping for the best." The agent didn¡¯t look convinced. Neither did Jenna. But then things got worse. Aiden was exhausted. His whole body ached, and his brain was barely functioning. Which was probably why he forgot he was supposed to be blind. The agent stared at him, his gaze scrutinizing. Aiden met his eyes. Directly. Jenna made a noise in her throat. Then, very quietly, she muttered under her breath, "You¡¯re looking right at him, idiot." Aiden¡¯s stomach dropped. Oh. Oh, shit. He panicked, immediately looking away. Straight at a tree. A very, very interesting tree. The agent raised an eyebrow. "You okay?" Aiden scrambled. "Yeah. Just¡­ adjusting to the light." Jenna coughed. A weird, strangled sound. Like she was choking back a laugh. The agent frowned, but seemed to let it slide. Probably too tired to deal with whatever was wrong with them. Jenna, however, was having too much fun. Once they were in the clear, Jenna pulled Aiden aside. "You owe me." Aiden winced. "For what?" Jenna gave him an unimpressed look. "For not handing you over to the Association on a silver platter." Aiden sighed. "¡­Okay, fair." Jenna crossed her arms. "And before you ask¡ªno, I didn¡¯t do it for free." Aiden tilted his head. "What do you want?" Jenna smirked. "I haven¡¯t decided yet. But when I call? You answer." Aiden groaned. "I feel like I just made a deal with the devil." "Yeah?" Jenna patted his shoulder. "Then next time, maybe don¡¯t almost get caught." Aiden muttered something about unfair conditions but didn¡¯t argue. Because she wasn¡¯t wrong. He was lucky she covered for him. And he had a feeling this wasn¡¯t the last time he¡¯d need her to. Later that night, Aiden found himself alone. His body still ached. Every inch of him felt like he¡¯d been thrown into a blender. But he needed to know. What the hell had happened back there? He took a deep breath. Focused. And activated his power. Golden afterimages flickered into existence. They moved ahead of him¡ªshowing possibilities. Aiden watched. Then tried to follow. And immediately stumbled. He caught himself before falling, but his body couldn¡¯t keep up. His visions were perfect.He was not. He tried dodging the way the afterimages showed him¡ªbut his reaction time was too slow. He tried attacking the way he saw in the flickering futures¡ªbut his speed wasn¡¯t there. He nearly tripped just trying to step into the motion. Aiden exhaled, hands shaking. His power wasn¡¯t the problem. His body was. It wasn¡¯t strong enough.It wasn¡¯t fast enough.It wasn¡¯t good enough. His vision was outpacing him. If he got into another real fight like this, he¡¯d die. Aiden clenched his fists. This isn¡¯t enough. He needed to fix this. He needed to train. Not just his ability. His entire body. Strength. Speed. Reflexes. If he wanted to survive, his body needed to match his visions. Aiden exhaled, looking at his trembling hands. Then nodded to himself. He needed to make sure that the next time he fought¡ªhis body could keep up with the future. Rebuilding Himself Aiden exhaled, looking at his trembling hands. Then nodded to himself. He needed to make sure that the next time he fought¡ªhis body could keep up with the future. The realization settled deep in his chest, heavier than before. His ability worked. He could see ahead, glimpse the perfect movements, the ideal paths. But knowing wasn''t enough. Seeing the right move didn''t mean his body could execute it. And in a real fight, that gap could kill him. He flexed his fingers, feeling the faint tremor still there. His body was wrecked from the last battle, but it wasn''t just exhaustion. Something was changing. Not just skill. Something deeper. A notification flickered in his vision. [PHYSICAL CALIBRATION IN PROGRESS.] Aiden clenched his jaw. That again. He''d seen it before¡ªright after the fight. And now, even after some rest, it was still there. His body wasn''t just recovering. It was adjusting. But the numbers didn''t lie. His wristband flickered as he checked his status. [Hunter System Evaluation ¨C Subject: Aiden Kain] [Rank: F] [Core Trait: Unactivated] [Strength: 0.9 ¡ú 1.1] [Agility: 1.1 ¡ú 1.4] [Endurance: 0.8 ¡ú 1.0] [Perception 2 ¡ú 2.5] [Mana Capacity: 1.2] [System Override Attempt: Failure] His stats had increased. It wasn''t much. A fraction of a point here and there. But that wasn''t normal. Stats didn''t increase just from running or training. Hunters improved by leveling, by evolving their Core Traits. But Aiden''s Core Trait wasn''t activated. So why was he getting stronger? The thought crawled under his skin. The System was still trying to adapt to him. It didn''t know what he was. Didn''t know how to categorize him. That was why he needed to keep pushing. If his body was changing, he needed to control it. And the only way to do that? Keep training.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Training the Body to Keep Up Aiden started simple. Running. And immediately regretted it. His ribs throbbed, his lungs burned, and every step sent fresh aches through his muscles. But he didn''t stop. He pushed harder. Faster. Three miles in, he hunched over, panting. His pulse thundered in his ears. "I survived an S-Rank Rift," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow, "but running is gonna kill me? Figures." Still, it wasn''t enough. His speed wasn''t there yet. His strength wasn''t there yet. His reflexes? That was still the biggest gap. Aiden checked his wristband again. [Strength: 1.1 ¡ú 1.2][Agility: 1.4 ¡ú 1.5] It was slight. Barely a shift. But it was real. His breathing slowed. His body was changing. Not instantly. Not dramatically. But the more he pushed, the more it responded. If that was true¡­ Then he just needed to push harder. Aiden found himself at an old batting cage, staring at the machine''s speed settings. 100 mph. "That should work," he muttered. The old man running the cages gave him a weird look. "You sure about that, kid? You don''t even have a bat." "Yeah, I''m just here for the experience." "...Right." Aiden stepped inside, rolling his shoulders. This was simple. If his ability worked the way he thought, it should activate when there was a real threat. The machine whirred. His vision snapped. Golden fire lit up his eyes. And then the first baseball came screaming toward his skull. Aiden ducked¡ªbarely. The ball grazed his hair, slamming into the back of the cage with a violent thunk. Alright. That was faster than expected. The second one launched. His vision flickered. Aiden twisted¡ªalmost in time. The baseball clipped his shoulder. "Ow. Damn it¡ª" The next three came in rapid succession. His ability triggered too late. He dodged too early. Then too late again. One baseball slammed into his ribs, another clipped his leg, and one squarely smacked into his forearm. The old man outside the cage was wheezing with laughter. Aiden ignored him, rolling his shoulders. He needed to move with his visions, not against them. Every time he second-guessed, every time he hesitated¡ªhe got hit. The next ball launched. Aiden exhaled. This time, he didn''t think. His head tilted just an inch to the left. The baseball whizzed past his ear. The next one came. Aiden''s shoulder shifted just out of the way. The next? His torso twisted just enough to avoid a direct hit. His body was finally starting to move the way his vision wanted it to. Not perfect. Not fully synced. But closer. A notification flickered at the edge of his vision. Agility: 1.5 ¡ú 1.8] The old man watching rubbed his chin. "Huh. Thought you were just gonna get your ass kicked." "Me too," Aiden admitted. He stayed another thirty minutes, dodging every single ball at full speed. His body was syncing up with his ability. He was still far from perfect, but for the first time, he could feel the gap closing. Aiden sat down on a bench, pulling up his Hunter-issued device. Low-tier Rift listings popped up immediately. A normal Hunter would just sign up for one of these. But Aiden wasn''t normal. If he used his real name, the Association would flag it instantly. He needed a workaround. After twenty minutes of searching, he found it. [D-Tier Rift: Solo Cleanup Request.] [Unofficial Clearance.] [No ID Check.] [No Paper Trail.] [Entry Fee: 300 Credits. Payout: 2,000 Credits + Monster Drops.] Garbage pay. But this wasn''t about money. This was about testing his limits. His body was changing. But it wasn''t enough. He needed to keep pushing. Keep grinding. Keep adapting. He booked the job under a fake name and made his way to the meeting location¡ªa run-down parking lot near the outskirts of the city, where independent Hunters gathered before diving into private Gates. As he walked up, he exhaled, shaking out his arms. He was finally making moves. And then¡ª "You''ve gotta be kidding me." Aiden froze. His stomach dropped. He knew that voice. Slowly, carefully, he turned his head. He had never seen his family before. Not with his own eyes. But that voice¡ªhe knew that voice. Reiss. His older brother stood near the checkpoint, arms crossed, scanning the crowd with a bored expression. He wasn¡¯t looking at Aiden. Not yet. Aiden forced himself to breathe. To stay still. Then, as the handler waved him forward, he exhaled slowly and stepped toward the Gate. And suddenly, his first real solo Rift was the least of his problems. o Rift was the least of his problems. Into the Rift Aiden kept his head low, shoulders tense as he blended into the flow of Hunters waiting near the checkpoint. His pulse pounded, but he forced himself to move naturally¡ªjust another no-name D-Tier here for a job. No sudden movements, no hesitation. But his thoughts raced. Why the hell is Reiss here? B-Rank Hunters didn¡¯t waste their time on D-Tier Rifts. They had bigger hunts, higher-paying jobs. For someone like Reiss¡ªweakest of the Kain family, but still leagues above Aiden¡ªto be here at some random clearance job? It didn¡¯t make sense. Was he here for something? Someone? Aiden clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to glance over his shoulder. Reiss hadn¡¯t seen him. He was still caught up in conversation with another Hunter, too preoccupied to scan the crowd. Good. Keep moving. He stepped forward. The handler barely looked up as he checked Aiden¡¯s wristband. ¡°Solo entry?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Aiden said, voice steady. The man grunted, scanned his device, then nodded. ¡°Clear. Gate¡¯s open.¡± Aiden exhaled, stepping forward. The Rift loomed ahead, an unstable mass of swirling blue energy, humming faintly as it pulsed. The air around it buzzed with static, sending a faint vibration through Aiden¡¯s bones. He hesitated. This was it. His first Rift alone. No backup. No team. No one to save him if things went wrong. His fingers curled at his sides. Good. That¡¯s the point. Aiden stepped through. And everything changed. The moment Aiden crossed the threshold, the world tilted. A rush of pressure slammed against his chest¡ªlike stepping into deep water, sound muffled, the air heavier than it should be. The hum of the Rift faded, replaced by silence. Then¡ªlight. Not the eerie, flickering blue glow of most Rifts. Not the sickly, unnatural colors of an anomaly. This light was different. It stretched across the sky in jagged fractures, like cracks in a darkened dome, casting shifting silver beams over the landscape. As if something had once broken through this world, and the wounds had never fully healed. Aiden¡¯s boots landed on smooth, slate-colored stone. Not dirt. Not rubble. A city. Or what was left of one. Towering structures stretched into the sky, their surfaces marred with deep scars. Some leaned at unnatural angles, frozen mid-collapse, like time had failed to finish its job. The buildings weren¡¯t just ruins. **They were wreckage¡ª**as if something had torn through them long ago. Pools of still water dotted the streets, reflecting the fractured sky, but they weren¡¯t normal. The reflections rippled even when undisturbed, shifting between different images¡ªsometimes mirroring the sky, sometimes showing things that weren¡¯t there.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Aiden¡¯s breath slowed. This isn¡¯t normal. He had seen plenty of Rift-generated environments in training footage. They didn¡¯t have places like this. The air carried a strange weight, pressing against his skin¡ªnot in a suffocating way, but like something was watching. Waiting. Aiden¡¯s fingers twitched toward his knife. Nothing in his vision. No warnings. No directives. Just silence. The deeper he walked into the ruins, the heavier that silence became. No creatures. No movement. Not even the distant skittering of low-tier Rift beasts. That was wrong. Even low-level Rifts had wildlife¡ªcorrupted creatures that wandered the terrain, waiting to attack any unprepared Hunter. But this place was dead. His boots echoed against the stone, the only sound breaking the stillness. He passed beneath the arch of a shattered bridge, his eyes scanning every shadow, every reflection in the water. Nothing. Then, he saw it. A structure at the heart of the ruins. Not a building. A temple. Its massive stone entrance loomed ahead, partially collapsed, its doors cracked open just slightly¡ªlike something had forced its way inside. The architecture was different from the ruins around it. Older. Heavier. Like it had been here long before the rest of the city had fallen. Aiden¡¯s pulse quickened. Something was in there. His vision flickered. For a brief second, he thought he saw something shift in the darkness beyond the entrance¡ªtoo fast, too vague to confirm. Then¡ª A low, distant pulse. Not a sound. A feeling. Like a second heartbeat beneath his own. Aiden exhaled slowly. He wasn¡¯t alone. Without a word, he stepped into the temple¡¯s shadowed entrance. And the Rift swallowed him whole. Aiden exhaled, steadying his stance. The temple ruins stretched ahead, cold and hollow. The distant pulse¡ªthat strange, second heartbeat¡ªwas getting stronger. Not inside him. Ahead. Something was here. The silence pressed down, heavier than before. He should¡¯ve run into something by now¡ªa stray beast, a scavenger, even some wandering low-tier Rift creatures. But there was nothing. Not until now. A sharp metal scrape echoed through the chamber. Aiden¡¯s grip tightened on his knife. There. Movement. A shadow peeled from the rubble¡ªsmall, hunched, fast. A creature skittered into the dim light. Then another. And another. Aiden¡¯s stomach twisted. These weren¡¯t Rift-spawned beasts. They were humanoids¡ªshort, twisted figures wrapped in patchwork armor, their skin a sickly gray-green. Some carried rusted weapons, others gripped crude jagged blades. Not quite goblins, not quite something else. Ruin Dwellers. Aiden had read about them¡ªlow-intelligence, pack creatures that took over abandoned Rifts, scavenging whatever they could. Weak alone. Dangerous in numbers. And there were a lot of them. One of the creatures tilted its head, nostrils flaring. Then its jagged teeth pulled into a snarl. It knew. It knew he wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. Aiden didn¡¯t wait. He lunged. His vision flared¡ªgolden fire erupting in his sight, futures flickering before him. Now. Dodge left. Counter. Block high. Step back. Sidestep. For the first time¡ªhis body moved with the visions. The first Ruin Dweller swung its rusted blade. Aiden ducked before it even completed the motion, his footwork sliding him just out of reach. His knife flashed upward. A shallow cut across the throat. Not deep enough. The creature shrieked. Another lunged from the side. Aiden saw it coming before it even stepped forward. He pivoted¡ªtwisting just enough to let the attack graze past him. Another strike. His arm moved without hesitation. His blade buried itself into the creature¡¯s chest. It spasmed. Aiden kicked it off his knife. He was keeping up. The batting cages paid off after all. Two more charged at once. His golden vision split into dozens of paths¡ªsome ending in him dodging too slow, others in him getting overwhelmed. Only one path survived. Aiden lunged straight into them. The first swung a jagged axe¡ªtoo slow. Aiden caught its wrist, twisting. The weapon flew free. His knife slashed upward, tearing through flesh. The second snarled¡ªits crude spear stabbing forward. Aiden stepped into its range, twisting sideways. The tip of the spear scraped past his ribs¡ªpain flared, but not enough to stop him. His free hand clamped onto its throat. Then he slammed it to the ground. A sharp crack. The Ruin Dweller went still. Aiden stepped back, panting. His body wasn¡¯t lagging behind his visions anymore. Before, he could see the perfect path, but he was too slow to follow it. Now? His body was catching up. The Ruin Dwellers hesitated. For the first time, they weren¡¯t sure they could win. Then a deep, guttural roar shook the ruins. Aiden¡¯s breath hitched. The warband leader. The Ruin Dwellers scattered¡ªmoving aside as something huge stepped into the chamber. It was taller than the rest, wrapped in heavy metal scraps and scavenged armor. Its jagged blade was twice the size of Aiden. One burning crimson eye glowed from beneath its crude metal helm. It let out a deep, echoing growl. Aiden rolled his shoulders. Alright. Time for the real fight. The Warband Leader Aiden exhaled sharply, adjusting his stance as the warband leader loomed ahead. It was bigger than the others¡ªeasily twice their size, with thick, gnarled muscle layered beneath mismatched armor plates. A scavenger¡¯s king. Its massive jagged blade scraped against the stone as it stepped forward, the sound grating like rusted metal against bone. The Ruin Dwellers that had survived scattered to the sides, forming a loose ring around him. They weren¡¯t retreating. They were waiting. Aiden¡¯s jaw tightened. They weren¡¯t just mindless beasts. They were following orders. The leader let out a low, guttural snarl. And the horde attacked. Aiden¡¯s vision ignited with golden fire¡ªfutures branching in all directions. Too many. Too fast. Dodge left. Roll forward. Parry the strike. Kick out the knee. Move. His body blurred into motion. A jagged dagger whistled through the air. Aiden ducked¡ªhis head tilting just an inch out of the way. His knife slashed upward, severing the attacker¡¯s wrist. A scream. The creature staggered back. Another charged. Aiden pivoted¡ªhis blade flicking out in a sharp arc. Too shallow. The Ruin Dweller recoiled, snarling, but didn¡¯t go down. The golden flickers of his foresight blurred again. Next attack. Right. Then left. Then¡ª Too late. A heavy axe slammed toward him. Aiden twisted, barely avoiding the blow as it shattered the stone where he¡¯d been standing a second earlier. Dust kicked up. His vision flickered with half-second warnings, blurred paths that told him he was just barely keeping up. Then the warband leader moved. Faster than something its size had any right to. Aiden¡¯s body tensed. Duck. Roll. Move¡ª The massive jagged blade came down in a brutal vertical slash. Aiden barely dodged in time. The impact split the stone beneath him, sending cracks webbing outward. The force alone nearly threw him off balance. That was way too fast. He pushed off the ground, twisting to the side¡ªjust as another Ruin Dweller lunged with a spear. Aiden caught the movement, saw the outcome before it happened, and kicked off the collapsing rubble. His boot struck the creature¡¯s knee, sending it sprawling. The warband leader roared. It swung again¡ªthis time sweeping horizontally.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Aiden saw the future paths snap into place. If he dodged back, he¡¯d get caught by the edge of the blade. If he dodged left, one of the Ruin Dwellers would intercept him. One path. Over. Aiden jumped. The massive blade cut through the air beneath him, missing by inches. He twisted midair, his vision flickering golden as he saw the best landing¡ªthere. He hit the ground in a roll, spinning back to his feet. And then, before he could react¡ª A spear sliced into his side. Pain exploded through his ribs. Aiden gasped, stumbling, golden fire faltering for just a second. A Ruin Dweller had baited him. He gritted his teeth, forcing his body to move, not freeze. His hand clamped down on the spear shaft before the creature could pull away. Then he ripped it free. Pain burned through his torso. He ignored it. Aiden yanked the spear forward, pulling the creature off balance¡ªthen drove his knee straight into its skull. Bone crunched. It collapsed. His breath was ragged. The warband leader was already moving. Aiden barely managed to lift his knife in time. Metal met metal. The sheer force sent him skidding backward. He barely stayed on his feet. His grip on his knife tightened. This thing is strong. And fast. And I still have to deal with the others. A Ruin Dweller lunged at him from behind. Aiden moved before it did. He twisted sharply¡ªhis blade flashing in a perfect arc. The creature fell before it even realized it was dead. But he didn¡¯t have time to breathe. Because the warband leader was already charging him down. And this time¡ªit wasn¡¯t just swinging. It was going for the kill. Aiden barely had time to breathe before the warband leader charged. The massive, jagged blade tore through the air, a brutal arc of steel and force. Aiden threw himself sideways as the impact cracked the stone floor, sending a shockwave through the temple ruins. The sheer force of the attack slammed into his chest like a cannon blast, knocking the breath from his lungs. Dust and debris scattered, and Aiden barely kept his footing as the ruined pillars groaned from the impact. His golden vision flared. Futures unfolded in an instant. Too slow, dead. Too fast, wide open. One path. Aiden twisted just as a second blur of motion lunged from the side. One of the smaller Ruin Dwellers¡ªthe last stragglers of the warband¡ªsnarled as it stabbed forward with a crude spear. Too late. The weapon punched into his side, tearing through his jacket, slicing into flesh. Aiden choked on a sharp gasp, pain burning through his ribs. His step faltered, his balance shifting¡ª No. Stay moving. He gritted his teeth, twisting into the pain as his knife flashed. The blade carved clean across the creature¡¯s throat, hot blood spraying against his arm. The Ruin Dweller collapsed, its grip on the spear going slack. No time to recover. Another lunged, rusted axe swinging for his head. Aiden saw the strike a second before it landed. His knife blurred, intercepting the attack¡ªredirecting it just enough for the axe to glance off his shoulder instead of splitting into his skull. The impact sent a jolt of pain down his arm, but he ignored it. His free hand shot forward, catching the creature by the throat. He drove it backward, slamming it into a crumbling stone wall before burying his knife into its chest. The last Ruin Dweller hesitated, its beady eyes darting toward its fallen kin. Aiden exhaled sharply, shifting his stance. The creature hesitated¡ªjust for a second. Then it bolted. Not happening. Aiden lunged after it, visions flashing ahead. His fingers curled around the handle of the fallen spear. He pivoted, bracing his stance, and hurled it. The crude weapon spun through the air, catching the creature mid-sprint. It let out a short, choked cry before collapsing onto the stone floor, unmoving. Silence settled. Aiden wiped blood from his cheek, his breath heavy. His side still burned. The wound wasn¡¯t deep enough to cripple him, but every movement sent fresh pain stabbing through his ribs. He could deal with it later. A low, guttural growl rumbled through the ruins. Aiden turned back. The warband leader stood alone now, massive and unmoving, its burning crimson eyes locked onto Aiden. It lifted its jagged greatsword, setting its stance. Aiden rolled his shoulders, exhaling. Finally. One-on-one. No more distractions. The fight wasn¡¯t over yet. The Path Only He Can See The warband leader towered over Aiden, its jagged greatsword raised high. Its chipped blade dripped with blood¡ªhis blood. Its crimson eye burned, unwavering, locked onto him like a predator savoring its kill. Aiden wasn''t in good shape. His side throbbed where the spear had gouged him in the last fight. Blood slicked his jacket. His ribs ached from the earlier impact, making every breath feel like a knife twisting in his lungs. His left leg burned, the muscle protesting after too many dodges, too many near-misses. But he couldn''t stop now. The orc warlord let out a low, rumbling snarl, its breath heavy with exertion¡ªbut Aiden wasn¡¯t fooled. It was strong. Too strong for him to fight head-on. He shifted his grip on his knife, his fingers slick with sweat and blood. The weight of exhaustion pressed against his limbs, his stamina wearing thin. The wound in his side burned white-hot. The warband leader attacked. It didn¡¯t rush in wildly like a lesser beast. It moved with purpose. Measured. It knew he was wounded. It wanted to draw this out. Aiden barely had time to react before the greatsword came down in a brutal arc. He threw himself sideways¡ªbut his body protested. His injured leg gave out for a half-second. Not enough to stop him, but enough to slow him. The edge of the blade grazed his shoulder. Pain exploded through his arm, blood spraying across the stone floor. Too close. Aiden staggered, his vision blurring at the edges. He needed a new approach. Dodging wasn¡¯t enough. His body was breaking down. The warlord stalked forward, jagged blade rising again. Aiden had one shot at this. He forced himself to slow down. To read the patterns. To predict. The golden flickers of his foresight blurred, strained. His exhaustion was making the visions harder to follow, his reaction time slipping. But then¡ªthere.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. One path. Aiden pretended to falter. His knife dipped slightly, his stance loosened. A feint. A trick. The warband leader took the bait. It lunged, blade swinging down¡ªcommitted to the kill. Aiden moved before it even landed. He twisted sharply, his injured side screaming in protest. His knife **lashed out¡ª**not at the warband leader directly, but at the jagged blade itself. His knife clashed against the warlord¡¯s greatsword at the perfect angle, shifting the trajectory just an inch. The blade missed his head. And buried itself deep into the stone floor. Stuck. Aiden didn''t hesitate. He lunged forward, driving his knee into the warband leader¡¯s gut. The massive orc snarled, staggering. But it was still moving. Still too strong. Aiden needed more. His free hand snatched a fallen weapon¡ªa rusted spear from one of the dead Ruin Dwellers. And with every last ounce of strength, he drove it through the warband leader¡¯s exposed ribs. The warlord¡¯s roar turned into a choked gasp. The massive body buckled. Aiden didn¡¯t stop. He ripped his knife free and drove it into the creature¡¯s throat. This time¡ªit fell. Aiden staggered back, barely able to stay standing. Blood dripped from his hands, from his side, from his legs. His breathing was ragged. His vision swam. He had won. But he was barely alive. The deep, rhythmic pulse that had been lurking beneath his heartbeat all this time suddenly roared to the surface. Louder. Stronger. Aiden turned. And then, he saw it. A door. Not a normal entrance. Not something anyone else would¡¯ve seen. It pulsed, the same deep, rhythmic beat that had guided him this far¡ªa heartbeat, distant but pulling him forward. His vision flared. The golden glow flickered violently¡ªthen broke apart. His whole body shook. Not from pain. From change. The System screamed to life. [PERCEPTION +1] [ENDURANCE +1] [STRENGTH +1] [MANA +0.8] [RANK ADVANCEMENT: E ¡ú D] Not because of the fight. But because of the Source. The door called to him. Aiden took a breath, steadying himself. He could feel it¡ªbeyond this door, something waited. Something that had been waiting for him. With one final glance at the ruined battlefield, he stepped forward. And as he pushed through, the world changed. Meanwhile¡­ The ruins were empty. Reiss stepped over a broken slab of stone, scanning the battlefield. A massacre. The bodies of Ruin Dwellers and their warband leader littered the ground. Blood pooled across the temple floor, weapons discarded, the fight long over. His frown deepened. Too fast. A squad couldn¡¯t have done this in this time frame. Not unless it was someone strong. He crouched beside the warband leader¡¯s fallen body. The wounds were precise. Not brute force. Not reckless. Whoever did this wasn¡¯t just some overpowered Hunter tearing through enemies. They were skilled. Reiss exhaled, shaking his head. "What kind of Hunter¡­" he muttered, standing. His gaze flicked to the entrance of the temple. Nothing seemed off. Nothing stood out. No lingering traces of Rift energy. No hidden pathways. Nothing. Just ruins. He shrugged, turning away. "Guess they¡¯re already gone." And with that¡ªhe left. Never knowing that just beyond what his eyes could see¡­ Aiden had already stepped through to somewhere else. The Surge Awakens Aiden stepped through the unseen doorway¡ª And everything unraveled. The temple vanished. Gravity twisted, the air was stripped away, and for a brief moment, he felt weightless. Then, an unseen force yanked him forward, hurling him into a space that wasn¡¯t meant to be entered. He landed hard. But the ground beneath him wasn¡¯t stone. It wasn¡¯t solid. It wasn¡¯t anything. His boots pressed against a shifting surface, neither firm nor fluid, yet somehow both. It pulsed beneath him, alive, like it recognized his presence. Every step sent ripples outward, distorting the space around him before snapping back into place. Aiden¡¯s pulse quickened. This wasn¡¯t a Rift. This wasn¡¯t even a place. Then, his vision fractured. Not foresight. Something else. Images flooded his mind¡ª A tower, spiraling into a darkened sky, its structure impossible, angles shifting when he looked at them. A colossal chain, stretching into eternity, vibrating with something barely contained. A figure, its face shrouded, but eyes burned where no features should be. Aiden staggered. The flashes weren¡¯t warnings. They weren¡¯t showing him what was coming. They were memories. But not his own. A heavy pulse reverberated through the air, syncing with the steady thrum in his chest. A presence or force that had been here long before him. And it was watching. The Source He turned. And there it was. Suspended in the void, shifting between forms, it refused to settle into a single shape. Not light, not matter, not energy. It flickered between infinity and nothing, existence and absence. A rupture in reality itself.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. And yet¡ªhe knew it. Not because he had seen it before. But because some part of him recognized it. The same pull that had guided him here now surged through his veins, vibrating in his bones. This wasn¡¯t just power. Aiden took a step closer¡ª And the world answered. Symbols ignited beneath his feet, unfurling like ink spilled across the shifting surface. They weren¡¯t carved. They hadn¡¯t been written. They manifested. Aiden¡¯s breath hitched. He didn¡¯t recognize the language. But he understood it. The words etched themselves into his mind, whispering to him, speaking of something ancient, something beyond comprehension. Then¡ªthey changed. Shifting, reforming before he could grasp their full meaning. The harder he tried to focus, the more they slipped away, like sand through his fingers. Frustration flared. Why was he seeing this? Why did it feel like he should know? Everything lurched. Not the script. The space itself. A presence moved. And it pushed back. Aiden¡¯s body seized as an unseen weight crashed into him. He gasped¡ªor tried to. The pressure wasn¡¯t crushing him. It was forcing him out. The world around him fractured, like a mirror under stress, cracks spiderwebbing outward but never fully breaking. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. Not yet. The weight intensified. He dug his heels in, reaching toward the shifting words, trying to lock onto just one phrase, one answer, one truth. But they slipped away. The force took hold. And Aiden fell. He slammed into something solid. This time, it was real. Stone. Cold. Grounded. Air rushed into his lungs, and for a second, he just lay there, body trembling from the weight of something he could no longer feel. The temple ruins surrounded him once more, just as they had before¡ªbut he knew everything had changed. His vision flickered¡ªgold not just in foresight, but something else threading through his veins. And then¡ª [[SOURCE RECOGNITION IN PROGRESS¡­] [CALIBRATION INCOMPLETE: PARTIAL ACCESS GRANTED.] [NEW ABILITY AWAKENED: SURGE SIGHT.] Aiden sucked in a breath. The words weren¡¯t just notifications. Somehow, he understood them. Surge Sight. For an instant¡ªhis body would move as if it already knew the outcome. No hesitation. No delay. Instinct honed to perfection. Aiden clenched his fist, feeling the shift settle in his muscles. It wasn¡¯t just seeing the future. It was becoming it. Then¡ªanother notification. [VISIONARY CODE: 5% ACTIVATION.] [SEEK THE SOURCE.] Even after rejecting him, it had given him something. It wasn¡¯t over. Not even close. Aiden pushed himself upright, rolling his shoulders. His body felt lighter. Stronger. But his mind was still racing. The symbols. The presence. The language that had spoken to him, then erased itself before he could grasp it. He needed answers. And then, just before he reached the Rift¡¯s exit¡ª A presence. Not a beast. Not an anomaly. Someone was waiting. His breath slowed. Whoever it was, they weren¡¯t here by accident. Aiden steeled himself. And stepped forward An Impossible Conclusion The Rift checkpoint was supposed to be routine. Reiss Kain stood near the Rift entrance, arms crossed, his face unreadable. His team had arrived late¡ªtoo late. Instead of a battle, they found the aftermath. The warband leader¡¯s corpse was still cooling. The surrounding ruins were soaked in blood, slaughtered Ruin Dwellers left where they fell. Their broken weapons lay beside them, rusted edges still slick with fresh crimson. Reiss crouched beside the warband leader¡¯s body, pressing two fingers against one of the deeper wounds. "Clean." Too clean for a D-Rank raid. His team had assumed a group had taken down the boss. But Reiss knew better. Only one person had gone in. And that made no damn sense. He turned toward one of the checkpoint Hunters, his tone clipped. ¡°Check the logs. Who entered this Rift?¡± The man frowned, swiping at his tablet. "Uh¡­ one name registered. Nathaniel Crane." Reiss''s brow twitched. Fake. His voice dropped lower. "So no real ID?" The Hunter hesitated. "Uh, I mean, there¡¯s an ID, but no known records. Probably an alias." A fake name. Someone covering their tracks. Which meant whoever was responsible for this massacre didn¡¯t want to be found. Reiss exhaled through his nose, rubbing his temple. ¡°And where is he now?¡± The Hunter pointed toward the Rift. ¡°Walking out now.¡± Reiss turned. And there he was. Aiden was wrecked. Blood crusted over his jacket. His ribs screamed with every breath. His legs ached, muscles wrung out like overused rubber bands. But he wasn¡¯t dead. Which meant, for now, he could walk this off. He had gotten something out of it. A new ability. A piece of something bigger.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. But he didn¡¯t have time to process that. Because Reiss was staring at him. Aiden forced himself to slow his steps, limping slightly but keeping his expression neutral. No unnecessary flinches. No signs of just how much his body was protesting every movement. Then, his brother spoke. ¡°You.¡± Aiden tilted his head slightly, as if pinpointing his voice. ¡°Me.¡± Silence. Reiss wasn''t buying it. This was the first time Aiden had really looked at his brother. And now that he could? He barely recognized him. Reiss looked older. His build was all lean muscle¡ªfaster rather than stronger. His uniform was crisp, expensive, the kind of thing only higher-ranked Hunters could afford. His hair was shorter than Aiden remembered, his face sharper, more worn. Aiden never noticed before because he never bothered to look. But now? He saw everything. And Reiss didn¡¯t know what he was looking at. His brother¡¯s eyes flickered across him¡ªtaking in the blood, the shredded jacket, the limp. Then, finally: ¡°What the hell happened in there?¡± Aiden blinked, slow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Reiss gestured toward the Rift. ¡°Who cleared it?¡± Aiden, deadpan: "Me." Silence. Reiss''s eye twitched. One of the checkpoint Hunters coughed. ¡°Uh, logs say he was the only one who entered.¡± Reiss turned slowly toward him. ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± he said, voice eerily calm, ¡°that my battered, bloody, F-Rank, blind little brother just soloed a dungeon?¡± The Hunter looked increasingly uncomfortable. ¡°T-Technically, yes.¡± Reiss inhaled, exhaled, then inhaled again, like he was actively suppressing the urge to start screaming. ¡°Explain.¡± Aiden shifted slightly, like he was getting comfortable. ¡°I walked in.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I walked out.¡± Reiss clenched his jaw. His patience was thinning. "Aiden." "Reiss." "Tell me what actually happened." "I did. I walked in. And then I walked out." Reiss closed his eyes for a full second. He looked like he was actively debating whether or not to strangle him. "The dungeon didn¡¯t clear itself," he said through his teeth. Aiden shrugged, wincing slightly at the motion. ¡°The monsters probably killed each other.¡± Reiss¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°MONSTERS DON¡¯T JUST KILL EACH OTHER.¡± Aiden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe they had a disagreement.¡± "You¡ª" Reiss¡¯s hands actually curled into fists. But no matter how much he wanted to deny it¡­ the logs didn¡¯t lie. This dungeon was cleared by a single Hunter. And that Hunter was standing right in front of him. Reiss exhaled, forcing his voice even. ¡°Fine. We¡¯re leaving. Now.¡± Aiden raised an eyebrow. ¡°We?¡± ¡°You¡¯re coming with me to the Hunter Association. If something¡¯s wrong¡ª¡± Aiden leaned slightly to the side. Reiss **reached out instantly¡ª**but his hand closed on nothing. Aiden was already moving. His body shouldn¡¯t have been able to handle sudden movement. He was injured, battered, barely standing moments ago. But he slid between two nearby Hunters like water slipping through cracks. Reiss¡¯s stomach dropped. No. He turned, scanning the area. Nothing. He turned again. Aiden was standing twenty feet away. Reiss actually froze. That wasn¡¯t possible. His brother was battered. Injured. F-Rank. And yet, he had just moved like a ghost. Reiss locked eyes with him. Aiden tilted his head. Then raised a hand. And waved. The movement was deliberate. Mocking. Aiden turned, blending into the checkpoint crowd. The second Reiss took a step forward¡ªhe was gone. No sudden burst of speed. No flicker of unnatural power. Just calculated movement. Every step precise, vanishing in plain sight. Reiss stared at the empty space where he had stood. No way. No. Way. His hands clenched at his sides. Aiden was F-Rank. Aiden was blind. Aiden shouldn¡¯t be able to do any of that. His brain rebelled against the logic, but the facts were in front of him. "What if he really did it?" And for the first time in years¡­ Reiss didn¡¯t have an answer.