《Apocalypse Arena(Book 1 Stubbed)》 1. NOT AGAIN! Learn to differentiate between what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not. Trust the first. Not the latter. Doctor Mendez¡¯s words echoed in Nil¡¯s ears. Usually, he used the mantra to ignore the visage haunting him. Whenever the woman in the bloody white parka and ripped jeans waved, gestured, or mimed something at Nil, he ignored her. Then another fireball exploded in the street behind him, and lightning flashed out of the windows in the building ahead. So, when she pointed at an alleyway to his left, Nil took the suggestion and ran. Backtracking occurred to him as the wall stretching to his right trembled and dust rained on him. A hundred-meter sprint would take him back to Picadilly Circus. Mana-tech screens advertising Arthurtech¡¯s latest defense wards or the next Apocalypse Arena event bathed the famous junction in permanent ethereal illumination. Given Soho¡¯s chaos and its desirability as a target for terrorist attacks, security forces always patrolled it. If he retreated to its safety, he would survive the night unscathed. Unfortunately, the sounds of Schema-enhanced muscles shattering concrete and arcane spells sounded behind Nil. Retreating would probably put him in the warring gangs¡¯ crossfire. A fireball roared across the junction ahead, and Nil skidded to a halt. He threw himself against the neighboring building¡¯s entrance and ducked for cover. The door behind him creaked open. ¡°Ladki chahiye?¡± A man wearing an old corduroy coat asked. He leaned against the frame, picking at his teeth with a long and ugly pinky nail. ¡°I don¡¯t speak Hindi, mate,¡± Nil lied, eyes darting from side to side as he looked for the best escape route. ¡°Why you lie, friend? Tell me what you want. I got everything. Local. Foreign. Summoned. I see you every day. I give you discount. Yes?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m trying not to die?¡± Nil asked. The pimp laughed. ¡°Arre, bhai. Who¡¯ll pay the bills if I stop doing business because of those bloody bastards? This is everyday thing, no? If you don¡¯t want girl, I¡¯ll give you shelter for sixty pound.¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± A loud buzz and flash made the pair jump. The sound repeated, and a bright light pulse accompanied it. A heartbeat later, the stink of ozone assaulted his nostrils, and a car alarm went off. The pimp slammed the door closed. It was lightning magic. Nil had seen it up close once before and didn¡¯t want to again. So, despite Dr Mendez¡¯s advice and against his best judgment, he followed the hallucinated woman¡¯s directions and took off running once again. He kept his head low, hoping to survive the five hundred meters of dimly lit road unscathed. Oxford Street always had police or Corpo squad patrols. They ensured Soho¡¯s chaos never leaked beyond its borders. Walking down the much-better-lit and policed Regent Street would¡¯ve taken Nil home to his shoebox apartment without risking a shank or fireball to the face. However, the route would add at least forty minutes to his journey. The actual walk wasn¡¯t much longer, but he¡¯d have to deal with checkpoints and suffer interrogations regarding his bag¡¯s contents. Nil had less than nine hours until his next shift, and every second spent not in bed was a second lost. He still needed to do the laundry and at least hang up his chef whites to ensure he had work clothes for the day after the next. There weren¡¯t many avenues for the non-Summoned to achieve greatness. They needed to be born rich, have charisma coming out of the wazoo, or have genius-level intellect. Unfortunately, Nil had none of the above. He did well in school and college but failed to get a loan for the oh-so-necessary post-graduate degree. The cheffing bug bit him while part-timing, and he had finally clawed his way into a Michelin-level kitchen. Nil enjoyed the work, but the hours were grueling, and his time off involved polishing techniques to stay relevant. Worst of all, the only quick commute was life-threatening. As Nil left the dangers of Soho and fled onto Oxford Street, he wondered whether a master''s in mechanical engineering would¡¯ve done him any good. Given the popularity of manatech, it was probably Summoneds with artisanal abilities and qualifications in artificing or some other otherworldly trade leading the show. ¡°Oi! Stop right there!¡± A gruff voice yelled just as Nil slowed to a jog. A high-pitched whine followed, and Nil recognized it as an Arthurtech stun gun charging up. During his late-night power walks through Soho, Nil had heard the standard-issue Metropolitan Police weapon several times. He complied and pre-emptively followed the expected order. ¡°Hands where I can see them!¡± A pair of inhumanely strong hands grabbed Nil¡¯s wrists and twisted his arms behind his back. ¡°You carrying any weapons?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a chef,¡± Nil quickly replied. He nodded at the zippered case slung across his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s my knife bag.¡± A familiar policewoman stepped in front of Nil and removed his knife bag. He had seen her patrolling Regent Street several times before. They had never spoken. Nil always acknowledged the police, nodding or smiling so they¡¯d keep him in mind and not suspect him of the neighborhood¡¯s crimes or violence. He hoped the invested effort would pay dividends now. She didn¡¯t manhandle him like her partner. After retreating a couple of meters, she peeked inside the case. She nodded before speaking into her radio. Nil heard the phrases ¡®possible suspect¡¯ and ¡®matching description¡¯ over the pounding in his ears. ¡°Where are you coming from?¡± asked the policeman, still holding his arms. ¡°Work,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I¡¯m a sous chef at Misdirection.¡± ¡°That the place with the mage chef?¡± The question came from the officer holding his knife bag. ¡°He¡¯s just a rogue.¡± Nil felt the hands holding his wrists loosen as he spoke. ¡°You mean to tell me all the shit he puts online is just a damned Sleight of Hand power?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a tinker-style artisan on staff, too. The chef should still be in the office. Would you like the number? My name is Sunil Roy. He can¡ª¡± ¡°How about you tell us why you were running?¡± The policeman asked, guiding Nil by the elbows. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Lightning bolts and fireballs,¡± Nil answered. ¡°It''s terrifying back there, officer. The bastards are going to bring all of King¡¯s Square down. I didn¡¯t want to get involved or caught in their fight. So, I ran.¡± ¡°Clever.¡± ¡°Take it easy, Jones,¡± the female police officer said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this one around. He should be clear.¡± ¡°Just run his bios, will you?¡± Her partner grunted. Nil found himself in front of a police van. It was the Arthurtech kind with an electrified cage in the back. ¡°Is this necessary?¡± Nil¡¯s heartbeat calmed somewhat. Anxiety still bubbled in his stomach, but at least he didn¡¯t need to worry about a stun gun to the side. The weapons had settings to deal with defensive Summoneds with brute or knight classification powers. He feared a misfire or incorrect setting could cause permanent damage if not kill him. ¡°Please. Just call my boss. My ID is in my wallet. You can look me up¡ª¡± ¡°Do yourself a favor and shut up, alright?¡± The policeman liberated Nil''s wallet. The previous interactions and the female officer¡¯s confidence did not affect his handling or treatment. ¡°I¡¯m just going to secure you in here while we make a few calls.¡± Nil sighed. He would need to slog through the coming fifteen-hour shift sore and sleep-deprived. Nil knew well that what he was experiencing wasn¡¯t proper police procedure. Protesting or resisting would only earn him more discomfort and trouble, so he kept his thoughts to himself. The policeman commenced cuffing Nil while interfacing with the police vehicle. The visage shook her head and hands. Her wide eyes betrayed her concern. After the evening¡¯s guidance thus far, Nil wanted to trust her. Instincts demanded he run, but all he could do was prepare himself for whatever was to come. The van demanded two forms of biometric scans before unlocking. The officer barely gripped the handle before a concussive force blew the door open. Fortunately, the shockwave only grazed Nil, throwing him off balance. He staggered to the side and almost tripped over the curb. The past seven years of regular self-defense classes had made footwork almost reflex. His apparently imagined apparition had also left him wary. The officer didn¡¯t have such luck. The van¡¯s rear door swung into him hard enough to knock him off his feet. The blow flung him into a neighboring lamppost, denting it. A shirtless man leaped from the vehicle. His bloodshot eyes shot between the stunned police officer and his shocked partner. She had a hand on her holster but hadn¡¯t drawn her weapon yet. The criminal leaped at Nil, moving too fast for an ordinary human. He felt a much too-powerful forearm and handcuff chain on his neck a moment later. ¡°Keep your hands off that bloody gun!¡± The criminal screeched. His pitch and the slurred words suggested off-market stimulants in his system. He vibrated every handful of seconds. It felt like someone had chained Nil to an off-balance washing machine. ¡°I¡¯ll break the kid¡¯s neck. I don¡¯t even have to try. He¡¯s a twig.¡± ¡°Alright! Alright.¡± The policewoman held her hands out in front of her. ¡°Nobody else needs to get hurt tonight. Okay? Just let him go, and we can talk.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± The man laughed. ¡°Give me your keys. We¡¯re going for a ride.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t necessary, is it?¡± Nil asked. He tried to sound calm, but his voice quivered. His heart wanted to pound out of his chest, and he felt his bowels begging to release, too. ¡°We¡¯re in the same boat. Aren¡¯t we? Just¡ª¡± Nil shut up as soon as the hold around his throat tightened. ¡°Why the fuck are you talking?¡± The policewoman foolishly attempted to take advantage of the momentary distraction. The criminal roared as soon as she unholstered her weapon. He threw Nil aside like a rag doll and pounced at her. ¡°Fuck it. I¡¯ll just kill all of ya!¡± Nil landed on the still-dazed police officer. As luck would have it, the handcuffs hadn¡¯t closed completely around his right wrist. His hands were still free. Nil found himself with two options. He could flee or help. His eyes drifted between the policewoman now pinned under the screaming criminal and her partner¡¯s weaponry. Drawing the stun gun was out of the question. He had read they scanned every officer¡¯s unique arcane signature before activating. It would do him no good. On the other hand, the electric baton didn¡¯t have such limitations. Every instinct told Nil to run, but the officer¡¯s bloody face concerned him. Her attacker was obviously strung out. The thrashing wouldn¡¯t stop until she died or he passed out. He would probably take her keys and flee afterward. Given his enraged, drugged-out state, there was also a chance he would chase Nil afterward. The criminal had the physiology of a Summoned. His Might had likely ascended from the Mortal to the Iron Realm. The criminal¡¯s Finesse probably wasn¡¯t far behind. Nil would, without a doubt, lose a foot chase. ¡°Stupid idiot.¡± He cursed himself while wiggling the baton free of the officer¡¯s belt. Blood leaked from the man¡¯s forehead and red stained his white collar. As Nil hesitated again, he glanced at the visage. The supposedly imaginary woman in the bloody white parka and blue jeans shook her head and hands violently. Her deep blue eyes pleaded he avoid the decision. No. Not again. A swing sufficiently extended the baton, and its tip hummed to life, emitting a silver glow. Nil raced at the criminal, stifling a war cry. The policewoman¡¯s resistance had less life to it. Gashes covered her arms, and her head had a few abrasions from where it had bounced off the pavement. On the bright side, the frequency and intensity of the man¡¯s vibrations had dropped significantly. Nil heard sirens in the distance, but he doubted she would last long enough to benefit from the support. Nil had no weapons training. However, he knew to poke with the pointy end. He emulated a fencing move from ¡®Princess Bride,¡¯ driving the baton¡¯s tip into the man¡¯s exposed spine. ¡°You bastard!¡± He screamed, spasming. The thug fell on his side, scrambling away from Nil and the policewoman. His hands frantically clawed at the touch point. Even though his instincts told Nil to retreat, he pushed forward, jabbing with his borrowed weapon again. This time, he hit the soft flesh around the navel, forcing another bout of spasms. Unfortunately, instead of retreating, the man lunged forward. After seven years of spending every day off in self-defense classes and daily gym visits, Nil had little trouble avoiding the wild attack and used the following opening for another strike. It gave him hope regarding his chances. He didn¡¯t need to win. Just delay until help came. The following swings missed, too, as Nil bobbed and weaved. His training involved punches, kicks, knee and elbow strikes. However, physical strikes from an ordinary human had little chance of doing much to someone with Might already in the Iron Realm. In fact, Nil was sure he¡¯d already be dead if not for the intoxicants in his opponent¡¯s system. The exchange thus far gave him hope in regard to his success. Nil never thought he¡¯d end up in a situation that involved facing off a violent Summoned again. He went to classes to feel secure and confident and deal with survivor¡¯s guilt. Now, as he used the regularly drilled footwork to parry a wide hook and poke his opponent again, he saw the fruits of his labor and felt good about himself for the first time in a very long time. Then, he got overconfident and went for a follow-up attack instead of returning to defensive and avoidance tactics. The Summoned criminal vibrated and blurred forward, abruptly gaining a burst of speed. He punched Nil¡¯s torso, forcing all the air out of his lungs and causing several stomach-churning cracks. The next thing Nil knew, he was flying through the air. He struck the police van head-first, and everything went dark for a moment. When his eyes refocused, Nil felt an instant physiological change. Nothing hurt. He wasn¡¯t on his face or back but upright. Words in a thick, blocky font drifted in front of him. The Schema recognizes your bravery and grit. When given the choice of fight or flight, you picked fight! A highly valued Summoned escaped probable death because of you. Sunil Roy, you have the necessary traits to serve as one of the Summoned. You may pursue a future of adventure, growth, and power or return to your old life of mediocrity. Would you like to shed your injuries and sicknesses and ascend? Nil¡¯s stomach fluttered. He wasn¡¯t on Earth any longer. The danger had passed¡ªfor the time being, at least. If he accepted the offer, it wasn¡¯t just power that awaited him, but also otherworldly threats and more near-death experiences. 2. Unfortunate Attributes ¡°What happens if I reject the Schema¡¯s offer?¡± Nil asked. If he were closer to twenty than he was to thirty, he would¡¯ve accepted the gift without question. Now, Nil had a career he had built over five years of grueling effort and sacrifice. Ascending to the status of Summoned would cost him his job. The newly Summoned received frequent tasks and quests, taking them away from Earth several times a year¡ªonce every six to eight weeks for most early in the service of the Nexus. The duration of the summonings varied, and some didn¡¯t make it home. The government had spent the last decade and a half debating bills on Summoned rights and employment protections and trialed several programs. Unfortunately, nothing had yet become permanent. Employers, more often than not, terminated Summoned workers, and Nil was sure the same would happen to him. There were dozens of cooks clawing for Nil¡¯s position, and he hadn¡¯t held it long enough to win the chef¡¯s favor. If he no-called-no-showed the following morning, his boss would call someone to fill in and reprimand him when he returned. If he were away for any longer, the chef would start looking for a replacement. Either way, he¡¯d be out of a job by the end of the month, and the restaurant would have a full-time cold-kitchen sous chef replacement. You¡¯ll be returned to the moment following your moment of bravery in the same condition as before your summoning. ¡°So, broken ribs and a concussion at best. Dying at the worst.¡± If the Metropolitan police recognized his efforts to save one of their own, they could reward him with a Summoned healer¡¯s touch. It was rare, but the city was known to do so, especially to avoid liability cases when they were at fault. The officers hadn¡¯t followed procedure, and Nil believed he was owed. We sense your hesitation. Your potential has been deemed above average. The Nexus moderators are surprised you weren¡¯t contacted before. A destiny more extraordinary than that of an ordinary Summoned might lay ahead of you. The Schema picks individuals with grit and mettle, individuals with talent, or those who exhibit bravery in the face of grave danger. You ticked multiple boxes. If you accept, you will be assigned a priority caseworker, and a signing bonus might also be on the table. The latter is subject to the results of your attribute assessments. Greed reared his ugly head. Nil doubted he¡¯d ever make it to the status of Michelin-ranked chef. Nil was good, but he knew for a fact that he wasn¡¯t that good. He had the necessary skills but not the mad genius or gimmicks essential for the media attention and sociopolitical favor such accolades demanded. Living as a Summoned had its dangers, but he could not think of any other way to make his family proud. It could potentially earn him enough to pay off his student loans and help his father with his debts. Rising costs forced him to continue working grueling hours despite being of retirement age. The man had two minors to support and rejected Nil''s help. He had no choice but to send aid through his sister. She had a part-time job and pretended it was enough to pay for groceries and a couple of bills. ¡°I accept.¡± A wave of warmth washed over Nil, and the surrounding white gained luminosity until it was nearly blinding. When it finally faded, he found himself on an old gym floor with nothing but a mannequin and a sled with nothing on it. The visage walked around them, studying both closely but not touching them. ¡°Hit me, you wide-eyed, dozy-looking bastard,¡± the wooden humanoid statue said. ¡°What?¡± Nil asked, eyebrows raised. ¡°Did I stutter? This is the Might assessment. Hit me and move on. I got better things to do than stare at your stupid mug.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a blood mannequin. What¡ª¡± ¡°Just get over with it, will you? Hit me. Push the sled. Move on.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°You get three strikes. Use everything you got.¡± Nil obeyed. His first right hook did nothing to the mannequin but left his knuckles stinging. The second came with the same discomfort, but he successfully got the head to turn a couple of degrees. Nil¡¯s last blow involved a spinning roundhouse kick and sent jolts of pain from the impact point¡ªhis lower shin¡ªup to the knee. The pain disappeared almost as quickly as his injuries when the Nexus summoned him. ¡°Now, grip the sled tight and push it for as long as you can,¡± the mannequin said, sounding amused. Nil was tempted to ask what the featureless, mouthless, wooden man found so funny, but it felt pointless. The sled moved with ease at first. He didn¡¯t see the point of the test. Then, a couple of steps later, it appeared to get heavier, and the handle rolled. Nil gripped tighter and continued pushing. Every subsequent inch got harder. The sled¡¯s weight increased, and holding on to it proved more challenging. Much to his embarrassment, he made it only eleven steps before it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Might assessment complete! Next!¡± The lights went out, and the environment changed when they lit up again. He now stood in an auditorium. Several benches and stations stood around him. He saw no humanoid figures in his vicinity besides the familiar woman. She waved him toward a collection of workstations. Nil found a large section that resembled Misdirection¡¯s kitchen and automatically gravitated toward it. A blue screen materialized when he stopped in front of a butchery station with a whole, skinned, and gutted deer carcass. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Finesse Assessment. The Schema has already observed how well you move during the previous trial and during your summoning event. Please demonstrate how good you are with your hands. Butchering and taking apart the young doe felt like the most natural thing to do. Fine dining and especially Michelin-starred kitchens often used game animals and liked to have the staff take apart protein and dry age it in-house. Nil had grown familiar with such tasks early in his career. He took his pick from the selection of knives and got to work straight away. A comfortable rhythm took over; before he knew it, the limbs and torsos sat separated before him. He was in the middle of separating the saddle from the shoulders when darkness took over again. When the lights returned, Nil stood in a grand temple-like structure made of marble and crystals. Ethereal lights floated overhead. Individuals in robes, armor, and general medieval armor surrounded him. Arrows blinked in front of Nil, directing him to the opposite side of the dome-ceilinged room. When he hesitated, a luminous line appeared on the floor, too. The people walking around him frequently glanced at blank spaces on the floor, walls, or empty air. The Schema probably had similar indicators for them. A handful of individuals materialized after him. Instead of walking toward the offices, they headed toward an auditorium full of people to the right. ¡°This way, Sunil Roy,¡± a pink-skinned woman in luminous pink attire said when Nil reached his destination, waving him through a doorway. Once he passed, she closed the door and pointed him toward a desk. ¡°Thank you.¡± When Nil glanced over his shoulder, the pink woman had disappeared. Instead, an identical individual with normal human coloration sat behind the desk. Her clothes were neither luminous nor had a pink hue. ¡°Please sit down, Sunil Roy. I¡¯m Layla, your personal case worker. I¡¯ll talk you through induction, attributes, discipline, and skill options. We can discuss your possible bonus as well. Does that sound okay to you, Sunil¡ª¡± ¡°I prefer Nil.¡± The woman raised an eyebrow. Her eyes flashed a salmon shade as she scrutinized him. ¡°Very well. Sit down, Nil.¡± She continued after he complied. ¡°The Schema doesn¡¯t frequently offer bonuses.¡± Even though she was looking at him, her eyes appeared focused on something closer. Perhaps the Schema interface. ¡°Looks like you got hurt saving someone we favor¡ªan inductee with a promising powerset and great potential. People don¡¯t regularly hesitate or second guess the Schema¡¯s offer either.¡± ¡°I thought twenty-nine was a bit late to start a life as a Summoned,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I spent the past eight years building a career. Working for the Nexus marks the end of that life.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re a cook.¡± She paused, frowning. Her eyes darted across a screen that appeared before her. ¡°Apologies. You¡¯re a culinary artist serving royalty and the rich and powerful. Your work schedule and dedication suggest you have grit and mettle. The Schema values such qualities just as much as talent. It''s true that people younger than you are called on more frequently, but there is no limit on when one can display such qualities.¡± ¡°So? What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°We test your final attributes. Then, we¡¯ll discuss your available disciplines and the best distribution of your extra Schema tokens.¡± Layla glanced at the wall to her left. A luminous pink hand manifested by the attached shelf. It grabbed a clear crystal disk as big as Nil¡¯s face and carried it to the desk. ¡°Touch it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get elaborate tests for the other two?¡± Nil asked, studying the device before him. ¡°Mind and Spark are harder to measure than the physical attributes. Estimating your potential for either is even harder. We usually test them in the auditorium near the Nexus Market entrance so other Summoned can see if you¡¯re worthy of their attention, guilds, and a lot more that many find grating.¡± Layla smiled, waving at herself. ¡°However, a Schema-assigned priority case worker comes with privacy, in-depth guidance, and a better transition to Summoned Life.¡± She redirected his attention to the disk. ¡°This will provide us with a reasonable measurement of your remaining attributes. Please touch the disk.¡± Nil did as instructed. He felt a soft tingle before a Schema interface manifested, floating above the desk. Might¡ª Mortal 4 | Potential: Bronze Finesse¡ª Mortal 5 | Potential Silver Mind¡ª Mortal 3 | Potential: Iron Spark¡ª Mortal 9 | Potential Platinum ¡°That¡¯s an unfortunate spread and assortment of potentials.¡± Layla sighed. ¡°At least you have an unnaturally high Spark. I suppose we can work with that.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Nil enquired, scrutinizing the screen with narrow eyes. He had read and heard some of the jargon before, but outside of super sports and especially the Apocalypse Arena¡ªhe didn¡¯t have the time to watch their broadcasts¡ªthe Summoned didn¡¯t discuss their attributes, how they worked, or potential. In fact, many hoarded information regarding the Schema, a closely guarded secret, and the government did little to educate the public on the details. He had read up on them when he still had hopes of ascending, but the accuracy of the data always felt questionable. ¡°Why the hell is my Mind attribute low? Am I supposed to be stupid?¡± ¡°Mind doesn¡¯t have anything to do with intelligence. I can understand why your people often make the connection. It''s an unfortunate translation issue. You appear to lack a word or concept that combines memory and the ability to handle mental strain. Do you know much about the rest of the attributes?¡± ¡°I know that Might covers strength, durability, and natural recovery,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Meanwhile, Finesse is a measurement of my motor skills and perception. I used to think Mind involved analytical power. Mages use it as their primary attribute. Right?¡± ¡°Correct. We don¡¯t use such strict classifications here, but arcane powers demand memorization, image-holding, and psychic control, which can strain the brain. So, mages¡ªas you humans like to say¡ªneed a high Mind and a decent score in the final non-physical attribute.¡± ¡°Spark. The arcane attribute.¡± ¡°Spark affects the potency of your personal power. It might not be overtly important for, say, a Sleight of Hand, Cat¡¯s Grace, or similar passive ability. They can benefit by just investing in the relevant attribute. However, Spark can greatly benefit individuals with active abilities and magic.¡± ¡°I thought it affects arcane recovery, too,¡± Nil said, frowning. ¡°It can in some cases. For example, if someone¡¯s Schema-gifted ability involves fire magic, Spark would determine the potency of his spells. Typically, they¡¯d recover their arcane resource pool by absorbing the essence of wild or naturally occurring fires from their environment. Spark would affect the efficiency and speed of this recovery. ¡°Someone of your people¡¯s knight classification with a shield power would also benefit from Spark. The attribute would determine his defense¡¯s potency and how often he can conjure said shield. However, if his ability passively boosts his durability, relying on Might and simply nurturing said gift would do him better than spending Schema tokens and artificial boosters on Spark.¡± ¡°Alright. I understand. So, what does this mean for me? Why is my spread unfortunate, as you said? High Spark should help me become a mage. Correct?¡± Layla sighed. ¡°If only it were that easy.¡± 3. Caseworkers and Curses Layla brought up a chart. ¡°I must reiterate. The Schema and Nexus don¡¯t use terms like mage, knight, brute, or rogue. These are classifications created by your people and media for the sake of Apocalypse Arena groupings and sensationalisation. We only drew this up so your kind will better understand the abilities available to them. Your attribute spread, and in-born potentials determine them.¡± It did a decent job of summarizing how things worked, relating Earth''s classification of powers to the rarely discussed attributes.
Primary Secondary Tertiary Classification
Might Finesse Brute
Finesse Might Spark Knight
Finesse Mind Rogue
Mind Spark Mage
Spark Mind Summoner
Finesse/Might Spark Mind Arcane Warrior
Finesse Mind Spark Artisan
The list went on. Much to Nil¡¯s disappointment, he saw no discipline or classification that had Spark as a primary attribute and Finesse as the secondary. ¡°What abilities you¡¯re offered is in the Schema¡¯s hands. Unfortunately, all your attributes besides Spark are low to middling. I almost understand why you weren¡¯t summoned before. Platinum potential is certainly impressive, but you don¡¯t have anything to supplement it.¡± ¡°The Schema says I have Silver Realm potential in Finesse. Is that no good?¡± Layla¡¯s eyes betrayed a hint of pity. ¡°It''s very ordinary, to be honest. Spark is a great attribute since it deems your ability''s potency, but you need more to accompany it.¡± ¡°Well, that sucks balls.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°All hope is not lost. The Schema is never wrong. If it says you have incredible potential, there must be something about you we haven¡¯t discussed or noticed yet. A high natural Spark and potential isn¡¯t enough for summoning.¡± Layla¡¯s eyes turned pink. Several devices floated off her shelves and took up orbit around Nil. Some flashed lights at him. One drew his blood. Another zapped him with a light electric shock, almost making him jump out of his chair. Another cast a line of light across his body that slowly traveled from his feet upwards. It froze halfway across his forearms. ¡°Why do you have an unformed soul weapon?¡± Layla asked, jumping up from her chair. ¡°And why in Yggdrasil¡¯s name is it brimming with cursed energy?¡± ¡°Soul weapon?¡± Nil¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of the phrase. He had only heard them in reference to Apocalypse Arena. They involved magical devices and weapons the combatants flashed during their bouts. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°My scanner says you have had an unformed soul weapon for just over seven years.¡± Layla straightened her dress and returned to her seat. ¡°The Schema assures me there are no Cursed Ones on your earth yet. I apologize for the reaction.¡± ¡°You¡¯re throwing jargon at me that doesn¡¯t mean anything, Layla.¡± ¡°The Nexus and Schema exist to fight the Void¡¯s influence on mortal plains and eliminate the Cursed Ones. They¡¯re beings born of twisted, arcane forces, negative emotion, and corruption. You¡¯ll occasionally come across quests that involve defeating or avoiding these entities. Neither threat exists in your world. It¡¯s why 2007¡¯s cataclysm wasn¡¯t as bad as it could¡¯ve been.¡± ¡°I mean, we only lost a billion people. Middle East, Northern Africa, and Central South America are hellscapes full of monsters and inhospitable to humans.¡± Nil¡¯s words dripped with sarcasm. In hindsight, treating Layla well was in his best interests, but minimizing the global horror from his early teen years felt moronic. ¡°Sure. You can say the cataclysm wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± Layla ignored the jibe and carried on with her explanation. ¡°The Schema theorizes an individual smuggled cursed energy into your world, and you somehow absorbed it and contained it in that soul weapon.¡± She leaned over the table, studying Nil¡¯s eyes and face. Layla waved in the air, and a screen appeared. ¡°Did something happen seven years ago? It seems like both came to you at the same time. Soul weapons can often gain sentience. They develop a mind and personality of their own. The Schema says a part of the cursed energy has merged with this weapon¡¯s mind. It doesn¡¯t seem to be physically harming you, though.¡± Haunting Visage. Nil glanced at the woman exploring Layla¡¯s office. The caseworker appeared not to have noticed her. At least now Nil knew it wasn¡¯t hallucinations or some sort of mental illness. Dr Mendez had spent hours talking to him. Nil had undergone brain scans and spent months on sickening medication that left him numb and robbed him of any and all motivation and creativity. Nothing made the visage go away. Nil felt somewhat relieved to know the woman in the blood-soaked parka and ripped jeans wasn¡¯t just a figment of imagination. He wasn¡¯t schizophrenic or suffering from any similar ailment. It was his ailment. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°I¡¯m cursed.¡± Nil chuckled. ¡°It''s not a laughing matter, Mr Roy,¡± Layla said. ¡°I know. It''s just a relief to know that this Haunting Visage is a product of cursed energy and a soul weapon. Not just my imagination.¡± He slowly exhaled and refocused on the matter at hand. Nil thought it best to ignore Layla¡¯s question regarding the event seven-and-a-half years prior. ¡°So, what does this mean for me? Does this weapon even the odds? Does it mean I can get decent abilities and have a good life as a Summoned?¡± ¡°Not quite. It explains why the Schema and Nexus haven¡¯t noticed you all of this time. A man of your qualities is certainly desirable. You can¡¯t use your soul weapon unless we repurpose or purge this cursed energy. It''s generally not advisable, but I could use your bonus to turn a portion of it into an attribute boost. ¡°Cursed and negative energy is a semi-regular part of Summoned life. When treated right and contained, it''s not the worst of things. You can repurpose it into something helpful, but¡ª¡± ¡°You also need to take a negative trait to go with it,¡± Nil said, completing the thought for her. ¡°There was a time long, long ago when I had the time for video games. I understand the concept. Before taking such a step, can I see what powers I have available to me now?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, not. Generation of power seeds is a one-time event for each individual Summoned. Typically, cursed energy, negative traits, and bonuses come afterward. The Schema is offering you a bonus for the service that takes capital and several reagents. We can¡¯t do more than that at this time. I''ll be honest with you. The attribute spread doesn''t give me much hope. You''ll end up with mage or summoner discipline powers with not enough Mind to make the most of them. The same goes for rogue or artisan abilities.¡± Layla leaned over the table again. Even though none but the visage invisible to her walked the room, she continues in a hushed tone. ¡°I abhor cursed energy and the negative trait system. However, as your case worker and after observing your actions during the pre-summoning event, I want nothing but your survival and success. A curse might also positively affect the pool of your available abilities.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°What kind of curses can I take on?¡± ¡°You need something that will positively affect your lagging attributes and their potential. Ideally, it needs to be something that can be overcome with your power selection. I can tabulate the best available.¡± ¡°Before we continue, how does potential work?¡± ¡°It''s your growth rate in the attribute. Also Silver potential in Finesse means you''ll get maximum returns until the Silver Realm. Afterward, the attribute will give you diminishing returns. Since your Mind¡¯s potential is only Iron Realm, I¡¯d suggest we focus on Might and Finesse.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± l Fear The Iron Maiden: Wearing any form of armor, conjured or manufactured, will induce mind-numbing pain. Ignoring the curse¡¯s warnings will cause spikes to dig outwards from your bones and through your skin slowly. Bonus: Might ranks increased by two. Potential increased by one stage. Armsmaster¡¯s Disappointment: Wielding any weapons besides one¡¯s body or fist weapons with the intent of use will haunt you with memories of failure and slowly drain your motor skills. Bonus: Finesse increased by one. Potential increased by one stage. Fae-Touched: The fae know your true name and may use it to demand favors from you. Rejection will result in the loss of treasured memories and intense psychic trauma. They have stolen a fragment of your potential but sharpened your Mind in exchange. Bonus: Mind increased by three. Potential increased by two stages, but Spark potential reduced by one. ¡°I''ll get in trouble if I try to influence your decision, but be advised that tangling with the fae and owing them favors is never a good idea,¡± Layla said. ¡°Mind is your weakest attribute. Letting it remain that way is not the worst of options. The trait might give you a chance at magedom or summoning, but the cost isn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°I don''t want to start my Summoned career tied to anyone in such a way,¡± Nil said. ¡°Besides, it feels foolish to affect my best attribute to empower another negatively.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Layla appeared relieved. ¡°People have made worse decisions for the chance of wielding magic. Do either of the other two appeal to you?¡± ¡°Armsmaster¡¯s Disappointment feels like an automatic winner. Sure, a weapon would grant reach. I''m just below average height. My punches and kicks only go so far. However, I''d like to think that seven years of training during the prime of my life has made me better at hand-to-hand combat than I could ever get with weapons. Meanwhile, armor feels essential if I want to fight at melee range and stay alive.¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Layla said. ¡°Because of your high Spark, a decent power can compensate for your lacking Might or Finesse, making up for whatever shortcoming you have. Talking about my other cases is typically bad form, but I know a Summoned with the Arcane-Warrior discipline with high Finesse and Spark with a fondness for melee combat. The Schema deemed him appropriate for a close-range barrier power. It gives him enough protection to never get weighed down by armor. The barriers and exploding them gives him sufficient offensive power, too.¡± ¡°So, he can invest in his Finesse and Spark and not worry about falling behind in durability or raw offensive power.¡± ¡°Precisely. Again. I never gave you this example.¡± Nil mimed zipping his lips shut and a soft giggle out of Layla. Meanwhile, the visage rolled her eyes from across the room. ¡°The real question is whether you want to lean into your current strength or increase your Might and its potential for a more balanced power and start.¡± ¡°What determines speed and agility?¡± ¡°They''re a combination of Might and Finesse. The first leans towards Might and the latter toward Finesse.¡± ¡°I''ll focus on my strengths then.¡± Might¡ª Mortal 4 | Potential: Bronze Finesse¡ª Mortal 6 | Potential Gold Mind¡ª Mortal 3 | Potential: Iron Spark¡ª Mortal 9 | Potential Platinum Schema Tokens: 2 Curses: Haunting Visage¡ª The visage of a dead loved one possesses your soul weapon. They will linger around you, and the seed in your arm may attempt to communicate with you through it. Manifesting the weapon will absorb the visage into it. Armsmaster¡¯s Disappointment: An ancestor''s poor weapon skills have drawn the Armsmaster¡¯s ire. Wielding with intent of use any weapon other than your body or fist weapons will haunt you and slowly drain motor skills. ¡°I''d suggest investing the Schema Tokens in Might. Starting numbers have almost equal weighting in the available pool of powers as your potential. Six is just above average for your people''s starting physical attributes, and your unfortunate build puts you below it.¡± ¡°Can''t I use it to ascend Spark to the Iron Realm?¡± Nil asked. Layla shook her head. ¡°Those require Ascension Tokens. Only quests and trading in the Nexus Market will get you those.¡± ¡°And unless my prior knowledge is incorrect, I can''t access the market until power and two attributes ascend.¡± ¡°Correct. That''s a mark of you as an individual ascending to a higher realm of existence.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Nil sighed. He used both of his Schema tokens, increasing his Might score by two. ¡°Let''s pick a power and start my first quest.¡± ¡°Great! This is my favorite bit. Are you excited?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I would¡¯ve been more seven years ago.¡± Nil smiled, eyes drifting past his caseworker to the visage behind her. ¡°I never expected to become a Summoned after entering my late twenties. You could say I developed a degree of resentment and hatred, too.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t advise you on the folly of hate. That¡¯s not my job, and I doubt you¡¯d appreciate it coming from me. So, how about we just see what the Schema births for you.¡± Sonic Armament: Grow more sensitive to sonic stimuli, hearing sounds most humans wouldn¡¯t notice. Consume calories to enhance your strikes with sonic pulses, disturbing your opponent¡¯s inner ear and organs. Supercharging sonic armament will significantly increase its destructive power, allowing damage to bones and inorganic material. However, supercharging only lasts fifteen seconds and will disable Sonic Armament for an hour afterward. Primary Finesse, Secondary Spark Brutal Battery: Your body will become a battery and gain the paired abilities of Absorb and Expend. Channeling the first will let you absorb all physical attacks and trauma you might suffer. Expend will let you empower your movements and release stored energy through touch. Absorb and Expend may not activate simultaneously, and neither will hamper movement. Primary Spark, Secondary Finesse, Tertiary Might Serpent Tactics: Gain serpent-like flexibility, speed, and stealth. You may secrete venom from your palms, soles, and nails. Your blood and flesh are also poisonous. Finesse further improves the altered physiology. Spark increases the potency and volume of produced toxins. It didn¡¯t take Nil long to make a decision, and then they picked his first quest. 4. Protect The Baroness Objective: Ensure Mila Stark survives until sunrise. Danger Level: Mortal 9 Rewards: 100 Schema Credit, 1 Schema Token Nil materialized in the center of a glowing magic circle. A man in regal clothing lay on the ground before him. A gold chain connected his black, fur-lined cloak across his collarbone, and an eyeball-sized red stone hung from it. He appeared pallid and shriveled. It seemed all life and vitality had left him. The man smiled at Nil and mouthed unintelligible words. Then, his eyes lost focus, and the final hints of light left them. ¡°Father!¡± A young woman¡ªmore likely a teenager¡ªscreamed as he went limp. She ripped free of the man holding her back and rushed to the fallen¡¯s side. It was then Nil noticed the small crowd watching him. They all stood crammed into the room¡¯s far wall. Their eyes betrayed fear, concern, and the desire to move further away from him. His Haunting Visage didn''t stand among them. The now-sobbing woman looked up at Nil. She wore fineries nearly of the same quality as her father¡¯s. ¡°You better be worth it.¡± When Nil stepped forward, a brave, matronly woman in a maid uniform broke free of the huddle and rushed to the sobbing teenager. The pair held each other. ¡°Come now, Lady Stark. Now isn¡¯t the time for mourning.¡± A bright-eyed little girl peeked at Nil from behind the maid¡¯s wide frock. She appeared more confused than terrified. ¡°We need to keep it together and get through the night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Baroness Stark now,¡± an older man said. Unlike the maid, he remained with the group. Several obvious servants, children, and women in elegant outfits or night clothes lingered behind him. ¡°You. Summoned. Solve this mess, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I can if someone will explain what¡¯s going on,¡± Nil replied, straightening his clothes. They had changed during the summoning. Instead of a t-shirt, jeans, and a waterproof jacket, he now wore a leather vest and grey short-sleeved tunic with rough black trousers. They looked and felt alien but were still comfortable. The magic circle ceased glowing, and Nil stepped out of its limits. He closed the baron¡¯s eyes, removed his cape, and draped it over his head and torso. Layla had explained that summonings and contacting the Nexus had significant costs. The Schema didn¡¯t extend to all dimensions, after all, and didn¡¯t see all. Parties that needed help and assistance from other realms often paid using powerful arcane relics or vast quantities of life essence. Nil hoped he had sufficient ability to do the baron¡¯s sacrifice justice. The older man¡ªthe estate¡¯s head butler¡ªand the newly named Baroness Stark told Nil a disjointed tale, leaving him to piece the story together. A handful of hours had passed since the quest started. Mila¡¯s father, Baron Stark, consumed all of his life force and a powerful arcane artifact to issue the quest. The Schema briefed Nil during the teleportation process. The family had recently received the estate following a successful military expedition for their king. While restoring the derelict fortress, they uncovered several ancient relics and awakened something during excavations underneath the property. The creature had successfully slaughtered a handful of servants and guards three nights ago. When it didn¡¯t reappear the following two evenings, the fort¡¯s residents and soldiers relaxed, but then it returned on the third day just after sunset, more powerful and faster than before. All of the baron¡¯s defensive force had already died. As far as Baroness Stark and the head butler could tell, there were no survivors except the individuals before him. The fort¡¯s library had heavy doors, and they barricaded it with whatever furniture they could gather. Several holes had opened in the wood. Giant splinters stuck out of it where something enormous had tried to break through. ¡°So?¡± The baroness asked, drying her eyes. Dark makeup smeared her ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°Plan?¡± Nil looked around, confused. ¡°I don¡¯t know where we are or what I¡¯m up against. The only plan right now is to get you out of the fort or somewhere safe until sunrise.¡± ¡°Runaway?!¡± The head butler demanded. ¡°What kind of Summoned are you?¡± ¡°The best your former master had the strength and means to summon. My quest doesn¡¯t involve finding and killing this beast. Given the meager information you¡¯ve provided, I wouldn¡¯t know where to begin.¡± Nil looked at the baroness. ¡°My job is to ensure your survival.¡± The conversation or the magic from the summoning appeared to have attracted the monster lingering in the hall outside. A deep growl sent vibrations through the floor and walls. Then something struck the door. It and the rough barricade trembled. Wood cracked, and dust rained from the ceiling. ¡°Is there another exit?¡± ¡°No,¡± the maid said. ¡°We took cover in the library because there is only one way in and out.¡± She flinched when the beast rammed the door, and the hinges groaned. ¡°The door was supposed to hold.¡± ¡°It was a stupid decision, wasn¡¯t it?¡± The butler snapped. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Nil caught the man¡¯s arm as he raised it to swing at the maid. ¡°Infighting and violence won¡¯t help now. We need to think of how to get out of here or distract the beast.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not true,¡± the little girl clinging to the maid¡¯s skirt said. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The baroness and the remaining adults ignored her, fueling the growing argument and the fearful cries of the remaining children. However, Nil heard the little voice and kneeled next to the girl. ¡°What''s not true, little lady?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another door.¡± The baroness fell silent, looking at the girl with confusion in her eyes. Meanwhile, the rest continued their cries and heated exchange as the monster continued to bash at the door. ¡°Can you show me?¡± Nil asked. The girl nodded. She hesitated at first but eventually released the maid¡¯s skirt and led Nil to the bookshelves on the far wall opposite the one where the crowd huddled. Baroness Stark followed close behind him, carrying a luminous candlestick with no flame. The light appeared to come from the tip of the seemingly ordinary candle. It wasn¡¯t an electronic light and carried the characteristic blue luminosity of modern aether-tech. The child struggled to climb the shelves, so Nil picked her up and helped her get to the book she wanted. When the girl pulled it, something clicked in the wall, and the bookcases parted, revealing a doorway and corridor just wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. ¡°Excuse me!¡± Nil called. ¡°We have an exit!¡± His words fell on deaf ears. The crying and arguments continued. Despite the monster trying to break through the door, the latter had intensified. The butler, maids, other noblewomen, and children only fell silent when Baroness Stark whistled. ¡°Do you want to die quarreling and crying or fight to survive?¡± She shouted. ¡°We have a way out! Come on.¡± The monster outside appeared to understand her words. It roared, and the banging stopped. Everyone fell silent for a moment, looking between the giant wooden doors and the narrow exit. The head butler broke away from the group and limped toward the hidden corridor. One by one, more followed, moving faster than him. Several children broke free of their handmaids and guardians, running toward Nil and the Baroness. Unfortunately, the first of them only made it halfway across the room before the doors burst inwards. Nil grabbed the Baroness and little girl¡¯s hands and ran through the hidden doorway. He didn¡¯t wait to see the monster or ensure more made it to the exit. The screams that followed left his chest tight and throat dry. However, he did not intend to die to the beast or fail his first quest. The consequences of the latter were apparently dire. Nil¡¯s priorities involved ensuring Baroness Stark lived until sunrise, and he hoped to make that happen no matter what. I might not have the strength to save everyone yet. But, at least I can start with two. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Baroness Stark demanded, attempting to wrench her hand free. She lacked the strength to overpower him. ¡°We can¡¯t just abandon everyone.¡± Nil ignored her. They slowed to a brisk walk when the monster¡¯s sounds didn¡¯t get any closer. He kept his ears pricked for any footsteps in the secret passage behind them. Unfortunately, he heard none. ¡°My father didn¡¯t sacrifice his life so you can let everyone die!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to argue with you right now.¡± They slowed on approaching a dead end. The little girl pointed at the dull metal hinges reflecting the candle''s blue glow. She stroked them, using Nil to reach the ones out of her reach, then pushed on a panel. The wall swung inwards, and a tapestry hung over the opening. Nil peeked outside first. Scratched walls, a couple of decapitated bodies, and broken furniture lay in the corridor outside. He saw no threats and could still hear the monster accompanied by cries of pain and terror in the distance behind him. ¡°How did you find out about this?¡± The baroness asked. Something stirred just around the corridor before Nil could shush her. Both women stiffened. He tried to usher them back into the secret passageway, but the door swung shut as soon as they were outside. The little girl¡¯s panicked eyes suggested she didn¡¯t know how to open the door from the outside. A humanoid creature with leathery charcoal skin turned the corner. Its face had no eyes, but the two giant nostrils on its face twitched. Then its bat-like ears did the same. It grinned at them. Something deep within its throat glowed red, and the silhouette of several rows of jagged teeth sent shivers down Nil¡¯s spine. ¡°Stay behind me,¡± he whispered when the creature charged. Nil adopted a guard stance and activated the Schema¡¯s gifts. The monster pounced and swung a giant clawed hand in a wide arc. Instead of trying to redirect the blow, he caught it on his forward arm. Nil felt no pain, and the creature¡¯s arm stopped in its tracks as soon as they made contact. A strange presence swelled within. It felt like a balloon inflating. Even though it had no eyes, the monster appeared as surprised as Nil felt. The feeling of invulnerability left him grinning and his heart racing. He ceased channeling the Schema given power¡¯s first ability, and activated the second. The balloon¡¯s contents flowed through his body, and Nil felt more powerful than ever. He drove his right fist into the creature¡¯s upper abdomen, using his hips and shoulder to muster all the power he could afford. The monster¡¯s torso caved as it flew several feet backward. A stomach-churning splat and several crunches followed when it struck the wall. His internal balloon deflated, losing all of its contents. ¡°Mr Summoned!¡± The little girl screamed. When Nil turned, he found an identical creature standing behind Baroness Stark. It had shoved its giant clawed hand through her chest. He had neither heard it approach or attack her. When he charged, the beast dropped the woman and fled. ¡°No. No. No.¡± Nil fell to his knees, cradling the baroness¡¯s body. She was already limp, and life remained in her eyes. He had failed the quest. The Schema wouldn¡¯t take him home, and he would probably suffer a miserable fate in the distant world. His parents¡¯ financial plight worried Nil more than whatever fate awaited him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered to the dead woman. ¡°Silly saved me,¡± the little girl whispered. ¡°I thought she hated me, but she saved me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little girl,¡± Nil said. He had done it again. He had let someone he could¡¯ve saved die in front of him. It took all of his willpower not to let his voice tremble. ¡°I should¡¯ve done better. We¡¯ll get out of here, though. You just wait.¡± ¡°You can call me Mila.¡± She leaned over the dead baroness and kissed her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Mr Summoned. You¡¯re doing your best.¡± Nil¡¯s brows furrowed as he picked up the child. ¡°I¡¯m Nil, Mila. What¡¯s your full name?¡± The girl studied his face, looking confused. ¡°Mila Stark,¡± she answered. ¡°I suppose it''s Baroness Mila Stark, now.¡± Guilt and sorrow still weighed on Nil, but the tightness in his chest somewhat faded. He hadn¡¯t failed his quest yet. ¡°Alright, Baroness Mila Stark. Let''s get you to safety.¡± 5. Cursed or Undead ¡°Why Brutal Battery?¡± Layla had asked when Nil made his decision. ¡°I saw you fight. You seem better suited to parrying and dodging your opponent¡¯s attack while landing opportune strikes. The high Finesse potential is excellent for that. ¡°Sonic Armament is all about quickly disabling your foes before dispatching them and using enhanced senses to avoid their attacks. Meanwhile, Serpent Tactics would let you become a hit-and-run fighter. Strike stealthily and swiftly while your venom slowly whittles away at your opponent.¡± ¡°Both are great options, but Brutal Battery ensures I can stand my ground and never have to back down,¡± Nil had replied. ¡°Avoiding attacks takes a lot of focus. Some could get away from me and strike whoever I¡¯m protecting. Serpent Tactics seem especially bad for helping someone in trouble. If I had it while that junkie was attacking the officer, would it help me pull her off him or get between them?¡± ¡°No, but with Sonic Armament, he would be off her, staggering around for balance, or perhaps unconscious.¡± ¡°True, but Brutal Battery seems more my style and, in my opinion, feels like it has greater potential. The Schema doesn¡¯t use the exact words, but it sounds a lot like I¡¯ll gain the power to absorb kinetic energy and then charge my movements with it. Sonic Armament perhaps has the best starting set of abilities, but its future will lean further into sound and shockwaves. Am I right?¡± Layla nodded. ¡°What if the Schema lets me tap into true kinetic energy at the higher realms?¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s sound reasoning.¡± Layla flashed a knowing smile. ¡°Besides. It feels like Brutal Battery¡¯s only limit is how much energy my body can store. More Spark and ascending to higher realms should change that. All I need to empower myself is to get hit. Meanwhile, the others need time, rest, and proper food for recovery.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Layla told him. ¡°Absorb and Expend are channeled abilities, and no amount of growth will let you use either at the same time. You need to master their timely activation and how to switch between them swiftly. Absorb isn¡¯t too challenging. However, Expend will take a lot of practice. Using all of your stored energy at once or charging your whole body with it is wasteful. Only time and practice will help you gauge how much to use at a time and only consume that quantity. Because once you¡¯re depleted, you can do nothing but Absorb.¡±
Nil clamped his hand over Mila¡¯s mouth as the creaking outside of the closet grew louder. She squirmed under his hold, but he ignored her protests. The little girl only ceased when a deep growl rattled the wooden walls surrounding them. They held their breaths, hoping the monster hadn¡¯t heard them. Nil believed he could beat the giant outside using Brutal Battery¡¯s abilities but doubted his ability to complete the task while protecting Mila. He refused to let the child suffer the same fate as her sister. A distant scream and crash reached their ears. The monster outside heard it, too. It released an almost human cackle before racing away, proving far more lightfooted than its size would suggest. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you fighting?¡± Mila hissed, prying his hand off her face. ¡°My father issued the quest so you¡¯d fight for us!¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Nil checked the quest parameters for the hundredth time. Nothing had changed except the danger level, and he was worried to find out why. Objective: Ensure Mila Stark survives until sunrise. Danger Level: Iron 5 Rewards: 100 Schema Credit, 1Schema Token The Schema had offered Nil a choice of three possible quests once he finalized his ability, distributed his bonus Schema Tokens, and finished his onboarding procedures. The first involved a reconnaissance mission in an active war zone. The second required him to assist in the extermination of an undead horde. Both felt too chaotic, with several moving parts for his first quest. Nil had combat training but only knew how to fight one opponent or focus on a solitary objective at a time. Protecting a teenager from a lone threat sounded like the easiest of the challenges, and it was one rank easier than the others. Now, after watching the last baroness die because of his negligence, Nil doubted his decision. ¡°The job entails keeping you alive, not fighting whatever that is.¡± Mila protested when Nil attempted to silence her again. She bit his hand hard enough to draw blood. He gritted his teeth through the pain. They only moved after the footsteps had disappeared into the distance, and the visage nodded. The woman in the bloody white parka and ripped blue jeans had appeared an hour after the initial summoning. Now that he knew what he knew, it felt foolish to ignore her. Nil grabbed Mila¡¯s forearm and dragged her out of the closet. Mila ran barefoot while he left his hard-soled boots on. Channeling Absorb as they moved nullified the sound and also slowly inflated the imaginary balloon. Nil refused to go beyond the quest parameters unless necessary. He worried splitting his attention between fighting and protecting or safeguarding multiple targets would only result in failure. Several trained combatants and mages had already died at the creature¡¯s hands. He didn¡¯t have a chance. Brutal Battery: Mortal 1 Feats: Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Layla had shown Nil how to simplify his interface and pull up only the section he desired. None of his attributes had naturally grown over the past handful of hours. However, his power and the accompanying abilities had already gained a rank after using it against three more humanoid beasts. Mila didn¡¯t know what they were or where they had come from. Apparently, the giant had appeared alone during its first night of terror. Nil felt a glimmer of hope when they reached the stairs. Two flights, and they¡¯d be on the ground floor. Then, the exit was only a short sprint away. However, when he tried to descend, Mila stopped him. She wrapped her hands around Nil¡¯s forearm and dug her heels into the rug underfoot. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Mila?¡± Nil whispered. He hesitated, forcing her forward. They stood far too close to the stairs, and Mila had displayed a clumsy streak during their past few hours of running and hiding. Nil would fail his quest and probably get stuck with the monsters if she stumbled and broke her neck on the way down. ¡°We need to move before it picks up our scent.¡± Mila didn¡¯t answer. Her face appeared paler than usual as she stared down the dark corridor to their left. Nil guessed her silver-grey eyes had keener vision than his. A shape emerged from the blackness. It took him a moment to identify it. ¡°Ilsa?¡± Mila kept her voice low as she called out to the woman in the estate¡¯s maid uniform. It was the same woman she had clung to when Nil first arrived. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡± She waved Ilsa closer. Meanwhile, the visage vigorously shook her head. She looked sad and heartbroken. ¡°Come with us.¡± ¡°We need to move!¡± Nil tugged on her arm, hoping she¡¯d descend the stairs of her own free will. ¡°C¡¯mon!¡± ¡°No!¡± Mila hissed, tightening her hold on Nil¡¯s arm. ¡°She¡¯s been my handmaid since I was six! We¡¯re not leaving without her. Come, Ilsa! Nil will get us out of here. Lets¡ª¡± The words caught in Mila¡¯s throat as Ilsa stumbled into the light. Red gouges cut across her torso from her left shoulder to her right hip. Red stained her lips and chin, and her eyes were a solid black. ¡°No.¡± Mila gasped. ¡°Ilsa¡­¡± The former handmaid released an ear-piercing screech as she raced toward them. Mila released Nil, but her knees failed her. The preteen noblewoman dropped onto her bottom, squeezed her eyes shut, and slapped her hands over her ears. Nil had hoped to avoid further combat until he got the opportunity to practise switching between abilities. It was easy to constantly channel Absorb but switching to Expend took focus and a couple of seconds. Not all of his opponents had given him the opportunity or time as the first. His immovability and ability to stop their movement on contact didn''t shock all of them for as long if at all. A rip across his vest, bleeding shoulder, and cut across the cheek remained as signs of his failure to time things appropriately. Unfortunately, Mila dashed his hopes with her sudden shutdown. Retreat wasn¡¯t an option. He didn¡¯t like Mila¡¯s chances racing down the steep stone staircase either. Nil had no choice but to stand his ground and fight. The narrow, long corridors ensured nothing had room to hide. Yet Nil refused to leave Mila and meet the charge. Fighting with her next to him had its risks, but he felt close proximity gave him better control of the situation. Meanwhile, Ilsa gnashed her new fangs like a shark as she approached. Her fingers had grown into claws not too different from that of the bat-like humanoid beasts, leaving Nil to wonder whether they were once human, too. The former handmaiden scythed her arms inwards. Absorb ensured they stopped as soon as they touched Nil¡¯s raised forearms. He felt glad for the two tokens he had invested in Might. Brutal Battery ensured he didn¡¯t need the strength or durability, but he was sure exhaustion would¡¯ve affected his fighting skills if not for the additional stamina and recovery. It was tempting to use the energy in the inflated balloon. An empowered headbutt would probably be enough to kill the cursed or reanimated Ilsa¡ªNil wasn¡¯t sure which it was. He could also turn his block into a grab. Holding both of her arms would give him enough time to switch from Absorb to Expend. Then, a kick to the torso would kill his opponent. Instead, he used all of the natural strength that Might gave him to turn and push Ilsa into the landing¡¯s railing. She gnashed her teeth and wriggled as Nil held her forearms to her torso. His internal balloon continued to swell as her strength fought against Absorb. Despite the monstrous strength and transformations, Ilsa still weighed the same as a woman of her dimensions. He lifted the woman¡ªusing his knees instead of his back as taught by regular safety training¡ªand then tipped her over the side. The black eyes widened as Ilsa fell. He heard her strike banisters on the way down before stopping with an ugly crunch. Absorb has progressed to Mortal 2! ¡°I¡¯m sorry I shut down.¡± Mila¡¯s words came out as a whimper. Nil had no answer for her. He ignored his screaming arm muscles and hauled her onto her feet. He pulled Mila up the stairs instead of leading her to the ground floor. ¡°Why are we going up?¡± ¡°The creature worked its way up from the ground floor, did it not?¡± Mila nodded. ¡°Then Ilsa won¡¯t be the only one raised by the curse. I bet the people it killed the last time it came are now those bat people. We¡¯ll hide in the unused floors.¡± A thundering roar shook the building. Human screams of varying pitches echoed it. The creature¡¯s signature scraping footsteps sounded closer and heavier. Ilsa¡¯s screeches and their scuffle had drawn its attention. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t the fastest of pursuers in its current state. ¡°The building materials and old furniture might just help us rig a trap,¡± Nil added. The creature sounded close. When Nil and Mila reached the fourth floor, they could hear it scraping its way up the stairs. He hoped the heavy, disproportionate body, and balance issues would make its ascent slow, giving them enough time to find a decent hiding space. A glimmer of hope stirred in Nil''s chest when the pair passed an old, dirty window. The first lights of dawn bathed the stone floor. Sunrise was close. His quest would end as soon as the sun peeked over the horizon. He didn¡¯t know whether that meant the creatures would perish in the light or retreat underground¡ªthe how didn¡¯t matter as long as Mila survived and Nil completed his first quest. ¡°This will end soon, Mila. I promise.¡± He hoped the reassuring words would keep her from shutting down again. ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.¡± ¡°How?¡± Mila asked. Her voice was now little more than a croak. ¡°Everyone is dead.¡± 6. Brutal Battery After spending most of his early teen years in the countryside just northeast of London, Nil knew the smell of rotting wood better than most. Damp from the regular drizzles and occasional overflowing canals often wore down the older structures in Hemel Hempstead. His father once worked as a civil engineer for the underfunded local council. As a result, Nil had learned to recognize minor structural issues and also recognize build history. The fort appeared reasonably stable until the third floor. The ancient masons had done an excellent job of making the structure durable and long-lasting. Given the fantastical creatures and minor magic Nil had witnessed, it wouldn¡¯t surprise him if the fort owed its longevity to arcane construction techniques. The fourth floor looked like a comparatively recent construction. It appeared that the previous owners wanted another level and used unskilled workers to slap a ceiling over the old roof. Uneven support beams grew out of random spots on the floor, and in a handful of locations, they had bunched several thin pillars together. The ceiling had holes, and it was clear rain had been through. As Nil and Mila ventured deeper into the floor, the pair encountered recent collapses. They appeared no more than a week old. ¡°The workers quit five days ago,¡± Mila explained when Nil asked her about it. ¡°A bunch of them started getting hurt after they cleared the cellar and dungeons. The foreman said this place is cursed. We should¡¯ve listened.¡± Nil formulated a rough idea. Given their combined combat prowess, he and Mila had no chance of defeating the creature. However, if he triggered a collapse, perhaps they could slow it long enough to survive until sunrise. When they reached the floor, Nil had spotted a corner with a stone ceiling above. Since they were initially looking for a hiding place, he dragged Mila in the opposite direction. So, Nil targeted the opposite corner, hoping to find a patch of stone for his ward to take cover. ¡°Careful,¡± he whispered, pulling Mila closer when she brushed against a crumbling wooden pillar. The half-a-second of contact sent waves of creaks and groans through the ceiling. The noblewoman tried stopping when the wood complained even louder ahead. ¡°What can you tell me about this thing, Mila? Any bit of information, no matter how mundane, might give us a chance.¡± ¡°Father said this land belonged to the wildlings,¡± Mila¡¯s voice quivered as she spoke. She kept her volume so low it was barely a whisper. ¡°Ilsa told me stories about them. They worship the spirits of nature. When the wildlings turned their back on the land and sky, the benevolent spirits turned their back on them, leaving the wildlings desperate and starving. The cruel and desperate turned to murder and cannibalism. The evil and darkness in their souls seeped into the land, and it cursed them. ¡°The monster¡ª¡± Her face contorted, and her jaw clenched as she continued. ¡°This filthy beast kills everything it sees. I suppose what it doesn¡¯t consume comes back cursed.¡± ¡°Like Ilsa.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Probably those bat things, too.¡± Mila nodded. Her silver-grey eyes shone in the darkness. ¡°Like Ilsa. She was a good woman. Ilsa took care of me after Mother died. She didn¡¯t deserve this.¡± She tightened her hold on Nil¡¯s hand. ¡°I know we can¡¯t kill this thing, but can we at least hurt it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Nil slowed as they reached the floor¡¯s far wall. ¡°I¡¯m going to need your help, though. It won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°Anything. I¡¯m not scared anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m terrified enough for the both of us.¡± The creature roared when it finally reached the top of the stairs. While waiting, Nil and Mila had prepared for the final countdown to sunrise. Mila stood under a patch of stone roof in clear view of the stairs. The cursed entity stumbled around momentarily, bumping into the broken furniture piled around the top of the stairs and making the entire floor creak. Its deep wheezing sounded alarmingly human. Then it sighted Mila and released a blood-curdling scream. Both Nil and Mila clutched their heads. The high pitch and volume hurt their ears, but it was the horrifying visions that almost forced the pair down onto their hands and knees. Nil had only heard the scream from a distance before and through several walls. Now, with nothing blocking the sound and the glowing red eyes staring them down, the discomfort was several times worse. It caused a headache worse than any he had felt before. Right before he became a Summoned, Nil¡¯s skull had cracked against the police van when the junkie threw him. The pain paled compared to what he felt now. Nil saw flashes of the half-devoured corpses left behind by the monster. Then he saw images of the drug-crazed Summoned battering the police officer, followed by the familiar woman in a white parka and jeans. He simultaneously felt rage and horror as his late mother and then father substituted the mutilated corpses. ¡°Make it stop!¡± Mila shouted, and Nil worried the creature would kill them with its scream alone. When Nil stepped in front of Mila and channeled Absorb, the headache didn¡¯t cease, but the screaming stopped a couple of seconds later. The monster started its advance, grunting and snorting like a challenged bull. Nil finally got a clear view of the creature that had made the past few hours the second-most terrifying time of his life. The entity stood at least a meter taller than Nil, and ugly black-brown matted fur covered its body. Its knees bent backward and had hooves instead of feet. The creature walked with a hunch as it advanced toward them, and its long arms almost dragged on the stone floor. ¡°Get ready,¡± Nil whispered as he slipped out of the creature''s path, giving it a clear view of Mila. The defenseless noblewoman trembled but stood firm. Very human-looking hands gripped the unstable furniture piles as the creature stumbled toward them. The monster¡¯s torso featured a bulbous, furless abdomen that appeared mostly human. The odd shape and weight distribution made it front-heavy, and Nil wondered how it kept upright without constantly needing support. Its spindly fingers reminded Nil of a tarantula¡¯s legs, and the jagged claws left gouges on the surfaces it touched. Then the creature passed the window, and Nil finally saw the ugly head. It was once human. A man¡¯s face peeked out from under the giant stag-skull helm. The wearer hadn¡¯t bothered cleaning the bone or curing it first. Rotting tissue stuck to it, explaining the ugly-sweet smell in the air. Limbs and the organs of its victims hung from the antlers. Given the monster''s appearance and tale, Nil guessed it resembled Wendigos from Native American mythos. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here,¡± Mila shouted. Despite the unnecessarily loud protest, she remained standing in the assigned spot. Her bravery paid off a moment later when the creature wandered into the trap. Nil had used his stored energy to weaken several pillars between the stairs and Mila. They did nothing to deter the beast. However, the rotting wooden beams buckled as its limbs and disproportionate torso brushed against them. The creaks and groans overhead grew louder. The sounds alarmed Nil but did little to deter his opponent. The monster didn¡¯t slow when wooden scraps rained on its head and back either. Then, it passed Nil¡¯s hiding spot, and he leaped into action. He raced towards a cluster of wooden beams just behind the beast. He burned stored energy just for a moment as he kicked off the ground and threw himself into them. The force shattered the rotting wood and carried him through it. Nil landed on his face. Fortunately, he had successfully switched from Expend to Absorb just after breaking through the pillars. Splinters had scratched his cheeks, but the rough landing resulted in no further harm. He ignored the discomfort and scrambled forward on all fours. Nil just about reached the stone wall and threw his arms over his head before everything came down. He screamed in pain as his internal battery reached capacity, and pain arced through his shoulders and across his back. Expend has progressed to Mortal 2! Brutal Battery has progressed to Mortal 2! Mila didn¡¯t make a sound, and he sat immobile while the creature roared its angry protests. Several minutes passed before the cries ceased and the dust cleared. The sun had risen over the horizon, and its rays peeked over the mostly intact stone walls. Nil climbed over the unstable debris and weaved his way to Mila. He found her squatting with her arms folded above her head. Mila screamed when he placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s sunrise,¡± he said. ¡°We made it.¡± ¡°Is it dead?¡± She asked, looking up. ¡°I doubt it. But the quest said you need to make it to sunrise. That must mean it''s over, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mila replied, looking past Nil at the mountain of wood and rusted metal behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how quests are supposed to work. Father said the cursed must rest when the sun rises. Maybe the beast has gone to sleep.¡± A Schema notification flashed in the corner of Nil¡¯s vision. You¡¯ve completed your quest! You have gained 100 Schema Credits. Escort Mila Stark to the fort¡¯s stables to trigger exit teleportation and earn the remainder of your reward. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Nil said, offering Mila an arm. Mila nodded. She tightly gripped his right hand. The pair moved slowly, carefully climbing the rubble and toward the stairs. Much to Nil¡¯s horror, the debris moved just as they crested a mound. A deep growl made the ground vibrate under their feet. He pushed Mila. The young noblewoman screamed as gravity and unstable footing forced her forward. Before he could follow, the rubble rose between them, and the monster¡¯s torso burst free. The crimson eyes met Nil¡¯s, and he was sure he saw the ugly maw under the stag helm grin. The beast half turned, and its long arm shot forward. Mila screamed as the beast¡¯s monstrous hand grabbed her around the waist. Nil desperately scanned his surroundings. He was hoping to find something long enough to stab the creature in the neck or face. Brute force and burning all of his stored energy wouldn¡¯t do. Then he saw his answer. A section of the roof hadn¡¯t collapsed. The wooden beams were bent but still held it up. He scrambled toward it as the beast pulled Mila toward its expanding mouth. He hit the supports with an empowered punch, burning a third of his stores, and successfully broke the rotten wood in a single blow. Nothing fell on the monster. However, it lost its shade. The beast instantly dropped Mila and screamed. Its fur immediately caught flame, burning away like toilet paper. The skin underneath bubbled and burned, too, revealing flesh and bone. A giant heart glowing with the same light as its eyes throbbed within the rib cage. A familiar feeling stirred inside Nil. His instincts told him to take the opportunity to flee, but some of him believed damaging the heart would end the beast. Fields of tall grass surrounded the fort in every direction. Unless she ran into a patrol or sympathetic travelers, he guessed Mila would need to ride for at least a day and a night before finding someone capable or willing to help her. Nil saw the visage smiling out of the corner of his eye as he made his decision. Apparently, the monster was speedy and agile when the night started. Combat and gluttony had made it slow and imbalanced. If Nil didn¡¯t end the beast, it would probably take cover and then pursue Mila through the night. The noblewoman would perish with no one to protect her. The same could happen because of wildlife or outlaws, but Nil wanted to give her the best possible chance. Nil picked fight over flight. He scrambled over the shifting wood, moving on all fours when necessary. Fortunately, the beast was too busy protecting its head from the sun and wriggling free of the rubble. It didn¡¯t see him coming. Nil ignored the flames licking at his exposed skin and grabbed a slimy rib. He held his breath to avoid breathing in the acrid smoke and plunged his hand into the monster, firming his hold. It blindly swiped at him, but Nil pressed himself against the torso and avoided the blow. He didn¡¯t dare get hit without Absorb active. Switching between the two abilities would make him too slow, so he imagined the balloon and holding the mouth closed with two fingers. After taking a moment to steady himself, Nil released the restraints, channeled Expend, and struck the beast¡¯s chest. The blow opened a gouge in the chest, drawing scalding blood. Black clots accompanied it and stuck to his skin like tar. Everything stung and burned, but he continued fighting. The punch had damaged the remaining hide and flesh, but the bones underneath appeared unharmed. The creature thrashed and swiped at Nil, forcing him to switch from Expend to Absorb. The awkward angle and the injuries ensured it didn¡¯t get any clean hits off. As a result, a single blow wasn¡¯t enough to inflate his imagined balloon all the way. Instead, he got the chance to launch another strike. Unfortunately, the monster found another burst of strength and redoubled its efforts at shaking Nil off as soon as he switched to Expend. He had no choice but to desperately grab at the exposed ribs and hold on for dear life. Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, the bone in his grasp and the surrounding flesh exploded. Shards shredded his arms, and a chip sliced his cheek just below the right eye. Any higher, and he¡¯d be half blind. It wasn¡¯t his grip strength that inflicted the damage. He had failed to switch from Absorb to Expend and squeeze the balloon¡¯s mouth shut. All of his stored energy rushed free through his now uncomfortable, hot, and slightly burnt palm. He had released the battery¡¯s contents through touch alone. Something not included in Brutal Battery¡¯s wording occurred to him, too. The bone shrapnel had damaged every exposed bit of him except his palm¡ªthe surface releasing the energy. The injury it suffered appeared connected to Expend. Nil stuck his hand through the fiery wound, grabbed the heart, and pulled with all of his strength. Then, a thrashing limb struck his side and threw him off the beast. Mila was on him the moment he landed. The little girl had removed her blouse, leaving her top half only protected by a pink undershirt. She wiped at the blood clinging to Nil¡¯s face and arms. The skin stung in the affected areas. It felt as if Nil had opened an oven set to steam and not moved away while the angry vapors assaulted him. Behind them, the creature stood immobile like a statue, burning blood flowing from its open chest. The heat left its heart, and it crumbled like ash in Nil¡¯s scorched hand, leaving nothing but an eyeball-sized sphere full of ugly orange, brown, and yellow flames. ¡°Now, it''s over,¡± Mila said, throwing her arms around Nil. He winced as she squeezed his bruised ribs. The beast¡¯s final blow had cracked several somethings in his body. If not for his increased Might, Nil was sure he would¡¯ve lost consciousness. ¡°Thank you.¡± 7. Rewards For A Job Well Done Mila cried for most of their journey out of the building. Remains of the deceased littered the halls. They passed her half-siblings and staff, who had served the house since before her birth. Some lay in pieces, while the remaining displayed signs of brief reanimation. Instead of heading straight to the exit, they visited her father¡¯s remains. Baron Stark¡¯s pocketwatch was a family keepsake and vital for accessing their family¡¯s treasuries and hidden caches. She made incoherent promises through quiet sobbing and hugged him one last time before they descended the stairs. The newly appointed baroness almost collapsed when she reached the bottom of the stairs and found Ilsa¡¯s twisted remains. Her claws and fangs had reverted to their former state. Mila kissed the dead woman¡¯s cheek, and blabbering cries appropriate for a girl her age followed. Despite the pain racking his body and the mind-numbing discomfort of his right arm, he waited patiently. Fortunately, Mila didn¡¯t mourn for long, and they exited the keep together. ¡°Where will you go?¡± Nil asked as they approached the stables. He knew nothing about horses, but they appeared calm and unharmed. ¡°My mother¡¯s ancestral estate is one-and-a-half days¡¯ ride east of here,¡± she answered. ¡°Grandfather will take care of me and send word to my fiance. We''ll scour the fort together once he arrives with his knights and ensure no curses or other ancient terrors are haunting it.¡± ¡°You have a fiance?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you even thirteen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eleven. I¡¯m unsure how they do it in your world, but we nobles are engaged young but only marry after reaching adulthood at sixteen.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you won¡¯t be all alone. Ride safe. Alright?¡± He thought it best not to talk about Earth''s morality and laws. His morals and beliefs had no place in the alien world. He had no duties beyond completing his quest. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Mila smiled. ¡°If I make it, we¡¯ll see each other again.¡± ¡°Oh? Will you request me specifically for quests? Is that possible?¡± The noblewoman shrugged. ¡°My betrothed is a prince. He¡¯ll be king someday, and I his queen. Royals issue quests all the time. I bet they have the means to request specific Summoneds. You¡¯re the first of your kind I¡¯ve met, you know.¡± ¡°In case it wasn¡¯t obvious, this was my first quest.¡± ¡°That explains a lot. However, you slew a Cursed One on your first outing. Something tells me you have a brilliant future.¡± Mila hugged Nil one last time before saddling her horse. Now that the adrenaline rush had run its course, his ribs hurt even more. They unlocked the kennels, and Mila left the fort¡¯s grounds. The family¡¯s hounds followed her. It intrigued Nil how the Cursed One had only targeted humans and left all the animals alone. He suspected such entities would appear in future quests, and Nil needed to learn more about them. A Schema message appeared in front of Nil¡¯s eyes as Mila disappeared over a hill, and the world turned white. When color returned a heartbeat later, a fountain as big as Trafalgar Square¡¯s centerpiece stood before him. The ceiling and surrounding architecture told him the Schema had returned him to the Nexus. Dozens stood around the titanic structure, talking amongst themselves or interacting with invisible Schema interfaces. The Fountain of Pirene senses your injuries. Would you like to receive healing? 4 Schema Credits will remove all your bruises and partially heal all lacerations and burns. 13 Schema Credits will heal all of your injuries. 15 Schema Credits will heal all ailments. Nil didn¡¯t know what health problems he had but had heard and read about the fountain¡¯s capabilities. More experienced Summoned reported using it to cure cancer, auto-immune diseases, and chronic illnesses. It was more expensive than using the strained and currently underfunded National Health Service and offered infinitely better results. Despite the cost, Nil opted for the third option. All of his aches and pains immediately faded. New, unblemished skin replaced the stinging, burnt patches, and breathing became easier as well. The tension between his eyes eased. Nil wasn¡¯t aware of any sinus issues but guessed the fountain had fixed whatever problem he had. He wished the Summoned had gained the privilege of bringing guests to the Nexus. He would¡¯ve loved to rid his father of his chronic pain and perhaps cure his diabetes. ¡°Good job, Nil!¡± Layla exclaimed, making Nil jump. The fountain¡¯s effects and possibilities intrigued him so much that he had momentarily lost track of the world around him. ¡°The Schema was right to invest in you¡ª¡± She paused, looking at the other Summoned in the area. It was Layla¡¯s ego copy that had approached him. He guessed they weren¡¯t used to seeing her out in the open. Talk of the Schema investing in someone probably wasn¡¯t ordinary either. ¡°How about we talk in my office? It''s customary to meet with your caseworker following the first quest.¡± Arrows directed Nil down crowded hallways and down a set of stairs. Fellow Summoned shot Nil angry glances when he bumped into them while following the Schema''s directions. It took a handful of minutes to find Layla¡¯s office. ¡°How much do you know about the Schema and how things work around here?¡± Layla asked when he claimed the seat opposite her. ¡°I know that we can pick available quests through the Schema interface at any time and must complete one at least every eight weeks,¡± Nil answered. ¡°If there is a quest perfectly suited for me, the Schema will notify me.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°So, not a lot then. That¡¯s alright. You¡¯re new, and I¡¯ll update you whenever necessary. You¡¯re mostly right about how quest issuing works, but the eight-week interval isn¡¯t a hard barrier. The gap increases with service; long quests often come with longer breaks. However, you need to take a week off between quests, be in a reasonably calm state, and not be in physical contact with another living entity for the summoning to occur. Also, there is a minimum eight-week break between your first and second quest. Its to prevent the overly eager from rushing and getting themselves killed. Not enough people take time to adapt their powers or increased attributes.¡± Layla leaned back in her chair and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted to discuss, though. This meeting is regarding your performance.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t do better,¡± Nil said. ¡°It took me far too long to figure out the timings right, and I¡¯m afraid my martial abilities aren¡¯t yet adapted to Brutal Battery. Maybe I could¡¯ve saved more people if I were more skilled.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Nil?¡± Layla laughed. ¡°You went above and beyond all expectations. Your actions unlocked a new possible future for this world.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow.¡± ¡°The Fates and the Schema are closely tied. We consult with them to forecast the outcome of the quest and how the actions of the Summoned might affect the world. The chances of Mila Stark perishing were unusually high.¡± ¡°Are you saying the Schema set me up for failure?¡± Nil frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a bit twisted, don¡¯t you think.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all. This was a Mortal-Five quest. You were forecasted to have a seventy-percent chance of success. We believed Mila would flee the fort and make a beeline for her grandfather¡¯s home. Unfortunately, the Cursed One would use the day to recuperate and grow stronger after digesting all it consumed. It would wake up faster and follow her scent after sunset. ¡°The Fates believed the Cursed One would find her on the outskirts of a hamlet and kill her and most of the residents. The survivors would spread the news, spreading rage and fear. In this possible future, her grandfather and fiance¡¯s family would launch a campaign to eliminate the Cursed One and establish an organization to seek out all like it.¡± ¡°So, her death was to be a catalyst for greater change,¡± Nil stated. ¡°Exactly. Now, the Fates predict Mila will be the herald of change. You inspired her and showed her even the weak and meek can challenge and defeat a Cursed One. Mila will spend the next decade training as a mage and join the campaign to cleanse the land. She might become a warrior queen someday and save more lives. Your actions didn¡¯t just save her life, Nil. You might¡¯ve birthed a brighter possible future for the kingdom.¡± Nil opened his mouth, but no words came out. He had only thought of the benefits the Summoned enjoyed and never thought about what impact their quests and actions could have. He thought he was doing nothing more than preventing a young noblewoman¡¯s death. Nil didn¡¯t expect the act¡ªespecially killing the monster¡ªto have such an incredible impact. ¡°You also killed a high-Iron-rank foe,¡± Layla continued. ¡°Dumb luck probably had a lot to do with your victory, but the Schema believes you displayed incredible grit, courage, and wits. As a result, it''s upgrading your reward.¡± A notification appeared when Layla flicked a finger. Reward upgraded! You may choose from the following on top of the promised Schema Token: ¡°This is going to be a challenging decision,¡± Nil commented. ¡°I know you¡¯re not allowed to help me, but I imagine Schema Tokens are a bad idea.¡± ¡°Why turn down better rewards for attributes you can raise with training and quests?¡± Layla smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what I would ask myself.¡± ¡°I suppose the curse is the best pick¡ª¡± ¡°It would be for a more experienced and an ascended climber. Someone who can deal with the drawback of curses more easily and easily counters them. If it were my decision¡ªwhich it''s not, I¡¯d jump at the opportunity of getting an Ascension Token.¡± ¡°And ascending Spark straight away?¡± Layla shrugged. ¡°When I got my first ascension token, I did that but later discovered that the token can ascend two peaked attributes simultaneously or one¡¯s ability. Can you imagine how disappointed I was?¡± ¡°You were a Summoned, too?¡± Nil asked, surprised. ¡°How long have you served the Nexus?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t allowed to talk about things like that,¡± she replied, waving dismissively. ¡°Besides, it''s rude to ask a lady time-related questions, especially when such concepts don¡¯t exist here, and it''s up to us to track how long we¡¯ve been single.¡± ¡°Right. So, I should pick the Ascension Token and hold on to it.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°So, no rewards but Schema tokens. That¡¯s disappointing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about your Schema Token!¡± She said. ¡°You can increase one of your physical attributes to make the quest even easier.¡± Nil picked the Ascension Token and checked his attribute menu. A new Schema Token awaited him. He thought about it for a moment before investing it in Might. Since he had Gold potential in Finesse, raising it with training would be easier. The accompanying physical attribute would take a lot more effort and have proven itself invaluable. He needed it to power through burns and exhaustion. He was sure the Cursed One¡¯s blow would¡¯ve left him significantly injured without the additional Might. ¡°So, these Cursed Ones. I imagine they¡¯re fonts of cursed energy.¡± Layla nodded. ¡°Could creatures like them exist in Earth¡¯s desolate areas? Maybe the cursed energy that plagues my arm came from such a source.¡± ¡°Impossible. The Schema would know. We have agents patrolling and studying your world to look out for the Void and Cursed Ones, too. No such existences have infiltrated your earth. Someone smuggled it onto your Earth, and it somehow ended up causing whatever event birthed your soul weapon and the energy plaguing it.¡± ¡°And what precisely is the process of getting rid of it?¡± Nil asked. ¡°It''s kind of frustrating to know I have a soul weapon but can¡¯t use it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do anything until you ascend past the Mortal ranks,¡± Layla answered. ¡°We need resources to complete the service, or you need to complete a task noteworthy enough to gift you the privilege. I wouldn¡¯t rush it. Anyway, you can¡¯t manifest a soul weapon until you¡¯re in Iron Realm. There are means of passing it between containers, but¡ª¡± ¡°But I need to ascend to use it.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°However, I could teach you how to sense cursed energy. Given your long-time exposure, it shouldn¡¯t be too challenging for you. That way, you can avoid sources and ensure the burden doesn¡¯t get any bigger.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that very much, Layla. Thank you.¡± 8. Haunting Visage The Schema sent Nil back to the spot from where he¡¯d been summoned. He wasn¡¯t splattered against a Met-Police van. Instead, he stood on the pavement¡¯s edge, his back pressed against one. The vehicle beeped as soon as he stepped away from it. Nil needed to set a safe recall space for future returns to Earth. It was noon, and if the Schema had dropped him off in the middle of the road, Oxford Street traffic would¡¯ve flattened him. ¡°Hold it!¡± A police officer stepped in front of Nil before he could move. The thumb-long string of alien text tattooed across her neck suggested she was a Summoned. She carried no tools or insignia to hint at her discipline, but her eyes had a sheen similar to Mila¡¯s. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you, Mr Roy. You¡¯re coming with me.¡± ¡°Am I under arrest?¡± Nil asked, eyes darting to the holstered Arthurtech weapon and handcuffs hanging from her belt. ¡°No,¡± she replied. ¡°But you¡¯re detained." ¡°Look. I know it didn¡¯t look good with me sprinting out of a war zone, but I had nothing to do with whatever happened in Soho last night.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for two days, Mr Roy.¡± The policewoman¡¯s demeanor and tone was much friendlier than that of the officers before his summoning. Two of her colleagues watched from inside the van. ¡°You¡¯re not in any trouble. ¡°The officers were searching for a criminal mage. Your summoning proved that you¡¯re not a Summoned. Scanning your ID told us you have no priors. Though stupid, your bravery saved two officers¡¯ lives. If anything, the Metropolitan Police force owes you a commendation.¡± She walked to the police car parked in front of the van and held the rear passenger door open for him. ¡°Unfortunately, the quantity of unregistered Summoneds has increased recently. So, I¡¯m the local escort to the closest registration center. Your compliance will convince my superiors that you¡¯re not connected to Summoned gangs.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the police have better things to do than wait around for me?¡± ¡°Following recent events, the higher-ups have decided to post two vehicles in this location. My shift is almost up. Someone will replace me in a few minutes.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I planned to declare myself as soon as possible. Can¡¯t exchange my Schema credit as an unregistered, can I?¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised by how many blow their Schema Credits in the Nexus Market, then come back to find themselves broke and jobless,¡± the officer explained. ¡°If we leave the decision up to them: register and follow government guidelines or make easy money as a gang enforcer, guess what the majority pick.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be the majority, can it?¡± Nil asked, not resisting as she gently pushed him into the car. The officer placed a hand on the top of his head, ensuring he didn¡¯t hit it on the top of the door. ¡°The news says Summoned crime is rising, but I thought it was a quarter or third.¡± ¡°I work in vice, not analytics, but the statistics rarely lie. This is based on projections of how many Summoned blow their early earnings in the Nexus Market. Of course, we cannot confirm this, but given how many halfwits we arrest daily, I believe the numbers.¡± Unlike the police van, the car wasn¡¯t Arthurtech. Nil was sure an Expended-empowered kick would have no trouble forcing the door open. He could run for it, and once inside Soho, the police officer would struggle to find him. Fleeing would keep the government from restricting his freedoms, and Nil could take longer quests, keeping him away from Earth for months at a time. He would only need to worry about the mandatory one-week rest time between them. No government would dictate where he lived, what jobs he could undertake, or constantly monitor him. The freedoms would come at a cost. Nil would never get to trade his Schema credits for gold or local currency. His family would face questioning and spend the remainder of their lives under constant surveillance. The latter was the price Nil refused to pay. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± The officer asked, breaking the silence. ¡°What?¡± The abrupt question forced him out of his daydreams and musings. ¡°Why did you risk your life to save Officer Johanssen? I¡¯ve seen the footage and can¡¯t make up whether you¡¯re brave or stupid. Did you know her?¡± ¡°No. Nothing of the sort.¡± Nil hesitated. He often didn¡¯t like talking about the incident and generally skirted the topic. However, whatever bothered him before didn¡¯t anymore. ¡°A tweaking Summoned killed my girlfriend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Your records didn¡¯t mention anything of the sort.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me,¡± Nil said. ¡°This happened just over seven years ago. Her parents didn¡¯t want her dating someone like me¡ª¡± ¡°Someone like you?¡± ¡°Her parents are Indian, and I¡¯m only half. They weren¡¯t keen on her spending time with boys outside of their community, let alone dating them.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°So you kept your relationship a secret?¡± ¡°Only our closest friends knew about us.¡± He sighed. ¡°We were visiting Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. A Summoned dealer got high on his own supply and ripped through the ice skating ring.¡± ¡°I remember that,¡± the officer said. ¡°My mum and I were planning to visit, but the incident came on the news, and she swore we¡¯d never go to Winter Wonderland again. Even though we have Summoned officers posted around Hyde Park year-round, Mum won¡¯t go near it or let us visit. Were you there, too?¡± ¡°I watched the bastard cave in her face and failed to do anything to stop him.¡± The words came out easily but didn¡¯t sound like his own. Seven years was a long time for most, but flashes of the incident still haunted him. Aisha¡¯s visage sat in the car next to him. The bloody park and ripped jeans ensured he never forgot about his failure. ¡°If I remember correctly, he was a brute-discipline Summoned with some strength and recovery-enhancement power. You couldn¡¯t have done anything even if you tried.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It took me forever to accept the fact, but I know that now. When I saw the police wom¡ªOfficer Johanssen, lying on the ground, getting clobbered, everything came back all at once.¡± ¡°The rage?¡± ¡°No. The desperation. I just couldn¡¯t stand to see the same thing happen again.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t an official statement from the Met Police, but thank you,¡± the policewoman said. ¡°Officer Jones¡¯ carelessness could¡¯ve cost the force a valuable life and maybe resulted in far more destruction. Your actions slowed and distracted the tweaker long enough for backup to reach them.¡± ¡°Is Officer Johanssen okay?¡± ¡°She suffered a few broken bones and a concussion. She¡¯s only an acquaintance, so I haven¡¯t checked in personally, but I heard she plans on accepting a quest once she feels a little better. The fountain will fix her right up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Summoned, too, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I am,¡± she replied. ¡°Psionic discipline.¡± ¡°Is the city almost exclusively hiring you¡ªus lot nowadays?¡± He recalled seeing the Psionic discipline far down Layla¡¯s chart. It gave Mind and Spark equal weighting as primary attributes and used Finesse as a secondary. ¡°It might look that way, but no. We are often deployed around Soho, Hackney, Islington, Wembley, and its borders. Command wants us where the Summoned gangs are most active. Why? Are you considering a career change?¡± ¡°No. Just curious.¡± The police car stopped halfway between Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square station in front of the local branch of the Nexus Bank. The buildings also served as the Summoned registration and housing assignment center. ¡°You won¡¯t run if I don¡¯t escort you in, will you?¡± The officer said. ¡°My shift ended just as you reappeared, and I want nothing more than to finish my day.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t run,¡± Nil replied. ¡°My dad will kill me if I become a fugitive.¡± The policewoman laughed. She unlocked the car¡¯s doors, and Nil exited. She stuck her arm out of the car before he could walk away, holding out a card. ¡°I have your contact details and will be checking up on you. My number might prove helpful if you want any information regarding decent luduses. I know living amongst civilians, friends, and family is comforting, but there is value in habitating with other Summoneds. It''s safer for you legally when things go wrong. Being around people with lives similar to yours will help, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. The thought of joining a ludus already crossed my mind¡ªmore for the training facilities and power guidance, though.¡± ¡°Understandable. Think about it, and once again, thank you, Mr Roy.¡± Once the officer drove away, Nil marched into the Nexus Bank, eager to discover the current exchange rates. A receptionist and signs directed him to the Summoned registration center in the basement. He needed to get on the system before accessing the rest of the building. Nil spoke to the woman at the desk, and she had him wait for an available agent. He checked his phone in the meantime. Nil wasn¡¯t surprised when he found a long list of expletive-laden messages from his chef. It started with notifications of his lateness, then demands to know his location, and then threats to his job. He had received double the number of messages when he didn¡¯t show up for a second day in a row. ¡°Where the hell are you?¡± Chef demanded when Nil called. ¡°The Nexus Bank on Tottenham Court Road.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make it home the day before yesterday.¡± ¡°Fucking hell, Nil. What did I tell you? The sous chef position was contingent on you not doing anything stupid like quitting after six months or becoming a Summoned.¡± ¡°It''s not like I asked for this, Chef. The choice was between trying to survive with life-threatening injuries or becoming a Summoned.¡± ¡°Are you coming to work today?¡± Chef asked. ¡°We have a party of twenty in the private dining room. I need you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how long registration and all the formalities will take,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I need to update my family on everything as well. It¡¯s unlikely¡ª¡± The chef hung up on Nil. When he rang the man again, the call went straight to voicemail. ¡°Everything okay, sir?¡± the man at the registration office¡¯s reception desk asked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I just lost my job.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. I¡¯m sure one of our agents can help you figure out your options. We offer job-seeking services for Summoned.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mostly police and Corpo security jobs, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nil asked. The man nodded. ¡°It¡¯s primarily for people who¡¯ve served the Schema for a while and get long breaks between quests. They¡¯d rather risk their lives here than in some alien world full of dragons, manticores, and all the other stuff. A job might not be necessary if you intend to work frequent quests. The earnings might be significantly greater than anything you¡¯d earn with Earth-side employment¡ªbased on your discipline and core skill, of course.¡± ¡°Unless I¡¯ve got a Thinker or Artisan discipline, right?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t need our assistance if you got one of those,¡± the receptionist replied. ¡°Just let us add your registration details to the public registry, and employers will hunt you down themselves.¡± ¡°What about the luduses?¡± ¡°We¡¯re only allowed to discuss those tied to government jobs. You¡¯ll need to approach the appropriate agents or organizations if the question is related to the Apocalypse Arena.¡± 9. Homecoming ¡°Something isn¡¯t right here,¡± the registration agent said, frowning at her screen. She refreshed it multiple times, but the confusion remained on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nil asked, peeking at the dense blocks of information. ¡°Our readers can¡¯t seem to identify your discipline. What did you say it was?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. Are you sure something isn¡¯t wrong with your scanner?¡± ¡°It was fine a moment ago.¡± She waved another agent over. ¡°Any idea what the hell is wrong with this thing?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± her coworker replied, following a swift scan. ¡°This happens occasionally with odd or variant core skill combinations. Just do a manual entry.¡± He turned his attention to span. ¡°What¡¯s your discipline and skill, Mr Roy?¡± ¡°Brute.¡± Typically, brute-discipline powers involved passive Might boosting abilities. They rarely included active abilities besides briefly enhancing themselves. It was knight disciplines that involved skills demanding timing or tactical thinking. Since Brutal Battery leaned more into Spark than Might or Finesse, Nil doubted it fell into either category. However, he didn¡¯t want to go into detail and divulge secrets. Layla had said that he wasn¡¯t unique but an odd Arcane Warrior variant that used natural forces instead of magic. ¡°I thought I didn¡¯t need to disclose my core skills. Isn¡¯t that a privacy issue?¡± ¡°We insist registrants share them in situations like this one,¡± the man replied. ¡°Most disciplines have a small set of hyper-dangerous skills, too. If our scanner fails, we need at least a demonstration.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not go into details, but I¡¯m fine showing you what I can do.¡± With no monster pursuing him and his life not in imminent danger, it took Nil only a heartbeat to activate and switch between abilities. He took the spoon lying next to the agent¡¯s cup of tea and stabbed himself with all of his strength. Nothing happened to him or the object. Then, he twisted the handle into a spiral. ¡°I can switch between defense and strength enhancement. They can¡¯t function simultaneously, and the transition takes a couple of seconds.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen that one before,¡± Nil¡¯s agent commented. She looked up at her colleague. ¡°We don¡¯t get a lot of brutes with alternating or switching skills. What should I call it?¡± ¡°Thuggish Tactics,¡± Nil lied. ¡°I might as well tell you. My case worker didn¡¯t give me many options on account of my low Mind and Spark potentials.¡± The scanner only determined an individual¡¯s discipline. Attributes were treated as privileged information, just like the core skill. Nil found the limitations arbitrary and inconsistent. They claimed dangerous core skills existed but didn¡¯t scan for them for privacy reasons. Nil wondered whether they lacked the technology or the British government was cheap. They did the bare minimum to keep the non-Summoned voters placated while profiting off the relationship with the Schema and the currency the Summoned brought in. Nil didn¡¯t care as long as he got to control what everyone learned about him. He swapped his Finesse and Spark attributes¡¯ ratings and potential when filling out the form. It made his lie more plausible. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go for something Finesse-focused?¡± The agent asked. ¡°It¡¯s your best attribute. Something swiftness or agility-based would¡ª¡± ¡°Stick to the script,¡± her male coworker told her. ¡°That question is much too personal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Nil said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I had options that let me use hit-and-run tactics and one that even made me venomous. This felt like the best bet.¡± ¡°Those won¡¯t do you much good unless you know how to fight.¡± The agent received another reprimand for her comment but continued without missing a beat. ¡°The agency can recommend trainers and luduses to teach you survival and combat skills. Some even have the resources to master your discipline and skill. The latter might be challenging for you, especially given your oddities.¡± The registration process took four hours. Nil had a new physical and digital ID by the time he finished. It made opening a Nexus Bank account a breeze, and he exited the building by half-past-six in the evening, seven thousand pounds richer. The conversion rate initially put a smile on Nil¡¯s face. At the time of the exchange, the British government valued a Schema Credit at a little more than one hundred pounds. Then, they claimed two-fifths of the value in taxes, dampening his spirits. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Nil visited his apartment, packed all of his belongings, and walked to Great Portland Street Station. He took the fast Metropolitan Line train to Harrow-on-the-Hill. Once at his destination, Nil entered the first fried chicken shop he encountered¡ªhis guilty pleasure food¡ªand occupied one of the two tables. He ate a three-piece meal with two drumsticks, a thigh, and fries. The man behind the counter sprinkled grated cheddar over the fries for an extra pound and topped it with crappy instant gravy. It was a cheap and nostalgic meal. He hadn¡¯t eaten anything since before the summoning and ended up purchasing the same thing again. Nil¡¯s eyes were hungrier than his stomach. He only ate one leg and a handful of fries before giving the rest to the homeless man outside. Nil hoped the gift would earn him the privilege of petting the man¡¯s dog. He left disappointed. The twenty-minute uphill walk took him twenty-five with his luggage. If not for the improvement to his physique thanks to the additional unit in the Might attribute, the journey would¡¯ve taken him even longer. It was eight in the evening, just after his family¡¯s dinner time when he reached their home. Udit Roy lived in a small two-bedroom bungalow with his sixteen-year-old daughter and eleven-year-old nephew in a neighborhood well beyond his means. He and the late Elizabeth Gibson-Roy had bought the house using most of their life savings just before Nil started high school. The act ensured he got it into one of the better schools in the borough but made their finances tighter. It was on the verge of falling apart, and the garden had grown into a jungle after years of no occupancy. The family got it for cheap, and they spent all of their time off refurbishing it. Ten years later, Udit was struggling to keep up with the mortgage and the bills. Investments that appeared secure before the popularization of magitech were no longer so. As Nil walked up the driveway, he noticed the overgrown weeds, the grass left a few weeks unmowed, and the long scratch along the side of his father¡¯s car. The twenty-year-old vehicle appeared a pothole away from being written off. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were coming home?¡± His sister, Emily, asked, pulling him into a tight hug. Nil and his sister shared the same light-brown eyes and black hair. They had similar complexions, but he was a few shades lighter than her rich mocha-shaded skin. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating properly, Sunny?¡± She poked his side. Despite her status as the younger sibling, Emily had adopted maternal qualities since their mother¡¯s passing. Nil hated the nickname Elizabeth used for him, but now his sister kept it alive. ¡°I can feel your ribs.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ma,¡± Nil replied, kissing his sister on the forehead. ¡°Is everything okay around here? Are you and Baba well?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± Emily raised a thick eyebrow. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like Baba to stop gardening. He¡¯s still getting his insulin, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Oh. Don¡¯t worry about that. He''s just been busy at work. Sam and I have exams coming up, so we¡¯ve been lagging with chores, too. Baba is still in his study, finishing the paperwork.¡± ¡°Why? The council can¡¯t be working him that hard, can they?¡± ¡°Rakesh Patel is retiring,¡± Emily answered. She stepped away from her brother and looked him up and down. The woman frowned when she noted his backpack and suitcase. ¡°Baba wants his job.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Rakesh Patel five years younger than Baba?¡± Nil asked. ¡°They both should be retired now.¡± ¡°If only things were that easy.¡± Emily smiled. She sniffed the air around him. ¡°I can smell that you¡¯ve already had dinner. Let me brew us some tea, and you can tell me why you¡¯re here. Is everything okay at work?¡± ¡°I got summoned.¡± Emily froze midstep. She looked up at her older brother wide-eyed for what felt like an eternity. He held his breath, half-expecting his sister to explode at him. Instead, she looked down the hallway to the open door in the back. Soft lamp light glowed through it. ¡°Baba, get your arse out here!¡± She yelled. ¡°Your son finally did something stupid.¡± When telling his family about recent events, Nil embellished details and avoided revealing how many times he had almost died. He remained truthful about the circumstances surrounding his summoning, unique discipline, and abilities. Worried about his father¡¯s health, he concocted a colorful tale regarding the quest. Emily appeared unconvinced but said nothing. ¡°The Schema will give me mostly escort and protection jobs,¡± Nil told them. ¡°They don¡¯t involve fighting things but keeping important people alive. I also get an option of three quests during each summoning. So, I can always pick the least dangerous.¡± ¡°And what about cheffing?¡± Udit asked. ¡°You¡¯re a sous in a Michelin-starred kitchen. Are you just going to give that up?¡± ¡°Chef fired me after I missed work because of my summoning.¡± It wasn¡¯t a complete lie. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want a sous chef that disappears for indeterminate periods of time every couple of months. I¡¯ll make excellent money with the quests, though. It''s enough to support myself and help you out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, baba,¡± Udit said. ¡°Your sister and I can take care of ourselves.¡± He smiled at the mostly silent Sam. The little boy had stuck to Nil¡¯s side since the moment of their reunion. ¡°You just worry about yourself right now. I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re mostly taking low-combat quests. This summoning business leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The thought of my boy getting magicked away to other universes is going to ruin my sleep.¡± ¡°Do you mind if I stay here for a few days?¡± Nil asked. ¡°It''s just until I figure out what to do.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the pair said almost in unison. His father sped away to inflate an air mattress and arrange bedding for it while his sister threw his dirty clothes in the laundry. Nil did the dishes with Sam in the meantime, feeling optimistic about his future. Then, he saw the condition of the house, its furnishings, and its appliances. The money he sent his family every week wasn¡¯t enough. Things were worse than he had guessed, and they needed more help than earnings from a mortal quest would earn him. 10. Teenagers And Junkers The rising prices of materials, labor, and general goods truly sunk in when Nil got quotes on fixing up the house and replacing damaged appliances. The number of tradespeople had dwindled despite the ever-growing unemployment rates. Meanwhile, almost all decent quality white goods¡ªfridges, washing machines, driers, ovens¡ªwere aethertech and cost an arm and a leg. The seven-thousand pounds he earned wouldn''t stretch as far as he had hoped. In fact, waiting two months until the next summon no longer felt like an option. Nil had hoped to invest in training, help his family, and then stretch the rest over two months until Nexus demanded he take on a quest. Now, training felt out of the question, and he doubted the money would last a month if he tried to make the house better for his family. The window in Sam and Emily''s shared room had a giant crack and chip, ruining the double glazing. It wasn''t too big an issue now, but they''d struggle to keep the space warm in a couple of months once winter arrived. A leak in Udit''s bathroom had caused dampness to spread, and Nil saw the early signs of mold, too. The drier barely worked. Because of autumn rains, the family had to dry their clothes indoors, resulting in a mildewy smell. So, despite his father''s protests, Nil spent his money on improving their living conditions. He felt guilty for not visiting in over a year. If he knew how bad things were, he would''ve sent more money home. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Emily exclaimed when, after a week of staying at home, Nil brought up the possibility of pursuing a career in Apocalypse Arena. ¡°Don''t you dare bring this up around Baba! He''ll have a heart attack!¡± ¡°But he could comfortably retire,¡± Nil said. ¡°Think about it, Emmy. He can finally relax, garden, do pottery, and pursue his hobby of the day. You could go to a decent private university without loans, pursue your dreams, and go into a career the Summoned won''t make obsolete.¡± ¡°People die in Apocalypse Arena, Sunil! You''re not going to throw your life away just to make things easier for us. Summoned life and going off on dangerous interdimensional adventures is bad enough. Don''t think for a second I believed that nonsense about safe quests.¡± ¡°The Schema, Nexus, or whatever it is gave you an ability meant for throwing in the path of danger and stopping it with your body. I know you. You''re going to do just that. But there is no going back now, and we can live with it. You''re not going to increase your chances of dying young by fighting in Apocalypse Arena. Is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes, Mom.¡± Nil sighed. Emily threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. ¡°I appreciate everything you''re doing for us, and the more you want to do, but we''ll find a better way.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nil said, kissing the top of his sister¡¯s head. ¡°We''ll figure something out.¡± It was a lie. After spending a couple of nights awake, Nil had already made up his mind. In 2007, when the Large Hadron Collider fired for the first time, and the cataclysm came, Nil was only fifteen. He, like most of the residents of the United Kingdom, survived. Fear and fervor plagued the population as the world changed. The Amazon birthed giant monsters. Hundreds of meters long sandworms stirred in the deserts. The ground split open in the Middle Eastern countries drilling for oil. Creatures of fire, earth, ash, and sand spilled forth and spread to neighboring states, killing millions. The following migrant crisis would¡¯ve followed a war if not for the Nexus¡¯ arrival and assistance. Not long after the Summoned came into existence and news of them spread, criminals with enhanced physiologies and magic emerged. Nil¡¯s parents put him in martial arts classes and basic survival training for when and if he got summoned or cornered by the new gangs led by unregistered Summoned. He didn¡¯t take the classes seriously until Aisha passed. However, the first six years built a foundation that he refined afterward while training with men who worked as night club bouncers and security guards. Nil was as confident in his hand-to-hand fighting as he was in his cooking skills. For a chance at success in Apocalypse Arena, Nil needed to get better at timing Brutal Battery''s timings and learn to meld it with his fighting style. Absorb was reasonably easy to use and activate. However, switching from it to Expend and controlling the output proved challenging. Only a ludus could help him overcome the two hurdles. Ludus'' organized competitions also served as the staging ground for Apocalypse Arena fighters. Only after proving oneself in a ludus could one ascend to the world stage. Unfortunately, it was expensive to join a Ludus and just as expensive to stay in one. Some gave their residents work to make up for the housing and training fees, but a quick search on Summoned forums suggested they were rare and challenging to come by. Most decent luduses only entertained candidates with recommendations if they had already ascended to the Iron Realm. Most used their Schema Credit and Arena earnings to pay the ludus fees. Eventually, sponsors found the individuals and took on the costs. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. The numbers shocked and sickened Nil, but he understood. Housing, feeding, and training individuals with supernatural powers was an expensive and dangerous affair. They had the capability to cause devastating damage to property or severely hurt someone with an incorrect muscle twitch. When Emily had Nil braid her hair, he had to stop several times whenever his nose tickled, or he felt a sneeze coming on. A sudden jerk with his seven points in Might could potentially cause severe damage. After exhausting all possible avenues, Nil called Andrew, his friend from high school. The last time they spoke, Andrew had quit a dishwashing job to deal weed full-time. Now, according to his social media profile, he worked in the scrap metal recycling industry. ¡°Sunny-boi!¡± Andrew exclaimed as soon as Nil called. He had used Sam''s phone, but his old friend identified him at hello. ¡°I thought you forgot me.¡± ¡°The man that introduced me to all my vices?¡± Nil laughed. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°So? What do you need? I hope you know I quit the naughty horticultural industry some time ago.¡± ¡°I just became a Summoned, can''t afford to join a ludus, and need to make money. The only legal option right now is a government job, and I''m not too keen on them.¡± ¡°Yeah. Big Brother is a miser fuck. Do you remember the old scrap metal yard near South Harrow Station?¡± ¡°Where the playground used to be?¡± ¡°Meet me there in an hour. We''ll catch up with a beer and a sandwich.¡± Andrew paused. Nil heard bubbling. Then nothing. Followed by a slow exhale. ¡°You can tell me your tale then. I hate catching up on the phone.¡±
¡°That''s a wild fucking story,¡± Andrew said an hour later. He and Nil sat on lawn furniture in a scrap yard, empty beer bottles and fast food wrappers littering the ground between them. Broken power tools and several dented car doors lay around them. Andrew had insisted on a power demonstration before they talked, and the pair got carried away with their experimentation. ¡°So, what now? Do you want to become Wildshaper Wilson?¡± ¡°Adrian Wildshaper Wilson.¡± Nil laughed. He remembered pretending to be the now Gold-Realm Apocalypse Arena fighter. The screens in Picadilly Circus often featured him promoting one product or another. ¡°I miss those. Adrian ¡®Wildshaper¡¯ Wilson versus his brother, Arthur ¡®Technomancer¡¯ Wilson. Is that how you ended up with this place?¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°I had just quit my old career with bags of unspendable cash. Then Mum died, leaving me a monster inheritance. Since the Nexus had no plan of picking me, I thought I might as well have some fun playing with her Artisans'' products.¡± He nodded at the wall of discarded Aethertech on the other side of the three inter-connected mobile homes that formed his house. ¡°Salvaging, repairing, and reselling parts is good money. It''s almost as much as I make from selling recycled scrap metal.¡± ¡°But it''s not strictly legal.¡± ¡°The best things never are.¡± Andrew grinned. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing a wire, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Nil waved at his shirtless torso. He had removed it from the experimentation and not put it back on after getting grease on his chest. Additional units in the Might attribute had helped him overcome genetics and develop shape and definition that a decade of resistance training had failed to achieve. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about what contacts you might have.¡± ¡°A good deal of the interesting aethertech is licensed, patented, or government controlled. There are some I can resell legally, but they don¡¯t make me enough to keep up with my hobby. So, I sell to the unsavory, collectors, and like-minded.¡± Andrew¡¯s eyes narrowed as he spoke. ¡°Why, goody-two-shoes Sunil Roy? What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°I was hoping you knew something about the pits and how one could go about getting themselves a paying bout,¡± Nil answered matter-of-factly. ¡°I was worried you would say that,¡± Andrew said, slumping back in his chair. ¡°You¡¯re too straight and narrow for illegal cage matches, Nil.¡± ¡°I know, Andy.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I know. But things are worse at home than I expected. Baba can¡¯t support himself, keep paying for the house, and maintain it with two minors. Becoming a Summoned cost me a job, and it will be a while before I can take on quests with decent pay that aren¡¯t suicide missions. The pits might be my only option.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Andrew pulled a pair of scratched metal rods out of his pocket. He pulled them apart, creating a postcard-sized screen. ¡°I thought you might want something of the sort. So, I prepared this. It has the details of how to get in contact with the organizers. I¡¯ve sold to the company before. They¡¯re discreet, and getting to communicate through the device will mean I vouch for you. So, don¡¯t do anything stupid like tell your new policewoman girlfriend, alright?¡± ¡°There is nothing of the sort between us,¡± Nil said, glancing at Aisha¡¯s visage. She was busy studying a still glowing aethertech machine of some sort. ¡°The memory banks also have recordings of a couple of months'' worth of matches,¡± Andrew continued, ignoring the interjection. ¡°I suggest you watch them and decide whether you really want to do this. It''s brutal down there. They stop the matches before someone gets killed, but it''s too late occasionally. I¡¯ve seen one too many fighters end up disabled.¡± ¡°Thanks, Andy.¡± Nil accepted the device and swiped through the horrifying thumbnails. His friend had crammed a lot more into the memory banks than he claimed. ¡°This will be a lot of help.¡± ¡°For the record, I¡¯m against this idea. Your mum would¡¯ve kicked my butt if I didn¡¯t tell you so.¡± ¡°Why did we stop talking?¡± Nil asked, changing topics. ¡°I don¡¯t remember us fighting.¡± ¡°Aisha and Naomi hated each other.¡± Andrew flashed him a sad smile. ¡°There was drama, and it was just easier not to get together. We just grew apart with time. Then your lady died, and mine cheated on me with a Summoned rich boy. I was too ashamed to make the first call.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s all behind us now. It¡¯s great to have you back, bro.¡± Andrew tossed Nil another beer, and they drank together, reminiscing about the old days. Despite almost a decade of no contact, it felt like nothing had changed between them. 11. Hit Me With All Youve Got ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Stop stalling, Baba,¡± Nil said. ¡°Just hit me with all you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°Just trust me, will you?¡± Udit Roy adjusted his grip on the sledgehammer. He pulled the hammer back before putting his hips and shoulder into the swing. It struck Nil¡¯s square over the sternum and immediately lost all momentum. It didn¡¯t rebound, and Udit stopped in his tracks, too. The older Roy¡¯s brow furrowed, and Nill could see his father¡¯s engineer brain ticking. ¡°The wording might not specify you¡¯re absorbing kinetic energy, but that¡¯s just what you did,¡± Udit said after hitting his son again. The effort already had him panting and rubbing the small of his back. ¡°Fascinating. The hammer didn¡¯t bounce back. Despite the lack of follow-through and getting stopped in my tracks, I didn''t face any rebound. You stole the hammer and my kinetic energy.¡± ¡°I thought so, too,¡± Nil said. ¡°Layla explained that the Schema gives the Summoned an innate multiversal translation ability. Perhaps it failed to translate things right.¡± ¡°Or it goes past kinetic energy and warps the rules of physics. Hence, the Schema doesn¡¯t want to narrow down your view by using it. You essentially broke all of Newton¡¯s laws using Absorb.¡± ¡°So, it encompasses kinetic energy under certain conditions but also goes beyond it.¡± Udit nodded, studying the hammerhead. ¡°If it absorbed all kinetic energy, it would¡¯ve stolen heat from the impacted surface, too. You can have a lot of fun with this.¡± ¡°Do you feel better about this whole Summoned business now?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Absorb protects me from almost all physical trauma¡ªthe most common variety of attacks while I¡¯m out on missions.¡± ¡°My son is portalling off on interdimensional jobs, which is fatal for ordinary people? I¡¯ll never feel better about it. However, seeing what you can do will help me rest easy. Have you thought about what you¡¯ll do for work or to fill your time earthside? I know the quests pay well, and I certainly hope you won¡¯t use it as an excuse to slack off.¡± ¡°When have I ever slacked off, Baba?¡± Nil laughed. ¡°I know that I need to join a ludus¡ª¡± ¡°A ludus?¡± Udit dropped the hammer, frowning. His eyes narrowed as he took a step back from his son. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re not going to do something mad like compete in Apocalypse Arena. I know it is good money, but I hear reports of talented fighters ending up crippled or dead every day.¡± ¡°A ludus isn¡¯t just for arena training. It''s a good place to meet other Summoned and learn about quests. They have infrastructure and experts who can teach fighting and survival techniques. They¡¯re great for mastering one¡¯s power and adapting it to one¡¯s personal style, too. I¡ª¡± ¡°Why does it sound like you¡¯re reading off a brochure?¡± Baba didn¡¯t appear convinced. ¡°I know you wished to become Adrian ¡®Wildshaper¡¯ Wilson when you were younger. I certainly hope you grew out of that idiotic dream.¡± ¡°There are government luduses now, too, you know? Not all quests pay well, and some people do the minimum demanded by the Nexus. Summoned police officers, soldiers, and other national service workers live in luduses, too. I¡¯m not saying I want to become a government employee or become an arena fighter. A ludus might help me become the best version of myself.¡± ¡°I hear they¡¯re terribly expensive, though. Unless you do jobs for them or take on other employment, won¡¯t they eat up most of your Schema tokens?¡± ¡°Honestly? I haven¡¯t figured everything out yet.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to join a ludus right now.¡± The fact frustrated him since, despite days of searching and investigating, he couldn¡¯t find any legitimate means of getting involved in anything related to Apocalypse Arena, paying fights, or any athletics without joining a ludus. ¡°Currently, I¡¯m waiting out the minimum wait between missions so I can make more money and get this place fixed up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need or want you to do that,¡± Udit said. ¡°I can manage everything just fine.¡± ¡°Baba, I love you, and with all due respect, you need to get over that nonsense. Things are falling apart in here. You¡¯re unwell and past retirement age and have two minors to support. I can¡¯t live with myself knowing that I have the means to make decent money and am not doing anything to support the household. Especially after the great life you and Mum gave me.¡± ¡°That was our job as your parents. We didn¡¯t do any of that with expectations of repayment.¡± ¡°Well, this is my job as your son. Arguing will do you no good. I¡¯m almost thirty and can do what I want.¡± Udit glared at his son for a solid moment. He sighed when Nil¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t falter. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been sending Emmy money all of this time.¡± ¡°How long have you known?¡± Nil asked. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°When she claimed to have a National Insurance number at fourteen. No legit job under twenty brings in what you were giving her. Your sister isn¡¯t particularly discreet when she¡¯s on the phone, either.¡± Udit chuckled. He gave his son a hug before taking a seat. They stood in the garage littered with incomplete DIY projects and junk that needed fixing. A dismantled radio and two broken drawers sat on the workbench behind Udit. ¡°Things were hard after your mother passed, and I really appreciated the help, Son. Thank you.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re okay with all of this Summoned business?¡± ¡°Oh, hell no! However, I respect that you¡¯re a taxpaying adult and capable of making decisions. I just worry about you ending up like that friend of yours. What was her name?¡± Nil¡¯s heart sank as he guessed the subject of his father¡¯s point. Her visage stood leaning against the garage wall, watching and listening. He hadn¡¯t told his family about their relationship at her request. She worried chatter would get back to her family. They lived a forty-minute bus ride away, but the news spread swiftly through the Indian and especially the Bengali community. ¡°That¡¯s right. Aisha. She was a lovely girl, and I know you had a bit of PTSD after her passing. Just thinking about what her parents went through gives me¡ª¡± ¡°Well, I picked Brutal Battery, so things like that will never happen again around me,¡± Nil told his father. ¡°I nor anyone around me will end up like that. Now, do you want to watch me use Expend? I would really like to break some of these old projects you wasted my Saturdays on but never finished.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Udit sighed. ¡°Show me what you can do.¡± Nil targeted an old cannibalized dining table. They had removed the middle rectangular sections and only used the bordering semicircles. One half served as the base. Meanwhile, the table legs held up the other half of the circle. It was rough but solid. Udit and his son were supposed to sand it together, but things always got in the way. Then, they moved on to something else. An axe kick while empowering his movements with Expend turned the half-finished shoe rack into splinters. Next, Nil targeted a sideboard he had twisted his ankle unloading. His parents bought it from a charity store before his mother got sick. The drawers and doors needed fixing. Udit had tinkered with the hinges and handles but never found adequate replacements. They were supposed to sand and polish it, too. Father and son never got to it. A haymaker took care of it. Then, Nil broke the rest into smaller pieces so that the weekly rubbish truck would haul it away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just using half the ability?¡± Udit asked, rereading the description Nil had written out for him. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re only enhancing your movements and not releasing any energy through touch.¡± ¡°That¡¯s difficult to do without blowing my load,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Wording,¡± Udit stated sternly. ¡°Wording.¡± Both men burst out laughing when Nil repeated the word. ¡°Controlling how much energy I drain while empowering my movements is hard enough. I tried it again while hanging out with Andrew, and it¡¯s impossible not to empty the battery in a flash. The aftermath isn¡¯t particularly comfortable either.¡± ¡°So what is it like? An explosion.¡± ¡°Not quite. Perhaps it¡¯s easier to show than tell.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Udit frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want you getting hurt showing things off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just need to focus on the point of Expend and keep a stopper on the balloon.¡± ¡°Stopper on the balloon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s how I imagine it,¡± Nil explained. ¡°Absorb inflates the balloon, and Expend deflates it. I just have to keep my fingers on the mouth so I can pinch off the balloon when I¡¯m done using its contents. If I¡¯m too slow, I lose more than I intend. When Expending with touch alone, the pinch¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough pinches and balloons. Just show me without destroying the house¡ª¡± Udit paused, glancing between his son and the wall. ¡°¡ªor yourself, of course.¡± The battery was still mostly full from the antics at Andrew¡¯s scrap yard. So, Nil didn¡¯t worry about his energy stores. However, he had concerns regarding damaging his family home. So, he targeted an old apothecary table. Nil pressed his finger against its narrow side, ensuring he pointed away from the house and not at his father¡¯s car. He took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly before releasing the balloon¡¯s mouth only for half a second. Even though Nil tried to restrain the released energy, the balloon deflated to half its size. His fingertip burned, and it punched through the thick wood. Several cracks and miniature explosions sounded from within the apothecary table. Then, an eyeball section of the opposite side blew out. The woody shrapnel flew several feet. A couple made it halfway across the driveway. ¡°Damn that stings.¡± Nil winced, retrieving his finger and sucking on the tip. Udit inspected the apothecary table closely. The energy had blown through the entire length of the table, cutting a neat circle through the first couple of drawers. The shape lost its uniformity around two feet into the chest-like piece of furniture. Meanwhile, the exit hole was an uneven oval with rough edges. Cracks surrounded the holes furthest from the entry point. They spiderwebbed through the wound. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not planning to use that on someone¡¯s head,¡± Udit commented. He grabbed his son¡¯s hand and studied the burnt fingertip. The skin had charred around the point of contact. Concentrating the energy through such a minute point appeared to have significantly increased the damage. ¡°Yeah. It''s best if you don¡¯t use it until you understand the ability and have better control of it.¡± ¡°That was the idea. It feels like a last-ditch move.¡± ¡°What about recoil? Could you use it to jump a long distance or increase the length of your strides?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Layla, my Nexus caseworker, says intent has a lot to do with how these powers function. Perhaps my unwillingness to deal with recoil has something to do with the overheating and burns. I¡¯ll get back to you on that once I get better.¡± Father and son chatted and tested Brutal Battery¡¯s abilities for several hours. It was Sunday, but Udit still had a lot of work to do. Nil took care of the man¡¯s chores before helping his sister and cousin with theirs. Udit¡¯s poor health, aches and pains, and other issues became more apparent as the day went on. So, once Nil got a moment away from everyone, he checked the data Andrew had given him and finally called the contact. A short conversation later, he had a power demonstration and possible fight lined up. Nil had no intention of becoming Adrian Wilson. Wildshape wasn¡¯t just one of the few Gold Realm fighters in Great Britain. He had also opened a chain of luduses and equipped them with devices from Arthurtech¡ªowned by his brother, Arthur ¡®Technomancer¡¯ Wilson. The pair had found fame and fortune, and their influence had played a significant role in Summoned rights and privileges. Nil lacked the tenacity and opportunities to rise to the same level as them. He only wanted to do well enough to better provide for his family. 12. Cage Fight Or Death Match Left. Right. Kick. Left. Right. Kick. Elbow. Uppercut. Knee kick. Because of its illegal nature, the Pits didn¡¯t have a fixed staging ground. They rotated through several. Fighters and the audience members only received a general location of the event on the day. Then, mere minutes before things began, everyone received the precise location and a unique password. ¡°It helps them pinpoint rats,¡± Andrew had explained. ¡°How else will they know whose family to abduct and turn into an example?¡± Nil¡¯s first night as an illegal pit fighter took him into an abandoned industrial park in Greater West London. Andrew drove. They had spent a couple of hours waiting at a nearby pub until they received the message with the precise location and password. The pair left the car there and walked the mile to their destination, wearing hoods and keeping their heads low. The pair found themselves at an abandoned warehouse. Only similarly dressed, shady individuals walked the complex. Most looked like staff or other fighters. A skinny man in a black suit and skeletal facepaint greeted them at the door. A similarly dressed colleague guided them to a long, abandoned, and stripped bathroom. Bare, rusted pipes stuck out of the walls, and the room had a musty smell. ¡°Are there no proper locker rooms?¡± Andrew had asked the man. ¡°Winners get changing rooms. Your buddy gets this. Block the door with¡ª¡± He looked past Nil at the bare room. It had nothing but a bench and a punching bag hanging from the ceiling. ¡°¡ªsomething. We¡¯ll send someone for you when it¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil said. The man threw a little bag at him and left without saying anything. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally,¡± Andrew said. ¡°I¡¯ve worked on and off for these guys for a couple of years, and they¡¯re almost always like this. The staff are forever changing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Nil changed out of his hoody and jeans into a loose basketball jersey and boxing shorts and started warm-up drills immediately. The six-foot-tall punching bag gave him an excellent tool for warming up. ¡°Why always three-hit combos?¡± Andrew asked after watching him for several minutes silently. He had opened the bag the organizers left Nil. It included a pale blue mask, a matching vest, and dark-blue shorts. ¡°Habit. I suppose.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°Why even bother with hits? You could just push and jump around with Expend.¡± ¡°True. But I won¡¯t always get to Expend. I¡¯ll spend most of my time channeling Absorb until a good enough opportunity shows up.¡± ¡°Are you channeling Absorb right now?¡± ¡°Always,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I¡¯m trying to keep it up constantly. During the quest, I was defending on instinct. Unless a foe can hit me hard enough to fill my energy banks with one hit, why even bother blocking or using guard stances? I should keep striking while I Absorb. When the relentless assault tires them out, then I can switch to Expend and fuck them up.¡± ¡°It works, I suppose.¡± Andrew sighed. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not going to use your most potent tool.¡± ¡°It''s too powerful, and I don¡¯t want to kill anyone during the fight. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d be better off hiding it as a trump card if I¡¯m ever in trouble or until I get into Apocalypse Arena? Their magic will minimize the risks of me accidentally killing someone, and I¡¯ll have protections if I do.¡± ¡°You¡¯re entering the pits, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said. He grabbed Nil¡¯s shoulder while he was mid-punch. Absorb ensured the act didn¡¯t slow or deter him. Nil was getting into the habit of releasing morsels of energy with every third strike, always keeping Brutal Battery below capacity. The act gave him a headache, but he could slowly feel his control over the ability improving. Brutal Battery: Mortal 3 ¡°You¡¯ll likely face kill-or-be-killed situations,¡± Andrew continued. ¡°Sure. Some of the fighters are desperate, decent people like you. But far more are thugs, gangsters, and far worse, out to make a quick buck or feed their demons. Promise me that if things get too dangerous, you¡¯ll stop holding back and do what is necessary.¡± Nil stared at his childhood friend for a moment. Andrew liked to play the relaxed stoner, but he could see the determination, fear, and care in his expression. ¡°I promise. Don¡¯t forget, Andy, I¡¯m doing this for my family. There will be no money for them if I die. Staying alive and in fighting shape is among my top priorities.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Good. Now stop using three-hit combos.¡± Andrew took a step back and studied Nil¡¯s form. ¡°I might not know how to fight, but people who do might try to capitalize on the habit. Mix things up a bit.¡± ¡°What? Throwing in elbows and knees isn¡¯t mixing it up enough?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only fought civilians before. Now, you¡¯ll face Summoned, who¡¯ve probably had more time to practice with their powers than you. You need to be unpredictable.¡± Andrew pulled up his custom aethertech screen and played clips from several fights simultaneously. ¡°Most people in the pits have flashy powers or use tools and weapons to complement their abilities. Meanwhile, Brutal Battery doesn¡¯t have any visible cues. Use that to your advantage. People won¡¯t know whether you¡¯ll attack or defend.¡± ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t supposed to talk about you stealing and holding on to recordings of the pits!¡± Nil hissed, pushing the screen down. ¡°They could be watching us.¡± ¡°Relax. I already glitched out their bugs.¡± Andrew grinned. ¡°I might not be an Artisan, but I know my way around Aethertech. Besides, the idiots are using the shit I sold them. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d leave the backdoor open for myself?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing shit like that, and you¡¯re scared for me?¡± Nil rolled his eyes. ¡°They¡¯re going to chop you up and feed you to piranhas for doing shit like that?¡± ¡°Piranhas?¡± Andrew burst out laughing. ¡°This is neither a cartoon nor a James Bond film, Sunny-Boi. They won¡¯t go through that much trouble for me. I¡¯m more likely to end up with a bullet in the back of the head. Worst case scenario, they immolate or zap me.¡± ¡°How are you so nonchalant about this?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You get used to the world you live in,¡± Andrew answered. He held the mask up to the light. ¡°Put these on. Let''s see what you look like.¡± The vest tightened around Nil¡¯s torso. It was uncomfortable at first, but then, a moment later, he felt nothing at all. The garment had molded to his skin, outlining every muscle and groove. Fortunately, the shorts didn¡¯t do the same. They remained baggy, and almost came down to his knees. The pants looked a lot like cargo shorts and were surprisingly comfortable. Nil took a moment to admire himself. He looked a lot like a character from an old fighting video game. Then Andrew put the mask on him. Much like the vest, it molded to his face, covering everything above his nostrils. Padding masked his nose shape and cheekbones. Holes left his eyes exposed. It set over the sides and top of his head like a skull cap and stopped halfway down the ears. ¡°This is decent material,¡± Nil commented, running his finger over the organizer¡¯s gifts. "Fantastic craftsmanship, too. It feels aethertech, if not Artisan, made.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it is. The Pits make money by putting on a good show and relying on fighters who voluntarily return. They want independent agents protected from bookkeepers and gamblers. It also doesn¡¯t look too good if someone tries to blackmail an employee or fighter. The people here might be on the wrong side of the law, but they run everything professionally.¡± Drills in the new outfit proved swifter. The tight top meant Nil¡¯s opponent couldn¡¯t use it for a grab. After some thought, he purposely depleted his stores by a quarter of capacity, leaving room to Absorb his opponent''s opening attack. Nil was in the middle of hydrating when a knock at the door and a hoarse voice told him it was time. His heart rate immediately picked up, and he felt a tightness along his temples. Deep breathing did little to alleviate the anxiety. It wasn¡¯t like rushing in to save someone in trouble. Adrenaline took care of most issues in such situations. It wasn¡¯t like fighting a fellow civilian during a sparring match, either. His opponent was to be a Summoned with unknown capabilities. Apocalypse Arena generally grouped individuals with similar combat roles together in solo fights. Melee fighters fought other melee fighters. Ranged attackers usually only faced other ranged attackers. Summoners and mages received the same treatment. The Pits had no such guarantees. The same suited man that had brought them to the staging room retrieved them. He guided the pair through corridors and areas with significantly more people than before. The venue appeared crowded now and Nil was glad had had a mask protecting his identity. Andrew had thrown on a pair of sunglasses and also tied a scarf around his mouth. ¡°You stop here,¡± the man said, blocking Andrew as they approached the main warehouse floor. He nodded at a flight of stairs heading to the flower above. ¡°Signs will guide you to the viewing area.¡± ¡°Remember what I told you, alright?¡± Andrew told Nil. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you win or lose. Just come out of this alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you on the other side.¡± The ¡®fighting pit¡¯ looked like nothing more than a standard warehouse floor at first. Then, Nil crossed a green line on the ground, and it was like he had stepped into another world. Ruins surrounded him, and a clear night sky full of stars twinkled above. Bioluminescent moss and other flora illuminated the world around him. The plants, their colors, and their lights gave an alien feeling to the world around him. Nil¡¯s surroundings looked like rare images of the cities ravaged by the cataclysm. Otherworldly plant life and creatures that emerged through the dimensional rifts had taken over. The clips Andrew had shown him included caves, quarries, and old railyards. None had involved such an environment. ¡°Presenting, in his debut fight, Little Fist!¡± A woman¡¯s voice spoke directly into his ear. She sounded like a cheery Apocalypse Arena announcer. When Nil¡¯s vest flashed, he knew she was talking about him. He hadn¡¯t picked the name and guessed Andrew was behind it. ¡°The pint-sized brute might not look like much, but our testers assure us that he¡¯s more than capable. We all enjoy the bastards who keep punching and refuse to go down, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Facing him, ladies, gentlemen, and whatever the rest of you want to call yourselves, we have an old favorite back for another bout.¡± Another light flashed in the distance. Nil couldn¡¯t be sure, but it looked like a rotund man who stood several inches taller than him. ¡°Burning Sands has resurfaced after six months of not even a hello! What¡¯s wrong, buddy? Blew through all of your savings, did you?¡± Nil imagined the crowd cheering and laughing at her commentary. Then again. He had yet to learn what kind of audience visited or invested in the Pits to allow for such grand and high-budget setups. ¡°None of that matters right now,¡± he whispered, reminding himself of the current threat. He knew nothing about his enemy besides the name he used in the pits: Burning Sands. If the person had elemental or heat-based powers, Nil was in trouble. 13. Little Fist vs Burning Sands Despite the rubble, metal scraps, and shards of glass in the grass, Nil walked without boots. Absorb ensured he made no noise as he walked and also kept the debris from shredding his soles. Whenever Brutal Battery¡¯s levels edged closer to capacity, he momentarily used Expend to cover great distances in bounding leaps. The long air time gave him enough of an opportunity to switch to Absorb, resulting in soundless landings. Meanwhile, Nil¡¯s opponent made no attempts to keep silent. Glass cracked, and stones skittered under his boots. Meanwhile, a strange scraping sound accompanied him wherever he went. Nil could hear him moving ahead along adjacent streets. Instead of directly approaching his opponent, he moved through alleys and across rooftops, circling around the man to get behind him. Burning Sands was a six-foot-tall man with a big belly. He appeared in no shape for the fight. Every bit of him jiggled as he moved, and he walked with an almost penguin-like waddle. However, the announcer¡¯s familiarity with the fighter and the sand swirling around him told Nil not to take the man lightly. Each grain under his control emitted a soft orange glow. Dark wisps moved along the floor and joined everything his power controlled. Not all of the new grains glowed. However, all the luminous flora they touched lost their bioluminescence and ended up blackened and charred. As the mass the man controlled grew, he condensed some of it into tendrils that danced with the swirling sands. The orange flecks bits combined with the natural pink, blue, and green lights, adding an incandescent touch to the ruined city¡¯s beauty. The man hadn¡¯t attacked or defended yet, but his Schema-given ability already looked fascinating and enchanting. Andrew claimed the Pit organizers liked fighters who put on a good show. Nil could see how Burning Sands met the brief. Haunting Visage walked around the man, inspecting him closely like a description placard at an art museum. Her eyes betrayed concern. The longer Nil delayed, the more dangerous his opponent would become. The sand cloud appeared to grow with every step the man took. So, he attacked first. Instead of charging in, he used a skill Andrew and he developed together. Discussing Brutal Battery and the Schema''s description of it with Andrew and Udit led Nil to the conclusion that not everything the screens told him was strictly accurate. Too much was lost in translation. Expend didn''t just empower movements but also increased the amount of power he could output, and it didn''t just limit itself to strikes, pushes, or jumps. If not for Armsmaster¡¯s Disappointment, Nil could turn into a battlefield terror with nothing but a hammer. Despite the curse, they had experimented with one, and he turned a wall into rubble with a single swing. He threw up from the terrible flashbacks and nausea afterward and almost broke a toe after dropping the hammer on his foot. However, it gave Nil a decent idea of what could''ve been and also let him discover the curse''s parameters firsthand. Moments later, when he picked up the hammer, channeled Expend, and threw it, no memories of failure plagued him. His motor skills didn''t deteriorate. So, Nil and Andrew had spent the following days sharpening his aim and improving his timing with Expend. Switching from Absorb to Expend required concentration and focus, and the reverse was almost as difficult. However, Nil faced no such challenges using either from a neutral state. In fact, using the more finicky Expend proved easier if he didn''t channel Absorb for two seconds prior to activation. So, Nil snuck closer to his opponent, using the crumbling buildings and flora as cover. Once close enough, he ceased channeling Absorb and grabbed the hardest and most evenly shaped stone within sight. Then he aimed, took a deep breath, released his hold on the imaginary balloon, and threw with all his might. The act reduced his stored energy to a quarter, and the projectile shot forth like a cannonball. Unfortunately, Burning Sands appeared to have a passive defense. The grains swirling around him condensed and shot upwards, forming a curved barrier. It stopped the rock, rippling as it dispersed the force across the many grains, and then let the projectile drop silently on the ground. The visage recoiled and retreated, almost behaving as if the glowing orange grains had struck her. Nil and Burning Sand¡¯s eyes met. The latter¡¯s expression made him look like a dumb brute. He wore a brown jumpsuit and had a white scarf draped around him. The black eyeliner and mascara around his eyes made him look like a sleep-deprived panda. Then, he smiled, and Nil saw nothing but rage and malice. Mage or Summoner discipline. Both need high Mind. The cosplay looks stupid but he probably isn¡¯t. The man flicked his wrist at Nil, and two sandy tentacles swung toward him. An Expend-powered kick helped him push out of the first¡¯s path. He switched to Absorb just in time, blocking the second. The tentacle didn''t completely come to a stop like the swipes, slashes, and hammer swings Nil had endured before. Instead, it dissolved into him, and sand rained around his feet. Some got in his mouth, leaving Nil sputtering as he retreated further from his opponent. The air in the arena was cool, but a dry heat consumed Nil as he fled the sand. His throat dried, and sweat beaded around his temples. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Two more projectiles shot at Burning Sands, but the results didn¡¯t change. However, watching the sands rush back to their master told Nil that his opponent couldn¡¯t attack and defend simultaneously. Only a fifth of his energy remained, so he ceased the assault, got to a safe distance, kneeled, and studied his opponent. The low stance made him a smaller target and also masked his next movement. ¡°That''s an interesting power,¡± Burning Sands said. He sounded friendly, but Nil knew better, looking at the man''s manic expression. The sand slowly trickled back towards him. Nil noticed the masses swirling around his opponent had grown in the moments since the attack. ¡°You''re pretty passive, though. Don''t tell me you just ascended.¡± Nil didn''t answer. Instead, he went on the offensive. The single tentacle strike had filled the balloon by a third of its maximum capacity. It had power but lacked speed. Nil needed to get past his opponent¡¯s defense and strike first. Expend-powered strides helped Nil close the distance quicker, and he purposely let the balloon almost empty, creating maximum room for absorption. Then, when he saw his opponent wind up another attack, he immediately switched to Absorb. Two strikes and uncomfortably warm sand exploded against his body, filling Brutal Battery and almost throwing him off balance. The heat left his face, eyes, and throat stinging. However, Nil got within striking distance of his opponent. ¡°My. My. Aren''t we brave?¡± After every attack, the man appeared to need a couple of moments to gather his sand. So, Nil skidded to a halt, planted his left heel in the ground, channeled Expend, and launched a roundhouse kick. Burning Sands threw up a barrier just in time to weaken the blow before it struck his belly, folding him in half and throwing him back several feet. Scratches and burns covered Nil''s leg, and sweat coated his back, but he pushed on, refusing to let his opponent recover. He leaped forward and pulled back a fist, ready to strike the supine man''s head and, hopefully, knock him out. All the gathered sand buffeted Nil at once. A dense mass struck his abdomen mid-stride, and the unbearable heat choked him while the force threw him back. A sudden panic took over as Nil struggled to breathe, and it felt like several tiny ants were ripping at his chest from the inside. A moment later, he landed on his back, coughing. The sand retreated, and Nil did the same. By the time he activated Absorb again, Brutal Battery''s stores had emptied. The balloon didn''t remain deflated for long. When Nil regained his wits, he found the visage waving at him urgently. A giant glowing fist of sand and fire swung down toward him. Despite his previous declaration of staying on the offensive while Absorb was active, he threw his arms over his face. It was more on reflex than intentional. The move proved life-saving. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores jumped to full, and the residual force rattled Nil''s skeleton. All of his joints and ribs groaned. Then came the unbearable heat. He felt it burn his skin as sand tried to sneak into every available orifice. It was as Andrew had warned him. Kill or be killed. His opponent intended to suffocate or burn him alive. Instead of retreating to its owner, the sand encased Nil and squeezed. He could do nothing to reduce the pressure around his chest with Brutal Battery at capacity. Barely any air remained in his lungs, and panic fought adrenaline. A desperate idea came together, and he put it into action without a second thought. Nil used Expend''s dual function. He released the stored energy through touch. Instead of channeling it through a focused surface, he let the energy leave through every inch of skin that felt sand against it. The balloon deflated all at once. A miniature explosion followed, and the force of it lifted Nil off the ground. All sand flew off his body. Parts of his vest, shorts, and mask left him too. Nil landed, coughing and spitting blood. Adrenaline helped him roll onto his back and channel Absorb. He couldn¡¯t tell if the energy release had burned him since it felt like all of him was on fire. Expend has progressed to Mortal 4! The fight was far from over. So, he gritted his teeth, jumped to his feet, and raced at Burning Sands. Fear, shock, and surprise filled the man¡¯s eyes. A sandblast struck Nil, but it was significantly weaker than all he had faced thus far and only refilled three-quarters of the energy he Expended while closing the distance. Since all of him was burning, he no longer felt the heat. Instead, he focused on his breathing and tried to keep his blurring vision focused. A sand barrier blocked an Expend-powered punch, but then he released a third of his stored energy through his fist. The shield exploded, and the residual force sent Burning Sands staggering. Darkness had started to encroach on Nil¡¯s vision, but he kept pushing. The next strike missed, but then a spinning roundhouse kick knocked his opponent on his back. Unfortunately, Nil had already blown all of his remaining energy because of his compromised control. A sand tentacle whipped him across his chest. It sliced skin, and blood sizzled as it landed on the hot sand on the ground. Nil¡¯s blurring vision focused enough to see the visage. Aisha¡¯s concerned eyes darted to his left, and he activated Absorb just in time to block another whip. Then more followed, lashing at him at high speeds. The blows slowly inflated the balloon. Burning Sands started to rise. The darkness encroaching on Nil¡¯s vision accelerated, but he could see the fear on his opponent''s painted face. The glowing grains had dimmed, too. More sand lay inert on the ground than in the man''s control. There was a chance he could win. You can do this! He''s almost out of energy. Nil stumbled forward and kicked at Burning Sand''s face. He missed and lost his footing. His vision narrowed to a pinpoint, and he heard his opponent¡¯s winded words just before everything went black. ¡°Just stay down, you fucking idiot!¡± Might has progressed to Mortal 8! 14. Failure Should Be Our Teacher When Nil stirred, his muscles ached with the characteristic discomforts of anaerobic respiration. It was like a heavy internal ache accompanied by a burning sensation. However, his skin, lungs, ears, and eyes felt just fine. It took a moment to blink away the blurriness. No burns or blisters covered Nil¡¯s arms. He sat up and was pleased to find the rest of him was in a similarly pristine condition. ¡°Ah, good. You¡¯re awake.¡± A middle-aged woman with a deadpan expression and tired voice stood on the opposite side of the room, attending to someone in the only other cot. ¡°Get out. We¡¯re going need the bed any second now.¡± The woman nodded at the gym bag by the door. ¡°You can change in the toilets next door.¡± ¡°Did I win?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The woman shrugged. ¡°Someone will find you once you¡¯re done changing.¡± When Nil idled, a hint of irritation entered her voice. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you again. Get out.¡± Nil did as told. Unlike the space he used as his changing room and warm-up area, the men¡¯s room was pristine with intact commodities. Nil stripped after locking the door. Burning Sands had ripped his vest into shreds. Meanwhile, his shorts and mask had mostly survived. The former had burn holes along the hem, while the latter had suffered friction tears. Patches of his hair stuck out through the new openings. The woman had done an excellent job of healing him. Despite the aches from the buildup of lactic acid, he felt as good as new. Something seemed different as Nil studied himself in the mirror. The increased Might and intense training regimen was starting to mold his physique into something he typically associated with steroid abuse, but that wasn¡¯t it. He called up his Schema interface, looking for anything out of place. Brutal Battery: Mortal 4 Curses: Even though Finesse had a higher potential rank, Might benefited from natural growth first. It didn¡¯t surprise Nil. He had put his body through significant punishment while practicing switching between Absorb and Expend and back again. He had increased his strength training regimen, too, hoping to improve his effectiveness while channeling Absorb. Brutal Battery had also gained a rank as Expend grew. Nothing gave him a clue of what might¡¯ve changed. ¡°You going to be long in there?¡± Knocking at the door, followed by Andrew¡¯s voice, snapped Nil back to reality. ¡°Just a second,¡± he replied. Nil splashed water on his face and swiftly dressed without drying his hands, feeling glad he had brought a change of clothes. Before exiting the toilets, he wrapped a scarf around his nose and mouth and pulled his hood up. Andrew and another man awaited him. The latter wore the same sunglasses and suit as the other organizers but no face paint. ¡°You put on a hell of a show.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m¡ª¡± The man took a step back and threw his hands up when Nil tried to shake one. ¡°No names. No touching.¡± The man¡¯s words were curt and brisk. He glanced at Andrew, frowning. ¡°Where did you find this guy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a boy scout.¡± Andrew grinned. He wore a pair of large sunglasses, too. It did a good job of hiding his eyes and upper cheekbones. ¡°But that¡¯s the type of guy you want, right? Honest and only interested in fighting.¡± ¡°No,¡± the organizer replied. ¡°They always grow a conscience when things go wrong and end up going to the police.¡± ¡°I might be new to this, but I¡¯m not that naive,¡± Nil said. ¡°Anonymity is key. I think it would be best if I just contact you through your friend until you get used to how we do things here.¡± ¡°So?¡± Nil expectantly glanced between Andrew and the organizer. ¡°What happened? Did I win?¡± Andrew smiled at him sheepishly, shaking his head. ¡°It was a close match,¡± the organizer said. ¡°In the end, Burning Sands was conscious. You weren¡¯t.¡± Then he handed Nil an envelope. ¡°You put on an amazing show, though. The odds said you wouldn¡¯t last five minutes, and you pissed a lot of people off by taking the stealthy approach and circling behind him. People don¡¯t expect Brutes to display stealth or strategy.¡± The man went silent for a moment. Nil could feel the eyes behind the sunglasses scrutinizing him. ¡°You¡¯re not quite a Brute, are you? I¡¯ve never seen a Brute move without making any noise, exploding, or releasing shockwaves with his punches. Is it a sonic power of some sort?¡± ¡°Am I needed to disclose the details of my power to come back?¡± Nil asked, checking the envelope¡¯s contents. ¡°No, but the bookkeepers and matchmakers would appreciate the information. Count it if you want. A win is fifty thousand. A loss is ten thousand. We deducted three thousand for healing fees.¡± ¡°Three thousand?¡± Andrew raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s steep, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What are you, his manager?¡± The organizer asked, sounding amused. ¡°I suppose.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Next time, ensure your client doesn¡¯t get hurt or is conscious enough to consent to or reject healing.¡± ¡°Next time? You want me back after I get my ass kicked.¡± ¡°How the fuck are we supposed to operate if we don¡¯t welcome losers back? This is a business, buddy. Anyway. You put on an excellent show and got the crowd riled up with your tenacity and the surprises. That makes you great for profits, and you¡¯re welcome to return whenever you¡¯d like. We¡¯ll inform your manager of future events. He knows how to sort things out.¡± The organizer walked away without goodbyes. Nil felt like a naive dolt in a neighborhood where he didn¡¯t belong. Unlike Andrew, he had grown up in a reasonably well-off and protected area of Greater London. Unwillingness to get involved in the same circles as Andrew meant Nil didn¡¯t have much experience with the shadier side of life either. But if Nil wanted to make money as a fighter outside of Apocalypse Arena, he needed to swiftly get used to the darker side of life. ¡°Stick around and check out future competition, or leave?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°Leave,¡± Nil answered. ¡°You look taller, by the way.¡± The pair followed the signs to the exit and walked briskly from the industrial park. Shady individuals hung around the building and along the abandoned, poorly lit streets. Fortunately, no one approached them. The smell of someone¡¯s smoke attracted Andrew, but Nil dragged him away. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your stash. You don¡¯t need more.¡± ¡°But it smells so good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fucking ravenous. Food. Then home. I¡¯m sleeping at yours.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Andrew sighed. The pair stopped at a kebab shop near the pub and got shawarma wraps. It had a healthy amount of salad, fries, and garlic sauce, making for a satisfying bite. The pair mostly ate in silence. It was tempting to discuss the fight, but they agreed to limit such conversations to when they were alone and far from eavesdroppers. They bought a six-pack of wheat beer before starting their drive to the scrap yard. Andrew broke the silence. ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Sunil Roy, Mr Illegal Fight Organizer. It''s nice to meet you!¡± ¡°I get it. I''m a fish out of water. You don''t have to rub it in my face.¡± ¡°I know you suffered head trauma before your summoning, but did it knock the smarts out of you and leave the friendly idiot behind?¡± ¡°I get it. I fucked up. In the real world, it''s seen as basic professional conduct.¡± ¡°Let''s get something straight, Sunny-boi. This is the real world. There are more pits, gangs, and everything else than fancy, pretentious restaurants where you tweezer food like a Real Housewifes¡¯ eyebrow.¡± ¡°Desperate Housewife?¡± ¡°No. Don''t be that guy.¡± ¡°What guy?¡± Nil asked, feigning ignorance. ¡°The assholes who pretend they''re too good to know that reality TV exists. It makes you look as pretentious as the assholes your restaurant used to serve.¡± Nil caught a glimpse of the visage out of the corner of his eye. She sat in the backseat of Andrew''s car, giggling without making a noise. His silent companion of seven years appeared to have developed the resemblance of a personality since his ascension. It was a brutal sight that left his chest feeling tight, but he couldn''t help but smile. It was nice having his friend back. He enjoyed Andrew''s nonstop blabbering and ribbing. It was who he was. ¡°I''ll do better next time, alright?¡± Nil smiled. ¡°It''s how I was raised.¡± Andrew paused his joking rant and smiled. He glanced at his friend and then back at the road. ¡°I miss your mum. She was always nice to me.¡± ¡°Really? I don''t remember one conversation where she wasn''t scolding you.¡± ¡°It''s more than my mum ever did.¡± Nil knew Andrew didn''t have the greatest home life. Neither of them discussed the topic while they were young, but he remembered Andrew spending every evening after school at his house and coming by before breakfast, too. ¡°She told me off often, but that was my fault. Your mum always had a lunchbox ready for me and always ensured I never left your house without eating.¡± The arrangement had felt so natural to Nil. He never thought about it. The frequency of Andrew¡¯s visits dropped following the cataclysm, and even more so after he changed schools, but they''d still see each other regularly. The visits stopped altogether after his mother screamed at Andrew for bringing marijuana into her house, but she never told Nil to end the friendship. ¡°I missed you, too, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said, gently stopping at a traffic light. ¡°Hanging out with you again¡ª¡± Nil thought it appropriate to punch his childhood friend''s left forearm, interrupting him. He held back, of course. His Might was now more than a couple of ranks above the human average. Andrew pulled the hand brake and put the car in park before glaring at him. Then, the two friends burst into laughter. They threw fists at one another and attempted blocking or dodging. When the lights turned green, and they set off again, the civilian of the pair was panting and red in the face but grinning from ear to ear. It was like they were teenagers again. ¡°What the fuck was that knuckle hit?¡± Nil asked afterward, still laughing and rubbing his forehead. ¡°You like that, do you?¡± Andrew held up his fist. The middle finger¡¯s first joint stuck out just above the rest. ¡°I call that the Lumpfish Strike.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you named it.¡± Both men burst into laughter again. ¡°Why Lumpfish Strike?¡± ¡°You got a weird fishhead, and it''s got a lump now, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Andrew asked after catching his breath. ¡°I know you lost, but you did amazing tonight. It was an unfair match-up. A first-time Brute shouldn''t be fighting a mage or whatever Burning Sands was.¡± ¡°Is it me, or was he in cosplay?¡± ¡°He was. I think it''s a part of his shtick. Bro likes to emulate the anime character with the same power set. The organizers let regulars and winners design their outfits. Within reason, of course.¡± Andrew paused when an Arthurtech van with police colors drove by. Their presence increased as they crossed borough borders into a more secure area. He only continued after they passed a checkpoint. ¡°Either way. You would''ve won if not for the burning part of Burning Sands. The healer said you were pretty dehydrated and on the verge of a heat stroke.¡± ¡°If I''m lucky Absorb will expand to include heat, energy attacks, and more at higher ranks,¡± Nil said. ¡°I can''t do much besides guard and avoid until then. That thing with Expend proved decent though.¡± ¡°It looked fucking amazing,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°It looked like you were going supernova or Super Saiyan.¡± ¡°Rest In Peace, Lord Toriyama,¡± Nil said. ¡°Rest In Peace,¡± Andrew repeated. ¡°So what''s next? Another fight, or is this enough to tide you over until your next summoning?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It''s enough for the house and for the four of us to live on. But I still need to pay rent in my old place and gather funds for Ludus registration fees.¡± ¡°End your tenancy. Move in with me until you figure things out. It might not be the most glamorous of places, but you can train to your heart''s content and don''t have to explain your whereabouts to your dad or Emily.¡± ¡°Thanks, Andy. I''ll think about it.¡± 15. Life Moves Forward Emily and Udit weren¡¯t happy when Nil declared his decision to move in with Andrew temporarily. ¡°No son of mine is going to live in a bloody junkyard.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Andrew sell weed?¡± Emily demanded. ¡°What are you thinking? What about your apartment?¡± ¡°Breathe,¡± Nil said, keeping his tone calm and voice low. He placed his hands on his sister¡¯s shoulders. She had inherited their mother¡¯s quick temper. ¡°Andrew stopped dealing weed a long time ago. He got a decent inheritance when his mum died. Maybe it was life insurance. I don¡¯t know. He used it to start his own business, recycling scrap metal and chopping up aethertech. I know he¡¯s rough around the edges, but he¡¯s doing well for himself.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯ll be living in a junkyard.¡± Udit didn¡¯t get agitated like Emily. He remained calm but cold. ¡°That¡¯s not the life I want for you. You can¡¯t spend all your damned money on us and then live like a hobo.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, Baba.¡± Nil struggled to contain a chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re imagining, but Andrew lives adjacent to his junkyard, not in it. Besides, there is no better place for me to train until I get into a ludus. It¡¯s isolated. The noise of his crusher and electromagnet will cover all of my chaos, and I have a ton of stuff to destroy as I test. It¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you can¡¯t just stay here or in your own place and just visit him like you¡¯re doing now.¡± Emily pushed. She still appeared unconvinced. ¡°One. This place is too small for four of us. Sleeping on the air mattress is killing my back and¡ª¡± ¡°We could get a sofabed,¡± Sam said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t change the fact that this place is too small for four people, buddy,¡± Nil said, ruffling his cousin¡¯s hair. ¡°My apartment is too far away and too expensive. Crashing at Andrew¡¯s will help me save a bunch, and then I can join a ludus.¡± He glanced at his father, continuing before the man could get a word in or protest. ¡°There are plenty that won¡¯t force me into a government job or Apocalypse Arena. Residency in a regulated ludus and separation from civilian populations will win family tax breaks and several perks as well. Cheaper fuel and groceries. Subsidized, private medical care. Emmy and Sam will get priority admission to better sixth forms, colleges, and universities. It is worth it, Baba, and I¡¯ve already made my mind up in that regard.¡± ¡°The government doesn¡¯t really want Summoned living at home, do they?¡± Udit sighed. ¡°It makes sense when an accidental Expend could kill an ordinary person and then some. At least it''s an option and not compulsory. It will be better this way. It''s not like I¡¯ll be in prison. I¡¯ll have the freedom to go out, visit, and hang around here all I want. As long as I spend most of my nights at the ludus and train there, I¡¯ll be in compliance, and you¡¯ll get your benefits. It will be nice being around Summoneds, too. At higher realms, when quests allow multiple people to join up together, I can do it with friends instead of random. That¡¯s a higher chance of me coming back alive.¡± Udit glared at his son for an uncomfortably long time before his shoulders slumped. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°What about your current tenancy?¡± Emily asked. ¡°Your asshole landlord¡ª¡± ¡°Language.¡± Udit cleared his throat and got a laugh out of Sam. ¡°Sorry. Your landlord can¡¯t be willing to release you from your contract just like that, can he?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been on a rolling deal for the past six months,¡± Nil replied. ¡°He¡¯s being a bit of an ass¡ª¡± He hesitated, glancing at Sam and got an eye roll in response. ¡°Not particularly nice. I cleaned out the apartment, left everything spick and span, and sent him photos, too. He dodged my request to do an inventory walkthrough and now is trying to take half the deposit.¡± Udit frowned. ¡°Did he not store the deposit with a regulated body?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°Even though I¡¯ve been with him for close to two years, he claims it''s more like a holiday letting. After getting the job, I was in a hurry and desperate for a nearby place to stay, so I probably didn¡¯t read the contract well enough. Either way, I told him he was living up to the stereotype and proving to be a crook through and through. So, he told me only to contact him through his lawyer and blocked my number.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good.¡± Emily shot their father a concerned look. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°It did the job,¡± Nil shrugged. "The lawyer emailed me, and I threatened to take the matter to the Citizens Advice Bureau and Summoned Rights Board. Atif sent me an email within the hour requesting to forget the matter and only took a hundred from the two thousand. Technically, he owes me that, too, but fighting him for it didn¡¯t feel like the trouble.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t pay to be nice to people like him,¡± Udit grumbled. ¡°People like Atif give Indian landlords a bad name. I don¡¯t support your below-the-belt statement, son, but it got the job done.¡± Andrew arrived not long after with a truck and a couple of friends. The unannounced visit caught Udit, Emily, and Sam by surprise. Nil had told them to move their clothes into suitcases so he could clean out their bedrooms and fix some damage but hadn¡¯t elaborated much regarding his plans. ¡°Are we getting burgled?¡± Sam asked, getting a laugh from the visitors. Nil and the three worked together to empty Emily and Sam''s bedroom. They ripped up the old carpet before, scraping off mold and patching holes, and then applied a fresh coat of paint to the walls. Then, they put in new wooden flooring and replaced the old furniture with refurbished, better-quality replacements. Their replacement decks had new air screens and swivel chairs. ¡°I''ve rigged them for work only,¡± Andrew said. ¡°Social media is disgusting and rots the brain.¡± He later took Udit aside and gave him a similar handheld device. ¡°You have parental controls. The internet is full of extra scary shots nowadays. Best if Sam stays away from them.¡± The exchange left Udit¡¯s mouth hanging agape. Andrew¡¯s responsible behavior surprised everyone, unsurprisingly. Nil hoped the experience would put his folks at ease about the decision to stay with him for a while. The knowledge that Andrew hooked him up with good, local, affordable tradesmen certainly helped. It took them most of the Saturday, but they dealt with all problem areas and replaced a few major kitchen appliances, too. Nil regretted not relying on Andrew for his previous spending spree because the man would¡¯ve cut his costs in half. By the end of the day, everybody was happy but tired. He treated everyone to dim sum from the local Chinese takeaway. It wasn¡¯t as great as the offerings of Chinatown near Picadilly Circus, but still satisfactory. They were in the middle of a cheerful dinner in the back garden when Nil received a call from an unknown number. ¡°Mr Sunil Roy?¡± ¡°Speaking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Katherine Park. I hope I''m not interrupting anything.¡± Nil racked his brain, trying to place the name. Unfortunately, his memory came up short. ¡°Korean police officer? I drove you to the registration center following your first Summoning.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Nil remembered taking the woman''s card but didn''t recall reading it or where he put it. ¡°How can I help you, Officer Park?¡± ¡°I just wanted to check in on you,¡± Katherine said. ¡°How are you settling into Summoned life?¡± ¡°It doesn''t feel any different, to be honest. I lost my job but, apparently, that''s a natural part of Summoned life.¡± ¡°I''m sorry to hear that. But, yes. The stats say most Summoned go through a change of employment not long after their ascension.¡± She sighed. ¡°Have you given joining a ludus much thought?¡± ¡°I have. Unfortunately, it''s currently beyond my means. I''m taking things slow right now, but I will have the necessary funds after another summoning or two.¡± ¡°That''s great. It''s good to have a plan.¡± Katherine Park paused for a moment, and an awkward silence followed. Nil was about to ask her if she had any other questions before ending the call. ¡°Are you doing anything tomorrow afternoon?¡± ¡°No. Why do you ask, Officer¡ª¡± ¡°Just Katherine or Katie is fine,¡± she interrupted. ¡°I was wondering if you''d like to meet me for lunch. My treat, of course." ¡°Oh.¡± Nil¡¯s eyes immediately drifted to Aisha¡¯s visage. Like always, she hovered nearby while he went about his life. The visage had become such a natural part of his existence that he almost forgot that it was there. Now, he could look nowhere but at her. She smiled and waved at him as the uncomfortable silence dragged on. It wasn¡¯t the first time someone had asked him on a date since Aisha¡¯s passing. He mostly said no. The few times he had gone out with someone, the visage¡¯s presence soured the experience. Even on the rare occasions he had a good time, no entanglement lasted for more than a few weeks. It wasn¡¯t that Nil didn¡¯t want a regular life and a relationship. A hovering dead girlfriend made committing someone extremely difficult. He did his best to ignore Aisha if a date led to sex, but then seeing her afterward filled him with guilt. ¡°Hello? Are you still there, Mr Roy?¡± ¡°Yes. I am. Sorry, Katie. I spaced out for a moment there.¡± He tore his eyes away from Aisha¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Just Nil is fine. And yes. I¡¯d love to meet you for lunch.¡± ¡°Great. Are you still in your Foley Street apartment?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m living with a friend near South Harrow station.¡± ¡°That¡¯s convenient!¡± Katherine exclaimed. ¡°Are you familiar with Harrow-on-the-Hill station?¡± ¡°I grew up around there,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Perfect. How about we meet by the pretzel kiosk in St George¡¯s Mall tomorrow at noon?¡± ¡°That sounds great.¡± Andrew and Emily grinned at him. The pair made no attempts to conceal their eavesdropping. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± ¡°Did Sunny-boi just agree to a date?¡± Andrew asked as soon as the call ended. ¡°Oh my god, Nil,¡± Emily gushed, bouncing out of her chair. ¡°Who is she?! Tell me everything.¡± Everyone in the room, including Aisha¡¯s visage, looked at him expectantly. Nil excused himself and fled, citing his need for the toilet. 16. Officer Katherine Park Nil got a haircut and shaved prior to his meeting with Katherine Park. He had made no such attempts for his fight at the Pits since Emily claimed he looked grossly different and considerably uglier when not clean-shaven. It had been a while since he took care of himself, mostly settling for disposable razor shaves and trims that only cost him a fiver. Andrew used one of his endless connections to get him an appointment at the only decent and affordable hairdresser in South Harrow. It cost Nil almost five times what he usually spent on haircuts, but the service and pampering made it worth it. The woman who attended to him brushed aside all of his opinions and requests and had her way with his hair. Nil walked out of the building with the hair along the sides and back of his head cut so short that it felt like bristly velvet when he ran his fingers over it. Meanwhile, she had respected his wishes and not altered the length on the top. The hairdresser used a toothed scissor to create an uneven effect and then brushed it backward. It was the first time Nil got such a haircut, and didn¡¯t know how to feel about it. Apparently, it was the previous year¡¯s most popular style and made him look like he was in his early, instead of late, twenties. According to Emily, the increase in his Might score already made him look a little younger and more rugged. Nil also gained a quarter of an inch in height. He couldn¡¯t wait to find out how a Finesse increase would change him. Emily declared Nil¡¯s wardrobe outdated and ugly. Though only eleven years old with a social life that mostly involved going to the cinema or hanging out in the local park, Sam, in his expert opinion, agreed. Fortunately, Nil believably convinced them that he didn¡¯t have money to spare on clothes until his next summoning. Emily accompanied him to the scrapyard, and they went through his and Andrew¡¯s wardrobes together. Nil had a broader chest and shoulders, but Andrew stood six inches taller. As a result, a lot of their jackets, hoodies, and jumpers fit the other. Instead of fighting with his sister, he followed her sage advice. Emily dressed her brother in blue jeans, a casual salmon shirt, and a light grey jacket. ¡°Not too formal, and it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re trying too hard,¡± Emily declared. ¡°How about some eyeliner or contouring? I think you could look great with¡ª¡± ¡°No, Emmy,¡± Nil cut her off. A part of him worried that the police knew about his Pits involvement and the date was a ruse. He didn''t express such concerns for Emily and Sam''s sake. ¡°This is more than enough.¡± Sam had accompanied the pair for the adventure to the scrapyard, and the entire experience had him clutching his stomach and laughing. ¡°You¡¯re giving her too much control, Dada,¡± he said¡ªdada being the Bengali word for older brother. ¡°Next thing you know, she¡¯ll want to paint your nails.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Emily frowned, hands on her hips. ¡°Nothing,¡± Sam said quickly, sitting up straight. ¡°I don¡¯t care as long as it''s not me.¡± ¡°The most I¡¯d allow would be a bright yellow smiley face on my middle finger,¡± Nil told his sibling and cousin and got chuckles from both. Because of the age gap, neither were used to him cracking such jokes. They only saw him with Udit around, and as a reasonably conservative Indian man, he didn¡¯t appreciate swearing around minors or his children. Nil had to deal with occasional reprimands from his father whenever he slipped up. Nil arrived at the meeting spot ten minutes before noon, doing his best not to look at the visage in tow. Andrew reminded him to be wary, given their less-than-legal activities the Thursday prior. It wasn¡¯t illegal to attend or participate in the pit¡¯s activities. But the second money changed hands, whether it was for placing bets or collecting earnings, it turned into a crime. So, he repeatedly reminded himself not to bring up anything related to the Pits or training. A surprisingly pretty visage awaited him. When Nil first met Officer Katherine Kim, he was too preoccupied to notice much besides her uniform. Now, a beautiful woman in a knee-length sky-blue pencil skirt, a white blouse, and a jean jacket greeted him. He couldn¡¯t tell whether she looked shorter because of her flat ballet pumps or the little height he gained from the Might increase. Katherine was already at the ice cream stand, carrying a couple of shopping bags. She flashed him a pearly white smile when she spotted him. ¡°Punctual,¡± Katherine commented. ¡°That¡¯s always a positive.¡± ¡°It''s nice to see you, Officer¡ª¡± ¡°Nope!¡± She wagged a finger at him, eyes narrowed. The expression and her high ponytail made her look like a kindergarten teacher playfully telling off one of her students. ¡°Katherine or Katie. We''re not meeting on official police business, so no Officer nonsense.¡± ¡°I''m sorry.¡± Nil laughed. ¡°Regular brushes around Regents Street and Oxford Circus¡ª¡± ¡°I''m just teasing. Don''t worry about it. Thank you for coming out to see me. A social call from the police is probably pretty weird.¡± ¡°To be honest, it is,¡± Nil said. ¡°My friend and sister told me to stay on my best behavior and not say anything incriminating.¡± ¡°Why? Have you been up to anything criminal off-late?¡± ¡°Nothing comes to mind.¡± Nil tried to shake Katherine''s hand while she came in for a hug, leading to an awkward moment that ended in chuckles and giggles. They walked as they talked. He didn''t know where they were going and let Katherine take the lead. ¡°So, how did your family react to your new status as a Summoned?¡± Katherine asked as they exited the mall and walked through Harrow Town Center. It was crowded, as expected on a Sunday afternoon. ¡°They weren''t happy. I don''t think the reality of it has sunk in yet. They only see the danger. I thought the money would make it better, but it didn''t. It''s clear they''re terrified but don''t want to say it.¡± ¡°Civilians don''t get it. They only see the danger but not the value or opportunity. That''s why living in a ludus is nice. You''re surrounded by people going through the same thing as you. The training facilities help you get better and stronger. Your chances of survival while on quests increase, and the family worries less.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°How long have you been a Summoned?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Six years. I had just turned eighteen.¡± ¡°How did your folks react?¡± ¡°Mum hated it,¡± Katherine answered. ¡°I''m pretty sure she still does. Now that I''m Bronze Realm, I only need to go on quests every four to six months. Also, because of how my power developed, I don''t get particularly dangerous assignments. So, she''s more or less accepted it now. As for dad.¡± She sighed. ¡°He really only gets in touch when he needs money.¡± Family sounded like a sore topic. So, Nil transitioned the conversation to thoughts regarding the Nexus, the Schema''s gifts, and quests. Katherine only took quests when necessary. As a result, her growth was slower than most. She didn''t care for the combat side of things. Her power put her in the reasonably rare Psionic category¡ªa mage variant that focused on abilities like telepathy, telekinesis, empathy, illusion, and other mental arts. Her quests usually involved solving crimes, rooting out spies, or foiling terrorist plots. As the pair got to know each other, they walked away from the malls, shops, and restaurants. Katherine led him past office buildings and other commercial properties. He grew increasingly more confused and concerned as government buildings surrounded them. Several carried the metropolitan police force''s logo. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You didn''t change your mind about whatever happened on the night of my summoning, did you?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Katherine laughed. She pointed at a building ahead. ¡°I thought you might want a look around a government ludus. Seeing how we do things and what our available roles are might help you make your decision. You''re well suited for a career with the police. Its¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Nil stopped mid-stride. ¡°Is this some sort of recruitment meeting?¡± Katherine raised an eyebrow. She silently studied his expression for a moment. ¡°What did you think this was?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I don''t know. Perhaps a date.¡± ¡°Oh. I''m sorry if I misled you.¡± Katherine smiled sheepishly. ¡°You just impressed a lot of people with your heroism. Your biodata and registration details are also pretty great. The higher-ups asked me to show you around and discuss the possibilities.¡± ¡°Oh. I''m sorry, Katherine, but a government job isn''t for me. I have no interest in joining the Metropolitan Police.¡± ¡°Why? Do you have other plans?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Apocalypse Arena.¡± Katherine frowned. ¡°Risking your life in quests isn''t enough? It''s not as glamorous as the screens say, you know. A surprising number fail to climb the ranks and end up in the police, military, or private security forces. I know we just met, and this might come across as rude, but do you really want to throw your life away in the arena? Someone like you really belongs in a profession where they¡¯re helping the vulnerable.¡± ¡°It''s for the greater good, isn''t it?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I¡¯ll still be helping people but in my own way. I know this will sound rehearsed, but I¡¯ve been preparing for when my family finds out. Victories on the multiversal stage strengthen our universe¡¯s defenses against the Void. Our Earth and city will win resources, too. Once my rank is high enough, I can also influence how the resources are spent and make real changes.¡± ¡°Is that really why you want to get into it?¡± Katherine appeared unconvinced. ¡°It''s not for fame, money, and power?¡± ¡°I don''t care about fame. But the money would certainly be nice. My father is in his sixties and still working, and has two minors to support. The three of them live in a tiny two-bedroom house on the verge of falling apart. Almost all my quest earnings went into repairs and refurbishments, and there is still much more to do. Life for the non-Summoned is getting harder every day, Katie. I''d like to ensure my sister and cousin have the best education and opportunities so they can have decent futures as civilians.¡± ¡°I''m sorry,¡± Katherine said. ¡°Questioning your reasoning and motivations was out of line. It''s none of my business. I''d still like to show you around the ludus.¡± She grabbed Nil''s hand when he tried to protest. ¡°I promised you lunch, and there''s someone who really wants to meet you.¡± Nil relented. Discovering that the meeting wasn''t a date only stung for a moment. Relief replaced his disappointment a moment later. He found Katherine incredibly alluring, doubly so in her civilian clothes. Bronze Realm did wonders for her physique, and she had all the physical qualities that attracted Nil. However, the presence of the visage still irked him, and he wouldn''t need to deal with guilt or other discomfort later. The attempt at luring him to a government job annoyed him, but his parents raised him to be friendly and polite. So, he played along and let Katherine show him around the ludus. He remained wary of her as they continued walking and talking. Psionic mages often had mind-probing abilities and used them for convincing or manipulating people. Katherine didn¡¯t come across as the type of person who would use her abilities in such a way, but Nil worried that¡¯s precisely the image she wanted to project. He also wondered whether her superiors had ordered her to try to recruit him specifically because of and using her powerset. Would I even know, given my low Mind score? Didn¡¯t Layla say it improves psychic defenses? It felt as if he had stepped into a brochure. Young, beautiful people of several ethnicities walked the halls and trained in the high-end facilities full of Arthurtech equipment¡ªNil doubted it was the same quality or models as Wilson Luduses, but the machines still intrigued him. It was indeed impressive, and a government job ensured subsidized accommodation and membership, but it wasn''t what Nil wanted. Katherine showed him to her suite, where a special guest awaited him. It was Officer Johanssen. ¡°I couldn''t live with myself if I didn''t thank you personally, Mr Roy,¡± she said, shaking his hand. ¡°The bastard would''ve killed me if you didn''t interfere. If there is anything I personally or the Metropolitan Police can do for you, please don''t hesitate to ask. Thank you.¡± Nil didn''t know how to respond. He hadn''t expected to see the woman ever again. ¡°You''re welcome, Officer Johanssen. I¡ª¡± ¡°Susan. It''s Susan.¡± ¡°Well, it''s nice to meet you officially, Susan.¡± Nil glanced at Katherine. His embarrassment peaked as the woman grasped his right hand with both hers and continued shaking. ¡°I wasn''t expecting to see you today.¡± ¡°Susan and I have been speaking often since the incident and your return from your first quest,¡± Katherine explained. ¡°When she found out I''ll be showing you around, she insisted on meeting you.¡± ¡°I hope you don''t mind,¡± Susan finally released his hand. ¡°Not at all. I was dreading this walk around, but seeing another familiar face makes it better.¡± He paused, glancing at the door. ¡°Officer Jones isn''t on his way up, is he?¡± Susan¡¯s shoulders drooped. ¡°The medics were late getting to him. He suffered permanent damage and left the force.¡± ¡°Do you like fried chicken?¡± Katherine asked cheerily. Nil didn''t know whether it was her Schema-given ability or a natural skill, but her question injected levity into the morose awkwardness. ¡°I love it,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It''s my guilty pleasure food.¡± ¡°Great. I''ll order some Korean Fried Chicken and some beers.¡± ¡°You''re allowed to drink in here?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°Of course. I''m not on duty, and this is my home.¡± 17. Possible Bonuses ¡°Wildshape Wilson is well on his way to becoming our first Platinum Realm fighter in the Apocalypse Arena,¡± the talk show host said, addressing his guest and the audience simultaneously. ¡°Do you have any idea what that means? Entering the Platinum Gauntlet alone will net Britain enough resources to stand toe-to-toe with the American, Chinese, and Indian superpowers. ¡°If he starts climbing the ranks while they''re still struggling their way through gold, our little collection of islands will once again rise to where we should be. It''s not because we are better or Wildshape Wilson pushes harder than everyone¡ªwhich he does. It''s not because the government uses him to milk all they can from Apocalypse Arena. We are on our way to the top because the people in charge have the good sense to join forces with the likes of Wildshape Wilson and Technomancer to improve the country. They''re expanding the ludus program together and investing the gifts from the Nexus right back into the people that¡ª¡± ¡°What a load of horse shit,¡± Andrew grumbled, switching to a channel showing Apocalypse Arena bouts. ¡°I swear these Wilson brothers have the government and media eating out of the palm of their hands. They can open all the facilities they want, but the bastards pocket all the profits and enjoy ridiculous tax breaks.¡± ¡°They''re great at shilling propaganda, though,¡± Nil commented as he worked the punching bag. Following Andrew''s advice, he ceased using three-hit combos. Single or double strikes helped break up the pattern. He rarely went above three, preferring to strike swiftly and reposition. Staying in one position too long would make life easier for opponents like Burning Sands. ¡°Please tell me you won''t join a Wilson Ludus. I don''t want you to become some mindless drone or brainwashed minion that does nothing without Wildshaper, Technomancer, or a PR Manager''s say so.¡± ¡°Never. Besides, I''m too old. They only take in newly ascended Summoned under the age of twenty-one. I suppose they want people they can train before life''s baggage and shit can screw them up.¡± ¡°I think it''s because sixteen-to-twenty-one-year-olds are easier to manipulate. Let''s not forget the pre-Ludus schools they recently opened. Imagine sending your kid to that in the hopes they ascend someday.¡± ¡°I still can''t believe that''s a thing,¡± Nil said. He took a break from his workout. Talking while working the punching bag proved horrid for his Expend control. ¡°The worst of it is the predatory marketing. People were so outraged when the Wilson brothers proposed the idea.¡± ¡°Oh, no! They want to turn our babies into child soldiers!¡± Andrew used a mocking tone. ¡°Arthur Wilson wants to make sixteen-year-olds fight hellscape monsters for a chance to ascend! That bastard! Look at the idiots now. Eating up propaganda and throwing their kids into the grinder for fame and power.¡± ¡°We were jealous when the proposal became a thing, though. I remember you getting drunk and crying about being too old for it.¡± ¡°Yeah. We were nineteen and stupid. What teenager doesn¡¯t want superpowers? Getting into a junior ludus looked like the surefire path to becoming a Summoned¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of disgusting, to be honest. What kind of parent¡ª¡± A screen flickered to solidity in front of Nil''s eyes before he could complete the thought. Emergency Quest! The Void has breached a high-potential world. Able-bodied Summoned are needed for the relief and rescue efforts. Volunteers needed! Assignment will be granted based on powers, attribute distribution, and realm. Danger Level: Iron 9 Reward: 200 Schema Credit, 1 Schema Token, Possible Bonuses ¡°What¡¯s up with the shocked face?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°Did your Finesse finally go up?¡± When Nil didn¡¯t answer straight away, Andrew threw an empty Coke can at Him. It bounced off his shoulder. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I just got offered a quest,¡± Nil replied. ¡°What? How? Has it even been a month since your first?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°Just three weeks. The Schema says it''s an emergency quest involving relief and rescue. The Danger Level is almost Bronze Realm.¡± ¡°Your performance in the last quest may have something to do with the offer. You took out an Iron-Five threat while still in the Mortal Realm. That must have won you more than just an Iron Ascension token. Are you going to accept it?¡± ¡°It pays double of the last and has an ominous mention of possible bonuses,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I¡¯d be foolish not to accept.¡± ¡°Come back alive.¡± Unlike his first Summoning, the teleport didn¡¯t take Nil to the Nexus. Instead, he found himself in a burning city late in the evening. Instead of the moon, a giant octopus occupied most of the sky. It had no head. Instead, a giant solitary eye sat where all the tentacles met. At first, Nil thought several light orbs of various sizes covered its body. Then, he realized they were more eyes. In addition to suckers, the moon-sized monster had claws growing out of its seemingly endless appendages, many of which wrapped around a titanic tree bigger than any sequoia. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A piercing headache pulsed through Nil¡¯s cranium. An itchiness at the back of his eyes followed. The images and flashes that accompanied the discomfort reminded him of the Cursed One¡¯s scream. It had tugged at his sanity. Tears gathered as the pain intensified, and he tried shutting his eyelids, but they refused to listen to his instructions. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t look away from the sky octopus or its eye. Then his teeth hurt like he had just sunk them into something impossibly cold. Just as the psychic pains got too horrid to bear, a tender hand caressed Nil¡¯s cheek. It gently made him turn his head, helping him break eye contact with the monster above. The discomfort eased and rapidly began to fade. Aisha smiled at him. He reached out to the visage, but his hand went through her. The feeling of her hand on his cheek lingered for a second before fading. He knew the soul weapon in his left arm helped him, but it still brought back memories of Aisha¡¯s touch. His chest tightened. On the bright side, it pushed away memories of the sky octopus¡¯ psychic assault. ¡°Don¡¯t look at it,¡± a man told him in a thick Nigerian accent. He had the same build as Nil but was almost a foot taller. Nil knew at a glance that he, too, was a Summoned. The man''s outfit was different from his but shared the same colors: white and red. Several similarly adorned individuals ran toward or away from the sky octopus. People in regular medieval clothing accompanied them. ¡°I know it''s tempting, but avoid the central eyes at all costs. If you see someone staring at it, force them to look away.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Nil¡¯s voice came out unusually high. ¡°What¡¯s your assignment?¡± Nil didn¡¯t have an answer for him. ¡°Check your quest description. It will have changed.¡± The man sprinted away, running in the direction of the distant screams, where the fires were the largest. All Summoned failed their mission of uprooting the Cult of Oth. Now, they¡¯ve successfully summoned him to this world, and the Void Titan won¡¯t depart until he¡¯s done feasting on the child of Yggdrasil. There is no fighting him. Avoid eye contact and rescue all trapped by rubble and fire. If no Escorts are available, guide them to the portals along the city¡¯s edge. Danger Level: Iron 9 Reward: 200 Schema Credit, 1 Schema Token, Possible Bonuses ¡°Why the hell are you staring into space?¡± A woman asked, skidding to a halt next to Nil. She wore a white tunic and a red skirt. Her boots, leather chest armor, and cloak carried patterns of the same color. Blades of several shapes and sizes hung from her belt, back, and shoulders. ¡°Defender, Rescuer, or Escort?¡± ¡°Rescuer,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Then quit looking like a slack-jawed idiot and follow me.¡± The woman took off jogging in the same direction the last Summoned had. More people dressed like them ran in the opposite direction, either carrying the rescued or with them following close behind. Dirt, gore, and purple slime covered most. Many had open wounds and lay on stretchers carried between two Summoned and, in a few instances, civilians. Occasional earthquakes knocked people to the ground. Nil and the woman leading him paused to assist them. Thanks to Andrew and his scrap yard, Nil had little trouble keeping Brutal Battery at half capacity. So, when a solid wall just ahead of them started to collapse, and the lagging civilians next to it froze, he jumped into action. Two Expend-empowered strides helped Nil pick up speed. Then, he leaped, flying across the remaining distance, not hesitating to use the remainder of his energy. While still in the air, he switched to Absorb and reached the trio just in time to get between them and the wall. Absorb has progressed to Mortal 5! The wall stopped in its tracks, immediately losing all momentum and velocity. Nil¡¯s imaginary balloon immediately jumped to almost full capacity. Brutal Battery granted him incredible defense and power but did nothing for his natural strength. Only Might affected it. His heart pounded, and his chest hurt as he struggled against the wall¡¯s weight. His joints groaned, and his hold slipped with every passing moment, and the balloon slowly edged toward capacity. ¡°Move!¡± He yelled at the frozen civilians. ¡°I can¡¯t hold this.¡± The Summoned woman came, and the civilians¡¯ escort came to his rescue. They raced to the wall, moving much faster than humanly possible. The first of the pair grabbed two of them and carried them away without slowing down. The other assisted him with the wall. Another shout snapped the third frozen civilian to attention, and he sprinted out to join the others. Nil used Expend, draining half the balloon as he pushed. The wall tipped in the opposite direction for a moment, just giving him and the other Summoned enough time to get away before it collapsed on the path. The Escort and civilians left without thanking them, and Nil collapsed on his bottom, trying to catch his breath. He held his head, messaging the sides. It hurt a lot more from the psychic attack than the rest of him. Nil set off again a moment later, and his companion silently followed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The woman asked after five minutes of silent traversal toward the child of Yggdrasil. Nil nodded. ¡°I''ll be fine. I made the mistake of looking into the eye.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The woman slowed to a halt. ¡°What is your Mind score?¡± ¡°Mortal-Three,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Shit. Sorry. I thought you were one of those idiots that just waste time on these quests to run out the clock and then claim the reward.¡± She fished a handful of dried fruit out of her pocket and passed them to Nil. ¡°Eat this. The sugar helps.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He felt better as soon as he bit into the chewy offerings, and their juices touched his tongue. ¡°Most people associate sweetness with pleasant emotions and memories. As a result, they''re great for recovery from psychic attacks. What''s your name?¡± ¡°Nil.¡± ¡°Strange name. I''m Sakura. Do you feel better?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Good. Now let''s go find people to save.¡± They took off jogging again. ¡°Oh, one more thing, Nil. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Don''t look up unless you want to die.¡± 18. Cutting Light Not looking up was easier said than done. As they progressed closer to the titanic tree, he had to look out for collapses. The local architecture appeared similar to that of ancient Rome, with several intricately carved stone pillars, cement walls, and marble statues. They were cumbersome, forcing Nil to rely more on Expend to push them away than stop them with Absorb. He only used the latter whenever his energy levels dropped dangerously low. Nil and Sakura talked as they moved between assists. ¡°Is this your first disaster zone?¡± She asked after a particularly unfortunate rescue attempt. Nil had stopped a collapsing pillar to save a pair of young women, only for a giant stone block to come flying out of nowhere and crush them. Nil nodded. ¡°And my second Summoning.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing pretty well for someone so new to this. Your instincts are decent, and your movements show technique. Jeet Kun Do?¡± ¡°Muay Thai,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Ah. The quick decision-making and eclectic moves say otherwise.¡± ¡°I hopped around a bunch of styles and ended up in a Mixed Martial Arts gym with bodyguards and bouncers.¡± ¡°Mixed Martial Arts gym?¡± Sakura raised an eyebrow. ¡°Perhaps we¡¯re not from the same Earth. I¡¯m at the peak of Iron Realm. This is my third emergency quest. The rewards are decent, and the Void kind doesn¡¯t require me to fight a lot. I can focus on just helping people.¡± ¡°Did the Schema put you in a Rescuer role?¡± ¡°Defender. Void Lords, Kings, Titans often have minions and scavengers with them. They travel on or in the thing¡¯s body. This guy, apparently, comes with body-snatching slugs and insectoids that command them. Fortunately, we haven¡¯t seen any of them yet. So I can focus on assisting you.¡± Sakura slid to a halt next to a collapsed building. She pressed a finger to her lips, gesturing Nil to keep silent, before pressing an ear against a fallen wall. ¡°There are people trapped under here. Children, I think.¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Nil said. Sakura stopped him when he curled his fingers under the wall¡¯s edge and prepared to lift with Expend. ¡°We don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like under there. You might make things worse using brute strength.¡± Sakura drew a dagger from her belt. Light enveloped it when she flicked her wrists, and the blade gained a couple of inches in length. When she swung it, the weapon cut through stone like it was butter. She carved a neat rectangle at the center of the wall and left a corner attached. ¡°Remove the piece. Go slow.¡± ¡°Carve me a handhold,¡± he pointed at the best point for gaining maximum leverage. Sakura complied and then stood at the corner she hadn''t cut yet. Nil firmly gripped the handhold, channeled Expend, and heaved just as she cut the final bit free. The burst of power let him rip the stone free with ease. Several screams burst from the space below. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Nil called through the opening. ¡°We¡¯re going to get you out of here. You¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°Can you move?¡± Sakura added. ¡°Are you okay to come to us?¡± ¡°No,¡± a small voice replied. ¡°We¡¯re not alone.¡± A metallic tapping sound followed. ¡°Scuttlers.¡± Sakura spat, dropping her dagger. Only a warped, blackened blade and twisted hilt remained. It looked like her ability had tried to melt the weapon or reforged it and failed miserably. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead. You get them out. Okay?¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Nil replied. Given his ability to withstand most physical damage, he would¡¯ve preferred to go in first. However, Sakura was the more experienced Summoned and was apparently close to ascending. He wasn¡¯t too proud to admit it, but he suspected that she was also the more martially gifted of the pair. Prior to his first ascension, Nil had only casually sparred. She, on the other hand, was intimate with live combat. More importantly, unlike him, Sakura had knowledge regarding whatever they were about to face. The enemy gave away its location as soon as they descended into the hole. Nil could think of no better description than ¡®chitinous centaur.¡¯ The creature walked on six insect-like limbs. An almost human torso extended from where its head should¡¯ve been. One arm ended in a four-finger, taloned hand, while the other featured a lobster claw. If not for the pale purple light seeping through its skull, the beast¡¯s dark chitin would¡¯ve helped it perfectly blend into the darkness. Sakura drew a pair of kukris and enveloped them in the same golden light. The weapons lengthened and grew broader, resembling scimitars as their shape changed. When she charged at the scuttler, purple light flowed from its head through its neck and shoulder and into the lobster claw. The beast repelled her first attack. The blade that had successfully cut through stone but bounced off the lobster claw. Sakura¡¯s off-hand swing successfully sliced through the chitin, protecting one of the scuttler¡¯s front legs. The carapace and flesh underneath burned and sizzled. A brutal fight began between the two, and Nil knew straight away that he was outmatched. Both were significantly stronger than him, and their attacks shredded the environment. He couldn¡¯t help even if he wanted to and was about to settle for just saving the trapped civilians when he noticed something large slithering in the shadows. The unknown creature blended into the darkness, only appearing for a heartbeat now and again, as its scales caught Sakura¡¯s blade-light. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Unwilling to get close and get caught by the two primary fighter¡¯s attacks, Nil grabbed a chunk of marble, aimed at a moving shadow, and threw it with all of his strength. Expend added to the power, making the projectile shoot forth like a cannonball. It struck something soft, and an angry hiss filled the darkness. Sakura looked away from her opponent for half a heartbeat and almost got disemboweled. Her off-hand blade slipped inside the lobster appendage at the last second. It forced apart the smaller cruncher claw from the big and heavy pincher claw before separating the former from the rest of the limb. Unfortunately, the light blade shattered, and burnt metal fragments sprayed both fighters. Nil¡¯s interruption drew the serpent¡¯s attention, and it sprang at him, fangs bared. He caught the open maw with both hands, channeling Absorb, stopping the beast in its tracks, and filled his balloon to capacity. The residual momentum pushed him backward by a few inches, and pain lanced through his elbows, shoulders, and back. The monster fell to the ground like a sack of bricks. The abrupt stop appeared to stun or surprise it. Nil didn¡¯t wait to find out which it was. Given the quest¡¯s danger rating, he doubted a standard Expend-empowered punch would do the job. So, he used the ability¡¯s dual function to release energy through the outer side of his right hand and chopped downwards as if the serpent¡¯s head were a stack of tiles in a martial arts demonstration. Nil cleaved clean through it. The serpent immediately went still, and purple slime sprayed his face and body. Nil winced as he switched back to Absorb. It wasn¡¯t so bad when he released the energy through his entire body or even his fist, but concentrating the release across just six inches of skin hurt. A large, almost-black burn covered the side of his hand, running from the base of the palm all the way up to the tip of his pinky. There was no time to lick his wounds. Sakura remained locked in combat with the scuttler, and he still had civilians to rescue. With the move, Nil had blown almost all of Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. Practice and gaining ranks had significantly increased his timing. However, he still lacked adequate control over the amount of energy released with the dual function. So, when Nil had to move two fallen beams to clear the civilians¡¯ path, he had to rely on the minuscule energy in his stores. A quick scan of his surroundings helped Nil locate a five-foot-long metal rod. Much to his relief, Armmaster¡¯s Disappointment didn¡¯t activate when he grabbed it. The curse understood his intention. He slotted the rod between the two beams and pushed downward. The lever did its job, and the wooden beam budged. Nil didn¡¯t know where to go from there. After a minute in the position, he got nowhere, so he switched to Expend and kicked the beam supporting the rod. The wood shattered. The surrounding stone and wood rained on him. Nil suffered a few blows before switching to Absorb. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores rose to thirty percent. So, he brute-forced through the rest. Removing the blocking debris proved easy. Ripping the door off its hinges was even easier. The cowering civilians needed some convincing, but he convinced them to comply. They hesitated, struggled, and ran in the opposite direction when the scuttler emerged. But in the end, he got them all up the debris slope and through the hole above. Meanwhile, Sakura had removed two more limbs from her enemy. The damaged lobster claw remained, but it had lost the human-like arm and an insect leg. Several broken, burnt, and warped blades littered the ground around Nil. Sakura¡¯s only remaining weapon was a longsword¡ªor the light enveloping her weapon made it look like so. Scratches covered her exposed legs. The scuttler had successfully ripped open her leather vest, too. Crimson stained the white shirt underneath. Tiny scratches marked Sakura¡¯s face. Her sleeves also featured red lines. Sweat covered her face, and her movements appeared sluggish and clumsy compared to when the fight began. She¡¯s not going to make it. When Nil picked up the metal rod again, memories of Aisha¡¯s death and his inability to do anything about it flooded his mind. The visage stood to his left, shaking its head. Neither stopped him from running at the scuttler with it. Unfortunately, he only covered half-a-dozen steps before his motor skills failed him. Nil stumbled and fell. The rod struck the ground with a loud clang. It bounced and clattered before rolling towards Sakura. She kicked it at the scuttler, making the length of metal bounce off the chitinous torso. Then Sakura caught the rod in her left hand, and golden light enveloped it. She screamed, spinning away from the fight and throwing it like a javelin at her scuttler. The rod ripped through her opponent and flew out of the opposite end. A leap helped Sakura close the distance between her and her opponent. She swung her longsword and decapitated the scuttler. The lights enveloping her blade flickered out, and only a black, half-melted chunk of metal remained. She dropped it before falling on her bottom, panting. Quest completion criteria met. Evacuate through the portals at the edge of the city. You will receive your rewards at the Nexus. Nil helped the woman to her feet, and they exited the ruined building together. ¡°I¡¯m going to be so pissed if I don¡¯t get a decent bonus,¡± Sakura said as they limped away from the giant tree. ¡°That was, at least, a Bronze Realm threat.¡± ¡°You were incredible,¡± Nil commented. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen people move like you in Apocalypse Arena.¡± Sakura grinned. ¡°Where do you think I sharpened my skills? I¡¯m sure your Earth has luduses. They¡¯ll probably have great trainers, and you¡¯ll get to spar with incredible fighters. However, there is no better way to improve than to fight opponents from all over the multiverse.¡± ¡°Do you have to join luduses to access Apocalypse Arena, too?¡± Sakura nodded. ¡°As far as I know, that¡¯s consistent on all seed worlds.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking, but what¡¯s your power? It''s bloody beautiful.¡± ¡°Cutting Light. I know it doesn¡¯t have the most glamorous name, but I love it. I can coat any metal I hold with light to create a superheated weapon. It¡¯s difficult to use but gets the job done.¡± ¡°It''s a shame your power ruins your arsenal.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Sakura sighed. ¡°I¡¯m hoping for a soul weapon seed as my reward. If not, there are a few Bronze Gauntlet tournaments with those as prizes. But that¡¯s a long way away.¡± ¡°Well, I hope it works out for you,¡± Nil said. ¡°It was great working with you.¡± ¡°And you, Nil. You did brilliantly for a Mortal Realm. I¡¯m curious how you dealt with Void Serpent. They¡¯re notorious ambush predators. Mid-Iron Realm, I think.¡± ¡°Are you asking about my power?¡± ¡°No,¡± Sakura answered. ¡°I suspect it''s something complicated, and there is a chance we might face each other someday. There is no honor in being told an opponent¡¯s secrets. I¡¯d rather figure it out for myself.¡± 19. All Things Must Have A Purpose You¡¯ve completed your quest! You have gained 200 Schema Credits. You have gained a Schema Token. The Schema dropped Nil off at the Fountain of Pyrene. The Fountain of Pirene senses your injuries. Would you like to receive healing? 4 Schema Credits will remove all your bruises and partially heal all lacerations and burns. 13 Schema Credits will heal all of your injuries. 15 Schema Credits will heal all ailments. This time, Nil used the cheapest option. He didn¡¯t feel any fractures. The quest only caused strained muscles, bruises, sprains, and one burn. Now that his family home was in decent condition, Nil hoped to use whatever funds he received after taxes for an eventual Ludus membership. The dull ache along his back and shoulders instantly faded. The angry nerves along the side of his hand calmed. Unlike cuts and bruises, the pain from burns didn¡¯t just disappear into one¡¯s subconscious. Minor discomfort along his neck remained but Nil resisted the thirteen-credit option. The registration and the first month¡¯s fees combined cost two-and-a-half thousand schema tokens or its current equivalent. Most people relied on getting scouted or receiving sponsorships. Nil lacked the connections for such privileges. Service to the Ludus or its benefactors also won members discounts. He hoped to alleviate future costs through such means. I''m still eons away. ¡°You going to be long?¡± A pink Layla asked. ¡°There is much we need to discuss.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± The Nexus appeared more crowded than usual. Staff ran around like headless chickens, and far more Summoned walked the halls, unlike his last visit. He heard people discussing refugee limitations on something called a Control World. Next, he passed someone ranting about the failure of Summoned and a Nexus department that allowed the Void incursion to happen. It wasn¡¯t long before Nil found himself in Layla¡¯s office, sitting on the opposite side of her cluttered desk. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to our meeting,¡± she said. ¡°How are things going for you?¡± ¡°Excellent. Are you the reason why I got an invite to the emergency quest?¡± Layla nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into this whole matter regarding the cursed energy and how it ended up on your planet.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Since you weren¡¯t forthcoming, my agents investigated you, and we pinpointed the event that got you your soul tool and cursed energy.¡± Layla paused, probably scoping for a reaction. ¡°You weren¡¯t the only one.¡± ¡°There are other unformed soul weapons full of cursed energy out there?¡± ¡°No. The other cases aren¡¯t identical to yours. We have a few unformed soul weapons on civilians. They¡¯re full of cursed energy and broken. Even if they ascend someday, there is no way to fix theirs.¡± ¡°Do you know how they got there?¡± Nil asked, leaning forward in his chair. Layla smiled. It seemed she got the reaction she wanted. ¡°We have also found a few instances of people with increased attributes and abilities who were never Summoned. They¡¯re Iron Realm at best and can¡¯t ascend any higher.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re brimming with cursed energy?¡± ¡°Correct. We suspect they¡¯re the reason such high concentrations of cursed energy is on your planet. The Seeds that grant you power and alter your attributes are born of aether. There aren¡¯t natural sources of aether in your world.¡± ¡°What about aethertech? They¡¯re constructed and fuelled with aether, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But the form in which Apocalypse Arena and we provide it can¡¯t be used to manufacture Seeds. They¡¯re processed. Tamed. The aether they receive is fuel. We took away its power to create.¡± Layla rolled out a map of London on her table. It was the most detailed piece of cartography he had ever seen. It also featured nineteen hand-drawn circles. Nil couldn¡¯t help but notice one was in Hyde Park near the metro station¡ªthe bit where Winter Wonderland used to be seven years ago. ¡°Cursed energy, on the other hand, can¡¯t be modified. It exists exactly as it is or not at all. Magic that can be used to create misfortune may also be molded into power that causes misfortune. We don¡¯t know who is behind the import of cursed energy or how they¡¯re doing it. That¡¯s where you come in.¡± ¡°Where I come in?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow, ripping his eyes away from the map. ¡°Are you giving me an earth-side quest?¡± ¡°More like a job. Since you¡¯ve been bathing in cursed energy for the past seven years, you could potentially develop the ability to sense and perhaps, someday, purge it.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°A job? How much does it pay?¡± ¡°Since it''s not a Schema-given quest, our options are limited. But we could help you with Nexus benefits. Things like soul weapon development, processing or purging cursed energy, Nexus Market, and a lot more.¡± ¡°If I had the funds to join and live in a ludus and had the means to take care of my family, I¡¯d happily go along with this and help with your investigation¡ªnot that I have the skills for it¡ªbut I can¡¯t afford to right now. Could I get some of the cursed energy sorted out as a part of my bonus?¡± ¡°Bonus?¡± Layla raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why would you expect a bonus?¡± ¡°Was my performance not satisfactory?¡± ¡°You did as expected. Your little friend went above and beyond her parameters. So, she gets a bonus. You¡¯re receiving double the credit that Mortals do and a Schema Token. That¡¯s more than fair.¡± Layla paused. She looked over the map and the other documents on the table. ¡°You don¡¯t have to agree to work for us straight away. But if you agree to look out for cursed energy sources, I could give you a little ability to help you out.¡± ¡°A new ability!¡± Nil''s heart skipped a beat. ¡°I didn''t think I could a new one outside of ascensions. What kind of ability are we talking?¡± ¡°It won''t be much. You already have the necessary senses, thanks to your cursed energy saturation. The ability will only guide your ability to identify and read arcane energies. It should also refine your ability to track and read Brutal Battery better.¡± ¡°And I only need to report if I sense anything the next time I have a quest?¡± Layla nodded. ¡°I''d be foolish not to accept. Sensing magic will help me avoid them.¡± ¡°Good. You''ll soon find out that most Summoned without soul weapons carry trace amounts of its curse energy.¡± Layla conjured Schema screens and went about tapping through menus as they spoke. ¡°It''s impossible to deal with Cursed Ones or their plots and not end up with some clinging to your soul. This accumulates over time, and we help people turn into the curses you''re now familiar with. On the other hand, you and these other people have high concentrations of it. In many instances, these are multiple curses worth. This is what we''ll rely on you to find.¡± When Layla finished with her screens, Nil received a new notification. You have learned Energy Instinct. Brutal Battery: Mortal 4 Energy Instinct: Mortal 1 They next debated what to do with his Schema Token. Nil had initially intended to increasing Finesse since the Schema marked it as Brutal Battery¡¯s secondary attribute. His Might score may have blown past it, and despite the durability from it, he hadn¡¯t planned on increasing the attribute. Motor skills, improved reaction time, and senses would help him avoid damage altogether and redirect force he couldn¡¯t absorb. So, he wanted to prioritize it. Layla agreed with his reasoning but believed increasing Might would serve him better. Increasing Might to its peak would let him use the Iron Ascension Token and raise it and Spark to the Iron Realm. The act would also ascend his body, allowing him to increase Finesse and Mind past Mortal-Nine without another ascension token. He would only need one to ascend his ability. Layla advised him to dedicate future Schema Tokens to catch up his Finesse attribute. The most important takeaway from the course of action would be removing the limiter on Spark. Brutal Battery¡¯s capacity was tied to the attribute. Increasing the attribute would increase how much he could Absorb without getting hurt and also allow him to Expend more. Since almost all Power Seeds generated by the Schema were unique, Layla couldn¡¯t be sure whether his capacity¡¯s growth curve would be exponential or linear¡ªthe other attributes offered logarithmic growth as they approached their potential. However, she was almost sure each Realm¡¯s battery capacity growth would be significantly greater than the last. In the end, Nil followed Layla¡¯s advice. Natural Finesse would come in the same way Might had. He just needed to be patient and invest time in relevant exercises. ¡°Use the Ascension Token before bed and sleep in the bathtub,¡± Layla told him. ¡°It''s not the most pleasant or clean process. Doubly so, when Might or Finesse are involved.¡± Layla talked him through the ins and outs of his new ability, helping him differentiate between several stimuli and sensations. Nil Was surprised she had the time for such a task despite the chaos outside her office and used the opportunity to ask questions regarding how the Schema, Nexus, their enemies, and Apocalypse Arena functioned. ¡°There are three types of worlds,¡± Layla explained. ¡°First, we have places like your Earth. We call them Seed Worlds. High population numbers with high-potential but poorly-utilized people and generally low to no arcane energy. These places often have resource issues or some sort of instability. We offer these places magic in exchange for access to their people. Because of low-to-no magic or divine presence, it doesn''t interfere with the Schema''s integration ¡°Next, we have Beacon Worlds. These are high in arcane energy but, as a result, attract Cursed Ones and the Void. Wild magic keeps the Schema from integrating, but its purity, power, and limitless potential are essential for growing and gathering resources that help combat interdimensional threats. Their protection and the war against the Void are the most common types of worlds, and that is why the Schema and Nexus were created.¡± ¡°So residents of Seed Worlds help maintain the stability in Beacon Worlds?¡± Nil asked, intrigued by the topic. ¡°Indeed. Stability helps repel the Void and slay Cursed Ones. When it fails, more Summoned are deployed for the job. Your emergency quest took you to a mostly stable Beacon World whose locals were almost powerful enough to take care of themselves. But traitors in their ranks opened the gate for Oth the Destroyer, hoping for power. The fools will get mere years to enjoy it before the Void Titan drains all magic and life from the world and leaves them to die.¡± ¡°What''s the third kind of world?¡± ¡°Control Worlds,¡± Layla answered. ¡°They''re stable, arcanically advanced worlds who have found the means to repel or destroy Cursed Ones and the Void without our assistance. They work with the Nexus to get menial jobs done or volunteer to go on adventures, gain wealth and glory, and the like. Unlike Beacon Worlds, Control World residents can join the Apocalypse Arena, too. Most deem it below them, but it''s a good source of entertainment. In fact, it''s a coalition of Control Worlds in partnership with Nexus, which operates Apocalypse Arena.¡± ¡°They sound like powerful people. I wouldn''t want to end up against one of them in a quest.¡± ¡°No. You wouldn''t. Some of these entities might as well be gods as far as you''re concerned.¡± 20. Body Of Iron The trio of connected mobile homes were empty when Nexus sent Nil home. ¡°Andrew?¡± He called but got no reply. It was late in the evening, and it was not unusual for Andrew to be out. His self-employment gave him a flexible schedule, and he didn¡¯t need to be up early. He was always the more social one of the pair, and Nil guessed he was out at a party or on a date. Sharing the news with someone would¡¯ve been pleasant, but he couldn¡¯t tell the family about it. Andrew was the only one who would appreciate the news, and Nil¡¯s former colleagues and chef friends wouldn¡¯t, either. Fine dining was a cutthroat environment. People didn¡¯t care to socialize or create connections outside of after-work drinks anyway. Nil was hungry, but Layla advised him not to eat before a body ascension. He had heard it was a dirty affair. No one talked about it, and he wasn¡¯t sure about the magnitude of it. Since Nil was a guest in Andrew¡¯s home, he thought it best to take all recommended precautions. Even though he lived in a network of mobile homes, Andrew had gone to great lengths to make it palatial. He had aethertech entertainment systems and several comforts most couldn¡¯t afford. Most were refurbished using junk, but it was still impressive. His master toilet had a bathtub, too. Andrew preferred showers but kept it for when he had dates over. Nil stuck a note on the door before stripping, locking himself in the bathroom, and climbing into the tub. Getting comfortable proved impossible, and he used a rolled-up rubber bath mat as a pillow. Finally, he used the Iron Ascension Token. Congratulations! Your body is about to ascend to the Iron Realm. Please pick upgrade paths for your attributes. Please pick a Feat: Most of the traits appeared to compensate for the lack of an attribute or reduce one''s reliance on it. The online forums claimed that Might-focused individuals needed Finesse to use their strength and durability better. ¡°What''s the point of phat muscles if you''re inflexible or slow as fuck?¡± One Summoned poster asked. ¡°Brute or Knight, if your ability scales with Might, you need Finesse to use it better. Meanwhile, Finesse makes you good with your body. It might improve your stamina, too. If you want speed and some power, you need that Might, or all those sharp senses and motor skills are fucking useless. If you disagree, you''re an idiot waiting to die.¡± Steady Charger reduced reliance on Finesse, letting Might-pumping Brutes run at targets or away from trouble without worrying about tripping on their own feet. Because of Brutal Battery''s reliance on Finesse, it was useless to Nil. He intended to focus more on the attribute now and let Might grow naturally. Finesse-focused fighters typically lacked power, relying on swift, accurate strikes. Figuring out an opponent''s weakness would reduce the need for brute strength greatly through armor or an enemy¡¯s defense. Even though Brutal Battery gave him power in the plentiful, it intrigued Nil the most. Eye for Vulnerability would help Nil use Expend better, using empowered attacks to drop foes. He couldn''t tell whether it would help him find a way through defenses like Burning Sands¡¯, but if it did, the feat was incredible. Information is power. Nil didn''t want to rely too much on Expend''s dual function because of how much it drained Brutal Battery and the burns that accompanied it. He liked it better as a trump card or finishing move. Iron Will didn''t feel worth considering. Nil imagined mages and summoners who didn''t invest in Might relied on it. The attribute would continue to grow as he used Brutal Battery, improving his endurance and tenacity. Besides, picking a Feat that relied on the Mind attribute felt pointless. He''d only choose a Mind-related perk if he ever encountered one that granted free psychic resistance. Oth and the Cursed One were terrifying threats. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The final trait¡¯s ambiguity gave Nil pause. Unlike the others, it didn¡¯t have much of a description and read like a bad advertisement. The capitalization told him it scaled with Spark. Nil couldn¡¯t be sure, but it looked like the trait would help overcome the growth rates determined by potential. He wouldn¡¯t enjoy decent returns after taking them to the peak of their respective ranks, but if his takeaway was correct, it was still worth picking. It would allow him to invest all tokens in Spark and rely on hard work to increase the rest. The feat¡¯s description didn¡¯t limit it to attributes either. If it worked for abilities, then Nil could rise through Apocalypse Arena¡¯s ranks faster than Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson. Pick the sure thing or gamble? Through Sheer Grit had the potential to be incredible. Most Summoned offered the feat and probably didn¡¯t get the most out of it. As far as Nil could tell, individuals with the rare Summoner discipline primarily had Spark as a primary attribute. Mages relied on it to some extent, too, but not as much. As a result, most wouldn¡¯t get full benefits from the feat. It also seemed the Schema tailored the feats to an individual¡¯s ability and personality. He needed to confirm with others, but it felt like it. The ascension wouldn¡¯t start until Nil locked in his decision, and he didn¡¯t want to delay increasing Spark any longer. So, despite the risk involved, he picked Through Sheer Grit. His body immediately grew heavy, and his eyelids refused to stay up. Nil happily sunk into a deep slumber, excited for what was to come.
¡°Oh my god!¡± Andrew swore when Nil finally unlocked the door to the bathroom. ¡°Did you die and come back to life in there? It smells fucking disgusting in here. I¡¯ll need to strip the fucking place.¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± Nil said. He wore nothing but a towel around his waist. His clothes smelled so foul he doubted they could be recovered. The only option was burning them. ¡°It stinks of bad food poisoning at best. Bleach. A good scrub, and it will be all okay.¡± Andrew blocked the door. ¡°Fuck no. You¡¯re going out the window, and I¡¯ll hose you down in the yard¡ª¡± ¡°I showered already and scrubbed myself¡ª¡± ¡°With my loofa?¡± Andrew¡¯s voice grew shrill as he peeked past Nil into the bathroom. His nose crinkled, and he retreated hastily, almost stumbling over the mat by the door and into the counter behind him. It was then Nil noticed the several air fresheners hanging from the ceiling. ¡°You¡¯re not stepping in my home. Go out the window. I¡¯m going to have to hose you down and burn the place down.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I¡¯ll make the stench go away. I promise.¡± No matter what Nil said, Andrew remained unconvinced. The men stripped the curtains, mats, towels, and all fabric from the bathroom together, wearing nothing but swimming shorts. Then they scrubbed all surfaces with the best cleaning fluids Andrew had¡ªthey were industrial grade since he refurbished a lot of items that came into the scrap yard. The pair worked until the only stench came from them. They went out the window and hosed each other off. Andrew was hesitant but, in the end, agreed to fire up his hot tub. The pair sat in the bubbling water as the steam fended off the autumnal chill. Nil then told him about everything that happened during the emergency quest, the job offer from Layla, and the feats. Andrew thought his pick foolish because of the lack of guarantees. Declaring Eye For Vulnerability would¡¯ve served him better. Nil didn¡¯t completely disagree, but the name resonated with him. Hard work and tenacity helped him swiftly ascend the culinary ladder. Tireless practice was also responsible for his combat prowess and swift adaptation to Brutal Battery. If the feat rewarded him for pushing himself to strive for better, it was perfect for him. The pair stayed in the hot tub when a delivery boy arrived with containers of Thai food. Andrew had rigged a remote control system to operate the scrap yard¡¯s entrance gate from afar. The man shot them a weird look and scrunched his nose as he walked to the hot tub and handed them the food. He rushed back to his car, and Andrew laughed when they saw him gagging as they drove away. The conversation moved on to discussing methods of training Finesse. Andrew had an unconventional idea. During the two days Nil was unconscious, the scrapper had rigged several old arcade games together and tweaked them to increase the challenge level. Whack-a-mole, basketball, skee ball, reaction ring¡ªcatching dropping sticks, and an assortment of others now stood against the mobile homes. Andrew had also erected a canopy over them to ward off the seasonal drizzles. Andrew was explaining a beer-fuelled training regimen when another vehicle flashed its lights and pulled up to the scrapyard¡¯s gates. It was a police vehicle. ¡°Did the fucking delivery guy report us?¡± Nil asked, sounding panicked. ¡°For what?¡± Andrew raised an eyebrow. ¡°We¡¯ve done nothing illegal. There hasn¡¯t been any weed on the property for a while, too.¡± ¡°Then what is it? You don¡¯t need to let them in without a warrant, do you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, but that¡¯s asking for escalation. Private security rejects get antsy when someone questions their authority.¡± He grabbed the remote and pressed a button. The motor operating the gates hummed to life, and the gates rattled open. Nil¡¯s heart rate increased as the vehicle approached. His eyes jumped to the metal scrap bordering the near stacks of compressed junk. Far too many caved-in car doors, fridges, and truck sides sat among them. Nil had left prominent fist imprints and foot marks on many of them. The police car stopped by the arcade machines, and two women stepped out of it. It was Katherine Park and Susan Johanssen. ¡°Oh, good,¡± the former said, looking cheerful. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± 21. Wellness Check ¡°Of course, I¡¯m alive,¡± Nil said, rising from the hot tub. He was glad he had ignored Andrew¡¯s suggestion to ditch the stinky swimming shorts. The chemicals had removed the stench from it and him, and his modesty was safe. ¡°How did you find me?¡± ¡°You seem a little agitated, Nil,¡± Katherine stated, eyes darting between him and Andrew. ¡°I''m not interrupting anything, am I?¡± ¡°Cool it, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew hissed, kicking him. ¡°Play it cool. There is no need to get confrontational.¡± ¡°You two can relax.¡± Susan chuckled. She sniffed at the air and wrinkled her nose. Her eyes lingered on Nil''s rippled torso for a moment as she spoke. ¡°Your family hasn¡¯t heard from you for a few days, and you haven¡¯t answered your phone. They¡¯re scared something happened to you.¡± She paused, waiting for a reaction. Nil gave her none. He was mostly curious why it was her that made the visit¡ªmostly worried that it was another recruitment attempt. Katherine seemed to read his mind. ¡°I¡¯m part of the Summoned Liason Committee and spotted your name on the check-in list. So, I volunteered. It''s not within the junior detective job description, but I was worried.¡± ¡°You were worried?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°We¡¯re working together now,¡± Johanssen added, smiling cheerfully at Andrew. Despite his cheeks turning crimson from the heat, he looked as cool as a cucumber and shot her a friendly nod. ¡°After the incident, I decided to take a step back from the beat.¡± She looked past Katherine and Nil. ¡°I''m Susan.¡± ¡°Andrew,¡± the other called back. ¡°Yes, I was worried, Mr Roy.¡± Katherine narrowed her eyes. ¡°I know our last meeting didn¡¯t go as you had hoped, but I¡¯d like to think we left things off on a decent note. Was it wrong of me to consider us acquaintances, if not friends?¡± ¡°I suppose not¡ª¡± ¡°So, where have you been? Why are you not calling your dad or sister back?¡± ¡°I was offered an emergency quest and took it,¡± Nil answered. Apparently, beginners and Mortal Realm people rarely get sent on emergency quests, and it was within the minimum rest period, so the police officers¡¯ surprise made sense. ¡°Things went well, and I spent the last couple of days ascending.¡± ¡°That explains the stench,¡± Katherine quipped. ¡°Ascended already? I didn¡¯t get my first ascension token until almost a year of quests.¡± Susan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your starting attributes must¡¯ve been high.¡± ¡°A lucky win on my first quest got me a token. I pumped all of my starting attribute bonuses and rewards since in one attribute, and the other was already at nine.¡± Nil grinned. ¡°It feels good to be in the Iron Realm. I feel stronger, lighter, healthier.¡± ¡°Wait until your Bronze Ascension,¡± Katherine commented. ¡°It feels like someone made a new body almost identical to yours but better and then transferred your consciousness to it. I swear I felt like an alien in my body for the first week. Was it only a body ascension or power, too?¡± ¡°I''m nowhere near ascending my power. I''m still figuring it out¡ª¡± ¡°Looks like you''ve been getting plenty of practice,¡± Susan stated, her eyes scanning the scrap yard. ¡°That''s not illegal, is it?¡± Nil asked, exiting the tub. A chair nearby held towels and robes. He donned one and slipped into sandals before approaching the officers. ¡°Okay. Out of the bathtub.¡± Katherine''s smile disappeared, and she used the same cold tone Nil expected of police officers. ¡°Hands where I can see them. No funny business.¡± Nil froze. He glanced at his friend but saw no movement or reaction. Meanwhile, Susan burst into laughter. ¡°It''s not a big deal as long as you''re on private property, not hurting anyone or posing a risk,¡± Katherine said, chuckling. Her previous coldness melted away, and she adopted a more relaxed stance. ¡°We''d need to get a safety inspector in to make it official, but I think that''s unnecessary. Everything seems above board. Minus the refurbished aethertech, of course. You¡¯re not selling any of this, are you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t answer questions unless I¡¯m charged with something and have a lawyer present,¡± Andrew said, remaining nonchalant. Nil imagined he had plenty of experience with such situations. Both police officers burst out laughing. ¡°Not our department, and we don¡¯t care as long as you¡¯re not selling weapons. It''s more of a safety matter, and the likes of Arthurtech are protecting their intellectual property.¡± ¡°If I were in the business of refurbishing and reselling aethertech, I¡¯d say that it''s more so they can charge you astronomical amounts for repairs and keep you buying the latest overpriced junk.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Katherine studied Nil for a moment, face halfway between stern and amused. ¡°You seem a bit anxious, Nil. Is there something going on you''d rather we not find out?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be such a cop, Katie.¡± Nil¡¯s heart raced, but he tried his hardest to present a calm face. Andrew thought he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but he couldn¡¯t help but worry about her discovering his time in the Pits. The organization only recorded events for their security. Andrew believed no one, but he had stolen the information. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised by you showing up here. You being in uniform and me almost naked doesn¡¯t help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just pulling your leg.¡± Katherine looked around her surroundings. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you in this kind of environment.¡± ¡°It''s not the worst place,¡± Susan said. ¡°I wish I had this kind of space. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have given up on trying to join the ludus and joined the police force.¡± ¡°What kind of Summoned are you?¡± Andrew asked, exiting the hot tub. He didn¡¯t bother with a robe and grabbed a beer from the cooler by the arcade games. ¡°A Summoner. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t summon my babies outside the ludus without express permission from the property owner or my superior,¡± Susan said, shaking Andrew¡¯s hand. Her cheeks flushed as they spoke. Standing at six feet tall, with sharp features and perfectly groomed facial hair, he enjoyed positive attention from women. Susan turned her attention to the arcade games. ¡°Did you fix these up yourself?¡± ¡°Indeed I did. You want to have a go?¡± The pair got talking, leaving Katherine and Nil to converse separately. ¡°I just wanted to apologize about the thing last time,¡± Katherine told Nil sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. I shouldn¡¯t have assumed¡ª¡± ¡°No. You were right.¡± The officer appeared embarrassed. ¡°I did ask you out. But then I made the mistake of mentioning it in the ludus cafeteria. My superior officer heard Susan and me talking and insisted that I try to recruit you. He helped me get junior detective, and I couldn¡¯t say no.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Nil wasn¡¯t sure how to react. Katherine appeared more attractive every time he saw her, but things never worked out, no matter how attractive he found someone. Nil long had learned to differentiate between lust and genuine ¡®like¡¯. Because of his condition, things rarely got past the first. In fact, the visage now stood six feet away, studying a game of Operation, staying just in the periphery of his line of sight. The board game sat on a little table under the canopy. Andrew believed it was the best test of motor skills around. ¡°Then why¡ª¡± ¡°I was embarrassed and may or may not have panicked,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I embarrassed you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m flattered and would¡ª¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go out now, of course. It won¡¯t look good at work, but I¡¯d love to be friends. We don¡¯t get the opportunity to make many friends outside of the ludus. And you have the perfect place to hang around without assholes tracking my every move.¡± Friendship felt easier to manage than relationships, situationships, or whatever modern jargon people in the dating pool currently used. Befriending other Summoned felt essential to Nil¡¯s new life. He was currently on the wrong side of the law, but the discreet nature of the Pits made his participation easy to hide. It wasn¡¯t a permanent part of his life either. Three to four wins and a few more quests would make him enough money to get into a ludus. He and Andrew had already discussed signing up for another match. The conversation moved on to emergency quests and feats. Nil was surprised to learn that Katherine had never been on one. Her ability and attribute distribution made her ill-suited for such jobs. She had been sent to kingdom capitals to foil terrorist threats and coups, and her expertise had also helped find a cult of Cursed One summoners but never a disaster zone. She also told him the story of how she accidentally came upon a coven of vampires and almost died. Her quest birthed a guild dedicated to hunting creatures of the night. After much convincing, Nil got a power demonstration from Katherine. She displayed a wide range of abilities, from telekinesis and illusion magic to empathic abilities. None were her core ability, and she refused to use it because of the ethics and danger involved. Susan also put on a show by summoning a pair of wolves that played with light and shadow. The police officers spent forty minutes at the scrap yard¡ªten more than allowed for such a visit¡ªbefore an emergency called them away. Andrew got Susan''s number and planned a date before they left. Nil and Katherine did no such thing. He appreciated the friendship and was glad she didn''t bring up a date to make up for the previous debacle. He agreed to play it by ear. After the departure, Nil and Andrew had a good time exchanging banter and playing arcade games. They also contacted the pit organizers for another match. As long as one of his attributes remained in the Mortal Realm and none crossed Iron-Two, he was still eligible for Mortal Realm match-ups. Nil hoped to use his Iron-Zero Might to get a few wins under his belt. While they spoke to Katherine and Susan, the Thai food had gone cold, but neither man cared. They still ate it while discussing tactics and methods Nil could use to get better faster. Andrew believed that enough whack-a-mole, skee ball, and perhaps an obstacle course would help raise his Finesse score by two. Then, he''d easily deal with whatever foe the Pits threw at him. Nil disagreed, refusing to believe things would be that easy. Before going to bed, Nil called home and told the family about his quest and ascension. He received an earful from Emily for not messaging her before voluntarily falling comatose for a couple of days. Nil''s attempts at explaining that he hadn''t expected it fell on deaf ears. He promised to visit over the weekend before ending the call. ¡°Aren''t you glad you moved in with me?¡± Andrew asked afterward. ¡°Imagine having to explain every little thing and reassure them while you''re fighting for your life every time you''re summoned.¡± ¡°They''re just worried,¡± Nil told his friend. ¡°After Mum''s sudden diagnosis and passing, Emily just gets anxious about such things. I get it. She can''t talk to Baba about her fears, and Sam is not mature enough to deal with such burdens. Telling me off helps her feel better, and I''m fine with it.¡± ¡°You''re a good guy, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said. ¡°Be careful about who finds out, though. People like to take advantage of good guys in your new world.¡± ¡°Thanks, Andy. I''ll keep that in mind.¡± 22. Little Fist vs Winter Hunter ¡°It¡¯s always nice when new fighters don¡¯t give up after their first loss, isn¡¯t it, ladies and gentlemen?¡± The same announcer as Nil¡¯s first Pit fight spoke in his ear. ¡°You might¡¯ve not recognized Little Fist in his new outfit, but he¡¯s back!¡± The organizers had kept the colors the same, but he now wore a skin-tight T-shirt instead of a vest. The mask covered his nose, cheekbones, side of his head, and back. Unlike the previous version, it didn¡¯t go over the top of his head and let the hair on top hang free. Instead, it went around his ears, under his chin, and down the neck before merging with the top. Nil preferred the new version and hoped his opponent wouldn¡¯t shred it like Burning Sands had. ¡°He claims to be a Brute, but anyone who watched his debut fight knows better,¡± the announcer continued. ¡°Knight or mage? The bookmakers are desperate to know. Put on a good show for us. Alright, buddy?¡± The venue had changed. Instead of a warehouse in west London, Andrew and Nil ended up at an old mall. The abandoned shops served as staging areas and changing rooms, and the upper levels were viewing areas. When Nil crossed the glowing line on the ground floor, the organizers transported him to an old trainyard. The luminous flora and fungus suggested that they were in a part of the world destroyed by the cataclysm. Nil and Andrew considered the tactic intelligent. Holding the fights in an abandoned part of the world lowered the chances of the authorities detecting it. However, the pair couldn¡¯t help but wonder how they got the tech to teleport people to the locations and also secure the areas against the beasts that haunted the world. It suggested their operation was far more profitable than one would assume from their humble venues, and they had connections in high places. ¡°Facing Little Fist, we have a fighter back by popular demand! I present Winter Hunter! Woo!¡± Nil couldn¡¯t hear the audience, but the announcer cheered enough for a giant crowd. Nil saw no vest flash in the distance. ¡°Rogue or Knight? Who cares? She puts on an amazing show. Let''s see how she slices up this wide-eyed hopeful.¡± Rogue or knight? The announcer¡¯s words suggested he was up against a speedy opponent. Winter Hunter''s title indicated that she was tough, stealthy, or both. There was also a chance of the opponent using ranged attacks. So, Nil relied on his usual tactics of minimizing noise with Absorb as he moved between the long-abandoned trains. He regretted not dedicating more time to the arcade games. An extra unit of Finesse would¡¯ve made his life significantly easier. Besides motor skills, the attribute also sharpened one¡¯s senses and improved reaction time. Both felt vital against a foe of the rogue discipline. Nil glanced at the visage, hoping his soul weapon would help him find his foe. The entity wearing Aisha¡¯s skin casually walked around the trainyard, inspecting the luminous flora. A warm breeze flowed through the train depot. The sound of clinking chains and branches scraping against train cars followed. Nil kept his eyes sharp, listening for his opponent. The last fight had taught him that Pit fighters had no qualms regarding using lethal moves to win. Nil didn¡¯t want to kill anyone, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t respond accordingly if his life were on the line. Watching Aisha die, then living and working around Soho, had made him numb to death. He had seen several corpses during the emergency quest, and they hadn¡¯t fazed him. However, seeing dead bodies and being responsible for them weren¡¯t the same. Energy Instinct proved invaluable. Nil had spent the two days between his ascension and the fight training. When channeling the ability, he could almost see curse energy. It looked like thick black smoke full of bright pink and violet embers floating within. The energy lingered around his arms. Nil sometimes struggled to tell which limb housed the energy¡¯s container. One morning, the cursed energy flowed from his left arm, and the next, it did the right. Best of all, the new ability helped him track Brutal Battery better. Layla had somehow integrated Energy Instinct with his Schema interface. When Nil thought about it, a solid red bar manifested, floating in the periphery of his vision. It currently showed his stores at sixty percent. Energy Instinct also helped him detect an energy trail along the top of the train to his right. Nil couldn¡¯t identify or explain it. When channeling the ability, his environment had a slight yellow-orange hue. It reminded Nil of the warm filter akin to the tools on many image-altering apps. Meanwhile, the space above the train used a cold filter, which was rapidly edging towards neutral. The trail had almost caught up with the local hue ahead of him but grew stronger further back. Energy Instinct has progressed to Mortal 2! It has to be Winter Hunter. Nil expected an attack to come from the rear but didn¡¯t give his wariness away by locking back. Instead, he focused on Energy Instinct. It didn''t just give him visual feedback. In fact, Layla had warned him that the visual feedback was a crutch and was meant to assist him while his ability level was still low. It had granted him a sixth sense, and he needed to learn to feel energy. So, he did just that. It was weak, but he had learned to identify some of the stimuli. The arm surrounded by cursed energy felt marginally heavier and more sluggish than the other. The rest of him felt warm and comfortable like being wrapped in a cozy blanket. The sensation intensified whenever he approached a source of bioluminescence. However, the purple-blue flowers gave him a sick feeling, and he gave them a wide berth. Finally, a new sensation joined the mix. It was cold and prickly and intensified at the back of his neck. Nil spun, swinging his left fist in a wide arc. A slender feminine figure leaped away from him, holding a pair of long stiletto daggers. One blade grazed his right arm. Absorb ensured it didn''t break the skin. However, the cold, prickly feeling intensified along the line it traced. Frost spread from it. Nil''s body temperature rapidly dropped as a little layer of hard ice formed on and around the contact point. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Hi,¡± Winter Hunter said before racing at him. She moved far faster than an ordinary human. It was almost too fast for Nil to react. Each step was elegant and appeared carefully picked as she raced him. The world around her lost its warm hue, and blue followed. Nil fell into a defensive stance. When she lunged, he grabbed at an extended arm and prepared to direct the stiletto away from the torso. Unfortunately, his body reacted a fraction slower than usual. Winter Hunter stopped just outside of his reach, ducked, and bobbed to the side. She stabbed at his abdomen as she ran by. The stiletto stayed behind, and its owner stumbled as she ran from Nil. Absorb robbed the weapon of all of its momentum, stopping it as soon as the tip made contact. The ability almost did the same to Winter Hunter, but she was quick enough to release the weapon before it happened to her. Nil believed the sudden stop had something to do with her stumble. He guessed her Finesse had to be in the Iron Realm. How else could she have reacted in time to release the stiletto and flee? Nil doubted her agility, and the reaction time came from the attribute alone. He recalled the description of Serpent Tactics. The power had offered to enhance his movements and the bonus scaled with Finesse. He guessed his opponent had similar benefits. The chill spreading from the touch point toward his diaphragm and genitals was likely a Spark-fuelled gift. There was no telling if it would work, but Nil used Expend. Now that he saw a bar instead of a balloon, how he visualized releasing power had changed. He turned the tap for just a heartbeat and released the energy from his arms and torso before twisting it closed. The ice shattered and flew off him, and his body warmed. Best of all, his stored energy dropped by only a fifth of the maximum. Before Energy Instinct, he would''ve blown most, if not all, of his stores. It was a surprise when none of his clothes ripped from the Expend. ¡°How the fuck did you do that?¡± The visage lingered around her. It squatted, closely studying her weapon. It extended a finger at the point but never made contact. Winter Hunter spun around, studying him. Her outfit involved a black gilet with grey fur lining the hood, collar, and hems. She also wore black leather trousers and combat boots. Instead of fleeing, she dashed at Nil again. Feeling warmer and more confident now, he fell into a low grab stance. His opponent bobbed and weaved under both of his grab attempts. She ran a stiletto against his knee and thigh while grabbing the dropped weapon before speeding away. The speedy attacker slipped between two neighboring train cars and disappeared. ¡°Dickhead!¡± The woman sounded young. A pair of ski goggles hid the upper half of her face, so he couldn''t be sure, but Winter Hunter looked and sounded like someone barely in their adulthood. He couldn''t help but wonder why a teenager or young adult would risk themselves in the pit. Several incredible opportunities awaited them. Someone of her caliber could get a job with a security company or even find sponsorship for Apocalypse Arena. Unless she is an unregistered Summoned. The Pits and working for the gangs were probably the only source of income for them on earth. Now that Nil knew what he was dealing with, he relied on Energy Instinct to look and feel for Winter Hunter. Stabbing cold pain lanced from his right leg where her weapon had touched him. He smashed the ice and brushed it off without switching to Expend. The chill remained, limiting his range of mobility. However, his opponent didn''t hit hard enough to charge Brutal Battery sufficiently. So, he conserved energy and relied on jogging to warm himself up. Ascending Spark to Iron Realm had significantly increased his storage. Nil couldn''t be sure, but his control had increased, too. Switching between Brutal Battery¡¯s two abilities had become smoother and swifter¡ªduring training, at least. Live combat was an entirely different story. Ascending a train engine and standing atop its chimney gave Nil a better view of his surroundings. He saw Winter Hunter''s energy trail and traced it to where it was thickest. He didn''t look directly at it but could feel her eyes on him. The woman was lying in wait, looking for an opening or waiting for him to turn around until she unleashed another attack. Nil gave her no such opportunity. Before climbing the train, Nil had grabbed a railroad spike he found on the ground. His cargo pants gave him plenty of pockets to carry it. He tightly gripped the item, took a moment to take aim, and threw it, putting Expend''s power behind the attack. He wasn''t surprised when it missed. The visage laughed at Nil, but he ignored it. Winter Hunter dove for cover, and the ground exploded where she had crouched a moment later. He had an opening now that she was prone. Nil leaped after, using Expend to propel himself forward. A quick switch to Absorb made his landing silent and stable while also refilling a part of his stores. Then he was burning energy again, closing in on the woman. He reached her just as she stood up, wiping blood from her sliced-open cheek. A low kick brought her back down to the ground. Winter Hunter''s awkward attempt at a counter told him she didn''t have much martial training. The young woman had only learned enough to pull off ambush attacks and use hit-and-run tactics. He dropped on her swinging arm with his knee. Winter Hunter screamed when something crunched, and the limb got stuck under Nil''s weight. He grabbed her other arm around the wrist as she wildly swung the stiletto at him. The woman frantically kicked her legs but failed against his Might. ¡°Give up,¡± Nil said calmly. After the emergency quest, the Pit fight felt like a cakewalk. Anxiety didn''t make his heart and temples pound. Slow breathing kept him calm and his thoughts clear. Meanwhile, his opponent appeared to have lost her nerve. Failing to pierce Nil''s skin and his shrugging off the ice appeared to have unnerved her. He doubted the broken arm helped. ¡°I don''t want to break any more bones.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± Winter Hunter spat, still struggling. Nil knocked the blades out of her grip, brought her wrists together, and held both in one hand. She screamed as her squirming jostled the damaged limb. He pulled her onto her feet and held her against a train car, face pressed against rusted metal. ¡°I can wait you out, you know. The organizers would probably pay me extra to make a show of choking you out or breaking things until you''re a drooling mess. I don''t want that.¡± Winter Hunter''s struggling ceased when he twisted the broken limb around her back. ¡°Fine!¡± She screamed. ¡°I give up. You win. Just let me the fuck go.¡± Nil waited a moment until the organizer spoke in his ear. ¡°You heard the lady. Little Fist has his fist win.¡± She sounded annoyed. ¡°What a boring end to an entertaining fight. Please walk into the glowing pillar.¡± A beam of light shone at the end of the train yard. Nil kept a hold on Winter Hunter¡¯s good arm and dragged her toward it. She kicked him a couple of times, but he ignored her. 23. Future And Family Nil didn¡¯t need healing. When he returned to the mall¡¯s ground floor, a pair of women with a gurney met him. Nil recognized the older of the pair. It was the woman who had healed him following his first fight. She waved Nil away and took charge of Winter Hunter. The young woman flashed him the middle finger once on the gurney. ¡°You owe me a pair of stilettos, fuckhead,¡± she yelled while the healer and her assistant rolled the gurney away. ¡°You were incredible,¡± Andrew said, smacking Nil on the back. The man was waiting for him just outside the transport portal. Andrew handed him an ice-cold lemonade. Nil had decided to quit beer and all alcohol to take fighter life seriously. He chugged the half-liter container in less than seven seconds. ¡°Little Miss Stabby Chills didn¡¯t have a chance.¡± ¡°That cold thing caught me off-guard,¡± Nil said. ¡°I felt it in my heart, and my joints didn¡¯t like it one bit. If it weren¡¯t my improved control over Expend and the ascension, I¡¯d be shelling out three thousand to heal frostbite.¡± ¡°Through Sheer Grit. Your power realms might not have budged, but you sure as hell are getting better with it. That¡¯s what won¡ª¡± ¡°It was sheer martial skill and technique that decided it.¡± The same organizer who gave him his pay following the first match approached Andrew and him. A woman in a pantsuit followed close behind him. ¡°Our people watched your recording over and over again. We doubted she¡¯d get through your defense but were sure her frost would do the job.¡± ¡°It almost did,¡± Nil replied. He almost lost his train of thought as Aisha¡¯s visage pranced over to the announcer and his companion. It sniffed around the woman, studying her closely. ¡°The outer ice and frost wasn¡¯t so bad. The chill on the inside, on the other hand¡ª¡± The hair at the back of his neck stood on end. The memory of the cold was still fresh on his mind. He had felt nothing like it. The chill had somehow gone straight to the bone. ¡°It was something else.¡± ¡°Well, all that matters is our bookmakers are happy, and the gamblers are not,¡± the organizer said. He handed Nil an envelope. It contained fifty thousand pounds in cash and a receipt. ¡°Big wins are hard to clean. If you¡¯re paying taxes and smart, you¡¯ll declare it as casino winnings.¡± He took a step back and nodded to the woman accompanying him. ¡°There is someone who wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Andrew said, slipping between Nil and the suited pair. ¡°This is supposed to be an anonymous affair with no one approaching or getting to know my client. He fights. You pay him. Done.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your identity if you don¡¯t want to provide it,¡± the woman said before the organizer could interject. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about an opportunity.¡± ¡°My client isn¡¯t looking to work for any private security firms or crime lords either. This is a means to an end. Thank you for your interest.¡± The woman looked past Andrew at Nil. ¡°Does he speak for you on all matters?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too familiar with the less-than-legal side of life,¡± Nil answered. He couldn¡¯t tell if the woman meant it as a slight, and he didn¡¯t care enough to find out. ¡°Really. I just want to take my money and go.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m here to ask if you have any interest in going legitimate.¡± The woman handed him a business card. Nil wasn¡¯t aware people still used such things. ¡°Shina Patel.¡± Nil read the card out loud. The visage stood uncomfortably close to him, staring at the information on the rectangle of paper. He almost reflexively sniffed Aisha¡¯s hair. ¡°Director. Symbiotech.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still small, but our recent developments have us pulling ahead of Arthurtech in aethertech and biotechnology fusion.¡± The woman continued before Nil could ask what she wanted from him. The rushed speech made it sound like she was worried he would walk away. ¡°We¡¯re looking for individuals of the brute, knight, and rogue discipline¡ªprimarily melee fighters¡ªto help with our research, test our products, and perhaps even market our creations. It involves a handful of tests at our laboratory and¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s in it for my client?¡± Andrew interrupted. Shina shot him a glare much colder than Winter Hunter¡¯s frost. ¡°I was getting to that. This is contingent on Mr Little Fist joining Apocalypse Arena. We¡¯ll sponsor a ludus membership and subsidize the costs involved as long as he helps with the research, uses the equipment we provide, and, of course, markets the product at official events.¡± Nil¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He didn¡¯t expect a sponsorship until he joined a ludus. The Pits didn¡¯t feel like the kind of place for the representative of an aethertech company to hang out. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether there was something shady about Symbiotech for them to look for partners among illegal fighters. ¡°I was talking to the organizers, looking for candidates who aren¡¯t tied to a crime family and hopefully have a clean record. They suggested you¡¯re likely to be one such person.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What kind of biotech are we talking about?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I¡¯m not too keen on body modifications, and my power¡¯s parameters involve using nothing but my body and fist weapons.¡± ¡°Do you have any limitations regarding armor?¡± Shina asked. Nil shook his head. ¡°Good. That¡¯s where we specialize. I know you don¡¯t need physical protection, but the ice left you vulnerable. Given my understanding of abilities similar to yours, I¡¯ll bet you¡¯re also susceptible to heat and electricity. We could whip up an adaptable bioarmor that provides you resistance to elemental attacks. It won¡¯t be anything great to start with. My RnD and development teams will need to study and adapt to you over some time, but it could be great.¡± ¡°That sounds intriguing, and I am working towards a ludus and eventually Apocalypse Arena.¡± Nil struggled to hide his eagerness. He checked the card. It had Shina¡¯s contact details. ¡°Give me a couple of days to think about it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Shina smiled. ¡°I understand this is a strange place to be approached. You and your¡ª¡± She glanced at Andrew, eyes turning cold again. ¡°¡ªmanager probably want to do your due diligence and see what we¡¯re about. Have a look at our website and maybe call for a walk around. We¡¯ll show you around the facility and our affiliated ludus. It can¡¯t compete with Wilson Luduses, of course, but it''s well-equipped and has an excellent team that will ensure all your needs are met.¡± ¡°The next match will be starting now,¡± the organizer said, putting a finger to his earpiece. ¡°Would you, gentlemen, like to join me for some drinks and a snack?¡± Shina asked. ¡°I promise you¡¯ll have a good time.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer, Ms Patel. But we need to get going.¡± Nil walked away from the exchange with his heart racing. The visage followed Shina for a moment. Then it froze, looking between her and the departing men. The soul weapon and its consciousness couldn¡¯t move far from the body containing it, so it chased him down a moment later.
Sponsorship contracts often spanned at least a year. For an unknown like Nil, it would likely demand a longer commitment. So, unwilling to rush into a decision, he shelved the idea and visited his family the following day. ¡°Holy shit, you got taller,¡± Emily said as soon as she opened the door. A throat clear from Udit followed. ¡°Sorry, Baba! It just slipped out.¡± ¡°I think I gained an inch.¡± ¡°You¡¯re broader, too,¡± Sam claimed. ¡°Skin, too,¡± Baba added. ¡°You look airbrushed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what ascension does,¡± Nil said. ¡°It makes people the best possible version of who they were supposed to be.¡± ¡°You were always the best version of yourself, son.¡± Udit Roy was an excellent father. He was always there for his children and nephew, helped them with homework, and made time to talk about whatever issues they might have. However, he rarely gave out compliments. The man appeared happier and healthier than the last time Nil saw him. He guessed that not worrying about the house falling apart and having no appliance breakdowns had something to do with it. Everyone appeared happy to see Nil and Andrew. The family seemed even happier when they realized the pair had brought food. Sam and Emily unpacked the kebabs, naan, daal, and curries. Meanwhile, Nil helped his father bring out extra chairs and extend the dining table. They sat down together for a family meal, almost like the days before the cataclysm. Elizabeth Gibson-Roy¡¯s presence didn¡¯t go unnoticed. ¡°So? How did it go with the police officer?¡± Emily playfully nudged her brother halfway through the meal. Nil had hoped to avoid the topic, but he knew there was no escaping his sister. ¡°It was a misunderstanding,¡± he replied. ¡°Her supervisors instructed her to try to recruit me for a role in the Metropolitan Police. I told her no, of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the complete truth, though,¡± Andrew chimed in, much to Nil¡¯s annoyance. Kicking the man under the table didn¡¯t get him to shut up. ¡°Officer Park and her partner showed up at my place a few nights ago for a wellness check. She admitted that it was supposed to be a date until her superiors and the policewoman your heroic brother saved got in the way.¡± ¡°Yes. But we decided afterward that it was for the best.¡± Nil snatched a chicken leg Andrew was reaching for and took a big bite out of it. He got a cheeky grin in response. ¡°I¡¯m not ready for a relationship. It''s not the best time for it either. Also, it won¡¯t look good for Katie if she starts dating someone her boss asked her to recruit.¡± ¡°Oooh! Katie! Isn¡¯t that sweet?¡± Emily laughed. Her face went serious after a couple of bites, and her eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you one of those¡ª¡± She hesitantly glanced at her father. ¡°¡ªF-boys? No relationships. Only hookups and stringing people along.¡± ¡°No. It''s nothing like that. Anyway. I was looking at¡ª¡± ¡°Leave him alone, Emmy,¡± Sam said. ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject, Nil,¡± Emily continued, ignoring Nil¡¯s desire to skirt the subject. ¡°Why do you never get into relationships? Or have you had girlfriends and just never told me? Why wouldn¡¯t you tell me? I thought we were close. Am I that bad a little sister?¡± ¡°Will you cool it, Emmy?¡± Nil¡¯s words came out louder and harsher than intended. All smiles and conversation around the table disappeared. Everyone stared at him, including Emily. Nil rarely raised his voice, and she looked shocked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to discuss this topic. I love you, Emmy, but my love life is none of your business, alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dada,¡± Emily said, her voice soft. She kept her eyes on her plate. ¡°I was just teasing. You¡¯re a lovely guy, and I think it''s just strange you¡¯ve never introduced us to a girlfriend. Or, boyfriend.¡± She reached across the table and placed a hand on her brother¡¯s. ¡°I love you, you know. If there is anything you ever want to tell me, I¡¯m always here. Don¡¯t take it the wrong way, please.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve just missed you, Nil,¡± Udit added. ¡°You spent so long in London, obsessing over your career and barely visiting¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°We¡¯re just happy to have you back and want to know about your life. Don¡¯t shut us out. Alright?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, Baba,¡± Nil said. He smiled at his sister and squeezed her hand. ¡°I promise.¡± 24. Friends In The Right Places ¡°I was surprised when you called,¡± Katherine said, grabbing the seat across from Nil. She looked as gorgeous as last time in her civilian clothes. The woman seemed to have put less effort into her appearance than their not-date, but still appeared glamorous. Katherine had not bothered with any makeup besides a bit of eyeliner and lipstick. Nil doubted she needed even that. ¡°Susan was sure you¡¯d never want to hear from me again.¡± ¡°The last time we met, we established that we¡¯re friends,¡± Nil said, putting on his best smile. He ignored the visage as it stood at the end of the booth like a blood-splattered waitress. His soul weapon''s consciousness had been content with exploring the restaurant and studying neighboring tables'' food until Katherine arrived. ¡®So, I¡¯m just a friend calling on a favor. I hope that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I think I owe you as much after embarrassing you. The Met Police owe you for saving Susan as well, so I don¡¯t feel too bad about misusing resources and the unethical nature of the request.¡± ¡°I seriously appreciate it. The circumstances behind my meeting were a bit unconventional, so I¡¯m just doing my due diligence.¡± ¡°And what does Symbiotech want off you?¡± A waiter appeared with menus and to take drink orders. Neither ordered alcohol. Nil requested a lemonade, while Katherine asked for an iced tea. The waitress lingered for annoyingly long, making small talk and delaying the continuation of their conversation. The visage also seemed annoyed. ¡°Symbiotech is looking to sponsor Apocalypse Arena hopefuls,¡± Nil answered. ¡°They specifically want to study melee fighters¡ªyour brutes, knights, rogues¡ªand develop armor for them. So, they¡¯ll help me get into a ludus and pay for a good deal of things as long as I test their creations for them and market the product.¡± Katherine stared at him, eyes narrowing. ¡°What have you been up to, Nil?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nil stiffened. Her tone made her sound more like a policewoman than a friend. ¡°How precisely did you encounter a representative of Symbiotech and get their attention? A recent Summoned doesn¡¯t just get approached out of nowhere, Nil. This Shina Patel must¡¯ve witnessed a demonstration of your power and martial skills somewhere before she thought you an arena hopeful worth sponsoring. Unless you found this person on the street and dragged her to Andrew¡¯s scrap yard, she shouldn''t be wary of your capabilities at all.¡± Nil sat silently, staring at the woman. A deep breath helped calm his racing heart. He did his best to channel Andrew¡¯s calm, nonchalant aura. ¡°You need to make a decision right now, Katie,¡± Nil said. ¡°Do you want to be my friend or an agent of the police force? You and your employers already know the kind of person I am. I can also tell you that I haven¡¯t done anything that would damage the peace or hurt the public. But if you have more questions or want to push the matter, I¡¯d suggest we end this meeting and friendship right now.¡± ¡°No.¡± Katherine sighed, leaning back in her seat. The sternness disappeared from her face, and her shoulders relaxed. ¡°It''s difficult to separate myself from my job. Even when on quests, I often work as an investigator or the local secret police. This is a part of who I am, and sometimes, I forget how it can affect relationships outside of the police force. But I need to know.¡± She looked sad as she continued. ¡°I think you¡¯re cute, and I like you. But I can¡¯t associate with you if I know you¡¯re up to something illegal. Whatever Andrew is doing with refurbished aethertech is fine with me. Working for crimelords and sanctioned private armies are not.¡± ¡°What if circumstances forced me into a grey area, and I need this to move away from that? I can promise you that I haven''t taken part in activities where someone was permanently hurt or died. There was no property damage either.¡± ¡°I suppose I could forget and help you toward a more legitimate path,¡± Katherine replied. She pulled a plastic folder out of her purse and placed it on the table between them. ¡°Symbiotech seems clean. There were a couple of complaints a while ago, but they went nowhere. Investigations and ongoing lawsuits suggested competitors were just trying to fuck with them. Aethertech is a cutthroat industry. If they¡¯ve offered you a genuine sponsorship, I think you should consider it. Saving the necessary funds with just quests will be dangerous and take time.¡± Katherine paused. She smiled softly, leaning forward. ¡°I¡¯d also like to continue spending time with you and would prefer you keep away from the grey or straight-up illegal parts of life, which I''m sure pay extraordinarily well..¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Andrew is just a bad influence.¡± ¡°Do you think that joke is a good idea, Mr Roy? Susan and I have become close friends, and she¡¯s my partner. She and Andrew are going on a date tonight. Are you telling me that he¡¯s the one who got you involved¡ª¡± ¡°No. It was a bad joke. I apologize, Officer Park.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Detective Park. Don¡¯t you forget it, Mr Roy!¡± After their drinks arrived, the conversation turned playful and flirtatious. They had met for Korean fried chicken, and he let Katherine order. She knew what pickles and side dishes were best at the restaurant, which was the same venue from which she had ordered delivery on their not-date. As the pair chatted, Nil went over the folder she had brought along. He didn¡¯t have permission to take it with him, and she planned on shredding the contents afterward. The cases against Symbiotech mostly involved equipment failures or patent and design disputes. There was also something to do with accusations of medical malpractice; the matter went nowhere since the company had no medical practices, didn¡¯t prescribe drugs, and didn''t conduct surgeries. Nil was no lawyer, but most lawsuits filed against the company appeared frivolous. Afterward, their conversation moved on to more personal matters. The pair talked about their families and childhood. Katherine pushed him for information regarding his relationship with Aisha and how he dealt with her passing. Nil was hesitant, but he told her just enough to smoothly switch topics without revealing how much it had messed up his early twenties. No one but Doctor Mendez knew about the depths of his depression, the nightmares, or his hatred of white parkas. Regaining any level of normalcy had been a long journey and he didn''t want to relive it. Nil occasionally felt tempted to call the man and tell him that the visage was real but didn''t want to go down the conversational rabbit hole. Katherine also told him about her last and only relationship. She dated the only other person of Korean descent in her high school, and things were going brilliantly until she became a Summoned. Initially, dating someone like her fascinated her boyfriend. Then, the thought of spending time with a person wielding Mind Magic ate at him. Whenever they had an argument, he accused Katherine of messing with his head and altering his emotions. She loved the man but had no choice but to end their entanglement as things got increasingly worse. After their meal, Nil and Katherine went for a walk around Harrow-on-the-Hill. They went through the station and Harrow College to the hills behind it. A large green hill overlooking the town center proved a lovely location for the pair to just sit and talk. The more time Nil spent with her, the less he thought about the visage. In fact, ignoring it became easier. He found himself enjoying the woman¡¯s presence and didn¡¯t want to ruin things. Unfortunately, the situation got the better of him. ¡°You¡¯re a strange man,¡± Katherine told him as the pair sat on the mown grass, sipping from cans. They had bought a few from the vending machines in the station. ¡°Strange how?¡± Nil asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve been flirting with you all afternoon, laughing at your bad jokes and touching your arm, but you haven¡¯t made a move. Hell, I told you that I liked you, too.¡± ¡°I thought you were being friendly,¡± Nil said. ¡°Didn¡¯t we decide that it''s best if we remain friends? I¡¯m too awkward, and you have a career to think about.¡± ¡°All of that¡¯s true, but sometimes, don¡¯t you want to go ¡®fuck-it¡¯ and do what feels right?¡± Katherine asked. Nil laughed. ¡°That¡¯s how men get done for sexual harassment or worse. First of all, you should know that I¡¯m pretty daft when it comes to such things. You could be wearing a sign around your neck saying, kiss me, idiot, and I still wouldn¡¯t get it. Also, in this day and age, I feel it would be best if I didn¡¯t make a move without an express invitation.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Katherine laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t make the rules,¡± Nil said, holding up his hands like there was a gun pointed at him. ¡°It''s the world we live in. I always say it is better to be safe than to get accused of something following a misunderstanding. That¡¯s doubly relevant since I¡¯m targeting Apocalypse Arena. It won¡¯t be a problem once I make it to the multiversal stage, but as far as Earth is concerned, I need to stay squeaky clean if I want success in the public eye.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± Katherine rolled her eyes, grabbing his hands and pulling them down. She scooted closer and leaned toward Nil. ¡°You have my consent. You can kiss me. Do you need it in writing, or is this good enough?¡± The visage lingered behind Katherine. Nil shoved aside his internal struggle, deciding he didn¡¯t care if its presence ruined things again. For the first time in a long time, he felt happy. He and his family were financially secure. Nil had his first success as a Summoned fighter, and a ludus sponsorship awaited him. He wanted to celebrate and have a good time. Instead of worrying about how things could go wrong, Nil decided to live in the moment and kissed Katherine. Tomorrow be damned. 25. Symbiotech Nil woke the following morning alone but feeling pleased with himself. The date had ended after half an hour of making out, and the pair had agreed to keep things casual. The situation was perfect as far as Nil was concerned. There was still a hint of guilt when he saw Aisha¡¯s face the first thing after waking up, but he had little trouble getting past it. After all, what straight man doesn¡¯t feel pleased with himself after locking lips with a pretty woman? Andrew had appointments regarding his business''s legitimate side and left the property at dawn. So, Nil had the palace to himself as he got ready for the day. The first couple of hours after waking, we went into stretches and kicking and punching drills, followed by finesse training with breakfast. Then Nil showered and scrubbed himself clean. He would¡¯ve preferred a bath, but Andrew had locked the master bathroom. Breaking it was no trouble for him, of course, but he was a guest in his friend¡¯s home and didn¡¯t want to appear ungrateful. The journey to Symbiotech¡¯s offices was annoying and lengthy. It involved taking a bus, followed by three changes on the London Underground. Rush hour meant he had to do it while packed into a tiny space like a sardine. It wasn¡¯t so bad while he was a civilian. Despite over a decade of martial arts training, genetics limited his size. The Schema helped him overcome such limitations. Now, his shoulders were significantly broader than the last time he got on a train, and awkwardly adjusting to it left him feeling awkward. Symbiotech¡¯s headquarters, offices, and research laboratory were in a poorer section of West Greater London. They were a small company, and in Nil''s opinion, not prioritizing a flashy location or venue was a positive thing. A significant amount appeared to have gone into refurbishing the old hospital. The entrance and hallway felt more like the lobby of a Canary Wharf office building than clinical. Nil was glad for it. The only time he had stepped in a hospital over the past seven years was for Aisha and his mother, and, as a result, he hated them. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you, Mr Roy,¡± a receptionist told him in a thick Punjabi accent. It didn¡¯t surprise him. Many called the neighboring Southall district Little Punjab. ¡°Dr Patel is in a meeting, so one of my colleagues will show you around. Would you like a tea while you wait?¡± ¡°A tea would be amazing,¡± Nil replied, trying to ignore the visage as it tried to peek through a closing set of doors and then the crack between them. ¡°Milk and sugar?¡± ¡°Yes, please. Just a splash of milk and five sugars.¡± Disgust flashed across the receptionist¡¯s face for half a second, replacing her professional smile. It was embarrassing at first, but increased calorie intake was apparently natural for Summoned melee fighters. Needs especially increased with Might. Since Nil was no longer worried about hereditary diabetes, he had ceased resisting his sweet tooth. The woman also gave him a two-way Non-Disclosure Agreement to sign. He wouldn''t talk about anything he saw in the building, and they''d also keep all of his information private. A young man in a lab coat met Nil with a steaming mug before showing him around the building. His degree was in mechanical engineering. So, outside of the little he had picked up sleepily watching medical dramas, Nil didn¡¯t understand half the things he saw or was told. His guide seemed pleased when Nil wasn¡¯t too proud to admit. The visage¡¯s odd behavior, as it focused on certain equipment and tried to follow people through side doors, almost made him laugh. He contained himself in an attempt to appear professional. The company¡¯s name made more sense as he saw the armor they developed. He expected vests made of carbon fiber, leather, or similar materials. Apparently, the Nexus market sold the hide of magic beasts, too. Instead, he saw prototypes of living armor. ¡°They¡¯re symbiotic,¡± his guide explained. ¡°We build the armor to either drain calories from the wearer, or they can also be adapted to feed off whatever energy fuels their abilities. I believe your power intrigued Dr Patel, and she¡¯s keen to get more candidates who fit the latter category.¡± Even though Nil had yet to sign anything, the man requested permission to run basic diagnostics on him. Since he had already decided to accept the offer, he complied. The man led Nil into a large laboratory that looked like it once served as some sort of ward. A team of people in scrubs descended on him. The first scanned him with a giant machine and got accurate readings of his attributes. The measurement also gave him an accurate idea of his natural progression. Finesse and, surprisingly, Mind were both close to reaching the next Mortal rank. Nil guessed the psychic trauma inflicted by the Cursed One and Oth, the sky octopus, had helped empower the attribute. Afterward, they had Nil run on a treadmill to check whether his ability passively improved his endurance. He went through several tests under a human-sized hydraulic press, a high-tech boxing machine, and another to check his grip strength. Reaction speed and motor skills tests followed. They also had him do annoyingly long memory and IQ tests. The process took a couple of hours, and Nil regretted complying afterward. The visage¡¯s odd behavior was his only entertainment and distraction. He couldn¡¯t figure out the reason behind its antics and wondered whether ascending to Iron Realm was giving it more personality or perhaps changing something. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The lab techs also wanted blood, urine, hair, and saliva samples from Nil, but he refused to provide them without reading and signing any paperwork. Finally, Shina Patel met him around lunchtime. ¡°I''m sorry for all of the tests,¡± she said, shaking his hand. ¡°We just need to be sure you fit our requirements before proceeding.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Nil said. ¡°You need to ensure I''m right for your research and can manage my end of the contract before investing hundreds of thousands.¡± ¡°If not millions. The good news is, my team says your attributes are perfect. We''re all surprised your ability doesn''t give you any passive boosts yet, but that makes our lives easier, so it''s not an issue. Would you mind briefing me on your power?¡± ¡°It''s simple really. I have a defense and offense mode and store potential energy. The first makes me almost invulnerable to physical attacks and assists in building my stores. Then I burn said energy to either increase the power of my movements and strikes or release it as a blast.¡± ¡°I imagine that¡¯s what you used to shrug off Winter Hunter¡¯s ice.¡± Nil nodded. ¡°The energy you absorb and release. Is it kinetic energy, perhaps?¡± ¡°It''s impossible to tell, to be honest. The power doesn''t strictly follow the rules of physics.¡± ¡°Would you care to elaborate?¡± Shina asked, leading him into an office with the words Dr. Shina Patel on the door. The visage tried to enter an adjacent room but failed. It ran through the door just before Nil closed it. Shina¡¯s office was a large space with minimal decoration. She had a couch and coffee table, a desk with three chairs, and a fridge. The computer and other machines on her desk were the latest aethertech, but he saw no signs of any Arthurtech machines in the room. In fact, now that Nil thought about it, he didn''t recall seeing anything by the global superpower on the building. ¡°Please don''t hold back. Whether you sign with us or not, everything we discuss today is protected by the NDA.¡± ¡°When someone hits me while I''m in defensive mode, the object and its holder completely stop moving. They lose all momentum and come to a complete stop as long as I have the stores. Winter Hunter was the first person to get away with it, but I think that''s because of her exceptional reaction time.¡± ¡°Fascinating. It sounds like you''re robbing them of all kinetic energy and perhaps some immediate potential too. It''s like a perfect defense as long as you have the capacity to store energy. I''ve only encountered three other cases like yours in my decade-long career.¡± ¡°My offensive mode is even stranger,¡± Nil continued. ¡°It follows regular physics as long as I''m using the ability to just exert more power. However, things get inconsistent when I''m just releasing energy. Intent and mental image appear to play a big role in the feedback. In some instances when I release it from my entire body, I experience some recoil. However, in most cases, there is none. Instead, the surface I released the energy from gets ridiculously hot.¡± ¡°How hot?¡± Shina leaned forward. He could almost see the gears turning behind her eager eyes. She looked like a child being told their favorite bedtime story. ¡°So far? Just second-degree burns. It doesn''t help that my control over the amount of energy is still abysmal. It gets worse the less surface area I release it through. So, I need to be careful with its use.¡± ¡°You''re precisely what we need for the next step in our research,¡± Shina said. ¡°My team and I could design a symbiotic armor that reacts to external stimuli and absorbs your stored energy to live and build a resistance. Does that sound good to you?¡± ¡°That would be perfect. You''d help me cover my greatest weakness.¡± ¡°Let''s move on to the meat of the conversation.¡± Shina turned her screen so Nil could see the display. It showed a map of London and featured several red and green dots. ¡°We work closely with a few luduses around North and West London. The green ones have openings for Iron Realms and people on the verge of ascending. You won''t be a particularly profitable partner until you make it to Apocalypse Arena. So we will only pay for registration and the first month. Afterward, we''ll only take care of the training facility fees. Paying for food and board will be on you. You can find paying fights and jobs through the ludus. Between them and your quests, you should have no trouble affording it. Further Pit involvement is forbidden.¡± ¡°That''s more than acceptable. I was only involved to save money for a ludus registration.¡± Nil studied the map and was pleased to find a green dot near Harrow-on-the-Hill. It was in Wembley, near the stadium which housed the 2012 Olympics. It was just after the world regained stability and before Summoned sports took center stage. He pointed at it. ¡°This one looks good.¡± ¡°Does that mean you''re willing to partner with us?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Subject to the contract terms, of course.¡± ¡°About that. The starting contract only lasts a year. I hope that''s okay. As we start analyzing you, things might change, and your abilities might be incompatible with our technology. Also, you''ll need to completely ascend to Iron Realm and qualify for the Iron Gauntlet. Your regular participation in Apocalypse Arena will be essential for the contract renewal or extension. I''m sorry we can''t provide more security, but far too many people fail or give up, and we don''t want to be stuck sponsoring you if that happens. Is that acceptable?¡± ¡°That''s fair and good for me, too,¡± Nil said. ¡°I might decide that you and your product aren''t for me six months from now. I wouldn''t want to be stuck in a relationship where I''m unhappy.¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± Shina exclaimed, smiling. She slid a portable Aetherscreen across the table. ¡°Take your time with the contract while I answer a few emails and put out a few fires. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr Patel. I look forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Just Shina is fine,¡± she said before turning to the monitor on her desk. The visage stood behind Shina, rubbing its cheek and hands against the wall. 26. Golden Aegis Golden Aegis was founded by a Silver-Realm Summoned and his friends as a place for like-minded people to train and ascend together. Unfortunately, the founder lost his buddies in the Apocalypse Arena or quests and then gave up on the Silver Gauntlet before he could ascend to the next realm or qualify for the Gold Gauntlet. Now, he ran it for hopefuls like his dead friends, providing guidance so they didn¡¯t meet the same unfortunate fate. It didn¡¯t compare to the Wilson Luduses shown in high-budget advertisements. In fact, it was humble compared to the government ludus where Katherine and Susan lived. Golden Aegis had bought out an old four-storeyed primary school and its adjoining grounds. The main building contained a cafeteria, medical facilities, a high-end gym, and a small space for lounging and games. The top two floors served as housing for ludus members. The third floor contained individual rooms for Mortal and Iron Realm summoned. It featured shared bathrooms and communal kitchens for anyone unwilling to indulge in the cafeteria¡¯s fare. The top floor was for Bronze and Silver Realm individuals with decent performance in Apocalypse Arena. The guide showing him around the building claimed the ludus only currently housed Mortals, Iron Realms, and a few Bronze Summoned. Several high-performing Irons got access to the top floor and paid increased rates. The owner had turned the playground into a giant looping running track, and the middle space served as an agility and obstacle course. Even though Nil got his tour late on Saturday evening, it was full of people training. Apparently, Iron Gauntlet qualifying events were just around the corner, and several members were desperate to use it as their chance to join Apocalypse Arena. They were struggling with the fees, and Mortal Realm events and quests didn¡¯t pay enough. The gym was Golden Aegis''s most impressive asset. Without it, Nil would¡¯ve sacrificed the comforts of living near his family and Andrew and opted for a ludus further from home. Much like the Symbiotech office, it contained no Arthurtech equipment. Nil spotted a few items, especially stress-test machines, carrying the Symbiotech logo. Now that he thought about it, almost all the equipment in the medical facility was the same. He guessed his sponsors did a good deal of money producing medical, scanning, and testing equipment for Summoned. The facilities also included a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and a jacuzzi with high-power water cannons. He couldn¡¯t tell whether they were meant to assist with training or for relaxation. A tall, muscled man stood under a stream with the power of firehose like it was no big deal. The man¡¯s smile and serene expression suggested he found the experience pleasurable. Nil signed the necessary paperwork before departing. He received a keycard, a ludus rulebook, a list of upcoming events, and a list of the support staff. Nil was surprised to find a handful of high-Bronze and Silver Realm Summoned in trainer roles. He hadn¡¯t expected such a service included, but given the astronomical cost of ludus membership, it made sense. Nil also received information and documentation from his family. Submitting them to the local council would win them several privileges and discounts. He imagined the tax breaks would make his father¡¯s life significantly easier. The guide appeared pleased, and it seemed he was relieved by the signing. Nil guessed the earnings from Symbiotech were vital to the small ludus. Andrew, Katherine, and Susan helped Nil move into the ludus on the Sunday. He didn¡¯t have enough belongings to need four people. In fact, he had enough strength and stamina to finish the task without any assistance. However, it was an excuse for the four of them to hang out and look around Golden Aegis. Nil had informed his family regarding the move earlier in the day. The suddenness of it caught them off guard. Udit questioned him about the registration fees and other necessary funds. The man was surprised to hear the news of the sponsorship and, just like Katherine, went about asking how he got noticed. None of Nil''s lies convinced him, and Udit announced plans to look them up and dig around for dirt. However, the discounts and other related privileges gave him pause. It would reduce the financial burden and help improve Emily and Sam''s quality of life. The group got a good laugh when Nil told them about the exchange. Andrew made jokes regarding his senility. Nil tried to put a stop to it, but once the taller man got his hooks in something, making him let go usually proved challenging. His new beau, Susan, also failed to stop his wisecracking on the matter. Then, the four walked into Nil''s new quarters. The size and furnishings became the focus of Andrew¡¯s new jokes. They mostly danced around the fact that Nil was pint-sized and that it was a perfect fit for him. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. A ten-by-ten-foot bedroom awaited Nil. One side featured a three-foot-wide, wall-to-wall bed. Given the size of some Summoned, the length made sense, but it occupied almost a third of the room. A tiny desk and chair separated it from a wardrobe and chest of drawers, the latter of which had a mirror hanging over it. ¡°Believe it or not, this is larger than the room I had in my London apartment,¡± Nil told them while Andrew set up a refurbished aetherscreen on the desk. It wasn''t the most powerful machine, but it was enough for Nil to browse the forums, chat, watch Apocalypse Arena videos, and stay up to date with the news. It connected to the ludus¡¯ internal network, too, letting him book training sessions and rooms in the fortified basement, check the cafeteria menu, and communicate with the staff. ¡°This is pretty decent open floor space.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Katherine said, hanging up a glow-in-the-dark Apocalypse Arena poster she had purchased as a moving-in present. It gave the space a dorm-room feel. ¡°Eight by five is an amazing amount of open space. I don''t know what you''d do with it, but the space doesn''t feel cramped.¡± ¡°And the bed is just about wide enough if you have any overnight guests,¡± Susan added, winking at Nil. Andrew chuckled, and Katherine glared. They hung out together until just after eleven. Then Nil took them out for a meal to thank them for the ¡®help¡¯ and company. The local brunch spot had an option for bottomless drinks, but none of them opted for it. Even though the women weren¡¯t athletes and didn¡¯t participate in Apocalypse Arena, their jobs were physically demanding. Neither of their abilities was Might or Finesse-focused, and both dedicated ample time to working out to stay in shape for emergency calls and quests. Andrew not opting for endless alcohol was new, and Nil thought Susan¡¯s presence had something to do with the decision. Only Nil¡¯s ability significantly affected his calorie needs. Everybody went for reasonably-sized meals. Katherine and Susan ordered avocado on toast with poached eggs. Andrew ordered an English breakfast. Meanwhile, Nil feasted on a stack of buttermilk pancakes and Eggs Florentine¡ªEggs Benedict but with spinach instead of ham. He disliked pork unless it was ribs or belly. The previous day had been especially draining, and his body still ached from it. So, he wanted protein and sugar. After Nil read and signed the contract, Shina sent him back to the laboratory for more poking and prodding. Besides urine and blood, the lab technicians also took a sample of spinal fluid. It hurt more than Nil expected. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, they had him run more stress tests afterward while using Absorb or Expend. They didn¡¯t provide healing afterward. His back and hips still hurt from experience. After brunch, Susan and Andrew disappeared to spend the Sunday together. Katherine and Nil spent some time together, talking about nothing and everything. She hinted at wanting to spend the day with him and perhaps go back to his room. However, Nil played the fool and expressed his excitement at using the ludus¡¯ facilities to grow Finesse and his ability¡¯s realm. He needed to prove himself, get Mortal realm fights, and get into the Iron Gauntlet qualifiers, after all. If Katherine was disheartened, she didn¡¯t let it show. They kissed before parting ways, and the embrace lasted several minutes. It was nice, and Nil felt a fluttering in his chest but moved on swiftly afterward. The visage¡¯s presence had nothing to do with it. A new chapter in his life was about to begin, and he didn¡¯t want any complications or distractions at the start of it. He¡¯d be displeased if things didn¡¯t go anywhere with Katherine, but Nil was sure he¡¯d move on and find a way to cope. His new life as a Summoned would give him the opportunity to meet new partners, too. Take your time, and don¡¯t rush into anything. No half measures. Whatever you do, give it your all, and don¡¯t spread yourself too thin. It was one of the last things his mother said to him. Neither of his parents was happy when he pursued cheffing instead of trying harder for something related to his degree. Eventually, they learned to live with it. Over time, his mother had become his biggest supporter, especially after he took over cooking Christmas dinner. He wished she were still around as he returned to the ludus. She wouldn¡¯t be happy about his life as a Summoned or his ambitions in Apocalypse Arena. However, Nil knew she¡¯d act as his biggest cheerleader while occasionally poking at his buttons the same way as Emily. Nil bumped into his neighbors on his way back to the room. They welcomed him to the ludus, and he lost several minutes to introductions and general chatter. They seemed like decent folk, and he got valuable information regarding the upcoming Mortal Realm fights and Iron Gauntlet qualifiers. They came across as a dedicated bunch and inspired Nil to push even harder. The Pits scraped the bottom of the barrel for people who had no other options. His opponents were criminals, the unregistered, and desperate. Meanwhile, legitimate fights would involve talented, hardworking individuals who dedicated their entire existence to excelling at quests and gaining ranks in Apocalypse Arena. Nil needed to be the same as them. First, he needed to get a whole lot better in as little time as possible, which meant pushing Brutal Battery¡¯s ranks. Fortunately, the emergency quest didn¡¯t reset his minimum wait between quests. So, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he got the chance to earn more Schema Tokens and perhaps another Iron Ascension Token. 27. Early Warnings A knock on the door woke Nil on his first Monday. It was still dark outside, and the dim aetherscreen on his desk read four-thirty-three. He sleepily answered the door in nothing but his shorts. Wolf whistles followed. ¡°Wake up call,¡± the only man in the trio said. He stood several inches taller than Nil but had a significantly leaner build. Nil guessed he prioritized speed over power. His companions included a woman as wiry and toned as him and a shorter, squatter teenager. She looked like a female powerlifter. He had met all three the previous evening. ¡°When you said early, I didn¡¯t think you meant this ungodly hour,¡± Nil said. ¡°If you want to get in good with the best trainers, it''s best to do your warm-ups before they wake up,¡± the teenager said, her high pitch contrasted with her build. Lily. It took Nil a moment to remember her name. ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡± ¡°Just because a trainer has a slot doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll take you on, you know,¡± Fatima added. ¡°Fine.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Give me ten minutes. I¡¯ll see you downstairs.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be at the running track,¡± the man said. He stared at Nil a moment. ¡°Something tells me you already forgot my name.¡± He got a sheepish grin in return. ¡°It¡¯s Theodore. Ted will do.¡± The ludus housed an eclectic group of Mortals and Iron Realms hoping to pass the qualifiers. Nil had met most and agreed to train with the other melee fighters. He expected competition, but the bunch seemed keen on supporting each other. Several preliminary and qualifying events involved team fights or games. Brutes and knights often formed the frontline, while rogues functioned as scouts. Since the roles demanded working in harmony, individuals with the disciplines tried their best to work together. Nil had encountered a handful of Mages, a Summoner, and an Arcane Warrior. His power aligned best with the last category. However, they relied on magic rather than physical fighting. Instead of using raw power like him, they developed spells and techniques to complement their martial abilities. As far as Nil could tell, Brutal Battery didn¡¯t have scope for such development. It relied on physical combat and instinct far too much. Besides, he lacked the Mind to handle the mental strain of holding spells in his mind¡¯s eye, manipulating, and channeling them. It was a shame. When he and Andrew daydreamed and played fights in his late teens, they emulated Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson and Arthur ¡®Technomancer¡¯ Wilson, respectively. However, when alone, Nil would imagine himself as a mage, wielding lightning or some otherworldly force. Then, as he got older and the Nexus didn¡¯t call on him, he told himself to settle for whatever the Schema offered. A couple of years after Aisha¡¯s passing, he gave up all hope of ascending. If his Mind attribute¡¯s potential was just a bit higher, he would¡¯ve gladly picked the path of Mage or Summoner¡ªthe latter also got minor spells. Now, he was glad for what he had. Nil¡¯s unusual levels of Spark made him different from the average physical Summoned, but he was starting to get a feel for it and was starting to enjoy himself. When he got to the running track, he set off relying on his natural strength, speed, and stamina. After a couple of laps, Nil added Absorb and Expend. As he picked up speed, the need for Finesse became more apparent. Maintaining his balance when Absorb didn¡¯t activate in time or while going around the bend proved challenging. So, while his new training partners continued running, he switched to the obstacle course. All quests provided Schema tokens. If not for his Feat, Nil would¡¯ve invested his earnings in Finesse until it caught up to Might. Instead, he planned on adding all of his earnings in Spark until it reached the peak of Iron. Brutal Battery¡¯s capacity was his lifeline, after all. The attribute would then empower Through Sheer Grit, making it easier to raise the rest through training. Symbiotech¡¯s equipment proved correct. After an hour of pushing himself on the obstacle course with only five minute breaks, the Schema sent him a notification. Finesse has progressed to Mortal 7. Expend has progressed to Mortal 5 Brutal Battery: Mortal 5 Energy Instinct: Mortal 2 Feats: ¡°You okay?¡± Lily asked. She hopped off the running track and joined Nil at the start of the obstacle course. ¡°You look surprised.¡± ¡°I just got a little boost,¡± Nil replied, lying on the floor and still panting. ¡°My Finesse and one of my abilities went up.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°One of your abilities?¡± ¡°My power has two halves. Both active. One is defense, and the other toes the line between utility and offense. The first is easier to raise. The other takes more effort and concentration.¡± ¡°Sounds complicated. Earthclad has just one passive. It increases my strength and stamina and lets me mold stone into armor.¡± ¡°All scaling with Might?¡± Lily nodded. ¡°Finesse is the secondary attribute. Maybe it plays a role in stamina, too. I think it mostly sharpens my ability to sense surrounding rocks and get a good sense of which is densest and best for armor. It''s impossible to tell until I get to the higher ranks, of course. Standard brute-discipline stuff.¡± ¡°That sounds incredible. I imagine your defense and the force you can exert without concern is incredible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m slow as fuck, though. A couple more ranks, and I can ascend my ability. It would be great if the Schema could give me something like weight control or improve my mobility. Otherwise, climbing beyond the Iron Gauntlet will prove challenging.¡± Lily stared at Nil as he sat up. He could feel her studying him. ¡°What are you targeting? The climb or profits.¡± ¡°For now?¡± Nil started stretches instead of just sitting around as they spoke. ¡°It''s about the profits. I have a dad who should¡¯ve already retired and two siblings who are still in school. All civilians. Earnings from the arena will help me move them somewhere nice. Decent degrees and stuff to help make a good living as a civilian would be nice, too. I¡¯d love to at least get to Bronze or Silver for that. I haven¡¯t thought about what to do afterward.¡± Lily had proven a polite and dedicated young woman when they last spoke. He didn¡¯t mind being honest with her. ¡°Helping the world with interdimensional resources, tech, and knowledge is great, but my family is my priority. What about you?¡± ¡°I want to go all the way.¡± Lily grinned. ¡°And I¡¯m not talking Gold or Platinum. I want to go beyond that. I¡¯m talking Immortal, Demigod, God Realms, moving to a Control World, fighting in the higher tier arena, and targeting the Void and Cursed Ones where it hurts.¡± ¡°Did your caseworker tell you about all of this?¡± Nil asked. Lily shook her head. ¡°He just shuts down when I bring it up. Man won¡¯t even touch the subject. But the forums are full of people who¡¯ve learned a bunch of stuff during the quests. There is a lot more out there than the Nexus tells us. I can send you a link if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°That would be nice, thanks.¡± During weight training, Lily and Nil paired up while Fatima and Ted worked together. The latter of the pair belonged to the knight and rogue disciplines, respectively, and used Finesse as their primary attribute. Nil didn¡¯t tell them he had a Spark-focused power and prioritized pushing his muscles with high-weight, low-number lifts. Nil hoped it would help push his Iron-Realm Might to greater ranks, allowing him to use Expend more freely without concern of injury. Afterward, they all had breakfast together. When Nil heard or read the word cafeteria, he didn¡¯t expect decent cooking or variety. He was at the ludus to train, and when he wanted something nice, he planned on cooking it in the communal kitchen. As long as the offerings were nutritious, he didn¡¯t care. An assortment of bread, pastries, fruits, porridges, and much more awaited him. The buffet also featured several smoked meats and fish. Nil didn¡¯t feel self-conscious when eating since he wasn¡¯t the only one who piled sausages, bread, cheeses, and fruit on his tray. Most went for fried or scrambled eggs. Nil opted for boiled. While everyone tucked into their meals, Nil made open-faced sandwiches. His favorite included cream cheese, sliced boiled egg, smoked fish, and dill. He indulged in three-mint tea instead of sugary juices. He had a bowl of fresh fruit and berries with yogurt for his sweet ending. A topping of chopped nuts added some necessary crunch. Combat sessions followed. Everyone went with their trainers to brush up on martial skills, spell-slinging, or whatever else their power involved. The brawling and open-hand fighting trainers didn¡¯t hold group lessons until later in the day, so he settled for the weapons training classes. The teacher didn¡¯t mind. Extra sparring partners for his students always helped. Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, the session didn''t just involved combat drills and fighting. They also watched Apocalypse Arena bouts, specifically focusing on melee fighters who used weapons. ¡°A difference in martial ability often compensates for power gaps,¡± the trainer said, pausing the video for the eleventh time. ¡°The hammer-wielder here is either a knight or an arcane warrior. He might have passive abilities, but his core is a powerful active. He should be dominating most melee opponents unless they have the means to ground his lightning enchantments and nova. However, the swordsman is outclassing him with nothing but the passives he¡¯s picked up across his ascensions. That¡¯s why I insist on polishing footwork and technique until they¡¯re instinctive and reflexive. ¡°Imagine how different things would be if Mr Hammerman didn¡¯t rely on his lightning as a crutch. He could use his Might to eventually throw the swordsman off-balance and use his nova as a finisher. Right now, he¡¯s wasting it on defense and covering his openings. I¡¯ve seen some of the issues you are having. It''s too late for Hammerman. He¡¯s Silver Realm and has been at it too long. Breaking his habits will be impossible. It''s not the same for you. You¡¯re new to this. So, today, we¡¯ll focus on breaking your habits. Who wants to go first?¡± ¡°Me. Please.¡± Fatima stuck her hand up. ¡°Can Nil and I spar? Everyone here has long weapons and greater reach than me. I¡¯d like to win for once.¡± ¡°Why pick on the newbie?¡± Ted asked, but she ignored him. ¡°It''s not about winning or losing, Fatima,¡± the teacher said. ¡°You¡¯re here to get good enough until things like reach don¡¯t matter. But sure. I¡¯d like to see what Symbiotech sent us this time.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Nil said. He followed Fatima into the basement arena. The walls apparently had enchantments to hold up against Bronze Rank powers. ¡°Are we allowed to use our powers?¡± ¡°Of course. They¡¯re a part of you. I¡¯ll be here to ensure no one gets seriously hurt or killed. Don¡¯t go for killing blows, of course. A good deal of people here only have passive abilities. They can¡¯t turn themselves off. So, fight like you¡¯re in the arena.¡± The teacher handed out special suits. ¡°You¡¯ll feel the force of all attacks, but these are enchanted to protect against up to three crippling or killing blows,¡± he told Nil. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of training you¡¯ve had or your background, but be aware that everyone here is trained to kill.¡± 28. Armed Opponents Fatima conjured a pair of eight-inch blades and held them in a reverse grip. They reminded Nil of the new and fashionable scimitar-style chef knives. However, they had a strange hexagonal pattern, all of which appeared to connect, and they were made of solid, crystalline material. It almost looked like she had used blood for the constructs. They hummed, vibrating so fast that the air around her shimmered. Nil guessed she belonged to the knight or rogue discipline with a combination of passive boosts and active abilities, much like Serpent Tactics. Nil started the fight while channeling Absorb. He had blown through most of his stores while trying to raise his rank on the obstacle course, so he stayed on the defensive. Facing Winter Hunter taught him to expect the unexpected. There was no telling who could add energy effects, magic, or poison to their regular attacks. He doubted Absorb would¡¯ve held up against Sakura¡¯s Cutting Light either. Just swinging while he had his defenses active was no longer enough. It felt like a decent tactic while facing monsters or whatever else the quests threw at him, but not for Apocalypse Arena hopefuls. Fatima bounced on the balls of her feet, hopping back and forth. She studied Nil as he stood unmovable, defensively, keeping his hands open for a grab. Fatima¡¯s build and weapons suggested she was a speedy foe, and he doubted trying to strike her with a Finesse score of seven would turn out well. Nil had seen her on the running track and obstacle course. He expected her to be faster than him but didn¡¯t yet know how fast. ¡°Fine.¡± Fatima rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll come at you first.¡± Unlike Winter Hunter, she didn¡¯t come at him in a straight line. Instead, she twirled, ballet leaped and weaved. Nil worried that the second he got distracted or committed to a move, she would try to slip into a blind spot. She looked like the type of fighter who would go straight for the kidneys or a similarly vulnerable point. Her approach and demeanor appeared intended to throw the opponent off guard. Nil didn¡¯t move a muscle as she approached. Instead, he used Energy Instinct, hoping the ability would give him a read on her. Unlike Winter Hunter, Fatima didn¡¯t leave a prominent trail. Only luminous pink flecks came off her blades and hung suspended in the air behind her before slowly fading. The visage stood on the sidelines, frowning as it closely studied the woman. Then, they clashed. Fatima slashed with her left. Unwilling to let the blade touch him, he leaned backward at the last second, and the edge passed a hair¡¯s breadth from his chin. Fatima rotated with the same movement, dropped into a squat, and swung her right knife at his lower flank. Nil kicked at her with his left leg, and the woman pulled out of the attack at the last second. She spun away from him, creating distance. ¡°Good instincts,¡± the trainer commented. Nil ignored the compliment and went on the offensive. His power forced him to be reactive, and it didn¡¯t feel like the best move against his opponent. Speedy fighters didn¡¯t hit with a lot of force. As a result, Nil lacked the means to build up Brutal Battery. He either needed to wait out his opponent until they made a mistake or disrupt their offense-focused fighting style. A right guard blocked Fatima¡¯s defensive slash. Nil let the blade slice across his left forearm. He needed to know whether they had any magical capabilities. The duel wouldn¡¯t kill him, and Golden Aegis had decent medical facilities. He could afford to take some risks. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores grew by a surprising amount, and the blade cracked. Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, blood streamed from the contact point. Despite him channeling Absorb, the knife had successfully cut him. The wound was only skin deep. Fatima¡¯s wide eyes betrayed that her failure to slice deeper had surprised him. As Fatima retreated, Nil¡¯s blood went with her. It hardened around the edge that cut him, repairing the damage. The knife grew as well, turning into more of a dagger. He didn¡¯t let up, keeping her on the back foot. Expend-powered strides gave him the speed to close in on Fatima. Nil could already feel how the increased Finesse improved his balance. It also enhanced the instincts he had built over years of sparring. He noticed how his opponent¡¯s footing changed, and she shifted her balance to her front foot. Another attack was coming. No. It''s a feint. As predicted, Fatima interrupted her spin halfway, and the right slash didn¡¯t land. Instead, her left blade shot forward from her other arm¡¯s shadow, targeting Nil¡¯s abdomen. He grabbed the wrist of the attacking limb. First, he pushed it away from his torso and then pulled Fatima off balance. Then Nil did a heel spin of his own, so they were back to back. She attempted a blind backswing with her free arm, but it missed. Then Nil¡¯s elbow struck the back of Fatima¡¯s head. The stumble told him he had jolted her brain and nervous system as expected. Nil knew his opponent had speed, but Might and Absorb made them useless. Her struggles only charged him further. He twisted the held arm behind her back, ignoring the shallow cuts her other blade opened across his ribs. Nil kicked the back of Fatima¡¯s knee, and she fell forward. He forced her into a prone position and then grabbed her flailing free arm as well. Once he had both under his control, the woman could do nothing but kick uselessly. He kneeled on her back, and she stopped resisting. ¡°You win,¡± she spat. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We have a surrender!¡± The trainer laughed. ¡°Damn, Sunil¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Nil.¡± Nil released Fatima and stood. She groaned as she rubbed her shoulders rising. ¡°Whatever.¡± The trainer approached him with a canister with Symbiotech¡¯s logo on it. When he sprayed Nil¡¯s wounds, a light foamy layer settled on his skin. It turned pink around the scars and solidified. ¡°Impressive technique nonetheless. How long have you been training?¡± ¡°Since the cataclysm,¡± Nil answered. ¡°My parents wanted me ready in case I ever got summoned or got in trouble.¡± ¡°Good instincts and better technique,¡± the man commented, facing the other Summoned. ¡°I¡¯ve had a look at Nil¡¯s file. He has an active defense and offense ability, which can¡¯t function simultaneously. We just saw him use nothing but the first and pure technique to win.¡± He looked at the still-groaning opponent. ¡°What did you think of your opponent, Fatima?¡± ¡°I can see why Symbiotech picked him,¡± Fatima grumbled. She locked eyes with Nil. ¡°How did you know my blade wouldn¡¯t shred you?¡± ¡°I took the risk with the first attack and bet on my defensive ability,¡± Nil answered. ¡°It''s a surprise you still cut me, to be honest. I''d be in big trouble if you landed a blow along the neck, thigh, or inner forearm. It feels like I got lucky, to be honest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± Fatima glared. She sounded more annoyed than angry or hateful. ¡°Luck had nothing to do with it. You¡¯re the better combatant of us. I might have a higher Finesse score, and my ability rank is probably greater than yours, but you still won.¡± The woman rose to her feet, approached Nil, and offered him a hand. ¡°Good spar. I thought I had a chance because you¡¯re new and probably inexperienced.¡± She lowered her volume and leaned closer. ¡°I guess Symbiotech found both of us at the same place.¡± Nil almost gave away his surprise. He only nodded and shook her hand before walking off the ring. Ted passed Nil on his way to his spar, flashing him a little smile. ¡°Good one, mate,¡± he whispered. The trainer didn¡¯t waste much time on commentary and advice before initiating the next fight. It was interesting to watch the weapon-wielders fight. Nil guessed he had an advantage since he had trained in martial arts for over a decade. The rest didn¡¯t start training in their discipline or with a weapon until after their first summoning. Ted used a sickle on a chain as his weapon, moving significantly faster than Fatima. He was sure-footed as he fought an axe-carrying arcane warrior, but Nil saw more than a dozen faults and openings in the man¡¯s fighting style. The arcane warrior had better technique, but attempts to inject magic into the spar interrupted his flow, and Ted came out victorious. The spray residue hardened and became uncomfortable. When Nil brushed it off, he found his wounds had already closed. Only angry red lines remained. The Symbiotech products were surprisingly potent. Why the fuck haven¡¯t I heard of them before? Nil played the role of sparring partner twice more. He lost against the arcane warrior. The man¡¯s axe failed to penetrate his skin like Fatima¡¯s blades. However, the man also wielded fire and wrapped his axehead in it. The heat and burns eventually got too much for Nil, and he threw in the towel. His opponent had greater reach, too. After a short rest and more of the Symbiotech spray, he faced Lily and won. Absorb and Expend helped him break through her rocky defense. She shaped stones into a club, too, and the force behind her swings almost overwhelmed Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. As a result, he could use Expend freely and eventually came out on top. The trainer gave everyone individual instruction afterward. Nil retreated from the class and sat in the backlines, hydrating and studying the combatants, trying to think of ways to overcome challenging foes like the arcane warrior. ¡°You¡¯re almost decent,¡± a woman said. She had spent most of the past hour sitting at the edge of the underground training room, eating a bowl of cereal. Nil hadn¡¯t heard her approach. He struggled to put a finger on the woman¡¯s age. She appeared a few years younger than him, but her eyes and body language suggested maturity. Ascensions slowed the aging process so Nil couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Your technique is excellent, and your instinct is great. You need to up your Finesse, but that will happen with time. I see one major issue, though. If you don¡¯t fix it soon, you might get stuck in bad habits.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Nil asked, raising an eyebrow. The woman looked familiar. He had met several people the previous evening, but they were all a blur now. ¡°You treat your fighting technique and ability as two separate entities. They need to be one. It''s interrupting your flow. If you¡¯re not careful, the defensive half of your ability will become a crutch, and you won¡¯t get decent use out of your offense.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on it,¡± Nil said. ¡°Switching between the two isn¡¯t easy. I need to time the offensive half as well.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t switch,¡± the woman continued. ¡°Dual mode abilities generally have the same problem. Switching between modes is challenging, and takes focus, and time, especially early on. Activating a mode from neutral is much easier. You¡¯re facing an individual and not several people simultaneously. The enemy¡¯s capabilities and environmental factors are the only concerns. Identify your opponent¡¯s ability, and stay neutral if it doesn¡¯t have anything that¡¯s an immediate threat. Then, activate your defense and offense as and when needed. Be proactive and only react when needed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Thank you. I¡¯m Nil.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m Isabella.¡± The pair shook hands. ¡°You¡¯re the ludus¡¯ new unarmed combatant. It looks like time on martial arts training sessions will be wasted on you. My guidance might prove more valuable.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Nil tried to recall the staff directory. He recalled the name from it. ¡°What do you teach?¡± ¡°I train the knights and arcane warriors. It''s for people whose powers involve active close-range abilities and spells instead of passives and conjurations. I think you could benefit from training with me.¡± ¡°That would be great,¡± Nil said, sitting up straighter. ¡°Thank you. When do you meet?¡± ¡°I have two afternoon sessions: one after lunch and one after dinner. I suggest you use your mornings to train attributes and join me for the latter. It''s a smaller group, and I can give you more one-on-one attention. You''re welcome to attend both if you want to be ready in time for the upcoming Iron Gauntlet qualifiers. It will be a lot of hard work, and you¡¯ll be exhausted by the end, but my mentees usually get decent results.¡± 29. Through Sheer Grit Isabella proved an unforgiving taskmaster. She didn¡¯t care that Nil had exhausted himself with intense morning training and three duels. Unlike the weapons trainer, she didn¡¯t start the session with spars. Instead, she designed exercises based on their individual abilities. The Kenyan-born arcane warrior, Mobi, focused on holding his spells while going through axe forms and swinging magically weighted clubs while padded arrows flew at him. According to Isabella, this taught him not to let his magic or martial skills falter while dealing with building mental strain. Meanwhile, a head-to-toe armored knight danced through a course of rotating Wing Chun dummies while striking targets with a spear. Nil couldn¡¯t see any visible signs of an ability or magic. However, Energy Instinct detected an invisible presence swelling and ebbing around them. Nil knew nothing about the knight. The full plate masked their age, gender, and also, somehow, their build. The presence around the knight swelled whenever they thrust their weapon or swung it and then weakened as they moved and dodged. Their tasks seemed significantly easier and less punishing than Nil¡¯s. He couldn¡¯t tell whether Isabella wished to push him harder because of his martial technique or if she had a bone to pick with him. Nil found himself facing a trio of high-powered tennis ball launchers. A heavy metal net hung behind them and connected to the machines. Instead of soft, green-fuzz-covered balls, the machines contained fist-sized cannonballs. ¡°Catch the balls and throw them back into the net,¡± Isabella told him. ¡°They¡¯re going to track and target you. The longer you take, or if they don¡¯t make it back into the net, the faster the launchers¡¯ firing speed will increase.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Nil said, looking between her and the launchers. They and the net sat at least a hundred feet from him. If he had adequate training, his Iron-Realm Might would get him close, but Nil doubted it would be enough. ¡°That¡¯s too far.¡± ¡°And? Use your defensive mode to catch the projectiles. Revert to your neutral state. Then, launch it back into the net. The exercise should help you improve your ability, Finesse, and perhaps even Might.¡± It was easier said than done. If it were just one machine, Nil would¡¯ve managed just fine. The launchers fired slow enough for him to catch a ball while channeling Absorb, then revert to neutral before throwing it back with Expend. Unfortunately, the machines were synchronized and didn¡¯t follow a set pattern. The intervals between each shot felt random, and Nil wondered whether they had the ability to detect when he was in the neutral state before firing. He missed a few catches, dropped a few balls, and then failed to get more in the net. The interval between the shots decreased, and he suffered little cannonballs to the shins, thigh, and even a couple to the guts. ¡°This is too much,¡± he groaned when Isabella gave him a break after a half-hour barrage. By the end of it, Nil was mostly using Absorb to catch or just take the blow. ¡°Let me start with one machine and scale up. You can¡¯t expect me to¡ª¡± ¡°If you want to qualify for the Iron Gauntlet, this is what it will take,¡± Isabella cut him off. ¡°Can¡¯t handle it? Quit. Another trainer might coddle you, but I won¡¯t. Danger, pain, and threat of injury are necessary for growth. You¡¯ll notice that your power doesn¡¯t just gain rank from repeated usage but also when you push it beyond its limits or discover new uses for it. How can you expect to do that when it''s not second nature? Push. Get hurt. Break a few bones. It¡¯ll be fine. Your sponsor gave us decent healers and machines to deal with injuries. Let''s make the most of it.¡± ¡°Through Sheer Grit,¡± Nil mumbled to himself. He let Isabella spray his bruises with the Symbiotech spray and returned to work. By the second session, he struggled to find the strength to stay upright. Unfortunately, Isabella took no mercy on him. She had everyone do a double session through the obstacle course while using their abilities. Meanwhile, an assortment of projectiles flew at them. Nil suffered several bruises, scrapes, and a sprain. He couldn¡¯t tell whether Isabella knew to hold back just enough or it was sheer luck that he didn¡¯t break any bones. When the second session ended and dinner time came, Nil was ravenous. Isabella gave him a personal training schedule before sending him on his way. I don¡¯t know if I can do this three times a week. But he did. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Nil woke at seven, ate breakfast, and did agility training. Focusing on flexibility and dodging arrows. Then, after lunch, he took on the cannonballs or whatever threat Isabella threw at him for six hours. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He attended the unarmed combat and weapons combat training sessions on all days except Sunday. He didn¡¯t seek guidance from the trainers; instead, he played the role of sparring and training partner. After Isabella¡¯s punishing routine, he was often too sore and tight to perform at his best. As a result, Nil lost more often than he won. Most of his evenings involved watching Apocalypse Arena videos with people targeting the same Mortal Realm events as him. Or he met Andrew, Katherine, and Susan for dinner. Finally, Sundays exclusively became a day for family or friends. The ludus trainers insisted everyone take at least one day off from training. ¡°It''s not just your body that needs to rest,¡± Isabella told him. ¡°I made it to Silver before I took a step back from the arena. Trust me. I''ve seen far too many people burn out. You''re not as young as some of this other lot, either. Keep your people close before you lose them.¡± Nil half listened. Most Sunday evenings ended with him at the junkyard. He mostly hung around with his friends but also played arcade games or found other means of training. Even though she didn''t have permission from her superiors, Susan summoned her wolves and had them pursue Nil. He believed Andrew was starting to rub off on her. Skalli and Hati, apparently, also had the power to manipulate moonlight and shadow. Susan didn''t want to push her luck and didn''t let them use their abilities, but running from the pair or wrestling them proved an enjoyable exercise. After three weeks, a handful of days before he needed to go on another quest, Nil saw results. As he lay on his back, panting and gritting his teeth through the pain, he wished it were like the movies where a training montage got him where he needed to go. Finesse has progressed to Mortal 8! Absorb has progressed to Mortal 6! Expend has progressed to Mortal 6! Brutal Battery has progressed to Mortal 6! Energy Instinct has progressed to Mortal 3! All the notifications didn''t come at once but spread out across a Monday session facing the cannonballs. Nil''s timing and control had improved significantly, and he''d been expecting the upgrades. He was especially glad to receive them before the upcoming quest. It gave him hope regarding reaching the Iron Realm before the qualifying events came. He didn''t just need to grow stronger but also prove himself in a Mortal Realm event or two, so the ludus trainers would recommend him for the highly contested Apocalypse Arena entrance spots. It wasn''t just Nil''s mastery of Brutal Battery and the numbers in the Schema interface that improved. He enjoyed progress in his social life, too. Outside the ludus, he spent more time with Katherine, going on not-dates that usually ended with making out. He could tell that she wanted more but didn''t push him. Instead, she asked about his new life in a ludus and his preparations for upcoming events. Things progressed considerably faster in the ludus. Fatima hadn''t yet beaten him, but their matches were getting closer, and he appeared to have won her respect and attention. The visage seemed especially curious about her, more than about anyone else in the building. ¡°I¡¯ve made a decision, Nil,¡± she said, joining him at the dinner table. They hadn¡¯t seen each other since the morning¡¯s spar. She had successfully sunk one of her knives an inch into his flesh before he managed to grab her. ¡°We¡¯re going to be teammates, assuming you make it to the qualifiers, too, of course.¡± ¡°What makes you think you¡¯ll make it there?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You have the worst win records in weapons training.¡± Fatima grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you? My power is meant for dismembering and killing. I have to hold back against everyone but you. Otherwise, I¡¯d end up in jail. When I first started here, I took Ted¡¯s hand off. After the medical staff reattached it, he had to spend a week out of commission. The staff and our dear sponsor ordered me to hold back since then.¡± ¡°I need a clearer idea of your power if you want me to work with you. How the hell do you cut me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re cutting yourself,¡± she replied. ¡°My blades attract your bodily fluids and make them vibrate in harmony with the blades.¡± Fatima shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know the science of it. It''s a surprise you can still block most of my attacks.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re turning your opponent¡¯s moisture against them.¡± Nil fell silent for a moment as he pictured Fatima¡¯s weapons. Energy Instinct helped him identify an aura around them where the floating pink flecks were most concentrated. At first, Nil wrote it off as a shimmer born of air vibrating around the blade. Now, he hypothesized it was her ability¡¯s range. ¡°Interesting. But why do you want to group with someone like me? Lily and Mobi both have more experience with official fights and are more dedicated defenders.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re slow. Speed and stealth will be paramount if it is a large-scale team event. You¡¯re brawny. Hard as fuck as to put down. But you move pretty damn fast and can be quiet when you want. We¡¯ll be a challenging duo to pin down between your defense and my offense. All we need is a decent mid or long-range fighter.¡± ¡°So, someone who can move quickly or stealthily and attack from afar?¡± ¡°Or act as bait, setting us up for quick takedowns.¡± Fatima grinned. ¡°I bet pretty-little Dr Patel will be ecstatic if we create a Symbiotech team, kick butt and qualify for the arena together. Maybe we can get the ludus costs completely paid for, sweet contract renewals, and perhaps even a bonus out of it.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Nil said. ¡°I need to get close to ascending my ability first. They won¡¯t even consider me for qualifiers if I¡¯m not close.¡± ¡°Me too. Do you have a long way to go?¡± ¡°Three more ranks. I need to bag an ascension token, too.¡± ¡°Well, I hope things work out for you on your quest.¡± 30. The Second Quest Exactly eight weeks after returning from his first quest, Nil experienced his second summoning. It took him to the Nexus, but Layla didn¡¯t send anyone for him. He approached her office, but an invisible barrier prevented him from approaching the door. The Schema interface appeared when he tried again. Your caseworker is currently unavailable. She has been informed of your interest in speaking to her and will make a slot available following your request. What¡¯s the point of bringing me to the Nexus then? Could¡¯ve just sent me on a quest. The Fountain of Pyrene is available for pre-quest healing. The Nexus Market is available for all Iron Realm and above Summoned to arm, equip, and supply prior quests. Thanks for reading my mind. Besides the soul weapons, tools, and armor, Summoned didn¡¯t get to carry anything between Earth and the Nexus. Anything they wished to carry on their quests needed to be purchased from the Nexus Market and stored in a storage chest. Nil understood the reasoning behind it but also saw how it could frustrate people. He imagined Sakura spent a fair amount of Schema Credit on all the weapons she needed to carry for Cutting Light. At the same time, the Nexus didn¡¯t want the Summoned disrupting any world¡¯s stability by bringing in technology that didn¡¯t belong. An Assault Rifle could throw a world like Mila¡¯s into chaos. If someone discovered the means to replicate the technology, it would make their war against the Cursed Ones easier, but Nil imagined nations would go to war over it afterward and devastate each other. Historically, societies with superior technology rarely sat around and let their neighbors live in peace. Wars of conquest, massacres, and slavery often followed. Nil guessed the same could happen if unregulated magic made it onto Earth. Someone was attempting just that with cursed energy and the unformed soul weapons. Now that he had a ludus, he was willing to reconsider her offer. He didn¡¯t plan on starting straight away, but after he got past the Iron Gauntlet qualifiers. Nil still had several ranks to gain and not a lot of time to do it. Attempting to access the Nexus Market also failed. His body had reached the Iron Realm, but power had not. As a result, the Schema still considered him a Mortal. After spending three Schema Credits to get rid of all of the aches and pains from training, he looked at the quests on offer. Objective: Protect Prince Edgar Von Schmidt during his coming-of-age ceremony. Ensuring he doesn¡¯t die, end up crippled, or suffer any permanent damage. Duration: 24-48 hours Danger Level: Mortal 9 Rewards: 100 Schema Credit, 1 Schema Token Objective: Lord Percival Grey is facing trial by combat for a crime he didn¡¯t commit. Serve as his champion and ensure he doesn¡¯t lose his head. Duration: 1 hour Danger Level: Bronze 3 Rewards: 300 Schema Credit, 3 Schema Token Objective: The settlement of Oleg¡¯s Watch faces an unknown, monstrous threat. It is the kingdom and neighboring Control World¡¯s primary source of Aether Crystals, and it can not be allowed to fall. Duration: 6-24 hours Danger Level: Iron 9 Rewards: 200 Schema Credit, 2 Schema Tokens, Possible Bonus It was tempting to pick the second option. The short duration and reward made it almost perfect. However, the danger level concerned Nil. After witnessing Sakura and the Scuttler fight, he doubted he could handle a Bronze Realm threat. The high rewards for the low duration suggested it would be challenging. The first option was far too long, and the rewards weren¡¯t particularly tempting. So, he picked the third option. Iron-Nine was still too strong for him. However, he had successfully faced an Iron-Five Cursed One and came out alive. He had gained several ranks and ascended his body since. So, he decided to take the risk. Apparently, the cost of increasing attributes with Schema Tokens increased with every realm. Pushing Spark to Iron-One would take him two tokens. So, he didn¡¯t see any other choice but to help Oleg¡¯s Watch with its plight. The possibility of a bonus also made it tempting. Even though there was a chance of it causing problems with Symbiotech, he wanted to convert a portion of his cursed energy into Fear The Iron Maiden. Pushing his Might¡¯s potential to Silver would make raising the attribute naturally significantly easier.
¡°Are you it?¡± A middle-aged man accosted Nil as soon as he arrived at his destination. He wore a velvety red coat and matching feathered cap. His trousers were dark blue, and his pointed leather shoes curled upwards. Nil couldn¡¯t decide whether he looked like an alderman or a jester. ¡°I sacrificed all of our surplus for you?¡± The older woman standing behind the man smacked the back of his head. She wore long multi-colored robes and a headdress decorated with antlers, brambles, and a couple of gems. ¡°I told ye not to be greedy. Should¡¯ve taken some out of the little mayoral emergency fund you hide under your floorboards.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± The man¡¯s exclamation almost sounded like a whine as he shushed her. His beady little eyes glanced at the crowd two dozen feet behind them. Many peeked at the scene from the neighboring buildings¡¯ windows. The sun was low in the sky, and evening appeared close. It looked early, but all the doors and windows of the surrounding shops were closed. Some had shutters. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell all the little thieves?¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Yes. Yes.¡± The woman pushed past her son, walking with the aid of a staff. The gem at its head glowed a bright blue. Nil didn¡¯t need Energy Instinct¡¯s help to detect the magic radiating from it. It reminded him of the stones socketed in Aethertech stun guns, except stronger and purer. This must be the pure magic of Beacon Worlds Layla was on about. ¡°You¡¯re smaller than the last Summoned I met,¡± the mayor¡¯s mother told Nil. She sniffed the air around him. ¡°Strong, though. I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°Well, Iam all you have. So why don¡¯t you tell me what the problem is? I¡¯ll look into solving the mess so I can go home.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a mouthy one?¡± The woman snickered. ¡°How dare you talk back?¡± The mayor snapped. ¡°We¡¯re your summoner and, therefore, superior. You will do as you¡¯re told¡ª¡± ¡°Watch it.¡± Nil glared at the man. ¡°I¡¯m here because you need me. Talk too much, and I¡¯ll just wait out the quest timer until the Nexus calls me back. I¡¯d rather deal with whatever penalty awaits me than a tubby miser that can¡¯t solve his own problems.¡± ¡°Looks like I¡¯m going to have to teach you a lesson. Mother¡ª¡± ¡°Hi there!¡± Nil called to the crowd. ¡°Do you want to know where the mayor keeps your tax skimmings? It is under¡ª¡± ¡°Fine. Fine. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The mayor¡¯s mother chuckled. ¡°I like this one. He¡¯s got spirit.¡± She walked away from the summoning circle toward the crowd. They parted, creating a path for her. ¡°Follow me, laddie. I¡¯ll show you around and tell you what¡¯s what.¡± Oleg¡¯s Watch was a mining town on the border of a large magic-rich kingdom plagued by an unknown threat. Their town wizard had recently passed, and the best warriors had left to seek their fortunes on the western frontier, leaving the mayor desperate. The town guard had sent a messenger to the capital for aid, but it was a week¡¯s ride there and back. The mayor and his mother feared the settlement wouldn¡¯t survive the wait. Hence, they invested the quarter¡¯s aether gem surplus¡ªsold independently for the settlement¡¯s benefit and growth¡ªin the summoning. As Nil walked around the town, the mayor¡¯s mother showed him homes that were silently attacked in the night. Something had ripped through doors and walls, leaving deep gouges. No one, including the survivors, had seen the creature. It specifically targeted young women and children, devouring them and just killing or maiming the remaining residents. Guard patrols failed to find the monster, and a guardsman monitoring a neighborhood had lost his head. His children and wife, living in a home nearby, had perished the same night. Energy Instinct did its job. Black smoke full of pink and purple embers lingered around the murder scenes. They were the densest where the woman claimed remains were found. Deep claw marks surrounded by blood splatters marked the walls. The broken door and window frames suggested the perpetrator wasn¡¯t particularly big. As he continued to explore Oleg¡¯s Watch, Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether Katherine would¡¯ve received the job if the mayor had used the appropriate quantity of aether gems for the summoning ritual. The investigative nature of the quest suited her better than it did Nil. ¡°The beast marks the neighborhood it will attack next,¡± the woman said, guiding him toward a nicer part of town. ¡°We didn¡¯t notice it until a couple of nights ago.¡± The neighborhood contained a square with a fountain. A park and two mansions bordered it. A wide road ran from it, through the settlement¡¯s market to the main gate. The mayor¡¯s mother ran her fingers over a rough shape on the ground. Something had clawed a triangle into the ground. Each side had three jagged lines and one especially deep gouge running down the middle. The old woman pointed at the larger of the two mansions. ¡°The owner of the mines owns that monstrosity. His children have all flown the coop. His wife is away visiting family, and the old git lives with his butler.¡± She nodded at the smaller estate. ¡°My son lives in that one. With his wife and twin girls. I don¡¯t care what happens to him. He¡¯s a spoilt, incompetent ass. I regret pulling strings to get him the position. But I got him hitched to a decent woman, and his babies have the potential to become great mages someday.¡± ¡°It will be a shame if they fall to the Cursed One,¡± Nil said. He kneeled, studying the emblem closely. Cursed energy lay thick within the deep central gouge. ¡°How do you know it''s a Cursed One?¡± The mayor¡¯s mother asked, frowning. ¡°I¡¯m new to this, so I can¡¯t be sure. Can a human or magic beast be so full of cursed energy that traces of it linger for hours or days after death?¡± The older woman shook her head. ¡°Not that I know of, at least. You can sense Cursed Energy?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Then you¡¯re not as useless as I feared.¡± She sighed. ¡°I must be getting too old for this job. The mines are a beacon to these things. My wards and charms have been keeping the Cursed Ones at bay for years. So, I thought it was some crazed lunatic or a dark summoner trying to cast a ritual. If a Cursed One is here, it means I¡¯ve failed.¡± The woman looked defeated and humble for the first time since his arrival. ¡°You might be our only hope Summoned. I must be in my final years, but I¡¯m a witch of Moonsilk Coven. Tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll help in whatever way I can. I¡¯m Ester.¡± ¡°Thank you. My name is Nil.¡± He studied the emblem for a moment longer before scanning the neighborhood for any signs of Cursed Energy. ¡°You said it comes out after dinner time. Correct?¡± ¡°Indeed. It''s usually between the ninth bell and dawn.¡± ¡°Great. We have plenty of time. We need to investigate all the empty homes, wells, and other dark spaces within the walls.¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Ester asked. When she frowned, her face looked wrinkled. ¡°The beast already told us where it''s headed tonight. So, set traps and put your grandchildren in the deepest and safest corner of the mansion. In the meantime, we¡¯ll try to find any information about it. All information is helpful information. If we discover it while the sun is still up or rising from its slumber, there is a chance we can finish the thing easily.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to hide the girls somewhere else?¡± Nil hadn¡¯t heard the mayor approach. He looked more tired and scared than slimy and crooked. ¡°I don¡¯t want them here.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t help if it''s a Cursed One. Once the thing picks a target, it will pursue it to the ends of the world.¡± Ester looked up at Nil and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll support the Summoned in whatever way we can.¡± ¡°Let''s get to work,¡± Nil said. ¡°We have a long night ahead of us.¡± 31. Savoir of Olegs Watch After two hours of searching, Ester and Nil failed to find the Cursed One''s hiding spot. However, they found several clues hinting at its size and shape and exchanged whatever information they had on the mysterious monsters. ¡°Cursed Ones are born when horrific acts are committed in places of power or regions especially rich in mana,¡± Ester said, holding her staff high. She illuminated the basement of a house ravaged by the beast. ¡°I don¡¯t see why one would live or be born here. It must be sabotage or an attack. The feckers to the east want it to kill us so they can take control.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this town rich with mana and a place of power?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°Haven¡¯t there been any disasters or horrific events here? Every place has a past.¡± ¡°Yes to the first. Of course not to the second.¡± ¡°But you have a mine of naturally occurring and growing mana gems under your feet. Don''t accidents happen down there all the time? There is unstable magic, collapses, and mysterious deaths.¡± ¡°I mean, they do, but it takes a lot more than a collapse or a slip to birth a Cursed One.¡± ¡°I''ve faced one of these things before. Apparently, it was born when good people committed abhorrent acts out of desperation, and the local spirits turned on them. They melded together into something terrifying that feasted on people or turned them into horrific bat-like creatures.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ester froze mid-step. ¡°What do you mean, oh?¡± ¡°Something did happen a long ago. It''s been almost a century. We didn¡¯t have any Cursed Ones, though. The things never left the depths of the mines.¡± ¡°What things?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± The ancient mage sounded more scared than dismissive. ¡°It can¡¯t be it. Too much time has passed.¡± ¡°Cursed Energy and these things fester, don¡¯t they?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You need to tell me, Ester. For your granddaughters¡¯ sake.¡± ¡°I was just a little girl trying to get an apprenticeship under the last Warder of the Land,¡± Ester¡¯s voice quivered as she spoke, staring at the claw-marked floor. A rough triangle with a line through it sat at her feet. ¡°There was a collapse deep in the mines. Forty good men and boys got trapped. Everyone chipped in with the rescue effort, but it was slow. A month of digging later, we got only nine out. They told us the rest died of suffocation or were crushed. Desperate for food, they had no choice but to eat the dead. Most believed them. Some didn''t and left. My husband and his father were among the survivors.¡± Her volume got lower, and she wobbled. Nil helped Ester get to the basement stairs, and she took a seat. ¡°A darkness haunted both men until the day they died. They never spoke of the incident again. My father-in-law took his own life less than a decade later. My husband never went into the mines again but rallied for better equipment and safety measures, eventually running and winning the mayoral election. ¡°Then the creatures came from the depths. Half-man-half-bat. They dragged miners where the mana was too thick for people to follow safely. We never heard from them again. My husband had their territory¡ªthe bit around the collapse¡ªsealed. We don''t dig around there anymore.¡± ¡°Are any of the survivors of either incident alive?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Do you think it''s possible that they killed their fellow miners over resources and then for food? I bet things got scary and desperate down there.¡± ¡°I always thought it a possibility but didn''t want to say it.¡± Ester tapped her staff on the ground, and the gem grew brighter, almost blinding. ¡°And no. None of them are around.¡± She fell silent for a moment. Then, the ancient woman¡¯s brows furrowed. Nil could almost see the pieces of a puzzle coming together behind her eyes as the fear and sorrow faded. ¡°All the houses and families that were attacked, they''re descendants of the survivors.¡± ¡°The Cursed One is attacking the offspring of the ones that got away,¡± Nil finished the thought for her. ¡°Or ensuring the bloodlines of the people that turned on them don''t get to continue,¡± Ester said. ¡°We''re looking in the wrong place. You and I should be scouring the home of the original victims.¡± ¡°Most of them lived in the old miner¡¯s barracks. It''s abandoned now. The guard looked. They found nothing there.¡± ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t know what they were looking for,¡± Nil said. ¡°We do.¡± The old miner¡¯s barracks sat in a far corner of the town against the mountain containing the aether gem mine. Guards stood around the mine entrance and eyed Nil as they passed. The trio watched him, and Ester climb the narrow stairs up the cliff side to the long abandoned longhouse halfway up. Dusk had fallen, and the hour of attack was swiftly approaching. So, he carried the old woman during the ascent. She was tiny and old and barely counted as a burden to his Iron Realm physique. The hunch proved correct. Nil sensed Cursed Energy as soon as they got to the top of the stairs. It seeped through the boarded windows and was especially thick around the front door. Ester¡¯s nose twitched when they entered the building. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°You look like a dumb brute. But that head¡¯s not empty, is it?¡± ¡°You sense something. too?¡± Ester nodded. ¡°The Cursed Energy is so thick here, even I can sense it. It was foolish of me not to come up here with the guards. But who in their right mind wants to climb all those feckin¡¯ stairs.¡± Her eyes lit up with the same glow as her staff. ¡°It''s not just Cursed Energy, though. Ritual magic.¡± Ester froze. She frowned, scanning her surroundings. Then her eyes darted to the floor. ¡°There is one going on now. Right below us.¡± Since Ester lacked the power to tiptoe, Nil gave her a piggyback ride and channeled Absorb. They found the ajar basement door and slowly descended the two flights of stairs into the basement. A horrific sight awaited them. Candles lit the room carved out of the mountain, illuminating the bloody remains of the Cursed One¡¯s victims. They lay in a ritualistic circle around the center of the room. In the middle of the floor, surrounded by arcane symbols drawn with blood, lay a man and a woman locked in the throes of passion. Passion might not be the right word for it. They are going at it like animals. It would¡¯ve made for an erotic scene if not for the squirming sphere of flesh floating above them. Candles spluttered as blood rained from the mass. The pair having sex didn¡¯t seem to care. In fact, they reveled in it. Ester¡¯s hold on Nil¡¯s shoulder tightened. ¡°This can¡¯t be,¡± Ester whispered. The lowered volume wouldn¡¯t have mattered. The sex was so loud that Nil doubted anyone would¡¯ve heard them. ¡°What is it?¡± Much to his surprise, the visage was drawn to the scene. It closely inspected the ritual circle and the couple. The cursed energy billowing from them and the flesh above especially intrigued her. Energy Instinct has progressed to Mortal 4! ¡°Daughter-in-law.¡± She pointed at the woman on her hands and knees. Then, her old, gnarled finger moved on to the man behind. He held her hips tightly as he moved, face locked in an animal snarl. The man¡¯s eyes looked more beast than human. ¡°Guard captain.¡± It pleased Nil that Ester didn¡¯t interrupt them to ask questions. She gestured for him to let her down before whispering alien worlds. A magic circle formed around her hand, and a sphere of pure arcane energy gathered. Nil had to turn off Energy Instinct because of how blinding the light became. When she released it, the energy shot forward and through the guard captain¡¯s torso. There was no bang or explosion. There was only a soft sizzling sound as the magic disintegrated his chest. He released his partner and fell backward. Another sphere followed and did the same to the mass of flesh above. ¡°No!¡± The woman screamed as the flesh screeched and ripped itself apart. Her eyes darted between it and the dead man before settling on Ester. ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°What did I just do?¡± Ester rasped. Her voice is hoarse and tired. She struggled to stand and leaned heavily on her staff. ¡°What have you been doing, girl? Are you daft? Are you mad?¡± ¡°I was taming the curse. I was ensuring it didn¡¯t come after the girls! Feed it enough, and it won¡¯t pursue its target. That¡¯s what the grimoire said! Now, it was all for nothing!¡± She jumped from the magic circle and ran to a corner of the room. More symbols and several odd dolls hung from it. The woman¡¯s panicked eyes darted between all the littered body parts and blood. They all left the floor and floated upwards to the now pulsating blob on the ceiling. ¡°The girls are going to die. You¡¯re all going to die!¡± ¡°The girls were never in trouble, you daft harlot.¡± Ester spat. The light atop her staff rippled. ¡°The thing was only after descendants of the survivors. And yer fecking husband isn¡¯t one!¡± ¡°What?¡± The woman momentarily ripped her eyes away from the mass of flesh. Long, wiry limbs had started to extend from it. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°I had an affair. That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± Another sphere of energy burst from Ester. It lanced towards the flesh but stopped a couple of feet short. The color changed from blue to bright gold. A metallic screech ripped through the room, and the flesh started to burn. Unfortunately, the cursed one didn¡¯t stop forming. ¡°It''s on you now, Summoned.¡± Ester collapsed, her breathing fast and uneven. ¡°I¡¯ve done all I can.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Nil had used the launchers in the training area to charge up Brutal Battery. He used Expend to close the distance and punched the mass. His fist sunk into the flesh. Nil heard bones break as thick blood splattered him. ¡°Go for the core, you feckless idjit!¡± Ester wheezed. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing, you old bag,¡± Nil retorted. He used Expend¡¯s dual function, releasing all the energy in his stores through the part of his body currently inside the Cursed One. It hurt. The creature¡¯s insides were already boiling hot but, fortunately, not full of molten slag like the specimen from his first quest. Then, the burning from the energy release sunk in as the mass of flesh and solidifying limbs exploded. Expend has progressed to Mortal 7! An eyeball-sized sphere floated in the center. It was much clearer and brighter than the last Cursed Core Nil encountered. The destroyed flesh and blood stitched itself together and moved like slugs back toward the heart. Nil stopped the creature¡¯s recovery by switching to Absorb before grabbing the sphere. It didn¡¯t help; his skin and flesh still burned. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need Expend¡¯s gifts to destroy the Cursed Core, which shattered when he smashed it against the ground. The mayor¡¯s adulterous wife tried to make a run for it. Darts of blue magic shot toward Nil as she hopped over the still-wheezing Ester and ran up the stairs. The energy burned his tunic and torso but swiftly disintegrated, restoring Brutal battery to twenty¨Cfive percent. He leaped after the woman and tackled her, not caring about breaking any bones in the process. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re getting away with it that easy,¡± Nil said. She struggled, but his Iron Realm Might was enough to restrain her. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± she cried. ¡°I did this for my girls. I told the bitch of a warder, and my husband the girls were in danger. If we didn¡¯t cleanse the town of the curse, they would die, but no one listened to me.¡± ¡°Explain it to a judge.¡± Nil paused. He didn¡¯t know what judiciary system the locals utilized. ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit either way.¡± Quest cleared! You have gained 200 Schema Credit. You have gained 2 Schema Tokens. The Cursed Pupae perished without meeting the prerequisite for its metamorphosis. No one of value perished! Oleg¡¯s Watch is safe and the Control Worlds thank you for protecting their supply chain. Your exemplary performance deserves a bonus. Please speak to your case worker to make a claim. 32. Good News And Bad News ¡°I¡¯ve got bad news, okay news, and good news,¡± Layla said after Nil entered her office. Since he had suffered no significant injuries, he only spent the necessary three Schema Credits at the Fountain of Pyrene. It got rid of the burn and pain, but the skin around the injury was still bright pink and raw. ¡°Which would you like first?¡± ¡°Will the good make the bad sting less?¡± Layla shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s up to you, to be honest.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start with the bad and work our way to the good.¡± ¡°You absorbed more Cursed Energy during the mission,¡± she said, flashing a sympathetic smile. ¡°It''s normal to accumulate marginal quantities where you¡¯re fighting Cursed Ones. However, in this situation, it looks like you interrupted the birth of one, and the vile presence latched on to your soul weapon. You almost gained as much as we used to make your first negative feat.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a kick in the balls.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°And here I was hoping to use my bonus to turn some of it into a feat. Now that I¡¯m on track to get into Apocalypse Arena, a soul weapon would go a long way.¡± ¡°Well. All hope is not lost. You won the neighboring Control World¡¯s favor. You didn¡¯t just solve the plight of Oleg¡¯s Watch but made it happen with no interruption to mana gem production. So, they¡¯ve offered their services to turn some of the Cursed Energy into a new feat.¡± Layla grinned. ¡°Let me reiterate. Into a feat with no negative elements.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s excellent news!¡± Nil exclaimed. His disappointment rapidly faded. The feats he encountered during his body ascension, though simple, were life-changing. An opportunity to pick one he missed especially excited him. ¡°What¡¯s the okay news?¡± ¡°The Control World has also given us the resources and funds for the investigation regarding Cursed Energy on your Earth,¡± Layla answered, sounding pleased. ¡°That means we can employ more Summoned for it and cast a wider net. We can also offer you better perks if you accept.¡± ¡°It''s one of the things I wanted to discuss,¡± Nil said. ¡°I changed my mind about assisting you. The matter is personal to me, and I feel like I can¡¯t move on from the incident that gave me the soul weapon and visage unless I help resolve this matter. However, I need some time to get through the Iron Gauntlet qualifiers first. They¡¯re just around the corner, and I can¡¯t afford to let my attention wander. So, if you¡¯ll give me some time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with us. For the time being, please keep your eyes open for Cursed Energy sources. If you succeed, the Control World will cover the costs of more feats. Although, they won¡¯t be free of negative elements like this one. There¡¯s also scope for things like ascension tokens, access to trainers to help master Brutal Battery and more.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that okay news. It''s good but lacking immediate benefits.¡± ¡°Have you decided how you intend to use your Schema Tokens?¡± Layla asked. Nil nodded. ¡°I plan to invest everything in Spark until it reaches Iron-Nine. Now that I have a ludus membership and the means to train my attributes, I don¡¯t see the point in wasting Schema Tokens on much else.¡± ¡°Makes sense with Through Sheer Grit. I haven¡¯t seen that trait in forever. Should we see what other traits are available to you?¡± ¡°Sure. The offerings are tailored to your current needs.¡± Please Pick A Feat: The decision proved significantly harder than the last time Nil had to pick traits. The Nexus and Control World had perfectly tailored the traits to cover his weaknesses and shortcomings. Eye for Vulnerability once again tempted him. Nil¡¯s time at the ludus had introduced him to several opponents with defenses standard Expend-powered blows couldn¡¯t penetrate. Lily and the spear-wielding knight ranked at the top of the list. Apocalypse Arena was forgiving to fighters who accidentally killed their opponents in the ring, but that didn¡¯t mean Nil wanted to take advantage of any loopholes to get away with murder or manslaughter. The feat would help him deal with such opponents safely while also putting down greater threats without burning all of Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. Identifying the Cursed Pupae''s core location without exploding it with Expend would''ve been a great benefit. Nil imagined facing multiple such entities at once when he started quests with higher danger levels. The scuttler from the emergency quest also worried him. It significantly outsped Nil and also had defenses capable of defending against Sakura¡¯s Cutting Light. He was sure that punches and kicks enhanced with Expend would struggle even more. Nil needed the means to deal with such foes more easily. However, the other two traits appealed to Nil far more. My Body Is My Domain didn''t go into much detail, but Nil was sure it would help him resist toxins. The wording suggested it could do more. He wondered whether presences included Fatima¡¯s blade aura or Winter Hunter¡¯s icy injections. Nil had taken a risk with Through Sheer Grit and was wary of doing the same twice in a row. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The Power Of Belief felt like the best and safest bet. Two of his three journeys into the multiverse featured psychic trauma. The last instance with Oth had left Nil especially shaken. The horrifying visions that accompanied the psychic attack still occasionally surfaced while he slept. He would wake from them covered in sweat and with a horrible itching at the back of his eyes. Given the Nexus''s purpose, Nil was sure he''d continue to have brushes with entities that utilized psych attacks. He had no hopes of developing defenses by increasing his Mind. Nil considered it a wasted investment. The ludus had resources and simulations to train the attribute but that involved spending time he didn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t want to spare. ¡°I have a few questions,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to discuss your options. It''s annoying and stupid, I know. The guidance I''ve given you thus far already counts as interference and I could get in trouble with my superiors.¡± ¡°I just need clarification regarding an existing Feat. Through Sheer Grit.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Spark Feats usually have weird, incomplete descriptions. Many theorize it''s the Schema trying to be funny. Through Sheer Grit will enhance the natural growth rate of all your attributes up to your current Spark rank. So, your Might will grow faster until it catches up, and then it will return to following the limitations of Bronze potential.¡± ¡°So, it voids the limitations of potential as long as my Spark is higher?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Layla replied. ¡°Potential also determines your peak returns from raising an attribute. Think of it as a logarithmic graph. It marks the point beyond which further investment provides diminishing returns.¡± Nil made his decision and used the two Schema Tokens to increase his Spark. Brutal Battery: Mortal 6 Energy Instinct: Mortal 4 Feats: ¡°Smart decision,¡± Layla commented. ¡°It''s not just Cursed Ones and the Void that frequently employ psychic attacks and illusion. You''re bound to face plenty in Apocalypse Arena. Given your fighting style, people will rightly assume your mind is vulnerable.¡± ¡°Yeah. Since Might already makes me durable and resistant to toxins, I didn''t think the feat is an immediate requirement. Is The Power Of Belief particularly rare?¡± ¡°Rare in the sense it almost exclusively appears for what your people call Summoners. Since such powers are fairly rare, the feat is too.¡± The caseworker leaned back in her chair, studying Nil for several minutes. ¡°You''re full of surprises. I still can''t understand how long it took the Nexus to find you.¡± ¡°Didn''t you say my attribute distribution is unfortunate and the Cursed Energy masked me from the Schema?¡± ¡°Yes to both, but the Cursed Energy only came into play when you were twenty-two. That means you lived six years as an eligible Summoned without the Schema noticing you.¡± Layla crossed her arms on the table and leaned forward as she spoke. ¡°Attributes are important but aren''t everything. Here at the Nexus, we look for personality, attitude, aptitude, skill, and a lot more. You have the right stuff for this kind of work. You''re driven but gentle and empathetic. You think on your feet and outside of the box. Most Summoned would''ve just waited for the Cursed One to emerge and attack it. You, on the other hand, were proactive. ¡°We have people at the Nexus who dedicate their entire lives to calculating possible futures. There are hundreds of thousands of Beacon Worlds out there, with people attempting summoning every day. We prioritize the important and those with the highest chances of success. Our forecasters predicted the Cursed Pupae would achieve its goal and consume the last of its targets. The attack and battle would help you track it down to its lair, and you''d put it down while it was in the process of metamorphosis. It would be a bloody battle, but we expected you to succeed. The casualty rate was supposed to be high, but we expected productivity to drop significantly over the next few months. You defied expectations. I''m not the only one who''s impressed.¡± ¡°Thank you, I guess.¡± Heat radiated from Nil¡¯s cheeks and ears. He never knew how to respond to earnest compliments and sought to change topics. ¡°So, the Cursed Energy investigation. Have you made any headway on how someone is smuggling Cursed Energy or unformed soul weapons onto Earth?¡± Layla shook her head, shoulders slumping. ¡°Now that we have decent funds, we¡¯ll hopefully find new talent to lure into the investigation.¡± ¡°I have a few candidates I¡¯d like to recommend,¡± Nil said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m allowed to do so, but I think they¡¯d be great at solving this mystery.¡± ¡°Is one of these people Katherine Park?¡± Nil frowned. ¡°Have you guys been watching me?¡± ¡°We¡¯d never!¡± Layla exclaimed, feigning offense. ¡°The Schema tracks you, and as your case worker, I occasionally check in on you. The system registers when two Summoned spend a lot of time together or have close contact.¡± ¡°That feels like a bit of a violation of privacy.¡± Layla shrugged. ¡°It''s just what the Schema does. It''s handy when people form close groups in higher realms and like going on quests together.¡± ¡°Anyway. Katherine Park would be good once I start the investigation in earnest.¡± ¡°She¡¯s got the power and profile for it,¡± Layla commented. ¡°I¡¯ll send the recommendation up the chain of command. Whose the other candidate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how this works, but he¡¯s not a Summoned.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Andrew Harper. He¡¯s a close friend, and I¡¯ve known him since childhood¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡ª¡± ¡°Andrew isn¡¯t a Summoned, but he¡¯s made a living out of taking apart and rebuilding aethertech.¡± Nil pressed on, ignoring Layla¡¯s interruption. ¡°He¡¯s doing reasonably well for himself with just that. I know Artisans are rare, and I bet it''s because you guys struggle to find people with the right aptitude for it. Well, I¡¯m leading you to someone who¡¯s been at it and successful without Attributes, an ability, or the accompanying knowledge. Think about how helpful it would be for your Earth-side jobs if you had an independent Artisan working for you and not in the pocket of Symbiotech, Arthurtech, or a conglomerate more interested in protecting their interests than the realm¡¯s stability. Andrew could be accommodating in investigations like these. He could provide perspectives that Katherine and I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Layla sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll file a recommendation for that, too, but I can¡¯t make any promises.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡± Nil smiled as he considered the possibility of making his best friend''s lifelong dream come true. 33. Revelations When Nil returned from the quest and checked his internal ludus mail, a pleasant surprise awaited him: sign-up forms for several Mortal Realm events. He sought out Isabella before filling them in. ¡°Which one of these will give me the best shot at qualifiers?¡± Nil asked her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting ahead of yourself?¡± She asked. ¡°Your body might be Iron Realm, but your ability is nowhere close.¡± ¡°I gained a rank during my quest. Maybe the stress of an event will push me even further.¡± Isabella stared at Nil long and hard. He couldn¡¯t tell if the woman wanted to make him stew. When he didn¡¯t look away or fidget, she sighed. ¡°No event has a greater or lesser chance of getting you into qualifiers. You need the recommendation of two ludus staff to do it and be a token or rank short of ascension. Since ol¡¯ Toriko is smitten with your fighting abilities, the one you need to impress is me.¡± ¡°Okay. So what event would you have me to prove my worth?¡± Isabella took the aetherscreen from Nil, scrolled through it, and clicked on an event. She filled in his name and did the rest of the sign-up process before handing it back to him. ¡°Capture The Flag?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow, reading the details. ¡°Why capture the flag? The pay from that is horrible.¡± ¡°It is where you¡¯ll have the best chance of pumping up your ability ranks,¡± Isabella answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you¡¯re on defense or offense. There will be a bunch of moving parts for you to juggle. Defending against multiple opponents will certainly pump up your defensive mode.¡± ¡°So, win Capture The Flag, and you¡¯ll recommend me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I said,¡± Isabella replied. ¡°Perform well and get close to Ascension rank, and I¡¯ll recommend you. We don¡¯t know what ludus we¡¯ll be matched up against. If it is Arthurtech where half the people have been training since they were in diapers and before getting Summoned, your chances won¡¯t be great. Also, I know you¡¯ve been doing well, but it''s mighty bold of you to think you¡¯ll win your first-ever event.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t hurt to be hopeful,¡± he said, grinning. Isabella rolled her eyes and sent him back to the training room. When the launchers activated again, Nil wondered if she had increased their speed and power. The little cannonballs flew at him more frequently and hit harder. By the time Nil caught one, switched to a neutral state, and then activated Expend, he found himself dodging a fast-flying sphere and then taking another to the thigh. ¡°Are you trying to bloody cripple me?¡± He yelled after the trainer. ¡°You want to get into the qualifiers or not?¡± Isabella waved at him dismissively before moving on to the armored knight in the neighboring training area. Nil still knew nothing about the person. They had rejected all of his requests for a duel. ¡°Ol¡¯ Metal McMetalface has been at Golden Aegis longer than any other Mortal Realm,¡± Fatima said when Nil enquired about the mysterious Summoned. ¡°No one knows anything about them, and the staff won¡¯t answer any questions.¡± ¡°Have they been in any events yet?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Not that I know of. I bet they¡¯re someone important¡¯s kid.¡± The knight didn¡¯t eat in the cafeteria. Nil had seen them cooking in the communal kitchen and then carrying the food into their room. Apparently, none but the knight had an attached bathroom on the floor. They didn¡¯t wear the full armor all the time. When Nil crossed paths with them on the communal floor, the knight wore baggy clothes and a hoody with their helmet. It was odd, and Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether something fishy was going on. If he were to give the knight the benefit of the doubt, he would say they had some sort of curse. If Don¡¯t Fear The Iron Maiden prevented a Summoned from wearing armor, there was likely a trait that forced them to wear it or always hide their face and identity. A more pessimistic assumption would be that they were a fake Sumnmoned or Cursed Energy vessel masquerading as a regular Nexus chosen. Nil had no evidence to support his suspicion. He also felt guilty for making assumptions based on someone¡¯s oddity. However, he kept an eye on the knight during weapon training sessions and other classes, specifically while using Energy Instinct. Unfortunately, the ability gave Nil no feedback besides the odd swelling and deflating presence about them. The visual feedback showed nothing besides a transparent bubble. It wasn¡¯t much to go on. You¡¯re behaving like a stalker. After a couple of days of watching the knight and popping into the kitchen while they were cooking, he decided to focus on training instead. Nil wanted to raise Absorb¡¯s rank and, despite the grueling training, couldn¡¯t feel himself getting any closer to his goal.
¡°You did what?!¡± Andrew exclaimed, ripping his eyes away from his game for a moment. Two days remained until the Mortal Realm event, and instead of pushing through Sunday, he took the day off to hang out with his friends. It was mid-October, and the temperature had started to drop, yet they decided to hold on to an evening barbecue at the junkyard. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Summoned could recommend a friend. Do you get some perks if I turn out to be a good draftee? I won¡¯t owe you anything, will I?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°No.¡± Nil laughed, glancing at Katherine and Susan. The pair sat in the hot tub laughing about something. The women glanced at him as he tended to the grill, waved at him, and then burst into laughter before returning to the conversation. Even though none of them were drinking, a pleasant air hung over the little gathering. ¡°It''s not standard, as far as I can tell. But people with an aptitude for Artisan are rare, and I said you¡¯d be keen to help with investigations and work as an independent agent instead of working for one of the big conglomerates.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of incredible.¡± Andrew purposely let the zombies swarm him and stepped away from the game. He had added more arcade games to the space outside the mobile home and erected a wooden structure with a plastic roof to protect them from the elements. He slapped Nil¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thanks, Sunny-boi. I don¡¯t know what to say. It''s been a lifelong dream to be an Artisan. Summoned or not, thanks for sticking your neck out for me.¡± ¡°Of course, Andy. You¡¯ve been doing the same for me ever since I got Summoned. It''s the least I can do.¡± ¡°Aw shucks. Don¡¯t make a grown man blush.¡± Andrew glanced at Katherine. ¡°Have you told her yet?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather Layla and her superiors decide and contact her. This thing might get messy, and I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s too attached to her job to separate it from Earth-side quests.¡± ¡°Very pragmatic of you.¡± Andrew adopted a more serious expression. ¡°How¡¯s things going with you? Sue tells me she likes you. It''s obvious to me that you like her as well. Why aren¡¯t you making a move? A little relationship can¡¯t detract too much from your training, can it?¡± ¡°There is something I¡¯m going to tell you that you can¡¯t share with Susan or anyone,¡± Nil said. ¡°Promise me, Andy. This needs to stay between us.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Andrew looked offended. ¡°You come first, Sunny-boi.¡± It was challenging to start. Nil stared at the grill before him. The beef ribs were almost done, but the charred vegetables needed a few more minutes. He bought time, fussing over them as he thought of the best way to phrase things without sounding crazy. ¡°Asiha¡¯s death fucked me up more than you think,¡± Nil said. ¡°It''s been seven years, though. Don¡¯t you think its time you give something new a chance.¡± ¡°Easier said than done when I see her wherever I go.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Andrew frowned, not bothering to veil his concern. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re saying right now. Are you trying to tell me that you¡¯re haunted?¡± ¡°I suppose you could call it that.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve told you about the soul weapon, Cursed Energy, and negative traits, right?¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t tell you that I already had one at the time of my summoning. It''s called Haunting Visage. The soul weapon adopted Aisha¡¯s image, and it''s been following me for about seven years.¡± ¡°What the fuck?¡± He hissed. ¡°That¡¯s so fucked up.¡± ¡°I thought I was crazy for a long time and saw whatever doctors and therapists the NHS sent me to. Nothing helped.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Every relationship I tried to start crashed and burned because Aisha was always hovering. A hot ball of guilt followed every hookup. So, I accepted the fact that I¡¯m crazy and destined to spend my life alone.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Now I know that¡¯s not the case, and I am trying to treat the visage as what it is,¡± Nil continued without letting Andrew interrupt. ¡°It''s not Aisha. The thing standing to my left, smiling and watching the coals, is my soul weapon¡¯s consciousness. It tries to help me sometimes by pointing out things I miss and warning me of threats because that''s its job, not because the visage is Aisha watching over me because of whatever magic Nexus brought to our world.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Andrew said, placing a hand on Nil¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well, not really. I don¡¯t think anyone in our world has been through something so fucked up and can understand or empathize. But I understand why this relationship is so hard. You should know, though, Sunny-Boi. Katie might really like you, but she won¡¯t wait around for ever. She¡¯s hot, smart, and driven. If it weren¡¯t for her job and quests eating up all of her time, someone would¡¯ve scooped her up already.¡± ¡°I know, Andy, but I can¡¯t just make all of this fucked up baggage go away. I need to deal with this at my own pace; otherwise, it won¡¯t be fair to either of us. If she moves on, so be it. I won¡¯t be happy about it, but I¡¯ll deal. Then once I get past this shit, maybe I¡¯ll find someone new.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Sue to back off. Take all the time you need. Does your dad or Emmy know?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°Besides the doctors and my psychiatrist, Dr Mendez, you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve told.¡± ¡°Fucking hell, man. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve kept this to yourself for so damned long. No wonder you¡¯re a neurotic ball of nerves half the time. I¡¯m sorry, man.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about,¡± Nil said. ¡°Whatever bastard brought Cursed Energy into our world and tried to manufacture Summoned and soul weapons is to blame.¡± ¡°I promise to help you fuck them up. Regardless of whether the Nexus reaches out to me and makes me an Artisan, you have my support.¡± ¡°What are you boys talking about?¡± Katherine made the pair jump as she popped up behind Nil, dripping from the hot tub. He did his best to stay respectful and not let his eyes wander. She looked delightful in her crimson, two-piece swimsuit. She slung an arm across Nil¡¯s shoulders and leaned against him. Andrew smiled, but his eyes carried a hint of concern. The visage lingered next to him, and Nil did his best to ignore it. ¡°Sunny-boi is buttering up his caseworker, so she turns me into an Artisan.¡± ¡°I can see why the Nexus would want you,¡± Katherine said before kissing Nil¡¯s cheek. ¡°Is food going to be long, handsome? I¡¯m starving, and everything smells bloody amazing.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t be long,¡± Nil replied. When he turned his face toward the beautiful woman, she kissed him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Sue get dry and pull on something warm? I¡¯ll have a plate ready for you by then.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Katherine smacked his bottom before jogging away to share the update regarding dinner. ¡°Ghost of dead girlfriend or not, I don¡¯t know how you can resist that, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said once she was out of earshot. ¡°Shut up and get the plates, Andy.¡± Nil didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he had just asked himself the same question. 34. Symbiotechs Symbiote The day before the Mortal Realm event and one month after signing the contract, Nil returned to Symbiotech¡¯s headquarters in Southall. For the past month, he had submitted a urine sample to the ludus¡¯ medical office at the end of every week. They wanted his second stream of the day and weren¡¯t particularly interested in his alcohol intake or whether he partook in any illicit substances. In fact, a labtech had joked that marijuana products would benefit him following his hellish training regimen. The CBD in it would especially help him deal with his aches and pains. Nil brushed off the topic of discussion and moved on to the testing. The researchers wished to check his electrolyte balance and measure the levels of blood, protein, and creatinine in the urine. Symbiotech needed the information for their research. The receptionist signed Nil in and handed him a visitor badge before directing him to the testing room. They took fluid and hair samples from Nil again and subjected him to stress tests. He was just starting to get frustrated when Shina showed up. She wore a lab coat and looked a lot more like a scientist than a suit, unlike their last couple of meetings. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to sign up for an event already,¡± she said. ¡°But as luck would have it, we have a rough prototype ready for you to test.¡± ¡°Nothing like a field test to tell whether this partnership is worthwhile, right?¡± Nil asked, glancing at the visage lingering behind her. It was being weird again, sniffing around and rubbing its face against walls. ¡°I meant more for you than me. I love Golden Aegis.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry, Nil. Armored or not, I¡¯ll get good use out of you. We¡¯re researching brutes and energy-based powers. The data we¡¯ve been gathering from you is a lot of help. If you didn''t have a big day tomorrow, we''d be extracting spinal fluid again. Even if the armor doesn¡¯t work out, you can still market our products. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve encountered our medical supplies and tech in the ludus.¡± ¡°I have. The skin sealant spray is amazing.¡± Nil showed her his forearm. ¡°Fatima sliced up my skin super well yesterday, but there¡¯s not even a scar.¡± ¡°Make it into the Iron Gauntlet and say that in front of a camera with that beautiful smile of yours, and Symbiotech will make its money back.¡± Shina led him through their development lab into a side room. A variety of firearms and barrelled weapons lined it. A padded metal case sat on a table against one wall. Shina opened it, revealing a bubbling sphere of white slime. ¡°Stick your hand inside it.¡± ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡± Nil hesitated. After burning himself by sticking his hand in the Cursed Pupae, the squirming organic mass made him nervous. ¡°Given how much money we¡¯ve spent on it, it better be,¡± Shina said. ¡°I¡¯m not saying accidents and mistakes aren¡¯t possible, but I can assure you that we¡¯re very good at what we do. Besides, we have excellent medical facilities on the premises. If something goes wrong, we¡¯ll fix you in no time at all.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t at all reassuring.¡± It took a moment of convincing before Nil forced himself to stick his hand in the slime without channeling Absorb. It came alive instantly. He expected it to feel cold and wet. Instead, it was like how Nil imagined pulling on a wet suit. The slime traveled up his arm, coating his skin in a matte layer that solidified into a fabric-like texture. It inched like a slug, moving across his torso and halfway up his neck. The symbiote covered all of his arms, abdomen, and crotch and came halfway down his thighs. Nil checked himself out in the mirror. ¡°I look like an unusually muscular figure skater.¡± ¡°Or very modest wrestler.¡± Shina chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not meant to be the only thing you wear.¡± She pointed at his groin. ¡°I don¡¯t know how things are for viewers in other worlds, but here on Earth, you won¡¯t do well if your double-o-and-seven are on display.¡± Nil had changed into his underwear before donning the slime. When he peeked inside, he found that it had perfectly molded over his genitals, leaving a very prominent outline of the shaft and testicles. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sight. He imagined it would leave people clutching pearls and lodging complaints. ¡°I¡¯ll be wearing shorts and at least a vest,¡± Nil said. ¡°I like being mobile and minimizing the amount of crap people can grab.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sort you out a t-shirt with the company logo on it,¡± Shina replied. ¡°The Mortal Realm events don¡¯t get as many viewers as Apocalypse Arena, but that should be enough. Should we run some tests?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Lets.¡± Shina evacuated the room, and strange arcane symbols flashed on the walls. The lights changed, and Nil waited patiently for something to happen. Then, a bunch of things happened at once. First, the room went dark. Then, a flamethrower activated, and the stream washed over his back. Nil felt the heat, but it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable at first. The discomfort slowly built up over time, edging closer to uncomfortable with every passing second. Then, growing, impossible pain followed. The fire stopped as soon as Nil threw his arms up. A blast of ice-cold water cooled him down immediately. Once he had recovered, the next test began. The symbiote didn¡¯t hold up against liquid nitrogen as long, and Nil felt the discomfort and pain much sooner. Sections of the armor hardened, cracked, chipped, and flaked off, draining Brutal Battery significantly. His energy levels dipped as the armor repaired itself. ¡°I know it''s not a lot, but it should suffice for a Mortal Realm event,¡± Shina¡¯s voice said over the speaker. ¡°The drain will lessen as the symbiote adapts to you and bonds. It will hold up against hot a lot more than it does cold.¡± ¡°What about lightning and other energy attacks?¡± Nil asked. ¡°They''re still in the works. They¡¯re reasonably uncommon, and the likelihood of you running into them is low¡ªnot impossible, but low. The most you face at Mortal Realm will be a few dart or bolt spells and maybe a few weapon enchantments. Just do me a favor, alright?¡± ¡°Depends on what it is.¡± ¡°Look out for Fatima, please. We like to keep our partners separate, but she¡¯s taken a liking to you. We tried to convince her otherwise but she insisted on signing up for Capture The Flag so the pair of you can be in the same team. And once Fatima settles on something, she cannot be talked out of it.¡± ¡°Does she have a similar armor?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t discuss the particulars even if I could,¡± Shina said. ¡°Just in case the pair of you end up opponents. But I¡¯ll share that it''s designed to ensure very little can slow her down, just as yours is made to minimize what can put you down. We like to cover the client¡¯s greatest weakness and bolster their strengths.¡± Three more rounds of tests followed. Nil needed medical attention afterward. A clear solution washed away the surface burns, and another helped the new skin to grow. Unlike the Fountain of Pyrene, it didn¡¯t soothe the enraged nerves, and some discomfort remained, but it was nothing Nil couldn¡¯t handle. Shina and the medical staff showed him how to stow the symbiote so it didn¡¯t continue draining his and Brutal Battery¡¯s energy. It retreated along his spine, and Nil felt a slight tingle. They did more stress tests afterward, and Absorb didn''t interrupt its ability to coat his body or grow over exposed patches after suffering damage. However, Expend blew it off him, and Shina suggested that he avoid full-body blasts. As long as a square inch of the symbiote remained, it would recover. The visage continued to act like a clown during their time in Symbiotech¡¯s offices. Layla had told him the visage would change as Nil grew and went on more quests. The soul weapon was growing with him, developing a personality and interests. However, at times, the visage felt almost cartoonish and moderately annoying. The symbiotes didn¡¯t intrigue it as much as the neighboring rooms. Nil got lost on his way out and stumbled into a child in a wheelchair. She looked bewildered when her eyes met his. Nil shot her a polite smile and waved, but she wheeled herself away. The visage followed the child for a moment but then ventured too far from him and could go no further. When it returned to Nil, it carried the same pouty expression Aisha wore when they had a disagreement. To satiate the visage, Nil tried to go the way the child had gone. He mostly wanted to apologize for surprising them and was curious about what she was doing in a research facility. The hospital gown suggested she was a patient, but he recalled Katherine telling him that Symbiotech didn¡¯t practice medicine. There were a few medical malpractice suits filed against them, but they were deemed frivolous. Staff and cameras littered the building, so Nil didn¡¯t push his luck. Shina felt like a decent person, and Symbiotech had done him no harm. He didn¡¯t see the point in looking at a gift horse in the mouth. He couldn¡¯t afford to piss them off and lose his sponsorship. So, he asked a passing lab assistant for directions and exited the building. All of the ludus¡¯ trainers insisted that people take the evening before events off. So, Nil took it easy and visited family. On his way back from Symbiotech¡¯s offices, he stopped by Southall. In Nil¡¯s humble opinion, Little Punjab had some of the best Indian food in all of the United Kingdom. He had visited some of the Indian Michelin restaurants in London. The food was excellent, but the tweezering and pruning didn¡¯t hit the mark. Nil bought Sam¡¯s favorite Aloo Paratha¡ªfried flatbreads stuffed with spicy potatoes, fish tikka for Emily, and Tandoori Chicken for his father. He grabbed an extra assortment of kebabs and several portions of mutton biriyani. It was enough for four meals. Nil expected his family to have the leftovers over a couple of days. They would also probably take some for their lunches. The family were ecstatic to see him. Nil returned to the ludus after dinner and went to bed early. Anxiety and excitement regarding the coming day made it difficult to fall asleep but after a few laps around the obstacle course, he succeeded. 35. Capture The Flag ¡°Welcome, one and all!¡± Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson beamed as he addressed the crowd. He was a tall, handsome man. Despite his fame, all the forums dedicated to him, and the vid channels discussing his powerset, no one knew the specifics, his attribute distribution, or his limitations. The man maintained his enigma status while continuing to grow as one of the most powerful humans on the planet¡ªin and out of Apocalypse Arena. ¡°I hope you found all of your accommodations fine and had a good night¡¯s sleep. Today is your chance to prove your chops. ¡°Apocalypse Arena is no cakewalk, and the Iron Gauntlet, though the lowest level, is perhaps the most brutal and dangerous,¡± he continued, his serious impression adding to the gravitas of his voice and careful line delivery. ¡°They might not be the strongest and brightest of the multiverse, but they¡¯re the most desperate to climb or keep others from climbing. We have wards in these events to prevent death, and please refrain from using lethal attacks, but use today¡¯s events as an opportunity to get a taste of how things are out there. It''s not the worst thing if you don¡¯t win or succeed at the upcoming qualifiers. Loss isn¡¯t the worst result, and all experiences are valuable.¡± Adrian flashed his infamous smile again. ¡°I don¡¯t care what Ludus you¡¯re affiliated with or who your mentor is. At the end of the day, we¡¯re all on the same side. Saving and protecting this world is our priority and responsibility. Nobody can do it but us. Remember that. We Summoned are its security and future.¡± The man spoke for a couple of minutes longer about the importance of Mortal Realm events and also shilled his ludus and Arthurtech for a few minutes before handing the microphone to one of the event organizers. They introduced the events and talked about timings and the matchups. The screen above the podium detailed everything, and the repetition appeared pointless. Nil guessed it was mostly pomp and ceremony. Everyone wanted the spotlight and the chance to promote themselves or something. Fifteen Mortal Realm Summoned from Golden Aegis attended the event, and they were among the smaller groups. Wilson Luduses had organized the event and held it at their facility in Wembley. As a result, Nil and his colleagues didn¡¯t have to go far. Wildshape Wilson had used his fame, power, and growing influence to purchase the famous local stadium from the FA, Britain¡¯s governing football association¡ªbarely anyone followed ordinary sports following the advent of Summoned sports. It now served as one of their biggest luduses in London, a training facility, and a center for Mortal Realm events. Since the Golden Aegis ludus stood within a twenty-minute walking distance, they didn¡¯t avail of the discounted accommodation. Instead, they arrived at the premises early on the day of the event and occupied the two provided changing rooms. The eight individuals participating in solo duels or paired team fights took one, and all involved in Capture The Flag got the other. It didn¡¯t surprise Nil that the knight had only enlisted in a solo fight. Ted did the same since his weapon of choice and power didn¡¯t do too well in teams. Unfortunately, Nil was only familiar with three people in the Capture The Flag team: Fatima, Lily, and Mobi. The rest consisted of mages and ranged rogues with a variety of weapons. Viktor, a lightning-slinging Slavic man with a wiry but toned frame, had declared himself the leader. Since he had partaken in more Mortal Realm tournaments than anyone in the group and also attempted an Iron Gauntlet qualifier, no one protested. ¡°Lilly and I will lead the capture team,¡± he said. ¡°Mobi, Elisha, and¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m the fastest after Fatima and hit significantly harder than all our melee fighters,¡± Mobi said, frowning. ¡°You should put Lily on defense or rear¡ª¡± ¡°No. It''s not about just speed and individual strength but power compatibility. Lightning Nova hits hardest and can hit the most number of targets, but I can¡¯t control who it hits. Lily¡¯s stone armor will protect her from it. So, we¡¯ll get in first and disrupt their attacking force. Meanwhile, Fatima can grab their flag while you and Elisha protect her.¡± Viktor turned to Nil and the team¡¯s seventh member, Anya. The young woman carried a compound bow and a quiver. Nil knew little about her besides her passive physical enhancement and active cloaking ability. ¡°This is your first event. Defense is the best place for you.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a mistake,¡± Nil said. ¡°I know I have a defensive ability, but when I want to go fast, my speed is only second to Fatima¡¯s. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you let me grab the flag instead? I can brush off any physical attack and then¡ª¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You can make the plays once you¡¯ve completed a few Mortal Realm events or at least won one,¡± Viktor snapped, cutting him off. ¡°Don¡¯t get full of yourself just because you got scouted and have a sponsor. Experience is more valuable than whatever training or ability you have. Everyone voted me leader, so you follow.¡± ¡°I agree with you, Nil, but Viktor is right,¡± Fatima said, shrugging. ¡°He knows the field, and he¡¯s faced half the enemy team before. So, it''s best if we go with his play.¡± ¡°If we lose the first round, I¡¯d like a reorganization of leadership and the team,¡± Mobi said. ¡°Fine.¡± Viktor rolled his eyes. ¡°Let''s not go in with what we¡¯ll do if we lose, though. I like our chances of winning. Since Lily and I will focus on engaging their assault force, it will keep us in midfield. So, we can retreat to defense or cover Fatima¡¯s escape with the flag as needed. Don¡¯t hold anything back and win the first round. Ideally, I would like not to get round three at all.¡± The situation frustrated Nil. Staying on defense and waiting for the opponent put him in a reactive role. He wouldn¡¯t get many opportunities to exercise his ability, voiding his entire purpose of joining Capture The Flag. However, after working in high-end kitchens for almost a decade, he knew better than to go against the chain of command. Each member of the winning team would win seven thousand pounds, and Nil didn¡¯t want to lose out on the money. He still had most of his earnings from the Pits remaining and hadn¡¯t touched his last two quests¡¯ earnings besides the healing expenses, but he needed all the money he could get. Now that the first month had passed, Symbiotech would only pay the membership fees. Nil still owed Golden Aegis for accommodation and food. Student loans had turned extremely predatory after the cataclysm, and he owed a fair amount in debt and didn¡¯t want Emmy and Sam to fall victim to them. Udit believed the same, and if Nil didn¡¯t pay for their education, this father would never retire and probably work himself to death.
Much like with the Pits, the Mortal Event¡¯s organizers portalled the competitors to a distant arena for the match. Apocalypse Arena had entire planets and dimensions to use as the competitors¡¯ playground. The Nexus hadn¡¯t shared the technology or access to them with Earth. So, the Mortal Realm events also used what remained of the shattered continents. When Nil and the team crossed the line, they found themselves in the ruins of an old city with a giant Incan pyramid at the heart of it. A protective barrier hung over them, cutting them off from most of the area and keeping the local beasts outside. A red beacon of light stood in the distance, extending from somewhere beyond the pyramid and disappearing into the barrier. Another stood behind Nil and his companions. It shone a blinding blue, and he struggled to look at it directly and barely caught the outline of a flag in the center. Viktor and Lily took off first. Lightning crackled around the first. A trail lingered in his wake as he sprinted forward. The teenage brute followed close behind him. Chunks of stone and concrete broke off the ground and surrounding buildings before gathering and compressing around her. She gained a foot in height and broadened significantly as her armor took form. She looked more like a moving mound of debris than a person. Instead of following Viktor¡¯s instructions to the letter, the flag capturers split up. Fatima and Elisha ran in one direction and Mobi in the other. They followed the barrier¡¯s boundary, circling toward the other beacon. When Nil turned to Anya to discuss a defense plan, he saw no one. ¡°Of course.¡± He sighed. ¡°Up here,¡± Anya called. Nil followed her voice to the top of a nearby building. The sniper peeked at him from its roof. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch and slow down attackers. You do the rest.¡± ¡°How the hell did you get up there so quickly?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t the others tell you?¡± Anya grinned. ¡°I¡¯m half-monkey.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°No.¡± She giggled. ¡°You show me yours, and I¡¯ll show you mine. We¡ª¡± She frowned, looking away from him. The woman nocked her bow and pointed it to the left. ¡°Two incoming. Get ready.¡± ¡°I guess they had the same idea as us,¡± Nil commented. His heart raced, and his temples tightened. He hadn¡¯t faced multiple enemies before the prospect excited and worried him. You don¡¯t need to win. Rank Brutal Battery that is good enough. ¡°Stop thinking like a defeatist,¡± Nil mumbled to himself, adopting a defensive stance. It was tempting to activate Absorb straight away, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he reminded himself not to fall into his reactive habits. Rubble littered the ground, and Nil had spent the past month training his throwing arm. So, he grabbed a chunk of stone. As soon as he spotted the sign of movement, he threw with Expend¡¯s help. It flew like a cannonball and exploded against a wall. The shadow peeking out from behind it retreated. The recent increase in his Spark attribute significantly grew Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. So, Nil didn¡¯t bother rationing his energy. He armed himself again and commenced bombardment. 36. Defenders Nil had the power to throw his projectiles over a long distance. However, without the necessary Finesse, his accuracy significantly suffered with far-away targets. The little cannonballs from training made it into the net only about half the time. He didn¡¯t care. Their opponents likely had the same idea and sent their speediest members after the flag. Nil didn¡¯t expect to hit them. However, slowing the enemy and making them wary felt just as important in Capture The Flag as engaging in direct combat. Occasional arrows shot over Nil¡¯s head, forcing the attackers behind cover. Bioluminescent plant life added to the flag beacon¡¯s light. But it wasn¡¯t enough to illuminate the enemy duo. He knew nothing about them and had to rely on Energy Instinct to gather information regarding the opponents. A cold aura similar to Winter Hunter radiated from one. The other had no energy radiating from them at all. A knight and a rogue. It wasn¡¯t enough to confirm Nil¡¯s suspicions. For all he knew, it could be a brute, mage, or summoner coming for them. However, the month of watching tournament and Apocalypse Arena videos had taught him that sending disciplines that usually lacked speed and mobility for such a task made little sense. If it were him planning the play, Nil would''ve picked speedy individuals with the ability to disrupt the battlefield along with a bruiser to keep the defenders occupied while the flag bearer fled. So, a knight with an active tactical ability and a rogue with passive abilities dedicated to speed and precision felt like the most likely attacking duo. The pair had come from the direction Mobi had fled, too. So, it was likely the duo snuck past him or took him out in one blow¡ªwhich felt improbable. The hypothesis mostly proved correct when the duo burst from the cover and charged toward him. One zigzagged, bouncing off walls like a pinball as he approached. The other rode on some sort of long black feline. The local bioluminescence darkened as it passed. Under Energy Instinct¡¯s effect, it looked like the creature was leaving the world dark and cold in its wake. The rider had a spear and shield strapped to her back and fired crossbows at Nil as they approached. ¡°Anya!¡± Nil called, throwing a hunk of stone at the cat. He missed but forced the creature and rider to dodge into cover, sufficiently slowing their approach. ¡°You okay up there?¡± Nil got no response. He saw the visage standing where Anya was a moment ago. It looked at him and shrugged. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores were at twenty percent, so Nil ceased the artillery barrage. It was tempting to charge at the duo, but he didn¡¯t want to risk someone else sneaking the flag away while he was distracted. The zigzagging rogue reached him first. Nil stayed in neutral and blocked a kick on his forearms. The force behind it made him grunt and slide back a couple of inches. Keeping his center of gravity forward kept Nil from falling backward. He only activated Absorb after he successfully moved from the block into a grab. The man looked like an unarmed martial artist at first but followed the kick by conjuring a length of chains. They wrapped around Nil¡¯s right forearm. Nil took a deep breath in and exhaled. The anxiety faded, and all sounds muted. He felt calm. He was focused. A knight and a summoner. If Nil were an ordinary brute, he would be in trouble. He guessed the opponent intended to create a false sense of security with the weak opening attack, then tangle him in chains and grab the flag. The tactic would¡¯ve worked if not for Brutal Battery. First, Nil activated Absorb. The ability left the crossbow bolts useless and stole all the momentum from the melee fighter¡¯s next strike. The man tried pulling him off balance, but Nil added the power behind the move to his energy stores. His opponent appeared dumbfounded as the force behind his movements disappeared as soon as he made them. Nil turned the conjurations against the knight, grabbing them and pulling him closer. The chains dissolved, and the knight tried to retreat, but it was too late. Nil let a second crossbow bolt bounce off his shoulder as he stomped his opponent¡¯s foot. He grabbed an arm with one hand and wrapped the other around the shoulder. Absorb ceased, and he switched to his neutral state, putting the knight between him and the Summoner. An Expend-powered headbutt did as Nil intended. The man went limp. He didn¡¯t release the man but used him as a shield while running at the Summoner. Hopes to surprise or shock the woman were dashed. She appeared young¡ªnineteen at most by Nil¡¯s estimates. He had hoped for shock and inexperience, but she had the mental togetherness not to freeze. Azure spheres of light manifested, floating around her, and Energy Instinct told him that they were going to be cold. Her mount out sped him, prancing around, ensuring Nil didn¡¯t get close. He had no choice but to move his captive shield, warding off her attacks, until she got frustrated. The second the giant cat stopped strafing and leaped close, Nil turned the man into an Expend-powered projectile. A flying azure sphere struck him as he flew at the cat and exploded in a cloud of frosty mist. Expend has progressed to Mortal 8! You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Nil used the last of Brutal Battery¡¯s stores to power his leap after the projectile. It and the mist masked his approach. The feline tried to reposition, but the Summoner reined it in to get to her fallen comrade. Cold washed over Nil as an azure sphere struck him. Nil would''ve been in trouble if it had any physical force behind it. The symbiote hardened once the cold got too much for it, and he felt patches on his arm crack and flake off. The exposed areas stung as the chill sunk in. Fortunately, Nil switched to Absorb just before he made contact with the Summoner and her mount. The feline appeared built for speed and not durability. His tackle successfully knocked it down. While doing his homework, Nil had learned that there were three schools of Summoners. The first conjured and commanded objects and could usually summon them in large amounts or resummon them if they were destroyed. The second were similar but called forth large quantities¡ªusually swarms¡ªof expendable living entities. Nil hypothesized that Burning Sands was probably one of the first two if not a combination of them. The Summoner he faced now and Officer Susan Johanssen was the third variety. Their ability involved summoning one to three large entities. Each often had unique arcane powers¡ªSkoll and Hati¡¯s powers to control light and shadow and the giant cat¡¯s frost spheres. The forums claimed they were usually the most powerful of the three summoner types but suffered from one glaring weakness. If their summons perished, returning them to the material plane involved a long, arduous ritual. So, Nil grabbed the Summoner and threw her clear of the feline. Then, he kneeled on the struggling beast¡¯s neck, using its struggle to restore a fraction of Brutal Battery¡¯s contents. The cold intensified, and his muscles tightened, but Nil didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Get away from her!¡± The Summoner screamed, charging at him with her spear in one arm and a shield in the other. An arrow shot past Nil¡¯s head and struck her knee. The woman yelped and fell flat on her face just short of her companion. Nil channeled Expend through the shin and knee pressed against the summoned cat¡¯s neck. The thick, frosty mist in the air reduced the discomfort that usually accompanied the dual function. He successfully exploded the feline¡¯s neck and head at the cost of nothing but minor burns. ¡°You okay up there?¡± Nil called after another arrow struck the Summoner in the head. It was blunted and bounced off the woman¡¯s head instead of piercing it. She also collapsed. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Anya replied. He scanned for the woman but failed to spot her. Energy Instinct detected nothing. Nil made a note to study stealth abilities. If one got a sneak attack off while he was Expending, he¡¯d be in big trouble. ¡°Twisted ankle. Maybe a bruised rib. Sorry about that. I should¡¯ve been more help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You helped when it mattered most.¡± ¡°You did amazing down there. Viktor should¡¯ve listened to you. How long have you been fighting?¡± ¡°About fourteen years now,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Three times a week casually for the first seven. Seriously, but just twice a week for the rest.¡± ¡°Well, I can see the payoff. You would¡¯ve done amazing on the assault or flag team.¡± ¡°Vote for that if people lose confidence in Viktor¡¯s plan.¡± ¡°It looks like it''s working, though. They got the flag and are on their way back.¡± Nil could see nothing past the buildings in their way. However, the chaos sounded closer. In fact, it was getting closer with every passing second. Instead of just waiting, Nil grabbed the two unconscious opponents and moved them to a safe location away from the main paths. It was easy for his Iron Realm physique, and neither weighed much. He had already used one as a shield and projectile and tackled the other. He didn¡¯t want them to get trampled for just being on the opposing team. A glowing red flag appeared along the main street connecting to the pyramid. It grew closer with every passing second. Weapons and spells flashed in the light¡¯s wake. Nil was tempted to meet the flag, but he resisted and protected the one behind him. If someone snuck past Anya¡¯s watchful eye and ran away with it, the capture and assault team''s efforts would go to waste. The rules stated that both flags needed to be in a team¡¯s beacon for them to succeed. Nil¡¯s self-control paid off. Three things happened at once. A barrier appeared in the flag bearer¡¯s path, stalling their approach. Then, a giant swarm of spiders flooded the square housing their beacon, moving like a wave of black, grey, and luminous green as they carpeted the area. The arachnids ranged from the size of a thumbnail to that of a housecat. Nil channeled Absorb as soon as they approached him. Many climbed his body as he stomped, threw, and kicked. Fortunately, none managed to break the skin. Finally, a woman raced into the square, sprinting straight for the flag. The spiders parted ahead of her, creating a path. Anya proved more useful than during the last exchange. An arrow hit the thief in the shoulder, another hit her leg, and the third brought her to her knees. Meanwhile, Nil waded through the swarming spiders. Despite Absorb protecting him, it took annoyingly long to reach the woman. Nil picked her up while her fists uselessly pounded his torso, switched to Expend for a moment, and tossed her across the square toward the other unconscious opponents. Much to his surprise, the spiders gathered and cushioned her fall. Of course. She¡¯s the summoner. Two summoners on the same team surprised Nil. Individuals of the discipline were supposedly rare but he had already encountered three, if not four, if counting Burning Sands. The barrier blocking the flag bearer shattered, and the rest of the team barreled through. Projectiles followed them, but Lily did an excellent job of stopping the melee attackers. Lightning occasionally flashed around her, forcing the enemy team back. A carpet of fire washed through the square, burning the spiders. As it fought the heat, the symbiote rapidly drained Nil¡¯s stores, once again proving more powerful against hot than cold. His extremities burned, but Nil had instructed Mobi to use the move if necessary. He had the necessary Might to survive the spell, especially if the round was almost over. A moment later, the fire faded, and Fatima raced through the opened path. The blue pillar of light flashed as soon as she entered it. ¡°Round over!¡± A voice announced. ¡°Blue team wins a point!¡± 37. I Believe I Can Fly ¡°We need to reorganize,¡± Viktor said. He looked and sounded tired. The organizers had granted them a box of supplies to use between rounds. Symbiotech sprays and lotions, Arthurtech energy recovery lozenges, and more filled it. Everyone dug in, patching their wounds and catching their breath. ¡°Elisha is out. We''re one person short. It''s not the worst thing ever. They''re down two.¡± He nodded at Nil, acknowledging him properly for the first time since they met. ¡°So, the assault and flag teams need¡ª¡± ¡°I''m out, too,¡± Mobi said, leaning on his axe. Fatima wrapped his left arm in an Arthurtech limb stabilizer. He winced, flexing the limb. Chain imprints covered it and his neck. Nil guessed the knight had entangled him on the way to the red beacon. The visage hovered by the pair. It appeared to have taken a liking to Fatima and studied her first-aid skills. ¡°What?!¡± Viktor exclaimed. He threw the wound-sealing spray across the square, and it shattered against the wall. ¡°Your arm should be fine. You can go another round.¡± ¡°I can''t lift my axe, and my magic isn''t going to recover enough from these things.¡± He spat out an Arthurtech lozenge grimacing. ¡°I need time to absorb wildfire, and there is none here. I''m done.¡± ¡°What about defense? You can do defense, right? It''s not going¡ª¡± ¡°I''m fucking done, Viktor,¡± Mobi growled. ¡°A good leader needs to differentiate between a liability and an asset. Or do you just want a body on the field to act as a meat shield?¡± ¡°I didn''t tell you to split up from the team, did I?¡± Viktor spat. ¡°How many times did my fire save the round, fuckwad?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in fighting, guys,¡± Nil said, stepping between the two men as they started getting in each other''s faces. His eyes stung from the fumes coming off the burn ointment he had slathered on himself. ¡°You can''t force someone to take part, Viktor. Mobi. Could you stay on standby in the rest area and come back for the next round if we lose this one?¡± ¡°I could. No promises, but I could. My magic won¡¯t have recovered, but it might be enough for my arm to recover.¡± Mobi looked past Nil at Viktor and continued slowly, mockingly. ¡°That''s called compromise. It''s how you deal with and empathize with a teammate.¡± ¡°Fuck off, Mobi,¡± Viktor said. He wiped the blood from his face, and Anya helped seal the open cut above his eye. ¡°So, it''s five on five. I think Lily and I should go on defense this time. The stuff here isn''t enough for me to recover my magic all of the way.¡± ¡°Perhaps you should keep Anya too and just hunker down,¡± Nil suggested. He studied the square. ¡°Lilly, how limited is your ability? Do you control what stone or rubble you pull into your armor?¡± ¡°Somewhat,¡± Lily replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Could you theoretically use it to destabilize the buildings around the square and close some of these alleys? It would be great if we could create a bottleneck.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t really used my power that way before, but it should be possible. Theoretically. It might just be the push I need to get the final ranks for ascension.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not half bad an idea,¡± Viktor commented. ¡°Is two people on assault enough, though?¡± ¡°I trust Nil,¡± Fatima said. She rested an elbow on his shoulder and leaned against him. Then, her nose twitched as she inhaled the ointment¡¯s fumes. The woman stepped away from him, grimacing. Her reaction appeared to amuse the visage. ¡°I think we can do it. There is no need to assault. We just run in, steal the flag and run.¡± ¡°They¡¯re two people short, too,¡± Mobi said. ¡°They¡¯ll have similar team distributions.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Viktor sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll do just that. Three on defense. Two on offense. We need to win this. I doubt we¡¯ll have the strength for another round.¡± He stood up straight and rolled his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m trusting you, Nil. Get that fucking flag. Alright?¡± ¡°Nil will get the job done,¡± Anya said, restocking her quiver in the final seconds before the resupply box sealed itself. ¡°He took care of two people mostly on his own. I¡¯m more worried about us.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t get knocked out again,¡± Viktor told her. ¡°Perhaps it''s best to hold off on attacking until the enemy has initiated it. Wait until one of them is vulnerable or we¡¯re in trouble before getting involved. Ambush instead of snipe.¡± ¡°Got it, boss.¡± Anya shot Nil a sly wink before scaling the nearby building. It amazed him how she managed to move so fluidly despite the sprained ankle. The second round began half an hour after the first. They knew it was time to start when the flags started glowing, and the luminous pillars rose around them, extending from the ground to the barrier above. A smaller dome appeared around the supply chest and Mobi, cutting both off from the team. Medical staff had already carried Elisha off the field. Winged beasts flew above, testing the dome¡¯s integrity. Nil tore his eyes away from them and sprinted at the pyramid. The sound of collapsing buildings followed them. He didn¡¯t waste time, hanging around to see whether Lily succeeded with her part of the plan. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°You got Viktor to shut up and listen,¡± Fatima commented, running by his side. Unlike the rest of the team, she didn¡¯t have a mark on her. The blood blades she held were half an inch longer than the first time they fought, and the hexagons that formed them appeared closer knit together. ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°Tell me what to expect again.¡± ¡°You met the spider summoner already. She was a part of the assault team last time. Her spiderweb traps got Elisha just as we reached the beacon. They have their very own Anya. The man has wall-running skills, so expect lots of repositioning and Artisan-made arrows coming from all over the place. Then we have two standard brutes. One hardens himself, and the other is just crazy strong and has regenerative powers. ¡°The most annoying of them is the barrier maker. The bastard uses them for defense but also to hit hard, trip people up, or have them run into walls. It''s annoying how he also switches between melee and mid-range fighting. I think he¡¯s the best trained and powerful of the lot. If not for Mobi, the bastard would¡¯ve had us last round. He used up his magic and broke his arm, taking barrier-man down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet the spider summoner will leave us a bunch of traps,¡± Nil said as they approached the pyramid. He was amazed at how Fatima maintained her pace while talking and managed not to sound breathless. ¡°I hope she stays on defense since the critters are useless against me, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be so lucky. It¡¯ll probably be the archer with at least one of the brutes or the barrier guy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think barrier-guy will hang around for defense again. He''s their biggest source of raw attack, with the chain knight and cat summoner out of the picture. That¡¯s unless the brutes have a secret up their sleeve like you do.¡± ¡°Let''s hope not.¡± The pair slowed as they reached the pyramid. Neither of them saw any signs of the enemy team. Nil scanned their surroundings with Energy Instinct but detected nothing. Given how the majority of the remaining opponents were physical attackers, he doubted the ability would detect anything new. Nil only saw the warmth surrounding the local bioluminescent flora and the pink flecks dancing around Fatima¡¯s blades. Energy Instinct almost made the terrifying weapons appear beautiful. The shimmering aura around it was deceivingly pretty, as always. Nil didn''t fear any power on his team as much as hers. Fatima didn''t hold back when they dueled. A single misstep on his part could potentially cost him a limb, if not his life. ¡°Over there,¡± Fatima whispered, pointing at the row of buildings just east of the pyramid. A trio moved along its roofs. ¡°Can you identify any of them?¡± Nil asked. Fatima shook her head. ¡°I''m sure barrier-guy is with them, though. In the last round, he got ahead of us by bridging gaps between buildings with his barriers and running along the roofs. I bet he''s doing it again to run to our flag as fast as possible.¡± ¡°Let''s hope Viktor and company can hold off long enough for us to do our part.¡± Nil took a moment to scan the path ahead as he came up with a quick plan. ¡°We''re splitting up. You¡ª¡± ¡°Don''t get overconfident, Nil,¡± Fatima interrupted. ¡°You''re good but not good enough to steal the flag alone.¡± ¡°That''s not what I''m saying. We only need the enemy to think I''m going at it alone, so they focus on me. Then you go around the back and either steal the flag or take out one.¡± ¡°And we can take out the other one together before heading back.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Okay. I like that. You go straight at them, and I''ll go around.¡± Nil finally found himself alone. He needed Brutal Battery close to full charge, so he Expended the last of his energy to scale the pyramid. It took him a couple of minutes. Once at the top, he caught sight of Fatima weaving her way toward the red flag. The enemy team''s assault group didn''t appear far from the blue beacon. The space around the square appeared bigger. It looked like Lily had successfully collapsed the building. Nil was in the middle of plotting his course when an arrow grazed his cheek. Since he was in a neutral state, the head sliced his cheek, and warm blood flowed freely from the incision. He immediately ducked and channelled Absorb. Nil caught sight of the opposing archer on a nearby rooftop. When the second arrow struck Nil before sliding off him, the man turned tail and raced back toward the beacon. He took delight in the fact the man had run past Fatima without even noticing her. It was a big risk, but there was something Nil had wanted to try since the second he read Brutal Battery''s description. He took a running start, picking up speed as he crossed from the pyramid''s flat top. Then, once he reached the edge, Nil leaped. For a heartbeat, it felt like he was flying. Unfortunately, the increasing downward trajectory robbed him of the feeling a moment later. Nil fell halfway down the pyramid before landing on his feet. He didn''t stumble, and his knees didn''t buckle under the force. Absorb took care of everything. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores jumped from almost empty to just under halfway. After gaining confidence with the first, Nil employed an Expend-powered tuck jump for the second, pouring half of his new reserves into it. He got much more air and traveled a significantly longer distance. I''m a fucking superhero. The joy didn''t end during the fall. He still felt powerful and amazing. Nil hoped the organizers would give him a video copy of the event so he could get a still of the leap. Absorb almost brought him to full, and when he landed, he ran straight at the beacon, ignoring all else. Arrows pelted, losing all momentum on contact, and then dropped to the ground. Then, one exploded when it struck his chest. The symbiote squirmed, coming alive as it wrapped around the flames clinging to his chest. The fire singed his neck and chin, but he ignored the discomfort. When he looked up, he saw the visage pointing at the source of the arrows. Knowing where they were coming from, let him bob and weave. Nil occasionally switched to Expend, covering large distances in quick bursts, then Absorbed again as the hail of arrows intensified. When the fuck is he going to run out? Fatima came to the rescue. Nil heard a yelp, and then the man fell from the roof. Much to his surprise, the archer¡¯s trajectory changed, and it was as if gravity had switched from the ground to the wall. His feet touched down, and he took off running along it. Wall running kept him out of Fatima¡¯s reach, but he was now exposed and an easy target. Nil nailed a target with a thrown chunk of rubble for the first time since the match began. It struck the man¡¯s back, knocking him off his feet. The man tumbled along the wall for several feet before his ability ceased working. He fell to the ground and didn¡¯t rise again. The flag capturers closed in on the red beacon and heard lightning crackle in the distance. The enemy assault team had started their assault. 38. Flag Captured Nil entered the square containing the red beacon first. As soon as he crossed its threshold, a giant spider web collapsed on him, wrapping him from head to toe. A powerful blow struck him a moment later, and a hail of them followed. Something attempted to pierce him from the opposite side, too, but failed. Brutal Baterry¡¯s stores rapidly filled and teetered dangerously close to capacity. The old tactic of releasing all of his energy through his entire body came to the rescue. Every inch of Nil stung, and he gritted his teeth as the spiderwebs blew off him. He had almost forgotten about the symbiote. In fact, he barely felt its presence anymore until Expend ripped it off him along with his vest, leaving a nakedness along the spine. He hoped some still remained under his mostly intact shorts. It was a miracle he hadn¡¯t lost the garment, too. Nil regained his vision just in time to see a man several inches taller than six feet flying off him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a spider the size of a Great Dane, skittering backward. Its bulbous bottom constituted more than half its torso. The brute leaped at Nil as soon as he landed. His shoulder and arms swelled, and his skin cracked, taking on a red, rocky texture that looked a lot like Fatima¡¯s blood blades. A single Absorbed blow from the man returned his energy levels to around twenty-five percent. Then, the spider struck him from behind, giving him another tenth of his stores. Nil could do little but defend against the frontal barrage and occasional rear strikes. As Brutal Battery approached capacity, Nil prioritized parrying attacks instead of blocking. He didn¡¯t want to know what a full-force attack from the brute or a spider bite would feel like. The luminous green patterns on the latter¡¯s torso suggested it was venomous. Summoners used Spark as their primary attribute. Nil guessed it affected the strength of the minions and the number a swarmer could summon. It wouldn¡¯t surprise him if it also increased the power of their toxins. Given the number, the spider commander could command Nil was sure her Spark was in the Iron Realm. As a result, a spider bite would result in a conflict between potent venom and Nil¡¯s just-about Iron Realm Might, and he doubted the latter was enough to prevail. Fatima came to the rescue. The plan involved her lying in wait until Nil engaged the defenders and then stealing the flag. Nil was relieved when she went against it. The beatdown and venom would leave him too weak for another round if the blue team succeeded. The daggers of blood sliced through the critter¡¯s rear legs and bulbous bottom. Luminous green fluid flowed from the latter wound, and it awkwardly stumbled away, clicking loudly. Nil waited until the brute struck him again before going on the offensive. The blow pushed Brutal Battery beyond capacity and almost knocked him off his feet. His ribs groaned, and Nil was sure he had heard a crack. The taller man had greater reach and packed significant power into his blows. However, he seemed to overcommit to each, leaving himself vulnerable after them. So, Nil took a risk and ceased channeling Absorb. When the next blow came, he was ready. Nil sidestepped it, slipping behind the brute. A trio of Expend-powered strikes followed. Nil started with a punch to the kidney, making the man stagger forward. He grunted, and the rock-like skin cracked and chipped away. He followed up with a low kick to the back of the left leg, dropping the brute to his knees. Finally, an elbow strike to the side of the head knocked him down. Given the man¡¯s defenses, Nil doubted he¡¯d stay down for long. Fortunately, the giant spider was no more. Fatima had chopped up most of its legs and sliced its head in half. Once again, she appeared mostly unharmed. When holding back wasn''t a concern, the woman was truly a terrifying foe. Nil doubted he¡¯d win a fight if she came at him with the intent to kill. ¡°You alright?¡± She asked him, panting. Nil nodded. ¡°Thanks for the save. My defense was on the verge of collapse when you came.¡± ¡°I noticed. I think this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you like that. The bastard punched hard. Huh?¡± ¡°He did. His defenses and strength are incredible.¡± ¡°The regenerator is even stronger,¡± Fatima commented. ¡°Brutes can be bloody terrifying. It''s a good thing most are bloody slow and clumsy when chasing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the last person who should talk about being terrifying.¡± Nil glanced at the brute, who groaned and twitched. ¡°Have you caught your breath?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready. I don¡¯t know if I have enough in me for another round, though.¡± ¡°Let''s make this one count, then.¡± Nil carried the flag. They raced toward the blue beacon, not bothering to conserve energy or stamina. In the distance, lightning crashed, and explosions sounded. It was a three-on-three battle and Nil couldn''t be sure who would win. The spiders, though significant in number, didn¡¯t pose much of a threat to Lily. Her stone armor didn¡¯t appear to require openings for sight or breathing. Meanwhile, Viktor¡¯s lightning would scorch them en masse. Anya knew to prioritize their Summoner, putting the woman down first. Nil didn¡¯t know what to think of the much-talked-about barrier mage or the regenerator. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Layla had mentioned a man with high Spark and Finesse who used barrier magic in close combat, weaving offense and defense into a powerful fighting style. It felt like too much of a coincidence, but he wondered whether they were the same person. It is possible. Maybe she brought it up because the example was fresh in her mind. Nil didn¡¯t know how they¡¯d deal with such an ability besides hoping to win a battle of attrition. Lightning could potentially fry the regenerator¡¯s nervous system and leave him stunned enough to finish the round, but Viktor''s stores were low. Both fighters sounded far too challenging to take down. The best brutes were especially known for their ability to push through extreme punishment and keep going when most would collapse. A regenerator sounded especially potent at the role. ¡°I think we¡¯ll need speed to win this one,¡± Nil said. ¡°I got enough of that for the rest of the round. The question is whether you can keep up.¡± By the time the pair reached the top of the pyramid, the sounds of battle had ceased. The blue beacon had lost a part of its luminosity. Fatima pointed at a side street. It was the flag. A skinny man with an inch or two on Nil carried it. His significantly taller, broad-shouldered companion followed close behind him. No one pursued them. The defenders had failed. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be as easy as I had hoped.¡± Fatima sighed. ¡°Which one do you want?¡± ¡°Barrier guy,¡± Nil answered. ¡°You should be able to cut loose versus the regenerator without the fear of killing him.¡± ¡°Taking a life doesn¡¯t scare me. I only worry about the consequences.¡± Nil descended the pyramid the same way he had the first time. Meanwhile, Fatima hopped and skipped like she was prancing through a field of flowers. She seemed in her element, having fun. Aren¡¯t you, too? It was fun. Nil¡¯s energy stores were at approximately seventy-five percent when he landed. He switched to a neutral state, running without any enhancements. The enemy had seen them and changed course to meet the pair halfway. It came as no surprise when the brute overtook his companion. Nil wondered whether the man had an Iron Realm body with the Steady Charger feat. He appeared exceptionally surefooted and fast for someone of his build. ¡°Might increase power and therefore speed,¡± Layla had explained. ¡°Finesse is necessary to use the power well. Gross motor skills are essential for balance, after all. The latter attribute indirectly makes you flexible as well. So, when you switch around the superior attribute, you get agility. That''s where you''ll eventually end up.¡± Unfortunately, the quest didn''t give Nil extra Finesse growth as he had hoped. So, he ran just as fast as his Iron Realm Might would allow, taking extra care not to trip or stumble. As the brute closed in, Nil prepared to activate an ability, but Fatima emerged from an alley just behind him. She zipped past him, slashing his legs. An angry scream burst from the brute as he stumbled to his knees. Nil took the opportunity to race past him using Expend and meet the barrier maker. The man shot Nil an icy glare and skidded to a halt. He threw up a wall made of translucent silver hexagons in an attempt to block the Expend-powered leap. Nil broke through it. The barrier shattered like glass, robbing him of a good deal of momentum. When Nil met his opponent, a fist surrounded by a sphere made of the identical hexagons awaited him. The man ducked under NIl¡¯s left hook, making no unnecessary movements. Then, the most perfect uppercut he had encountered since starting his career as a Summoned struck Nil¡¯s jaw. It felt like being struck by Lily¡¯s stone club. After dominating opponents with his martial ability for the past few weeks, Nil didn¡¯t expect someone to land such a clean hit on him and had remained in a neutral state to time Expend perfectly. The force whipped his head backward, and he stumbled backward. The strike rattled his teeth, and he saw double with darkness lining the edges of his vision. Nil had enough sense to channel Absorb before the barrier-maker¡¯s second attack. When the sphere-encased sphere struck Nil, the hexagons exploded, and the force pushed the almost full Brutal Battery past its capacity. He staggered backward and nearly lost his balance. Absorb has progressed to Mortal 7! Brutal Battery has progressed to Mortal 7! The barrier-maker pointed both open hands at Nil, and a dome formed around him. It steadily shrank, and Nil felt an uncomfortable pressure in his ears. He didn¡¯t want to know the consequences of whatever the man was attempting and had no intention of finding out. Since Brutal Battery was at capacity, Nil didn¡¯t bother with conservation. He pressed his palms against the hexagons and blew half his load. The barrier shattered. An invisible force struck Nil. This time, he had braced himself for the shockwave, even though he wasn¡¯t sure whether it was coming. An Expend-powered bound carried him to the barrier-maker. Despite his burnt palms, he made a fist, punched through his opponent''s protective wall, and struck him in the middle of the face. Nil felt the man¡¯s nose break. Despite losing power, it was a brain-shaking blow, and he expected the strike to buy him some respite. Nil¡¯s hopes were shattered just like the wall of interlocking hexagons. The man clapped Nil¡¯s ears and then struck his solar plexus, folding him in half. He switched to Absorb just in time for a haymaker to the back of the head. Even though Nil''s ears were ringing and he couldn¡¯t breathe, he had enough sense to tackle his opponent and take the fight to the ground. Thanks to Absorb, none of the barrier-maker¡¯s strikes hurt Nil. He rained the man with clumsy blows while struggling to regulate his breathing and focus his vision. It felt like he was getting the upper hand. The man¡¯s defense weakened with every passing second, and his barriers came up slower and less frequently. Unfortunately, Nil¡¯s advantage didn¡¯t last for long. Suddenly, Nil saw nothing but translucent hexagons. When he swiped at his eyes, he failed to reach them. A spherical barrier encased his head. Clawing at it got him nowhere. He struck it with an Expend-powered blow, and the hexagons cracked but stayed together. It was much sturdier than his previous constructs, and it contracted around his neck. The barrier-maker picked just that moment to strike Nil¡¯s gut. Between the growing panic of being unable to see anything and his air running out, Nil could do little but fall off his foe and scramble away. Logic and sense left him when he felt himself suffocating. A powerful blow struck his leg, and something broke, only adding to the growing panic. It wasn¡¯t long before Nil couldn¡¯t breathe at all. His movements grew sluggish, and the world went dark. It was over. He had fallen to a superior foe. 39. Recovery And Results Nil woke in the infirmary with an Arthurtech device wrapped around his right leg. It throbbed with a dull ache but wasn¡¯t too uncomfortable. Bandages covered his hands and stank of Symbiotech¡¯s burn gel. His head hurt most of all. It felt like someone had stuck a blender in his skull and run it until the contents were soup. The multiple head strikes and the suffocation were too much for him to handle. Nil wasn¡¯t too proud to admit it. He had met his match. The barrier-maker¡¯s ability was incredible, but it wasn¡¯t the problem. He was better than Nil and the other unarmed fighters in Golden Aegis. The man outmaneuvered him with excellent footwork, wasted no movements, and successfully broke his focus. Nil wanted to believe that it was a close match, but he didn¡¯t think so. He won¡¯t be the last. Nil expected to meet more opponents like him once he made it into Apocalypse Arena. He practiced martial arts in his free time. Soon, he¡¯d face an opponent who fought and trained for a living and had done so regularly since childhood. ¡°Oh, good!¡± Fatima exclaimed, drawing NIl¡¯s eyes to the next bed. She sat with her leg in a similar cast while eating ice cream. It was the first time he had seen her injured. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to get up for another day or two.¡± ¡°Barrier-man got me,¡± Nil said. ¡°What happened? Did we win?¡± ¡°No,¡± Fatima answered. ¡°We lost. Barrier grabbed your flag and ran off. His walls kept me from catching up. I almost got him, but he tripped me up and slipped away. That guy¡¯s ability-control is fucking incredible.¡± ¡°What about the third round?¡± ¡°It was a two versus two. Mobi and I versus Barrier and the armored Brute. Mobi failed to protect our flag. His arm didn¡¯t recover enough to wield his axe properly, and the Arthurtech stuff isn¡¯t great for recovering his magic. Apparently, they fought for a bit, but the brute was the clear winner, so he threw in the towel. I get it. He didn¡¯t want his arm fucked up more. Mobi is already guaranteed a spot in the qualifiers. I bet he didn¡¯t want an injury to get in the way of training.¡± She sighed. ¡°Anyway, Barrier broke my leg when I tried to steal theirs and trapped me in a dome.¡± ¡°He was faster than you?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°I never got close. He caught my foot in a barrier before I could reach him, and the sudden stop¡ª¡± She stopped mid-sentence and shuddered. ¡°This is the worst break I¡¯ve ever had. I wouldn¡¯t want to face him ever again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nil said. ¡°I let us down.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t start with that nonsense.¡± The rest of the team shuffled into the room. Mobi and Viktor walked in with Arthurtech devices strapped around their arms. The latter of them looked embarrassed as he continued. ¡°We were just watching the vid. You were incredible. If I put you on offense in the first round, we could¡¯ve won without losing Elisha and Mobi or tiring ourselves out.¡± The infirmary wasn¡¯t ready to release them. All broken limbs besides Mobi¡¯s needed more time to set and start the healing process. They wanted to monitor Nil¡¯s palm burns, too, claiming they wanted to ensure he didn¡¯t suffer nerve damage. Nil had never released energy of the same volume through such a small surface area before. He only risked such burns while on quests and only because he had the Fountain of Pyrene to heal him afterward. Since most of them weren¡¯t allowed to leave, the seven Summoned from Golden Aegis sat around, watching the remaining events. Ted lost his match. His opponent, a rogue or knight of some variety, danced around him, wielding an elegant rapier. The chain and sickle limited the opponent¡¯s movements, but as the fight continued, she seemed to figure out her opponent¡¯s habits and favorite moves. The woman used the environment against Ted, making the chain catch on walls or trees and getting the chain tangled. It took her a while to get close to him, but she only needed two clean strikes to win. Meanwhile, the knight enjoyed a crushing victory. Literally. Nil still didn¡¯t have an inkling regarding their abilities. Their spear, though skinny and sharp, struck with the weight of a powerful hammer. Simple swings blew the knight¡¯s opponent back or knocked him down. It was amusing to see them toss the towering brute around or hold him down with nothing but the seemingly ordinary spear. As Nil watched the fight, he hypothesized they had weight-altering abilities. The swelling and deflating bubble Energy Instinct detected finally made sense. Most of the team appeared disappointed with the loss¡ªthe broken limbed even more since it would eat into their training time¡ªbut Nil didn¡¯t care. The extra seven thousand would¡¯ve been nice, but he wasn¡¯t desperate for it. He signed up for Capture The Flag for the opportunity to increase Brutal Battery¡¯s ranks and had gained just that. Brutal Battery: Mortal 7 Energy Instinct: Mortal 4 Feats: The growth wasn¡¯t as great as Nil had hoped. Another rank in Absorb so Brutal Battery reached Mortal-Eight would¡¯ve been great, too. He had a month until the qualifiers and didn¡¯t know whether it was enough time to meet the requirements. To meet the qualifier''s requirements, he needed to be Iron Rank, just short of ascension, either in rank or with a token in hand. Isabella¡¯s training methods were excellent at teaching him to use the ability but did little to rank it. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it On the bright side, Nil didn¡¯t need to wait two months until his next Summoning. Now that he had completed two, the Schema would let him go on one every week. He planned on taking whatever the Nexus offered until his ability reached Mortal-Nine. Nil also needed to look out for another Iron Ascension Token. By the time the infirmary staff released them, the event was almost over. They caught the final few duo and trio team matches. During the closing ceremonies, the winning teams received their awards and also shook hands with their opponents. Nil and his companions met with the team from the Ronins¡ªa struggling independent ludus. From what Nil had heard, they didn¡¯t have any big sponsors or affiliates and relied on membership fees and local businesses to survive. Everyone proved friendly except Shawn, the barrier-maker, and Gwyneth, the feline summoner. He received an icy reception from both of them. He understood the latter¡¯s dislike of him. Susan claimed that summoners created close bonds with their summons. The creatures often had personalities and memories. So, Nil had essentially murdered Gwyneth¡¯s close friend in graphic fashion. He didn¡¯t blame her for the dislike. Meanwhile, Shawn¡¯s distaste made little sense. Nil thought they had a fair fight. The man had won his respect and hoped he had earned Shawn¡¯s, too. Despite the cold reception, Nil made an effort to get to know the man. He believed there was a lot he could learn from sparring with him. It also felt like the sportsmanly thing to do. ¡°You were incredible, mate,¡± Nil said, offering Shawn a handshake. The man looked Nil up and down, eyes cold and expressionless. ¡°I really thought I had you there, but you kicked my butt.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t think it was much of a fight.¡± Shawn¡¯s words dripped with venom, and Gwyneth hovered close behind him. He appeared on the younger end of twenty. ¡°It''s obviously your first time here, so I tried to go easy on you until you went mental. Have some self-respect next time.¡± ¡°What the fuck is his problem?¡± Fatima asked once Shawn and his friend moved on. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he took me breaking his nose and pinning him personally.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take Shawn too seriously,¡± said an opposing team member. It was the archer, his arm hung in a sling. ¡°He¡¯s a bit intense and has a bit of a superiority complex.¡± ¡°I can tell,¡± Nil said. ¡°Does he treat the team like that, too?¡± The archer nodded. ¡°Why the hell do you put up with him then?¡± The man shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s our best fighter, and we like to win? Anyway. You two are an incredible duo.¡± He slung an arm around Nil¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Especially that throwing arm, handsome. Want to buy me a drink and tell me how¡ª¡± ¡°Sorry, we have plans.¡± Fatima looped an arm around Nil¡¯s and pulled him away. ¡°Notorious reputation. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s what you like, but believe me, you¡¯re better off not getting involved.¡± ¡°Thanks for looking out for me, Fatima.¡± He laughed. Nil didn¡¯t sense any romantic intention behind Fatima¡¯s touch or flirtation. She was a good friend and training partner, and he was almost sure she saw him the same way. In fact, Nil was pretty sure he had heard her bringing men and women into her room and then seen them sneaking out the next morning. It didn¡¯t feel like Fatima was interested in him or any sort of relationship, and Nil was glad about it. After the loss, most of the Capture The Flag team was not interested in attending the post-event mixer. Nil almost stuck around when he saw Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson chatting with the organizers and eager Summoned. Even though he had developed a distaste for the man and the junior luduses over recent years, Wildshape Wilson was still a hero to him once upon a time. Then Fatima brought up stopping for Shawarma on the way home, and his stomach¡¯s rumbles reminded him of how hungry he was. Most had snacked after the event, but Nil had slept through the offerings. The pair splurged on multiple wraps, fries, side salads, and fizzy drinks. They carried the food back to the ludus and ate it in the lounge while watching videos of the event. Nil rewatched his fight against Shawn several times. His movements and ability to weave his ability in between strikes especially impressed Nil. There was no question about it. Shawn was better than him. The realization lit a fire inside Nil. Gaining ranks and ascending wasn¡¯t enough. He needed to polish his martial abilities and also improve his timing with Absorb and Expend. Switching to a neutral state between them had significantly enhanced his timing, but he still had a long way to go. Initially, Nil had planned on saving Expend¡¯s dual function for emergencies, but that no longer felt like an option. He needed to weave it into his regular fighting style. There were two things he needed to master first: the amount of energy released and the rate of release. Nil believed smaller bursts or a continuous low-power expenditure would give him decent use and minimize the damage he suffered. Hurting himself every time he needed to use the ability didn¡¯t feel sustainable. When Nil got his phone out to tell Andrew and Nil about the results, his blood ran cold. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fatima asked. ¡°You got the same expression my ex got when I joked about being pregnant.¡± ¡°My family saw the event on TV,¡± Nil said. ¡°Is that bad?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°My dad and sister told me about a hundred times that I better not get into Summoned combat when I joined the ludus.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad.¡± Fatima chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re almost thirty, for fuck sake. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just a lot of drama, and I¡¯m going to get an earful. I was hoping to break it to them once I got into the Iron Gauntlet, but the cat¡¯s out of the bag. Now they want to see me tomorrow, and it''s not going to be fun.¡± ¡°Relax!¡± Fatima placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright. Would you like me to come with you?¡± ¡°No. I have people for that.¡± Nil smiled at the woman. ¡°Thank you for the offer, though.¡± He quickly added, hoping the statement didn¡¯t come across as a rejection. ¡°I appreciate it, but I¡¯ll take my friends with me. Their presence might help tide things over.¡± ¡°Whatever works for you.¡± Fatima shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see what the big deal is. Apocalypse Arena is no more dangerous than quests. Given your ability, I bet you get the more dangerous ones where you¡¯re a meat shield or fighting some monster.¡± Nil smiled sheepishly. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them that bit. Baba and Emily are worrywarts. They know I¡¯m doing this for them, and it probably pissed them off even more.¡± ¡°Maybe tell them the truth then. You¡¯re doing this for yourself, too. I saw you out there, Nil. You were having a blast. This isn¡¯t just a means to an end for you. You love this. It''s who you are.¡± 40. Fight With The Family When Nil visited home, he took Andrew, Katherine, Susan, a slab of pork belly, coals, and a rub with him. As he had hoped, the food and company delayed the inevitable volcanic eruption. Andrew¡¯s company when Nil dropped by was no surprise. It was the first time in seven years he had brought women home. Aisha had visited a couple of times as a member of the friends¡¯ group, but there had been no one since. The fact that Nil had gone on a date with one of them and they were police officers only added to the excitement. ¡°Thanks for doing this,¡± he whispered to Katherine as she helped him prepare the sides to accompany the pork belly in the barbecue. ¡°It''s my pleasure, but how long do you think this buffer will work? You''ll need to discuss the matter with them sooner or later.¡± ¡°Yes, but your visit might calm things, so shit strokes the fan instead of straight up hitting it.¡± ¡°Gross. All of a sudden, I don''t want to deal with the potato salad anymore.¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°You need to go to the doctor if yours look like¡ª¡¯ Katherine playfully smacked his arm, rolling her eyes. Her fingers lingered on his triceps for a moment as they exchanged a silent moment. Then, she stiffened. ¡°Your sister is staring at us,¡± Katherine said, nodding at the long hallway behind her. It led straight to the dining room. ¡°I can''t tell whether she thinks this is cute or wants to know whether kicking your ass will do any good.¡± ¡°I swear Emmy is more mother than baby sister most of the time.¡± ¡°It''s sweet. She loves you and doesn''t want to see you get hurt. And you got hurt plenty in the vids.¡± ¡°You watched it?¡± Nil asked, tasting the potato salad. He watched the mac and cheese on the stove out of the corner of his eye, but Katherine had most of his attention. ¡°Of course.¡± She smiled. The pretty police officer stood on her tiptoes and kissed Nil''s cheek. ¡°I care about you, too.¡± Nil resisted the imagined force dragging his eyes to Aisha''s visage. It stood by the stove, too, watching the mac and cheese. Nil guessed his soul weapon¡¯s consciousness found the bubbling viscous sauce fascinating. Just remember what it is. Not Aisha. Aisha is gone. She doesn¡¯t care if you move on. His heart fluttered when Katherine turned Nil¡¯s head around and kissed him. He considered telling her about the visage but changed his mind. He didn¡¯t want to scare her away. Also, he couldn¡¯t tell whether he was being selfish, but Nil didn¡¯t think it was anyone¡¯s business or burden but his. ¡°By the way!¡± Katherine hopped away from him, looking excited. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will make any difference now, but I got some dirt on Symbiotech.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still interested. I need to know who and what I¡¯m involved with.¡± ¡°Well, earlier in the week, there was this seminar with a senior detective who leads the new Summoned and Summoned-related crime taskforce. Apparently, a few independent groups and the police force were investigating them regarding research ethics and taking advantage of the desperate. There was talk of illegal bioengineering, too, but everything just disappeared.¡± ¡°Disappeared?¡± Nil frowned. ¡°What do you mean everything disappeared? Shit like that doesn¡¯t just evaporate¡± ¡°I mean, someone with a lot of money and power paid for all the cases just to go away, and all the evidence was scrubbed,¡± Katherine said. ¡°There was a coverup.¡± ¡°That means there is something fishy going on. Thanks, Katie. I''ll look into it.¡± ¡°Look into it? Why? That''s not your job.¡± ¡°It might be. The Nexus believes someone is smuggling Cursed Energy and broken soul weapons into our world, but they can''t figure out who or how. They asked me to look out for anything suspicious.¡± Nil hesitated, studying Katherine''s expression for a moment. He failed to discern her thoughts on the matter; she only looked surprised. ¡°They also offered me a job as one of their agents on Earth.¡± ¡°Why you, though?¡± Katherine asked. ¡°You don''t have the training, expertise, or ability to embark on such an investigation.¡± ¡°Because I was personally affected by it,¡± Nil answered, picking honesty over evasion. ¡°Seven years ago. My caseworker is sure Cursed Energy was involved in the incident. Because of my exposure to it and the nature of my ability, I have also developed the aptitude to sense energies, Cursed is one I am particularly good at feeling out. It''s still just a job offer. I haven''t accepted it and said I''d like to revisit the decision once I get through the Iron Gauntlet qualifiers.¡± ¡°Strange. I had a short quest a few days ago. Afterward, my caseworker asked me whether I''d be interested in such a job, too. He said I was recommended.¡± Nil smiled sheepishly. ¡°That may or may not have been me.¡± ¡°I wish you hadn''t done that, Nil.¡± Katherine sighed. ¡°It''s a direct conflict of my job with the police and would demand skirting a bunch of local laws.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°But preventing Cursed Energy from running rampant is good for our world and its people, isn''t it? Just because someone manipulated the law and existing corruption doesn¡¯t mean we shouldn¡¯t leave the matter alone. It could still be a genuine problem.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. It just sounds like vigilantism. I¡¯m not going to tell you that you shouldn¡¯t do this. Just please try to do it within the parameters of the law. We might not be in a relationship or dating, but our involvement is in the open. If you get caught or in trouble, it won¡¯t just reflect poorly on me. It could cost me my job.¡± ¡°Would you continue working for the police if the Nexus hired you and made you one of their Earth-side investigators?¡± Katherine nodded. ¡°I know the system isn¡¯t perfect, Nil, but it exists for a reason and is vital to the safety and stability of our city and country. We can¡¯t just throw a grenade in there because not everybody follows the rules. It''s harder, but if you want true justice, you have to use the existing tools. Otherwise, it won¡¯t go anywhere.¡± She took a step back from Nil and looked him in the eye. ¡°And, in case you hadn¡¯t figured it out already, my job is very important to me, and I believe in what we do. The Nexus is doing good, too, but their priority is on the broader picture. We need the law and broken system to take care of the little guy. Do you think the Nexus cares about your dad, Emily, or Sam?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Katie,¡± Nil said. He didn''t mean it. He respected her stance but didn''t agree with it. Nil struggled to tell whether the system brainwashed its employees or she had purposely blinded herself to its flaws. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to minimize your job or the importance of the police force. As I said, the matter is personal to me. So, I hope you understand why I need to do this. Did you accept the Nexus¡¯s request?¡± ¡°I did. Why else would I bring the matter up with a personal hero? Corporate or government coverups don¡¯t naturally come up in conversation.¡± The pork belly needed three hours of smoking, and, unfortunately, making sides didn¡¯t keep Nil occupied for the entire duration. He tried to keep busy with house maintenance and had Katherine and Susan run interference. Emily and his father figured out his tactics and cornered him at the barbecue. ¡°Andrew, can you give us a moment alone with Sunil, please,¡± Udit said, flanked by his daughter and nephew on either side. It was almost amusing to see Sam with a stern expression and arms crossed, but Nil knew better than to make light of the matter. Udit¡¯s use of his given name and not Nil also highlighted the seriousness of the coming conversation. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you again, son. If you want to keep your open invitation to our house, you¡¯ll stop acting as his buffer and back off.¡± ¡°Sorry, Sunny-boi.¡± Andrew shrugged before briskly walking away to join Katherine and Susan. ¡°What were you hoping, Sunil? We¡¯d let this slide just because you brought your new girlfriend home?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would, but I hoped it would soften you up.¡± Nil flashed his family an apologetic smile. Sam slipped up for a moment and chuckled, but Emily cut it short with a sharp nudge. ¡°What was your plan?¡± Emily asked. ¡°Were you going to hide this from us forever and lie about what you were doing?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Once I got into the Iron Gauntlet, there would be no hiding it. My plan involved telling you following the upcoming qualifiers. How did you even find out about it?¡± ¡°I looked up Golden Aegis,¡± Sam said. ¡°The website announced participation in the event.¡± ¡°And we tuned in to ensure you weren¡¯t in it.¡±! Nil sighed. ¡°Look. I¡¯m an adult, almost in my thirties. This is my chance to do something good and important. I may have lost, but I¡¯m good at this and don¡¯t plan and stop.¡± ¡°But why do you need to do this?¡± Udit asked. ¡°Don¡¯t throw your life away for our sake. Please. There are¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just doing this for you guys, Baba,¡± Nil said. ¡°It¡¯s for me, too. I¡¯ve lost friends to all the fucked up shit out there.¡± He held up his hand, warding off his father¡¯s interruption. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I swore, but sometimes you have to convey the weight and importance of the message. How am I supposed to live with myself when I have the opportunity to create a better world and life for my people, and I can¡¯t do it? How am I supposed to live with myself, feeling like a useless weakling who can¡¯t protect myself or the people I love?¡± Nil took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. He tried to keep his volume low and tone calm when he continued, ¡°I¡¯m doing this for me, too. This is an opportunity to make a great living doing something I enjoy. I know it''s dangerous, but Apocalypse Arena is safer overall than the quests and threats out there. It will make me better at what I do and increase my chances of survival when the stakes are high. Besides, the Nexus hired me to figure out some fishy things going on here, and I¡¯m starting to think the arena and luduses might be at the center of it. So, I have no intention of stopping.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more you¡¯re not telling us,¡± Udit said, sounding much calmer than Nil expected. ¡°What is it, Nil? Why are you desperate to put everything on the line?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ready to discuss that yet. Give me some time, and I promise to come clean.¡± Emily appeared teary as she met Nil¡¯s eyes. ¡°So you¡¯re not just doing this for us?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°I love you, Emmy, but not that much. There are some things I want to do for myself. I¡¯ve only been a Summoned for a couple of months now, but I¡¯ve seen enough to know that the multiverse is dangerous. I need to do this so the threats out there don¡¯t end up here. It''s my home, and I need to share the responsibility of keeping it safe.¡± ¡°And fighting in Apocalypse Arena will help you do that?¡± Emily asked, wiping her eyes. Nil nodded. ¡°It will make me stronger, get me resources and tools to survive, and also make things better for all of you.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not happy about it, but I can tell there is no changing your mind. So, we might as well live with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as easily convinced as Emmy,¡± Udit said. ¡°I get your reasoning, but I don¡¯t appreciate the lies, even if they¡¯re just by omission. It doesn¡¯t matter if your decisions will make us unhappy or angry. I expect the truth from my children.¡± ¡°Give it a rest, Baba,¡± Nil said. ¡°I love you and respect you, but I¡¯m almost in my thirties. You don¡¯t need every detail, and I¡¯m allowed to do what I believe is best without consulting everyone. I know what I¡¯m doing is dangerous and you¡¯re scared but its my decision and something that I need to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying, Nil, but I can see things are going to get heated, so let''s move on. I can tell there is more you¡¯re not telling us, though, and I just want you to know that we¡¯re here for you. So when you¡¯re ready, talk to us.¡± Nil only nodded before returning his attention to the cooking meat. His family hovered for a moment before breaking away. Only Sam remained. The twelve-year-old waited until everyone was out of sight before hugging his cousin. ¡°You were awesome,¡± the boy whispered. ¡°It''s so cool how you land. Like its no big deal after jumping from so high.¡± ¡°Thanks, buddy,¡± Nil chuckled, ruffling Sam¡¯s hair. ¡°Don¡¯t say that around Baba or Emmy, though. They won¡¯t be pleased.¡± 41. Time For Recovery Nil''s leg needed a couple of more days to recover enough from the break. So, he had to take it easy with training, which frustrated him immensely. Isabella reduced the launchers¡¯ firing frequency, and Nil focused more on catching with Absorb than Expending. The former ability was starting to fall behind, and he needed to grow it to Mortal-Eight as soon as possible. Since he had an Iron Realm body, he believed it would win him some leeway. The qualifiers were just about three weeks away, and he doubted he''d achieve the necessary ranks or win an Iron Ascension Token in time. ¡°This isn''t working,¡± Nil grumbled to Isabella, almost a week after the event, when he saw no improvement in ability or attribute ranks. ¡°Absorb won''t grow like this.¡± ¡°Think about all the instances around the growth," she said. ¡°Were there any special conditions around you gaining a rank?¡± ¡°It''s almost always in battle,¡± Nil answered. He thought back to the last couple of times Absorb grew. ¡°Not during spars but when there is a real danger of serious injury or death. The last time Absorb grew was when Brutal Battery got pushed past capacity.¡± ¡°Maybe it''s a combination of getting pushed past your limits and the stress of real combat. Every ability is different. As are their growth parameters. Discovering new uses and breaking boundaries always grant greater and quicker results than regular practice. Maybe it''s the overcoming of physical and mental barriers that play a role.¡± ¡°So, what''s the solution then? I can''t exactly go back to¡ª¡± Nil caught himself before he could mention the Pits. Isabella''s eyes narrowed, and he was pretty sure he saw the woman containing a grin. ¡°I could whoop your ass, but I doubt that will help, and it''s best if we don''t risk breaking bones so close to qualifiers.¡± She paused, studying him for a moment. ¡°You''ve completed two quests, right?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Why don''t you take another two or three days of muscle training, and when your leg is back to optimal strength, volunteer for quests? You have three weeks. Maybe you could squeeze two quests or a single long one in that guarantees combat. There are no guarantees, but maybe that''s what you need to get the final ranks and a half. Get the main ability to Mortal-Eight, and I''ll see if I can pull a few strings to get you into qualifiers.¡± ¡°You''d do that?¡± Nil''s eyes widened. He didn''t expect the usually cold and restrained trainer to go out of her way to help him. She usually only offered sage advice and then moved on to someone else. ¡°Even though the Barrier Mage served you your ass on a platter, you put on a great show,¡± Isabella answered. ¡°Whether you make it through qualifiers is on your opponent and whatever event the organizers throw at you. However, your performance, progress, and adaptability to a variety of opponents tell me that you''re ready for the Iron Gauntlet. Fighting in the lower levels of Apocalypse Arena is the best training you can get. So, the sooner you get there, the greater the chances of you becoming one of Earth''s champions.¡± ¡°You really think I could get to the Silver Gauntlet like you?¡± ¡°As long as you don''t get caught up in celebrity status or politics and powerplay, I think you could go even further than that. You have the attitude and drive for it. That ability you scored has incredible potential, too. If you pick the right upgrades and feats during your ascensions, I think you could rise to the levels of Wildshape Wilson, if not surpass him.¡± ¡°Thanks, Isabella,¡± Nil said. ¡°That means a lot coming from you. I''ll rest another day and then see what quests the Nexus has on offer.¡± ¡°Just don''t get overconfident and pick a Bronze danger-level quest just because one''s on offer. The Nexus gets desperate sometimes when there aren''t enough available or suitable Summoneds and tempts people with exceptional rewards.¡± A hint of sadness entered the woman''s voice. ¡°Far too many people have gone against my advice and never come back.¡± ¡°The Nexus already offered me one of those. It was an hour-long quest with three tokens and three hundred credits on offer. It involved me playing someone''s champion in a trial by combat. I didn''t want to risk it.¡± ¡°Good. I''m glad you''ve got some brains to go with the ability and technique. People who know their limitations are most likely to make it to old age.¡±
Doctor Shina Patel called Nil in for testing and a symbiote check a week after the event. Nil was surprised the woman waited as long. He thought she would want fluid tests and want to inspect the symbiote straight away. When he arrived at Symbiotech¡¯s offices, the staff put him through the usual tests. He was glad when they agreed to his requests and increased the strength compressor. The device involved something akin to a hydraulic press that slowly pressed downward, and he needed to push back on it until he couldn¡¯t do it anymore. The first time Nil encountered the machine, getting inside terrified him, but the staff talked him through all the safety measures, and one also demonstrated its limitations. Stolen novel; please report. Before heading to Southall, Nil had emptied Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. So, he activated Absorb and let the machine press down until he reached capacity, but his basic pushing power couldn¡¯t hold it back. Then, he burned the energy on their internal power measuring machines and obstacle course before repeating the process. Might has progressed to Iron 1! It wasn¡¯t the result he wanted, but better than nothing. Nil also kept his eyes on the visage. After what Katherine told him about Symbiotech, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether something shady was going on within the building. He wondered whether the visage¡¯s odd behavior and the child he saw had something to do with the cover-up. Nil doubted the company would continue to do whatever they got into trouble for in their headquarters. However, they were also likely to get up to something new. Symbiotech¡¯s ability to cover up its unethical activities could¡¯ve improved, too. Shina looked tired when she found Nil. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t make time for you earlier in the week,¡± she said. ¡°Things have been a bit hectic in other departments. Product launches and research hiccups have kept us busy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite alright,¡± Nil said, putting on his best smile. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to be back. Your symbiote did a hell of a job. I wouldn¡¯t have made it through the first round without it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. I saw the recordings. It¡¯s a shame you lost it.¡± ¡°Lost it?¡± Nil grinned, touching the back of his neck. It grew over his arms, neck, and everything covered by his t-shirt and shorts. ¡°How?¡± Shina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I delayed because I thought you destroyed it with the big blast.¡± ¡°I think I unconsciously released energy through everywhere except my genitals,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Wasn¡¯t too keen on the stinging and burns that accompany it afflicting the area. So, the symbiote there didn¡¯t get affected and then slowly recovered during the week.¡± Shina laughed. A couple of her lab assistants joined in. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. Losing the prototype would¡¯ve set us back a long way. We still have samples of it but that¡¯s never as good as the real thing.¡± A lab assistant approached Nil with a strange device. It released a pulse of bright red, pink, and blue lights. The symbiote retreated, peeling off Nil and gathering at the top of his neck. They scooped it off him and placed it in a padded case. The mass of slime twisted, bubbled and squirmed. Nil felt an odd draw toward it. Its absence almost left him feeling naked. ¡°We¡¯ll take some readings, run some tests, and send it back to you in a few days,¡± Shina said. ¡°If things go well, we might just be able to grow a new one using the old one as its parent. Hopefully, it will be more energy efficient and more resistant to fire and ice than the last version.¡± ¡°It did amazing with fire,¡± Nil said. The pair continued to talk as they left the laboratory and walked along the corridor. ¡°I failed to avoid most of the fire while my teammate was burning through the spiders. Thanks to a symbiote, I only suffered a few minor burns on my shins. It struggled against the summoner''s frost spell, though.¡± ¡°That''s expected. It will be difficult to create an organism that can resist and overcome two temperature extremes. Since you can warm yourself up with energy releases, I prioritized fire and heat. They translate to lightning better, too. So, it''s really a matter of what you want.¡± ¡°Fire and eventual lightning resistance is better than cold resistance. Your decision was a good one. I have an unrelated question. You don''t have to answer, of course. I''m just trying to satisfy my curiosity and trying to settle my anxieties.¡± ¡°For a skilled and cooperative partner as you? Anything. As long as we don''t risk breaking any NDAs or your question isn''t regarding company secrets, I don''t see why we can''t discuss it.¡± ¡°I heard a few unfortunate things about Symbiotech from someone at the event. It was about unethical testing.¡± Nil watched the visage trying to enter doors and press itself against walls out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Then I recalled bumping into a kid wearing a hospital gown and in a wheelchair the last time I was here. I trust you, Shina, and am more than pleased with our partnership, but I just have to know.¡± ¡°Ah. That.¡± The woman''s shoulders drooped. ¡°The aethertech sector, especially the medical side of things, is competitive and cutthroat. When our competitors¡¯ product fails because ours is just superior, they turn to spreading rumors or digging up old settlements where we more than fairly compensate someone for a bad reaction to our product or some testing accident. Symbiotech follows all government-dictated precautions and more, but melding magic with science is a challenging game. Just because something works as intended a hundred thousand times doesn''t mean something can''t go wrong.¡± Shina sighed. ¡°Then the shitstorm hits, and it''s me to solve it, appease the board, and keep the shareholders happy.¡± ¡°I''m sorry for dredging up old shit,¡± Nil said. ¡°I just needed to ask for my peace of mind.¡± ¡°It''s fine, Nil. I perfectly understand. You''re starting a new career and don''t want to entangle yourself in something unsavory that bites you on the button later.¡± Shina smiled, leading him toward the exit. ¡°As for any children you might see in the building, they''re almost all from places that fell during the Shattering. Some people have survived, and countries are giving them refuge, but many are afflicted by strange arcane ailments, and we don''t want them to spread to the public. So, Symbiotech is one of the many institutions researching these cases and trying to find solutions from them. I know it looks strange, but we''re only trying to help.¡± ¡°Thank you for being honest with me, Shina. I know you could''ve just given me a nonsense answer or placated me with bullshit and changed the topic. I respect your honesty.¡± ¡°Anytime, Nil. You''re a good guy and have great potential. We''re just glad to get in early with you and assist in your growth. Your success is our success.¡± 42. Aways On Business Nil tracked the Nexus''s ever-changing quests after he felt fit enough for regular training. Now that he was officially done with his first two, he could look through what was available whenever he was not in the mandatory one-week wait period between them. The Schema constantly updated with quests disappearing and new ones appearing. Nil guessed old ones faded as others picked them or the need faded. Layla had said there were far more summonings in the multiverse than available Summoned to help with them. It painted a bleak picture, and Nil understood why the Nexus and control world felt the need to offer bonuses and also why many criminals ended up with the otherworldly gifts. Objective: Rout the vampire coven in Old Oaksfield. Duration: 4 - 7 days Danger Level: Iron 9 Summoned: 2/3 Rewards: 300 Schema Credit, 3 Schema Tokens The Summoned counter intrigued Nil. Layla had warned him about their appearance on the list, signifying group quests. When Nil focused on the listing, it expanded, giving him more details. He guessed it was another benefit of getting past the first couple of quests and proving himself to the Schema. The city of Old Oakfield must not be allowed to die. It almost fell to war, then famine and disease. Its history and people helped it survive. Old Oaksfield might not have great mines or be the center of trade. However, it sits on a deep well of power that might someday save the Beacon World and even help it transcend to the status of Control World. Unfortunately, a coven of vampires has taken root. People are scared and fleeing. The crown is considering burning down what remains of the city, including the residents, to ensure the vampires and thralls don¡¯t spread across the kingdom. The Control Worlds fear such an act will corrupt the place of power. Death, destruction, and misery might pervert the well into a font of Cursed Energy. You must prevent such an eventuality. The quest requires a ritualist with an understanding of arcane energies, a tracker with infiltration skills, and a warrior who is not all brawn. All but the final two roles have been filled. Nil checked a couple of other quests. They didn¡¯t come with as much information as the Old Oaksfield quest. None of them were group quests, either. He guessed the Nexus was more liberal with information when sending Summoned into a group situation or requesting them to work with random, unknown individuals. It was a risk, but the quest intrigued him. Nil¡¯s first quest had escalated to the Iron Realm as the Cursed One turned more people into its victims and gained strength. The second was of the same danger level, but Nil solved it without risking his life or facing any real threats. There was no guarantee the quest would go the same way as the previous two, but Nil took the risk. After sending his friends and family a message about the planned time away from Earth, he accepted the quest. NIL didn¡¯t waste time at the fountain or try to visit Layla. Instead, he followed the Schema¡¯s indicators to where it wanted him to go. Nil found himself in a room full of weapons, armor, various tools, world-appropriate clothes, and much more. None of them interested Nil as much as the two other people in the room. A middle-aged man stood against the wall lined with a variety of chalk, candles, pouches, and objects dotted with gems similar to the stone on Ester the Warder¡¯s staff. He picked through the offerings and carefully placed them in a rectangular case divided into six compartments, only placing one article in each section. A woman in her twenties stood in the corner. She had a similar case, which sat open on the ground behind her. An assortment of objects, including rope, a lockpicking kit, gloves, armor, a cloak, daggers, a crossbow, and much more, littered the ground around it. She appeared locked in a state of indecision. A third case sat at the center of the room and the Schema directed him toward it. Pick six items to take with you on your quest. Basic clothing and underwear don¡¯t count. Nil opened the case. It, too, had six compartments. ¡°You must be our warrior,¡± the man said, speaking with a thick accent Nil struggled to place. He wasn''t particularly good at guessing ethnicities but was almost sure that the man was of Native American or Polynesian descent. ¡°I''m Misu. Have you been on one of these quests before?¡± ¡°Nil. I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t. Vampires and group quests are new to me, too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how your world¡¯s media portrays them, but vampires aren¡¯t overly complicated,¡± the woman said, looking up from a pair of daggers. ¡°Destroy the heart, remove the head, set them on fire, or expose them to the sun. Silver works, but not always. I can¡¯t tell whether it''s the vampire¡¯s age, the quality of silver, or there are separate breeds of them. Garlic. Blessed water. Religious symbols. I¡¯ve seen people whip out a lot of nonsense. None of them work. It¡¯s just another wasted eyeblink for the vampire to kill you.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°You¡¯re familiar with these things?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°Have you fought them before?¡± ¡°My home world had a breakout of their plague a few years ago. The Nexus chose me because of my skill in slaying these beasts. All of my quests are dedicated to the same task. I¡¯m your tracker. Lise.¡± ¡°What equipment do you need?¡± Misu asked. ¡°Any weapons or armor?¡± Nil scanned the walls. As he focused on an object, the Schema briefly explained its capabilities. A long blue coat with a light hood beckoned to him. It had long sleeves, and it hung to his knees when Nil tried it on. The garment was snug around the shoulders but still comfortable. ¡°Resistance to elemental magic is all I need.¡± His eyes drifted to the section stacked with medicine, rations, and other supplies. ¡°Burn salve and maybe some regeneration pills, too.¡± ¡°Burn salve?¡± Misu asked. ¡°I need it for my ability,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I have a powerful attack that might prove invaluable, but there are side effects.¡± ¡°No, weapons?¡± Lise raised an eyebrow. ¡°My ability limits me to using my body.¡± ¡°The coat will need to go in the case,¡± Lise said. ¡°After the healing pills and your precious burn salve, you¡¯ll have three slots empty. Do you mind if I squeeze a few things in?¡± She nodded at the objects littering the ground around her case. ¡°I¡¯ve got too much shit.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like a slot, too,¡± Misu said. He turned to Lise. ¡°I know you hunters like your toys, but we need catalysts and reagents in case things go south.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a slot each,¡± Nil interrupted. ¡°I want to take the ration pack too.¡± ¡°Why would you waste a slot on that?¡± Lise demanded. Her tone made her sound too brash for a group quest, but Nil didn¡¯t want to say it. As long as the woman did her job well, it didn¡¯t matter. He only needed to get along with her for a few days. Only the reward and rank in Brutal battery mattered. The rest was secondary. Besides, he had learned long ago that not entertaining hotheads or providing a reaction was the swiftest route to disarming them. ¡°We¡¯re going to a city and are Summoned. They asked for us and will, therefore, provide for us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right, but I¡¯d like to prepare for the eventuality you¡¯re not. What kind of creatures are these vampires?¡± ¡°They''re like us but stronger and faster than an un-Summoned,¡± Misu said. The objects he had been handling and picking through appeared to intrigue the visage especially. ¡°My first quest involved escaping a castle with a powerful arcane relic while three of the things chased me and a platoon of soldiers under my command. Some wielded magic. One was a powerful hypnotist. She seduced my men, drained their blood, and turned them into treacherous thralls. I almost didn''t make it.¡± ¡°Vampires pursue perfection in body,¡± Lise explained. ¡°They value beauty overall and slowly modify themselves into what they deem beautiful. Many take this as the creatures valuing sex, and the vampires know this. The only sex they desire is with each other. The older they are, the more we disgust them. Luring victims in with lies, seduction, hypnotism, and illusions is expected when dealing with them.¡± ¡°In that case, would it be too farfetched to assume that they haven''t infiltrated the people we''re there to help?¡± Nil asked. ¡°What if the vampires have people embedded around the city''s population who feed them information and do their bidding? What if they get these people to poison our food and drink or slice our throats while we sleep? In my world, vampires don¡¯t exist¡ªat least that we know of. But we have plenty of literature and media dedicated to them, and, sure, most of it is bullshit. However, there must be some truth and history behind the myth. They''re tricksters, liars, and toys with their victims¡¯ minds in our stories. So, I think it''s best to pack our own food or only eat things we''ve prepared ourselves.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Lise grumbled. ¡°You''re right. We should take the ration pack if it''s a several-day-long quest.¡± ¡°They usually come with a flask that slowly refills itself by absorbing moisture in the air,¡± Misu added. ¡°Great. So you get one slot each.¡± Nil smiled, feeling glad his companions had come to an amicable settlement. ¡°Pick well.¡± ¡°You''re not what I expected of a warrior,¡± Misu said. He added a pouch to Nil¡¯s case. When Nil focused on it, the Schema labeled it as a ¡®protection ward supplies.¡¯ ¡°You only picked two things for yourselves. The warriors I''ve worked with before are usually the selfish kind. The quest says we need a warrior that''s not all brawn. Perhaps there is a reason you got offered the quest.¡± ¡°Don''t count your chickens yet,¡± Lise grumbled. She grabbed a loop of thin black rope that seemed too big for the case¡¯s compartment, but when she brought it close, the container sucked the object in. ¡°Just because he''s got a good head on his shoulders doesn''t mean he''ll last. The nice ones are always the first to get killed by the fanned fuckers.¡± ¡°Don''t worry,¡± Nil told the woman, maintaining his casual but pleasant tone and expression. ¡°I don''t go down easy. I might have no experience with vampires, but I''ve beaten down a couple of Cursed Ones already.¡± ¡°I''m not worried about your strength or durability. Your kind¡ªwarriors¡ªusually have a weak mind, and for some reason, the nice ones are more susceptible to creatures that prey on them. A heart and sympathy are what a vampire will try to manipulate. I worry they''ll get in your head and use you against us.¡± ¡°Well, we''ll just have to hope that doesn''t happen. You watch my back, and I''ll watch yours. How about that?¡± ¡°Just keep the mage alive,¡± Lise said. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± 43. Order Of the Silver Crucible The summoning brought the trio to a grand but decrepit building. It looked like it was once a temple, shrine, or seat of power. Grand statues stood on one end of the room. Pillars and intricate wall carvings lined it. A woman in faded priestly robes bowed as soon as they appeared. The line of men and women behind her copied her movements. Their armor was old, dented, and in some cases rusty. While the clothing appeared to be rarely worn but aged Sunday-Best. Early morning rays peeked in through the stained glass windows, but everyone seemed to be exhausted or sleep-deprived. ¡°We welcome you, Summoned. Thank you for answering our call,¡± the woman said, her voice quivering as she spoke. She sounded as exhausted as she looked. ¡°I, Priestess Elaine Morrow of the Silver Crucible, welcome you.¡± ¡°Rise, kind woman,¡± Misu said, stepping forward. Since his previous quests had put him in royal settings and courtly experience, the party agreed to let him take the lead when dealing with the summoners and other people in power. ¡°We¡¯re here to rescue you from the vampire scourge. Please tell us all your order has started, and we¡¯ll do our best to finish your work.¡± Lise rolled her eyes, and Nil contained laughter. It sounded like Misu had read one too many swords and sorcery novels or watched several historical dramas and was emulating his favorite character. Though amused, Nil didn¡¯t judge the man for living his fantasy. The Schema hadn¡¯t given the party the mysterious cases. Instead, everything they placed within now appeared on their person. Nil had appeared in the new world wearing light, black leather boots, black trousers, a white cotton shirt, and a blue long coat over it. The rope Lise picked and Misu¡¯s pouch of reagents hung from his belt. Nil felt like a pack mule with the bag of rations on his back and the satchel of medical supplies slung across his shoulders. Meanwhile, the vampire hunter looked like a walking arsenal. She, too, had picked a coat that was made of leather. The collar covered all of her neck and had extra padding around the spine and wrist. Lise had also brought along a crossbow, two quivers, a pair of handaxes, and a sword. While they got ready, she had spent several minutes grumbling about sub par weapons and lacking access to the Nexus Market. Misu was the only member of the party in the Iron Realm and had purchased all of his equipment from it. The man claimed to have found a ritual magic and warding tutor through the Nexus market. Everything he brought along, besides an arcane focus to make his spells cheaper, was to assist in the two disciplines. Even though Nil didn¡¯t foresee himself purchasing or carrying much equipment on his quests, he couldn¡¯t wait to explore Nexus Market. Schema Credits would buy him ascension tokens, information, and even soul weapon artisans. The Cursed Energy in the unformed soul weapon still needed purging, but Nil felt optimistic. Finding knowledge or individuals with abilities similar to Brutal Battery would help, too. While Misu conversed with the priestess and her staff, Nil and Lise headed out into the city to explore and get a lay of the land. The quest description had underplayed the state of Old Oaksfield. Bleak felt like an understatement. If Nil didn''t know any better, he would''ve thought the streets were full of undead. A sparse market selling foodstuffs, clothing, weapons, and tools for warding off vampires stood outside the temple. The vendors, pedestrians, and guards moved sluggishly, looking listless. It seemed none of them had enjoyed a whole night of sleep in days. Nil saw no children, young women, or smiles. The numbers on the street appeared low, too. ¡°This is what vampires do,¡± Lise said. ¡°They break down morale and the people until they¡¯re nothing more than cattle to be drained. If the coven isn¡¯t eliminated before it turns into a scourge, burning it out and their blood bags is the best way to solve the issue.¡± ¡°That¡¯s barbaric,¡± Nil commented. ¡°There has to be a better way.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t when it comes to vampires. I wouldn''t have picked this quest if this place weren¡¯t on a well of power and the alternative weren¡¯t the possible birth of a Dark World. It felt almost smarter to let the quest time out and let another tracker throw their lives away on a near-impossible quest.¡± ¡°So? Since we¡¯re here now and the fate of a world, and to a lesser extent, our lives is in the balance, how do we proceed, Mrs Vampire Hunter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Miss Vampire Hunter. There is not much we can do right now. I¡¯ll bet my right tit the civilians won¡¯t be helpful. They either don¡¯t know a thing or will be too scared to tell us much.¡± Lise stopped at a stall selling silver chains. She sniffed and tested the displayed wares. ¡°Our best bet is to find a secure spot where we can rest, eat, and prepare. Then, we need to discuss laying traps and how we can lure one of these cunts in. The best source of information on a coven is one of their own, preferably a vampire low in the hierarchy or a dhampir.¡± ¡°Why low in the hierarchy? Why not a thrall? Wouldn¡¯t the latter be easy to extract information from?¡± ¡°Thralls are useless,¡± Lise replied. ¡°They¡¯re loyal to their creator until the bitter end. I don¡¯t know whether it''s because of an addiction to their master¡¯s blood or some sort of undying love like that of a baby for their mother. Any information we get from one is likely to get us killed. As for hierarchy, older vampires are just far too strong, smart, and skilled with magic. If you get one, kill it straight away or die. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Younger vampires are often wild and dominated by greed. Power, wealth, and food can sway them. Human memories are also fresh in their mind. So, it''s to play on their emotions, lust, and similar desires.¡± ¡°So, what then? Somehow lure and trap a young, naive vampire, extract information from it, find the coven, and then destroy it?¡± Lise nodded. ¡°Finding the coven¡¯s hiding spot is our primary goal. We could wait for them to attack someone and trail them or find someone cute and pretty to play bait.¡± ¡°Let''s pass on that. I¡¯d rather not endanger an innocent¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s the bit about people like you annoys me.¡± She sighed. ¡°Fine. Not an innocent then.¡± Lise nodded at the scantily-clad women on a nearby balcony. They waved at Nil and beckoned him over. ¡°Plenty of not-so-innocents¡¯ll play the role of bait for the right price around, too. They won¡¯t be happy about it, but I bet we can convince them for sweet enough a pot.¡± ¡°We¡¯d need to get money first,¡± Nil said. ¡°I think¡ª¡± ¡°Money is easy to come by.¡± Lise jingled a fat white purse with a silver chalice crest on it. The color and emblem matched the priestess¡¯ outfit. He was pretty sure the tracker had stolen it within seconds of the arrival. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. We¡¯re here to save their lives. It''s not like I can take it with me. They¡¯re strictly for quest expenses.¡± Lise glanced at a neighboring stall selling food. ¡°Mostly.¡± Despite the rough first impression and sticky fingers, Lise proved to be excellent company. She had a mean sense of humor and taught Nil a fair bit about vampires between crude jokes and unnecessary reprimands. She pointed out anti-vampire effigies and devices that she was sure didn¡¯t work and a few that did. They also paused at a few abandoned buildings and peeked within for signs of vampire activity. They checked in on Misu after a couple of hours of exploration. He was still engaged with the priestess, gathering information and getting a history of events. The woman hadn¡¯t noticed the missing purse. The city had arranged food and accommodation for them. Fortunately, Lise sided with Nil, and they rejected the offer. Misu appeared displeased. Suggesting the priestess¡¯ order might be infiltrated by thralls infuriated her, but two-thirds of the party stood strong. They planned on making their own way. The Silver Crucible agreed to provide funds for an inn of their choice. However, confusion followed when Elaine Morrow failed to find her purse. She had an assistant fetch a small sack of coins and a city map, which Lise accepted with a curtsy. The priestess and her people had started a divining ritual to help pin down the coven¡¯s heart. Unfortunately, they lacked the necessary manpower, and they kept facing interruptions. Thralls sabotaged them during the day, and vampires sieged the temple at night. So, Misu stayed behind to assist them with it while Nil and Lise went out again to investigate vampire attack sites and find a home base for the party. After they left the temple, Lise asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stay with the ritualist?¡± ¡°I imagine your job as the warrior is to protect him and the ritual.¡± ¡°The temple and Silver Crucible have enough guards for him to be in no danger during daylight hours, right?¡± Nil asked. Lise nodded. ¡°In that case, my services aren¡¯t currently needed. I¡¯ll be of no use standing around while they set up their ritual. So, I might as well help you?¡± ¡°Do you have any experience tracking anything, let alone vampires?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°I have an ability that helps me detect and track magic, though. I¡¯m sure it will do us some good.¡± ¡°Focus on that lot,¡± Lise said, nodding at a hooded group fussing over a cart carrying old furniture. The pair had walked past the four not long ago. ¡°Do you sense anything from them?¡± The group in question looked no different from the rest of the citizens: sleep-deprived, lethargic, and irritable. They appeared to be locked in a tense conversation. When Nil activated Energy Instinct, he didn¡¯t detect much at first. In fact, he saw nothing except blue wisps leaking out of the ground. Then, when one member of the group smacked another, he saw the flash of a vile green glow. It seemed toxic. Unwell. Perverse. Just the single flash made his skin crawl. Energy Instinct has progressed to Mortal 5! As he looked for it, the murky green energy became clearer, and the visage wandered over to them, looking curious and excited. It was the first time it had reacted to anything following the summoning. ¡°The one in the grey hood and the well-dressed one,¡± Nil said. ¡°There is something off about them. The feeling of it almost reminds me of Cursed Energy, but it''s not.¡± ¡°I smelled something off about them when we walked past but couldn¡¯t be sure. That thing you sense must be Death Magic.¡± Lise sighed. ¡°It powers a vampire¡¯s heart and helps the coagulated blood in their veins flow. For some reason, its delicious to humans. Addictive even. The fuckers don¡¯t seem to care that it literally rots them from inside.¡± ¡°So their minions will do whatever is necessary in pursuit of their next high?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Lise conjured an ornate steel dagger out of nowhere. Nil was sure they had passed a stall selling weapons of a similar design not long ago. She tied her newly purchased silver chain around the hilt and then wrapped it around her forearm. Lise pulled her coat¡¯s sleeve down, covering the weapon and the skinny necklace-like tether. ¡°Looks like we have a lead.¡± ¡°What now? We follow them?¡± Lise nodded. ¡°No attacking. No getting too close.¡± She looped an arm around Nil¡¯s and unbuttoned her coat and blouse, exposing cleavage. ¡°We¡¯re happy, newly married out-of-towners, having a bad honeymoon but trying to make the most of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether my acting skills will hold up, but I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Nil said, mussing his hair. He also undid his shirt¡¯s top two buttons and untucked it. ¡°You¡¯re not as useless as I thought you¡¯d be,¡± Lise said, flashing him an almost flirtatious smile. ¡°Good.¡± She looked him up and down. ¡°You have the clueless, daft fool look nailed. Now, lets go find us some vampires.¡± 44. Hunter or Hunted? It was the second day of the quest, and the vampire hunters were yet to make notable progress. They expected the vampires to attack the divining ritual as they had during every previous event. It started at midnight and went on until just before dawn, seeking the creatures of the night as they did their vampire things. Nil and Lise had stayed up the entire night waiting for vampires to attack while Misu assisted the order with their ritual. Unfortunately, the creatures didn¡¯t come. Bats and owls fluttered through or past the temple, but Nil sensed no magic or energy from them. They seemed like the region''s ordinary fauna. Yet the ritual failed. Trailing the thralls was yet to return fruit. Nil had his hopes up but the wait was getting to him. ¡°It¡¯s the reagents,¡± Priestess Elaine Morrow said afterward, looking more exhausted than she did following the summoning and embarrassed. ¡°I fear my tiredness will lead to failure. Or I made an error with the spellform, proportion of reagents¡ª¡± ¡°Someone switched around your reagents,¡± Misu had said, kneeling over a corner of the chalk triangle. ¡°No. I think I just placed them in the wrong corner. This¡ª¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a crow¡¯s skull, priestess. It belongs to a pigeon. I saw your stores. This wasn¡¯t in there. Someone switched it around.¡± He sniffed a pinch of the black ash on another corner. ¡°It was my mistake. I should¡¯ve double-checked everything.¡± ¡°Are you questioning my ability? I¡¯ll have you know, Summoned, I¡¯ve been at this since I was a girl.¡± ¡°You¡¯re exhaustion is a good excuse for mixing up ingredients. However, it doesn¡¯t explain how articles not in your stores showed up in the ritual room. Leek ash? I think you¡¯re in denial, priestess. This is the work of one or more saboteurs. You need to focus a keen eye on your staff. There might be thralls or other minions in the order. The temple is compromised.¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± The priestess had looked furious. Her flared nostrils, tight grip on her staff, and bloodshot eyes almost made her seem on the verge. ¡°I¡ª¡± She glanced at the expressionless, almost slouching guards lining the ritual hall. Her expression calmed, and her shoulders slumped. ¡°We all need to rest. I need to investigate my staff. There will be no ritual today or tonight. Turn your eyes on the city. We¡¯ll try again tomorrow or the day after.¡± An argument followed when Misu insisted the party assist with the investigation. If thralls had infiltrated the Order of the Silver Crucible and their temple, vampires wouldn¡¯t be far behind. It would make the party¡¯s job easier if they found the mole and then used them to track down the coven. It was unlikely thralls would betray their masters. However, Misu was confident he could use a ritual to track the Death Magic back to its source. Priestess Elaine Morrow rejected the idea. Misu seemed to have struck a nerve by questioning her ritual, trusted acolytes, and dear apprentices. Lise¡¯s insistence hadn¡¯t helped either. The templars ended up escorting the Summoned out, leaving them to find the vampires and eliminate the scourge alone. ¡°Another pint, please,¡± Nil said, flagging down the only serving girl in the inn. He glanced at the landlord¡ªand the young woman¡¯s father¡ªstanding behind the bar, listlessly wiping mugs. His rag didn¡¯t look clean. Neither did the bar and adjoining dining room. The patrons were the dirty sort as well. The guards sat around eating breakfast while the local laborers stuffed themselves with stodgy dinners and ale before they locked themselves in for the night. Apparently, they were among the few people that slept well. Work left them so exhausted that fear of vampire attacks didn¡¯t keep them awake at night. ¡°Maybe the spiced mead this time.¡± ¡°No food?¡± the serving girl asked, leaning on Nil¡¯s chair. Her ample breast brushed against the side of his head. She was a pretty blonde. According to the whispering lecherous lumberjacks at the neighboring table, she was just about in her mid-twenties, and her father¡¯s watchful eye angered them. Her rosy, round, youthful cheeks and freckles made her appear younger than her supposed age. ¡°We have a lovely kidney pie if you¡¯d like. I made the pastry myself, and it¡¯s a work of art.¡± ¡°No. No food for me. I¡¯m in no mood.¡± The aroma of flaky, buttery pastry and stewed beef reached his nostrils, and he reconsidered his decision. ¡°Maybe after my friends get back. Whenever that is.¡± ¡°Well, it''s a good thing we keep open through the night.¡± The serving girl smiled and waved at a group of armored soldiers who had just entered the tavern. The men hastily closed the door behind themselves. They were visibly scared and appeared relieved to be indoors. A few returned the gesture, but most just rushed to a table. ¡°Where¡¯s your pretty little wife and grandfather?¡± ¡°Ol¡¯ father-in-law is probably six shots into a bottle of whisky. And the wife-to-be is ensuring he doesn¡¯t gamble all our money away.¡± Nil sighed, leaning back in his chair. He looked up at the serving girl and smiled. His tale sounded believable. The city¡¯s affluent residents and visitors seemed less bothered by the not-so-secret vampire scourge than the working class. ¡°Maybe I should rethink this marriage and run away with someone like you.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re naughty!¡± The woman laughed, smacking his shoulder. Nil couldn¡¯t help but notice how her fingers lingered on and outlined his clavicle and deltoids before retreating. ¡°Would you like that mead warmed, handsome?¡± ¡°That would be lovely. Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am? I¡¯m a miss, I¡¯ll have you know! I¡¯m Ruby.¡± She offered Nil a delicate hand, and he shook it. ¡°Now behave. I¡¯ll get your drink, and we can discuss what to do about that horrible father-in-law of yours.¡± Ruby walked away with a happy, almost exaggerated sway, glancing over her shoulder at Nil. Her smile was more adorable than sultry. The young woman carried herself with an innocence, unlike someone of her supposed age. Nil heard the creepy lumberjacks use the phrase unspoiled flower as they discussed her. She stopped at the bar and whispered to her father, giggling and occasionally looking at Nil. The man craned his neck, studying him. He appeared amused at first, then donned an angry expression when his eyes met Nil¡¯s. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It wasn¡¯t long before he had a warm, freshly washed mug full of steaming spiced mead. Ruby ran her fingers across his back, from one shoulder to the other, as she walked by. She stopped at a neighboring table and took their order. She didn¡¯t spend as much time with them, and her side of the conversation sounded cold. The visage sat next to Nil, watching them and looking amused. He wondered how much of the conversation and the men¡¯s intentions it understood. Nil checked his pocket watch. Lise had stolen three earlier in the day so the party could better coordinate when working separately during the day. It was almost midnight, and Nil felt tempted to call it a day. However, the vampiring hours had come. Apparently, most attacks and abductions occurred after midnight. The laborer groups quickly shuffled out, hissing about the time and their unwillingness to pay the inn''s sanctuary charge. Half an hour later, when Nil was almost done with his mead, Ruby plopped down with two cups. The visage hopped out of its chair, looking perturbed just as she sat down. Nil avoided looking at Aisha¡¯s face. Irritation bubbled under the surface. He could feel a growing resentment as the visage made it harder for him to get involved with anyone or have any fun. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like your father-in-law and fiancee are returning tonight. Curfew is on, and no one but the guards and crooks will be stepping outside for the next six hours.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Nil sighed. He accepted the sweet beverage. It tasted like a fortified dessert wine. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m alone tonight. So, much for a honeymoon.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that way.¡± Ruby smiled mischievously. Her fingers ran down his toned forearms. Ever since he became a Summoned, people¡ªmen and women¡ªhad been looking for excuses to touch his shoulders and arms. ¡°But first, I need to know. What possessed you to bring your father-in-law on your honeymoon and here of all places?¡± Is this what the kids call Rizz? Nil shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s a scholar mage, and I started as his bodyguard. I¡¯m afraid he still sees me as an employee. The man funds our adventures around the realm. We ensure he doesn''t get killed and fight off bandits and beasts during our travels. It''s a good living. So, when he decided that Old Oaksfield has the finest Old God temple around and he wanted to study the carvings, I couldn¡¯t really say no. It doesn¡¯t help that the wife-to-be enables all of her father¡¯s whims. She completely forgot about our plans to visit the seaside to appease her father. I don¡¯t know if I want to spend the rest of my life putting up with that.¡± ¡°Yeah. That can¡¯t be too nice. It sounds like a big decision. You won¡¯t just be giving up a partner, but also a job.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the issue, isn¡¯t it? I doubt Lise will pick me over her father. So, I might just go North and look for a job as a guard or join a mercenary company.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here?¡± Ruby asked, pouting. ¡°The guards are struggling to hold on to good fighters. They need someone strong and brave to get them in line.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing keeping me here.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°Money is money, but things seem bleak in Old Oaksfield. I asked around, but no one would tell me what was wrong.¡± ¡°I could give you one good reason to stay here.¡± The mischievous smile returned to the beautiful serving girl¡¯s face. ¡°Oh? What would that be?¡± ¡°Me, of course.¡± Ruby leaned closer as she continued. ¡°Since your fiancee won¡¯t be back until well after dawn, why don¡¯t we go up to your room? I can show you how I¡¯d pick you over my father.¡± Nil stiffened, glancing at the landlord. The man appeared to be looking anywhere but at his daughter and the man whose collarbone she was currently tracing. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯ve made up my mind about Lise. There are too many pints in me to make a good decision.¡± ¡°So, make a bad decision,¡± Ruby said. ¡°I didn¡¯t see a ring on her finger. You¡¯re pre-engaged. I think this is the perfect time to explore and decide whether this is what you want for the rest of your life or take a chance on something better and far more exciting.¡± ¡°Would you ever consider walking away from your father¡¯s tavern and pursuing a life in the capital?¡± Nil asked. Ruby shrugged. ¡°The right man might change my mind. Although, this is too great an inheritance to give up.¡± ¡°It looks like your father has another good decade or two left in him. You could see the world and come down later in life, and¡ª¡± ¡°Do you really want to plan for the future, or do you want to come upstairs with me and enjoy a life-changing night?¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost worried your expectations of me are too high.¡± Ruby laughed. She took Nil by the hand and pulled him off his chair. He stumbled as she led him up the stairs to the rooms. She caught him. A few watching patrons laughed. Many more booed. ¡°Shut up!¡± Ruby scolded them. Though several pints deep, Nil had no trouble finding his suite¡¯s keys and unlocking the door. Nil held it open for her, and Ruby danced in. He swiftly locked the door, straightened his hair, and removed his coat. When he turned around, he found Ruby stark naked, standing with her dress and slip around her feet. When Ruby beckoned, Nil struggled to contain himself. He darted to her, wrapping his arms around her lower back. Meanwhile, her fingers interlocked behind his neck. The pair kissed. Nil¡¯s heart raced as he guided her backward towards the large armchair and couch in the suite¡¯s lounge. Halfway to their destination, he stopped, released the woman, and took a step back. Ruby frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± ¡°I just wanted to take a moment to admire you in the moonlight,¡± he stated. ¡°You¡¯re perfect, you know that? You seem so innocent on the floor, but now you¡¯re the most gorgeous and sultry thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Oh, stop you.¡± Ruby giggled. ¡°Come back here and kiss me. I liked the way you held me.¡± ¡°Take a step back first. I want to see you in the moonlight.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Ruby lifted her hands above her head and twirled backward. Nil had to admit that she made for a tantalizing sight. Then, the woman stepped on a circular rug, stumbled, and abruptly stopped. Concern flashed across her face. She frowned, looking up at him. Mind has progressed to Mortal 4! ¡°Sorry,¡± he said sheepishly, shrugging. The fog around Nil¡¯s mind lifted even more, and the world¡¯s colors lost some of their vibrancy. Silver lightly shone from under the rug. Lise burst out of the bedroom carrying the only thing she had purchased instead of stealing since the quest¡¯s beginning. Misu emerged from the cupboard by the suite¡¯s entrance. He rushed to the door and pressed his fingers to it. A magic circle flashed on it. Meanwhile, Lise lashed Ruby with the skinny chain, and the pretty blonde screamed as her skin sizzled, reacting to the silver. Nil couldn''t stomach using a sex worker or starving beggar off the streets. They were ordinary people surviving using whatever means they had available. Many probably had dependants, too. So, he pushed the party to use him as bait and, fortunately, they had accepted. Lise especially liked that it gave them more control over the situation. 45. Hunting Vampires Is A Dirty Job On their first day in Old Oaksfield, Nil and Lise followed the thralls and their cart through the city. The hooded men pushed the cart into an almost abandoned neighborhood. The rough wooden shacks and haphazardly slapped-together buildings suggested that it was once a slum. The squabbling pair stopped along the city¡¯s central canal just before it disappeared into the sewers. Then they uncovered their cart¡¯s contents, revealing a mound of naked human flesh. Nil thought they were dumping corpses at first, but then noticed signs of movement. ¡°Half drained,¡± Lise had commented. The thralls didn¡¯t seem to care that most of the people were alive. They threw the people into the water, groaning and grunting while working. Nil had to clench his jaw and fist as he contained the urge to rush to the victims¡¯ rescue and break a few bones. ¡°What now? Follow the bodies to the coven?¡± Lise shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re transporting bodies from the coven¡¯s heart or one of their operations.¡± She continued in a mumble, talking more to herself than Nil. ¡°Are the half-drained for the dwellers?¡± ¡°Dwellers?¡± Nil asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Vampires that have physically and mentally deteriorated following long periods of blood deprivation. They might as well be beasts. Covens or overlords use them as soldiers and fodder when going to war. If there are Dwellers under the city, it means they¡¯re preparing for something big.¡± ¡°Let''s follow the bodies and destroy them, then. We can¡¯t let them feed and grow stronger.¡± ¡°No. They¡¯re stupid and easy to deal with once their masters fall. We follow the thralls to the heart of their operation.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we try to save the half-drained? They can¡¯t be all dead.¡± Lise grabbed his hand when he stepped forward, shaking her head. ¡°The dwellers will have a blood or psychic connection to the vampire they serve. If we do anything, the coven will know. It''s better to let a few perish so we can save the remaining thousands in the city and the many more that come here for work or are just passing through.¡± Nil didn¡¯t like the decision, but he knew she was right, so he accepted it. The thralls led them to the Cockratice and Hedgehog Inn¡ªthe establishment where Ruby worked. Energy Instinct and casual surveillance had helped the fake couple discover that the minions in question were none other than the inn¡¯s landlord and stable boy. The thick Death Magic radiating from Ruby and the near-invisible tethers connecting her to the thralls told the party that she was their master and the vampire. Now, Nil had played his role as bait, and his part of the plan was over. He lacked the stomach for torture and whatever interrogation techniques his companions wished to employ. So, he went to bed and got much-needed sleep. Unfortunately, it only lasted about four hours until Ruby¡¯s ¡®father¡¯ came pounding on the suite¡¯s door. Misu had installed silence and privacy wards on the lounge¡¯s walls and doors. Lise had warned them that it would only work until the thralls felt their master¡¯s pain and terror. The fact that it took him four hours to realize something was wrong confirmed their belief regarding the vampire¡¯s age. She was young. Perhaps turned sometime in the past year after the first of the coven arrived in Old Oaksfield. Her pretty face and allure made her perfect as one of their new members. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say vampires pursue beauty and perfection?¡± Nil asked Lise after they settled on her as their target and spent the first night in Old Oakfield watching her. ¡°Sure, Ruby is attractive, but I¡¯d call her more cute than beautiful. She¡¯s too innocent.¡± ¡°Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,¡± Lise had explained. ¡°In this case, the beholder is the vampire herself. If she sees innocence as beauty, that¡¯s what she¡¯ll want to nurture and perfect. Little Miss Ruby still needs to work on her act, though. She slips up far too often. You can tell she¡¯s a young one. She can¡¯t seem to differentiate between lust and hunger. All the bodies in the cart and everyone she hit on is fairly good-looking.¡± Ruby¡¯s father broke into the room, followed closely by the stable boy. The smell of rotten flesh followed them, and they came at Misu and Lise in a blind rage, swinging axes and clubs. Nil tackled the inn¡¯s puppet landlord. The man had inhuman strength, but it wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t manage. A single Expend-powered punch separated his lower jaw from the rest of his head, and a second turned his head into smithereens. Lise and Misu had explained that thralls were no longer human and in a state of slow decomposition. It''s why they were so strong but fell apart so easily. Apparently, it was because of how sunlight affected Death Magic. Thralls that stayed in the dark lasted longer. The second thrall fell to Lise¡¯s axe. She took its head off with a single swing. Ruby screamed bloody murder and cried tears of thick, dark blood when her father died. Then, she stiffened when she heard a heavy stomping coming up the stairs. ¡°Don¡¯t kill my mother,¡± she begged. ¡°Please. Just not my mother. I forced her to drink my blood. She never wanted this.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°You know what we want then, creature,¡± Lise tightened the silver chain around her throat and neck. ¡°Where is the coven? Where is your creator?¡± Nil captured Ruby¡¯s mother when she entered the room, holding her against the wall as she struggled. The vampire spilled the beans, telling them everything she knew about her master, where she hid, and how they were slowly taking over the city. Several rich and powerful individuals had turned, become thralls, or willingly agreed to work with the coven. Ruby knew nothing about the thralls or servants in the Order of the Silver Crucible. It was good enough. The vampire hunters had agreed to free Ruby and her mother in exchange for the information. They were to leave Old Oakfield and disappear for good. Lise never intended to keep the promise. Neither of the men in the party protested. Dawn had come, and they opened the windows. Sunlight burned and melted Ruby¡¯s body, turning her into a pile of ash and burning sludge. Nil saved the crying landlady from the horror of watching her undead daughter die again and put her down just as he had the landlord. The act turned his stomach and left his chest tight. But he knew it needed to be done. Afterward, they secured the inn. The building only had three bedrooms and a suite. Nil and Lise had taken the latter, and Misu took the adjoining room. The rest of the building was vacant. When the party checked in, there were other guests, but their beds were empty, and their luggage was gone. Odd articles of clothing and a few articles remained. Lise was sure Ruby had drained one and sent the rest to the coven. So, after they locked down the building and put the closed sign outside the door, they had the place to themselves. The party finally got some decent sleep. Since Nil had already enjoyed a few hours of sleep, he kept watch. Then, when the others woke up around noon, he got a couple more hours of sleep while they prepared and looked out for thrall activity. According to Lise, thralls did most of their work late in the night and in the early half of the day. Life got harder for them closer to noon when the sun was at its strongest, so most retreated to their lairs to rest until just before their masters awoke. It was the perfect time for the hunters to attack. When Nil heard vampire, he expected crypts, abandoned mansions, or great stone castles. Instead, Ruby¡¯s information took them to the Old Oakfield¡¯s red-light district. They passed brothels and drug dens. Either would¡¯ve made for excellent vampire lairs. However, the coven used neither as their home. They picked the city¡¯s largest and most popular casino. ¡°They¡¯re playing the slow game,¡± Lise said. ¡°Instead of just wiping out the population and multiplying, the bastards are building a blood farm and dweller army while they slowly take over the local economy.¡± ¡°Clever,¡± Misu commented. ¡°They must have an old leader.¡± ¡°Or we have a cabal of merchants who turned to vampirism so they can hold on to their wealth forever and grow an empire.¡± ¡°Have you really seen that before?¡± Nil asked. Lise nodded. ¡°My first quest involved assassinating one such vampire merchant. He was alone and young and got infected to stave off death and achieve his goals.¡± Guards patrolled the establishment, and pairs stood at every entrance. The trio circled the building until they found the best possible entrance. Nil needed combat to raise his ability¡¯s ranks, but he didn¡¯t complain. Finishing the vampires without risking their lives or infection was the smarter way forward. They would need to purge the dwellers in the sewers afterward, anyway. Misu and Lise promised plenty of combat once the time came. Before starting the quest, the party discussed their individual abilities. This was vital so that when battle inevitably came, they wouldn¡¯t get in each other¡¯s way and could support one another. Everyone had used their individual expertise thus far. It was finally time to test their abilities. The assault began with Misu revealing his mushrooms. His ability gave him the power to conjure spores, rapidly grow fungi and control them to a limited extent. Tiny purple growths sprouted on the arch above their targeted doorway. It took a few minutes to see the intended result. A cloud of fluorescent dust rained on the guards under it. They eventually swayed and slumped against the wall, sliding down it into an almost crouch. Then, the party covered their noses and mouths before rushing through the door. As the vampire hunting party¡¯s frontline, Nil took the lead, entering the building with Absorb active. Misu followed close behind him, with Lise, crossbow ready, bringing up the rear. A group of thralls waited just beyond the entrance. After their surprise passed, blunt and chopping weapons attacked Nil, charging Brutal Battery. A cloud of spores fell over the enemy¡¯s rear line. The marksmen and pair running off to raise the alarm collapsed, coughing and gasping for air. Meanwhile, Nil and Lise tore through the front line. Nil didn¡¯t need Expend to break bones and put down the rotting thralls. Instead of wasting bolts or time reloading the crossbow, the latter of the pair dove into the fray with her dual handaxes. It was a quick, clean, and one-sided battle. The trio put down the ten thralls without drawing unnecessary attention. They crept through the building, working their way in deeper and looking for the basement. They put the enemy down without hesitance and as efficiently as possible whenever they encountered more thralls. The creatures were strong and intelligent, occasionally getting the jump on the intruders and forcing Nil to use his energy stores. Unfortunately for them, their rotting flesh left them less durable than an ordinary human. He guessed many hoped that their master would eventually turn them, stopping the decomposition, and then they could restore themselves with human blood. It sounded like the perfect lie to enslave the delusional and stupid. Lise¡¯s ability made the infiltration easy. By Earth¡¯s standards, she toed the line between rogue and knight. The woman nullified all their sounds and contained noise in an enclosed space, reducing the chances of others hearing their battle. She also could create audial distractions to misdirect patrolling guards or lure them into a trap. Then, either Misu put them to sleep or, when magic conservation became an issue, Nil put them down. Almost an hour passed before Lise¡¯s expert knowledge led them to the grand door and stairway leading to the casino¡¯s underground vault. When the party reached it, their easy ride ended. The coven¡¯s waiting protector had detected the intrusion and lay in wait. As soon as Nil crossed the threshold, it attacked, unleashing an ear-drum-shredding cry. 46. Dealing With The Coven Lise had warned the party about the guardians. ¡°Even though the thralls are devoted to their masters, vampires don¡¯t trust anything besides their sires and sired, or anyone with any entity with a trace of humanity left in them. More than not, older or arcanically gifted vampires will forge entities out of corpses, remains of magic beasts, and infernal essences to protect them when they¡¯re most vulnerable. They¡¯re rare, and putting them down often takes small armies of hunters. If the coven has one, we might be in trouble.¡± The coven had one such creature watching over them, as luck would have it. The monstrosity looked like a cross between a man and a bat, not too different from the creatures the Cursed Ones spawned. It had no eyes. Ear canals sat where eye sockets should¡¯ve been and extended all the way to the top of the head, dominating the upper half and sides of the face, from where two long, pointed lobes extended. Its jaws opened into an inhuman large maw full of long, jagged teeth. It, too, had long limbs, but unlike the Cursed-One-born specimens, it was in no way skinny. The creature rippled with muscle and had a physique that rivaled the brutes Nil had encountered during Capture The Flag. A leathery membrane also connected the underside of its arms to its flank. The veiny length of skin hung behind him, looking like an ugly cape made from a mangy wild dog. Lise and Misu ran in opposite directions, moving along the walls and away from the door when the beast charged. Meanwhile, Nil stood his ground. He was beyond glad to have emptied Brutal Battery¡¯s stores while working his way through the casino. When the towering man-bat¡ªtwice his width and a full two feet taller¡ªstruck Nil, the force pushed him past capacity. The raised left arm blocked the side of his head, and the attached shoulder groaned as the residual force lifted him off his feet. He felt the claws rake his skin, too, cutting deeper than Fatima''s blades. Fucking overconfidence. A painful landing followed. Nil¡¯s right shoulder struck the board-marble floor at an awkward angle, making him regret not parrying or attempt redirecting the monster¡¯s attack. His teeth rattled, and a dull pain shook him to the core. The creature had the strength to match its size¡ªrivaling the first Cursed One Nil faced¡ªbut its speed suggested there was a lot more going on with it than met the eye. Unfortunately, Energy Instinct struggled to see past the vile, marshy green Death Magic radiating from the beast, and Nil didn¡¯t have the time to look deeper. He scrambled onto his bottom and attempted to retreat as the monster came at him again. Nil doubted he would recover in time and prepared to repel it with a blast of Expend. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t alone. He had companions who had proven themselves reliable thus far and did so again. The monster stumbled and collapsed midstep, clutching its giant ear holes. Then Lise flashed past him, slicing an ankle. She didn¡¯t get through the bone but got the tendons. The damaged tissue started knitting itself closed straight away. Then, thick frilly mushrooms burst from the cracks in the stone floor and wrapped around the limbs. Bits of it got in the still-open wound, interrupting the regeneration. Even though his joints groaned and rebelled, Nil forced himself onto his feet. Empowered bounds carried him to the beast. Despite whatever sonic attack Lise had used to disable the monster, it opened its maw and breathed orange flames. The fire almost seemed liquid as it splashed on the stone and sloshed through the divots between them. Nil ran into the spray, trusting the blue coat he got from the pre-quest armory. The strained muscles and bruised bones made a graceful stop nearly impossible. Then, adopting a good enough attack stance proved challenging, too. In the end, Nil changed his mind about striking the monster. He hadn¡¯t recovered enough to launch a blow with all of Brutal Battery¡¯s stores behind it. So, Nil put his faith in the ointment the Nexus supplied. He grabbed the monster¡¯s head and halved his stores over a matter of three seconds. It was the first time he had Expended an exact amount and done it over a few seconds instead of a burst. Expend has progressed to Mortal 9! The results spoke for themselves. Instead of exploding, the monster¡¯s head disintegrated around where its skin made contact with Nil¡¯s. His hands sunk into the destroyed skull, destroying organs and brains. The coven¡¯s protector went still, but its heart continued to pump Death Magic through its body. Unwilling to take any risks, Nil used the same tactic to disintegrate its chest, grab the face-sized black organ, and destroy it, too. Nil collapsed afterward, panting and blowing on his black charred palms. His party assisted with the mind-numbing discomfort. Luminous green spores rained on Nil, and the discomfort lessened. Nil was sure the pain would¡¯ve sent him into shock without the relief. Meanwhile, Lise got the burn ointment out of his satchel and slathered it on his palms. It soothed his screaming nerves straight away. It reminded him of when, as a child, he burned his fingers, and his mother would put toothpaste on them. ¡°I see why you needed to pack this,¡± Lise said, delicately layering the ointment. The visage leaned over them, watching her work. ¡°Powerful attack but horrific cost.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to get a better handle on it so I don¡¯t hurt myself. It used to be worse, believe it or not.¡± ¡°We got lucky,¡± Lise continued, glancing at the dead monster. ¡°I don¡¯t think the coven had particularly old or skilled vampires. Or, forging beasts isn¡¯t a part of their expertise. The thing was weaker than the guardians I¡¯ve seen before. It takes a lot more effort to take them down. Usually, covens have a solitary powerful protector or a few like this one.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Or we¡¯re just that good,¡± Misu commented, turning his attention to the locked door separating them from the slumbering coven. He drew a quick magic circle on the door and floor in chalk, placed reagents around it, and started a low chant. Nil watched, amazed, as the burnt skin and flesh flaked away. The effects weren¡¯t as potent as the Fountain of Pirene. It was slow, and the pain didn¡¯t fade all the way. The skin looked pink and raw. Nil doubted a biometric scanner would recognize his prints. A numbness dominated his palms, and he hoped it wouldn¡¯t be a permanent issue. Even though Nil had left his career as a chef behind, the act of cooking was still dear to him, and he saw it as an act of love. He enjoyed creating the fine dining elements that most found pretentious. Losing some feeling in his hands would affect his ability to complete the task to his satisfaction. Increased Finesse would help him overcome his shortcomings, but it wasn¡¯t the same. Nil hoped the Nexus¡¯ fountain would do the job. It wasn''t Nil¡¯s greatest concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Misu asked. ¡°Why the sour look? You did amazing there. I¡¯d be proud of myself if I were you.¡± ¡°Promise you won¡¯t judge?¡± ¡°No promises,¡± Lise said, eyes narrowing. ¡°Doubly so if its something stupid.¡± ¡°I was hoping to get closer to Mortal-Nine,¡± Nil replied, feeling embarrassed as he admitted it. ¡°Iron Gauntlet qualifiers are coming up, and I¡¯m just short of meeting the registration requirements.¡± ¡°Why are all you warriors so barbaric?¡± Misu rolled his eyes. He turned on his heel and marched to the vault door. ¡°You seem too soft for the arena,¡± Lise commented. She smiled as she double-checked his hands once more before finally releasing him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see either of you after this quest. But there is a chance we might bump into each other.¡± ¡°I hope we don¡¯t end up as opponents,¡± Nil said, accepting her help climbing onto his feet. Misu¡¯s spores eased his aching muscles, but his joints still reeled from the potent jolts. The coat had singed around the edges and had a few holes, but it had done its job. He had suffered no further burns. It didn¡¯t look like his boots would hold up for long. On the bright side, the quest felt nearly over. ¡°The way you disabled the behemoth was terrifying.¡± ¡°The mightiest fall to inner ear attacks.¡± Lise grinned. The woman had softened significantly since the quest began. Nil guessed the harsh treatment and crude jokes were a defense she used when dealing with strangers. Her eyes darted to Misu and the vault door when a loud mechanical whine filled the room. ¡°Stop, you fool!¡± She screamed, dashing toward the ritualist. ¡°Get away from there!¡± The door creaked open, and Nil saw a flash of metal. The visage stood horrified, glancing between the party¡¯s two men. Expend-powered bounds propelled Nil forward, but it was too late. A giant deadfall swung out of the darkness and struck the Misu, tossing him across the entrance room like a rag doll. Nil activated Absorb as he caught the man. The blunt force trauma had caved his chest and a part of his face in. The ritualist was no more. The little joy Nil felt from the victory faded. Lise appeared equally deflated as she got a close look at Misu¡¯s corpse. They gently laid him on the floor before returning to the task at hand. Nil went in first, and arcane symbols flashed on the ceiling. A deadfall swung outward again. It didn¡¯t pack as much force as the coven¡¯s guardian and filled Nil¡¯s storage to only seventy-five percent. He got the Schema notification he wanted, but Misu¡¯s death got in the way of his reveling in it. Absorb has progressed to Mortal 8! Brutal Battery has progressed to Mortal 8! The surviving vampire hunters dealt with the coven in silence. There were seven of them, and they all lay in large, heavy coffins. Nil used the energy he gained from absorbing the deadfall¡¯s force to break them open. Then, Lise decapitated the vampires before removing their hearts. She started a fire and threw all the bits in. Next, she set the corpses in the coffins ablaze. The coven didn¡¯t make a peep as Lise slaughtered them. When Nil touched them before the decapitations and fire, the vampires didn¡¯t react. He jostled one out of curiosity. Unlike Ruby, she seemed comatose and felt icy cold. Nil committed everything he saw and learned to memory. The knowledge would prove invaluable in case the Nexus offered him any more quests involving vampires. Afterward, Nil and Lise reported to the Order of the Silver Crucible. First, they had to fight their way out of the casino. The guardian¡¯s opening screech had drawn the building¡¯s human guards. There were no mages among them, and they seemed no different from trained but ordinary humans. It tired the pair and left them splattered with the blood of their opponents. ¡°It¡¯s a shame your friend perished,¡± Priestess Elaine Morrow said. She appeared on the verge of collapse. ¡°Despite how our last conversation went, I liked him.¡± ¡°Misu died a good death,¡± Nil said. ¡°He fell slaughtering the vampires,¡± Lise lied. ¡°Misu was a brave man and a talented mage.¡± ¡°Would you mind giving him a good funeral? We left his body down there.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°There isn¡¯t much left of him, but we¡¯d appreciate it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Elaine nodded. ¡°Anything for the Summoned. Especially after you¡¯ve freed us of the scourge. Thank you.¡± ¡°Did you find the moles in your order?¡± Lise asked. ¡°I found half yesterday. The rest gave themselves away when you slaughtered their masters. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°There are dwellers in the sewers,¡± Nil said. ¡°The Cockerel And Hedgehog was taken over by one of the coven¡¯s sired. They were half-draining corpses and dumping them in the slums. It is where the canals disappear under the city.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± ¡°We¡¯re happy to help, of course. Perhaps after some rest¡ª¡± The Schema interrupted Nil. The quest was over, and it was time for them to return to the Nexus. The quest only required them to rout the coven, not deal with its minions. Elaine Morrow sounded confident that her order had the strength to deal with them. Nil and Lise bid the priestess goodbye before accepting the teleport. The pair left Old Oakfield glad to have finished their quest but disheartened about their loss. 47. Not All Brawn ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve lost someone on a quest?¡± Lise asked. The teleport dropped them off at the Fountain of Pyrene, and Nil used the maximum healing available to relieve all his aches and pains and repair the damaged nerves in his hands. Sensation returned to his fingertips immediately, and he looked the same as before the quest. In fact, he felt better than before. Though steep, the thirty-schema-tokens cost¡ªapproximately three thousand British Pounds¡ªwas worth it. ¡°This was my first group quest. Remember? I hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to lose someone before. The Nexus sent me to a disaster area on an emergency mission once, and I worked with someone. It wasn¡¯t enough time to get to know them, so I doubt the death would¡¯ve impacted me as much, if at all. Solitary quests might be better. I doubt they¡¯ll end with such a gut punch.¡± ¡°Avoid vampire hunting quests. Even when you¡¯re solo, they often have bleak or depressing endings. You¡¯ll often see the heart-breaking deaths of innocents.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Nil said. ¡°It was good working with you. Despite everything, I wouldn¡¯t mind pairing up with you again.¡± ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Well, once we get to Iron Realm, the Schema will let us invite people we¡¯ve worked with before and friends on group quests. Look me up if you ever need my expertise?¡± ¡°What if I just want good company on a job?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I suppose that could work, too.¡± The pair separated after neither found a way to break the awkward silence that followed. The Schema had already reclaimed the equipment they borrowed from the Nexus. There wasn''t much for them to discuss now that the quest was over. Without Misu''s eccentricities and roleplayer-like behavior, they didn''t have much to grin or roll their eyes about. Nil was surprised when the woman hugged him before walking away. She smiled and waved before heading off to find her caseworker. Nil tried his luck with Layla. ¡°You look like you had a rough time,¡± Layla said when Nil claimed the seat opposite her. He was too mentally exhausted to engage in pleasantries. ¡°I¡¯m sorry your companion died. You did well, though. The way you baited that young vampire was¡ªpardon the pun¡ªbloody amazing. I didn¡¯t think you had it in you.¡± ¡°It just sucks, you know? We did everything so well, and I even took a bloody beating so the others could get by without getting grievously hurt. I don''t understand why Misu had to rush ahead alone like that.¡± Nil wanted to throw or break something. ¡°We had agreed that I''d go in first. They knew how Brutal Battery works. I''m built to take deadfalls to the face.¡± ¡°It looked like Misu got sick of playing the follower. I''ve been at this for quite some time, and it''s not surprising how many Summoned end up with a hero complex.¡± Layla sighed. ¡°I don''t mean the drive to do good or help people but to pretend like they''re the protagonist of some great novel. They want the glory of the win. It looked to me that Misu was the same. You and Lise found the vampire operation. You played bait and successfully hooked the mark. Lise extracted the information. ¡°Meanwhile, he did little besides support you. Helping the priestess with her ritual and then finding the moles in the order was Misu''s chance to shine, but neither worked out. I believe he rushed ahead to convince himself that he found the vampires and probably wanted the privilege of slaying the coven leader, too. People like him rarely survive long as a Summoned. This is reality. There is no plot armor protecting you. Death and injury await the careless and foolish.¡± The pair sat in silence for a while. Nil knew what she said was true, but he couldn''t help but feel guilty. As the party''s warrior, he was supposed to protect them, especially the ritualist. He had failed at his duties. ¡°Have you thought about how you want to spend your tokens?¡± Nil nodded. He used two to increase Spark. Instead of banking the other for later, he spent it on Finesse. Brutal Battery: Mortal 8 Energy Instinct: Mortal 5 Feats: ¡°You''re so close to Iron Realm I can almost smell it,¡± Layla cheered, excitedly clapping her hands. ¡°Ascensions are always exciting. The Schema will give you the opportunity to make Brutal Battery your own.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Absorb is getting progressively harder to rank up,¡± Nil said. ¡°I just need it to hit Mortal-Nine and then get an Iron Ascension Token, and I''ll be eligible for the arena.¡± ¡°I think Expend is growing faster because you use it actively. It seems you''ve also been getting creative with the ability.¡± ¡°There isn''t much scope to do the same with Absorb.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Layla raised a perfectly tweezed eyebrow as she leaned on the table. ¡°You just channel it and let things hit you. Why don''t you work on absorbing just a fraction of the force behind an attack instead of all of it? It would make fighting bigger opponents easier since you could move with them and force them to overextend instead of just stopping when they touched, creating openings for your Expend.¡± ¡°I¡ªI didn''t think of that,¡± Nil said. Layla grinned. ¡°Well, don''t beat yourself up over it. I''ve been at this for a while and have seen enough abilities to learn a thing or two.¡± She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her desk. ¡°As for the Iron Ascension Token, just check the quest list every hour after the minimum wait time passes. Quests featuring them as rewards show up occasionally, but they''re high in demand and get scooped up swiftly.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Despite the good news and gaining ranks in two attributes and abilities, Nil still felt fairly deflated. He was almost sure Isabella would get him into the qualifiers now. Yet Nil¡¯s mind continued to drift to questions like whether Misu had a family or people who¡¯d spend forever wondering whether he¡¯d ever come home. Nil knew his people had similar worries whenever he left. That was why he made a point to message them regarding the probable duration. He needed a distraction and changed topics. ¡°I might¡¯ve made progress with the investigation.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Layla raised an eyebrow. ¡°Please elaborate.¡± Nil looked at the visage, fiddling with a box in the corner of the room. She sniffed at it, rubbed her face against it, and even tried to open it. He pointed at the container. ¡°First, can you tell me what''s in the box?¡± ¡°Cursed relics. I¡¯ve been studying them to understand better what''s going on in your world.¡± ¡°Any reason why my soul weapon¡¯s visage would be attracted to it?¡± Layla frowned, pondering the question for a moment. ¡°Perhaps it''s attracted to the same type of energy that constitutes it. Similar types of magic often attract each other. Maybe it''s why your soul weapon attracted and absorbed the Cursed Pupae¡¯s energy during the last quest.¡± She looked at one of the open tomes on her desk and flipped through the pages before continuing. ¡°Cursed Energy sources seek to absorb or assimilate one another to continue growing.¡± ¡°I thought that might be the case.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Then, if we are to continue, I¡¯d like a guarantee. You¡¯re going to use the resources you got in the Control World to help me get into another Ludus or pay part of my current expenses until I start making enough money from Apocalypse Arena.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just promise that,¡± Layla said, looking amused. ¡°The information needs to be especially juicy and capable of advancing our investigation significantly. Even then, you¡¯re asking for a lot.¡± ¡°Too bad.¡± Nil rose from his seat, preparing to leave. ¡°You can¡¯t just leave it like that! Give me something. I¡¯ll help, but I just can¡¯t make such a big commitment without guarantees or the nature of the information you¡¯re offering.¡± Nil stared at his caseworker for a moment, wondering whether to push for something in return. There was a lot on the line. Nil wanted to help with the investigation since it would help close an important chapter in his life. A part of him believed that he could get used to living a reasonably normal life despite the visage¡¯s presence if he solved the Cursed Energy mystery. ¡°Fine. I get it if you can¡¯t commit much, but give me your word to look into it, if the information provides results.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°The visage behaves the same way it does now whenever I visit my sponsor¡¯s office,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen children in the building, and the reason for their presence isn¡¯t particularly believable. Several suits have been filed against them over the past few years, and the police have started a few investigations, but nothing has stuck. Someone powerful and rich assisted in a cover-up. ¡°There is a strange knight in the ludus who acts weird, keeps silent, and never spars with anyone. I fear this person might be one of their projects. I don¡¯t have any evidence or more than suspicions to go on currently. But¡ª¡± ¡°No. I think you are on to something.¡± Layla pulled up her Schema interface and swiped through invisible prompts. She turned her swivel chair to look at the visage directly. ¡°If it''s behaving the way it is now, then it''s likely your sponsor is working with Cursed Energy.¡± ¡°So you understand my hesitation. I rely on Symbiotech for my ludus membership and subsequent entry to Apocalypse Arena. If they find out I¡¯m divulging information I learned within their building or assisting in an investigation against them, I¡¯ll be in a fair bit of legal trouble.¡± ¡°Earth laws only matter on Earth,¡± Layla said. ¡°We¡¯ve had plenty of people try to file cases because of something that happened in the Nexus or on a quest, but from my knowledge, they never hold up. So you needn¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°Perhaps. But losing the sponsorship and access to a ludus could still cost me dearly. I need to climb the Iron Gauntlet¡¯s ranks a fair bit before I make enough money to support the costs without taking on three quests a month.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Layla toyed with her interface for a couple of minutes before continuing. ¡°I¡¯ll look into finding a new affordable ludus for you. If I pull a few strings, there might be some way to get around registration fees. No promises, of course.¡± She smiled at Nil. ¡°This is good information, and you should continue looking into this. I might have additional resources for this investigation by the time you¡¯re done with the Iron Arena qualifiers. We¡¯ll see each other soon anyway. You should be back soon for an ascension token.¡± ¡°I want to continue pumping Spark, too. If I had the rank I do now, the coven¡¯s guardian wouldn¡¯t have almost broken my arm.¡± ¡°Excellent. Do whatever you can to continue researching Symbiotech. I know it''s risky, but maybe follow the visage and see if you can find something more concrete.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± 48. Preparing For Qualifiers ¡°I¡¯ll keep my word,¡± Isabella said when Nil revealed his recent growth. ¡°The wording on this event¡¯s entry requirements is ambiguous. You need to be on the verge of Iron Realm for this qualifier, so there isn¡¯t more than a quarter between qualifying and the first bout.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll get the final rank in Absorb during the event,¡± Nil told her. It was the day after he returned from the quest. He had spent the previous evening eating, relaxing, and letting his friends and family know about the success¡ªleaving out the bit about Misu¡¯s passing. Even though he was in Old Oaksfield for about three days, five had passed on Earth. ¡°Then it''s just a matter of getting a quest with an Iron Ascension Token as a reward.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what slows most people down. Iron Ascension Tokens are one of the most contested quest rewards. It''s almost easier to find quests with the later tokens. If you don¡¯t see one in three months, you¡¯ll need to do the qualifiers again. That¡¯s assuming you make it on your first go, of course.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯ll pass?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only talented candidate,¡± Isabella replied. ¡°Only about five percent of people make it through qualifiers. It''s not all about winning, though. People who don¡¯t get a top spot but sufficiently impress the organizers and show potential are also let through. So, just spend the next couple of weeks mastering the tools you¡¯ve developed.¡± ¡°My caseworker gave me an idea of how to get better use out of Absorb. I don¡¯t know if it will work and how I¡¯d put it into practice¡ª¡± ¡°Talk me through it. Maybe we can devise a training plan together.¡± Nil took a moment to formulate his thoughts before presenting the idea. Isabella waited patiently, watching him. He couldn¡¯t tell whether he had earned her respect for overcoming limitations and getting closer to Iron Realm or she sensed how the last quest had left him moderately deflated. ¡°I imagine my stored energy as a cylindrical tank with a release valve on the bottom,¡± Nil explained. ¡°When using Expend''s dual function, I open and close the valve to release the desired amount instantly. During the quest, I successfully opened the valve partially and released the desired energy over a longer duration instead of instantly. It wasn''t as explosive, but it was still incredibly destructive, and it also damaged me significantly less. ¡°I want to try to achieve something similar with Absorb. Currently, when something hits me, it stops. This is greater for weaker or low-strength opponents but not for people stronger than me. I''d like to learn how to Absorb some and redirect the rest or turn it against my foe.¡± ¡°Right. You can''t take advantage of your opponent''s mistakes if they never over-extend or stumble. If anything, you''re helping them out right now.¡± Nil nodded. ¡°There is an initial surprise when they lose all momentum, but against a skilled opponent, that won''t work after the first couple of times.¡± ¡°I think we can build on your current regimen,¡± Isabella said after spending a few seconds scribbling in the notepad she always carried. ¡°From what I understand of your abilities, Absorb is either on or off. It might change at later ranks, but currently, you can''t manipulate it just to Absorb half of an incoming blow. Is my assumption correct?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Well, it''s a good thing you''ve been practicing switching between it and the neutral state. I think we should experiment with you staying neutral and activating just as you get hit or just after. Maybe even the other way around. I think this is where Finesse comes in as your secondary attribute. You need it to sharpen your reaction time. This is a move you''ll mostly use against foes stronger than you. I expect you to outspeed most such foes.¡± ¡°That sounds dangerous. Perhaps we should start with low power or speed.¡± Isabella looked amused as she looked up from her notebook. ¡°We don¡¯t do things that way over here. Besides, you need genuine danger to your life to get that rank, don¡¯t you? ¡°Why do I get the feeling I¡¯m going to regret this?¡± The training in question wasn¡¯t as terrifying as Nil expected. After Isabella rigged three little cannons to shoot metal spheres at him, he expected to face something terrifying like a mortar barrage. Instead, he found himself facing one of the ludus¡¯ summoners. The bronze-ranked man got a discount on ludus fees by loaning out his twin bears to the trainers. The creature Nil faced had charcoal fur, a snow-white mane, and luminous crimson eyes. It towered over him and attacked with no restraint. Initially, Nil couldn¡¯t help but have Absorb active as soon as the creature struck. A casual strike almost filled Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. If not for the additional unit of Spark, Nil was sure he would¡¯ve been gravely injured. After emptying his stores while pushing the creature, he let it hit him again. He once again kept Absorb active, with the intention to switch to neutral as soon as the beast made contact. Unfortunately, the plan didn¡¯t work as he had hoped. He successfully deactivated the ability within a fraction of a second of contact, but it was enough time for Absorb to do its job. So, Nil focused his efforts on doing the opposite. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The timing proved challenging. Nil believed a mental block and fear contributed to the difficulty. He struggled to let the giant-summoned beast strike him without activating Absorb just before the moment of contact. It wasn¡¯t something he expected to overcome or achieve in a day, but the training felt more manageable than little cannonballs flying at him at high speeds from multiple out-of-sequence sources. On days the bear was unavailable or busy with someone else, Nil continued to polish his skills against armed and unarmed fighting partners. Shawn, the Barrier-Maker, had highlighted his martial shortcomings. Drilling wasn¡¯t enough; Nil needed to improve and sharpen his instincts. Fatima, especially, helped him improve his ability to deal with faster opponents. She used ordinary daggers dipped in blood instead of her blood knives, reducing the danger level. It also let her not hold back, and she left streaks all over Nil, highlighting all the times and ways he could¡¯ve died. ¡°Our qualifier is a battle royale,¡± she told him, reading the ludus¡¯ internal mail. There was a solo and duo tournament, too. Isabelle had told him that it was unlikely she¡¯d get him into it. ¡°Fifty-something participants. The final five standing are guaranteed entry into the Iron Gauntlet. It''s an official Apocalypse Arena event, so the top three combatants will also win prizes. There is a lot on the line.¡± ¡°Fifty-two is an odd number,¡± Nil said, reading the information in the ludus¡¯ internal messaging. ¡°It¡¯s not divisible by three, and having twenty-six teams is just bizarre. Are we expected to challenge this in groups?¡± Fatima nodded. ¡°Each participating ludus can put forward one to two teams for battle royale. Golden Aegis has ten eligible candidates but only six slots. Four, including us, have blanket approval. It''s up to us to pick the other two. Many aren¡¯t happy because you just got here, but can¡¯t make a fuss after we proved the team¡¯s stars in Capture The Flag.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just strange. Who is on the other team?¡± ¡°Viktor and Lily have the guaranteed spots. They¡¯ll probably pick a striker or someone ranged. Mobi is pissed because he was skipped over and will be sucking up to us. Everyone else from the old team is in the pool of waiting six and a couple more.¡± ¡°What about our mysterious knight?¡± ¡°Solo tournament. They¡¯re the only one going through for it, and Ted is pissed off. Not surprising after he lost in the last event.¡± ¡°Who do you think we should pick?¡± Nil asked, going through the list of candidates. He was familiar with only half of them. ¡°We¡¯d benefit from ranged support or a scout. Anya, maybe?¡± ¡°No,¡± Fatima said. ¡°I don¡¯t like her, and she doesn¡¯t have much going for her besides the stealth. Her archery skills are decent but nothing amazing. If she also made and used trick or bomb arrows like the red team¡¯s archer, I¡¯d consider her. Elisha would be amazing, but I doubt she¡¯ll join us. She and Viktor have a thing going on, and since she¡¯s one of the ludus¡¯ best long-range mages, he¡¯s almost certainly going to pick her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dislike Mobi, but I¡¯m not sure I can trust him.¡± Nil scrolled through the list. ¡°What do you know about this lot?¡± Fatima clicked the first person on the list of unknowns. The image of a muscular woman came up. Nil had seen her sparring with the unarmed combat trainer but never dealt with her directly. ¡°Hilda is a standard brute. Her ability is like the Steady Charger feat. She gains mass while moving in a straight line.¡± ¡°So inflicts more damage from the momentum,¡± Nil stated watching a little clip of her in action. She had participated in the duo battles during the previous event and lost. ¡°It also improves her defense. Hilda doesn¡¯t have the range we need but excels at closing in on the enemy. She loses the mass rapidly unless she gains velocity again.¡± ¡°So good in short skirmishes but not in prolonged fights.¡± Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of quests the Nexus offered Hilda. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Xiang.¡± The image of a petite Chinese woman appeared on the aetherscreen. ¡°She¡¯s not too different from me. Xiang conjures chakrams. They¡¯re sharp as hell and great at close and mid-range. The blades are more potent when thrown, bouncing around, and slicing through things. It''s most terrifying when she explodes them for a nice little frag grenade. No blood involved, so she can afford to conjure multiple and stay ranged.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty great. It sounds like she toes the line between mage and rogue. High Finesse means she might just be able to keep up with us.¡± Finally, they flipped to the last person on the list. It was a lanky man who appeared a few years older than Nil. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him around but never seen him in action before the last event,¡± Fatima said. Nil remembered him from the duo matches. ¡°He¡¯s somewhere between an artisan and a knight. He constructs his own armor and weapons and then empowers them in the field.¡± The video showed him firing bolts of pure energy from a crossbow and then switching to a sword that glowed, similar to Sakura¡¯s Cutting Light. ¡°The benefit of having Nowel is his ability to stand in the front lines as a shield bearer, dish out damage, and then be just as decent at range.¡± ¡°Jack of all. Master of none.¡± Nil rewatched the clip again. ¡°His versatility is bloody amazing, but I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s right for us.¡± Fatima nodded. ¡°Man¡¯s too slow.¡± ¡°Let''s make Elisha our priority. If Viktor scoops her up, then we turn to Xiang.¡± Nil tapped Nowel¡¯s image last. ¡°He¡¯s our last resort.¡± ¡°I would rather not have Elisha, at all. She¡¯s annoying and full of herself. But, she is good at what she does. Let''s give her and Xiang equal weight. Besides, Elisha isn¡¯t the most mobile.¡± ¡°I imagine you want to take the lead with recruitment?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I am the more charismatic of the two of us.¡± Fatima chuckled. ¡°But with Xiang, it might be best if we approach her together.¡± ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll try to catch her the next time she shows up to weapons training.¡± 49. Partners In Crime (Formerly Godpuncher) ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Andrew asked. It was Friday evening, and even though Nil had a busy Saturday, he took a taxi to the scrap yard. It had been a while since he got quality one-on-one time with his friend. There were far too many topics they couldn¡¯t discuss while Katherine and Susan were around. ¡°You¡¯d still be slumming it in the Pits if not for Symbiotech. Are you sure you want to risk everything?¡± ¡°I know it''s risky, but I have to do this,¡± Nil said, looking over Andrew¡¯s shoulder as he tinkered with a pinky-sized aethertech device. Bloody hell, he¡¯s fantastic. Andrew¡¯s precise movements seemed well beyond those of an ordinary human. He used a stylus with a glowing tip and a cover of runes, drawing lines on the device and simultaneously typing. Long lines of symbols he didn¡¯t recognize appeared on the aetherscreen before him. Nil suspected Andrew hadn¡¯t beentu truthful or omitted much of what he¡¯d been up to for the past eight or so years. ¡°You¡¯re not even a bloody Summoned. How are you rune-scribing and programming simultaneously?¡± ¡°Practise. Don¡¯t change the subject. How the hell are you going to manage if you lose their sponsorship? Do you have some secret investment trick you¡¯re not sharing?¡± ¡°No. If I succeed at the qualifiers, bimonthly quests and two Arena bouts per month should be enough to get into a low-end ludus and pay the monthly fees.¡± ¡°It sounds like an incredible risk, though. Why not play along with whatever is going on for a bit longer?¡± ¡°Because I think Symbiotech is up to no good, and I don¡¯t want to get dragged down by it.¡± Nil hesitated. He had an incomplete hypothesis in mind and didn¡¯t know whether it made him sound paranoid. Even though Andrew occasionally poked fun at him, he knew he should trust his best friend and told him anyway. ¡°What if Shina has the ability or tech to track Cursed Energy the same way I do? What if she visits the pits to scan for people like me and brings us in for testing to make dangerous tools and machines? The symbiote doesn¡¯t feel like it, but it reminds me of the Cursed Pupae I saw on my second quest. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re using me for something dangerous, and I¡¯d rather not be a part of it. The thing with Aisha happened seven years ago, and it would be too much of a coincidence if this is somehow linked¡ª¡± ¡°I know you want justice for her, but it can¡¯t be,¡± Andrew interrupted. He ceased working and looked up at Nil. ¡°Symbiotech is not even five years old, and it started as a medical device and healing product company. This isn¡¯t meant to discourage you, Sunny-boi. But I don¡¯t want you making a mistake, getting in legal trouble, or setting yourself back for blindly following this vendetta.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you think it''s possible?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I¡¯m a nobody who only did two pit fights and lost the first. Why would Symbiotech want to sponsor me of all people? More importantly, why would she look for people to sponsor in the Pits unless Symbiotech has money involved in it? I¡¯m not a lucky man and don¡¯t even believe in luck. My technique is decent, but my ability isn¡¯t flashy, and I¡¯m not foolish enough to think I¡¯m special. I¡¯m almost sure Symbiotech has figured out that I have an unformed soul weapon full of cursed energy. I get regular urine samples and blood tests every time I visit. But extracting spinal fluid makes no fucking sense. Then when I take into account the kids in the building and the visage¡¯s behavior, I¡¯m almost sure there is something fucked up going on in the building.¡± ¡°Are you scared for your safety?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m scared of what they might be using me to create. I get it if you don¡¯t want any part of this. It''s a big risk.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Andrew sighed. ¡°I already told you that I was going to help you. We¡¯re going to break a bunch of laws, and the girls will never find out. Susan might be willing to look the other way, but¡ª¡± ¡°Why? You think you¡¯re that good a lay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s only a part of it.¡± Andrew laughed. ¡°You saved her life, Sunny-boi. At first, I thought she was crushing on you, but now it''s clear that Susan almost worships you for what you did. A civilian stepping up to a Summoned for someone he doesn¡¯t know? She isn¡¯t sure whether you¡¯re stupid, brave, or just that amazing. I told her you¡¯re a combo of all three, but she isn¡¯t convinced.¡± He returned to his work, continuing to assemble the miniature espionage device. ¡°As for Katie, there is no doubt she won¡¯t tolerate this kind of stuff. She likes you but loves her job. If she finds out you¡¯re breaking a bunch of laws while being a vigilante sleuth for the Nexus, she will turn you in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that, Andy,¡± Nil said. ¡°I like her a lot, too, but solving this thing with Cursed Energy and ensuring what happened to Aisha doesn¡¯t happen again¡ªor more often¡ªis my priority.¡± ¡°I understand. What about this Fatima woman? She¡¯s your friend, right? Why not bring her into this?¡± ¡°I like Fatima, but I¡¯m not sure if I trust her. She¡¯s a great fighter and training partner, but there is something about her.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Something?¡± Andrew looked up from his work, brows furrowed. ¡°What kind of something?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t think of a nicer way to put it besides serial killer vibes,¡± Nil answered. ¡°She doesn¡¯t harm me and gets along with me because she needs me. Fatima¡¯s ability is designed to dismember and kill. It almost feels like she doesn¡¯t use them in such a fashion because she¡¯s more worried about the consequences than how wrong it would be to do so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not concerning at all,¡± Andrew mumbled. ¡°Apparently, Shina found her in the pits, too. That¡¯s another mark against Symbiotech. They¡¯re not as concerned about their sponsored partner¡¯s morality and attitude as they led me to believe. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if Fatima contains herself at Shina¡¯s behest.¡± ¡°Behest?¡± Andrew rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your dead past member rubbed off on you. Save the fancy words for when you¡¯re on a quest.¡± It took Andrew just over an hour to finish building the device. Once Nil received instructions on how to use it and got bored of watching his friend work, he retreated to the canopy of arcade games outside. He doubted they¡¯d help his Finesse break through to the Iron Realm, but it didn¡¯t hurt to try to push closer to the goal. Nil noticed a notable improvement since the last time he had spent time on the games. Golden Aegis had special equipment for polishing Finesse, but they weren¡¯t nearly as fun as the over-tuned arcade machines. He hoped to find more time for the special training areas after qualifiers. Layla said raising the attribute would become easier as he continued to pump Spark. Through Sheer Grit would ensure it. Nil believed her, but the lack of quantifiable improvement frustrated him. It was just after ten o¡¯clock at night when Nil returned to the ludus. He had already indulged in kebabs, salad, and Turkish flatbreads with Andrew and didn¡¯t bother heading to the cafeteria. He was almost in his room when Fatima sighted him and waved him to the floor kitchen. It was a large space with a stove, oven, fridge, and a large dining area with two tables. She sat with none other than Elisha, their top candidate for the qualifiers team. ¡°Nil!¡± Fatima exclaimed. ¡°I was just telling Elisha how amazing she was in Capture The Flag.¡± ¡°And I was telling Fatima to stop blowing smoke up my butt,¡± Elisha added, rolling her eyes. ¡°I barely got three spells off before getting knocked out of the match.¡± ¡°You were amazing, though,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯ve watched the playbacks half a dozen times. You almost took out the archer and the summoner from halfway across the city. If the regenerator didn¡¯t flank you, you would¡¯ve never fallen into the barrier-makers trap.¡± He lowered his volume as he continued. ¡°I¡¯d put the blame on Mobi for running off alone and not acting as your rear guard and on Viktor for better planning.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes narrowed. Nil had won the team¡¯s respect by taking two people out of the fight alone, but he doubted they¡¯d tolerate a newcomer critiquing individuals experienced at the combat games. It felt unsportsmanlike, but Nil needed to play all the cards at his disposal to get to the final five and qualify for Apocalypse Arena. ¡°How would you have planned it?¡± She asked. ¡°I would¡¯ve employed turtle tactics. There would have been no assault team. Everyone but Fatima and I would have focused on defending the flag. Lily is an excellent defender. Viktor¡¯s lightning is powerful but is more potent at area control and disabling people than putting them down. You and Anya could¡¯ve focused on long-range takedowns, leaving Mobi to act as an element of chaos on the battlefield. He could¡¯ve even hidden halfway to the pyramid and then jumped the enemy assault team from the rear after they initiated their attack. ¡°Meanwhile, Fatima and I wouldn¡¯t have prioritized fighting. She is faster than anyone on either team. We can both be fairly stealthy when we want to employ such tactics. I would¡¯ve feinted for the flag and initiated a fight, letting her grab the flag and sprint away. Maybe I¡¯d get knocked out of the game as a result, but I bet the enemy team would¡¯ve lost far more people.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I know I¡¯m inexperienced, but someone with amazing long-range artillery spells like you should¡¯ve never left the flag. You¡¯re an amazing attacker and might excel at moving silently but lack mobility and defense.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t think it''s completely Mobi or my fault?¡± Elisha asked. Nil shook his head. ¡°I think if you were to follow us, we¡¯d know how to use you right.¡± ¡°We¡¯d move fast, with me taking the lead as the scout and assassin,¡± Fatima said. ¡°You¡¯d follow, appearing to move alone and take down groups after I eliminated their strongest attacker. Nil would bring up the rear, ensuring no one touched you. The chaos is bound to attract opportunists. They¡¯ll want to eliminate surviving and tired fighters after a skirmish. Nil can take care of most of them and keep them busy, giving you enough time to turn your magic on them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not half bad an idea.¡± Elisha hesitantly glanced between the pair. ¡°Why does it sound like the two of you rehearsed and prepared this speech?¡± ¡°Because we want you, and discussed and planned our battle-royale strategy at length,¡± Nil said. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the playbacks, I¡¯m sure. Viktor might be experienced, but there is a reason he hasn¡¯t made it into the Iron Gauntlet yet. We¡¯re just better fighters, so don¡¯t let our egos get the best of us or get rattled easily. Your best bet at victory is with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think it over,¡± Elisa replied, rising from her seat. ¡°I appreciate the compliment and confidence, and I know Viktor has his issues. However, I¡¯ve worked with Lily and him far more than I have with either of you. Sure, you two are good, but I¡¯m not sure if I can trust you.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes lingered on Fatima as she spoke of trust. ¡°There¡¯s also the matter of Viktor and my relationship. He¡¯s not approached me yet, but I intend to speak to him first and find out why. If things don¡¯t work out, maybe I¡¯ll join you then.¡± Nil and Fatima sat silently, watching Elisha walk away. Once she turned a corner and they heard her room door close, the latter spoke. ¡°I told you she would say no.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t say no.¡± ¡°It''s worse. She left us hanging and made us her backup. As if we¡¯re going to hang around waiting for her.¡± ¡°So? Xiang, then?¡± Fatima nodded. ¡°We should¡¯ve focused on her from the start. It''s possible Viktor hasn¡¯t recruited his girlfriend yet because he¡¯s holding out for her.¡± 50. Illegal Investigations (Formerly Godpuncher) Saturday morning involved more warm-ups on the running track and obstacle course. Nil could feel himself getting faster and more sure-footed. Finesse¡¯s gifts weren¡¯t as tangible as Might''s bonuses. They showed more in practice than in physiological changes. However, Nil felt more flexible and limber than before. Fatima also claimed that he looked more toned and athletic than bulky. Nil didn¡¯t see it, but he expected as much. Might had done its job of helping through the early ranks, and Nil had no plans to waste more tokens on the attribute. He needed it more for the durability and healing than the strength. However, the last proved helpful when channeling Absorb or in the neutral. He hoped to achieve all future growth by training and Through Sheer Grit¡¯s assistance. Nil planned to invest the bulk of his future Schema Tokens in Spark, increasing Brutal Battery¡¯s stores and the benefits of the feat. Of course, the latter would benefit Finesse¡¯s growth, but since the attribute was significantly harder to train than Might, Nil also planned on occasionally spending Schema Tokens on it. Once he reached the Iron Realm, Nil would feel more comfortable about attempting quests with a Bronze danger level. They didn¡¯t just pay better; the quest list often showed them paying out three tokens. Longer quests, like his last one, came with four. Nil guessed most Summoned didn¡¯t have the patience to grow their attributes naturally. Layla also suggested that feats that enhanced growth rates and overcame potential were rare or often limited to a singular attribute. So, most likely banked extra tokens and used them to ensure their secondary, tertiary, and low-priority attributes didn¡¯t fall too far behind. Feats only did so much. A Might-focused Brute with Steady Charger gained balance and stability when moving in a straight line, but that didn¡¯t assist with flexibility and their senses. So, they couldn¡¯t get away with completely ignoring Finesse. Nil imagined it was the same for most other Summoned. Some probably got away with ignoring Mind or Spark, but doing the same with the other two attributes would get them killed. No matter their role or ability, anyone challenging otherworldly or supernatural threats needed some of each. If not for The Power Of Belief, Nil would''ve eventually needed to invest in Mind or find someone to help train it. Memory games alone felt insufficient for the task. Instead of weight training, Nil pursued reflex and agility training. He enjoyed the sensation that accompanied increased Finesse far more than Might¡¯s raw strength and dedicated himself to pushing the boundaries. Isabella¡¯s training methods felt good for the direction but didn¡¯t feel sufficient. Nil wanted to discuss lowering intensity with increased volume or vice versa. Then, after lunch came weapons training, and as usual, Nil volunteered himself as a sparring partner. Fatima flashed him an excited grin. Xiang and Nowel weren¡¯t regulars in the class, but both were present. They guessed the pair wanted to showcase their skill and ability in the hopes of getting picked for qualifiers. Lily and Mobi were also in attendance. The axe-and-fire-wielding Arcane Warrior seemed to have given up all hope of joining Viktor and the teenage brute¡¯s party. He hung around Nil and Fatima instead, making casual conversation. Nil had nothing against Mobi. He was skilled and powerful but wasn¡¯t sure of the man¡¯s attitude. Meanwhile, Fatima didn¡¯t like the man at all. She and Nil agreed to keep him as the backup alongside Nowel. They needed to observe the Artisan-Knight hybrid. He had sufficient ability, but his personality was just as important to them. Nil and Fatima found opportunities to spar with all three candidates. ¡°Bloody hell, those hurt,¡± Nil told Xiang after a loss. The woman proved significantly faster, and her chakrams also carried an energy that his ability failed to absorb. Shallow cuts crisscrossed his chest and back. ¡°You¡¯re pretty damn terrifying, you know?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Xiang replied, bowing. They had fought each other at the tail end of the training session. The weapons trainer stood in a far corner speaking quietly to Mobi. The conversation appeared heated. The Arcane Warrior had gone overboard, inflicting serious burns to his opponent. ¡°You¡¯re an excellent opponent, too.¡± Her words came out slow and measured. ¡°Your martial arts make me regret not training harder.¡± The loss wouldn¡¯t have been as close if the woman¡¯s technique were any better. Nil had avoided a good deal of her attacks. He almost got the upper hand a couple of times with grabs, but Xiang detonated her chakrams at point-blank range, forcing him back. The explosions charged Brutal Battery while the shards shredded skin and flesh. Nil sprayed himself with Symbiotech¡¯s concoctions as they spoke and expected to end up with a handful of scars. ¡°We could train together,¡± Nil said, pulling on a t-shirt. ¡°You can brush your martial skills against me, and I can train my Finesse.¡± ¡°I''ll think about it. Thank you.¡± Xiang sounded hesitant. Nil couldn''t help but wonder whether speaking English made her nervous. The woman could just as well speak Cantonese¡ªFatima claimed she hailed from Hong Kong¡ªand the Schema would translate as it did for all Summoned. It seemed the woman was determined to avoid relying on the function. ¡°Are you speaking to me because of the qualifiers?¡± ¡°It''s why I insisted on sparring with you,¡± Nil admitted. ¡°I wanted to see what type of combatant you were before asking you to join my team. As for speaking, I would''ve done so either way. You only attend these sessions on Saturdays. While I take it lightly and only indulge in personal training during the weekends. So, we just haven''t had the chance to meet or speak.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± An inkling of a smile appeared on Xiang''s face. She nodded. ¡°I will come to Monday or Tuesday sessions if you let me train with you.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Nil exclaimed. The sudden rise in volume made the petite woman jump, and she took a step back from him, looking embarrassed. ¡°Will you join our team, too? Fatima tells me incredible things about you, and I''m pretty sure you were holding back your chakram''s destructive power. I think we could make an excellent team.¡± Xiang watched him for a moment. ¡°Viktor already asked me.¡± She spoke even softer than her low volume as she continued. ¡°And Fatima scares me.¡± ¡°Have you said yes?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Have you watched the Capture The Flag recordings?¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Xiang shook her head again. ¡°In that case, why don''t you check them out before making up your mind? Fatima might be scary, but she is an excellent and reliable combatant. I think we''ll have an excellent chance at victory if we work together.¡± Xiang stared at Nil for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I will watch the recordings and get back to you,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you, Xiang,¡± Nil said. ¡°I look forward to hearing from you.¡± As soon as Xiang walked away, Fatima rushed over. ¡°Why didn''t you push harder?¡± she demanded, sounding annoyed. ¡°I''ve been planting seeds about Viktor favoring Elisha. We could''ve closed and confirmed her as a team member. Xiang might hide and restrain herself, but she''s as desperate to get into qualifiers as the rest of us.¡± ¡°Because you were right about her being a better fit than Elisha. Given the type of person she seems, being forceful or insistent would likely push her away.¡± Despite Nil''s words, Fatima continued to glare at him. She didn''t look particularly reassured. ¡°Trust me on this. She''ll watch the videos a few times and message us tomorrow. If she doesn''t, we get an artillery mage. Either way, we win.¡± ¡°And Nowel?¡± ¡°Seems like a decent enough guy but far too slow. He¡¯d be great if we were employing turtle tactics. I¡¯d mark him as the final backup after Mobi.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Fatima grumbled. She glanced at the trainer. Mobi appeared to be on the verge of running away from the man. ¡°Let''s get out of here before Mobi corners us. I don''t want to deal with the idiot.¡± ¡°Good call.¡± Nil swiftly showered and changed after returning to his room. Shina had called him into Symbiotech offices for an early evening meeting, and he wanted to arrive on time. Mobi exited the elevator just as Nil was locking his door. The Arcane Warrior started toward him, but Nil slipped into the stairway and ran. Fatima met him in the ludus''s ground-floor lobby, and they set off together. Weekend traffic made the commute annoyingly long. He reached his destination ten minutes late. Even though it was after dark on a Saturday, the building was abuzz with activity, with people rushing down corridors and multiple people in regular clothing getting fitted for equipment. A lab assistant guided Fatima to a higher floor before dragging Nil off for regular testing. Much to his relief, they agreed not to extract spinal fluid. The qualifiers were now a few days away, and he couldn''t afford to miss training while dealing with the pain. He kept an eye on the visage while the staff went about their work. It continued to behave strangely as usual, looking far more eager to get through a wall than it did when investigating Layla¡¯s chest. Much to Nil¡¯s relief, the staff didn¡¯t waste any time on the usual stress tests. It was Saturday, and he guessed most wanted to finish and head home. They led him straight through the symbiote lab into the safe room. Nil had just finished stripping down to his underwear when Shina joined him. A technician followed close behind her, carrying the familiar heavy cases they used to transport the living armor. An automated trolley rolled behind them. Its middle shelves housed several scanners, probes, and surgical tools while an aetherscreen sat on top. ¡°It''s nice to see you, Nil,¡± Shina said. ¡°I apologize for delaying the symbiote''s return. Since you and Fatima are heading into the qualifiers together, we wanted to ensure you got the best possible product.¡± ¡°I appreciate it.¡± Nil smiled. ¡°I hear Battle Royales can get messy.¡± The aetherscreen flickered on, and the display showed his silhouette and a bubbling white sphere, which he guessed was the symbiote. ¡°You look different. Have you experienced a big attribute change since our last meeting?¡± Shina scanned him with a rectangular device and found the answer before he could reply. ¡°Oh wow! Your Finesse is almost at Iron Realm. Have you been focusing on it over Might?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I get plenty of power from my ability, and it counts Finesse as its secondary attribute. Will that be a problem?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± She rolled the trolley closer to Nil while the assistant opened the case and prepared the symbiote. Data Nil couldn¡¯t make heads or tails out of what appeared on the screen alongside snippets of the last event. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this makes any sense to you, but after watching your match recordings, we tweaked the symbiote. The tissue threads loosen during your bursts of speed and movement. It won¡¯t matter much while you¡¯re in your defensive mode. But while in offense, the symbiote will absorb a fraction of the incoming kinetic energy to recharge itself.¡± ¡°You taught it to mimic my ability?¡± Nil asked, leaning closer to the screen. It now displayed the symbiote undergoing lesser versions of the durability and strength stress tests he experienced. Shina didn¡¯t seem to mind when he grabbed the trolley and leaned in closer. Nil had stripped everything off himself except the pinky-sized aethertech device Andrew assembled. He stuck it under the lip of the top shelf¡ªthe level with the aetherscreen. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to be concerned or impressed.¡± ¡°It''s weak and never will be as potent as yours,¡± Shina said, flashing him a tired but annoyed smile. ¡°The symbiote will perform best when it''s bonded to you. There is no reason to worry either way, Nil. We only work in your and the nation¡¯s best interests. The Nexus won¡¯t give us decent enough tech or materials to mimic powers anyway.¡± ¡°Mr Roy, could you please interface with the symbiote?¡± The lab technician waved at a table in the corner of the room. The case sat open on it, and the symbiote writhed inside. Little finger-sized growths rose from the gelatinous surface, reaching for him. ¡°We leaned harder into the flame and heat protection,¡± Shina continued as Nil approached the Symbiotech creation. The blob shivered as he got closer. ¡°If the symbiote feels either below your chest, it will extend down your legs to increase protection. You have minor lightning resistance now, too. Unfortunately, we failed to do the same for cold. Since Fatima is vulnerable against it, too, I¡¯d suggest leaving anyone with related powers to your third-party member or avoiding them altogether until you¡¯re down to the final few.¡± Nil shivered when the symbiote coated his body. It was no different from the first version. He only felt the slimy discomfort for a moment, and then it faded. When he touched the back of his neck, a cold, wet feeling returned as the living organic armor retreated to behind his neck. ¡°You may take the containment vessel with you. I¡¯ll try to attend the qualifiers and reclaim the symbiote for reading straight away. If I fail to be there, hand the case to Golden Aegis¡¯ medical staff. They¡¯ll have it sent over.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel any different from the prototype except the minor drain on my stored energy.¡± ¡°The new symbiote is currently studying and adapting to you,¡± the technician explained. ¡°It will stop soon.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± ¡°Look out for Fatima, alright?¡± Shina placed a gentle hand on Nil¡¯s shoulder. The close proximity helped Nil notice their height difference had once again increased. He had gained another fraction of an inch. ¡°Both of you making it into the Iron Gauntlet together could do wonders for Symbiotech. I said the same to Fatima. There is a lot riding on this.¡± ¡°I intend to give it my all,¡± Nil replied. If Andrew found something truly incriminating and the information became public, this time, the Nexus would ensure Symbiotech ceased doing business. The multiversal organization had more sway over Earth''s governments than whoever funded the last cover-up. There was indeed a lot riding on qualifiers. If Nil failed and the company fell, he would end up without a ludus and scrounging for money to get into a new one. He needed the winnings that came from Apocalypse Arena to ensure that such an eventuality didn¡¯t come to be. 51. Shedding Burdens The governmental benefit requirements allowed Nil to spend one night a week away from the ludus¡ªwhen not on a quest. He spent the rest of his Saturday at Andrew¡¯s place. The pair discussed Symbiotech, watched action films, and grilled steaks. It would take a while for his device to sync with their system. There was no telling whether it would succeed or how long it would take for him to connect to it. Andrew wasn¡¯t an Artisan, and his experience came from working with the Pit organizers. He doubted Symbiotech would have inferior security systems to them. Nil was in no rush. Qualifiers and the preceding training period at the venue would last an entire week. Nil imagined he would need to rest a few days before taking on another quest. He''d be happy if the bug uncovered any information in the two weeks before he met Layla again. If not, he would have more time to make money and prepare for the inevitable fallout from Symbiotech and Golden Aegis. Andrew brought up Fatima once again. Nil didn¡¯t have much to say. She was a decent companion, but he was sure she would choose Symbiotech¡¯s sponsorship over any loyalty she felt toward him if it came to it. So, he refused to involve her in the investigation or even question her on the matter. Fatima had proven as sharp as her blades, and Nil didn¡¯t want to risk her getting an inkling of what he was up to. After a couple of beers, Andrew went into detail regarding how he had refined his artisanal skills. Nil might¡¯ve given up on becoming a Summoned earlier in his twenties, but his childhood friend didn¡¯t. He had continued to tinker with aethertech, hoping his improving skills would attract the Nexus¡¯s attention. The brief period of growing and selling illicit substances was mostly to fund his tinkering habit. His growing skill attracted the Pit organizers¡¯ attention, and selling to them forced him to improve his skills rapidly. Andrew had selfish reasons for helping with the Symbiotech investigation. He hoped to access their protected files and improve his knowledge and understanding of aethertech. Biology wasn¡¯t a part of his expertise, but learning to replicate or cannibalize the scanners and other equipment they sold would make him a lot of money. After a good night of sleep, Nil showered at Andrew¡¯s changed, ate breakfast, and met Katherine near Harrow-On-The-Hill station. He ate a second breakfast with her. They chatted, flirted, and discussed the possibility of having a romantic getaway after qualifiers. Katherine had recently been on a quest involving a Cursed-One cult in a big city, and she told him about it. Meanwhile, he shared the tale of the vampire quest with her. Katherine sympathized with his heartbreak over losing Misu. She usually fulfilled his role in group quests and had lost many rogues, knights, and brutes. Now, she only headed out into the multiverse alone or with people she knew. She evaded the topic when Nil brought up the possibility of questing together once he reached the Iron Realm. After the meal, Katherine invited Nil back to her ludus to ¡®show him around.¡¯ He knew precisely what she meant and went along with it. It had been a while since he¡¯d been with a woman, and the time they spent building their friendship only made the experience more pleasant. Neither of them brought up topics like the future of their relationship or what they meant to each other, and they spent a couple of hours indulging in each other. The lack of pressure and strings made it more enjoyable, and Nil spent a couple of hours successfully ignoring the visage¡¯s presence. When they finally left the ludus, the pair couldn¡¯t stop smiling and felt refreshed. They had spent more time in bed than intended and had to rush to pick up a few ingredients before hailing a cab. Fortunately, Emily and Udit didn¡¯t fuss over their arrival an hour later than planned. Nil, Emily, and Katherine prepared lunch together while Sam and Udit ¡®assisted¡¯ and chatted. Everyone knew about the qualifiers, but they didn¡¯t mention them. Instead, they discussed quests, sponsors, luduses, and current affairs. ¡°The benefits and discounts are pretty amazing,¡± Udit said. ¡°I feel guilty claiming them, though. There are so many people worse off than us. Just think about how far the assistance would go for them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair, but it makes sense,¡± Katherine told him. ¡°Even though they¡¯re making your life easier, that¡¯s not its purpose. Thanks to all the unregistered Summoneds and growing magic crimes, the government just doesn¡¯t have the money to help everyone. The purpose here is to give people an incentive to register and reside away from the public. It doesn¡¯t seem like much, but the discipline that comes from ludus residency and the regular sign-ins has curbed Summoned crime significantly.¡± ¡°I understand the purpose and the usefulness and agree with the implementation, Katie, but that doesn¡¯t make it easier to accept. The last few years have been tough, and I know people who are struggling far more than we were. Watching our quality of life improve by such a degree while they skip meals so their children can have full bellies is difficult. I¡¯m no pundit, but I¡¯m sure there is some way to incentivize Summoneds to behave without shafting everyone else.¡± Udit glanced at Emily and Sam. ¡°Excuse the language.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Baba.¡± Sam appeared amused, but the conversation enthralled him. Nil could see the young man intently drinking every word. Meanwhile, Emily appeared least interested and finely diced onions with intense focus. ¡°Katie, do you like chilies?¡± Emily asked. Avocados, tomatoes, coriander, and fresh green chilies sat around her chopping board. Nil had tasked her with making guacamole to go with their grilled fish tacos. ¡°I¡¯m half-Korean,¡± Katherine answered. ¡°Spicy food is life.¡± She hesitated, looking at the sheer number of chilies Emily had pulled out of the fridge. ¡°Maybe not that many, though. It might be better just to chop them and leave them on the side. We can always sprinkle some on as and when needed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, Emmy,¡± Udit said. ¡°Those little ones pack a scary punch. I don¡¯t think my stomach lining can handle much anymore.¡± Nil mostly listened to the conversation, only contributing when someone asked a question. Political discussions with his father rarely went well because of their conflicting views, and he was in too good a mood to sour with an argument. He and Katherine exchanged occasional glances and smiles as he focused on the fire, and she rolled out tortillas. Cooking took Nil to the same zen place as fighting. No thoughts or guilt could infiltrate the domain. Nothing existed besides him, the fire, and the ingredients in between. Because of its location in a historically protected building, Misdirection avoided open-fire cooking, keeping nothing but a small Robata grill in the kitchen. It was Nil''s favorite section to work when not plating or expediting food. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. After more than two months of not stepping into a professional kitchen and without the thrill of a busy, high-pressure service, he missed his old job. Cooking for friends and family wasn''t the same, but it still brought him peace as he slowly grilled the monkfish on sheets of kombu. The seaweed protected the direct flame of the fish but let in enough heat and smoke to do the job. Meanwhile, Nil cooked the tortillas directly over the heat source, moving it when necessary as the dough cooked and the bread inflated. The sight was hypnotic, and he found himself lost in the act of making food. He tuned out all other wounds until he heard nothing but the crackling flame. Nil couldn''t be sure how long passed until a sudden poke pulled him out of his trance. ¡°Sorry?¡± He almost jumped out of his skin as he looked up at Katherine. Her index and middle fingers sat in the gap between two of his ribs. ¡°Were you talking to me? I zoned out for a moment there.¡± ¡°Emmy had a question for you,¡± she said, looking confused, amused, and apologetic. A mischievous expression sat on Emily¡¯s face. Sam and Udit stood just past the kitchen door, watching NIl intently. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and Katherine?¡± Emily asked. ¡°She says you two aren¡¯t boyfriend and girlfriend and can¡¯t be sure whether you¡¯re dating either. What¡¯s going on between the two of you? You¡¯re bringing a woman home but haven¡¯t defined your relationship yet?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think Katie and I should have this conversation privately before we discuss it with everyone else, Emmy?¡± Nil asked, trying his best not to look at Katherine or the visage. ¡°No.¡± Emily grinned. She appeared to be having far too good a time. ¡°Katie is a lovely girl, and we like her. I don¡¯t want you to mess this up.¡± ¡°Emmy, I really don¡¯t want to discuss this right now or with you.¡± Nil kept his tone calm and remained composed. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just worried about you, Sunil,¡± Udit said. The man¡¯s little smile and tone betrayed his intent to tease his son. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be like that. We just care and want to know. What are you doing with Katherine? Are you two together? Will we see more of her? Is this just a passing thing?¡± Katherine no longer had an uncomfortable or apologetic look. Her eyes narrowed as she smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a little curious, too. What are we doing, Nil? Are we just friends or?¡± ¡°What is it, Nil?¡± Emily pressed. ¡°Why won¡¯t you commit to this lovely lady? When was the last time you actually had a girlfriend? Mum was always asking why you never¡ª¡± ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± Nil asked, the previously good mood fading. He wasn¡¯t angry, just annoyed, and didn¡¯t appreciate getting backed into a corner. ¡°Yes, please!¡± Emily grinned, putting down her knife. So, Nil told them. He started with his secret relationship with Aisha before moving on to the incident at Hyde Park. His chest tightened when he saw the color drain from Udit¡¯s face. Faces fell when he told them about seeing Aisha everywhere since. Nil told his family and Katie about how he thought he was crazy or falling apart. He went into detail about Dr Mendez and how he had considered checking himself into a psychiatric ward. Finally, Nil explained how everything changed after his summoning. He described the soul weapon, the Cursed Energy, and the visage, as well as his desire and work to eliminate the latter two. A heavy silence hung over the room for several minutes afterward. ¡°Why did you never tell us?¡± Udit asked, sounding heartbroken.¡±We¡¯ve always been here for you, Sunil.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I almost brought it up a couple of years after Aisha¡¯s passing, but then mum got sick. It didn¡¯t feel right to burden you or Emmy with more worry. Then, after she passed and things started improving, I resigned to living with it. It felt like too long had passed, and it wasn¡¯t important anymore.¡± ¡°Of course, it was important.¡± Emmy threw her arms around Nil and squeezed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for pushing, dada. I should¡¯ve backed off when you said. I''m so sorry.¡± Her voice quivered. Sam didn¡¯t seem to know what to say, and Katherine still appeared horrified. She broke eye contact and kept her eyes on the grilling fish. The Summoned police officer seemed to be stiff and guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for letting this conversation happen, too, Sunil.¡± Udit pressed a comforting hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is a heavy burden. I wish you hadn¡¯t carried it all alone. Is this the real reason you¡¯re doing this whole nonsense with Apocalypse Arena?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I want to get strong enough to ensure nothing of the sort happens to someone I love again. The strength will help me stand up and do something. I can use the money and power from climbing the ranks to move you guys somewhere safer where you have better lives. I have to do this to move past the thing with Aisha and for myself.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Once Emily let go, Udit hugged his son. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, son. Take all the time you need. There is no pressure.¡± ¡°Go at your own pace, dada.¡± Emily nodded. ¡°Are you sure you can get rid of this visage and soul weapon?¡± ¡°I know I can get rid of Cursed Energy. I¡¯ve already shed some of it; the rest will follow in time. The visage and soul weapon, though? I don¡¯t know. Keeping the soul weapon would be great, but if getting rid of the fake Aisha ghost means giving it up, I¡¯ll gladly do so. It¡¯s difficult getting invested in someone with the visage still around.¡± Nil didn¡¯t expect any reassurance from Katherine and didn¡¯t receive any. He understood it was a lot of information to process. She didn¡¯t say much when they ate while Nil fielded questions regarding the visage and curse. The floodgates were open. They received all the answers they wanted. He hoped the information wouldn¡¯t scare Katherine away. It was no surprise when she called a taxi after the meal. Nil walked her out, and they hugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you earlier,¡± Nil said. ¡°No. I get it.¡± Katherine looked everywhere but into his eyes. ¡°It''s a lot. I understand why you¡¯ve been holding back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s why I agreed to help Nexus with the investigation.¡± ¡°It makes sense,¡± Katherine replied, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you soon. Just give me a little time. All right?¡± Neither tried kissing each other goodbye. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Emily said tear-eyed when Nil returned. ¡°I just screwed everything up, didn¡¯t I.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Emmy,¡± Nil told her even though it wasn¡¯t. He was unhappy with his little sister but saw no point in making her suffer. She didn¡¯t need to know. In fact, shedding the years-old burden left him feeling lighter. He had an excellent support system all along and felt like a fool for not using it. Aisha was long gone. She no longer cared if her family found out about the relationship. There was no reason he needed to keep everything silent for her sake. It was time he started his journey toward healing. ¡°Katie needed to find out sooner or later. I think it''s for the best that she got the information before things got too serious. She needs to know what she¡¯s getting herself into and figure out for herself whether I¡¯m worth the accompanying baggage.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Sunil,¡± Udit said. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, and even when you¡¯re selfish, you¡¯re really not. I¡¯m proud of you, son, and, of course, you¡¯re worth it.¡± He squeezed Nil¡¯s hand. ¡°I understand why you need to do this Apocalypse Arena nonsense. I¡¯m not happy about it or for it, but I understand. If this will help you get past the trauma and the pain, you have no other choice. You have our support always.¡± Tears welled in Nil¡¯s eyes as he felt like an even bigger fool for not telling them sooner. ¡°Should we have dessert? I need something sweet.¡± 52. Welcome To The Arena ¡°The Scourge is forever growing stronger. They seek to indirectly create Dark Worlds so they can thrive, develop their armies, and go to war against realms that treasure life and freedom. Their numbers continue to grow while the Control Worlds lay static. Control Worlds can¡¯t compete in sheer army size, which is why they incepted Apocalypse Arena. The arena is more than a source of entertainment and a machine for generating magic to fight the Scourge. The competition and trials breed warriors and gods capable of standing up to the source of Cursed Ones and the Void. It doesn¡¯t just exist to solve problems like the Nexus. Apocalypse Arena¡¯s purpose is to ensure that issues are never born in the first place. Unfortunately, keeping the good things good is a challenge in itself. The Scourge has agents everywhere, and they¡¯ll do whatever is necessary to support their nefarious masters. There was a time when a coalition of Control Worlds ran Apocalypse Arena. Then, the magic running it took on a life of its own. The construct that runs it understands its purpose; however, its understanding of the governing laws is far too literal, and the Scourge has found the means to infiltrate it. Not only the residents of Beacon Worlds can enter the gauntlets. The forces of Dark Worlds also send their champions. They can¡¯t be allowed to win and climb the rankings. The resources gifted to winners¡¯ realms are meant to fight the Scourge, not assist them. Do your best, Summoned. The fate of the multiverse rests on your shoulders.¡± The introductory video was long and rambled. It revealed information not available to civilians and not stated by reputable sources on the net. However, the slow delivery and repetition had most people in the auditorium yawning. The qualifiers brought Nil and all participants from Golden Aegis to London Bridge. Apocalypse Arena had bought a decent bit of real estate in the area, including the London Aquarium, the London Eye, and a few adjoining hotels. The converted space included high-end viewing areas, the best training facilities Nil had ever seen¡ªon par with Wilson Luduses¡ªaccommodation for participants, and, of course, teleporters to the arena¡¯s backrooms. Once Nil entered the Iron Gauntlet, he didn¡¯t need to visit the venue physically. His Schema interface and any major ludus facilities would transport him to the Apocalypse Arena backrooms, which contained the pre-match preparation spaces, reward dispensers, and teleporters to the arenas. Golden Aegis wasn¡¯t prominent or affluent enough to enjoy benefits. Fortunately, the nearest Wilson Ludus¡ªwhich hosted the recent Mortal Realm event¡ªhad the necessary arcane device. It was no surprise when its owner, Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson, appeared on stage after the video ended. ¡°It¡¯s good to see all of you,¡± he said, flashing his usual toothy smile. Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether the man had a feat that increased his charm and made him likable. ¡°I recognize several faces from last month¡¯s event. Some of you won. Others were close. I certainly hope everyone has been training and put the next few days to excellent use. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be easy. The best and brightest from around the country are here, and this is where the real competition begins. You know what¡¯s riding on this. The world and powerful civilians out there need you. Getting into Apocalypse Arena and climbing the ranks will be harder and more dangerous than any quest you¡¯ve ever been on. I hope you know what you¡¯re getting into. There are safer jobs and lives for you out there.¡± Adrian paused, scanning the crowd for several silent seconds. No one said a word. All eyes remained focused on him. ¡°Some of you have attempted the qualifiers before. But, for most of you, this is a first. Don¡¯t take it lightly. This is your first step into the real arena, and the same protections as Mortal Realm events exist here. However, there are no rules or laws holding anyone back. The arcane construct operating the arena will transport you out if you suffer a fatal injury and surrender, but sometimes it''s too late. Death can also take you before you have a chance to react. I¡¯ve lost friends in there, and you will, too.¡± Nil scanned the competition. No one budged, fidgeted, or flinched. The prospect of death didn¡¯t bother them, or they were completely confident in their ability. His heart rate increased. Nil didn¡¯t want to die. His family would struggle if anything happened to him. ¡°I implore you, fellow Summoned,¡± Adrian continued. ¡°If you find yourself in a no-win situation, don¡¯t throw your life away for pride. There will be other qualifiers.¡± ¡°Well, that was a lot, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Fatima asked afterward, nudging Nil. ¡°It was indeed.¡± Xiang paused, glancing between her teammates. Her speech still sounded measured. Nil hoped she¡¯d grow more comfortable with them during the training days before the main event. ¡°A lot.¡± Nil had almost caved and contacted Mobi before Xiang knocked on his door early Sunday evening. Afterward, they and Fatima sat in the cafeteria discussing their training plan for the days building up to the event over dinner. The team sat in a far corner, away from prying eyes and eavesdroppers. Viktor glared at them from the other side of the dining hall. Lily and Elisha sat with him and waved at the trio politely. The four remaining Summoned flagged for the Battle Royale and placed on the waiting list had all walked by. Only Anya greeted Nil and Fatima. The rest passed with defeated expressions and drooping shoulders. Mobi looked like he wanted to say something but refrained. All Battle Royale participants stayed in a building that was once a Premier Inn. The upper floors still contained hotel rooms, while the lower floors now contained gyms and training facilities for groups of Summoned. There were entertainment facilities, cafeterias, and bars, too, and several groups made a beeline for the latter. The general air about them suggested many considered it a last hurrah. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether it was their final or only attempt at qualifiers, or many had resigned themselves to fight or die trying. Several familiar faces passed Nil as he and the girls made their way to the building¡¯s top floor. Each of them received shoe-box-sized adjoining rooms. It wasn¡¯t a lot of space, but sufficient for the next few days. ¡°Let''s take a couple of hours to settle in before we train,¡± Fatima said. ¡°Yes.¡± Xiang nodded. ¡°I must call Hong Kong before my parents go to sleep. They will want to know I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really need to settle in,¡± Nil said. ¡°You guys take all the time you need. I¡¯m going to check out the training spaces and cafeteria.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°You like a lot of food. Yes?¡± ¡°Yes, Xiang. I like a lot of food. The more calorific, the better.¡± It wasn¡¯t just using Brutal Battery that drained him. He needed to sustain the symbiote, too. Nil wasn¡¯t sure how Fatima¡¯s living armor functioned, but she seemed to understand. ¡°Message me if you find a decent training space,¡± she said. ¡°I want to work on our formation and devise a decent battle plan.¡± The trio parted ways. Nil swiftly changed into gym clothes¡ªSymbiotech vest and cargo shorts. Even though the plans to take down the organization were already in place, Nil intended to hold up his end of the contract and advertise for them until then. He had a similar but flashier set of clothes prepared for the qualifier. Shina claimed the material would hold out longer against attacks. They were apprehensive about the shorts and the garment holding up following a full-body Expend. As Nil explored the Apocalypse-Arena-run facilities, he couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed by the otherworldly architecture and arcane feel. The construct running it and his minions had transformed the humble Premier Inn to give it a castle feel that utilized magic to power the lights and infrastructure instead of electricity. It felt as if he had stepped into another world. The cafeteria featured banquet tables and cooking fires and modern facilities like vending machines. Nil got himself a cup of hot sweet tea in a paper cup before heading off to explore the training facilities. Nil passed traditional gyms, arcane machines for training individual attributes, and combat simulation rooms covered in arcane symbols. Andy would love this. It felt like being a child in a toy store. Nil wanted to play with everything. He was desperate to get the final rank in Absorb, but doing so alone would prove challenging. A lot of the more powerful machinery appeared challenging to operate without assistance. Meanwhile, the attribute-training devices had no such requirements. Simple training was unlikely to accomplish the task of pushing Finesse to the Iron Realm, but that didn¡¯t stop Nil from trying. He found himself a corner far from the sparse foot traffic. The tiny space involved three walls lined with holes. When it started, heavy darts flew at him. Nil was glad he had picked the base difficulty setting since the projectiles flew fast and hit hard. He tried his best to keep Absorb off and avoid or catch them. The darts fired significantly slower than Isabella¡¯s setup but came from either side of him, too, adding the challenge. After half an hour, Nil suffered a few scrapes and a puncture, but none were dire. Even though he didn¡¯t get the Schema notification he desired, he felt himself getting better and sharper. Layla had claimed Finesse was on the verge of ascending, and he guessed the pressure of the Battle Royale would get him the desired growth. ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± Nil heard a woman say nearby. He recognized the voice but struggled to place it. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see the similarity,¡± a man said. When Nil turned around, he saw the chain-knight from Capture The Flag. The man looked furious. ¡°He¡¯s smaller.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± The woman called, glaring. ¡°You fought in the Pits, didn¡¯t you?¡± Nil stiffened, studying the teenager. The voice and build made it easier to identify her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°I recognize the voice.¡± A pair of stiletto knives slipped out of her sleeves. Energy Instinct detected a frigid aura radiating from them. ¡°That¡¯s Little Fist. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fucking scum, you know that?¡± The chain-knight said, face locked in a snarl as he advanced towards Nil. Chains grew out of his arms. They weren¡¯t just plain gold like last time; orange flames danced along them. Nil wondered whether the man had advanced his power since they last fought. ¡°You fight cheap, like a fucking coward, and think you belong here?.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this,¡± Nil said, throwing up his arms and activating Absorb. He didn¡¯t want to take any risks and get disqualified. ¡°Do you want to fuck up your chances for some old grudge, Winter Hunter?¡± He looked at chain-knight. ¡°And whoever you are. Are your teammates going to be happy going in alone?¡± The woman paused when Nil used her Pits name. There was no denying his involvement in the illegal fighting rings. Earth laws had no impact on Apocalypse Arena property. He was currently outside Katherine and her colleague¡¯s jurisdiction. Anything he said now wouldn¡¯t hold up in local courts. The only rules that mattered were the local constructs. ¡°The arena¡¯s rules couldn¡¯t be clearer,¡± Nil continued. ¡°Attack me, and you guys are out. I won¡¯t be affected for defending myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cocky bastard, aren¡¯t you?¡± Winter Hunter asked, twirling her weapon. ¡°We¡¯ve already lost the qualifiers. Far too many powerful fuckers this time.¡± She grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve looked at the rules, Little Fist. We can take you out of the competition and then try again next time. You¡¯re just a nobody¡ª¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing, kid.¡± Nil sighed. He realized there was no talking the pair down. He needed to make them attack first so he could justify knocking them out of the competition. ¡°I¡¯m not going to get egged into attacking you first. Come at me, or fuck off. You lot aren¡¯t meant for actual competition. The Pits is the best either of you will ever manage. Besides, what kind of man gets chummy in an expensive ludus while his sister is slumming it in the Pits?¡± The weak taunt worked. Chain-knight growled, swinging his fiery conjurations at Nil. They never made contact. A wall of transparent, silver-bordered hexagons appeared between the two men, separating them. Spheres made of the same six-sided building blocks appeared around the offensive party¡¯s hands. It was Shawn. ¡°Disappointing,¡± he said. ¡°All of you.¡± Individuals in full-plate armor followed him. They grabbed the struggling and protesting pair. ¡°He taunted us!¡± Winter Hunter screamed. ¡°I fought him in the Pits. He¡¯s scum. The bastard doesn¡¯t belong here.¡± ¡°As true as that might be, you can¡¯t just take the rules into your own hands,¡± Shawn told the pair, sounding deflated as he shook his head. ¡°I expected more from you, Michael.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them disqualify us, please,¡± Chain-knight said, sounding desperate and scared. His previous bravado had disappeared. ¡°You saw what he did to me. He¡¯s an asshole. He cracked my fucking skull and humiliated me. Bastard broke her arm, too.¡± ¡°Shut up, Michael. I¡¯m not going to risk my job because you couldn¡¯t wait until the Battle Royale to settle your grudge.¡± Shawn looked disgusted as he spoke. ¡°What is it? Were you scared you couldn¡¯t deal with him when he was prepared? The Arena Moderator will make the final decision. It''s not up to me anymore. I just responded to the wards. Activating your abilities outside of a designated area.¡± Shawn sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Stupid. Stupid.¡± The armored people¡ªNil couldn¡¯t be sure whether anyone was inside the full plate¡ªdragged the pair away, leaving him and Shawn alone. ¡°Thanks for stepping in,¡± Nil said. He had heard about people getting jobs through their luduses but didn¡¯t think they¡¯d directly involve Apocalypse Arena. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to risk breaking the rules.¡± ¡°But you were fine breaking laws when fighting in the Pits?¡± Shawn raised an eyebrow. All emotion had disappeared from his voice, and he spoke with a stiff coldness. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you make it to the qualifiers or not. Unless you have a new trick up your sleeve, it''s unlikely you¡¯ll get far. I was just doing my job, and I¡¯m done here.¡± ¡°Why do you need to be such an asshole about it?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone needs to do whatever they must to survive. You don¡¯t see me judging you for being a titanic ass.¡± ¡°Save it for the arena,¡± Shawn said nonchalantly as he walked away. ¡°I just hate dickheads that take the easy way out.¡± The man¡¯s attitude and stand made no sense, but Nil didn¡¯t give it much thought. He messaged Fatima and Xiang regarding his location and what had just happened. The pair rushed out to meet him. They couldn¡¯t delay training much longer. 53. Scoping The Competition Xiang proved almost as much a taskmaster as Isabella. She drilled with Fatima and sparred with Nil. Then after a break, swapped their roles and did more of the same. She wished to close the gaps in her martial ability as much as possible over the few days they had remaining. When not drilling or sparring, Nil focused on training his Finesse across several different machines. Moving between them helped Nil keep his eyes on the competition. He specifically looked out for Shawn. It was likely the battle royale would include many more threats, but Nil already knew the man had a rough idea of his skill and powerset. He recognized the man as a superior opponent and wanted to figure out a counter. The competition''s brutes and rogues appeared to be the highest in number. They, too, utilized the attribute-training machines, probably hoping to get a last-minute boost before the match. Nil didn¡¯t socialize and prioritized eavesdropping or studying them with Energy Instinct. The surrounding devices gave off more lights than his fellow competitors, suggesting the bulk of the people around him had passive abilities. Nil would have to rely on technique and instinct to deal with most of them. Unfortunately, the group training spaces had privacy wards, and the glass walls frosted when they were in use. So, he couldn¡¯t get a good look at the other parties in action. Of the fifty-plus other competitors, Nil only knew eight. Golden Aegis had sent one other team: Viktor, Lily, and Elisha. The lightning mage continued to give him the cold shoulder. Xiang claimed the man had thrown a fit when she rejected his team invitation. The information did nothing more than make Nil bad for Elisha. Even though she held out for her boyfriend, the man had treated her as a last resort. He hoped someone else would take care of the trio so knocking them out of the conversation wouldn¡¯t be on him. It would make things awkward in the ludus, and he genuinely liked Lily. She was a lovely young woman, and he didn¡¯t want to have to fight her with victory on the line. Nil passed Winter Hunter and chain-knight in the halls. They glared and gave him a wide berth. He guessed the pair only received a warning since the attack hadn¡¯t made contact. The regenerator from Capture The Flag accompanied the pair, making for a formidable trio. They lacked a ranged attacker, and Nil doubted they¡¯d need it. Fatima claimed the brute was an excellent hand-to-hand combatant¡ªnot as good as Nil or Shawn, but still good¡ªand used his ability to push harder than most and take risks most would avoid. He could foresee the giant man grabbing the enemy frontline¡¯s attention while chain-knight entangled them in his conjured bindings. Winter Hunter would likely sneak around the battlefield, taking out the long-range support and most vulnerable team members before wiping the rest out together. Finally, there was Shawn, Gwyneth¡ªthe frost-feline summoner¡ªand a sickly-looking skinny woman Nil hadn¡¯t seen at the mortal realm event. The physique didn¡¯t tell him much. Energy Instinct gave him no useful information either. Much like the mysterious Golden-Aegis knight, an invisible bubble surrounded her. It was amorphous and flickered, leaving him with a bunch of questions. Ranged rogue or mage made the most sense in their team setup. Barriers would provide defense and disrupt the battlefield, giving the more mobile and long-range fighters enough cover to clean up the competition. On the second day in the training arena, the regenerator approached Nil. ¡°I just want to talk,¡± the man said, holding up his hands when Nil retreated. ¡°I promise I have no interest in fighting. Although, I wouldn¡¯t mind a spar. I¡¯ve not seen anyone get that close to beating Shawn with sheer technique. I¡¯d love to see what you¡¯re made of.¡± ¡°How can I help you¡ª¡± ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Nil.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam looked embarrassed as he continued. ¡°What happened yesterday was unacceptable. I¡¯m very sorry for my teammates¡¯ behavior. It''s not acceptable, and I just wanted to thank you for not pushing the matter. The construct was very close to booting them and leaving me to attempt the Battle Royale alone. I¡¯m a bloody huge target, and chances of making it alone would be zero.¡± ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t know pushing the matter was an option,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯d very much like to see the pair of them disqualified, but it doesn¡¯t make a difference because there¡¯s zero chance of them succeeding. My teammate tells me you¡¯re a formidable opponent, but those two don¡¯t have the right attitude for this kind of thing. Too impulsive and shortsighted.¡± ¡°The competition doesn¡¯t say the final five need to be from the same team,¡± Adam shrugged. He did not attempt to deny or contradict Nil¡¯s claim. ¡°I¡¯m aware of my team members'' shortcomings and mostly need them to help me survive long enough to impress the construct. Occasionally, it lets people outside the winners into the Iron Gauntlet. Fingers-crossed, right?¡± ¡°You seem like a decent enough guy, and I hope things work out for you. It will be best if we don¡¯t meet in the arena. My teammates are pissed at yours and plan to be extra brutal if they bump into you.¡± ¡°Is the blood knife girl with you again?¡± Adam asked. Nil nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for my team, but if I see you, I¡¯m running, in that case. She and her blades are fucking terrifying.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Anyway. Thanks for hearing me out.¡± ¡°I have a question before you go,¡± Nil said, stopping the man. ¡°What¡¯s with Shawn? Why is he such a raging asshole?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s just had a difficult life.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°So have most of us. Is it an excuse to be a raging dick?¡± ¡°This is just very important to him¡ªmaybe more than the rest of us.¡± Adam hesitantly looked over his shoulder as if checking to see if Shawn was nearby. The man moved closer and spoke with a lowered volume. ¡°He was adopted by a manager of the Wembley Wilson Ludus. He grew up in there, training with all the rich arena fighters¡¯ kids that start as soon as they can walk. Preparing for quests and the arena is all he¡¯s ever known. ¡°Then he hit sixteen, and his friends started getting summoned while he didn¡¯t. Wilson Luduses gave him time and continued to train him. They kept him around until he hit twenty-one.¡± ¡°They kicked him out?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°The people who were like parents and siblings turned their backs on him. You know the stats, probably. The chances of Nexus calling you drop drastically every year after twenty. So they gave up on Shawn, writing him off as a failed investment.¡± ¡°Yeah, that kind of abandonment and rejection will fuck up almost anyone,¡± Nil commented. ¡°It''s a surprise he¡¯s not an even bigger asshole,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s not the worst guy if you get to know him. Shawn is a loyal friend and genuinely cares about the people around him. After what he had to endure to become a Summoned and get where he is now, he doesn¡¯t have much of a tolerance for people who luck into it or get there without trying. I know it''s not right, and we call him out on it, but there isn¡¯t much we can do about it.¡± ¡°That makes a lot of sense,¡± Nil said. ¡°Thanks for being candid with me. Good luck, Adam.¡± ¡°You, too.¡± The big man walked away, leaving Nil with a lot to think about. Shawn¡¯s combat prowess made sense. The man had two decades of combat training under his belt. Academia and being a kid probably came second. He had dedicated all of his life to being a Summoned and arena. It was hard work and dedication that got him where he was, not raw talent. Do the talentless hard workers end up with high Spark? Shawn appeared older than the average competitor, too. He lacked the special something that attracted the Nexus to the young and talented. His ascension was likely due to dedication, hard work, and perhaps an odd incident like Nil¡¯s selfless, stupid, and heroic act. The barriers and their potency likely scaled with Spark, which meant that it was his highest potential attribute. Nil needed more data to confirm his hypothesis, but it felt likely. He was almost sure Shawn was the same barrier conjurer that Layla had mentioned when they first met. Nil put the man out of his mind and focused on the rest of the competition. Fatima¡¯s high Iron-Realm Finesse sharpened her senses. She picked up whispers about Mind Magic and a Psionic concerning Nil. He had a feat to counter such fighters but didn¡¯t know whether it would be enough. Xiang had a high enough Mind score to resist psychic attacks, but Fatima was in the same boat as him. Her blades apparently grew with Spark, and she used it as her tertiary attribute¡ªwith Mind as the secondary. ¡°We need to rethink our battle plan,¡± Nil said after their final training session of the day. ¡°I think we need to present as a duo instead of a trio.¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Fatima asked, passing him an aetherscreen. It displayed the rewards for the battle royale winners. First: 1000 Schema Credit + 2 Bronze Ascension Tokens + 4 Schema Tokens Second: 500 Schema Credit + 1 Bronze Acension Token + 3 Schema Tokens Third: 250 Schema Credit + 1 Bronze Ascension Token + 2 Schema Tokens Fourth: 100 Schema Credit + 1 Iron Ascension Token + 1 Schema Token Fifth: 50 Schema Credit + 1 Schema Token Nil¡¯s eyes widened as he looked over the prizes. If he got first, Nil wouldn¡¯t need to worry about paying for registration in a new ludus after the partnership with Symbiotech fell apart. Golden Aegis¡¯ ties to the company would mean staying with them would come with too much drama¡ªif the ludus survived without their investment and machinery. ¡°I think Xiang and I should move close together, looking like we¡¯re alone,¡± Nil explained. ¡°You need to stay ahead or behind us, keeping just out of sight. Let people attack us and then get them from behind. You¡¯re fast, silent, and deadly enough to take one or two out of the fight before they know what hit them.¡± Xiang nodded. ¡°That is a good idea if you¡¯re confident in your sneaking ability. Your power doesn¡¯t help with it, does it?¡± Fatima shook her head. ¡°My Finesse is halfway to Bronze, and I¡¯m just that good.¡± ¡°Are you sure ability isn¡¯t Iron Realm, too?¡± Xiang asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re telling us everything right.¡± ¡°I am.¡± Fatima¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you calling me a liar? Because the arena construct would detect if I weren¡¯t still in the Mortal Realm. There isn¡¯t a lot that can mask against the constructs or Nexus.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Xiang bowed her head. ¡°Your ability, skill, and attributes seem too high for your realm.¡± ¡°Fatima is just that good.¡± Nil smiled, placing a hand on the rogue-knight¡¯s shoulder. He hoped to melt the tension in the air. ¡°What does everyone think of the plan?¡± He outlined the formation by switching the aetherscreen display to battle simulation software. Nil put himself and Xiang in the center. ¡°The chakrams and their explosions are flash enough to draw in other groups. I can take on most melee fighters without issue, and Xiang can keep them pinned down or on the back foot.¡± He drew a circle around the pair. ¡°We don¡¯t know what kind of battlefield to expect, but the records say the construct ensures no one is particularly disadvantaged in battle royales. Rogues should have plenty of cover to sneak around and through. If there is elevation, you can move above us, Fatima.¡± ¡°I get it, and I like it,¡± Fatima said. She tapped the screen, and a little animation flashed, turning the marker that was supposed to be her into a blade windmill. ¡°Pincer attacks are historically great at putting down teams quickly. We need to hit fast and hard and move on quickly. The chakram explosions are loud and bound to attract opportunists who want to take us down.¡± ¡°Maybe we should avoid fights altogether?¡± Xiang said, frowning as she studied the formation. ¡°Given our speed, generally high Finesse, and ability to stay silent, maybe we should be opportunists, too. It will give us the best chance of making it to the final ten.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not against the idea.¡± Fatima grinned. ¡°Let''s keep the formation but move fast and quiet, not engaging or drawing attention to ourselves until we can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Hit and run tactics?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°We need to switch things up occasionally so we can build up energy, but I¡¯m for it otherwise.¡± ¡°Good. Back to training then.¡± Xiang clapped, flashing a rare smile. ¡°Nil fight Fatima.¡± ¡°And what will you do?¡± Fatima asked. ¡°Just watch?.¡± Xiang shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to throw chakrams at you. Dodge the best you can, Nil.¡± ¡°Great. Either my Finesse ascends, or I get shredded.¡± 54. Unexpected Guests And Developments One of the building¡¯s armored guards interrupted Nil''s training the third evening after their arrival, two days before the battle royale. He and the women had tired each other and parted ways to do their own thing. Nil could feel his Finesse on the verge of ascending and was in his third hour of dodging and catching darts. ¡°You have guests,¡± it said in a metallic, genderless voice. It sounded like reverberating metal. ¡°Guests?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not expecting anyone. Who is it?¡± The armor sounded hollow as it walked away. Nil watched it go, wondering who could¡¯ve come to see him. He didn¡¯t expect Shina until the battle royale, which was on Saturday. There weren¡¯t many people who he expected to come to see him, but he wasn¡¯t sure who. Nil rushed to his room, scrubbed himself under a steaming shower for a few minutes, and dressed in fresh clothes before rushing to the building¡¯s lobby. A trio of beaming faces greeted him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked, at a loss of words. ¡°We¡¯re to cheer you on, of course,¡± Andrew answered, standing with an arm draped around Susan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Katie says you¡¯re allowed guests to help you with training. So we¡¯re here to help.¡± Katherine smiled at him from behind the pair. It almost seemed forced. She fidgeted and struggled to maintain eye contact. ¡°Only until ten,¡± she said. ¡°The construct will eject us afterward.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go above the second floor either,¡± Nil said. The level contained open training rooms for participants to train under their coaches and teachers. He hadn¡¯t used the level and hoped the rooms would be free. ¡°Are you sure you want to watch me train? The bar and lobby might¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Susan interrupted. ¡°We didn¡¯t come here to interrupt your training. You do your thing. We¡¯ll watch and make fun of you.¡± ¡°A variety of opponents might be great,¡± Nil said. ¡°Will you let Skoll and Hati use their magic?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± Susan grinned. ¡°No rules and superiors are limiting me in here.¡± Nil hadn¡¯t descended from the upper floors except to visit the cafeteria and hadn¡¯t realized how many participants had brought their trainers along. He spotted Shawn and his sickly teammate talking to a much older woman. While walking by, he heard tips regarding their formation, but not enough to get a decent idea of it. When they stepped onto the second floor, Nil found several other participants walking and talking with older individuals in the hallways. A Golden Aegis trainer stood by the target range with Elisha. Nil had never attended the man¡¯s classes and believed he primarily worked with the ludus¡¯ handful of mages. It was early evening, and most were filing out for dinner or to clean up before it. So, Nil didn¡¯t have much trouble finding a free space. The room was basketball-court-sized and full of giant rocks and boulders. Elevated benches lined the training areas, and runes covered the walls. When Nil closed the door behind him, the glass frosted over, and Susan summoned her twin wolves, each as tall as a horse. Nil received excellent agility training, dodging and evading the canines as they played chase and launched at him. Occasionally, lights flashed, blinding him, leaving Nil to rely on sound and touch to evade or Absorb. Then little shadow tentacles came to life, grabbed his ankle, and tripped him. The beasts were only toying with Nil, but he struggled to cope. When Susan meant business, he was sure they were a terrifying threat. He could see why the Nexus valued her so much and had rewarded him with a bonus for saving her life. The woman went on two quests a quarter and didn''t discuss them. Nil was sure she dealt with terrifying threats, tracking and culling Cursed Ones with Skoll and Hati¡¯s assistance. After a couple of hours, ¡°Any luck with the Finesse?¡± she asked. It was eight in the evening, and neither she nor her wolves looked tired. Meanwhile, sweat-soaked Nil''s fresh clothes. He regretted changing into them. Nil shook his head. ¡°I can almost feel it, but the breakthrough just isn''t happening.¡± He sighed. ¡°Thank you, though. It was a great bit of fun, and tracking the magic sharpened my understanding of the sensing ability.¡± ¡°Well, that''s a shame. Maybe we can try again tomorrow evening.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, but I''d rather rest up for the battle royale,¡± Nil said, rolling his aching shoulders. Hati had once playfully pinned him by the arms, pushing Brutal Battery beyond capacity and nearly dislocating his shoulders. ¡°Going in tired or bruised won''t do me any good. I''m happy to grab dinner with you guys.¡± ¡°In that case, do you mind if we watch a show instead of hanging out with you?¡± Andrew asked, smiling sheepishly. ¡°We¡¯ll be back to cheer you on Saturday, but there is a deal for Lion King tickets tomorrow. I think sales are down because of the Silver Gauntlet tournament, so they''re practically giving them away. Good seats, too.¡± ¡°Go for it. Have fun. Maybe visit a few decent cocktail bars afterward.¡± He smiled at Katherine. ¡°Thank you for coming, too. I was worried when you didn''t answer my messages.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°I just needed some time,¡± she replied with a half smile. Katherine looked at Andrew and Susan. ¡°Why don''t you two head on out? We have a couple of more hours before they kick me out. I''ll help Nil train his Mind until then.¡± The couple didn''t protest. Susan hugged Nil, kissed him on the cheek, and wished him luck. Andrew punched his arm before bursting into laughter and doing the same. An awkward silence followed the pair. They sat next to each other as Nil caught his breath. ¡°I didn''t expect to see you so soon after the bomb I dropped,¡± he said after five minutes. The visage stood against the opposite wall, watching him. Nil tore his eyes away from Aisha¡¯s face. ¡°I''m sorry¡ª¡± ¡°You have no reason to apologize, Nil,¡± she said. ¡°And I don''t want you to think you scared me away. Because¡ª¡± Katherine smiled, moving closer. ¡°¡ªyou haven''t. I just need some time.¡± ¡°I''m happy to go back to being friends.¡± ¡°That''s not what I''m saying.¡± Katherine finally met his eyes. ¡°Things are complicated for both of us. But that doesn''t mean we should put happiness on hold. How about we just keep things casual? There is no need to reverse or accelerate. Then, as things get better for me at work and with my mum, and you figure out a better way to deal with this thing that looks like your murdered ex, we can reassess things.¡± ¡°So, friends that care about each other to an inappropriate degree?¡± Nil asked, grinning. Katherine laughed. ¡°That''s one way to put it, I suppose.¡± She leaned close and lightly kissed his lips. ¡°Just don''t hide things like this from me, please? And pick a better time or place to drop heavy information.¡± ¡°Got it. All big revelations are to happen with my family as an audience.¡± Katherine playfully smacked his arm. Her superior Might attribute made the light blow sting. ¡°So? Would you like some help raising your Mind? I can throw things at you simultaneously. If we''re lucky, we can raise two attributes with one stone.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me. I think there is a Mind Mage and a Psionic in the battle royale. A bit more psychic defense might go a long way.¡± ¡°You might actually need a couple of points then,¡± Katherine said thoughtfully. ¡°I could use my ability, but you might not want to be around me or sleep with me afterward.¡± ¡°Unlikely, but let''s try anyway,¡± Nil said. Nil couldn''t tell whether Katherine was exaggerating or it was his newest feat, but the psychic assault wasn''t as bad as he had expected¡ªor so he thought at first. Darts made of bright pink energy flew through the training space, peppering the ground and walls. They shattered the same way as Xiang¡¯s chakrams and released a faint shockwave. Despite the lack of physical stimuli, each pulse sent Nil staggering. It felt closer to the antlered Cursed One¡¯s scream than the sky octopus, Oth¡¯s, stare. An internal thud reminiscent of a plastic lunch tray smacking him in the face accompanied the sensation. Luminescent tentacles simultaneously assaulted Nil. Absorb ensured they didn¡¯t hurt him, and Brutal Battery¡¯s stores didn¡¯t climb as fast as when fighting Skoll and Hati. However, the accompanying sensation reminded him of suffering Armsmaster¡¯s Disappointment. Nil¡¯s heart raced as the memory of every failure flashed through his mind. Except he felt terrified, too. A pallid, twisted figure stood in her place whenever he glanced at Katherine. She looked like a more stretched-out version of herself. The features were angular, and a long serpentine tongue licked pointed teeth. Nil lasted five minutes before he collapsed, clutching his head. Mind has progressed to Mortal 5! Instead of celebrating, Nil threw up. It took him twice as long as the psychic assault to recover from it. Deep breathing helped calm his racing heart and throbbing temples while Katherine rubbed his back. ¡°I told you it''s horrible,¡± she said. ¡°My ability focuses on inducing terror in my opponent and breaking down mental faculties until the target is little more than a blubbering mess.¡± Katherine¡¯s eyes glowed as she spoke, and her free hand¡¯s fingers danced. It looked like she was weaving a cat¡¯s cradle of warning arcane energies. Nil instantly felt better. ¡°I can do the opposite, too. My offense is pretty useless against Cursed Ones and the Void, but I can deal with the Scourge just fine and ensure my companions don¡¯t fall to enemy psychic attacks.¡± Katherine paused, stepping away from Nil. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be around me anymore. Do you?¡± ¡°That was terrifying but not so bad that I don¡¯t want to be around you anymore,¡± Nil answered, wiping his mouth. He accepted a water bottle and drained it within seconds. ¡°Do you have any mints?¡± Katherine nodded. She found what he needed after a minute of rooting through her purse. ¡°I can promise you that you won¡¯t face anything as potent in the Mortal or Iron Realm.¡± ¡°Well, I know what to expect, and my Mind reached Mortal-Five. Hopefully, between it and ¡®The Powerful Of Belief,¡¯ I¡¯ll have enough resistance to shrug off most of what my opponent can throw at me.¡± Nil paused for a moment, mulling over all the information they had gathered. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a pure Mind Mage and Psionic?¡± ¡°The first almost exclusively focuses on psychic attacks, debilitating effects, and illusions,¡± Katherine explained. ¡°A pure Mind Mage of my realm could probably turn you into a catatonic, drooling mess if not lobotomize you from across the room. Meanwhile, Psionics like me also create physical manifestations like my darts and whips. They¡¯re not particularly strong but don¡¯t leave us utterly useless against other people like us, individuals with abnormally high Mind scores, or entities immune to Mind Magic altogether. There is a slight trade-off, and I¡¯m glad I picked the Psionic path.¡± ¡°Good to know. So if I spot a Mind Mage and Psionic on the same team, I¡¯ll prioritize the first,¡± Nil said. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re better off just running away. Your current resistances won¡¯t hold up against someone talented for long.¡± Katherine smiled, sitting on the ground next to him. She ran her fingers through Nil¡¯s hair. The sweat didn¡¯t seem to bother her. ¡°You¡¯re serious about this whole arena thing, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°The more I find out about it, the more I¡¯m sure that this is what I¡¯m made for.¡± ¡°After seeing what it did to some friends and colleagues, I made a rule not to date anyone mad enough to get involved with Apocalypse Arena.¡± Katherine sighed. ¡°I guess that was a pointless decision.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re dating now?¡± Nil asked, raising an eyebrow. Katherine shrugged. ¡°Get up. We¡¯re going again. I think we have enough time to get Mind up to six, if not seven. Just try not to look at me during.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t.¡± They kept going for another half an hour before Nil gave up. It was the most tortuous experience of his life, but he received an unexpected notification. Mind has progressed to Mortal 6! Spark has progressed to Iron 3! 55. Battle Royale Begins ¡°Ready?¡± Xiang asked, tightening her vambraces. Golden Aegis partnered with several small companies, one of which was a small Artisan Firm that made armor for Iron and Bronze arena fighters. Xiang¡¯s cuirass and boots were made of the same matte dark-brown material. All three pieces carried the same Spartan helmet emblem. She also wore navy blue tights, a shirt, and a hooded coat. It seemed the rogue-mage had prepared for stealth long before she announced her team. Nil suspected she had prioritized him and Fatima all along. ¡°Ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡± Fatima wore no armor. In fact, her outfit was no different from Nil¡¯s, opting for a form-fitting vest, tight shorts, and ballet pumps. They were both a dark grey and almost blended in with her new charcoal symbiote, which covered her completely from the nose down. Of the trio, she appeared the calmest. In fact, Nil saw a hint of excitement in her eyes as she manifested her blades. They were longer and skinnier than the versions she used in training. It seemed her ability had grown since Capture The Flag. Spiky growths extended from the hilts and wrapped around her fingers like knuckle guards. Energy Instinct detected the same shimmering aura around them, and the fiery pink flecks were extra dense. After training with Katherine, Nil felt much more confident in his chances. The additional attributes, especially Spark, go a long way. Brutal Battery¡¯s growth from Iron-One to Iron-Two was almost one-and-a-half times that of Iron-Zero to Iron-One, and the following rank gave him even more. He couldn¡¯t wait to see how his capacity would continue to grow. Nil wondered what realm he needed to reach before Absorb would take a blow from the great sky octopus. ¡°I¡¯m feeling pretty good about this,¡± Nil said. ¡°I think we have a chance at taking the top four spots.¡± ¡°Why top four?¡± Xiang asked. ¡°The first five are guaranteed to make it through.¡± ¡°Because the prize for fifth is pretty terrible. Fifty schema credits and a token. I want an ascension token and don¡¯t care what rank it is.¡± Nil frowned as something he hadn¡¯t considered occurred to him. ¡°How will we divvy up rewards if all of us make it to the top five?¡± ¡°Pool the rewards and divide equally, maybe?¡± Fatima asked. ¡°The credit and attribute tokens should be easy to divide equally. We can deal with ascension tokens afterward. Maybe do division based on individual position and performance.¡± ¡°That sounds acceptable.¡± Xiang nodded. ¡°I suggest we divide everything equally except ascension tokens and respect how the arena construct divides them.¡± ¡°Of course, this is assuming we all make it to the final five.¡± Fatima added, ¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t make it to the end and qualifies for the Iron Gauntlet gets nothing.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡± Nil asked. Both women shook their heads. ¡°It¡¯s only fair,¡± Xiang said, and Fatima parroted her opinion. ¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t get through doesn¡¯t need the rewards.¡± Symbiotech had given Nil clothes identical to Fatima¡¯s for the qualifiers except a lighter shade of grey. Both carried the company¡¯s logo. The vest had it on the front and back, while the shorts only had it at the bottom of the right pant leg. Meanwhile, the symbiote¡¯s bright white color made him stand out like a beacon in the dark arena. Nil didn¡¯t mind. His job was to attract and hold the enemy¡¯s attention. A pillar of light rose from under the trio¡¯s feet and merged with the domed barrier above. It was no different from the Mortal Realm event. However, the two moons in the sky and the pair of shadows eclipsing the larger of the pair told Nil that they were no longer on his Earth. A shared Schema interface floated just outside the pillars, counting down to zero. Fatima had already tried pushing through the light wall but failed. ¡°I count nineteen other pillars,¡± Nil said. ¡°Fifty-two isn¡¯t divisible by three either. Which means the team sizes aren¡¯t consistent.¡± Xiang nodded. ¡°I saw the same. Maybe not all luduses got the same information.¡± ¡°Maybe there are twos and ones of people who have already transcended to the Iron Realm,¡± Fatima stated. ¡°Or there were last-minute additions, and there are twenty teams of three.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Nil said. ¡°We¡¯ll just need to survive longer and kick butt.¡± All three of them received a pouch from the arena construct. They contained emergency medical supplies, a water bottle, and food. The battle royale was supposed to last the entire day, but the barrier would shrink every hour, forcing the teams together. Nil hoped they wouldn¡¯t need to use the pouch¡¯s contents anytime soon. The pillar of light disappeared as soon as the countdown reached zero. As discussed before the event, they ran clockwise along the barrier¡¯s border. Fatima broke away from them and disappeared out of sight. The arena construction had brought them to the ruins of an alien city. The surrounding structures had a medieval feel and were mostly made of wood and stone. None in their immediate vicinity had more than three stories, giving the team¡¯s stealthiest member plenty of hiding spots and high ground for scouting. It wasn¡¯t long before they heard the sounds of teams clashing. Fatima appeared on a rooftop, barely illuminated by the glowing local flora. The bioluminescence of plants touched by cataclysm-rocked regions seemed consistent despite the world. Nil had seen plenty of such specimens in Iron Gauntlet vids, too. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Fatima pointed at the best possible route for them. All three of them agreed that getting involved in early battles was a trap. Multiple teams would converge, and it would be a bloodbath. Most who walked away from the skirmishes would be injured and vulnerable to stealthier fighters. So, the trio moved closer to the battle but kept silent and low. Information was key to victory, and they hoped to gather as much information as possible. Fatima¡¯s guidance took Nil and Xiang to the rooftop of what looked like an old temple. The nearby guard towers would¡¯ve given them a better view but would probably end up a contested crow¡¯s nest. Nil also expected artillery mages like Elisha to target them for easy takedowns. Three groups fought below. Nil immediately identified the golden, fiery chains and spotted Adam a moment later. Three similarly dressed individuals¡ªprobably a team¡ªattacked him simultaneously. While glowing crimson darts peppered all of them. Meanwhile, chain-knight was locked in combat with another person, and he saw no signs of Winter Hunter. Nil grabbed Fatima¡¯s arm when she stepped forward, shaking his head. ¡°Tempting, I know,¡± he whispered, glancing at his soul weapon¡¯s visage, hovering just behind them. It wasn¡¯t trying to warn him of anything and didn¡¯t seem particularly interested in anything but the party. Nil guessed it meant that they weren¡¯t in any immediate danger. In fact, the visage hadn¡¯t acted odd since they arrived at the venue. The magic and energies Nil detected with Energy Instinct fascinated it, but nothing more. The manifestation always stayed close to the team, looking placid. ¡°But it¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°We target whoever survives and tries getting away as planned,¡± he insisted. ¡°Fine,¡± she grumbled. One of the individuals fighting Adam charged at him with a spear that appeared more fluid than solid. A shadow flashed past him, and he fell, screaming and clutching his lower back. The man¡¯s weapon turned into a viscous goo and splattered on the ground. When one of his companions glanced away for a moment, Adam capitalized on the opening, grabbed him, and flung him into the third opposing team member. A moment later, he disappeared out of sight, and the sound of clobbering followed. ¡°They¡¯re not as bad as I expected,¡± Fatima whispered after the chain-knight successfully choked out his opponent with the chains. A moment later, the projectiles peppering the battlefield ceased, and a petite silhouette entered the light. Nil recognized the shape: Winter Hunter. A fourth group joined the fight, engaging chain-knight, and Winter Hunter fled into the shadows once again. Despite the distance, Energy Instinct highlighted the frigid blue trail she had left behind. Meanwhile, the chains radiated a brighter and more incandescent energy than before. Nil knew at a glance that he didn¡¯t want to get hit by them. The new team had two melee fighters who engaged chain-knight straight away. Instead of entangling them, he spun his conjurations, forcing his opponents back and creating a blur of gold-orange magic. The third fighter launched a bolt of green at him and the magic exploded against the chains. When the fragments touched the ground, the local fauna came to life. Chain-knight failed to see the silent tendrils creeping toward him, but they successfully wrapped around his right leg. Emerald light flashed around the mage, and a sphere the size of a beach ball manifested over his head, arcane symbols and shapes flashing around it. The spell flickered out, and she collapsed a moment later. Winter Hunter stood behind her, emanating a frigid azure aura. The mage screamed for help, but a stomp to the head cut it off abruptly. Her teammates hesitantly glanced between chain-knight and Winter Hunter. Then, they ran, heading towards the temple atop which Nil and his companions stood. ¡°We have our first prey,¡± Xiang said. Nil nodded. ¡°Hang back here, and don¡¯t conjure your chakrams unless I¡¯m in trouble.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Save your magic, Xiang. Fatima and I can take care of this without drawing too much attention. If the enemy sees your light, losing them will be a challenge.¡± Xiang nodded and stayed on the roof while Nil leaped. He had charged Brutal Battery to just under half before bed the previous night. The landing pushed a quarter of the way to full. He didn¡¯t check to see whether Fatima was following. He knew he could count on her. Absorb helped him sprint toward the noisily approaching pair without making a peep. Meanwhile, the fleeing pair of melee fighters were locked in a heated, breathless conversation. ¡°I told you attacking was a mistake,¡± one hissed. ¡°Maya is too flashy. The match has just started, and we¡¯re just two.¡± ¡°It''s not my fault she left herself vulnerable,¡± the other replied. ¡°We went over this in training. She needs to prepare bramble traps before attacking. Idiot had enough time for it.¡± ¡°Yeah. Shift the blame. That helps.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± He nodded at the temple. ¡°Let''s get in there and regroup.¡± Nil hid in an alleyway, waiting for the pair to pass. He pursued them with Expend-powered strides. They didn¡¯t hear the crunch of stone under his feet until it was too late. Nil rammed the larger of the pair with his left shoulder, putting a tenth of his maximum stores into the attack. The force knocked the man off his feet. He flew several feet before bouncing a couple of times and face-planting in the cobbled street. The other, a skinnier man carrying a scimitar and buckler, swung at him. Energy Instinct highlighted the edge as it grew crimson, and Nil evaded instead of blocking. A shield bash followed and hit like a burning sledgehammer even though Nil had switched to Absorb. His stores didn¡¯t climb, and the symbiote squirmed, dulling the heat. The man didn¡¯t let up and came at Nil with his scimitar raised above his head. Fatima emerged from the shadows and severed the weapon-carrying limb. He collapsed, screaming. She knelt on his back, weapon pressed to the back of his neck. ¡°Say you surrender,¡± she whispered, sounding far more scary than usual. ¡°I surrender!¡± The man yelled. A silver light flashed around him, and he disappeared along with the severed arm, leaving nothing but his rectangular belt pouch behind. ¡°Do we need to do the same with the other guy?¡± Nil asked, claiming the six-inch-by-six-inch container. It was identical to his but felt slightly heavier. Fatima shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s out cold. I¡¯m one hundred percent sure he won¡¯t wake up before the runes activate and teleport him out.¡± She hesitated, glancing at the immobile fighter. ¡°If not, he¡¯s in no shape to continue. Someone else will take him out. I bet everyone heard Mr Scimitar scream.¡± The pair ran toward the temple. Fatima swiped the unconscious man¡¯s supply pouch as they passed. 56. Stealthy Strikers ¡°I think we''re incentivized to collect enemy pouches,¡± Nil said, going through the stolen supplies. In addition to water, the pouch contained an energy drink¡ªor a green concoction that smelled like one¡ªa burn ointment, and a strange stone that flashed when squeezed. ¡°I wonder if everyone got something different with water as a consistent element. Unless they used it already, Mr Scimitar didn''t get a first-aid kit.¡± ¡°I think you''re right,¡± Fatima said, going through her new container. A couple of hours had passed since the battle royale began, and the trio had just found the opportunity to rest and regroup. As predicted, the scream drew pursuers, and shaking them took a while. None of the team was interested in fighting so early in the day, and they ended up exhausted¡ªespecially a concern for Xiang- and had to run until they got two teams to run into each other. ¡°This one''s the same.¡± She popped the top on the glass bottle, sniffed, and took a sip. Fatima shuddered. ¡°You can''t see it, but that just gave me goosebumps. It tastes rank, but it feels like I just had a refreshing nap.¡± Fatima rolled her shoulders. ¡°The aches from running for two hours nonstop are gone, too.¡± Xiang''s eyes widened after she took a sip from the open container. ¡°Must be some sort of stamina recovery drink,¡± she said. ¡°It washed away all of the lactic acid buildup.¡± Nil shook his head, rejecting the open container. ¡°I''m fine for now. Let''s conserve it,¡± he said. Energy Instinct highlighted how the blue-gold aura Xiang radiated ceased fluctuating and compressed until it was no more than a shimmer. Her arcane suppression¡ªapparently an essential skill for mages¡ªappeared to fluctuate based on fatigue, stress, and her general mental state. It was essential in their current setting so others with similar sensing abilities didn¡¯t detect her. Energy Instinct has progressed to Mortal 6! While Xiang and Fatima hydrated and ate a bit of jerky each, Nil ascended through the hole in the ceiling and scanned their surroundings. The barrier now touched the temple the team initially used as their viewing spot. A big thirty-eight flashed on the glassy surface above. It updated whenever the dome shrank, letting them know how many participants remained in the match. Nil expected the numbers to have shrunk far more across the first couple of hours. The competition wasn¡¯t as hot-headed as he had hoped. More groups were approaching the battle royale strategically than expected. ¡°We¡¯re twenty minutes away from the barrier shrinking again,¡± Nil said, returning to his companions. ¡°I think we need to be more proactive and start tracking and eliminating people, preferably stealthily. The more people there are in a cramped space, the more chaotic things will get. I can withstand physical attackers, but I suspect that almost every team has someone with a metaphysical ability. Those will take me down faster than I can react. Our best bet might be hoarding medical supplies for when the time comes.¡± ¡°But fighting without drawing attention is impossible,¡± Xiang said. ¡°Someone will cry out or fire off a loud attack, and then we¡¯ll get swarmed. It''s not what we planned. Your patience is waning.¡± ¡°So we attack when others can¡¯t come for us,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand.¡± Xiang frowned. ¡°He¡¯s suggesting we attack when the barrier shrinks,¡± Fatima said. Nil nodded. ¡°My sensory ability tells me we¡¯re not the only people hiding and moving along the arena¡¯s edge or just inside. I bet people are trying to find others like them and avoiding the center.¡± Magic endlessly flashed at the heart of the arena, and sounds of battle rang across the mostly silent city. The team had guessed someone had holed up at the location and was drawing people in to eliminate. ¡°These groups will move just before the end of the hour or with the barrier. That¡¯s when we strike, Xiang. Let''s put them down swiftly, or just grab their pouches and run. If they chase us, Fatima can flank them and take out their long-range attacker, and then we converge on the rest and finish them off.¡± ¡°Then we take cover and track other teams for the next hour?¡± Xiang asked. Nil nodded. ¡°I think that¡¯s our best chance of getting through. We could continue like we have until the end, but what if we don¡¯t make it to the final five afterward? We need to do enough to impress the arena construct so it lets us through on merit. What do you think?¡± ¡°I think it will give us a chance to get picked even if we don¡¯t make it to the final five.¡± Xiang walked to the nearby window, pressed herself against the wall, and peeked through the broken glass. Lights flashed at the arena¡¯s heart and also along the border. The latter conflict wasn¡¯t far. ¡°Let¡¯s move closer to them. We¡¯ll follow the survivors until the end of the hour and then attack.¡± Nil took the lead, and Xiang followed closely behind him. Meanwhile, Fatima stuck to the rooftops. They occasionally signaled each other with the stones from the stolen pouches: two flashes for ¡®safe¡¯ and one for ¡®lie low.¡¯ The fight they encountered involved two groups in a stalemate and a third peppering them with long-range attacks. All individual teams were so locked in combat with one another that they didn¡¯t notice Nil and Xiang or the hunters stalking them on the other side of the battlefield. Neither hidden party struck, watching the conflict and waiting. They have the same idea as us. Much to Nil¡¯s annoyance, Fatima moved independently, ignoring the plans. She looped around the battlefield, giving the main conflict a wide berth. Then, one of the presences Nil detected with Energy Instinct winked out. A handful of minutes later, she returned to her hiding spot above Nil and dropped a pair of bloody pouches next to him. He hastily checked them. The varying contents suggested they were from two different groups. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The stalemate broke when the hunters hiding in the shadows launched a powerful spell into the mix and fled. Nil guessed Fatima¡¯s assassination had thrown their plan into disarray and was probably shaken, too. Her silence and clean cuts did that to most people. The explosive magic forced the two melee teams out of cover, and then the ranged group, which had two spell casters, unleashed a barrage on them. As luck would have it, the barrier started moving just then. All surviving participants ran deeper into the arena and away from each other. Xiang and Fatima gave chase. Meanwhile, Nil rushed into the heart of the now-abandoned battlefield, grabbing every pouch he could see. The barrier didn¡¯t give him much time, and he only got three of the four before he chased after his teammates, picking up speed with Expend. Nil caught up to Xiang just in time to see her knock down a fleeing skinny man with a thrown chakram. He was one of the melee fighters from the stalemate. Unwilling to drop his loot, he leaped high and landed on the man¡¯s legs with both feet. The sickening crunch turned Nil¡¯s stomach, but he steeled himself, ignored the screaming, grabbed his opponent¡¯s pouch, and set his sights on the next target. The same pattern followed. Xiang¡¯s second target was a muscular brute covered in ugly bony growths. Nil doubted the same leg break tactic would work. Instead, he exploited the man¡¯s low speed. He passed the collected pouches to Xiang and instructed her to keep running. She seemed perturbed by the burden but didn¡¯t complain since the barrier was a dozen feet behind them. Observation had proved that it let people out and not back in. Once outside, people had no choice but to activate the Return spell gifted by the arena¡¯s construct. Nil leaped into the brute¡¯s path. The man didn¡¯t stop. His eyes went wide when he slammed into the much-skinnier Nil and stopped in his tracks. The shock was a nice bonus and didn¡¯t go uncapitalized. Nil grabbed his opponent¡¯s belt pouch and hopped back a step, switching to neutral just as Xiang ran past him. The brute hesitantly glanced at the approaching barrier and Nil. Then, he charged again. An Expend-powered kick with half of Brutal Battery¡¯s stores behind it sent the man staggering backward. The brute proved sturdier than possible and didn¡¯t go down. However, it got the job done. The barrier caught up to the man and he slipped through it. He nor his angry screams got through the transparent surface. Nil didn¡¯t spare him a second thought. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores dropped to a fifth of maximum as he raced away, increasing the distance between himself and the barrier. Fatima waved at him from a nearby roof, and an empowered leap carried him to a neighboring roof. Only fifteen percent of his energy stores remained when he reunited with his companions, and the barrier ceased moving. ¡°How many did you get?¡± Nil asked. He helped himself by sipping an energy drink before draining a bottle of water. Sweat soaked his hair and dropped down the back of his neck. It was tempting to pour water over himself, but he resisted. They had several bottles, but conserving them was the smarter move. Fatima had no such qualms. ¡°I took out both mages,¡± she replied, drinking half a bottle before pouring the other over her head, face, and neck. Two pouches lay at her feet. ¡°There was one more guy. I don¡¯t know if he was with them or the other hunter group. The bastard got away.¡± ¡°Twenty-three people left,¡± Xiang said, pointing at the new numbers on the dome. Then, she and Nil dug through the pouches, consolidating the supplies. They found more food, a salve that looked and smelled like Symbiotech¡¯s wound-sealing spray. Medical supplies seemed sparse. There was more food and a small bag of magic-recovery lozenges. Xiang took them. They consolidated all of the loot into five pouches. Since Xiang¡¯s chakram power increased with Spark, she hadn¡¯t invested much in her Might. As a result, her strength and stamina lagged far behind Nil and Fatima¡¯s. They let her only carry one pouch with water, magic lozenges, and a couple of sips of the energy drink. They were in the middle of discussing how to divide the rest when a near-crippling headache pulsed through Nil¡¯s head. He staggered, grasping the flat roof¡¯s wall for support. Xiang appeared unaffected, but Fatima collapsed, screaming and clutching her head. The pink flecks dancing off her multiplied and darkened. The red crystalline material that formed her blades and knuckle guards extended over her hands and wrists. The symbiote covering her squirmed, almost seeming to merge with hardened blood. Purple energy motes joined the pink. ¡°Psychic attack,¡± Xiang whispered. She conjured four chakrams. The rogue-mage held two and let the second pair hang from her wrists. ¡°Take Fatima and run. I¡¯ll cover you.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Nil asked. Xiang nodded. Fortunately, Fatima had enough sense to cling to Nil¡¯s back when he kneeled in front of her. Xiang attached all the pouches to her waistband while Nil focused on the fighting in the distance. Katherine had taught him to fight and resist psychic attacks, but they weren¡¯t in training anymore. The Mind Mage likely had companions coming for the party. He didn¡¯t see Xiang engage the opponent as he ran. Chakrams whirred through the air and shattered. Angry shouts followed. It was tempting to check on Xiang, but he resisted. Absorb cushioned Nil¡¯s fall from the roof. He kept the ability active as he sprinted away, moving along the barrier. He saw the flashes of Xiang¡¯s chakram in his peripheral vision. They were close. When the tightness around Nil¡¯s head tightened, he knew fleeing wouldn¡¯t work. Before returning to the fight, he stashed Fatima and all the pouches inside a half-collapsed building. Instead of helping Xiang, he silently ran past her as she fought two melee fighters. Nil poured all his focus into Energy Instinct even when the discomfort increased. The shadows squirmed, and the back of his ears itched. Then, he saw the pulsating pink that surrounded Katherine when she used her ability and spells. Except the one ahead was significantly weaker, lacking intensity and luster. Thanks to Absorb, the source didn¡¯t hear Nil''s approach. Worried an Expend-powered strike would kill them, he opted to choke the mage out. Grunts, screams and gasps burst from the cloaked figure as Nil increased the pressure on their neck. The pain and tightness around Nil¡¯s temples increased, but he didn¡¯t let up. If Katherine¡¯s magic was a bad fever, the mage¡¯s spell was like the sniffles. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and snot trickled from his nostrils as he fought off unconsciousness. Mind has progressed to Mortal 7! Nil almost collapsed when the mage ceased struggling. He dropped the unconscious body as the Mind Magic¡¯s effects melted away. Nil wanted nothing more than to collapse, but he needed to help Xiang. The longer the fight continued, the greater the chances of another team finding them. 57. Unexpected And Unfortunate After their mage fell, the enemy fighters had little chance. One was a knight whose hammer caused miniature explosions whenever it struck. The air rippled with every collision, and the sound echoed around them. Now that the barrier had ceased moving, Nil worried the sound would draw other teams, so he charged at the man while Xiang dealt with a kukri-wielding rogue. Blood streamed from her cheek, and she appeared to be favoring her left leg. Her ability to hold up against both and not fall already was impressive. However, he could tell that she couldn¡¯t keep it up for long. The explosions proved perfect for charging Brutal Battery. Nil caught the hammer mid-swing. Absorb nullified momentum, but the head still boomed. It rattled Nil¡¯s eardrums, but he suffered no damage. He guessed his ability didn¡¯t function to full effect against the sonic element. This possibility highlighted that Absorb didn¡¯t strictly follow the rules of physics. Sound waves were kinetic energy, after all. Absorb must be incompatible with certain frequencies. Nil gritted his teeth as he ripped the weapon out of his opponent¡¯s hands. He threw it with the power of Expend at Xiang¡¯s opponent. It clipped the man, staggering him. The disruption was enough to turn the tides. Xiang used the opportunity to back away from the rogue. She threw both her chakrams at him. One grazed his ribs. The second planted itself high in the thigh. Xiang triggered the explosion and the man screamed. ¡°I surrender!¡± He yelled before disappearing in a flash of light. Meanwhile, the final member of the team uselessly struck Nil with tightly balled fists. Lesser explosions followed each blow, but they didn¡¯t hurt Nil¡¯s ears or rattle his brain like the first. The man appeared to have a significant Might investment, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to bodyslam his opponent before twisting his arm behind his back and kneeling on the limb. Several tiny pops followed. ¡°Surrender before I start breaking things,¡± Nil said. ¡°Fuck you,¡± the man yelled, kicking. ¡°You think I won¡¯t do it?¡± He increased the pressure, drawing an angry grunt. The kicking slowed. ¡°You made a hell of a racket, buddy. My team won¡¯t be happy about me not putting you down straight away. Surrender before I do something I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I surrender.¡± Nil and Xiang claimed the two pouches before returning to Fatima. She hadn¡¯t moved and still appeared dazed. The woman¡¯s pupils were the size of saucers. Energy Instinct highlighted the thick pink and purple flecks radiating off her as the crystalline red continued to climb up her arms. They came up to her elbows now. ¡°Is her brain fried?¡± Xiang asked. She kneeled and reached for Fatima¡¯s shoulder. The raised runes on every participant''s collarbone didn¡¯t show against the black symbiote, but tracing them would also trigger the return teleport. ¡°She just needs a bit longer to recover,¡± Nil said, grabbing Xiang¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s relocate somewhere a bit deeper in the arena and give her a bit. The pouches might just have something to help her. If it doesn¡¯t work, we send her back.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± The woman¡¯s stoic nature made it difficult for Nil to get a read on her, but he was sure she sounded annoyed. He let Xiang take half the pouches while he carried Fatima and the rest. They jogged deeper into the arena. It was risky, but Nil didn¡¯t want to bother fleeing from the Barrier the next time it moved. Xiang was an excellent combatant, but she paled when compared to Fatima, and he wanted the latter by his side when facing the final opponents of the battle royale. Worried that another team was now stalking them, Nil kept going for fifteen minutes, taking several twists and turns, changing speed, and slipping through buildings. Energy Instinct didn¡¯t detect anyone pursuing them, but he didn¡¯t want to take risks. Sounds of battle rang all around them, and approximately seventeen other competitors remained. He hoped the surviving teams would keep each other busy long enough for them to recover. By the time they stopped, Xiang was breathless, covered in sweat, and looked on the verge of collapse. Dark patches marked her navy blue leggings and top. She dug through the pouches until she found the healing serum. Xiang took a swig and also carefully slathered it on her wounds. Then she took a sip of the energy drink and drained a water bottle. The brews appeared to help, but Xiang still seemed a light breeze from unconsciousness. She and Nil then fed all the recovery fluids to Fatima, too. ¡°Can you keep an eye on her for a bit?¡± Nil asked, taking a sip of the energy drink. The newly claimed pouches also contained rolled spheres of nuts and dried fruits. They were a nice, sweet treat, and Nil helped himself to one. The final remnants of discomfort from the psychic attack faded. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Xiang frowned, breaking a sweet sphere in half. She ate one and tried feeding a bit of the other to the still catatonic Fatima. ¡°I¡¯ll ensure we weren¡¯t followed and maybe scout a bit,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I¡¯ll keep low and on the roofs. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiang nodded. ¡°Stay safe. Don¡¯t get knocked out after I risked loss for you.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t.¡± He studied Fatima for a moment. The visage appeared concerned about her, too. The symbiote continued writhing, and the crystal armor was halfway up her upper arm. Nil hoped the sweet treat would do the job. Something similar had helped him during the emergency quest after Oth¡¯s psychic assault. Lights flashed two streets away. Nil heard the sounds of several participants locked in combat. It was tempting to get a closer look, but he resisted. The arena was almost half the size of what it was at the start of the event. He was sure there would be others watching the battle, looking for an opportunity to thin the competition. Nil kept Absorb on as he leaped between roofs and circled their hiding spot. It didn¡¯t seem like anyone had followed them. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Well, that¡¯s a relief. He believed their plan was a good one. Unfortunately, more than one other team had the same idea. Nil also thought it possible the Mind Mage and their companions had holed up in a hiding spot, waiting for teams fleeing the barrier. The big battle was loud, and predicting the road survivors would take afterward wasn¡¯t hard. Before returning to his companions, Nil studied the paths to the center of the arena. He looked for the most obvious roads people would take away from the barrier, past them, and toward enemy teams. Once Fatima recovered, Nil wanted to discuss finding somewhere high along an unavoidable road and dropping on passing teams. Nil was still studying the surroundings and scanning for surrounding energies when a blood-curdling scream made his heart leap into his throat. It was Xiang. He raced toward the team¡¯s hiding spot, cursing himself for taking too long. Given the woman¡¯s ability to suppress her presence, he didn¡¯t expect anyone to find the location. Nil had scanned the surroundings for several minutes before moving on. He was almost sure no one had followed them. Almost. Despite the rapid approach and urgency, Nil took his time sneaking into the building. Absorb made him silent, but he still needed to avoid rushing forward and making a racket. Nil''s heart dropped when he reached the floor where he had left his companions. Fatima was conscious. She stood tall over Xiang¡¯s cowering form. The rogue-mage sat pressed into a corner, clutching the stump of her right arm. Xiang¡¯s hand and most of her forearm sat at Fatima¡¯s feet. The heartbreak wasn¡¯t from the woman¡¯s betrayal. Because as he looked from the side, Nil wasn¡¯t sure it was intentional. In fact, Fatima didn¡¯t look like herself or in control. Alongside the dense pink and purple motes floating off Fatima, thick black smoke billowed from her. The visage looked like it wanted to cling to Fatima and embrace her, drawn to the dark magic. Cursed Energy. Why did it have to be Cursed Energy? The expression on Fatima¡¯s face took Nil back to seven years ago. He¡¯d seen the look once before on another Summoned¡¯s face: the man who killed Aisha. Nil had expected Symbiotech to be up to no good, using Cursed Energy to make illicit devices. Now, it seemed so much worse. The company was making the same twisted entities that killed someone he loved. Fatima¡¯s odd ability suddenly made a lot of sense. She displayed many different skills that didn¡¯t seem to go together. The woman had speed and stealth, which put her on par with Mortal or Iron Realm rogues. The accompanying blood blades made her more potent than most. Now Nil realized they were soul weapons, which people of their rank usually didn¡¯t have. Symbiotech had probably constructed one with Cursed Energy, and Fatima volunteered as its host. Nil wondered whether they¡ªor a connected company¡ªhad tried the same with the Summoned from seven years ago and failed. Somehow, the soul weapon transferred vessels to him, and now Nil worried he¡¯d end up like Fatima and the man, too. Xiang had suspected there was something off and too powerful about Fatima. Nil now felt foolish for waving off her worries. He expected the ruling powers to ensure nothing of the sort got through, but he remembered Layla mentioning how Cursed Energy had hidden him from the Nexus and Schema. Nil guessed the dark presence could fool Apocalypse Arena¡¯s construct, too. Anger boiled inside Nil. He felt duped. Even though he lacked in the Mind department, Layla had assured him it didn¡¯t mean he was lacking in intellect. Shina, Symbiotech, and Fatima had made him an idiot of him. ¡°Hey!¡± he yelled when Fatima advanced on Xiang. Both women¡¯s attention shifted to him. Fatima¡¯s pupils were still the size of saucers. She swayed and twitched, looking like she had snorted or injected a massive dose of whatever illicit substance was currently popular on the streets. Fatima staggered as she stepped toward him, then charged as sure-footed as always. Aware that Absorb barely functioned against Fatima¡¯s blades, he stayed in a neutral state. Fortunately, her attacks lacked her usual precision, giving Nil a chance to weave between them. When he struck Fatima, she accepted the unempowered blow. Her usual care and agility appeared gone, too. She stumbled backward and almost fell but caught herself at the last moment. The dazed rogue came at Nil again. Dodging in the small space proved impossible as she whirled like a dervish. The crimson crystalline growths had covered her torso and hung from her hips like a long skirt. So, when she spun, the woman looked like the spinning dancers of the Sufi fraternity. Nil successfully avoided the blades but failed to do the same for the ropey extensions. The aura and the tops shredded his skin and flesh across his abdomen. Nil struggled not to scream and just about contained himself. He successfully snuck in a strike and pushed her back. The Expend-powered blow struck Fatima¡¯s chest, cracking the crystalized blood armor. Finesse has progressed to Iron 0! A sudden pulse of power washed over Nil. His senses sharpened, and following Fatima¡¯s erratic movements became easier. When she came at him again, he hopped backward. Her daggers scythed inward and just about missed his neck. Both arms shot upward, and she swung both blades downward together. Nil caught Fatima¡¯s forearms just above the elbow. Much to his surprise, she pushed him back. Whatever was going on with Fatima had amplified her strength. ¡°Snap out of it!¡± He hissed. The blades crept closer. The tips slid into his pectorals like butter. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they endangered his internal organs. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± Xiang screamed at Nil as he tried headbutting the rogue out of her daze. ¡°That¡¯s not Fatima anymore. She¡¯s going to take you out.¡± Nil knew she was right. The three of them had already made a lot of noise, and Nil couldn¡¯t afford to get knocked out now. At the same time, he felt guilty for what he was supposed to do. Despite everything, Fatima had been a decent teammate. If the Mind Mage didn¡¯t break her, Nil doubted she would¡¯ve turned on the team and lost control over the Cursed Energy and the soul weapon. So, he whispered a silent apology before releasing Brutal Battery¡¯s energies through his palms. Instead of just opening the valve, he treated it like a tap and released a trickle of power. The armor disintegrated. Fatima¡¯s skin, flesh, and skeleton followed. It wasn¡¯t a clean dismemberment like she achieved with her blades. Instead, he destroyed every bit of her arm within his grip. Worried that her blood and weapon could still damage him, Nil kicked her abdomen, pushing her away. The move helped him escape the bloody whips that lashed at him, but not the Cursed Energy. Nil grimaced as the smoke, pink and purple flecks, flowed into his burnt palms into. He felt an alien presence follow them. His arms felt three times as heavy for a heartbeat, then the discomfort and all signs of the thick smoke disappeared. A flash of light enveloped Fatima before her back touched the ground, and then she was gone. The arena construct had teleported the woman away to save her life. Nil hoped it would snap her out of whatever the Cursed Energy and soul weapon had done so he could get some answers¡ªif Symbiotech allowed it. ¡°Are you¡ª¡± Nil stopped short when he found Xiang gone, too. Several pouches lay where she had sat. Busy dealing with Fatima, he hadn¡¯t seen her disappear. He couldn¡¯t be sure whether she surrendered or the arena construct took her, too. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nil sighed. There was no way he could¡¯ve expected such a development, yet he regretted not sending Fatima home. Xiang would still be in the competition if he listened to her advice and wouldn¡¯t need to make it through the rest of the battle royale alone. 58. Running Solo Fatima¡¯s little rampage had damaged, if not destroyed, most of the pouches and their contents. After some digging, Nil found a couple of bottles of water, a broken vial of healing serum, an intact bottle of energy drink, and, fortunately, a smidge of burn ointment. He slathered the stinky salve on his hands and drank the serum before packing the rest into a couple of pouches. As he worked, burnt skin flaked off his hands. His palms stung, but Nil gritted his teeth through the pain. The damage from the briefly channeled energy wasn¡¯t as horrid as he expected. The nerves calmed but only alerted him of other injuries. Fatima¡¯s blades inflicted clean slices. However, the ropey lengths of crystalized blood had shredded his skin and flesh. Everything itched as the healing serum took effect, fixing the damage. The area remained tight, and Nil knew he¡¯d need to rely on the Fountain of Pyrene to fix the remainder of the damage. After taking a sip of the energy drink, Nil ran. He didn¡¯t bother using Absorb and propelled himself away from the building using Expend. The nearby fight was still ongoing and loud¡ªfar louder than he or Xiang had been. Yet Nil didn¡¯t take any risks and ran swiftly in the opposite direction, not bothering to conserve much energy. Several minor skirmishes and chases littered the arena, and Nil avoided them. He paused occasionally, studying the fighters and looking for people he recognized but only stayed for a short time. Most of the remaining participants were still in teams of twos or threes, and he didn¡¯t particularly want to risk his chances of qualifying. However, when Energy Instinct highlighted a lone fighter slinking along the streets, Nil dropped on her from above and attempted to choke her out. The woman proved too slippery. She slipped out of his hold and came at Nil with electrified bike-chain-like conjurations. If it weren¡¯t for the symbiote, he¡¯d be in trouble. He let the tethers wrap around his forearm and shoulder. The strength behind them surprised Nil as it disabled the limb. Absorb would leave him in a passive position, prolonging the fight. So, he relied on the power provided by Expend to pull. The woman yelped, stumbling into him, and suffered a headbutt as a result. As soon as the chains loosened, Nil slipped out of them and turned them on their user, wrapping them around the neck. The woman dispelled her conjurations, leaving herself unarmed. Since she had already slipped out of his hold once¡ªprobably because of superior Finesse¡ªhe didn¡¯t attempt the merciful route. A sharp, empowered kick to the knee bent it the wrong way and brought the woman down. Nil slapped a hand over her mouth just in time to suppress the accompanying scream. She surrendered after he gave an elbow the same treatment. He claimed the sweets and a new bottle of energy drink from her supply pouch before moving on. Nil kept moving until the end of the hour. Then, just as the barrier started moving, he found a crow¡¯s nest along the central road to the arena¡¯s heart. It was tempting to leap on passing participants, but Nil stayed as still as possible, focusing on Energy Instinct. Familiar and unfamiliar energy signatures moved all around him. A surprising number of them moved toward the spot directly under the dome¡¯s peak. The sounds of battle commenced as the lights converged. At first, it made no sense why people were rushing to the center instead of taking advantage of the time on hand. Then, it occurred to him that not everyone probably thought to steal the pouches. Unless the arena construct provided multiple configurations of the same items, his last victim¡¯s pouch had items from two different sets. If the other groups didn¡¯t do the same, many were likely tired, injured, hungry, and dried. They were rushing to find other groups and still resources. The number on the barrier above dropped to eleven. Nil circled the arena, avoiding fights and working toward the center. He occasionally restored the battery¡¯s contents by jumping off roofs with Absorb active. With enough energy drink to last him all day, Nil hoped to run out the clock and avoid fights until the battlefield was so small that there was no avoiding other participants. Unfortunately, the arena construct ruined his plans. The barrier didn''t stop shrinking when the next hour ended, and the remaining participants dropped to eight. It covered the distance it should¡¯ve at the usual speed, then continued to edge inward half as fast. Nil guessed the arena took a fair bit of magic to maintain, and the powers above didn¡¯t want to waste it so the remaining mortals could drag out the battle royale. He begrudgingly moved with the barrier, hoping the remaining fighters would thin the numbers for him. The sounds of battle reached him long before he saw any of the remaining competition. Animalistic yowls and roars punctuated the fighters¡¯ grunts, yells, and flashing abilities. When he reached the arena¡¯s center, Nil saw only five fighters instead of seven. Much to his disappointment, they were primarily people he didn¡¯t want to fight: Adam, the chain-knight, Winter Hunter, Shawn, and his pallid female companion. Frost surrounded a crushed giant feline. The visage kneeled over the corpse, studying it curiously. Standing on the roof of a building just outside what looked like the abandoned town¡¯s square, he failed to spot Gwyneth. Given her summon¡¯s state, he thought it safe to assume she was out of the fight. The back of Nil¡¯s neck prickled, and the visage waved, looking panicked and pointing behind him. It wasn¡¯t cold but a more electric feeling. He threw himself flat on the roof just as lightning struck where he¡¯d stood a moment ago. The spell missed, but he felt an uncomfortable sting on his left shoulder. Nil rolled onto his back just in time to see Viktor hop off the roof. Energy Instinct flared just as he gave chase. A thick bolt blasted upward from the street below. Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, it arced toward him. Skidding to a stop did him no good. The magic struck his left side, and his muscles seized. For a moment, Nil believed everything he had experienced since the night of his Summoning had been a dream. White consumed his vision, and his mouth tasted pennies. It felt as if the abrasive Officer Jones had shot him with an Arthurtech Stun Gun. Then, the arena¡¯s cold air pulled Nil back to reality. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, forcing himself upright and kicking the ground, moving away from the roof¡¯s edge. Nil¡¯s right hand shot to the burning around his left shoulder. He felt a scalding piece of metal, much like a drain plug, stuck to his bare skin. Attempts at pulling it off failed. It was a lightning rod. Then, he the crunching of boots on broken stone and knew Viktor had returned to the rooftop. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Nil¡¯s vision hadn¡¯t returned. Fortunately, Energy Instinct didn¡¯t need his eyes to warn him of building arcane energy approximately seven feet away. It was then he learned the Schema could send him notifications even when he was blind. Energy Instinct has progressed to Mortal 7! Expend through the left shoulder got the lightning rod to release and shoot away just as Viktor released his spell. The energy followed the piece of metal. Nil trusted Energy Instinct and lunged forward, kicking off the ground with Expend. His opponent didn¡¯t have the Might or Finesse to take him out with a physical strike, so he didn¡¯t bother with Absorb. Instead, he barrelled into where the sensory ability told him Victor was. All the momentum behind the approach struck Viktor. A guttural scream burst from the man as the force knocked him off his feet and sent him flying. Nil blinked, hard forcing away the double vision. He needed to put the lightning wielder down before he recovered and came at him again. Viktor¡¯s power somehow gave him excellent mobility, making up for the mage discipline¡¯s shortcomings. Nil¡¯s concerns proved unnecessary. The barrier had caught up to him while he was blind, and Viktor now hovered outside of it, soundlessly cursing and yelling. He disappeared with a flash a moment later. After taking a sip of healing serum and the energy drink, Nil returned to the square. He had less than a minute before the barrier covered the roof, and he would need to descend. Only three combatants remained. The Winter Hunter and Chain-Knight had disappeared. Nil couldn¡¯t be sure whether the arena construct teleported them out before or after Viktor. Adam stood fighting Shawn while the sickly-looking woman crept around the pair, attempting to flank the brute. The dome above read four, and Nil no longer worried about not making it into Apocalypse Arena. So, he leaped from the roof. Adam had proved a decent and friendly guy, so he hoped to forge a temporary alliance. Nil landed behind Shawn, switched to neutral, and immediately launched into an empowered Superman punch. The barrier-maker''s reflexes proved extraordinary, showcasing superior instinct and senses further sharpened by Finesse. A wall of fist-sized hexagons appeared between him and Nil, softening the punch. The barrier shattered, and an invisible force buffeted him, but he still successfully landed a blow between Shawn¡¯s shoulder blades. ¡°Behind you!¡± Nil yelled as Shawn stumbled, dropping to a knee. Adam spun around just in time to see the woman swiping at him. He dodged, grabbed her, and leaped away, dividing the last remaining team. Unlike the solo opponents Nil had faced before, Shawn wasted no time on small talk, jibes, or curses. He attacked. A dense sphere made of hexagons appeared in front of Nil and exploded before he could activate Absorb. The force knocked him backward. By the time he regained balance, Shawn was on his feet, had similarly dense spheres surrounding his fist, and was throwing punches. Nil let the first couple of blows land and charge Brutal Battery. The unit of Finesse he gained from fighting Fatima proved invaluable. He was still less agile and precise than his opponent but had an easier time following Shawn''s movements. Nil kept Absorb on and focused on blocking. Then, as he got used to Shawn¡¯s relentless attack pattern, he transitioned to parrying. Finally, Nil evaded while switching to a neutral state poured energy into his fist, and punched his opponent¡¯s chest. Much to Nil''s surprise, he felt a second of resistance a quarter of an inch just before striking Shawn. An almost invisible barrier shattered, absorbing a chunk of the strike''s power. The shock didn''t win the man any respite. Nil released a quarter of his now nearly full storage through the front of his fist as an old-fashioned blast. A grunt escaped Shawn as the force knocked him off his feet and sent him flying. Nil was sure he had heard something crack but couldn''t be sure. Unwilling to take any risks, he chased with empowered bounds. A concave barrier caught Shawn. He coughed loudly, spraying blood and spittle as he threw his hands up, pointing them at Nil. Several barriers appeared between them. Ignoring the inevitable pain, Nil channeled Expend¡¯s secondary function, releasing the tiniest trickle of energy he possibly could through the outer edge of his hands. He chopped through the walls like they were paper. Shockwaves buffeted him as each shattered, and without Absorb, he struggled to maintain his speed and balance. Ankles threatened to sprain, and all other joints groaned, but Nil refused to give his opponent a chance to recover. A scream burst from Shawn when a sideways chop sliced through a barrier and then eviscerated an outstretched palm. Energy Instinct warned Nil of the compressed energy rapidly swelling inside his opponent. He activated Absorb just in time to defend against the layered barrier that exploded from Shawn. Each shattered as they touched Nil. The first couple filled Brutal Battery''s stores from twenty percent to full while the third battered and threw him backward. The force knocked the air out of his lungs, and he landed painfully on the rubble littering the square. Absorb has progressed to Mortal 9! The sickly-looking woman was on Nil before he could recover. She didn''t strike him. Instead, she placed a foot on his chest and pushed. The ground seemed to have turned into mud as he sank into it. Then, she stepped away, and everything solidified, leaving Nil''s chest and shoulders stuck in the stone. He could neither move nor breathe. The hard ground restricted his rib cage''s ability to expand, and he saw no option but to risk burns and trickle energy through his torso, breaking down the material trapping him. Unlike destroying armor, flesh, and bone, it was a slow process that took about five seconds. Nil wasn''t sure how effective an explosive release would be against the dense stone and worried the shrapnel would shred his face and perhaps eyes. Meanwhile, the woman had retreated to Shawn. The barrier-maker was on his hands and knees, coughing blood. Nil guessed he had broken a rib and, in turn, punctured a lung with his strike. After witnessing and experiencing only one instance of the woman''s power, he had no clue what it could be, but he was sure of his ability to take, at least, Shawn out. Then, there would be two, and he could try his luck against the survivor, making a play for the top position. A somewhat clenched jaw helped ignore the screaming nerves. Nil threw himself at the woman, moving as fast as he could without losing stability. He extended an arm, hoping to catch her around the neck or transition to a grab if she attempted to dodge. Instead, he passed through her, stumbling and staggering dangerously close to leaving the battle royale. The barrier had continued to shrink while they fought. He caught sight of Adam just outside, half stuck in a wall. The brute disappeared in a flash of light. Phasing? A pair of soft feminine hands gently wrapped around Nil''s burned shoulders. He sank into the ground. Expend through the shoulders hurt as more skin and flesh burned, but he heard her scream as the explosion of energy knocked her back. Nil used the last of his power to free his legs, gritting his teeth through the pain. He successfully climbed out, but then an explosion struck the middle of his back and threw him four feet forward. Nil activated Absorb just as he landed, catching himself. Then, the arena''s barrier passed over Nil, locking him outside. It was over. He was out of the match. 59. Bittersweet Victory ¡°You were fucking amazing!¡± Andrew exclaimed, rewinding the last few minutes of the battle royale and restarting from when Nil arrived at the arena¡¯s heart. ¡°You literally kicked his ass with your eyes closed! Brutal Battery has turned into a god damned machine!¡± ¡°Nil was amazing before he became a Summoned,¡± Susan said, pouring Nil a fresh glass of orange juice. She placed a fresh paper straw in it and pecked his cheek while handing it to him. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Half annoyed by missing second place by a hair,¡± Nil answered, taking a long sip of his drink. ¡°But, the magic painkillers almost make up for it.¡± After getting kicked out of the match, the arena construct teleported him to the winner¡¯s chambers¡ªa section of the arena complex he didn¡¯t know existed. A pair of healers attended to his wounds, growing new skin and flesh to remove the bits left crispy by prolonged Expend usage. Their work kept him from immediately signing up for a quest and employing the Fountain of Pyrene¡¯s magic. The healers let his friends in once they were done with their work, but Andrew hadn¡¯t stopped gushing since. The arena construct¡¯s attendants had already peeked in to ensure all was well and dropped off a selection of food and drinks. Apocalypse Arena treated its ¡®winners¡¯ well. Katherine sat on the bed next to Nil, leaning against him and watching Andrew as he shadow-punched Nil¡¯s side of the fight against Shawn. Susan fussed over them, especially the injured fighter, like a mother hen between telling her new boyfriend to calm down. As the recording continued, Nil couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed with himself. It wasn¡¯t just the blind fight versus Viktor but the brief duel with Shawn, too. The element of surprise played a big role, but it felt good to defeat a foe that had dominated him in the past. If it were just a matter of martial skill, there was no question who¡¯d be the winner. Nil ensured it didn¡¯t get to that point by risking it all with Expend¡¯s second function. His hands were wrapped in bandages currently, and he couldn¡¯t grip anything, but it was a good trade-off. The battle royale¡¯s ending was frustrating to watch. Shawn conjured a dense layered sphere behind Nil and detonated it in the final moments, pushing him out of the barrier. Within a moment after that, he fainted. According to the stats provided by the construct, there was less than a second between the two incidents. First: Selia Second: Shawn Clarke Third: Nil Roy Fourth: Adam Bright Fifth: Iqbal Khan Participants passed for exemplary performance: Gwyneth Morgan, Lilian Ford, Liam Wozniak, Harvey Patel. Nil was pleased to see Lily on the list. She was the only other Golden Aegis participant who ranked high or performed well enough to pass the qualifiers. The duo and solo matches still remained, and Nil was eager to learn if anyone else he knew made it through. Most of the other successful Summoned came from Shawn¡¯s ludus¡ªIqbal Khan was none other than Winter Hunter. Nil had no clue who the final two members on the list were. While his friends talked, Nil checked in on how people he knew had approached the battle royale. Viktor and his team had rushed to the heart of the arena. They collapsed a few buildings and turtled at the top of a tower. Elisha did what she did best, launching artillery-style long-range energy balls while Lily protected her. Meanwhile, Viktor laid low and jumped engaged teams from the rear. Instead of a weapon, he had brought a pouch of metal plugs into the arena. They made up for lightning¡¯s weakness¡ªnearly impossible to accurately aim¡ªby acting as lightning rods. They took out a third of the competitors, and Nil was surprised that the arena construct had only passed Lily. Adam and his companions had taken a more direct approach. The brute never seemed to tire and swiftly recovered from most injuries. He rushed into fights and got everyone to focus on him. Chain-knight ensured he didn¡¯t get overwhelmed and slowed down enemies with his conjurations. Meanwhile, Iqbal zipped through the battlefield, either taking down foes in one hit or whittling them down with stabs and building cold. It looked like Adam did most of the work with his ability and excellent kickboxing and judo skills. Nil doubted the other two would¡¯ve made it to the end without him. At first, Nil expected Liam and Harvey to be the Mind Mage and one of his companions. He was wrong. The first was the Psionic he had heard about. The man conjured pink ethereal blades. His weapons didn¡¯t seem overly powerful at first, but people cut by it appeared to grow disoriented as the fight went on, becoming slower and unstable. Then, Harvey, a rogue, came in and took them out. Their team was much like Nil¡¯s, employing speedy hit-and-run tactics and specifically targeting the tired or injured survivors of skirmishes. Shawn and his friends took things slow. It appeared Selia¡ªthe arena construct refused to divulge her last name¡ªtired easily. So, they played the long game, avoiding fights unless they couldn¡¯t help it. Shawn fought at close range while simultaneously shielding his companions. He and Gwyneth¡¯s cat downed most opponents. Selia slunk around and occasionally trapped people in walls or the ground. It seemed the team primarily focused on protecting her and ensuring she got through the match. Losing out on the second spot somewhat disappointed Nil, but he didn¡¯t have much reason to complain. The victory got him two-hundred-and-fifty Schema credit¡ªit wasn¡¯t enough to join a new ludus, but combined with his current savings, Nil was halfway there¡ªtwo Schema Tokens, which he immediately added to Spark and a Bronze Ascension Token. The final price wouldn¡¯t come in handy for a few months, at least, but it was still pleasant to have. Brutal Battery: Mortal 9 Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Energy Instinct: Mortal 7 Feats: With Spark at Iron-Three, getting Mind to Iron wouldn¡¯t be too challenging. Thanks to The Power of Belief, it wasn¡¯t necessary, but Nil wanted his resistance to psychic attacks as high as possible. Since the match ended, Nil had already checked the quest list a couple of times. The lack of Iron Ascension Tokens was no surprise. It would be a while before he got to ascend. He was keen to see how Brutal Battery would grow from the upgrade and what kind of sub-abilities the Schema would offer him. ¡°It''s generally a choice between an offensive ability, something defensive, and a balanced option,¡± Susan told him as they discussed the possibilities. ¡°When I first ascended, my ability just let me summon Skoll and Hati. They were ordinary, dire wolves with no magical abilities. I used my Iron Ascense to enhance their size, durability, and strength. The sub-ability later developed also to grant accelerated regeneration. Bronze ascension gave them their light and shadow manipulation powers.¡± ¡°Expend gives you a fuck tonne of offensive potential already,¡± Katherine added. ¡°I¡¯d suggest you pick something that¡¯ll help you recover quicker or further lean into your greatest strength¡ªshrugging off physical attacks. Leave offensive upgrades until Bronze or even silver.¡± ¡°I had the same thought,¡± Nil mumbled, watching the screen as Andrew skipped to one of his fights earlier in the battle royale. His chest tightened as he watched Xiang and Fatima fight. Guilt tightened its chokehold. Despite his reservations, Nil had grown too attached to Fatima and overlooked all the clues. The visage wasn¡¯t hovering around him and the party. It was sticking to the woman brimming with Cursed Energy. If he figured out the puzzle sooner or gone along with the idea to force her surrender, Xiang would¡¯ve had a chance of completing the match. ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself for any of that nonsense,¡± Katherina whispered in his ear. She moved off her chair and onto the bed next to Nil. ¡°That can¡¯t have been pleasant.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± She pressed a finger to her lips and continued with her volume low. ¡°I can tell something was off there, and your lovely sponsors are probably involved. We don¡¯t know if someone is listening, so it''s best if we speak about this later.¡± Andrew shot Nil a wink. ¡°You can tell us everything later. Somewhere isolated and shielded from outside ears.¡± ¡°Like, a scrap yard.¡± Susan smiled, completing the thought. The suite¡¯s doors opened almost on cue, and a flood of people rushed in. Many had phones and cameras out. Several individuals wearing logos from aethertech and other biotech companies accompanied them. ¡°Mr Roy! How long have you left on your Symbiotech contract?¡± ¡°How do you feel about losing to Shawn Clarke by less than half a second?¡± The two brazen men appeared to encourage the little crowd waiting outside, and the rest flooded in after the pair. The following barrage overwhelmed Nil, but he also found the attention flattering. He had made a positive impression. ¡°Does your contract allow you to take on multiple partnerships? Garuda Systems is willing to equip and sponsor you. We project you are testing brilliantly in British and Asian markets and believe we can make a bunch of money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. Nordic Aether will make you more money than you¡¯ll know how to spend.¡± ¡°Garudatech will also supply you with latest levi-bikes¡ª¡± ¡°What happened with your teammate?¡± Another reporter asked. ¡°Why did she go mental and turn on you? Do you know if she was doping?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she a Symbiotech partner, too?¡± The Garuda Systems rep raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s enough, everybody,¡± Andrew said, putting himself between the swelling crowd and Nil. ¡°This is a recovery space. You vultures don¡¯t belong here.¡± ¡°We have the right to speak to Mr Roy!¡± One of them protested. ¡°Not like this in a fucking recovery room.¡± Andrew didn¡¯t back down when the taller bear of a man got in his face. ¡°The press and meeting rooms are down the hall. Speak to the other victors, and if Nil wishes to talk, he¡¯ll see you there.¡± ¡°Watch your tone, civvy¡ª¡± ¡°This might be Apocalypse Arena property, but I¡¯d pick my next words carefully,¡± Katherine said, flashing her badge. Susan did the same and joined her. The two women flanked Andrew. ¡°Mr Roy put a do not disturb sign on the door for a reason. I advise you to request it, or I¡¯ll have no choice but to summon the guards.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave me your cards and contact details?¡± Nil said, staying in his hospital bed and pointing at a table with fruit bowls by the door. ¡°I¡¯m too full of painkillers and tired to be any use to you right now. Once I¡¯ve recovered enough, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Sunil Roy will not be talking to anyone without his publicist and¡ª¡± Shina stomped into the room, pushing through the crowd. She paused when she saw Andrew and the two police officers with their badges out. The visage snapped to attention. It had spent the past hour wandering around the room. Now, it rushed to study Shina closely. ¡°¡ªhis manager present. I¡¯ve already summoned building security. I¡¯d advise you to clear out before they arrive.¡± The combined threat did the job. All the intruders filed out without making a peep. Shina watched them sternly as they passed and closed the door behind them. Then she turned on Nil and his friend. ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± she said. ¡°Alone.¡± ¡°Andrew is my manager, and Katherine is my girlfriend,¡± Nil said. ¡°We¡¯re fine to speak around them.¡± ¡°Neither has signed an NDA, and we have sensitive matters to discuss.¡± Shina maintained a cold but professional tone as she spoke. She held up the thick case she carried. ¡°I also need to claim the symbiote, and I can¡¯t expose company secrets in front of them.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you lot go check out of your hotel?¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯ll message you once Shina and I are done talking. We can hang out afterward.¡± Andrew and Susan did as requested straight away, but Katherine took her time. She returned to the bed and kissed Nil before grabbing her purse. ¡°I¡¯ve been called in tonight, so I can¡¯t join you for the closing ceremony.¡± She traced a little shape in his palm, and her eyes darted to the bedside table. ¡°Are you fine going stag?¡± Nil nodded, figuring out what she was trying to tell him. ¡°I¡¯m a big boy. I¡¯ll manage just fine. My legs feel fine. Why don¡¯t I just pop down to say goodbye before you head off.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find you,¡± Katherine replied, kissing him again before she marched to the door. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Miss Patel. It''s nice putting a face to the name.¡± Then she left, leaving Nil alone with an obviously fuming Shina. 60. Loose Lips ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Shina demanded, her initial professional demeanor forgotten. She turned a dial on her watch, and Energy Instinct felt it release a pulse. The arcane signature reminded Nil of Lise¡¯s magic. She ensured no one, probably nothing, could listen in on the conversation. ¡°You were supposed to look out for her. What the fuck did you do, Nil?¡± It was tempting to explode at the woman, but it took all the self-control Nil could muster not to. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you saw what happened. What option did she leave me, Shina?¡± ¡°What do you mean what option? You¡ª¡± ¡°Fatima snapped. Whatever happened back there, let her ability, symbiote, soul weapon, or whatever the fuck that was take over. That wasn¡¯t her anymore. I did what I had to do.¡± ¡°So you destroyed her arms? She was your friend, and it was so easy for you. You disintegrated everything forearm down. There might be no fixing that. You have no idea how much Symbiotech invested in Fatima. She was a valuable asset, and now¡ª¡± ¡°Maybe the Fountain of Pyrene can do something about it,¡± Nil said. ¡°Assuming she has the necessary Schema Credit.¡± The statement won him a stare. ¡°What did you expect me to do? Just lie there and take it while she murdered Xiang? My defense is useless against Fatima. If I hadn¡¯t disintegrated her arms, she would¡¯ve stabbed through my rib cage and destroyed my internal organs. I don¡¯t know if there is coming back from that, Shina.¡± ¡°Xiang should¡¯ve just surrendered. You could¡¯ve done the same.¡± The visage leaned closer to Shina, tilting its head like a confused puppy as it studied Shina. ¡°You really expected both of us to accept defeat for our strung-out teammate who tried to kill us? That¡¯s an insane ask. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°You forget the contract, Mr Roy,¡± Shina spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°You can¡¯t act against Symbiotech¡¯s interests.¡± ¡°Not to my disadvantage. If you could take the matter to the courts, which you can¡¯t since it occurred in the arena¡¯s confines, risking my life or personal victory to protect Symbiotech¡¯s interests would never hold up. It''s not a part of the contract, either. Besides, self-preservation is my way of protecting your company¡¯s secrets.¡± Nil winced as he climbed out of bed. The skin on his back and legs still felt tight, and the muscles underneath felt damaged. Recovery would take a few days. The healers had warned him of weakness for close to a week. Nil had no intention of waiting that long. He hoped to find an appropriate quest first and visit the Fountain of Pyrene. It would get rid of all the damage he suffered from prolonged energy release and, hopefully, the new scars he had running across his abdominal muscles just below the diaphragm. It was a mixture of pale, pink, jagged curves and clean, narrow lines. When Nil placed his right hand in the case, the symbiote squirmed. It traveled from his spine down his arm and into the container, moving like a slug. Shina slammed it shut almost as soon as he pulled his arm back. ¡°What was that, Shina?¡± Nil asked frankly. He did his best not to sound combative and to be as compassionate and nice as possible. ¡°Were you helping Fatima dope somehow? That thing happened with her daggers and armor in the end. It was too powerful for a Mortal Realm Summoned¡¯s ability. That was a soul weapon, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shina glared at Nil for a moment, and then her shoulders slumped. The fight appeared to leave her. ¡°You could¡¯ve enjoyed the same,¡± she said. ¡°Eventually.¡± The woman put down the case and flumped in the armchair facing the aetherscreen¡ªAndrew¡¯s seat. She grimaced, jumping up and brushing off the crumbs covering it. After dusting off her bottom, she sat again. Her movements appeared sluggish. She didn¡¯t seem like her usually composed self. Nil wondered whether she had spent the evening or the hour or so after it drinking. ¡°You don''t know the reality of what''s out there, Nil. Things will become apparent once you reach the peak of Bronze and start encountering the Scourge in your quests or the arena. Not long after that will come the Scourge Gods. We need to prepare for them, but the fucking Nexus doesn''t give us any of the good stuff. These bastards want to keep us down and not compete with the Control Worlds. They''re scared of what we can become if we learn to develop power seeds or soul weapons without their say-so. It''s like the story of Prometheus. Literal gods are scared of what we can do if we get our hands on fire.¡± ¡°So you created a monster?¡± Nil''s question didn''t get the reaction he wanted or any. Shina appeared deflated. ¡°I developed a Cursed Energy detection power as a quest reward, you know. I''m aware of what fueled Fatima''s weapon.¡± The revelation snapped Shina to attention. ¡°Have you shared this information with anyone?¡± ¡°Of course not. NDA. Look. I understand you¡¯re under great stress, and I don¡¯t want it to affect our working relationship. You need me for your research, to fill whatever hole Fatima left behind, and for marketing. I need you for the symbiote and subsidized the ludus fees.¡± Nil grabbed the sheets from the bed and wrapped them around his waist. Even though he¡¯d been around Shina in his underwear before, he suddenly felt more vulnerable and exposed than before. Nil kept his tone soothing and calm, hoping to get something worthwhile to Layla. ¡°Anyway. The word ¡®cursed¡¯ also carries far too many negative connotations. People would jump to the worst conclusions possible.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°That''s the issue, isn''t it?¡± Shina sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, that''s the only moldable piece of magic the Nexus will let us Summoned carry and bring back. I don''t know if you have any knowledge of what we get from them. If the aether the arena and Nexus give us is thought of as bland porridge, Cursed Energy is chocolate. We need it to compete with the Scourge, who are already using it to reinforce their champions. I know there are risks involved, but you can''t make an omelet without cracking a few eggs.¡± Rage bubbled inside Nil, and he was glad Shina''s eyes were on the screen instead of him. Fatima, the man that killed Aisha, Aisha, and he were all sacrificial eggs in Symbiotech¡¯s omelet. He didn''t buy her spiel regarding doing it for the good of all for a moment. Shina cared about her research and Symbiotech¡¯s profit margin above all. Nil took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, adopting a neutral expression. ¡°I''m sorry for how I initially reacted,¡± Shina said, taking a pill container out of her coat pocket and tipping its contents into his mouth like mints. ¡°Losing Fatima is a big hit, and I took my anger and concerns about facing the shareholders out on you. It wasn''t fair.¡± ¡°Losing Fatima?¡± Nil frowned. A lump formed in his throat. ¡°I didn''t kill her, did I?¡± ¡°No. But the arena won''t give her to us. They say something is wrong, she''s corrupted, and they refuse to release her into our world.¡± Shina shuddered and twitched. She helped herself to Nil¡¯s juice. The woman grimaced after a sip but then downed it all in one gulp. The tension appeared to slide off her back and shoulders instantly. ¡°Fuck knows what they''re doing to her. Or how the powers above will react to our work.¡± Relief washed over Nil. Of course, he was horrified by Fatima and what and who she had become. However, there was a brief period when he thought of her as a friend. He didn¡¯t mind if the arena, Nexus, or the government brought her to justice for messing in tabooed fields. Whatever the consequences of such actions were for her, she had it coming. However, he didn¡¯t want to be personally¡ªmore accurately, physically¡ªresponsible for her demise. ¡°Do I still have a chance to get a soul weapon?¡± Nil asked. He hoped whatever she consumed would loosen her lips further. Dr Patel appeared more sleep-deprived and strung out than usual. A possible reliance on prescription pills wouldn¡¯t surprise him. ¡°Well, we need a new subject now that Fatima is gone. The data from her will help achieve a more stable version.¡± I need the board¡¯s approval, and I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll approve you, but you¡¯re an almost perfect candidate. They¡¯d be stupid not to. It just might take us a while to get there.¡± ¡°What makes me so perfect?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You seem to come back from every quest with more Cursed Energy.¡± Shina studied the digital readings on the symbiote case. She stretched out her words and hesitated a bunch of times as she continued. ¡°In fact, the levels have increased significantly since the last reading. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you absorbed some of Fatima¡¯s Cursed Energy while destroying her arms.¡± ¡°Why do you think that is?¡± Nil frowned, feigning concern as he studied himself in the mirror. His eyes lingered on the scars. Katherine claimed they were sexy, but he disagreed. ¡°Is there something wrong with me?¡± ¡°Not my department,¡± Shina shrugged, seeming to melt into the chair. ¡°Something. Something. Resurfacing old seed. Something Something.¡± She sighed, waving at him and pointing at the tray of little pastries and finger sandwiches the staff had brought in for Nil and his friends. He carried it over to her, and she grabbed a Danish Pastry in one hand and a Cinnamon Pecan Twirl in the other. ¡°I love these.¡± She devoured the latter in two bites. ¡°I¡¯ll move this up the ladder. Don¡¯t worry. Before you know it you¡¯ll have a badass Cursed Weapon just like Fatima did.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil said. ¡°Is there anything more we need to discuss? If not, I¡¯d like to catch up with my friends. Perhaps get dressed first.¡± ¡°Yeah. Do what you need to.¡± Shina yawned. ¡°I¡¯ll just be a minute. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± The arena construct¡¯s minions were nice enough to leave a fresh set of clothes in the recovery room. He slipped into the attached bathroom, splashed water on himself, dried, dressed, and left. Shina didn¡¯t move in the meantime. She remained in the seat, looking dazed as tears ran down her face. Her eyes focused on the Danish pastry. He would¡¯ve tried to comfort her if Nil weren''t stewing internally. ¡°Wait,¡± Shina said just as he was about to leave. Absent-mindedly, she waved at the bedside table. ¡°Your pretty Korean lady friend forgot her lipstick.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Nil pocketed and departed. A pair of seated guards stood outside the door. They nodded at Nil as he walked away. When he peeked over his shoulder, he saw one of them following ten feet behind. The man made no attempt to look inconspicuous. He entered the building¡¯s lobby and bar after Nil but stayed by the door, his eyes following every movement. Several familiar faces from the battle royale lingered, talking to coaches, sponsors, and journalists who broke into the room. Others had off-color skin, extra limbs, and odd hair. Some gravitated toward Nil, and he made polite conversation, trying his best not to be dismissive. Some of the parties, namely Garuda Systems, especially interested him. However, he didn¡¯t want to be seen talking to anyone until the mess with Symbiotech passed. He had a bunch of great information and couldn¡¯t wait to share it with Layla. Fortunately, Andrew and the others arrived quickly. Nil couldn¡¯t help but notice Shina¡¯s guard move closer. He wondered whether there¡¯d be a constant tail on him now. Nil made casual conversation with them. When Adam swung by, he introduced his friends to the brute. They continued to talk until Katherine had to leave. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Katherine asked, hugging him. ¡°Yes. You forgot your lipstick.¡± Nil tucked it into her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll see you once I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting too long, alright?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Katherine, Andrew, and Susan departed, leaving him to deal with the competition. He felt alone in the room full of people and had little interest in socializing. Then, Lily found him and introduced her to all his new friends. Some were from the battle royale, and others came from the adjacent events that had already passed. 61. Rubbing Shoulders With The Greats Apocalypse Arena opened the winner''s banqueting hall not long after Andrew and company departed, letting Nil flee the journalist and most sponsors. It only allowed successful participants, current arena fighters, and retired fighters who made it to the silver gauntlet and above. At first, the only participants were the people who got through the battle royale and area-control matches. Then, winners of the solo and duo combat tournaments started filing in. Drinks flowed, and waiters with medieval canapes filtered through the socializing guests. Whole animals roasted in pits, and more food sat on tables along the walls. Best of all, Shina¡¯s spy didn¡¯t follow him. ¡°You performed brilliantly,¡± Isabella said, finding him. She came along with the participants and the mage trainer. The woman had focused most of her efforts on coaching the fighters involved in the direct combat tournaments. A petite, pale woman followed close behind her. Nil didn¡¯t recognize her face, but something about her felt familiar. ¡°Honestly, I was sure you¡¯d crumble after the thing with Fatima. You proved unshakeable, and that bodes well for your future with the Nexus in Apocalypse Arena. It''s amazing how much progress you made in so little time, and I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°But?¡± Nil smiled, surprised by the woman¡¯s earnest compliment. ¡°I sense a but coming.¡± ¡°But it''s just the beginning. You might have qualified for Iron Gauntlet, but climbing the ranks and ascending is no easy feat. It¡¯s brutal and perhaps harder than the Bronze Gauntlet.¡± ¡°Everyone keeps saying that, but I¡¯m not sure I get it,¡± Nil said. ¡°The foes get stronger and the challenges harder. Why is the Bronze Gauntlet easier?¡± ¡°Time,¡± the young woman accompanying Isabella said. The ability trainer nodded. ¡°Competition is stiff, and you need to climb the ranks to qualify for the Bronze Gauntlet. That¡¯s easier said than done, and a lot of people reach the peak of Iron Realm before they¡¯re ready to ascend. The rules permit them to ascend their body or ability and stay in the Iron Gauntlet, but once you fully reach the Bronze Realm, you¡¯re done. Apocalypse Arena won¡¯t let you back in. So, a lot of people end up having to choose between getting stronger, challenging greater and more infrequent quests with better rewards, and stagnating so they can continue to struggle in the arena. Many people give up and then curse themselves for wasting months if not years stuck in Iron Realm.¡± ¡°It sounds like a lot of pressure, too,¡± Nil stated. ¡°I imagine most people trying to ascend from Bronze to Silver have a lot of time to climb the ranks and establish themselves?¡± ¡°Each subsequent realm takes longer to reach unless you¡¯re lucky enough to chance upon unfair growth feats,¡± Isabella stated. Nil had told her about Through Sheer Grit. Learning of it only made her push him harder. ¡°It''s best to take time climbing the ranks so you can master your evolving body and ability. Doing that successfully in the Iron Gauntlet is challenging. The ability you get from your ascension doesn¡¯t give you enough time to grow, and most fail to adapt it to their fighting style adequately.¡± ¡°My uncle used to say it¡¯s a lot like trying to make it through qualifiers,¡± the younger woman said. ¡°Instead of struggling with finances, you¡¯re trying to make the most of your time. The few events that can help you climb quickly are also death traps. Most people who take them on don¡¯t survive.¡± ¡°Risk for reward.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met. I¡¯m Nil.¡± ¡°Lucy,¡± the woman replied, shaking his hand. ¡°You probably know me as the knight that never shows her face.¡± ¡°It''s nice to meet you finally,¡± Nil said. ¡°You¡¯ve been a great mystery for most of us.¡± He hadn¡¯t yet had the opportunity to watch her match, but she appeared popular. Several sponsors and ludus owners¡ªcurrent or former arena fighters¡ªwanted Lucy¡¯s time. They all congratulated Nil but weren¡¯t as interested in him, and he didn¡¯t mind. Nil hung around Lily for a while. They discussed the match, their teammates, and their issues. It was no surprise that Viktor was a chore of a companion and why Lily got knocked out. She couldn¡¯t be more pleased about him not making it through. As a pretty young teenager, Lily attracted a lot of male attention. At first, she used Nil to keep most people at bay, but then she found handsome enough suitors to abandon him. He didn¡¯t mind being alone. Adam waved him over. Nil liked the man¡¯s cheerful nature, but his ludus mates surrounded him, and he had no intention of associating with them. So, he excused himself to the balcony. Even though the banquet hall was on the ground floor, the doors opened into a space on the top floor above the London Aquarium. Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, London Bridge, and the London Eye at night were a beautiful sight. Nil was happy sipping on a sugary cocktail and watching the world go by. Then, a surprising pair of guests interrupted his peace. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Nil Roy.¡± It was Selia Murphy, the winner of the battle royale. She didn¡¯t look pallid and near collapse anymore. In fact, she looked healthy and thriving. Selia still had the palest complexion he¡¯d ever seen, but not in an unhealthy way. It was a stark contrast to her lustrous black-as-night hair. The woman stood a couple of inches shorter than Nil and had the physique of someone who focused on Finesse, followed by Mind instead of Mind and Spark. ¡°I was wondering if we could have a word.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nil said, shaking the woman¡¯s hand. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t recognize you outside of the arena.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve ascended my body and ability since. It changes a fair bit.¡± ¡°You attempted the qualifiers with both at Mortal Realm?¡± Nil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. You must be super proud.¡± ¡°Only my body is Iron. Turns out a Mortal Realm body can¡¯t quite keep up with a power at the peak of Iron Realm.¡± ¡°So your ability is Bronze Realm now?¡± Nil couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what kind of training or impossible quest forced Selia to push her power so far beyond her body. There was also the possibility she had spent forever waiting to get an Iron Ascension Token and had just used her new wealth of Schema Credits to purchase one. Only six hours had passed since the battle royale had ended, and he expected the ascension process to take a considerable while, as it had him. Selia nodded, smiling. ¡°Hopefully, my body won¡¯t take long to catch up.¡± A loud throat clear drew Nil¡¯s attention behind them. It was Shawn. The man had his left arm in a sling and offered Nil his right. Despite the abrasive behavior, Nil didn¡¯t hate the man. He respected him as a fighter but didn¡¯t care or think about him beyond that. They shook hands. ¡°You were impressive. The construct should''ve given you a second, not me.¡± Shawn hesitated, glancing at Selia. She nodded, almost seeming to encourage him. ¡°We¡¯re curious, though. Why are you slumming it with Symbiotech? Do you want more companions who try to stab you in the back?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t how I wanted to broach the subject.¡± Selia sighed, rolling her eyes. ¡°Tact, Shawn. It doesn¡¯t matter how good a martial artist you are or how good you get with your power. You won¡¯t make it far without tact.¡± ¡°I appreciate him getting straight to the point,¡± Nil said. ¡°What is this about? I know Symbiotech isn¡¯t perfect, but¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re scum,¡± Shawn interrupted. ¡°Scum with deep enough pockets to get away with child trafficking, murder, and worse. You¡¯re a good fighter, and we can tell you¡¯re reasonably clean.¡± The man moved closer and spoke softly as he continued. ¡°Despite the nonsense with the pits, you seem alright. Stay the fuck away from Symbiotech.¡± ¡°Or help us take them out,¡± Selia added. ¡°What¡¯s your beef with them?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Where do we start?¡± Selia leaned on the balcony railing next to Nil. ¡°The most egregious of their crimes would be experimenting on kids, trying to make them worth enough to get picked by the Nexus.¡± ¡°Is that any different from what Wilson Luduses and the copycats are doing?¡± Shawn appeared to bristle at the mention of them but maintained his composure. ¡°Wilson Luduses only provides training and an education,¡± he said. ¡°They don¡¯t do anything illegal or immoral. You might as well think of it as a specialized boarding or military school that teaches more than just to pass standardized tests.¡± ¡°Meanwhile, Symbiotech experiments on children,¡± Selia continued. ¡°They pump kids full of chemicals, otherworldly materials, aether, Cursed Energy, and whatever else they can find to create metahumans without the Nexus¡¯ assistance. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if your mad teammate was one of them. ¡° ¡°Do you have any evidence to support this claim?¡± Nil knew they were right, but he needed to figure out their motivations and sources. Discussing sensitive topics with people he barely knew would only get him in trouble. ¡°I was one of them,¡± Selia said. ¡°My family and I were on a trip to Brazil when the cataclysm. We got trapped. They died. Symbiotech, or whatever title they used back then, came dressed as rescuers but turned us into lab rats. I tolerated fifteen years of experiments as they tried to turn me into a Summoned.¡± ¡°How did you get out?¡± Nil asked, studying the woman. He kept Energy Instinct active to look for eavesdroppers and ensure there was no magic at play on him or around them. Nil¡¯s eyes never left Selia¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I believe you, but none of this sounds plausible. If Symbiotech is up to everything you claim, they¡¯re bound to have incredible security.¡± ¡°I got lucky. A bunch of us had been planning to break out for a while. Most of my friends escaped, but I didn¡¯t. Fortunately, my bravery caught Schema¡¯s attention, and I picked the ability that would give me the best chance to escape. We tried exposing Dr Shina Patel and her staff, but whoever sponsored their work ensured nothing came to light. The organization has changed names and locations so many times it''s impossible to track. We need someone on the inside.¡± ¡°This is moving too fast,¡± Nil said, taking a step back. ¡°Unless you have any proof, I can¡¯t exactly help you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. I still have friends in there. Fatima might not have recognized me, but we were in the same ward. Please. You seem like a decent person. I need your help.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s where the winners are! I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.¡± Nil¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Shawn and Selia looked as shocked as he felt. It was Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson. ¡°That¡¯s one of the most nerve-wracking battle-royale endings I¡¯ve ever seen. It is very sportsman of you not to have any hard feelings afterward, too. People like you are just the kind of person Wilson Luduses needs.¡± 62. Gods And Monsters Don''t meet your heroes. The old adage confused Nil. He started off worshipping Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson. Then, as he got older, the Gold Realm star¡¯s business activities and political standing put him off the man. As Adrian addressed and spoke to them almost as equals, Nil couldn''t help but feel starstruck. Nil¡¯s heart raced, cheeks flushed, and he struggled not to grin like a moron. ¡°I know it sounds like I say this to everybody, but you¡¯re the only ones I intend to say this tonight,¡± Adrian said, lightly smacking Shawn¡¯s shoulder. Hexagons shimmered around the contact point. It didn¡¯t surprise Nil. Shawn looked like the type of person who forever wrapped himself in a barrier. ¡°But I think the three of you should consider joining Wilson Luduses.¡± He specifically looked at Shawn and Nil. ¡°Once you¡¯ve completed your ascension to Iron Realm, of course. I know the cost makes it daunting, but you won¡¯t have much trouble finding sponsors working with us. I hear there are already a few people trying to sign you.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer, Mr. Wilson,¡± Selia said, flashing him a polite but restrained smile. ¡°I¡¯ll certainly think about it.¡± ¡°You might not remember me,¡± Shawn said. He was cold but professional. ¡°I grew up and lived in the Northwick Junior Ludus until five years ago.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adrian raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why did you leave?¡± ¡°I was kicked out for not ascending.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adrian frowned. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that happened to you. You must know, Shawn, that there are hundreds of managers, VPs, and assistants between me and all of the Wilson operations. I¡¯d never allow anything of the sort to happen. People who age out and don¡¯t get Summoned always have jobs waiting for them. We need civilians, too, to keep things running.¡± The man sounded genuine, but Nil didn¡¯t buy the spiel for a second. It almost sounded rehearsed. Adrian knew how to say all the right things. ¡°If you decide to come back to us, I¡¯ll ensure you¡¯re not charged registration fees. Perhaps we can sort out some discounts, and I¡¯ll personally introduce you to sponsors, too.¡± Shawn said nothing. He only nodded, and the response appeared to satisfy Adrian. England¡¯s top Apocalypse Arena fighter finally turned to Nil, looking at him expectantly as he smiled. ¡°What about you, Mr Roy?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± Nil replied, shaking the man¡¯s hand again. ¡°However, I¡¯m locked into my contract with Symbiotech for another ten months and that involves me staying with Golden Aegis. However, once that passes, and if I have the funds, I¡¯ll certainly apply to the Wembley ludus.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that!¡± Adrian clapped. ¡°We have the best training facilities and unarmed combat coaches, so let''s not forget our ties to Arthurtech. Whatever gear you need or custom practice equipment you need¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you gushing over the meat, Adrian?¡± The voice''s owner was surrounded by a powerful cold aura that put Iqbal Khan¡¯s to shame. If she were a snowbank, he would be a glacier. The man was tall and skinny. After talking to his peers, Nil discovered that the most advanced attributes and those used for ascension affected the Summoned¡¯s physique. It looked like the man ignored Strength and also gave Finesse low priority. The man pointed at Selia. ¡°This one is the only one that will make it to the Bronze Gauntlet.¡± He nodded at Shawn. ¡°Mr Highstrung is going to push too hard, fail to ascend the normal way, and get killed in Death Gauntlet.¡± The man grinned at Shawn. ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, you might be one of the little turds that gets put down by me.¡± ¡°Fuck off, Pietro,¡± Adrian said, almost sounding venomous. ¡°Why do you even come to these things?¡± Pietro shrugged. ¡°It''s fun seeing their innocent little faces before the arena crushes their hopes and dreams. And then they think they try to risk it all in the Death Gauntlet and¡ª¡± ¡°Take your little villain speeches elsewhere,¡± Shawn said, waving the man away dismissively. ¡°Find someone stupider for the melodrama and cheap scare tactics.¡± The interaction only amused Pietro even more. He glanced at Nil, looked him up and down, and smirked. ¡°You look like the kind that burns out and quits.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it,¡± Nil replied, smiling. He didn¡¯t know who the man was and didn¡¯t particularly care. Nil had learned long ago that politeness pissed them off more than reactions like Shawn¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you¡ª ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± When Adrian stepped up to Pietro, the man threw up his hands in surrender, grinning. He looked more like a weasel than menacing. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll leave you lot alone.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re leaving.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Are you going to make me Adrian?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Adrian marched at Pietro, the smaller man backpedalled. He looked more excited and manic than scared. The pair disappeared into the banquet hall leaving Nil and the other qualifiers behind. All of them stood in silence for several long moments. Siela and Shawn didn¡¯t look as surprised as he felt. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Nil asked when no one said anything after a couple of minutes. ¡°Pietro the Frost Emperor,¡± Shawn said. ¡°He¡¯s a coward. The bastard got to the peak of the Iron Realm and Iron Gauntlet and stopped climbing. He doesn¡¯t take part in any matches unless they¡¯re part of the Death Gauntlet.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Nil frowned. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he climb any higher? The games don¡¯t pay as high as qualifiers¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re not familiar with Death Gauntlet, are you?¡± Selia sighed when Nil shook his head. ¡°It''s no surprise. There is a media gag order on it because the government doesn¡¯t want people to find out about how barbaric it is. Apparently, governments have teams to scrub the internet of all information of them. Not even most Summoned know about it and only arena participants who really look find out about the matches. They¡¯re televised as ordinary Gauntlet of Ten fights.¡± She peeked over her shoulder at the entrance to the banquet hall. No one seemed close enough to listen in. ¡°Have you seen the matches with two combatants and some terrifying predator in the arena, too?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Not many. Maybe half a dozen.¡± ¡°Did you notice how all of the matches ended with one fighter dying?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s Death Gauntlet. There is no surrender or knocking out. The match continues until the one combatant is dead. The rewards are far higher than your average event or even the Gauntlet of Ten.¡± Selia paused, watching Nil¡¯s expression. ¡°The winner gets significant bonuses if they kill the predator, too. My caseworker says the Death Gauntlet was originally started to safely eliminate Scourge champions, Cursed Ones, and Void Minions, but it now attracts the worst of the Beacon Worlds. Murderers, perverts, and the bastards use the arena to get away with all of their fantasies.¡± The standard events involved duo matches, Capture The Flag, Area Control, and Battle Royales. Winners got points to climb through the rankings and reach the top. The higher one¡¯s score, the more and better-paying events they could join. The forums mostly spoke of them, commenting about the construct¡¯s matchmaking skills. Nil had learned of the Gauntlet of Ten after joining Golden Aegis. It involved solo or duo matches, and the individual or team needed to win ten consecutive matches. Matchmaking wasn¡¯t consistent, but apparently, the arena construct ensured disciplines that directly countered each other didn¡¯t end up as opponents. A single loss would force them to start from zero. ¡°God of Death Gauntlet,¡± Siela continued. ¡°That¡¯s Pietro¡¯s unofficial name. He¡¯s spent the past five years only participating in Death Gauntlet matches.¡± ¡°The bastard almost always gets paired with other Earth arena fighters,¡± Shawn said. ¡°No one knows why he tries to target us exclusively, but that¡¯s just who he is and what he likes to do.¡± ¡°Sounds like the type of guy I¡¯d love to punch in the face,¡± Nil commented. He had no intention of running the Death Gauntlet but understood the reason for its existence. However, knowing people like Pietro exploited it to fulfill their perverse desires horrified him. Nil doubted Apocalypse Arena would allow the event or people like him to continue partaking after three wins if people ran it instead of it as an emotionless construct. ¡°There are more people like him. Aren¡¯t there?¡± Selia nodded. ¡°Klocky Kennit. Windbag. Snow Flake. There are far too many in the Iron Gauntlet. Funnily, the numbers drop by more than seventy-five percent in Bronze¡ªfrom our world, at least.¡± She sighed. ¡°Anyway. Symbiotech.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about and look into it,¡± Nil said. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises. But your accusations are alarming, and if any of them are true, I¡¯d rather not continue to associate with them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take too long,¡± Shawn said. ¡°If you find anything useful, please let me know. Even if you don¡¯t, I¡¯d love to hear from you.¡± Selia smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what fucked up thing happened in your past to make you as amazing as you are, but I¡¯d love to hear about it sometime.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Shawn raised an eyebrow. Selia ignored him. They all exchanged contact details. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether the woman was flirting with him, but it didn¡¯t matter. He was keen on befriending fellow Summoned and arena fighters. Shawn was still an abrasive ass, but Selia wasn¡¯t too bad. In fact, her power and position intrigued him. Her information regarding Symbiotech, though unfounded and lacking concrete evidence, would prove invaluable to Layla. Hopefully, the Nexus caseworker will have the resources to investigate the legitimacy of Seliaa¡¯s claims. If they proved true, her experiences and abilities would be helpful in halting Symbiotech¡¯s Cursed Energy experimentation and perhaps bring them down altogether. Nil remained noncommittal for the rest of the conversation. Eventually, Shawn returned to his ludus mates and other acquaintances, leaving Nil and Selia alone. The banter became even more flirtatious, and he used the opportunity to get more information from her. Selia explained many more things about Apocalypse Arena that the public didn¡¯t know. Earth media mostly treated it as a source of entertainment and didn¡¯t get into the nitty-gritty of it. The conversation gave Nil a rough idea of where he wanted to start. The Gauntlet of Ten had higher rewards than the standard, and ascending took far less time. Best of all, he would get to work alone and not get stuck in tough, heartbreaking situations like he did with Fatima. Nil still didn¡¯t know what had happened to Xiang, either. He hoped the healer successfully reattached her limb. There would be more qualifiers, but if she ended up with only one limb, she would need to give up on the arena. Her future as a Summoned wouldn¡¯t be easy either. While in recovery, Nil sent her a message, but Xiang hadn¡¯t replied yet. He was desperate to hear from her but didn¡¯t want to be pushy after the tough loss. 63. The Joys Of Victory ¡°Baba!¡± Nil caught his father while he was walking to the bus stop outside his work. It was the day after the battle royale, and he hadn''t returned to the ludus yet. Meeting his father took priority, so he took the train to South Harrow, where Andrew picked him up. Then, they drove straight to the Harrow Council offices. ¡°Would you like a ride? Andy is parked right around the corner.¡± ¡°That would be great,¡± Udit said, looking shocked. ¡°I missed the six-fifteen. The next bus isn''t for another half an hour.¡± ¡°Emmy says you almost never get the six-fifteen.¡± Udit shrugged. He hugged his son. The older man squeezed but then paused, hesitantly glancing at Nil¡¯s midriff. ¡°I watched the battle royale. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°The Skin is a bit tight, and the muscles are a bit uncomfortable. The burns are all more or less healed, though. I hope to go on a quest in the next few days. If I''m lucky, the scars Fatima left me and everything else will be gone once I reach the Nexus.¡± Udit nodded. He and his son walked silently along the pavement, both sets of eyes looking forward. ¡°I''m sorry about your teammates. It couldn''t have been easy having to turn against one of your own. The way you moved and handled things was amazing.¡± Udit¡¯s voice carried a hint of sorrow. ¡°It couldn''t have been easy. Any of it. But you made me proud. Good job, Sunil.¡± ¡°Thanks, Baba,¡± Nil said, placing a hand on his father¡¯s shoulder and stopping him. ¡°I know this is a lot to get used to, and you''re most probably terrified. But all Apocalypse Arena participants get one of those temporary rune tattoos. They can surrender and get out if their lives are in danger. I can do the same if it comes to it. Staying alive is more important to me than winning. There is too much for me to leave behind.¡± ¡°I know. It''s still terrifying, but I''ve accepted that this is something you have to do.¡± Udit looked around. ¡°Where is Andy? Did he park far?¡± ¡°Over here, Mr Roy!¡± Andrew poked his head out of the electric-blue SUV parked next to Nil and his father. He hopped into the backseat. ¡°Let''s go. Sunny-boi picked up Crispy Hoisin Duck and Dim Sum from Royal China. It won''t stay crispy or warm for long.¡± ¡°New car?¡± Udit raised an eyebrow, taking a step back and studying the vehicle. ¡°It''s pretty. I love the color.¡± ¡°Secondhand,¡± Andrew replies. ¡°I had it refurbished, though. New paint job and interiors. I got the tires and brake pads replaced, too. Do you like it, Mr Roy?¡± ¡°It''s gorgeous. I was looking at one of these before Nil''s mum got sick, but the cost was ridiculous.¡± ¡°We got this baby off the auction and called in a bunch of favors. It was mostly my regular clients who worked on this. The total spend was just under thirteen thousand.¡± ¡°Thirteen?! That¡¯s amazing. Even auction prices can''t be that low.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°Between Artisans and Mages making electric vehicles cheap and sustainable and the new Arthurtech machines, fossil-fuel-run vehicle prices have been plummeting. I''ve been considering upgrading my work truck for quite some time.¡± ¡°Are you going to build one yourself?¡± Nil asked. Andrew shook his head. ¡°I''ll never get away with it. The new speed cams can check for illegal mods and tell if a vehicle is road-legal. Let''s not forget Susan and Katherine. They''d kick my ass.¡± ¡°Well, congratulations on the new car. It¡¯s nice to see you in something besides¡ª¡± Udit stopped mid-sentence, frowning at Andrew. ¡°Why are you in the back seat?¡± He looked at his son. ¡°Did you get your driving license and not tell me?¡± ¡°I''m still not authorized to operate anything more than a motorbike, Baba,¡± Nil said, breaking into a smile. He had contained it for far too long. ¡°I looked into getting your car fixed, and five thousand is far too much for an old piece of junk. Two-plus hours on or waiting for buses when you have a pair of minors at home isn¡¯t ideal either.¡± He tossed the keys at his father. Udit snatched it out of the air, eyes wide. ¡°This is your car, and you''re driving.¡± ¡°Better hurry, though,¡± Andrew added. ¡°Cold, dim sum tastes like ass.¡± Udit¡¯s eyes filled with tears as he looked between the two younger men. Then, he threw his arms around his son. ¡°You didn''t have to do this, Sunil. It''s too much. I know twelve thousand is one quest for you.¡± ¡°Just over half a quest, actually.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Whatever it is. You should''ve used that for yourself or Emmy and Sam. But, thank you.¡± ¡°This is for me, Emmy, and Sam, Baba,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Knowing you''re driving to sites instead of hitching rides or bussing will give us peace of mind. You''re not the only person in this family who worries, you know.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Andrew made a loud fart noise. ¡®Do neither of you understand the gravity of crispy duck and dim sum?¡± He asked. ¡°Save the sappy stuff for later. There will be plenty when Emmy sees Nil, then the car, then Nil, then the car, then¡ª¡± ¡°Fine. Fine.¡± Udit laughed. He looked like a giddy schoolboy as he got in the driver''s seat. He took a moment to check everything, adjust the seat and mirrors, and start the car. ¡°That''s a good-sounding engine,¡± he said, smiling as he squeezed the steering wheel. ¡°Let''s go home, boys.¡± As Andrew had predicted, dinner was emotional. First, Emmy and Sam gushed over the match, switching between how amazing Nil was and how scared or concerned they were for him. Then, Emmy held Nil and cried when she found out about the new car and saw it. The visit wasn¡¯t a planned one, and Nil needed to return to the ludus. So, he didn¡¯t stick around for long. Nil wished and hugged everyone goodbye before taking a taxi to Golden Aegis. The receptionist stopped Nil as soon as he entered the building. ¡°You¡¯re moving up a floor,¡± she said, handing him a new keycard. ¡°What?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t apply for a move, and the cost¡ª¡± ¡°The accommodation costs are the same, and Symbiotech insisted. Failed participants often hold resentment for their successful peers. So, we try to keep our Mortal Realm and Iron Realm members separated.¡± ¡°I might¡¯ve qualified for the Iron Gauntlet but I¡¯m still Mortal Realm, though. This¡ª¡± ¡°Bigger room. En-suite bathroom. More privacy. Fewer people sharing the kitchen. This is a good thing. Just take it.¡± The receptionist frowned. ¡°Why are you arguing a free upgrade?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. The healers must¡¯ve missed a head injury.¡± The joke didn¡¯t seem to amuse the woman. ¡°You have two days to clear out your old room.¡± ¡°Do you know if Xiang or Fatima are in?¡± Nil asked. The woman poked her aetherscreen a handful of times. ¡°Neither have scanned in since they left for the qualifiers.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I watched your match. You did well.¡± She paused, cold expression softening for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened. Everyone suspected Fatima would turn into a mad killer someday. We didn¡¯t think things would be that bad, but¡ª¡± The receptionist fell silent when the ludus manager exited his office. The man congratulated Nil, shook his hand, and informed him that the medical staff wanted to see him. A cold reception awaited Nil in the infirmary. Unlike the previous two staff members, the doctors, nurses, and assistants appeared resentful and full of contempt. They were exceptionally rough when collecting fluids. It took them a few jabs to extract blood, and they weren¡¯t gentle when extracting spinal fluid. Nil begrudgingly complied. He needed to play along with Symbiotech for a bit longer and guessed their people were mad about losing their big project and prototype. He wondered if they cared about Fatima or if she was just another test subject and tool to them. The information he gained after conversing with Selia only made him feel more sympathy for the captured rogue. It took Nil an hour to stuff his old belongings into suitcases. Except for a succulent and bunny-ear cactus that Katherine gifted him, his room was decorated with nothing. After moving everything to the floor above, he cleaned his old space. The ludus would send a cleaner, but Nil¡¯s parents taught him to always clean up after himself. Working in high-end restaurants had only reinforced the habit. As he walked the halls, he eyed Xiang¡¯s doors. Being away for the qualifiers counted as staying in a ludus. So, the woman could enjoy a night away without facing any penalties. He guessed she wanted some time away and not face anyone after what happened. Finding out I made it to the top three probably didn¡¯t help either. Nil passed Mobi and Viktor. The first glared, and he was surprised to receive a warm congratulations from the latter. ¡°You and Lily to win,¡± Viktor said. ¡°I was pissed off at first and thought I had done enough, but then I saw the vids. You played it brilliantly and fought even better.¡± ¡°Thanks, Viktor,¡± Nil replied, failing to conceal his surprise.¡±It¡¯s a shame you got so close and didn¡¯t make it through. I watched you during recovery. Your strategy was pretty amazing, too.¡± ¡°Apparently, not amazing enough.¡± Viktor sighed. ¡°It''s a bitch coming in sixth, and people with double digits positions making it through in my stead. But what are you going to do? There is another event in three months. No big events. Just duo and solo matches. I¡¯ll try to sharpen my style in the meantime, and hopefully, it will be the one.¡± ¡°Well, good luck mate. If not for my armor, your lightning would¡¯ve knocked me out. It''s powerful, and your mobility is amazing. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get through.¡± ¡°It might be my last try,¡± Viktor said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can keep my body at Mortal Realm much longer. Power is almost at Iron-Nine, and I can¡¯t stagnate much longer.¡± He shook Nil¡¯s hand. ¡°You were a great opponent, though. You being the one that knocked me out almost makes the loss sting less. It would¡¯ve helped a lot more if you made it to the top two, though.¡± ¡°I might¡¯ve had a shot at number two. Shawn and I left the match within seconds of each other. I doubt I had much of a chance against Selia, though. That power of hers is a pretty strong counter to mine.¡± The two men respectfully parted ways, and Nil moved to the floor for Iron and Bronze Realm Summoned. The people he passed him in the halls offered respectful nods, and some even invited him to join them for dinner. Nil respectfully declined and retired to his room. A surprising notification awaited him when he checked the quest list. Your caseworker has summoned you for a meeting. Please accept to be transported at your earliest convenience. Even though Nil was desperate to share everything he had learned with Layla, he went to bed. He was exhausted, and the conversation could only last in the morning. 64. Reports And Rewards ¡°All of this is incredible,¡± Layla said, reading through the notes her pink clone had compiled during their one-hour-long conversation. She had watched the battle royale, and the thing with Fatima had surprised her. After spending a day trying to get Fatima from the arena construct for study and failing, she sent Nil a quest-free summon. He told her everything he saw with Energy Instinct and then learned from Selia. The stack of papers was almost an inch thick when added to all the information gathered beforehand. ¡°Katherine Park has proved an excellent addition to this investigation. Her attachment to your country¡¯s flawed and corruptible laws is an obstacle, but she¡¯s doing all the right things to bring Symbiotech down the correct way.¡± ¡°She and I recorded everything Shina said,¡± Nil said. ¡°It incriminates me to some extent, but since it was on arena property, none of it will hold up in court. But, if she takes it to the right superiors¡ªhopefully someone that can¡¯t be paid off or threatened¡ªthey might just be able to open investigations on Shina and Symbiotech.¡± ¡°Good job. I¡¯m impressed. I¡¯ve already checked our systems, and everything Selia said probably holds up.¡± Layla leaned back in her chair. ¡°Her caseworker isn¡¯t as easy as yours, and they don¡¯t have the best relationship. However, he flagged her abnormal growth and anomalous, unconscious ability to absorb Cursed Energy unintentionally. I can¡¯t go into detail, but she¡¯s already turned a bunch of it into feats. I¡¯ll send her an invite to the investigation and see if she¡¯s willing to work with me instead.¡± ¡°That might be useful. I¡¯ll keep my distance from her until you¡¯ve vetted her properly. Hopefully, Andrew¡¯s bugs will do some good, and we¡¯ll soon get decent information on Symbiotech. I need to know if these fuckers were behind Aisha¡¯s death.¡± Layla nodded, studying him for a moment. ¡°So. Since qualifiers are out of the way and you can join Apocalypse Arena, will you consider working for me on an official basis now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready to join,¡± Nil answered. ¡°You¡¯re trying to do something good for my world, and I want to be a part of it. However, there is the matter of getting an ascension token and sorting out a new ludus first. Symbiotech is deeply entangled with Golden Aegis. I barely slept last night after the spinal fluid extraction. The Fountain of Pyrene was a much-needed reprieve. I don¡¯t think I can continue to live and train there after Symbiotech falls or me working against them comes out.¡± You have received an Iron Ascension Token and 2 Schema Tokens for your service to the Nexus. Nil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Consider that a signing bonus,¡± Layla said. ¡°Thank you.¡± He was tempted to use it straight away but resisted. ¡°The Control Worlds also arranged for you to get another feat using Cursed Energy as additional payment for progress. However, it won¡¯t be without a negative element like last time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Nil said. ¡°Will it affect the pool of sub-abilities I get for my ascension?¡± ¡°It will.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d be a fool to reject such a gift. Please pass my thanks to the Control World.¡± ¡°They like to invest in high-potential individuals. Your performance in the arena impressed them, too. Apparently, the words ¡®Weapon against the Scourge Gods¡¯ have been thrown around.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± Nil chuckled. ¡°As for your ludus issues, I don¡¯t want to build expectations in case things fail, but believe me, something is in the works,¡± Layla continued. ¡°We¡¯ll have something ready for you soon. So, when the thing with Symbiotech ends, you have somewhere to go.¡± ¡°I have a couple of new sponsorship offers, too, so it might not be the biggest of issues,¡± Nil hungrily watched his Schema Interface. The Iron Ascension Token almost appeared to be burning a hole through it. ¡°Regardless, if you¡¯re going to continue working for the Nexus on Earth, we want to ensure your needs are met. We take care of our own. Should we sort out your new feat before we continue?¡± ¡°Yes, please. I already know what I want, though, assuming it''s in the pool of choices.¡± ¡°And what would that be?¡± ¡°Fear The Iron Maiden.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Layla asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Get my Might potential to Silver, of course,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I can use the additional strength when Absorbing and the durability when Expending. Withstanding the burns better and healing from them swifter would be amazing, too.¡± ¡°Or you could just focus on Finesse and get fast enough not to get hit. I¡¯m not telling you what to do, just how I¡¯d prioritize if I were in your position. I think the point of Brutal Battery isn¡¯t to just stand in the middle of the battlefield and let everything hit you but to pick when to get hit and when not. Personally, I¡¯d look for every avenue to improve Finesse and Spark further, as well as sub-abilities and future feats to cover your lacking Might. Thanks to Through Sheer Grit, pushing Might past Bronze is a concern for Bronze or Silver Realm.¡± Nil studied his Schema interface, thinking about what his caseworker had just said. ¡°I know gauntlets count as fist weapons, but are they armor, too?¡± Layla smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to spell that fact out for you. Given the limitations surrounding Armmaster¡¯s Disappointment, your soul weapon''s paths are limited. If you pick Fear The Iron Maiden, then you¡¯ll have no choice but to settle for knuckle dusters, and in most instances, they can¡¯t do much besides hit harder. Gauntlets could also have other functions. If you¡¯re lucky, you might get ranged attacks beyond simply throwing rocks.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°You make a good point,¡± Nil said. ¡°Lets see the feats.¡± Fear The Iron Maiden: Wearing any form of armor, conjured or manufactured, will induce mind-numbing pain. Ignoring the curse¡¯s warnings will cause spikes to dig outwards from your bones and through your skin slowly. Bonus: Might rank increased by one. Potential increased by one stage. Fae-Touched: The fae know your true name and may use it to demand favors from you. Rejection will result in the loss of treasured memories and intense psychic trauma. They have stolen a fragment of your potential but sharpened your Mind in exchange. Bonus: Mind increased by two. Potential increased by two stages, but Spark potential reduced by one. Restless In Body And Mind: Sitting still and focusing on cerebral tasks are nearly impossible for you. You must always be moving or physically working on something for the brain''s juices to flow. Otherwise, your Mind suffers, affecting memory, and trying to learn new things results in mental strain. In exchange, your awareness is sharpened. You become hyper-aware of your surroundings, observing changes most would miss. Bonus: Finesse increased by one. Cursed By Incompetence: You¡¯re good at what you do but struggle to learn new things, especially magic, new vocations, fighting styles, and anything outside your current expertise. On the bright side, what you know now¡ªskills, techniques, abilities¡ªand all your future sub-abilities grow just a bit easier. Abilities and skills related to soul weapons are exempt from the detriments and bonuses. Bonus: Spark increased by one. Obsessive planning: You must have a plan for every scenario, no matter how improbable. Before taking action, you must consider many of the possible outcomes and the actions you will take. If you find yourself in a situation you did not plan for, you become shaken, halving your effective finesse. Bonus: Mind increased by one. Bottomless Chasm: You''re quick to hunger, and your appetite increases with you as you grow. As your calorie levels drop, your focus fades, and so does your control over your anger. However, when you eat and approach satiety, exhaustion leaves you swiftly, and your injuries heal faster. Warning: Limbs and organs won''t regrow no matter how much you eat. Bonus: Might increased by one. ¡°It''s not much of a decision, is it?¡± Nil said, glossing over the options. There were far more than he had received before. ¡°After our discussion, I have no intention of picking the first. The second was never a choice. And Bottomless Chasm feels like it could be an option but also feels like a mistake ¡° ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Brutal Battery and my fighting style leaves me ravenous. My appetite, sweet tooth, and portion sizes have skyrocketed ever since I became a Summoned, and even more so after getting my body to Iron Realm. Things might get unmanageable as I continue to grow. What if I end up on a quest where food is scarce? I''ll have to purchase supplies from the Nexus Market before departing, and I hope they last and don''t get spoiled or lost. It''s unsustainable.¡± ¡°Sounds reasonable.¡± Layla smiled, looking satisfied. She had already given him more advice than the Nexus allowed. ¡°You have no qualms regarding your choice? Are you fine with not picking up new skills, trades, magic, and everything the multiverse has to offer?¡± ¡°I''ll never be an Artisan or Mage. I don''t have the attributes for it or interest in pursuing either discipline. I''m almost in my thirties and have already figured out what I like. It''s unlikely I''ll pick up new hobbies or interests now.¡± ¡°Your life will get longer the higher realms you reach, and immortality might await beyond. That''s a long time.¡± ¡°I''m happy dedicating myself to training, cooking, and eating,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Life might be long but there is only so much time in a day. My biggest issue with the feat is not getting to learn new fighting styles. However, developing and building what I already know should be possible, right?¡± ¡°Right. But why not Restless In Body And Mind?¡± ¡°Never being able to sit still and just do something feels like a nightmare. What if I want to relax on the couch and read a book?¡± ¡°Work some muscles while you¡¯re doing it?¡± Layla asked, raising an eyebrow. You¡¯re not a scholar, artisan, or academic. I hear your world has audiobooks. Perhaps employ those? This works with Through Sheer Grit, won¡¯t interfere with training and cooking, and you can still occasionally sit down and have a good time with people. If you were a magic user or craftsman, I would¡¯ve recommended against it, but that¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it like that. I suppose I can just pump iron while reading things. Then, the decision is made.¡± The new trait appeared in his Schema interface. ¡°Do I need to wait until I¡¯m home before using the token, or can I do it now?¡± Finesse has progressed to Iron 1! ¡°You can do it now,¡± Layla said. ¡°You¡¯ll get your ability development now, but the sub-ability won¡¯t come until you¡¯ve slept and the seed gets time to germinate and sprout.¡± It was too long a wait. So, Nil used the ascension token. Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 0! Absorb has progressed to Iron 0! Expend has progressed to Iron 0! Your capacity has grown. Whenever you empty your stores, energy regenerates to ten percent. The restoration occurs over one second once an hour. Otherwise, it takes a minute. The Nexus Market will open to you once you¡¯ve completed your ascension to the Iron Realm. ¡°Not bad,¡± Nil commented. ¡°Ten percent is enough for a few empowered hits or to get out of a sticky situation.¡± ¡°For now. That ten percent will be worth a lot more as your capacity grows. The duration or amount will also change with future ascensions.¡± ¡°I like this. Rogues and swift, precise attackers do little to recharge Brutal Battery. Then there are people like Viktor¡ªhard-to-avoid or dodge mid-range mages. I need the tools to gather energy if I¡¯m spent.¡± ¡°I hope the Schema gives you some decent sub-ability options.¡± Layla returned her attention to the stack of paper in front of her. ¡°Should we get back to our discussion regarding Dr Shina Patel and Symbiotech?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to get out of here and finish ascending, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible right now. I¡¯ll need to adequately tire myself out before sleeping again.¡± He watched as Layla paused on a page dedicated to Shina. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s a monster or a dedicated scientist trying to make something without the Nexus and Schema¡¯s limiters. Her staff don¡¯t seem particularly nefarious either.¡± Nil paused as he recalled her comment about breaking a few eggs to make an omelet. ¡°Or maybe she¡¯s so blinded in pursuit of her goal that she doesn¡¯t care what happens to her subjects.¡± He sighed. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be easy.¡± ¡°Well, you have your task. Find out the details of what they¡¯re up to and how they might be bringing Cursed Energy into your world. If you find any especially dangerous projects, don¡¯t hesitate to sabotage them. We¡¯ll do our best to protect you from whatever the consequences. There are excellent rewards and privileges waiting.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Layla. Given the personal nature of this issue, I¡¯m determined to put a stop to this Cursed Energy business.¡± ¡°Vengeance is certainly a decent goal, but if you move past that, remember the Control World is willing to provide excellent incentives for your service.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I¡¯m a greedy man. I haven¡¯t forgotten anything.¡± 65. Interlude: Birth Of A Star ¡°This isn¡¯t working out, Festus. You¡¯re out.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Bunty struggled not to yell down the headset. ¡°What the fuck do you mean I¡¯m out? I made this channel. I am the fucking channel. You can¡¯t just kick me out.¡± ¡°You started the channel. Then you fucked off for six months, and we kept things afloat and made it into something that¡¯s actually making money. The last thing we need is for you to fuck things up and ruin our image. In exchange, you can put us down as a reference, and we will say all the good you did for us.¡± ¡°You mean the six months I was away after getting a bloody tumor removed and undergoing chemo? You¡¯re using my templates. My format. What do you mean by your image?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play the cancer card. Trying to guilt-trip us like that is kind of pathetic, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯m doing this as a courtesy. The others wanted just to cut you out, but we go far back. So¡ª¡± ¡°Because I took you on to help run the channel, Jay,¡± Bunty replied. His voice cracked, and his chest tightened. ¡°You had no job and were about to get kicked out of your houseshare. I helped you out, and this is how you thank me.¡± The words gushed out so fast he wasn¡¯t sure whether they formed a coherent sentence. ¡°I trusted you with admin control so you could keep things going while I was in recovery. Not so you could steal it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how things happened, Festus. Look. Exaggerating the past won¡¯t change things now. You¡¯re out. We¡¯re announcing it to the followers with tonight¡¯s Highlights Reel. It might be tempting to talk shit and make a post about it, but¡ª¡± ¡°You have the money for lawyers, and I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Glad we¡¯re on the same page. Maybe you need to find something else to do with your life. This job has no sick days. You¡¯re only as relevant as your last post. The reference offer still stands. We want you to land on your feet. So¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks, Jay. Go fuck yourself.¡± Bunty ripped his headset off and froze just as he was about to throw it across the room. He couldn¡¯t afford a new one, and if he wanted a chance at starting a new channel, he needed all the equipment he could get. ¡°Get yourself together,¡± he mumbled and returned to his desk. Two aetherscreens flashed in front of him, listing all the events he had missed. At first, he gravitated toward the latest Iron and Bronze events. Bunty paused. The most successful channels focused on a single or group of competitors and followed them from the start of their careers. It was a risky endeavor because there was no telling when one would die or retire. However, a collaborative relationship often helped both parties as they worked with sponsors and advertisers. Bunty needed to make money fast if he wanted to get big and continue paying his mortgage. Given how he was stuck in a wheelchair and didn¡¯t have much of a work history, he doubted any other line of work would prove lucrative. Bunty regretted not naming the old channel after himself. Jay and the rest of the team would have struggled to edge him out. Unfortunately, the audience rarely paid attention to the creators unless they provided commentary during the videos, and Highlight Reel wasn¡¯t that kind of channel, only occasionally employing vocal elements. He needed to start from scratch and find the perfect unknown or group of unknowns to get started. The recent qualifiers felt like the best starting point. Bunty scanned the list of new entrants to the Iron Gauntlet and immediately discounted all the top rankers. Sponsors, publicists, and powerful luduses with giant marketing teams would pursue them, and contacting them would only slow him down. So, Bunty focused on the runner-ups and people allowed through by the arena construct for an excellent performance. It took him an hour to find his favorite three: two from the battle royale and one from the singles tournament. Combatants with flashy abilities, summons, and mages attracted the most views, and the rare knight often achieved the same. Brutes and rogues only interested the public once they reached the Bronze Gauntlet and picked up an exciting sub-ability. However, one brute particularly interested Bunty. Sunil or ¡®Nil¡¯ Roy fought like a brute but also displayed excellent martial arts skills. Most interesting of all, he could do more than just take a hit and strike back even harder. Bunty repeatedly watched the sections where he disintegrated someone¡¯s arms, released a shockwave from his fist, and used the side of his hand like an axe. The edge of his hand emitted a faint white shimmer as he cleaved through an opponent¡¯s conjured barrier. He wasn¡¯t flashy but exciting. Nil¡¯s powerful attacks appeared to damage him too. The bits that glowed white often turned out charred black afterward. Bunty suspected audiences would find a mighty double-edged sword especially interesting. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Bunty named the channel Festus The Curator. He marked the cat summoner¡¯s best moments as the top video. She performed brilliantly in the battle royale. Audiences loved feline and canine summons, and colorful elemental spells only excited them more. The second spot involved a man with the ability to stretch his arms, harden sections, and turn his hands into blades, axes, and bludgeoning weapons. Thanks to Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson, people with body transformation abilities always performed above average. He expected the top two videos to at least grab him a few followers. People didn¡¯t have the time to watch all the matches and often missed out on gems and fun moments. Bringing two exciting individuals to the forefront would make him enough money not to dip into his remaining savings immediately. Then, he put Nil in position three as a bonus. He was interesting enough to draw some attention. Afterward, Bunty made himself a bowl of instant ramen and called it a night. He was too tired and pissed off to accomplish much more. The medication ensured his pain didn¡¯t keep him awake for long. Seven hours of bladder-interrupted sleep later, Bunty woke up more tired and pissed off than the day before. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling for several minutes, thinking over all the highs and lows while working on the Highlight Reel episodes. Bunty couldn¡¯t help but think about how he would¡¯ve kept the channel or made his former partners pay without damaging his baby. Then, nausea and acid reflux caused by the mixture of medication forced him out of bed. Bunty took his time. He expected nothing amazing from the videos and only hoped to get the ball rolling. He also thought about calling in some favors in the community. A shoutout on a popular friend¡¯s stream or someone referring to his work could potentially give him the boost he needed. In the meantime, he hoped to curate some of the other qualifiers. Now that he thought about it, a brute capable of creating armor out of stone and rubble and collapsing buildings in the process could also attract views. She was young, cute, and competent. It was the safe bet and just what he needed. He wished the male half of the Khan siblings, Jamal, had made it through instead of his sister. A rogue that spread frost through her blades wasn¡¯t a visually appealing enough concept. However, a knight conjuring flame-coated chains would make money. It was one of the most aesthetically pleasing powers Bunty had ever seen. Viktor, the short-range lightning mage, would¡¯ve done the same. As he made and ate a breakfast of sugary ¡®fruit¡¯ cereal and milk, he made a mental list of all the other new qualifiers worth putting on the channels. The desire to know if anyone had beaten them to the punch finally got him to return to his desk. Bunty¡¯s jaw dropped. It turned out that a dozen of his channel¡¯s subscribers followed his moniker¡ªFestus¡ªand recognized his production and editing style. They had noticed fewer samples of it over the past few months and questioned Festus¡¯ absence on the channel¡¯s chats. An assistant in their growing staff told them that he was unwell and taking a break for recovery. The internet sleuths had investigated further and discovered the cancer from supposedly private social media accounts but kept silent to protect Bunty¡¯s privacy, hoping he¡¯d return soon. However, when Highlight Reel announced Festus¡¯ departure from the group, they found the ¡®Festus the Curator¡¯ channel and put the pieces together, making inflammatory but true assumptions. Then, they spread the news by spamming the fan servers and the official chat. Mob hysteria did the rest. Bunty had enough paying followers to pay the next two mortgage payments while living comfortably. Despite her attractiveness, Gwyneth, the Summoner, only received a quarter of the views of the metamorpher. As expected, Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson¡¯s fans loved everything about partial body transformation and left several encouraging comments, suggesting Festus make her a regular on the channel. The video featuring Nil Roy only had seventy percent of the metamorpher¡¯s views. However, the comment section was rife with debate about his power and the probable costs involved. Three threads with over a thousand comments showed the interest. Someone had gone into the technicalities of his fighting style. Another poster talked about his strategy and approach to the battle royale. The third was pure chaos as people debated Nil¡¯s powers and limitations. Someone had already made a looping graphic of him cleaving through the barriers. After scanning the top comments, Bunty abandoned his plans for the day. Not a lot of channels focused on martial arts or closed-range combatants that concentrate on physical attacks. So, he decided to focus on similar fighters instead of the usually popular flashy abilities, colorful spells, or might summons. First, Bunty sent emails to Nil and the metamorpher¡ªwho only used a registration number at the qualifiers and no name. Fortunately, the bored internet investigators had already found his social media. Leon, the Spanish metamorpher, replied within minutes while Bunty was working on a video for Lilian, the stone armor maker, and Adam, the regenerating brute. He had no idea which would appeal to his growing audience more and decided to cast a wide vote. Later, he could hold a vote on who would make a regular on the channel. Leon was flattered and agreed to work with the channel immediately, planning to send training and power demonstration videos. Friends and family had already sent him Festus¡¯ video, and he loved the style. They came to a swift deal on advertisers and a revenue share. Cooperation always turned out well for the channel. It was a little effort for Leon, and he would occasionally submit to Q&A sessions for five percent of ad revenue. He would work with no other channels or agree to interviews and guest positions on the condition he mentioned Festus the Curator. Unfortunately, Bunty¡¯s new first choice didn¡¯t reply to his email as quickly. He hoped no one had beaten him to Nil. The man had a mysterious power, had excellent technique, and seemed likable. Partnering with him would be great for the channel. He completed the videos involving Lilian and Adam before emailing the pair, too. ¡°Patience,¡± he told himself, leaning back in his wheelchair and watching the numbers trickle higher. ¡°You have a concept. Now, you need a star.¡± 66. Questionable Ethics ¡°I don¡¯t know, man,¡± Andrew said, eyes focused on his aetherscreen as he checked on his bug. He had received a blip of a signal the night before but wasn¡¯t around to capitalize on the opening. Now, Nil didn¡¯t know what Andrew was doing, but it looked entertaining. ¡°I would¡¯ve picked Brutal Amplification if I were you.¡± ¡°It''s a good ability, but I have enough offense for the Iron Gauntlet,¡± Nil replied, watching his friend work. ¡°It didn¡¯t feel like a priority, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Really? Striking someone hard enough to end the fight in one blow feels like the smart thing to do.¡± When Nil woke up the morning after using the ascension tokens, the Schema offered him four options, which was surprising since most recounts spoke of only three. He guessed people of his realm usually didn¡¯t have as many feats, which contributed to the disparity. Pick a new sub-ability to support Brutal Battery: Picking between the last two wasn¡¯t an easy decision. ¡°I already spend half my time holding back,¡± Nil said. ¡°Brutal Amplification is too limiting, and I can¡¯t afford to lose my abilities for such a long time. Ten minutes of no Expend is horrible. I understand Brutal Amplification is supposed to be a finishing move to end a fight instantly, but if it fails, I¡¯ll be screwed. Every minute is an eternity on the battlefield.¡± ¡°I suppose. I¡¯ve never been in a fight and only ever watched the Pits and Apocalypse Arena. What the fuck do I know? I still don¡¯t get your pick. It''s boring as hell.¡± ¡°I can gain extra strength while Absorbing and defense when Expending. What¡¯s not to like?¡± Adaptive Battery was initially tempting, but Nil discounted it after some thought. The passive boosts were appealing. However, he didn¡¯t like the penalties that came with the bonus. ¡°I can also move faster when pursuing or fleeing. The speed is fun and feels amazing. Focused Finesse training will probably be essential now because I faceplanted a couple of times while trying it out this morning. If I toggle supercharging on with Absorb while running, I can keep the speed up indefinitely. What¡¯s not to like?¡± ¡°I guess it''s better,¡± Andrew said, pausing to wait for the bug¡¯s signal. They still got nothing. ¡°The shielding could¡¯ve turned you into a bulwark, though. And it sounds like you could¡¯ve used the excess energy as a mini-Expend blast.¡± ¡°Those are good on paper but not in real life. I¡¯d need to be up against someone like Burning Sands or getting swarmed for the function to prove useful. It''s good but too situational. I need something for regular use instead of occasional use, and Toggled Supercharging does the job. Tests and practice are needed, but I¡¯m sure I made the right choice. The balanced approach is safe and will keep me alive the longest. It''s best if I save offensive picks for the soul weapon or my Bronze ascension.¡± Andrew frowned, thinking about it for a moment. ¡°Will a durability bonus while using Expend¡¯s energy release function reduce the burns you suffer?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I need to run a few experiments but didn¡¯t want to do it without access to good burn ointment. The point of the ability is that it lowers my reliance on Might. So, I don''t need to waste a future feat¡ªCursed or not¡ªon raising potential. Besides, given how quickly Brutal Battery¡¯s capacity is increasing with each unit of Spark, not a lot will be capable of pushing it to full. A balanced approach is my best bet. I knew I wanted Toggled Supercharge as soon as I saw it. Only a self-healing ability would''ve made me reconsider the decision.¡± ¡°I wonder how all your sub-abilities will be,¡± Andrew commented. ¡°That is, stuff that builds on Absorb or Expend or gives you another way to burn stored energy.¡¯ ¡°I think it''s best to build on what I already have instead of bloating my options during battle. When it comes to shove, I don''t want to waste time thinking of my options. I just want to do.¡± ¡°Fine. Go do something else. Wreck some stuff outside.¡± Andrew tossed Nil an aetherscreen. ¡°Or see what people are saying on your video. You taking down Shawn has gone viral.¡± Nil had heard of someone making a video following him in the battle royale. It was flattering, but he wasn¡¯t sure whether he wanted to watch it¡ªmostly because of an incident with Fatima. It was embarrassing, and he didn¡¯t know what to do with all the attention. He knew that if he did well in the arena, sooner or later, the media spotlight would focus on him. The attention would make him a fair bit of money, reducing his reliance on matches and quests. In fact, Nil was considering directing said earnings directly to his father and, eventually, his sister. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The timing just wasn¡¯t right. Nil wanted to get the thing with Symbiotech out of the way first. So, he replied to the email he received from Festus, thanking him and asking for time to think about it. In the meantime, he agreed to let the man continue making videos starring Nil without citing any partnership deal. Garuda Systems was a medium-sized aethertech company and one of Arthurtech¡¯s competitors. Nil liked the idea of working with them and didn¡¯t want to agree to a video deal just in case it conflicted with possible sponsorships. Nil was in the middle of rewatching the video when his favorite police officers arrived. Neither of them looked happy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nil asked when Katherine threw her arms around him. It looked like she had been crying. ¡°Weren¡¯t the both of you supposed to be working tonight?¡± ¡°We got put on administrative leave,¡± Susan said. ¡°It was the recording. Since it was Apocalypse Arena property, you two didn¡¯t technically break any rules or laws. However, it was deemed a breach of ethics.¡± ¡°It''s because the captain is up for a damned promotion,¡± Katherine added. ¡°It was a mistake giving it to him. I think the people involved in the coverup also moved up the ladder because of it, and the bastard knows it. He¡¯s worried about the consequences for him if it gets out and we launch an official investigation.¡± ¡°So, he¡¯s trying to silence you,¡± Nil held Katherine tightly and gave her a squeeze while Susan disappeared inside. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this happened. Did you give him all the recordings?¡± ¡°He demanded all the copies, but I kept a backup. Just in case.¡± ¡°Good, let¡¯s hold on to it for now. How much did you tell him? Do you think he¡¯ll warn Symbiotech or the higher-ups?¡± Katherine shook her head, pulling away. ¡°No. He looked scared. It looked like he wanted the whole thing gone and forgotten. I think there are dangerous people or parties involved in this thing. I might have to find a way to take this thing straight to the top.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you not,¡± Nil said. ¡°That might be risky. If dirty individuals or influential figures are involved, our lives might be in danger. Maybe we should talk to Lydia. She could guide us on how to approach.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose my job,¡± Katherine whispered. ¡°Believe me. What happened with Fatima was terrifying, and I¡¯m sure it was worse when Aisha passed. Symbiotech is up to no good, and I want them to stop, but I don¡¯t want this quest to come at the cost of my job.¡± Thanks to the resources from the Control World, Layla managed to issue an official quest. Objective: Find out details regarding Symbiotech¡¯s Cursed Energy projects. Sabotage the symbiote project. Knowledge regarding the source of Cursed Energy, suppliers, and compatriots is needed. Danger Level: Bronze 1 Rewards: 300 Schema Credit, 3 Schema Tokens, Bonuses available. Katherine had a similar quest. Hers didn¡¯t include sabotage, and Nil hadn¡¯t revealed that his objective did. The Nexus wanted her to investigate Symbiotech and its illicit activities, uncover the exact details as Nil, and attempt to set the local law enforcement on them or reveal the information to the public. It was especially risky for her, and the quest had a danger level of Bronze-Nine. It came with the appropriate rewards¡ªmore credit, more Schema tokens, and a Silver Ascension Token. Nil sympathized with her but found Katherine¡¯s desire to prioritize her job over the quest off-putting. He believed keeping Cursed Energy and its manipulation off Earth was more important than working in the Metropolitan Police force. Working for the Nexus came with far better pay. While on a case for the interdimensional organization, neither of them wouldn¡¯t need to go away on a quest. It also gave them the privilege to request a teleport to the Nexus once a week. He could also take on other quests in the meantime. The Nexus understood that he needed to get stronger for his mission and agreed to let him go on shorter jobs to earn credits and tokens. It was challenging to keep the disappointment off his face. But he still liked Katherine and did his best to spare her feelings, pushing down his real thoughts. It wasn¡¯t enough to ruin whatever they had going on. Fortunately, Susan stuck her head out of the mobile home and beckoned them. Andrew had found something. ¡°You''re not going to like this, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said, massaging the bridge of his nose. ¡°Did the bug fail?¡± Nil asked. ¡°No. It succeeded. But there is more.¡± Andrew looked and sounded sad and hesitant to continue. ¡°Elaborate, please.¡± ¡°So, Shina did approach you because she detected the Cursed Energy, but that''s not the end of it. She led the team that made its container. The internal logs suggest there was a fair bit of excitement around finding their lost project. The unformed and modified soul weapon was her baby. ¡°They didn''t have approval for the symbiote project and it wasn''t above board. So, they got an unregistered Summon as the host. An injury in a gangway broke her the same way the Mind Mage had Fatima. This bitch¡ª¡± He glanced at the women. ¡°I''m not being misogynistic. Dr Shina Patel is a bitch for how little she values human life. The only thing that matters to her is her bloody project.¡¯ ¡°No disagreements here,¡± Susan said. She stood next to Nil and hugged him sideways. It was a comforting embrace. The suspension didn''t seem to have affected her the way it did Katherine. A few months after the incident, the woman had already considered leaving the force. Her superiors¡¯ restrictions on using Skoll and Hati when dealing with criminal Summonses bothered her. ¡°Long story short: Shina Patel was ready to pursue you with all of Symbiotech¡¯s resources to get her old project under her control. She wants to develop the soul weapon and turn it into more. She wants you to be the guinea pig for the next big Cursed Energy prototype.¡± ¡°Any clue how she''s getting her hands on the Cursed Energy?¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°It''s something called Death Gauntlet. Symbiotech has five agents absorbing energy from the Cursed Ones, and the little lab minions are sucking it out for their experiments.¡± ¡°Do you have any details on those or who these agents are?¡± Katherine asked, frowning. ¡°These kinds of people would have enough influence to scare the captain and fund a cover-up.¡± ¡°The files and mailboxes are far too encrypted for me to break. It''s not my expertise. I''m getting this off of logs, outgoing emails, and accompanying screenshots or media files. There is a lot more I haven''t yet checked. This is just off the top. Despite losing Fatima, Shina has been celebrating your willingness to become their test subject mate.¡± Andrew looked worried, looking between Nil and Katherine. ¡°You two need to be careful with this quest. It''s not just your lives that are in danger. These fuckers aren''t above targeting your families.¡± 67. Learn To Walk Before You Run In the middle of the Bronze Realm, Katherine had only three feats¡ªtwo from ascension and once from converting accumulated Cursed Energy. Nil had almost twice as many. If it weren¡¯t for Haunting Visage, he would almost be thankful for his greedy, unformed soul weapon. His first and pre-existing feat did nothing besides occasionally warn him of danger and make him aware of anomalous energies. It had its uses, but in Nil¡¯s eyes, the detriments outweighed the benefits. He had questioned Layla about the possibility of getting rid of feats. She claimed the Nexus had no such powers, and the Control Worlds didn¡¯t share such knowledge with outsiders. However, rare Cursed Ones had exhibited the ability to rip negative feats out of people. Since the theft primarily involved examples that contained and utilized Cursed Energy, she theorized the monsters did it to feed or grow their power. Nil didn¡¯t want to particularly endure the pain and discomfort that accompanied such an experience. However, the possibility of losing the visage almost made the painful possibility feel worthwhile. Nil did pushups as he read up on powers similar to his. He had tried to sit down and study at first but somehow ended up making a sandwich, doing his laundry, and chatting with half the people on his floor instead. The new trait wasn¡¯t as rough as Armsmaster¡¯s Disappointment. It felt like how Nil imagined ADHD. Research uncovered two examples of kinetic-energy manipulation. One was a mage in the Silver Gauntlet. He started off with spells based around stopping and launching objects. Then went into charging objects with kinetic energy to turn them into bombs. Now, at the Silver Realm, he had the power to steal heat from objects and entities and channel them elsewhere. Unlike Nil, he didn¡¯t have an impenetrable defense and the ability to strengthen his body, relying on conjured barriers of kinetic energy for defense. The other Summoned started on the opposite end of the spectrum as a knight, toying with the kinetic molecular theory of heat. He was briefly a terror in the Bronze Gauntlet before disappearing two years prior, just as he was about to complete the Gauntlet of Ten. His ludus claimed he had left for a quest and never returned. It wasn¡¯t an uncommon tale. Nil knew his power would never be like theirs. Brutal Battery seemed to pick and choose when it obeyed the laws of physics. If it were true kinetic energy, he wouldn¡¯t be able to move while using Absorb, and things touching him would lose all heat. He¡¯d suffer incredible recoil with the burns when releasing energy through touch. Yet, Nil explored the options, trying to guess how his ability would develop at later realms. Nil wanted many things. He hoped to strengthen his defenses against elemental and energy attacks or find a means to heal his injuries. The means to attack from range as well. He especially liked how the mage charged objects with kinetic energy before launching them at people or creating spheres of pure kinetic energy. The knight¡¯s ability to create a sphere of pure heat to throw at foes or smash them in the face appealed to him, too. Next, Nil studied the current big names in the Iron and Death Gauntlet. It didn''t take him long to figure out that he wasn''t ready for the latter. Watching videos of Pietro and others like him told Nil that he had no chance of coming out alive. He needed to gain ability and attribute ranks, getting as close to Bronze Realm as possible before even challenging one of the bigger names. Most importantly, Nil needed to get used to his newest ability. Through Sheer Grit proved its worth as Nil breezed through the early ranks in a couple of days. He started his mornings by getting Lily or one of the other brutes to hit him until his stores were full. When they weren''t available, he used Isabella''s mini cannon ball launchers to bombard him while channeling Absorb. Afterward, he ran the obstacle course while speed toggled on. It took him a day to get used to the change, and he struggled not to rely on Absorb to deal with the stumbles and falls. Using the new ability alone was vital to figure out its energy costs. Toggled Supercharging consumed half a percent of energy every second. Switching from one boost to another cost one percent which doubled with every consecutive use, maxing out at five. The time taken matched the cost, with the first taking half a second but again never crossing five. After the third switch, it proved more efficient to toggle the ability off, wait a couple of seconds, and then activate it again. The break proved sufficient for resetting the ability. Two hundred seconds of activation from full. The additional ranks didn''t change the energy cost or time. Instead, it marginally increased the bonuses. Nil didn''t notice the first couple of increments but could feel it by Mortal-Three. He hoped to find out soon how the Spark attribute¡¯s increases affected ability. ¡°That''s one hell of a boost,¡± Lily said, clobbering Nil with a giant stone club. Each strike restored a fifth of his stores. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± Nil commented. ¡°You¡¯re moving a hell a lot faster.¡± She grinned. ¡°My new passive lets me ignore the weight of my weapon and armor. So, I¡¯m as fast as my Might and Finesse allow. I still have to deal with the rigidity, though. I¡¯m only as flexible as the armor allows.¡± ¡°Sounds like a skill issue,¡± Nil teased. He took a moment to study the armor made of grey rocks. The ludus staff had brought in giant boulders and blocks for her to practice with. One of Golden Aegis¡¯ Bronze Realm mages had the power to control and shape stone. She and Lily had an agreement. Once she was done training, the woman would turn all the fragments into solid, dense blocks. ¡°It just looks like you need to get better at making joints. Instead of big, rounded chunks, why not use smaller pieces of denser stones?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, if you don¡¯t feel the weight, do you even need joint pieces?¡± Lily frowned, thinking about the question. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°If you¡¯re not dealing with the weight, you really only need protection.¡± The armor creation ability had broken the provided stone, covering the floor in dust. Nil traced an elbow joint and two interlocking pieces that slotted around each other and moved like an elbow. ¡°Something like this should protect your flesh, and you could add layers of smaller stone around it to further reinforce.¡± ¡°How did you just come up with that?¡± Lily asked, studying the diagram closely. Then she released the armor around her left arm and let the stones fall. New pieces slowly gathered around her limb as she started to emulate Nil¡¯s idea. ¡°I have a bachelors in mechanical engineering,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Artisans have limited the job market for the degree, but it still has its uses.¡± Nil left her to play with the idea and build new armor before returning to the obstacle course. He ran it again but with Absorb active. The physics-breaking elements of the ability, though convenient, annoyed Nil. He had no resources to study and come up with new uses for the ability. He needed to figure out new developments and uses alone. Each step and collision partially recharged Brutal Battery¡¯s stores, extending the speed boost. Nil also noticed how Absorb made him more stable, highlighting another one of the abilities¡¯ inconsistencies. The description claimed it didn¡¯t affect his movements. Not stumbling as much said otherwise. He guessed it was a product of Finesse interacting with Absorb. In fact, his timings and control over Expend had increased with the attribute, too. Strength was a much more difficult metric to measure accurately. Mental blocks regarding how much his body could safely handle without Expend, kept him from just doubling his usual weights. So, he went in stages, increasing his usual by ten kilograms, doing a set of five lifts, and then bumping up the numbers again. Around the sixty percent increase mark, his muscles started protesting. At eighty, his joints struggled, and he stopped. Might has increased to Iron 1! Toggled Supercharging has increased to Mortal 4! Nil assumed that when push came to shove, he¡¯d get twice the strength of what Might provided. Brutal Battery: Iron 0 Energy Instinct: Mortal 7 Feats:
¡°What do you mean you want to challenge the Gauntlet of Ten?¡± Isabella asked when Nil brought up the topic. ¡°You just got through the qualifiers and ascended. You need to master your new abilities first. You¡¯re going to get your butt kicked or killed.¡± ¡°Between Absorb and the durability of my new ability, I¡¯m confident that I can survive most things and surrender if in an impossible situation,¡± Nil said. ¡°Sparring and your training isn¡¯t doing it. I need the real danger of the arena to push myself and get stronger.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. Go on a quest or two if you want money and tokens. I want you to train at least a month or two or attempt a few standard gauntlet attempts before you try something so dangerous. People in the Gauntlet of Ten are extras desperate for the win and will take steps that others won¡¯t. What if you survive but end up with too much brain damage to consent to Nexus quests?¡± Isabella appeared and sounded angrier than Nil had ever seen her before. He wondered whether she had lost overconfident friends or loved ones in the arena. ¡°I didn¡¯t stick my neck out for you with the qualifiers so that you can get yourself killed right away. Why are you in such a rush?¡± ¡°I have time-sensitive goals,¡± Nil stated. ¡°As much as I trust you, Isabella, I¡¯m not at liberty to discuss them.¡± ¡°Fine. I can¡¯t stop you, but I strongly recommend against it. But for my sake, why don¡¯t you go on a quest first? Pick something close to your danger level and just use it to get used to being Iron Realm. Hopefully, you¡¯ll get a few more ability ranks out of it and perhaps some Schema tokens to push your ability score higher.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Nil sighed. He didn¡¯t expect many decent options since the Nexus had limited him to shorter quests during his Earth-side quests. However, it was an opportunity to share Andrew¡¯s developments with Layla and discuss a helpful resource he had overlooked. When Nil pulled up his Schema interface, he found an emergency notification waiting for him. The timing suggested he was in the middle of his last spar when it arrived. A blow to the head had left his ears ringing, and he mistook the Schema¡¯s alerts as the after-effects. The notification led him to his quest list, and the Schema highlighted the latter two. Objective: Prince Edgar Von Schmidt is due to be named heir of the kingdom. However, evidence of a cursed ritual has been found on the castle grounds. His hair and nail clippings were used as an element. Protect him through the night and ensure he makes it to the throne room. Duration: 12 hours Danger Level: Iron 9 Rewards: 200 Schema Credit, 2 Schema Token Objective: A mission to eliminate a Scourge Cult has gone wrong. Mila Stark is in danger. She specifically requested that you assist her, her husband-to-be, and her grandfather. Break them out of the cult¡¯s dungeons and ensure they make it to the stables alive. The nearest Control World deems Mila Stark and fiance vital for the future of the Beacon World. As a result, you may invite up to four other people to help you with this quest. Duration: 6 hours Danger Level: Bronze 3 Rewards: 250 Schema Credit, 3 Schema Tokens, Iron Ascension Token Objective: A vampire lord seeks vengeance on Old Oaksfield and, specifically, the Order of the Silver Crucible. He blames them for his apprentice''s death and plans to flood the city with ghouls and unleash an undead plague. Priestess Elaine Morrow may not be allowed to fall. She has called for aid and wants you to be on the team repelling the attackers. Duration: 12 hours Danger Level: Bronze 5 Rewards: 500 Schema Credit, 5 Schema Tokens Even though the third quest had more significant rewards, Nil didn¡¯t pick it. Little Mila Stark was a part of his first quest and had graduated on to doing great things. He didn¡¯t want her to die and it was an opportunity to impress another Control World while learning more about the Scourge. Nil was confident there would be other incredible Summoned like Lise to help Old Oaksfield. The Order of the Silver Crucible was great in its own right. More importantly, he didn¡¯t have much of an emotional connection to them. All that mattered was the Well of Power remained safe and didn¡¯t turn into a Font of Cursed Energy, leading to the birth of another Dark World. Given the direness of the possibility, Nil was sure the Nexus would send Summoned, who was more qualified and capable than him, to Old Oaksfield. So, he sent messages to his friends and family, warning them of his absence, and accepted the quest. 68. Taken By The Scourge Much to Nil¡¯s delight, three out of four people he requested for the quest answered his call. He, the old mage, and the assistants that summoned him stood just outside the intricately drawn magic circle, waiting for the others to arrive. Several warped relics, aether gems, and more littered the ground. They had invested a significant amount in the Summoning. Katherine appeared a couple of minutes after him, doing up her form-fitting navy blue long coat as the cold night air washed over them. The first wore a knee-length dress and a corset. Her high boots just about reached the hem of her dress, leaving little of her tights-covered leg exposed. She looked like a noblewoman on business, which made sense given the type of quests she usually got. Despite each garment¡¯s medieval style, she still had a law-enforcement vibe. One look at her, and he was almost sure she was going to be stern and ask a bunch of questions. Meanwhile, Susan looked at how he imagined sorcerers in the fantasy books he used to read as a child, appearing at the heart of the magic circle just after Katherine. Her purple dress had a long slit running from halfway down her thighs to the hem. Nil guessed she needed extra range of moment to mount and hop off her wolves when necessary. Unlike Katherine, Susan carried a staff, and he caught a glimpse of a bandolier strapped to her right thigh. The last to arrive was none other than Sakura¡ªthe woman who assisted him during the emergency quest. Unlike the last time they met, she carried no weapons and wore half-plate armor, looking like a medieval knight. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you or hear from you ever again,¡± she said, shaking his hand. ¡°Imagine my surprise when the Schema tells me you requested me specifically for help at a Bronze-danger level.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all shocked by his growth,¡± Katherine commented, stepping up to the pair and draping an arm around his shoulder. It almost felt like an attempt to establish territory. Nil considered the thought silly. Sakura lived in another dimension. He doubted Katherine considered her a threat¡ªgiven the casual nature of the relationship, it wasn¡¯t even a concern¡ªso she and Nil could be fleeting acquaintances at best. ¡°He trains like a maniac and does little else.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve brought friends Summoned,¡± the mage said, interrupting the union. ¡°The situation is dire, and Mistress Mila needs¡ª¡± ¡°And Prince Albert,¡± a similarly dressed woman added. ¡°The Scourge cult attacked our headquarters in the dead of night,¡± the man continued, ignoring the interruption and addressing Nil directly. ¡°They took our leaders through a powerful sleep spell, and we fear the worst. Please. Save Mistress Mila. Save them all. She asked me to request assistance from Nexus if we ever needed it. The mistress never forgot your bravery and strength when facing the Cursed One.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯ve brought a summoner, a Mind Mage, and a knight experienced fighting the Void¡ª¡± ¡°And the Scourge,¡± Sakura said.¡± ¡°¡ªwith me. Explain what happened, and we¡¯ll do our best to ensure the prince and Mila come out alive.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Mila about nine or ten?¡± Katherine asked. ¡°What is she doing hunting the Scourge?¡± ¡°The mistress¡¯s magic is so pure and strong that the Control World sent a teacher,¡± the man replied. ¡°They¡¯ve been training in a space outside of time.¡± Nil wasn¡¯t quite sure what that meant, but he imagined time dilation was at play. He knew the Nexus and Control Worlds expected great things of Mila, but he didn¡¯t think they¡¯d get so directly involved. They have agents on Earth and are investing a lot in the investigation. Why wouldn¡¯t they do the same on a Beacon World? The old mage and Prince Albert¡¯s follower rolled a map out on the table and explained the situation while the assistants brought them drinks and food. Meanwhile, Susan summoned Skoll and Hati and sent them out to scout and watch the perimeter. An agent of the Scourge had infiltrated the kingdom. The local Well of Power¡ªthe one under the fort gifted to House Stark¡ªwas already on its way to turning into a Font of Cursed Energy. The Scourge¡¯s agent had orchestrated Mila¡¯s family gaining the property to wipe them out and continue perverting the well. They had tracked the cult to a neighboring city and had them cornered when a traitorous mage turned the tables. It was only a brief background of the situation, but given the time-sensitive nature of the situation, they didn¡¯t have the time to discuss it in detail. The old mages believed that the cult intended to sacrifice the three powerful individuals and use the ritual to summon more Cursed Ones and Scourge champions to the world, accelerating its transformation into a Dark World. ¡°You did a good thing inviting me for the quest,¡± Susan commented, studying the map. ¡°This is precisely the type of quests the Nexus has me do.¡± She pulled a palm-sized metal case out of her pocket, revealing little rune-covered discs. ¡°Do you mind if I take command of this operation? I have a fair deal of experience with rescue and infiltration.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Of course not,¡± Nil said, surprised by how the usually meek woman changed into a focused, authoritative figure. ¡°I was summoned to be Nil¡¯s sword,¡± Sakura said. ¡°Point me where to cut, and I¡¯ll do just that.¡± Katherine only nodded. ¡°Good.¡± She held out the case. ¡°Stick these on your necks. It will help me sense your positions and relay information.¡± ¡°Like a radio?¡± Nil asked, amazed by the tiny arcane devise. ¡°Precisely. But you can¡¯t communicate with each other, only me.¡± A faint electric tingle pulsed down Nil¡¯s neck. ¡°Testing. Testing. One, two¡ª¡± The annoyed look from Susan shut Nil up. ¡°You don¡¯t need to talk out loud,¡± Katherine explained. ¡°It''s like telepathy, and it broadcasts intentional surface thoughts. Since you¡¯re not used to it, declare an activation phrase that you can think of before sending a message.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± he replied and ran a quick test. Is this clear? Roger.
The Scourge cult had taken over the city¡¯s red-light district. It let them prey on patrons from all wakes of life, draining the life force from the poor and tired and magic or money from the more affluent locals. The locals had little information about the agents, and Susan and Sakura didn¡¯t have anything concrete for them either. Scourge champions were similar to and as diverse as Summoned. Their abilities and magic were born of Cursed Energy, and they had their own version of soul weapons. ¡°Expect double-edged swords and tools designed to torture and mutilate,¡± Susan had said. Nil knew to expect something similar to or as horrifying as Fatima. However, the description didn¡¯t sound too different from his ability. Expend had the power to torture, mutilate, and kill, and it came with a painful cost. The cult occupied a large complex of buildings, and there was no way to determine the prisoners¡¯ precise locations. In fact, there was no telling whether they were kept together or separately. In fact, the latter felt more likely, so they couldn¡¯t work together or combine their magic to overwhelm any anti-magic containing them. Apparently, Prince Albert and Mila¡¯s grandfather were accomplished magic swordsmen. They didn¡¯t have powerful spells to blast their way out, but their spells would enable them to fight them through a small army of the world¡¯s ordinary soldiers, armed or not. As a result, everyone moved separately. Susan had divided the map into three sections and had her summons smell the kidnapped trio¡¯s clothes. She stayed with the mages, protecting the command center and watching the map. The rest of the Summoned took a quadrant each. Hati moved between Nil and Katherine, looking for a scent and ready to assist when needed. The wolves had shrunk themselves to the size of street dogs and leaped along the roofs. Their versatility amazed Nil. The summons and how swiftly she came up with her plan explained why the Nexus considered Susan a valuable asset. It was early evening. The red-light district was just starting to get busy. Nil walked briskly, scanning his surroundings with Energy Instinct active. He wanted to run and cover as much ground as possible, but that would draw far too much attention. Silencing his movements with Absorb wouldn¡¯t be enough. The area was far too brightly lit with multicolored lanterns, and scantily clad women stood on the balconies and windows waving and beckoning. Much to Nil¡¯s annoyance, the visage appeared alongside them on passing balconies. He scanned the ladies of the night with Energy Instinct and got nothing. His soul weapon was just being a torment. Nil take a left ahead. Did Hati pick up a scent? It took him a couple of attempts to get the message through. He forgot to use the activation code the first time around and almost spoke out loud. No, but we¡¯re tracking a strange presence in Sakura¡¯s section, and Hati detected something similar next to you. It might have something to do with the ritual. Understood. I¡¯ll check it out straight away. A loud crash sounded in the distance, almost making Nil jump out of his skin. He craned his neck over the stalled crowd. All eyes moved toward the thick column of smoke rising a few streets away. Isn¡¯t that where Katherine is? Correct. I¡¯ll head over straight away¡ª No. She is investigating an identical arcane presence. It might be part of a larger ritual. Focus on your own. But she might need my help! She is at the peak of Bronze and far more potent than the little she showed you. Focus on the task you¡¯re assigned. Obey the chain of command. Understood. Nil fought his urges, and speed walked in the opposite direction, weaving through the crowd as they moved toward the fire. Although he was currently put off by Katherine, he still cared about her deeply. Besides, despite her reservations, she hadn¡¯t yet turned her back on the quest and accepted his summons. She was trying to do the right thing, and he didn¡¯t want anything to happen to her while at it. As a mage, she wasn¡¯t built to function alone. However, she was more powerful than the quest¡¯s danger level, and her spells allowed her to shut down most opponents. Nil suspected she hadn¡¯t shown him all of her arsenal either. He reminded himself to focus on his job as she did. Saving Mila was his priority. Impatience got the better of Nil. He slipped into a side street and took off running, using Toggled Supercharging to speed toward where Susan directed. It led him to a building with no alluring women in the window. The shuttered windows and silence made it stand out from its vibrant and alluring neighbors. It was the start of the busy hours for most brothels, and the silence made the structure stand out. More importantly, Energy Instinct detected a mixture of dark and noxious arcane presences. Hints of dark smoke leaked through the cracks in the window, and the visage stood on the roof, beckoning him like one of the balcony women. We¡¯ve got Cursed Energy. I¡¯m heading in. 69. Punching Above Ones Weight The brothel¡¯s interior was dark and silent. The air smelled of roses, honey, and spice. Nil¡¯s sensitive nose picked up a sweaty odor, and something rank underneath. It reminded him of sewage. Since everybody on the streets and balconies was focused on the fiery orange glow in the darkening evening sky, no one saw Nil scale the side of the building. Clotheslines crisscrossed the flat roof, and colorful dresses, skirts, blouses, and a variety of garments Nil didn''t recognize were hanging from them. He anxiously stepped into the fabric maze. It took Nil a while to find the way in. He had to look for several minutes before he found the trap door hidden by the fluttering clothes. Absorb did nothing to silence the hinges. He didn''t have time to wait and find out whether anyone had heard him and leaped in. Susan spoke in his ear, and he sensed Hati nearby as he progressed. Take it slow. Don¡¯t hesitate to let me know if you sense any danger. Hati is on standby. Energy Instinct detected thicker black smoke in the building. It was coming through the floors. Stray pink and purple flecks accompanied it. Nil didn¡¯t bother going slow. Restless In Body And Mind meant he could keep still and watch or read anything. However, it also did wonders for his senses and instincts as he sped through the floor and found the stairs. Whenever he sensed someone, he had a peek, ensuring they weren¡¯t who he was looking for. He had never met Prince Albert or Mila¡¯s grandfather before. He had received detailed descriptions of both and made a note of all the distinguishing features. Nil had the mage describe Mila, too. If years of time dilation had made her older, she likely looked significantly different from the pre-pubescent girl he remembered. Most rooms contained one or two sleeping women. Occasionally, they had men with them. The scent of liquor and usually some sort of smoke hung heavy in the air. Nil sighted bottles and long glass or ceramic pipes. Unwilling to inhale whatever drug they had consumed, he didn¡¯t linger in one space for long. Unlike his companions, Nil didn¡¯t get the opportunity to visit the Nexus Market and pick up fancy or role-appropriate clothes. The Nexus had sent him in wearing simple grey trousers, a white shirt, and brown work boots. He didn¡¯t look too different from the people on the street or brothel patrons, except cleaner. As he explored and worked his way down the building, he pulled his shirt up over his nose. It probably did little good against the fumes, but it didn¡¯t hurt to try. The new feat proved its worth when he descended two floors. A man with a curved black blade leaped out of the shadows and stabbed at him. He had no arcane presence, but a slimy purple energy dripped from the blade. It was so faint Nil¡¯s sensory ability barely detected it. Nil knew at a glance that it was no ordinary weapon and refused to take any risks. He activated Toggled Supercharging, speeding himself up for just long enough to just about dodge the blade, grapple the man, and slap a hand over his mouth. Choking him out after knocking the weapon away was no effort at all. He didn¡¯t need any abilities for it. The basic Might-provided strength was enough. When another explosion rocked the world outside, he gave up on stealth and raced down to the ground floor. More people came at him, but Nil took them out with powerful, well-aimed strikes. It wasn¡¯t too challenging, and Nil easily put most of them down. Given the time limit and dire nature of the quest, he gave up on holding back. He Supercharged strength and attacked his opponents with Absorb active. Bones cracked, and Nil didn¡¯t wait to find out whether they had survived his attacks. The mage said all Scourge sympathizers and allies would be executed. They¡¯re dead anyway. ¡°Where are the prisoners?¡± Nil asked, pinning one attacker against the wall. He twisted an arm behind one man¡¯s back as his friends groaned or lay immobile on the floor. The man grunted and groaned but didn¡¯t answer, continuing to struggle as Nil tightened his hold. ¡°The sooner you tell me¡ª¡± The man frothed at the mouth, and his eyes rolled up. He started seizing, and Cursed Energy spilled from his mouth. When Nil released him, he fell and continued thrashing. He backed away from the man, confident there was nothing to be found. Nil had no choice but to head into the basement and find the source of the billowing black smoke. The density leaking through the floorboards and the abundance of pink and purple flecks suggested that he was close. Every passing second left Nil more frustrated. He failed to find another door or stairs to head to the level below. So, he used the tools at his disposal to make an opening. A couple of Expend-powered blows proved sufficient for breaking through the floor. He added a Supercharge to the mix and fell through to the floor below. Nil kept Absorb active, hoping to block enemy attacks, but nothing came. The Cursed Energy was so thick in the air Nil had to deactivate Energy Instinct to study his surroundings. His heart dropped. A man matching Mila¡¯s grandfather¡¯s description lay in the middle of a magic circle, sliced open from groin to throat. A Cursed Pupae squirmed on the ceiling above it, fleshy tentacles digging into the body below. Objective updated! Eliminate the Cursed Pupae before it completes its assimilation. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Rescue the remaining prisoners before the Scourge ritual is complete. Find and kill the Scourge Champion. Nil jumped into action without a second thought. He charged at the Cursed Pupae. Tentacles whipped at him, and he took them on with Absorb. It was a mistake. The tips of the tentacles transformed into metallic hooks that glowed with noxious purple, leaving icy trails on his skin. They weren¡¯t enough alone. However, Nil felt his skin freeze, crack, and bleed where two lines intersected. A scream escaped Nil as he switched to supercharging durability. It suppressed the pain, and the following injuries didn¡¯t hurt as much. Empowered steps propelled him closer. He closed the distance and grabbed a fistful of tentacles near their base. A powerful tug ripped them free of the pupae. They moved independently, slithering freely along the floor, and disappeared into the vivisected corpse. Nil refused to take any risks against the opponent. He threw an arm up across his face, blocking tentacles that came at his face. He then plunged his right fist into the pupae and used Expend. The slow channel proved more effective than an instant release. He disintegrated the strange entity from the inside, disintegrating and melting it. The flesh came apart and rained on Nil and the ground. But he found no heart. He was still in the midst of destroying the Cursed Pupae when he felt a sharp pain to the side. It wasn¡¯t a surface discomfort but deeper. Nil felt it within his gut, somewhere past his kidneys but not as far as his navel. His heart leaped into his threat when he looked down. It was Mila¡¯s grandfather. His front hung open, and fleshy snakes writhed within. He stood wearing a sickening grin with a hand plunged inside Nil¡¯s stomach. He could feel himself freezing from the inside. Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Mortal 5! Nil released a quarter of his stores through the abdomen. It blew the man¡¯s hand off. A backhand fist proved enough for a decapitation. Energy Instinct helped him locate the Cursed One¡¯s heart in the depths of the corpse¡¯s chest. He plucked it out and crushed it. Then, Nil collapsed, clutching a ping-pong-ball-sized hole in his abdomen. Burning hot flooded from the wound. Expend has progressed to Iron 1! Help. What happened? Help!
Pain. Pain pulsed through Nil¡¯s torso. Then, he opened his eyes, and they also hurt. Nil¡¯s hands darted to his midriff. There was no hole. Instead, a warped patch of skin and flesh sat to the left of his abdominals, just below Fatima''s smooth and jagged lines. His mind immediately darted to whether the Fountain of Pyrene could fix it. A thick, wet tongue lashed his cheek a moment later. It was Hati. The wolf looked smaller and felt somehow weaker. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Susan asked, appearing in his range of vision. She stood over him, looking pallid and drained. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Hati brought you to me. I fixed you.¡± ¡°You fixed me?¡± Nil asked, raising an eyebrow as he sat up. He glanced between the stains on her sleeve and his clean abdomen. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could heal.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t in the traditional sense,¡± she replied. ¡°A piece of Hati went into patching the wound.¡± She hesitated, studying him. ¡°And the organs. It will take him a while to recover.¡± Nil jumped to his feet, realizing he was no longer in the brothel. ¡°What about Mila and Prince Albert? The Scourge Champion.¡± ¡°Nil?¡± A pretty young woman¡ªmore precisely, a girl in her late teens¡ªdrew his attention. She looked no different from any other person her age at first. Then, he noted the familiarity. Nil knew the eyes, the smile, and the hair. Except it wasn¡¯t as done up but in a rough bun. His lips broke into a smile when he recognized Mila Stark. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡± She exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come if I ever needed you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon, though,¡± Nil replied, wincing. The young queen-to-be pulled away, looking apologetic. ¡°You bit off far more than you can chew.¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t expecting a Scourge Champion,¡± Mila said. Her shoulders drooped, and her eyes drifted to the floor. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Mila¡¯s lip quivered, and words came out, warbling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Grandfather said we were rushing into things, and I didn¡¯t listen. My new magic and time in the¡ª¡± ¡°No, Lady Stark,¡± the old mage said, marching into the room. He appeared on the verge of collapse as he walked, using his staff for support. ¡°You were right to come. The Scourge Champions would¡¯ve completed their ritual with or without our presence. Thanks to you. They were slowed, and the Summoned ensured it failed.¡± ¡°But grandfather is dead.¡± Mila hugged Nil again but gentler than last time before sprinting out of the room. The old mage bowed to Nil before following. ¡°Where are the others?¡± Nil asked, looking at Susan. The mention of the Scourge Champion had snapped the last traces of slumber out of him. He scanned the room, spotting the remaining mage that summoned them and the assorted apprentices, but they were not the people he wanted to see. ¡°And Prince Albert?¡± ¡°Sakura and Katherine are dealing with the Scourge Champion now,¡± She answered. ¡°Prince Albert is still alive.¡± Susan¡¯s strong hand forced him back down on the cot. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, and you¡¯re not going anywhere. By Skoll¡¯s estimates, he¡¯s peak Iron Relam or in the early ranks of Bronze. Trust the girls. They wouldn¡¯t need you even if you were in shape for this.¡± ¡°But Albert and the ritual¡ª¡± ¡°He is safe, and it''s over.¡± Susan squeezed Nil¡¯s shoulder. It was a reassuring gesture. He wanted to trust her but couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned. It''s like working in a kitchen. You need to delegate and trust your colleagues. ¡°So what do I do?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Just wait for them to finish the quest for me?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s precisely what you do now. You¡¯re good, Nil, but not so good you can take on a foe almost a realm above you. Take it slow. Identify your weaknesses. Get better.¡± Isabella was right. I¡¯m not ready for the Gauntlet of Ten. 70. Not Strong Enough Nil got the opportunity to see the Scourge Champion before the quest¡¯s end. Susan didn¡¯t let him join the fight, but when chaos rained on the red light district, everyone climbed onto the hideout¡¯s roof and watched the battle. The Nexus had fulfilled Sakura¡¯s wishes. She no longer needed to carry dozens of blades because she now had a soul weapon. Initially, it looked like nothing more than a black hilt with a diamond-shaped guard that had a slit running down the middle. Now, Nil saw the weapon in all of its glory as a blade of golden light extended from it. It grew, broadened, and changed shape as and when needed. Katherine provided ranged support as she went toe to toe with the Scourge Champion. The man the pair fought looked like an ordinary brute at first, masterfully holding back the pair with masterful unarmed combat. Occasionally, he disrupted Katherine¡¯s spellcasting with giant ice spokes that exploded on impact and covered the surroundings in a thick layer of frost. Civilians who got struck by the attacks almost instantly froze solid mid-scream or as they struggled to get the spike out of themselves. Similar spikes grew out of the Scourge Champion¡¯s flesh as the fight continued, and they successfully blocked Sakura¡¯s Cutting Light. Nil¡¯s stomach turned when the man pulled a whip out of his back and caught Sakura¡¯s left arm in it. She successfully cut her way out of it, but the brief contact was enough to shred the flesh and left parts looking frostbitten. The ridges on the whip and the slight curve in the bone projectiles gave Nil a clearer understanding of the Scourge Champion¡¯s power. His projectiles and weapons were neither conjurations nor made of ice. He was growing and shaping bones. Nil couldn¡¯t begin to imagine the pain involved in such a power. The Scourge Champion burned hard and fast. As the fight continued, his movements slowed, and his reaction times dropped. Once Skoll returned carrying Prince Albert on his back, Susan gave the two Summoned the green light, and they unleashed their full strength. Sakura launched crescent energy blades with her slashes, and they successfully cut through the bone projectiles and spiky defense like they were made of butter. Each such projectile made her sword flicker, and it lost size and luminosity. She got a few clean hits in, and then Katherine successfully pinned her opponent with a giant dart of purple energy. Then Skoll finished the man by destroying the head. He exploded in a mass of jagged spikes, which almost destroyed the giant canine. Sakura had retreated to a safe distance and suffered no such damage. I would¡¯ve just gotten in their way. It was a humbling reaction. The Scourge Champion''s ability and martial skill put him well beyond Nil¡¯s current capability. He wasn¡¯t yet good enough to deal with such a threat, and it would probably take him a long time to get to such a level. High attribute scores and ability ranks meant little against such an opponent. He needed to get better with the tools he had, and that wasn¡¯t going to happen by simply making the numbers go up.
¡°Not your best work,¡± Layla commented. She faced Nil but didn¡¯t look at him. Her eyes were focused on something invisible between them. ¡°It''s not all your fault. The Nexus shouldn¡¯t have respected young Mila Stark¡¯s request. The Scourge Champion successfully concealed himself from us, too. If we had detected its presence, the quest¡¯s danger level would¡¯ve been significantly higher. You wouldn¡¯t have been sent on the quest at all.¡± ¡°Mila¡¯s grandfather had been dead long before we arrived,¡± Nil said. ¡°On a positive note, you made wise choices in your companions and emerged from the ordeal reasonably unscathed. The quest was concluded to our contentment.¡± Layla reclined in her chair, her focus returning. ¡°I apologize. We don¡¯t and can¡¯t expect more. All quests won¡¯t end as brilliantly as we hope. Not all Summoned strive for the best possible result.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve had unrealistic expectations of me?¡± ¡°No. Not you in particular. I have unrealistic expectations of all my colleagues.¡± She smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be a bitch. But you¡¯re no longer an ordinary Summoned, Nil. We consider them mercenaries, and you¡¯ve become more than that.¡± Layla waved at the room around them. ¡°This is your workplace, and you¡¯re one of us. That means that you need to get better. Fast. You need to rise to the rank of us, and I believe you can do it. You¡¯re not there yet, but I trust you will. As long as you don¡¯t get killed.¡± ¡°So what now?¡± Nil asked. He nodded at the notes lying on the table between them. When Nil first returned from the quest, Layla was busy with someone else. She had sent a pink clone to talk to him, and it wrote down everything she had to report. ¡°How should we deal with this? We know how Symbiotech is sneaking Cursed Energy into our world. I¡¯m betting there are other unformed soul weapons like mine out there.¡± Layla nodded. ¡°I looked into your primary suspect, and you¡¯re right. He carries an unusual volume of Cursed Energy. I¡¯ve already reported this up the ladder. Someone is on the take or is neglecting their duties. We can¡¯t move against Pietro without more concrete evidence. For the time being, focus on the Symbiotech sabotage and investigation. We know how they¡¯re doing it, but not how they¡¯re storing or using the Cursed Energy. Leave me to figure out what to do with Pietro and his accomplices.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The Nexus and Control Worlds thank you for your service. You have earned 2 Schema Tokens and 50 Schema Credits. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Nil now had five Schema Tokens and three hundred Schema Credits. He immediately divided them between Finesse and Spark. And banked one for later. Brutal Battery: Iron 0 Energy Instinct: Mortal 7 Nil understood that his attributes were progressing, but he hadn¡¯t progressed as a Summoned. He needed to get better. A lot better. Quests alone wouldn¡¯t do that. Nil needed to train and fight to improve his body and abilities. There was a long way for him to go. At least, Through Sheer Grit is putting in the necessary work. ¡°You might as well know now,¡± Layla said, leafing through the notes. ¡°Just so it doesn¡¯t hold you back in this quest, we¡¯re arranging a new ludus for individuals like you. The Control Worlds, and we agree that it''s about time our agents have a place of their own. Apocalypse Arena gets Earth-side property. It''s about time we get the same. It won¡¯t be as grand as the Wilson Luduses, of course. But they¡¯ll certainly be significantly better than where you are now. You can expect decent equipment, above-average trainers, and, of course, subsidized costs. I mean no registration or membership fees. Much like Earth luduses and employment, we will deduct a portion of your earnings for housing and food. Vendors and staff don¡¯t accept arcane resources for supplies and labor, after all.¡± ¡°Will the other people on the quest get the same benefits?¡± Nil asked. ¡°That¡¯s up to them.¡± The woman shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re not affiliated with any organizations or factions. That makes you perfect for us. Your friends would need to sever their connections with the local government and police force and look beyond the petty local politics. The world and multiverse are at stake. Susan Johanssen has already been working for us and has already declared her willingness to leave the police force to serve us.¡± ¡°I wanted to talk to you about her. I think she could be a great addition to our quest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken to her about it. She¡¯s willing and disillusioned with her Earth-side superiors. Unfortunately, things aren¡¯t the same for Katherine Park. She needs to sever connections and commit. Perhaps you should talk to her. I¡¯m sure a little convincing¡ª¡± ¡°No. Recruiting people isn¡¯t a part of my job. This is Katie¡¯s decision, and I don¡¯t want to interfere with it in any way.¡± Nil did his best not to sound too abrasive or short. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to distance himself from her or didn¡¯t want her around. He refused to influence Katherine¡¯s decision or tell her to turn her back on her personal goals and desires. They were currently friends with benefits at most, and he wouldn¡¯t even do so if they were in a serious relationship. ¡°Where are we with Andrew? He¡¯s done a lot to help with this investigation. In fact, we¡¯d have none of this information if not for¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re already looking into Andrew Harper,¡± Layla replied. ¡°We¡¯re interested but need to ensure he¡¯s a good fit first. Also, there is a lot more he can contribute to this investigation. Pulling him away now might hurt the project.¡± ¡°Thank you for doing this ludus thing,¡± Nil said after taking a moment to process everything he had just learned. ¡°It''s a big weight off my mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. The whole point of this is so you focus on your Earth-side quests without worrying about sponsors to survive. So¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on a moment. Does this mean I can¡¯t work with sponsors at all?¡± ¡°Employment with the Nexus comes with no such restrictions. What you do on Earth outside of the cases is nobody¡¯s business but your own. As long as none of it interferes with your work for the Nexus and there is no conflict of interest, it shouldn¡¯t matter. Make money and get tools for the arena. Do what you want.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Nil paused for a moment, thinking of how best to articulate his thoughts. He failed and blurted out the question. ¡°Am I a Scourge Champion?¡± ¡°What?¡± Layla asked, looking surprised and confused. ¡°Given the descriptions I¡¯ve heard and what I saw, it certainly feels like that,¡± Nil said. ¡°I have a bunch of feats born of Cursed Energy. My soul weapon sucks it down like it''s dying of dehydration, and Cursed Energy is water. Lastly, Expend is devastating but like a double-edged sword, just like the Scourge Champion and Fatima¡¯s ability. I¡¯ve done my research and can¡¯t find any abilities that damage the owner like it does me.¡± ¡°It''s because you have more feats than the average individual of your Realm,¡± Layla replied. ¡°The fact that they are made out of Cursed Energy or the soul weapon has nothing to do with it. I¡¯ve told you from the beginning that your feats impact the ability you¡¯re given. The more feats, the stronger the ability. Despite Brutal Battery¡¯s rank, it is far more potent than your body can handle. Have you found anyone with a defense and offense as equally potent as yours?¡± Nil shook his head after taking a moment to think about it. ¡°They have one or the other.¡± ¡°You can blast through most things or disintegrate them with pure energy. The power seed fed off your feats and gave you something so devastating that the rest of you simply can¡¯t handle it. You¡¯re not a Scourge Champion. You¡¯re just ridiculously strong, and things will stay that way because a body can¡¯t climb multiple realms above the power seed it houses.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the workaround then?¡± Layla shrugged. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll eventually get a sub-ability or soul weapon to circumvent the issue through increased defense or self-healing. Until then, you just need to be careful with how and when you use Expend¡¯s dual function.¡± ¡°Thank you for clarifying that.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I was worried I¡¯d snap and go on a rampage like Fatima or the guy that killed Aisha. Toward the end, it didn¡¯t look like either of the Scourge Champions, or themselves were in control.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t,¡± Layla said. ¡°It''s just what Cursed Energy does. All magic is living, including the dark and twisted. When someone intertwines their body and mind with dark magic and welcomes a power seed born of it into their being, they¡¯re asking to be taken over and controlled by the darkness. Their mind, soul, and who they are slowly gets eaten away, and something worse replaces them. The same shouldn''t happen to you if you let someone actively corrupt your power seed or merge it with a soul weapon made of Cursed Energy. Feel better?¡± Nil nodded, but it wasn¡¯t the complete truth. Knowing that the Fatima he had befriended was gone for good stung, and he wanted to ensure Symbiotech didn¡¯t do the same to anyone else. Book 1 Epilogue Nil entered the arena backrooms a month after his quest. The downtime went into getting used to Toggled Supercharging and the growth of Brutal Battery¡¯s sub-abilities. Everyone expected him to take a while to recover from the almost-death, but much to everyone¡¯s surprise¡ªincluding Nil¡¯s¡ªhe didn¡¯t. Only one thing currently mattered to him: getting stronger so he could protect the people important to him. Some claimed it was too soon for his first match. Nil disagreed. Win or loss. Nil was okay with either. In fact, if he felt his life was in danger, he planned on surrendering and teleporting out of the arena. Nil wanted strength and experience. He wanted to be able to survive quests without relying on Susan and healers. He needed enough strength to follow through with the Symbiotech mission and protect his family afterward if things went wrong. Nil''s surroundings looked oddly Roman¡ªor at least how imagined ancient Rome would''ve looked. There was no mud or feces on the floor. Everything appeared clean. Almost unusually clean. He imagined the construct or its staff had magical spells to keep everything spick and span and good as new. There was no sun, moon, or stars. In fact, Nil couldn''t tell whether he was indoors or outdoors. While his surroundings looked Roman, the people walking through streets between the backrooms¡¯ many structures were anything but. Most were modern clothes, but Nil also saw people wearing traditional oriental clothes, Victorian outfits, Middle Eastern garb, and even ridiculous superhero costumes. Some people even looked like they were in cosplay. He wasn''t sure which of them wore traditional outfits from their world and what was for their arena persona. For his first match, Nil only had a pair of knee-length gym shorts, a vest, and running shoes. The symbiote, which was supposed to be a part of his outfit, wasn''t yet ready. Dr Shina Patel needed more time to fine-tune things and was unwilling to let unfinished products appear on broadcasts that millions might watch. Nil had a vial of burn ointment And wasn''t sure whether the arena construct would allow him to carry it into his match. The fact that it was still in his pocket after the teleportation gave him hope. Even though his clothes were durable and made for arena combat, Nil carried a gym back with spares. He believed there was little capable of standing up to Brutal Battery''s destructive power. A full body Expend was enough to shred his underwear and shorts, if not leave them in tatters. There was also the risk of an opponent''s ability or magic damaging it. Vendors selling clothes, armor, weapons, consumables, and temporary enchantments beckoned to Nil. He did his best to dodge any that approached him politely. It was all much too tempting, and Nil didn''t trust himself not to blow through his savings. The elite craftsmanship combined with magic and otherworldly materials left his palms itching. Even the cheapest of the products would significantly drain his store of Schema Credits. Until Nil finished the Symbiotech mission, joined a new ludus, and found new sponsors, he needed to be careful with his money. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. From what Nil had heard, healing in the arena backrooms cost far more than Nexus¡¯s Fountain of Pyrene. He needed to save money. Nil had arrived early to explore the area and learn as much as possible about how much it had to offer. Unfortunately, everything required money he couldn¡¯t afford to spend. So, Nil made his way toward gate sixty-nine, which would teleport him to his first match in the Gauntlet of Ten. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± Yelling caught Nil¡¯s attention. A giant man stood nose to nose with a significantly smaller, armored individual in a fur-collared white cape. ¡°He and I agreed on a deal. Why would you snake it out from under me?!¡± The smaller man shrugged. His blue-grey eyes were cold, and his smile even more frigid. It took Nil a moment to recognize him from the distance. ¡°I thought it was pretty,¡± Pietro replied shrugging. ¡°You should know better. Vendors aren¡¯t obligated to hold products for you. It''s been two weeks since you put down your holding deposit and left it here. What do you expect this poor smith to do? Wait forever, hoping you¡¯ll return for his stock?¡± ¡°I have the money!¡± The man half-turned his head, looking at the similarly muscled woman holding him back. ¡°He was at the noodle stand! You saw the fucker eavesdropping. He raced here just to steal it and fuck with me!¡± Spittle flew from his mouth as he returned his attention to Pietro and yelled. ¡°You have a soul weapon! Why would you even waste credits on this? What the fuck is wrong with you?!¡± Pietro chuckled. ¡°Breathe before you give yourself a heart attack. I just wanted it for my weapons collection. That¡¯s all. My armory is the best in Moscow. Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Tell you what? Fly down to me. I¡¯ll show you around and even let you play with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill you, you slimy fucking bastard,¡± the bigger man yelled back. All humor disappeared from Pietro¡¯s face. He was cold. Stern. The regal silver armor, fur, and general air gave him a regal look. Nil had looked up the man after bumping into him after the qualifiers. Now, he could see how he got titles like God of Death Gauntlet and God of the Iron Gauntlet. ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± Pietro asked. ¡°I¡¯m always open to challenges.¡± The giant man stiffened. ¡°You¡¯re no stranger to the Death Gauntlet. Two wins, right? Challenge me for your third.¡± Pietro took a step back, straightened his collar, and wiped the spittle from his face. ¡°If you win. My armory and all liquid assets are yours.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Alan,¡± the woman restraining the giant man said. ¡°The rat isn¡¯t worth it. We can do a couple of more quests and buy something even better.¡± Alan spat at Pietro¡¯s feet before following his friend¡¯s advice. The pair turned around trudged away. ¡°Think about it, Alan the Atomizer!¡± The man called after the duo. ¡°Bringing down a man with twenty Death Gauntlet victories could set you up for life.¡± Alan paused, half turning around, but the woman forced him away. The antagonized laughed, slinging the sheathed, cleaver-like giant sword across his shoulders. When he turned around, Pietro¡¯s gaze met Nil¡¯s. The man shot him a slimy smile and winked. Nil ignored him and marched away. He reported to gate sixty-nine and turned in all his belongings for storage. They scanned him, took back anything they deemed contraband, and waved Nil into his first Gauntlet of Ten match. He did his best to push Pietro out of his mind and focused to what was to come. Nil couldn¡¯t afford to focus on anything but what lay ahead. 71. The Gauntlet Off Ten (Book 2 Begins!) Brutal Battery had a twentieth of its maximum stores remaining. Thanks to his growing Spark score, it was no insignificant amount. However, it wasn¡¯t enough for victory. The wounds running along his neck, arms, and shoulders continued to endlessly trickly blood. Nil could already feel a chill, and keeping his vision focused was a challenge. He didn¡¯t have much time left until consciousness left him or he was forced to surrender. Neither thought appealed to him. Nil didn¡¯t want to restart the Gauntlet of Ten. Scanning the environment gave Nil a solution. He needed to go on the offense, and that meant refilling his stores first. Instead of a ruined city, Apocalypse Arena¡¯s construct had transported him and his opponent to a rocky plateau covered in boulders. It was the perfect environment for his opponent. Thanks to Absorb, the woman hadn¡¯t landed any deep or fatal injuries, but Nil felt a couple of hits away from death by a thousand cuts. The last of Nil¡¯s energy went into supercharging speed. Then Expend-powered strides propelled him forward and up the steep slope ahead. Even though his Finesse had grown over the past few months, it didn¡¯t feel like enough to adapt to the rapid acceleration. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t matter since he only intended to move in a straight line. Then, once he reached the top of the slope, he leaped with everything he had left. Golden projectiles raced at Nil. Most shot past him, and a few followed. He had heard the arena construct attempted to match opponents fairly so individuals didn¡¯t end up combatting someone who directly countered them. Mages didn¡¯t have to fight brutes who could shrug off most of their attacks, and knights with defensive or capturing abilities didn¡¯t get easy wins against rogues. Every match made Nil doubt the claims more. Nil activated Absorb a second too late, and one pierced his calf. The pain left him clenching his teeth, and warmth trickled down his leg. But a moment later, when Nil plummeted several dozen feet and landed, his energy levels jumped to near half-full. Absorb has progressed to Iron 2! Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 2! Nil ignored the Schema and focused on Energy Instinct. The countless little arrows of light, flashing, dimming, and flickering, confused his sensory ability. He knew they were meant to confuse him and closed his eyes. The visual feedback is a crutch. It was a sixth sense, and he needed to treat it as such. The visual aspect was there to make things easier for him. It wasn¡¯t a necessary part of the ability. He needed to feel out his opponent. Each individual strand of energy pulsed, and Nil could feel secondary presences coating each. They expanded and contracted, affecting the light and arcane signature they gave off. Once he knew what it was, ignoring the overwhelming stimuli became easy. He ignored the projectiles hunting for him and followed the trail they left behind. Eventually, the density of the strands grew thicker, and he found the point where they had converted. Found you. Energy Instinct has progressed to Mortal 9! Supercharged speed and Absorb made his approach fast but silent. Taking too much time would lead to his opponent finding him. She appeared to have a minor sensory ability through the strands. He needed to act before the spread-out motes of golden light could gather and overwhelm him as they did at the start of the match. It was why he had suffered several lacerations and was now starting to feel lightheaded. Just a bit longer. You can do this. Unlike most in the Iron Gauntlet, runners of the Gauntlet of Ten didn¡¯t get any information on their opponents. Nil¡¯s opponent dressed as a knight, and he expected to face as much when she initially came at him with a spear and shield, looking almost like a spartan soldier. The woman¡¯s shield and spear glowed with the same light as her strange conjurations, blocking Expend¡¯s second function and breaking through Absorb. She didn¡¯t begin her ranged assault until Nil retreated and tried taking her down with a barrage of rocks, which proved far more deadly and hard to ignore than her melee fighting style. Now, as Nil tracked her down, he was surprised to discover that she hadn¡¯t moved from where he left her. He couldn¡¯t be sure since a rock wall separated them, but it felt as if she hadn¡¯t changed stance since he last saw her, too. Once again, he relied on the sixth sense given by Energy Instinct to study her, ignoring the visual element. The strands extended from her back, and only a handful of them remained entangled with her shield and spear. Worried the ones lingering nearby would trigger her detection ability, Nil tried a different tactic. First, he threw a little stone around the rock. It skittered along the floor past her. The strands didn¡¯t react, but he felt her twitch, and she returned to her immobile stance a moment later. Nil grinned. He finally had something on his opponent. It was unlikely for an Iron Realm to have an impenetrable defense, a super-penetrating defense, and an overwhelming sensory ability to boot. Everything had a cost and a drawback. He was powerful, too, but unlike her, he couldn¡¯t use all his gifts simultaneously. The knight couldn¡¯t move while projecting her power, and the more she spread her senses, the less aware she became of her surroundings. It wasn¡¯t much, but they were weaknesses he could comfortably exploit. Supercharged strength and Expend gave him a nice burst of power. He threw himself against the stone wall and pushed. It had already suffered several Expend powered blows and shield thrusts during their initial exchange. Nil went slowly, listening to the stone crack and bits crumbling around him. He was fortunate. The wall proved a boulder that didn¡¯t go too far underground, and the foundation failed to support the weight above it. A collapse followed. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Much to Nil¡¯s disappointment, a hail of pea-sized stones alerted his opponent. She jumped to her feet and fled, avoiding the crumbling wall. However, the strings didn¡¯t come with her. He only detected the few clinging to her weapon and shield. The knight had severed her connection to the rest of her little golden motes. It was the perfect opportunity and he pushed the advantage while it lasted. Nil¡¯s right leg wobbled and threatened to give out when he moved again. He gritted his teeth, supercharged speed, and threw himself after his opponent. Absorb let him ignore the chain of collapses he had triggered. The falling rocks restored his energy levels. So, when he caught the knight, his stores were almost full. She heard him coming, spun around, and launched a concentrated stream of motes from her spear tip. Nil had expected as much, grabbed a falling boulder¡ªit had frozen for half a heartbeat on touching him¡ªand threw it at the incoming attack. The lights had no trouble pursuing him and slicing skin and flesh. However, they struggled to do the same to the local stones. The stream exploded into several individual strands, dispersing. Instead of going around the boulder, Nil leaped through, shattering it with an energy release through his exposed, sliced-up shoulder. The ensuing burns cauterized the lacerations, but the pain was significantly worse. Nil didn¡¯t care. It was the cost of victory. When he emerged through it, fear filled the knight¡¯s eyes. Her spear had lost all of its light, and the strings attached to it failed to do more than tickle him. The motes carried the bulk of the penetrative power, and they were behind him. Her shield still had a faint golden glow, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Nil ripped through it with his momentum and an explosive punch. He grabbed the shield, pulled it out of her hands, and threw it across the arena. Expend has progressed to Iron 3! Finesse has increased to Iron 4! Nil grabbed her spear in his right hand and launched an open palm strike at her midriff. Brutal Battery¡¯s energy burst from his hand just as it made contact with her armored torso. The force threw her off her feet and sent her flying. Her weapon returned in his hand. He was on her again when she landed. The knight wheezed, struggling to suck her air into her lungs. Nil switched to a neutral state, supercharged strength, and punched her in the face. It was enough to knock her out. A silver light flashed under the knight¡¯s armor before consuming her. The woman disappeared a moment later, leaving Nil alone in the arena. He collapsed on his bottom, panting and blinking away double vision. He felt cold, and unconsciousness felt seconds away. The female announcer''s words rang in his ears, keeping him awake. He hadn¡¯t heard from her since the match began. It was similar to the pits; she commented on the fight, but the competitors couldn¡¯t hear what she had to say. ¡°Sian ¡®Wisp¡¯ Thomsan has lost, ending her Gauntlet of Ten run with seven victories. A loss this close to the end has got to sting! Ouch! ¡°It¡¯s about time Nil Roy gets a moniker, don¡¯t you think, folks? Three months. Three bouts. Three victories. Three competitors out of the Gauntlet of Ten. He cut it close this time, but our boy might just graduate from the Iron Gauntlet just as suddenly as he appeared. We can¡¯t leave him with a name, though. Remember to submit your suggestions. We¡¯d love to see what you think and what sticks.¡± The announcer¡¯s voice cut out when the arena construct teleported him to the backrooms. A healer awaited him, and she was on him with her magic and medicine straight away. Pulses of green and gold washed over him. The freezing and stinging that accompanied the burns faded, as did the pain surrounding the many lacerations. Flesh and skin were stitched over the wounds. The formerly injured areas remained tight, ached, and appeared raw, but it didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d scar. Only the wounds left by Fatima remained across his midriffs. Nil had received no new scars and expected them to stay forever as a reminder of how Symbiotech got one up on him. The teleporter at Wilson Luduses let Nil carry a gym bag, and he had brought a fresh change of clothes. He swiftly changed before using the return teleporter. You have received 3 Schema Tokens and 250 Schema Credits for your victory. A bonus awaits you and your world after two more victories. The rewards were higher than his previous victories. He had only received two tokens for each of his victories and two hundred credits. He had one token already banked and smiled as he used them all to pump it all into Spark, increasing the attribute by two. Spark has progressed to Iron 8! ¡°That was a close one,¡± Selia said, high-fiving Nil. The woman¡¯s presence surprised him. Andrew stood close behind her and shrugged. ¡°I half expected you to lose this one.¡± ¡°I almost completely expected to lose it,¡± Nil replied. He was even more surprised when she came in for a hug, and he reciprocated. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Shawn just went in for his bout,¡± the phase-shifting Summoned answered, nodding at the waiting group of people waiting ten feet away. A giant of a man waved at him. It was Adam, the brute. Nil spotted Gwyneth, the frost feline summoner, and other opponents from the Apocalypse Arena qualifiers, too. ¡°Most of us have something today, so we came together. I just thought I¡¯d say hello. We¡¯re colleagues, after all.¡± She leaned in closer as she continued. ¡°And might be living in the same ludus soon.¡± ¡°We will be?¡± Nil¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it when we fought, but your performance these past few months tells me otherwise. You¡¯re pretty good, Nil. I¡¯m glad you saw the light and are doing good. Perhaps we can get together sometime.¡± Selia glanced at Andrew awkwardly, hovering nearby and pretending not to listen. ¡°Just the two of us. Maybe dinner or drinks and talk about things. We might be able to help each other with our Earth-side quests.¡± ¡°That could be pretty great,¡± Nil replied, glancing at Andrew. The taller man smirked at him. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Just let me know, alright? You¡¯ve had my number for over three months now, and I¡¯ve heard nothing from you. Shawn¡¯s fight is about to start, so I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡± ¡°Did you just get asked out?¡± Andrew asked after the woman left. Nil shook his head. ¡°No, and I¡¯m not letting you talk me into thinking so again.¡± ¡°But I was right last time. Katherine just chickened out.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the case now. So, chill the fuck out. I¡¯ll kick your butt if you make a big deal out of this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a killjoy, Sunny-boi.¡± Andrew sighed. ¡°Let''s go get some food. You must be starving.¡± Several messages containing congratulations from Katherine, Susan, family, and ludus mates awaited Nil. He also had one from Festus The Curator. The man had already prepared a video of the fight and wanted to talk about a possible deal. Nil respected the persistence and caved. If we¡¯re going to talk, I want to do it in person. I know you¡¯re in London. Give me a time and space, and I¡¯ll be there. 72. Time For One Self Nil took the day after the match for himself. Katherine wanted to meet, Andrew wanted to hang out, and his family wished to spend time with him. He told them all that he needed some time to himself and took a train into Central London. Unlike his peers, who spent most of their earnings after paying Ludus fees on luxuries and buying designer clothes, bags, or shoes, Nil maintained a vice-like grip on his money. Some used their earnings to fill their pockets and rooms with the latest gadgets. A few, like him, tried to improve their family¡¯s life and partied with the rest. Nil believed it was time for him to use Schema Credits on himself. Nil''s financial situation was stable. Beyond taxes, ludus fees, and sending his family money, he had few expenses. His bank Schema Credit balance was at a tidy eleven hundred¡ªuntaxed and untouched by the government¡ªand he had over twelve thousand Great British Pounds in gold. He withdrew twenty-two hundred for his splurge. Nil didn¡¯t care about clothes or cool toys. While climbing the ladder across London¡¯s fine dining scene, he often dreamed of visiting two or three Michelin-star restaurants when he had the funds. It wasn¡¯t just for the pleasure of indulging in the food. He wished to know what the others were up to so he could continue to polish his skills and come up with better creations. He had an admiration for the art and his fellow chefs¡¯ skills too. However, to indulge in a meal at such a restaurant, Nil needed appropriate clothes. So, he forced himself into the task he hated most: clothes shopping. He hadn¡¯t bought any clothes in person since before his mother got ill. Even those were rare. Aisha was the last person who successfully got him to shop. Except for his chef uniforms, the majority of his clothes were over seven years old or purchased for cheap online. After taking a few minutes to hype himself up, Nil walked into one of the many large boutique stores on Oxford Street. He¡¯d passed them several times but was never brave enough to enter. The cost always intimidated him. ¡°Can I help you with anything, Mr Roy?¡± A pretty young woman asked, approaching him. She looked about five years his junior. ¡°You know who I am?¡± Nil failed to mask his surprise. He had not long walked in the door. The woman nodded, cheeks flushing. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to know all the up-and-coming Apocalypse Arena stars.¡± She paused, glancing over her shoulder at the man hovering in the distance. ¡°I recently started following Festus the Curator. I especially enjoy his videos involving you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± Nil smiled. ¡°I¡¯m going to dinner at Umu, but as you can tell, my wardrobe is lacking for a two-star restaurant. Could you help me pick a few things out?¡± ¡°Do you have anything particular in mind?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know the first thing about fashion,¡± he replied, eyes drifting to the jackets. ¡°I do know that I want an aviator-style brown leather jacket.¡± ¡°Those are not in this season¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about what¡¯s in, to be honest. I¡¯ve always wanted one.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The woman waved him away from the building¡¯s entrance, pulling out a tape measure. She checked the width of his uppers and shoulder, fingers lingering unnecessarily long. ¡°Why don¡¯t you follow me?¡± Her cheeks and ears seemed redder as she continued. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what we have in your size.¡± Nil would¡¯ve found the shop attendant attractive not long ago. Now, civilians no longer did it for him. It wasn¡¯t that he thought less of them. Lacking the Schema¡¯s ability to enhance their looks as they ascended also had little to do with it. After spending so much time with Summoned, Nil had developed a fondness for powerful, warrior-esque women. Instead of physical strength, the battle-hardened aura drew him in. Susan wasn¡¯t a conventionally beautiful woman or ¡®his type,¡¯ but he saw her in a new light following the quest and could now see why Andrew pursued her, shedding his old promiscuous way. It took them a while to find a jacket that fitted his dimensions. Rising to Iron Realm with Might as his ascendant attribute had made Nil an awkward size. He was an inch taller than his pre-summoning height, but his shoulders, arms, and chest had all broadened. He had only six choices but fell in love at first sight with a tan beauty that had a slight reddish-brown tinge. ¡°I don¡¯t want to influence your decision, Mr Roy, but aviators don¡¯t look good on you. You¡¯re more of a bomber jacket man.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Nil asked. The shop attendant held up one of his other picks, which had a furry collar and lapel. ¡°Aviator.¡± Then, she pointed at the one he was wearing. It had no lapel or collar but a simple rounded neck, knitted cuffs, and belt. ¡°Bomber. It''s also called a flight jacket which is why people sometimes confuse the two.¡± ¡°Bomber it is. What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°I think matching shoes and belt, a simple white shirt, and cotton trousers or blue jeans is all you need,¡± the shop attendant said. ¡°You have a lovely shape and definition. It would be criminal to hide it with too much.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I like simple.¡± Nil smiled, checking himself out in the mirror, feeling glad he had shaved and combed his hair before heading out. The man in the mirror barely resembled who he was before becoming a Summoned. He glanced at the jacket¡¯s price tag. It alone was over five hundred pounds. Nil couldn¡¯t justify spending money on anything more than simple. The shirts were wide enough for his dimensions, but they were far too long, and those for his height were too tight for him to pull on. Fortunately, the stores around Mayfair had tailors in-store who altered them in a flash. Half the money in his wallet disappeared just like that. ¡°My manager and the tailor sorted out two more shirts for you,¡± the shop attendant said, handing him a trio of rectangular paper bags with the store¡¯s name printed on the side. Two contained his old clothes, but he spotted two white and one salmon garment. ¡°I added one more to the mix. I think it will suit you.¡± She showed him to the door and spoke again once her manager and colleagues were out of earshot. The woman pressed the store''s card into his hand. It also featured a phone number and email address written in pretty cursive handwriting. ¡°Let me know if you ever need anything. Garment-related or not.¡± Several reporters, sponsors, stylists, and publicists had called or emailed him over the past couple of weeks. Many had tempting deals. Unfortunately, Nil couldn¡¯t give any of them concrete answers until resolving the matter with Symbiotech and hoped they wouldn¡¯t lose interest. Fortunately, their interest grew with every victory, and the offers improved. Doctor Shina Patel and her superiors appeared to understand Nil¡¯s market value and were nicer to him every day. He already had an invite to the headquarters for a new symbiote. They also wanted to run scans of his unformed soul weapon to prepare something better suited to him. He and Andrew were relying on the opportunity to plan their sabotage. Life had changed drastically over the past few months. People around Wembley and Harrow often stopped him on the streets to take photos with him or to make idle chatter. Walking through Mayfair¡ªone of London¡¯s most affluent areas¡ªwas a breath of fresh air in comparison. No one spared him a glance. Most people on the street were a big deal in their own right or worked for someone important. Umu, a two-Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant, sat in the back streets of Mayfair. The hostess flashed him a welcoming smile when he walked in through the door. ¡°Nil Roy. Reservation for two.¡± ¡°Your guest has already arrived,¡± she said, leading him through the dining room. ¡°I booked the sushi counter,¡± Nil said when they walked by it. Only two people sat at it. ¡°Was it not available?¡± The hostess flashed him an uncomfortable glance. ¡°We had to make accommodations for your guest. We weren¡¯t made aware of his requirements.¡± A skinny man with a warm smile waved at him. He wore a dinner jacket and a casual shirt. It wasn¡¯t until they got closer and Nil extended a hand that he realized that his guest sat in a wheelchair. He did his best not to appear as awkward as they shook and took a seat. ¡°It''s nice to put a face to the name, Festus,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯d prefer it if you called me Bunty since we¡¯re meeting in person. The name Festus had become far too popular. I might like attention online, but not in person.¡± He paused, glancing at a neighboring table. They shot Nil and Bunty glances as they conversed. ¡°Although, I doubt avoiding attention will be possible while I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°I have you to thank for that. You make me look far more competent than I am.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Bunty laughed. You destroyed your opponents in the first two matches. The last was a close one, and I was almost sure you were going to lose, but you proved me wrong. How about we just say we excel at our individual wheelhouses and can do great things if we were to officially pair up?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but¡ª¡± ¡°You need to see your current contract through before committing to anything. I know the spiel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still happy to do an interview or two, but can¡¯t participate more than that right now.¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s not because you¡¯re talking to other channels and producers?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said a bunch haven¡¯t contacted me, but I can honestly state that I¡¯ve not replied to any of them. A few have featured me on their channels, including the Highlight Reel, but I don¡¯t like anyone¡¯s work as much as I do yours. Just give me a little time, and I¡¯ll work with you exclusively.¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± Bunty asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ll agree to work with me just like that. You don¡¯t want anything in return?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯ll expect the standard share of ad revenue.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°And¡ª¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°¡ªand, I want information. I¡¯ve been watching your videos, and you¡¯re the only one who talks about Death Gauntlet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve received warnings for those videos,¡± Bunty said. ¡°It¡¯s a shame really the content made Highlight Reel a bunch of money.¡± ¡°But you know a fair bit about the events and know how to identify them, correct?¡± Nil asked. Bunty nodded. ¡°I already have someone on this, but there is just far too much content, and you¡¯re an experienced eye. Could you look into everyone who keeps running the Death Gauntlet despite three wins and almost always goes after the Cursed Ones?¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± Bunty frowned. ¡°What is this for?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you yet. It''s for your safety and mine.¡± ¡°Fine. But you¡¯ll need to sign an exclusivity deal with me. And give Garuda Systems a genuine conversation.¡± ¡°What? Why Garuda Systems?¡± ¡°They¡¯re one of my channel¡¯s top sponsors and agreed to pay for this meal if I ask you to hear them out.¡± ¡°Fine. I agree.¡± The waitress returned with the Kaiseki Menu¡¯s opening snacks and a welcoming drink. Nil had already pre-ordered it along with the wine pairing. He excitedly dug in as he and Bunty moved on to lighter topics. Nil had wanted to see Festus the Curator in person and scanned him with Energy Instinct before making a call and his first impression was a positive one. 73. Planning And Infiltration ¡°I know you¡¯ve been working hard to ignore the visage, but we need it for this,¡± Andrew said. It was Saturday evening, and Nil had arrived at the scrapyard a couple of hours before Katherine and Susan. The pair didn¡¯t yet know about the sabotage, and Nil wrestled with the decision of whether to tell them¡ªespecially Katherine. She was already disillusioned with the Nexus¡¯ quest, and Nil believed she only continued because her return to the Metropolitan Police was still uncertain, and everyone thought it improbable. ¡°Energy Instinct does whatever it can do but better,¡± Nil protested. ¡°The visage is just a distraction.¡± ¡°Going by what you''ve told me, Energy Instinct is intentional and mostly shows you what and where you''re looking. Aisha¡ª¡± Andrew paused, his voice filled with hesitation. He flashed Nil an apologetic smile. ¡°The visage seems to make a beeline toward Cursed Energy. I know it''s hard, and you''re only just getting used to ignoring her¡ªit, but we need her for this.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. It just feels like a step back.¡± Andrew paused his work, spun around in his chair, and faced Nil. The dim light of the room cast a shadow on his face, accentuating the seriousness of his words. ¡°I don¡¯t want to come across as insensitive, Sunny-boi. But does it matter right now? You and Katie aren¡¯t really a thing, are you?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I think friends with benefits might be a stretch right now. Acquaintances or colleagues that hook up feel closer. She hasn¡¯t said it, but I think she blames me for the state of her job. If I never invited her to the quest¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re better off as things are. Don¡¯t get me wrong. I like Katie. She¡¯s nice to have around, but her priorities are all over the place. She wants to do good, but instead of working with an organization that is looking at the global good, Katie is hung up on a broken system run by the corpos.¡± ¡°I know, Andy. She¡¯s using me for stress relief, and maybe I¡¯m doing the same.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a rising star, Sunny-boi.¡± Andrew grinned. ¡°Propositions are flying at you from every direction. If stress relief is all you¡¯re after¡ª¡± ¡°Can we focus on this, please?¡± Nil asked, nodding at the aetherscreen. I really don¡¯t want to discuss what¡¯s going on with Katherine, how long it will last, or any of that nonsense.¡± ¡°Do you regret bringing her home to meet the family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t regret a thing. Sometimes, you take a chance, and it doesn¡¯t work out. That¡¯s life.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell whether you¡¯re the more mature and enlightened person or plain stupid. I suppose it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Andrew returned the focus to the aetherscreen. ¡°Anyway. You need to use the visage to scout and find the Cursed Energy storage and R&D areas with the naughty projects. Sabotage and get out¡ª¡± ¡°Speaking of the sabotage¡ª¡± ¡°You better not be having second thoughts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. There are kids in the building, and I want to ensure that whatever we do doesn¡¯t hurt them. So we might need to bring other people in on this.¡± ¡°You mean Selia?¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°Her power is perfect for this, and she has a vendetta against Symbiotech.¡± ¡°Let''s map out the building and work out how we¡¯re going to do this before we involve anyone else. Anyone caught will face significant legal trouble. Their lives might be in danger, too.¡± Nil paused. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was paranoia, but a piece of news was eating at him. ¡°There is a tail on Baba,¡± Nil said. ¡°He thinks it''s a new neighbor that also works for Harrow Council. There is a new car around the house and parked outside work. He¡¯s pretty sure he¡¯s seen it at the supermarket and other places too. Last time I visited, I¡¯m half sure I saw someone through the tinted windows.¡± ¡°You think Symbiotech is trying to intimidate you and the family to keep you in line?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°It''s possible, don¡¯t you think? These are people playing with lives, working with the Pits, and using the Death Gauntlet to collect Cursed Energy.¡± ¡°I think it''s very possible. Shina probably regrets everything she told you after swallowing a fistful of pills and is trying to scare you into staying in line.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Layla about helping me move the family after the quest is done. Baba and Emmy won¡¯t be happy about it, but it''s tough. I want them to live somewhere better and more secure. It''s about time he retires, and she moves to a better school too.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°What about Sam?¡± ¡°He¡¯s already trying to get into a better high school, which means losing half of his old friends. Sam doesn¡¯t seem to mind, though. Layla is looking into it. She¡¯s keeping things as ambiguous as the whole new ludus thing.¡± Andrew pulled up the blueprints of the Symbiotech headquarters. It had taken him months of digging through encrypted files to find them. ¡°The old hospital¡¯s schematics were easy to find in comparison.¡± He activated another screen and placed them side by side. Nil immediately saw differences in the floor plan. Things appeared similar on the ground floor but were different on the upper floors. ¡°Turning a hospital into a research facility obviously requires a good deal modification, but some of this makes no sense.¡± ¡°Over here,¡± Nil pointed at the new blueprint. This is where the symbiote lab and testing room are. The visage always goes mad about the wall there, but I¡¯ve never seen any doors around there.¡± ¡°Empty, unaccounted-for space,¡± Andrew said. ¡°I told you the visage is useful. Unless you can butter Shina up enough to show you what¡¯s what, you¡¯ll need it to find a way in.¡± ¡°Any luck infiltrating their camera system?¡± ¡°Just the lobbies and main corridors. They have multiple networks running. It didn¡¯t make much sense at first, but I think they have a few to show inspectors and investors and the rest for their personal surveillance. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if the latter gets scrubbed regularly. You can¡¯t be too careful when it comes to industrial espionage, whistleblowers, or disgruntled staff.¡± ¡°Okay. So, the game plan is suckup to Shina and her staff and scout. We also need to ensure the sabotage doesn¡¯t cause collateral damage. I don¡¯t want the staff or the kids to get hurt.¡± ¡°What are you hoping will happen?¡± Andrew asked. Nil shrugged. ¡°Maybe¡ª¡± The sound of a buzzer going off interrupted Nil. The old LCD screen on the wall above showed Susan¡¯s smiling face. Katherine stood a couple of feet behind her, holding takeaway bags from their favorite Korean Fried Chicken restaurant. A button on the desk unlocked the gate. They put a pin in the conversation for the time being. Both couples kissed each other hello¡ªthe label made more sense for Andrew and Susan than Nil and Katherine. The first pair went on for significantly longer. Then, everyone celebrated the recent arena win together. The fridge contained ice-cold beers, vodka, and plenty of mixers. Everyone indulged. Susan nursed a single glass while Nil indulged in a couple. Meanwhile, Katherine and Andrew swiftly got through several rounds. After dinner, Nil and Katherine broke away from the other two. Their making out was getting far too heated, and it didn¡¯t look like they minded the company. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Nil asked Katherine, taking her aside. ¡°It''s official,¡± she said. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°I used an old source to dig up the old cases on Symbiotech. The captain found out. He gave me two options. Disciplinary action for misuse of police resources could lead to a month of imprisonment and a fine, putting a negative mark on my record for life and ruining all future prospects. Or, I resign.¡± ¡°You resigned?¡± Katherine nodded, lip quivering. ¡°What other choice did I have? I know the Nexus will officially make me an agent now, but what if that doesn¡¯t work out?¡± Disgust and anger filled her voice. ¡°My only options are private security, intelligence agencies, and corpo squads, and I can¡¯t begin to explain how much I hate them. No ethics, bending or evading the law, working for some rich bastard¡¯s self-interests instead of the common good.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the contrarian, Katie, but was working for the Metropolitan Police any different? You¡¯re doing good, but it''s becoming clearer with every day that the police force is in the corpos pockets. Sure, you¡¯re shutting down the gangs and keeping people safe, but not the people who are feeding the problem. If they¡¯re willing to let Symbiotech cover shit up and get away with torture, experimenting on children, and probably murder, what else could they be overlooking? I bet there are dozens of other messed-up research teams out there.¡± Katherine glared at Nil. ¡°It''s a broken system, but it works most of the time.¡± She continued before he could get a word in. ¡°Do you still want Mind-training or not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to go rough on me now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nil asked. ¡°What do you think?¡± Nil had tried the Golden Aegis ludus facilities, but they weren¡¯t potent enough or worked too slowly. The Symbiotech scanners suggested his Mind attribute was getting closer to the next rank but failing to cross the barrier. The machines¡¯ psychic attack felt like a bad migraine compared to what Katherine did. After watching her fight a Scourge Champion and its minions, he knew she never unleashed her true strength on Earth. But now, several translucent tentacles grew out of her right hand¡¯s fingers and sunk into his skull. Instead of horrifying images and twisted memories, intense pain pulsed through Nil¡¯s skull. He saw nothing but blinding white. It felt like someone had stuck a hot poker through his eye and didn¡¯t stop pushing when they felt resistance. He felt it in his teeth. Nil¡¯s joints locked up, and he regretted all the food and drink he had consumed. Mind has progressed to Mortal 8! Mind has progressed to Mortal 9! ¡°Stop.¡± Nil hissed through gritted teeth. ¡°Already? We could go for a bit longer.¡± ¡°That gave me two ranks. I can¡¯t, Katie. That was too much, and I don¡¯t think I can keep my dinner down.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Katherine¡¯s eyes widened. She pulled back her hand and looked at her fingers. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Nil. I went too hard, didn¡¯t I? Emotion and mood affect the strength of my spells.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Nil lied. He had blindly grabbed three bottles when Andrew started pawing at Susan¡¯s clothes. One was an alcoholic ginger beer, and he downed it one long swig. ¡°Two ranks is a big bump. Thank you. It should help in the arena, especially if Shina has any Mind Mages on staff.¡± ¡°It''s not fine,¡± Katherine said, taking both of his hands in his. ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong about the Metropolitan Police Force. I just didn¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°It was insensitive of me. I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Katherine nodded at her car. It stood parked just behind Andrew¡¯s mobile home. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me make things up to you?¡± 74. Food For Thought Brutal Battery: Iron 2 Energy Instinct: Mortal 9 ¡°Those are appealing attributes,¡± Isabella said, scanning the Schema interface Nil projected for her. He had just figured out how to do it. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before you have a Bronze Realm body. It will make your chances of surviving quests and getting through the Gauntlet of Ten significantly easier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering investing all future Schema Tokens in Finesse,¡± Nil said. ¡°The jump in Brutal Battery¡¯s stores was incredible. I think I can do without increasing Spark for a while. By the time Finesse catches up, Spark might hit Iron-Nine naturally.¡± ¡°Increased agility, reflexes, and senses are always great. You can better use your supercharged speed. Those stumbles and falls might help fill your battery, but it won¡¯t be long before you face opponents who¡¯ll be smart enough to capitalize on the openings.¡± Isabella looked Nil in the eye. ¡°You were pretty close to getting your ass handed to you.¡± ¡°Yeah. The arena¡¯s matchmaking isn¡¯t what I was hoping.¡± ¡°At least it ensures you face enemies who are new to the Iron Realm or not quite close to the Bronze. But, now that your Spark is near its peak, that¡¯s going to change.¡± Isabella looked Nil in the eye. ¡°That¡¯s me telling you to slow down a bit and train before your next match. The decision is yours at the end of the day, and you don¡¯t need my approval to sign up. I just don¡¯t want you to mistake the numbers going up for getting stronger.¡± ¡°Believe me, Isabella, I¡¯m not going to make that mistake again.¡± Nil¡¯s hand gravitated to his abdominal muscles. The Fountain of Pyrene had ensured all visible signs of the fatal injury had disappeared, but the pain remained fresh in his mind. ¡°And if things in the arena get too dangerous, I¡¯m not too proud to surrender.¡± Isabella approached Nil, deciding their break was over without telling him. She started with swift open-palm strikes. They didn¡¯t hurt, but each strike rattled his joints. One got through Nil¡¯s guard and hit his sternum. The discomfort that followed was unlike anything Nil had felt before. His heartbeat lost its rhythm for a moment, and intense nausea followed. Then she struck his head, and Nil was on his hands and knees with a mouthful of bile. It took him a moment to gather himself, and Isabella was nice enough to wait until he finished evacuating. She insisted that he never eat or drink before their training sessions. Her ability felt like how Sonic Armament¡ªone of his ability options when he became a Summoned¡ªwould¡¯ve turned out after an ascension or two. Isabella had the ability to release sonic blasts from her hands and feet. Absorb nullified the bulk of the attack. However, the bit that got through disrupted the inner ear. It had proven useful for Might training. After resting for a few minutes, they continued. Nil did his best to avoid Isabella¡¯s palms for as long as possible. He got a couple more minutes than the previous round, but it ended the same way. The following attempt only lasted fifteen seconds. The point of the exercise was to fight in a neutral state and activate at the last possible second. Nil¡¯s timing improved with every unit of Finesse, but it wasn¡¯t enough against the former Silver Gauntlet fighter. A hint of red accompanied the bile he spat up after Isabella landed a minor blast to his abdomen. It took him several minutes to recover, and he was in no shape to continue afterward. ¡°Why did you ever quit the arena?¡± Nil asked, sitting on the floor, drinking electrolyte water. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you cutting loose¡ª¡± ¡°No, you haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Regardless, you¡¯re fast, strong, and an amazing hand-to-hand combatant. I looked at your match record. You had an amazing record, and your ranking was pretty high when you quit.¡± ¡°Did you see how many times I got knocked out of the Gauntlet of Ten?¡± ¡°Five. Given how many wins you had, you could¡¯ve moved on to the Gold, running the standard gauntlet.¡± ¡°The closer you get to the next Gauntlet, the harder the foes get. After getting backstabbed a bunch of times, I didn¡¯t want to get sucked into the group events either. The only way forward was the Death Gauntlet. I was frustrated and made a tough decision.¡± ¡°Will you ever go back to it if you get your hands on an ascension token?¡± Nil asked. Isabella shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m done. I don¡¯t want to ascend or return to the arena. The quests will get much harder, and I¡¯ll have no choice but to deal with high mortality rates. Maybe things would be different if I lucked out and got a soul weapon, but¡ª¡± She paused, studying Nil for a moment. ¡°I¡¯d rather not discuss this any further. The only thing that matters is I was an extremely ordinary arena fighter, and it''s a wonder I got as far as I did. That¡¯s not the case for you, though. Since you have involved a caseworker, speak to her and find out what you need to do to get your hands on a soul weapon early. Then pair up with decent Artisans who can help you mold it and go as far as you as the arena and Control Worlds will allow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a long-term, multi-part quest with an ominous ¡®Possible Bonuses¡¯ in the rewards list,¡± Nil said. ¡°If I¡¯m lucky, it will give me what I want. A soul weapon would be great.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Have you thought about what you want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of options. I¡¯m limited to fist weapons.¡± ¡°Just because it involves the word weapon doesn¡¯t mean it has to be that,¡± Isabella said. ¡°During my time in the arena, I¡¯ve seen armor, tools, and everything in between. Given your ability, though, a fist weapon would be great. Perhaps it will become a gauntlet capable of blocking or soaking up the type of attacks your ability can¡¯t counter.¡± ¡°That would be great,¡± Nil said. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know what I want or expect from a soul weapon. It just feels like Brutal Battery gives me everything I need. There¡¯s no point in wasting time speculating now. Defenses would be great. Improvement to my ranged potential would be even better. My aim has significantly improved since I became a Summoned, but throwing rocks will only get me so far.¡± ¡°You do realize that at Silver Realm, my maximum range is about ten feet.¡± ¡°But if you retain any potency, that¡¯s still devastating. If you don¡¯t break bones, screw up someone¡¯s inner ear¡ª¡± Isabella¡¯s expression told Nil that he was spouting information she already knew. So, he smiled sheepishly and shut up. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I want to continue in this line of work,¡± Isabella sighed. ¡°I make enough money off my yearly quests and royalties to live comfortably, if not luxuriously. All my good students except you and Lucy have quit the ludus. It feels like I¡¯m wasting my time here. She¡¯s probably on her way out too.¡± ¡°If you consider another ludus, someplace new with good resources and a focused membership base, were to make you a generous offer, would you accept?¡± Isabella¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What are you trying to tell me, Nil?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°My days here might be numbered, and I might be going somewhere new that needs good staff, especially trainers for people like me.¡± ¡°Get them to send me an offer, and I might just consider it. Assuming the ludus¡¯ members are worth training, of course.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll be impressed with their roster. Things are still up in the air, but I¡¯ll do my bit.¡± Isabella nodded. They called it a day after discussing a more focused training regimen. It was Sunday, and her agreeing to training with him was a favor. She had a lot more free time after the qualifiers and appeared glad to make time for Nil, even though she didn¡¯t say so. After cooling down with a couple of laps, Nil had a hot shower, dressed, and took a taxi to his family. Weekend traffic made the journey annoyingly long. Nil arrived just in time for dinner and was glad to find Emily¡¯s attempts at their mother¡¯s best dishes: mutton curry, lentils, fried okra, and rotis. The rotis¡ªthin flour flatbreads¡ªwere thick and tough, and the rest were a poor imitation, but Nil kept his critique to himself. He appreciated the effort, thanked Emily, and dug into the meal hungrily. ¡°Where¡¯s Katie?¡± She asked halfway through the meal. ¡°I thought you¡¯d bring her.¡± Nil shrugged, mouth full of food. ¡°When did you last see her?¡± Udit asked. ¡°Last night,¡± Nil answered, unsure whether his words made sense over the roti and mutton in his mouth. ¡°And you didn¡¯t invite her?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°Is everything okay between the two of you?¡± Emily asked. Nil knew his sister and father well. They weren¡¯t going to drop the matter, so he swallowed before replying. ¡°Things are still casual, and I don¡¯t see this progressing any further.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Emmy frowned. ¡°I love Katie. She is amazing!¡± ¡°Our interests and goals aren¡¯t aligned.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you both working for the Nexus?¡± Udit asked. ¡°That¡¯s the issue, I think,¡± Nil answered. ¡°We mixed work and pleasure, and the cracks started to show. She¡¯s decided that the Metropolitan Police is more important to her than the good we do while working for the Nexus. Our quest might¡¯ve cost Katie her job, and she blames me for it.¡± ¡°Did she say so?¡± Emily asked, eyes wide. Nil shook his head. ¡°But it''s pretty obvious. If I hadn¡¯t recommended her and gotten her entangled in the quest, she wouldn¡¯t have been put on administrative leave. Katie only kept pushing and continuing her investigation for my sake and lost her job for good as a result. It''s in her tone. Her body language. She¡¯s with me and is continuing the quest now because she has no other options. I¡¯m almost sure Katie will jump to a different job at the first opportunity.¡± ¡°So why are you still with her?¡± Sam asked. Explaining the matter to a twelve-year-old was beyond Nil, and he didn¡¯t have a concrete answer. ¡°We comfort each other, I suppose. Katie¡¯s the first person I¡¯ve been able to get close to since Aisha, and she¡¯s also taught me mental exercises to ignore the visage. She knows the truth, and she knows my hang-ups. It¡¯s comfortable.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t begin to imagine what you¡¯ve been through following Aisha¡¯s passing,¡± Udit said. ¡°It''s horrible and beyond me. But whatever you¡¯re doing with Katherine isn¡¯t right. If you have no intention of committing to this woman¡ªin the short or long term¡ªthen end things so the both of you can move on with your lives. I know it won¡¯t be easy, but it''s the right thing to do.¡± Silence fell over the table, and everyone focused on their food. It was tempting to go for seconds and thirds, but Nil resisted. Given his new appetite, he wouldn¡¯t have any trouble clearing everything on the table, but it was enough to feed the family for two or more meals. Nil planned on getting a takeaway on his way home instead. ¡°I¡¯d rather not make any decisions or ruin our working relationship until this leg of the quest is over,¡± Nil said after some thought. ¡°Katherine¡¯s insights, experience, and ability are vital to gathering information and finding out who else might be involved in this whole messy affair. I¡¯ll end things afterward. I promise.¡± Udit nodded, but everyone else kept their eyes on their food. Emily appeared unhappy about the development but kept her thoughts to herself. ¡°Good job on the food, Emmy. I needed this.¡± ¡°Does it taste like Mum¡¯s cooking?¡± She asked. ¡°You should be asking whether it tastes like my cooking,¡± Udit said. ¡°I taught her how to cook, you know.¡± ¡°We know, Baba,¡± both of the Roy children said in unison. ¡°Working for the council doesn¡¯t give me a lot of time, or I¡¯d cook more often.¡± ¡°Would you consider a job that gives you more time?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I¡¯d much rather you retire, but how would you feel about a low-commitment job that pays well and comes with a bunch of perks? It would require moving, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not married to my job,¡± Udit said. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve grown to hate it since your mother passed. But it would need to be a hell of a job for me to give up the house.¡± Nil glanced at Emily and Sam. ¡°Maybe we should discuss this in the garage.¡± 75. Planning For Changes ¡°What¡¯s this job, Sunil?¡± Udit asked when he and his son were alone. A door separated them from Emily, but both men knew that it wouldn¡¯t keep her from eavesdropping if she wished. ¡°I¡¯ll be moving to a new ludus soon,¡± Nil answered. ¡°It''s a brand new outfit created and operated by the Nexus for its Earth-side agents. They need civilians for some staff openings, and since they don¡¯t have any recruiters or connections for references, they need people like me to ask around.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the first thing about Summoned, Apocalypse Arena, quests, aethertech, or any of that nonsense. I¡¯m a humble civil engineer. That¡¯s worked most of his career overseeing sights or doing admin. What would I do in a ludus?¡± ¡°Manage. Someone is needed to coordinate staff, ensure everything is functioning, maintain the schedules, and do all the boring things. It won¡¯t be taxing, but it will involve a lot of sitting or walking around the property. It will pay well, and you can take life a little easier.¡± ¡°That sounds good and all, but would you be okay with it?¡± Udit got two beers out of the mini-fridge under his garage workbench. He popped them and handed Nil one. Drinking with his father was a rare privilege, so he accepted it. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Nil asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I want nothing more than to make things easier for you, Baba. You should¡¯ve retired years ago. This feels like the best option since you won¡¯t do that and won¡¯t let me just pay for everything. The role will come with housing on the premises. It will be on the opposite side from where I stay¡ªseparating Summoned and civilians and whatnot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you remember when you moved out of the house, Sunil,¡± Udit said after taking a long sip of his drink. ¡°You couldn¡¯t wait to get out, and I know a good deal of it was because you wanted to get away from me, your mother, and Emmy. Don¡¯t you think whatever happened back then might happen again? Do you want us that involved in your life?¡± While in pursuit of making life more pleasant for his family, Nil hadn¡¯t stopped to think how having them so close would affect him. It doesn¡¯t matter. I''ll barely see them between training, working for the Nexus on and off Earth, and the arena. ¡°There was a noisy five-year-old at home, and I¡¯d rather not speak ill of Mum, but she favored Emmy,¡± Nil said. ¡°My comfort, peace of mind, and privacy came second.¡± He held up his hand when Udit tried to interrupt. ¡°It''s fine, Baba. There was no resentment or ill feelings there. There was a surprise baby who needed a lot of attention, and there wasn¡¯t much anyone could¡¯ve done in a two-bedroom bungalow. Short of turning the garage into a bedroom, which neither you nor mum wanted. Besides, Artisans hadn¡¯t ruined the market, and I was excited to start my own life.¡± Udit¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I can see how you try to keep your mouth shut when Emmy goes off. She¡¯s as hot-headed as your mother was and even more hard-headed. Are you sure you want her so close?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll barely see her and Sam. They won¡¯t be allowed into the ludus, and the staff quarters will have their separate exit. Golden Aegis is a small ludus, and I rarely see the staff outside of the cafeteria, lobby, and medical center. It''s possible you and I will seldom bump into each other. So, it''s not a big deal. Although, it will be a pain with you guys knowing when I go on quests or have matches.¡± ¡°Living together or not, there¡¯s no keeping us in the dark,¡± Udit said, chuckling. ¡°Sam is tracking all of your activity. Festus the Creator¡¯s channel is almost always available when he has free screen time.¡± He drained his beer and sighed. ¡°Letting go of the house won¡¯t be easy. What happens when I die or retire for good.¡± ¡°Baba, you have me for when that happens. Think of this as a transitionary phase before you retire. We won¡¯t need the ludus to house you because I¡¯ll be rich enough for you to get a house near a ludus or plenty of security forces. You know I¡¯m making more than I know how to spend¡ª¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer this, but how much do you currently have in your savings?¡± ¡°It''s fine.¡± Nil pulled out his phone and showed his father the current balance. He had a thousand Schema Credit¡ªthe recent ludus fees had cut his savings by a hundred¡ªand ten thousand Great British Pounds in gold. ¡°The Nexus Market will probably drain some of the Credit, but it shouldn¡¯t be much. I might get some clothing to protect against extreme temperatures and magic attacks and medical supplies, but that¡¯s it. The money is just going to sit in my account, doing nothing. Perhaps investing some will do me some good, but since gold and Schema Credit values don¡¯t change much with inflation, I think I¡¯m fine in that regard.¡± ¡°Leave as much as you can as Schema Credit. Or far too much will disappear in taxes.¡± Udit shook his head. It was as if getting materials and aether crystals from the Nexus wasn¡¯t enough; they needed to take a fat chunk off of you as well. Doesn¡¯t make a whole lot of sense, does it?¡± ¡°Governments are going to government.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°So you¡¯ll consider this?¡± Udit nodded. ¡°I still need to see a genuine offer and contract, and I¡¯m not sure about leaving the house, but it''s good for Emmy and Sam. So if it''s as good as you say, I¡¯ll do it.¡± After dessert, Nil hugged his family goodbye and called a taxi. The Earth-side quest let him visit the Nexus once a week. He had already discussed the matter with Layla. It took a little bit of convincing, but she agreed to arrange housing and lucrative work for his family as long as he exclusively worked for the Nexus on Earth. It would limit the type of sponsorships and partnerships available to him, but it was still better than nothing. Since Nil couldn¡¯t use weapons and Expend destroyed most of his garments, working with Earth-side companies wouldn¡¯t help him in Apocalypse Arena. Only companies like Symbiotech that made living equipment and medical supplies would help him, and they were few and far between. None had contacted him for partnerships or sponsorships. Nil could only see long-term partnerships with companies like Garuda Systems working out. He would love to get his hands on one of their new Levibikes. Riding it around the city and appearing in a few commercials would earn him a tidy buck, and he liked the thought of it. Convincing Layla to hire someone like Isabella was a much harder task. The Nexus had plenty of accomplished Summoned on Earth who were willing to work as trainers. Nil hoped the fact that Isabella had been doing the jobs for years and had experience as a teacher would help her case. The ample arena experience was a big selling point. Layla hadn¡¯t shared much information about the Nexus¡¯ other agents, but Nil got the impression that they mostly did quests, many of which weren¡¯t overly combat-focused. She promised to discuss the matter with her superiors, but he couldn¡¯t ask for more from her. Instead of going to bed after returning to Golden Aegis, Nil changed and went down to the obstacle course. His mind was abuzz, and he needed to sweat and clear his head. Toggled Supercharging and Absorb training followed. As an Iron Realm, he could now activate the moving elements of the field that involved shifting floors and swinging wrecking balls. They added to the challenge but also helped him keep Brutal Battery topped up, letting him push harder and longer at little more than double his ordinary speed. It was the topic of Katherine that left him restless. Nil agreed with everything his family had said. It was for the best if they ended things and went their separate ways. However, he enjoyed the decreasingly frequent good times they had. She was excellent company when not upset about her job and in bed together. However, it was clear to him and probably to her that they had no future. Nil currently thought of nothing beyond his quests and the next arena event. Relationships and similar topics were not among his concerns. Is it wrong to just have a good time without the promise of more? Then he worried about Katherine not being in the same head space as him. She was a few years younger and seemed content being casual and having fun. However, that wouldn¡¯t go on for long. There was a chance she could want more from him. Nil sighed, glancing at the visage. Aisha¡¯s face smiled at him. He wanted to think that he had grown since becoming a Summoned. There was a chance he could make a relationship work despite its presence. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but he was sure he could do it as he got better at ignoring the annoying presence. Nil hoped that building a soul weapon would help him suppress or contain the visage, making his life easier. However, none of that changed the fact that he wasn¡¯t ready or interested in a relationship and especially not in one involving Katherine. 76. Another Journey Into The Unknown First thing on Monday morning, Nil opened the quest list. His next Gauntlet of Ten match was the following Monday, and he wanted to gain a few attributes and ability ranks before it. Isabella had warned him that the arena construct would put him up against even stronger opponents since his Spark had reached Iron-Eight. Since training wasn¡¯t getting him the desired results, Nil hoped a quest would do the job. He also wanted to visit the Nexus Market, sell the Iron Ascension Token he gained from rescuing Mila, and perhaps spend some Schema Credit. Objective: Bandits and scourge cults crave aether gems for the machinations. A shipment has arrived at the docks of Kelpie Port and must be transported to Greybeard¡¯s Rest. Its arcane academy is training the Beacon World¡¯s future champions, which¡¯re essential for its survival. Escort the mana gem carriage to its destination. Survival of the rest is secondary. Duration: 2-3 days Danger Level: Iron 9 Rewards: 200 Schema Credit, 2 Schema Token Objective: The hero of a Beacon World is on the verge of transcending to the Immortal Realm. Her ascension will herald a new world for the realm, making it harder for the Scourge to steal its resources and increase shipments to Control Worlds. Song Yi¡¯s personal guard and the Scourge Champions have all fallen while he is immobile and vulnerable. Agents of the Dark Worlds continue their machinations, attempting to halt the arrival of the golden age. Ensure Song Yi completes her ascension. Eliminate all Scourge worshippers and Cursed Ones that come for her. Duration: 6 - 18 hours Danger Level: Bronze 5 Rewards: 400 Schema Credit, 3 Schema Tokens, Access to exclusive stores in the Nexus Market Objective: A Dark Cult has taken root in the coastal town of Poori. If they successfully complete their ritual and sacrifice all of the settlement¡¯s residents, the cult will successfully summon a powerful Cursed One. There is also a small chance of them gaining the ability to control it. Either eventuality will result in a bleak future for the Beacon World. The latter has a significantly higher chance of speeding up the world¡¯s transformation into a Dark World. Stop the ritual. Eliminate the cult¡¯s leading trio. Duration: 12 hours Danger Level: Bronze 8 Rewards: 500 Schema Credit, 5 Schema Tokens, Bronze Ascension Token The first quest looked the easiest and safest, but the rewards compared to the time investment weren¡¯t to Nil¡¯s liking. There was no guarantee of conflict; he needed it to push his attributes and ability ranks. Nil hadn¡¯t mentioned it to his family, but working for the Nexus on Earth would likely earn him enemies. If Symbiotech and its benefactors found out about his quest and plans, they¡¯d be gunning for him as well. It was part of the reason why he was desperate to have them moved. There was a high chance of his true intentions being revealed after the sabotage, and he was sure the company wasn¡¯t above going after his family. Emily and Sam wouldn¡¯t be happy about it, but moving to new schools would follow the change of accommodation. He needed to get strong and rich fast for his family¡¯s sake, which meant he needed to take more risks. A danger level of Bronze-Eight was well outside of Nil¡¯s comfort zone, so he settled on the second quest on the list. He was excited to learn about ascensions beyond the Platinum Realm and meet an immortal. Access to exclusive merchants in Nexus Market was fascinating. Nil had a handful of concerns regarding the quest. Nil expected someone as important as a Platinum Realm on the verge of ascension to have friends of a similar power level. Her guards also had to be Silver and Gold. If they all fell fighting off Scourge Champions, it meant things were bleak. However, the space was likely full of powerful artifacts and magic. It didn¡¯t make sense for them only to summon an Iron Realm for the protection detail. Something had gone wrong. Nil was sure of it. He expected combat and the opportunity to learn a fair deal about the multiverse and power structures of Beacon and Control Worlds. However, it seemed less dangerous than taking an entire Dark Cult. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Lily asked over breakfast. ¡°You didn''t seem particularly focused during warm-up.¡± ¡°I''m considering a quest,¡± Nil replied. He had struggled not to open the Schema interface after every lap and check the list. It hadn''t refreshed, and his eyes drifted to the second offering. ¡°Danger Level and duration?¡± ¡°Bronze Five. Six-to-eighteen hours.¡± ¡°The reward better be good for you even to consider that,¡± Lucy said, joining them. The woman had ceased wearing her armor everywhere after the qualifiers. She only wore it during combat training and during her one match during the past three months and refused to discuss its significance. Lucy was due to move to Wilson Luduses in a few weeks, and that was one of the reasons Isabella was willing to end her employment at Golden Aegis. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°It is,¡± Nil replied. ¡°And I''m very tempted by what''s on offer and what the quest could entail.¡± ¡°Then what''s holding you back?¡± Lucy popped her can of lemonade and added a pouch of strange white crystals to it. The beverage buzzed like it was full of popping candy as she drank it. Lily had asked her about it, but the knight lived her mystery. She claimed it was adjusting her body to the side effects of her ability and nothing more. ¡°The last time I took a Bronze Danger-Level quest, the Schema¡¯s information was out of date. I suffered a fatal injury and should''ve died. Fortunately, it was a team quest, and one of my companions managed to patch me up and keep me stable until I got to the Fountain of Pyrene.¡± Nil¡¯s hand drifted to where the hole was. He still remembered the pain and the helplessness. ¡°This is a solo quest with a similar danger level. What if the Nexus fucks up again? I don''t want to die because of their mistake.¡± Both women sat in silence, listening and watching. Lily squeezed his hand. It felt odd to be comforted by someone about ten years younger than him. ¡°The helplessness in those kinds of situations messes you up,¡± Lucy said, breaking the silence. ¡°Your hesitation is understandable. I understand where you''re coming from, but from what I understand, those kinds of oversights are an anomaly. The Nexus isn''t omnipotent or omnipresent, but they''re pretty good at what they do. If you think you can manage Bronze-Five and the Nexus is offering the quest, it should be possible for you and your ability. Besides, given how amazing you were in your last couple of matches, I''m sure you can manage whatever it is.¡± ¡°Or go for something with a lower danger level,¡± Lily added. ¡°It''s perfectly respectable to do Iron Realm quests when you''ve been in Iron Realm for three months. I don''t understand why you two must rush and take unnecessary risks.¡± ¡°Not all of us are nineteen with all the time in the world,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°Age has nothing to do with it,¡± Nil said. ¡°I have things I need to accomplish in a limited timeline that involves getting stronger faster.¡± He smiled at Lily. ¡°I really should be taking Iron Danger-Level quests, but the Nexus keeps annoyingly offering me long ones. I¡¯ve got another match next week and would like to keep it short so I can throw myself into training once I get back.¡± ¡°That''s fair enough.¡± Lily nodded after shooting Lucy a cold glare. Nil sensed the women didn''t like each other but still hung around since they struggled to befriend the ludus¡¯ other Iron-Realm Summoned. ¡°Whatever you do, be careful. Take the penalty for failure if you must.¡± ¡°Which are? I thought we would get stripped of our powers and have to work off our debt to the Nexus without them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only on the first quest,¡± Lucy said. ¡°You just incur a debt to the Nexus and the summoning world and have to make up for the magic they burned to call you. It''s a few hundred Schema Credit.¡± ¡°In some cases, you might have to do a quest or two for free too,¡± Lily added. When Nil accepted the quest, it didn¡¯t take him to the Nexus, dashing his hopes of visiting the market first. The Schema directly deposited him to the quest destination. The magic circle he appeared in wasn¡¯t like the ones he had seen before. It featured symbols that reminded Nil of Chinese characters and Japanese Kanji. He had no means of recognizing either, and the Schema didn¡¯t translate the text. Nil stood in the courtyard of a palatial three-story building. The architecture looked Eastern, reminiscent of what Nil had seen in videos of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. Except it wasn''t as pristine. Multiple battles seemed to have ripped through the structure. Gore and scorch marks stained the flagstones and lacquered walls. Nil saw a charred corpse half-melted into the floor, and another would¡¯ve passed for a crystal statue if not for the bones jutting out of shattered limbs. Unlike with his previous quests, Nil didn¡¯t get the chance to find out what had happened thus far or learn the current state of things. A pair of old men and a girl no older than Emily stood just beyond the summoning spell, fighting off a Cursed One with the same appearance and features as the first monster Nil had faced during his first quest. However, the specimen in front of him appeared to have had the time to develop and grow further. Bony spines grew out of its spine and jutted out of the joints, providing armor and natural weapons. It occasionally fired projectiles or grew the bones to use them as disposal weapons¡ªjust like the Scourge Champion that had taken Mila, her grandfather, and fiance. The trio fighting the creature displayed powers of their own. One wielded a flaming sword that launched waves of flames with every swing. Another¡¯s fists and forearms were as wide as his head, and electricity danced around the limb. Every third blow made the Cursed One spasm, creating an opening for the teenager. Then she dove in with her spear. Spectral copies of his weapon shot forth, attacking the same point as where she struck. Bone armor shattered. Skin ripped. Flesh burned. Unfortunately, the Cursed One rapidly regenerated from its injuries, growing smaller but more toned and muscled. The clash appeared unsustainable. The trio¡¯s advantage wouldn¡¯t last for long. Eventually, the Cursed One would prevail, and Nil doubted his ability to defeat it alone. So, he raced in just as the unarmed fighter was knocked off his feet, and the beast lunged at the spear-wielding teenager. Nil threw himself between her and the beast and took the blow with Absorb. Then, he attacked. 77. Guarding Immortals The beast struck much harder than the specimen from his first quest. However, Nil had grown significantly since. The blow barely filling Brutal Battery¡¯s stores halfway was a testament to how much stronger he was now. Supercharging durability gave him some degree of security as he grabbed the creature¡¯s extended arm and struck the elbow. Instead of punching or releasing energy as the usual explosion, he emitted it from the outer edge of his right hand and cleaved through the joint. A deep roar burst from the monster. It unsteadily spun, moving much faster than a beast of its size should. For the first time after months of training, Nil successfully activated Absorb just after the moment of impact, moving with the blow. Supercharged durability and his trust in the new ability gave him the confidence to use the tactic comfortably. It still hurt, and Nil was sure he¡¯d suffer a titanic bruise, but he successfully pulled the unstable beast off balance and onto its side. Absorb has progressed to Iron 3! Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 3! All but the fallen pugilist capitalized on the opening. They dove onto the beast¡¯s exposed abdomen and lower jaw, attacking with all of their might. Meanwhile, the flesh and hide around its stump bubbled, and a fleshy, boneless appendage began to solidify in its place. The Cursed One didn¡¯t take the beating lying down. It thrashed, and the bony growths retreated into its body before shooting out like spikes on pistons. The young spear-wielder took a bone spike to the shoulder. A grazing blow ripped the sleeve off her robes and left a light graze on the muscle. The flesh around it started solidifying and crystalizing straight away. She screamed, staggering back and scratching at the wound. ¡°Take care of her!¡± Nil yelled, taking the blows with Absorb as he tried to pin the monster. He only managed to keep the pinned tail immobile. His ability failed to rob the giant creature of its momentum. The swordsman didn''t need to be told twice. He picked up the teenage girl and retreated. A moment later, Nil heard a sizzle and a scream. Energy Instinct detected a rapidly fading arcane fire. He guessed the man had cauterized the wound. The Cursed One proved smarter and more magically gifted than the specimens Nil had faced before. Silver light arced between the tips of the bony protrusions and he knew at a glance that Absorb and supercharged durability would do nothing to protect against the coming attack. Nil leaped a dozen feet back with a single bound just as a nova of energy burst from the creature. All wood and organic material turned into jagged crystals, carrying the noxious pink and purple shades of Cursed Energy. The creature rolled onto its front, retreating to the wall and keeping its head low to the ground. The silver energy retreated back into the Cursed One''s body before an orange glow filled the back of its throat, and Nil heard the fighters behind him scatter. He refused to do the same. Only a handful of minutes had passed since the Summoning, but that was a significant time in battle. The Cursed One hadn¡¯t stilled since¡ªuntil now. It can''t move while charging the breath attack! Supercharged speed helped Nil close the distance as the glow intensified. An empowered haymaker got the beast to slam its mouth shut. Teeth audibly shattered, and bones noisily cracked. The expenditure emptied his stores, but then Brutal Battery¡¯s evolution from the ascension kicked in. The energy refilled to ten percent almost instantly. He pressed his index finger between the beast¡¯s eyes and unleashed all of he had through the digit¡¯s tip, piercing hide, bone, and all tissue within. The teenager appeared out of nowhere and tackled Nil, pushing him away from the Cursed One. Then, its head, neck, and chest exploded, unleashing a torrent of concentrated Cursed Energy. It turned the surrounding flesh into translucent pink and purple crystals. The hardened pieces chipped away, and new tissue grew in their place almost instantly. It seemed they had less than a minute before the monster recovered. The sword-wielder got to it before Nil could. He plunged his weapon through the open neck and chest cavity, and azure flames burst from within. Nil didn¡¯t think it would work since the creature¡¯s insides were full of orange slag and tar. But Energy Instinct told him that he was wrong. The attack disintegrated the Cursed One¡¯s core. Everyone collapsed, panting and nursing their injuries. The side of Nil¡¯s right hand and the burned index finger stung. He was glad to have supercharged durability just in time. Instead of blackened skin and flesh, the areas were dark brown with charred flecks, and the surrounding skin was angry and red. The nerves were still ablaze, but the discomfort wasn''t as bad as it once was. ¡°Thank you for saving us, honored Summoned,¡± the teenager said after catching her breath. She kneeled before Nil, bowing her head. The swordsman followed suit while the pugilist didn¡¯t rise. Energy Instinct detected no arcane presence around him, and his forearms shrunk to ordinary proportions. ¡°The demon would¡¯ve prevailed without your assistance.¡± ¡°Please rise,¡± Nil said. ¡°It was a team effort. I wouldn''t have succeeded without either of your contributions.¡± ¡°Your arm, my lady.¡± The swordsman kept his eyes low as he approached the teenager, holding out a palm-sized wooden box. ¡°This humble swo¡ª¡± ¡°None of that nonsense, Kim Hwan. Everyone is dead. You can drop the tiring titles and prefixes. Tend to the Honorable Summoned¡¯s wounds first.¡± The young woman smiled at Nil. ¡°I¡¯m Song Yun.¡± She nodded at the heavy metal gates on the other end of the courtyard. Energy Instinct detected the more powerful arcane presence he had detected, leaking through the cracks. ¡°That¡¯s my sister Song Yi ascending in there.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± Nil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sound rude, but when I heard of someone ascending to immortality, I expected someone significantly older.¡± Song Yun nodded. ¡°If Sister successfully transcends, she¡¯ll be the youngest in a millennia to transcend. The youngest on record was a hundred-and-eleven when he ascended from the Platinum Realm. She¡¯s only sixty-nine.¡± The woman studied Nil for a moment before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m only twenty-five and just made it into Bronze Realm, if you¡¯re wondering. We, cultivators, age slowly once our body tempering passes the Mortal Ranks. Some just have their breakthrough earlier than others.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Of all the alien worlds Nil had seen, his current location appeared to have the closest progression system to what the Schema offered on Earth. He had heard the word cultivation thrown around before but didn¡¯t quite understand what it meant. Given the natural arcane energies flowing through the ambient air, Nil guessed it had something to do with assimilating the world¡¯s magic to empower oneself. The swordsman, Kim Hwan, bowed before tending to Nil¡¯s hand. He studied the burns closely before scrubbing them with a rough stone that emitted a warm green presence. It was uncomfortable but not enough to make Nil flinch. Afterward, he rubbed a stinky red ointment on the wounds. It wasn¡¯t as instantaneous as Symbiotech¡¯s creators, but he could feel it working already. The nerves calmed, and the tightness faded. Meanwhile, Song Yun gave him a brief update on the situation. None but her sister¡¯s closest circle knew of the ascension. The Song siblings and their top guards¡ªtwo dozen Silver Realms, six Gold Realms, and several miscellaneous Iron and Bronze Realms support staff¡ªhad secretly retreated to the mountain estate so Song Yi could achieve immortality and Song Yun Bronze. They had ensured the information didn¡¯t get out as each ascension took more time and left the ascender cut off from the world and vulnerable to external threats. Someone had betrayed the sisters. Several Scourge Champions and their agents had found the hidden mansion, and they had dealt with non-stop attacks for the past week. Each confrontation cut their numbers down more. Song Yun was almost sure that all the Scourge Champions had fallen, but only the cultists and their controlled Cursed Ones remained. They only needed to hold out for a few more hours. Her senses told her that Song Yi was on the cusp of breaking through. Unfortunately, none of the current survivors were mages or had access to powerful artifacts and spells. So they did the best they could with the manuals, scrolls, and gems they had available. It explained why Nil, a mid-Iron Realm, had received the quest offer. As they talked and Nil learned more about the world and power structure, Kim Hwan tended to his fallen comrade. The man had suffered a significant head injury but wasn¡¯t dead. Neither he nor Song Yun had any ¡®healing techniques¡¯ and hoped the man would survive until Song Yi finished her breakthrough. ¡°Hit me,¡± Nil said once they were done talking. He had studied his surroundings, and all the stairways were in tatters. ¡°Both of you. Hit me as hard as you can with whatever physical techniques.¡± ¡°What?¡± Song Yun demanded, frowning. ¡°Why?¡± Kim Hwan looked equally bewildered. ¡°My ability¡ªI mean technique can absorb whatever you throw at me as long as there is no non-physical element. I need the energy to get to the roof. The pair of you can take turns resting, and I¡¯ll watch our surroundings from above.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Honored Summoned,¡± Kim Hwan said. ¡°I cannot rest until my duty is done.¡± ¡°Both of you look like you¡¯re on the verge of collapse. Even if it''s for a few minutes, close your eyes and gather yourself. A tired body and mind won¡¯t help you do your duty any better. I have a detection technique capable of seeking out arcane presences and is especially good at detecting Cursed Energy.¡± Nil paid the visage attention for the first time since his arrival to the alien world. It already stood on the building¡¯s roof and stood in the distance. ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye and alert you if anything comes by.¡± Kim Hwan looked to his superior for permission. He attacked Nil with overhand swings when she nodded. It took sixteen blows to refill Brutal Battery. Afterward, he retreated to the metal doors, sat cross-legged in front of it, and closed his eyes. Energy Instinct highlighted the ambient energies¡ªincluding those leaking from the protected room¡ªas they swirled around the swordsman before flowing into his body. Nil could feel the strands coalescing and gathering around his solar plexus. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy,¡± Song Yun said. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the rooftop.¡± The young woman wrapped an arm around Nil¡¯s waist before slightly bending her knees. Red light gathered around her feet and the butt off her speer. They burst free, cracking the flagstones just as she jumped, carrying herself and him up three floors. ¡°I know it''s not graceful, but the technique is excellent at vertical mobility.¡± ¡°Graceful or not, that was impressive nonetheless,¡± Nil said. ¡°Most of us Summoned don¡¯t get such varied techniques like you. We¡¯re limited to the abilities the Schema gives us and the few with gifted minds who can learn spells and magic.¡± ¡°Does your world have no natural Qi?¡± Song Yun looked and sounded shocked at the prospect. Nil shook his head. ¡°We didn¡¯t have anything until about seventeen years ago. There was a cataclysm that almost broke our world. The Nexus came to our rescue, glued the shattered pieces back together, and gave us the strength and resources to fight the dangers that came with the disaster.¡± ¡°And you serve as Summoned in exchange?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the deal,¡± Nil replied, nodding. He turned his attention to their surroundings. The estate¡¯s exterior and surroundings were as scarred as the courtyard. Nil saw mountains of beasts, Cursed Ones, and human corpses. It looked like a small army had attacked the mansion. Traces of arcane energies lingered at the epicenters of faded explosions and dying fire. ¡°Every quest we complete and the battle we win in the Apocalypse Arena wins our world arcane resources to improve our lives and prepare for when the Scourge inevitably finds us.¡± ¡°Arena?¡± Song Yun raised a delicate eyebrow. If Nil hadn¡¯t seen her fight, he would¡¯ve never imagined the delicate-looking young woman was anything more than she appeared. She looked more like an actress in Eastern fantasy shows than a real warrior. The Schema hadn¡¯t altered her body as she ascended, providing toning or muscles. Whatever enhancements she got from her ¡®body tempering¡¯ was internal. ¡°I¡¯ve heard great tales about it. Apparently, the gods promised Sister that she would give us access to the fabled arena and inter-dimensional markets if she achieved immortality and purged the Scourge from the island. Have you fought in the Arena?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t have Qi for cultivating, the Scourge or Cursed Ones to fight and grow stronger in my world. Quests for the Nexus and Apocalypse Arena is how we¡ª¡± Movement in the distance stopped Nil mid-sentence. Energy Instinct had a limited range, and he never got the chance to test its limitations. Obstacles weakened its abilities, and Nil mostly used it in built-up areas. For the first time, he got a chance to push his abilities to its limits, and the Schema rewarded him accordingly. Energy Instinct has progressed to Iron 0! Your detection range and control over internal energies have increased. Would you like for the Schema to modify Energy Instinct and adapt it to Brutal Battery? Current functions might be lost or altered, but synergy with your ability, future sub-abilities, and a compatible soul weapon will improve. Nil gave the Schema his silent approval and swiped the interface aside. The catalyst of the growth looked more prominent. It wasn¡¯t just moving trees and a dark patch that he saw in the moonlight. Pink and purple flecks rose from the trees at the base of the mountain. ¡°Rest. Cultivate. Do whatever you need to, Song Yun. We¡¯ll have company soon, and your assistance will be vital.¡± The young woman¡¯s eyes darted between Nil and the spot where he focused. She nodded and sat down cross-legged next to him with her spear across her lap. Nil instantly felt the dormant energy inside her swirling, and the birthed vortex drew in the ambient magic. He hoped it would be enough for whatever was coming. There was more than a single Cursed One¡ªor demon as the locals called it¡ªcoming their way. He needed everyone well-rested for the coming battle. 78. Fighting The Horde It wasn¡¯t long before the attackers emerged from the treeline. The clear sky and unusually bright moonlight made it impossible for them to conceal themselves on the arid road. A pair of Cursed Ones identical to the specimen they just fought led the group. Smaller, great-dane-sized creatures followed them, followed by armored or robed individuals with the locals¡¯ features followed them. They carried a variety of weapons, and given their pace, Nil assumed they¡¯d reach the mansion in an hour. The roof had suffered significant damage, and Nil considered ripping bits free to use as projectiles. Nil doubted he could muster enough power with Expend to take out the giant pair. His accuracy dropped significantly with distance as well. It was more a mid-range skill than a long-range one. But if he surprised them and successfully landed a couple of hits, there was a chance he could disable, if not kill, one of the smaller Cursed Ones or humans. Scourge agents. They¡¯re Scourge agents, not humans. Before Nil could enact his plan, scratching sounds reached his ears. It sounded like nails scraping against wood and stone. His eyes darted to the black columns of smoke in the distance. They were villages. If the Cursed Ones started the night¡¯s journey at either location, it was likely they had spawned their standard minions. Just as Nil completed the thought, the bat-faced and eared humanoid creatures crawled over the edge of the roof. They were almost identical to the creatures he faced on his first quest, except they had longer, spider-like legs and leaked Cursed Energy. The purple aura around the talons appeared especially noxious and terrifying. Nil knew at a glance that Absorb wouldn¡¯t do much good against them. Nil considered stirring Song Yun but then decided he didn¡¯t need her yet. He could deal with the small fry alone. Her strength was best saved for the approaching force. The pair claimed to have sealed all ground-level entrances, and the windows had bars made of ¡®spirit-forged iron.¡¯ Nil hoped that meant the man-bats couldn¡¯t break through them. They had no choice but to climb over the roof. Almost sure that he could take the creatures, Nil approached in a neutral state with supercharged speed. While sprinting to a creature making a beeline for the estate¡¯s interior, he kicked a man-bat just about to climb onto the roof. He heard a loud crack as it disappeared over the edge. Wary of the claws, Nil didn¡¯t throw himself at the second creature. Instead, he used the momentum for a flying kick. Despite the enhanced hearing, the creature didn¡¯t react. It appeared focused on nothing but its goal. The blow folded the man-bat in half. Nil didn¡¯t bother using Expend and supercharged strength before striking the beast¡¯s head with a right hook. He caved in the skull. The Cursed Ones transformed their victims into speedy, stealthy attackers but did nothing for their strength or durability. The creatures that came next didn¡¯t have blinders on. Nil found himself fighting two man-bats simultaneously. They attacked in unison, slashing and stabbing at him with their long talons. Nil supercharged speed, doing his best to avoid the attacks, bobbing and weaving. The talons dripping with Cursed Energy came uncomfortably close several times but never struck home. The nimble and speedy attackers were too feral and lacked coordination. Nil had no trouble playing the man-bats against each other, blocking one¡¯s attacks with the other¡¯s body. Nil waited until one over-extended and tripped over his foot. He grabbed the creature, spun it around, and threw it at the other beast, pouring a significant quantity of energy into the act. Long spidery limbs tangled with one another, and the pair landed in a heap. Nil used an Expend-powered axe kick to end both simultaneously. Finesse has progressed to Iron 5! A third man-bat appeared on the roof, and Nil turned a corpse into a projectile, knocking the creature off. It went flying and landed on the cracked stone outer terrace with a sickening crunch. Nil returned his attention to Song Yun. The woman hadn¡¯t moved. She appeared deep in her meditative state. Energy swirled and gathered inside her in the same manner as Kim Hwan. Except the volume was significantly higher. The individual streams thickened and moved like a viscous fluid. It was a brief glimpse, but Energy Instinct highlighted the thick magic''s faint pathways as they swirled and explored the young woman¡¯s body before reaching the vortex in her solar plexus. Unlike Kim Hwan¡¯s energy absorption technique, Song Yun¡¯s appeared deliberate and directed. She absorbed a rainbow of colors, but nothing but pure silver reached her center. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether she filtered out the unwanted elements or converted them into the form she desired. ¡°Song Yun!¡± Nil yelled when more beasts climbed onto the rooftop. They came over opposite edges, and he couldn¡¯t deal with them alone. The young woman¡¯s eyes snapped out of her trance. She appeared comparatively refreshed and stronger than before. Silver light flowed from her hand along the shaft when she grabbed her spear and coalesced around the spearhead. A pair of spectral copies appeared, floating over her shoulders as she sped at the man-bats. They seemed more solid than the copies Nil saw earlier. The conjurations were more opaque and appeared carved from moonlight. The spectral weapons followed Song Yun¡¯s thrust, ripping her first target into several pieces. She knocked another with a spear swing before skewering yet another. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Song Yun¡¯s grace and agility made her a wondrous sight. Unfortunately, Nil didn¡¯t get the time to enjoy the spectacle or study how the energy continued to move through her. He had man-bats of his own to fight. Since Nil couldn¡¯t trust Absorb against the creatures¡¯ talons, he relied on Expend and his meager energy stores to turn pieces of the broken roof into artillery shells. Supercharged strength added to his destructive power. Not all of his throws hit, but those that found a home, snapped limbs, caved in rib cages, or crushed skulls. He focused on the beasts making a beeline for Song Yi until a mass of them came directly at Nil. The volume of man-bats forced Nil to activate Absorb despite its probable effectiveness. He also supercharged strength as he dove into the mass of them, dancing around and through the beasts, striking only when the opportunity revealed itself. He focused more on throwing the creatures into one another or redirecting their blows to cause entertaining, friendly fire cases. Pained grunts burst from Nil whenever a claw raked his skin. Their ability seemed similar to that of the still-missing Fatima¡¯s conjured blood blades. He suffered scratches and surface lacerations, but, fortunately, Absorb kept them from cutting deeper. The last arena match had taught Nil not to discount the danger. Constant and steady blood loss had almost led to a loss and would almost certainly get him killed now. Death by a thousand cuts. Nil waited until he was just about to be overwhelmed before releasing a pulse of energy from his entire body. Much to his surprise, his clothes held. The edges frayed and ripped, but the rest remained in one piece. The Nexus had put him in clothing to match the local culture. It featured black trousers and white robes. The latter suffered more damage than the first. The closest man-bats¡¯ bones snapped, and the pulse pushed all of them away. He unleashed a barrage of blows, following each clean hit with a burst of energy from his fist or foot. He had durability supercharged, minimizing the damage to himself. Each explosive Expend took out multiple specimens. Then, the sound of Kim Hwan fighting below reached his ears, and Nil knew that the current strategy was unsustainable. So, he abandoned the creatures attacking him and fled toward Song Yun. ¡°To me!¡± he yelled and was relieved when she didn''t question him or hesitate before complying. Hordes of man bats pursued both of them, and Nil gritted his teeth as his back and shoulders suffered several scratches. Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Mortal 9! When Nil reached Song Yun, he wrapped an arm around her waist and dove from the rooftop. Having Absorb activated during the landing ensured Brutal Battery''s stores stayed at a decent level. The spearwoman retreated to Kim Hwan, and the pair kept their backs to the metal door, using their ranged attacks to take out the approaching monsters. Meanwhile, Nil stood just in front of them, acting as the vanguard and taking out all that got close. When there were no opponents within reach, he turned rubble into projectiles, disabling a man-bat every throw or catching them during their descent and ensuring they plummeted to the courtyard. Bones broke on landing, temporarily removing from the fight. Absorb has progressed to Iron 4! The fight dragged on, and Nil felt his ability to activate Absorb at the moment or just after impact improve significantly. He grew more consistent and confident and enjoyed the fruit of the months of endless training. The man-bats¡¯ wild movements didn¡¯t just cease touching Nil. Instead, they followed through and often over-extended before losing momentum, giving him the perfect opportunity to capitalize on openings. It wasn¡¯t perfect, and he suffered several lacerations¡ªsome deeper than others¡ªbut successfully avoided getting overwhelmed. Just as the numbers started dwindling, the building shuddered. Nil wasn''t sure how much time had passed but was sure the Cursed Ones and Scourge Agents had arrived. Bits of the roof rained on the courtyard following every ram, and Nil¡¯s heart leaped into his throat. He was exhausted and had lost a lot of blood. Song Yun and Kim Hwan were relatively uninjured, but they looked more tired than he was. Song Yun claimed the salve container from her retainer and slathered its contents on Nil¡¯s back and arms. The man-bats had shredded his robes, and he removed the garment altogether since the loose, dangling pieces inhibited his movements. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil said. Song Yun nodded. ¡°Neither I nor Kim Hwan have much Qi remaining. It won''t be long before this fight turns into you facing the demons and their worshippers alone.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t count on that sister,¡± a soft, melodious voice spoke. The metal doors slid open and arcane energies almost identical to Song Yun¡¯s poured from the sealed room. However, the magic was thicker, brighter, and significantly more potent. Nil had to cease channeling Energy Instinct so he could see the woman that stepped into the courtyard. The energy flowing through and around her was much too bright. Song Yi, the new immortal, looked so perfect she might as well have been computer-generated. Nil had seen Gold Realm individuals like Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson, who embodied the peak of human beauty with ideal shapes and features but still carried imperfections. Song Yi did not. ¡°Get inside the cultivation chamber,¡± she told her sister. ¡°You too, Kim Hwan, Honored Summoned. I do not know my new strength and would rather none of you fall to my technique.¡± Song Yun and Kim Hwan didn¡¯t question the superior cultivator. The pair bowed and retreated into the rune, which was covered in alien shapes and glowing patterns. They marched to its center, sat cross-legged, and immediately began cultivating. Nil joined them. He kept Absorb active and tried to mimic their breathing and whatever else he was doing but failed. Nil¡¯s body and mind weren¡¯t built for it. So, he watched as the immortal unleashed her technique. A concentrated spear of silver light formed in her hands, and when she threw it, the weapon disintegrated the building¡¯s opposite side, and all that stood beyond it. Clouds parted, and the brightness turned the night into day for several seconds. It was the most beautiful and terrifying sight Nil had ever seen. You have completed your quest! You have gained 400 Schema Credits! You have gained 3 Schema Tokens! You have been granted probationary access to the Moon Rabbit Emporium. The Schema will automatically teleport you to the Nexus in ten minutes. Activate early if you have resolved all matters related to the quest. 79. Favored By Immortals When Song Yi¡¯s ¡®technique¡¯ ended, nothing remained of the enemy. She had destroyed the estate¡¯s road-facing side, the road, a part of the mountain, the Cursed Ones, and the agents of the Scourge. It wasn¡¯t just destruction that lay ahead. Flora rapidly grew from all disintegrated surfaces. The new immortal brought death and destruction, and life too. Even though Nil was eager to ask Song Yi about what she had just done, he kept his mouth shut. On Earth, most Summoned considered it bad form to ask about another¡¯s ability. It was private information, and only the authorities had access. He guessed things weren¡¯t too different wherever the Nexus had sent him. The formality with which Kim Hwan addressed the Song sisters only reinforced the belief. ¡°What is it, Honored Summoned?¡± Song Yi asked. Her words were short and curt. ¡°Your kind can¡¯t wait to return home after their quests. Yet you linger. Is there something you want more than our thanks?¡± As soon as the quest ended, the timer on the Schema interface started counting down from ten minutes. Nil also had the option to accept a teleport back immediately. ¡°I¡¯m just marveling at the destruction you caused with what seemed like a flick of your finger,¡± Nil commented. He spoke much faster than normal as his heart pounded, and he felt his cheeks flushing. It wasn¡¯t that the woman before him was the most beautiful person he had spoken to, but she seemed the closest thing to a real god he had ever encountered. ¡°The way you and your sister circulate energy is fascinating. I was just taking a moment to study the flow to emulate myself, hopefully.¡± Song Yi¡¯s eyes narrowed. She looked him up and down. ¡°You can see the Qi flowing through us?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°More clearly with Song Yun than you¡ª¡± ¡°You, my lady,¡± Song Yun whispered. Kim Hwan stood on the other end of the courtyard, putting together a pack. The man had retrieved horses from somewhere deeper in the estate. Nil had seen no sign of stables, and he wondered where they had stored the animals. He glanced at the trio for a moment before returning to his work. He almost seemed hesitant to look at Song Yi directly. ¡°The Qi flowing through you is so bright, it blinded my sensing ability,¡± Nil said, stiffening as Song Yi moved closer. The air turned viscous. Moving and breathing became a challenge. ¡°My lady.¡± He almost forgot to add the honorific. ¡°I can somewhat see Song Yun¡¯s now. It was clearer while she was cultivating. Kim Hwan, on the other hand, might as well be invisible to my Energy Instinct unless he¡¯s cultivating or using his techniques.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Song Yi glanced between Nil and her sister thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve never met a Summoned capable of sensing or tracking our Qi. Especially one from a barren world.¡± She moved so close Nil could smell her sweat along with a familiar stench. A little pond of black sludge sat at the center of the cultivation room. It was the same horrid waste material he had produced during his ascension but in greater quantity. Nil considered it a wonder she didn¡¯t smell worse. ¡°You¡¯ve got a fair bit in you, though. Raw energy is in your core, and Demonic Qi is in your arms. Curious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on purging the Demonic Qi. My unformed soul weapon is warped. It seems to absorb it.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not interested in cultivating it?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°I only want to learn how to guide the energies in my body and control their flow. Finding a way to expel the Demonic Qi would be great.¡± ¡°You did well keeping my dear sister alive and ensuring I wasn¡¯t interrupted,¡± Song Yi said. ¡°So, I suppose you deserve more than whatever the Nexus promised you.¡± The immortal poked Nil¡¯s sternum. A little mote of white light flowed into him. ¡°You have a minor power seed trying to merge with the greater. I gave it a little push. Turning you into a cultivator would take years.¡± She paused. ¡°Maybe months with that sensory ability, but it would be pointless, given you live in a Qi-barren realm. So, maybe this will help.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lady,¡± Nil said, bowing awkwardly. ¡°Run along now. I¡¯m ravenous and wish to feast before we depart.¡± Nil eagerly checked his Schema interface after teleporting to the Nexus, his heart racing. Energy Instinct has become a sub-ability of Brutal Battery. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Energy Instinct can no longer be switched off. However, focusing on the ability will increase its power. The visual aspect will only activate during the focused state. Available Spark and Finesse-focused evolutions for Energy Instinct: It wasn¡¯t a tough decision. Nil discounted Curse Eater straight away. He wanted nothing to do with Cursed Energy and couldn¡¯t wait to purge the vile presence from his body. The uncontained energy didn¡¯t just look ugly but also left him feeling sickly. The thought of processing and assimilating it turned his stomach, and the side effects also concerned him. Seeker of Arcane was a decent option, but Nil was okay with his current sensory abilities. If the Schema offered him the option again in the future, he would accept it in a heartbeat. It sounded like a magic sonar that would significantly increase his range. The ability to tell whether Absorb would work against an incoming attack was incredible too. However, in Nil¡¯s eyes, neither option held a candle to Master Of Self. He guessed it was born of Song Yi¡¯s gift. Improved control over Brutal Battery¡¯s stores was enough to make it a worthy pick. The idea of doing the same with Cursed Energy especially excited him. He liked the prospect of not absorbing any more of it and slowly expelling what he already had stored in his soul weapon. Nil wasn¡¯t quite sure what ¡®shaping energy¡¯ meant, but if his mental image was correct, the element was a lot more than a cherry on top. He mentally thanked Song Yi before picking the upgrade and investing his Schema Tokens in Finesse. Brutal Battery: Iron 3 Feats: Nil had one Schema Token. He banked it for later before visiting the Fountain of Pyrene and then Layla. There wasn¡¯t much to discuss. He pushed the Nexus employee to consider Isabella again and reported Udit¡¯s willingness to work for the new ludus. She handed Nil a contract to take to his father. He was happy to learn things were coming along well, and the operation would be up and running in less than a month. Finally, the pair moved on to discussing the Symbiotech matter. ¡°This is taking longer than expected,¡± Layla said. ¡°Do you need more people for this? I have new agents with perfect skill sets for this job. They have their own quests, but I can redirect them for your benefit.¡± ¡°Andrew and I are planning to do it within the month,¡± Nil said. ¡°I know it''s taking time, but we¡¯re trying to get all the information we can first. He¡¯s infiltrating and seeding their system, so I can¡¯t be pulled up on criminal charges. We also need to minimize collateral damage.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Layla raised an eyebrow. ¡°We want Symbiotech going down. Collateral damage is good.¡± ¡°Perhaps property damage, but there are children in the building. We need to find out why they¡¯re there and the nature of the experiment involving them and ensure they¡¯re not hurt. Ideally, I want them out of the building before we do anything.¡± ¡°And how the hell are you going to pull that off? Need I remind you that everybody, including the unwilling Katherine Park, has had more information and results in the past three months?¡± ¡°I believe we¡¯ve isolated where they¡¯re storing the Cursed Energy, and I have someone looking for other people like Pietro. Give me another month, and I¡¯ll get the job done. We want to hurt them hard enough to ruin their reputation. Andrew is preparing a media packet that will get leaked when I finish my part. I don¡¯t want these bastards covering up their crimes again.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m trusting you, Nil. We¡¯ve invested a fair bit on your word.¡± Layla paused, scanning an invisible surface between them for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m going to find someone to assist you. They¡¯ll stay out of your way and only help if you need it.¡± ¡°Thank you for trusting me.¡± Layla nodded. ¡°Good job on the quest, by the way. A new immortal will make a big difference to the Beacon World and its neighbors. I hope you make good use of your new store access. Mostly Summoned from Qi-rich worlds, get into the Moon Rabbit Emporium.¡± ¡°I¡¯m keen to check it out,¡± Nil said. ¡°The Song siblings got me excited about all of this cultivation thing.¡± ¡°Your growth is essentially Schema-assisted cultivation. It''s about time you visited the Nexus Market. There is a lot in there you might find useful regardless of whether you rely on weaponry and armor.¡± 80. The Nexus Market The Nexus Market was everything Nil imagined and more. It resembled a gigantic, multi-storeyed mall with a strong medieval theme. Summoned of all shapes and sizes walked the balconies and halls. Colorful and carefully designed shopfronts with beautiful men and women beckoned them in. ¡°Artisans from the Control Worlds dominate most of Nexus Market,¡± Layla had told him. ¡°Their products might be outside of your budget, though. You¡¯ll find several stores run by Summoned, too.¡± ¡°You mean there are Artisans from earth working and selling their wares in Nexus Market?¡± Nil had asked. ¡°Indeed. The especially skilled get the option to settle in Nexus Market and work for others like themselves and eventually start businesses. Almost all production and research-and-development-focused Artisans get the offer to move once they get to Silver Realm. It''s stiff competition, but there is a lot of growth to be had and money to make. There have also been some instances of some getting invited to move to Control Worlds.¡± Nil frowned. ¡°Summoned get to move to Control Worlds?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said too much.¡± Layla grinned. It was clear from her expression that the accidental reveal wasn¡¯t quite accidental. ¡°Anyway, it''s not of any concern until you get to the Platinum Gauntlet. Focus on your quests and climbing the ranks for now.¡± A Schema interface directory helped Nil find his way. He wandered through the armor, weapon, and arcane artifacts sections just to enjoy the sights. The displays featured everything he could imagine and more. Nil paused in front of stores specializing in fist weapons. The inventory ranged from simple knuckle-dusters to katars and gauntlets. Deeper in the floor, he saw sections dedicated to soul-weapon refinement and design. Unfortunately, an invisible barrier kept him from progressing. Only individuals with working soul weapons or an invitation may proceed. The more Nil explored, the more areas he found that denied him access. It fascinated him how the architecture changed in different parts of the market. One minute he was walking through French and Germanic styled buildings, next he found Arab, then Indian flairs. It wasn¡¯t long before he found Buddhist and Shinto motifs. A city-sized section of Mortal, Iron, and Bronze Realm magic kept him enamored for well over an hour. Even though Nil would probably never get to experience magic, he couldn¡¯t help but watch the demonstrations and window shop. ¡°Is there anything I can help you with, young man?¡± An older man in an outfit resembling Merlin asked, hobbling out of a shop. The window was full of eggs and tiny caged beasts. ¡°Are you in the market for a new summon or familiar, perhaps?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love one,¡± Nil said sheepishly. ¡°Unfortunately, I do not have the right attributes for it.¡± ¡°Ah, the curse of the unfortunate attributes. How are your Mind and Spark potentials?¡± ¡°Iron and Platinum, respectively.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the worst.¡± The man studied Nil closely for a moment. ¡°Looking at you, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re some kind of knight. Summoned with a high Spark potential often end up with an eventual animal companion or summon of some sort. With a poor Mind attribute, you might not get to share in their magic or pick up the standard Summoner spells, but it''s still something. ¡°Summoners visit our store to expand their retinue. Bronze Realm and higher mages come to us for guardians and familiars. Knights traditionally don¡¯t have the capacity for a lot of companions, but a scout, squire, or mount often goes a long way. It¡¯s a good call if you have high Spark since it influences your companion''s growth and control. However, given your Mind potential, I wouldn¡¯t recommend more than one unless you luck upon a commander or leadership secondary ability later that gives you the authority or power to control multiple.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware this was even a possibility. Once I have more in my savings, I¡¯ll be sure to invest some of it on summon.¡± ¡°Tell you what, young man. My scan tells me you have a good record with the Nexus and are rapidly rising through Apocalypse Arena. It means you¡¯re reliable and a high earner. Why don¡¯t you come in? We can discuss a loan or payment plan. I¡¯m sure we can keep the payments low. There will be a little bit of interest, of course. But¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine for now, thanks. You¡¯ve given me a lot to think about, and I¡¯ll be back after a couple more quests.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you thirty off the label price if you buy today,¡± the old man pressed. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I just earned a new ability, and I think it''s best if I get used to it before making any purchases. Thank you. I¡¯ll be back.¡± The man returned to his store, grumbling about time wasters, leaving Nil to silently gloss over the few Bronze and Silver Realm arena matches he had watched. Now that he thought about it, he recalled several instances when he thought a fighter was of the Knight discipline, and then they pulled out an animal companion. He also recalled a mage specializing in fire spells, summoning a flaming bat and using it to disorient his opponent. The window gave him the opportunity to finish casting the spell that won him the match. Nil hoped to do the same. Much like with the soul weapon, Nil didn¡¯t know what he wanted from such a companion. He didn¡¯t know what to expect or the available options. He was unlikely to get something as potent as Skoll, Hati, or Gwyneth¡¯s frosty feline. An assistant for scouting, distracting, or disorienting foes would be enough. So anyone with high Spark might whip out a summon at any moment. Finally, Nil sought out the Moon Rabbit Emporium. The Schema guided him toward a section of Nexus Market that looked like Hollywood¡¯s version of medieval China or a less modern version of London¡¯s China Town. The section had its own weapons area, alchemist¡¯s neighborhood, clothing stores, and entire multi-storeyed operations dedicated to technique. Signs or emblems said what realms they served or specialized in. Nil was surprised to learn that cultivators had more stages to overcome before they made it to Gold¡ªMortal, Foundation, Copper, Iron, Silver, and Jade. Then, there was the Black Gold Realm between Gold and Platinum. The Moon Rabbit Emporium looked like a mall of its own. Guards at the door stopped Nil and ensured he had an invitation to the business before letting him through. ¡°Welcome, Mr. Roy,¡± a woman in a Cheongsam dress said when he entered the store. ¡°Welcome to the Moon Rabbit Emporium. Please come with me.¡± ¡°I just wanted to have a look around and see your wares,¡± Nil said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what membership in this kind of store entails or what I could use¡ª¡± ¡°This is why we prepare a welcome pack of samples.¡± The woman smiled. ¡°It will introduce you to our products and how we can help you in your career as a Summoned and arena fighter. It will help you decide how you want to use your membership. Training aids, manuals, medicinal supplies.¡± The woman led him into the building, past display cases and shelves with a vast assortment of neatly arranged wares. Meanwhile, the shop assistant continued on with her spiel. ¡°You might be wondering why we give out welcome packages. Isn¡¯t it a loss for us? The answer is no. Not in the long run.¡± ¡°The stronger you get because of our exclusive products, the more you¡¯ll buy, and it also pushes the Moon Rabbit Emporium higher in the Nexus Market rankings. Which means more people bid for membership. All that matters is you, honored customer, get your needs met, survive, and grow strong enough for others to want to emulate your success.¡± A display case of glowing marbles caught Nil¡¯s attention. He slowed, watching the swirling colors and lights within. ¡°What are these?¡± He asked. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s our pill range,¡± she answered. The woman pointed at a shelf labeled Iron. A set of three pills¡ªone red, one blue, and one gold¡ªsat in a black lacquer case. ¡°They¡¯re designed for cultivators but work for Summoned like you as well. The red is our Body Pill, which enhances your Might and Finesse. Training the attributes will grant you greater results for a brief period. Next, we have the Mind Pill. I believe the name speaks for itself. Finally, we have the Spirit Pill.¡± ¡°I guess that affects Spark?¡± The woman nodded. When Nil spotted the labeled price of five hundred Schema Credits, he moved on without asking more questions. They passed scrolls and manuals with grand names like Stellar Dragon Refinement, Canyon Carving Slash, Worldbreaker¡¯s Fist, and Sunforger¡¯s Heart. Nil couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what their users would eventually achieve. The pair eventually came upon a flight of stairs, and they headed down to the basement. The musty smell reminiscent of livestock filled the space. They passed through several guarded doors before ending up in a cavernous full of eggs. The eggs varied in size, ranging from thumbnail-sized to specimens taller than Nil, color, and texture. Some looked like polished gemstones, while scale, vegetation, or crystalline growths covered others. The patterns were just as diverse, and some emitted colorful lights. ¡°Before you pick your samples, we need to pick your spirit companion egg.¡± ¡°Is that a part of the welcome package?¡± Nil¡¯s eyebrows shot up. The shop assistant shook her head. ¡°No. They¡¯re far too valuable. However, Immortal Song Yi and her newly allied Control World believe you deserve a special gift for your performance. The former is glad her sister didn¡¯t fall during her ascension. The latter are pleased you succeeded. We don¡¯t see new Immortals very often. Very few get close to the stage, and even fewer survive the ascension. We won¡¯t just give you from the top of the line, of course. And it''s up to you whether you accept the gift or not.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be stupid to give it up, though,¡± Nil said. ¡°What are my options?¡± The woman led Nil to an alcove. Unlike the rest of the eggs, there were no labels or pictograms. ¡°These were found by our explorers and hunters. They failed to identify its source, and so have our appraisers. That means we don¡¯t know their potential either, so there is no telling how strong they¡¯ll get. The lucky few will start with incredible strength. Others might never get past Iron or Bronze. A handful will bond with you and grow as you do, going only as far as you do. Do you want to take the chance? It might end up more of a detriment and drain on your funds than a benefit.¡± Nil looked over the eggs before him. None were bigger than a watermelon, and they didn¡¯t have distinct patterns like the ones in the main cavern. ¡°Do I get to pick anyone I like?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I¡¯ll provide you with guidance and tell you the probable inhabitant, but yes. The final decision is yours.¡± 81. Spirit Companion ¡°What would you like out of your spirit companion, Mr Roy?¡± The shop assistant asked. ¡°That¡¯s an excellent question,¡± Nil answered, thoughtfully studying the eggs in front of him. No light leaked through the shell, and he saw no notable patterns. However, a few stood out. A couple were smooth and matte, like they¡¯d sat in running water for a long time. One appeared to be made out of tangled roots, and another was spiky and abrasive like jackfruit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to expect of a spirit companion or what I want.¡± ¡°Well. We sort them into four categories. Physical or magical offense. The latter of the pair is fairly rare, as are long-ranged attackers. Then there is the mage or archer¡¯s best friend, a defensive companion that will lay traps for foes or get in their face and keep them busy. Then we have enhancers who empower their master and perhaps their companions. They¡¯re often magical beings and as rare as arcane attackers. Finally, we have debilitators. These include creatures like spiders that entangle or envenom their foes or imps that hex or enchant. You¡¯ll often find creatures that fall into two of the four groups. They¡¯re not as potent as specialists but are more versatile.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m fine for personal enhancements.¡± Nil studied the eggs thoughtfully. ¡°And, I spend a good deal of my time in the frontlines, so it will need to be something hardy that can take a hit or be reasonably mobile. I think a durable debilitator would suit me best.¡± ¡°Most individuals like you prefer enhancers. Are you sure you don¡¯t want the same?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°It would be nice, but I think I¡¯m covered in that department. My primary concern is locking down or slowing my foes.¡± The shop assistant thoughtfully studied the eggs for a moment. ¡°Given your requirements, we should prioritize durability or the power to regenerate first,¡± she said. ¡°You could teach it to restrain foes or guide its growth for debilitations physically. More can come as it grows and ascends.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trust your guidance, miss¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hwang Mei, Mr Roy.¡± She bowed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took so long to introduce myself. Would you like my advice?¡± ¡°It would be welcome.¡± ¡°Spirit creatures that live in environments where they¡¯re not the apex predator or compete with others for superiority often have eggs made to blend in with their habitat. This also makes them hard to identify. However, we can use the appearance and outer texture to make an educated guess of their physical qualities.¡± Mei kneeled and stroked what Nil had assumed was one of the stones bordering the patch of eggs. ¡°This was found among crags and almost passed our hunters¡¯ gaze. It radiates Earth Essence and might be some sort of bull, crocodile, or even a rock creature. They can often heal themselves by reconstituting or consuming stones.¡± ¡°Mammals, reptiles, and nonorganic creatures all come from eggs?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow, also feeling the egg¡¯s surface. It felt like rough granite. ¡°Spirit beasts toe the line between the material and spiritual,¡± Mei replied. ¡°They don¡¯t follow the standard rules. There are several higher-realm mammalian beasts that give birth naturally, but they¡¯re usually too smart or rare to do it around hunters or individuals with sticky fingers.¡± She turned his attention to an egg that looked like grey-brown branches had wrapped around each other to form a rough egg shape. ¡°This is undoubtedly from a beast carrying Nature or Life Essence. They won¡¯t be as hardy as the last but will be better at recovering from injuries. They¡¯re likely to develop enhancing or debilitating effects as they ascend. ¡°The few that are smooth and light for their size are most likely from avian beasts. They might not be hardy or have swift recovery abilities, but they compensate for it with speed and mobility.¡± Mei pointed at a melon-sized, off-white specimen that looked like an oversized chicken egg. It was icy cold to the touch. Then, she moved to one that was oblong and slimy. ¡°I suspect this one came from a snake or lizard of some variety. You¡¯d once again be replacing durability for mobility and speed. Their venom and secretions are likely to produce strong debilitating effects.¡± ¡°Do you have the means of guessing their potential?¡± Nil asked after poking, prodding, stroking, and checking the weight of several eggs. There were dozens of unidentified eggs, and he didn¡¯t know where to begin. Mei shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s beyond us. We can tell their current potential and guess if they have the potential to transcend a realm or two but nothing more. Almost all the specimens here will hatch at the Iron Realm and will make it to Bronze. We can¡¯t tell more than that.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Fortunately for Nil, he had the means to dig deeper. When he focused on Energy Instinct, his surroundings lit up with a variety of bright lights. It wasn¡¯t as blinding as looking directly at Song Yi, but it was still overwhelming because of the volume and variety of stimuli. Once he got used to it, Nil was pleased with the new level of detail he felt and saw. All the eggs contained motes of energy. Nil saw reds, blues, greens, golds, and combinations of them. Some were dense with well-defined spherical shapes. While others resembled swirling vortexes of vapor. All carried black or grey specks. Some even had hints of Cursed Energy. After some thought, Nil brushed his initial requirements and desires aside. He focused on what was best since he could pick whichever one he wanted. Watching the Song sisters and Kim Hwan had taught Nil to differentiate between quality and the strength of Qi, energy, or whatever people wanted to call it. The Immortal had no black flecks or impurities. She carried pure silver. Her energy was dense, and her channels appeared well-defined when it flowed through her body. So, Nil looked for the closest thing. A mixture of emerald and gold caught his attention. It didn¡¯t stand out much at first. The swirling lights pulsed like a heartbeat, spending several long seconds dim before releasing a bright wave that flowed through miniature channels within. The emerald and gold contained a few black flecks, while some of its neighbors had none. However, the energy was dense and sat in a well-defined sphere. ¡°What happens if I¡¯m unhappy with my selection or it doesn¡¯t turn out to be any good or have much potential?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You can buy another,¡± Mei answered. ¡°Hopefully, not a blind pick. Then you fuse them. The superior intellect and consciousness will absorb the other. Their personalities, consciousnesses, and powers will merge. The new creature might just enjoy a boost in power or might assimilate some of the other¡¯s abilities.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯d essentially be feeding one to the other?¡± ¡°Not quite. They become one entity. There is no death or killing involved.¡± ¡°I want this one,¡± Nil said, picking the egg that looked like a marsh-green jackfruit. It was heavy¡ªprobably over twenty kilograms¡ªand almost sounded metallic when he tapped it. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting pick,¡± Mei said. ¡°We have a rough idea of what it might be but can¡¯t be sure enough to put it with the rest. If you¡¯re sure, we can hatch it and confirm.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you hatched any already? Wouldn¡¯t it be more profitable to showcase the babies like the other stores?¡± ¡°These are spirit beasts.¡± Mei almost sounded offended. ¡°They¡¯re not ordinary magical creatures like the others sell. You¡¯re not getting a pet but a companion whose soul will be linked to yours. It will live as long as you do and grow with you, and that¡¯s not possible if it hatches with any Qi or blood that isn¡¯t yours.¡± The shop assistant led Nil out of the basement into a private room. Symbols akin to the summoning ¡®formation¡¯ Song Yun used covered all surfaces. Mei gave him detailed instructions before retreating to a corner. Nil¡¯s heart rate picked up as he cut his finger on the spiky jackfruit-like surface. He let the blood flow for a moment before Expending the minutest fraction of energy through the cut. The egg pulsed emerald and gold. Instead of cracking, it bloomed like a flower, and a rough woody sphere covered in rusty metallic thorns sat within. It unfurled into a little creature that resembled an ankylosaurus but without the weighted tail. The creature chirped, looking up at Nil with emerald eyes. You¡¯ve soul bonded with an Ironroot Whelp! Ironroot Whelp: Iron 0 ¡°Fascinating,¡± Mei gasped. ¡°I expected a Metal Brambler, but this certainly isn¡¯t that.¡± ¡°What is it? The Schema called it an Ironroot Whelp.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, to be honest. It looks like two spirit beasts that usually wouldn¡¯t mate got together. The mother must¡¯ve been some variety of Ironroot. They¡¯re creatures made of wood, branches, and roots. The younglings don¡¯t have a fixed shape and adapt to their environment, taking on whatever form they like best. They can remold their bodies, growing extensions or reshaping themselves to fit the situation.¡± ¡°And the father?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the mystery. You¡¯ve got something potent, Mr Roy. There is no telling how it will end up, but it''s going to reach Silver, if not Gold, at least.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Nil only half listened to the woman. The Ironroot Whelp had his attention. It looked like a meatball someone had dropped in a fryer and then rolled in rough breadcrumbs. When he picked it up, the creature scurried up his arm, over his shoulder, and down his chest. It scratched at his solar plexus for a moment before sinking into him. He felt the presence nest wherever Brutal Battery stored his energy. It wasn¡¯t an uncomfortable feeling. Instead, it was like he¡¯d always been empty and was suddenly whole. ¡°What do I feed it? Does it need any special equipment? Will it just live in me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to store her in your soul space when traveling between worlds, but it can roam free. I¡¯d suggest keeping the whelp under constant supervision. There is no telling how it will behave. A flower pot with dirt and fertilizer should be enough to start. Ironroots usually just feed on water, sunlight, and rich soil, but things might be different for your new companion.¡± Mei paused, checking an ornate pocketwatch which seemed out of place when compared to her outfit and their surroundings. ¡°Should we collect your samples now, Mr Roy? My manager wishes to welcome you and discuss the best products for someone of your disposition.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Nil said. ¡°And if possible, please thank Miss Song Yi and the Control-World benefactors for this generous gift.¡± 82. Preparing For Growth Everyone had told Nil that only Schema-recorded training manuals could be brought to Earth from the Nexus Market. Except for soul weapons, everything purchased from it was for quests, and the Nexus stored it when the Summoned returned to their home world. Apparently, the Moon Rabbit Emporium had the ability to overcome such limitations. The clothing, healing serum, and burn ointment remained with the Nexus. However, the black lacquer case and Qi absorption ring in his welcome package came with him. The Schema also copied all the scrolls and books in his welcome pack so he could access them whenever he wanted. Pill Absorption Manual Cultivating In A Barren Realm by Helga Lyndon A Guide To Spirit Companions. After returning to Earth, Nil first took a taxi to the local garden center. He bought a two-foot by one-foot rectangular plastic pot and a similarly sized stone trough. The former comfortably fit inside the latter. Nil didn¡¯t want water and waste leaking through the first container and dirty his room. Next, he grabbed enough mulch to fill it¡ªthe pack contained worm eggs, which would hopefully serve as food for his new companion¡ªand plant feed pellets. The person by the counter was nice enough to give him a few free seed packets. They seemed unbothered by the fact that he¡¯d stayed in the store past their closing hours. However, he had to sign a few autographs before leaving. Once back at Golden Aegis, Nil had a quick dinner. He caught a glimpse of Xiang. Unfortunately, she fled as soon as she saw him approaching. He got the hint and didn¡¯t pursue her. She had her arm back, and that was good enough for him. It absolved Nil of some of his guilt. The receptionist in the accommodation lobby gave Nil a weird look when he entered carrying his purchases. ¡°The cleaning staff won¡¯t be happy if you get dirt everywhere,¡± she said. ¡°I just want to add some greenery to my room,¡± Nil lied. ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone else keep potted plants?¡± ¡°You mean the kind of things that die if they get stuck on a long quest? People decorate their rooms. But they limit themselves to cacti and succulents when it comes to greenery. You better find someone willing to take care of it when you¡¯re away.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Once in the privacy of his room. Nil excitedly set up the trough and the pot before emptying out the mulch sacks. It brought back memories of his mother. She adored gardening, and most of the household greens and herbs came from her little vegetable patch. Nil often helped her while he was still young, but the visits dwindled after Aisha¡¯s passing, and even more so once he became a chef. The vegetable patch died within a few months of Elizabeth Gibson-Roy. Nil buried a few seeds in the mulch and also spread the plant feed pellets through the mixture before letting his spirit companion out. The Ironroot Whelp seemed displeased by ejection and awakening. It growled for a moment before its little nose caught the scent of the mulch. It scurried into it and spent several minutes sniffing around. The rest of the room seemed of no interest to the critter. Then, it looked up at Nil and chirped. It was a sad, low-energy sound. ¡°What is it?¡± Nil asked. He let the whelp sniff his fingers for a moment before he scratched under its chin. The area wasn¡¯t covered in a woody carapace like the rest of its body. The whelp leaned into the touch and fell onto its side, bottom left leg kicking like a dog. ¡°Did you want some affection?¡± It chirped again, still sounding morose. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Nil had brought back a few scraps from the dining hall. The whelp devoured the bits of apple and banana before turning its emerald eyes hungrily on the banana skin. He handed it over along with bits of lettuce, and she ate it all. The chirps grew increasingly happier. Nil stroked the whelp¡¯s thorny back as it ate, and she vibrated, making little purring sounds. ¡°You¡¯re going to need a name, little vibrating lump.¡± The whelp¡¯s carapace parted into woody tentacles, and Nil finally saw where the name Ironroot came from. The spikes on the root-like appendages vibrated with the rest of the body, and the rust covering them fell away, revealing an almost polished silvery surface underneath. They grew slightly, extending an additional centimeter out of the body. The tentacles rotated around the body like a little umbrella, drawing a little circle in the mulch. When the whelp finished, she curled up into a little thorny sphere and lay in a little hole born of the odd dance. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Nil smiled, chuckling to himself as an eye idea came to him. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Meatball until I think of something better.¡± He felt a little pulse in his solar plexus. It felt like a little jolt of static electricity. He didn¡¯t know whether it was approval or not, but showered, changed, and crawled into bed feeling satisfied nonetheless. Finally, Nil turned his attention to the manuals he received from the Moon Rabbit Emporium. First, he glossed over the cultivation book. It spoke of absorbing and collecting Qi while in the arena or on quests and then learning to control and circulate said energy when in the barren world. Helga recommended the use of artifacts and relics capable of storing the energies. She also highlighted the importance of several cultivation aids and pills to such individuals. Nil had seen some of the named products while in the Nexus Market, and each was valued in the thousands if not tens of thousands. He received five hundred Schema Credits in his welcome package alone. He could only use one every three months, and she advised him against cultivating more than two such products in the Iron Realm. Next, Nil studied the Pill Absorption Manual. It included a basic energy circulation technique for meditating. The instructions related to the Body Pill also recommended focused exercise and training for six hours a day for a month after consumption. It highlighted the need for rest periods and spoke of dangers such as muscle tears if pushing too hard while under its effects. The alchemical creation accelerated healing, and such injuries would fix themselves in a week or so, but that would come at the cost of lost training time. The instructions related to the Mind Pill spoke of meditation and mental exercises, including math problems, puzzles, and memory games. Nil imagined the latter would prove especially challenging with his most recent feat. Meanwhile, the Spirit Pill¡¯s manual was a lot more ambiguous. It almost purely focused on meditation and the circulation of energies while in isolation for no more than twelve hours at a time. It advised following them with four hours of practicing ¡®techniques¡¯ and then plenty of rest. All the pills also included diets to follow during the absorption periods. Nil needed to eat protein, calcium, and fiber-rich foods for his body, fish, and fiber for his mind. Meanwhile, training his spirit involved living a vegan diet. The last displeased him the most, but it wasn¡¯t an immediate concern. Nil didn¡¯t plan on consuming the pill until his body ascended to the Bronze Realm. Besides, he didn¡¯t have the time to spend several hours a day in isolation. It was tempting to consume the Body Pill as soon as he woke up the following morning, but Nil resisted. He wanted to get a handle on the basic circulation techniques first so he could get the most out of his pills. He also had a meeting with Symbiotech the following day and wanted nothing in his system before meeting with them. After the usual morning warm-up and breakfast, Nil locked himself in a solo training room. It was a privilege set aside for active arena fighters and demanded early booking. He had used them a couple of times before with Isabella¡¯s assistance. She also used it with Lucy, and many had complained that she, as a Mortal Realm, enjoyed the privilege while the others didn¡¯t. The knight was still a mystery. The rumor mills claimed she was the daughter of someone important and powerful and relied on secrecy for her family¡¯s privacy. Others believed she was a celebrity¡¯s illegitimate child and wanted to keep things secret so her parents¡¯ lives or reputations remained unaffected. There was also talk of people trying to kill her if her secrets got out. Nil ignored most of the talk. He watched her arena videos, and she continued to wear the armor. Nil didn¡¯t bother getting involved in the chatter and theorized the woman relied on the armor for her ability. Dealing with the Nexus had taught him that Earth¡¯s take on disciplines was flawed. Nil had carried Meatball with him during the morning¡¯s training and breakfast. She had napped during the former and snacked during the latter. Now, as he settled in the training room, she got a burst of energy and explored. The whelp coiled into a little sphere before rolling around. He wasn¡¯t sure how she knew where she was going or how she propelled herself as she slowly picked up speed. The thorns extended and retracted, helping her change direction. After watching his new companion enjoy herself for a while, Nil followed the cultivation manual. He had no Qi but was pleased to learn that he could cycle Brutal Battery¡¯s stores through his body. It involved using Expend, and he slowly lost a trickle, but the act helped him get a handle on Energy Instinct¡¯s newest abilities too. It was a slow start and felt like forcing honey through a hair-wide tube, but Nil couldn¡¯t be happier. Best of all, Restless In Body And Mind didn¡¯t affect cultivation. It''s a start. 83. Intelligence Gathering After the usual morning exercise and a shower, Nil visited the scrapyard. It was a planned visit, and he was annoyed that Andrew hadn¡¯t warned him about Susan¡¯s presence. Nil had bought breakfast sandwiches for them on the way¡ªone for Andrew and three for himself. He gave her one out of his share. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Susan said, hugging Nil. ¡°I won¡¯t tell Katherine anything. We haven¡¯t seen much of each other ever since the dismissal.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you planning on living together for the time being?¡± Nil asked. A month after Susan and Katherine¡¯s employment with the Metropolitan Police Force ended, Susan was evicted from the government ludus. Susan had already declared her plans to work for Nexus in the long term, but her former partner had yet to decide. ¡°Things changed. She¡¯s not pleased with how easy the transition has been for me. The detective position meant a lot to her. It was just an easy way to get into a ludus. I wouldn''t have signed up if I knew how much the brass limits ability usage.¡± ¡°Yeah. It takes a special kind of idiot to wait for Dispatch¡¯s approval before using abilities. That bastard was going to kill you.¡± Susan nodded. ¡°He nearly did. Any more brain damage and I wouldn¡¯t have the mental faculties to agree to a quest or get to the Nexus and use the Fountain of Pyrene.¡± ¡°I imagine that¡¯s what happened to Officer Jones?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, so.¡± Susan sighed. ¡°The guy was a dick, and I hated being his partner, but no one deserves to end up as he did. Anyway. I don¡¯t want to risk my life in a job that carries the risk of imprisonment for self-defense, and I made that clear, pissing Katherine off. So, we¡¯re taking a break from one another.¡± ¡°Where are you staying now?¡± Nil asked, hungrily digging into his sandwich. The morning warm-up had left him ravenous. He finished half the scrambled egg, avocado, and smoked salmon sandwich in two giant bites. ¡°Here, of course,¡± Andrew said, looking up from the aetherscreen. ¡°No. It''s not too soon for us to move in together. Yes. We¡¯re boyfriend and girlfriend. We¡¯re not discussing this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember asking any questions.¡± Nil started his second sandwich, looking over Andrew¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How is it coming along?¡± ¡°Good. They¡¯re almost ready.¡± He nodded at two devices linked to his aetherscreen. One was identical to the bug he planted last time but smaller and skinnier, and the other was a new aethertech phone Andrew had arranged for him. Andrew pointed at the first. ¡°Plant this on the wall Aish¡ªthe visage is in love with. Preferably close to a fire alarm, keypad, or near a camera.¡± ¡°I appreciate all you¡¯re doing, Andy, but isn¡¯t this a bit too dangerous?¡± Nil studied the aetherscreen. It included updated schematics. The pair gathered a fair deal of information on the building¡¯s security over the past three months. ¡°But what if they trace all of this back to you? What then?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Andrew said, looking up from the screen for the first time since Nil arrived. He finally unwrapped his sandwich and nippled on a corner. ¡°I¡¯m your guy in the chair, and only idiots do the job from their home. I got another location for the job and a separate set of equipment registered to a former Pits employee. He got kicked out for stealing money and moved to a safe zone in South America.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll be watching the perimeter with Skoll and Hati,¡± Susan added. ¡°If, somehow, Symbiotech traces Andrew and sends their private security forces, I¡¯ll be there to pull him out.¡± ¡°Keep your phone on you or near you at all times.¡± Andrew unhooked the device and returned it to Nil. ¡°I might not be able to remote control it once you¡¯re in the building. You might need to activate a few things and initiate downloads.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything that will give us away,¡± Nil said after polishing off his second sandwich. He was still hungry and regretted not bringing more. The cultivation exercises had only increased his appetite further, making him glad he hadn¡¯t picked the feat that multiplied his sustenance needs. ¡°Remember. This is an information-gathering mission. Shina will have my new symbiote ready in a few more weeks, so I¡¯ll need to go in again. This a test. A dry run.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was midafternoon when Nil reached Symbiotech¡¯s headquarters. He had visited them several times over the past few months, but they had yet to supply him with a new symbiote. Shina claimed that the company wanted something truly outstanding and noteworthy when using Nil to showcase its product in the main arena. Using an unstable or incomplete prototype could potentially ruin Symbiotech¡¯s reputation. They intended to launch a new product line using Nil and refused to take any half measures. After visiting the building every couple of weeks over the past few months, Nil no longer needed a guide. He signed in and went straight to the testing area. A lab assistant first scanned Nil before putting him through the usual stress tests. He also did them while using Toggled Supercharging. The team hoped to ensure the symbiote wouldn¡¯t falter when he pushed himself. ¡°I feel bad for the researchers and lab assistants,¡± Nil whispered when he excused himself to the men''s room. They had scanned the room during a previous visit, and it had no surveillance equipment. It was far enough from other spaces so that people couldn¡¯t eavesdrop either. ¡°They¡¯re decent people and just doing their jobs. This is going to fuck up their lives.¡± ¡°Are they innocent, willfully ignorant, or like Shina and don¡¯t give a shit about the consequences of their research?¡± Andrew spoke in Nil¡¯s ear. The communication device was no bigger than a contact lens and semi-transparent. It linked directly to the new aethertech phone, letting Andrew direct him. All the devices Nil had on his person were illegal and would likely send Katherine up a wall if she found out. ¡°If they¡¯re any good and really innocent, they¡¯ll have no trouble finding new jobs. Besides, aren¡¯t half these people Summoned? They can just throw themselves into quests and minimize their time on Earth. Are you getting cold feet?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Hell no,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Just feeling a little bad. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not going to do what¡¯s right and needs doing.¡± ¡°It''s okay to be a bleeding-heart fool from time-to-time. Just don¡¯t let it screw you over.¡± The lab assistants took a blood sample after he returned with a container of urine and directed him toward the symbiote lab. His heart rate increased as he palmed the new bug. Far more equipment, lab assistants, and cameras filled the symbiote laboratory. Nil needed to get the job done without getting seen. During previous visits, Andrew had tried using miniature spy cameras to see things through Nil¡¯s eyes. Either the signal was weak in the laboratory, or Symbiotech had security measures ensuring no one transmitted data without using their official channels. The pair had settled for a simple recording, and Andrew used it to direct him toward blindspots. However, each of those was in the line of sight of lab workers, limiting Nil¡¯s options. An opportunity presented itself when a lab assistant waved Nil over to show him the newest developments with the symbiote. They had improved the entity¡¯s elasticity and heat resistance. When she probed it with a few drops of liquid nitrogen, it hardened, becoming rigid but not cracking. ¡°If these guys weren¡¯t assholes, that could¡¯ve been great for you.¡± The lab assistant¡¯s workstation stood under a security camera at one end of the long room. Given the location of other surveillance equipment, Nil and Andrew had theorized that the bit where the table met the wall was a blindspot. So, Nil leaned against it as they talked, looking for the perfect window to plant the bug. Unfortunately, it never came. ¡°Oh, good!¡± Shina exclaimed cheerfully, marching into the laboratory. She looked well-rested and in far better shape than the last time he saw her. ¡°I¡¯m glad I caught you before the minions had you strip.¡± She glanced at the lab assistant¡¯s screen. ¡°That can wait. You¡¯ll see the new symbiote when trying it on, anyway.¡± ¡°Will it be ready for my match next week?¡± Nil asked, sliding the bug up his sleeve and out of sight. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling naked running around the Iron Gauntlet without it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re aware, and I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± Shina waved him along, walking down the long laboratory¡¯s center and away from the secure testing room. ¡°Given this Festus the Curator¡¯s focus on you and your growing fame, we can¡¯t afford to let anything subpar enter the public eye. However, we¡¯ve prepared a special belt with our logo, and the buckle contains our latest burn gel. If the arena construct approves it, you can use Expend freely and do a little marketing for us. Then, by the time the symbiote is ready in a couple of weeks, we¡¯ll also have a custom outfit for you. Product reveal, marketing, and excellent protection. What more could you want?¡± Shina stopped precisely at the middle point of the room. She took a right turn and walked straight toward the wall. A miniature aetherscreen grew out of her wristwatch. When she touched it, a section slid open, revealing the hidden room beyond. It was the blank space on the blueprint Nil and Andrew had discussed at length. Several more symbiote containers waited beyond, along with several giant glass tubes of swirling, floating hexagons similar to those that had formed Fatima¡¯s blades. It seemed more like a containment room than a workspace. In the middle of it all was a giant glass tube full of fluorescent pink. He didn¡¯t need Energy Instinct to know it was full of Cursed Energy. The visage raced to the container that extended through the floor and ceiling and hugged it. ¡°Once your soul weapon is ready, you¡¯ll be funneling any Cursed Energy you absorb into our containment,¡± Shina said, nodding at the room¡¯s centerpiece. ¡°We¡¯ll process it for other projects and your future upgrades. But that¡¯s not the important bit.¡± She stopped in front of a giant pod containing a fiery orange and gold symbiote. A trail of hexagons followed it. When Nil approached the glass, it threw itself against the surface as if trying to reach him. ¡°The board finally approved it, and we¡¯re working on your toy. It will bond with your soul weapon when complete, forming a gauntlet and some minor armoring. You and I can discuss later how to mature it. I was thinking of adding chains or whips to tangle our foes.¡± Unlike the visage, Meatball hated the Cursed Energy around them. Nil had stored her in his core before leaving the ludus. He could feel her squirm and write as if disgusted or horrified. The whelp was uncomfortable and scared. ¡°I changed my mind. You need to plant the bug in here. As close to the center containment as possible.¡± ¡°This is incredible,¡± Nil lied. He wanted nothing more than to retreat from the container and leave the space. The noxious feeling he got from Energy Instinct was worse than anything he had ever felt. ¡°I can¡¯t begin to imagine how you started on this kind of project. It¡¯s bloody incredible.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my ability.¡± Shina smiled. ¡°Did I never tell you about it? I¡¯m an Artisan, and Hommonculi Master helps me create living tools. The symbiotes came to be from a lifetime of experimentation and development. It''s not as glamorous or in demand as Soul Smithing, but all of Symbiotech¡¯s medical breakthroughs and all you see here are because of it.¡± ¡°So, melding your homunculi with Cursed Energy is how you¡¯re creating soul weapons?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not precisely creating them. We have agents who harvest them from defeated and dead arena fighters. One of my partners resets and molds them into a seed-like form, and then it''s a slow modification process to adapt them to Cursed Energy.¡± Nil¡¯s stomach turned as he assembled the pieces of the jigsaw. He guessed Symbiotech didn¡¯t just use Death Gauntlet to collect Cursed Energy but also to harvest soul weapons from defeated opponents. He had a dead person¡¯s tool in his arms. From what Layla had told him, the seeds that birthed soul weapons were living entities. It wouldn¡¯t surprise him if Shina¡¯s experimentation perverted or twisted them somehow. He followed as the woman walked to the central containment tube. She tapped the attached console, and a long tentacle-like appendage extended from it. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯ll slot your soul weapon once it''s ready. We¡¯ll extract Cursed Energy and install upgrades through it. It''s a little uncomfortable, but it''s nothing you can¡¯t handle with Iron Might.¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± Nil commented, reaching for the tube, but Shina caught his wrist before he could make contact. ¡°It might be tempting to unload the Cursed Energy now but hold on a little longer. The machine isn¡¯t built to take it in raw without a soul weapon processing it first. I¡¯m not sure if it will work, and there is a chance of overload. Best not risk it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Shina checked her watch. ¡°Let''s go test the new symbiote,¡± she said, turning to the exit as the tentacle retracted and all of the central containment device¡¯s consoles slowly sunk into the floor or the main body. ¡°I¡¯ve got another partner coming in an hour, and I like to give everyone my full, undivided attention.¡± Nil didn¡¯t know whether the space had cameras, but he ordered his racing heart to calm as he took a risk. He nonchalantly brushed the Cursed Energy containment tub¡¯s aetherscreen projector, pretending to be amazed by the technology before following. ¡°Smooth.¡± He left the room without Andrew¡¯s bug. Nil had carried a version of it during every visit and planted them whenever he could. It was the first time he planted one somewhere where he believed it would make a difference. Most of all, he hoped Andrew would finally infiltrate the building¡¯s security system. It was essential for pulling off their plan without a hitch. ¡°It might take a few hours or days, but I think this is it, Sunny-boi. We got the fuckers. Now, just to figure out the possible collateral damage and keep the kids from getting hurt. Then, Operation Screw Shina is a go.¡± 84. Mangrove Tiger The belt Nil received from Symbiotech fit snugly. After finishing at Symbiotech, he returned to the scrapyard. Andrew and Susan joined him a moment later. Neither told him where the secret base of their operations was. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t trust him. Instead, the pair worried about Shina tailing him or Katherine accidentally reading his mind during sex. Nil often felt a deep link with her while in the throes of passion. It heightened their pleasure, but he frequently saw flashes of whatever was going through Katherine¡¯s mind and was almost sure she got the same. There was always a chance of her finding out about their plans, and everyone worried she¡¯d prioritize the Metropolitan Police over the Nexus¡¯s quest. ¡°Even if our sabotage fails, I bet your caseworker will be ecstatic about all the intelligence we gather,¡± Andrew stated. Unintelligible data scrolled on the aetherscreen in front of him. ¡°It will take me a while to decrypt everything, but look at this.¡± The screen changed to show the Symbiotech headquarters wards, laboratories, and containment rooms. ¡°You infiltrated their security system.¡± Nil¡¯s eyes widened. He leaned over Andrew¡¯s shoulder, closely studying the shifting camera feeds. ¡°Give me some time, and I¡¯ll do a lot more than that.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous viewing this at home? Couldn¡¯t they trace you?¡± Andrew shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Digging will lead them to New Delhi and then to Hang Zhou. Trust me. It''s improbable they¡¯ll find me here. It is only dangerous when I actively poke around in their system or try to extract data.¡± ¡°And he¡¯ll be doing none of that from here,¡± Susan added. ¡°So, it looks like the wards with the children are directly above the Cursed Energy containment,¡± Nil said, comparing the blueprints and security feeds. ¡°We can¡¯t just blow things up. There¡¯s got to be another way.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush things,¡± Susan said, leaning against Andrew with an elbow on his shoulder. ¡°Take a week or two, decrypt what you can. Study all you have. Then, come up with something concrete. It''s important to do this as safely and quietly as possible. We all need plausible deniability. Even if Symbiotech are assholes and breaking laws, so are our methods. Doing the right thing is not good enough a defense.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°We can get away by throwing ourselves into a quest and asking the Nexus to minimize our time on Earth, but Andrew has no such protection.¡± ¡°I have the means to disappear too,¡± Andrew said, waving at the pair dismissively. ¡°Working with the Pits¡¯ organizers and selling cannibalized aethertech has made me more than enough friends. Let''s not forget my awesome skillset. I can get a ride across the pond tonight if I¡¯d like and get decent work somewhere in North America.¡± ¡°Losing your business, everything you¡¯ve built, and all you¡¯ve had would be just that easy for you?¡± Susan asked, moving away from her new partner, an eyebrow raised. Andrew shrugged. ¡°It''s just things. I have enough money stashed away in offshore accounts to survive and start afresh. When you deal with an illegal situation, it''s smart to have an escape plan. I only stick around for the connections I¡¯ve made.¡± He smiled, focusing on Susan and squeezing her hand. ¡°That includes the two of you. And I suppose out of laziness.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s Andy¡¯s cute little way of saying he loves you,¡± Nil teased, winning a glare from his friend and a laugh from Susan. ¡°Well, I guess you twice over then,¡± Susan said, kissing her boyfriend¡¯s left cheek. ¡°Firstly, to save my life and then introduce me to this handsome criminal genius.¡± ¡°We¡¯re even on the life front, Susan.¡± ¡°No. We were teammates, and keeping each other alive was our job. When you saved me, I was nothing but a stranger. You risked your own hide for my sake, and I doubt there will ever be a way to repay that.¡± ¡°How about we forget the whole repaying and evening things out bit, then?¡± Nil smiled. ¡°I got a good friend out of it, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°I can agree to that.¡± ¡°Ugh. Emotions.¡± Andrew grimaced. ¡°Take that shit elsewhere. I¡¯m trying to work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see myself out,¡± Nil said. He liked Susan. She was good company. However, he felt like a third wheel when she was around without Katherine. ¡°Let me know if anything comes up. I need to get back to training and ensure the next match won¡¯t be as close as the last.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Good luck.¡± Susan hugged him goodbye and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself. It''s important to rest before these things.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My new training regime involves a lot of rest.¡± Nil took the Body Pill the following morning. The initial burst of energy was like someone had injected caffeine and a furnace directly into his heart. He had spent the previous evening practicing the cultivation exercises and used the gained knowledge to circulate the magic around his body, passing through his solar plexus and below his navel as often as possible. The manuals called them the two most essential meridians. Nil wasn¡¯t quite sure what that meant, but he didn¡¯t question it. He kept it going during his warm-up and through breakfast before throwing himself into six solid hours of working out, obstacle courses, sparring, and catching Isabella¡¯s little cannonballs. Sweat and grime leaked through his pores, and his lungs occasionally struggled to keep up. However, circulating the energy became easier as the hours passed. It felt as if his channels had widened, approaching the width of a standard cocktail straw. Forcing the viscous Qi through them was still a challenge, but considerably less than before. Meanwhile, Meatball pestered him to play. Earlier in the day, when Nil woke up in the morning, he found the little whelp sleeping on his chest, spikes retracted so as not to hurt him. He had gently tossed her into the mulch-filled trough before getting ready for the day. Meatball seemed to love the feeling of being thrown. Occasionally, she would roll over to Nil and repeatedly bump into his foot, chirping. At first, he wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted and tried feeding her. Somehow, the whelp communicated her desires with animated squeaks and bouncing around. Nil wasn¡¯t quite sure whether he was right, so he tossed her across the room. Meatball rolled into a tight spear midair and then bounced around a few times, changing direction and adding power to them with her spikes before speeding around the room as a ball, making happy sounds. The repeated requests interrupted his flow, but Nil didn¡¯t mind. He considered keeping his new spirit companion happy and bonding with her to be essential to their future together as partners. Meatball didn¡¯t just bounce and roll. She unfurled her carapace a few times, separating them into woody tentacles, and used them to push off surfaces or climb. She fell a few times, and her armor cracked or chipped, but she flared emerald energy and rapidly healed the damage. The visage watched Meatball from a distance, looking curious and amazed. After ignoring the visage for months, it felt strange to pay attention to it again. The thing was born of Cursed Energy, and even though it had never done him any harm¡ªbesides devastating his mental health for a long time¡ªhe wanted it gone. Nil hoped solving the quest would win him enough favor from the Control Worlds to do just that. He didn¡¯t know whether getting rid of existing feats was possible. I¡¯ll settle for the means to contain her. There was no denying it. The visage had its uses. It noticed Cursed Energy sources and presences that he didn¡¯t. Nil could see it proving invaluable in quests that involved seeking out Cursed Ones, Agents of the Scourge, or Champions of the Dark Worlds. It wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing if his soul weapon gave him the power to contain the visage and call it out whenever he needed it. Nil had soured on Katherine, but he knew to treat it as another tool in his arsenal, thanks to her. Nil was in the fifth hour of the recommended training meant to accompany the Body Pill when things got significantly easier. It happened when the image in his mind¡¯s eye changed. It wasn¡¯t entirely voluntary. He no longer saw honey moving through straws. Instead, it was akin to a tiger swimming through a narrow channel. Except reeds often tangled its limbs and neck, and the beast needed to fight through and free of them, slowing its progression. At first, the tiger struggled so much that drowning seemed imminent. Then, it grew more careful, gaining fluidity and moving with care. The beast took it slowly, weaving through the underwater foliage and occasionally ripping away the obstacles, making its progress easier. Nil had read through Cultivation In A Barren Realm by Helgla Lydon. It spoke of several circulation and cultivation methods, and one resonated with Nil the most. He guessed it was the source of the imagery. Mangrove Tiger Refinement Technique¡¯s name alone resonated with him. When he was still a little boy, Udit would often tell stories of growing up in the Indian state of West Bengal. His first job involved managing a tiger-prawn fishery in the Sundarban forest¡ªthe natural habitat of the Royal Bengal Tiger. The man had several tales of sighting the beasts or seeing the aftermath of their work. The thought of emulating a tiger¡¯s ferocity and power excited Nil. An Indian restaurant manager would often call him Tiger when he commanded the pass at Misdirection and expedited food too. It fit him. Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, Meatball¡¯s interruptions didn¡¯t get in the way of his cultivation. For the first time in quite some time, he enjoyed a Might increase. Might has progressed to Iron 3! It wasn¡¯t a Finesse increase as Nil had hoped, but it was still welcome. Supercharging strength or durability would now give him greater returns. Later in the day, after Nil finished cultivating and exercising, he finally responded to Katherine''s message. She wanted to meet him for dinner and perhaps spend the night together afterward. He agreed. When Nil tried returning Meatball to his core, the whelp resisted. She sped around his room, bouncing off the walls. The spikes scratched the wallpaper and left gouges on the floor. In the end, he settled for leaving her alone in the trough. Meatball happily dug around and made little mounds of mulch. The levels had decreased as she played around, so Nil added another bag of mulch to the container before his shower. By the time it was time for him to leave, she had settled in a new hole. The spikes covering her body retracted and extended from her body as she slept. 85. Some Decisions Are Easier Than They Feel Things were comfortable with Katherine. It felt like getting together for dinner with a good friend that ended with incredible sex. The physical side of things was excellent, and the empathic link he felt during the activity only made things better. The pair shared their pleasure, and Nil had never enjoyed such an electric sensation before. It was one of the reasons why he struggled to end things with her. At the same time, he worried that the connection would give her the ability to peek into his mind. The fact of the matter was that Nil didn¡¯t trust Katherine. It wasn¡¯t just her commitment to the police force that concerned him, but also her powers as a mind mage. He couldn¡¯t shake the thought of how things had gone during their ¡®first date.¡¯ The more he thought about it, Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether she had used her magic to influence his decision to join the police force. The fact that he didn¡¯t join the Metropolitan Police meant that it was unlikely, but the ¡®what if¡¯ lingered at the back of his mind. Andrew called her a honey pot, but Nil didn¡¯t quite understand the concept. Nil didn¡¯t particularly want to give up the benefits of the friendship, but he knew that he needed to get out of the situation for the sake of his quest. As his father said, it was also the right thing to do. As a result, Nil was glad when the perfect opportunity offered itself the following morning over breakfast. ¡°I got a job offer,¡± Katherine said, putting down her fork. They had spent the night at the ludus and then gone out for pancakes at a local brunch restaurant. She had just polished off her eggs benedict while Nil worked on his second stack of pancakes. ¡°That didn¡¯t take long,¡± Nil commented, failing to veil his surprise. ¡°Where is it? Private security or intelligence.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°So it''s an intelligence agency.¡± Katherine smiled but didn¡¯t confirm or deny it. ¡°Good package. Great perks. New ludus. Perks for the family.¡± ¡°That sounds great!¡± Nil exclaimed, taking Katherine¡¯s hand and squeezing it. ¡°Congratulations. I¡¯m happy for you.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t accepted it yet,¡± she said. Katherine smiled, but it didn¡¯t carry to her eyes.. ¡°The job involves a move. An intercontinental move.¡± ¡°Oh. What about the job offer from the Nexus?¡± ¡°It''s still there, and the pay isn¡¯t too different.¡± ¡°But working in intelligence is closer to what you wanted to do,¡± Nil commented. Katherine nodded. ¡°If I were to accept the role, whatever we have going between us can¡¯t progress any further. Even if the distance wasn¡¯t an issue, the job means anyone I¡¯m with can¡¯t be working for a competing agency or organization. That includes the Nexus. So, the friends-with-benefits thing would need to end too.¡± She paused, looking into Nil¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I think you should go for it,¡± he replied without hesitating and immediately saw disappointment on Katherine¡¯s face. ¡°I can tell your heart isn¡¯t in working for the Nexus, and I don¡¯t want to get in the way of pursuing your ambitions. In fact, nobody should. Your personal contentment is the most important here. So, if we need to part ways or downgrade our relationship to just friends, I¡¯m okay with that.¡± ¡°You really think I should take it?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°You sound far more enthusiastic about it than you do working for the Nexus.¡± ¡°I want to do something that prioritizes our world¡¯s personal interests instead of that of the multiversal good or what the Control Worlds want,¡± Katherine said. ¡°Their version of the bigger picture and the greater good differs vastly from ours. The Nexus wants to maintain balance and ensure we continue producing more Summoned for them. Our progress and stability aren¡¯t important to them. They might even be against it since it might imbalance the power dynamics.¡± She paused, eyes scanning their surroundings. It was a busy weekend morning and most of the neighboring tables were three or more drinks into the bottomless drinks that came with the brunch menu. ¡°If I accept this role, it will be after I see this leg of the Nexus quest through.¡± ¡°I think we have enough for the Nexus to be satisfied,¡± Nil said nonchalantly as he returned to his food. ¡°I just planted another bug, and I think Andrew is getting just what we need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised they haven¡¯t found the first. You¡¯d think a company dealing in the dangerous bullshit they do and the illegal stuff, they¡¯d have better security.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I think Andrew is just that good. He¡¯s been sharpening his skills for quite some time working¡ª¡± Nil caught himself. He had never told Katherine about time in the Pits or Andrew¡¯s history working for them. Nil doubted the illegal fighting organization¡¯s security was better than that of Symbiotech. If Andrew could safely infiltrate them and steal data, he was sure the man could do it with the likes of Symbiotech. They were much smaller than Arthurtech or Garuda Systems who had personal armies and, apparently, giant teams dedicated to cyber security. ¡°¡ªon tech for all kinds of clients and has tested it extensively. He¡¯s so good, Andy might as well be a Summoned already.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask for the details for the sake of plausible deniability, but you two should know that you¡¯re playing with fire.¡± Katherine leaned closer and continued with her volume so low Nil could barely hear her over their noisy neighbors. ¡°Symbiotech might be small, but given the coverups they¡¯ve pulled off and how scared the captain was, there might be powerful figures behind them. If people find out about your involvement in whatever fate awaits them, you could be making enemies of powerful Summoned and arena fighters too. I hope you¡¯re not planning anything that might expose¡ª¡± ¡°The less you know, the better.¡± Silence followed the interruption. As Katherine sat back in her chair, Nil caught a glint of pink in her eyes. He hoped it was to scan for eavesdroppers and not targeted at him. The pair returned to their meals and drinks. It was no longer a comfortable silence. It was apparent that something between them had changed. ¡°So? What now?¡± ¡°I guess we finish our meals, go back to yours, and enjoy a little more time together. Then, we continue as normal until you finish the current leg of your quest. My rewards are tied to your success.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want to spend any time with me after this,¡± Nil said. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Katherine asked. ¡°You¡¯re a good friend and a decent guy.¡± Her lips spread into a mischievous smile. ¡°And, we¡¯re pretty good together. There¡¯s no reason we shouldn¡¯t have fun using whatever time this has left.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± Nil planned on returning Meatball to his core on returning to the room. The Ironroot Whelp didn¡¯t seem to like being touched by anyone but him, or her human spending time with others. He half expected her to have made a mess of the room but found her still sleeping. Much to his surprise, newly sprouted foliage filled the stone trough. Nil recognized some straight away from the time spent in his late mother¡¯s garden. Others were new and alien and emitted faint arcane colors. Energy Instinct detected a variety of energies radiating from them. As Nil approached, his heart skipped a beat. It was Qi. Meatball¡¯s internal magic had somehow changed the seedlings into magic-producing plants. No. I saw her eat most of the seeds. They had changed during their journey through her digestive tract. It meant he had found the means to bring magic into the otherwise barren world. Nil immediately decided to keep his mouth shut about the topic and hoped Katherine wouldn¡¯t figure out what had happened. The previous evening¡¯s discussions suggested that she didn¡¯t know the first thing about Qi or cultivation. She avoided quests that took her to such worlds since she hated how they practiced the rule of the strong and the saving-face culture. Nil didn¡¯t plan to tell Layla about it either. He trusted her, but some of Shina¡¯s claims felt true. The Nexus and Control Worlds didn¡¯t want his Earth getting access to unadulterated magic. Nil wasn¡¯t sure whether it was because they didn¡¯t trust their kind or it was a means of control. He wouldn¡¯t blame them if it were the former. Historically, his people¡¯s first instinct with new scientific discoveries had been weaponizing them and dominating their lesser-developed neighbors. It wouldn¡¯t surprise Nil if the multiversal powers had concerns of the same happening on seed worlds. He had no plans to share the discovery. Instead, he hoped to find a way to cultivate on Earth without relying on pills. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you already have a spirit companion,¡± Katherine commented, kneeling in front of the trough. She carefully reached over Meatball and stroked the luminous plants. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted a familiar or some sort of companion forever, but equipment and spell tomes end up consuming almost all of my surplus earnings.¡± ¡°What kind of beast would you ideally like to get?¡± Nil asked, hoping she wouldn¡¯t bring up the subject of the bioluminescence. The shattered zones all had similar plant life. Several organizations and governments have tested them for magic and tried to extract their properties but failed. Katherine shrugged. ¡°Ideally, something that can act as the vanguard or hold my opponents¡¯ attention long enough for me to use my more powerful spells. They take forever to cast, and I only get to use them if I catch my target by surprise or successfully capture them in an illusion first. It''s a tough decision, and the options are endless. Hopefully, I¡¯ll get a soul weapon when I¡¯m Silver Realm, and that¡¯ll increase my earning potential. The new sub-ability will help confirm my decision.¡± The random eggs alone were more than Nil could afford. He imagined a spirit companion, familiar, or summon that fit Katherine¡¯s requirements would prove incredibly expensive and require months, if not years, of saving. Unlike him, most Summoned needed to regularly spend vast quantities of Schema Credits on weapons, armor, and alchemical creations to recover their magic. Now that he had access to the space, Nil intended to invest in the curative products and burn ointments once the Moon Emporiums welcome pack ran out. But it was still less than what Katherine and Susan needed to spend. Meatball didn¡¯t stir. The pair took it as an opportunity to indulge in each other for an hour. Then Katherine departed, and Nil dedicated the rest of the day to exercising and cultivation. After the usual warm-ups, he returned to his room and cultivated the remains of the Body Pill. A trickle radiated from the newly sprouted flora as well. Absorbing them into his system was a challenge, and the tiger had an even harder time weaving through the reeds. It wasn¡¯t just the underwater weeds that limited its movements. Rocky obstacles also got in the beast¡¯s way, slowing its progress. The Qi circulating through Nil¡¯s body slowed to an amble, but he felt a tiny mote of energy gathering just under his navel. It was a deep red and wispy, but it was there. Nil felt proud as shivers pulsed through his body. He had done it. He was a cultivator and had Energy Instinct¡¯s new abilities to thank for it. 86. Arena Backrooms ¡°Nil!¡± Adam beckoned Nil over when he arrived at Wilson Ludus Wembley. It was the day of his match, and it wasn¡¯t until four in the afternoon. So, he had arrived after a long morning of exercising and cultivating. The latter left him reinvigorated instead of tired, and he could feel his Finesse attribute on the verge of a breakthrough. ¡°Fancy seeing you here, Adam,¡± Nil said, shaking the giant brute¡¯s hands. He had tiny bony growths on his knuckles and elbows. He also spotted tiny white growths along his lower jaw. Nil guessed they were products of his power¡¯s ascension to Iron Realm. ¡°Do you have a match today as well?¡± Adam nodded, grinning. ¡°I¡¯m going for my fifth Gauntlet of Ten win. Big rewards. Big advertising deals.¡± The taller man scanned beyond Nil. ¡°Are you here alone?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the time to befriend the other Irons at my ludus, and Lily is taking it slow with the ordinary point system. She¡¯s nowhere near Bronze and in no hurry. What about you?¡± ¡°Selia is around here somewhere,¡± he replied, shrugging. ¡°She claimed she had some work to do and disappeared. Her ability and general Selianess make it difficult to keep track of her. She¡¯s been following your arena career and all the vids, you know?¡± ¡°I had no idea,¡± Nil stated. He also scanned their surroundings for her. The last time he encountered the woman, she stated that they¡¯d be living in the same ludus soon, suggesting she too worked for the Nexus. He guessed her claims and experience with Symbiotech made her a valuable agent and hire. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t had the time to check out anyone¡¯s matches. I really should if we end up facing each other in the arena.¡± ¡°With an entire multiverse of opponents out there, that¡¯s unlikely unless you specifically challenge someone. You¡¯re chasing the Gauntlet of Ten, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Match number four. I¡¯m feeling good about this one.¡± His hand gravitated toward his navel. He had brought Meatball with him and had no plans on using her. She was still a newborn and didn¡¯t seem to have any combat abilities. It felt wrong to throw a baby into a live combat scenario even though she wouldn¡¯t die as long as he lived. However, her presence reassured him. Nil didn¡¯t feel alone. Unlike the visage, she was a warm, reassuring presence, not just a blank, empty existence. ¡°My body is near Bronze Realm. So, I expect the foes to get harder.¡± ¡°It certainly was a big jump.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°I achieved my body ascension just after my second match, and things got significantly harder. The third was close, and then I almost lost the last one. The last couple of quests helped me get a handle on my new sub-ability. So, hopefully, this one won¡¯t be terrible.¡± ¡°My last one didn¡¯t go particularly well either,¡± Nil said. ¡°I was pretty sure I was going to lose. My understanding of my abilities has improved significantly since. Hopefully, that¡¯ll help with this one. I don¡¯t want to sound too confident and then get proven the fool.¡± ¡°I learned that lesson from watching Iqbal. She had two amazing wins. It wasn¡¯t even close. Girly absolutely destroyed her opponents and even had a couple of sponsorship offers.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Then, she got absolutely wrecked in her third match and almost died.¡± Nil¡¯s phone buzzed. It was an alarm. ¡°I should get going,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Go on, mate. I¡¯m rooting for you.¡± Wilson Luduses took full advantage of their vast property and had lounges dedicated to viewing arena matches. They had attached bars, cafes, and even a food court. Nil walked past them to the more private section for people who had pre-registered for matches. After a short wait, he was teleported to the backrooms of Apocalypse Arena. While the Nexus'' interior reminded Nil of photos of the Taj Mahal or Hagia Sophia, the backrooms gave him More of a gladiatorial feel. Schema prompts directed him toward his personal dressing room while narrow corridors full of weapons, armor, and other tool rental merchants beckoned him. Other Summoned walked by, but none made eye contact with the other. Cries of pain echoed from an infirmary, and a slamming door cut them off abruptly. It was a far more stern environment than anything Nil had encountered before. Your belt and its contents have been approved. Your match will commence in thirty minutes. Please use the time to equip yourself and prepare for teleportation. ¡°Look where you¡¯re going, fuck face,¡± a skinny man just in front of Nil snapped. A behemoth of the person stood before him. The strips of cloth wrapped around their face, neck, forearms, and hands covered every bit of their skin, hiding all identifiable features. The size and bulging muscles didn¡¯t seem to discourage the smaller individual. ¡°What? Not going to apologize?¡± A ghostly blade materialized in his hands. ¡°Gonna say something, bruv? Or do I¡ª¡± A wall rose from the ground between them as he stepped forward, and a humanoid entity of stone stepped out of it. ¡°You will stand down or be disqualified,¡± it said in an inhuman voice as a voice formed. The eye and mouth holes emitted light so bright it was like looking directly at the sun. ¡°Pick your next words and steps carefully.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The skinny man¡¯s face contorted into an expression of rage, teeth bared, jaws clenched, and knuckles white. Then, he took a step back. The blade dissolved, and he grinned. ¡°I was just playing around.¡± He turned on his heel and walked away, heading to one of the armor-renting stalls. ¡°Just tell the dope to look where they¡¯re going. I was nice enough to ask for an apology. A Scourge Champion might chop them to bits and ask questions later.¡± When the wall melted away, Energy Instinct highlighted the Cursed Energy seeping through the cloth strips covering the giant. It was far more dense than what Fatima had contained. In fact, the purity and density of it reminded Nil more of the Scourge Champion and what Symbiotech had stored in their secret room. It was likely the mouthy idiot and just pissed off the wrong person. The bandaged face moved, and Nil was sure the behemoth was now studying him. He ignored them and followed the Schema interface to his personal changing room. It was a significantly larger and better-furnished space than what the Pits organizers had offered him during his first outing as a Summoned fighter. The space seemed to get bigger and better furnished with each win. It featured a shower with no head. Instead, it rained from the ceiling when Nil stuck his arm in. There was a small pool full of scented water too. A variety of clothing ranging from camo pants and t-shirts to shirts and kilts, and even karate gis hung in a closet. There was also a small lounger for resting, and there was a table of fresh fruit next to it. Nil didn¡¯t have time to avail any of the privileges. Instead, he swiftly changed into his battle outfit. Originally, he wanted to wear nothing but cargo shorts and his belt. Most clothing didn¡¯t survive once the battle started. The durable shorts he wore were from a store in Wilson Ludus¡¯ lobby. He had purchased it after his standard sportswear all but fell apart during his first match. The garment still struggled to hold up under the effects of Expend, and it was his third and last piece. The cargo shorts came down to his knees, and Nil fastened them with the belt he received from Symbiotech. The buckle carried their symbol, but he hid it with his vest. Nil saw no point in wearing a top. It would inevitably get shredded during combat. He only did it at Festus¡¯ insistence. A good chunk of viewers liked it when Nil¡¯s clothing ripped during combat, especially when he released an explosion of energy from his torso using Expend. Susan joked that he looked steamy after the act and probably got a lot of women all hot and bothered. Nil doubted it was true. Visually appealing abilities often excited the audience, and Nil believed it was just that. Once changed, Nil let Meatball out to explore. Luminous plants decorated the room¡¯s border. They grew out of rectangular patches cut into the marble floor. Dark, damp soil filled them. The Ironroot Whelp made a beeline for the plants and played in the dirt while Nil cultivated. ¡°Stay close,¡± he told the whelp. ¡°We¡¯re not going to stay here for long.¡± Energy Instinct told him that the plants emitted Qi the same way the new flora in his room did, but the energy in the backrooms was purer and denser. The tiger had a considerably easier time wading through the obstacles created by them. However, its strength and ability to cut through the reeds seem to have increased. It didn¡¯t help that the obstacles regrew whenever they passed through his navel. Nil circulated until the timer was just about to hit zero. Nil returned his spirit companion to his core just before the teleportation. The arena construct dropped him off in the middle of an old temple courtyard. The architecture was similar to that of the estate in his last quest but appeared made of stone, metal, and ancient materials Nil had no means to identify. It had the standard luminous flora of a world ravaged by a magic cataclysm, and rain pelted Nil within seconds of arrival. Instead of a dome, a cylindrical barrier surrounded the battlefield. Nil stood in a similarly shaped beam of silvery green light, and another stood in the distance. Unlike his, it had a pretty blue hue. ¡°Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!¡± The familiar announcer¡¯s voice filled Nil¡¯s ears. ¡°Two new Iron Gauntlets favorites facing off? Exciting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nil found it fascinating how the arena construct controlled what information reached the fighters and was nearly omnipotent. According to Andrew, the Pits organizers used hidden cameras and drones to record and broadcast matches. The arena construct used no such tools. Instead, it provided multiple views to the viewers outside. There was the classic top-down and point of view of each participant. Then, people could see a third-person view from over the fighter¡¯s shoulder or behind them. Before becoming an arena fighter, Nil only ever saw the curated and edited recordings posted online. Seeing all the available data and discovering how much Festus had to dig through to put together the cinematic pieces that he showcased on his channel won the man Nil¡¯s respect. It was far more work, skill, and talent than Nil imagined. ¡°We have Nil Roy, the explosive pugilist in the green pillar! He had a close call during his last match but surprised us all with a crushing victory. The construct tells us he has grown considerably stronger and more dangerous since his last match, but that¡¯s yet to be seen. Standard physical fighters like him don¡¯t seem to have much of a chance, so finding decent opponents for him is an incredible challenge.¡± ¡°In the blue pillar, we have none other than Francesca Ricci, Daughter of Venice, Chosen by the Tides! This is her second attempt at the Gauntlet of Ten, and it''s her tenth match. She¡¯s on a mad winning streak but almost fell during her last match. The talk in the backrooms is that her last win was pure luck. Will that prove true? Will Francesca Ricci complete the Gauntlet of Ten and move on to the Bronze Gauntlet, or has she met her match? Get your bets in, folks. This is going to be a good one!¡± The beams disappeared as soon as the announcer finished her spiel. The rain splattering against Nil¡¯s clothes intensified. He was drenched through his vest straight away. Fortunately, his belt and shorts proved waterproof. After his first arena match, he had chosen to fight shoeless and, for the first time, regretted it. The courtyard''s stony floor was wet and slick from the rain. He took a moment to wiggle his toes and get used to the feeling of the ground under his feet before taking off running. Nil kept Absorb on and didn¡¯t bother supercharging. At a Spark of Iron-Eight, Brutal Battery¡¯s stores were massive, but he refused to waste any energy. A combatant in their tenth Gauntlet of Ten match was bound to be formidable. 87. Daughter of Venice The announcer¡¯s spiel introduced the participants and gave them a rough idea of their opponent¡¯s capabilities. They didn¡¯t know the details of Nil¡¯s ability, of course, and explosive pugilist was a satisfactory description. He would¡¯ve preferred ¡®martial artist¡¯ but tended to use punches far more than kicks. He used the latter more during spars and worried they¡¯d leave him with far too many openings unless he was sure he could outspeed his opponent. Nil knew nothing about Francesca Ricci. However, titles like Daughter of Venice and Chosen By The Tides told him that she was some sort of water manipulator. He hoped she didn¡¯t have long-range powers like his last opponent. It would make her annoying to fight. On the bright side, a water user likely used physical force to attack. Nil imagined blunt-force trauma, high-speed water whips or blades, and attempts at trapping them. Absorb would most likely have little trouble against her. However, it was too early to count his chickens. An Expend-powered leap carried Nil out of the courtyard and to the roof. Traversing three stories took a tidy chunk out of his stores, but he didn¡¯t worry too much about the loss. Dropping to ground level would restore Brutal Battery¡¯s stores just as easily. Nil used the elevation to scan his surroundings. Unlike Earth, the alien world wasn¡¯t barren. Nil saw glimmers of magic all around him. Most of it radiated from the bioluminescent plant life. He spotted crystalline growths in the distance around which the arcane auras were especially dense. Nil wore the Qi-gathering ring he received from Moon Rabbit Emporium and started towards them, moving along the roofs. Absorb kept him silent as he jogged. Even if he lost, going home with the energy to cultivate and grow stronger would make the endeavor worth it. It would be incredible if Nil completed the Gauntlet of Ten on his first attempt, but he knew better than to be overconfident. There were better, more-experienced fighters out there and it was likely he was up against one such opponent now. The arena construct can¡¯t be setting me up to fail. It believes I have a chance. Despite the reassurances, Nil mentally prepared himself for a loss. It wasn¡¯t a race but a marathon. He didn¡¯t need to get strong or ascend to Bronze in a hurry. In fact, if he completed the Gauntlet of Ten, Nil would only have six months to ascend his body and power to the next realm. If he failed to do it within the time limit, he¡¯d have no choice but to start from scratch. According to the statistics, most gauntlet winners also ascended their bodies or primary ability to Bronze first, and he was nowhere near achieving it either. As a result, he treated each match as an exercise to gather as much experience and strength as possible. Victory is a bonus. If Nil lost, returning home with a few attributes or ability ranks and a ring full of Qi would make the endeavor worthwhile. Many would consider his attitude defeatist, but Nil considered himself pragmatic. He wasn¡¯t the best or a being with incredible talent. Nil was a middle-of-the-pack individual, and he planned to achieve his ambitions through sheer grit. As Nil moved, he maintained his focus on Energy Instinct, retaining the visual feedback element. He scanned his surroundings for signs of Francesca, but he didn¡¯t know what to look for. Nil scanned for energy fluctuations as he stopped at the luminous crystal. It dripped with crimson magic. He didn¡¯t have the means to identify it, and several black and purple specks filled it. Nil had never encountered energy like it before. He had only encountered faint, wispy traces that were gaseous or super dense presences that appeared solid. When he pressed his ring to the crystal, the piece of jewelry absorbed a good chunk of its contents. The light emitting from it faded, and the energy lost density until it became gaseous. The hair on the back of Nil¡¯s neck stood on end, and he ducked¡ªa crescent blade made of water shot through where his neck had been a heartbeat earlier. Nil caught a glimpse of murky blue energy, tinged with brown before it disappeared into the rain. Now I know what to look for. Nil leaped from the roof, supercharged durability, and raced away, using Expend for speed and to make room for Absorb. Two more water blades followed, but weaving through the temple complex¡¯s more crowded sections helped him get away from them. Instead of fleeing, he looped around while scanning with Energy Instinct, hoping to flank his opponent. A trio of blades exploded against Nil¡¯s skin just as he turned a corner. They pushed Brutal Battery¡¯s stores beyond the maximum. It sliced his upper arm, leaving a jagged gouge. Nil grunted, ducking behind cover. The following attacks cut several chunks out of the stone, forcing him to crouch and speed away. Energy Instinct¡¯s new gifts and Nil¡¯s understanding of cultivation proved invaluable. It didn¡¯t just improve his control of Expend but also Toggled Supercharging. Nil focused on the durability boost, particularly around his new wounds. He felt the skin and tissue underneath wriggle. The area felt tighter, and the blood streaming from it eased. Nil didn¡¯t feel hardier and it was no replacement for healing, but Nil felt more in control of his individual muscles. He couldn¡¯t move them independently or whatever Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson did when he transformed his arms or legs to mimic monsters from around the multiverse or grow excess muscle strands to entangle attackers. However, hardening or tightening them around a vulnerable or damaged area felt feasible. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Francesca didn¡¯t just stop at waterblades. Drilling bullets ripped through stones before striking Nil, leaving friction burns and scratches despite having Absorb active with Brutal Battery below maximum capacity. She also launched cannonballs that shattered Nil¡¯s cover. They didn¡¯t damage him and pushed his stores to the maximum. However, avoiding the bullets and blades that followed was challenging. Worst of all were the tentacles. They did little damage but slowed or stopped Nil long enough to suffer more damaging projectiles. In the end, Nil changed tactics and charged his opponent.
¡°Now that you¡¯re officially an arena fighter, death is a genuine and regular risk,¡± Isabella had said when Nil started training for his first official match. ¡°I think it''s time we change how you use your abilities and approach battle.¡± ¡°Change?¡± Nil had asked. ¡°What needs changing? I¡¯ve been giving training and the quests my all.¡± ¡°Not staying in the neutral state, for starters. We both know more about Brutal Battery now and understand it. I suggested the tactic just so you could improve your control over Expend, and it feels like you¡¯re getting there. So, I think you should keep Absorb on by default and only use Expend when you have the perfect window for attacking or absolutely need it.¡± Nil nodded. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much been my thought process too. Switching between Absorb and Expend doesn''t take too long after ascending to Iron and with all the practice I¡¯ve had. It''s almost as fast as going into neutral and then using either ability.¡± ¡°Good. Toggled Supercharging gives you everything you need. Use the speed boost to get around and occasionally expend for bursts. The strength enhancement is fairly useful while you¡¯re Absorbing too. But neither of those nor the durability boost during Expending are the best part of the sub-ability.¡± ¡°I believe we¡¯ve been thinking the same thing. Toggled Supercharging ensures I don¡¯t need to Expend to keep my capacity below maximum. That means I never need to stop channeling Absorb unless the situation turns dire. The only thing left is figuring out how to pour more energy into Toggled Supercharging to empty my stores quicker and increase the boosts.¡± ¡°If you do figure that out, I¡¯d suggest only using the upgrade for strength and durability boosts. A sudden burst of speed can hurt more than benefit unless you have high enough Finesse and a boatload of practice.¡±
The upgrade to Energy Instinct helped Nil do just that¡ªpush Toggled Supercharging past its limit. He had named the unofficial ability Overclocking. He didn¡¯t have the greatest control, and the injection of energy and output weren¡¯t consistent. However, it gave him what he wanted. First, Nil overclocked the strength boost and used the boost to launch himself at Francesca. He flew almost as fast as with a minor Expend-powered leap. Except, he didn¡¯t need to worry about suffering crippling blows from the aquatic barrage still coming his way. The water still damaged him but swiftly restored the energy he burned. Nil believed that Absorb was failing to stop the projectiles since it wasn¡¯t a solid object or a single cohesive projectile. It was almost exactly like Burning Sands¡¯ ¡ª the first ever Summoned he fought¡ª animated conjuration. The grains that touched his skin lost all momentum, but their neighbors kept moving. Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Mortal 9! Fear filled Francesca¡¯s eyes as he came bounding toward her. It only lasted for a moment. Determination and confidence replaced the momentary shock. Energy Instinct¡¯s visual input detected all the murky brown strands of energy as they swiftly flowed back toward her. She gathered it in a dense sphere, and the rainwater pooling on the ground joined it. As the shape grew, the energy dispersed through it. Nil noted how, unlike her bullets, cannonballs, and crescent blades, the water rippled and struggled to maintain definition. Volume counters control and power. Thanks to Francesca¡¯s barrage, Brutal Battery¡¯s stores stayed just above ninety percent, and Nil knew what to do with all of the energy. He dove into the minivan-sized sphere of water. It was like pushing through jelly. Nil just about saw Francesca¡¯s face contort into a manic grin through the rippling water. He swiftly wiped it off her face. Expend has progressed to Iron 4! Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 4! Twenty-five percent of Nil¡¯s maximum stores went into an explosion of energy that destroyed the sphere and dispersed the brackish, brown energy. He gritted his teeth, tasting the surprisingly salty fluid. Nil didn¡¯t just stop there. He supercharged durability while slowly trickling energy through his skin. Thanks to the ice-cold water, he didn¡¯t burn. Instead, the almost-gelatinous magic-imbued water clinging to him swiftly evaporated as he attempted to grab Francesca. Unfortunately, his opponent proved that she didn¡¯t get nine consecutive Gauntlet-of-Ten victories using her ability alone. She masterfully weaved through his blows, swiftly backpedaling and regathering the dispersed brown energy. Francesca neither looked scared nor confident. Nothing but concentration dominated her face. A scream burst from her lips when Nil¡¯s fingers grazed her during an attempted grab. His fingers melted skin and surface muscles on her right upper arm as the energy leaking from Nil¡¯s body scorched the surrounding area. Water pooled around Francesca¡¯s feet, and she ceased moving. Instead, the gelatinous puddle carried her away from Nil, and she disappeared into the ruins around them. Nil switched to Absorb, supercharged speed, and pursued. 88. Mouthful of Brine A speedy pursuit and frequent projectiles with the power of Expend behind them kept Francesca on the backfoot. She struggled to mount an offense while focusing on fleeing and defending. It meant Nil burned through his stores swiftly, and he worried that letting the battle drag on wasn¡¯t in his best interests. Supercharging durability momentarily slowed the bleeding, but several streams of crimson now flowed from the many lacerations covering his body. He didn¡¯t want to let things get as close as during his last match. Not going to risk defeat by a thousand cuts. Energy Instinct helped him track Francesca, but she got wind of his tracking and used decoys to throw Nil off her scent. He ran into three giant motes of murky energy, which exploded as soon as he made contact. They faded into the atmosphere, and Nil hoped that meant the woman had less to use against him. On the bright side, they helped fill Brutal Battery to forty percent. Finesse has progressed to Iron 7! I fucking love the Body Pill! Nil took a moment to gather himself as he scanned his surroundings. He didn¡¯t have much time, and Francesca probably guessed as much. A handful of minutes ago, he was almost sure it was a losing match, but he took it as an opportunity for growth. Now, he saw the possibility of victory and refused to let it go. Meatball wriggled in his core. Nil could feel the Ironroot Whelp¡¯s desire to burst free and aid him, but he refused to let her free. She wouldn¡¯t die as long as he lived¡ªor so the Moon Rabbit Emporium¡¯s literature told him. However, she was still a newborn, and Nil refused to let her risk herself. He looked at the visage, but she was no help. It stood on the remains of a nearby building, casually watching Francesca¡¯s magic diffuse and mingle with the local flora¡¯s energies. The rain intensified. Nil let it fill his cupped hands and washed the salt out of his mouth. It confirmed his suspicions. Unlike Francesca¡¯s manipulated water, the rain tasted fresh. It carried a trace of magic, but nothing he deemed anomalous or dangerous. Daughter of Venice. Chosen By The Tides. She¡¯s manipulating brine. Nil was sure Francesca had figured out his sensory ability. Brown wisps now filled the arena. Fortunately for him, she seemed to think it relied on sight. When Nil closed his eyes, the individual motes and strands did little to mask the presence beyond them. In fact, as he focused on Energy Instinct with his eyes closed, he had little trouble detecting the minute threads that snaked around the battlefield, connecting them to a singular control point. It almost felt like a spiderweb. He was almost sure that passing or touching any of them would help his opponent home in on him. After a couple of seconds of studying his surroundings, Nil took to the roofs. Francesca¡¯s detection network wasn¡¯t as dense above ground level. He could also feel her mounting a powerful ability or spell in the distance. Time was of the essence. He wasn¡¯t just at the risk of slowly bleeding out; letting his opponent pull off whatever she was planning would also cost him his victory. Even though Nil¡¯s stores were at less than half of full capacity, he supercharged speed as he closed in on Francesca. Keeping Absorb active helped keep his energy levels from dipping too low. The ability to silence his movements proved a godsend, as always. The physics of it still didn¡¯t make sense to Nil, and he knew better than to waste time questioning it. A slight light-headedness struck Nil as he ascended the remains of a clock tower. It finally gave him a good look at Francesca. She had erected a dense dome around herself. An intricate network of crisscrossing brown strands filled it. They grew thicker and more dense as she reeled in her sensory network. The water rippled, and occasionally, little spikes danced on the surface. Francesca stood within, eyes closed, and body relaxed. The water distorted Nil¡¯s image of her, but he was sure she looked pale. Bits of her seemed to tremble too. He hoped it meant she was running out of time. Waiting her out wasn¡¯t a valid tactic, so Nil raced onward. It would come with several new scratches and minor lacerations, but he took the risk. Leaping from the clocktower helped him get his energy levels just shy of eight percent. He supercharged durability once close enough to the dome just as Francesca began her assault. She kept her eyes closed, but Nil couldn¡¯t help but touch the strands of brown energy. Watery spikes struck Nil. The energy was particularly dense around their points, and Absorb did little to defend against them. The attacks restored his energy but also shredded his skin and flesh. Spark has progressed to Iron 9! Despite the icy cold water, Nil started with an explosive punch that burned his fist. He then switched to trickling energy through his skin again and pushed the sensation until it felt like the beginnings of heatstroke. All water that touched Nil immediately evaporated, and he proceeded to pummel the dome, snapping Francesca out of her seemingly meditative state. The spikes that attacked him grew more purposeful, but they now inflicted less damage on him than they did while he had Absorb active. On the downside, he felt his stores draining rapidly and sped up his assault. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Energy Instinct helped him channel additional energy into his hands and forearms, evaporating the dome even faster. The intricate brown network within started to unravel. Nil¡¯s assault had the intended result. Francesca appeared terrified as she threw more attacks at Nil, but none of them stopped him. The boiling water and steam left her flushed, and Nil spotted burns and blisters on her pale skin whenever he made an opening. It proved a double-edged sword. His arms and cheeks suffered major burns, but he barely felt any of them through the growing discomfort caused by the continued use of Expend. The taste of salt in Nil¡¯s mouth increased. Then, blood joined it. At first, Nil discounted the discomfort as a product of his exertion. He kept pushing himself as Francesca fell onto her hands and knees and crawled backward away from him. The dome didn¡¯t let up, and Nil was sure he would win if he just got her to pass out. The steam would eventually burn her bad enough to send her body into shock, or she¡¯d suffocate. It was a battle of durability and Might, and Nil was almost sure he won in said departments. Everything changed as piercing pain filled his mouth and nasal passages. The same sensation dominated his throat and chest a moment later. It felt like he had inhaled glass. The dome finally fell away. Nil¡¯s eyes felt dry. It felt like his eyes were on fire, but he still managed to glimpse the white crystalline growths on her back and shoulders. They were sharp and spiky, and several appeared to pierce her skin. Finally, Nil realized what was assailing him. What was on Francesca was also inside him. Breathing proved challenging. The contents of his lungs sloshed. All thoughts of victory left Nil as he collapsed. When he coughed, blood burst from his mouth and nostrils. He desperately dragged himself toward Francesca, hoping to get in the winning blow. The handful of feet felt like miles. Brown energy swelled ahead as he was getting closer. Energy Instinct has progressed to Iron 1! Might has progressed Iron 4! Nil channelled Absorb, but it didn¡¯t help. A barrage of aquatic projectiles followed. The pain didn¡¯t compare to what he felt inside. Nil tried to voice his surrender but failed. Only blood flowed when he opened his mouth. Fortunately, the arena construct read his mind or intention¡ªor was sure he was on the verge of death. The dark arena and luminous plants disappeared in a flash. A moment later, he found himself in the backrooms with half a dozen robed individuals fussing over him. You have lost and ended the Gauntlet of Ten run with three victories. Your performance was deemed excellent, and the arena construct would like to encourage you to try again. You have received 1 Schema Token and 50 Schema Credits as a consolation prize.
¡°That was a good attempt,¡± Selia said. The arena construct teleported Nil back to Wilson Ludus¡¯ Wembley branch after they were done healing him. He found Adam and Selia waiting for him. The pair offered to buy him a meal, and even though Nil¡¯s insides still felt raw and ravaged, he accepted it. ¡°Both of you!¡± She clasped Nil¡¯s forearm and squeezed while looking between him and Adam. ¡°Bad matchups happen.¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m bummed, but I can accept that I was completely outclassed.¡± The bony growths on his chin, knuckles, and elbows appeared chipped. ¡°I had absolutely no chance. Nil, on the other hand.¡± He shot Nil a sympathetic smile. ¡°You got so bloody close, mate. I was sure you had that in the bag.¡± ¡°I did too.¡± Nil sighed. He tried extracting his arm from Selia¡¯s grip but failed. It was a comforting hold but too firm for him to slip out of it. ¡°But I was wrong about her power.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure about what I saw.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure either, but I think Francesca has the power to conjure and control sea salt or something of the sort,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I think she can control water it''s been dissolved in and grow the crystals.¡± ¡°She probably planted them in you when you dove into her first barrier,¡± Selia said. ¡°You dispersed everything outside, but some remained in your mouth and lungs.¡± ¡°Scary.¡± Adam shuddered. ¡°How do you even counter that? I doubt my internal regeneration can deal with that kind of damage.¡± He leaned back in his chair, glancing at the kitchen for the tenth time. The giant brute¡¯s ability consumed far too many calories. They had only been waiting for ten minutes, but his patience appeared to be on the verge of running out. Recovering from the horrifying injuries of his match had only left him hungrier. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the Gauntlet of Ten is worth the effort. Having to start from the beginning is a real gut punch. Now that my ability is mid-Bronze, the opponents will only get harder.¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Nil asked. Selia finally released him. When their eyes met, she flashed him a flirtatious smile. It finally occurred to him that she had hinted at her interest in him the last they met. He was glad she gave up on subtlety. Such signals usually flew over his head. ¡°Are you going to run the Iron Gauntlet? It takes quite a bit, but a loss doesn¡¯t hurt as much.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t have the patience for that nonsense. I lost the match, but it helped me figure out my newest sub-ability.¡± Adam grinned. ¡°I¡¯m going to attempt the Gauntlet of Death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s mad.¡± Nil frowned, glancing between him and Selia. ¡°We barely know each other, but are you sure that¡¯s a good idea? The mortality rates are insane.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re confident, it''s not the worst idea,¡± Selia stated. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering doing the same. The risks are high, but the rewards are incredible. Apparently, the Control Worlds favor the victors of them too.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What are you going to do now? Start from scratch?¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Nil said. ¡°I have enough Schema Tokens to max out my Finesse and a Bronze Ascension Token too. It might be time to ascend and try the Gauntlet of Ten again. I¡¯m getting pretty good with my sub-ability. I think I¡¯ll have a real shot this time.¡± He looked at Adam. ¡°I¡¯d like us to be friends, but I still think that the Death Gauntlet is a bad idea.¡± ¡°I appreciate your concern.¡± The larger man laughed. He glanced at the kitchen again. ¡°Where the hell is our food? My stomach is going to digest itself if we wait any longer.¡± 89. Body Of Bronze It took Nil three days of cultivation and exercising to get the necessary ranks for ascension. His insides still felt ravaged, but he powered through it, hoping the pain would earn him another rank of Might. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get what he wanted. Nil finished circulating the Body Pill¡¯s gifts, getting him where he needed. Katherine, Susan, Andrew, and his family wanted to meet him in the meantime to help him cope with the loss. But Nil assured them he was fine and focused on ascending. Symbiotech had summoned him in a few days. Andrew and he were ready to execute their plan, and that came with risks. As a result, Nil wanted his body to reach the Bronze Realm first. Even though Nil refused to admit it to anyone, the loss frustrated him. It was like the qualifiers all over again. The vids suggested that lasting a handful of more seconds would¡¯ve reversed the results. He would still be in the Gauntlet of Ten and wouldn¡¯t have to start from scratch. It wasn¡¯t as bad as Adam¡¯s loss, but it still annoyed him and had a lot to do with him pushing himself. The several attributes and ability boosts during the match somewhat softened the hurt. However, Nil wasn¡¯t ready to face his friends and family while feeling weak and like a loser. He received messages from Selia and Adam asking whether he¡¯d like to hang out, but he rejected their invitations. Nil only allowed one distraction. Meatball appeared perturbed with Nil at first. His refusal to let her out during the match had displeased her. She rebuffed his attempts to pet or pick her up for the first couple of days. Whenever he gave up trying to win her over and returned to cultivating, exercising, or any other tasks, angry squeaks and chirps burst from the whelp. Meatball wanted Nil to know that she was mad at him. It didn¡¯t take the whelp long to get over her annoyance and crave his attention. Nil hoped her attention span wasn¡¯t tied to age. He was sure he¡¯d make mistakes in the future and piss her off again. The sooner she forgave her for them, the easier his life would be. Meatball ensured he took breaks to occasionally throw her¡ªwhich involved throwing her across the room. It was entertaining to watch her roll around. Nil couldn¡¯t be sure, but she seemed to get faster and more in control over her movements every day. The schema interface suggested she had grown since her hatching. Ironroot Whelp: Iron 1 Meatball had grown, but her abilities hadn¡¯t. Given the attached names, it seemed she needed combat and perhaps to suffer injuries before they kicked in and had a chance to gain ranks. On the third day after the match, Nil got Finesse to Iron-Nine. It happened after running the obstacle course while supercharging speed. He pushed the ability using Energy Instinct and focused on his footing and reaction time. Nil found rhythm and accuracy and got the final necessary rank after his sixth perfect completion. Golden Aegis ludus had a body ascension room. It was a tiled white room with a giant marble tub. Vents and extractors lined the ceiling. The space included several jets and a rain shower too. Apparently, it paled when compared to Wilson Ludus¡¯ space, but still better than nothing. Nil entered in only a disposable robe. He used his Bronze Ascension Token and lay down in the tub. Congratulations! Your body is about to ascend to the Bronze Realm. Please pick upgrade paths for your attributes. Please pick a Feat: The old trait options had returned but with greater benefits. Nil had heard they grew stronger with each ascension, and it was interesting to compare them to their lesser versions. The new and improved My Body Is My Domain was especially tempting after his match with Francesca. He believed the feat would¡¯ve slowed if not prevented her salt crystals¡¯ ability to grow and shred his insides. Keen Eye For Vulnerability now felt useless to Nil. The raw energy born of Expend hadn¡¯t yet encountered a defense it couldn¡¯t melt or pierce. Now that his control of the ability had improved, he no longer needed the trait. In fact, it was often a struggle not to kill his opponents outright. Isabella often told him that he needed to get over such concerns since his opponents would rarely consider such courtesies. Nil knew she was right and needed to work toward getting past such hangups. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t know where to start. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The final two trait options pulled him in two opposing directions. One tempted him with magic, and the other forced him to give it up to access something ambiguous. Even though My Body Is My Domain would give him the most survivability, Nil gravitated toward Primal Origins. It scaled with his best attribute and sounded like it would meld well with Energy Instinct and his growing understanding of cultivation. In the end, it wasn¡¯t a challenging decision. He made his decision, and the ascension process soon knocked him out, giving him just enough time to inform his friends, family, and Symbiotech about the upcoming unreachability.
Brutal Battery: Iron 4 Feats: It took three days for Nil¡¯s body to reach the Bronze Realm. When he woke, he could feel how his energy channels had expanded. His core felt denser too. As he circulated his internal energies, using the Mangrove Tiger Refinement Technique¡¯s imagery, Nil felt amazed by how easily the imagined feline navigated through the caves and reeds. He used the remnants of energy contained in his Qi Absorption ring, and the opposing current grew more robust, slowing its progress. However, the tiger seemed stronger and had an easier time pushing through it. The black slime that filled the tub was more acrid than Nil remembered. Voice commands activated the extractors and the rain shower. They sucked out the stench and forced the sludge out through the tub¡¯s drain. The ice-cold water soothed Nil¡¯s body. The post-ascension sensation had left him running hot. It wasn¡¯t uncomfortable like trickling energy through his skin. Instead, he felt powerful and almost intoxicated, like he was having a merry time after downing his favorite cocktails. The euphoria brought him back to his college days when Aisha was still alive, and she¡¯d force him to go dancing. Nil hated the clubs, but after a few beverages, he thought of nothing besides having a good time with her. His amorous activities with Katherine were a close second. The ascension room had a wide variety of personal care products. Once the sludge was washed out and the room appropriately ventilated. The air-tight cabinet containing them unlocked. Nil first shampooed and conditioned his hair. The latter almost felt unnecessary. His hair had grown during the ascension, and it felt silky smooth. His locks were almost as luscious as Katherine¡¯s and good enough to show untreated in haircare advertisements. Several famous Summoned¡ªmostly arena fighters¡ªoften acted as spokespeople for beauty brands. Nil doubted that most of the civilian population understood that beautiful skin and all else came from ascension instead of whatever chemicals the corporations were peddling. After washing his hair, Nil took his time scrubbing his now extra-smooth skin. His new and improved body almost felt alien. The man in the mirror had better-defined muscles and stood approximately five-foot-eight, two inches more than Nil had prior to his first summoning. The ascension tub had filled with scalding scented water while he cleaned himself. It beckoned to him, and Nil spent close to an hour afterward just soaking and cultivating. It was a soothing environment, and he doubted he¡¯d get a chance to enjoy it sometime soon. Meatball stirred as he relaxed. All the manuals advised storing spirit companions in one¡¯s core during ascension. Apparently, they benefited from the energies born of the process. Nil let her out and was amazed to see a handful of changes. She was marginally bigger, and her previous fuzziness had disappeared. The whelp¡¯s woody carapace still looked like treebark but had the smoothness, color, and luster of polished mahogany. The metallic spikes covering her were just as magnificent. Ironroot Whelp: Iron 5 The little whelp sped around the tub, chirping. She seemed in a state of euphoria too. Nil was glad to see her numbers go up. It didn¡¯t mean he was ready to let her run loose in the arena, and planned to trial her in quests first. Meatball occasionally rolled over to him, and he threw her across the room. She chirped when landing and squeaked loudly after finishing her celebratory laps around the room. Thanks to their weak psychic connection, it didn¡¯t take Nil long to figure out that she wanted to throw him harder, and he just did that, increasing the force behind each fling with each go. He heard concerning cracks a few times, but the sounds Meatball made told him she loved the experience even more. Energy Instinct highlighted the green-gold energies radiating from her. They filled in the damage on her carapace, and it rapidly recovered. He finally got to see her Regenerate ability in action. ¡°I¡¯ll throw you even harder if you use Reinforce,¡± Nil told her, and the whelp seemed to understand. Luminous red veins spider-webbed across her carapace as she tightened herself into a speer and drew in her spikes. When he threw her with all of his unenhanced strength, Meatball bounced around, squealing gleefully. Occasionally, metal spikes flew off her body and shot across the room. A couple of them embedded themselves in the wall to make contact. One grazed Nil¡¯s shoulder and left a clean, shallow scratch. ¡°Holy shit, Meatball.¡± Nil gasped, rubbing the wound as she returned to him, chirping gleefully. She had suffered no damage this time, and new spikes rapidly grew out of the few empty holes. ¡°I should¡¯ve named you Cannonball instead. You¡¯re meant to be a little weapon, aren¡¯t you?¡± The carapace came apart, and the woody tentacles danced. Meatball used them to launch herself off the ground and into the pool. She used them like an octopus would its limbs and swam circles around Nil, singing gleefully. 90. Attack On Symbiotech ¡°I¡¯m detecting increased security in the building.¡± Andrew¡¯s voice was loud in Nil¡¯s ear as he arrived at the Symbiotech headquarters. The aether-tech-savvy scrapyard owner had whipped together a communication device that was barely a quarter of an inch across and comfortably fit just inside Nil¡¯s ear. Someone would have to stick a finger in to discover it. ¡°Maintain radio silence until it''s time.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯m the talkative one of the two of us.¡± Nil didn¡¯t mean to sound short or sarcastic. The day to sabotage Symbiotech had finally come, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. He had little trouble maintaining a cool exterior, but on the inside, he was a nervous wreck. It wasn¡¯t like on Summoned quests, where the threats were of a defined threat level. All managers of dangers possibly awaited Nil if things went wrong. There was also the chance of him getting caught during his illegal activities. Then, his friends and family would face trouble too. ¡°Just ensure the kids get clear.¡± ¡°You got it.¡± Before stepping onto the premises, Nil took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. He glanced at the visage. Even though they knew where everything was and where he needed to go, he couldn¡¯t afford to ignore it. The visage had far superior sensitivity to Cursed Energy. If anything changed or things got dangerous, he¡¯d need it to succeed. Hopefully, you¡¯ll be gone soon. The visage had almost soured all the good memories he had of Aisha. Nil often needed to remind himself that it wasn¡¯t her fault. It was the Cursed Energy and Symbiotech¡¯s twisted projects that almost drove him to a nervous break and put him through seven years of torment. Aisha had nothing to do with it. She was a victim of Shina¡¯s mad science project. The sabotage would, hopefully, ruin Symbiotech¡¯s work and raise questions regarding the safety and validity of their work. Katherine had used her ability and connection to gather a plethora of buried evidence and testimonials. Since using it correctly with the Metropolitan Police Force¡¯s resources hadn¡¯t worked, she turned to other sources, and things would go live once Nil finished his quest. Katherine kept her side of the quest separate from Nil¡¯s and didn¡¯t tell him much about it, the same way he kept things from her¡ªgiven her abilities, he was almost sure she had figured things out. It was likely she got her intelligence agency job offer during the related endeavors. Nil¡¯s job was to disrupt and hopefully end Symbiotech¡¯s nefarious activities. Meanwhile, her responsibilities involved ruining the company¡¯s reputation and ensuring their secrets came to light. He trusted her to complete her end of the quest. Despite how it had disrupted her life and ambitions, Katherine seemed determined to see things through. The woman appeared determined to finish everything she started, and he respected her for it. Katherine had helped him get past several demons too, and learn to enjoy his life despite the visage¡¯s presence, and he¡¯d forever be thankful for that. I¡¯ll miss her. Nil and Katherine had long run their course. They had a lot of fun together, and he¡¯d miss their activities, but he agreed that they had run their course and that ending things was the right thing to do. It was one of the harder things he¡¯d need to do in life. Giving up something fun and enjoyable is never easy to do. ¡°It''s nice to see you again, Mr Roy,¡± the receptionist said when he signed in. ¡°How are you today?¡± ¡°As fine as one can be,¡± Nil replied, glancing around the lobby. Several workmen toiled in a far corner. They were tinkering with the CCTV cameras and fiddling with the wiring. Andrew had said it was the perfect day for their plan. He guessed they were the reason why. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your loss.¡± The receptionist broke eye contact as she continued. ¡°I saw it on Festus the Curator¡¯s channel. It was so close! Another minute, and you would¡¯ve had her. It¡¯s a shame¡ª¡± She stopped midsentence and glanced behind her. The older man who manned the lobby stood glaring at her. Nil had never spoken to him and guessed from the outfit that he worked in security. ¡°I apologize. That was unprofessional of me. Do you know where to go, or should I summon an escort?¡± ¡°Stress tests and samples. I get it.¡± ¡°Not just yet,¡± Shina said, surprising Nil. She rarely met him at reception. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your recent loss.¡± Shina took one of his hands in both of hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She led him out of the lounge and into a side corridor. They passed a couple of wards, and Nil couldn¡¯t help but notice that the number of children in them was less than what he and Andrew had seen on the security feeds. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel partially responsible for your recent loss. You¡¯ve been nothing short of an excellent partner, and we¡¯ve failed you. Perhaps your chances of victory would¡¯ve been higher if we didn¡¯t take so long with your symbiote.¡± ¡°It''s alright.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°The fault is nobody¡¯s but mine. And, I suppose the arena construct¡¯s to some extent. It was a seriously unbalanced matchup, and I also misjudged my opponent¡¯s ability. A symbiote wouldn¡¯t have changed that. However, a soul weapon might¡¯ve just done the job.¡± Shina grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that. The symbiote is the first step. Once it''s bonded to you and adapted to your ability¡ªwhich shouldn¡¯t take long¡ªwe can integrate it with your developing soul weapon. The assimilation might take a few months, but if you¡¯re patient, we¡¯ll have you steamrolling through the Gauntlet of Ten and dominating the Bronze Gauntlet in no time. I¡¯m sorry it''s taken us so long to get started.¡± ¡°I get it. Studying my power and the development takes time.¡± ¡°It''s not that,¡± Shina continued. ¡°You can¡¯t believe how much red tape we have to deal with. The Nexus is hoarding all of its resources and knowledge. The arse-kissers in Parliament aren¡¯t making our lives any easier. I¡¯m really sorry. If we did more, perhaps you wouldn¡¯t be starting the Gauntlet of Ten from scratch.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Still, don¡¯t blame yourself. I know I lost, but it was still a decent experience. I got the necessary ranks to get my body to Bronze Realm.¡± ¡°This, in turn, will make assimilating with the symbiote and soul weapon upgrades easier.¡± After entering the symbiote lab, Shina didn¡¯t lead him to the usual testing room. Instead, they passed through the secret door into the containment room. Nil hadn¡¯t noticed during his previous visit, but it had secured side rooms also. Nil¡¯s soul weapon symbiote wasn¡¯t in the same glass column as last time. It floated in the primary Cursed Energy containment instead. ¡°We almost have it prepared for the integration,¡± Shina explained, guiding him into a side room. An identical symbiote sat in a secured glass case. ¡°We grew this sample from the soul weapon symbiote. It will adapt to your body and ability, making the eventual assimilation easier, resulting in a higher synchronization rate.¡± ¡°Synchronization rate?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow, studying the black and red symbiote closely. It had little hexagonal bits, just like Fatima¡¯s soul weapon used to. ¡°It''s our metric for the bond between the symbiote, modified soul weapon, and the human partner,¡± Shina explained. ¡°We¡¯ve been taking all the samples from you and went through so many prototypes to ensure you start with a high synchro-rate. It significantly lowers the chances of you suffering a break, like what happened to Fatima. She was one of our earliest subjects and had a synchro-rate in the sixties. The Cursed Energy containment wasn¡¯t ideal, and it may have adversely affected her personality. Fortunately, your modded soul weapon seed doesn¡¯t carry any such faults. We have high hopes as a result.¡± ¡°Amazing,¡± Nil mumbled, studying the squirming symbiote closely. It was a grotesque but fascinating entity. He sensed no Cursed Energy radiating from the version in front of him. ¡°Let''s get started. I can¡¯t wait to try it out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. The case will unlock once I leave the room. It might lunge at you at first and might seem to be attacking, but that¡¯s not the case. The symbiote was grown using biomaterial we extracted from you, so it considers you a part of itself. Everyone else might be deemed a threat.¡± After a quarter-hour of explanations, numbers, and aethertech jargon, Shina finally retreated from the testing room. She stood behind the shielded glass and hit a button on her tablet. The case housing the symbiote opened with a hiss. It lunged at Nil, making an almost screeching sound. Meatball didn¡¯t react in his core when they made contact, confirming his suspicions that the version contained no Cursed Energy. It immediately molded along his spine, and he could feel the entity forcefully trying to connect to his soul weapon seed and the Cursed Energy within. For a moment, it felt like the symbiote was trying to take control of his body and manipulate him like a puppet. It sapped Brutal Battery¡¯s contents and his energy. Nil¡¯s left leg gave out, and he fell to his knees as he struggled to tame the fleshy mass. ¡°You ready, Sunny-boi?¡± ¡°Are you fine?¡± Shina asked through the speaker. ¡°Yes,¡± Nil answered to both. ¡°Are you sure? I can disperse the liquid nitrogen if it is too much, and we can revisit¡ª¡± Shina didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence. The fire alarm blared through the building. Danger lights flashed all around the containment room. Metal barriers half rose around the central Cursed Energy pillar outside. It faltered halfway up the glass and then retreated back into the ground. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Shina swore, frowning and turning her back to Nil. ¡°Fucking security. What the fuck did they do?¡± The plan had always been to use a fire alarm or security risk to force a building evacuation. They¡¯d been waiting for weeks for the opportunity. The security team and electricians upgraded the network at the perfect time for the operation. Any fires, failures, or alarms could be written off as their mistake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nil. I¡¯ll need to go check this out.¡± Shina angrily tapped her tablet. ¡°The security feeds and comms are down, and I need to make sure this is just a false alarm. ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave me in here, are you?¡± He demanded, struggling to his feet. The symbiote covered his shoulders and arms but hadn¡¯t yet spread to the rest of his body. ¡°What if it''s a real fire?¡± ¡°This room has fire suppression, and you¡¯re extra secure in there,¡± Shina said, not sounding particularly convincing. ¡°This place could blow up, but you¡¯d be fine. The testing rooms might as well be bunkers.¡± ¡°Just get me the fuck out of here, Shina!¡± He yelled as she sped away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± She yelled over her shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t! The building is going into lockdown. The door won¡¯t open.¡± Then, she was gone, leaving Nil alone with none but Andrew in his ear for company. ¡°You were right. She is a heartless bitch. I really didn¡¯t think she¡¯d abandon you in there.¡± ¡°Really? I knew for a fact that she would. Now get me out of here so I can get started.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying. These bastards have identified my breach. They¡¯re fighting me and are probably tracking my signal.¡± ¡°Fuck! Do you have Susan with you?¡± It took Andrew a moment to respond. ¡°I just realized you can¡¯t see me nodding. She¡¯s watching the parking lot. I¡¯ll pull the bus out of here if they find me and send a team. Dammit. I just lost my door control.¡± ¡°Do you still have CCTV access? Can you tell if it''s safe for me to try melt the glass?¡± ¡°Yes. No one is near you. They¡¯re too busy carting out the kids. Shina is in her office gathering hard drives.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad you called for backup?¡± Selia asked, emerging through the wall. She had a strange translucence about her. It helped her almost blend into her surroundings. ¡°I am,¡± Nil replied as the woman took him by the wrist and pulled him through the testing room¡¯s door. The symbiote tensed under her touch. He could feel its desire to unravel and wrap around her hand. The bond wasn¡¯t like what he felt to Meatball, but something more visceral. It felt like an appendage with a mind of its own. ¡°What now, handsome?¡± Selia asked once they were through. She shimmered before turning completely invisible. The woman said her ascension to Irom Realm came with a stealth ability but avoided details. ¡°I¡¯m going to overload the Cursed Energy containment,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Then we run.¡± ¡°All the children are out. Some staff are still in the building, and security is trying to convince Shina to leave. It''s now or never, Sunny-boi.¡± ¡°Okay. Tell me what to do.¡± ¡°Get to the terminal and hold your¡ª¡± ¡°Andy?¡± Nil held a finger to the device in his ear. No sound came through. ¡°Shina? Are you listening in?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Selia asked. ¡°I think Symbiotech found his signal,¡± Nil replied, heart and temples pounding. 91. Unexpected Consequences ¡°Brute force it?¡± Selia asked, scanning their surroundings. She phased in and out of sight, transitioning between transparency and translucence. Even when completely ¡®invisible,¡¯ Nil could spot her as light distorted around her body. ¡°I don¡¯t know the first thing about computers or overloading things.¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°We want plausible deniability. If I bash things or try to melt through them, they¡¯ll know it was me. Could you maybe phase in and fuck things up?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll suspect foul play and probably still have me on file. It''s not a good idea if you don¡¯t want it to look like someone tampered with things. Besides, phasing just a part of my body and grabbing stuff is still beyond me.¡± Selia made her left hand visible for a moment. Scars covered the fingers and knuckles. ¡°Believe me. I tried. It''s hard enough not to sink into the floor. I have to phase everything but parts of my feet. There¡¯ve been times when I¡¯ve fallen into the ground and almost suffocated.¡± ¡°Unnecessary information, but good to know. Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be snappy, Nil,¡± Selia¡¯s tone turned cold as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I¡¯m just stressed out. We need to figure out something quickly, or things are going to get ugly as hell.¡± The visage stood by the Cursed Energy containment with its hands pressed against the glass. Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, the symbiote within had extended a piece of itself and held it against the glass too. The fleshy extension shaped itself and matched the visage¡¯s palm. The outer half of the hand didn¡¯t form. Instead, Nil saw incomplete blood vessels with no contents and threads, which Nil guessed were nerves. The symbiote was attempting to mimic the human form. He didn¡¯t quite understand why or how, but that was a question for later. A possible idea came together as Nil wandered closer and studied the interaction closely. Selia didn¡¯t follow. Energy Instinct gave him a rough sense of her position as she explored the hidden room, looking for a solution. Bringing the woman into the plan was a last-minute decision. It placated Layla and ensured she wouldn¡¯t force an unknown into the mission. Selia''s performance in the battle royale and sixth consecutive victory in the Gauntlet of Ten made her seem competent enough for such a job. Finally, her ability and Iron-Realm sub-ability made her perfect for the mission. Nil wasn¡¯t sure whether he could trust her¡ªhe barely knew her. However, her history with Symbiotech made her as determined to see them burn as him. So, he knew she wouldn¡¯t work against them. The fact that the Nexus staff considered Selia trustworthy was also a point in her favor. Layla claimed the phase-shifter was intelligent and well-suited for reconnaissance and infiltration¡ªa perfect compliment to Nil¡¯s preferred tactics. While Selia investigated the other containment structures and the many connector pipes in the room, Nil stood next to the visage and studied its interaction with the entity inside the column. His symbiote also quivered. He could feel it wrapping around the soul weapon seed. It wasn¡¯t a physical entity but something ephemeral like his ¡®core¡¯ that existed in both of his arms simultaneously. The symbiote wanted the Cursed Energy within. Nil knew what he needed to do. He inserted both arms into the slots attached to the containment pillar. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Selia demanded, racing to his side. She grabbed him and pulled, but unlike her, he had a Bronze Realm body, making him stronger and more stable. Selia almost ended up pulling herself off balance. ¡°The last time I was here, Shina told me that if I were to interface with this without a prepared soul weapon, the machine might overload,¡± Nil explained as he felt her phasing power activate. Energy Instinct had little trouble doing so while they were in contact. ¡°That¡¯s precisely what I¡¯m going to do.¡± ¡°Are you mad?¡± She paused. Her phasing power felt ready to activate. He was glad she held off. Nil lacked the means of countering it.¡°Do you even know how?¡± ¡°No. But I have a hunch.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re messing with¡ª¡± Nil tuned her out, leaning on Energy Instinct¡¯s gifts and his understanding of cultivation. He hadn¡¯t tried using the energy flow techniques with Cursed Energy or tapped into the unformed soul weapon¡¯s contents. However, Nil had successfully kept it from absorbing more of the vile magic once and attempted the opposite. The soul weapon and the containment pillar had the same function and desires. Both simultaneously attempted to absorb the other¡¯s Cursed Energy. Nil focused all of his efforts on ensuring the seed in his arms failed, wrapping it in Brutal Battery¡¯s contents and forcing it down. Then he squeezed and tangled his will with the soul weapon¡¯s contents. He snaked it through the Cursed Energy, and his skin crawled. Nausea followed, making his stomach bubble and head spin, but he pushed through it all. Nil bent his knees, standing in a horse stance, and focused on his breathing. He circulated Brutal Battery¡¯s contents through his arms, trying to purge everything but it from his body. Sweat beaded on Nil¡¯s forehead and neck. His heart raced, and it wasn¡¯t long before the exercise left his back soaked. But his plan worked. Slowly but steadily, Symbiotech¡¯s containment pillar won. It started with a trickle. The soul weapon desperately tried to cling to the Cursed Energy as it escaped. Then, the stream turned into an unstoppable torrent, and Nil lost control. It wasn¡¯t just Cursed Energy that gushed out of him but Brutal Battery¡¯s contents and more. Stabbing pains plagued his heart, solar plexus, and navel. The containment pillar wanted all, and the symbiote attached to Nil disappeared into the machine. Meanwhile, the symbiote floating in the vat bubbled and expanded, gaining biomass at an alarming rate. Human limbs, organs, and several grotesque shapes took form and dissolved in a matter of seconds. The visage disappeared and then appeared within the vat a moment later. The symbiote''s flesh molded around it and appeared to consume the entity that resembled Aisha. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. A pair of delicate hands wrapped around Nil¡¯s shoulders just as the containment pillar¡¯s glass cracked. Selia pulled, and Nil¡¯s arms phased out of the machine¡¯s sockets. He collapsed onto his hands and knees as soon as she released, clutching his left side. Nil had never experienced a heart attack or seen the symptoms outside of films or television, but what he felt now seemed like one. Selia grunted, dragging him away from the pillar and across the room as the cracks grew. Fluid leaked from the machine, and steam burst from the many connected pipes. Nil detected several arcane presences but no Cursed Energy. Instead, the black smoke and pink and purple flecks concentrated around the symbiote, flowing into the mass. It seemed to absorb the energy with ease, accelerating its growth more as the rate of consumption increased. The vat exploded, spraying the room with several-inch-thick shards and viscous contents. The symbiote landed on the ground as a writhing mass of red and black. Up close, it looked like an ugly blend of biomass and metallic fibers, all made of hexagons of varying sizes. The symbiote attempted to adopt a humanoid shape, but without any fluid to support its weight, it failed to combat gravity. It thrashed on the ground for a few seconds before stilling. The symbiote still contained Nil¡¯s DNA, and he felt a sickening link to it. The artificial organism wanted him. Nil wasn¡¯t sure how he knew, but he could tell that it wanted for him and it to be one. Selia had dragged him halfway across the room when it sped towards him, moving using a mixture of human limbs and tentacles. Fortunately, the pair had crossed most of the room while the symbiote adjusted to its new environment. She dragged Nil through the testing room¡¯s security door. The symbiote exploded against the shielded materials a handful of seconds later. It bashed the metal and glass but failed to damage either. A feminine face formed momentarily, adopting several alien but also a few familiar features. It glared at them. The still-active intercom carried its inhuman screeches. Then, an explosion rocked the containment room, filling it with a burst of fire. Cooling jets rained from above, and the protests of the artificial organism intensified. Several writhing appendages froze, cracked, and fell away under. They have a freezing suppression system. Unfortunately for Symbiotech, the measure had activated far too late. The symbiote abandoned sections of its physiology as it sped away. Shina had closed the hidden room¡¯s doors while exiting, but somehow, the symbiote found a way out. ¡°What the fuck just happened?¡± Selia asked. She gently propped Nil up against the wall furthest from the door before checking his vitals. After half a minute, she nodded and released him, returning her attention to the containment room. Several other glass tubs and vats exploded. Some symbiotes writhed on the ground while others merged, attacked the shielded glass, and then fled. A few assimilated the struggling or inert masses on their way out. It took Nil a few minutes to gather himself and find his voice. The pain in his chest and left arm faded, but he still felt raw. It was almost as if something had been wrenched out of him. ¡°I fed it the Cursed Energy in my soul weapon. Shina told me that I needed one of their soul weapons to process it for a safe transfer.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain a whole lot,¡± Selia said. She sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Fucking Symbiotech. There¡¯s no covering this up. I bet there are emergency vehicles and lookyloos outside. There are going to be far too many witnesses when those things break free.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just hope they don¡¯t harm any civilians.¡± ¡°They might. They might not. Look at how these things behaved. They want Cursed Energy. So, anyone who is straight and narrow should be safe. Besides, these things are symbiotes. Right?¡± Selia didn¡¯t sound particularly confident. ¡°That means they can¡¯t survive without hosts, and I¡¯ll bet they need Summoned hosts.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel any better,¡± Nil stated. ¡°Not all Summoned are like us. Many just want to live quiet lives on Earth or aren¡¯t built for mad combat like us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that shit now. This is why the Nexus hires people like us to work on Seed Worlds. I bet it will be our job to find and contain or destroy them.¡± She hesitantly looked at the inert dome hanging from a corner of the ceiling. Its usual red blinking light was off. ¡°Unless they¡¯re back on already. In which case, we¡¯re probably fucked, and Layla will need to pull strings to keep us out of trouble.¡± Selia studied him for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re on your own from here. I need to get out before the security team comes in or the cameras come online again.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Nil raised an eyebrow, shakily rising to his feet. ¡°Phase me out of here. This place is going to come down on my head.¡± He pointed beyond the shielded glass. Chunks of the ceiling had started to rain on the equipment and floor outside, and minute cracks spread across the connected wall. ¡°No. You wanted plausible deniability. Take a quest or use your teleport to the Nexus. Disappear for a few days and come back later, claiming you were worried the shielding wouldn¡¯t protect you. The fuckers will struggle to pin anything on you. Either way, the lawyers will be too busy trying to cover their butts.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s not the worst idea,¡± Nil said. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Selia smiled, suddenly adopting a playful¡ªalmost flirtatious tone. ¡°Anything for you, handsome.¡± ¡°Okay, two favors. First of all, stop that. I get that you want me to ask you out. Things will, hopefully, be less crazy after this, and I will. Just give me time.¡± Selia¡¯s smile broadened into a grin as she spoke. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether she had seen so much horror that the surrounding chaos didn¡¯t phase her or the woman was plain old crazy. ¡°The primary favor: check on Andrew. His signal cut out, and I¡¯m worried Symbiotech found it and sent a team after him. Just ensure he¡¯s alright. Please.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Selia pecked him on the cheek, turned on her heel, and ran through a nearby wall, disappearing into the now trembling building.. Nil didn¡¯t stick around for long. He followed Selia¡¯s advice and used the weekly available teleport to the Nexus. It dropped him off at the Fountain of Pyrene, and he spent fifteen Schema Credits on its services straight away. Within seconds, he felt as right as rain. The residual discomfort from the match faded too. One thing was for sure. Something had changed besides the Cursed Energy leaving him, and the Schema interface confirmed it. Feats: Nil felt relieved but also empty. It wasn¡¯t just Haunting Visage that had disappeared but Restless In Body And Mind too, and he needed to know why. More importantly, he was desperate to know Layla¡¯s game plan going forward. If the symbiotes learned to survive on Earth, there would certainly be chaos. He doubted they¡¯d sit inert and die. Civilian lives were likely at stake. 92. A Job Well Done You have earned 6 Schema Tokens! You have earned 1000 Schema Credits! ¡°That¡¯s a lot more than I was expecting,¡± Nil said, immediately deciding to bank all of the tokens. When he first started as a Summoned, he raced toward using all his resources to maximize his attributes. However, he now had access to the Moon Rabbit Emporium and still had their Spirit Pill. Given how the Body Pill accelerated his attribute growth, he wanted to push Spark with cultivation first. Naturally increasing attributes got harder with each rank, so he hoped to delay using the tokens for as long as possible. ¡°It''s well deserved,¡± Layla replied. She flicked through several visible schema interfaces. Nil spotted Katherine and Susan¡¯s names on a couple of them. He suspected the display was partially for his benefit. ¡°I know things didn¡¯t go exactly as planned or as we expected, but the results are still excellent.¡± ¡°Really? There is possibly a monster running around London that wants to assimilate me. I know no one could¡¯ve predicted this, but it certainly doesn¡¯t feel excellent.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve arranged for you and your family to move into the new ludus straight away. Not everything will be up and ready, but you¡¯ll have arcane security capable of keeping such entities at bay.¡± ¡°Is that legal?¡± Nil asked, eyebrows raised. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the government and Nexus regulate what magic can exist on Earth?¡± ¡°Only on territory that counts as Earth.¡± Layla grinned. ¡°Most wouldn¡¯t consider this ethical, but we disguised our purchase as an Apocalypse Arena property. The construct agreed to go along with it as long as we host bi-annual minor qualifiers¡ªjust solo and duo tournaments from the smaller private luduses.¡± She pulled up a familiar image. It was the old Arsenal stadium near Highbury and Islington Station. The popular football club had fallen apart five years after the fall of the British football league. ¡°It¡¯s not the worst idea. We don¡¯t have the many legitimate means to earn local currency without revealing the ludus¡¯ true affiliation and ownership. Hosting Mortal Realm events will be a great way of counteracting that.¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s enough to cover the Nexus¡¯ tracks? Wouldn¡¯t it be better just openly to admit that it¡¯s a Nexus ludus?¡± Layla shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just a caseworker and middle manager. The higher-up''s machinations are beyond me. I suppose there is a bunch of politics involved, and the Nexus can¡¯t afford to be seen favoring one country to bring higher magic to Earth. It''s none of our concern. Just maintain confidentiality. We need to limit who has what information.¡± ¡°Katherine knows and is going to be working for an intelligence agency instead of the Nexus. She could very well leak everything she knows.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve dealt with that already. She has enough incentive not to reveal anything about the current missions or our ludus. Her Summoned status is on the line, and losing it might impact her new career.¡± ¡°This is a lot to process, but I suppose if you¡¯ve got protections for my family and me, I won¡¯t have to worry about this too much. Are you putting together a team to look into the escape symbiotes and perhaps investigate them?¡± ¡°We are, but we don¡¯t need you just yet,¡± Layla answered. ¡°I have something else for you.¡± She failed to hide her displeasure as she continued. ¡°Please understand that this quest offer came from up top, and I petitioned against it but was shot down.¡± Objective: Challenge and eliminate any three of the following Summoned in the Death Gauntlet. Rewards: 5 Schema Tokens and 1000 Schema Credits per elimination Bonuses available. ¡°This is a hitlist.¡± Nil frowned, reading through the list. He recognized several names. Festus had highlighted some of them as Death Gauntlet regulars who refused to move on to the Bronze Gauntlet. ¡°Are these people who¡¯ve been working with Symbiotech?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been doing a lot more than that,¡± Layla answered. ¡°They¡¯re involved in finding test candidates for them too. The bastards also have more blood on their hands than most vampires.¡± She lowered her voice and leaned across the table. ¡°You don¡¯t have to accept the quest. You¡¯ve done enough to gain residence in our ludus. There will be other jobs.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, but I¡¯ll tell you now. I have no interest in risking my life in Death Gauntlet. I¡¯ll give the Gauntlet of Ten another shot. Failing that, I¡¯ll climb using the basic point system.¡± Nil pushed the Schema interface aside, disgusted by the idea of becoming a hitman. He understood that the job needed to be done, but going into the Death Gauntlet with the express objective of killing people felt wrong. ¡°There¡¯s something else I wanted to discuss.¡± ¡°Losing feats?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I get that the symbiote took Haunting Visage and Restless In Body And Mind. They were both born of Cursed Energy. But why did it leave Armmaster¡¯s Disappointment behind?¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°The trait is intimately tied to your power seed. Brutal Battery is what it is because of it. It probably tried, and is probably why you felt like you were having a heart attack.¡± ¡°Could it have succeeded?¡± Layla shook her head. ¡°It might¡¯ve succeeded at killing you, but separating a person from their power seed is impossible. You shouldn¡¯t worry about it. The symbiote can¡¯t do it without Symbiotech¡¯s machine, and it''s been destroyed. We¡¯re now working with your government to scour and dismantle the building and all of Symbiotech¡¯s other assets. Their illegal tech and operations have been exposed. Katherine Park has also ensured the news gets out and can¡¯t be suppressed. It¡¯s a shame she won¡¯t be working for us. Katherine is resourceful and an excellent investigator.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Nil sighed, ignoring the topic of Katherine. He didn¡¯t want to think about it or discuss her. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll spend a day or two exploring the Nexus Market and then head home. Food for my spirit companion and some cultivation materials would be great.¡± ¡°Why not just go on a quest?¡± Layla asked. ¡°It¡¯s better than wasting time doing nothing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can focus on much, not knowing what happened with Andrew. Our communication cut out abruptly, and I worry Symbiotech¡¯s Summoned security was after him.¡± ¡°They were.¡± Layla smiled. He almost sighted a hint of mischief on her face. ¡°But we got him out of there.¡± Nil¡¯s eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat. ¡°Andrew finally got Summoned?¡± The caseworker nodded. ¡°We parted ways just minutes before you arrived. He¡¯s done a great service to the Nexus and is being paid in kind. We¡¯re taking care of the scrapyard and his assets, and he¡¯ll move into the new ludus as soon as he finishes his quest. It will be a while, though. We sent him on a long-term quest. Would you like to visit him?¡± ¡°Of course?! Is he in trouble? Is there a quest there?¡± ¡°He¡¯s apprenticing under a sought-after Soul Smith. The woman constantly has Scourge Champions, agents, and local powers pursuing her for her services. Many are aggressive enough for the Nexus and the Control Worlds to interfere. She¡¯s stubborn and refuses to move to a Control World, you see. Since she¡¯s such a valuable resource, we often have to send Summoned to assist her with research or for protection. Individuals interested in soul weapons can especially benefit from the quests. Your friend Sakura spent a few weeks protecting him too. You saw her ego sword at play. Samara does beautiful work.¡± Nil glanced at his arms. He could feel the unformed soul weapon more than ever. It seemed the Cursed Energy had muted their connection. And the visage probably had much to do with the interference. The Fountain of Pyrene had healed him but done nothing for the emptiness in his forearms. The soul weapon was trying to stir but was too ravaged to do so. He needed someone to undo whatever Symbiotech did and then help him rebuild it from the ground up. Something like Sakura¡¯s weapon would be amazing, but Nil knew better than to expect much. He had a defective tool, after all. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go,¡± Nil said. ¡°I would even if Andrew weren¡¯t at risk.¡± He wanted to see his friend, tell him about the unexpected turn of events, and celebrate his rise to the status of Summoned. It seemed he was now a Summoned and not just any kind but one under the tutelage of a Soul Smith¡ªwhatever that was. ¡°A friend and neighbor capable of tinkering with soul weapons will be an excellent asset,¡± Layla replied, leaning back in her chair and smiling. She seemed satisfied with herself. Her clone and the floating hands working around the office brightened. Nil hadn¡¯t noticed before, but they had dimmed, losing luster when she spoke of his new quest. ¡°There are a couple of more details we need to go over. Then, I¡¯ll send you on your way.¡± Nil was pleased to learn that the Nexus had gone into a great deal of effort to protect him and all other Nexus employees on the quest from legal backlash. He didn¡¯t understand the legalese, and Layla appeared to be reading off a script too. But the gist of it was that any leaked information didn¡¯t count as violating any NDAs or industrial espionage. The company, Doctor Shina Patel, her employees, and all affiliates were officially involved in criminal activities and in violation of Nexus¡¯ accords with the British government. If Symbiotech¡¯s backers or investors discovered that Nil and his associates were in any way involved in the company¡¯s collapse, they couldn¡¯t come after them using legal routes. The discovery put Nil¡¯s mind at ease. Next came the paperwork involved with the new ludus, his family¡¯s residency, and all the people Nil had recommended for the jobs. Everyone on his list had received the Nexus¡¯ approval. There was some friction regarding Isabella¡¯s hiring, but Layla¡¯s bosses changed their minds when he declared her essential for his training. Since Nil had brought the Cursed Energy and Symbiotech issue to light, it appeared he had won their favor, and the higher-ups were keen to please him. However, the new quest suggested that their expectations of him were uncomfortably high, and they expected him to cross lines and complete tasks he didn¡¯t particularly want to engage in. However, Nil understood the need to remove people like Pietro from the equation. The man had given him a bad feeling during their first meeting. His involvement in Cursed Energy harvesting operation and finding innocent lab rats perturbed Nil. It was vital people like him be stopped. Otherwise, he¡¯d continue to kill people for sport in Death Gauntlet and find other avenues to use his skills. The fact that all the people on the list had corrupted soul weapons and probably symbiotes brimming with Cursed Energy also made them ticking time bombs. Most would probably be far more dangerous than Fatima if they had a mental break. Apparently, there were far more than what was on the list. The eight were the only individuals operating in the Iron Realm. Layla suspected there were a few in the Bronze Gauntlet and even more that weren¡¯t potent enough to get involved in the arena. The failed and unstable test subjects were one bad day away from causing an event like the one that took Aisha¡¯s life. The more Nil thought, the clearer it became that getting rid of people like Pietro was a necessary task. The Nexus was right to offer the quest. Nil didn¡¯t know yet whether he wanted to be involved in the operation. The last quest had already endangered lives and livelihoods. The unexpected results would likely get a bunch of people killed. Nil wasn¡¯t sure whether he wanted more blood on his hands. Indecision is going to fucking haunt me, isn¡¯t it? Nil took solace in the fact that he didn¡¯t need to make the decision straight away. Besides, he wasn¡¯t strong enough to embark on such a journey just yet. He needed to get used to his Bronze Realm body, get better with his new gifts and traits, and improve his combat skills before risking it all in the Death Gauntlet. 93. Soul Tinker Even though Nil had lost Restless In Body And Mind, his senses felt sharper than ever. Besides the titanic increase in Brutal Battery¡¯s capacity, Nil lacked the means and understanding to measure how an increase in Spark affected him. The case wasn¡¯t the same for Finesse. It wasn¡¯t just his senses that were sharpened. Nil could now move comfortably with supercharged speed without focusing on keeping balance or looking out where he put his feet. The increased control over himself felt incredible. Pushing the ability with additional energy still required using Absorb and a modicum of focus, but it wasn¡¯t too big of a deal. Nil usually switched to supercharging strength or durability when in melee combat, but he no longer felt it necessary. Now, he believed that additional speed with bursts of Expend would suffice. The increased Finesse also made him feel more confident about using kicks in combat. He often used low kicks, targeting shins or knees, but felt that anything more left the rest of him too open and vulnerable. Nil no longer had such concerns, as he roundhoused a Cursed One in the face. It was the fifth day of his two-week-long quest. Nil spent the scorching daylight hours sleeping, relaxing, or cultivating in Samara Khan¡¯s underground city. Then, once darkness came, his guard duty began. So far, he had faced nothing but Cursed Ones, no stronger than the entity from the specimen from his first quest. They came in a variety of shapes and sizes, but so far, none had posed much of a risk to him. He had little trouble taking them out alone. The roundhouse kick snapped the hulking wendigo-like creature¡¯s head to the side, cracking the bony armor and sending shards flying across the stony ground outside the caves. Supercharged speed combined with Expend-enhanced movements were enough to knock the monster on its side. Nil released a trickle of energy through his hands and plunged it into the beast¡¯s torso. Energy Instinct had helped him pinpoint the heart¡¯s location as soon as the fight began. He grasped it, gritting his teeth through the burning pain, and ripped the organ out. The creature thrashed for a moment but stilled as soon as he destroyed it. Next, Nil turned his attention to its smaller companions. The pair of donkey-sized canines had looped around him and attempted to infiltrate the mines. Soul Smith Samara Khan relied on them for her experiments and creations and had a town¡¯s worth of employees residing in the adjoining caves. They were the reason why she refused to move to a Control World. Andrew and a handful of armed guards blocked the creatures, keeping the beasts from getting to the non-combatants. An empowered stride propelled Nil toward his targets. His hand burned from the Expend and the Cursed One¡¯s volcanic interiors. It was tempting to pause and use the burn ointments from Moon Rabbit Emporium. He had sampled it at the start of the quest, and the ointment¡¯s potency put Symbiotech¡¯s creation to shame. Nil resisted. The container was a sample, and as a result, its volume was low. Samara had a healer on staff, and her services would suffice. The first fell to an axe kick. He shattered the beast¡¯s spine, and it collapsed. The beast tried dragging itself away using its still functional forelimbs. A spear-wielding guard fell upon it, thrusting the torso repeatedly until one of them found the heart. Meanwhile, Nil and Andrew took the other out together. The latter¡¯s ability didn¡¯t give him any combat power. However, Soul Tinker¡ªwhich Samara called an artificing ability¡ªgave Andrew the power to build internal magic stores and use them to create or fuel his creations. It also extended to the creation, modification, and repair of soul weapons. Andrew lacked the know-how and experience to fix the seed in Nil¡¯s arms, but he had fashioned himself a rudimentary double-barrel magic shotgun. It took several minutes to charge but proved sufficient as a non-combatant defensive tool. He blew the beast¡¯s face and forelimb armor off while pushing it away. Nil hopped into the gap between his friend and the monster and grappled it onto its front. Expend-powered blows proved enough to break limbs and ribs. He backed away once the little Cursed One was disabled. A fiery glow leaked through the monster¡¯s skin, high on its right breast, revealing its heart¡¯s location. A guard finished it off, saving Nil from plunging his hands into the monster¡¯s slag-filled interiors. Once they were sure no Cursed Ones or Agents of the Scourge hid in the dunes outside, the settlement¡¯s healer rushed out of the main entrance. She made a beeline for Nil and held Nil¡¯s scorched appendage between her hands. A green-gold light flowed from them and the screaming nerves calmed straight away. The burnt skin and flesh started flaking away a moment later. The woman frowned at him, but before she could start reprimanding him, angry squeaking came from between her feet. Meatball looked up at Nil, mouth bloody, carapace cracked, and a mangled snake-like creature by her side. It had bony spikes running along its spine and armoring around the upper jaw. The magic leaking from it and the slag leaking from its ripped-open chest suggested it was a variety of Cursed One. That meant the blood on Meatball was her own. He saw burns on the carapace but no open wounds. He guessed her innate regeneration had already taken care of them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ladies,¡± Nil said, flashing the healer and Meatball an apologetic smile. The whelp continued its angry squeaks and even smacked his shin with a tentacle. She only paused every now and again to rip the flesh off her kill and consume it. ¡°I know I could¡¯ve taken the beast down without hurting myself, but I wanted to end things as soon as possible. It''s been a long night, and dawn is almost here. I doubt we have any more monsters coming tonight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no excuse to hurt yourself,¡± the woman said. She appeared a couple of years younger than him and had similar skin, a long-hooked nose, and bright green eyes. The features gave her a Middle Eastern complexion similar to Samara¡¯s and most of her employees. ¡°I told you to just disable them. The guards can safely dispatch them afterward.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Meera. I promise to be careful for the rest of the quest.¡± Meera rolled her eyes and focused her attention on her healing spell. The woman served as the settlement¡¯s primary healer while her brother was in charge of its security. The man stood talking to his men near the cavemouth, shooting Nil glares. It seemed Siddiq had a dislike for Summoneds. He appeared to hate the fact that Samara didn¡¯t trust him and his soldiers alone for protection and insisted on using Summoned too. The excuse that she needed them for her soul weapon testing and creation didn¡¯t seem enough to placate him. ¡°I know it''s more work for you, Meera, but Nil should continue as he has,¡± Samara stated, strolling out of the cave. She flashed him an encouraging smile, and Meatball¡¯s squeaks ceased. She sped up her consumption of the Cursed One¡¯s flesh since Samara didn¡¯t approve of the act and would likely confiscate the corpse for butchering and material extraction. The woman appeared in her mid-forties, but according to Layla, she had several centuries under her belt. Soul smithing and the seed world¡¯s version of cultivation had significantly slowed her aging. ¡°This is all vital data for soul-weapon creation. Don¡¯t you think so, Andrew?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Andrew beamed. He held his shotgun like a baby as he joined them. ¡°We¡¯re almost ready to repair the seed and revert Symbiotech¡¯s modifications. Then the soul weapon creation can begin.¡± ¡°Are you sure about your decision?¡± Samara asked for the hundredth time. ¡°I can tweak the seed to become more armor or weapon-focused. A hybrid is versatile, but it does neither extraordinarily well.¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not a master of defense or offense. I believe I¡¯m most potent when I maintain a balance of both. Starting with a hybrid chassis will be best. Then we can decide what I need most and proceed accordingly.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Samara nodded. ¡°It''s your soul weapon, and the decision is yours. I¡¯m mostly concerned because of everything the seed has endured and whether it will develop well after all the trauma. Hopefully, it will have no trouble adapting to your power seed and give you precisely what you want and need.¡± As dawn approached, everybody retreated into the cavernous settlement, and the exits were sealed. The unbearable desert heat made stepping outside impossible for the unascended. Heatstroke awaited all. Samara¡¯s cooling enchantments activated once all exits had been sealed, maintaining a comfortable temperature inside. Nil ate with the guards, and then everybody retired to their sleeping quarters. The day shift¡ªa smaller contingent of guards and a Summoned knight from an alien Earth¡ªdescended into the cave system below with the miners. They worked during the day, gathering materials. He appeared uninterested in socializing with Nil and Andrew and was only present for his quest and soul-weapon-chassis creation. Apparently, the Nexus had sent him on a six-month-long quest. The evening shift worked the smelters and forges to help heat the settlement during the frigid nights. Samara and Andrew worked with them while Nil joined the watch. It was by far the most relaxed and easiest quest he had ever been on. In fact, it almost felt like a vacation. At Bronze Realm, Nil found himself fully refreshed with significantly less sleep. His calorie needs hadn¡¯t multiplied, quashing his worries and making the ascension even more pleasant. He especially enjoyed the extra hour he had every day. Samara¡¯s home sat over a well of power, making the area rich with magic. Nil made the most of the opportunity, cultivating it whenever he had a spare minute. He hadn¡¯t seen any increase in attributes since his arrival. However, the new feat¨CPrimal Origins- combined with Energy Instinct made circulating energy significantly easier. The lack of Cursed Energy in his arms also opened several channels, giving the swimming tiger more ground to cover. It made the process easier since the reeds and obstacles in the image¡¯s path were significantly reduced. Nil guessed it was a matter of distribution. The tiger could move more freely since the reeds and aquatic flora weren¡¯t as concentrated. The infrequent obstacles also gave it enough room to pick up speed and maintain it for longer. When Andrew wasn¡¯t working under Samara¡¯s tutelage or trying to improve his designs for a better personal protection weapon, he sat with Nil, trying to learn the basics of cultivation. ¡°This really isn¡¯t fair,¡± Nil commented, studying his friend with Energy Instinct¡¯s full capabilities. He detected the slow passage of silvery vapors flowing through Andrew¡¯s body and a small cloud gathering just below his navel. ¡°It took a quest, studying manuals, and getting the ability to grasp this, and you¡¯ve managed it in a matter of hours.¡± ¡°It''s not my fault I¡¯m amazing.¡± Andrew grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Half of Soul Tinker¡¯s power involves managing the flow, containment, and conversion of energies. It¡¯s probably unintended, but it¡¯s almost built for cultivation. On the downside, I don¡¯t have any offensive or defensive abilities. So, I¡¯ll need to almost exclusively rely on my creations.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an artisan. It¡¯s unlikely you¡¯ll get many quests that involve directly getting involved in combat¡ª¡± ¡°Unless you invite me for group quests. I¡¯m your guy in the chair, Sunny-boi. I hope you won¡¯t fire me just because I¡¯m a Summoned and an artisan.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, but you¡¯ll need to play catch up first,¡± Nil said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about abilities. Given your Mind attribute and potential, you¡¯ll have no trouble picking up a few spells.¡± Nil was happy for his friend but couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of his friend¡¯s starting attributes and potential. He received significant bonuses from Nexus for his assistance in the Symbiotech quest. Soul Tinker: Mortal 4 Andrew had used his bonuses to increase the potential of all of his attributes except Might. Apparently, Layla half-expected him to dedicate them all to Mind and Spark to become a mage. She claimed it was the path most individuals from their Earth favored. Instead, Andrew had insisted on arranging the potentials for the best chance at an artisanal ability, and the Schema offered him two. On the downside, the Nexus had sent him on a long-term quest with no discernable end date. Neither Andrew nor Nil knew when Andrew would return home. It was all in Samara Khan¡¯s hands. Andrew wanted to get back to Susan, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind much. The quest reward involved two Iron Ascension Tokens, several Schema Tokens, and a bunch of credit. More importantly, he was having a ball pursuing his dreams. 94. Soulsmiths Workshop On the seventh day after the quest¡¯s beginning, Samara Khan summoned Nil to her workshop. It sat across near the forges just off the settlement¡¯s central gardens. Several similar spaces littered the cave system. Plants alien to the outer desert biome filled it, growing under the light or magical sunlamps. Some grew food for the residents. Others served as grazing and living areas for the camels. The beasts provided milk and also acted as beasts of burden for when Samara needed to visit the cities across the dunes. Nil passed the underground river, waving at the fishermen in charge of the settlement¡¯s protein acquirement, and entered the soul-smithing workshop. Workstations lined the wall, and a giant octagonal table sat at its center. Nil didn¡¯t know what to make of any of it. It was more alien to him than the equipment in Symbiotech¡¯s labs. He could make educated guesses about them, but now, he knew nothing more than what Energy Instinct detected, a mixture of colors, temperatures, and odd textural sensations. Andrew stood at a corner workstation working on a tiny sphere that thrummed with the same silver energy he fired from his shotgun. The object of his focus appeared damaged and warped. His efforts seemed focused on repairing it while restoring the fine inscriptions carved into it. Meanwhile, Alexander cultivated as he worked. In fact, the wispy energy¡¯s movements were far more fluid and controlled than two days prior. Andrew¡¯s ¡®core¡¯ still lacked definition and resembled an amorphous cloud, but Nil was confident it wouldn¡¯t take long for the talented man to catch up. The childhood friends hoped to go on group quests together. Andrew planned on providing equipment, long-ranged backup, and support to the team. He had plans of building himself a variety of weapons like handguns, shotguns, and even a rifle. The Schema hadn¡¯t given him any abilities to assist with marksmanship, but they hoped his Finesse would make up for it. Andrew had also joked about building himself magical power armor or a mech. It was mostly in jest. Investigation, research, and invention were his priority. Before Nil could get distracted by the mystical artisanal activities, Samara waved him over. She stood at the stone octagonal table, fingers dancing over several arcane symbols that the Schema failed to translate. ¡°It was a challenge,¡± she said. The lights rising from the table merged, forming a holographic image of a sphere not too different from what Alexander was working on. ¡°It''s a miracle the seed survived this long and didn¡¯t collapse or turn on you before. I was expecting more warping from the Cursed Energy, permanent changes, or residue. But it looks like something stripped out the innards.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell whether this is good or bad news,¡± Nil replied, studying the sphere closely. It looked like someone had taken a crowbar to it and forced a section of it open, leaving a jagged piece that jutted out of the top hemisphere. ¡°It''s good news.¡± Samara ran her fingers over the runes, and the jagged piece softened and slowly wove itself over the opening. ¡°I can fix the damage, and if the process is successful, a new consciousness will form within. It''s likely the soul weapon won¡¯t have any extraordinary or useful starting abilities. Still, because the shell is almost a decade old, it will grow rapidly and catch up to you soon.¡± ¡°Will the seed be able to support the chassis that I want?¡± Samara nodded. As her fingers worked, more lights flowed up from the table and solidified around the sphere. It grew and pulsed, forming a pair of simple gauntlets. Nil wanted something that would cover his arms down to the elbows and give him the means to catch or block blows even while Expending. He had a few ideas for developing it further to use with Expend, but that would come in time¡ªfirst, the restoration process needed to succeed. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet about your energy blade or funnel ideas, but the basic chassis should be no trouble at all,¡± Samara answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying your fighting style and how you use your abilities. The chassis I have planned should do precisely what you desire.¡± She nodded at Andrew. ¡°If that friend of yours turns out half as good as a soul''s might he thinks he will be, he¡¯ll have no trouble making the modifications you want and developing further as the soul weapon, and you grow.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Nil gleamed, his heart fluttering. ¡°When do we start?¡± ¡°Now, if you want. I¡¯ll ask you again, though. Are you sure this is what you want? I could fashion this into armor to protect against magic, perhaps even convert some of it into energy for you to use. Or perhaps some sort of launcher weapon to give you ranged options.¡± ¡°Could I get those as the soul weapon grows?¡± ¡°The latter should be possible, and given Andrew¡¯s fascination with the idea, he¡¯ll have no trouble developing something of the sort. I don¡¯t know about armor, though. You might get some defensive capabilities, but things like magic absorption and conversion are limited to exclusively defensive soul tools.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather bet on my ability to develop a suitable sub-ability than dedicate the entire soul weapon to it. For now, I want something that will give me some protection while I¡¯m Expending and more offence while Absorbing.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Samara stated. She tapped the runes on her octagonal table, and the chassis shape somewhat solidified. The joints slotted into each other comfortably. The image came to life, and everything moved fluidly. A tap made the gauntlet¡¯s fingers break into segments, which retracted into the knuckles. ¡°You know your fighting style and needs better than me. I hope it starts off as more than an ordinary chassis and blends well with your power seed. Should we get started?¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The soul smith didn¡¯t wait for an answer. She waved to a cot surrounded by workstations. Runes covered the floor and the stone frame as well. Nil lay down in it and expected to be knocked out, but an electric feeling coursed through his body instead. Arcane tendrils wrapped around Nil¡¯s arms and seeped through his skin. Nil struggled to get his head around how the soul weapon existed in both of his arms simultaneously. Samara¡¯s magic appeared to move as one, but he felt it move in two places at once. The odd sensation toed the line between uncomfortable and soothing. An alien presence had entered his body, but it was more a comforting embrace than an uncomfortable probe. The soul weapon¡¯s seed thrummed. Even though it didn¡¯t exist in the physical realm, Nil felt the flesh in his arms squirm. Samara¡¯s magic softened the unformed seed before unraveling. The sphere blossomed like a tulip before Samara¡¯s magic delicately patched the damage Symbiotech caused and manipulated the seed back to its original shape. It was a slow process, and she encouraged him to cultivate during the process. The energy circulating through the seed kept it nourished during the process. Occasionally, Samara told him to focus and increase the flow. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether it was because his control and consistency faltered or the soul weapon needed a little push to survive the patching. A cascade of images flowed through Nil¡¯s mind. It wasn¡¯t the tiger swimming through the cavernous mangrove swamps but limbs. Instead, he also saw himself wearing a pair of bestial, clawed gauntlets and fighting a beast three times his size. A tiger as tall as Nil¡¯s opponent towered behind him. It didn¡¯t attack but watched Nil fight his opponent, eyes glowing with green and gold. Rip And Tear. The tiger disappeared, and a giant humanoid entity with a ram¡¯s head and horns replaced it. The creature was wide and squat with no neck. It nodded at the giant furnace. Nil saw himself staring into the blinding white and yellow pouring from the one opening. The gauntlets he wore were significantly heavier. The Nil in the vision reached into the forge and withdrew a sphere brighter than the sun. It cooled rapidly, transitioning from white to blue to yellow. The gauntlets glowed orange, and sweat poured down their wielder¡¯s face. Most curious of all, the sphere floated a couple of inches above the palms. Not making contact. Forge Worlds. In the following image, a similar creature accompanied Nil. It wasn¡¯t as stoic, and its presence didn¡¯t radiate encouragement¡ªonly rage. The pair faced no opponent. A vast wasteland of black rock, lava, and flames lay ahead. When the creature growled, the earth and sky trembled. Nil nodded and pounded the ground. The stones under his feet shattered, and fissures spread from the point of impact. He wore no gauntlets. Instead, thick chains covered in fiery veins covered them. Or Break Them. Nil saw himself in a gladiatorial arena next. Waves of monsters in all shapes and sizes charged at him. Some resembled the entities that had supported him in the previous visions. Others were so alien Nil didn¡¯t know how to describe them. As he faced them, the gauntlets transformed. One moment, they were thick and stony as lightning danced around him. A creature flanked Nil and chomped down on Nil¡¯s right arm. The gauntlet broke into several banded sections, and spikes grew out of them. The bands spun, shredding the insides of the monster¡¯s mouth. Adapt. The scene didn¡¯t change, but the gauntlet and the aura of them changed again. The armoring appeared cylindrical and had a manacle-like appearance about them. When the Nil in the vision held the two gauntlets together, they seemed to merge, and a barrel extended from between the cupped fingers. A beam of energy fired from it and cut through all opponents. The Nil in the vision appeared deflated. He swayed on his feet for a moment before crumbling. Exterminate. Another tremor followed, but no visions accompanied it. When Nil opened his eyes, he found himself back in Samara¡¯s workshop. Dust and stone chips rained from the ceiling. Samara stood locked above him, gritting her teeth as blood streamed down her temple. Meanwhile, her assistants raced around the room, looking and sounding panicked. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Nil demanded. He tried to sit up, but Samara¡¯s magic seemed to have multiplied the effects of gravity on and around him. ¡°We¡¯re under attack,¡± Andrew said through gritted teeth. Scratches covered his face and arms. Nil felt his childhood friend¡¯s newly gained magic intertwined with Samara¡¯s. The pair had weaved a thick lattice around his soul weapon seed. The sphere had a few scratches and blemishes, but the shape appeared near-perfect and had no holes. ¡°The fuckers are coming up from under us.¡± Nil tried to rise again but failed. The forces weighing him down faltered but still managed to keep him down. The outline of light, armored gauntlets shimmered around his forearms.¡± ¡°What¡¯re you doing? You guys did it. The seed is fixed. So, let me at it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your shift, Sunny-boi.¡± Andrew¡¯s voice sounded strained. He trembled. The exertion seemed too much for his Mortal-Realm body. ¡°The chassis isn¡¯t done forming, you dolt,¡± Samara grunted. ¡°If you go out now, the soul weapon will decide its final form for you. Trust the guards and Zorah. They¡¯re good at their jobs. We¡¯re almost¡ª¡± Another tremor interrupted her. A melon-sized chunk broke off the ceiling and broke on Samara¡¯s head. It knocked her down, and the weight pressing down on Nil disappeared. He jumped to his feet, and the headrush almost proved too much for him. Andrew caught him before he could fall. Meanwhile, Samara groaned as her assistants rushed to her aid. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like this Zorah is doing a good job,¡± Nil said, still feeling weak. ¡°Neither you nor the seed are stable, Nil,¡± Andrew said. Helping Nil to the nearest door frame as more chunks of ceiling fell around them. ¡°If you unleash your ability right now¡ª¡± ¡°Well, you better come with me and ensure nothing goes wrong.¡± He peeled himself free of Andrew and exited the workshop. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking idiot.¡± Despite the protests that followed, Andrew followed. 95. Shifting Soul ¡°Do you even know where you¡¯re going?¡± Andrew asked, panting as he followed Nil down the caverns. They spiraled and zig-zagged, heading deeper underground. Stairs occasionally made the descent easier, but in most instances, it was grey rock, smoothed by decades of traversal. ¡°This place is a fucking maze, and their signage makes zero sense.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to the caverns a couple of times before,¡± Nil replied. Unlike Andrew, he had no trouble regulating his breathing during the jogging pace. It wasn¡¯t just the difference in realms, but only one of them had spent the past few years regularly cardio-training. ¡°I¡¯m mostly following Energy Instinct.¡± ¡°That ability is fucking broken. Samara says Aether Manipulation is the pinnacle of sensing and controlling the flow of magic, and I can¡¯t sense squat over the manametal nodes.¡± ¡°Neither can I,¡± Nil replied. ¡°But the energy from them is fluctuating. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll sense it, too, once you have more practice and ascend the ability to Iron Realm.¡± Andrew fell quiet as they continued deeper into the cave system. He drew his latest creation, leaving the magic shotgun holstered at his waist. The new weapon resembled an antique revolver but had the characteristic luminous symbols, lines, and patterns of aethertech. At the same time, it looked like Andrew had used junk from around the settlement to assemble the device. You can take the man out of his scrapyard but not the scrapyard out of the man. The silly joke amused Nil, washing the last of the heaviness from the ritual out of his body. He caught himself just as he was about to scan his surroundings for the visage. A week had passed since it left his life, but he couldn¡¯t help but look for it every now and again. Meanwhile, the array of lines around his forearms had further solidified. It looked like he was wearing the line sketch of plate-armor gauntlets. They had lost some luminosity, now resembling dimming blue wire. When Nil grazed the walls, his fingertips didn¡¯t make contact with the rough surface. Instead, a few millimeters separated them, and the still-forming chassis shimmered for a moment. However, Nil could feel the texture of the stone through the gauntlet. The words from the visage continued to echo in his mind. Forge Worlds Nil struggled to tell whether it was memories of the recent experience or the soul weapon¡¯s attempts to communicate. Flashes of the visions accompanied the words. The luminous lines surrounding his forearms shifted marginally to match the gauntlet design he had seen. Most curious of it all was the timing of the change. The pair had just come upon a deep crevasse, and the bridge across it had crumbled. Does this mean I could shape the world around me? Nil didn¡¯t get much time to ponder the possibility. A grappling hook shot over his shoulder and attached to the ceiling on the other side of the gap. The tether attached to it glowed with arcane light. Andrew twisted a lever on the blunderbuss-like device connected to it and shot to the other side. Nil did the same with a minor Expend-powered leap. It wasn¡¯t long before they encountered a collapsed tunnel. Stone fragments floated off the pile and gravitated towards Nil¡¯s palm. None made contact with the gauntlet. Instead, they gathered as a tight orb just in front of it. Break Worlds The deep, booming voice spoke again, leaving Nil gritting his teeth. He willed the visions away as he pounded the obstacles. It didn¡¯t take him long to break through between exploding blows and disintegrating stones. A couple of luminous lines broke away from the central shape and solidified as sparse outlines of chains. The soul weapon¡¯s new half-baked form was closer to the form designed for shattering the earth than dealing with the forge. ¡°We interrupted the process,¡± Andrew explained, studying the shifting soul weapon as Nil worked through the collapse. He occasionally shot worrying glances at the trembling ceiling. There was always a chance that Nil¡¯s efforts would cause a further collapse and bury them. Nil guessed his friend didn¡¯t stop him since there were miners, guards, and others below who likely needed rescuing. ¡°The gauntlet and Schema have interacted once again and found the possible paths for you. But you haven¡¯t communicated and settled on something yet.¡± ¡°I figured as much,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I checked my Schema interface. There is a blank notification. I think that was supposed to be the prompt for a soul weapon path and starting ability. Is it fucked for good? Can we complete this later?¡± Andrew shrugged. ¡°How should I know?¡± He paused. Andrew looked over his shoulder at the dark passage behind them before rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m not pissed. Just stressed.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve got a head injury.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the pair to break through the obstacle, and then they were on their way down again. The sound of battle and screams of terror rang in the distance, echoing through the narrow passageways and distorted by all that lay between Nil and the source. The constantly falling debris ensured Nil had no trouble keeping his energy stores topped up. Even though it slowed his progress, he kept Andrew ahead of him to ensure collapses didn¡¯t kill or maim him. Supercharging speed and Bronze-Realm Finesse helped clear falling threats in time. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Andrew, as usual, never failed to impress Nil. Despite being in the Mortal Realm and newly ascended, he just about avoided most threats without assistance. Nil kept a close eye on his buddy and took the time to recover from Samara¡¯s ritual. Every step and passing second helped him feel more like himself. Simultaneously, the soul weapon felt more solid and alive. Faint chains dangled from his arms and dangled after him. In a couple of instances, he swung them into falling debris and turned the stones into gravel and dust. ¡°Nil! Andrew!¡± A familiar voice called as the tunnel opened into a large cavern. It was one of Samara¡¯s assistants. An overturned wheelbarrow lay next to her. Its contents, rough, luminous blue crystals, lay strewn across the floor. A bridge extended across the cavern, and one of its support structures had collapsed, breaking a wheelbarrow wheel and trapping her leg. ¡°Help!¡± Freeing her was no effort at all. Though heavy for a mortal, Nil moved the rubble without the assistance of Expend or Toggled Supercharging. Meanwhile, Andrew pulled the woman away from the edge. ¡°I got you,¡± Andrew. Much to Nil¡¯s frustration, Andrew chose to pause and help the woman instead of rushing to the ongoing fight. Her situation didn¡¯t seem critical, and he wanted to move on. However, he refused to leave his friend behind. It wasn¡¯t just that Andrew was an Artisan and still in the Mortal Realm. His inexperience was most likely to get him killed. ¡°Do you know what happened?¡± Working the sous chef role required Nil to have fire safety and first-aid training. They proved useful now as he helped Andrew provide immediate care. It sped things up. ¡°Scourge Agents and Cursed Hounds,¡± she replied, sounding jittery. The woman winced as Nil had her tighten her own tourniquet. The wound on her calf wasn¡¯t serious, but that didn¡¯t mean slow blood loss wouldn¡¯t eventually be her death. The state of her leg meant she would struggle to leave the cave system alone. ¡°It''s been a while since the bastards tried to steal directly from the caverns. I wasn¡¯t going to let them succeed after last time.¡± The pair dragged the woman and her cart out of the cavern to the exit tunnel¡¯s mouth before continuing down. They didn¡¯t make it far before facing their first threat. Energy Instinct failed to detect the almost-skeletal, bat-dog hybrids that leaped from the darkness. Andrew blew a pair out of the air with his blunderbuss. Rip And Tear The translucent gauntlets transformed again. The chains faded before the angular armor grew longer and took on a more organic shape. It thickened around the wrists, and the fingers elongated. Luminescent claws extended from the fingertips, glowing with a crimson tinge, unlike the faint white lines that formed the still-incomplete soul weapon. An especially large Cursed Hound leaped from the shadows, maw wide open and dripping with vivid purple slime. Nil barely detected its presence. Fortunately, Iron-Realm Finesse and supercharged speed proved enough to dodge the attack and counter with a powerful swipe. The creature¡¯s gory insides sprayed Nil as the claws ripped and tore hide and flesh like they were made out of paper. Even though Nil had Absorb active, Brutal Battery¡¯s stores dipped as the claw¡¯s lights flared. Holy shit, this is amazing! The claws were barely an inch long and didn¡¯t go deep enough to damage internal organs or cause internal injuries. However, they proved sufficient for shredding flesh and breaking through defenses. The drain ceased as soon as Nil broke away from the beast. It faltered and swayed, struggling to stay upright as blood poured from the wounds and intestines peeked out. Orange slag accompanied the purple fluid. The two fluids spluttered and steamed as they mixed. Another specimen attacked Nil before he could put the beast down. They were smaller, and a couple of strikes proved enough to put them down. It felt strange to adjust to fighting with claws instead of fists, but Nil liked the soul weapon far more than the previous two. It would make for a perfect pick if future developments added greaves or boots with similar energy-powered claws to the soul weapon. However, it didn¡¯t feel like enough. Andrew supported Nil from the rear as they pushed forward. His mid-ranged blasts forced the larger and smarter beasts to slow and retreat. Nil appreciated the breathing room. The soul weapon seemed to sense Nil¡¯s thoughts and changed once again. The left gauntlet grew spinning spikes. Meanwhile, the other grew into a giant fist. The two arms appeared uneven, but the imbalance failed to throw Nil off balance. In fact, despite the bulk, he didn¡¯t feel their weight. Nil blocked with his left arm. The spikes shrunk into the gauntlet whenever there was the risk of damaging his person. The spinning bands sped up as soon as a beast closed its maw on the limb. Adjacent rings spun in opposite directions and had little trouble breaking teeth and shredding the insides of mouths. When Nil¡¯s instincts told him to feed energy to the right fist, he obeyed. It glowed red, and the strikes were almost half as devastating as the chained gauntlet. Adapt. Conceptually, Nil loved the idea of an adaptive chassis. However, it felt too reactive. He needed control and the ability to pick and choose his abilities. Unpredictable transformations could significantly hamper his fighting style. As the pair pushed, the sounds of Samara¡¯s soldiers, apprentices, and the other summoned fighting reached their ears. It was too much for them. The smaller, inhuman Cursed entities pushed past them, heading towards Nil and Andrew. It seemed they wanted to rush up the tunnels to the settlement above. Nil tried his best to control the adaptations using Energy Instinct and cultivation techniques, modifying the flow of energy passing through them. His attempts forced another transformation, and the soul weapon adopted a form he hadn¡¯t seen before. Wield The Source The new soul weapon resembled the world forger¡¯s gauntlets but sleeker. It seemed devoid of any bells or whistles or anything fancy. They looked like a pair of solid metal but organic arms, proportionally larger than Nil¡¯s. The endless horde of Cursed Hounds didn¡¯t give him the chance to think about it. Instead, he just fought. The chassis¡¯ ability became clear when Nil used Expend¡¯s alternate function. An especially large Cursed Hound refused to go down despite empowered punches. So, Nil chopped at it while focusing energy along the outside of his hand. A blade of wcrimson energy burst from the surface. It started at his wrist and extended six inches past his middle finger¡¯s tip. He felt energy seeping from all his fingers except the index and pinky. They were free to move while the conjured blade locked the rest in place. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores rapidly depleted as he cut through one hound after another. The horde no longer had him and Andrew at a standstill. Instead, the pair pushed forward much faster than before. It only lasted fifteen seconds. He had to dispel the blade and fight with Absorb on, letting the attacking beasts restore Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. Once they pushed him to near full. He conjured the blade again. But it wasn¡¯t just the blade. When Nil released an explosion of energy with a punch, a shockwave of energy burst forth. It disintegrated all within a six-foot cone. The attack consumed three-quarters of his stores. I like this. I will wield the source. 96. Lucrative Quest When Nil didn¡¯t question the current weapon¡¯s uses and compatibility and continued enjoying its gifts, the white lines faded, and the soul weapon solidified. The material around the hands and wrists resembled a regularly used and seasoned wok''s dark finish, like metal regularly charred by hot flames and extreme heat. The outer surface gathered a robust sheen further up the arm and almost resembled liquid tar at the elbow. It took several minutes for the shape to stabilize. The gauntlets no longer resembled armor but seamless organic arms. The joints lacked breaks, and the soul weapon looked like a single, solid piece. They were his arms but one-and-half times the thickness and length of his own. It covered the elbows too and jutted outwards at the elbow, tapering to a sharp point that lay flat against his tricep when Nil straightened his arm. Since no visions accompanied the source gauntlets, Nil didn''t understand its capabilities clearly, but he believed that it reacted to the energy flowing through them. The soul weapon appeared to sense his intention and react appropriately. The blades and blasts felt like only the tip of the soul weapon¡¯s potential. When the Cursed Hounds surrounded him and threatened to overwhelm Nil, he wished for a tool to repel them without a full-body Expend. Before he could turn to the only possible recourse, he felt the gauntlets convert a giant chunk of his source into something wild and more volatile. Then crimson lightning burst from the sides of his forearms and followed them like tassels. All enemy flesh and hide they touched burnt, and the afflicted creatures stumbled and spasmed. The damage appeared minimal, but the momentary reprieve gave Nil a moment to create the three-finger hand blades again. They didn''t disappear even when he switched from Expend to Absorb. Enemy blows only extended the conjurations¡¯ duration, letting him slice his opponent''s to bits. As the soul weapon''s chassis stabilized, all the energy conjurations adopted the same crimson as the lightning. It was a dark but gorgeous sight that continued the dark and savage theme of Brutal Battery. Best of all, no Expend uses through the gauntlets burned Nil. In fact, he felt no heat at all. The possibility of using the ability¡¯s offensive half without damaging himself excited Nil the most. He also noticed a tertiary function while fighting a trio of human foes. The source gauntlets helped Nil push past Brutal Battery¡¯s capacity momentarily. They stored a quarter of his maximum. Bright crimson veins ran along the length of the soul weapon. They rapidly faded unless Nil used the energy to fuel an attack. The battle only lasted fifteen minutes after Nil and Andrew joined it. They pushed through the masses of foes to the corner where all the miners, soldiers, and the other Summoned had gathered. Nil stayed at the front, defending everyone behind him. Only the archers, spitters, and casters got attacks past him. Thanks to Andrew, none stayed for long. Since he didn''t need to worry about getting flanked anymore, he sniped the distant foes, swiftly shifting the tides. ¡°Thank you,¡± Zorah said, panting. She had fought at Nil¡¯s flank, letting him lead the vanguard. Her right arm had hung limp at her side when he and Andrew joined the battle, forcing her to fight with her non-dominant arm. Blood trickled from it now, and she held it close to her side as she approached. ¡°I hate to admit it, but we wouldn¡¯t have made it without you. Far more than half a dozen would¡¯ve died if not for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short,¡± Nil told the woman, glad she finally found him worthy of conversation. ¡°You held the Scourge Agents and their minions back alone and ensured no one else fell. And you did it with only one arm and no soul weapon. I can honestly say, Zorah, such a feat is well beyond me.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed as she studied Nil for a moment. ¡°Take the compliment, weirdo.¡± Then she turned on her heel and walked away. ¡°You there! Get the dead and injured together.¡± Zorah pointed at a miner. ¡°Get all your equipment and mined crystals out of here. I want everything and everyone out of here in fifteen minutes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Zorah?¡± Andrew asked. He was far more familiar with the woman than Nil. He interacted with her often while helping Samara develop an appropriate soul weapon. ¡°Get everyone out. Start a fire. Then seal the cavern.¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± Nil frowned ¡°It''s the only idea,¡± Zorah answered. ¡°The Cursed corrupt the ground they die on. Bathing in sunlight or burning is the only way to prevent it. Would you rather we burn everything here or carry the hounds, beasts, and their masters to the surface.¡± Neither Nil nor Andrew questioned the decision. Samara had put her in charge of all-day defenses, especially protecting the mines. Apparently, she had experience with defending such spaces. It was her specialty, which was also why Samara had invited her for a long-term quest with a soul weapon seed and custom chassis. Andrew took advantage of the abundance of magic crystals and rigged a quick arcane circuit to power the carts. They rolled up the tunnels on their own, only requiring a guide to lead the way. Meanwhile, Nil assisted with the injured. Once the cavern was clear, Zorah had one of Samara¡¯s apprentices erect a barrier, sealing off everything but a face-sized hole. Before leaving, they had gathered all the flammable material and corpses at the center of the space. Zorah¡¯s fire-slinging ability proved enough to set it all ablaze. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Then, they started their ascent as a caravan. Nil and Andrew took the lead while Zorah brought up the rear. First aid had stopped her bleeding, but she appeared weak and far too spent to fight. ¡°Those are incredible,¡± Andrew commented, nodding at Nil¡¯s gauntlets. ¡°They¡¯re not Samara¡¯s design, are they?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°It almost feels like an amalgamation of them combined with soul weapon¡¯s will.¡± He glanced at his metal-encased arms. Following his will, the gauntlets turned mercurial, seeped through his pores, and disappeared into his forearms. ¡°It''s memory. I don¡¯t know how to articulate this or how I know it. But this seed has had a long life. It had a history before me and Symbiotech. Perhaps its current chassis is a fragment of its former self or born of something it learned and experienced during its previous adventures.¡± ¡°I was almost sure you¡¯d go for Rip and Tear or Forger of Worlds.¡± ¡°They were all tempting and had their benefits. Claws powered by Brutal Battery¡¯s energy seems incredible. But that would require me to learn an entirely new fighting style. Meanwhile, World Forger¡¯s powers couldn¡¯t be more different from mine, and the compatibility with Brutal Battery wasn¡¯t obvious. Absorb, Expend and martial arts already dominate all of my focus. Another ability would make it far too complicated.¡± ¡°Fair enough. World Forger involved gathering local material and infusing it with energy to create something more. Something else. The telekinesis thing was some minor form of gravity manipulation. I only peeked at the visions of Samara¡¯s creations, and she wasn¡¯t clear about her designs either. But it felt incredibly powerful and an almost perfect blend of offense, defense, and utility. You¡¯re right, though. It was an entirely new powerset, and you¡¯d have to split your attention and training a fair bit.¡± Andrew smiled sheepishly. ¡°It had artisanal elements. I guess I was just biased.¡± ¡°Adapt seemed incredible, but its reactive nature wasn¡¯t for me,¡± Nil continued. ¡°And I¡¯m not sure I quite got World Breaker.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there not to get?¡± ¡°The chassis is supposed to balance offense and defense. Rip and Tear did that with the armoring along the gauntlets, but it had nothing besides the chains.¡± ¡°I suppose entangling people is a sort of defense. Anyway, the source gauntlets seem perfect for you. Do you know what it is? The source.¡± ¡°I can sort of feel it, and it''s not quite magic or qi. The source feels like raw energy.¡± ¡°It''s raw cosmic energy,¡± Andrew said. ¡°The beginning of it all. It separates the universes and holds it all together.¡± Nil had nothing to say about the revelation. They completed the rest of their journey in silence. Nil had sent a runner ahead to let the settlement of the approaching returnees. Samara appeared to have already dispatched off-duty guards and healers. They met the approaching caravan during the final third of the ascent. The injured received immediate treatment, while the rest got to quench their thirst and fill their bellies. Once they reached the settlement, its remaining residents welcomed the caravan . Tears flowed as families claimed the dead. Some celebrated the victory. A few eagerly dug through the tools, weapons, clothing, and materials they had hastily gathered from the attackers. Samara directed them all, standing above the crowd. Everyone followed her instructions to the letter. She proved an excellent leader even during times of crisis. The settlement faced regular¡ªalmost daily attacks¡ªbut it was the first time Nil had seen her following a true disaster. When their eyes met, she mouthed ¡®tomorrow.¡¯ She waved Andrew over, and he rushed to her eagerly. The new Summoned had taken to his education eagerly and rushed to Samara, leaving Nil alone. He ate, washed, and retired to his quarters. Only a handful of hours remained until his shift began. Engrossed with the soul weapon¡¯s developments, Nil had forgotten about Meatball. After spending time with her on the quest, he trusted the whelp to survive and was pleased to find her waiting for him. Samara had arranged a large trough full of cave dirt, and Meatball sat in it with a Cursed Hound¡¯s leg. Sprouting luminous flora somewhat masked the twisted flesh¡¯s scent, and Nil left his spirit companion to her meal. Finally, he checked his Schema interface. Several notifications demanded Nil¡¯s attention during the battle, and he brushed them aside. Now, he finally checked his interface, and the changes surprised and pleased him. Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Iron 0! The base energy cost per second is reduced by twenty percent. Brutal Battery: Iron 4 Feats: Nil had hoped for more from Toggled Supercharging¡¯s ascension. Multiple simultaneous boosts would¡¯ve been great. He expected an option of possible upgrades. Instead, he only received a cost reduction. It wasn¡¯t the worst of gifts. The Schema¡¯s notification regarding the soul weapon and Meatball made up for it. You wield the source! Source Gauntlets: Iron 0 Ironroot Whelp: Iron 6 The quest, and especially the last battle, had won him a good deal of strength. Even though the Nexus¡¯ latest Earth-side quest displeased Nil, and he still had no intention of throwing his life away in Death Gauntlet, the Schema interface told him he had a chance at success. The thought of becoming a hitman turned Nil¡¯s stomach. However, he had to admit that the Symbiotech¡¯s agents, especially those who preyed on the hopeful and funneled Cursed Energy into Earth, needed to be put down. If not, there was the risk of more people he loved falling to their twisted machinations. 97. Quests End ¡°I was almost sure the crazy tinkers on your world damaged the soul weapon¡¯s memory,¡± Samara said, studying Nil. Two days had passed since the cavern attacks. Dealing with the aftermath had kept the soul smith busy, and she summoned him after his shift. He lay on the rune-covered stone table in her workshop as she and Andrew closely studied his gauntlets. ¡°Clearly, I was wrong.¡± ¡°Shina is incredibly talented or got incredibly lucky with her ability,¡± Andrew commented. He wore an odd contraption with several attachments on his head. Most looked like different varieties of otherworldly scanning and measuring devices. Currently, an especially thick lens lined with luminous symbols comically magnified his right eye, making it look three times bigger than usual. ¡°The old consciousnesses are gone. This is something new, but it somehow retains the old memories.¡± He looked up at Samara. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be possible, right?¡± ¡°Every scratch, hole, and blemish is a memory, and the seed came to us covered in scars,¡± Samara replied, analyzing the luminous crimson stone on the back of his palms. Nil could feel the energy swirling within. The description didn¡¯t mention it, but his soul weapons also appeared to have the ability to store modest quantities of energy. He anticipated it to grow into an incredible asset with future ascensions. ¡°That¡¯s what my old master used to say, anyway. I guess you came to me to confirm that, Nil. There is no telling how much or what else it remembers. It might not be old adventures or friends but experiences, pain, and victories. I imagine it touched the source at some point, and Nil¡¯s power is compatible with it.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re not handling kinetic energy after all,¡± Andrew stated, returning his attention to the luminous crimson gem. ¡°I told you from day one. It breaks far too many of Newton''s laws to be kinetic energy.¡± Nil struggled not to move as Samara prodded him with an icy-cold prod. It beeped and hummed. ¡°This is something else. Something more¡ª¡± He struggled to find the appropriate word. ¡°¡ªwild.¡± ¡°The source is living, raw energy,¡± Samara continued. She paused, studying Nil''s soul weapon closely. ¡°Perhaps I was wrong not to see it before. There are similarities between Brutal Battery''s energy and the source. Both respond to intent and will. The inconsistencies with physical laws are also somewhat similar. The source is capable of a lot more and even bend reality.¡± ¡°Do you think I could do the same at higher realms?¡± Samara nodded. ¡°It''s possible, but I won''t pretend to know what the future holds. The evolutions would be more predictable with the chassis I prepared.¡± She prodded his armored right forearm. ¡°The possibilities with these are endless. It will come down to how you use it and get along with the soul gear.¡± Samara turned to her apprentice. ¡°I¡¯m almost jealous of you. Upgrading, tinkering, and everything to do with the Source Gauntlets will be your responsibility¡ª¡± She grinned, glancing at Nil. ¡°Assuming he doesn¡¯t get sick of you and allows it, of course.¡± ¡°A free soul smith at my beck and call?¡± Nil laughed. ¡°I¡¯d have to be stupid to give it up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to pay me?¡± Andrew frowned. ¡°I got you Summoned, sorted out a ludus for you, and, apparently, hooked you up with the love of your life,¡± Nil said, frowning. When Andrew tried to study the crimson gem again, he pulled his hand away. ¡°Soul weapon servicing should somewhat even the scales. It will get you experience and exposure as well.¡± ¡°Oh, god. Exposure. I never thought I¡¯d end up in a profession where people expect me to work for exposure.¡± Andrew rolled his eyes. ¡°You better get big and famous and plug me at every opportunity.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Samara and Andrew spent another half hour on soul weapon diagnostics before finally releasing Nil. The rest of the quest passed in a similar fashion. He fought the regular attacks while the artisan pair observed him. Afterward, they spent an hour studying the soul weapon, taking measurements, testing the chassis¡¯s material and surfaces, and also had Nil cultivate. It gave them valuable data regarding soul weapon memories and the source. He also learned a good deal regarding the source, Qi, and the arcane. The rest of the quest passed without any major incidents, and Nil was glad when the end came. ¡°How long until she releases you?¡± Nil asked. Andrew shrugged. ¡°Until I finish my apprenticeship, I guess. Samara says the timeline is up to me, my skill, and how much effort I put in. If I don¡¯t manage to reach this goal in six months, she¡¯ll send me home without my soul-smith certification.¡± ¡°And you need that to sell in the Nexus Market. Right?¡± ¡°Certification is also necessary for access to artisan-exclusive vendors. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be stuck buying everything at market price.¡± Andrew sighed, slumping against the nearby workstation. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether Layla conveyed the message, but could you ensure Susan knows that I¡¯ve not just forgotten about her.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll understand the ability and quest were too good to give up. Susan loves you. She¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know half of it,¡± Andrew mumbled. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m more worried about Baba and Emmy. Layla assured me they and everyone important will be informed about our long-term quests, but I don¡¯t think that will be enough for them.¡± ¡°You can handle it, Sunny-boi. I trust you.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Nil didn¡¯t expect many rewards for the two-week-long quest. Samara had fixed his soul weapon and played a vital role in the chassis¡¯ assembly. He received a couple of hundred Schema Credits and believed it was more than enough. ¡°Source Gauntlets?¡± Layla raised her eyebrow. ¡°Unexpected, but that''s an incredible upgrade. The rest of the Iron Gauntlet should be a breeze for you. Death Gauntlet or not.¡± She paused, smiling sheepishly. The pink clones working around her office paused and watched him. ¡°Have you reconsidered the quest?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I don''t have an answer for that yet. I''m not completely opposed to it anymore since I understand that eliminating these people is an essential act. However, the thought of it still leaves a sick taste in my mouth.¡± ¡°It''s fine.¡± Layla sighed. However, the way she looked at him suggested that she had more to say but wasn¡¯t sure how much to share. ¡°I¡¯d like to tell you to take your time, but just remember each day you spend mulling over the decision is another opportunity for them to lure more people into the Death Gauntlet and funnel Cursed Energy into your Earth.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point now that Symbiotech is gone?¡± ¡°They need to fuel and grow their twisted soul gear. Only Cursed Energy can accomplish that. They¡¯re likely working with other nefarious organizations or have their own twisted operations. It''s vital they be eliminated for the security and stability of your war. I don¡¯t have the evidence yet, but I believe Symbiotech was a cog in a much larger machine.¡± ¡°I guessed as much, and why I haven¡¯t rejected the quest yet,¡± Nil replied, glancing at his bare forearms. He needed some time to get used to the Source Gauntlets and their abilities. But the feeling of power that accompanied them ensured Nil that he could take on any threat. He needed to remember not to let the feeling get to his head. Overconfidence almost got him killed once. ¡°Just give me a few more days. Please.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sound pushy,¡± Layla said. ¡°As the caseworker leading this project, it''s my job to ensure you understand the details of this matter.¡± She paused when a pink clone placed new paperwork in front of her. Layla took a moment to study it before continuing. ¡°In other news, your new ludus is ready. We took the liberty of moving your belongings out of Golden Aegis. The new quarters have a glass-covered courtyard, as requested. It''s just dirt for now. You can plant things in it or let Meatball¡ªhorrible name, by the way¡ªdo her thing.¡± ¡°And what about my family?¡± ¡°As discussed before, I put things into action as soon as Selia got us the news of what happened Symbiotech. They moved into their new accommodation within forty-eight hours.¡± Layla grinned. ¡°I pulled some strings, and your father didn¡¯t need to serve his notice period. Ludus is his new employer, and we¡¯ve officially named him the manager. There are eyes on your family whenever they leave the premises. So you don¡¯t need to worry about Shina or her associates trying anything untoward. It doesn¡¯t seem you were implicated in any of it. Festus and the other arena channels are still questioning whether you died or fled to the Nexus.¡± ¡°It helps that they don¡¯t have to go far for their daily necessities or school.¡± Nil sighed. He worried going up against Symbiotech had ruined his family¡¯s lives and limited their freedom. He hoped that better accommodation, education, and quality of life would make up for everything they had lost. ¡°Thank you for everything, Layla. Endangering my family with this whole Symbiotech was my greatest concern. Hopefully, they won¡¯t be stupid enough to try anything within a major ludus¡¯ walls. So, I don¡¯t need to visit Golden Aegis at all?¡± Layla shook her head. ¡°Given they relied on Symbiotech for a decent chunk of their funding and the medical staff were also employees, we didn¡¯t think the environment would be comfortable.¡± ¡°You think of everything, don¡¯t you?¡± Nil laughed, rising from his seat. ¡°I take care of my staff, and you¡¯re officially one of them. Now, go complete your business in the market. I¡¯m sure your friends and family are eager for your return.¡± Nil made a beeline for the Moon Rabbit Emporium. The welcome pack explained that the Emporium housed a coalition of businesses, artisans, and gatherers from across the multiverse. It was much like the Nexus Market, but they only got their stock from the best of the best suppliers from the cultivator realms. Even though the guide he had received explained the layout of the store and how their display system worked, he sought assistance from the same shop assistant who had helped him the first time. She didn¡¯t seem to mind. Nil guessed she relied on commissions to bulk out her earnings. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been getting good use out of our gift, Mr Roy,¡± the woman commented after offering him a welcome drink. ¡°Your Body and Mind have strengthened significantly since our last meeting, and I can still feel the pill¡¯s lingering effects.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve proven themselves invaluable,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to invest in another set once I¡¯ve consumed the Spirit Pill and finished absorbing them all. For now, I¡¯m in the market for some cultivation and technique manuals. A few seeds or cuttings for my garden would be great too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll assist you with the manuals to the best of my ability, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do much for your garden. Your realm and the Nexus haven¡¯t yet agreed on the trade of live plant or animal material¡ªdead or alive. Spirit beasts and companions are fine, but not much else. Only individuals with an artisanal license may carry them into your dimension. Even then, the choice is limited.¡± ¡°Could I bring a soul smith with me and buy materials for them?¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem at all,¡± the shop assistant replied. ¡°The pair of you would need to sign a lot of paperwork and deal with customs. If anyone but your artisan companion were to get their hands on the materials, licenses, and membership with the Moon Rabbit Emporium might be revoked.¡± ¡°Can I buy plant material for food as my spirit companion?¡± Nil asked after taking a moment to think over his options. ¡°You may.¡± She nodded. ¡°They¡¯re allowed on quests to all worlds with natural magic and will be kept in stasis by the Nexus storage until you retrieve them. The only product we¡¯re not allowed to sell to you is unsterilized seeds. There is always the risk of them surviving your spirit companion¡¯s digestive tract and sprouting in a realm where they don¡¯t belong and risk causing an ecological disaster.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Thanks to Meatball, Nil didn¡¯t need seeds. Samara¡¯s library had proved invaluable. Since he had no feats limiting his ability to study, he explored the materials required for crafting the pills and plants that radiated Qi for cultivating. He invested in flowers and de-seeded fruit of the plants, and Meatball consumed them eagerly. Nil hoped she¡¯d do her magic, and some would eventually sprout in his garden. If not, he had wasted a tidy chunk of his savings that would take several big quests and match victories to recovery. Finally, he invested in manuals dedicated to Qi Shaping and Qi Projection. They were far more expensive than his previous purchases, and he could only afford the most basic, second-hand offerings. 98. Homecoming Nexus¡¯ operators appeared to be fond of simple titles. Their ludus and new earth-side headquarters didn¡¯t have anything Grand like Golden Aegis or didn¡¯t show off its affiliations like Wilson Luduses. Instead, they had settled for calling themselves The Forge. If one were to peek through the new gate or over the five-meter-tall wall, they¡¯d see barely anything different from the old retail part on the verge of collapse. Nil had visited it several times since childhood, but most of the old businesses had collapsed after the cataclysm and the boom of Summoned-run companies. Four multi-storeyed megastores bordered the giant parking lot, which had two entrances and exits. Now, two opposing buildings had been turned into housing. The taller of the pair, a popular electronics chain from the nineties and early-two-thousands with offices above, had spacious rooms and suites for the Summoned. Much to Nil¡¯s delight, he had top-floor accommodation. It contained a small kitchen, a combined living and dining room, a spacious bedroom, and a large bathroom with a shower cubicle. As requested, the builders had constructed an indoor garden as big as the bedroom. Meatball squeaked with delight as Nil released her, rolling around the space at high speeds, leaving tracks in the dirt. A hydroponics system hung from the ceiling, and bags of mulch sat against the wall. ¡°Do your magic, girl,¡± Nil said, watching his spirit companion frolic. ¡°Grow me a private cultivation space.¡± The whelp ceased her rolling, skidded to a halt, and looked up at him. She squeaked triumphantly. ¡°I sunk hundreds in your little treats. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± Meatball rubbed up against his leg before returning to her happy rolling. He wanted to leave her to her antics, but considered it important she explore their new stomping grounds with him. Most of the rooms on his floor appeared occupied, while those below were not. He peeked into the others on his way down, and they appeared nowhere near as large or well-furnished as his. ¡°Working for the nexus has its perks,¡± he told Meatball as she peeked out of his jacket. The whelp squeaked in response. The decor matched the Nexus. Everyone had tall ceilings, rich, dark, polished wood accents, and handmade furniture. It had an old-world field that most would only find in period pieces set before the Second World War. Nil preferred it to the cold, modern decor of Golden Aegis and far more than the futuristic feel of Wilson Luduses. Signage in the lobby shared information regarding the compound and the residents¡¯ accessibility to different sections. The ludus members didn¡¯t have access to half of the supermarket opposite them since it now served as civilian staff housing. Meanwhile, the other half was their new cafeteria. It had private dining areas with a first-come-first-served booking system. ¡°Only senior staff and members with good standing may book the private dining rooms,¡± he read out loud to Meatball. ¡°What do you think? Do I have good standing?¡± Meatball¡¯s squeak very much sounded like her questioning whether she expected him to have such answers. ¡°I know. I know. You¡¯re a whelp and don¡¯t speak human. But it''s important that we practice communicating. Just going off expression or whatever this connection is isn¡¯t enough?¡± The whelp half-cocked her head like a confused puppy, studying Nil as he spoke. He sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t understand this, but if we keep speaking, we will sometime soon. Anyway.¡± He checked the welcome booklet someone had left in his room and pointed at the two remaining buildings. ¡°These two are our new training grounds.¡± The building to Nil¡¯s left had five floors and ample underground space. The leaflet writer had included an informative history section. It claimed that the structure was the oldest in the retail park and was once a department store. The company went bankrupt before Nil was born, and the new owners tried to turn it into a mall. They were successful for a while but then abruptly sold the bottom two floors and basement to a supermarket while the top three housed smaller independent businesses and office space. Soon after, the new landowners turned the area into a retail park. ¡°This one is exclusively for ludus members. Private training rooms. Classes. Gyms. Swimming Pools. It''s got it all.¡± Then, Nil faced his animal companion toward the shorter squat building on the opposite. ¡°That¡¯s got the team training rooms. It also has the teleportation service and staging area for Apocalypse Arena. We won¡¯t have to visit the Wilson Ludus. That¡¯s nice.¡± Meatball struggled in Nil¡¯s hand, pulling toward the space between the four buildings. The builders had turned the former parking lot into an outdoor exercise area. It contained a running track, an obstacle course, and even a green space for relaxation. ¡°No. I think it is too early for you to rip through. The management staff won''t be happy if we destroy the green on arrival.¡± Meatball¡¯s protests. She vibrated in his hands, spikes popping in and out. If not for Absorb, she would¡¯ve shredded his palms. Nil hoped the whelp understood as much and wouldn¡¯t be prone to mindless tantrums. ¡°Okay. Maybe just this¡ª¡± ¡°Nil!¡± He turned around just in time to see Emily sprinting at him. Nil moved Meatball away from his torso, holding her to the side before the teenager could throw herself at him. Emily¡¯s eyes widened, and she stopped midstep just before reaching him. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Language!¡± Udit Roy scolded, lightly smacking the back of his daughter¡¯s head as he caught up. He also froze on spotting the Ironroot Whelp in Nil¡¯s hands. ¡°Is that your spirit companion?¡± Meatball withdrew her spikes and unfurled. Unlike her bark-like woody carapace, her ankylosaurus-like face and unarmored sections made her appear far more adorable than her usual state. ¡°Emily, Baba, meet Meatball,¡± Nil held his spirit companion closer to his chest so they¡¯d get a better look. Much to his relief, she ceased protesting and studied the two new humans. Her beady eyes focused, and her nose twitched. ¡°The Schema calls her an Ironroot Whelp. I¡¯m not entirely sure what that is.¡± ¡°She looks like a cross between an armadillo and some sort of plant creature,¡± Emily commented, hesitantly reaching out to Meatball. After taking a moment to sniff the delicate fingers, the whelp nuzzled into Emily¡¯s hand. ¡°Hi, Meatball.¡± She giggled. ¡°Sammy will love him.¡± ¡°When did you get back?¡± Udit asked. He appeared far less interested in Meatball and only gave her a polite scratch before hugging Nil. ¡°Maybe half an hour ago? I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t warn you about the quest beforehand. It wasn¡¯t pre-planned.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. We got the message from your caseworker before the news about Symbiotech broke.¡± ¡°We guessed you took the quest to get out of the collapse,¡± Emily added. ¡°You didn¡¯t face much trouble when you got back, did you?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the Nexus doesn¡¯t have the power to drop me off wherever I want.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°So, I showed up in the rubble of their old headquarters. There were police on the scene, and they held me for a couple of hours for answers. I feigned ignorance of their illegal activities and told them I was abandoned and trapped when everything came crashing down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not any sort of trouble, are you?¡± Udit lowered his volume and moved closer to his son as he spoke. ¡°Symbiotech has been in the news a lot the past couple of weeks, and it''s not for the right reasons.¡± ¡°How much did Layla tell you?¡± Nil hesitated, wondering how much to share with his family. ¡°Not a lot,¡± Emily answered. Since his decision to help take down Symbiotech had endangered his family, he thought it best to be honest. Nil told them about the company¡¯s illegal activities, their impact on his life, and all the manipulations and plots. He explained all the details he had skimmed over before and also told them about the depth of his involvement with the Nexus. Much to his relief, neither party seemed mad at him afterward. ¡°If there is any trouble afterward, Layla promised me that the Nexus would take care of it. I¡¯m untouchable while within the ludus grounds anyway. It doesn¡¯t count as Great Britain or Earth property.¡± ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± Udit smiled, squeezing his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m glad that the visage and horrid weight on your shoulders is gone. You¡¯re free now. You can live your life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, dada.¡± It was rare for Emily to address him with the Bengali term for older brother. She hugged him, stood on tip toes, and kissed his cheek. ¡°What¡¯s next for you?¡± ¡°Work for the Nexus. Ascend. Become somebody who can fix the world and get rid of entities like Symbiotech. My only concern is your safety, and as long as you¡¯re affiliated with the ludus and live here, I can function freely.¡± ¡°What happens when I go to university?¡± Emily asked. ¡°Even if I do well enough to go anywhere in London, there will be a big commute involved.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out when the time comes, Emmy,¡± Nil answered, putting an arm around his sister. Meatball started to wriggle again as her interest in meeting new humans passed, so he returned her to his core. ¡°For the time being, let''s enjoy what we have.¡± Nil sat down with his family for a meal for the first time in several weeks. They weren¡¯t pleased the ludus rules didn¡¯t allow Nil into their apartment. However, as the manager, Udit had no trouble getting a private dining room¡ªnot that there were enough staff or residents to book them out. The Nexus¡¯ vast resources meant they had hired excellent cooks and equipped the kitchen well. Given the diverse menu and the dish descriptions, they didn¡¯t skimp on ingredients either. Nil ordered a green Thai curry with jasmine rice, Vietnamese prawn summer rolls, crispy beef in a chili-garlic sauce, and sea bass steamed with ginger, lemon grass, coriander, and chili. It was a lot for a single person, and the portions proved significant. However, Nil had no trouble packing it away. It felt like he hadn¡¯t eaten in weeks. ¡°This is all so good.¡± Nil¡¯s words were barely incoherent through the mouthful of food. He passed Emily a spring roll. ¡°Try this.¡± ¡°Stop spraying!¡± She exclaimed, smacking his hand. ¡°I swear. Every time I see you, you eat more like an animal than before.¡± Nil barely understood his own following word, but fortunately, Sam translated it for him. ¡°It''s the increased calorie requirements.¡± The younger man¡¯s face and shirt were almost as messy as Nil¡¯s. ¡°I read that the needs increase because of the rapidly improving physiology and abilities adapted to the body, peaking at Bronze. Then they start going down again. Apparently, Golds and Platinums people have met while on quests don¡¯t require any food at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for you to be messy,¡± Udit told the youngest Roy. ¡°Stop emulating Nil. He probably hasn¡¯t eaten well in a while and has been through a lot over the past few weeks.¡± The man wasn¡¯t wrong. Samara ensured her summoned employees didn¡¯t starve. However, because of strict rationing, Nil never felt truly satisfied. Cultivating eased his hunger, but it wasn¡¯t the same as eating real food. ¡°Take it slow and respect your food.¡± It felt good to be surrounded by the people Nil adored. Things slowed down as they started on dessert. Nil finally filled his family in on everything that had happened during his quest. They were pleased to learn about Andrew¡¯s progress toward his goals and even more so when Nil showed off his gauntlets. Udit wished to know when they¡¯d dine together again, but Nil made no promises. He needed to train, cultivate, and plan for his next move. The Nexus¡¯ newest quest hung over his head, and indecision tore at Nil. He could do a lot of good by removing dangerous individuals from Earth. However, Nil didn¡¯t want to turn into the interdimensional organization¡¯s hitman. As soon as Nil left the private dining room, more familiar faces spotted him and interrupted his train of thought. Book 3 cover! Possible spoilers! A lot of you have had speculations regarding the symbiote, its future and the soul weapon is also exciting. So, I thought I''d share book 3''s cover. There will be no explanations or clues. Guess what you want or can from what''s provided. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Book 1 is scheduled to release on 1st April 2025. And the sequels will follow every 2 to 3 months. I''m currently almost done with book 3 and its already 10+ chapters deep on Patreon (Around 152 I think). My current plan for the series is 5 books. That''s how much I intend to write before April before moving on to other projects. Essence Eater''s rights come back to me in March 2025. I''m also super excited to write Mechanized Magic which will be a steampunk/magipunk story where the MC builds power armor and mechs for himself. Then once book 1/2 of Essence Eater is out on Amazon, I''ll take a call based on performance. The series will either end with book 5 or I''ll do another 2 to 4 books(Platinum Gauntlet, Immortal Gauntlet, Ascendant Gauntlet, Primordial Gauntlet.) 99. Reunions And New Prospects ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Susan bounced over as soon as she spotted him. ¡°Is Andrew with you?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, not.¡± Nil smiled sheepishly. They exchanged hugs and were glad his family didn¡¯t linger. They had met Susan before and waved her goodbye before returning to their quarters. ¡°The quest won¡¯t end until his trainer is satisfied with his progress. I think she wants him to ascend to Iron first. He thinks it could be another five months or so before Samara releases him.¡± ¡°It''s fine.¡± She sighed. Susan¡¯s smile appeared genuine. ¡°I¡¯m just happy he¡¯s finally got what he wanted. It will be nice to have a soul-smith for a boyfriend.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Selia interrupted. The phase shifter looked healthier than the last he had seen her. Her complexion and build seemed to improve between each of their chance encounters. The body ascensions had fixed whatever damage her ability and Symbiotech¡¯s experiments had inflicted. Nil couldn¡¯t help but think she looked incredible. ¡°You two have a hook-up with a soul smith? What do I have to do for you to hook us up?¡± Shawn, the Barrier Projector, and Adam, the Regenerator, followed close behind her. The first only nodded politely, while the latter gave Nil a hearty handshake. Adam showed subtle changes since their last meeting. Bony protrusions covering his knuckles and elbows. His jaw also appeared better defined. It almost seemed as if similar armoring was on the verge of growing over parts of his face. Nil guessed the man had gained a new feat or ability. ¡°Pay the material and labor costs,¡± Nil answered. ¡°If you¡¯re nice to him, he might just throw you in a bidding war for his time.¡± His words weren¡¯t necessarily true. Andrew would need people for the sake of experimentation and training. Combat and quests alone would make his progress far too slow. ¡°I¡¯ll put in a good word for you and Adam.¡± He glanced past the pair at Shawn. ¡°He¡¯s on his own, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any handouts,¡± the barrier projector commented. ¡°I make my own way in life.¡± ¡°Boy, you¡¯re an angsty one.¡± Susan laughed, turning to Selia. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding.¡± ¡°Shawn grows on you,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s a good guy. Just a bit up his own arse.¡± ¡°It''s rude to talk about someone when they¡¯re right in front of you,¡± Shawn added. His friends ignored him, continuing the banter. ¡°I met Selia and Adam last week,¡± Susan told Nil. ¡°They¡¯re good people. I see why Layla hired them too.¡± She lowered her volume and leaned close to him as she continued. ¡°Shawn just returned from his quest last night. I can see why you think him a prick.¡± Nil didn¡¯t know when the Nexus had employed Adam, and he didn¡¯t care to ask. He liked the oversized brute and was glad to have him around. Combatant acquaintances would prove extra useful when taking on group quests and team events in Apocalypse Arena. The traditional climbing method used a point system, and the soon-approaching team game would get participants a third of the necessary to get to the Bronze Gauntlet. Unlike the qualifiers, it demanded squads of four to six. Nil considered a perfect opportunity for training. However, a little voice in his head told him all three of his new colleagues intended to go through the Death Gauntlet, eliminating people people for the Nexus. It was the quickest way to climb, making it perfect for Adam, who was frustrated after his Gauntlet of Ten loss. Meanwhile, the other two had a personal grudge against Symbiotech and all affiliated with it. They explored the rest of the structure together and made plans to spar or train together from the following morning. The following morning, Nil found patterns drawn in the garden room. He had left Meatball free with raw fruits and vegetables stolen from the cafeteria. She had finished half of them before creating spirals and squiggly shapes in the dirt. No seedlings or sprouts peeked out of the ground. Nil didn¡¯t expect anything to appear so soon but couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. As he freshened up for the day, the Spirit Pill called to him, but he resisted. Nil couldn¡¯t afford to spend twelve hours a day on meditation just yet. The prospect of going on a vegan diet after eating horrid food for two weeks didn¡¯t appeal to him either. Nil wanted to play with his newest toy. He still had a couple of hours before he was due to meet the others and study his new manuals. During the latter half of his quest, Samara reiterated several times that Qi and the Source were not the same. The first followed several universal rules, while the latter did not. However, Qi and cultivation techniques appeared to work perfectly in tandem with Brutal Battery, and he hoped they would also work with energy that flowed through his soul weapons. The tri-finger blade, though powerful, felt awkward. Nil hoped to get better at projecting and controlling his energy before shaping it into blades that took the form of knives or punching daggers. Eventually, he hoped to develop something akin to bladed knuckle dusters that extended into knives. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Blending the weapons with his fighting techniques or learning something new would improve his combat effectiveness significantly. Nil hoped to meet with the Forge¡¯s weapons teacher as soon as possible and put together a decent training regimen. What was I thinking with Restless In Body And Mind? The feat didn¡¯t demand much physical activity to focus. Something as simple as using a grip trainer or dexterity exercises with a coin made it possible to concentrate on cerebral activities. However, being able to do nothing but read and not split his attention made everything made reading and the absorption of knowledge significantly faster. Nil didn¡¯t need to read technical passages multiple times either. He understood the concepts during the first or second read-throughs. Much to Nil¡¯s delight, the Qi Projection and Shaping technique primarily built on cultivation techniques he picked up in the welcome pack. He needed more literature or trial and error to patch up the gaps in his knowledge, but that was more for Shaping than Projection. He needed to master Projection first. If he understood the manuals correctly, better control and improved energy emission abilities would significantly improve his ability to Expend. Now that he had the gauntlets¡¯ protection, he intended to use the ability¡¯s alternate function more freely and, hopefully, more efficiently. For the time being, Nil focused on improving his energy circulation and focusing techniques. The first involved speedily and consistently moving Brutally Contents around his body, while the latter helped him gather and concentrate it in one part of the body. Nil believed the training wouldn¡¯t just help him create better-formed and more energy-efficient source blades but also improve his sudden or channeled releases. The training wouldn¡¯t necessarily boost his destructive power but reduce how much energy he burned and better concentrate it. Nil felt far from achieving his goal towards the end of his solo training. However, even marginal improvement helped reduce the time between Absorb and Expend. He hoped the new techniques would help him reduce time spent in a neutral state. Despite Toggled Supercharging, he felt vulnerable without Absorb or Expend active. At quarter-to-seven, Nil jogged down to the cafeteria. ¡°Is Shawn not joining us?¡± He asked, finding everyone else already present. ¡°He started warm-ups at five, ate breakfast as soon as the cafeteria opened, and is in a session with the new ability trainer,¡± Selia answered. ¡°That boy is a workaholic. Shawn is never satisfied unless he¡¯s putting in more hours than everyone else. Downtime is a luxury concept, in his opinion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how people burn out,¡± Susan commented. ¡°Believe me, you¡¯re not the first person to tell him that, and you won¡¯t be the last,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°Thanks to my ability, I almost never get tired. I can train endlessly until mental exhaustion takes over. My body regenerates through fatigue, lactic acid buildup, and all else. Shawn took me pushing myself before the qualifiers as a personal challenge. Don¡¯t get me wrong. He¡¯s a great guy and amazing at what he does. But he¡¯s just a bit much and takes a while to get used to. If I were on a quest, facing a horde of Cursed Ones with no end in sight, I¡¯d want Shawn by my side. He¡¯s competent, loyal, and protective of anyone he considers¡ª¡± Adam mimed quotation marks. ¡°¡ªhis people.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the ability trainer? Nil asked. ¡°I need to meet with them and weapons trainer. Figuring out my gauntlets and getting my mastery to an adequate level will take way too much time if I go at it alone.¡± ¡°Well, it''s your lucky day,¡± Selia told Nil, placing an arm on his shoulder. She leaned on him, brushing a stray lock over his ear. His eye caught Udit¡¯s. As the ludus manager, his duties involved daily check-ins with the cafeteria staff, and he was in the middle of doing just that. The man raised an eyebrow, staring him down momentarily before returning to his duties. ¡°The ability trainer already knows you. She came from Golden Aegis.¡± ¡°Isabella is here?¡± Nil asked excitedly, the piled-high tray suddenly losing its appeal. He couldn¡¯t wait to show the woman his repaired soul weapon. ¡°Sound less excited, please.¡± Selia poked his side. ¡°Or are you trying to make me jealous?¡± Nil rolled his eyes. ¡°Will you ease off if I take you out this weekend?¡± ¡°Am I being too forward and pushy?¡± Selia asked, moving away from him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have a pure sense of what¡¯s appropriate and boundaries.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not holding it against you, Selia,¡± Nil said. ¡°Spending half a life time as a lab experiment will probably screw up just about anyone¡¯s social skills and sense of boundaries. And¡ª¡± He caught himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be short with you or come across as rude. You¡¯re incredibly attractive and fun to be around. So, if you¡¯d like to go out sometime, the offer stands.¡± ¡°Sunday.¡± Selia grinned. ¡°We can go out for a bite to eat after Adam¡¯s match.¡± ¡°Or, I could get us some incredible steaks and fry them up in my suite,¡± Nil said. ¡°That¡¯s not meant to be suggestive. Just given everything online after my last match and the Symbiotech quest, it''s for the best if I don¡¯t appear in public.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that very much. Thank you for asking.¡± Selia leaned in and kissed his cheek. Nil wasted no time and messaged a meat supplier friend to arrange an A-5 Wagyu ribeye joint. ¡°Even if the date doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll consider us even.¡± ¡°Well, that sounds extra exciting.¡± Adam teased, nudging Selia. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re going to wear, or should we go shopping?¡± ¡°Focus on training, big boy.¡± Susan chuckled. ¡°We girls can sort ourselves out.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s settled, I¡¯m going to go find Isabella.¡± Nox scarfed down the rest of his breakfast before rising from the table. ¡°I¡¯d like to get a training schedule booked in as soon as possible.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be as bad and boring as Shawn aren¡¯t you?¡± Selia sighed. ¡°You should¡¯ve thought of that earlier, Selia.¡± Nil joked. ¡°Our date is set in stone now. No takebacks.¡± The woman feigned horror and disappointment as Nil put his tray away and departed. 100. Gladitorial Training ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re back,¡± Isabella spotted Nil before he did her. Shawn walked next to her, covered in sweat and holding an ice pack to a red welt on his cheek. Nil had seen the most basic form of her sonic abilities. Absorb protected him from the bulk of it, but Isabella still rattled his bones and messed with his inner ear. Shawn¡¯s more active defenses likely struggled with them far more. ¡°I was starting to wonder when I¡¯d next see you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad you took the job,¡± Nil told her. He received a cursory nod from Shawn and responded in kind. ¡°You good, Shawn?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Isabella says we should be sparring partners.¡± ¡°Your barriers and explosions are a pain to deal with. I can see how training with you would improve my timing.¡± ¡°Both of you have a lot to benefit from such an exchange,¡± Isabella commented. ¡°Nil¡¯s base power and energy attacks will force you to improve your barrier strengthening and layering. The explosions won¡¯t get through his defensive ability, but I believe you already have a decent counter for that.¡± She looked at Nil. ¡°I¡¯d like you to be able to break through Shawn¡¯s barrier without wasting too much energy or hurting yourself. The biggest challenge will be withstanding the force blast afterward. It should improve your timing and focus significantly.¡± ¡°Do you mind if we leave that until tomorrow?¡± Shawn asked sheepishly. He exhibited a slight limp as he moved. ¡°I¡¯m not one to dodge a training opportunity, but¡ª¡± ¡°I already told you to visit the infirmary and then have an ice bath, didn¡¯t I?¡± Isabella asked, eyes narrowing. ¡°Off you go. It''s about time Nil and I have a much-needed catch up. There¡¯s a lot he left out the last time we spoke.¡± Shawn nodded. ¡°I look forward to working with you,¡± he told Nil, smiling at him for the first time since they had met. The barrier projector left them, limping away. As Isabella watched him go, Nil half expected her to comment on Shawn¡¯s performance or personality, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, the woman led him through the building, highlighting rooms that would benefit him the most. Nil was surprised to find a handful of rooms custom-designed to fit Isabella¡¯s favorite training routines. The mini-cannon room was one of them. He hoped Layla was pleased with the recommendation. Isabella seemed to like what she did and was especially good at it. Nil took the walk around to explain his affiliation with the Nexus and other recent developments. The woman¡¯s eyes widened when he showed her the Source Gauntlets. ¡°You know how rare and difficult it is to get a soul weapon?¡± She demanded, grabbing her left arm and studying the gauntlet closely. Her fingers traced the smooth, seamless metal and the crimson gem. ¡°They¡¯re rare even in the Silver Gauntlet. I don¡¯t know if you understand how rare they are and impossible to get. Winning a soul weapon seed or chassis in the arena isn¡¯t enough. You have to awaken it or find a good enough soul smith that can help form it and then develop it.¡± ¡°Good thing the ludus will soon house a soul smith in training,¡± Nil replied, grinning. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I told you, but I¡¯ve had a soul weapon seed in me since before becoming a Summoned. I¡¯d rather not go into how I acquired it, but Symbiotech was behind it.¡± ¡°Their Cursed Energy project involved soul weapons, didn¡¯t it?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve been harvesting it through Death Gauntlet. Most of us Iron Realm employees have quests that involve taking out the co-conspirators. ¡°Since you¡¯re an employee of the Nexus now, you might as well know. I was involved in the sabotage and explosion at Symbiotech. Whatever happened in there drained the Cursed Energy from my corrupted soul weapon seed. The last quest was more a reward than a job. I served a soul smith who repaired the seed and helped create the new chassis.¡± Isabella stared at him for a moment. ¡°I looked into your past. The incident with the crazed Summoned and your girlfriend. That¡¯s when you got your soul weapon seed?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°It came with complications like her visage following me around for the last seven years, ruining all my relationships, and just making life difficult. I¡¯m just glad that stage of my life is now beyond me.¡± ¡°In that case, you more than earned your soul weapon. It wasn¡¯t just luck.¡± Isabella released his arm, and he projected his Schema interface, showing her Meatball¡¯s and the soul weapon¡¯s information. ¡°These are major assets and will accelerate your growth and ascension significantly. Please remember not to race ahead. Take some time to master your new tools. I won¡¯t stop you from accepting our employer¡¯s quests, even if they involve the Death Gauntlet. I¡¯d just like to ensure that you and your friends succeed and come back alive. There is a lot of good we can do working for the Nexus. The accompanying risk is no different from what we¡¯d come across in more dangerous quests.¡± ¡°If I were to be honest, it''s not the danger that bothers me,¡± Nil stated. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about having to target and kill people.¡± ¡°Is it any different from your quests? Cursed Ones might not feel like real humans, but many used to be. You¡¯ll need to get over that kind of thinking as soon as possible. Given your ability, it won¡¯t be long before quests have you facing Agents of the Scourge. They¡¯re as human as you and me.¡± ¡°I already had an encounter with vampires. That was hard enough.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I had to leave the actual execution to my more experienced companions. It was harsh, and I lost several nights of sleep afterward. However, that quest made me understand the importance of getting blood on my hands. It''s not a black-and-white topic. Killing isn¡¯t just good or bad.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°There are the right and wrong reasons,¡± Isabella told him. She displayed an uncharacteristic moment of affection and delicacy, placing a hand on Nil¡¯s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. ¡°The day it gets easy, you know something has gone wrong. But knowing that hundreds of innocents, if not more, won¡¯t have their lives destroyed makes living with blood on one¡¯s hands easier.¡± Isabella paused. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the morality nonsense to the thinkers. I believe Nexus has hired a psychiatrist to conduct such discussions. Let''s focus on putting together a training regiment.¡± Adam appeared just in time and agreed to a spar. Nil could think of no better method of demonstrating the Source Gauntlets. The brute didn¡¯t seem to mind. In fact, the prospect of facing Nil¡¯s energy blasts excited him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you understand how deadly this can be,¡± Nil said. ¡°I appreciate you volunteering, but I¡¯d rather not risk killing you. There has to be better methods of testing.¡± ¡°According to the Schema, I can recover from anything as long my heart or brain isn¡¯t completely destroyed or rendered inactive. My ascension to iron came with a new ability that needs training, and unlike Shawn, you might just be able to hurt me enough to trigger and train it.¡± The new ability only turned Adam into more of an undefeatable threat than he already was. Nil¡¯s ordinary empowered strikes¡ªExpand and Toggled Supercharging combined¡ªdid little but slow his opponent. Adam shook almost everything off. The minor contusions that appeared on his skin following each blow rapidly faded in seconds. The spiderwebs of burst capillaries repaired themselves, leaving no mark of ever suffering any damage. When Nil struck the same spot again, it suffered significantly less damage. The tireless assault and endless strikes with no break made it challenging for Nil to get the upperhand. Adam¡¯s ability did nothing to increase the power of his strikes. The brute relied on his Might attribute alone. However, the armored knuckles and never needing to take a break meant Nil couldn¡¯t switch out of Absorb. Only Toggled Supercharging and the new energy channeling abilities that helped pour more power into the ability kept Brutal Battery from reaching capacity. Nil understood how the man had won several Gauntlet of Ten matches in a row with almost no break in between. He wasn¡¯t just a vanguard meant to stand in the front and protect his companions. Adam was a significant martial threat. Instead of risking it with Expend, Nil tapped into the energy stored within the Source Gauntlet¡¯s crimson gems. He released a focused blast through his right palm, striking Adam¡¯s left arm. The glancing blow ripped a monstrous chunk of flesh out of the limb. Tissue rapidly grew to cover the damage. Once sure the man would survive the Source Gauntlet¡¯s power, Nil followed up with the three-finger blade, destroying half of the fist flying toward his face. Bone, muscles, blood vessels, and skin regenerated, replacing what he had taken away. The follow-up swing failed to take away the rest of the hand. The rough energy knife sliced into skin and muscle but was unable to do the same with bone. ¡°When I regenerate or repair something, the new tissue is resistant to whatever destroyed the old,¡± Adam had explained before the fight. ¡°The resistance isn¡¯t absolute and doesn¡¯t last particularly long, but theoretically, it should help me push through what would otherwise kill me.¡± There was no winner. Despite the gauntlets, it ended in a stalemate. Nil believed that wouldn¡¯t be the case if he were to cut loose. However, despite Adam¡¯s ability, there was no non-lethal approach. If Nil used Expend and the Source Gauntlets to their full extent, he would end up killing anyone he faced. And he didn¡¯t particularly want to kill any of his sparring partners. Nil had confidence in his ability to destroy arena opponents and enemies in quests but not much else. ¡°Your unarmed fighting skills, though excellent, are insufficient,¡± Isabella said, examining Nil¡¯s bare forearms. Despite several uses of Expend and instances of energy projection, the previously armored sections showed no signs of damage. The Source Gauntlets and Galvanized had done their job, keeping Nil from hurting himself with Brutal Battery¡¯s abilities. ¡°It''s time you get some weapon training.¡± ¡°I think so too,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Maybe start with small blade training. The three-finger blade feels uncomfortable, and I¡¯m working on developing something better, but it will take a while.¡± ¡°Small blades is a good start, though. We can adapt, overcome, and come up with something new as and when needed.¡± ¡°Amsmaster¡¯s Disappointment will make things challenging, but we¡¯ll figure out a way around it.¡± Nil hoped knuckle-duster knives would help him overcome limitations imposed by the feat. His three-finger blades hadn¡¯t caused a reaction. ¡°Maybe constructs born of the gauntlets and temporary energy weapons will be exempt.¡± The planning went on for an hour, with sparring breaks every ten minutes. The first few ended the same way, but Adam started getting the upper hand. The power of his blows never eased, and his footwork never faltered. The only reason the final bout didn¡¯t end in utter defeat was because Nil lost control and melted off Adam¡¯s right leg below the knee. ¡°Your ability is crazy,¡± Nil told Adam afterward. Nil had planned a long day of exercises, but he felt spent and needed something less strenuous to center himself. ¡°Are you sure your ability doesn¡¯t increase your strength and speed?¡± ¡°Not directly, no,¡± Adam answered. ¡°It significantly reduces my pain threshold, and Mind only reinforces it. Since my potency is reasonably high, I¡¯ve been splitting my Tokens evenly between it and Finesse. So I can push myself harder with little worry of injury. Muscle tears, pulls, and strains aren¡¯t a concern when you can recover from them instantly and become less vulnerable to them for a handful of minutes afterward.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re more effective the longer the fight goes on,¡± Nil commented, feeling moderately jealous. Brutal Battery had more raw power but demanded a great deal of focus and micromanagement. Adam only had passive abilities, and they alone made him a devastating presence. ¡°Yes and no. Just between you and me, I have the ability to supercharge my healing abilities. However, the more I do it, the slower the regeneration gets. If I were to slow down and let you inflict enough damage or you stopped holding back, I wouldn¡¯t have the upper hand in the end.¡± ¡°Does that mean if we had a couple of more bouts, I¡¯d come out on top?¡± Adam grinned. ¡°Not with one arm tied behind your back as you are now. I had plenty of supercharging left to do.¡± He paused, wiping the blood and sweat from their bouts. ¡°Do you feel disgusting? Regeneration is cool and all, but it is stinky business.¡± ¡°I think the appropriate term is manky,¡± Nil said. ¡°Shower, swimming pool, and then a steam?¡± ¡°You have good tastes, Mr Roy, but may I suggest an ice bath first? I promise you, it will do wonders.¡± 101. Fans And Followers ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alive!¡± Bunty exclaimed when he and Nil met. The building, with group training rooms and Apocalypse Arena services, also had a cafe and meeting room for visitors. Since Nil didn¡¯t feel comfortable showing up in public yet, he picked it as their meeting space. ¡°After the Symbiotech thing and not hearing from you, I was sure you died.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my bad,¡± Nil said. ¡°Andrew is supposed to contact you if I spontaneously leave on a quest without telling you. But he ended up getting summoned too, and is on a long-term quest. I¡¯ll ensure henceforth it''s the ludus that informs you whenever I¡¯m away on a quest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about stuff like that. I might not be a Summoned, but I understand the Summoned life.¡± An uncomfortable exchange between Bunty and the waitress interrupted their conversation. The awkwardness felt like more his fault than hers. It was apparent that his wheelchair-bound state was a recent development, and he had a complex around it. Nil¡¯s mother had experienced something similar, and acknowledging it only made her feel worse. So Nil did his best to ignore it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your last defeat. It must be frustrating to get knocked out of the Gauntlet of Ten after solid victories.¡± ¡°It''s quite alright.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°It''s better if I think of them as a growth opportunity instead of a loss. The match helped me get the necessary ranks to ascend my body to Iron. I hope it didn¡¯t affect your channel too poorly.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t. This audience is different from the kind I¡¯ve dealt with before. They¡¯re more for the show and story than the wins.¡± Bunty laid a tablet between them that had several graphs and stills on display. It appeared he had made a website dedicated to the channel. The top of the page read: Gallery of Festus. ¡°The Gauntlet Of Ten usually pairs fighters with similar abilities and a number of wins together. As this chart should tell you, historically, the pairing brackets are zero to three, four to six, and seven to nine. It''s ridiculously rare for the second and third brackets to get paired together. You got unlucky, and the audience respects that. In fact, they¡¯re fascinated by how close you got despite the difference in experience and probably overall ranks. ¡°It''s been just over two weeks now, and people are going crazy over some of the moves you pulled off. People love the mystery of the unknown. Then, the incident at Symbiotech followed by your disappearance, made the message boards and comments sections explode. I had to hire a couple of moderators, and there are a dozen conspiracy theories flying about.¡± Nil didn¡¯t know what to think when Bunty pulled up a collection of screenshots. Much to his surprise, a couple of them were pretty close to what was happening with Symbiotech. Worried that another cover-up would follow. Andrew had created bots that posted information regarding Symbiotech¡¯s activities, evidence, and camera footage at regular intervals. Nil wasn¡¯t entirely sure how any of it worked, but Andrew promised that his involvement was untraceable. People digging around and trying to track the bots would find dead ends in the Pits and illegal arena betting sites. Since Andrew had tied Fatima to Symbiotech too, the most popular theory was that Symbiotech was running experience on unaware children and Summoned. Fatima was one of their failures. They had tried the same with Nil, but his power made the system go haywire. The most important bit of news that Nil and the Nexus wanted out was that the company was illegally storing and using Cursed Energy. Nil doubted most civilians could comprehend the implications, but he hoped that the Summoned and people in power would understand the gravity of the situation. The reports claimed no traces of Cursed Energy remained, and the authorities had found no traces. Nil, his friends, and Layla couldn¡¯t tell whether it was all a cover-up or the symbiotes had taken it all. If they did, where are they now? A short question-and-answer session regarding the match, Symbiotech incident, and quest followed. Nil answered as much as he could without incriminating himself. Bunty had brought a camera and microphone with him, and they retreated to a secluded corner to record. Nil surprised the man with the Source Gauntlets but refused to go into detail regarding its abilities. ¡°If you and your viewers want to see what it can do, you¡¯ll just have to wait for the next fight,¡± he said. ¡°When or what will that be?¡± Festus asked from behind the camera. ¡°Do you intend to attempt the Gauntlet of Ten again?¡± ¡°No. There are some special solo and group events coming soon. The rewards seem good, and they accelerate progress toward the Bronze Gauntlet.¡± He didn¡¯t mention that the solo game in question was the Death Gauntlet. Nil wasn¡¯t sure about the legality of discussing them. Neither he nor Bunty had found any laws against sharing the information. It appeared that world governments or an international regulatory body were actively censoring the information. ¡°If I find decent teammates and work well together, we¡¯ll attempt the team event. Or I¡¯ll try my luck at the solo games.¡± ¡°Your performance in the qualifiers battle royale drew a significant chunk of the channel¡¯s original audience. Everyone is keen to see you in a team setting again.¡± ¡°They¡¯re fun and chaotic,¡± Nil said. ¡°There are also plenty of summoned peers who I¡¯d like to attempt group events with. However, the Iron Gauntlet is a stage of rapid development for most. Many of us are still trying to get used to our growing abilities and changing physiologies. Adding teamwork to the mix is challenging. None of my friends and I are in this for the short-term riches and fame. So we¡¯d rather take our time and learn to work together before committing to anything major.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Well put,¡± Bunty said after pausing the recording. ¡°This is all good stuff. After a little bit of editing, we¡¯re set. There is a lot of discussion of who you are as a person. A vocal minority are ranting about you being a bleeding-heart loser for the whole Fatima thing during the battle royale, but the majority liked how you tried to save your team. Watching you speak and your demeanor should help cement the current positive image.¡± ¡°Has Garurda Systems changed their mind about the sponsorship?¡± Nil liked the idea of an income stream that was not connected to Nexus. He wanted the extra capital to build some personal wealth and help his family as their needs increased and changed. As a man of simple tastes, there wasn¡¯t much he desired. Nil¡¯s new employer provided him and his family with excellent accommodation and charged them a nominal fee in Schema Credits. They were well furnished, and the bill included cafeteria food too. However, Meatball and the Source Gauntlets would soon become a significant drain on his quest and arena earnings. ¡°After the recent revelations, I understand if they¡¯re hesitant about¡ª¡± ¡°The offer still stands.¡± Bunty grinned as he interrupted. ¡°In fact, since there is no evidence against you and many consider you a victim, sympathy points have increased. They were worried you died, but I¡¯ll happily inform them that you¡¯re not.¡± He paused. ¡°I have a better idea, though.¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you have on mind?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t accept any deals until after your next match. Win or lose, your popularity is bound to skyrocket once people see the soul weapon. I can think of no more than two dozen people in the Iron Gauntlet that have one and most on the list I gave you. Better deals and contracts might be on the horizon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s assuming you want to make money hand over foot.¡± ¡°It''s not about the pursuit of wealth for me,¡± Nil answered honestly. ¡°Money makes life easier and more comfortable for the person holding it and those around him. I¡¯d just like enough so I have a healthy savings account and investment portfolio when and if my arena career ends. Leaving a nest egg for my family would also be great if anything were to happen to me.¡± ¡°Well, I like money and if you¡¯re willing to wait, this will be a better deal for both of us. I can also find you a decent accountant if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
Saturday arrivedp before the first saplings sprouted in the garden room. Most lacked any notable qualities but Energy Instinct detected weak signals radiating from them. Meatball especially enjoyed her little kingdom and Nil couldn¡¯t be sure but she had appeared to have gained some mass. He also enjoyed minor growths. Brutal Battery: Iron 4 Source Gauntlets: Iron 1 Ironroot Whelp: Iron 6 Energy Instinct and Wield The Source¡¯s growths especially excited Nil. It meant his cultivation exercises and the manuals were doing their jobs. He also regularly trained with Adam and Shawn. The latter only faced him while under Isabella¡¯s tutelage. The man occasionally joined him and the other¡¯s for meals, but still maintained a stoic coldness during their interactions. Sparring with Adam continued to end in draws. Meanwhile, Shawn frequently gained the upper hand while fighting Nil. His use of barriers and the force blasts when they shattered proved challenging to counter. On the bright side he could feel his Finesse closing in on the next rank. He hoped Absorb and Expend would soon follow. The Forge¡¯s weapons trainer proved a competent teacher. Unlike Isabella, Noah Granger was an active combatant in the Silver Gauntlet. The short and slender Afro-Caribbean man had failed out of the Gauntlet of Ten twice and had opted to work his way up through the point system. Increasing one¡¯s score became significantly more challenging at the higher realms. At first, all the weapons they tried triggered Armsmaster¡¯s Disappointment, leaving Nil fumbling. It took several hours of trial and error before Noah Granger narrow down exceptions. Punching daggers, katars, and knuckledusters didn¡¯t grossly effect his motor skills. Noah Granger carved a custom practise weapon out of wood. Sharp spikes covered the knuckles and it extended into a four-inch-long curved blade. ¡°It¡¯s called a knuckle knife,¡± Noah said. ¡°There are better weapons. Its mostly used as a concealed weapon that has lethal and non-lethal capabilities. I¡¯d rather use a combat knife with a knuckle guard.¡± ¡°I would too.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Unfortuantely, my feat doesn¡¯t like them.¡± He tested the weapon, throwing a jab before pulling his arm in across his face. Then he swung outward, making a stabbing motion with the blade. ¡°I suppose this works. As my control over the gauntlets and energy increases, perhaps I can extend the blade¡¯s length.¡± ¡°I suggest we limit our training to these and punching daggers. Once you¡¯re competent with both, we can consider katars.¡± The man took a step back and watched Nil mime stabs. ¡°Yeah. You need a lot of work. We¡¯ll need to break a bunch of bad defensive habits.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth noting that I¡¯ll never use the energy weapons for defense,¡± Nil said, striking his gauntleted right arm with the left. ¡°Between Absorb and these beauties. I¡¯m set. The daggers will exclusively be for offence.¡± ¡°Understood. But your stance and footwork need a lot of work. I suggest we run offensive and defensive drills, so you can learn to meld fighting styles, using whatever move is best suited for the situation.¡± Noah took the wooden weapon from Nil and handed him a punching dagger. ¡°We¡¯ll start with this as its closest to your current weapon. I imagine you¡¯ll be using this for breaking through an opponent¡¯s defenses. Isabella forwarded me your fight videos and you clearly have talent but there is a lot of room for improvement. We¡¯ll beat the cockiness and bad habits out of you first. Then, I¡¯ll mold you into something powerful and bloody terrifying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in your hands, Noah.¡± ¡°Good. Before you agree to a training regimen, its important you know that I consider pain an important and vital teacher.¡± Noah grabbed a practise combat knife and held it in a reverse grip, falling into a stance Nil had seen several times before in films. ¡°So we¡¯ll train and drill without any abilities active. Once you¡¯re competent, we can add your ability to the mix.¡± Nil fought his reflexes as Noah came at him. He succeeded but suffered the first bruise of many seconds later. 102. No Such Thing As A Day Off Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, Noah Granger called him on Sunday morning. The Forge didn¡¯t have a set routine, but from what he had heard, most took the day off. The Summoned used the time to relax or for solo training. Nil had planned to cultivate, study the exercises in his manuals, and attempt command training with Meatball before his date. Nil had also planned on calling Katherine and having a catch-up. He didn¡¯t like how they had left things. It felt unnecessary, and he wasn¡¯t sure whether she¡¯d appreciate it, but Nil also wanted to inform her about him seeing someone new. It came as no surprise when he found Shawn in the training building. He stood in Isabella¡¯s cannon room, catching the high-speed projectiles with his barriers. The projections appeared odd when compared to his usual. They were bubble-like and flexible instead of rigid, folding and bending around the cannonballs. Shawn didn¡¯t stop to catch them. Instead, he shattered the barrier afterward, and the blast that followed flung the heavy spheres away. Many landed awfully close to the devices that had fired them. Nil also encountered Adam and Susan working together in a larger training space. The brute ducked and danced around Skoll and Hati. Nil paused to watch, amazed by how masterfully he had avoided the giant canines. They landed occasional swipes and bites. Whenever Adam found himself trapped, he willingly sacrificed chunks of flesh, ripping himself free of their maws. Nil couldn¡¯t be sure, but it seemed he purposefully threw previously injured areas forward first, almost using them as protection. Susan¡¯s dogs had a harder time damaging them, and he used their confusion and pauses to land powerful hits. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Adam asked when they took a break. The training room had a small water source. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether it was for washing up, fire safety, or facilitating individuals whose ability involved the control and manipulation of water. Adam splashed the blood off himself before approaching. ¡°Weren¡¯t you planning on practicing your energy control today?¡± ¡°I was, but the weapon¡¯s trainer asked to see me,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I got here a bit early to warm up. Noah and I haven¡¯t had a proper training session yet, and I hear he can be pretty harsh.¡± ¡°Just limbering up then?¡± Susan asked, joining them. She was as put together as always. Nil nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to see the pair of you here.¡± ¡°With Andrew gone, it''s not like I¡¯ve got much to do.¡± Susan sighed. ¡°Since this big lug has a match tonight and needs to deal with a Summoned and Cursed One simultaneously, I agreed to help with some last-minute training.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you rather conserve your healing supercharge?¡± Nil asked. ¡°It takes twelve hours to recover,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Given my opponent, it''s vital I get all the practise I can.¡± ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re facing yet?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to watch and find out. I know how you feel about the Death Gauntlet, but with my ability, it''s not too much of a concern. My quests have involved Bronze Realm Cursed Ones and I¡¯ve come out on the other side just fine.¡± ¡°We were just discussing tactics,¡± Susan said. ¡°I think it''s best if Adam puts the Cursed One between himself and his opponent, and let them weaken each other.¡± ¡°It''s a good plan.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try hit-and-run tactics until one of them falls and then take out my opponent.¡± ¡°It''s a good plan. Just don¡¯t die, alright?¡± Nil maintained a half-joking tone but couldn¡¯t be more serious. Adam¡¯s ability made him well-suited for such dangerous tasks, but he couldn¡¯t help but worry. The giant man was one of the few likable men he had encountered since ascending to the status of Summoned. ¡°I¡¯d much rather have you as a sparring partner than Shawn.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, little man.¡± Adam clapped Nil¡¯s back. Absorb took care of the force behind the playful blow. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± ¡°Mr Roy!¡± Noah Granger called from the other end of the corridor. ¡°Over here.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Nil told his new friend and hugged Susan quickly before dashing away to meet his new teacher. The Forge¡¯s weapons trainer disappeared up a stairwell before Nil could catch up to him, moving significantly faster than him. It took supercharged speed with a minor additional energy investment to match the man¡¯s speed. He skidded to a halt and stumbled when arriving at his destination. Nil no longer had trouble maintaining his balance when using the ability within its normal parameters but needed more practice when he forced his speed beyond Toggled Supercharging¡¯s basic parameters. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Your control over your abilities isn¡¯t as precise as Isabella led me to believe,¡± Noah commented. ¡°I¡¯m confident in managing Brutal Battery¡¯s primary abilities. I don¡¯t mean to sound cocky or overconfident, but I can also handle basic Toggled Supercharging pretty well.¡± Nil thought it best not to share his cultivation knowledge or the skills he had acquired thus far. ¡°One of my side abilities has evolved and it lets me channel more energy into the others. That includes Toggled Supercharging. My control over how much energy I invest and my balance while enhancing speed beyond its limits requires significant work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that practice, and more Finesse will solve the issue,¡± Noah said thoughtfully. ¡°It might be best to add this Toggled Supercharging to our training regimen. No Absorb or Expend, though.¡± ¡°Pain is an excellent teacher.¡± Nil nodded, repeating the man¡¯s words. ¡°Did you have a special training session in mind? I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you today.¡± ¡°Show me your three-finger blade.¡± Nil obeyed. After the previous evening¡¯s training session, Brutal Battery was near capacity. The Source Gauntlets'' gems were also full. Unlike his previous attempts at the conjuration, the energy blade came formed well defined, enveloping all three digits. It extended an additional two inches above each finger, and the edge curved all the way down to the wrist. ¡°I know it''s awkward, but practice will ensure it isn¡¯t so,¡± Noah said, inspecting the weapon closely. He nodded before taking a step back. ¡°Swing it around for me.¡± He pointed at one of the compacted stone blocks lining the room. ¡°Strike one of them for me.¡± Nil did a couple of practice swings before dashing to his target. The three-finger blade sliced through the material like butter. Its drain on his stores almost doubled as it cut through the material, disintegrating a chunk. Nil released the manifestation when done. During the five or so seconds, he had drained the corresponding gauntlet¡¯s gem and a tenth of Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. ¡°Interesting.¡± Noal studied the damage closely. He withdrew a double-ended laser pointer from his pocket and moved it through the destroyed sections of the block. Numbers appeared on the device¡¯s digital display. ¡°The blade seems thin along the side of your hand, but the damaged section is significantly wider. In fact, it''s as thick as your hand.¡± ¡°The energy consumption is proportionately high,¡± Nil said. ¡°It''s nowhere near as efficient as the punching dagger I managed to manifest yesterday.¡± ¡°That might be true, but the inflicted damage here is higher, and you¡¯re inflicting two different kinds of damage,¡± Noah said. He fished a holo display out of his pocket and showed him the previous evening¡¯s destruction. ¡°The punching dagger is far more concentrated, and its job is to be precise. Your three-finger blade is more of an axe, and axes are for cleaving. You¡¯ll want to use it when you have large or multiple opponents and hope to dismember or decapitate. Because of the larger movements needed, it''s slower, so you¡¯ll have to be smart about its usage.¡± A floating blade appeared out of thin air and danced around the stone, cutting through it like butter. He ended up creating a stone glove that took on the shape of a three-finger blade and locked fingers within to match the handshape. Nil tried it on, and the fit was perfect. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure what weapon forms will work with them, but we can start with Shotokan Karate,¡± Noah said. ¡°It has several open-hand techniques that utilize the side of the hand. We can adapt for the additional reach afterward.¡± ¡°It''s what I used after first manifesting the energy blade,¡± Nil replied. ¡°The Source Gauntlet sensed my intentions and created them for me. Using karate forms felt the most natural, but my skills are rusty, and I need far more practice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where I come in.¡± Noah fell into defensive form. Instead of drawing a combat knife, he conjured additional floating blades. Two hovered on either side of him, movements matching those of his forearms. Unlike the one the man used to carve stone, the weapons appeared dull. ¡°How about we put in an hour before starting our Sundays. I¡¯m sure we both have plans for the day, but since we¡¯re already here, not putting in any time would be a waste.¡± It was clear that Noah Granger held back during their spar, but Nil was no match. The man refused to answer whether his body had ascended to gold or was still in the Silver Realm. Since Nil had never faced anyone stronger than Isabella, he believed Noah had achieved a Body of Gold. Avoiding blows proved impossible for Nil even though he had permission to use Toggled Supercharging. So, he enhanced his toughness instead and attempted to block incoming attacks. Fortunately for Nil, Noah avoided strikes to the face and neck and only left dark welts on his arms and thighs. Selia wouldn¡¯t see any bruises unless the date unexpectedly progressed past dinner and perhaps cuddling with a movie. Nil liked the woman but it felt too early to jump into bed with her. Given her forward and somewhat pushy approach, he doubted she would mind. However, his entanglement with Katherine had just ended. After finishing with Noah, Nil indulged in another icebath. Adam had introduced him to their wonders the previous day. The training building had a co-ed and segregated spa areas. Nil opted for the latter. Unlike the training area, it wasn¡¯t near-empty. Several Summoned residents indulged in the relaxation services. The Nexus had maintained their old-world decor, making the area look like a medieval bathhouse. No one seemed to mind. In fact, it resulted in an informal, relaxing space. As Nil lay in the brass tub full of swirling water and smooth ice chunks, he circulated energy around his body, closed his eyes, and focused. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a product of recent training or the pain and tiredness helped clear his mind better, but focusing energy in select parts of his body proved easier. The Schema didn¡¯t award him with any additional ranks in Energy Instinct or Wield The Source, but Nil felt better prepared for whatever came next. 103. A Day To Be Remembered ¡°Why are you moving like you¡¯ve been run over?¡± Selia asked when Nil met her later in the day. It was earlier in the day than they had planned, but they bumped into each other when he was returning from picking up the steaks. ¡°Noah had me join him for an impromptu training session,¡± Nil answered, and we went at it without Absorb or Expend. ¡°I¡¯m much better than I was this morning, but my muscles are still tight.¡± ¡°Have you visited the bathhouse?¡± Selia¡¯s wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, looking freshly done. In fact, her brows appeared recently groomed and her skin far more pristine than someone of their realm. It was apparent that she had not long left a beauty parlor. ¡°The Nexus folk seem to mix something special into the water. I don¡¯t have any healing abilities, but cuts and bruises fade faster than they did at my old ludus.¡± ¡°Absorb keeps me from noticing such things, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll swiftly change given Noah¡¯s preferred training methods.¡± Nil felt bad since Selia appeared to have put far more effort into the date than him. He had just tidied his room and cleaned. His phone call with Katherine had eaten up a big chunk of his afternoon, and Nil didn¡¯t have time to shave afterward. Selia hadn¡¯t told him about her relationship history, but given her past, it wouldn¡¯t surprise him if she hadn¡¯t been on many dates. Her approach was strange, but the evening clearly meant far more to her than it did him. Nil hoped his cooking and hosting skills would make up for his more casual approach. Selia chuckled. ¡°I think that¡¯s just for you. Isabella also has me working with Noah. We haven¡¯t yet figured out what fighting style best suits me, but he insists that I use phaseshift frequently.¡± ¡°Is there much skill involved in using your ability?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just an on-and-off switch?¡± ¡°Heavens, no. It''s not like I float when phase-shifted. Gravity is still an issue. My ability helps me push in a set direction when I¡¯m in a solid object, but that¡¯s it. Layla claims that my base power is far more potent than anything of its rank and lacks safety limiters. She believes it''s because of Symbiotech¡¯s tinkering. As I¡¯ve said before, if I were to phaseshift my whole body, I¡¯d fall through the ground and keep sinking towards the earth¡¯s core.¡± ¡°To be fair, there was a lot going on back then. Mission. Ticking clock. Collapsing building.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°So you have to keep the soles of your feet solid?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that,¡± Selia explained. ¡°Think of it as a flicker and a constant downward push. When I¡¯m passing through something, I try my best to keep an unphased part of my body¡ªgenerally a limb¡ªin contact with a solid object. It helps me stay orientated and in control. It''s challenging, hard to explain, and pretty all over the place.¡± ¡°That sounds a lot more complicated than Brutal Battery, to be honest,¡± Nil stated after taking a moment to think about the dangers of phase-shifting. ¡°I imagine you suffer a serious risk of suffocating if you fall through the ground or get stuck in a wall.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the phase-shifting ends if I get knocked out, and my Iron Realm ascension gave me the ability to push on solid objects. I¡¯m hopeful that it will evolve to grant me more force to shoot out of things after passing through them.¡± Selia chuckled. ¡°Adam and Shawn think I¡¯m being ridiculous, but I¡¯m almost sure that the Schema pities me. Every feat, ability, and upgrade I¡¯ve been offered seems designed to reduce the chances of me killing myself while phase shifting.¡± Nil failed to think of an appropriate response. Selia didn¡¯t come across as someone who appreciated sympathy, so he kept the discussion on the topic of abilities. ¡°I used to think that I had it rough with Brutal Battery¡¯s burns. It sounds tame compared to whatever Symbiotech made of your powerseed. Do you rely much on Spark?¡± ¡°Not much,¡± Selia replied. ¡°Spark dictates how long I can phaseshift in a day. In my opinion, I can do it enough already. With my ability, it''s more about how well instead of how much. I mostly focus on Mind and Finesse. The first affects my control. And you understand the value of Finesse.¡± ¡°I do.¡± The woman didn¡¯t seem too keen to talk about her childhood or time with Symbiotech. So Nil asked her about her time as a Summoned and old ludus instead. Just over a year had passed since she ascended. Her early quests had been rough due to her ailing health and weak body, and it was only connections that she made during them that got her into a ludus. Nil still had ingredients to buy for dinner, and Selia appeared happy to walk and chat. They ended up discussing their early quests and matches. Shawn had told her about Nil¡¯s time in the Pits, and the prospect excited Selia. He told her about his two matches, and she listened with her eyes wide, almost showing the same excitement as a civilian would. Nil found himself enjoying their time together, and it became apparent how little of the world his date had experienced. When Adam mentioned how much Selia¡¯s time as a lab experiment impacted her as a person, Nil failed to comprehend the weight of the statement. From his estimates, she was in her early-to-mid twenties and hadn¡¯t seen or experienced much of life at all. It seemed she knew little outside of Symbiotech and Summoned life. The six months between her escaping her captors and joining a ludus was likely a rough and awkward period as she struggled to survive in a world of bills, laws, and bureaucracy. Even the simplest things in life require a form of identification and a birth certificate. Without a bank account, Selia had no means of exchanging her Schema Credit for gold or Great British Pounds. ¡°I stole.¡± Selia shrugged. ¡°You need to do whatever it takes to survive. Fortunately, Symbiotech gave all of us captors a basic high-school-level education. It helped them get around regulatory bodies.¡± ¡°Probably makes a whole lot of sense also to educate your future assets,¡± Nil said. ¡°That too. But, yeah. When you¡¯re starving, you don¡¯t particularly care about what¡¯s right and wrong. You use whatever tools you have at hand to get food in your belly. I had two options. Walk the streets and hope someone will find me pretty and vulnerable enough to give me money or food. Or use phase-shifting to steal food and sneak into poorly surveilled areas to keep warm and steal. ¡°I took advantage of the generosity of others at first until a creep tried to lay hands on me. Things got out of hand, and I accidentally phased his head into a wall. I didn¡¯t pull it out of time. Risking a life of crime just felt like the safer and smarter option afterward.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Smart,¡± Nil stated honestly. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to understand what you¡¯ve been through.¡± ¡°Tell me your story,¡± Selia said, playfully bumping him with her shoulder after they left the supermarket with all the necessary supplies. The act caught Nil by surprise and almost made him lose his balance, knocking off his sunglasses. He swiftly put them back in place and fixed his hood. Nil and Bunty agreed that it was in their best interests to lay low until the next match or the Symbiotech incident reached a satisfactory conclusion in the media. ¡°I don¡¯t have a story.¡± ¡°Nonsense. No sane person would risk their lives and family to fuck over a company as powerful as Symbiotech unless they screwed him over in one way or another.¡± Selia stopped walking and stared at him. Again, it''s the lack of boundaries. She didn¡¯t seem to understand his hesitance to discuss the matter. It wouldn¡¯t surprise Nil if Selia believed that she owed him for being open and honest. The Aisha chapter of his life was behind him. The wounds were still raw and healing, but now that the visage was gone, he hoped that the chances of them reopening were low. So he opened up to the woman and told her about his past, starting with his relationship with Aisha and ending with the visage. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Selia exclaimed. ¡°That shape the symbiote took before everything went boom¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°Fuck. No wonder you¡¯re so awkward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m awkward?¡± Nil laughed. ¡°I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m very much socially adjusted.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Selia laughed, bumping Nil again. She caught him off guard again, but before he could stumble, she lopped an arm around his left bicep and caught him. The phase-shifting Summoned held on to it but softened her grip as she talked. ¡°I¡¯m the well-adjusted one. It''s the rest of you that¡¯s weird.¡± Selia paused, checking her wristwatch. ¡°Huh. I don¡¯t remember the last time I lost track of time while just talking and wandering with someone. It''s almost time for Adam¡¯s match. We should get back.¡± The pair weren¡¯t fast enough. By the time they returned to the ludus, Apocalypse Arena had already teleported Adam away for his match. So, instead of sitting in the cafe, the pair went up to Nil¡¯s suite. Selia peeled potatoes while he got the chocolate-fondant mix for dessert ready while they waited for the match to begin. When the suite¡¯s holo screen finally announced the match and its participants, Nil¡¯s stomach dropped. Adam¡¯s name appeared first. His rapid progress through the Gauntlet of Ten won him the title of Starfish for his limb-regrowing abilities. The man and his friends found him amusing. Seeing it on the screen also put a smile on Nil¡¯s face. Then came his opponent¡¯s details. Pietro the Frost Emperor. The screen didn¡¯t include his unofficial titles: The God Of The Iron Gauntlet and God of Death Gauntlet. Both Nil and Selia ceased the at-hand tasks. It was she who had told him about Pietro and his history. The man had taunted Shawn, claiming he¡¯d fail at the Gauntlet of Ten, and turned to the Death Gauntlet for ascension. Pietro had suggested he would be the barrier-marker¡¯s death. The pair watched with bated breaths. The channel used a split-screen display, showing both fighters simultaneously. While Adam sprinted through the crumbling canal city, Pietro strolled casually. The middle-aged Eastern European man didn¡¯t seem to have a care in the world, and unlike his opponent, he appeared to know where he was going. Pietro whistled a tune, cracking his neck, flexing his slender shoulders, and rotating his wrist. The man didn¡¯t just dress like royalty¡ªwearing a crimson breastplate, a white cape, and a furry silver collar¡ªbut also carried himself like someone born into it. Meanwhile, Adam sped around the narrow streets and leaped over canals. His several consecutive victories had won him a couple of sponsors. He wore designer fare in the form of a pair of pale blue ripped jeans and a black vest that clung to his muscular physique. He had no shoes and carried a chain and hook. Adam appeared surprisingly adept at catching it on ledges, posts, and other crumbling ruins to swing across gaps or scale buildings. Even though he was entertaining to watch, Selia and Nil couldn¡¯t help but focus more on the man¡¯s opponent. Pietro¡¯s casual stroll put him into the Cursed One¡¯s path. The monster roared and raced at him. Before it could reach him, a surprisingly silent avalanche rushed out of a nearby alley and barrelled into the Cursed One, knocking it onto its side. The monster tried to rise but slipped and fell. Then snow moved like Burning Sands¡¯s dusty conjuration and enveloped its limbs. The man, titled Frost Emperor, casually approached the beast and extended his right arm. His sleeve seemed to come alive and rushed forth, spiraling and reforming into an elegant spear. It reminded Nil of Fatima¡¯s blades. The spearhead ripped through the monster¡¯s sternum and into the glowing, pulsing flesh underneath. The Cursed One roared and thrashed, but the snow flowed and enveloped it, restricting the monster¡¯s movements. Orange light pulsed down the spearshaft and disappeared under Pietro¡¯s cape. ¡°Corrupted soul weapon,¡± Nil whispered. He recognized Shina¡¯s work. Pietro¡¯s sleeve-turned spear moved a lot like a symbiote but lacked the same solidity¡ªlikely an older, less developed version. The Cursed One¡¯s roars had attracted Adam¡¯s attention. He rushed Pietro, holding the chain in both hands and spinning the weighed down end. Once close enough to his opponent, he flung the hook, but a wall of snow rose, blocking its trajectory. Adam didn¡¯t slow. He zig-zagged and threw himself at Pietro. The erratic movements did their job. He successfully closed the distance and barreled into the skinny man, knocking off his feet. A soft, high-pitched cheer escaped Selia, but Nil still held his breath. He had faced an opponent like Pietro before and was sure the battle was far from over. The snow moved at lightning speed, making an almost chittering sound. It caught Pietro and gently placed him on the ground. He smiled at Adam, wiping blood from his nose. Instead of adopting a combat stance or fleeing, the man bowed. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a casual greeting or a taunt. His heart leaped into his throat as Adam spun and threw the hook again. He charged at Pietro and leaped, knee primed to strike the face. The snow once again blocked the hook and also stretched to stop Adam. The barrier wasn¡¯t thick enough. Starfish Adam broke through but then received a spear to the solar plexus. He roared, grabbed it with both hands, and wrenched the spear out of Pietro¡¯s grip. Adam landed a left hook and sent his opponent stumbling. No snow caught Pietro. Instead, the conjuration rushed at Adam. It flowed up his legs and gathered around where the spear pierced his flesh. Adam¡¯s eyes widened, and he grasped at the soul weapon. He stumbled backward, ripping it out of the wound. The exposed flesh and the skin around it had paled and turned grey. Selia had moved to stand next to Nil as they watched. She gripped his hand tightly. ¡°Please tell me the snow isn¡¯t flowing into Adam.¡± It was. The tissue around the wound rippled and bubbled but failed to weave over the damage. The grey area spread and Adam clawed at it. He left the corrupted soul weapon on the ground and retreated. ¡°He¡¯s slow,¡± Nil whispered. He had a strong suspicion of how the match would end and hoped he was wrong. Selia appeared to know too and trembled. Nil barely knew Selia on an intimate level and her friends but was aware that she and Adam were close. Pietro rose slowly and approached Adam. When he passed the dropped spear, it melted and flowed up his pants leg. Snow appeared out of cracks in the ground and nearby openings, rushing at Adam. The white caught up to the super regenerator and enveloped him. It all compacted and shifted violently. Sections of it blew outward, but new snow covered the holes. Then, it all dropped away, leaving Adam motionless. Every part of the man appeared grey and lifeless. Frost covered his eyes and hair and the wound in his abdomen appeared significantly larger than before. The Frost Emperor and God of the Iron Gauntlet manifested his spear once again. The man spun it and struck his opponent with the shaft. Nil caught Selia as her knees gave out. His chest tightened as cracks spread across Adam¡¯s body, and he crumbled into a pile of frozen gore. Pietro had frozen him solid from the inside. 104. Purpose The date ended with the match¡¯s broadcast. Nil held Selia for a while. He didn¡¯t know what to say and hoped his presence and warmth were enough to provide comfort. She didn¡¯t move or say a word for a long time. The woman stared silently at the screen for what felt like an eternity, tears streaming down her face and occasionally hiccuping. Symbiotech had taken many people dear to her, and even though the company had fallen, another person close to her was now gone. ¡°I¡¯m going to grab every one of those fuckers by the throat, phase their faces into a wall, and leave them there,¡± Selia said, wiping her face and nose. She glanced at Nil¡¯s damp shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re right.¡± Nil ignored the wet patch. He had Selia sit on a kitchen stool facing away from the holo screen and muted it. They continued to play highlights of the quick match in a corner while a blue-skinned woman spoke about Pietro¡¯s previous victories. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen it live, it''s clear that these bastards are taking on the Death Gauntlet for fun and profit. Pietro probably has earned enough Bronze Ascension Tokens to trade for the Silver Ascension tokens, but it will never be enough. We need to do something about them. The corrupted soul weapons make them too damned powerful.¡± Nil always knew there was a chance of dying, and even more so in the Death Gauntlet, but seeing it happen to someone he knew and had grown to like was rough. It was likely that he, Selia, and Shawn would all face the same fate, but they needed to try. If not, the Cursed Energy would be turned into another weapon. More civilians would suffer. It was possible that the next victim wouldn¡¯t just be an acquaintance but someone he deeply cared about. After getting Selia a box of tissues, he got dinner going. Nil didn¡¯t bother with the mash, carrots, or anything that needed additional preparation. Instead, he cooked what he already had ready. The half-a-kilo slab of Wagyu rib-eye went in a smoking skillet, and while it seared, he threw together a quick salad. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Selia said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have much of an appetite anymore.¡± ¡°Food does wonders,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It won¡¯t fix what happened, but a belly full of warm food will dull the ache for a while and help us both sleep tonight.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I used to be a chef before I became a Summoned. This clears my mind and will help push the images out of my head.¡± Selia stared at him for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Okay, then. You move like you know what you¡¯re doing. Maybe watching you will help me do the same.¡± Nil gave the chocolate fondant batter a final whip before carefully spooning it into ramekins lined with butter and cocoa powder. He left them in the fridge before sliding the steak pan into a preheated oven. While fondants set and meat finished cooking, he whipped together a salad. In preparation for consuming the Spirit Pill, Nil had filled his fridge and pantry with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and spice pastes. He didn¡¯t like the idea of a no-meat-or-dairy diet, but after growing up in a half-Indian household, he knew that the vegetarian food from his father¡¯s homeland was far more palatable than standard vegan fair. The assortment of ingredients helped him throw together a salad with a variety of textures. Since A5 wagyu had a beautiful but obnoxious level of marbling, Nil added bitter and sour elements. Nil rejected help and set the table while the steak rested and poured two extra-full glasses of the red wine he had purchased to accompany the meat. He sliced and served. Then, they ate in silence. Tears occasionally flowed down Selia¡¯s cheeks as she ate, and they took it slow. ¡°Would you like a piece of bread?¡± Nil asked, noticing the fat pooling on their plates. When she nodded, Nil fetched the fresh sourdough rolls he had bought for when he wanted a quick sandwich but didn¡¯t feel like making a trip to the cafeteria. Selia ripped it into pieces and mopped up the plate drippings. Once they finished eating, Nil popped the chocolate fondants into the oven and cleared the table. Selia took charge of the dishes, but he didn¡¯t stop her. A phrase connecting idle hands to the devil¡¯s playground came to mind. They worked in silence, and once the fondants were cooked, they ate it with clotted cream and fresh blackberries. The tartness helped cut the richness of the chocolate and browned butter. Nil refilled their glasses, and they drank. ¡°Is it okay if I sleep here?¡± Selia asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend the night alone.¡± ¡°Of course¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I want to have sex. Just the company and warmth would be nice.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that too,¡± Nil told her. ¡°Do you want to go to bed now?¡± Selia shook her head. ¡°I want to drink some more.¡± She paused, glancing at the empty plates between them. ¡°And perhaps have another fondant. You have more batter, right?¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°I always keep the extra in battered ramekins. Just give the oven a few minutes to heat up.¡±
The air was heavy in the cafeteria the following morning. It wasn¡¯t just Nil and his friends that ate their meals with sullen faces. The staff and other residents appeared equally down. The ludus had not long opened and had few residents. Everyone knew each other, and, as a result, everyone felt the loss. Shawn rarely joined the group for breakfast. Only Adam, Nil, Selia, and Susan ate at their table. The day following Adam¡¯s passing, he dragged an extra chair to the table of four and ate with the group, leaving the fallen¡¯s seat empty. Udit approached the group with a tray of beverages nobody had requested. He placed one in front of each of them and awkwardly hovered momentarily, placing a hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Is there anything more you¡¯d like?¡± Udit asked. ¡°I know it''s not Sunday, but I can ask the chef to whip together pancakes, crepes, waffles or anything you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Shawn said, smiling politely. Nil had never seen the expression on him before. He didn¡¯t know what to think of it. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Are you sure? I¡ª¡± ¡°Adam liked rostis and hashbrowns,¡± Selia interrupted the older of the Roy men. ¡°Could the chef whip together either?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be any trouble,¡± Udit answered before rushing away. ¡°Your father is a nice man,¡± Shawn said. Susan nodded. ¡°I like him very much.¡± ¡°The man believes full bellies can fix just about everything,¡± Nil said, chuckling. ¡°When my mother passed, he woke up early every morning for a week to make us pancakes precisely the way she used to. Her signature dishes followed in the evening.¡± ¡°My mother was the same.¡± Selia¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t move from her plate. ¡°When my abuela died, she made enough empanadas to feed an army. We had to give them away to our neighbors, and when they said no more, they went to people on the street. I miss¡ª¡± she paused, glancing at the people at the neighboring table. They also ate in silence but appeared more drowsy than morose. ¡°¡ªher empanadas.¡± ¡°I know this great place in Angel that makes excellent empanadas,¡± Susan said. Her plate appeared mostly untouched. She had done nothing but sip her tea since sitting down. ¡°It was on my first beat. I bought every alternate lunch from there.¡± ¡°Adam liked his food,¡± Shawn said, starting on his fourth egg. ¡°I mean really liked his food. Apparently, he was a fatty growing up and got bullied incessantly for it. Adam got into kickboxing and lifting to help with his confidence. No one fucked with him afterward.¡± Nil made up his mind. Objective: Challenge and eliminate any three of the following Summoned in the Death Gauntlet. Rewards: 5 Schema Tokens and 1000 Schema Credits per elimination Bonuses available. He read through the quest once more before accepting it. The Source Gaunlets gave him the necessary tools to take out Pietro on, hopefully, an even footing. Nil excused himself to the washroom and sent Bunty a message asking for information on everyone on the list and highlights of their last three matches. The man called him straight away. ¡°I know these names,¡± Bunty said. ¡°You¡¯re considering the Death Gauntlet.¡± ¡°Not just considering. I need to fight Pietro and two others. That¡¯s all I can share with you at this time.¡± ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯ll do my part. Please let me know well in advance so I can prepare a broadcast and be ready to get a video out as soon as possible afterward.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to take on Pietro yet and need more time. A good deal of the others don¡¯t seem to have been at this as long as the others.¡± ¡°You want your first match to be against the greenest of the bunch.¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Nil replied. ¡°As long as I won¡¯t be at an obvious and possibly fatal disadvantage, they¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°You sound fired up. That means money. I got this.¡± Nil returned to the table afterwards. A plate of palm-sized potato rostis and square hashbrowns awaited him. He opted for the former and listened to his new friends talk about Adam, late loved ones, and the food they associated with them. The death didn¡¯t pause any of their training regimen. At precisely seven o¡¯ clock they split up for the day¡¯s training. Nil and Shawn did laps together and took on the obstacle course side by side. A phone call interrupted their race. Much to the pair¡¯s surprise it was Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson. The conversation only lasted a couple of minutes. Shawn didn¡¯t share its contents and Nil didn¡¯t ask. The barrier-projector¡¯s eyes appeared damp for a moment but the moment faded when he exploded barriers under his feet and launched himself over next obstacle. Nil followed, using Expend to empower his leap. At eight they reported to Isabella for joint ability training and supervised sparring. The woman didn¡¯t mention Adam and put them to work straight away. Her exercises proved harsher than those of the following week. During idle chatter, Isabella had revealed to Nil that she lost several friends to Apocalypse Arena. He couldn¡¯t tell whether the intense training was meant to help clear their minds or she expected them to seek revenge and wanted them to be ready for the Death Gauntlet¡¯s dangers. Rage and conviction guided Nil¡¯s senses. Energy flowed through Nil more easily, bending to to his will. He found it easier to contain and compress them. The energy blades he manifested appeared sharper and better defined too. It was anew level of focus. They were tools. Energy projection and shaping felt like killing tools and Nil finally had a purpose for them. He needed to kill for the sake of his friends and his world. Nil had found his purpose. 105. Absolute Focus Even though he failed to replicate the necessary routine, Nil consumed the Spirit Pill. He needed to design his routine around the pre-decided training sessions, and it took a couple of days for his body clock to adjust. Nil''s day started at half past nine in the evening. He freshened up, made himself a vegan pill, and then retired to the garden room for eight hours of uninterrupted cultivation. He circulated energy through his body, compacted and focused it at points, and then sent it shooting to another part of his body. The imagined tiger grew stronger and more powerful with every passing hour. Nil put all thoughts of new ranks out of his mind and focused on nothing but what the manuals had taught him. The garden grew more beautiful with every passing day. The first saplings already stood ankle-high, and several new ones peeked through the dirt. Nil had spread a couple of bags of mulch and plant feed around. The former came with tiny, colorful pellets. He didn¡¯t know what they were at first. Now, he knew they were earthworm eggs. They and Meatball tilled the soil together. The whelp occasionally settled in Nil''s cupped hands when he meditated. At other times, she slept in a nest of dirt, uneaten food scraps, and somehow bits of bone. He couldn''t tell where she had found them. Nil had never seen Meatball defecate or found traces and hoped the fragments had come from her feces. The new plants from her magic released a soothing aura. He detected weak traces of the Qi he found in Hwang Mei¡¯s universe and eagerly circulated it through his system. With every passing, the energy signatures grew weaker, and on the third day of his new routine, he saw results. Spark has progressed to Bronze 2! Brutal Battery¡¯s stores swelled, and Nil felt readier than ever to take on the world. The solitary cultivation ended at six in the morning. He showered and swam a quick couple of laps before breakfast. Shawn joined them for every meal following Adam''s passing, occasionally joined in on conversations, and in rare instances, smiled or even laughed. Nil couldn''t tell whether he was trying to fill a hole Adam left behind, was getting involved in memory of his friend, or ensuring Selia didn''t crumble under the weight of the loss. Shawn and Nil didn''t talk about much besides training often, but he no longer felt like a complete arsehole. Whenever Nil found himself alone with Selia, the air turned intimate, but things didn¡¯t progress any further. They talked, opening up about their pasts and mostly discussing family. She understood that he was in time-sensitive training and never kept him for long. After breakfast, Nil joined Isabella or Noah for their training sessions. The Forge grew more crowded with every passing day, making him glad about booking time slots early. Once done, Nil swam a few more laps, had ice baths on days with Noah, and steam after Isabella¡¯s sessions. Sometimes, he ate alone. Occasionally, he found friends or joined his father. A week flew by. Nil finished absorbing the Spirit Pill. Gained a few more ranks and consumed his banked Schema Tokens. The growth was substantial. Might has progressed to Iron 7! Mind has progressed to Iron 2! Spark has progressed to Bronze 5! Energy Instinct has progressed to Iron 3! Wield the Source has progressed to Iron 3! Galvanise has progressed to Iron 2! Source Gauntlets have progressed to Iron 2! When the soul weapon gained its first rank, Nil hadn¡¯t noticed much of a change. Physically, nothing changed at Iron-Two either, but he sensed an emptiness in the crimson gems. Their capacity had increased. Neither of Meatball''s abilities had gained ranks, but Nil couldn''t help but think she had grown and her barky carapace had darkened. He measured the whelp and took photos just to track her changes. She especially enjoyed digging and traipsing around the plants that emitted unearthly energies. Their presence was warming, and he felt stronger around them. Nil guessed the Body Pill''s components were among them. The processed medicinal sphere¡¯s effects had long left him, yet he gained a full rank in the related attribute. Unfortunately, the same set of pills would do him significantly less good if he used them again. Thanks to his recent windfall of tokens, Nil had enjoyed a burst of rapid growth. To achieve the same again, he would need to purchase better quality pills made with higher rank and significantly rarer materials. Body and Mind Pills for Bronze Realm cultivators were ten-thousand Schema Credit each. Meanwhile, the Spirit Pill was twenty-thousand Schema Credits, putting them all well out of his reach. Nil hoped that his growing garden would make them irrelevant. He just needed to give Meatball time to grow her plants and feed her more of the same. As his mastery of the Mangrove Tiger Cultivation technique improved, his growth rate would as well. After finishing his final eight-hour cultivation session and the subsequent technique training, Nil no longer felt mentally drained. In fact, he felt sharper than ever. His body and mind had adjusted to the grueling routine. However, he missed meat and indulged in extra for lunch, making up for the lost week. The cafeteria had beef stroganoff, chicken in a ginger and spring onion sauce, and roasted salmon. He indulged in it all with steamed baby potatoes, broccoli, and whatever other greens the cafeteria had on offer. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. As Nil ate, he scrolled through the information packet Bunty had sent him the night before. It had all the requested details regarding the listed Iron Gauntlet companions. Unsurprisingly, the weakest and most inexperienced of them had been at it for more than a year. Nil needed time to pick his opponents and left the full recordings for later. For the time being, he analyzed the clips and read the connected information. New or old. I can¡¯t take any of these bastards lightly. Nil discounted a few opponents straight away. Natasha ¡®Airlock¡¯ Patel¡¯s power was hard to pinpoint, but it seemed she dealt with air pressure and could create vacuum pockets. Her enemies bled out of all orifices, starting from the ears or swiftly suffocated. Trying to avoid something he couldn¡¯t see concerned Nil, and he didn¡¯t want to deal with oxygen deprivation again. All of his losses had involved losing his air supply. Omar ¡®Djinn¡¯ Fahid was removed from the list for similar reasons. His power involved creating and controlling colorful fires. Galvanized only protected Nil¡¯s arms from heat. Escaping fire would prove challenging unless they ended up in a favorable environment. Omar liked to toy with his enemies and kill them slowly. Instead of incinerating them, he trapped them in fiery vortexes where they slowly burned or suffocated as all of their oxygen burned away. If Nil moved fast enough, he was sure he¡¯d find a way to break free of his favored attacks. However, getting blinded by the flames also concerned him. Four targets remained besides Pietro. Nil needed to pick two as his first two Death Gauntlet opponents. The system worked on a challenge basis. His opponents, of course, had the right to reject his request for a fight. However, every refusal counted against the challenger and cut them off from Death Gauntlet matches for several months. Given the frequency of the listed individuals¡¯ matches. They needed to gather Cursed Energy every three to four months. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why they don¡¯t just ascend and go for the Cursed Ones in the Bronze Death Gauntlet,¡± Susan said, making him jump. Nil and his new ludus friends never planned to eat together for lunch. Varying schedules made it challenging to set a routine. However, they sat together if they found each other during mealtime. Klocky Kennit¡¯s clips had Nil so engrossed he didn¡¯t hear the woman approach. ¡°They¡¯re bigger, stronger, and probably contain four times the Cursed Energy of their Iron-Realm counterparts.¡± ¡°They¡¯re sick cowards,¡± Nil said. He¡¯d been wondering the same thing forever. ¡°There is no benefit in staying in the Iron Realm. I don¡¯t know enough about the others, but Pietro specifically targets people from our Earth. He preys on the desperate and frustrated who¡¯ve failed the Gauntlet of Ten.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s just a part of it. It probably has more to do with their victory in the Iron Gauntlet being nearly guaranteed. Almost no one has soul weapons, and they can¡¯t compete with the difference in power.¡± Susan¡¯s drink arrived first, and she eagerly downed half the glass before continuing. ¡°The fact is they won¡¯t be strong enough to attempt the Bronze Death Gauntlet straight after ascending realms. They¡¯d need time to get stronger, ranking up their abilities, attributes, and soul weapon before they try anything. It''s mostly experienced individuals who¡¯ve failed out of the Gauntlet Of Ten a couple of times or more who risk death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long time to go without gathering Cursed Energy for their soul weapons and any other affiliates.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°That explains why we don¡¯t have many suspects in the higher realms. Or so I hope, at least.¡± Susan moved her chair closer to Nil and gently took his left hand in hers. ¡°Are you sure about this? The Nexus has jobs for me on and off Earth that don¡¯t involve the Death Gauntlet. I¡¯m sure there will also be some for you eventually. The Death Gauntlet isn¡¯t the only option.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Nil squeezed Susan¡¯s hand, giving her a gentle smile. He appreciated the woman¡¯s affection. She had a warm, comforting, sisterly presence. ¡°But of all of the Nexus¡¯s Iron Realm employees on Earth, I¡¯m the only one with a soul weapon. And considering my ability, I have the highest chance of taking out the more dangerous targets without getting killed. If it¡¯s not me, Selia, Shawn, or someone will challenge Pietro and they might not win.¡± ¡°You might not either, Nil,¡± Susan whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to end up like Adam. Andrew pretends to be strong, but he¡¯s not. Getting you back means a lot to him. He might not be able to handle your loss well.¡± ¡°I have no choice but to win and survive,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, Susan. I need to do this. It''s not just a vendetta because of what happened to Aisha anymore.¡± ¡°For your friends and family?¡± ¡°And myself.¡± ¡°I suppose there is no changing your mind.¡± Susan sighed. ¡°Just be aware that I might not be around for your first Death Gauntlet match.¡± ¡°Do you have a quest?¡± Susan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not doing much good over here. There are no Earth-side quests. We don¡¯t know when Andrew will be back. Watching all of you work so hard with such amazing resolve has me feeling guilty and useless. Maybe I can do some good elsewhere.¡± She grinned. ¡°The reward also includes a Silver Ascension Token.¡± ¡°Damn. I thought I was on the verge of catching up with you, but you¡¯re shooting off ahead. So the next time I see you, you¡¯ll have a Body of Silver and be extra sexy?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Susan chuckled, but the humor melted away swiftly. ¡°I need to survive first. The quest won¡¯t be an easy one and might go on for a few months. If I succeed, the token might go to empowering Skoll and Hati instead. As a Summoner, I¡¯m less likely to face the same problems as Selia.¡± ¡°Just stay safe,¡± Nil told Susan. He was just Katherine¡¯s friend and Andrew¡¯s lover at first, but they had become close friends somewhere along the way. ¡°Andrew won¡¯t take it well if you don¡¯t make it back either.¡± The pair mainly ate and talked about Andrew as they ate. Nil told Susan stories from their childhood and how things changed as they grew up. He hugged her before they parted. Susan went off looking for Udit while Nil returned to training. He hadn¡¯t slept in quite a while but now needed to reset his body clock. So, he pushed himself while watching his future opponents¡¯ match recordings. 106. Enter The Death Gauntlet ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Isabella exclaimed. Shawn appeared as surprised as she sounded. New, watermelon-sized barriers still clung to his palms as he stood in an attack stance. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nil answered, taking a moment to process what had just happened. ¡°It was spontaneous.¡± ¡°Try it again,¡± she commanded. ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡± ¡°Do you want me to attack again?¡± Shawn asked. ¡°Recreating the situation might help you do it again.¡± ¡°No,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I think I can do it.¡± It took him a couple of minutes to recall the last few seconds of their spar and put together what had just happened. Nil then ran at the wall with Toggled Supercharging on, leaped at the wall, and kicked off it while empowering himself with Expend. Then, instead of switching off the ability like he did to conserve energy, he used the ability¡¯s alternate function, releasing a minor blast through the sole of his feet. The force pushed Nil further but also ruined his balance. He switched Absorb just in time for his uncontrolled landing on his left arm. Nil got his hand under himself just in time and swiftly returned to a standing position. Absorb has progressed to Iron 5! Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 5! ¡°I knew it.¡± Shawn still failed to veil his surprise. ¡°You replicated my move.¡± ¡°I had used Expend to change direction mid-air before,¡± Nil said, plopping down on his bottom. He grabbed his right foot, wincing, and blew on the angry, red sole. Despite Symbiotech¡¯s failings and nefarious activities, they made excellent medical products. Nil still had a crate of their burn ointment and needed to find a replacement soon. He fished a tube out of his pocket and applied the paste to the burnt area. ¡°But it was the first time I managed to do it through my foot and propel myself further without needing a surface to push off of.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing yourself a disservice by not using kicks and knee strikes more,¡± Shawn commented. He released his barriers and sat down, massaging his left arm. Nil had failed to reach the barrier projector physically, but the shock of his kinetic blasts still occasionally broke through barriers and reached Shawn. ¡°You can strike faster than I create barriers. A good combo and a couple of feints will be enough to win you the upperhand.¡± The energy blades had no trouble slicing through the conjured barriers, and if Nil inflicted enough damage, they lost their explosive shatter ability. Shawn had figured out as much and preemptively destroyed them as soon as Nil started breaking through. As a result, he did his best to feint and mix explosive energy releases as often as possible. Low energy outputs proved excellent for interruptions and throwing opponents off-balance. ¡°I see your lessons with Noah are also going well,¡± Isabella commented, making a note in her new ludus-provided Holo Screen. All the staff and trainers had similar devices of varying complexity and power. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of your decision, but you¡¯re ready.¡± She looked at Shawn. ¡°Both of you are.¡± ¡°I know I am.¡± Shawn sighed. ¡°But the fucker Pietro rejected my challenge.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably seen your Gauntlet of Ten matches and knows your ability can counter his,¡± Nil stated. He didn¡¯t admit it, but he was glad. Even though Adam and Shawn were closer, some part of Nil believed he deserved the right to face Pietro more. When the wait timer on Pietro ended in four months, he¡¯d probably be desperate for Cursed Energy and would have no choice but to accept another challenge. ¡°Have you made up your mind about who you¡¯ll fight?¡± Isabella asked. Nil nodded. ¡°Klocky Kennit.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Shawn raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯d counter his time stop or his other whacko powers.¡± ¡°I suspect Energy Instinct should be able to counter it,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Kennit isn¡¯t actually the stopping the clock. It looks like he¡¯s creating bubbles of accelerated or slowed time. If I can detect them, I should be able to avoid them.¡± Nil issued the challenge, and it was accepted almost immediately. None but his peers had the same quest, and Isabella knew that it was a Death Gauntlet match. He had a nice meal with his family and got gifts for everyone just in case it was the last time they saw him. None of them suspected anything, and Nil successfully convinced them that it was because of his recent successful quests. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. After some thought, Nil also told Bunty. There was no hiding it from the videographer. He had helped gather all the information on Klocky Kennit and knew the man almost exclusively fought in the Death Gauntlet. Bunty informed Garuda Systems of Nil¡¯s return and also contacted other companies so they¡¯d look out for the match and consequent videos. Advertisement deals ensured that Udit would receive a tidy chunk of money if Klocky Kennit won. ¡°You¡¯re really lining up all your ducks, aren¡¯t you?¡± Selia and Nil had dinner together in his suite the evening before the match. She also had a fight the following afternoon and intended to face Natasha ¡®Airlock¡¯ Patel. As long as Selia didn¡¯t get caught in a pressure or vacuum pocket, her chances of victory were high. Nil nodded. ¡°I just want to ensure they¡¯re cared for if I fail. I trust Layla and the Nexus, but things might change. What if my family blames them for my death and leaves this place? A nest egg in their bank accounts and good memories might make a world of difference.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bigger softie than Shawn, aren¡¯t you?¡± Selia giggled. She leaned over the table and kissed Nil. It lasted for several seconds and didn¡¯t feel long enough when it ended. ¡°What was that for?¡± Nil asked, raising an eyebrow. Despite occasional flirtation, their relationship had taken a more platonic direction. ¡°I just wanted to know if you¡¯re a good kisser if you die,¡± she answered matter-of-factly. Recordings of Klocky Kennit played in the background. Bunty hadn''t just sent Nil match videos but also the man''s interviews on Earth. Kennit was a short and skinny man with strong Greek features who always had giant-muscled blonde women with him. He called them his Amazonians. The man scored high with teenagers for his controversial views. Bunty believed that the apparent harem also contributed to his image. ¡°And?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to shelve the discussion until the day after tomorrow.¡± Selia flashed him a mischievous grin. ¡°It¡¯s a deal then.¡± Nil nodded. He narrowed his eyes as he continued. ¡°We both need to win and come back alive. I don¡¯t think that was enough for me to make up my mind about you, and I must try again to conclude my investigation.¡± Selia laughed and gently kicked him under the table. ¡°You¡¯re gross.¡±
Morning of the match blurred by and before Nil knew it he stood in his possible graveyard. A giant dome of energy hung overhead, limiting the arena''s size and a cylinder of light kept Nil from leaving it. Besides the barriers¡¯ energies, he also sensed something much darker and vile pulsating somewhere far to his left. It was the Cursed One. Nil¡¯s surroundings reminded him of Cambodian temples he had seen in images. The environment also brought back flashes of Mortal Kombat film from the mid-nineties. A mass of ornate crumbling pillars surrounded him, keeping Nil from seeing far. According to Bunty, many arena fighters manifested their soul weapon with an identifiable flourish. Some didn''t call weapons forth unless the battle called for it either, leaving the audience guessing when it would show. Nil currently had the element of surprise and decided to keep the Source Gauntlets as a trump card. ¡°Welcome, one and all!¡± The announcer''s voice boomed in Nil''s ears. He did his best not to twitch and maintained a straight face, tracking the distant Cursed Energy as it ambled through the arena. ¡°It''s been a while since we''ve seen this Dark World. It''s too corrupted even for our barrier mages and arena staff, but we decided to prepare something extra spicy for you tonight. ¡°Returning for his fifth Death Gauntlet, we have Klocky Kennit, slaughterer of the Cursed and Scourge. He''s on a quest to purge fallen worlds of darks even when the Nexus doesn''t direct it. We need more like him to cleanse such realms and bring them back under our control!¡± ¡°His Challenger is none other than a recent ascender to the Iron Realm from the same world, Nil!¡± The announcer''s tone changed, and she continued in a hushed voice. Nil guessed the audience wasn''t supposed to hear her. ¡°Why doesn''t he have a title or nickname yet? I don''t know. That''s not my blighted job.¡± She resumed her professional tone. ¡°Nil has only fought four matches in the Iron Gauntlet but garnered a lot of attention for his explosive ability and flashy fighting style. I''m told he''s one to watch. That''s assuming he makes it out of the arena alive, of course.¡± The woman''s voice cut out, and Nil heard nothing but the wind blowing through the pillars and dry leaves rustling among them. His stomach bubbled. There was no backing out now. It was either kill or be killed. He had accepted the idea but was still worried about what his family would think or how they¡¯d see him afterward. You¡¯re doing this for their sake. If they hate you afterward, so be it. ¡°Every desire, decision, and necessity has a cost,¡± Selia had told him the night before. ¡°I suppose the cost of you protecting your loved ones is the risk of changing how they see you. They might understand, but they might not. If not you, one of us will get rid of these bastards. When Shawn and I fail, the Nexus will find someone else to do the job.¡± It was a job that needed doing. Nil reminded himself of the fact. If not him, someone else would eventually take down Symbiotech¡¯s Cursed Energy retrievers. Nil convinced himself that he needed to participate to reduce the number of people who died in the process. An invisible gong rang and the cylinder of light around him dropped. Nil dashed toward the cursed energy signature without a second thought. He had a theory. Trying to prove or disprove it would put him at too much risk. So, he intended to start off by eliminating the Cursed One. There would be no energy to harvest with it gone and the heart destroyed. 107. Death Gauntlet A torrential downpour came down upon Nil and the ancient temple. The heavy drops were loud on the stone. The pillars already limited Nil¡¯s range of vision, and the rain limited his vision further. It was icy cold but didn¡¯t bother his Body of Bronze much. The constant movement helped too. The elements had rendered the ground rough, and he didn¡¯t worry about slipping much. The decision to opt for a minimalistic outfit worked out in Nil¡¯s favor. He didn¡¯t need to worry about the damp clothes weighing him down or restricting his movement. Much like Adam, he had opted for a simple form-fitting vest. Meanwhile, knee-length white gym shorts covered his lower half. Nil planned on relying on Energy Instinct for victory, but he sensed nothing but the Cursed One. Most other arenas he had visited contained alien flora that radiated unearthly energies. It gave him a sense of the world but also clouded the ability-given senses. Now that he felt nothing but the Cursed One, Nil couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. Everything was too quiet. Too inert. The horrid weather didn¡¯t help with the atmosphere either. It made the dark and gloomy world feel even colder. It''s not just a Dark World. It''s an almost dead world. The trail of Cursed Energy led Nil deeper into the temple complex. Given the seemingly endless intricate pillars, rare spires, and even rarer buildings, Nil could see how someone could get lost and confused in the arena. The dark, cloudy sky meant there was no sun, moon, or stars for directions either. If not for Energy Instinct, Nil would have no clue of where to go. The trail of Cursed Energy led Nil into a cluster of squat, broad-based buildings with several gherkin-like extensions growing out of the roof. It was pitch black inside, and it took Nil¡¯s eyes a moment to adjust. He found nothing but life-like humanoid statues and detailed wall carvings either. The latter appeared comical, with characters with exaggerated features. They appeared to be telling a story, but Nil didn¡¯t dare take the time to analyze them. The Cursed Energy in the building was so dense the air almost felt viscous. Black, purple, and crimson luminous motes floated in the air but somehow reduced visibility instead of improving it. Nil took a handful of steps into the building, eyes struggling to penetrate the shadows in the hollow cones overhead. He struggled to see more than a couple of feet in front of him. A chattering sound, accompanied by clicks and scrapes, surrounded him. It was almost as loud as the rain outside. Despite his bronze-ranked Finesse, Nil¡¯s physical senses failed to detect anything. Only Energy Instinct sensed a shift. Every fiber told Nil¡¯s body to move, and he obeyed, diving backward. Nil moved just in time, avoiding the giant mass of dark grey that came rushing out of nowhere. Stone splintered, and the building shook. Nil stood just outside the temple structure¡¯s entrance between the thick darkness and loud rain. There was no telling where Klocky Kennit was now. The man specialized in laying temporal disruption traps and lying in wait. Nil currently lacked the luxury of worrying about anything but the Cursed One and focused on Energy Instinct, letting the supernatural sense spread all around him. He hoped it would be enough to track his opponent and the monster ahead simultaneously. A tall figure appeared just beyond the entranceway. It looked like a human but stretched out. The torso and limbs were spindly and disproportionately long on the twelve-foot-tall figure. An oversized hand grasped the arch. It was big enough to wrap around a full-grown man¡¯s chest. Nil didn¡¯t doubt the claws would have no trouble rending flesh either. The Curse One ducked, carefully positioning itself to ensure the antlers that grew out of its eye sockets, wrapped around the top half of its head and spread outwards, didn¡¯t scrape the ceiling. It grinned at Nil, exposing two rows of jagged teeth. The same discomfort Nil had faced during his emergency quest clawed at the back of Nil¡¯s mind. Even though the beast had no eyes, looking at it felt the same as meeting Oth¡¯s maddening gaze. It cackled, and Nil¡¯s ears hurt. A voice inside his head advised him to either tear his ears off or claw his eyes out. He believed that he would''ve given in if not for the recent extra ranks in Mind. The Cursed One''s smile disappeared when the preferred tactic didn¡¯t work. It snarled and charged at Nil. His first instinct was to retreat, but Nil didn¡¯t. Instead, he fell into a defensive stance, arms raised so that his fists half covered his eyes and knees bent to move with the strikes. His opponent started with a wide swipe. Since Nil had burned half of Brutal Battery¡¯s stores during his approach, he didn¡¯t hesitate to catch the attack with his left arm. Absorb took care of the force behind the swing, increasing his energy levels by twenty-five percent. Nil turned the block into a grab. His blocking hand wrapped around the creature¡¯s forearm while the other landed an Expend-powered punch to the torso. He grabbed a handful of lost flesh and invested significant resources into a throw. Recent cultivation techniques proved handy as he boosted Toggled Supercharging and standard Expend-empowerment significantly. A very human ear-piercing scream escaped the creature as Nil sent it flying and tumbling through the air. The creature¡¯s trajectory abruptly changed as parts of its body suddenly slowed. I was right not to retreat. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether Klocky Kennit had an awful sense of style or just enjoyed dressing like a cartoon supervillain. He wore a form-fitting navy suit and a silk shirt. Sparkly golden watches decorated the latter. His leather shoes seemed inappropriate for the battlefield, as did the several pocket watch chains hanging from his pockets. The man carried a cane with a glass sphere on one end with a clock on the inside. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The rain didn¡¯t seem to touch the man. It splattered against a translucent dome above him. A thin film of water had frozen in place and remained undisturbed by the drops that fell upon it before trickling away. Kennit stood, maintaining a demeanor similar to Pietro''s. Casual. Confident. Callous. The Cursed One screamed again, and unlike Nil, Kennit recoiled, covering his ears and wincing. The monster rushed at the suited man, long arms scraping along the ground. The antlers emitted a neon pink shade, vibrating. The headache and voices intensified. Kennit fell to his knees, screaming. The monster stopped just before reaching its target. At first, it appeared frozen, but Nil noticed slow movements. Its hip and shoulder blades twitched, suggesting the entire body wasn¡¯t within the temporal distortion. Kennit straightened up. He fixed his collar and wiped the blood trickling from his left nostril. He pointed his cane at the monster, and the golden clocks covering his shirt came to life. Chains burst from them and wrapped around the neck, limbs, and mouth. Then, a hooked mass slithered toward the monster¡¯s heart. Nil used the opportunity to attack. He had ducked into the shadow when he saw Klocky Kennit and the man seemed least bothered, prioritizing the Cursed One. Mistake. Nil moved as fast as he could without losing balance. He held both his arms bent in front of himself and knocked his knuckles together, manifesting the Source Gauntlets. Nil leaped onto the part of the Cursed One¡¯s back that was still moving, pressed his palm against the spine, and released a concentrated blast. The Cursed One¡¯s slaggy interiors didn¡¯t burn his hands. The heart continued to beat. It wasn¡¯t in the temporal distortion either, or Klocky Kennit¡¯s power wasn¡¯t what it seemed. ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Kennit yelled. The temporal distortion holding the Cursed One melted away, and the chains unfurled. The injured beast roared, stumbling backward and arms bent backwards. They came at Nil awkwardly, but he didn¡¯t stick around long enough to let the beast grab or scratch him. Instead, he wrapped his gauntleted fingers around the burning, orange heart before kicking off the Cursed One¡¯s back. The empowered leap carried Nil far enough from his previous position so that the chains missed. The falling beast froze again, suggesting Kennit had also tried to capture him with the odd ability. ¡°No!¡± Kennit¡¯s scream came too late and did him no good. Nil¡¯s clenching fist crushed the Cursed One¡¯s heart. It immediately lost its flexibility and magic, drying out, cracking, and then crumbling into dust. The Cursed Energy immediately dissipated. It was tempting to quip. In fact, Bunty believed that the viewers would love it. But Nil could neither think of anything nor care. There was a chance a taunt would anger Kennit further, and he''d make a mistake as a result, but it all felt like a waste. Nil could only think of eliminating his foe. Nil sprinted at his opponent, covering several meters with each stride. The throw and subsequent Expends had brought his energy stores below half but thanks to the additional ranks of Spark, he had more than enough to spare. At first, Nil struggled to sense Kennit¡¯s ability, but the close encounter with the Cursed One helped. It was subtle and faint but impossible to miss. Spending time in the garden and trying to identify each Qi-emitting plant individually sharpened Nil¡¯s understanding of Energy Instinct. Kennit¡¯s power had no colorful visual cues. His abilities didn¡¯t add any colorful vapors and constructs for him to track. Fortunately, Nil could just about sense when something wasn¡¯t right. Instead of spatial or temporal distortions, the chains came for Nil first, confirming his suspicions. His opponent¡¯s ability was low range, and he relied on his soul weapon to fight at a distance. He was ready when the chains whipped and snaked toward him. Nil waited until several bunched up before manifesting the three finger blade. It cleaved through the chains without issue, triggering a rain of destroyed links. Nil stomped on another trying to wrap around his ankle before releasing an energy blast to destroy them. If not for the rain, he would¡¯ve suffered a nasty burn. Nil kept moving, continuing to close the distance between himself and his opponent. Energy Instinct detected bubbles of time distortion that blossomed at his feet and mid-air and danced around them. A barrier formed ahead and to his left while a mass of chains shot at Nil from the right. Kennit wanted him to retreat or rush into a trap. He picked neither option. The recent exercises in cultivation and Qi Shaping all revolved around the concept of forming, compacting, and refining spheres. They didn¡¯t translate well to Nil¡¯s fighting style, but he still indulged in the exercises because they made more sense than the freeform projection and shaping needed to create his blades. Nil had resolved to master the manuals first and then modify the techniques to create what he needed. Expend has progressed to Iron 6! Brutal battery has progressed to Iron 5! A crimson sphere no bigger than an eyeball manifested, hovering over Nil¡¯s right hand. It wasn¡¯t as sharp as the manuals said it was supposed to be. The edges diffused rapidly, making it look like a rapidly shrinking crimson fireball. Nil threw it into the mass of chains, and they disintegrated whatever they touched. The energy ball only traveled a couple of meters before dissipating into nothing and creating one completely drained the respective arm¡¯s gem. As he approached, Nil created another. Hoping what Samara had said about the Source was true. It bent the laws of the universe. Once he was less than half a dozen feet from Kennit, he threw the construct. A temporal distortion caught Nil, freezing him in place, but his senses remained active. Time continued to flow normally. However, his body moved so slow it appeared immobile. Meanwhile, the sphere slowed, as did its deterioration. Kennit seemed to assume otherwise and swung his cane at Nil. Chains burst from the sphere on its end and wrapped around his neck and wrists. Meanwhile, the sphere continued flying forward. It was two-thirds the original size when it ate its way through the cane and no bigger than a pea by the time it reached Kennit, entering just below his solar plexus at a downward angle. The ability that had Nil trapped immediately disappeared, and the chains went slack. Kennit scrambled backward, screaming and clawing at himself. His eyes filled with the same panic that Adam had displayed in his final moments. A knot formed in Nil¡¯s stomach as he freed himself from the chains and advanced. His stores were nearly empty, but he consumed the energy, thrusting a palm into Kennit¡¯s face. Nil emptied his stores with a blast of energy, disintegrating most of his opponent¡¯s head and turning the rest into shrapnel and mist. 108. Bittersweet Victory You have received 5 Schema Tokens and 1000 Schema Credits for your victory. Victory against a combatant with seventeen Gauntlet of Ten and four Death Gauntlet wins, and destroying the Cursed One has earned you an additional prize. Would you like upgrade materials for your soul weapon or growth fruit for your soul beast? The decision wasn¡¯t a challenging one. There was no telling when Andrew would return from his quest. His return was at least six months away and there was no telling whether he¡¯d have the necessary abilities, ranks, or expertise to upgrade the Soul Gauntlets. Meanwhile, Meatball could benefit greatly from an immediate growth boost. The sooner she was ready to help him on quests and in the arena, the easier his life would get. So, he picked the growth fruit. You have earned 5 Schema Tokens and 1000 Schema Credits for progressing your quest. Nil hadn¡¯t been a Summoned for long and had come a long way since. His first quest had earned him a hundred Schema Credits. After healing fees and taxes, he had around six thousand in his hand. Now, he had earned two thousand credits in a matter of minutes, which converted to two hundred thousand Great British Pounds. Exchanging the currency and putting it in an investment account would earn him a decent chunk and secure his family¡¯s future. However, the government would take a giant chunk in taxes. Nil expected to lose thirty-five if not forty percent of his earnings. Instead, he decided to hold out until Bunty got back to him with sponsorship offers and partnership deals. Given what people he knew had received, the numbers would eventually match arena earnings. The government would tax it as income, and there was no getting away from it. So Nil decided to invest earth earnings in his family while Schema Credit would go into manuals, upgrade materials, and whatever Meatball needed to grow big and strong. Nil had suffered no injuries. There was a lot to see in the arena backrooms, but he had other priorities. He returned to the ludus, eager to find out how Selia¡¯s match had turned out. She hadn¡¯t yet finished. Nil found a seat in the viewing gallery and watched with bated breath. Several fiery tornadoes revolved around Omar ¡®Djinn¡¯ Fahid. Nil couldn''t be sure if it was a part of the man''s power, an updraft created by all the spinning hot air, or another example of distorted physics, but he floated between them, hovering a couple of meters above the ground. The other half of the screen showed Selia. Patches of her tank top and yoga pants had burned away, and her skin underneath appeared red and angry. Sweat soaked her dark hair, her lips were cracked, and her eyes appeared dry and red. Things weren''t going well for her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. She¡¯s got this.¡± The reassurance came from an unexpected source: Shawn. He invited himself to sit with Nil. ¡°She¡¯s just waiting for the right time.¡± The man wore his battle attire. His new sponsor, a defense and securities firm, had provided him with a designer. The woman put him in a red leather jacket, white t-shirt, and bottoms, which resembled black jeans but seemed of a more flexible material. In Nil¡¯s opinion, the outfit, when paired with his African heritage, brought back memories of Michael Jackson in the thriller music video or Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop. Maybe that¡¯s what they were going for. ¡°You know her style better than me,¡± Nil admitted, returning his eyes to the screen. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you had a match.¡± ¡°Why sit around while you two are doing something? The list is nine-strong, and there¡¯s three of us.¡± ¡°Nine? Mine only had seven.¡± ¡°Perhaps Layla left out people you have no chance against. Selia showed me hers. Her quest only has six individuals. Adam¡¯s was the same.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair. The barriers let you defend against things that would kill the most of us.¡± Shawn nodded. ¡°I figured neither of you had a chance against Airlock. So, I took her out.¡± ¡°What was her soul weapon?¡± Nil asked. ¡°A scythe,¡± Shawn answered. ¡°Stupid, impractical weapon. The blade was double-edged and somehow destroyed my barriers better than your energy constructs. It wasn¡¯t easy, and things got dicey after she ran off and killed the Cursed One. But I turned things towards the end.¡± ¡°I suspect the corrupted soul weapons and their wielders get a power boost just after consuming Cursed Energy. If you look at the recordings, they always seem to find the way to the Cursed Ones and kill them before facing their opponent. That can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± ¡°I saw the last few moments of your match. I couldn¡¯t tell whether he was incompetent or you just laid down surprise after surprise.¡± The conversation ceased when Selia finally made her move. Apocalypse Arena seemed to have taken the combatants to a world that fell during its industrial eras. Crumbling factories lined the streets, and abandoned carriages lined them. The fire-vortex conjurer appeared to have chased Selia into a building filled with giant looms, but Nil suspected that the phase shifter had led him there. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The man moved closer in on her while still hovering a couple of meters above the ground. Selia and her daggers had no chance of reaching him. When Omar sent a twister of pink, orange, and yellow at her, she fell into the floor. Her opponent frowned, eyes scanning the ground. He rotated while still levitating, hunting for his target. Omar¡¯s fiery cape appeared to move independently. The bottom corners twisted into spikes, stiffening and pointing directly below him. A slash on his right pant leg suggested Selia had already tried to attack from that angle. The side of the screen showing Selia had gone dark. It refocused a moment later. Omar floated in the frame. The bottom-up view showed his boots, which were made of a material similar to his animated cape. The fabric¡¯s hexagonal pattern fragmented and twisted with miniature fire vortexes in a seemingly constant state of flux. Nil recognized Shina¡¯s handiwork. The garments were a product of her artisanal ability. It took him a moment to realize that the focus wasn¡¯t Omar but the machinery above him. While the man studied the ground below him, Selia emerged through the loom. The way she moved, it seemed she was gliding instead of pushing herself through. Omar¡¯s cape reacted before him. The spikes reoriented themselves, pointing and shooting upwards, but passed through Selia as she fell with daggers held high above each shoulder. She scythed them downward, accurately inserting both tips where Omar¡¯s head met his shoulders. The blades didn¡¯t stop until the hilts caught skin and bone. Omar was dead before he reached the ground. Selia landed on top of him. She rolled off the corpse and onto her back, panting as the announcer declared her victory. ¡°I told you she¡¯d come out on top,¡± Shawn said. ¡°Selia¡¯s fighting skills and techniques need a whole lot of work, but she knows how to use her ability well. She¡¯s had it longer than most of us.¡± ¡°About that. Selia won¡¯t talk about it, and I¡¯m not sure either. Did she get her ability before becoming a Summoned?¡± ¡°Selia won¡¯t clarify that for me either, but I think so. Symbiotech¡¯s experiment gave her the power to phaseshift. They put her a twisted, more broken soul weapon seed than yours in her. If the Nexus didn¡¯t summon Selia and give her abilities to control and manage the power better, she probably would be dead by now. The one time I got her to talk about it, she described the power and soul weapon seeds as cancers slowly eating away at her body. I¡¯m surprised it didn¡¯t fuck up her mind like your old teammate.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think we¡¯d all be more fucked up after what the cataclysm and everything did to our world and lives,¡± Nil stated. Shawn only shrugged. ¡°I think my parents did me a favor by abandoning me somewhere a ludus would take me in. Cataclysm or not, most people would¡¯ve taken care of their child and tried to give them an okay life.¡± Learning about Nil¡¯s social circle regularly reminded him that he had lived a better life than most. The loss of Aisha and his haunting visage felt insignificant, given everything they had encountered. ¡°We should celebrate our victories and fat rewards,¡± Nil stated, finally tearing his eyes off the screen. Apocalypse Arena had teleported Selia away. The staff would provide her with immediate medical care, and it didn¡¯t cost as much as the Nexus healing fountain. ¡°I have contacts in a bunch of amazing restaurants in Mayfair. All it would take is a call.¡± Shawn leaned back in his chair, staring at Nil. ¡°Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t rather it just be Selia and you? I¡¯d rather not be the third wheel.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Adam particularly well, but he was clearly important to the pair of you. After a week of intense training, it might be nice if we spend the evening just as friends.¡± ¡°Do you not like Selia?¡± ¡°I do, but I also want her to understand that I have no expectations of her. But that''s not the point. There will be other opportunities for us to be alone and have another go at a date. We all accomplished something great and could do with decent friends. I know you¡¯re not my biggest fan, but¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pretty decent guy,¡± Shawn interrupted, taking a long sip of his drink. He broke eye contact and scanned the room. Even though the man did his best to hide it, Nil could tell that the man felt uncomfortable. He was making an effort to be more than the initial impression he had made. ¡°You¡¯re not as big as an asshole as you like to pretend either. Don¡¯t think your crappy attempts at being there for Selia have gone unnoticed.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Shawn laughed. ¡°Make your booking. I bet Selia will be glad to have the opportunity to go out.¡± He paused. ¡°Just don¡¯t pick anywhere too pretentious or with a strict dress code. I don¡¯t have a lot of nice clothes.¡± ¡°Just no open-toed shoes, tracksuits, or shorts,¡± Nil told him. ¡°Everything else is fine. You might even score us some free drinks and appetizers if you wear that ridiculous red leather jacket of yours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shawn sighed. ¡°It makes you look like Michael Jackson on steroids,¡± Selia stated, emerging from the Apocalypse Arena teleportation chamber. The burns on her skin had disappeared, and she wore old gym wear. They all carried an extra set of clothes when entering the arena¡¯s staging area. Combat often destroyed outfits, and the garish and flashy outfits stood out when returning to Earth. ¡°So what are we dressing up for?¡± ¡°Nil is using his connections to the underworld to get us into London¡¯s finest bars and restaurants,¡± Shawn said, hugging his friend. ¡°Great win, by the way. I bet you¡¯ll have a bunch of sponsorship deals come tomorrow morning.¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I had a word, and Festus The Curator will be featuring you soon.¡± He checked his wristwatch. The evening was almost upon them. ¡°Should we freshen up, get dressed, and meet down here in an hour? I¡¯ll call some friends in the meantime. It''s Sunday, and most Michelin-Star restaurants are closed. The few that are open tonight tend to be all booked up, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°Anywhere will do,¡± Selia said, hopping up on to her tip toes and pecking Nil¡¯s cheek. ¡°Even a sloppy burger or shitty chain restaurant will do while I¡¯m out celebrating with my boys.¡± She glanced at Shawn. ¡°Need me to sort you out a date?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I can find a strapping specimen for myself once we hit the bars,¡± Shawn replied, shooting her a wink. Nil was glad to see the more casual side of the man finally. It felt odd, but Shawn no longer felt like an annoying stick in the mud. Most of all, Nil hoped that spending time with friends and a few drinks would help him sleep through the night. A quick and sudden execution had ensured he didn¡¯t need to look into Kennit¡¯s just eyes before he died. However, the fact that he had killed another human being mere minutes ago still ate at him. Nil needed the evening as much as the mourning duo. 109. The Morning After Nil woke alone and, while making his bed, found red, lacy underwear in it. He folded them neatly and left them on the nightstand. He was sure their owner would come by later to collect them. The Sunday night didn¡¯t turn as wild as he had expected. Most of Mayfair¡¯s best restaurants were closed, and he struggled to find a booking at first. Then, an old colleague who was now a sommelier at one of London¡¯s first Michelin-starred Indian restaurants hooked him up with a table. Nil had personally distanced himself from the cuisine after had old employer had told him he would only grow and progress with Indian food and had no talent for anything else. After a two-and-a-half-hour tasting menu meal consisting of some of the best Indian kebabs and bread Nil had ever had, the trio ended up hanging out in the establishment¡¯s bar room. His prior connection to the staff and the trio¡¯s growing fame got them custom cocktails, vintage bottles at an excellent rate, and even a flight of desserts. Nil was sure to tip extra when they finally left at closing time. Shawn called it a day, thanked him for the evening, and left. ¡°I told you he¡¯s a great guy,¡± Selia had said once they were alone. ¡°He just needed some time to warm up to you. It''s understandable, given his past. I imagine it''s difficult for Shawn to trust people and open up to them.¡± Selia nodded. ¡°He was convinced you were one of Symbiotech¡¯s lackeys, too, and they helped you get into the arena to expand their fucked up enterprise. It took a lot of convincing and Layla saying it before he believed you were a Nexus agent.¡± ¡°That makes a whole lot of sense,¡± Nil stated. ¡°I enjoy sparring with him. Shawn is one of the most challenging opponents I¡¯ve ever faced. If not for tricks I devised to counter him, the fight against Klocky Kennit would be far more challenging.¡± The trio had caught their performance on the Highlight Reel channel earlier in the evening. It also showed clips of Kennit¡¯s harem of Amazonians crying over his passing. Nil didn¡¯t quite understand polyamory and felt guilty about wondering whether he attracted his partners with his wealth. The pair planned on wandering aimlessly around Sloane Square and neighboring streets until they found a quiet venue for a few more drinks. Then, doormen at a private members club recognized Nil from Festus The Creator¡¯s channel. It took them a moment, but they identified Selia too. She resembled the woman from the qualifiers less every day. The sickly complexion and pallor rapidly faded every day after the ascension, and her body attributes gained ranks. The men pulled strings and got the couple into the secluded top-floor bar. Famous actors and television personalities, Summoned athletes, politicians, other arena fighters, and more occupied the space. The pair received acknowledging nods, but no one approached them or tried to start a conversation as they faced on the street or at Benares¡¯ bar. It was well after midnight before Nil had the staff call them a taxi, and they returned to the ludus. He decided to sleep in and skip a day of training. Selia had other ideas. She seemed to have helped herself to one of his more oversized hoodies and left her clothing lost among the sheets. She didn¡¯t want to disturb me. The thought brought a smile to Nil¡¯s face. He knew what his family would say if they found out. It was far too early to jump into bed with someone so soon after his relationship ended. However, Nil believed that he and she were never earnest, and what little they had fizzled out long before the official end date. Katherine hadn¡¯t stuck around when Nil disappeared during the Symbiotech sabotage. She didn¡¯t reach out to him even after Susan informed the former police officer that he had returned. Nil contacted her, feeling that it was the right thing to do. He didn¡¯t hold the lack of communication against her but believed he was free to jump into something new without guilt or a second thought. Since Nil worried that his family would feel differently, he planned on not telling them about the latest developments. Besides, the pair hadn¡¯t defined their relationship yet. In fact, Nil wasn¡¯t sure whether ¡®relationship¡¯ was the correct term. He just knew that they enjoyed spending time together, and that was alright. Because of the visage, Nil had lost seven years of his life in loneliness and misery. He didn¡¯t want others'' opinions to get in the way. However, Nil cared about his family and didn¡¯t want them to think he didn¡¯t value them or their thoughts. Keeping everyone happy was a delicate balance and tiring. It felt good to be selfish. Meatball squeaked excitedly when Nil entered the garden. It felt too soon to release her in the arena, and she was unhappy about cooped up. So he left her free to play in the dirt. Her nose twitched excitedly when he pulled the Death Gauntlet¡¯s bonus from his pocket. The fruit resembled a nectarine. The gold sections almost felt luminous. Nil could sense vast quantities of warm gold and green pulsing deep within the fruit. He only wondered what would happen to him if he ate it but then handed it over. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The mammalian ankylosaurus''s face flashed an almost canine smile before she carefully took the fruit in her forepaws. Meatball awkwardly waddled to the mound that acted as her bed before taking a small bite out of the gift. She displayed far more restraint than Nil had ever seen or expected from her. He watched her eat for a few minutes before visiting the cafeteria. Nil¡¯s Body of Bronze still retained the ability to get drunk but didn¡¯t seem to suffer hangovers. Or he hadn¡¯t consumed enough to discover his limits. He didn¡¯t intend to find out and visited the cafeteria for a hearty breakfast. It was just past eight in the morning, and he bumped into Emily and Sam just as they were leaving for school. The pair hugged him tightly before speeding away. Both appeared happy to see him, leaving him glad. He guessed his family had skipped the previous evening¡¯s match. When Nil sat down and ordered his breakfast, his father joined him. ¡°Good morning, son,¡± Udit said, placing two steaming cups of milk tea on the table. The aroma carried hints of cardamom and ginger. ¡°No training sessions today?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°Last week was intense. I decided to give myself the morning off. I¡¯ll probably just swim and then call my media man. Then return to personal training this afternoon.¡± ¡°It''s good to take time off.¡± Udit nodded. He had a brief word with the server while she laid out soft-boiled eggs, smoked fish, toasted sourdough, a gravy boat of hollandaise sauce, and half a melon on the table. The man only continued after the woman had left. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Nil answered, eagerly digging into his breakfast. He cut a soft-boiled egg in half, loaded it onto a piece of toast, piled smoked salmon on top, and then poured hollandaise sauce over it all. ¡°How are you liking the new job? Is Layla taking good care¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s all fine.¡± Udit moved his chair closer. Unlike his usual, collected self, he appeared awkward. It was the man¡¯s body language, and something seemed off. ¡°Are you really okay, though? I noticed you went out last night. The receptionist claims it was almost morning when you returned, and I can still smell the vodka on you. Is everything alright?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°After everything that happened with Adam and the match, I just needed to blow off some steam with my friends. Its not anything worth worrying about. And¡ª¡± He paused. The look in his father¡¯s eyes told him there was no hiding it. ¡°You saw last night¡¯s match, didn¡¯t you?¡± Udit nodded. ¡°Do you know about the Death Gauntlet?¡± ¡°Working for the Nexus opened me up to a lot of information I didn¡¯t have before.¡± He glanced at the staff and neighboring tables. ¡°I¡¯ve also overheard your friends talking. The two you went out with last night are far less discreet than you. Or they don¡¯t care if the staff and ludus members hear them. Are you on the same quest?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Nil answered honestly. ¡°Do Sam and Emily know as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t let them watch Apocalypse Arena matches. They¡¯re far too violent, and I¡¯ve blocked the relevant feeds on all their devices.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they found a way around your controls either.¡± ¡°Neither would I,¡± Udit replied. ¡°It''s probably easier to watch them on one of their friends¡¯ devices. I knew what you were getting into with this whole Apocalypse Arena thing. Death is a regular part of it. It''s difficult to breathe whenever you have a match. That¡¯s not what this is about.¡± Udit paused, looking into his son¡¯s eyes. The man fidgeted, moved to the chair next to Nil, and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You killed a man yesterday. Are you okay?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nil replied. He didn¡¯t see any point in lying to his father. ¡°But I¡¯ll cope. It might not be today or tomorrow, but I¡¯ll find a way to live with it.¡± ¡°This is a heavy weight you¡¯ve taken on, Sunil. I know why you must do this, and it''s clear there¡¯s no talking you out of it. I just hope you¡¯re ready to carry the burdens that come with all of this. Promise me that you won¡¯t do something you¡¯ll regret for our sake. You¡¯ve done enough already. Our lives are great already. We¡¯re satisfied with this and want nothing more from you. Anything you do henceforth needs to be¡ª¡± ¡°For me and no one else. I get it. I promise that I won¡¯t.¡± Nil smiled at his father. ¡°Thank you, Baba. It means a lot coming from you. I was worried you wouldn¡¯t see me the same way anymore.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Udit replied, ¡°but not in the way you think. You¡¯re doing what is necessary for our world and people at significant personal cost. It takes a special kind of person to do that, son. Not everyone will see it the same as me, but they don¡¯t realize that we don¡¯t live in a world of absolutes. There are real monsters out there; far too many live in human shells and outside of our law¡¯s reach. Someone needs to take care of them.¡± ¡°I hope Emmy and Sam see it the same way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried they won¡¯t want to be around you?¡± Udit asked. ¡°Moral objection isn¡¯t my concern,¡± Nil replied. ¡°I¡¯m more worried than them being scared of me.¡± ¡°Sammy won¡¯t care. He¡¯ll probably think you¡¯re a superhero. I can¡¯t be sure about Emmy. She likes to put on a strong front, but she¡¯s more than your mother than she¡¯d like to admit.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re all under the Nexus¡¯s protection, maybe we should have a sit-down and lay it all out in the open? The truth about what I did and why I had to do it might help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± Udit said. ¡°Not with Sammy, at least. He worships you and has a big mouth. Before we know it, you and the Nexus¡¯s secrets will be the talk of the playground. But when you find the time, maybe take her out and have a private word.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Baba.¡± 110. Picking Opponents Nil didn¡¯t know whether Emily was too busy with school, no longer considered going out with her big brother cool or had seen the match recordings and now feared him. She rejected his offer for a brother-daughter dinner date, claiming she had vital coursework to complete. I hope I¡¯m wrong. ¡°Just be patient,¡± Selia told him as they sat in his garden, basking in the warm rays coming through the sunlight. ¡°For all you know she really is busy. She¡¯s sixteen. It''s a big year for students. There is a lot going on socially and academically.¡± ¡°Symbiotech sent you to school?¡± Nil asked, eyebrow raised. The woman shook her head. ¡°But TV and the internet can be very educational. I might not have experienced school, but I know teenage girls. I was one and shared rooms with plenty. Even if she knows about Death Gauntlet and killing your opponent, give her some time.¡± Selia stood on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on Nil¡¯s lips. ¡°I might not have met Emily personally, but I¡¯ve seen how you two are from afar. She loves you and will come around eventually.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± Nil sighed, leaning back. The soft, damp dirt was soothing between his fingers. He loved the garden. It reminded him of his mother. ¡°Emmy is important to me. I don¡¯t want me working for the Nexus to destroy our relationship.¡± ¡°If not now, she and Sam will eventually understand why you¡¯re doing the things you do and its importance.¡± Meatball squeaked angrily and rammed Nil¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t have Absorb active, so he yelped and pulled it away. She hadn¡¯t used her spikes, but her bark-like carapace had scraped the skin off his pinky finger and the attached knuckle. ¡°Oh.¡± Nil¡¯s hand sat millimeters from a new sapling. The pair of leaves sticking out of the ground were not even half the size of his pinky fingernail. After consuming the fruit, she had grown from the size of a grapefruit to a melon. Her carapace had hardened and grown harder and lost its fuzziness. She also had more spikes; not all were the same size. Her rank and those of her abilities had all increased. However, she was still a baby and protective of her plants. So, he didn¡¯t hold minor injuries against her. He had heard about puppies and kittens accidentally hurting their humans. The little ones didn¡¯t understand the force of their nips and bites and the sharpness of their claws yet. ¡°It''s not okay to attack your friends!¡± Nil scolded, doing his best to sound angry. He softened when Meatball released a soft squeak. ¡°Just don¡¯t do it again. And I¡¯m sorry I almost squashed your sapling.¡± Nil found Selia studying him with an amused look on his face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied before checking her holowatch. ¡°Should we head down for dinner?¡± Nil and his friends met in the cafeteria, wearing new clothes and devices. He didn¡¯t just receive a windfall because of sponsorship and partner deals. Selia was soon to appear in a cosmetics advertisement. They wanted to lie that her sudden complexion improvement was because of their rejuvenation cream. Selia did use one of their moisturizers regularly for former dry skin issues but owed the ascension and ranks for her current looks. The money was good, and no one blamed her for taking it. The burnt clothes in her previous match worked in her favor. The exposed skin had people talking about her allure. Some of the talk he had read and heard disturbed Nil. They obsessed with her mixed Argentinian and German heritage far too much. He had encountered similar discussions regarding his parentage, but it wasn¡¯t as bad, sexualizing, or fetishistic. There was nothing he could do about them, and he did his best to ignore the downsides of fame. However, all the attention also attracted several fashion brands. Selia had a new wardrobe that included branded clubbing outfits, sportswear, fashionable casual clothes, and a variety of accessories. She only needed to appear in public, in interviews, or in the arena wearing them. Shawn and Nil received several but lesser benefits. The barrier projector limited his partnership to defense, security, and athletics companies. His media partners believed that spreading himself out too much too early would do more harm than good. Bunty¡¯s hypothesis proved correct, and Nil had a wide range of options. The soul weapon display got him several lucrative offers, but most demanded exclusivity. Nil didn¡¯t care about fashion and just went with whoever offered the most money, as well as a summoned artisan firm that made athletic wear for Summoned. He hoped their more durable products would reduce the chances of exposing himself in the arena. Since Garuda Systems was the first to reach out and hadn¡¯t lost interest when Nil¡¯s connection to Symbiotech made him appear suspicious, he agreed to have a sit-down. They reiterated their interest. Garuda was a creature out of Hindu mythology. Nil¡¯s full name and ethnicity made him an excellent advertising partner for their newest line of hoverbikes. He received a substantial paycheck, operating training, a license, and a variety of tech that Nil needed several manuals to learn how to use. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The trio met in the cafeteria wearing their new casual wear, not to show off their success but because all garments were made to fit and far more comfortable than anything they had owned before. The new Holo devices on their wrist also ensured none of them had to carry phones, watches, personal music devices, or wallets. The centimeter-thick bands on their wrists took care of everything and needed charging only once a week. Nil couldn¡¯t wait to show it off to Andrew but worried he would want to take apart the Aethertech and tinker with it. ¡°So, who is everyone challenging next?¡± Isabella asked once they were all settled in a private dining room and the food had arrived. The woman appeared to enjoy the trio¡¯s company more than that of her new colleagues and joined them for meals if they bumped into each other on the way to the cafeteria. ¡°I think it''s about time we design customized training regimens based on who you¡¯re facing next.¡± ¡°Furball Maher,¡± Shawn answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching his videos, and I don¡¯t think anyone here has much of a chance against him. The fur will absorb all of Nil¡¯s attacks, and he¡¯ll use up all of his energy before his blades cut through them. Selia will get lost in all of the hair.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I can phase through all of that,¡± she said. ¡°The static shock thing he¡¯s developed will mess me up the second I try to phase back in. I haven¡¯t picked my opponent yet. Noah and I are working on my martial skills and finalizing a weapon. Perhaps it''s best if I leave my decision until afterward.¡± All eyes turned to Nil, who was busy shoveling food into his mouth. The others didn¡¯t have to deal with insane calorie demands like him. He swallowed his mouthful and activated his holo watch¡¯s display. Jaqueline The Shredder Alex ¡®Furball¡¯ Maher Shervon Gray ¡°Since Shawn wants to challenge Furball, I need to pick between the other two.¡± Stills from their most recent matches appeared hovering on either side of the names. Jaqueline The Shredder was a slender woman who wore long cocktail dresses with slits that almost came all the way up to her thigh. She had gathered a lot of fame as a sex symbol and also apparently had movie deals in the works where she would portray a femme fatale. Her ability seemed similar to Noah¡¯s. She conjured and controlled floating saw blades but NIl couldn¡¯t be sure whether they were her soul weapon. Meanwhile, Shervon Gray was a towering bodybuilder from East London. There were several rumors of him having gang affiliations in the chaotic hellhole that was Hackney. He appeared especially tough. As fights carried on, his skin transitioned from onyx to blood red and the damage he took significantly dropped. His strength also increased, but he went wild. Some channels called his power Berserker¡¯s Rage, but Shervon Gray had never confirmed it. Many refuted the claim since he sprouted a second pair of arms during combat. They grew out of his rib cage and didn¡¯t have as wide a range of motion. His soul weapon was a titanic hammer, and after several dozen viewings, Nil failed to discern its special ability. ¡°Absorb should be able to take whatever they throw at me, but neither will be as easy as Kennit,¡± Nil continued. ¡°The secret of the Source Gauntlets is out. Festus has sent me a bunch of chat logs and write-ups on what they and I can do.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve somewhat lost the element of surprise,¡± Isabella stated. Nil nodded. ¡°Both of them have excellent martial abilities and have far more experience. Jaqueline has been at this for three years. Her blades are fast and come out of nowhere. She¡¯s also swift and good with her little daggers. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she laces them with toxins either.¡± He tapped Shervon Gray¡¯s image, enlarging it. ¡°Shervon would¡¯ve been the perfect opponent for me if not for his skin.¡± A compilation of clips followed, which showed the brute getting hit by energy and elemental spells. The redder his skin, the less damage he suffered. In fact, the attacks seem to diffuse, losing stability or seeming to have met a prism. ¡°He¡¯ll keep topping up Brutal Battery¡¯s stores, and I can unload them blow after blow. I can¡¯t be sure whether the kinetic blasts or source weapons will work on him, though.¡± ¡°Since this is life and death, I don¡¯t want to make any decisions for you,¡± Isabella told him. ¡°However, I¡¯ve been going through recordings of all your target''s old matches, and I have recommendations.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t led me wrong yet,¡± Nil said. ¡°Recommend away.¡± Shawn and Selia nodded their approval. ¡°Shawn¡¯s pick is just fine,¡± Isabella said. ¡°I think he has a distinct advantage over his opponent.¡± She glanced between Nil and Selia. ¡°It''s not the same for either of you. I see no direct advantages and only disadvantages.¡± Isabella focused on Selia. ¡°Your mastery over the phase shifting is way beyond that of your rank, but your martial and general physical abilities are significantly lacking. The only person I see you currently having an advantage over right now is Shervon Gray. As long as you can avoid getting hit and get him deep enough into a surface so that he can¡¯t break free, you¡¯ll win. You just need to get him berserk enough first so he doesn¡¯t see through your plan.¡± Her attention turned to Nil. ¡°Shervon is a better fighter than you. I¡¯m sorry, but it isn¡¯t even close. ¡°His hammer either has the ability to break through armor, shields, or barriers. Or, it might be able to destabilize powers. I can¡¯t be sure. Your control over Brutal Battery is great, considering how long you¡¯ve been a Summoned, Nil, but it''s not good enough. So, it''s best if you try your luck with Shredder. She won¡¯t fill the Brutal Battery all the way, but her blades won¡¯t do their job when you have Absorb on. It will be a matter of raw fighting ability afterward, and you might just about pull ahead. I don¡¯t think Jaqueline started combat sports until after she became a Summoned or started working with Symbiotech and it shows.¡± ¡°It''s a tough pill to swallow but you¡¯re right,¡± Nil admitted. ¡°Shervon is a far better fighter than me. Those extra arms don¡¯t make things any easier. He strikes and grapples far too well. I¡¯ll take a few weeks to train. Once I¡¯m ready, Jaqueline will go down.¡± Selia poked Nil. ¡°I¡¯ll need you and Shawn to spar with me every day. Given how Shervon fights, facing you too should help me come up with better tactics.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Isabella nodded, returning to her food. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to some people and find you more sparring partners. Oh.¡± She appeared stern as she focused on Nil. ¡°Stop banking Schema Tokens like an idiot. Use them all now and take the training period to get used to the growth. A single unit in anything but Mind will make a big difference.¡± 111. Gladiators In Their Ludus ¡°Meet Cara Sue.¡± It took Isabella a week to find someone suitable to join Nil and Shawn during their daily sessions. ¡°She just won her fifth Bronze Gauntlet of Ten yesterday and has graciously agreed to help out.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have if Isabella and Layla didn¡¯t ask personally,¡± Cara said. ¡°I think it mad to attempt the Death Gauntlet, let alone in Iron Realm when you¡¯re so inexperienced and creeps literally troll the arena for easy money.¡± ¡°Thank you for putting in the time Carasu¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cara¡ª¡± She paused for a couple of seconds. ¡°¡ªSue. They¡¯re too separate names.¡± The woman sighed, rolling her eyes. ¡°I hate my mother for that name. It''s okay to love anime and Japanese culture, but why force such a stupid name on your daughter for it. I¡¯d get it if I were born with raven hair or something, but¡ª¡± Cara sighed. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯m just having a shit morning. Please just call me Cara. Forget the Sue.¡± ¡°Her last opponent made a hate video, made fun of her name, and stuck Cara¡¯s head on a crow,¡± Isabella explained. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Shawn said, looking confused. ¡°Karasu is Japanese for crow,¡± Nil said. When his training partner stared at him questioningly, he shrugged. ¡°Andrew and I liked watching Japanese cartoons and films growing up. There wasn¡¯t much else to do when it was raining outside, and my parents remembered to re-block Apocalypse Arena.¡± ¡°Let''s save the nonsense chatter for the cafeteria,¡± Isabella interrupted. ¡°This training should help Cara improve her aim, power, and speed. Meanwhile, you two will be working on defense and reaction time. How about we start with a demonstration so everyone knows what to expect?¡± Cara went last. Nil had already guessed from the woman¡¯s build that she wasn¡¯t a brute, knight, or arcane warrior. She didn¡¯t have the toned light frame characteristic of rogues and people who invested Finesse as a primary attribute and let Might lag. Individuals of the remaining archetypes still trained their bodies, of course. However, individuals who pushed themselves to their physical limits while simultaneously investing in their physical attributes were easy to identify. A flash of blinded Nil. By the time he opened his eyes again and blinked away the spots, Cara had disappeared. Nil saw no trace of her, but Energy Instinct detected a powerful, unnatural presence radiating from where the woman had stood moments ago. Trying to focus on it was a lot like locating Kennit¡¯s spatial distortions. The signs were subtle but unmissable. The sensation suddenly intensified to Nil¡¯s left, and he felt a sudden build-up of heat. His instincts told him to move, and he obeyed, but just an invisible pulse passed him. If not for the aerial distortion, he would¡¯ve missed it altogether. It was like looking through the hot air above a fire. Orbs of blinding white manifested around Nil. They collapsed on him and even though he believed it wouldn¡¯t work, Nil activated Absorb. Much to his surprise, they worked on the energy attack. The golden-white spheres merged into one as big as his head. Shawn still had a barrier up from his distortion, and a beam shot from the ball, striking it. The translucent conjuration cracked before rapidly deteriorating. The continuous attack drained the floating light sphere, and it fizzled out of existence. ¡°I¡¯m a Light Mage,¡± Cara said, emerging on the opposite end of the room. ¡°I need to buy more spells from Nexus Market and am just starting to get used to my Bronze Realm power, but it should be enough to push you two to your limits.¡± ¡°The invisibility will help you train Energy Instinct,¡± Isabella told Nil. ¡°You also need to get faster at switching between Expend and Absorb if you want to deal with Shredder¡¯s blades. Cara¡¯s hard light orbs should help you with that.¡± ¡°Your training should be far more straightforward,¡± Cara said, facing Shawn. ¡°That was one of my weaker light beams. They take a while to prepare and focus, but they can come at you from any angle I desire. You need to be able to conjure strong enough barriers to block them and also conjure them at the correct angles. Since my attacks come from preset, preprogrammed spells, there is no pulling back once I¡¯ve unleashed a beam. So, if you can¡¯t keep up, you¡¯re going to get burned.¡± Cara turned her attention to Nil. ¡°That goes for you too. Destroy my spheres before I detonate them, or I guarantee you¡¯ll end up in the infirmary.¡± Both men took Cara¡¯s warning lightly and paid for it. They spent an hour in the infirmary and visited the ice baths afterward. The soak soothed the newly grown, raw, and irritated regions. Despite the discomfort, the pair couldn¡¯t help but gush about the session. Neither had dealt with or seen a full-on mage archetype individual up close before. Summoners like Susan also used magic but rarely for attacks and to a much lesser extent. Rogues like Selia had the potential to learn spells as well, but to a much lesser extent. While Nil and Shawn trained, Selia departed on a week-long quest to accrue more Schema Tokens and visit the Nexus Market. She hoped to find something that would help her conjure or imbue her weapons with poisons, lightning, or some sort of debilitating effect. Phase shifting alone didn¡¯t give her much offensive power. She could still grab foes and drag them into surfaces, but that wasn¡¯t always possible or easy to do. She needed more options, and her ability forced her to invest heavily in Mind, making spellcasting a worthwhile pursuit. The ludus also had trainers to help her with the relevant training. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Isabella had also pushed her into sessions with the Forge¡¯s stealth expert. Phase shifting gave Selia the ability to easily slip around foes and approach from unexpected angles soundlessly. The common consensus was that she was good at using her power, and her control appeared to increase every day. However, she wasn¡¯t creative enough. Nil wasn¡¯t sure how creative one could get with phase shifting but didn¡¯t question people with far more experience than him. Halfway through the week, Isabella found another mage to help when Cara couldn¡¯t. Zora was also a Bronze Gauntlet fighter and was taking a break after getting knocked out of the Gauntlet of Ten for the second time. She too seemed frustrated. Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether she agreed to help out just so she could work through her anger with destructive artillery spells. Everyone understood and sympathized since she got knocked out on her ninth match the first time and the second time around. Unlike Cara, Zora¡¯s magic didn¡¯t appear to help with Energy Instinct. Nil hadn¡¯t seen anything like her magic or abilities before. It revolved around opening portals and shooting spears, swords, and a range of weapons out of them. She launched them with the force of a ballista, damaging the training room with most of her attacks. At first, Isabella tasked Nil and Shawn with reaching Zora while she bombarded them with an onslaught of seemingly neverending weapons. Both considered the task easy until the lightning chained between spears, swords exploded into monstrous fires, and blizzards blossomed around the hammers. The elemental effects proved inconsistent, with hammers turning into fireballs and swords causing minor dervishes where they landed. As a result, the duo needed to figure out what to expect. On the rare occasion either got close to Zora, portals appeared in the ground between them, and giant weapons rose, creating barriers. Nil made a note to look up her matches when he had the time. He wanted to find out what kind of monsters managed to defeat her. ¡°It¡¯s called Eternal Quartermaster,¡± Zora explained when Nil asked about it during a break. ¡°It''s one of those rare abilities that you can get only after the previous owner has died and a new worthy inheritor is found. It comes with a vault of magical weapons, and I can conjure copies of them.¡± ¡°So, the shooting out of portals is all you?¡± Nil asked. Zora nodded. ¡°The power lets me pull them out through portals. The launching, spinning, creating barriers, and volume are all me. The spells demand a fair bit of focus and cause a lot of mental strain, or I¡¯d do more.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I bet it was meant for a knight of some sort.¡± ¡°But the Schema considered you a better candidate,¡± Isabella said. ¡°You fishing for compliments and reassurances again, Zora?¡± ¡°No.¡± The mage glowered. She rolled her eyes, and they resumed their training. ¡°The Nexus will rip you a new one if you tell anyone else about my power.¡± ¡°Why did you tell us then?¡± Shawn asked, preparing new barriers. ¡°Because I have a big fucking mouth,¡± Zora replied. Her voice went nasally, and she clicked her fingers as she continued. ¡°Got a problem with that?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡± Shawn somehow managed to suppress his laughter, and Nil snorted. Isabella showed no such restraint. Even though Zora¡¯s attacks were more straightforward, it took Nil quite a while to get used to fighting her. While the challenge with Cara was finding her and sensing the source of the attacks, in Zora¡¯s case, he needed to be able to tell instantly whether the launched weapons had any arcane imbuement. If they did, an inkling of the element also helped Nil decide how to deal with them. Galvanize helped Nil block or handle anything with fiery effects. He had tried the same with Cara, but the explosions were often larger and came from unavoidable angles. Nil powered through frost and cold but avoided lightning altogether. On the rare occasion when they grazed him, he ended up on the ground, spasming and shaking. Sessions with Zora resulted in fewer injuries. Nil also enjoyed them more since the weapons without magical effects or just strength and speed enhancements helped refill Brutal Battery¡¯s stores and helped train Absorb. Noah¡¯s sessions didn¡¯t change much besides gradually getting harder. The man had Nil drill weapon forms and techniques regularly and punctuated them with spars, encouraging putting the lessons to practice. Whenever Nil thought he was getting better, Noah increased the number of floating blades and got faster. Initially, not being allowed to use abilities frustrated Nil. After all, he was losing the ability to train Absorb, and the time taken to recover from the bruises and cuts ate into his afternoon. But then Nil found himself getting better much faster than he thought possible. The weapons training helped improve Nil¡¯s martial ability, but Nil believed that a lot of what he had learned wouldn¡¯t translate well into real combat. Whenever he equipped a practice weapon, Nil was locked into it. In reality, he would only summon them for a brief moment between strikes and blasts with the gauntlet. The source weapons used far too much energy to keep manifested for more than a handful of seconds. Nil believed that the most significant benefit of weapons training wasn¡¯t the martial skills but the experience gained from fighting Noah. He was a fluid fighter whose technique and style changed depending on the number of blades he had out and their configuration. Noah taught Nil how to react to changing circumstances and fight different types of attackers. Even though Shawn had shed a good deal of his intensity, Nil struggled to tolerate the man for more extended periods without a buffer. So, he cultivated, spent time with Meatball, and continued to practice the move he used to defeat Klocky Kennit. It had proven potent but was grossly inefficient and complex to use, and he couldn¡¯t wait to translate it into something more. The idea of throwing knives or darts made of the source excited Nil.
112. Preparing For The End By the time Selia returned and resumed her training, Nil had seen significant growth. He had Meatball¡¯s garden and his manuals to thank for the rapidly growing numbers. Brutal Battery: Iron 6 Source Gauntlets: Iron 3 Ironroot Whelp: Iron 8 Cara and Zora¡¯s regular presence in and out of Isabella¡¯s session also helped. The Bronze Realm Mages also got valuable practice during their training. Cara regularly thought of methods to counter Shawn and Nil¡¯s defensive abilities and Energy Instinct¡¯s detection. In comparison, Zora worked to make her spells more efficient to add more power to individual attacks or overwhelm the pair with volume. From what Nil understood, full mages were rare, and few in Britain besides Wilson Luduses had more than one of each realm in their roster. It involved learning spellcraft that complemented the Schema¡¯s gifts, memorizing spells, and then casting them correctly in the heat of combat and identifying the appropriate tools for the job. From what Nil had read, magecraft demanded incredible focus, and in some cases, the loss of concentration could have dire consequences. Fireballs exploding during creation or out-of-control lightning bolts didn¡¯t just risk harming the mage but any allies in their vicinity as well. Bunty claimed that from the Bronze Gauntlet onwards, many mages almost exclusively went to team events and built teams dedicated to protecting them. A powerful spell or two cast at the right time had the potential to turn the tides of battle, if not eliminate the enemy. ¡°I¡¯m surprised Shredder accepted your challenge,¡± Bunty said when Nil told him the news. ¡°She is often the challenger instead of the challenged and almost always avoids knights and brutes. I half expected you to go for Furball or Shervon.¡± ¡°I considered the latter but was convinced otherwise,¡± Nil replied, hoping for the hundredth time that sharing the elimination list with him wasn¡¯t a horrible decision. ¡°Can you get me all of her videos from before her Death Gauntlet career? I want to try to understand her fighting style inside and out.¡± ¡°That might prove difficult. I already had a look at all the people you listed and dug all I could. Everything from before they gained their soul weapon seems to have disappeared. In some cases, this happened while they were rising through Gauntlet of Ten, while in other cases like Pietro¡¯s, I found nothing but Death Gauntlet matches.¡± ¡°How is that even possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Bunty said, sounding guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really tried. But it looks like someone with considerable resources had them scrubbed from the internet. And Apocalypse Arena¡¯s earth-side database has been stored for nothing for more than a year. I can ask some friends and see if they can find any hard copies from someone¡¯s personal collection, but no one makes those for small-name Iron Gauntlet fighters.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Nil sighed, feeling guilty about bringing a civilian so deep into Summoned issues. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize either. I appreciate the effort. You¡¯ve done a lot for me with these information packets and sorting out deals.¡± ¡°Are you kidding? Thanks to you and your introductions, I¡¯m making more money than Highlight Reel ever made. Old colleagues that screwed me over and shunned me are now getting in touch, begging for collaborations, shoutouts, and all sorts of favors. I might not be a Summoned, but I¡¯d like to think we¡¯re on the same team. An agent of sorts. By the way, has Garuda Systems been in touch regarding the biking gear endorsements?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything from them yet. No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll chase that up for you. It''s high-quality wear, and some might be good for arena wear. There¡¯s a lot more money coming your way too. Do you have a financial manager, or should I hook you up with my guy?¡± ¡°My father introduced me to someone he trusts,¡± Nil said. ¡°Thanks, though.¡± Nil and his friends all lost a day here and there because of the many sponsorships and brand deals. It mostly involved modeling products. In some instances, they had to act out scenes before a cast or crew. Much to his relief, it was always in front of a green screen, and Nil never had to go anywhere crowded. Unlike sets Nil had seen on television or in movies, the crew were few, and the equipment minimalistic. Everything was compact and sleek and often featured Arthurtech¡¯s logo. Nil hated the mornings or evenings they ate up since, unlike the Symbiotech appointments, he didn¡¯t get anything valuable out of them. Only Arena Wear provided him with articles he considered useful. The brand produced custom training and arena wear for fighters and took pride in making them fashionable and durable. They provided him with several sets of athletic wear and a few incredibly designed outfits for live combat. All carried their coliseum logo. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. A full two weeks after Nil¡¯s first Death Gauntlet match, Emily finally found time for Nil, and he took her shopping. She was cold and reserved at first but then opened up about the troubles she was having at her new school. ¡°It''s so different, and everyone is so so far up their own butts,¡± Emily told Nil as they found seats in the mall¡¯s food court. ¡°I miss my old friends, and somehow, I went from being the top of the class to the dunce. The facilities are nice, and the teachers are understanding. But it''s not the same.¡± She sighed. ¡°I know it''s not your fault. It was not fair to blame you, and avoiding you wasn¡¯t particularly mature.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what this is about?¡± Nil asked, eyebrows raised. ¡°You didn¡¯t watch my last match.¡± Emily¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That depends. Are you going to rat me out to Baba?¡± ¡°Have I ever?¡± ¡°Not that I know of. No.¡± ¡°Then why would I now?¡± ¡°Baba thinks he controls the parental locks and filters. Sammy and I have been the ones running it forever.¡± Emily grinned. ¡°His account is the one that¡¯s monitored and filtered.¡± ¡°That way, he never finds out what the two of you have been up to.¡± Nil laughed. ¡°That¡¯s incredibly clever. I¡¯m proud of you two. That would¡¯ve never worked in my day. Mum was a lot more wary of that stuff.¡± Emily¡¯s smile faded. She broke eye contact and fidgeted, breaking up her frozen slushy with her straw. ¡°I don¡¯t like this move either.¡± Her voice got smaller. ¡°It''s not home.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like mum,¡± Nil said. When his little sister nodded, he moved from across the table to next to her. He put an arm around her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to move. I hope you understand that¡ª¡± ¡°I understand. There were strange cars lingering around the house and following us. It''s for our safety because you¡¯re actually trying to do some good and make things less fucked up. I get the logic of it.¡± ¡°But not all feelings are logical.¡± Nil completed the thought for her. ¡°Take all the time you need. I can give you some space if you¡¯d like.¡± Emily shook her head and leaned into Nil. ¡°No. Just stay alive. Alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Nil told his little sister. He missed her. They had drifted apart after Aisha passed, and Nil threw himself into his cheffing career. Things had started to change after he became a Summoned, but not ludus-life took up all of his time. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me hating you or being scared of you, Nil,¡± Emily said. ¡°I understand why you¡¯re doing what you¡¯re doing. It couldn¡¯t have been easy seeing Adam die. The people in the cafeteria say he was a really nice guy.¡± ¡°It''s not revenge. Adam and I weren¡¯t close, but it''s true. He was a good guy who died trying to eliminate a horrible person. There are far too many like Pietro and Kennit out there. If I don¡¯t deal with them, more decent people will end up like Adam.¡± ¡°I guessed as much.¡± Emily wiped her eyes and grinned. ¡°On to more important things. What the hell is going on with you and that Selia woman? Isn¡¯t she a bit young for you?¡± ¡°Bit young?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s twenty-three, almost twenty-four. The age difference isn¡¯t that big, is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just teasing.¡± Emily chuckled. She poked her brother¡¯s side before sitting upright. ¡°The age difference is perfect since you¡¯re barely mature enough to match her. Katherine was too grown up and focused. This one seems much better.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell Baba,¡± Nil said. ¡°I don¡¯t want a damn lecture on how I shouldn¡¯t jump from one woman to another and relationships should be cherished, and a whole lot of nonsense.¡± ¡°He met Mum at eighteen and has never been with anyone else. Baba doesn¡¯t know any better. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve finally moved past Aisha and are enjoying yourself. It''s great to see you happy and content instead of all glum, depressed, and fidgeted.¡± Emily sat up straight and scanned their surroundings before continuing in a whisper. ¡°Is she gone? The ghost?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°The soul weapon got rid of the visage. I loved Aisha, and losing her hurt, but I¡¯m glad to leave that chapter behind me.¡± ¡°Well, Selia looks fun, and it''s clear you¡¯re having a great time together. Just be more discreet in the cafeteria or eat in private dining rooms, alright? Anyone with eyes can tell that you two are fucking.¡± Nil playfully smacked the back of his sister¡¯s head. ¡°Language! The filter comes right off when Baba isn¡¯t around, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Please. Don¡¯t turn into him, Nil. You¡¯re barely cool after this Summoned thing happened. Selia will run away, and no woman will ever look at you if you turn into Baba.¡± The siblings left depressing topics behind and just talked about life. Nil told her about how things ended with Katherine and the developments with Selia. She told him about her new school, the cliques that she wanted to join, and the boys she found attractive. Emily also opened up about how things were at home without him around. Though Sam looked up to him, Nil never managed to bond with Sam. His family didn¡¯t take guardianship of the boy until after he moved out. But he was glad to learn that Emily filled the older sibling role for him. It was sweet to know how much she cared about the young man. The pair stayed out for lunch and didn¡¯t get back to the ludus until late in the afternoon. He swam a few laps before returning to his suite. Selia was due to come over for dinner, and he had a special meal planned. After giving Meatball the assortment of exotic fruits he bought from the local Asian supermarket, Nil got to work. Given the mortality rate of the Death Gauntlet, there was no telling how long either of them had left. The pair had agreed to make the most of the time they had. It was strange living like the coming weeks could be their last. But Nil felt more free than he ever had before.
113. Emergency Quest A dull ache at the back of Nil¡¯s head stirred him the following day, and an annoying buzzing accompanied it. He and Selia had stayed up late into Sunday night, and both agreed that it was okay to sleep in a couple of mornings a week. By ¡®sleeping in¡¯, they meant waking up somewhere between six and six-thirty instead of five, if not earlier, and such mornings followed their ¡®date¡¯ evenings. Nil¡¯s body clock had no trouble adjusting to the variable routine, and when his sleep cycle ended, he could tell that it was far too early. He still felt Selia¡¯s right arm wrapped around him and her chest against his back. She was a clingy sleeper, and Nil enjoyed that about her. The woman¡¯s breathing was regular. Whatever had interrupted his slumber didn¡¯t seem to bother her. The cold light of the Schema interface assaulted Nil¡¯s eyes as soon as he opened them. It took him a moment to focus and read the contents. Summoned Sakura has tagged you for Emergency Quest! Arcane scrolls, tomes, and many arcane ingredients struggle with portal and teleportation travel. Unfortunately, the Agents of the Scourge have stolen trade manifests from a Control World and ambushed the transport. The guards have perished, and the vessel is no longer functional. The cargo and its carriers are in danger. If the Scourge were to get their hands on the goods, it could prove catastrophic not only for local Beacon Worlds but also the source Control World. Billions of lives are at risk. Unfortunately, the Scourge¡¯s ritual is limiting aid. Only a dozen fighters of Bronze Realm and below may enter the realm. The carriers are expendable, but their survival will be appreciated. Get the cargo to the rendezvous point and ensure the second vessel safely departs. Rewards: 500 Schema Credit, Possible Bonuses. Three out of six quest slots have been filled. Since you have a good standing with the Nexus, you may tag another Summoned regardless of whether you accept the quest. Preferred roles: Vanguard, scout, support, or healing magic user. After his performance during the previous quest, Nil didn¡¯t expect to hear from her again, let alone get an invite for an emergency quest. He had only encountered a quest of its kind once before, and he had never experienced anything of the sort since. It had a seemingly endless number of Summoned, and he hadn¡¯t seen entities like it since. The new quest was also vastly different from any of his previous ones. His first was the closest, but it involved keeping someone alive until sunlight instead of escorting or transporting cargo. He decided to accept it without a second thought. The reward of only Schema Credits didn¡¯t particularly appeal to Nil. However, in his experience, such quests came with the favor of Control Worlds, which always led to unpredictable but substantial benefits. Since he and Sakura filled the vanguard role well, he tagged Selia. Phase shifting, her Bronze-Eight Finesse, and new spells made her an excellent scout. He gave her a gentle shake when she didn¡¯t wake up straight away. ¡°It¡¯s too early,¡± Selia whined, shrugging Nil off. ¡°I want to sleep.¡± ¡°Wake up,¡± he said, trying to keep his volume low and tone gentle. ¡°This is important.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not. You can wait a few hours for the next round.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡ª¡± ¡°Fine.¡± She groaned, throwing the cover off herself. ¡°You¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a quest.¡± Nil laughed. ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Her eyes snapped open. It took a couple of seconds of rapid blinking before her eyes adjusted. Selia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Emergency quest? The rewards suck. I¡¯d rather train.¡± ¡°I know it''s just Schema Credit, but that¡¯s not the important part,¡± Nil said. Selia cared less about making a fortune than him. She had no family and didn¡¯t have much to spend money on. ¡°But the real prize here isn¡¯t the money or the bonuses but the favor of the Control Worlds. I owe my rapid growth and all the cultivation stuff to them and similar powerful entities.¡± Nil had shared his manuals with Selia and had started her on the path toward cultivation. However, the lack of Energy Instinct made her slower on the uptake. Selia had picked up a few sensory spells to help track her enemy while phase shifting through surfaces but her mastery of them wasn¡¯t good enough to assist with Qi or energy detection and circulation techniques. ¡°They might plant the seeds for something like Energy Instinct or might even start you on the path toward a soul weapon seed,¡± Nil continued. ¡°Come with me. We might lose a few days of training but it will be worth it.¡± Selia fell silent as she read through the quest again. During their many talks, the woman revealed that she avoided emergency quests and disaster zones. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to help or do good. Her heart went out to the victims. However, she worried that flashbacks of the fall of the cataclysm and the fall of South America would cripple her. She claimed to suffer nightmares of the time, and Nil often heard her whimpering during the night. A tight hug or kiss generally calmed her. ¡°Do we have time to freshen up?¡± Selia asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to show up in an emergency situation with a full bladder.¡± ¡°Good thinking,¡± Nil said. The last emergency quest took Nil straight to the disaster zone without stopping in the Nexus. He didn¡¯t get a chance to pick equipment and clothes. The Schema had put him in an outfit that matched all the other assisting Summoned. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Nil and Selia took turns relieving themselves, brushing their teeth, and putting on comfortable sport wear. Since Selia worked for Nexus, the Schema considered her to be an individual with good standing. She received the privilege of sharing the quest with another person too. Shawn was the pair¡¯s first candidate. Unfortunately, the message no longer listed vanguards or scouts. In fact, it showed only one open slot. Since the quest offer hadn¡¯t disappeared, Nil assumed the Schema had registered their decision already.
The time put into changing clothes proved wasted. The Schema teleported the pair straight to their destination and in outfits with matching styles. Nil¡¯s was light grey with soft shoes, trousers, a jacket, and a white buttoned shirt. Meanwhile, Selia wore charcoal and had a form-fitting coat instead of a jacket. Her outfit appeared perfect for blending into the remains of the grey, covered city that surrounded them. Rough stone surrounded them on every side except one that opened onto an endless sea of green. The sun was low over it. Darkness would soon be upon them, and there was little time to waste. ¡°Thank you for coming,¡± Sakura said, clasping hands with Nil. She wore a pure white outfit similar to Selia¡¯s and appeared more lithe than the last time he had seen her. Her soul weapon¡¯s hilt hung from her waist, and a pair of eyeball-like orbs hovered over either shoulder. They were made of the same matte dark-grey metal as the sword handle. ¡°You look far better than when I last saw you.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my best performance,¡± Nil said, flashing a sheepish grin. He didn¡¯t feel embarrassed of his failure and the injury but the overconfidence and foolishness that led to it. Nil glanced past the woman at the pair of other Summoned. Their similar clothes gave them away. One wore light grey. His ridiculously muscular build, height, and the oversized axe he carried suggested he was a brute. The other was a woman in red. Nil didn¡¯t know what the color signified, but the energy radiating off her and the staff in her hand suggested that she was a mage or summoner of some sort. The duo stood guard outside of a domed stone hut, and Nil spotted people inside. ¡°This is Selia,¡± Nil said, nodding at his companion. ¡°She is more than competent. I hope inviting her makes up for my failures.¡± ¡°Give yourself more credit.¡± Sakura laughed. ¡°You did your job well. It''s just unfortunate that the thing got you during its death throes. It happens to the best of us. I¡¯ve seen better and far more experienced Summoned die to a lot less.¡± She nodded at the pair behind her. ¡°That¡¯s Bjorn. We¡¯ve been on a bunch of quests together. He might look big and dumb, but I promise you we can count on him to watch the rear. Farah is from my world. We haven¡¯t quested together, but she¡¯s kicked my butt in the Gauntlet of Ten. Her magic is potent. As long as we keep her safe and ensure nothing interrupts her casting, there is little that can survive her spells.¡± Selia put her arm through a nearby building¡¯s wall. Someone screamed from inside, and she swiftly pulled the limb back. ¡°As Nil said, I¡¯m competent. Given the white, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re our commander. What¡¯s the plan, Boss?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not repeat myself,¡± Sakura answered. ¡°Let''s wait a bit longer. Maybe someone else will answer our call. Then, I¡¯ll brief everyone.¡± The final member of the party arrived almost on cue. She wore a deep blue, and Nil detected the same depth of energy radiating from her as Sakura¡¯s friend. The woman also carried a staff like he had seen other mages do. ¡°Carmen!¡± Selia exclaimed, sprinting to the woman and pulling her into a tight hug. ¡°Thank you for answering my call. You have no idea how happy I am to see you again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you look healthier,¡± Carmen said, patting Selia¡¯s back. She looked to be in her mid-to-late thirties and sounded American. ¡°If you need a support mage, Carmen¡¯s our girl,¡± Selia told them. ¡°She can heal. She can defend. She can attack. She can do it all. Carmen is the best.¡± ¡°Stop exaggerating.¡± Carmen shook her head, looking amused. ¡°I¡¯m a healer first and foremost. The rest isn¡¯t much but ensures I¡¯m good for more than just the one thing.¡± ¡°Merchant!¡± Sakura called. ¡°Tell your people to get ready. The last of our party is here. We move out as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± A man called from within the domed hut. Nil heard grumblings of needing more rest, but swift hushing and reprimand followed. ¡°We need a few more minutes to secure everything. Then we¡¯ll be ready to go.¡± ¡°You have until the count of three hundred. Then no more.¡± Sakura waved to her companions, and they gathered behind her. She rolled out a map and began the briefing. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she said, pointing at a hollow circle drawn into the mountain. Then, she traced her finger down a line drawn from it. ¡°Merchant fled through here and caused a few collapses after their airship went down. He believes it won¡¯t take long for the Scourge to break through.¡± Sakura¡¯s finger moved to a path drawn on the opposite side of the circle. It led deeper into the mountain range and up. ¡°There is a refueling station up here where they were to switch to another vessel. It should be mostly ready, but we don¡¯t know if the Scourge somehow beat us there or not. The objective is to escort them and the cargo up this path, get them on the vessel, and defend it until they¡¯re high enough up in the air.¡± She tapped on either side of the road. Several smaller paths branched from it, most leading down. ¡°We might get flanked. There might be traps and obstacles. According to Merchant¡¯s estimates, the Cursed Ones and Scourge are mostly Iron Realm. Whatever ritual is keeping the Silvers out is restricting them as well. Merchants scans found nothing, but that doesn¡¯t mean the bastards don¡¯t have a workaround. ¡°This won¡¯t be easy, and the risks are great.¡± Sakura paused, glancing over her shoulder at the domed hut¡¯s entrance and the building Selia had put her arm through. ¡°We all know what to do if things get dicey. Nothing matters more than getting the package to its destination. Not even us. There are several worlds and far too many lives at stake. If anyone gets separated or in major trouble, they¡¯re going to be on their own.¡± ¡°Just tell us the formation and what to do,¡± Bjorn said. ¡°We got this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a lot faster compared to the last time we met,¡± Nil told their leader, manifesting the Source Gauntlets. It drew looks of surprise from Sakura and her companions. ¡°Selia and I can take care of whatever you assign us.¡± ¡°Young people make everything sound so much more dire than they are.¡± Carmen sighed. ¡°Just remember, if you¡¯re separated from the group or in trouble with the Scourge, run and hide. Not all of us need to reach our destination to make it back home. As long as the quest is completed, all survivors will be teleported back to the Nexus.¡±
114. Escort The Package As the quest leader, Sakura received a pack to make their lives easier. It contained a map, rations, magical torches, unnaturally light rope, and several other devices. The most useful among them were six little clips that attached to the top of everyone¡¯s ear. They fit snugly behind the earlobe. They were communication devices and made swift communication possible and easy. Nil and his companions considered them a luxury in the low-tech setting. Brief experimentation proved that the base function allowed the party to speak to everyone at once or to a person individually. Merchant helped them figure out how to go about the task. When Selia went ahead on her own, Nil didn¡¯t worry as much. She switched between warning the group of obstacles and observations and a whispered conversation with him. Her little jokes and double entendres kept the mood light and the arduous hike from getting boring. A tight formation ensured that Sakura could turn around and see all of their wards and the cargo in a single glance. Nil walked shoulder to shoulder with her even though the idea of scouting with Selia appealed to him more. He wasn¡¯t in charge and trusted Sakura¡¯s judgment. She had proven her sound judgment before. Given the gravity of the situation, breaking the chain of command could potentially have dire consequences. Farah followed close behind the pair, walking and talking with the man everybody called Merchant. She seemed knowledgeable about the Control World caravans and their preferred methods. ¡°Articles of powerful magic are already too volatile to transport safely,¡± she had explained to them while they waited for Merchant¡¯s people to get ready. ¡°Spell scrolls, wizardry manuals, powerful spirit beast eggs, and a good deal of artificed goods are the worst of the bunch. All arcane objects have a magical field, you see. It''s like they have their own electromagnetic waves. Teleportation and portal magic overload the fields. They interfere with each other before everything goes boom, or the transported objects get shot through the multiverse and are forever lost. ¡°The only solution is to use the waygates between realms. They¡¯re a pain to find and you have to physically transport shit between them. The Scourge takes advantage of this opening to try to damage the Control Worlds or steal their goodies.¡± ¡°Where did the waygates come from?¡± Nil asked her. The woman shrugged. ¡°Something about the druids, them being builders and the ones who brought magic to mortals. I don¡¯t know. It''s a bunch of hearsay, anecdotal accounts, and whatnot. The Control Worlds aren¡¯t too keen on giving out their secrets to our kind.¡± Since Carmen lacked much in the form of combat spells, she moved with Merchant¡¯s employees. The group contained a mixture of men and women. Only a couple of them carried the prized pack. The rest were support staff who had survived the crash. Some had weapons, while the rest looked too young, old, or unfit to use them. According to Merchant, they were mostly other tradesmen or artisans and their families traveling with the envoy. Finally, Bjorn brought up the rear. Sakura believed in his power to stand his ground and stand up to anything that might sneak up on them. The man had already proven his substantial strength by barreling through a collapse along the path. Once everyone passed through it, Nil did his best to create another blockade. After Sakura briefed them, Selia explored the path Merchant, and his people had troubled before pushing ahead. She saw Cursed Ones, twisted dog beasts, and humans following together. The Scourge was hot on their tail. The party refused to let their lead make them complacent. Everyone but Carmen had faced the Scourge at one point or another and was familiar with their tactics. The dark, multiversal faction¡¯s champions had powers as diverse as the Summoned. The creatures they commanded also occasionally exhibited stealth abilities, ranged attacks, and magic. It was best to approach with caution. So, if they passed a path that intersected with their path and collapsing it safely proved possible, Nil hung back to do the job. The first half of the journey went swiftly and without incident. Merchant and the others weren¡¯t combatants, but all were of Iron or Bronze Realm. Apparently, except the dregs of society and newcomers, all ascended out of the Mortal Realm by sixteen. The party¡¯s wards didn¡¯t have the experience or ability to help during combat. However, they had the necessary attributes and resulting physiology to keep pace with their march and not stop every hour. The temperature dropped, and the air got thinner as they ascended, but everyone kept on trucking. Then Selia¡¯s tone got serious, and the calm of the past few hours disappeared. ¡°Three humans, six crawlers, and a Cursed One,¡± Selia told them. ¡°It''s one of the lizardy ones. Big head. No Horns. Glowy eyes. Six¡ª¡± ¡°I know it,¡± Sakura said, interrupting her. ¡°Come back to us. We¡¯ll take them down together.¡± ¡°Not happening. I¡¯m going to follow them and attack from the rear once they initiate.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t a request, Selia. It¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°You think I want to do this alone?¡± Selia asked. ¡°I should be off training right now, and this place is terrifying as fuck. One of the bastards has pink glowy bits. That¡¯s Mind Magic. It¡¯s possible they¡¯ll detect me if I try to pass them.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Anything else you can tell us about the enemy?¡± ¡°No. They¡¯re pretty nondescript.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Sakura sighed. ¡°Wait until we¡¯ve initiated and you see the light of my blade before making a move. Mind mages are a pain. If possible, take them out first.¡± ¡°Got it, boss.¡± The party tightened its formation. Bjorn put all the noncombatants between himself and a cavern. Carmen and Farah stood with him. Both prepared spells ready to erect defences or launch long-range attacks when necessary. Meanwhile, Nil and Sakura lay in wait, hiding just off the path. ¡°They¡¯re almost on you,¡± Selia whispered. ¡°They¡¯re sending the beasts forward first. The Cursed One is staying behind to protect the Mind Mage. I think the other two humans are close or mid-range fighters. They¡¯re following the beasts.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can deal with him alone?¡± Nil asked. ¡°High Mind and spells hide my presence. As long as I¡¯m good, it should be no problem at all.¡± The party got a few minutes to discuss a quick plan until Sakura commanded everyone to be silent. Nil¡¯s heart pounded in his chest, and he fought every fiber of his being, staying still. The sounds of claws on stone approached, and Energy Instinct almost overwhelmed him. The vile gut feeling accompanying a dense population of Cursed entities threatened to suffocate Nil. His body demanded he move and strike them down just so the unease could stop, but he obeyed Sakura¡¯s instructions and let them pass. Beams of energy that felt awfully close to Brutal Battery¡¯s contents shot from Farah. The beasts danced around them, continuing their approach. Sakura and Nil lay in wait until the human pair following them passed their hiding place. She moved first. The woman waited until the last second before activating Cutting Light. A blade of blinding gold burst from her soul weapon, and the spheres that floated on either side of her shoulder glowed with a similar light. She took out the first of the human foes with a single slash, cleaving him from his left shoulder to his right waist. By the time the woman with him reacted, the man was already dead and in two halves. ¡°Selia, take the Mind Mage,¡± Sakura commanded as she faced her new opponent. The woman came at him, her arms growing large and beast-like. The ability seemed similar Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson¡¯s, but instead of lizard scales or gorilla arms, her limbs resembled that of a Cursed One. The monstrous claws glowed orange and dripped noxious fluid like the heart of the monster Nil killed during his last arena fight. ¡°Nil. I believe you can take the big one.¡± The Scourge Champion screamed as the luminous blade extending from Sakura¡¯s soul weapon bounced off her enlarged forelimbs. The woman¡¯s shoulders also grew more prominent, ripping through her robes. The exposed skin gradually turned grey and leathery. Tentacles burst from the exposed shoulder blades and shot at Sakura almost faster than Nil¡¯s eyes could follow. The spheres floating above her shoulders flashed, blocking one and eviscerating the other. Another scream burst from the woman. Nil didn¡¯t stick around to watch the fight. He had more important things to do. Catching falling rocks and protecting Merchants¡¯ people from collapses helped keep Brutal Battery¡¯s stores topped up. So when it came to burning his stores, Nil didn¡¯t hesitate. He supercharged speed and used Expend, propelling himself forward faster and harder than ever before. A sudden pressure on the sides of Nil¡¯s head left him clenching his teeth, and tears suddenly filled his eyes. Thanks to his training with Katherine, he had no trouble discovering the source of the discomfort. It was Mind Magic. The third human in the enemy party had spotted Nil and was trying to stop him, but he refused to slow down. He had discovered that pain was an excellent tool for overcoming the magic¡¯s debilitating effects. So, he released energy through his feet, blowing the soles of his soft shoes and propelling himself forward harder and faster. The ache remained, but the voices in his suggesting he stop lost its clarity. The shadows squirmed, and arms reached for Nil, but he ignored them all. Then he saw the beast and skidded to a halt. The Cursed One reminded him of the entity from his first-ever quest but lacked antlers. When its eyes met his, the snout suddenly elongated, and its eyes turned into mouths. Screams rang all around Nil and inside of his head. Then, everything abruptly stopped. The ache, squirming darkness, screams, and his opponent¡¯s transformations abruptly ended. The Cursed One resembled a truck-sized iguana with a very human torso and arms. ¡°The Mind Mage is down,¡± Selia said, sounding out of breath. Despite the psychic assault, Nil hadn¡¯t lost his momentum. He threw it all into a punch, supercharging strength just before making contact. The creature staggered backward and into a nearby wall but swiftly regained its balance, proving itself far more durable than entities he had faced before. Jagged fangs cracked and broke, but the monster didn¡¯t seem to have suffered any other damage. Physical attacks won¡¯t do. Nil followed with a three-finger-blade, spinning and swinging it at the monster¡¯s face. It moved shockingly fast, moving with him. A monstrous clawed hand struck Nil, flinging him off his feet. He caught the blow on his left shoulder and gauntlet. It was almost as if the limb had popped out of its socket for a moment before the muscles and tendons pulled them back in. His ears rang, and he was sure the contents of his skull had just suffered a severe shake. Absorb activated just in time to catch the following blow. The Cursed One didn¡¯t stop there and attempted to crush Nil. He retaliated by pressing both hands against the monster¡¯s palm and using Expend. Nil trickled energy through the Source Gauntlets, melting through the monster¡¯s armored hide and flesh, reaching bone and disintegrating it. The Cursed One roared, retreating, and Nil pressed onward. His shoulder begged him to stop. It needed a moment to rest or recover. He was sure muscle or tendon damage awaited him. The party had a healer. If she failed, the Fountain of Pyrene would fix the damage, so Nil didn¡¯t hold back. His next three-finger-blade cleaved through the creature¡¯s lizard snout. He sensed a Cursed Energy signature coming from behind him and released Meatball from his core. She sped toward her target without instruction. The cavern kept Nil from getting on top or under the monster. As a result, he had no easy way to its heart. So he continued to hack at its giant head, taking chunks out of its eyes and snout. Some wounds bubbled as the Cursed One¡¯s innate regeneration kicked in, but Nil didn¡¯t stop. He needed to create an opening to reach the heart and that meant being relentless. Nil let the creature land a strike or two whenever his energy levels got dangerously low. When Nil got a big enough opening, he took a moment to use the same move that killed Klocky Kennit. The sphere that formed in his hand was no bigger than a ping-pong ball and was better defined than the last time he used it outside of practice. Nil waited until the monster roared before releasing the orb from his control. It started to diffuse straight away but much slower than the previous version. Nil didn¡¯t see the damage, but the narrowing eyes and strained muscles gave away the creature¡¯s pain and struggle. It staggered into a wall, and rocks rained on and around it. He pushed on, relying on Absorb to protect him. He squeezed into the narrow space between the monster¡¯s top and the tunnel¡¯s roof and crawled along it until he was directly between its shoulder blades. Energy blasts helped him disintegrate his way through, and then he manifested twin three-finger blades that worked his way to the heart. Nil suffered scrapes and bruises as the monster¡¯s thrashing caused exposed skin to scrape against the ceiling. The vile orange slag splashing on his torso and thighs didn¡¯t help either, but Nil only stopped after the Cursed One had fallen. The battle lasted a handful of minutes but felt like it had gone for hours. 115. Escape Is In Sight ¡°How?¡± Sakura asked, wide-eyed and looking between the dead Cursed One and a pair of beasts. One¡¯s posterior hung out of the cave wall, and the other appeared eviscerated. ¡°I expected you to keep that thing busy until we finished up. It¡¯s Bronze Realm, you know.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I hit it and hit it and hit it until I didn¡¯t have to hit it anymore.¡± Carmen let out a matronly chuckle and smacked Nil¡¯s arm. Her eyes and staff glowed blue as luminous water flowed from her arm and wrapped around Nil¡¯s injuries. The cold from it was pleasant on his shoulder and elbow. The cuts he suffered while Expending also slowly knit themselves cold. ¡°And the beasts?¡± Sakura asked, clearly not amused. ¡°I took care of that one,¡± Selia said, pointing at the specimen sticking out of the wall. Carmen¡¯s waters enveloped the exposed half of her lower right side. A pair of clean slices marked her pale flesh. It seemed the Mind Mage had managed to land a blow before she slew it. ¡°And the roadkill?¡± Farah raised an eyebrow, nodding at the crushed remains lying off to the side. ¡°It looks like it was run over, and then something took bites out of it.¡± The Ironroot Whelp drew attention to herself with a squeak. She waddled out from behind a section of collapsed wall, forearms full of luminous mushrooms. One stuck out of her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s Meatball,¡± Nil said. ¡°How the hell did you get a soul weapon and a spirit companion since the last time I saw you? Has it even been six months?¡± ¡°Almost eight, I think.¡± Nil winced again. Something clicked back into place, and he couldn¡¯t be sure. Incredible pressure where his neck met his skull immediately faded. Discomforts he didn¡¯t know he felt faded. A trickle of water retreated from down his back and wrapped around the shoulder. Carmen had found and fixed a spine realignment. ¡°To be fair, I already had a soul weapon seed the first time we met. Illegal experimentation, corrupt companies, and all that nonsense. There is a lot of craziness happening on our Earth.¡± ¡°Not just yours,¡± Carmen commented. Farah and Bjorn nodded along. ¡°There is fucked up shit going on everywhere.¡± Sakura sighed. ¡°We have mad scientists kidnapping children and trying to create artificial power seeds. Its¡ª¡± ¡°I started as one of those,¡± Selia interrupted, holding up her hand. ¡°The Schema is still trying to fix the damage they inflicted.¡± ¡°Where there is power to be had and money to be made, the corrupt will do whatever it takes to come out on top,¡± Carmen said, eyes still focused on Nil¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Things were like that before the cataclysm in my world, and things only got worse afterward. Maybe it¡¯s our nature.¡± ¡°I bet that¡¯s the reason why the Control Worlds are stingy with knowledge, crystals, and everything else,¡± Farah said. ¡°They don¡¯t trust us.¡± ¡°Or we fear what we¡¯ve become,¡± Merchant said, joining them. ¡°We¡¯re not far from our destination. Should we get moving?¡± ¡°That depends on our injured heroes,¡± Sakura commented, turning to Nil and Selia. ¡°Are you okay to move?¡± ¡°Still a bit sore, but I can move,¡± Nil said. ¡°I can fix Selia while we move,¡± Carmen said, looking at her second patient. ¡°How¡¯s the pain?¡± ¡°Mostly gone, to be honest. The blade didn¡¯t go that deep. Since the bleeding has stopped, maybe you should save your magic. The fountain will take care of the rest.¡± The party got moving once again. Nil and Selia took over scouting duties together. There was no telling how close the pursuers were now, and it was too risky to send a scout back to check. So they pushed on with haste. It was nice to travel through the dark just with Selia. She didn¡¯t phase shift as much, and they spent most of their time jogging and conversing in whispers. Nil struggled to comprehend how much things had changed in so little time. He and Katherine were friends and then colleagues with a strong attraction and chemistry but not much else. Their vastly differing worldviews, politics, and ambitions got in the way of their relationship turning into anything more. There were no such obstacles with Selia. They both wanted similar things in life and had similar ambitions. Their desire to make a better place regardless of the law¡¯s purview also put them on the same page on several subjects. Things were easier with Selia, and even though they hadn¡¯t discussed labels or the nature of their relationship, it seemed real. Despite his initial dislike, Nil felt something more than raw attraction for the woman. He believed Selia felt similarly. The pair encountered Cursed Beasts a couple of times. They took them out without Sakura or the others¡¯ assistance. The blood on their clothes made hiding their scents nearly impossible. So, when Nil sensed them coming, he drew their attention while Selia disappeared into a wall or floor. He Absorbed their attacks and put however many he could with martial ability alone while Selia suffocated the rest by trapping their heads. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The pair faced their first challenge when they encountered a sharp cliff. It was smooth and curved inwards, and the path forward was through a high-up opening about three meters across. A folded ladder sat at the mouth. ¡°I might be able to make it with an empowered leap, but my aim isn¡¯t great at this range,¡± Nil stated. ¡°I can try, but I will probably just end up wasting time and energy.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your throwing arm?¡± Sakura asked. The rest of the party and Merchant¡¯s people had caught up while Nil figured out a solution. ¡°Great, but again, aim is the problem. I could probably hit the ladder with a couple of tries, but there is a high chance of me breaking it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Bjorn said when Sakura turned to him. ¡°My aim is absolutely horrendous.¡± ¡°So you can get something close to it?¡± Selia asked, thoughtfully studying the opening. ¡°I can try.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°The lights barely reach it, so it won¡¯t be easy. What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Throw me.¡± Selia grinned. ¡°Are you mad? If you don¡¯t smash into the cliff face and die, the fall will kill you.¡± ¡°Hello?¡± Selia raised her eyebrows, putting on a sassy tone. ¡°Phase shifter? I can just go into the wall if you miss. Catch me if I fall. Absorb will ensure I don¡¯t get hurt, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Nil nodded. He didn¡¯t like the idea, but the only other option was an arduous climb, which they didn¡¯t have the time for. ¡°Will you be okay in the stone?¡± ¡°New spells, handsome,¡± Selia said. ¡°Between Spectral Tether, Seeker¡¯s Compass, and Arcane Eyes, I should be able to find my way out. Just don¡¯t miss by a wide margin, okay?¡± After taking a few minutes of deep breathing, Nil got his heartbeat slow enough to take on the endeavor with a calm head. After a few test throws using boulders of roughly Selia¡¯s weight, he first lifted her onto his, and then she settled in the palm of his hand. Nil supercharged strength before empowering the movement with Expend and flinging her like a shot-put. Nil¡¯s heart leaped into his throat as Selia went shooting up the cliff face. His throw proved short. She disappeared into the stone several meters below the target. Nil held his breath for several stressful seconds, hoping he hadn¡¯t just killed the woman who now shared his bed most nights. Then, the ladder unfurled, and Selia¡¯s smiling face emerged from the opening, illuminated by the floating light she carried. After both mages had gone up, Nil followed. Once Merchant and all the other non-combatants finished their ascent, Sakura and Bjorn brought up the rear. They complimented Nil and Selia for a job well done before everyone carried on. It took them another hour to exit the caverns. Soldiers and sailors rushed to assist them. They took the cargo and the packs. While the tired travelers caught their breath, the rest readied the vessel. A small ascent remained until they reached the dock and boarded the airship. It wasn¡¯t a capsule hanging from a giant balloon as Nil had predicted. Instead, it resembled a medieval frigate and had giant glowing gems sticking out of the hull. More such gems sat attached to the rear. Nil couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of how it worked but was fascinated nonetheless. ¡°Thank you,¡± Merchant told them. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we or the cargo would¡¯ve made it without your contribution. That was quicker and easier than I expected.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jinx us now.¡± Bjorn groaned, and almost as if on cue, a roar echoed from the tunnel they had just exited. Are the Fates a thing in the multiverse, or was that the mother of all coincidences? The soldiers and crew ushered Merchant and the other survivors uphill to the vessel. The state of the abandoned city suggested it had seen no traffic in a long time. It was the same for the road that ran through it. However, the airship dock on top of the mountain appeared busy and regular enough to have a town built around it. Nil saw no overground roads heading downhill. Yet, tantalizing aromas rose from the little market running up the slope. Several stalls also displayed fresh fruit and vegetables. It meant trading vessels regularly traveled through the port. As a result, a town had grown around it. There were the people who ran the dock, the soldiers who protected it, and all the people who supported both groups and their families. The emergency quest talked about getting the cargo on the vessel and getting it gone but said nothing about the travelers or the residents. A few hundred lives were on the line, but according to the Nexus, they were expendable. Nil didn¡¯t like the thought of it but also understood the gravity of the situation. If he prioritized the people and the cargo fell into the Scourge¡¯s hands, the casualty numbers would be in the billions instead of hundreds. He took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. ¡°Does everybody know what they¡¯re doing?¡± Sakura asked. ¡°Buying time,¡± Selia answered matter-of-factly. ¡°You and I hold the mouth,¡± Bjorn stepped up, unslinging the hammer strapped across his back. The black sludge that flowed through Cursed Beasts¡¯ veins stained it. ¡°Farah goes full-on artillery, and Carmen keeps us alive until the quest ends.¡± ¡°You have our support too,¡± one of the guards said, stepping up. He wore more ornate armor than the rest. ¡°If we fail, everyone does.¡± ¡°And your citizens die,¡± Farah commented. ¡°Everyone here will gladly lay down their lives to ensure the dragon egg and source spells don¡¯t fall into the Scourge''s hands.¡± The man¡¯s voice quivered, but he remained firm. ¡°The captain has agreed to take the little ones and the pregnant if it looks like we¡¯re going to be overrun.¡± ¡°Form two lines behind us,¡± Sakura ordered. ¡°Put your best-ranged fighters in the back and protect them with your lives. Your duty is to take out anyone that gets behind us.¡± She paused, glancing at the crumbling stone towers on either side of the cavemouth. Snow covered them, and the cross-bow turrets atop them. ¡°Do those work?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, honored Summoned,¡± the guard replied. ¡°It hasn¡¯t seen use in my lifetime.¡± ¡°Find out. Get someone up there anyway. They can snipe the enemy mages and their long-range attackers.¡± ¡°What about us?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You two are far more competent than you appear. Take out their mages. Cause collapses on their heads. Make our lives easier.¡± Sakura looked down the now-trembling tunnel. Roars, howls, and the sounds of stomping feet echoed up it. ¡°If you¡¯re not up for it, help get the cargo on the ship.¡± 116. The Last Stand Neither Nil nor Selia liked the idea of sitting back and letting everyone else fight. The ship¡¯s crew and remaining soldiers were more than capable of getting the cargo, survivors, and children on the airship. Meanwhile, no one but the pair had the power to get behind cover, wreak havoc, and get out safely when things got out of control. It didn¡¯t matter if they got lost and couldn¡¯t make it back to the dock. As long as the quest is complete, all survivors get to go home. Meatball rolled ahead of them, zigzagging down the slope and squeaking excitedly. She seemed to understand her assignment with minimal explanation. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether the daily communication exercises were paying off or their empathic connection just got stronger during combat and in times of distress. She unfurled her woody extensions while moving around at high speeds and used odd movements to hop onto an elevated section of the tunnel. Meanwhile, Selia helped Nil find a hiding place. For the first time since their meeting, he experienced her power not as her opponent. She led him into darkness, and he willingly followed. Nil was sure that if he let go of her hand, he would fall into the endless nothingness. In reality, it was more likely he¡¯d get stuck in place and die slowly of suffocation. He found it best not to think about it and trust the woman leading him. Selia didn¡¯t just move on the horizontal plane while phasing through surfaces. They often emerged from walls higher than the spot through which they entered. Her speed seemed to increase with every passing day. Nil believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before she achieved her goal of shooting through surfaces after phasing. The pair found high ground and lay in wait. They waited as the Cursed Beasts and Cursed Ones passed. They didn¡¯t react when Agents of the Scourge or their champions passed. Nil even successfully resisted when the battle began. Cursed Ones charged the forge. Nil heard thunderclaps, the sizzle of Sakura¡¯s Cutting Light slicing enemies to pieces, and Farah¡¯s strange energy beams shot past him. He only emerged when the enemy mages launched a range onslaught of their own. First, Selia emerged from the ground, grabbed the ankles of the two giants guarding the mages, and pulled them into the ground. Then he raced forth with speed supercharged with an additional infusion of energy. He rushed through the group, dragging the three-finger blade through them. Several heads rolled one after another. Then Nil and Selia turned on the Scourge force¡¯s backline together. They moved so fast, so quietly, and with such precision they didn¡¯t see or hear the duo coming until half the people around them were dead or suffocating with their heads in the ground. Taking out the mages took priority. Nil relied on their hulking protectors to top up Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. Might has progressed to Iron 8! One foe caught Nil off guard. He let the hulking armored woman swing her axe at him, waiting to catch it with Absorb, and then the edge came alive with noxious green fire. Nil already had his hands busy holding down a mage wielding a staff wrapped in crimson sparks. He didn¡¯t have the time to catch or avoid the incoming attack. Selia was several meters away, trying to drag a bison-sized Cursed One into the ground. Nil doubted she could get to him in time even if she noticed the dire situation and could break away. A spiked woody ball smashed into the woman¡¯s head. Her neck twisted noisily, and she crumbled like a house of cards. Nil heard a triumphant squeak through the chaos of battle. Then, his favorite little bowling ball was gone. After slaughtering the people currently targeting him, he raced to Selia¡¯s side. She had successfully finished her task and was now trying to flee to a wall to escape the several angered Scourge agents and Cursed Beasts coming for her. Nil chopped through whoever he could and stomped the rest, Absorbing a blow here and there. Absorb has progressed to Iron 7! ¡°Nil. Selia.¡± Sakura spoke through the earpiece. She sounded out of breath. ¡°Are you two still down there?¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Nil caught a Scourge Champion trying to plunge a pair of electrified daggers into his side. He empowered himself with Expend instead of exploding her wrists into smithereens, crushing the bones in his grasp. It used less energy. Nil followed up with a headbutt that caved the woman''s face in and moved on. ¡°Farah''s nuke is almost ready. You need to get back right now or go deep underground.¡± ¡°How long do we have?¡± Nil encountered another bison-sized Cursed One. The ugly amalgamation of lizard, dog, and human came charging at him with its ugly maw open. He caught the jaws using Absorb. The clawed hands swiping at his sides kept him from switching to Expend. The Source Gauntlet''s crimson gems were also tapped out. So he supercharged strength, infusing it with a healthy dose of extra energy. It gave him enough power to rip the monster''s lower jaw off, creating an opening. Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Iron 7! A point-blank Expend blast to the chest followed which destroyed most of the monster''s torso. It collapsed soundlessly, and the orange glowing vessels connecting to the destroyed heart lost their luminosity. ¡°A couple of minutes,¡± Sakura answered. ¡°Give us a bit more time,¡± Nil replied. It was more a grunt than words. Enemies attacked him from all sides, and he was almost within Selia''s arm''s reach. She had given up on trying to flee. Instead, she just let the enemy swing their weapons and claws through her. Selia could just as well escape into the floor. Instead, she fought her way toward him. At a glance, Nil saw no injuries on the woman, but she looked pale. The prolonged fight and reliance on rapid phase shifting took far too big a toll on her damaged body. ¡°There is no holding the spell once it¡¯s ready. Farah releases it into the tunnel or up into the sky, or it explodes and levels the city.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°What if Selia phases through it?¡± Nil tried to grab Selia but another wave of Cursed Beasts separated them. This time, the creatures had an agent or champion¡ªhe couldn''t tell the difference anymore¡ªcommanding them. Nil picked up one of the canine-like specimens, supercharged strength again and flung it at its master. His breath was ragged as he continued and the words lacked coherence. ¡°That should work right?¡± ¡°Wrong,¡± Farah said through gritted teeth. ¡°It will kill you! Fucking hurry.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Nil swore. ¡°Meatball! To me.¡± Nil gave up on trying to Absorb everything and supercharged toughness. He held both arms out on either side of himself and released an expend blast through every inch of the Source Gauntlets, ensuring the radial explosions pointing away from Selia. He suffered a claw swipe to the back but got the respite he needed. A couple of steps brought him to Selia, and Meatball found him at the same time. The whelp returned to his core and Nil grabbed his partner. Once his grip was firm, he leaped up the slope towards the cave mouth, pouring as much as he could into the Expend empowerment. It wasn''t enough. Escape was still a dozen or so metres away and he saw a massive crimson and gold sphere pulsating in front of Farah. It contracted and then a beam shot forth toward the pair and all the beasts below them. Nil used Expend again without thinking, releasing the remainder of his energy through his feet and using all the Qi shaping and projection lessons he had learned to concentrate and direct them. The force propelled him and Selia forward so fast that he struggled to keep his eyes open, while his cheeks flapped. Farah¡¯s spell roared underfoot just as they cleared the cavemouth. The pair flew over the decimated ally frontline and into the slope leading up to the dock. Absorb didn''t just arrest the pair''s momentum and keep them from breaking every bone in their body but refilled Brutal Battery to almost one-third of its maximum capacity. Expend has progressed to Iron 7! Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 7! Selia shivered in Nil''s arms. He tried to help her up but she was limp in his arms and unresponsive. She had the worst nosebleed he had ever seen and several translucent, ghost-like tethers connected her left hand to buildings below. Spectral Tethers was a spell made for thieves. It let the caster launch and attach tethers to objects and could even pass through surfaces. They couldn''t carry much weight and was more a tool for pulling things ro oneself but Selia used it differently. Mass and weight became an inconsistent concept while she phase shifted. So she used the near-invisible conjuration to attach to surfaces and pull herself free toward them. Unfortunately, Selia¡¯s mastery over it hadn''t reached a point where she could use it in swift succession or while phasing or attached to someone else. She had overcome the limitation. ¡°The spell backfired,¡± Carmen said, her breath ragged as she reached them. Nil gently placed Selia on the ground and backed away, letting the healer do her work. ¡°Idiot girl pushed herself much too hard.¡± It was then Nil realised that the pair had landed far too close to the edge of the sloping outcropping that housed the town and the port above. Nil had almost shot himself and her off the mountain. He doubted Absorb would have saved them from the fall alone and his mastery over Expend as propulsion wasn''t nearly good enough. ¡°Is she going to be okay?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Barely,¡± Carmen answered, eyes focused on the luminous waters that flowed out of her hand and wrapped around Selia''s temple. ¡°Get me anything warm you can find.¡± The lower levels of the town were clear but snow covered everything higherup. It seemed the town''s residents had put considerable effort into clearing the cavemouth and the path to ensure the cargo, its carriers, and protectors got to the ship easily. Nil didn¡¯t have to go far before finding someone with spare coats and blankets. A woman was rushing down the slope with them along with medical supplies. Just over a tenth of the soldiers holding the town''s entrance had perished and far more were injured. She gave Nil what he needed before continuing with her task. When he returned to Carmen, Selia was awake. She weakly winked at him but before Nil could speak to her, the healer shooed him away. So Nil descended to the battlefield to check on the others. Even though Farah''s magic looked and felt like the Source, its effects weren''t quite like those of the Source Gauntlets. The monstrous beam she released, in the end, melted more than disintegrated their foes. The more armored Scourge Champions and Cursed Ones appeared mostly charred. A few specimens still had intact chests. Bjorn moved among them, pulverizing anything that showed signs of movement or was too intact with hammers. Soldiers wielding arcane-symbol-covered spears assisted him. ¡°It''s over, right?¡± Nil asked, approaching their commander. ¡°I think so,¡± Sakura said. She appeared exhausted. Blood soaked her white outfit, and little remained of her sleeves. ¡°What do you think, Merchant?¡± Even though the vessel was now ready to depart, the man stood with them. The crew now worked to deboard the children they had ushered onboard, assuming the city fallen. The people on the ground were vastly different from the Nexus. They cared about their jobs but valued the lives around them. ¡°I don¡¯t detect much besides stray Cursed Beasts,¡± he answered. ¡°As long as none sneak past the tunnel, everything should be fine.¡± Nil scanned their surroundings for the guard captain. He failed to find the man. Someone in the standard arm now directed the guards. ¡°Maybe someone should invest in defenses. This port is clearly vital to the world and trade routes,¡± Nil said. ¡°The path hasn¡¯t seen use in a while, but it just saved your lives and the cargo. It feels stupid to leave things as they are.¡± Merchant stiffened. His eyes scanned the party and the soldiers working nearby. He bowed his head. ¡°I pay my debts,¡± the man replied. ¡°The Control World also appreciates all who work in its interests. The town will receive compensation for its services. It¡¯s gone ignored far too long since we saw it as little more than a refueling station and place to stretch our legs during the long voyage. We¡¯ll ensure Skypeak Port gets the necessary infrastructure to thrive, grow, and survive. You¡¯ve earned my people¡¯s favor for everything you¡¯ve done here, honorable Summoned. I knew your quest¡¯s parameters. Your lives would¡¯ve been much easier if you abandoned us and left with the packages. Dragon eggs and source spells are far more valuable than our lives.¡± The man left them, ascending the slope to the airship. ¡°Good job,¡± Sakura said, watching him go. ¡°You cut it close, but things would¡¯ve been much more difficult if not for you and Selia. A lot more people would¡¯ve died.¡± ¡°We almost got overwhelmed near the end,¡± Nil admitted. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Farah¡¯s spell, we would¡¯ve fled back the way we came and waited for you lot to finish up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t,¡± Farah said.¡±You might¡¯ve escaped the range of my spell, but then molten slag, the heat, or fumes would¡¯ve taken you out.¡± ¡°What about the ritual?¡± Selia asked, joining them. She leaned on Carmen as she walked. Nil took over supporting his new partner. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and rested her head against him. ¡°Won¡¯t these troubles persist unless it''s destroyed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not our concern,¡± Sakura said. ¡°We¡¯ve done our job, and Nexus will send another team to deal with the problem.¡± She shook Nil and Selia¡¯s hand. ¡°Good job. Both of you. If you ever need help, ask without a second thought.¡± ¡°Me as well,¡± Bjorn stated, and the other two echoed the sentiment. 117. Cursed Investigation Team You have received 500 Schema Credits for completing your quest. The Control Worlds are thankful for your efforts and risking your life to save valuable artisans, even though their survival wasn¡¯t necessary for the quest¡¯s success. Your bonus includes access to special tutors, vendors, and artisans in the Nexus Market and vouchers to spend as you please. All the relevant information has been stored in your Schema interface. ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Selia commented. ¡°I got more than you. The Nexus Market¡¯s most exclusive spell emporium and mage advisors are open to me. They want to speak to me about getting a soul weapon seed as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty great and incredible,¡± Nil stated, helping her get closer to the Fountain of Pyrene. ¡°A soul weapon will help with your lack of offense a fair deal.¡± ¡°It''s just a consultation, and they¡¯ll probably send me a long chain of quests or some exclusive work to get one.¡± Selia winced as he seated her on the edge of the Pyrene. Then she sank her fingers in the water and shuddered. All her visible injuries disappeared, and the sickly pallor disappeared. ¡°I don¡¯t get why I¡¯m getting so much more than you, though.¡± ¡°Because you were at considerably more risk than everyone every step of the way. If not for your scouting, we would¡¯ve faced far more obstacles during our ascent. It''s likely we would¡¯ve still gotten the package to its destination, but Merchant and his fellow survivors would¡¯ve died.¡± ¡°Your contribution wasn¡¯t any less than mine.¡± Selia sighed. ¡°My information was useful. Sure. But if you and Bjorn didn¡¯t block off all those paths and set up the triggered collapses, more would¡¯ve found us sooner or later.¡± ¡°The Nexus clearly disagrees. Do you need a moment, or should we go see Layla?¡± ¡°Let''s go.¡± The pair bid Sakura and her people goodbye before moving on. The Schema had offered Carmen an additional bonus to stay behind, heal the injured soldiers, and erect ice defenses in the tunnel, and the older woman had accepted. When they reached Layla¡¯s office, an unexpected crowd greeted them. ¡°Nice of you to join us.¡± Susan hugged Nil tightly. Selia received a similar but less emphatic greeting. ¡°Are the pair of you mad?¡± ¡°Mad?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow, exchanging confused glances with Selia. ¡°What did we do?¡± Selia asked. ¡°You took week-long quests when you had two weeks until your next Death Gauntlet match?¡± Shawn¡¯s question hit the pair like a sack of bricks. ¡°Well, that sucks. The quest took little less than a day.¡± Even though the Fountain of Pyrene had healed her external and internal injuries, she had continued to use Nil for support. Selia released him and stepped away. ¡°This might not be as good a decision as you thought, Nil.¡± ¡°I got a bunch of ability ranks, and my Might went up as well.¡± Nil tried to cast a positive light on the lost time, but she was right. The lost time had cost them dearly. It was just like his first-ever quest. He was only away for a single evening but returned home three days after his summoning. Layla had once explained to him time was distorted when traveling far through the multiversal network. He hadn¡¯t thought the time dilation could get so severe. ¡°I¡¯m sure you got far more growth than a week of only training would provide.¡± Selia sighed, nodding. ¡°My Finesse is as far as I can get it until Silver Realm, and Mind isn¡¯t far behind. My abilities are also almost high enough for ascension.¡± She gave Shawn a hug and changed the subject. ¡°What are the pair of you doing here?¡± ¡°Layla summoned us here, saying you were done with your quest,¡± Susan answered. ¡°She wanted to talk to all of us in person.¡± The woman nodded at another group of Summoned waiting nearby. Cara Sue stood among them. She flashed them a smile and waved. ¡°Something about finally meeting our colleagues and coordinating to resolve the matter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just one item on today¡¯s agenda,¡± one of Layla¡¯s pink clones said, opening the door to the caseworker¡¯s office. ¡°Come in. She¡¯s ready for you.¡± A total of nine people entered the office¡ªNil, Selia, Shawn, Susan, Cara Sue, and four others who Nil didn¡¯t know. He had seen them in passing at the Forge but never interacted with them besides polite nods of acknowledgment. The layout of the office had changed. A large horseshoe table sat in the middle of the room with nine chairs, and Layla stood just beyond it. Everybody took their seats, with the Death Gauntlet fighters sitting on one side. Susan sat between Nil and Cara Sue. The unknown Nexus agents occupied the horseshoe arm. The caseworker wasted no time before starting her spiel. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of time, so I won¡¯t waste time on introductions or pleasantries,¡± she said. ¡°Half of you already know about the other, and I am glad you segregated yourselves.¡± Layla waved at Cara Sue and the individuals sitting with her. ¡°Death Gauntlet Team, meet the Cursed Investigation Team. Susan, you will act as the liaison between both groups and direct everyone if and when joint operations happen. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°While you took care of everything inside Symbiotech, Nil, CIT was tracking down their projects, investigating the Pits, and studying the big picture. I theorized that Shina and her operation were only a wing in a larger organization, and they helped confirm that. There are some big players pulling the strings here, but everything leads back to the Pits.¡± ¡°Do you mean more Cursed Energy harvesting operations?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Yes and no,¡± Layla replied. ¡°As far as CIT and our other agents have found, only Symbiotech was in the corrupted soul weapon business. However, they¡¯re not the only ones trying to create artificial power seeds. The Schema detects them, but we¡¯re having trouble. I suspect that the Pits are acting as their testing ground. The number of Summoned dying in them is also increasing.¡± ¡°Do you think the artificial power users are somehow growing stronger by murdering fighters with genuine seeds?¡± Selia asked. ¡°It''s difficult to tell at this point,¡± Cara Sue said. ¡°Because if that were the case, why would they just use the arena? We¡¯d see increased Summoned death across the board. There must be more nuance to this that we¡¯re not seeing.¡± ¡°I think we should delay discussion and investigation until after the soul weapon business is resolved,¡± one of the other CIT members said. He was a short bald man, and Nil struggled to tell much about him through the puffy coat. ¡°The seed situation is much bigger and runs deeper. It¡¯ll do us no good if we split our attention or can¡¯t confirm that they¡¯re connected.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the corrupted soul weapon thing sorted with Symbiotech gone and us taking out the primary players?¡± Nil asked. ¡°We or agents not in the public eye can take care of the ones still in the Pits. I don¡¯t see why¡ª¡± ¡°Symbiotech might be down, but this is far from over,¡± Layla interrupted. ¡°People CIT identified as test subjects and partners, and the people listed in everything Andrew dug up are falling like flies.¡± ¡°Do you think the greater powers behind Symbiotech are eliminating the evidence?¡± Selia leaned back in her chair, making it stand on two legs. It reminded Nil of how Andrew behaved in class. The man tested poorly and didn¡¯t do well in school. His head was always elsewhere. Nil believed that if the British education system included aethertech, criminal law, or programming, he¡¯d be recognized as the savant that he was. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they also silenced their staff.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the staff are out of reach.¡± Layla staffed. ¡°Anyone not in your government¡¯s custody has disappeared. Our requests to question them have been denied, and my bosses are staunchly against coercion or bribery. That¡¯s where all of you come in. We don¡¯t know who is killing Symbiotech¡¯s partners and previous subjects, but they all have one thing in common.¡± Several translucent screens appeared behind Layla and slowly solidified. They showed butchered corpses, vivisections, and a few that were intact. ¡°All the soul weapon seeds have been harvested.¡± ¡°So, someone is trying to pick up where they left off,¡± Selia commented. ¡°That¡¯s our biggest concern. CIT, drop all other investigations and make finding the parties involved as soon as possible. Embed yourselves in the Pits if you must. We¡¯ll take care of the legal side of things.¡± ¡°Andrew will be valuable to this investigation once he returns,¡± Susan said. ¡°I¡¯d like to work with CIT if that¡¯s alright. Skoll, Hati, and I have a lot to contribute here.¡± ¡°I worry your previous ties to the police force might hamper our investigation,¡± Cara Sue told her. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can find a way around that,¡± Layla said. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone on that. Despite your experience, I¡¯ll have to place you under Cara¡¯s command, Susan. She has more experience as an earthside agent and Nexus investigator. Is that alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not step on any toes,¡± Susan replied. ¡°She¡¯s more familiar with the case. It makes sense.¡± She faced Cara Sue. ¡°I have a few informants and a friend in an intelligence agency that I trust. Tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll help in every way possible.¡± ¡°You lot are doing well.¡± Layla nodded. ¡°The bosses don¡¯t like me sharing this tidbit with newcomers, but the rewards can be incredible.¡± ¡°What? Do we get to be where you are?¡± One of the CIT members asked. She was the only other woman besides Cara Sue. She looked significantly younger compared to everyone else. In fact, she barely looked older than Emily. She sounded annoyed and carried the tone of someone who disliked authority. Her presence in the team and the meeting made little sense to Nil. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything worse than being stuck in this place for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°That might be an option for some of you someday.¡± Layla ignored the taunt. Nil guessed the girl had a vital skillset or powerful ability that made her invaluable to the team. ¡°But I¡¯m talking about the opportunity to move to a Control World. The requirements get lower the closer you get to the Platinum Realms, and if you¡¯re good enough, your family, partner, or a loved one or two get to go with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± Nil whispered. The rude young woman sat up straighter. Everyone but the bald man displayed some sort of surprise. He either didn¡¯t care or excelled at hiding his emotions. The Nexus and Schema had revealed little about the Control Worlds thus far. However, the kind of influence they had, the scale of their operations, and the benefits gained from winning their favor suggested they were factions of incredible power. Nil imagined that moving to one would significantly make his family¡¯s lives better, and there was no safer place for them. ¡°And you¡¯re not dangling this in front of us, so we¡¯ll do something dangerous like get involved in the Pits, right?¡± Layla remained calm and didn¡¯t react to the accusation. Instead, she focused on its source. ¡°Given everything you¡¯ve achieved because of me, Cara Sue, I¡¯d like to think you¡¯d be more trustful of me and the Nexus. No. I¡¯m not dangling anything in front of you. There are other parameters, like the quality of a person, but no, I¡¯m not dangling anything or lying. Most who reach Platinum get invited or receive quests to prove their worth. Immortals are always welcome in Nexus World. It''s for the good of everyone. People with too much power often turn into tyrants if no one keeps them in check. There¡¯s always a chance of their mere existence figuratively and literally destroying the stability of their home realm. ¡°Nexus employees and agents receive such privileges earlier if their performance is good enough,¡± Layla continued. ¡°My contract with the Nexus ends in a few decades. Unless I get a manager contract, I¡¯ll also be taking the ascension to a Control World.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Shawn sighed, and all eyes turned to him. ¡°I was going to bow out of this Nexus agent business after this quest, but now you¡¯ve got my interest.¡± ¡°I guessed that might be the case.¡± Layla smiled. ¡°We hope you take this as a sign of how much we value your skills and actions. The Nexus values those who serve it.¡± 118. Spending Spree The meeting lasted for just over an hour, and then Layla excused the Death Gauntlet Team¡ªNil didn¡¯t like it even though it was succinct and explained their purpose in a few hours. She kept CIT back to discuss the nitty gritty of their investigation. Susan joined them to get up to date with their current operation. She hadn¡¯t climbed high through the Metropolitan Police Force¡¯s ranks, but her quests often involved tracking and investigations. Her experience gave her a lot to contribute to the process. ¡°I don¡¯t get why I have to come with you.¡± Shawn sighed. ¡°Unlike you two, I have a lot of training to do.¡± ¡°Why the song and dance, Shawn?¡± Nil asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like we can keep you here.¡± ¡°He likes to spend time with us, but admitting it goes against his ¡®I¡¯m too strong to need people¡¯ routine,¡± Selia said. She walked between the two men, both arms looped around one of theirs. ¡°Nil and I got access to a bunch of exclusive vendors thanks to this recent quest. Hopefully, they¡¯ll let you in as our companion, and we can all pick up something useful.¡± ¡°Might as well invest our riches back in ourselves.¡± Nil followed the Schema interface¡¯s map toward the new vendors. The list included vendors who specialized in Soul Weapon upgrading materials and consumables, which accelerated the growth rate of spirit beasts, helped them develop new abilities, or boosted aspects of their physiology. The artisans and vendors intrigued him the most. The first group included alchemists, tailors, leatherworkers, and even blacksmiths who would make custom equipment at a discount. However, Nil felt that learning fighting styles and techniques from around the multiverse would significantly increase his survivability rates. ¡°It''s not like we get any interest for letting our Schema Credits just sit there.¡± ¡°Does that matter?¡± Shawn asked. ¡°It''s not like there is inflation with Schema Credits.¡± ¡°In all seriousness, Shawn, you¡¯re good, but there is a chance our Death Gauntlet opponents might prove better,¡± Nil said. ¡°I saw your Airlock match, and it was closer than you probably want to admit. We need every advantage we can get, even if it''s temporary. I don¡¯t know the details of your power, but maybe Moon Rabbit Emporium¡¯s cultivation techniques might make a difference.¡± ¡°I mostly want to get in there to match your growth rate,¡± Shawn said. ¡°You¡¯ve been a Summoned less than half the time as me, but you might just beat me to Bronze Realm.¡± ¡°Between cultivation exercises and mage training, you should have no trouble keeping up with Nil,¡± Selia said. ¡°Mage training?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°You invest in Mind?¡± Shawn nodded. ¡°My attribute spread makes me more an Arcane Warrior than a Knight. If it weren¡¯t for the short-range, I could¡¯ve been a mage. I prioritize Spark first since it affects my energy source, barrier strength, and the power of the explosions. The rest is divided equally between Finesse and Mind. The first is for general mobility and physiology improvements. Mind helps me with the mental strain of creating multiple barriers, holding them, and general control. I should delve a little into spellcraft, but I worry it will end up with me stretching myself too thin. I¡¯m thinking of taking a negative trait once I have enough Cursed Energy built up. Something to boost my Mind potential could be great. ¡± ¡°I wish I could get into magic.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°When Andrew and I talked about becoming Summoned, he was always the artisan, and I was the mage. I would go on adventures and bring back the riches. He would make me energy batteries and spell stores to become the most badass arena mage ever.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Selia rolled her eyes. ¡°Between Brutal Battery, cultivation techniques, and now the Source Gauntlets, you¡¯re pretty bloody powerful compared to most mages.¡± She returned her attention to Shawn. ¡°Have you given my idea much thought? Folded barriers or sharp angles for cutting tools might be pretty cool. You have trouble breaking through enemy armor defenses. Maybe a spell that wraps your barrier around a sword could help you achieve something of the sort.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve seen a whole section dedicated to something-wrapped-blade techniques in Moon Rabbit Emporium,¡± Nil commented. ¡°Maybe we should look into something of the sort. Maybe we should start there?¡± Shawn paused, bringing the trio to a stop. ¡°Do you really want to share access to the Moon Rabbit Emporium with me? I get you doing it for Selia. You two are dating or whatever this is, but I¡¯ve never been particularly nice to you.¡± ¡°Yes, but we¡¯re friends now, right? And on the same team.¡± Nil shrugged, flashing the man a friendly smile. ¡°What fun is a professional rival if I get all the unfair advantages and he lags behind? It¡¯ll be no fun if you fall too far behind. I¡¯ll have to start over with someone new again, and I¡¯m not that ready for that level of drama and commitment.¡± Selia laughed, but he only got a nod from Shawn. The trio went to the Moon Rabbit Emporium first. It took a moment to talk the guards into letting the pair through, but the guard relented after Nil¡¯s regular shopping assistant showed up. It was an opportunity for her to get more commission, of course. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re the one making the purchases, Mr Roy,¡± she declared. After going over Selia and Shawn¡¯s powers, their fighting styles, and requirements, the woman had a rough idea of what they needed. First, she got them two different sets of Qi Detection manuals and pills that would increase their sensitivity. Given their vastly different abilities, Selia and Shawn required utterly different approaches. After explaining how everything worked, she also picked out individual cultivation techniques for them. Instead of pills that boosted attributes, she also added beginner cultivation aids to the basket. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The woman also tried to sell them manuals for Qi Projection and Qi Shaping, but much to her chagrin, Nil suggested he share the copies he purchased with them instead. He had copied them into his Schema Interface and the physical copies now sat in his Nexus storage. It took several minutes to talk Shawn into giving into the idea of a barrier-wrapped blade. He preferred hand-to-hand combat, but after Nil told him about Sakura¡¯s Cutting Light and what she had achieved with her soul weapon, the man relented. After a demonstration, the shop assistant declared Shawn¡¯s power a combination of spatial and force essence¡ªwhatever that meant. She took a monstrous chunk out of his savings with manuals dedicated to Spatial-Folding and Force-Wrapped Sword. Doing the same for Selia proved significantly harder. She had already started on her journey toward energy and Qi detection, but her power didn¡¯t directly translate into offensive or defensive techniques. The closest option they found was awfully close to Spectral Tethers. In the end, they settled for a fundamental Attraction and Repulsion technique. ¡°The manual lays the foundation for advanced movement, flight, and control techniques,¡± the shop assistant said. ¡°It''s an excellent start and could combine well with your magic to become something far more useful.¡± Before departing, Nil spent a part of his recent windfall on another manual. He was nowhere near mastering Qi Projection or Qi Shaping. However, both manuals referred a lot to a third fundamental technique: Qi Manipulation. He believed that mastery over Brutal Battery¡¯s energy and the Source would continue to rocket him through the realms. Not a year passed since Nil was an ordinary civilian, and now Bronze was in sight. Before heading to the magic-focused section of Nexus Market, Nil used one of the vouchers he had received in Cultivator¡¯s Technique. He met with a few Qi masters but was treated surprisingly poorly. ¡°I don¡¯t think they like people from non-cultivator realms,¡± Shawn commented after the third meeting. ¡°Why not just keep working with the manuals? You¡¯re starting to project and shape just about right. I bet you can do the same with manipulation.¡± ¡°These bastards all got sticks up their butts,¡± Selia said. ¡°Bunch of cu¡ª¡± ¡°Are you looking for Qi training, young man?¡± An old man in ratty clothes waved Nil over. A dirty bowl with a couple of grains of rice sat next to him, and a gourd sat next to him, tipped over onto its side. His droopy eyes had the same red tinge one would expect from someone who smoked too much weed. ¡°I might not be a Qi Master, but if you desire a firm group on the fundamentals, you won¡¯t find a better¡­¡± The man trailed off mid-sentence, scratching his head. ¡°What¡¯s the word?¡± ¡°That place has a lot more people dressed like us,¡± Selia said, pointing at a building ahead. She pulled Nil along. ¡°Let''s try our luck there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The man snorted. ¡°Teacher. Dragon Shit. How did I forget that?¡± He guffawed. ¡°You want tutoring, young man? All it will take is one of those vouchers.¡± ¡°I was looking for someone with their own training rooms,¡± Nil said. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but¡ª¡± ¡°Training rooms?¡± The man laughed harder. ¡°What for? You¡¯re learning to harness the power that permeates all universes and separates them. You don¡¯t need dragon-shit training rooms or fancy buildings and uniforms.¡± He snorted again, shaking his head. The man grabbed his gourd, held it upside down over his mouth, and shook it. ¡°I swear cultivators nowadays are just drowning in pretention.¡± ¡°And you can do better than them?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t seriously be considering him, can you?¡± Selia asked. ¡°You¡¯re wasting valuable training time, Nil,¡± Shawn told him. He nodded at the building Selia had highlighted. ¡°There¡¯s an Indian guy at the reception wearing Levis. That¡¯s the place. I want to look at spells.¡± Shawn lowered his volume. ¡°This guy is drunk and probably senile.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right on both counts, and I¡¯m no Gold or Platinum Realm like those teachers,¡± the old man stated. His laughter ceased, and he wiped his face. ¡°But you want the fundamentals. Don¡¯t you? One voucher. Three lessons.¡± ¡°I want ten. Most of these places offer seven for one, and they have all the necessary facilities and resources.¡± ¡°But they won¡¯t take you because of where you hail from.¡± ¡°Nil.¡± Selia tightened her hold on his arm. ¡°Shawn is right. This is a mistake.¡± ¡°I never mentioned the Source,¡± Nil said. ¡°Qi and the Source are vastly different, and I haven¡¯t mentioned it once since living in the Moon Rabbit Emporium.¡± He smiled at the old man. ¡°Our friend knew otherwise, and I want to know how. You¡¯re not what you seem, are you, sir?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± He laughed even harder. ¡°Yes. You won¡¯t be in the Nexus Market or this part of it unless you are allowed to be here. You clearly have a thing for toying with people and hiding your true identity. Hence, sir.¡± All signs of humor disappeared from the older man¡¯s face. He looked Nil in the eye for several silent seconds. ¡°Now, why do you have to go ruin my fun?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to play around. My next Death Gauntlet match is in just over a week.¡± ¡°One voucher. Seven lessons. Agreed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s acceptable. When do we start?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be hearing from me. Run along now.¡± Selia and Shawn were glad to move on and bombarded Nil with questions. The pair didn¡¯t hesitate to share their doubts about the strange man, their friend¡¯s sanity, and especially his judgment. They ended up in the new exclusive magic neighborhood that was a part of Selia¡¯s reward. She spoke to a few old mages and explored several scrolls. After an hour of searching, Selia found a tutor who¡¯d help her master her current spells and get better at avoiding backfires, failures, and mental strain. She paid with a voucher and picked up another sensory spell. Nil also bought her the first scroll in a series of increasingly more difficult and powerful toxin conjuration spells. Shawn grumbled as he spent the last of his money on a magic tutor. He also picked up a manual of force missile spells that would use his barrier energy to give him a much-needed ranged option. He believed that combining the knowledge from his Spatial Folding and Force-Wrapped Sword techniques with the spell could produce something powerful and terrifying. Nil enjoyed watching his new friend excited. They returned to the ludus afterward. While he and Selia got some much-needed rest, Shawn returned to training. The man had a spring in his step, and his eyes wandered over invisible screens as he walked. 119. Eyes Of The Beholder Meatball was ecstatic to be back in her garden. During their absence, the new saplings had gained several inches. Some of the first sprouts were almost a foot tall and had woody stalks. Luminous silver veins ran up a couple of them. The rest emitted green and gold. The Ironroot Whelp excitedly zoomed around them, and Nil could feel a subtle pulse of energy radiating from her. It was whatever fueled her Regenerate ability. All plants emitting Qi and other unearthly existences shivered. A comforting warmth flooded Nil when he drew the cocktail of alien energies into himself. The garden was rapidly becoming Nil¡¯s favorite place in the world. He enjoyed his nights with Selia but treasured the solo mornings when he could roll out of bed and straight into the garden. It wasn¡¯t just a place for him to cultivate and converse with Meatball. The space reminded Nil of his mother. It wasn¡¯t as vibrant and pruned yet, but it reminded him of the days they first started organizing the space. Nil and Elizabeth Gibson-Roy had tilled the earth, fertilized it, planted seeds and saplings, and then spread around mulch. They didn¡¯t know what they were doing at first. Elizabeth had done some gardening as a child, but she was more of a bored assistant than a gardener. Nil understood now that his mother associated gardening with her late loved ones. She had him help with digging, planting, and watering so he¡¯d develop similar fond memories. Now, the young plants reminded him of the joy he had felt with Elizabeth when their poorly planned garden first started to take shape. Naked stems, woody saplings, and tiny green leaves didn¡¯t make for an ugly, naked garden, but it was the fruit of their work, and the pair were proud. ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job, Meatball,¡± Nil told the whelp as she created a new mound of dirt. ¡°Are you expecting something new to sprout?¡± All Nil got in response was a solitary, high-pitched squeak. It sounded more like a demand to be left alone than an answer. He watched her amused for a moment before finally closing his eyes and beginning his daily cultivation exercises. A sudden emptiness filled Nil, and an unknown force sucked him deep into himself. It felt neither hostile nor friendly. Instead, it was just a bit of nothing. It fought him when he tried to open his eyes at first. The warmth flowing through Nil intensified, and he felt far more Qi flowing through and around him than before. Once the emptiness faded, Nil was able to open his eyes again. Nil found himself in a clearing under a tall banyan tree. When he took a step, the ground shifted and rippled around him. The waves faded and stopped altogether before they reached the tree trunk. Those moving away kept going and continued into the flowing water around the little island. A mangrove forest stood beyond the river. A deep breath didn¡¯t just bring fresh air, heat, and humidity into Nil¡¯s body. More Qi than Nil had ever encountered came with it. Unfortunately, he struggled to contain the energy, and most of it left with the exhale. He only successfully held onto a tiny fragment of it and forced it through his energy channels. The imaginary tiger struggled to maintain control as the torrent pushed him from behind or battered his sides, threatening to overwhelm him. ¡°Natural Qi is your friend,¡± a voice said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t wish to dominate or be dominated. The energy you wish to harness is not the same. It''s wild. Volatile. The Source is alive and whimsical. It wants to control and manipulate. You can¡¯t just dominate it, but grasp only as much as you can handle and then bend it to your will.¡± A man emerged from the banyan tree¡¯s shadow. He wore the same clothes as the old man Nil had met in the Nexus market, but his face wasn¡¯t a curtain of wrinkles. It wasn¡¯t that the man looked younger. His hair was still mostly grey. His cheeks sagged and had the visible paperiness of someone in their sixties. Nil struggled to put his finger on the difference at first. Then he realized it was Qi. It flowed through the man and almost seemed to nourish him. ¡°Give me a name, boy.¡± ¡°Sunil Roy.¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not who you are. Give me the name that defines you. The one that you wish to tie to the Qi and weave into the tapestry of the multiverse.¡± ¡°Nil, sir.¡± ¡°Drop the ¡®sir¡¯ nonsense.¡± The man sighed. ¡°I told you. I¡¯m not one of the pretentious fools that run the Nexus Market schools.¡± ¡°Then who are you?¡± ¡°Just a humble cultivator willing to drill my master¡¯s lessons into the next generation. You may call me¡­¡± The man¡¯s voice trailed off. He stared past Nil, eyes glazing over. ¡°Keeper of Knowledge. Maka Dee, the Cosmic Spider. Yggdrasil. Do these names mean anything to you, Nil?¡± ¡°None except Yggdrasil. That''s the tree of life from Norse mythology, isn''t it?¡± ¡°Mythology.¡± The man snorted. ¡°Right. It''s curious. They''re all Cosmic entities who transcend life and death and have reach across countless dimensions, and your life is somehow entangled with several people that interest you. You''re the common denominator between them. Most of these people wouldn''t have come together if not for you, but no one has tagged you as anything special. Why do you think that is?¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Nil shrugged. He continued to breathe in the ambient energy and circulated through himself. He didn''t know how long he had left in the strange space and wished to make the most of it. Instead of getting easier, cultivation grew more challenging with every passing second. The energy within himself had thickened, turning viscous like honey. Instead of forcing it through his channels, Nil let it move at its own pace. Whenever there was a clog, he gave the Qi a little prod. ¡°I''m no one special,¡± Nil said. ¡°I don''t know which of my friends or associates you''re on about, but they''re all great people. We want to do good for our world and people and help the Nexus push back the Scourge and Void. I don''t know about the others, but I''ve done nothing to reach out to multiversal entities.¡± ¡°Neither have the others, yet they draw interest,¡± the man said. ¡°In my opinion, you''re the most intriguing of them all, but no one has tagged you. I think it''s strange, that''s all.¡± ¡°So what shall I call you?¡± ¡°Watcher.¡± ¡°Are you related to Yggdrasil and the others?¡± ¡°No. I''m no one so grand. Just a curious old fool.¡± ¡°You don''t work in the Nexus Market, and it''s clear you¡¯re not a Nexus agent.¡± Nil struggled to process everything he had just learned, trying to connect the strange alien names to his friends and acquaintances. ¡°Are you from one of the Control Worlds?¡± ¡°No. My origin universe has long fallen.¡± Watcher approached Nil and poked his spine with his knobbly walking stick. The Qi flowing through his system loosened, and breathing became easier. ¡°Now show me how you wield the energy that separates and connects universes. I¡¯m curious.¡± Nil¡¯s instincts proved right. The old man was far more than he appeared. The air around him reminded him of the older Song sister. Immortality had made her presence overwhelming. Just her aura threatened to suffocate Nil. Watcher was similar but contained and restrained. The energy within him was purer than anything Nil had ever felt but faint and distant. A thick veil separated them and Nil lacked the ability and knowledge necessary to penetrate it. But he was sure of one fact. It was ancient. Not ancient in any metric Nil could express. He was just sure that Watcher was far older than his appearance suggested. ¡°Stop trying to pinch closed the hose,¡± Watcher said when Nil demonstrated his emission technique. ¡°Working smarter is not the option. Go back to the beginning and take the necessary steps. Control the flow from the tap.¡± ¡°I thought I''ve been doing that all along,¡± Nil said through gritted teeth. Sweat soaked his hair and clothes. It felt like his insides were burning up. There was more energy flowing into him than he could circulate, contain, or release. ¡°The pressure is too much.¡± ¡°If that were the Source, you''d be dead right now.¡± Watcher sighed. ¡°Why are you special? Why do these people gravitate toward you? Tell me something about yourself.¡± ¡°I cook good food?¡± ¡°Ah. You''re a nurturer. That makes a lot of sense.¡± He paused, pressing his cane against Nil''s abdomen, just under his navel. ¡°Qi needs a central gathering, mixing and filtration point. It needs a heart. The Schema was nice enough to create your energy channels and their nexus point, but you''re just pushing the Qi through it.¡± Watcher sighed. ¡°Think of the pathetic Source Sphere you projected and shaped during your match. Recreate it with Qi right here.¡± Of course, he saw the match. Nil suspected the man¡ªor whatever Watcher was¡ªhad been watching him for a while. It was creepy, but he sensed nothing nefarious about him. He wished to analyze the entity and was sure it or they wanted to study him too. ¡°Isn''t this cultivation? I''m here to study Qi techniques.¡± ¡°Your foundations need foundations. You must learn to tame the Source inside your body, or it will never bend to your will outside. Consider it a wild animal. You''ll never break the beast, but perhaps you can convince it to assist you for a moment before it returns to the wild.¡± The Source Sphere Nil had created wasn''t just energy compacted into a ball but a vortex. The rotations pulling everything inward helped fight the Source¡¯s desire to diffuse. As long as Nil held on to his shaped projection, the rotations maintained their speed and didn''t falter. Unfortunately, the system rapidly lost its stability once out of his control. Nil hoped it wouldn''t be the same in his body. ¡°Good,¡± Watcher said, taking a step back. ¡°You''re quick on the uptake. That''s always good to see in a student.¡± He paused, chuckling. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve had many students before and have much experience teaching. You¡¯ll just have to be a fun little experiment.¡± ¡°I''d rather not be if that''s okay,¡± Nil said, fresh beads of sweat running down his forehead and temples as he struggled to contain the wobbling sphere within. ¡°Why did you approach me, anyway?¡± ¡°As I said. I''m curious. You''re much like the organization you serve. They''re a Nexus point in the multiverse where the Control Worlds converge and work toward what they deem is for the good of life. Similarly, you''ve become a Nexus point of change in your own corner of the multiverse. Your purpose might be great, or it might just be to bring individuals and entities of importance together. No one can tell yet. But I wish to find out. I¡¯ll share the little I know about energy and Qi. In exchange, you grant me a window into your life and world.¡± ¡°The Control Worlds aren''t doing good?¡± Nil picked at the piece of information that intrigued him the most. ¡°I thought fighting off the Void and Scourge is a positive thing?¡± ¡°It is, but the more one side tries to disrupt the balance of life and death, expansion and entropy, beginning and the end, the more the losing side pushes back. They work harder, go farther, and cross lines they didn''t before. There is a reason the Scourge is currently winning, and the arena construct included them in the fold.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Getting all the answers handed to you is no fun, Nil. Observe. Discover. Deduce. Watch the people and multiverse around you. Before seeking solutions, you must ask the correct questions.¡± 120. Training For Death ¡°What the hell?¡± Zora¡¯s mouth fell agape. Two portals opened on either side of her, and new weapons emerged. They shot the first at her target. Nil continued his sprint toward Zora. The incoming and prepared projectiles didn¡¯t deter him. Energy Instinct warned him of the arcane effects. He sensed two lightning enchantments, one first and another that felt familiar, but he struggled to place them at first. It¡¯s sound. Nil leaped over the first sword. A frost pulse spread across the ground, freezing sections and spreading a deep chill. It covered too large an area for him to have avoided on foot without retreating or completely changing direction. He felt it for a moment on his toes before passing over it. Zora had timed her releases to adjust aim as Nil moved. Being in the air made him an easy target. She fired two more weapons. Nil didn¡¯t need Energy Instinct to identify the enchantment they contained. Lightning danced between the two spears as they flew, chittering and singing like a thousand sparrows. Sequential blasts from the Source Gauntlets knocked Nil out of their path. He used a third miniature explosive Expend to ensure the trailing lightning didn¡¯t touch him either. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether Zora had incredible reaction time, was great at predicting and reading movements, or had a spell assisting her. A hammer surrounded by rippling air flew to meet Nil before his feet could touch the ground. There was no other option. Nil needed to burn himself. He brought his feet together and used Expend. Energy burst from the arches of Nil¡¯s feet. He did his best to contain them but failed. Instead of propelling him in the direction he hoped, it launched him in a diagonal. Another blast through his right hand brought his flight under control. When Nil landed, he had no choice but to stop. It still took a brief moment of focus to switch to Absorb. Zora had fired another sonic hammer at him. Even though Nil suffered no injury, his teeth still rattled. It was another instance of Brutal Battery not obeying the laws of physics. He successfully Absorbed the force behind the attack but still suffered because of the sound waves. There was a new barrage of weapons coming toward Nil. He dropped down low and shot forward, letting the first couple fly over his head. Every stride brought him closer to Zora. The focus in her eyes and sweat running down her face told Nil that the woman wasn¡¯t sure whether she could stop him. Zora¡¯s concerns proved valid. She sprouted a wall of weapons to block Nil, and a three-finger blade cleaved open a path. He was less than a couple of meters from the mage when a spear burst from a portal at her feet and shot at Nil¡¯s chest. He skidded to a stop and supercharged toughness but failed to activate Absorb in time. Fortunately, the weapon had a blunted tip, and Zora held it back. The blow blocked the air out of his lungs and knocked him off his feet. He landed on his bottom, coughing violently. ¡°Seriously. What kind of animal are you?¡± Zora shook her head. She also plopped onto her butt, panting. ¡°You¡¯re still Iron Realm, and we haven¡¯t even had a week¡¯s worth of training sessions, but you almost had me there.¡± ¡°What the hell happened when you were away?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Nil said after a deep inhale and slow exhale. His heart still pounded violently. ¡°I¡¯m just being more liberal with how I spend my energy and getting used to changing trajectory with blasts.¡± ¡°Your control is certainly getting better,¡± Isabella commented. ¡°A bit more practise and I think it could turn into more than an escape tool.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping.¡± Nil squeezed burn ointment onto the angry and red soles of his feet. He had found a company trying to fill the hole left behind by Symbiotech in the Summoned medical supplies industry. They had started production on a similar product and Nil no longer felt the need to ration the product. ¡°It''s just insane.¡± Zora sighed. ¡°Good job, though. I hope I¡¯ve moved on to the Silver Gauntlet by the time you catch up to me in realm and gauntlet score. Facing you on equal footing doesn¡¯t appeal to me one bit.¡± ¡°Are you ready to go again?¡± The ability trainer turned her attention to Shawn. ¡°Or would you rather call it a day?¡± ¡°The latter,¡± Shawn answered. Only Isabella didn¡¯t look surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve got eight hours until my match. Maybe it''s best if I practice my new spell until lunch and then rest for a while.¡± Isabella nodded. ¡°You¡¯re unlikely to improve here or get more ranks today. Focus on your magic.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Cara Sue joined the class for the latter half of the morning. As a mage, Zora didn¡¯t have the necessary abilities, attributes, or potential to excel as a melee fighter. However, given her power seed and spell, she felt compelled to learn how to improve her martial skills. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s good to have a backup option the next time Nil gets close,¡± she said, nudging him playfully with an elbow. ¡°Seriously, though. You¡¯re insane. That growth and general rate of improvement are also pretty incredible. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you, Shawn, and Selia dethrone Wildshape Wilson someday. Assuming you don¡¯t stupidly throw your lives away in Death Gauntlet first.¡± While sessions with Zora pushed Nil to his limits and forced him to practice his abilities and skills under pressure, things with Cara Sue were a lot more relaxed. He never felt in as much danger of incredible physical injury. Her attacks were nowhere near as destructive, and Nil never felt like his life was in danger. He and Cara Sue almost treated their training session like hide and seek. It was an odd combination of hide and seek, tag, and dodgeball but came with risks of second and third-degree burns instead of bruises. Nil returned to cultivation and Qi-technique training in the afternoon. Watcher only pulled him into the meditative dream state during morning meditation, and they had only done so twice since his return. It was Wednesday, and the strange man believed that daily instruction was too much. Nil wasn¡¯t sure whether he really believed in the value of rest or had better things to do. He didn¡¯t mind. Nil valued his alone time, and it also gave him the time to spend with Selia. The pair spent most of their free time together. Nil started preparing dinners in his suite instead of eating at the cafeteria. She prepared salads while he took care of the protein and all the warm elements. The pair talked, flirted, and enjoyed themselves in the privacy. Nil was sure his father now knew that something was brewing between them. But Udit said nothing when they ate together on Tuesday evening. Usually, they left the family meal for Saturday, but it was the week of everyone¡¯s Death Gauntlet matches. After his afternoon training, Nil showered, dressed in fresh clothes, and met Selia near the arena teleportation area. ¡°You just missed him,¡± she told Nil. ¡°Grab some food. I¡¯ll find us a table?¡± ¡°You got it.¡± They weren¡¯t particularly filling, but the cafeteria sold excellent wraps, salads, soups, and a variety of healthy options. Nil considered it delightful that the Nexus included meaty sandwiches, steaks, and grilled meats in the list of healthy options. Summoned, and especially arena fighters often indulged in high-calorie and protein diets. Even though the stodgier options appealed to Nil, there was no telling what the evening held for them. So, he settled for chicken soup and a slow-cooked beef wrap for himself. Over the past several weeks, he had learned Selia¡¯s likes and dislikes. He ordered a chicken and mayo sandwich and a caprese salad for her. The woman behind the counter directed Nil to the free drinks counter and had him point out the now-seated Selia for their table number. Nil grabbed a pot of green tea and a tall glass of horchata before sitting down. He poured himself a cup of the warm beverage while Selia took the cold. Then they sat in silence, eyes focused on the screen, waiting for the match to begin. ¡°Welcome, one and all!¡± Nil recognized the announcer from his Death Gauntlet match. ¡°We bring you today to a Dark World on the verge of collapse. The Cursed Ones have almost consumed all life and are now consuming each other. It won¡¯t be long before the Control World reclaims the land and reseed it with life. This is what happens when the Nexus and Apocalypse Arena succeed in their mission. We reclaim what is rightfully ours from the Void.¡± Half of the screen showed Shawn. He wore the same Michael-Jackson-styled outfit as he wore during his last match. Even though he appeared nowhere close to becoming a cultivator, let alone using related techniques, a saber hung from his left hip. Nil had sacrificed his Tuesday session with Noah. Shawn had spent the last two days drilling with the man. Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder which of his friends had drawn the attention of cosmic entities. He knew nothing about the Keeper of Knowledge or Cosmic Spider but had read up on Yggdrasil. The information he had found included Norse literature and information Summoners had uncovered during their quests around the multiverse. It didn¡¯t just connect the nine realms as the Vikings claimed. Yggdrasil was also the source of life and all magic. Nil didn¡¯t know the validity of the information, but it seemed that the entity had ties to spatial magic and warding them against the Void. It could mean that the World Tree was interested in Shawn. At the same time, Susan hadn¡¯t named her dogs. The system named them Skoll and Hati. In Norse mythology, wolves of the same name chased the sun and moon, respectively, and Susan¡¯s summons controlled light and shadow. The Nexus had also rewarded Nil for saving the woman. She was an individual of importance and potential. It could mean she was the object of Yggdrasil¡¯s interest. ¡°Returning for his eighth Death Gauntlet fight, we have Furball Maher,¡± the announcer continued. He has slaughtered every Cursed and Scourge we¡¯ve thrown at him and might potentially help bring a second world into the Nexus¡¯s control. The Death Gauntlet might seem barbaric to most, but it¡¯s a vital existence. Individuals like Furball help purge worlds that the Control World¡¯s forces cannot touch. Even the losers are viable. The energy released by their deaths helps purge the corruption, bringing us closer to securing valuable ground from the Scourge¡¯s rampage through the multiverse.¡± Alex ¡®Furball¡¯ Maher wasn¡¯t a giant hairy man as his name would suggest. He was slender, tall, and wore nothing but a pair of cargo shorts. Moderate light brown hair covered his chest, arms, shoulders, and back, but it didn¡¯t look like enough for the name Furball. However, Nil had seen enough of the man¡¯s clips to know better. There was no sign of his corrupted soul weapon and the videos weren¡¯t clear of what it possibly could be. ¡°His Challenger is none other than Shieldmaster Shawn! Shieldmaster put on a beautiful show for us in his last match, Natasha ¡®Airlock¡¯ Patel. Strangely, both fighters hail from the same dimension. Is this going to be a pattern for the realm? More upcoming matches this week suggest so. Are factions beefing? Unfortunately, I¡¯m not privy to the drama. Shawn is undefeated in his Iron Arena career thus far. He has seven Gauntlet of Ten wins. Will he live to complete the run? I¡¯m as excited as you to find out. Let the show begin!¡± The pillars of light keeping the challengers in place dropped, and both raced into the dimly lit surroundings. 121. Shieldmaster vs Furball Apocalypse Arena had brought the fighters to a giant port city built around a bay. The waterfront curved around a thin stretch of sand. Several piers and docks extended into the water, far from the show. Luminescent moss, other flora, and moonlight illuminated the soon-to-be battlefield. The two challengers started on opposite ends of the bay. If one were to draw a line between their starting points, they would end up with a perfect semicircle with the embankment acting as the shape¡¯s curved edge. Unlike all the Death Gauntlet matches Nil had watched, the Cursed One stood in plain sight. It appeared fast asleep, standing in the water at the exact midpoint between Furball and Shawn. When the pillars of light fell and the match began, Nil expected it to move, but the creature remained motionless, towering three stories tall above the floating and half-sunken vessels. In all of his previous matches, Furball had taken an approach similar to that of Pietro and Kennit. The man had casually strolled directly to the Cursed One, slain it, and then turned on the challenger. Nil had watched highlights of Shawn¡¯s last Death Gauntlet match, and Airlock had done the same. The bastards know we¡¯re gunning for them. Three Death Gauntlet abusers dying on the same day was no coincidence, and their enemy knew it. Furball traveled along the embankment until he was close to the next pier. He jumped much higher than humanly possible for a person with Bronze Realm might. Once he was at the apex of his jump, all the hair on his body grew, curling and coiling until all that remained was a spherical afro with no person visibly attached to it. Furball bounced off a pier, and a thick twisted chord burst from him and curled around a half-sunken sailboat¡¯s mass. He swung around it like a tether ball, picking up momentum before flinging himself toward the Cursed One. Meanwhile, Shawn¡¯s approach was nowhere as flashy. He created barriers so thin and translucent they were almost invisible. Only the bioluminescent flora¡¯s glow shining through them gave away their presence. Shawn used the projections as platforms and hopped between the piers and docks, racing toward the monster. It took a level of precision and control Nil hadn¡¯t seen from the man before, and the need for a high Mind made sense. Occasionally, when the distance was too large between his final barrier platform and his destination, Shawn shattered the manifestation and used the minor explosion to propel himself forward. Nil spotted the flash of smaller barriers around Shawn¡¯s feet and finally understood how the man pulled off the move without hurting himself. Shieldmaster had proven time and time again that he wasn¡¯t just the superior martial artist but also had much finer control over his ability. Nil only managed to keep up during their sparring sessions with raw power and through sheer grit. Shawn liked to say that it wasn¡¯t true that Nil was holding back, but that wasn¡¯t always strictly the case. Hairy, hooked whips grew out of Alex Maher¡¯s full-body afro. They lashed whatever they could reach, swinging the giant hairy sphere closer to the arena¡¯s center with every passing second. When there was nothing to grab, he bounced off whatever flat surface he could find. The man moved faster than Shawn but had to zig-zag up and down the arena to hook things or bounce. Shieldmaster Shawn faced no such limitations. He moved in a straight line and reached the Cursed One seconds before Furball. When the hairy hooks lashed toward the slumbering monster, a barrier appeared in front of it, blocking them. The surface cracked, but the projection didn¡¯t shatter. Furball swung back toward the closest pier, and his sphere softened. He came to a complete stop instead of bouncing away. Several new extensions shot out of the afro. Their tips resembled harpoons more than hooks. Nil spotted the glint of metal at their tips. Instead of flying in a straight line, they arced toward the Cursed One. The barrier stopped a couple of them, but the rest reached their destination. Countless luminous eyes opened on the giant body, and the monster roared. ¡°It¡¯s awake!¡± The announcer exclaimed. Her narration hadn¡¯t stopped once the match began. Unlike the fighters, the audience was still victim to the announcer¡¯s endless spiel. Channels like Highlight Reel and Festus Creator usually filtered them out. The Apocalypse Arena channel allowed her volume to be turned down once the fighting started, but the cafe manager had failed to do so yet. Nil had ignored it thus far, amazed by how the two fighters moved. Now, as her volume rose, there was no ignoring the woman. ¡°Alex ¡®Furball¡¯ Maher has added a new fighter to the mix. Will he use the Cursed One as an obstacle or defeat it straight away.¡± The still-standing barrier shattered, destroying all hairy tethers that reached around it. The strands attached to the Cursed One went slack. Tiny silvery spikes stuck out of the rough hide. Black sludge dripped out of them. ¡°It¡¯s some sort of needle,¡± Nil told Selia. ¡°An assassination tool, maybe,¡± she said. Her food sat on her table, half-eaten and forgotten. Meanwhile, Nil had finished most of his meal. ¡°You would expect hair growing and control powers to belong to some sort of rogue, using stealth and hit-and-run tactics. Maybe that¡¯s why Symbiotech made his soul weapon a tool perfect for surprise attacks.¡± ¡°I¡¯d argue it¡¯s still a decent surprise and pretty threatening the way he uses it.¡± The conversation came to a stop as the Cursed One moved, finally coming into the light. It had no torso, and its head looked like that of a sea serpent. Meanwhile, the body was a mass of tentacles. It had two giant eyeballs on either side of its head, while countless smaller eyes covered the appendages. None were of the same size, and Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether the monster was able to process all the sensory information at once. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. A giant barrier appeared around the Cursed One¡¯s monstrous head. The beast whipped several giant tentacles at Shawn, creating waves that thrashed the stone dock. They broke through several layers of the barrier. Each shattering caused an explosion that reduced the force behind the attack or whipped tentacles aside. Shawn leaped backward just as the last of his conjurations shattered. A new barrier formed behind him; it was elastic, and his feet sank into it. The surface proved elastic and pushed him back the way he had come before exploding. The force propelled Shawn onto the barrier around the Cursed One¡¯s head. ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± his opponent yelled through the afro. Furball latched on to the Cursed One¡¯s limbs and used them to swing up into the air. Once he was high enough, several spiky extensions shot at Shawn. Most bounced off another conjured barrier. But one pierced through. The tip sparked as it bounced off his new sword. Meanwhile, the barrier under his feet shrank. The several spears and hooks attacking it failed to break through. The Cursed One¡¯s tentacles failed to attack the awkward angle and struck out at Furball, forcing him to retreat. For a moment, it seemed nothing could dethrone Shawn from atop the thrashing Cursed One¡¯s head. His opponent¡¯s effort seemed fruitless as well. The barrier continued to shrink, becoming more opaque with every passing second. Then, everything abruptly changed. Shawn swayed atop his perch. A couple of seconds later, he collapsed onto his knees. The barriers holding back the whips, hooks, and spears dissolved, and only the one supporting him remained intact. The Cursed One¡¯s erratic movements made it sway back and forth, and Shawn was at the risk of falling off. Then, he threw up on the translucent surface, spewing luminescent green before falling off. He bounced off the monster¡¯s tentacles before landing noisily in the water. Nil racked his brain, running through all the recordings he had watched. He didn¡¯t recall any evidence or signs of poison in Alex ¡®Furball¡¯ Maher¡¯s previous matches. Either he had picked up a new ability or picked up a new spell. If his attribute distribution was of a Rogue or Arcane Warrior, Nil thought it possible. He glanced at Selia, concerned. Her knuckles had turned white, and her jaw was clenched. Hairy spears attacked the barrier, shrinking around the Cursed One¡¯s head once again. They bounced off. A second later, the translucent structure exploded. The power was greater than anything Shawn had displayed. Air rippled. All sounds, including the announcer¡¯s spiel, got drowned out. The Cursed One¡¯s head disappeared. It didn¡¯t explode or get crushed. Instead, only a dark mist lingered where it was a moment ago. The remainder of the monster slumped to a side and stopped moving. Parts of it oozed black while the rest shriveled. Shawn kept his cards close to his chest. Selia and Nil suspected that he did a lot in his private training that he didn¡¯t share. The pair had guessed that the man was working on something powerful but couldn¡¯t be sure what. Now, they knew. Neither could be sure whether it was a new ability or something he was developing with the basic barrier. It''s just incredible. ¡°Fucking Bastard!¡± Furball yelled. His afro parted, revealing his body. The hair didn¡¯t seem to grow from every inch of his body, only the previously hairy sections. All the waves had forced him to retreat onto the highest point of a half-sunken ship. It gave him the high ground, but Nil believed there was more to it. Furball couldn¡¯t afford to get his hair wet. He guessed the additional weight made controlling the strands challenging. An explosion whipped Furball¡¯s head around. Meanwhile, the split screen showed Shawn peeking out of the water behind him. A bubble barrier surrounded his head. He didn¡¯t bob like someone swimming. Nil guessed the man had created a barrier underwater for standing on. Conical, finger-sized constructs formed around Shawn¡¯s extended hand. They were opaque and appeared far denser than his barriers. They glowed silver, standing out among the colorful bioluminescence. ¡°It¡¯s his new spell,¡± Nil whispered, taking Selia¡¯s hand. Her tense shoulders relaxed when he touched her. Her fingers intertwined with his, and she squeezed. ¡°Shawn was going to be okay.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The projectiles shot at Furball, but he moved at the last moment. It almost seemed as if his hair had a sixth sense and moved in unison even though he was looking in a completely different direction. The man rappelled down, moving at blinding speed, and his tethers shot into the water. Selia¡¯s breath audibly caught in her throat as they wrapped around Shawn. A barrier protected his head, neck, and torso, and Furball pulled up out of the water by his ankles. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you slowly,¡± the man spat, hanging by his hair from the mast that had acted as his perch. Hairy chords went wrapped around it and extended down toward his trapped, upside-down adversary. He lifted Shawn until they were eye to eye. ¡°You fucking¡ª¡± ¡°What kind of idiot talks during battle?¡± Shawn asked. Alex ¡®Furball¡¯ Maher had forgotten about Shawn¡¯s sword. It was not his fault. Shawn had never used one in any of his previous matches or shown affinity for the weapon. In the darkness, it was also somewhat challenging to spot. The sheath matched his black trousers, disappearing into them and the surrounding darkness. Slashing at Furball¡¯s neck most likely wouldn¡¯t have ended well for Shawn. The hair was thick around it and coiled like dreadlocks. Meanwhile, the tethers attaching him to the mast above were nowhere nearly as protected. Shawn whipped out his sword and slashed them through the coiled afro hair. They both fell into the water together. A barrier formed around Furball as soon as he went around the water¡¯s surface. Shawn created one just under his feet and stood half-submerged in water. Veins popped in his head as the construct containing his opponent cracked. New ones formed in or over it. Even though Nil knew that all of the people on their list needed to die, watching Furball perish slowly sickened him. A pit formed in his stomach, and a lump formed in his throat. Drowning looked like a slow, painful, and terrifying way to go. Selia and Shawn believed all of the targets deserved a slow, agonizing death because of what they had done to Adam. Nil agreed but he didn¡¯t have it in him. He wished to finish all his opponents as swiftly as possible. He didn¡¯t see the point in making them suffer. 122. Status Unconfirmed Even though the arena construct had fixed Shawn¡¯s injuries and removed all poison from him, he still felt rough after the experience. He accepted his congratulations and departed. Nil saw pink and purple flecks around Shawn after the match. He breathed it, and the same presence polluted the channels in his body. It didn¡¯t take Nil long to deduce that Furball had somehow poisoned Shawn using toxins formulated from Cursed Energy. Nil hoped his friend wouldn¡¯t struggle too hard to purge it from his system, and whatever his power seed absorbed would get him to a new trait sooner. Since Nil wasn''t due to train with Watcher the following day¡ªhe had one session left before the Shredder Match, so he spent the night with Selia. Shawn¡¯s close call and sudden victory only reminded the pair of their mortality. They could get crushed by their opponents or fail at the brink of victory. Cramming in additional hours of training wouldn¡¯t help them so late in the game. So, the pair chose to enjoy themselves. They slept late. Woke late. Ate brunch instead of breakfast and lunch. Neither felt in any rush to leave Nil¡¯s suite. It was comfortable and private, and they got great views of the training grounds below and London¡¯s skyline in the distance. ¡°So?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Boyfriend and girlfriend?¡± ¡°I think it''s not the right time for such a declaration,¡± Selia answered, giggling as she forked a big chunk of scrambled eggs into her mouth. ¡°Oh, no!¡± Nil feigned horror. ¡°Did I jump the gun?¡± Nil got a hearty laugh when he mashed a bit of egg on his face, making the popular saying literal. ¡°Well, that¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°No egg on your face.¡± Selia leaned across the table and wiped his face with her napkin. ¡°It just might be a bit early to use such a label. What if I fail against Shervon or the next? Can you handle another dead girlfriend? We¡¯ve not really been together for long, and this is my first go at..¡± She paused as if struggling to articulate her thoughts. ¡°..all of this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt the same no matter what I call you,¡± Nil replied. He took the hand currently cleaning his cheek and held it in place. He knew their relationship had progressed much too fast. He believed Adam¡¯s passing and fighting in the Death Gauntlet had a lot to do with the rapid developments. ¡°It''s the danger of the job, isn¡¯t it? If not here, either one of us could get killed while out on a quest. Arena fighter or not, Summoned with abilities like ours have a high mortality rate.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll say yes, but only one condition.¡± Selia sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. ¡°Which is?¡± Selia grinned. ¡°I get to be the girlfriend.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Nil offered her a hand, and they shook it. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to celebrate, I think it''s best if you go after we¡¯re done eating.¡± ¡°Agreed. Or we¡¯ll get nothing done.¡± The television interrupted the new couple¡¯s banter. It showed the Metropolitan police transporting a handcuffed Shina. ¡°After weeks of searching, the Metropolitan Police finally found and arrested Dr Shina Patel late yesterday evening. Arthurtech has reported recent thefts from their storage facilities and she was caught trying to break into one of their warehouses. She¡¯ll be held in a secure Summoned containment facility until a preliminary hearing and for the rest of the investigation. Reliable legal sources claim that it¡¯s unlikely she¡¯ll ever walk free again.¡± The report went on to detail her suspected crimes. A clip of the Met Police¡¯s new Summoned Task Force Leader played next. He detailed how they intended to crack down on all parties running illegal experiments on Summoned or using otherworldly technology. The report included talks of the company¡¯s failures and its confirmed crimes. Selia stiffened when the channel moved on to talk of the company¡¯s former juvenile test subjects. The channel had the decency to blur their faces. ¡°We can¡¯t name or share any identifying information about the children rescued from Symbiotech for their safety. Social services report successfully placing them in permanent or temporary homes. Several Summoned with healing abilities have stepped forward to assist with their medical needs and recovery. The state is also providing them with the best pediatric psychological care.¡± The channel mentioned nothing about Summoned or arena fighters involved with Symbiotech, even though Nil was sure Andrew had leaked all the appropriate information. Only a handful of channels spoke about it. None of Nil and his friends blamed anyone for the silence. Several influential people were clearly involved, and no one wanted to risk their hide. Only the foolish fame seekers and individuals who excelled at maintaining their anonymity dared to dip their feet in the mess. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Nil and Selia sat with their eyes glued to the screen. The report tied several cases of crazed rampaging Summoned on Symbiotech. Unfortunately, their timeline only went back to the inception of the story, which meant they left out Aisha. All the blame fell solely on Shina and a handful of members of the board. The rest claimed ignorance. There was talk of Shina going to a special prison for dangerous Summoned, and the report ended without a satisfying conclusion. The couple sat silently, staring at the screen for a long time after the report ended. The channel moved on to political topics, then super sports, and also Apocalypse Arena. After a brief mention of recent deaths¡ªincluding Alex ¡®Furball¡¯ Maher¡ªthe screen flashed, showing Nil on one side and his upcoming opponent on the other. Jaqueline The Shredder was more than just a Death Gauntlet star. She was a media personality, a sex symbol, and on the verge of becoming a movie star. Despite her viciousness in the Iron Gauntlet, she had a positive public image. Nil couldn¡¯t be sure how she managed it with almost ten matches worth of blood on her hands. It could only mean that she had friends in high places. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Nil whispered. ¡°It means nothing,¡± Selia said, dropping her fork and pushing the plate away. ¡°Shina is just a cog in the machine. The real bastards. The ones who¡¯re pouring money into these projects, trying to create an army of fucked up super people, are still running free.¡± She rose from the table and scraped the rest of her brunch into a tub by the bin. ¡°This is why I work for the Nexus. The government is just going to call it a day. They¡¯re not going to do anything about it. You know why?¡± ¡°Because it''s likely they¡¯re involved in all of this.¡± ¡°Someone has to be. Nexus tech. Arcane resources. Summoned soldiers and investigators.¡± She noisily dropped her plate in the sink, and Nil heard a crack. He knew Selia didn¡¯t mean to break it. She was a victim of the mess. Selia had a right to be mad and upset. ¡°They have everything, and after all these months, this is all they have.¡± She sighed. ¡°I know I sound like a crazy conspiracy theorist and am probably talking out of my¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± Nil rose from his seat, rushed to his girlfriend, and turned her around. ¡°Look at me, Selia.¡± She resisted at first, but Selia met his eyeline after some coaxing. ¡°You¡¯re not crazy. This is not a conspiracy theory. Someone wants an army. They don¡¯t trust the Nexus. They¡¯re unhappy about the rationing of power and withheld magic, power seeds, weapons, and everything in between. So they¡¯ve taken it upon themselves to take it into their own hands. I might be wrong about how things work, but maybe this is how worlds get tempted and lured into the Scourge.¡± ¡°So you get it.¡± Selia wiped away the moisture gathering in her eyes. ¡°It''s up to us to fix things. This is why I want to work with Nexus. They¡¯re doing good. They want to fix what¡¯s broken. Look at all they¡¯re giving us. If the world cooperates, does good, and walks the path the Nexus lays out in front of them, they¡¯ll grow. They¡¯ll ascend. They¡¯ll get the necessary tools to fight the Scourge and not become one of them.¡± ¡°As far as we know.¡± Selia frowned, leaning away from Nil. ¡°You don¡¯t trust the Nexus?¡± ¡°I trust Layla, but I don¡¯t know her higher-ups. It¡¯s not them I have a problem with.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± Selia asked. ¡°It''s the Control Worlds. They¡¯re trying to do the right thing, but aren¡¯t you curious about their agenda? It''s not like they¡¯re a single faction but countless, and they¡¯re the losing side. Bad decisions. Bad management.¡± ¡°Where there is power, there is corruption.¡± Nil nodded. ¡°You heard what Carmen said. What if it''s the same with the Control Worlds but on a bloody monstrous scale?¡± ¡°There is a lot more going on in that pretty head than you let on, isn¡¯t there?¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a complicated individual with layers.¡± ¡°Like an onion.¡± Selia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Indeed.¡± A soft chuckle escaped Selia. Her arms wrapped around Nil, and she tucked her face into his chest. ¡°Do we have to get back to training?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°No big breaks until this quest is done. We¡¯ll come out on the other side alive. All three of us.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t know that,¡± Selia said. ¡°I can¡¯t, but I believe in us. There¡¯s not much else we can do, is there?¡± The pair spent another hour in Nil¡¯s suite, discussing things and doing their best not to plan for the future. They discussed their doubts and concerns about the current government and the powers behind the Nexus. Their loss of control over the arena construct and the organization behind it was also a mark of their failure. They were far from perfect. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t need Summoned to rescue the cargo or protect their interests. They¡¯d send their own elite to resolve things when it really mattered. Selia didn¡¯t like Nil¡¯s use of the word callous. However, the pair agreed that it was okay for individuals in a couple to have differing views and opinions as long as they were open about it and communicated. Despite their decision not to, they ended up in bed again before returning to training. Nil had one and a half days until his next fight. Selia had two and a half. There was no learning new techniques or mastering new ones now. Instead, they prioritized staying limber and keeping their instincts sharp. 123. Prematch Preparations ¡°Is Selia okay?¡± Susan asked after breakfast on Saturday morning. Selia kissed Nil after finishing her meal and departed. The woman hadn¡¯t said much about the recent Symbiotech developments around anyone but Nil. Her unusual silence hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed. ¡°None of this can be easy for her,¡± Shawn commented. He lazily moved the last of his oatmeal around his bowl. ¡°First, the cataclysm killed her siblings and parents while she was on holiday in Brazil. Then she gets back to Argentina and finds that almost all of the rest of her family have met the same fate. Symbiotech before she could reunite with the survivors. Selia invested a good deal of her earnings since becoming a Summoned in finding any trace of them.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡± The more Nil learned about his new girlfriend, the worse he felt about his initial cold treatment of her. Adam¡¯s words couldn¡¯t be more correct. The fact that she wasn¡¯t more socially inept, bad with boundaries, and often inappropriate was a miracle. She didn¡¯t talk often about the time between the cataclysm and escape from Symbiotech, but the scarring was a large part of why they had bonded. We¡¯re both equally fucked up. Nil didn¡¯t dare compare his scars from watching Aisha¡¯s murder and the damage the visage had done to her experiences. However, he kept it as an excuse to himself when questioning whether he had moved on from his last ¡®relationship¡¯ too quickly and the rate at which he and Selia had developed. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong.¡± Susan sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a seriously fucked up situation, and I get her doubts. This new task force leader is one of the bastards who had a hand in firing Katherine and me. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was involved in the coverups and is changing tunes now that he needs to cover his own arse.¡± ¡°Have you spoken to her?¡± Nil asked. Susan nodded. ¡°She couldn¡¯t be more pissed off. Katherine intends to push the matter with her boss. They¡¯re an independent agency and not UK-based. If she can convince them to uncover and leak something big, it could do significant damage to the bastards trying to protect the bigger names.¡± ¡°Do you really think something will come of it?¡± Shawn dropped his spoon, and it clinked noisily in the ceramic bowl. ¡°If someone high up in the government is involved, do you think an intelligence agency can afford to piss them off? Great Britain is at the center of Summoned sports and coordinates EU forces containing the North African and West Asian wastelands. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if her agency has contracts with the government.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to have answers to your question, Shawn,¡± Susan replied, her tone icy. ¡°I¡¯m reporting what a common friend told me, not predicting the future. I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d watch your tone and not jump down my throat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shawn said, softening after an intense stare-down. ¡°It¡¯s frustrating to see one of the last real friends I have like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just remember we¡¯re all on the same team.¡± Susan patted Shawn¡¯s soldier. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to know Selia as well as you do, but she¡¯s now my friend too. Symbiotech cost me my job and killed Nil¡¯s last girlfriend before sticking him with a ghost for seven-plus years. I also want to see them burn. That¡¯s why I joined the CIT. The government isn¡¯t going to do jack shit because they¡¯re invested or embarrassed about their oversight. However, if the Nexus is the one that brings everything to the light¡­¡± ¡°They can¡¯t afford to strike back or cover it up,¡± Nil completed Susan¡¯s thought for her. ¡°That¡¯s the hope. Failing that, I say we do whatever we can progress in realms, build up our reputation with the Nexus and fuck off to somewhere better.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± Susan nodded. ¡°Preferably somewhere warm with a beach.¡± ¡°Did you ascend, by the way?¡± Nil asked. ¡°You feel different?¡± ¡°My ability is Silver Realm now. Layla gave me a quest related to the investigation. There is another ascension token waiting at the end of it.¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± Shawn said, rising from the table. ¡°I¡¯d better go. Selia wants me to help her train for Shervon Grey.¡± He paused, hovering awkwardly for a moment. ¡°Thank you for being there for her, Nil. Adam used to be her person for venting and discussing all the sensitive stuff. I¡¯ve never been good at that kind of talk.¡± The man left without waiting for a reply. ¡°You¡¯ve made some interesting new friends.¡± Susan leaned back in her chair. ¡°And a new girlfriend. As much as I love Katherine, I think Selia is a better match for you. It''s just surprising you moved on so quickly.¡± ¡°Well, Katherine and I never really got past friends with benefits, did we?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not passing judgment, Nil. Just a little leg-pulling between friends.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I expected better from Katherine. She should¡¯ve called you after you got back from the quest, but she thought it would be easier if you two hadn¡¯t communicated instead. Just a call or a check-in would¡¯ve been nice.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Nil said. ¡°A clean break is better for everyone. I did call her once in the middle before making things official with Selia. It¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re a decent guy. You¡¯ve got my respect for being upfront and open about everything.¡± Susan checked her watch. ¡°Are you doing much training prior to your match today?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°Nothing besides stretches, weapon drills, and meditation. Any ranks gained in the final hours won¡¯t do me any good to matter.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more likely to mentally exhaust yourself from pushing too hard,¡± Susan reached across the table and took Nil¡¯s hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t around for your last much, but I¡¯ll be cheering you on this time around. Come back alive, alright? It¡¯s not just Andrew, your family, and your girlfriend that will be all broken up if you don¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°Thanks, Susan.¡± Nil smiled. ¡°That means a lot to me. I didn¡¯t just close myself off to romantic relationships after Aisha but friends too, and lost a lot of people as a result. It¡¯s nice to have friends like you in my life again.¡± ¡°It''s the same here, and it''s not just because you saved my life¡ª¡± ¡°You saved mine afterward, so we¡¯re even on that front.¡± ¡°Nonsense. It¡¯s a commander¡¯s job to protect their subordinates and that¡¯s what you were on the quest. When you saved me, Nil, you were a civilian risking his neck for someone you didn¡¯t even know. It highlights the type of person you are. I¡¯m glad the Nexus agrees.¡± I bet she¡¯s the one Yggdrasil wants. ¡°Let¡¯s take these fuckers down together,¡± Nil said, taking his hand back. ¡°Alright?¡± Susan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way.¡±
The first two sessions with Watcher only focused on Nil¡¯s cultivation technique, which left him frustrated. He had parted with one of his three valuable vouchers to get better at Qi Projection and Qi Shaping and start training in Qi Manipulation. He couldn¡¯t help but feel the strange, cryptic man was taking him for a ride to gleam into his life and uncover information regarding his friends. Then during Friday¡¯s session, they finally made progress in the desired fields. In the hours before his match, Nil sat in the garden repeating the exercises Watcher taught him. The purpose of the spherical maelstrom below his navel wasn¡¯t just to contain and regulate the energy flowing through his body. Nil also drew directly from it for the techniques. The circulation around his body continued, intensifying or slowing, but it never stopped. Emission proved easier when he didn¡¯t have to interrupt the flow. Instead of redirecting the current, he only skimmed its contents or helped it swell in the desired region. Since emission no longer desired all of Nil¡¯s focus, he also had an easier time molding and controlling the energy. It still tried to break free and diffuse into the environment, but as long as Nil kept it a couple of inches from his body and remained focused, he lost none of it. In fact, unless the energy interacted with any other surfaces, disintegrating or affecting it in any way, Nil was able to reabsorb it without losing much. The growth made training easier and swifter. He no longer needed to interrupt his flow to recover Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. The reabsorption wasn¡¯t as efficient when he created anything more than an eyeball-sized sphere. Since he had practiced and used the three-finger blade a fair amount, just manifesting it didn¡¯t result in too big an energy loss. However, anything more, trying to modify or grow, or free-form emission and shaping cost him dearly. Nil was still nowhere good enough at Qi Manipulation to put into practice and still couldn¡¯t think of how to utilize it without significant cost. Technically, Furball¡¯s launching and controlling of his hair counted as manipulation. It was the telekinetic or instinctual control over an object or energy. Unless Nil created energy whips or tethers, he couldn¡¯t think of how to use the techniques in combat. However, all three of the fundamental techniques went hand in hand. Knowledge and use of one made the other easier, and each of them worked hand in hand, regardless of one¡¯s preference. ¡°Emission comes first,¡± Watcher had exclaimed. ¡°You have nothing to shape or manipulate without emitting it first¡ªunless you have an external Qi or energy source of course. Most like to think that just being able to emit energy is enough, but the key is efficiency. You need to be able to emit how much you need at the time you need it, at just the right time, without losing too much in the process. Release too much, and you deplete yourself too quickly. Too little or too slow, and you don¡¯t have enough for whatever you might need. ¡°Next is shaping. Its purpose isn¡¯t just to mold your emissions into the desired form. Shaping is what you need to contain everything efficiently so it doesn¡¯t diffuse into the ether. Even your blasts¡ªwhich are basic emissions¡ªneed shaping to ensure you focus energy in the necessary space and direction.¡± Watcher drew a point surrounded by concentric circles in the dirt. ¡°Most of your current emissions have you throwing energy all over the place.¡± He erased most of the drawing, leaving a cone. This is what you need.¡± ¡°Finally, we have manipulation. Its application might not seem obvious since your talents lie in shaping first and emission second. As a close-range fighter, you¡¯re unlikely to use it much in combat.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like some ranged options, though,¡± Nil had said. ¡°So get better at emission. Project your energy further or shape projectiles. Shoot them at enemies, or use your monstrous strength to throw them.¡± Watcher erased his artwork. ¡°Emission is the fundamental of control. The better you¡¯re at it, the easier it will be to bend energy to your will, control the flow through your body, and guide it into the desired shape while minimizing loss. If your talents lay in manipulation, you¡¯d whip foes with energy or create saw blades like your next opponent and either zig zag them at your foes or program them to revolve around you.¡± Even though Nil was tired, sweaty, and frustrated with his new teacher, he had committed the conversation to memory. It wasn¡¯t just vital for his training and understanding Brutal Battery and the Source better. Nil also wished to pass everything he learned on to his friends for the sake of a better functioning team on equal footing. Nil was fine being no one of importance, fate, or destiny and just the person who brought those marked by such concepts together. He wished to be more, but in his own way, and ensuring all around him found the strength to succeed and positively change the multiverse felt appropriate and like the right thing to do. 124. Nil vs Shredder ¡°It''s a good day to die but an even better to purge corruption from the multiverse!¡± The announcer exclaimed. Her voice seemed to echo and resonate through the arena even though it only rang in the fighters¡¯ heads. ¡°Kalighat was once a realm of great warriors. The rule of the strong led them far, but somewhere along the way, they sought strength from the wrong sources. The darkness found its way in, and then the Cursed Ones took them apart from the inside. But all hope is not lost. If the creature haunting the battlefield falls, Kalighat might just find its way back to the light.¡± ¡°Returning for her tenth match in the Death Gauntlet is the terrifying object of your desires, Jaqueline the Shredder. Her blades are indiscriminate. She has ripped, torn, and sliced through every Cursed One and hopeful candidate that¡¯s stood in her way. She¡¯s purged the darkness and fueled several seeds for new life.¡± When the announcer moved on to Nil, he imagined pubs and cafes full of raucous watchers booing. Even though she hadn¡¯t appeared in a film yet, and her one series appearance was in a bit role, Jaqueline had a monstrous following. Since the woman hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to show her talent yet, most believed it was her raw sex appeal. ¡°Her challenger is Nil. We haven¡¯t named him yet. The viewers of his world seem intrigued by his performance and demeanor, but they haven¡¯t titled him either. With a name like Nil, does he need one? His defenses negate all incoming attacks. Then, he pulverizes everything when he turns on the heat. Nil is more than nothing. But the question is, does he have a chance against a rising star not only from his world but his city? ¡°We¡¯re convinced they¡¯re from warring factions. Residents of the same world usually end up facing each other in Death Gauntlet by coincidence. Shredder has eliminated several arena aspirants from her world. Nil has taken out one thus far. Are they settling duels and arguments in the arena? Or is something more at play? ¡°At the end of the day, it doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re here to do some good and be entertained.¡± If Jaqueline had watched Nil¡¯s previous match¡ªwhich he was sure she had¡ªshe would most likely not waste any time like Pietro or Kennit. He expected her to make a beeline for the Cursed One like Alex ¡®Furball¡¯ Maher. So Nil ran as fast as safely possible, following Energy Instinct¡¯s guidance. Every empowered stride carried Nil several meters. He relied on Expend and Toggled Supercharging to maintain his velocity. He only infused enough energy into the latter to go as fast as his Finesse would allow. He couldn¡¯t afford to stumble and lose a second. All recordings and videos involving Jaqueline highlighted her speed. A single stumble, and she¡¯d reach the Cursed One first. The last arena had robbed Nil of one of his greatest advantages. Speed. The many uneven pillars forced him to adjust direction every dozen or so meters. The constant starting and stopping made it impossible to reach terminal velocity. Now, Nil shot forward so fast that the wilderness-conquered quarry seemed to blur around him. Luminous moss and bushes blossomed along the towering walls, and giant woody mushrooms with glowing caps added more light to the otherwise grey surroundings. Their blues, greens, pinks, and oranges danced on Nil¡¯s speeding form. It reminded Nil of his days of speeding home through Piccadilly Circus. The luminous screens with constantly shifting advertisements and videos created a similar ambiance. Scaling the sides and reaching the step-like flat sections high above was tempting. Getting the lay of the land and any tactical information would significantly increase his chances of victory. However, Nil didn¡¯t want to allow Shredder to harvest the Cursed One. The ground, all of a sudden, trembled. If not for Nil¡¯s high Finnesse, he would have stumbled and face-planted. He continued to shoot forward, keeping low as he sped down the wide curving path. Except for the distribution of flora, everything appeared the same, and if not for Energy Instinct, he would¡¯ve gotten lost. Then, landslides finally interrupted Nil¡¯s progress. It started with pebbles and fingernail-sized stone chips clattering down the rock faces, but then bigger rocks and boulders followed. Absorb protected Nil from the larger debris and restored the energy he spent while maintaining his speed. It wasn¡¯t long before the cascade created blockades, forcing Nil to either ascend or find alternate paths. Since he currently had a surplus of energy, he burst through the first couple of barricades, releasing energy blasts through the Source Gauntlets just as he reached them. The tactic didn¡¯t work out in Nil¡¯s favor. The second time, stones collapsed on him, forcing him to scramble and switch to Absorb. He stumbled and fell to his knees when through. Nil had to regain his velocity afterward and resorted to leaping over the natural barricades, bouncing off the walls and finding stable footing wherever they could. The fall afterward helped Nil recover energy, making it a more reliable strategy. Tremors continued to change the arena, and water also leaked through the wall in several sections. The flow rate at some locations left Nil worried that the quarry would flood before long. Nil needed to win the battle swiftly. However, given what he knew about his opponent, that would be easier said than done. Following the biggest tremor to strike the quarry yet, the Cursed Energy signature suddenly gained significant strength. Next, Nil sensed it moving. A thundering roar filled the arena. The entire world seemed to vibrate. Dust and pebbles seemed to levitate off the ground. Fresh landslides followed. Nil couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether the Cursed One was behind the tremors. Then, the Cursed Energy source changed direction, and its movements increased speed. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It''s coming toward me. The tremors didn¡¯t cease. Instead, they grew stronger with every passing second. It was then Nil took the executive decision to stop sprinting toward his goal. Instead, he finally scaled the quarry¡¯s side. It was as Nil had expected. The arena was the largest of all that he had seen thus far. It rivaled the battle royale arena from the qualifiers, encompassing most of a city and having room for nearly fifty combatants. The long-gone miners of Kalighat had mined lateral snaking lines through the rocky ground, and narrow passageways connected them. Crumbling housing stood on the high dividing walls, and luminous forests glowed in the distance on either side. Then, Nil saw movement. He spotted Jaqueline the Shredder first. It wasn¡¯t hard to spot her. He had watched enough of the woman¡¯s recordings to know what to look for. She wore a garish crimson cocktail dress. It was so low-cut that the neckline almost came down to the navel. The straps holding up the outfit were so thin they might as well have been dental floss, and the side slit came all the way up to her leg. It provided no protection and made her stand out, removing any chance of stealth. Giant, semi-transparent sawblades stuck to the outside of her lower legs. The teeth dug into the stone as they spun, propelling her forward. She moved like a roller skater, racing not on the ground but along the quarry¡¯s walls. Shredder wasn¡¯t fleeing the Cursed One. The woman was in pursuit. Nil didn¡¯t plan on letting Meatball out in Death Gauntlet, let alone in the arena, until she grew and ascended to the Bronze Realm. However, he needed her to see the specimen before them, so Nil ejected her from his core. A surprised squeak burst from the whelp when she saw the sight before them. The Cursed One moved like a bowling ball and, while curled into a ball, it was as taller than a double-decker bus. Instead of Meatball¡¯s many spikes, it only had two. They came out of its sides, extending and retracting to change direction. Whenever sharp corners approached, the creature dug a spike into a nearby surface, letting it make turns without losing much speed. ¡°You can stick around and watch, but no getting involved,¡± Nil said. ¡°Alright?¡± Meatball squeaked before rolling away. Nil could only hope she would obey his instructions and not hurt herself. However, if he died, she would perish too. If released from his core, she would have a chance of survival and could possibly find a place for her as Kalighat recovered. Nil regretted not letting her free during the match against Kennit. He didn¡¯t need her to get involved. Observing the battle alone would net her a bunch of useful experiences. Nil lay low, holding on for dear life as the monster passed. Focused on chasing her mark and flinging hand-sized blades, Jaqueline the Shredder overlooked him. Each of her blades took large chunks out of the Cursed One¡¯s armor, and Nil noticed patches of black tar-like sludge in the monster¡¯s trail. Jaqueline the Shredder hadn¡¯t just beaten him to the Cursed One. It was her attacks that triggered the tremors by injuring the armored monster. She was graceful, deadly, and powerful. The woman and beast appeared faster than Nil. However, moving along the top of the walls meant Nil didn¡¯t have to deal with barricades, the twisting paths, or the constant cascades caused by the speeding Cursed One. He only had to deal with the intense trembling. So, as long as Nil maintained his footing, he had no trouble catching up to the speedier pair. Soon afterward, he overtook them. The initial plan had been to kill the Cursed One first, but Nil needed to wing it. He grabbed stones as big as his head while running and flinging them at Jaqueline. Expend gave him the necessary power, but it took over a dozen throws before he successfully nailed the woman. An angry scream burst from Jaqueline. She lost her balance and fell into the still-falling rubble. Nil immediately turned his attention to the Cursed One. It felt silly to turn his back on Jaqueline. However, Nil¡¯s strategy won him the previous match, and he needed the tremors to stop to concentrate on his human opponent. There was also the chance of the monster turning around once he and Shredder were distracted. It was perhaps not the best decision, but he had his mind made up. Nil combined gravity and Expend to land the most powerful blow he could, blowing through everything in his store. He bounced off it, landing in the beast¡¯s trail. He activated Absorb to ensure the landing didn¡¯t result in injury and swiftly regained a third of his energy. The attack had its intended effect. It caved in a chunk of the monster¡¯s armor and disrupted its rhythm. The spikes retracted, and it pinballed between the walls before coming to a complete stop. It unfurled, revealing a dinosaur-like appearance. Dense, segmented armor also covered the beast¡¯s underside. It wasn¡¯t rocky like the outer carapace. Nil¡¯s appreciation for Energy Instinct grew whenever he faced a Cursed One. It helped him almost instantly pinpoint their heart. The beast had landed on its side. He charged it and used all the force he could muster to knock it onto its back. Nil then jumped on the Cursed One¡¯s stomach, found the heart, and squatted over it. He held on for dear life as the creature thrashed and took aim. Much like Nil¡¯s first Death Gauntlet match, a calmness filled Nil. He knew what he needed to do. The cultivation techniques finally saw practical use. Nil accumulated all of the energy he could muster in his right hand¡¯s middle and index finger. He held them just over the Cursed One¡¯s heart and followed up with everything he had learned from the manuals and Watcher. The Expended energy burst forth in a narrow stream. A barrage of sawblades struck, almost making Nil jump out of his skin. Most missed him, but one grazed his left shoulder, slicing off a big chunk of muscle. It looked like someone had attacked him with an old meat slicer. A scream burst from his lips, ruining his focus and disrupting the unification of techniques. Another sawblade struck Nil¡¯s gauntlet, throwing off his aim. The projection lost its focus and opened a monstrous gouge in the Cursed One¡¯s chest but failed to reach the heart. Nil had no choice but to flee with blood pouring down his arm. Absorb protected him from the continued barrage. He leaped off the monster and slipped behind cover. Expend from and around the move cauterized Nil¡¯s injury. When he peeked out from the boulder that hid him, he spotted Jaqueline where he had stood seconds ago. She grinned, sticking a long crimson knife into the wound Nil had created and harvested the Cursed One¡¯s energy. 125. Closest Of Calls A skinny, luminous tether connected Jaqueline¡¯s knife hilt to an unknown garment under her dress. The orange and yellow contents of the Cursed One¡¯s heart seemed to flow through it, twisting and pulsing. The multicolored flecks of light that Energy Instinct highlighted when detecting Cursed Energy danced around the woman and seemed to seep directly into her body. The look of fatigue from pursuing the monster and the injuries from the fall faded. Jaqueline¡¯s skin brightened, and for a moment, she almost seemed to glow in the night. As Nil took a moment to catch his breath, recover from the shock of the injury, and get his thoughts together, he promised himself that he wouldn¡¯t get involved with another Death Gauntlet match unless the Nexus desperately required it. Cursed Ones only came out of hiding and were more easily found at night. Nil had read that many also went into stasis, making them nearly invulnerable. As a result, the matches could only take place under the cover of darkness. It only made combat more challenging. The landslides caused by the Cursed One had buried most of the flora. In most cases, only the giant woody mushrooms seemed to have survived. As a result, the arena was significantly darker than when the match began. If not for Energy Instinct, he¡¯d be fighting blind. Some forums claimed that Summoned gained benefits from whatever attribute they boosted first and that potentials also played a role. Besides making someone more muscular, stronger, and improving their natural healing rate, Might also granted height, boosted immunity, and the rare few believed that it also prolonged life. Finesse was already known to sharpen the senses, but there was research going on in the degree of benefit. Some theorized it supercharged the individual¡¯s strongest sense. There was a lot less talk about hidden benefits of Mind and Spark. Nil personally believed that the latter increased one¡¯s sensitivity to otherworldly energies. He was sure his opponent saw far better than he did. She had attacked with reasonable accuracy even though they stood in reasonable darkness. The Source Gauntlet¡¯s gems weren¡¯t bright enough to act as beacons. Fortunately, Jaqueline the Shredder¡¯s sawblades appeared made of crimson hardlight. They stood out like beacons in the darkness. After absorbing the Cursed Energy, they seemed to grow more solid and also gained luminosity. So even though Nil couldn¡¯t see much outside of what Cursed Energy highlighted, he had little trouble finding her. It was as Nil hypothesized: the corrupted soul weapons empowered their users after absorbing Cursed Energy. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a permanent boost or a temporary one. But Nil was sure of one fact: he was in trouble. Jaqueline¡¯s lips spread into a chilling smile. It sent shivers down Nil¡¯s spine. In the dim light, she looked worthy of the title of Scourge Champion. The recordings of his previous matches suggested she liked to plant fear in her opponents and toy with them. Nil took solace in the fact that the woman couldn¡¯t injure him further as long as he had Absorb active. He would need to create an opening or find an alternate route to victory. Even though Nil¡¯s left shoulder hurt so much, it brought tears to his eyes. He didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, he went on the offensive. Jaqueline momentarily lost her look of triumph. It returned for a second before Nil threw a prepared rock at her. She leaped from the dead Cursed One, manifesting her ankle constructs. The new angle showed that they were far wider than the sawblades Jaqueline used as projectiles. If the teeth weren¡¯t curved, one would assume that they were gears. The construct¡¯s edges blurred as they picked up speed. As soon as the woman touched the ground, she shot forward at incredible speed. Instead of making rollerskating movements, she fell into a surfing stance, and large sawblades manifested, spinning a couple of inches over her forearms, covering her hand and wrists like spinning shields. She also flung a few at Nil, pulling them out of thin air, but stopped when they proved ineffective. The projectiles lost their velocity and stopped spinning as soon as they reached him. The constructs fell to the floor and shattered before fading into nothing. As soon as Jaqueline was within reach, Nil supercharged strength, dropped into a kneel, and went for a spinning kick to the ankle. Despite the extra energy infused into Toggled Supercharging, Nil only managed to crack the thick constructs she used for mobility. However, the force behind the attack almost buckled Jaqueline¡¯s knee. Her spinning right arm blade struck Nil¡¯s bicep instead of the neck. Much to his surprise, it bit a couple of centimeters into him despite Absorb. The strike still increased Brutal Battery¡¯s stores, and the sawblade slowed. Might has progressed to Iron 9! The meleeblades have something more. The shoulder injury already limited Nil¡¯s use of his left arm. The new laceration only made things worse. Nil Expended a tenth of his stores through the injury. It expelled the sawblade and knocked the connected arm backward while simultaneously cauterizing the new injury. Jaqueline staggered away from him, thrown off balance. Nil used the opening to land a quick strike to her torso. GIven the speed she exhibited in her videos, he didn¡¯t dare switch to Expend yet, and his decision proved wise. As Jaqueline staggered backward, she launched a barrage and simultaneously slashed with her knife. It appeared to slither out of her dress and directly into her hand, moving with almost a mind of its own. Worried that Absorb wouldn¡¯t hold out against it either, Nil also retreated. Most of the sawblades didn¡¯t damage Nil, but the last bit into his pectoral muscle and further bloodied his white vest. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. There was no visual difference between the blades that could somewhat bypass Absorb and those that couldn¡¯t. However, Energy Instinct could tell the difference between them just fine. The blade on her right arm¡ªthe one that had struck Nil¡ªflickered. Panic flashed on Jaqueline¡¯s face, her confident expression and taunting smile fading for just a moment. She¡¯s almost tapped out. Nil capitalized on the lapse, supercharged speed, and raced at his opponent. He kept Absorb active and accepted all that flew at him until Jaqueline threw an empowered blade into the mix. He dodged it, got close, and avoided a slash of her knife. Nil grabbed the woman¡¯s wrists, hoping to disable his opponent before finishing her with an empowered headbutt. Energy Instinct has progressed to Iron 4! Unfortunately, his opponent once again displayed the reason behind her popularity. She wasn¡¯t just gorgeous with a terrifyingly beautiful ability. Jaqueline The Shredder had also grown to fame for her gymnastics and melee-fighting skills. She twisted around in Nil¡¯s grip so she was facing away from him, hopped, placed both feet against his chest, and pushed. Her ankle constructs spun and sputtered, struggling to pick up speed while Absorb robbed it of most of its power. They still managed to peel skin from his chest and tear our chunks of flesh. Yet, Nil refused to release her wrists and yelled through the pain, trying to wrestle her back into his control. Absorb has progressed to Iron 8! The likelihood of people figuring out Nil¡¯s base power was now high. Enough content creators had made videos dedicated to it, theorizing and debating the possibilities. Most seemed to have deduced that Nil¡¯s defensive and offensive abilities couldn¡¯t function at the same time. They were mostly right and were still trying to confirm the nature of his energy attacks. However, even though most had seen his soul weapon, none had figured out the extent of his abilities. In all fairness, he hadn¡¯t demonstrated Wield the Source enough, and Galvanize wasn¡¯t easy to figure out. Festus the Creator, copycat channels, and content creators dedicated to soul weapons had discussed the Source Gauntlets¡¯ design at length. Most wrote off the gems as a cosmetic element. None had guessed that they stored energy or that Nil could use it without Expending. Nil emitted and shaped. He didn¡¯t need precision. Just destructive power. He created rough blades through his palms. They only lasted for half a second but drew a gut-wrenching scream from Jaqueline. Wield The Source has progressed to Iron 4! The femme fatale and almost film star fell face first. Her still-spinning ankle constructs gave her the necessary mobility to move a couple of meters away from Nil. They and everything else born of her power simultaneously blinked out of existence. She kicked the ground violently, moving further away from him, and left a trail of blood in her awake. Jaqueline the Shredder¡¯s elegant, manicured hands lay at Nox¡¯s feet. She turned onto her front and struggled to rise while clutching the stumps of her forearms to her chest. Her face was a shredded crimson mess dragging along the floor but it was the least of her worries. Nil had destroyed her wrists with the unexpected move. ¡°No,¡± she begged when he slowly advanced on her. ¡°Please. You don¡¯t have to do this. We can both forfeit. I promise to make it worth your while.¡± Her voice trembled. ¡°I¡¯ll give you everything and anything you want. Anything. Money. Information. Contacts. Please. Anything.¡± Nil didn¡¯t stop. He marched toward her, analyzing the woman¡¯s internal flow using Energy Instinct. Nothing but pulsating Cursed Energy remained, gathering in a band around her waist. Nil assumed it was her corrupted soul weapon. The tether flowing from it was changing, transforming into something new. Then, he saw subtle traces of it. Crimson hexagons glided along her skin to the stump of her left hand. They fused to the damaged flesh before interlocking with each other, slowly forming a new hand. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this,¡± Jaqueline said. ¡°I promise. It follows my mental image. This is my subconscious. I promise, Nil.¡± Tears streamed down her face as her back hit the quarry¡¯s wall. Her legs still kept kicking the ground. It almost looked like she was hoping new ankle constructs would manifest and help her escape. ¡°Please.¡± The requests fell on deaf ears. When Nil kneeled in front of Jaqueline, the hexagons gathering around her wrist molded into a spike, and she stabbed at his neck. He had expected as much and grabbed her stump and squeezed. Another scream burst from Jaqueline. He silenced her swiftly with an Expend-empowered punch to the face. The blow caved in the woman¡¯s face, pulverizing into a mess of bone, skin, and blood. Nil used Expend¡¯s secondary function and trickled the energy through his gauntlet, disintegrating Jaqueline¡¯s head and all the gore sticking to the black, charred metal. Expend has progressed to Iron 8! Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 8! Unlike last time, Schema notifications appeared even though he hadn¡¯t yet exited the arena-turned-graveyard. An almost undetectable pulse of energy also radiated from Jaqueline The Shredder. Nil wondered whether it was the same energy the arena construct used to help purify fallen worlds. He understood the purpose and all the good it did, but that didn¡¯t mean he liked it. You have received 5 Schema Tokens and 1000 Schema Credits for your victory. Victory against a combatant with twenty-three Gauntlet of Ten and nine Death Gauntlet wins has earned you an additional prize. The Schema has convinced your Qi-training mentor to grant you three additional lessons. You have earned 5 Schema Tokens and 1000 Schema Credits for progressing your quest. Nil couldn¡¯t care less about the reward. He slumped onto his bottom and dispelled the Source Gauntlets. He wanted to leave. The cauterized wounds still burned and blood poured from his shredded torso and the now cracked burns. Nil still believed in finishing his foes swiftly without causing suffering. However, the blood loss left him light-headed. He didn¡¯t intend to make a show by approaching Jaqueline slowly and using measured, deliberate movements to finish her. It had taken every ounce of Nil¡¯s focus to track Jaqueline¡¯s soul weapon and stop her final attack while also mustering the willpower not to collapse. His opponent had gotten uncomfortably close to killing him. 126. Pain In Victory Nil failed to suppress his screams as the healers and medical staff in the arena¡¯s backrooms worked on his injuries. They had offered to sedate him using drugs or a sleep spell but claimed waking up would be a slow process. He wished to be done and back home as soon as possible and instructed them to use just enough to numb him. Unfortunately, the local anesthetics weren¡¯t particularly useful for his type of injuries. The thick constructs Jaqueline used as wheels ripped centimeter-deep gouges all along his front. It took the healers multiple spells to clean and disinfect the wound before they began the healing process. Everything in the vicinity itched as new tissue grew to replace the lost and damaged. Then the anesthetic did its job, and Nil got some relief. It took minimal effort for the medical staff to fix the clean lacerations and the burns used for cauterization. The monstrous chunk growing out of his shoulder was an entirely different story. ¡°You have three options,¡± the chief healer said. ¡°We can regrow the lost and damaged muscle in minutes like we did for your torso, but can¡¯t guarantee whether the nerves and tendons will be perfect. I can¡¯t predict how your sensation and mobility will be afterward. There is a sixty-six percent chance everything will be fine¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like those odds,¡± Nil said, cutting her off. The injuries, tiredness, and all-around discomfort significantly limited his patience. ¡°What are the other two options?¡± ¡°There is a slow regrowth spell. It is more expensive, and recovery will take a week. You¡¯ll be forbidden from exercise and training during it. It''s my personal recommendation, and we guarantee you¡¯ll be as good as new afterward. There won¡¯t be any loss in strength, mobility, or flexibility. However, the patch might be paler than the rest of you for a while.¡± ¡°One week of training is a lot of lost training.¡± Nil sighed. He could technically dedicate the time to cultivation and practicing Qi Techniques. The Mind Pill he received in the Moon Rabbit Emporium¡¯s welcome pack was also just sitting in a drawer, doing nothing. However, it was still a long time to go without working out or sparring. ¡°And the final option?¡± ¡°Go to the Nexus and use the Fountain of Pyrene,¡± the chief healer answered. ¡°You¡¯ll need to use their most expensive package to fix the damage. It''s not good for business so I don¡¯t recommend it. We keep some of its waters in stores for emergency situations, but you¡¯re neither eligible for the treatment nor would you be willing to shell out the number of credits we demand for it.¡± ¡°Could I pick the first or second treatment and then get healing from the fountain later?¡± Nil asked. Even though he was a Nexus employee, he could only request healing once a week. Not even six full days had passed since he returned from his quest. He wouldn¡¯t get access to the fountain until late the following night or early Monday morning. ¡°I¡¯d advise against it,¡± Nil said. ¡°The longer you stay like this, the more your body starts fixing the damage independently and accepts its current state. I could teach a university-level course on the subject, but you¡¯re not my only patient during the day. Let''s just leave it at combining even the best healing you can afford with the fountain¡¯s magic, which is a bad idea. The likelihood of arcane tumors and mutations is high. You¡¯ll need to settle on one.¡± ¡°I pick number two.¡± Nil hoped his next ascension or one of the future realms would come with a healing ability. Using Brutal Battery¡¯s energy to repair injuries could potentially be incredible. However, the presence of ¡®brutal¡¯ in the name suggested that the chances of such a development were low. As Nil lay on the infirmary bed, waiting for the healers to finish their job, he studied his updated his Schema interface. The new cultivation exercises, quest, and match, had netted him a fair bit of growth. Isabella had told him that people progressed through Iron Realm reasonably quickly and then got frustrated trying to get ascension tokens. The fact proved true for Shawn, Selia, and him. Working for the Nexus had already netted them one token. Winning their third Death Gauntlet match would win him one more.
  • Might: Iron 9
  • Finesse: Bronze 2
  • Mind: Iron 2
  • Spark: Bronze 7
Brutal Battery: Iron 8
  • Absorb: Iron 8
  • Expend: Iron 8
  • Toggled Supercharging: Iron 3
  • Energy Instinct: Iron 4
Source Gauntlets: Iron 3
  • Wield The Source: Iron 4
  • Galvanized: Iron 3
Ironroot Whelp: Iron 8
  • Reinforce: Iron 6
  • Regenerate: Iron 8
Nil intended to wait at least a month before returning to the Death Gauntlet for his final Iron Gauntlet match. He hoped to ascend his Might to Bronze and get another rank in Expend during the break. The first felt achievable, but he had doubts about the latter. Nil needed a breakthrough with his Qi techniques and cultivation. It was tempting to purchase a pill, but the Moon Rabbit Emporium¡¯s shop assistant insisted he wait longer before taking another for the attribute. The arena had convinced Watcher to provide him with three extra sessions. He could only hope that the training would help him jump the final pre-ascension hurdle. It wasn¡¯t just that he wanted to ascend as soon as he got his prize. He wanted to get as strong as possible before heading into the arena again. The match was a close call, and he was sure the next one would be too. If Pietro accepted his challenge, things would prove especially challenging. Nil struggled with the cold, and the thought of being frozen solid terrified him. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Nil also doubted that Absorbing him would be useful against the man. He¡¯d need to avoid the snow for as long as possible and find a way around it. After some thought, he planned on training extra hard with Meatball. It was likely he¡¯d need her to survive. Her Reinforce ability had gained a rank sometime after consuming the growth fruit and once again in the arena. It was unlikely she¡¯d ascend to Bronze Realm before him, but reaching Iron-Nine in the next month would also prove incredible. Things going forward wouldn¡¯t be as easy as they were against Kennit. All of Nil¡¯s opponents had far more experience and had been Summoned longer than him. He needed to use every possible advantage he could find. The Source Sphere had worked once since his opponent didn¡¯t expect it. Nil doubted it would save him again until he got better at creating it without wasting an unfortunate volume of energy. The idea of going for another quest tempted Nil. The chaos and stress always proved effective for rapid rank gain. However, he worried that unexpected time flow differences would screw him over. He didn¡¯t want to risk it. When the pain of the process intensified, Nil withdrew into himself, circulating energy through his body despite the discomfort and thought about what the future held. First, he thought of his next ability upgrade. When Brutal Battery reached Iron Realm, he had gained four ability options instead of the standard three. Nil wasn¡¯t sure whether he wanted to see the old options again or hoped for something new. He was glad he hadn¡¯t picked Brutal Amplification or Overload Shielding. The first doubled the output power of Expend for a short duration but then prevented him from using the ability afterward. The second would¡¯ve granted him a temporary barrier when Absorb pushed Brutal Battery¡¯s stores past its limit. Overload Shielding sounded excellent at first, but then concerns of Brutal Battery¡¯s ever-growing stores concerned Nil. The likelihood of finding foes who could consistently push him past his limits was low and would get lower as his Spark continued to rise. It would have been a more viable option if he had prioritized Finesse or Might as his primary attribute, relying more on the physical aspect of Brutal Battery. There was also Adaptive Battery, which granted boosts based on Nil¡¯s current energy levels. He gained durability at high energy levels but lost speed. Meanwhile, Nil would¡¯ve gained speed as his stores ran low. It could¡¯ve been great, but Nil didn¡¯t want an ability that slowed him. The possibilities left him wondering about what could come next. He had enough destructive power. Nil desired something long-ranged or strategic. He also expected more foes capable of overcoming Absorb or wielding magic or elemental powers. Something to protect against them or recover from damage would make his life significantly easier. The Qi cultivation and accompanying techniques would give him more than enough offense with time. He now wanted the necessary tools to protect his friends and loved ones. Nil wished for the tools to protect and do good. However, the multiverse kept giving him tools for death and destruction. Is this my future? Kill and destroy to protect? It took the medical staff and healers three hours to fix Nil. There were several attractions, entertainment, and more in the arena¡¯s backroom. Apparently, many who hated their home worlds divided their time between quests and the backrooms, only going home when they had no choice. He returned to the Forge¡¯s teleportation area. His holo devices beeped straight away. Selia had messaged him. ¡°It wasn¡¯t pleasant watching you almost die. The healers will probably keep you for a while. I¡¯ll be off preparing for tomorrow. Come find me in the training room 3-M or rest. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. That battery of yours is fucking brutal.¡± Familiar faces greeted Nil in the building¡¯s cafe. Zora and Cara Sue waved him over. ¡°That was terrifying as hell,¡± Cara Sue commented. ¡°I was almost sure you were going to die.¡± ¡°I knew better.¡± Zora grinned, pushing a can of fizzy lemonade toward Nil and nodding at one of the two empty chairs at their table. ¡°Some people say Iron Death Gauntlet is as dangerous as the Bronze Gauntlet. I tend to disagree, but that left me thinking differently. You¡¯re a monster for almost taking out that Cursed One single handedly. It was a bloody terraformer.¡± ¡°Terraformer?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. He took a seat and accepted the offered lemonade. The healers didn¡¯t let him eat or drink during their work. He was now thirsty and ravenous. ¡°You mean that thing was supposed to change the landscape?¡± Zora nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a few different types during my quests. Some change the landscape. Others either pollute or change the weather, cutting the world off from light. Shawn¡¯s match had one that fucks with the sea.¡± ¡°The Scourge need a comfortable environment to settle and grow,¡± Cara Sue added. ¡°They rely heavily on Cursed Ones and Cursed Beasts, and the environment needs to be able to house them.¡± Nil drained his beverage in three seconds and barely suppressed the afterward burp. When Cara offered him the second half of her sandwich, he accepted the offer. It also lasted only a handful of seconds. ¡°The more I learn about all the fucked up shit going on, the more I wonder whether the Scourge is already here and pulling the strings.¡± Cara Sue shook her head. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the darkness of the multiverse and what the Scourge does. We¡¯re on the same path many took before welcoming them, but we¡¯re not there yet. There are a few bad apples, but we¡¯re mostly on the good side. Mostly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of work the Nexus has put you to, but Cara is right,¡± Zora said. ¡°Things would be much worse if the Scourge were already here. Things are broken and far from perfect, but we haven¡¯t fallen that far. I firmly believe we¡¯re more than capable of fixing the wrongs and all the damage we¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± Nil stated. ¡°The more I learn, the more I fear for my family and friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with you, Nil.¡± Zora slid more food toward him, appearing amused. ¡°There is only one path to quelling such fears. Get stronger. Survive. Change things. That¡¯s precisely my intention.¡± 127. Untouchable Spectre Selia¡¯s match dragged on for far longer than her last. During later conversations, Isabella revealed that she based her opponent suggestion on the battle royale qualifiers. Selia¡¯s body was on the brink of collapse. Symbiotech¡¯s experiments and an overtuned ability were a horrid combination. Yet she had bested Adam without suffering any major injuries. The past nine months had more or less restored her to perfect health, putting her on the same physical level as any rogue of her rank. Her mastery over her phase shifting had improved and she had two new feats from her body ascensions. Nil had trained with her on occasion and had no idea of how to deal with a threat like her. He struggled to land a hit, and if she ever successfully grabbed him, he would end up half-stuck in the floor. Thus far, he had only seen Isabella push Selia to the point of surrender. Phase shifting made her immune to physical damage but not the sound waves that accompanied them. Unfortunately, Shervon Grey¡¯s hammer appeared to have similar powers. Their arena was a cave city with several ceiling openings, and the sun¡¯s rays leaked through them. Nil saw Shervon¡¯s corrupted soul weapon in the light for the first time and noticed the air rippling around the head in the seconds before the collision. It was the visual effect that accompanied sonic powers. There was also the chance of it being some sort of power disruption ability. Nil couldn¡¯t think of how else it could destroy defensive opponents¡¯ armor or momentarily trap Selia in a wall as she was phasing through it. The giant man easily moved his weapon between his two sets of arms. He used his additional limbs for grappling, mobility, and also for defense. On several occasions, he missed Selia with a hammer swing but then grabbed her with one of his extra hands. She always slipped away, of course, but failed to do the man any harm. Selia¡¯s blades sliced the man early in the match, but he ran away in search of the Cursed One. When they clashed again, he was as crimson as Jaqueline the Shredder¡¯s blades. Her knives failed to pierce his skin, and while trying to flee his grabs, she lost them. Selia dragged him through the ground or walls a handful of times, but the rippling around his hammer intensified, interrupting her ability and forcing her to flee. Then, he¡¯d break free of his trappings with brute strength. The fight went on for half an hour without either getting the upper hand. Then, Selia started to tire. Shervon Gray did not. Fortunately, not long after she started to make mistakes, so did he. The four-armed brute got tougher and stronger the longer the fight went on, but he also got angrier. Along with his rage came a loss of common sense and logic, and his mistakes progressively worsened. Eventually, Shervon Gray got so frustrated with his opponent that he threw his hammer at her. Selia dropped through the floor and safely avoided the attack. Howls of rage filled the arena. On-screen, it almost sounded louder than the giant spider-like Cursed One that Shervon slew. The man raced after his hammer. He was halfway to his destination when he stumbled and fell onto his hands and knees. The man heaved, and his veins stood out against his red skin, glowing a faint green. Nil smiled as relief washed over him. Selia had used their planned strategy, envenoming the blade she used to scratch Shervon. It had taken a while, but the arcane poison was finally starting to take effect. Nil knew the spell he purchased for her would prove invaluable sooner than later. Shawn¡¯s match also highlighted the usefulness of toxins. He almost lost because of them. Someone in the cafe whooped when Selia slowly rose out of the ground, emerging like the villain in a supernatural horror. She grabbed Shervon Gray by the ankle and again dropped through the floor. Without his hammer, he had no way of disrupting the ability and stopping the phasing. Much to everyone¡¯s surprise, she stopped when only his head remained unsubmerged. A minute passed. Then another. Shervon struggled. Yelled. Then, the crimson disappeared from his skin, and he appeared to calm down. Panic replaced the rage. Selia returned an entire five minutes after trapping the man into the floor, dragging the hammer behind her. Her half of the screen had only shown darkness as it did whenever she disappeared into a surface. Once standing over Shervon, she tried to lift the hammer over her head but lost balance, staggered, and dropped the giant weapon. Nil¡¯s new girlfriend shrugged casually and placed a foot on top of Shervon¡¯s head. He started sinking and stopped again once his nostrils were below ground level. It took agonisingly long before the life disappeared from his eyes. The entire display felt slow and unnecessary but Nil understood why she did it. Selia and Shawn had agreed to make their targets suffer as much as possible. They wanted to make the Death Gauntlet hunters pay for their cruelty and what they did to Adam and many before him. The pair called it justice. Nil disagreed but made no effort to change their mind. His friends knew no life except disaster, chaos, and that of being soldiers. Traditional Earth morality did not apply in the arena or during their quests. By joining Apocalypse Arena, they had all become gladiators. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. A Schema notification appeared, and Nil¡¯s voice caught in his throat for a moment. Pietro the Frost Emperor, God of the Iron Gauntlet, has challenged you to a Death Gauntlet match. Do you accept? Shawn isn¡¯t going to be happy about this. Frost was the one elemental effect Nil struggled with the most. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but his body recovered quickly from lightning attacks and effects. Nil could power through burns and also heat. Galvanize helped deal with related attacks even better. He needed a decent strategy to deal with Pietro and needed plenty of help to come up with it. Ideally, he should¡¯ve discussed the matter with his friends, but Nil accepted the challenge. A date appeared. The Schema asked if Nil was available and happy with the time. He said yes again. ¡°Hey!¡± Selia exclaimed, waving her hand in front of Nil¡¯s face. She wore a tank top and yoga pants. Selvan had ripped her arena outfit in several places during his grappling attempts. ¡°Did my dazzling performance leave you catatonic?¡± ¡°Pietro just challenged me,¡± Nil replied, failing to conceal his surprise. He was more in shock from how quickly and easily he made the decision than the duel itself. ¡°And I accepted it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Selia flumped down in the empty seat opposite him. Shawn hadn¡¯t joined him. After wishing Selia good luck, he had opted to watch from the privacy of his room. Isabella was also supposed to watch the match with him, but she got called away on an emergency quest, leaving him alone. The Silver Realm Summoned only needed to answer the Nexus''s call twice yearly but never said no when they desperately needed her. Nil thought he would¡¯ve been fine watching the match by himself, but it proved more challenging than expected. ¡°What did you do?¡± Selia asked, nonchalantly. She took Nil¡¯s wrap and took a giant bite out of it. ¡°Did you say yes?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°When is it?¡± ¡°Five weeks from now,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It¡¯s as soon as his wait period ends. Pietro must be hurting for Cursed Energy.¡± ¡°Six of his colleagues are gone. They probably weren¡¯t friends, but this confirms that the bastard knew of each other. Maybe even coordinated things and worked for each other. Pietro is scared and either wants to make an example or take revenge.¡± Selia put the wrap down, leaned across the table, and kissed Nil¡¯s cheek. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to work harder. A lot fucking harder. You¡¯re not allowed to die.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t train for a week.¡± Nil chuckled. ¡°Remember? Just cultivation and technique practise.¡± ¡°Then you create something that will melt Pietro¡¯s ice and disintegrate his spears,¡± Selia told him. ¡°Master that Source Sphere thing if you have to. Five weeks is a long time, and you have six sessions left with your weirdo teacher. Then we¡¯ll all ascend to Bronze together.¡± ¡°Take asses and kick names.¡± Selia nodded. ¡°Take asses and kick names.¡± She took more bites out of the wrap and chewed thoughtfully. ¡°Do you think this lot can¡¯t go on quests, can¡¯t bring Cursed Energy through the Nexus, or is it not enough?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a question for CIT.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Are you fine with that, or should we go to the cafeteria and get some real food? Shervon dragged that fight out for far too long.¡± ¡°Cafeteria, please.¡± Selia dropped the wrap and jumped up from her seat. ¡°I''d like actual meat instead of this thinly sliced bullshit. A lot of meat. Some potatoes as well. My body needs protein and carbs.¡± Nil chuckled. ¡°Let''s go. I¡¯ll message Shawn and Susan to join us.¡± ¡°When was the last time you heard from Susan?¡± ¡°She found me after the match last night,¡± Nil replied. ¡°We were supposed to go down to the cafeteria together but then she got a call and ran off. Seemed urgent.¡± He shrugged as they left the building and crossed the empty running track toward the cafeteria. ¡°Maybe it was a CIT thing.¡± ¡°I asked her if she wanted to train me this morning. She recommended another Summoner and blew me off. The pressure must be high.¡± ¡°Its¡ª¡± Nil fell silent when they spotted all members of the CIT team exiting the training room together. Susan wasn''t among them. ¡°We should check on her.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Selia asked. ¡°I promised Andrew that I¡¯d check in on her. Susan is all alone. The little family she has left is far away, and Katherine is so busy with her job that she barely answers any calls. I don¡¯t want her to get all down and lonely.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not holding a candle for her?¡± Nil glared at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Selia grinned. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me saying that.¡± ¡°Susan is a close friend. I trust her. She trusts me. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°I know. I know. You¡¯re just fun to tease.¡± ¡°Teasing someone you¡ª¡± Nil paused, carefully picking his words. ¡°¡ªare with when they don¡¯t like it, doesn¡¯t usually work out positively for the relationship.¡± ¡°Fine!! I¡¯m sorry.¡± Selia grabbed Nil¡¯s hand and dragged him toward the Summoned residential building instead. ¡°Let''s go check on Susan and put your mind to rest.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m famished. We can go up to yours afterward. Do you have any leftovers?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°But I¡¯ve some nice fish and rice. I can whip you up something quick?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Selia exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯d much rather eat your cooking than the cafeteria stuff. It was nice at first, but I''m incredibly spoilt now and nothing except your masterful culinary creations meet the mark.¡± 128. Surprising Company Light leaked through the bottom of Susan¡¯s door, but no one answered when Nil knocked. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s out?¡± Selia asked, her words heavy with concern. ¡°Who goes out with music playing?¡± Nil pressed his ear to the door. ¡°She might be in trouble. Attacked. Poisoned. Anything is possible with the Symbiotech fuckers.¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Selia frowned. She dropped onto her knees and tried to peek through the crack under the door. Nil had already tried it and saw nothing. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nil replied. ¡°She and the dogs might¡¯ve discovered something big. Maybe someone tried to shut her up.¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s possible with the new upgrade? Susan is pretty fucking powerful.¡± Ascending her power to Silver Realm had come with two powerful gifts. The first significantly empowered her dogs, improving their physiology and abilities. The second helped her borrow their power and wield it for herself. Her current training involved keeping her senses enhanced semi-permanently. She had also splurged on several new spells with light and darkness focus. She would need to ascend her body before effectively utilizing both. Nil believed that it was unlikely most people would be able to get the jump on her, but anything was possible. ¡°Susan! Are you there? Is everything alright in there?¡± Nil knocked on the door harder than last time. ¡°Want me to phase through the door?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°What if she is in a compromising position? Susan might not appreciate that.¡± I can¡¯t let Andrew down. ¡°Maybe we should ask your dad,¡± Selia said. ¡°The ludus has got to do a wellness check if necessary, right? ¡± ¡°Good call.¡± Nil nodded. As the ludus manager, Udit had a master key to every room in the compound. The door opened a crack just as Nil and Selia were about to leave. Much to their surprise, it was Andrew who peeked out. ¡°Hey, Sunny-boi!¡± Andrew grinned. He looked way more in shape, tame, and generally better looking than when they last met. His bare torso bore a flat, muscled abdomen instead of the flab Nil remembered seeing last time. It was clear that the man had ascended to Iron Realm¡ªor at least his body had. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Checking on your girlfriend,¡± Nil answered. ¡°What the hell, Andy? When did you get back?¡± ¡°Last night. Congratulations on your wins, by the way. Susan told me about them. I thought I¡¯d do you the courtesy of letting you celebrate.¡± Andrew peeked at Selia. He stuck his hand out, and the door opened slightly. Andrew had no clothes on. Just a cushion covered his groin. ¡°We haven¡¯t formally met, New Girlfriend. Andrew Harper.¡± ¡°No. We haven¡¯t.¡± Selia chuckled. She shook Andrew¡¯s hand. ¡°Selia. Just Selia.¡± ¡°Forget that for now,¡± Nil said. ¡°You¡¯ve been back an entire day and didn¡¯t call or message?¡± ¡°I thought about it a bunch, but uh¡­¡± He glanced over his shoulder, and they heard laughter from inside the room. ¡°We kept getting sidetracked or distracted. I haven¡¯t slept or eaten since we got back.¡± Andrew yelled over his shoulder. ¡°Should we get some food? I don¡¯t think I can get back into it after seeing Sunny-boi¡¯s puppy dog eyes.¡± ¡°Can I have ten minutes for a quick wash?¡± Susan called. ¡°I stink.¡± Andrew returned his attention to Nil and Selia. ¡°See you in the cafeteria in fifteen?¡± ¡°Come up to my suite,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Susan knows the way. I¡¯ll make something nice.¡± ¡°Are you sure? We¡¯re pretty ravenous. I don¡¯t know about Susan, but I could eat a horse and its entire bloodline.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±
Unfortunately, the ludus didn¡¯t have any decent fried chicken shots in the vicinity, making it challenging to procure Nil¡¯s favorite guilty pleasure food. The cafeteria didn¡¯t offer it either since most Summoned had no interest in anything so greasy or heavy. They occasionally offered crispy Chinese-style chicken with jasmine rice, but it wasn¡¯t quite the same. He ordered from the local Turkish restaurant instead. He had a soft spot for the lamb ribs. The rice, bread, salad, and sauces that came with it also saved Nil a lot of work. He only pan-fried all the fish in his fridge so they¡¯d have enough protein. Exhausted and famished after her match, Selia snacked on peppers, tomatoes, and cucumber. ¡°I was almost convinced Shervon metabolized my poison,¡± she said with a mouthful of food. ¡°Fear, panic, and exhaustion must¡¯ve won him his previous matches. In all honesty, he wasn¡¯t that difficult an opponent.¡± ¡°Are you mad?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Shervon Gray was most likely one of the most terrifying fighters around. Stamina. Speed. Rage. Soul Weapon. Four Arms. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out how I¡¯d deal with him. Between that red impervious skin and sonic hammer, my chances would¡¯ve been slim.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Are you mad? Source weapons and Expand blasts would¡¯ve sorted him out¡ª¡± Selia snapped her fingers. ¡°¡ªlike that.¡± ¡°That would involve getting within his reach while Expending without breaking limbs or getting my head crushed. Shervon¡¯s grappling and martial skills were way better than mine. I don¡¯t think you realize how oppressive your phase shifting and fighting skills are. Shervon and I might be better in terms of raw martial ability, but neither of us can combine it with our ability as well as you.¡± ¡°But that thing you did with Jaqueline¡ª¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have worked on Shervon,¡± Nil insisted. ¡°I know that Brute archetypes are supposed to counter Rogues, but that¡¯s probably more relevant for passive abilities like Winter Hunter or that spider-walking archer from my Capture The Flag event.¡± ¡°Isabella says I¡¯m more an Arcane Warrior than Rogue. My approach and fighting style is just stealthier than that of most.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re now adding magic on top of that.¡± Nil was starting to understand why Layla disliked the archetype system. They became irrelevant as a person¡¯s power seed grew and developed. The designations were more accurate when talking about a person¡¯s attribute distribution. It took Andrew and Susan just over half an hour to join them instead of the promised fifteen Minutes. Much to everyone¡¯s relief, the takeaway followed seconds after their arrival, and everyone dug in hungrily. After the usual greetings and banter, Nil finally had a much-needed catch-up with his dearest friend. Andrew¡¯s quest didn¡¯t go as they expected. ¡°We thought you successfully chased away the Scourge, but we were wrong,¡± Andrew told him. ¡°The bastards infected our soldiers with some sort of curse or plague. It was like some sort of zombie virus. We lost our Summoned guards, but they protected the fort well enough until the local Control World came to the rescue.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Selia forgot her food for a moment. ¡°You went to a Control World?¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°Turns out Samara is a bit of a celebrity. The time flow was different there. So, technically, I¡¯ve been away for a bit more than a year. It was a bit of a culture shock, and it took me a while to get used to the change. But¡ª¡± ¡°Was it one of the oriental-style cultivation worlds, medieval or modern?¡± Selia interrupted. ¡°A hodgepodge of a bunch of things,¡± Andrew answered. ¡°Imagine Victorian magitech London but with a hint of cultivation. I think a bunch of different developed Seed and Beacon Worlds got together and built their ideal society. It was kind of inspirational, really. Samara wants me back in a few months to continue my education.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m going with him.¡± Susan grinned. ¡°You¡¯re moving to a Control World?¡± Nil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It''s not going to be permanent,¡± Andrew said. ¡°About a year or so in their time, but the volume of high-quality work is insane. It should accelerate my progress to Bronze Realm. Apparently, talented artisans are few and far between. So, the Nexus is going all out to invest in my growth.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll be his muscle during fieldwork,¡± Susan added. ¡°Layla thinks the experience will make me more useful for work over here.¡± ¡°And here I thought you¡¯d be around to upgrade the gauntlets to Bronze.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I should be back by the time you get the ranks high enough and procure the materials,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°It''s not like I can get your Soul Weapon to Bronze, until I¡¯m there myself. So, this will be good for all of us.¡± Andrew carried on to tell them more about the Control World, his time there, and everything he had learned. Samara had also arranged a new tattoo for him. It was a storage device only for individuals with artisanal abilities. It only let Andrew store equipment and a small quantity of materials. He also had a couple of new firearms. Selia was especially fascinated with his creations, and Andrew promised to build her something before he left in eight weeks. She only needed to accompany him to the Nexus Market and pay for the materials. The soulsmith also apologized to Nil for not seeking him out after returning. He claimed to be genuinely concerned about the Death Gauntlet matches, but after hearing about the victories, Andrew thought it okay to make up for lost time with Susan instead. Nil understood and didn¡¯t hold it against him. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can do some finetuning before your bout with Pietro,¡± Andrew said once they were done eating. The women sat in the living area, discussing the Symbiotech case and CIT¡¯s investigation. ¡°Is your dad and Emmy okay with all of this?¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°But they understand why I need to do this. It''s not fun like the Gauntlet of Ten or the qualifiers. I hate that I don¡¯t have any choice but to kill my opponent, but if I don¡¯t do it, someone else will. Failing that, more people will fall victim to whatever the fuck they¡¯re up to.¡± ¡°I get it, Sunny-boi.¡± Andrew dried the dish Nil had just watched and put it away. ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain yourself to me. I just want to ensure you¡¯re okay with all of this. It''s not you. I wish I could also take you to the Control World. We¡¯d have a bunch of fun, you¡¯d get a bunch of ranks, and maybe even expand on all the cultivation stuff.¡± ¡°It would be fun, but I¡¯m needed here,¡± Nil said. He glanced over his shoulder at where Selia and Susan sat. ¡°Our relationship also just started. It would be weird to go away for such a long time right now. Long distance is shit, and more so when there are universes between you.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know how to take you with me if I wanted.¡± Andrew shrugged. ¡°I just thought it would be fun.¡± He also glanced at Selia. ¡°I like her. We¡¯ve just met but Selia seems a much better fit for you compared to Katherine.¡± ¡°I try my best not to make comparisons.¡± Nil smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back, Andy. Even if it''s for a bit. These last few months haven¡¯t been easy.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be here cheering you on for your last match. Maybe some random shit I learned in the Control World will make all the difference.¡± ¡°Nil! Andy!¡± Susan called from the couch. ¡°Should we have a welcome-back party this weekend? Maybe a also little celebration for the Death Gauntlet Team¡¯s victory.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It should be fun. I¡¯ll find us somewhere nice.¡± ¡°Dinner is on you then,¡± Andrew said. ¡°I didn¡¯t make a lot of credits. Samara believes experience, tokens, and knowledge are enough.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll make a few calls. Is it okay if I bring my family?¡± ¡°Will you finally introduce me as the new girlfriend?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Prepare to be judged though. Emmy has wanted to officially meet you for a while now.¡± 129. Soulsmith and Sunny-boi Nil joined his friends for breakfast after his morning cultivation and technique practice session. He had also added memory games and mental exercises to the mix, having taken the Mind Pill after his last match. It had sat unused for quite some time, and Nil wanted to prepare himself for the next time he faced the terrifying school of magic. Watcher also theorized that additional Mind would also help with his focus, making juggling multiple Qi techniques easier. It came as no surprise when Shawn reverted to his awkward, cold version around the new addition to his social circle. Yet wasn¡¯t as bad as he was with Nil. It wasn¡¯t clear whether it was because the Symbiotech mess had passed or Susan had softened Shawn up beforehand. The meal was pleasant nonetheless. Afterward, everyone split up for training while Nil went with Andrew to explore the Forge¡¯s workshop. Normal Summoned didn¡¯t have access to the space without an invite, and the ludus currently had no artisans besides Andrew. Despite the medieval stone decor, the space housed a variety of modern equipment. Some looked like upgraded versions of Arthurtech equipment. Nil imagined the 3D printer would prove especially useful for creating molds and small, precise parts. There was also an anvil and force and several pieces that Andrew claimed were of Samara¡¯s design. Apparently, she had put them together using the Control World¡¯s magitech. The ludus limited what Andrew could sell on Earth and for arena use. However, there was no limitation on things made for sale in the Nexus Market. The Forge would simply not let him take certain creations out of the training building. They¡¯d get teleported back to the workshop¡¯s storage if anyone tried to carry controlled items through any exits or windows. It was understandable. Several tools, power sources, and other materials didn¡¯t exist on Earth, and the Control Worlds believed Nil¡¯s people weren¡¯t ready for them. The Nexus worried about destabilizing the economy or starting an arm¡¯s race, which caused the downfall of Seed World and opened holes for the Scourge to plant their hooks. Apparently, the Control Worlds also believed that it was up to the world¡¯s citizens to invent, discover, or bring in technology with their own ingenuity and creativity. They called it natural progress and didn¡¯t believe in giving out handouts or accelerating their progress unless the world housed valuable resources or a Well of Power. On rare occasions, when they found talents¡ªwhich Andrew took a lot of pride in being one such talent¡ªthe Control Worlds invested in them. The Nexus¡¯s unusual direct presence on Earth through the Forge helped them train and raise him appropriately without negatively affecting the planet. When Nil asked about Andrew¡¯s growth, he got a Schema interface in reply. It showed Andrew¡¯s attributes and abilities but not Feats. Nil didn¡¯t ask to see them. Even though they were close and he shared all with Andrew, he believed everyone had a right to privacy.
  • Might: Iron 0
  • Finesse: Iron 7
  • Mind: Bronze 0
  • Spark: Iron 4
Soul Tinker: Iron 3
  • Aether Manipulation: Iron 2
  • Arcane Tinkering: Iron 4
  • Attach Enchantment: Mortal 7
¡°Attach Enchantment felt like a mistake at first,¡± Andrew said, gesturing Nil to lay down on a rune-covered table. It was similar to the one from Samara¡¯s workshop. ¡°My other ascension options were upgrades to Aether Manipulation and Arcane Tinkering, but Samara advised me to pick this instead. It does what the name says: I can permanently attach spells and enchantments to my creations. I need the appropriate materials to learn the necessary spell, of course, but it''s proven pretty excellent. It¡¯ll help me craft better soul weapon chassis and also create better upgrades.¡± Nil did as instructed and lay down on the table. ¡°When upgrading the Source Gauntlets, could you attach a ranged attack or control spell to it?¡± Andrew shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that. I can¡¯t change a weapon¡¯s nature. The Source Gauntlets are a tool made for close combat and wielding the source. Any upgrade I do will need to improve on the soul weapon¡¯s current abilities, branch off them, or somehow build off Brutal Battery. ¡°I could expand Galvanize¡¯s protection. Maybe tweak Wield The Source to draw strength from other sources. I¡¯ll have to take the call based on my collection of spells and whatever materials we can procure.¡± ¡°What about an arm cannon?¡± Nil held up his right arm, supported it with his left, and mimed firing a projectile from the fist. ¡°Like a Source Cannon. Would that be possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, but it probably won¡¯t be possible until we¡¯re both significantly stronger. The energy demands, material costs, and labor requirements are well beyond either of us. We¡¯ll start simple at Bronze and then expand later. In my opinion, your offensive power is already insane. Defense, control effects, or something along the same vein might be better. You need to master what you have here before thinking of more. You still have a long way to go, Sunny-boi.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nil asked. ¡°These gems.¡± Andrew poked the crimson crystals as he spoke. He pulled Nil¡¯s right arm down, laying it flat on the table. He poked and prodded the rare grooves in the smooth weapon with an alien tool. ¡°They¡¯re more than storage devices. You should practice channeling your Expend explosion and Source Weapon¡¯s energy through the gem. It¡¯s an amplifier. If you were a mage, Samara would name it an arcane focus.¡± ¡°That bit of knowledge would¡¯ve proved useful during my last match,¡± Nil commented.¡±I don¡¯t know how the hell I¡¯m going to deal with Pietro¡¯s ice. This might make all the difference.¡± ¡°You need to figure out the bastard¡¯s ability first,¡± Andrew said. ¡°I watched clips of his last few matches last night. It''s not what it seems. I can¡¯t tell for sure without seeing or sensing it up close, but it''s far more than Burning Sands¡¯s ability. You¡¯ve got a week with few distractions. Practice cultivation and related techniques, and study the Source. I¡¯m not intimately familiar with it, but general talk suggests that it''s far more than raw energy and tool for destruction.¡± ¡°Can I use the equipment here to study the Source?¡± Nil asked. ¡°It''s not like there is much literature around here for it, and I highly doubt the Nexus Market will have books on it.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t, and no, you can¡¯t. I¡¯m afraid this is a self-study project, Sunny-Boi. The Source is the energy that separates and contains universes, but it''s more. You¡¯re dealing with something that¡¯s living and the energy behind all creation. Intent matters. You¡¯re not studying what the Source is but what it means to you. No book or equipment will tell you what the Source means to you or how you hope to use it. This is all shit that you need to figure out for yourself.¡± ¡°Sounds like a whole of philosophical bullshit.¡± Nil sighed ¡°At the end of the day, that¡¯s what it is.¡± Andrew shrugged. ¡°There is no limit to the possibilities except you. Figure out what you want and need.¡± ¡°I just want to make the world a better place for¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that bullshit. You¡¯re a good guy. I know that. Selia knows that. Your family knows it. But the truth is that you¡¯re selfish.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Nil protested, sitting up. ¡°I genuinely want¡ª¡± ¡°It''s okay to be selfish, Sunny-Boi,¡± Andrew said, placing a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Occasionally, we need to act in our self-interests and that of the people around us. You just happen to do more for your friends and family than others. Protecting them and sticking to your morals take priority for you, and little else matters. You follow through, and often to your detriment. That¡¯s fine because it''s who you are.¡± He looked into Nil¡¯s eyes, filled with a determination and conviction that Nil had never seen in his friend before. ¡°But I¡¯ve also seen you in the arena. You love this new life. You love the thrill of combat. ¡°Victory seems like a second thought to you. You¡¯re cold, ruthless, and brutal to your enemies. There are many paths to achieving the security and prosperity of the people around you. I get it because this is how I do it, and instead of fighting, I want to selfishly leave that to you. I¡¯d rather protect and help the people I care about by arming and armoring them because that¡¯s what I enjoy. Samara claims I would¡¯ve made an excellent mage, and the Schema offered me the path too, but I turned them away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re using selfish right.¡± Nil sighed, hopping off the table and dispelling the Source Gauntlets. ¡°I¡¯m a soulsmith, not a fucking wordsmith. You get what I¡¯m saying, and all that is matters. You picked Brutal Battery because you enjoy its brutality. You like the duality of it. Protect and take the brunt of everything. Then, throw it all back two-fold. Right now, the Source is nothing but a weapon and tool of destruction to you. It¡¯s currently only feeding the battle junkie side of you.¡± Nil hopped off the table, finally understanding the crux of what he was being told. He had focused all of his cultivation and technique sessions on improving his offensive capability and devising new tools for putting down his opponents. It wasn¡¯t enough. Fatima and Jaqueline the Shredder both had tools to overcome Absorb. Nil was sure it wouldn¡¯t be the first time he¡¯d face more opponents with tools similar to theirs. There were also elemental effects, poison and a lot more that he had no defense against. Nil also needed to accept that offense was not the only method of protecting his friends and family. He needed something more. ¡°Duality,¡± Nil repeated the word. ¡°When the hell did you get so smart?¡± ¡°Did you forget?¡± Andrew grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve been away for much longer than you¡¯ve been back. I¡¯m older than you Sunny-boi. Older, wiser, and have seen more of the multiverse. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take you under my wing and show you the way. There is a lot to learn, and after I¡¯ve figured it all out, I¡¯ll teach you too.¡± Keeper of Knowledge. Unlike with Yggdrasill or Maka Dee, Nil had no doubts about which of his friends the Keeper of Knowledge wanted. Andrew had always been hungry to learn, discover, and tinker. Who he was as a person seemed to perfectly align with a cosmic entity with such an ominous name. Andrew craved knowledge. Nil could only hope Keeper of Knowledge was an entity of good and wouldn¡¯t take his friend away or lead him down a dark path. Nil had to admit. He was somehow surrounded by amazing people of incredible talent and potentially world-changing¡ªif not multiverse-altering¡ªfutures. He struggled to see how he had done anything special by bringing them together. It was mostly chance and coincidence, and Nil believed that luck was of no merit. However, he also believed that it was stupid to look a gift horse in the mouth. By surrounding himself with such individuals, he had opened several new paths and opportunities for himself and the people he cared about. Nil had no plans on missing out on any of it. 130. Welcome Home And Farewell Two weeks passed before Nil, his friends, and family got the time to go out together. He recovered from his injury in the meantime and also finished consuming the Mind pill. Unfortunately, it only netted him an additional rank in the attribute. Low potential came with severe drawbacks. It wasn¡¯t just that his Mind grew at an abysmal rate; the forums claimed that he likely got less return on it, further propagating the belief that the archetypes were more related to an individual''s attributes than abilities. As expected, neither Absorb nor Expend reached the desired Iron-Nine, and the match with Pietro continued to edge closer. Regular training with Isabella and Noah, as well as endless drills in the obstacle course, resulted in welcome positive results. Nil received several pleasing notifications related to them. Finesse has progressed to Bronze 3! Spark has progressed to Bronze 8! Toggled Supercharge has progressed to Iron 5! Each rank was invaluable. The one unit of Finesse significantly sharpened Nil¡¯s senses and reflexes, granting him better control over his body. Best of all, he could afford to infuse more energy when supercharging speed without endangering himself. His base speed also increased significantly. The additional Spark provided a nice boost to his maximum capacity. Nil had cultivation and all the related techniques to thank for the growth. He didn¡¯t get an additional rank in Wield The Source as he had hoped, but it was still plenty. Nil felt his connection to his energy and control over it improved with the attribute¡¯s growth. The additional ranks of Toggled Supercharging were, of course, welcome. The changes weren¡¯t dramatic, but the basic boost without additional energy improvement marginally improved. Every bit of extra speed, strength, or toughness made the difference. Outside of the Schema-recognized developments, Nil also made significant advances in emission, shaping, and manipulation. Watcher claimed his most notable improvements were in Shaping. His Source Sphere remained stable at tennis-ball size, not losing any energy unless he threw it or let it touch anything but air. The punching knife was almost just as good, but the more complicated knuckle-duster dagger still wasn¡¯t as good as he hoped. Of the Source weapons, the three-finger blader continued as his best-made weapon. Noah and he discussed transforming it into a katar or having it encompass his entire hand. Unfortunately, Nil struggled to get a clear enough mental image and create a stable construct. However, the guidance proved invaluable, and Nil used the second of his three vouchers for more time with Watcher. The mysterious entity gave him ten sessions instead of seven. Andrew¡¯s advice to channel all energy through the gems also helped. It was challenging to completely change how he went about using the gauntlets, but his Source Sphere and weapons consumed a lot less energy during their creation. Nil also tried developing other uses for the Source to pursue the duality concept Andrew had mentioned, but it proved nearly impossible. It wasn¡¯t just that Nil knew little about the multiversal energy and its capabilities. There was something philosophical and introspective about it that Nil just couldn¡¯t get his head around. With only three weeks left until his fight with Pietro, Nil doubted he¡¯d magic a new weapon or tool in the time he had left. Andrew insisted he not give up on the possibility of a breakthrough, but Nil chose to shelve the matter and improve on what he already had at hand. Even though Nil¡¯s Expend rank didn¡¯t change, his control over aerial movement significantly improved. Thanks to the gauntlets¡¯ amplification ability, it took almost no energy for the hand blasts. Shaping helped him contain and direct the energy releases better. Afterward, it was just a matter of adjusting angles. The explosive foot Expends saw far less improvement, but Nil successfully reduced how much he deviated from his intended direction. Handblasts helped him make corrections afterward. Most of all, Nil sharpened his instincts. He had Noah, Zora, Cara Sue, and most of all, Isabella to thank for the improvements. They were all a collection of minor growths, and everyone told Nil they were enough, but he couldn¡¯t be sure. The idea of facing Pietro filled Nil with fear, but he reminded himself that if it wasn¡¯t him, Shawn or Selia would need to fight him. Then, if either of them died, he wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive himself. Nil didn¡¯t want to admit it to anyone, but the fear excited him. He recognized it as the duality Andrew mentioned. The chances of death were high. The risk made it even more thrilling. Looking death in the eye made Nil feel alive. He had told no one about how he felt. Not Andrew. Not Selia. While Selia was more likely to understand him, Nil didn¡¯t feel ready to bear himself to her in such a manner. He didn¡¯t have a need or desperation to throw himself into such situations. It wasn¡¯t a compulsion or addiction. However, Nil considered the twisted side of him valuable. It made him willing to throw himself into necessary situations where monsters needed to be put down or decent people¡ªespecially his people needed protecting. Instead of talking to anyone about it, Nil pushed his friends and family to get together for a meal. A probable final meal. He booked a week in advance for a table of eight on a Saturday evening. The list of attendees included Nil, Selia, Shawn, Susan, Andrew, Udit, Emily, and Sam. Either someone saw the pre-planned match on the roster, or Pietro talked to the press. Nil and Bunty received endless messages requesting a live interview. People already wanted to talk to him after Jaqueline¡¯s death. Nil agreed to an interview on Bunty¡¯s insistence. When the interviewer asked him about how he was celebrating his recent victories or spending quality time with people important to him, he told them about the planned dinner. The disarming interviewer also managed to get the location out of him. Nil felt like a fool afterward. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. When the party of eight arrived for dinner at Misdirection¡ªNil¡¯s former workplace¡ªa giant crowd of paparazzi welcomed them. Shawn had to erect translucent barriers to block their vision and let the minors flee indoors. Udit also followed closely behind them, with Susan and Andrew. Shieldmaster Shawn was the last of the party to enter after the rest of the Death Gauntlet Team were already inside. Even though it was short notice, Nil¡¯s celebrity status got them the chef¡¯s table. His old boss also came out to see them. The man shook hands with all the guests, took photos with them, and then returned to the kitchen. Nil struggled not to roll his eyes at the man. Employment under him and its end was an endless stream of abuse, but now fame had turned the chef¡¯s tune. If not for Emily and Sam begging to see where he used to work, Nil would¡¯ve booked elsewhere. The evening was supposed to be a celebration of their recent victories and Andrew¡¯s welcome home. Nil didn¡¯t tell anyone, but he also considered it a farewell meal in case he didn¡¯t make it. Unfortunately, he felt uneasy the second he stepped out of the car, and the feeling intensified at the chef¡¯s table and every second he spent in his seat. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you finally,¡± Emily told Selia. The pair sat opposite each other. Nil had placed Andrew and Susan between his sister and father. ¡°How long have you been official?¡± ¡°Almost a month now,¡± she answered, playfully bumping Nil with her shoulder. ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to egg him on like I did when he asked me on, but Nil initiated the talk all by himself.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s growth.¡± Emily grinned at her brother. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± ¡°You should be. He is a good man, an amazing cook, and a bloody amazing Summoned.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good brother too.¡± Nil did his best to be polite and not give away his discomfort. Everyone appeared to be having a good time. Shawn was finally starting to open up with Andrew. Udit and Susan were discussing current affairs, and Sam appeared glad just to be out late and in a venue so grand and fancy. Nil couldn¡¯t ask for more, but something continued to bug him. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was the paparazzi outside or his former employer milling around the kitchen and silently abusing the staff under his breath. Even though the chef¡¯s table was in the kitchen, it put him in the perfect position to view all the cooking and the restaurant¡¯s glass front door without moving. The sensation lingered, not strengthening or weakening as their drinks and the tasting menu¡¯s opening snacks arrived. He barely noticed that the textures and tastes were slightly off. They didn¡¯t meet the quality standards he held as sous chef. But it wasn¡¯t what was bothering him. ¡°What are your plans after you make it to the Bronze Gauntlet?¡± Susan asked, pulling Nil out of his thoughts. Nil shrugged. ¡°I know I don¡¯t want to head into the Death Gauntlet again. Layla already knows how much I hate it and how little I want to do it again. I could try the Gauntlet of Ten or some of those big group events or the giant battle royales, which come with a butt load of points.¡± ¡°There¡¯s the Cleansing,¡± Susan said. ¡°You lot could try for that. It¡¯s hard, but the top teams get a shit load of points.¡± ¡°I heard about that!¡± Selia exclaimed. ¡°First-prize includes half the necessary points for promotion to Silver Gauntlet. The second position gets twenty-five percent and fifteen for third. We could try for it as a trio. If Cara Sue and Zora haven¡¯t made it to Silver by then, they could join us, too.¡± ¡°Good luck getting the tickets,¡± Shawn told them. ¡°The arena allows only eight entrants per Seed World, and Wilson Luduses gets most of them. They got six of them last year, seven the year before, and all before that. Competition is going to be harsh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we can manage,¡± Nil said. ¡°Between Nexus resources and cultivation, I bet we can compete with Wilson.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Shawn sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t mind the challenge, but we¡¯d be pissing off a lot of important people if we win. They could make life for us significantly harder.¡± ¡°Since when was that an issue for you?¡± Selia asked, right eyebrow raised. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you still have a shrine dedicated to Wildshape Wilson.¡± ¡°I never had a shrine,¡± Shawn replied, rolling his eyes. ¡°It might not be the best idea. That¡¯s all. But if you and Nil are going to give it a shot, I will too. I just want you to know the risks. If you want to do anything besides arena and quests, like set up an enterprise on Earth, you don¡¯t want the Wilsons against you. Adrian has lots of big government contracts. Arthur pretty much rules and monopolizes the tech industry and supply chains.¡± ¡°The Cleansing sounds good to me,¡± Nil said. ¡°I know nothing about it, but it sounds far better than Death Gauntlet and the heartbreak of getting kicked out of the Gauntlet of Ten.¡± He returned his attention to Susan. ¡°What is the Cleansing?¡± ¡°One-twenty-eight people. Always eight from sixteen different universes. They divide themselves into teams of three to five and race through a fallen world. The entire team or all survivors need to make it to the finish line and kill a bunch of Cursed Ones along the way. Only one group gets the top prize. If more than half the team is knocked out, the entire team loses. The prizes are usually insane, so it can get cutthroat, and you¡¯ll have lots of teams trying to take each other out.¡± ¡°That sounds like a fair bit of fun. I¡¯m guessing it''s the arena constructs way of reclaiming or cleansing worlds for reseeding,¡± Selia said thoughtfully. ¡°Well, now I want to give it a shot, too. Win or lose, it should be a great experience and net us a bunch of ranks and experience. Right?¡± Shawn nodded. ¡°As far as I know, no team from our world has won. The best we¡¯ve done is second place, and that¡¯s when Wildshape did it himself. We also got third a few years ago.¡± ¡°I say we keep our eyes open for ticket events,¡± Nil told his friends. He had hoped the conversation would distract him from the unease, but it didn¡¯t. ¡°What do we have to lose? Besides pissing off¡ª¡± ¡°Sunil,¡± Utpal called, interrupting the conversation. ¡°Would you mind showing Sam to the men¡¯s room? Maybe also show him around?¡± ¡°Of course, Baba.¡± Nil rose from his table. ¡°If the chef doesn¡¯t mind, I can also show them around the kitchen. Would you like that, Sammy?¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± The now thirteen-year-old piped up. ¡°Can I come too?¡± Emily asked, already getting up from her seat. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± 131. Deep Unease ¡°This is where I started off,¡± Nil said, pointing to the longest section of the kitchen. Four cooks worked on it. ¡°It''s called garde manger. The far end is making the snacks we just ate. The next one over is where our cold vegetarian starters and elements will be made. Then we have Alan and Steve making the hot veggies that¡¯ll go on all our hot dishes. I know they look like twins but they¡¯re not. Alan and Steve don¡¯t like it when I make that clarification or mix them up either. They also take turns ensuring the section is running just fine and report to the sous chef for ordering ingredients or if anything is wrong.¡± ¡°Sous chef?¡± Sammy curiously peeked at whatever Alan was cooking. The skinny man angled himself, giving the young teen a better view. ¡°That was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It was,¡± Alan said. ¡°And Nil was by far the best sous chef I¡¯ve ever worked under. He looked up from his work for a moment. Let me know if you ever quit the arena and decide to open your own place.¡± ¡°Who else would I put in charge of the cold kitchen?¡± Nil winked. He lowered his volume and stepped past his sister and cousin. ¡°Did they change the decor or lighting after I left? Something feels different.¡± Alan shook his head. ¡°It''s all the same, chef. The menu has changed a bunch. You can probably tell that most of the old team is gone. But besides that, nothing has changed. Same chef. Same drama. Same old shit.¡± Nil moved on, still trying to shake the uncomfortable feeling. ¡°I then did a month on fish. It always has three people. One for the cold, raw stuff. Another for the hot. Then there is a floater, helping wherever there is a rush.¡± He pointed at the next part of the kitchen. ¡°Sauce or Meat is the busiest section. We have one for the tartare and terrine. One for the sauce. One is taking care of the charcoal grill. And that¡¯s Wendy helping whoever is struggling, cutting and trimming everything before she runs it up to the sous chef and chef to send out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so hot in here,¡± Emily commented, taking a step back as Wendy carried fresh burning coals from the hearth to the grill. ¡°You stop noticing after doing it every day,¡± Wendy said, winking as she passed. Nil also received a shy smile from the woman. She would often flirt with Nil while he still worked there. He had pretended not to notice even though Wendy was amongst the prettiest women to give him the time of day pre-Summoning. It wasn¡¯t just because of the visage; he also didn¡¯t want to get involved with a coworker. ¡°After finishing all three sections, I did a few weeks on pastry before becoming sous chef.¡± The unease got stronger as he led Sam and Emily down a narrow corridor to the back of the kitchen. ¡°It''s my weakest area, but it''s my favorite. I¡ª¡± ¡°Your favorite is something you¡¯re bad at?¡± Sam asked, slowing. ¡°I thought cooking over fire was your favorite.¡± ¡°I love cooking over fire, but I¡¯ve done it so much and am so used to it, it''s second nature,¡± Nil explained. ¡°There is little room for experimentation or general fun. I am bad at pastry, but that means I have a lot to learn and practice, and there is also room for innovation. It''s satisfying when you get good at something you suck at. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Stop trying to teach life lessons, Nil,¡± Emily said, rolling her eyes. She paused, nose twitching. ¡°Is that chocolate?¡± Emily smiled mischievously, peeking at the restaurant chocolatier making petit fors. ¡°Can you snag me a sample?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to ruin your appetite, Emmy,¡± Nil said. ¡°Just wait. You¡¯ll get them eventually. I¡¯ll see if I can get you samples or a goody bag to take home.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Emily fell silent when Nil stiffened, frowning. The unease reached its peak as they passed the pantry. It was the source of everything and sent a shiver down his spine. Even though Nil was sure what he was feeling, he rushed to the door and threw it open. ¡°What is it?¡± Sam asked, sounding concerned, but went ignored. Energy Instinct has progressed to Iron 5! Black smoke leaked from a cake box by the door. Pink, orange, and crimson flecks filled the dark fumes. A sticky note sat next to the bow. ¡®For Nil Roy and Party. To be gifted and cut at the table after pre-desserts.¡± Mind has progressed to Iron 4! A pink aura surrounded the note that gave Nil a dull headache. It was partly responsible for the uneasiness. Nil recognized the odd presence. It was Mind Magic. ¡°Go back to Baba,¡± Nil said, approaching the container. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emily asked, grabbing his sleeve. ¡°Just go back to Baba. Send everyone else in here.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue or ask questions.¡± Nil snapped, struggling to conceal his concern. ¡°Something is really wrong here, and I need them. You need to get away.¡± The two youngest of the Roy clan ceased protesting. They did as told, leaving. A commotion filled the kitchen moments later. A couple of minutes passed before his friends rushed into the restaurant¡¯s pantry. The chef was with them. ¡°What the fuck are you playing at, Roy?¡± The man demanded, his earlier politeness and flattering tone forgotten. He achieved Bronze Realm before achieving his celebrity chef status and never managed to progress past it. ¡°Just because you¡¯re a big shot doesn¡¯t mean you can hold a fucking party in my kitchen. Take your people and get the fuck out.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°What¡¯s this, Chef?¡± Nil asked, pointing at the box with a bow. The man appeared confused, eyes darting between and Nil. ¡°What does it look like? A gift.¡± ¡°Where did you get it?¡± Susan¡¯s demanding tone didn¡¯t carry her usual gentleness. She was cold and business-like. It reminded Nil of when they went on a quest together. ¡°I don¡¯t like this signature one bit,¡± Andrew commented, his eyes glowed silver as he studied the box closely. All of them were careful not to touch it. ¡°There is a strong Mind Magic field around it and something powerful within. It''s dirty. Uneasy feeling.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cursed Energy,¡± Nil told them before returning his attention to his former boss. ¡°Answer the question, Chef. Where did you get it?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± The chef hesitated, his brows furrowing. He moved to touch the box, but Shawn grabbed the man¡¯s hand and pulled it away. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Someone gave it to me, but I don¡¯t remember who.¡± ¡°Someone fucked with his head,¡± Selia stated. She turned the chef¡¯s head around and looked into his eyes.¡±Yeah. That looks like Mind Magic, alright. I think he put everything in Finesse first and Might second. Bastard probably put nothing in Mind.¡± ¡°Sleight of Hand doesn¡¯t need a lot of it,¡± Nil said, eyes still focused on the box. Energy Instinct struggled to penetrate through the thick pink veil surrounding it. The Cursed Energy only leaked through a small tear in the encasing. ¡°He only raised his Mind to learn a couple of support spells. Any idea what it could be, Andy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bomb,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°To be more accurate, it¡¯s similar to the aetheric power cells I saw on the Control World. They¡¯re considered outdated technology because of their unstable nature. This is a cheap imitation souped up with Cursed Energy. A shoddy artisan made this. This thing should have enough power to level the restaurant, the buildings on either side of it, and even the theater across the road. We¡¯re talking about a little fire and a whole lot of concussive force.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll evacuate everybody,¡± Susan said, heading for the door. Two knee-high canines appeared at her knee. One was fluffy and white; the other had a smooth black coat. Both radiated strong magic. ¡°Can you diffuse it?¡± Shawn asked. He carried the same focus as he did while on the battlefield. ¡°I won¡¯t know without opening the box,¡± Andrew answered. ¡°And for all we know, that¡¯s the trigger mechanism. It''s pulsing, though.¡± ¡°And the energy signature is getting stronger with each pulse.¡± Nil sighed, cursing himself. He knew something was wrong, but his inability to identify the issue had put all of his people in trouble. Someone¡ªthe people behind Symbiotech or Pietro and the remaining corrupted soul weapon wielders¡ªhad laid a trap for them. And it was all his fault. ¡°I can barely tell through the Mind Magic veil. But it''s getting stronger.¡± ¡°This thing will reach a crescendo and go boom.¡± Andrew pulled up his left sleeve, revealing a big gold, blue and pink tattoo underneath. It glowed as his right hand passed over it. ¡°I don¡¯t have the tools to deal with this.¡± ¡°Get out,¡± Nil said. ¡°Take Chef with you.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°Maybe if I get a closer look¡ª¡± ¡°Andy. You need to fuck off right now. Shawn and I will figure something out.¡± The soulsmith hesitated. His eyes returned to the box. He stepped toward it until Shawn blocked his path. Andrew¡¯s shoulders fell. He quickly hugged Nil. ¡°Just don¡¯t die. Alright? I just became a Summoned. We got a lot¡ª¡± The chef moved so fast that he was almost a blur. He slipped past Shawn and threw the box¡¯s lid open. The man collapsed, and the veil around the container disappeared. Energy Instinct detected a Mind Magic cloud disperse from around his head. Then, the overwhelming Cursed Energy aura took over. The pulses sped up. ¡°Fuck!¡± Andrew yelled. He grabbed the chef and dragged him out of the pantry. Shawn pushed Nil aside and manifested a layered barrier around the box. Each section thickened and slowly gained opacity. ¡°Everyone out,¡± Shawn said. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Andrew said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you in action. This is far more powerful than anything you¡¯ve contained.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with this together,¡± Nil said. ¡°It¡¯s fire and concussive force, right? I can handle that.¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°Just take Chef and get out.¡± Andrew ceased protesting. He dragged the man out of the room. The kitchen and restaurant sounded chaotic. Nil heard shouting and crying. People were panicking. ¡°Andrew was right,¡± Shawn said. ¡°My sensory powers aren¡¯t as good as yours, but I can tell that my barriers can¡¯t handle this no matter how much I layer it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re going to take a step back and create a barrier around me too.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can take it?¡± Shaw sounded for the first time since the pair had met. ¡°I¡¯m supercharging toughness. When it''s about to explode, I¡¯ll infuse everything I have in the ability. Between it, Absorb, and your barriers, maybe we¡¯ll be able just about contain this.¡± Nil did his best to sound confident but failed miserably. ¡°Or so I hope. We don¡¯t have any other option. My family and a bunch of innocent people will get caught in this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got seconds.¡± Shawn sighed. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do this. I¡¯ve set the barriers to explode inwards. I don¡¯t know if it will help at all.¡± His barriers were so grey and opaque that they resembled smoothened and polished stone. Nil stepped up to the open box and studied the almost alien mechanism within. It looked like a biomechanical oddity out of a sci-fi film. He manifested the Source Gauntlets and did his best to cover as much of the box as possible. In the meantime, Shawn surrounded him with a large, wardrobe-sized barrier. Nil heard a muffled good luck before it started to lose transparency. Nil closed his eyes and circulated all the energy in his system, focusing everything on Energy Instinct. The pulses sped up and reached a crescendo. Then came the terrifying moment. He infused Toggled Supercharging with all of his energy and hoped Absorb would do the job. The barriers shattered. Absorb has progressed to Iron 9! The blast rapidly inflated Nil¡¯s stores, and he tried his best to pour all the energy he had absorbed into supercharging toughness. Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Iron 6! Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Iron 7! The rate of infusion failed to keep up with the rate of absorption. Heat enveloped Nil¡¯s body, and he felt so many bones break he didn¡¯t know if any bit of him was still intact. Galvanize has progressed to Iron 5! Source Gauntlets have progressed to Iron 4! Might has progressed to Bronze 0! Consciousness left Nil, and his legs failed him. Unconsciousness replaced the pain. 132. Not Martyred Yet The world was blurry when Nil opened his eyes. It felt like he¡¯d been asleep for an eternity. His eyes didn¡¯t just need to adjust to the light but refocus as well. His head felt fuzzy as well. More accurately, it was like someone had forced an immersion blender through his right eye socket before scrambling his skull¡¯s contents. When his vision finally focused, he found all his dinner guests except his family looking down at him. Selia was the closest. She stroked his hair and smiled. ¡°Welcome back, sleepy head,¡± she said before planting a soft kiss on his lips. Selia kneeled next to him and brushed back her hair. She looked healthy but exhausted, and her usually well-maintained, dark-brown hair was an unbrushed, knotted mess. ¡°You had us worried for a moment there.¡± The others stood over the pair, looking relieved. Andrew flumped down on his bottom next to the couple. Unlike Selia, it looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in days. ¡°Welcome back?¡±Nil asked, sitting up. It was then he realized that they were in the Nexus, sitting next to the fountain of Pyrene. ¡°Did I go somewhere?¡± All the fuzziness left at once as he recalled what had just happened. ¡°Did everyone get out? Baba, Emmy¡ª¡± ¡°I got them to Piccadilly Circus before the bomb went critical,¡± Selia said. ¡°It proved unnecessary,¡± Susan added, smiling down at Nil. Shawn stood next to her, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You two did it. The damage didn¡¯t go past the pantry. Only the two of you were injured.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been out for ten days,¡± Shawn added. ¡°Ten days?!¡± Exclaimed, jumping to his feet. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°There is nothing on Earth that can fix the type of injury you suffered,¡± Selia answered. ¡°Susan stabilized you, fixed all the brain stuff, internal bleeding, and fixed your lungs. Rib fragments shredded them.¡± ¡°It was a lot more than that,¡± Susan said as Nil mouthed a thank you, still struggling to process how much time had passed. ¡°If I didn¡¯t ascend my power seed to Silver it wouldn¡¯t have worked. A little less magic or control and¡­¡± Susan trailed off, eyes drifting to her hands. Nil reached across and took one of them. ¡°That¡¯s the second time you¡¯ve brought me back from sure death. Thank you.¡± ¡°Well, you saved everyone. They¡¯re calling you a hero back home. Wildshape Wilson has already made a martyr out of you. He¡¯s pinning it on anti-Summoned terrorists and Jaqueline the Shredder¡¯s fanatical fans.¡± Susan squeezed his hand. ¡°They¡¯re halfway right. That¡¯s a stupidly dangerous thing you did.¡± ¡°How did I get here?¡± Nil asked, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck. Nothing hurt. In fact he felt stronger and fitter than ever before. Then he remembered his Might ascending to Bronze. He was sure that the attribute¡¯s growth contributed to his survival. ¡°We had to get you awake enough to consent to a Nexus teleportation,¡± Andrew said, smiling weakly. ¡°We were starting to get worried it would never happen. You stirred a bunch of times but were never really awake until a few minutes ago. We¡¯ve all been taking turns at your bedside. In the end, you had enough sense to agree during my shift..¡± ¡°He got frustrated and shocked you, actually,¡± Susan told Nil. ¡°Thanks, Andy.¡± Nil reached out to his friend and clasped his shoulder. ¡°You always know what¡¯s best for me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank him.¡± Susan frowned at her partner. ¡°He wanted to do it on day two and it would have hundred-percent killed you. It only worked because you had about ten days to recover and even then chances of success were low.¡± ¡°It was a stupid decision,¡± Layla said through one of her pink clones. ¡°But, as your people say, it''s not stupid if it works. I was worried we lost you there. Would be a shame given how valuable an asset you are.¡± ¡°Do we know who was behind it?¡± Nil asked. Someone in a group nearby whistled as he stood up, and he immediately felt self-conscious. Nil hadn¡¯t noticed earlier, but he had nothing on besides a hospital gown, and the usual breeze blowing through the Nexus caressed his muscled bottom. ¡°Because I¡¯m not buying Wildshape¡¯s anti-Summoned terrorist talk or fanatic Shredder fans.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we move to my office,¡± Layla said. Another one of her clones handed Nil folded garments with a pair of slippers on top. ¡°Get dressed first. I don¡¯t want your naked butt on my chairs.¡± The caseworker¡¯s office now had two simple love seats and a pair of armchairs. They all took seats before she continued. ¡°I put Susan and CIT on the case, and we found answers.¡± A giant screen appeared before them. Several videos played simultaneously, following the investigative team¡¯s members. ¡°Andrew was smart enough to swipe the box¡¯s lid on his way out. We also called in a favor with Katherine Park. Forensic analysis and studying the remnants of Mind Magic led us to the Pits.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Two faces Nil hadn¡¯t seen in a while appeared on screen: Chain Knight and Winter Hunter. It came as no surprise that the siblings had turned to the Pits after failing at the qualifiers. Susan and CIT fought and pursued them, along with several others. The attendees of the illegal fighting ring fled, and CIT ignored everyone but a small group, along with the siblings. Nil recognized most of the pursued. They were individuals on the list of Summoned connected to Symbiotech and either had a corrupted soul weapon or were preparing to receive one. There were more than a dozen of them, and CIT pursued the group through a maze of shipping containers. Susan¡¯s dogs caught a couple, but the others only found fresh corpses. Screams rang through the docks. Some bodies were mutilated and ripped to pieces. Others appeared intact but sickly and pale for a Summoned. All had the same terror-locked expressions and lifeless eyes. One of Layla¡¯s clones approached with a tray of food and drinks. Everyone let Andrew and Nil have their pick first. Both dug in without paying attention to what they consumed. Their eyes remained glued to the screen. All the members of CIT heard odd sounds and movements nearby, but the second they turned the corner, the source was gone. On a couple of occasions, Nil saw something spider-like moving in the shadows, but he couldn¡¯t be sure. It was Susan who managed to cast light on the perpetrator. She moved faster than the others, riding on Skoll¡¯s back while Hati leaped between the stacks of shipping containers. The latter of the dogs glowed so bright the camera Susan carried struggled to capture a sharp image. When she finally caught up to the perpetrator, Nil¡¯s stomach dropped. He recognized the slimy, sludge-like material that constituted the body. He hadn¡¯t just seen it up close but felt it too. Nil had wondered whatever had happened to the Symbiotech symbiote that consumed all of the Cursed Energy. Shina had told him the artificial creatures couldn¡¯t survive without their designated Summoned host or outside of their patented containment units. The news reports also talked of sludge found under the building. Layla and CIT had written it off as the symbiote¡¯s remains. They had an insider collect a sample through one of their sources, and all seemed above board. They were wrong. It was the symbiote that was built to become his soul weapon. Nil was sure because of the very human face on the amorphous woman-shaped body. ¡°Holy, fucking shit.¡± Andrew gasped, wide eyes darting to Nil. ¡°Is it me or does that look like Aisha?¡± The symbiote bore the same face as the Haunting Visage that had haunted Nil for almost eight years of his life. Hati dove at it, but the symbiote lost its shape and ducked, letting the dog fly through where it stood. Blade-like growths matching Fatima¡¯s blood knives shot out of them, taking the canine¡¯s sides. Susan and Skoll raced at it, but the creature turned into a puddle slithered between two shipping containers and disappeared. ¡°We searched for hours afterward, but it was gone,¡± Susan said. ¡°CIT and I are dedicating all our efforts to finding it. They¡¯re making more progress than I am.¡± ¡°We have some good news,¡± Layla said. The many screens merged into two. Both showed cells. One contained Chain Knight and the other Winter Hunter. ¡°Winter Hunter has a corrupted soul weapon. She revealed during interrogations that it was implanted not long before we took down Symbiotech. Her brother was due to get one soon after. They weren¡¯t involved in planting the bomb or its creation, but we¡¯ve found evidence of them procuring some of the parts.¡± ¡°Shina was behind it,¡± Andrew added. ¡°It''s likely Pietro has a part to play in this too.¡± Nil clenched his fists and jaw. He moved his family into the ludus to avoid the very thing that had almost happened. At first, there was enough plausible deniability around his survival and the company¡¯s downfall. But after Nil and his friends took out six people with corrupted soul weapons, there was no denying it. It was clear he sabotaged them and was behind their downfall. It was also why Pietro challenged him. They wanted him gone and weren¡¯t above targeting his family. ¡°What¡¯s happening with the symbiote, thing, whatever it is?¡± Selia asked. ¡°Are we going to hunt it down?¡± ¡°Not you or Nil,¡± Layla answered. ¡°We worry this thing might want him given their past connection, and there is no telling what will happen if they meet or bond. Given your new relationship, you¡¯re far too close to this. I don¡¯t want Shawn involved in this either. Focus on the rest of your current quest, and I have the next assignment lined up.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No arguments. CIT is on the case and has proven its worth. I¡¯m also bringing in people who are more specialized in tracking and hunting such things from around the globe. They¡¯ll take care of this. You too, Susan.¡± ¡°But this thing is dangerous,¡± the summoner protested. ¡°More lives might be at risk.¡± ¡°Honestly? At this time, the Nexus doesn¡¯t care about the endangered lives in question.¡± Layla¡¯s tone was cold but professional. ¡°They¡¯re all people allying with parties and using tools that endanger life on your planet. However, we don¡¯t want it to continue to feed and get stronger, either. Our priority is to track the creature, trap it, and kill it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s weak to all things cold,¡± Nil said. ¡°If anyone in this team you¡¯re building has ice or frost-related powers, dealing with this thing should be no trouble at all.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Now, go home, rest, and get ready. You have just about ten days to prepare for your next fight.¡± Layla paused. ¡°You should also talk to your family. They¡¯re worried.¡± The caseworker appeared concerned and hesitant. ¡°They also probably have a lot to tell you.¡± 133. Necessary Steps ¡°You what?!¡± Nil exclaimed, bewildered, as his eyes shot between Udit and Emily. After welcoming him home and celebrating his good health with dinner together, they sent Sam away for a sleepover. The Forge¡¯s in-house doctor had twin boys of the same age, and they had become good friends. The family didn¡¯t mind welcoming Sam on short notice. ¡°How did this happen? How can you be this stupid, Emmy?¡± Emily shrugged, eyes on the floor. ¡°Baba and I got separated when we were running away, and I stayed to help evacuate.¡± ¡°Why? You¡¯re seventeen and a civilian, for fuck sake. Why would you risk yourself like that?¡± Udit didn¡¯t reprimand Nil when he swore. The older of the two Roy men appeared as frustrated as Nil felt. Given the dark circles and disheveled hair, it seemed Udit hadn¡¯t slept in days, and Nil now knew that Emily was partially responsible. ¡°It just happened. Okay?¡± Emily frowned, switching from guilt to defiance. ¡°There were these two girls about Sammy¡¯s age. One of them twisted her ankle, and I stayed with them until Hati returned. Then, I saw Andrew struggling with your old chef, and I had to help.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to, Emmy.¡± Nil sighed. Even though Summoned weren¡¯t allowed in the Forge¡¯s civilian quarters, he had let himself in. No automated system or magic stopped him. He had claimed what was usually Udit¡¯s armchair and now sat, massaging his temple. ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°Andrew yelled at me to run,¡± Emily answered. ¡°He said it was going to blow, and if I didn¡¯t get away I¡¯d die.¡± Her voice quivered. ¡°When I refused, Andrew told me that I¡¯d die for nothing if I got caught in the blast. Then it happened.¡± ¡°Tell him what it said,¡± Baba ordered, his voice cold. ¡°The Schema said that I¡¯d earned its attention for my bravery and helping those in need during an emergency situation. It said that I had proven that I was beyond my years¡ªwhatever that means¡ªand wished to give me the chance to save the multiverse like you were.¡± ¡°It mentioned me?¡± Nil asked, surprised. Emily nodded. ¡°Why did you have to say yes?¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t you realize that I¡¯m doing all of this to protect you three? So you don¡¯t get sucked into this madness and all the fucked up shit in this world? Why would you accept the Summoning?¡± ¡°I thought you were going to die!¡± She yelled, her pitching sharply rising. ¡°I thought I was going to die too. Besides, you turned my life upside down once already. Why shouldn¡¯t I become a Summoned? It gives me freedom and control to decide my own future. I don¡¯t want to live the rest of my life as a liability or responsibility. This gives me the chance to be more.¡± ¡°You were always enough for all of us already, Emmy.¡± Nil moved to the couch, sitting next to his sister, and put an arm around her. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this. I¡¯m working for the Nexus and doing all the Apocalypse Arena stuff so we can all eventually move to a Control World.¡± ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t want to wait that long and be a dependent,¡± Emily whispered, leaning against Nil. She put her arms around her brother and cried. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Nil. You¡¯re achieving great things and doing good for the world and the Nexus. But because of you, we¡¯re trapped. Baba won¡¯t let me have a life outside of the Nexus, and someone will follow me to school and back. This lets me be my own person.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that it''s stupid,¡± Udit said, sounding defeated. ¡°I already barely sleep at night when Nil¡¯s due to fight in the arena or away on a quest. Now I have to worry about you as well. I¡¯m old and it''s my dream to see the pair of you independent, healthy, and successful. But not like this.¡± ¡°I told you, Baba. I¡¯m a support summoner. My ability is meant to help and protect, not fight. Layla said¡ª¡± ¡°Layla is your caseworker?¡± Nil asked as relief washed over him. ¡°She wasn¡¯t happy about me becoming a Summoned either and said she had to pull strings to ensure I didn¡¯t end up with someone else. Layla said that for your sake, she¡¯ll ensure I get quests in stable population centers, which are mostly support or protection jobs. She seemed worried. Layla claimed you¡¯d get mad and quit your job if I didn¡¯t agree to her terms and did as told.¡± ¡°She knows me well.¡± Nil turned his attention to his father. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Baba. Layla is trustworthy. I¡¯ll talk to her and confirm it, but Emily won¡¯t go anywhere dangerous or take on anything involving actual combat?¡± ¡°And are you sure this isn¡¯t the same bullshit you sold me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Nil admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll ensure she sticks to support quests.¡± He returned his attention to his sister. ¡°What¡¯s the ability? Is it like Susan¡¯s dogs?¡± ¡°Elemental Summoning,¡± Emily answered, shaking her head. ¡°They¡¯re expendable instead of Susan¡¯s big ones. I have access to Wind, Water, and Earth, and can either summon them individually or combine two for something more powerful.¡± ¡°Single or multiple summons?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Three of the basic or two of the combined. Water and Earth together give me a plant thing with healing magic. It helped me save lives on my first quest.¡± Emily smiled, wiping away her tears. ¡°It was nice to help people. They respected me and listened to me even though I¡¯m only seventeen.¡± ¡°The people of Beacon Worlds usually respect the Summoned. We¡¯re risking ourselves to help them, after all.¡± Still frustrated, Udit stormed off to his room. Nil was famished and took his sister down to the cafeteria for dinner. He checked on his father on the way out, and it seemed the man needed some time to stew. Nil understood Udit¡¯s frustration as he also felt it, but he thought it was important to support his sister and listen. The recent changes hadn¡¯t been easy for her, and the last thing he wanted was for her to use her new freedom to leave or find a loophole and disappear into the multiverse. Nil planned to talk to Layla and ensure that she only took on short-term quests. The Forge didn¡¯t have any Summoned who were minor, and he hoped to arrange some special training sessions for Emily that worked around her school schedule. Emily calmed down once they were seated, and she had a few mouthfuls of food. When asked, she gladly detailed her power and also explained each elemental''s abilities. Afterward, she also put on a demonstration in a training room. All her summons had an aura, and Emily¡¯s sub-ability helped her choose who it affected. Air was a grey bird with a white pattern. It flew swiftly, and its wing flaps released a strong enough gust to push people back and make the punching bag nearby swing wildly. When she added water to the mix, the bird grew bigger, adopting a kingfisher-like appearance. The long beak appeared capable of piercing powerful armor, and the claw swipes shot crescent water blades. The first¡¯s aura granted speed, while the latter added a calming aura to the vicinity. Wind and Earth together created a lizard with wings made of sand. It appeared more of a glider than a flier and also whipped up a miniature sandstorm. The swirling sands blinded Nil and left his skin itchy. The aura apparently eroded armor, but Emily had no means of demonstrating the ability. Earth, on its own, also summoned a lizard that appeared perfect for protection. It had no special abilities besides dense armor. Its appearance reminded Nil of the Cursed One from his fight against Jaqueline. Its aura also improved allies¡¯ defence. Adding water to the mix created the plant Emily had mentioned. It looked like a lizard woman but made entirely of foliage. The aura soothed fatigue, and Nil felt ready to get back to training. Finally, there was water. Nil expected another bird but got an otter instead. It radiated cold and created little aquatic prisons like the woman who knocked Nil out of the Gauntlet of Ten. None of the offensive abilities seemed particularly potent and reminded Nil of Carmen¡¯s meager attack spells. He guessed the little offense Emily had was more meant for self defense. ¡°It¡¯s a diverse power set,¡± Nil stated. ¡°There is a lot of room for offense and growth if you ever need it.¡± ¡°I liked helping the girls back then,¡± Emily replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to fight. There was a moment when an assassin got into the backlines. I wasn¡¯t the target, but it was scary. Helping, healing, and protecting is more to my liking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s excellent,¡± Nil stated, making plans to invest in his sister and start her on the path of cultivation and arcane development straight away. Layla would most likely keep her from picking up anything too dangerous. However, he didn¡¯t trust the Schema not to throw emergency quests at her. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll stick to that. No arena bullshit for you.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Emily grinned, and her summons appeared to do the same, flashing bestial smiles at her older brother. The Forge¡¯s other residents and workers welcomed Nil home as he passed them. Some paused to share their concern and happiness about his return. More than one stated that they were worried about him not returning to take care of ¡®Pietro the dickhead.¡¯ Adam, being the charming that he was, had befriended many of the other Summoned and staff. Some also knew his other targets and victims. Many reiterated that they understood the threats of the Death Gauntlet, but it was still difficult when one of their own fell to someone so vile. Multiple screens around the ludus played channels with the news, arena feeds or played recordings of their residents¡¯ matches. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether a staff member, another ludus member, or a construct controlled them, but many switched to reports of the Misdirection incident and the chaos afterward. The restaurant hadn¡¯t opened since, and the chef was taken for questioning. Apparently, he hadn¡¯t yet recovered from the effects of Mind Magic. The channels also spoke of Nil and Shawn heroically saving one of the most popular and busy sections of the city. Apparently, several important people wanted to talk to them, but the ludus had turned most of them away and refused to share any information. Many questioned why the police hadn¡¯t made a statement regarding the people who prevented the disaster. The authorities, of course, didn¡¯t reveal that the Nexus ran the ludus in question. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t have any comments to make on the ¡®heroes¡¯; they just couldn¡¯t. Nil contacted Bunty. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± The content creator exclaimed over the phone. ¡°My inbox is full of fans, haters, and sponsors asking about your status. You and Shieldmaster Shawn are heroes now, you know?¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard. Do you want a promotion?¡± ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Bunty asked. ¡°Spokesperson and media manager. Make statements for me. Write scripts. I read them out.¡± Nil¡¯s chest tightened. ¡°This shit happened because I made the mistake of talking more than necessary. Pietro or whoever it was tried to kill everyone, and love knew I¡¯d be at Misdirection because I opened my big fat mouth.¡± ¡°Nil. Man. You can¡¯t take the blame for this. Seriously. It¡¯s not your fault. But if you really want me to do this, I¡¯m more than happy to.¡± Bunty paused. Nil heard the tapping of fingers on a glass surface. ¡°This could be good, actually. Gives me more freedom, and you just need to record little bits for me to stitch together. There are already a bunch of people who want to talk to you, represent their product, wear their logo in the arena, and a lot more. I¡¯m going to make you rich.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important here. Get a message out for me. Tell your audience that I¡¯m alive and well. Pietro and his cowardly friends tried to have me killed, but it didn¡¯t work. He¡¯s still going down in the arena. There was no Jaqueline fanatic or terrorist involved.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that? Pissing all of these people off is probably not the best idea.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried, we can put together a script, and I could read it out on video,¡± Nil said. ¡°That way, you¡¯re just sharing my statement and not making one for me.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about getting sued or genuine trouble with the police?¡± ¡°Between you and me, I don¡¯t live in their jurisdiction. These bastards tried to fuck with me and my family. Let''s light a fire under their asses.¡± ¡°You got it, buddy. I hope you know what you¡¯re doing.¡± 134. Pre-Match Calm Despite the loss of ten days of training time, Nil felt ready when he entered the arena¡¯s backroom. The seemingly endless structure was a city in itself. The walls curved, forming a large ring, and felt like the inside of a Coliseum-like structure, except Nil had no access to the central area. He weaved past the stone structures, occasionally scanning for the ceiling that seemed forever beyond the light. The Fountain of Pyrene had returned his body to its exact state just before the explosion, but fortunately, it didn¡¯t rob him of all the ranks he gained. Apparently, regression was a possibility with the one-hundred-credit treatment that he received. The fountain recorded an individual¡¯s physical and mental status every time they visited the Nexus. It used the last recording as a template when bringing someone back from near death. As Nil hunted for a vendor to buy permitted supplies, he theorized that Susan and the ludus¡¯s healers had done a good enough job so that his body didn¡¯t require a complete reset. He was thankful to them because the final ranks would most likely make all the difference¡ªor so he hoped. Except for the day before the match, Nil had almost no downtime. Every waking hour went into training. Selia and Shawn¡¯s final matches were before his, and they didn¡¯t have much time for socialising either. Watcher agreed to daily sessions, no questions asked. Given his name, Nil was sure the man already knew everything that had happened, even though it wasn¡¯t broadcast by Apocalypse Arena. Another ten sessions only cost him his final voucher. Nil didn¡¯t know their value, but the information and techniques learned felt invaluable. ¡°You have wise friends,¡± Watcher had said when Nil told him about the duality Andrew suggested. ¡°The philosophy behind the Source is not too different from that of Qi. The latter is a derivation of the first, after all. One can learn Qi techniques, which might be good enough, but they also need to bond with it at an intimate level. The best cultivators figure out what Qi means to them and mold it to match the essence of their being. ¡°Your current use of the Source matches the destructive side, but now you need to figure out the rest. I know it feels daunting, but you¡¯re halfway there. Now, it''s just a matter of figuring out what protecting means to you. It¡¯s not as complicated as you¡¯re making it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your way there sooner or later.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t help me a lot with my upcoming fight.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Between your overall strength and gauntlet, you¡¯re far more powerful than you think. No corrupted soul weapon can stand up to gauntlets that wield the Source. Just focus and train. There is no telling when an epiphany will find you.¡± Unfortunately, nothing found Nil during the build-up to his final Death Gauntlet match. After his morning sessions with Watcher, he spent his afternoons with Isabella. Zora and Cara Sue helped. Meanwhile, Shawn and Selia dedicated all of their training time to practicing with Noah. Shawn hadn¡¯t mastered his new techniques yet but learned to somewhat coat his sword in barrier energy. Meanwhile, Andrew designed a new weapon for Selia, and she prioritized mastering it over her ability. Their training proved effective. Shieldmaster Shawn¡¯s first opponent canceled their match. The man also disappeared off the face of the earth. CIT got on the case and struggled to find out whether the Symbiote got them or they had fled the country. He ended up facing an Arcane Warrior with a giant axe and the power to cause fiery explosions. The man proved no match for Shawn even after taking out the Cursed One. The corrupted soul weapon bit into the barriers and released explosions through them, but Shawn always had additional layers. While the man¡¯s weapon was trapped, Shawn slipped his sword through the gaps and whittled down his foe. In the end, the axe-wielder lost in terms of martial skill and creative use of powers. Selia ended up facing the last person on her list. It was another rogue who manipulated shadows. Anyone else would¡¯ve fallen for his assassin-like fighting style. Unfortunately for the man, Selia¡¯s growing list of spells focused on detection, sensing, and scrying spells. Phase shifting through surfaces robbed the ability user of their senses, after all. The fight turned into a game of cat and mouse until Selia beat her opponent at his own game. She snuck around the assassin and emerged from a wall the man had just shadow-walked out of. Then the chrome dagger she carried extended, turning into a spear, and skewered him through the neck. Now, it was Nil¡¯s turn. He hoped the time with Isabella and Watcher would pay off. He convinced himself that the ten lost days would¡¯ve made little difference. He wasn¡¯t going to pull something powerful and game-changing out of thin air magically. Since his most important attributes and abilities had recently gained ranks, Nil also doubted ten days would¡¯ve helped him get any closer to the next boost. In fact, he was starting to believe that it was the growth ignored by the Schema interface that mattered the most. It wasn¡¯t just the cultivation and Qi techniques that made a difference. Brutal Battery¡¯s accompanying abilities and the Source Gauntlet¡¯s powers were skill-based. The numbers added power or more fuel but didn¡¯t passively improve his mastery over them. Only practice, repetition, and creativity helped in the department. Isabella claimed that the application of one¡¯s power seed made the most significant difference between a good and bad Summoned. The fact was doubly relevant for all with active abilities. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Following luminous signs carved into the stone walls helped Nil track down the vendor he wanted. He hadn¡¯t used them before since, unlike normal matches, Death Gauntlet and the Gauntlet of Ten severely limited what products one could carry into the arena. Nil could only take rations, lights, and concoctions that temporarily improved one¡¯s resistance to alien environments. Once Nil progressed to Gauntlets of higher realms, he would gain access to more. As Nil invested in a concoction designed to help people survive the Arctic-Tundra-like environments, he thought about the final day before his match. After his morning session with Watcher, Nil had breakfast with his friends and family. Then, much like everyone else who had been in Misdirection on the evening of the incident, he met with detectives from the Metropolitan police. It was a courtesy. The meeting was held in the conference room of the Arena Teleportation Building. Nil wasn¡¯t obligated to attend, but the Nexus believed it was a goodwill gesture. It started off as a simple discussion of what happened and how Nil found the bomb. Then, he got the sense that the investigators were trying to lead him to a confession. It seemed they wanted him to admit to knowing the bomb would be there or lead the investigation to someone who did. The government had no clue of who was behind the attempted bombing and was now scrambling to pin it on someone. It didn¡¯t seem to matter to them that Nil had almost died saving everyone. In fact, a narrative where he did it for fame and glory would most probably make their lives easier. It wouldn¡¯t surprise Nil if they had pressure from above to come to such a conclusion. They were sure that an individual of significance and power was involved in the plot after all. Nil was polite but short with them. It was a favor to the Nexus. Nothing more. He didn¡¯t trust the investigators and had no plans of cooperating beyond what was necessary. Nil was outside their jurisdiction as long as he stayed in the Forge. It technically counted as being in the Nexus and being the interdimensional organization¡¯s employee also gave him certain protections. Afterward, Nil spent the afternoon watching Shawn and Selia¡¯s matches. Then, they celebrated their victories together. He spent a final night with his girlfriend and headed into the arena soon after finishing breakfast. The moment of truth had come. It was time to face the disgusting individual who went around qualifiers, taunting the young and hopeful and bringing Cursed Energy into the world for his twisted agenda. ¡°Nil Roy!¡± A familiar, friendly voice called just as he finished at the vendor. It was charming and also carried more power and authority than anyone Nil had met besides the Immortal Song Yi. ¡°I was hoping to find you.¡± ¡°Mr Wilson.¡± Nil nodded. He expected the man to be mad after the statement released through Bunty contradicted Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson¡¯s claims. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again. Is there anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°No, son.¡± Adrian smiled, displaying the same warm friendliness Nil had encountered at the qualifiers. ¡°I¡¯m just here to see you.¡± Several vendors smiled, waved, or bowed to Adrian as he passed on his way to Nil. ¡°It was a relief to hear you made it. Losing a talent like you would be a major blow to the world. I can¡¯t believe Pietro would stoop so low.¡± ¡°Given his track record and his behavior after my qualifiers, I¡¯m not surprised at all,¡± Nil said, doing his best not to apply starstruck or rude. It was confusing to admire and simultaneously dislike someone so much. He didn¡¯t mind Adrian until he started his political and pro-Summoned, anti-civilian spiel. ¡°First, he challenges me to a match and then tries to break me before it.¡± ¡°It''s not beyond Pietro. No. But that doesn¡¯t stop it from being surprising. I¡¯m glad he failed, and I hope he does so again.¡± Adrian sighed, sweeping his long golden locks back. Reaching Gold Realm had only enhanced the man¡¯s already good looks. Nil didn¡¯t quite feel threatened but more awestruck. He wondered whether there was an ability at play. ¡°You did well exposing that Symbiotech nonsense. I can¡¯t help but wonder whether that has anything to do with the attempt on your life.¡± The revelation surprised Nil. It wasn¡¯t that Adrian knew about the Symbiotech business and Pietro¡¯s connection to it. Nil believed anyone with two brain cells could deduce as much. The fact that Adrian was willing to acknowledge it in public caught him off guard. He chose to push the matter and dig to see how much Adrian knew. ¡°Well, with everyone with a corrupted soul weapon dropping like flies, I somewhat understand why he tried to kill me and my people,¡± Nil said. ¡°He¡¯s scared. It''s all mind games with him, I think. Pietro wants to save face, get revenge, and win.¡± Nil changed his mind about mentioning their knowledge of how Shina was involved. It felt vital to keep some information to himself. ¡°The attempt on our lives didn¡¯t seem well thought out either.¡± Adrian shook his head, sighing. ¡°These fools don¡¯t understand that power is earned, not formulated in a library. The skilled, talented, and worthy are chosen for power sets and soul weapons.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Nil exclaimed. ¡°Those kids don¡¯t deserve what happened to them.¡± ¡°I agree. Those children didn¡¯t earn their power. The Nexus didn¡¯t just choose them or these civilians. They don¡¯t understand the natural order or that we¡¯re not just chosen to fight the Scourge and Void but also lead our worlds. We¡ª¡± Adrian caught himself. He smiled, scanning his surroundings before handing Nil a vial. Energy Instinct told him that the concoction he had purchased and the gift¡¯s contents were the same. Except Adrian had given him something purer and of much better quality. ¡°I¡¯m guessing we had the same thought process. Next time, use the vendor by teleportation gate sixteen. His product is better and not adulterated.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil replied, pocketing both. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you a fair bit from¡ª¡± ¡°I hope Shawn hasn¡¯t been speaking ill about me.¡± Adrian chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m still not happy about how my employees treated him. He¡¯s a good lad. Great fighter.¡± ¡°That he is. And he always speaks highly of you, Mr Wilson. I can see why.¡± Adrian nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for you, Nil. Go kick some ass.¡± The man shook hands with Nil. ¡°Also, get a good publicist or PR agent. You need a good title. It''s great for branding. Nothing Knight Nil.¡± He grinned. ¡°Little Fist Nil. Anything is better than just Nil. It''s vital if you want to be famous. Give me a call if you need help finding someone. I¡¯ll hook you up. Just take out that disgusting God of Death Gauntlet first.¡± 135. One Last Death Gauntlet ¡°It¡¯s a good day to die!¡± Nil did his best to ignore the announcer and focus on Energy Instinct. The game plan hadn¡¯t changed. He needed to track down the Cursed One and take it out before Pietro could find it. He also needed a decent sense of the arena. Nil had rushed it while facing Jaqueline because of her incredible mobility. As far as he knew, his current opponent had no such abilities. That meant Nil could use his journey toward the Cursed One to find elevation and study his surroundings. ¡°Hardship breeds greatness. The phrase couldn¡¯t be truer on the ice moon affectionately called the Silver Pearl. They started as nomads, moving between the geothermal oases that litter the planet, but then built magitech metropolises around them. They were expected to skyrocket to the status of Control World, but a cult seduced by the Scourge took hold, polluting the holy empire from the inside. Today, our challengers stand in what remains of their capital, Heiligberg. ¡°Past challengers and forces from around the multiverse have cleansed the moon of all its corruption and darkness. Only the Executioner of Heiligberg remain. Its magic and corruption keep people stronger than Iron Realm from entering the city. If more than a couple approach it, the creature empowers itself with corruption and becomes unstoppable. It must fall so we can reclaim the lost wells of power. So must a Summoned so their power seed can purge the land of corruption.¡± The announcer sounded heartbroken. Almost desperate. Nil detested the Death Gauntlet when he first learned about it and considered its purpose stupid. Seeding, nurturing, and growing multiversal warriors and then forcing them to kill each other felt excessive and purposeless. Now, he knew better. Death Gauntlet was the arena construct¡¯s way of helping the Nexus take back ¡®Dark Worlds,¡¯ and helping rid them of the darkness. The power seeds inside each Summoned were more than just a source of power. Nil didn¡¯t understand the significance of the word ¡®seed¡¯ for the longest time. Now, he saw clearly. Nil planned on purging the Cursed One and then using Pietro¡¯s power seed to bring life back to the Heiligberg and Silver Pearl. He had a purpose greater than purging his world of Pietro and the other corrupted soul weapons-bearers. Layla claimed that Cursed Energy struggled to exist in magic and Qi-free worlds like Nil¡¯s Earth. Get rid of the bastards. Save worlds. ¡°I know universes full of people abhor today¡¯s challengers. Nil is a rising star, but he slew a favored beacon of beauty and power during his last match. I hear there was an attempt on his life outside of the arena. Was it for slaying Jaqueline Shredder? Now, he¡¯s returned to fight another of his world. Will this victory settle his vendetta? Will he use this third victory and its rewards to the Bronze Realm and Gauntlet? Or will he stick to Iron and continue to settle local squabbles?¡± ¡°Meanwhile, Pietro the Frost Emperor, God of the Iron Gauntlet, God of the Death Gauntlet, has built a career out of slaying aspirants of his world. He has prevented almost two dozen hopefuls from his world from winning their third Death Gauntlet match and apparently revels in it. The hatred doesn¡¯t change the fact that this man has purged twenty-two Cursed Ones and cleansed lands distant from his own with twenty-two power seeds. Will this be his twenty-third? Or does this mark his end?¡± The world shook, and Nil heard a distant grating. It was the sound of something heavy and metal scraping stone. He focused on nothing but that and tuned out the rest of the announcer¡¯s speech. He was relieved when the part meant for the fighters to hear ended. Nil¡¯s eyes scanned his surroundings, and he plotted the best path forward. The pillar of light surrounding Nil fell, and he dashed forth with all of the speed he could muster. Expend combined with an infused Toggled Supercharging already helped him move incredibly quickly. The recent extra unit of Finesse granted Nil additional control, ensuring he maintained his balance and never placed his feet anywhere unstable. Then, there was the Bronze Realm Might. The power and stamina gained from it made an even greater difference. I can do this. Let''s make Pietro my little bitch. The arena construct had dropped Nil off somewhere tepid for an ice world, but when he scaled a cleanly sliced marble pillar, frigid gales bit at his cheeks and ears. Already expecting to face frigid temperatures, he had dressed differently from his previous trips into the arena. Nil wore fur boots, woolen trousers, a t-shirt, and a thick sleeveless outer layer. They were all durable and made for battling Summoned, but Nil doubted they¡¯d last once he started releasing energy blasts. Garuda System¡¯s logo, two silver eagle wings, stretched across his back, extending from one shoulder to the other. Nil¡¯s surroundings fit the title of ¡®holy city¡¯ perfectly. It reminded him of the trip to Rome he took with his family before the cataclysm. It was just before his mother got pregnant with Emily. They had taken a trip to the Vatican. The structure and area at the center of the arena bore a strong resemblance to the Sistine Chapel. Nil sensed a strong Cursed Energy signature somewhere along its perimeter. It was where he needed to go. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Warmth and humidity welcomed Nil when he dropped down to ground level. Given the announcer¡¯s spiel, there were geothermal vents around or under the city, fighting the harsh winds above. Nil was thankful for the two vials he carried and that he didn¡¯t need to consume them immediately. The environment gave his opponent the advantage. The ground was clear but thick snow still covered the taller buildings¡¯ still intact roofs. If Pietro¡¯s power was anything like that of Burning Sands, the man would bring the white powder under his control and gain a distinct advantage over Nil. It wasn¡¯t just the cold that threatened him. Brutal Battery excelled at dealing with big, powerful hits, robbing the source of kinetic energy. However, it struggled with countless tiny strikes from minute sources. Sand. Salt. Snow. All technically countered him. As he had discovered with the ¡®Daughter of Venice¡¯ and seen Pietro do to Adam, the smaller fragments could also do significant damage from the inside. It took Nil just under ten minutes to cross the city and reach its heart. Energy Instinct helped him track down the Cursed One. It looked uncomfortably human. Centaurs of Greek myth came to mind. Instead of a horse¡¯s lower half, the majority of the creature¡¯s body resembled a giant bear with mange. Then, a human torso grew out of the shoulders. It had scarred grey skin that matched the ugly animalistic half. A gaunt, noseless face glared at Nil, flashing a maniacal grin, and the grating Nil had heard was the sound of the titanic axe it dragged along the ground. The Cursed One stood two stories tall, and by Nil¡¯s estimate, its weapon was just as big. Much to Nil¡¯s annoyance, he had beaten his opponent to the monster by mere minutes. He saw Pietro rapidly approaching from the opposite direction, riding an avalanche of snow and corrupted soul weapon ready. In his regal outfit, the man looked like a knight charging into a joust. Nil had to turn off Energy Instinct¡¯s visual output since the countless tiny lights shining from the snow under Pietro¡¯s control were blinding. When the Cursed One charged at Nil, swinging its axe with far more control than one would expect of a monster, he swiftly formulated a new strategy. A quick scan told him that the monster had not one, not two, but three cores in its body, and the weapon it controlled had the same aura as a corrupted soul weapon. There was no way he¡¯d defeat it before Pietro caught up to them. ¡°You¡¯re going to have run interference,¡± Nil said, pulling Meatball out of his core. The whelp squeaked at him excitedly, shuddering as her beady eyes studied the approaching monster. ¡°Get that thing as far away from Pietro and me as possible. Divide and conquer. Got it?¡± The communication lessons had paid off. It wasn¡¯t just Meatball who seemed to understand Nil¡¯s instructions. When she let out a quick series of squeaks and curled into a tight sphere, he knew what she wanted. ¡°Remember to Reinforce.¡± Nil aimed at the charging Cursed One¡¯s face and gathered energy in his readied arm. He took a deep breath in, counted down from two, and then threw with all of his might, infusing a tenth of his total stores into his supercharged strength at the last moment. Meatball shot forth like a cannonball, her spikes and cracks blurring as she spun rapidly. It had started as a game. Nil would throw Meatball. She¡¯d speed around the dirt in her bowling ball form and then leap back into his hands. Her demanding squeaks made it clear that she wanted to be thrown. He had memorized during their communication practice. Now, the time had come for the game to turn into a weapon. The Ironroot Whelp flashed crimson. Despite Nil¡¯s high Finesse, he struggled to follow her flight. Much to his horror, the Cursed One didn¡¯t seem to suffer from any such problems. It raised its axe, holding the wide side of the axhead in front of its face. Nil expected Meatball to rebound off the blade, but she extended a woody tentacle, wrapped it around the weapon¡¯s handle, and spun like a tether ball. She hit the monster¡¯s face with any force to make it stagger a step. She then unfurled, crawled over on the creature''s face, and stuck her entire head into the eyesocket, going for the sunken-in organ within. The Cursed One swiped Meatball away, flinging her into a nearby wall. She flashed again midflight, curling into a ball. The whelp bounced off the surface, onto the ground, and then rolled into one of the bear-like feet. The attack lacked the same force as the one before, but the now crimson-glowing spikes successfully tore the leathery hide, drawing another angry roar. The damage was insignificant but had the desired effect. When Meatball rolled away, disappearing into a side street, the Cursed One followed, leaving Nil to deal with his opponent. An annoyed scowl replaced the unusually calm expression Pietro usually wore. The wave carrying him changed direction but had to slow and defend when a hail of rubble rained upon him. Instead of trying to grapple the man or engage him in melee combat, Nil leaped past him, attempting to land a slash as he passed. The three-finger blade missed, costing Nil a fair chunk of energy, but he recovered most of it upon landing. Nil didn¡¯t mind the failed attack. He was probing for information. The key to overcoming Pietro was figuring out how his attack worked. The man tried to flee on his wave, but Nil launched another barrage. The snow couldn¡¯t carry and defend him simultaneously. Absorb activated just in time to catch the spear thrown at him with surprising accuracy. Given Pietro¡¯s history, it wouldn¡¯t surprise Nil if the man had earned enough Schema Tokens to push all attributes to Iron Realm¡¯s limits. Just as Nil switched to an Expend, a sharp pain in the side of his neck gave him pause. He released a minute flash of energy through the area, sealing the wound, and his hand rushed to the injury. It came away a moment later, holding a crystal scarab no bigger than a pimple in its early stages of development. Despite the burning from Expend, a chill filled the area around the injury. The little critter¡¯s awkwardly bent limbs repaired themselves, and the scorch marks faded. Nil crushed it again, trickling the energy through his gauntleted fingers and disintegrating the insect. Damn. Snow would¡¯ve been so much easier. 136. Nil vs Pietro Energy Instinct told Nil that Meatball was doing her job well. He didn¡¯t know whether the Cursed One still managed to keep track of her, but the creature was at least a couple of hundred meters away and moving farther by the second. Pietro couldn¡¯t absorb the monster¡¯s heart and power up without catching up to it or finding an opening. Before Nil could push the advantage, more Cursed Energy signatures flared all around them. They were much smaller and weaker than the beast Meatball led away. Pietro¡¯s eyes momentarily left Nil, too, and the flying spears ceased coming. He scanned his surroundings. The swarm of scarabs masquerading as snow gathered around him, ready to defend. Instead of canine Cursed Beasts as Nil expected, humanoid foes came sprinting out of the darkness and dropped from the nearby snow-covered roofs. Some were muscular. Others had wiry builds, and their limbs looked like twisted cords of tissue. The rest were hunched over and ran like chimps, switching between just hind legs and running on all fours during their approach. The creatures were diverse but had a few things in common. First of all, they were all far taller than the average person. The smallest of them appeared to be two meters long, head to toe. They had dark leathery skin like the Cursed One and long braided hair. Even though the creatures moved like zombies, they didn¡¯t look rotten and emaciated like them. The creatures also seemed to breathe Cursed Energy, leaving a trail of black vapors in their break. At first, Nil leaped to high ground, trying to stay out of their reach, but then he watched Pietro take them on, and his stomach dropped. The God of Death Gauntlet trapped the closest inside his scarab swarm before plunging a spear into its chest. Orange flowed through the weapon¡¯s shaft to Pietro, and the energy radiating from the scarabs gained intensity. Letting the Cursed Beasts overwhelm Pietro wasn¡¯t an option. Given the man¡¯s depth of experience, Nil didn¡¯t think it was possible either. He had hoped that they would distract the man enough for him to sneak in a critical strike, but the decision no longer felt smart. Standing aside would only help Pietro feed his corrupted soul weapon and get stronger. The Cursed Beasts had less than a hundredth of the energy in one of the giant Cursed One¡¯s hearts, but every morsel added to the man¡¯s advantage. Despite all the training, Nil only had one combat-ready technique. It wasn¡¯t quite what Nil wanted for combat, but it felt better than nothing. He sped up the flow of energy through his body and collected a large chunk of it in his right gauntlet, focusing it in the crimson gem. Nil emitted a wisp and used shaping to contain it within a tight sphere. Manipulation came next as Nil made it spin, doubling the rotations per second until he reached the desired speed. More emissions followed. The rotation minimized the difficulty of shaping as it sucked in the crimson energy, helping the sphere grow larger. After weeks of training, he had a Source Sphere just bigger than a tennis ball. No vapors diffused from the edges. It was tight, neat, and stable. It only took minimal concentration in manipulation and shaping techniques to keep the rotations up and avoid leakage. Satisfied with his creation, Nil leaped from his perch. In the time it took him to create the Source Sphere, Pietro had consumed another Cursed Beast and was about to start on his third. Then Nil disintegrated a third of the creature¡¯s torso. The combination of the destructive force and rotational energy ensured the technique lost less than a tenth of its mass. When Nil attempted to strike Pietro with the Source Sphere, a wave of scarabs struck Nil¡¯s side, throwing him off balance. He immediately used Expend through the impacted area and destroyed most of his garments, ensuring that any scarabs that got on him were blown off and destroyed. Nil felt glad he had consumed the Tundra Survivor¡¯s Brew when setting off. A chill lingered afterward, but he brushed it off before attempting another strike. The Source Sphere killed several scarabs, protecting Nil from another wave, but before he could strike his opponent, more of Pietro¡¯s power seed¡¯s fruit came from the opposite direction. Nil moved with the attack, retreating. Another Expend was destroyed with more of Nil¡¯s clothes, but he considered it necessary as he felt little stings in the area. It was tempting to switch to Absorb and retreat, but that would mean losing the Source Sphere or reabsorbing it. The technique demanded a handful of seconds to create. Nil couldn¡¯t afford to lose the time. He swiftly dispatched a couple of Cursed Beats, disintegrating them with the volatile, destructive energy. Then Pietro came for him. Waves and tentacles of the scarab hive attacked Nil from every side, keeping him from retreating backward. Masterful spear thrusts added to the chaos, and Nil couldn¡¯t flee to the side either. He had no other option. Nil was trapped and needed Absorb. However, he worried that going on the defensive would give his opponent the opening he needed to gain ground. Pietro¡¯s current moves felt like the desperate strikes of a cornered rat. Even though Nil had planned against it, he flung the Source Sphere. The destabilization started straight away. The now eyeball-sized orb¡¯s edges blurred as its content rapidly diffused into the atmosphere. Terror flashed across Pietro¡¯s face as he recognized the danger. He seized his spear attacks and sent forth a wave of scarabs. Nil switched to Absorb, letting a pair of converging Cursed Beasts strike him as he fled sideways, restoring severely depleted energy stores. Meanwhile, Pietro¡¯s defense dissolved the Source Sphere, and the man¡¯s depth of experience helped him push the advantage. The energy technique had destroyed a monstrous chunk of the scarab hive, but the man still had plenty to spare. They came at Nil, trying to coil around his feet, but supercharged speed helped him flee. He felt scarabs crawling around on his skin, but their pincers failed to pierce it. However, the chill now reached more than skin deep. Nil needed to ensure his opponent¡¯s summons didn¡¯t reach him, but the tactic felt unsustainable. The incoming energy was far less than the outgoing, and Nil saw no option but to flee to high ground and drop from the height to recharge. Though effective, it was an inefficient tactic and would give Pietro time to flee, chase down the Cursed One, and power up even more. I need a better defense. Energy pooled in Nil¡¯s arms, and the energy circulation through his system gained speed. He considered letting scarabs swarm him and then using a full-body Expend to destroy as many as possible, but if his tactic failed, he¡¯d lose his clothing, a shit load of energy, and Pietro¡¯s chill will have gotten in deep. The heat and burns from Expend only affected his skin and outer tissue, of course. A constant trickle could also do the job, but Nil had never maintained it for more than a handful of seconds and never from his whole body. For a moment, Nil wished he had Shawn¡¯s ability. The barriers gave him defense, offense, area control, and so much more. Once combined with cultivation, Nil was sure he could¡¯ve done a lot with the ability. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Then it found him. Nil had the epiphany he had spent the past several weeks seeking. Something also clicked in the Source Gauntlets. Everyone claimed that soul weapons were alive, but Nil had detected no signs of consciousness in his until that very second. His second companion stirred and came with new ambitions. The Source Gauntlets had tasted the power of the Immortal Realm and wished to return to it. Flashes of possibilities flooded Nil¡¯s mind, and he understood what he needed to do. The Source Gauntlet¡¯s gems switched from the deep crimson to the same silver luster of Shawn¡¯s barriers. The energy that flowed out of the soul weapon when Nil emitted had the same color. Much to his surprise, his legs ceased moving. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t move; it was more of a matter of the insane weight on his body and especially his legs. Atmospheric pressure seemed to have multiplied. Wield The Source has progressed to Iron 5! Source Gaunltets have progressed to Iron 5! Nil closed his eyes, ignoring the scarab hive rushing toward him from all angles, and focused on shaping the energy he emitted. Adding manipulation to the mix was currently too challenging for him. The rough gherkin-shaped barrier struggled to maintain its shape as the tide of scarabs struck. It took every ounce of Nil¡¯s concentration to maintain its shape, but he couldn¡¯t help but grin. Brutal Battery¡¯s stores rapidly shot up, and scarabs fell to the ground, losing the momentum of their charge. They struggled to cling to barrier, too. The crimson energy that formed the Source Sphere and similar weapons were the tangible and contained manifestation of Expend. The silver was the same for Absorb. It all felt so simple and obvious, and Nil struggled to fathom why he hadn¡¯t figured it out before. Red destroyed. Silver protected. The barrier didn¡¯t just display Absorb¡¯s power to steal the kinetic energy of the scarabs¡¯ charge but also seemed to momentarily remove their ability to move. Or they can¡¯t stick. Maybe it''s a frictionless surface. It wasn¡¯t the right time to solve such a quandary. Nil took advantage of Pietro¡¯s confusion while it lasted, letting Brutal Battery¡¯s stores gradually climb toward full. Every passing second made maintaining the barrier easier. It grew smoother, and the drain for maintaining it became easier. However, Nil couldn¡¯t move his legs. They remained locked in the horse stance he had assumed while focusing. I¡¯m an immovable shield. A panicked, empathic scream ruined Nil¡¯s focus. It was Meatball. He felt the whelp¡¯s pain. She was returning to him, and he could feel the Cursed One hot on her trail. Nil needed to act quickly and not let the fight drag out any longer. He wasn¡¯t too proud to admit that Pietro was the superior fighter. If the monster got within range, he¡¯d feed and power up. Nil doubted his chances at victory afterward. Pietro also seemed to sense the approaching beast. He pulled back the hive just as Nil charged, infusing Toggled Supercharge with his new stores. He pushed the ability further than his Finesse would allow. It put him at risk of stumbling and losing his balance, but he saw no other option. Victory wouldn¡¯t come without risk. The only idea that came to mind involved putting him on the brink of death. The spear came at Nil, and a swift middle block pushed the weapon aside. He couldn¡¯t rely on Absorb anymore. He had switched to Expend and trickled energy through every bit of his body that was not protected by the gauntlets. The surviving patches of Nil¡¯s clothes disintegrated. The same happened to any scarab that came in contact with him. He felt no stings, but the chill continued to find its way to him. It dug deep, making its way past skin, muscle, and bone. He also felt the cold in his chest. Pain accompanied every heartbeat and breath. Nil had never felt cold like it. Winter Hunter¡¯s ability paled before Pietro. The man was just Iron Realm, but he had mastered his ability over several years. It was likely that the Cursed Energy he absorbed through the corrupted soul weapon further empowered the scarabs, the size of the swarm, and the man¡¯s control over them. Nil was too slow to block the spear thrust that came next. He just about pushed the head away from the solar plexus, where it was primed to strike. It slipped between his abdominal muscles instead, biting deep. Nil caught the shaft and started to wear through the outer surface, but something deep within fought back. Then his energy ran out. It rapidly restored itself to ten percent, but that didn¡¯t help much, and it wasn¡¯t long before he was forced to switch to Absorb. Expend has progressed to progressed to Iron 9! Brutal Battery has progressed to Iron 9! The hive captured Nil¡¯s limbs and pulled them above his head. None bit him or crawled toward the wound. Pietro appeared to know better and wasn''t willingly to take risks. He intended to kill Nil with the cold slowly. ¡°Why hello, Mr Roy.¡± Pietro grinned. ¡°Is this where you deliver your big villain speech?¡± Nil asked, trying to draw energy from just anywhere but he had nothing. ¡°Who has time for that nowadays? I just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent fight. Your family must be¡ª¡± Scarabs rose to shield Pietro¡¯s face, but it wasn¡¯t enough. A brown sphere burst through the meager barrier and struck the man¡¯s face. A shiny spike ripped open a gouge from cheek to ear. It knocked Pietro to his knees just in time to avoid what came next. The scarab¡¯s holding Nil¡¯s arms in place didn¡¯t falter but his leg bindings weakened for a moment. He managed to move just enough to catch the monstrous axe swinging toward where Meatball landed. The scarabs tightened their hold again, but Nil got what he wanted. The Cursed One¡¯s attack halted on touching Nil, and it stumbled, losing its weapon. The monster hung over them like an ugly grey arch. Pietro rose, blood pouring from his face and another spear extended from his free arm. It pierced one of the monster¡¯s three hearts. Meanwhile, Nil had killed several birds with one stone. He kept the beast from getting to Meatball, stopped the Cursed One in its tracks, and restored Brutal Battery¡¯s stores. He switched to Expend for just a moment and released a blast through both of his hands. It blew the surrounding scarabs away. Nil focused all of his energy into the release and used all the focus he could muster to shape it. ¡°What the hell¡ª¡± Black sludge and orange slag rained on the pair. Pietro wasn¡¯t prepared. The scarabs holding up Nil¡¯s arms burned and melted, freeing him. Meanwhile, his opponent took it all to the face. He screamed, releasing both spears. The scarabs trapping Nil also loosened their hold, and he broke free. Pietro¡¯s voice turned hoarse from all the screaming. The slag had charred his face and melted parts of it. His armor and the skin under it hadn¡¯t faired much better. Nil staggered forward and threw himself on Pietro. The man barely had the strength to fight back. His scarabs swarmed and piled Nil, but without a commander, they lacked the coordination to do much, adding to the cold already threatening to shut him down. Consciousness threatened to leave Nil, and he had no energy to warm himself. He had little to rely on but grit. The punches he threw at Pietro¡¯s face started weakly, but the force behind them increased with every strike. The Cursed One crumbled to pieces around the fighters. Nil had focused his blast in a wide cone. Destroying most of its body and eviscerating one heart. The other had suffered significant damage and continued to leak. The monster¡¯s attempts at recovery failed. Its body¡¯s breakdown slowly accelerated. Then Meatball came flying out of nowhere, destroyed last heart and claimed a chunk of flesh as her prize, screeching victoriously. Meanwhile, Nil finished the job the orange slag had started. He didn¡¯t stop when his knuckles were all raw and bloody. Nil didn¡¯t stop when the God of Death Gauntlet ceased breathing. 137. Death Gauntlet Quest Complete You have received 1 Bronze Ascension Token, 10 Schema Tokens, and 2000 Schema Credits for winning three Death Gauntlet matches and contributing to the recovery of valued realms. Victory also comes with promotion to the Bronze Gauntlet. Ascension to Bronze Realm will mark the acceptance of the promotion. If you fail to ascend in six months, you will need to win another Death Gauntlet match or start afresh in another ascension path. Slaughtering the Executioner of Heiligberg has won you the favor of several Control Worlds. More of the Nexus Market is open to you. You also have earned three additional vouchers to spend on exclusive vendors, tutors, and artisans. Victory against a vastly superior combatant with 11 Gauntlet of Ten and 22 Death Gauntlet wins has earned you an additional prize. Please speak to your caseworker to claim it. You have earned 5 Schema Tokens and 1000 Schema Credits for completing your quest. Nil was so cold he slipped in and out of consciousness for hours. The arena backroom¡¯s healers worked tirelessly, slowly warming him from the inside out. They pumped him full of warming concoctions and wrapped him in a conjured blanket of golden-green light. When Nil finally recovered from the discomfort, he found a new scar on his abdomen. It had a rough cross shape, and the pale white stood out against the rest of his light sandy brown. The Death Gauntlet quest was done, but the scar would forever remain as a reminder of everything Nil had learned, experienced, and overcome during it. The idea of killing other human beings had terrified Nil not long ago, but now he understood the importance of it. Once superhumans got involved, the law struggled to do what was necessary. He didn¡¯t know how the Control Worlds managed everything. Nil imagined a council of individuals with power beyond comprehension ruling such utopias. After all, several Immortals were supposed inhabit the Control Worlds. Nil guessed individuals of realms beyond theirs needed to keep such entities in check. He doubted the same would happen on Earth in his lifetime. ¡°Do you want to keep this?¡± The healer asked as Nil put on the fresh clothes he had brought around. She held up the vial containing Tundra Survivor¡¯s Brew. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it survived after my clothes disintegrated.¡± ¡°Gate sixteen¡¯s alchemist sells quality products and uses enchanted containers. They can survive most things. It''s why he costs so much more.¡± ¡°Is the potion clean?¡± Nil asked. It was the bottle Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson had given him. ¡°It''s not adulterated or poisoned?¡± The healer looked at Nil like he was crazy. ¡°It still has the signature magic seal. Why would there be anything in there besides what''s supposed to be? If I were you, I¡¯d hold on to that. It might just save your life in a pinch. By my estimates, the enchantment should last another six months. Don¡¯t let it go to waste. Alright?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Nil pocketed the vial. ¡°Pay and move on.¡± The woman waited until Nil transferred the necessary credits to her before waving him away. ¡°Invest in more durable clothes before your next match. My children watch these matches.¡± ¡°You let your kids watch Death Gauntlet? That doesn¡¯t sound responsible. Maybe¡ª¡± ¡°Look for the tanner and seamstress by gate four,¡± she said, interrupting him. Nil''s joking tone appeared wasted on her. ¡°Now, get lost.¡± Nil obeyed. He wanted nothing more than to go home and eat with the people he loved. Unfortunately, it was just afternoon when he returned. All but Selia and Andrew were off doing their own things. However, messages from his family, all of his friends, acquaintances and people he barely knew flooded Nil''s holo device within minutes of his return and for hours afterward. He bathed, had a private celebration with Selia, and then got together with everyone in the cafeteria at dinner time. It wasn''t just all attendees from the failed Misdirection dinner that gathered. Besides the eight attendees, Isabella, Noah, Cara Sue, and Zora were also in attendance. They had to bring in a table and chairs from a second private dining room to accommodate everybody. Instead of taking individual orders, the kitchen prepared a large family-style meal for everyone. To satiate the Summoned and their large appetites, a variety of meats cooked in several different styles adorned the table. They also provided a couple of extra options since Udit and Sam didn''t eat beef. ¡°Are you ready to ascend?¡± Shawn asked Nil halfway through dinner. Nil nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t wait. How come you haven¡¯t yet?¡± ¡°There is no telling how long getting to Bronze Realm will take. I wanted to find out how your match turns out first.¡± ¡°I told you he¡¯s sweet,¡± Selia commented, placing an elbow on Nil¡¯s shoulder and leaning against him. ¡°How about we all ascend together tonight? That way, we¡¯re all down at the same time and can take on a quest together afterward or something.¡± ¡°You lot just finished something with an insane mortality rate but want to go into something new already?¡± Isabella asked. She looked disappointed but sounded amused. ¡°Take some time to practice and get used to whatever the ascension gives you first.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Maybe talk to Layla before you make any decisions. She might have updates regarding you know what.¡± ¡°That sounds like the smartest next step,¡± Shawn commented. ¡°Fine.¡± Selia sighed. She swiveled in her chair, facing Nil. ¡°What did the ascension token offer you?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t know until later tonight?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Shawn frowned. ¡°You know the ascension only starts when you go to bed, right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Nil grinned sheepishly. Brutal Battery is ready to ascend. Pick a new sub-ability to support Brutal Battery:
  • Kinetic Coating: Wrap an object or organism in energy, protecting it from harm. Your target will accelerate faster and harder while moving, burning the coating to reduce the effects of environmental resistance. Items in flight will benefit from the coating¡¯s protection until the moment of impact, regardless of whether the kinetic infusion was burned during flight. Leftover energy can be set to detonate.
  • Anti-Friction Lattice: Weave an energy lattice around both feet, hands, elbows, or knees, removing the effects to glide on surfaces without suffering the effects of friction. The coated body parts must remain in contact with a solid surface during use and can¡¯t be used for pushing against the surface or gaining speed. While under the effect of the lattice, gravity will not pull you off walls and ceilings.
  • Brutal Conversion: Convert stored energy into fire and lightning. They may be released with a standard Expend or combined with emission, shaping, and manipulation techniques. Converted energy suffers significantly less from natural diffusion and isn¡¯t as unstable as the Source.
  • Molecular Influence: Expend and Absorb may now be tweaked to function at a molecular level. Gradually Absorb molecular kinetic energy through skin to lower temperatures. Achieve the opposite with Expend. Molecular Influence works significantly slower than natural Absorb and Expend.
Isabella whistled as Nil displayed the options. He didn¡¯t mind sharing the information with the people around him. They were all on the same side, after all. ¡°Those are some incredible options.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t envy you one bit,¡± Selia commented. ¡°My decision couldn¡¯t have been easier. I¡¯d be obsessing for days if I were in your position.¡± ¡°What are you getting?¡± Nil asked. ¡°The Schema offered me precisely what I wanted. While phasing through solid objects, I can propel myself in any direction. The speed increases significantly when I emerge. I¡¯m hoping it will combine well with the technique we picked up from Moon Rabbit Emporium.¡± ¡°Your options are pretty complex,¡± Shawn said, thoughtfully. ¡°I foresee all of them being fairly skill-based. Mine were significantly simpler. I just went with the ability to move my barriers. The bigger and denser the barrier, the more the time and energy demands.¡± ¡°Simple can be powerful,¡± Nil said. ¡°I can foresee you weaponizing barriers without having to shatter them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget mobility,¡± Isabella added. ¡°Hypermobility is a close-ranged fighters greatest tool.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more. Hence, I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Kinetic Coating would¡¯ve been great if I were to rely on throwing Meatball more.¡± Nil made his pick and dismissed the screen. ¡°My aim is good, but not enough to take on smaller, speedier foes. I like the offensive potential of Brutal Conversion, but don¡¯t want to split my attention from mastering the Source¡ª¡± ¡°It''s possible the gauntlets will get you something similar to it or Molecular Influence with a future upgrade,¡± Andrew added. ¡°They¡¯re pretty basic functions. Given the right materials, I could probably make you something far more potent.¡± ¡°I guessed as much.¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Anti-Friction Lattice is too good to give up. It may take a while to get used to, but if the lattice is anything like my Source weapons, I¡¯ll spend a lot less energy than I do by running with Expend. Shaping techniques should help me minimize the drain.¡± He slid his left index and middle finger¡¯s tips around the glass table, pretending it was him. ¡°It sounds like I¡¯ll have to keep both feet or whatever I coat in contact with the surface, which means changing direction and picking up speed will be a challenge, but I have hand blasts for that.¡± ¡°Oh, great.¡± Zora sighed. ¡°Our spars are going to get a lot more complicated, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Maybe in a few months. Figuring this out will most likely take me quite a bit of time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a smart pick.¡± Isabella pulled her chair closer as she continued. ¡°Speaking of the Source, what the hell was that silver thing? Did you figure out a way to rip off Shawn?¡± ¡°Andrew gave me the idea, and Shawn was the inspiration,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Andrew got me thinking about the duality of my powers and in me.¡± Udit stopped his conversation, and his attention shifted to Nil. ¡°Apparently, I have a destructive side and a protective side. So, I¡¯ve been trying to achieve the same with the Source. Watcher has been helping me. Crimson is the manifestation of Expend. It destroys and disintegrates all it touches. Silver is Absorb. It''s not as flexible as Shawn¡¯s barrier, but I am an immovable shield with it.¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± Udit said. The language and interjection appeared to surprise most at the table, especially Sam. He seemed unusually fired up. ¡°I¡¯m not arguing about your power or the Source. All of that makes little sense to me, but I disagree with this duality inside you nonsense, Nil. You¡¯re not a person with the will to destroy or kill. You¡¯re someone who is out to do good, protect, and help. There is duality in the act of it. Standing before the weak and shielding them isn¡¯t the only path to protecting them from harm. Sometimes, you need to cut out the source. I see you as the person with the will and ability to do so. ¡°My father and grandfather saw war. One was a soldier, and another a freedom fighter. They were kind, compassionate men. But they both had the ability to steel their hearts and stay strong despite danger and fear. It pained them, but they did what was necessary, cutting out the darkness that intended to harm loved ones and other innocents.¡± Udit calmed. He took a deep breathe in and slowly exhaled. ¡°Mental scars haunted my grandfather for what he had to do. My Baba fell trying to take out a terrorist cell in Kashmir. I just didn¡¯t want the same to happen to you.¡± He glanced at Emily. ¡°Either of you. ¡°However, I¡¯ve seen you in battle, Nil, and I¡¯ve seen you after it. You inherited the fire that skipped me. Don¡¯t burn out, son. Put it to good use.¡± Udit smiled. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Baba,¡± Nil said. A silence hung over the table for several minutes. Most didn¡¯t have civilian loved ones or didn¡¯t think about them when taking on dangerous quests or heading into the arena. More than one person bought Udit a drink afterward. He did his job well, and everyone seemed to respect him. Nil did, too. He treasured his father and hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to put the man through the turmoil he had experienced because of Death Gauntlet. 138. Godpuncher Brutal Battery has progressed to Bronze 0! Absorb has progressed to Bronze 0! Expend has progressed to Bronze 0! Your capacity has grown. Whenever you empty your stores, energy regenerates to fifteen percent. The restoration occurs over one second once every half an hour. Otherwise, it takes a minute. The notification appeared as soon as Nil woke the following morning. Ability ascensions didn¡¯t take as long as body ascensions. He woke a little more than twelve hours after going to bed to the sound of Selia in the shower. Before joining her, he checked his Schema interface. It was strange how much had changed in the eighteen months or so before Nil became a Summoned.
  • Might: Bronze 0
  • Finesse: Bronze 3
  • Mind: Iron 4
  • Spark: Bronze 8
Brutal Battery: Bronze 0
  • Absorb: Bronze 0
  • Expend: Bronze 0
  • Toggled Supercharging: Iron 5
  • Energy Instinct: Iron 7
  • Anti-Friction lattice: Iron 0
Feats:
  • Armmaster¡¯s Disappointment
  • Through Sheer Grit
  • The Power of Belief
  • Primal Origins
Source Gauntlets: Iron 5
  • Wield The Source: Iron 5
  • Galvanized: Iron 5
Ironroot Whelp: Iron 8
  • Reinforce: Iron 6
  • Regenerate: Iron 8
Nil expected growth to slow down significantly now. Most of his attributes now demanded three Schema Tokens per rank. Absorb and Expend would take significantly longer to grow too. According to Isabella, even the best Summoned took, on average, two years to meet the prerequisite ranks for Silver Realm. Then, it was a matter of finding the increasingly rare ascension tokens. Nil hoped that working for the Nexus would ensure that he and his friends wouldn¡¯t have to wait for long. Susan had spent more than three years at Bronze Realm before she gained a token to advance her ability. For the time being, Nil was in no rush. His family was healthy, safe, and flourishing. After becoming a Summoned, Emily was no longer allowed to attend school with civilians. She didn¡¯t seem to mind and seemed far more interested in learning about the multiverse and mastering her abilities. Udit still ensured she attended online classes and kept up with her education. The number of children in the ludus had increased over the past few weeks. There were more teenaged Summoned, and several staff members had finished moving their families into the Forge. Emily missed her friends but had other people of the same age to keep her busy. Sam also enjoyed the new company, and Layla started the process of ensuring all could receive a tailored education to meet multiversal standards without leaving the compound. Nil planned on focusing his efforts on training his remaining abilities. He especially wanted to get a feel for Anti-Friction Lattice and push Toggled Supercharging to Bronze Realm. There was no telling how ascension would affect the latter ability. However, he expected the basic boost to increase significantly. Nil primarily relied on speed, but his toughness and strength also saved his hide on several occasions. Energy Instinct and Brutal Battery¡¯s primary abilities would grow with time. Nil had discovered they progressed most on quests, in the arena, and during danger. So, there was no point in rushing things. Nil was sure Wield The Source would climb rapidly as he mastered the relevant energy techniques and learned to harness the Source¡¯s new form. The couple ate a late breakfast after their shower while scanning channels for mentions of their recent matches. They had already spent a while on Festus The Curator the previous opening and were glad to learn that the newly coined title had caught on. ¡°Godpuncher Nil put Pietro the Frost Emperor¡¯s reign to an end. The God of Death Gauntlet took twenty-two lives, specifically targeting other Iron Realm fighters from Earth. Even though the arena construct allowed targeting foes from anywhere in the multiverse and also offered random pairings, he only ever challenged aspirants of our world, robbing us of several valuable Summoned. ¡°Godpuncher¡¯s victory came barely three weeks after he nearly died stopping a terrorist attack near Piccadilly Circus. What¡¯s next for him? Will he serve the government, making the world a better place for everyone? Or will he continue climbing the arena ranks and become the next Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson?¡± ¡°Did they forget about Shawn?¡± Nil asked, flipping to another channel. ¡°If he didn¡¯t contain the blast, Absorb wouldn¡¯t have worked. I and a whole lot of people would¡¯ve died.¡± ¡°He was yesterday¡¯s news. The news cycle always needs something fresh to keep the audience entertained. Besides, Pietro was more widely known and hated than Silverbolt. Pietro had the title of God of Death Gauntlet and Iron Gauntlet for a reason. The man got more powerful and seemed more untouchable with every victory. Adam drew blood, but it''s been a while since anyone got him to display genuine fear.¡± Clips of Nil¡¯s victory played in the corner of several channels talking about him. They showed his naked form from the back. He rarely saw the angle of himself. The skin covering the rippling muscles was pale. Nil looked several shades lighter than his usual self, and frost covered his bottom. The only sound besides the death rattles of the Cursed Ones was that of his fists pounding Pietro¡¯s face. The subtle cracks of teeth and bone breaking accompanied it. Nil barely remembered the experience but remembered thinking how unusually tough Pietro was for a mage. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. It occurred to him that across twenty-two Death Gauntlet victories, the man had likely pushed all of his attributes to Bronze-Nine. Then there was also all the empowerments he gained from his corrupted soul weapon and all the Cursed Energy he had absorbed. Pietro was truly the most terrifying opponent Nil had ever faced. He somewhat understood why all the channels were going on about the victory. ¡°So, what¡¯s next for Godpuncher Nil?¡± The channel involved an almost talk-show format. It had clips playing in one corner while two hosts spoke to each other and the camera. The focus moved between the pair as each spoke. ¡°We reached out to his partner channel, Festus The Curator. Unfortunately, there is no news on whether Godpuncher will attempt the Gauntlet of Ten again or pick another path. Apparently, he has no plans of trying the Death Gauntlet again.¡± ¡°But most people who end up running it say the same. They flunk out of the Gauntlet of Ten or lose patience with the point system.¡± ¡°That might be true, but this is the Bronze Gauntlet. There are group events to gain points, including the Cleansing. Godpuncher is from the Forge, and it has two other rising stars.¡± ¡°Specter and Shieldmaster are interesting subjects too. But the Cleansing might be reaching. All three of them qualified at the same time and progressed through Iron together. The question is whether they can get enough tickets to enter the Cleansing. Wilson Luduses pretty much monopolize our world¡¯s slots. Even if the trio get in, are they experienced enough to get any of the top three slots by themselves?¡± ¡°They have eight months to prepare for the next Cleansing. If not, there is another in twenty. It''s worth a try. I do agree, though. They don¡¯t have the necessary experience to win. Things might be dangerous if they get a sniper or artillerist. A decent ranged combatant will round out their group nicely.¡± Nil didn¡¯t like his new title. It felt silly and arrogant. However, Bunty considered it a marketable name. He had coined it during his livestream commentary and the majority of the eighty-thousand-or-so viewers had loved it. Individuals who watched recordings and curated versions afterward, apparently, also enjoyed it. There was no changing things now. Everyone was talking about the title, and it was there to stay. Early in the evening, all three new Bronze Realm Summoned met Isabella in the training building. Zora and Cara Sue accompanied her. Everyone tested and played with their new developments under the watchful eye of the more experienced arena fighters. They pointed out faults, but Nil, Selia, and Shawn didn¡¯t take the session seriously. After the stress of the past few months, they wanted a few relaxed days. Selia¡¯s upgrade did precisely what she had described. She seemed to move through the practice blocks much faster than she did before and had greater control over her exit location and angle. On a few occasions, she also seemed to almost fly out of them, covering a handful of meters before landing. Meanwhile, Shawn¡¯s barriers no longer seemed spatially locked to wherever he conjured them. They either moved with him or followed his telepathic control. He had an easier time wrapping a barrier around his sword too. It wasn¡¯t narrow, and the edge wasn¡¯t as sharp as the technique demanded, but it was still valuable progress. Shawn also created a surfing-board-shaped barrier and rode it around, moving just about faster than running speed. Anti-Friction Lattice proved much more challenging to use than Nil predicted. He took a running start while supercharging speed. Once at terminal velocity, he activated his new ability around his feet and adopted an awkward surfing stance. Nil shot forward in the same direction, sliding on the ground. Only air resistance seemed to slow him while the lattice remained active. As expected, it took significantly less energy than running with Expend. Nil leaped or pushed off surfaces with his hands to change direction. The energy blasts he had practiced for aerial movement also proved capable of doing the job and also increased his feet. ¡°You need to leash Nil,¡± Selia joked. ¡°I¡¯ll climb on your barrier with you, and we can ride him through the Cleansing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s assuming the three of you can get tickets,¡± Isabella said. ¡°I know the five of you haven¡¯t worked together before, but it might make sense for all of you to try to get them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind trying,¡± Zora said, shrugging. ¡°My body is already Silver, and unless I find another ascension token, I¡¯ll be stuck here for a while. My ability is three ranks away. I also almost have enough points. I could always attempt the events and try to score a ticket. Then, hand it off to someone else if I meet the ascension prerequisites.¡± She grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll expect a cut of the reward in exchange, of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± Shawn said. ¡°But I¡¯d much rather try to earn my own entry.¡± ¡°I have qualms on the matter,¡± Selia added. ¡°If you get a ticket and I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll happily take yours for ten percent of whatever I win.¡± ¡°Make it twenty, and you have a deal,¡± Zora replied. ¡°If everyone is, I¡¯ll also give it a shot,¡± Cara Sue said. ¡°CIT will take priority, though. My ability is already Silver; I just need a token to ascend my body. If the Nexus is kind enough to give me what I want, I¡¯ll be happy to hand over one of my tickets.¡± ¡°Same cut as Zora?¡± Nil asked. Cara nodded. ¡°I would¡¯ve asked for more, but I¡¯ll be nice about it.¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want our help with the investigation?¡± Nil pressed. ¡°That symbiote absorbed my feats and was grown to bond with me. I feel I should be involved in taking it out.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done your part,¡± Cara replied. ¡°Layla is right. You¡¯re too personally involved in the matter, and there is no telling what might happen if the symbiote and you get together. I would¡¯ve considered while you were still Iron, but you¡¯re too powerful to deal with if it takes control of you or something. Besides, I think Layla already has a new quest for you. When do you see her next?¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Nil answered. ¡°All three of us earned bonuses from either the last match or completing the Death Gauntlet quest,¡± Shawn added. ¡°The Schema instructed us to talk to your caseworker about it.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Zora frowned. ¡°We¡¯re also due to meet with her tomorrow. I wonder if she has something for me as well.¡± ¡°When was your last Earth-side quest?¡± Selia asked. ¡°A year ago,¡± Zora answered. ¡°I was asked to infiltrate a Turkish ludus. They were ruled by an asshole who sapped attributes and abilities from other Summoned. Turns out he befriended a Void Lord during his quest and signed a soul contract.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°I let him think he had seduced me before putting a fiery spear through his stomach.¡± Zora¡¯s nonchalance gave Nil chills. He imagined the woman had a terrifying side the rest of them hadn¡¯t seen quite yet. 139. Incredible Opportunity ¡°I¡¯m giving all of you the same job,¡± Layla said, addressing the Death Gauntlet team, Cara Sue, and Zora. Besides the five of them, Susan and Andrew were also in attendance. ¡°Get involved in all events with Cleansing Tickets as prizes. We need at least four. All who succeed will win a Silver Ascension Token, Ten Schema Tokens, and Five Thousand Credits. You might even earn bonuses.¡± The list of rewards drew a wolf whistle from Andrew. The caseworker ignored him. ¡°That¡¯s a huge payout and tempting.¡± Cara Sue frowned. ¡°But do you expect me to do this on top of my CIT responsibilities?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone here will have other quests on top of it. I know it''s a lot of pressure, but it can¡¯t be helped. You¡¯re not the only Nexus agency we¡¯re putting on the job. There is a team of seven from another Seed World with the same quest.¡± A giant screen flickered to life behind Layla. It showed a world covered in storms and shadows. ¡°This year¡¯s Cleansing involves a former Scourge World that was invaded by the Void.¡± The image shifted to show giant tentacle creatures, odd insects, and twisted humanoids at war with Cursed Ones, Cursed Beasts, and Scourge Champions. ¡°This Cleansing will give us a chance to reclaim several Wells of Power and artifacts. The Control Worlds need the planet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but why us?¡± Cara Sue asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t any other team running or completing the Cleansing achieve the same results? Why does it have to be Nexus Agents?¡± ¡°Because the Scourge wants their world back, and as we know, the arena construct refuses to discriminate between Scourge Champions and us,¡± Layla continued. ¡°It only recognizes Cursed Ones, Cursed Beasts, and the Void as the real enemy. The blasted intelligence doesn¡¯t seem to accept or can¡¯t compute that the Scourge breed, worship, and work with all but the Void. So, the Nexus has decided that we can¡¯t trust average Summoned, who are not affiliated with us, for the job. We need people like you. The rewards should make the stakes clear. ¡°You don¡¯t have to run the Cleansing afterward. We only want the ticket under our control. You can pass it on to someone with the same quest who failed, or we can find someone else.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Cara Sue sighed. ¡°I¡¯m in for the ticket hunt. No promises regarding the rest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s acceptable.¡± Layla turned to the other four. ¡°What about the rest of you?¡± ¡°Already accepted it,¡± Nil replied. Shawn and Selia echoed the sentiment. ¡°You had me at ascension token,¡± Zora said. ¡°If I get one and am ready to ascend, I might not help with the Cleansing. I¡¯ve been stuck at Bronze for far too long.¡± ¡°We¡¯re already searching for substitutes. I have people trying to poach talent from a few other luduses. Don¡¯t worry; they¡¯re all cooperative individuals who are willing to follow a leader. The last thing I want is to unsettle the dynamic we have going in this room.¡± Layla¡¯s attention turned to Andrew. ¡°Before you depart, I want you to sit down with everyone here except Nil and Susan. Discuss what they want out of a soul weapon and start chassis designs. In the interim, you will create weapons that will fill the hole during the Cleansing. Shawn¡¯s and Selia¡¯s were a good start, but I¡¯m sure you can do better. We¡¯ll help with material costs and experimentation. Time and experience on the Control World should help with the quest.¡± ¡°You got it, boss,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°But it will be difficult to come up with something good without their regular input.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Layla said before moving on. ¡°Zora, I¡¯ll send you a second quest by the end of the week. In the meantime, I¡¯m sending you and Cara Sue vouchers to spend on spell emporiums and trainers. It might be wise to invest in mobility, defense, and swift magic recovery spells. The Cleansing is long, and you can¡¯t afford to rest for long outside of the checkpoints.¡± The meeting remained on the topic of Cleaning for a while. Unlike Shawn, Nil and Selia didn¡¯t know a lot about the events. Apparently, it was a method of reclaiming high-value worlds from the Scourge and, occasionally, the Void. It was a multi-stage race with several checkpoints where people got to rest and recuperate. Access to the checkpoints required trophies or tokens collected from Cursed Ones and other teams, respectively. Arrival at the checkpoint dictated exit time, and they were unskippable. Collected trophies and tokens opened the path forward, weakening corruption and stabilizing the realm. There was something about rations, supplies, and life support magic, but Nil¡¯s mind began to drift. More sessions with Watcher awaited. Nil couldn¡¯t wait to share his recent discoveries and developments with the mysterious entity. The defensive Source energy was a game changer, giving Nil precisely what he needed: a way to Absorb energy without letting the source touch him. The immovability limited its usability, but elemental attacks carried by a physical component weren¡¯t as big a threat anymore. If he robbed ice scarabs and fireballs of their kinetic energy, they¡¯d fail to do him much harm. Nil hoped that training and practice would help him get past the limitations. The Source Sphere, the technique Nil had written off as a training tool, had proven its power. Nil also wanted to explore it more. Whenever the Source touched something, the contact particles reacted, consuming themselves to disintegrate the material. The Source Sphere¡¯s high rotational speed minimized the contact points and the speed flung the energy, causing a wide area of effect. It had limited reach, and the shape forced Nil to use mostly thrusting attacks. As a result, it didn¡¯t make the energy weapons redundant. Nil needed them when dealing with martially talented foes or needed to deal with multiple targets in swift, measured movements. However, he foresaw it becoming the perfect tool for taking out giant Cursed Ones. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°You got it, boss!¡± Zora exclaimed, mock saluting and snapping Nil out of his daydreams. She spun on her heel and marched out of the office. Cara Sue rolled her eyes, following close behind the woman. ¡°Now that we¡¯re alone, we can discuss what our beloved Death Gauntlet team will be doing in the interim,¡± Layla said. ¡°You mean on top of getting tickets?¡± Selia asked. Layla nodded. ¡°You might have enough skill and strength to each get one of the tickets available to your world, but none of you are ready for the Cleansing. So, I¡¯ve spoken to the Control Worlds about your reward, and we¡¯ve thought of an amazing opportunity. You¡¯ll gain access to cultivation resources and knowledge and get plenty of opportunity to improve your attributes and abilities.¡± Susan smiled knowingly. She sat back in her chair, crossing her arms. Andrew looked between Layla and the rest of them, as confused as Nil felt. He broke the silence in the end. ¡°Enough suspense,¡± he said. ¡°Please enlighten us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending all of you to Control World with Andrew and Susan. You¡¯ll be there for a little over a year, but it will be exactly for three months of your home world¡¯s time.¡± A heavy silence hung over the room. Everyone but Susan appeared surprised. You have been invited to the Control World, Ashe Fall, for thirteen lunar cycles. It¡¯s the home of Yggdrasil¡¯s Daughter and Council Arcanum. While on Ashe Falle, you¡¯ll assist the masters of Onyx Dragon Academy and take care of their young apprentices. Your responsibilities will involve assisting Watcher Behind The Stars with his lessons, preparing his meals, and whatever other assistance he might need. You¡¯ll be paid 2 Schema Tokens and 200 Schema Credits per month of service. Room, board, and uniform are a part of your compensation. You¡¯ll receive ample time to explore the world and study its knowledge, but Nexus will limit the manuals and texts you can copy into your Schema Interface. Watcher Behind The Stars is your host, and you may enter Apocalypse Arena with his permission. Nil reread the Schema message. The mention of Watcher caught Nil¡¯s attention. He hadn¡¯t encountered the mysterious teacher¡¯s full title before. It has to be him. How many people go by a term as ominous as Watcher? ¡°Everyone here has caught the attention of powerful figures, and either they or individuals in their employ have agreed to assist in your growth,¡± Layla explained. ¡°You¡¯ll be expected to work for them during this period, and they might even allow you to accompany Andrew when he goes out with Samara to study magic in the field and procure materials. I doubt I need to explain to you how valuable an opportunity this is and the amount of work that went into arranging all of this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an immense opportunity.¡± Shawn¡¯s mouth hung agape, focused on nothing in particular. Nil recognized the odd eye movements. He was reading the contents of his Schema Interface. ¡°I¡¯ll be studying under a descendant of Gaia? Wasn¡¯t she the first druid?¡± Layla nodded. ¡°Stories say she was the first mortal to learn magic from Yggdrasil and share it with the rest of humanity. A large chunk of the multiverse owes their prosperity and survival to her bloodline and students.¡± ¡°Who will you be studying under?¡± Nil asked Selia. ¡°It doesn¡¯t say,¡± she answered, frowning. ¡°The only information I have is that I¡¯ll be serving the Weave and shadowing a Spider. What the hell does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to speak about it, but you¡¯ll find out in due time,¡± Layla replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d prefer more material rewards, but trust me, this is far better. It¡¯s very rare for Summoned from a Seed World as young as yours to gain such an opportunity. None of my cases or agents I¡¯ve led have received such invites. A part of this is to give you a chance at the Cleansing. The fact that the higher-ups are willing to take this big a chance on you means you¡¯ve all impressed some powerful entities.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to sell it any harder,¡± Nil said. He accepted the quest. ¡°I¡¯m in. There is little for me to worry about since you¡¯re taking good care of my family. Just do me a favor and look out for Emily. She¡¯s not as strong as she pretends to be and is really not suited for combat.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got me word. I¡¯ll take good care of your sister and ensure she doesn¡¯t get herself killed. Given her age and ability, she only needs to go on four quests a year, and I¡¯ll pick her choices personally.¡± ¡°This just got a whole lot more fun,¡± Andrew said, finally getting past his shock. ¡°We¡¯re going to see the multiverse, Sunny-boi!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad that didn¡¯t end up your arena title?¡± Selia laughed. ¡°If Nil¡¯s in, I¡¯m in. I don¡¯t like this mysterious bullshit, but it sounds interesting. It would be stupid to give up an opportunity to see a Control World.¡± All eyes moved to Shawn. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? There is nothing keeping me on Earth. Three months away, but a year of training time sounds incredible to me.¡± He nodded, finally looking past the Schema Interface. ¡°This might actually give us a chance to beat Wilson Luduses.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Layla clapped her hands together excitably. ¡°Go home for now. Take a few days to rest. Maybe have some fun. Your time on the Control World will be far from easy.¡± One of her clones handed Andrew an ornate box made of pale wood. ¡°Be sure to speak to Cara Sue and Zora. Find out what they need and start work on it straight away. They¡¯ll need powerful magic batteries and spell storage crystals for what is to come.¡± Andrew accepted the gift. His eyes gave away his excitement. ¡°You got it.¡± Nil gripped Selia¡¯s hand under the table, and she smiled at him. She seemed giddy as well. They all were. After everything he had learned and heard about Control Worlds, he couldn¡¯t wait to learn more about them. His family and Bunty wouldn¡¯t be happy about the absence, but he planned to tell them to look out for events where Cleansing tickets were at stake. 140. Epilogue (END OF BOOK 2) When Nil read the name ¡®Ashe Fall, ¡¯ he expected a volcanic planet where soot and grey regularly rained from the sky, and a giant towered over all. Instead, after a voyage through several Beacon Worlds and waygates, he found himself approaching a rogue planet under the canopy of a giant ash tree that defied all laws of physics. A complex network of branches covered the entire planet. Giant luminous fruit¡ªor countless ornate lanterns the size of garbage trucks¡ªmade up for the lack of sun. ¡°Ashe, Daughter of Yggdrasil, supports all life on the planet,¡± the group¡¯s guide said as their vessel descended from the planet¡¯s moon. It had no atmosphere, but the ancient druids somehow planted a waygate on it. They traveled just above the canopy, gliding past giant circular openings. It gave them a glimpse of the land below. Bioluminescence, similar to fallen arena worlds, lit the dense urban centers, especially in areas where the sun-fruit had dimmed. ¡°She provides us with light to grow food, produces air for us to breathe, and her magic makes travel around the globe instantaneous. She also protects us against Void and Scourge incursions. ¡°Your hosts will dictate which cities and wilderness reserves are open to you. Please treat Ashe Fall with the same respect you''d treat your home. The ground, Yggdrasil¡¯s daughter, all flora and fauna are sacred to us.¡± Selia''s fingers interlocked with Nil''s as they studied their home for the next year instead of paying attention to the guide. Susan and Andrew whispered to each other behind them. Nil heard snippets of their conversation as his closest friend excitedly spoke about the wonders he had seen during his last visit. The goal was for him to ascend to Bronze by the end of their time in the Control World. Apparently, Samara already had tokens ready for him. Nil hoped to have the Source Gauntlets at the necessary rank when the time came. He and Andrew had already spent the past few days brainstorming the best path to take with the weapon. The list of possibilities Andrew had handed him contained some interesting paths, but most felt ridiculous or plain stupid. Nil refused to settle on any of them. He saw the next year as a working study program. Watcher had a lot to teach, and Nil planned on picking his following upgrades and developments based on what he learned. Andrew was also excited about the weapons he would get to develop for everyone else on the ticket-gathering quest. He already had chassis ideas for all of them but still needed to narrow down their abilities. Selia loved her extendable weapon. The three different lengths gave her versatility and the power to confuse foes. The magical spring-loading also gave it an extra bit of power. Meanwhile, Shawn appeared satisfied with a simple sword. Andrew had a lot of figuring out and had the perfect teacher to help him on the path. Only Nil and Andrew had a rough idea of what to expect of their teachers or the coming year. The rest were balls of nervous excitement. He guessed Selia was the one who had caught Maka Dee the Cosmic Spider¡¯s interest. Given her quest¡¯s mysterious wording, she¡¯d likely train with a clandestine organization, learning infiltration, reconnaissance, and assassination techniques. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re descending through Silver Leaf ring,¡± the guide said as the vessel finally started its landing process. They exited the darkness of space and entered golden warmth, surrounded by rich green and pale grey-brown wood. Luminous veins ran along the branches. Their energy reminded Nil of Meatball¡¯s Regenerate. ¡°It''s the primary port for the transport of arcane products. Most vessels coming through waygates touch down here as well. ¡°Once you land, please follow the signs to the entry port. The paperwork is essential for sorting out your residency permits. If you teleport out to the arena or quests without them, the return will involve the lengthy process of using the waygate system. As you¡¯ve just experienced, it''s a long and annoying process.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Where is everyone going?¡± The five were the only visitors on board. They were aboard a cargo vessel, transporting arcane goods brought through the waygate. ¡°Onyx Dragon Academy,¡± Nil answered. ¡°Me too,¡± Andrew added. ¡°Onyx Dragon¡¯s Forge, to be more specific. It''s the same compound.¡± ¡°Druid¡¯s Grove,¡± Susan said, and Shawn echoed it. ¡°I¡¯ll be serving the Weave,¡± Selia replied. ¡°My quest and caseworker didn¡¯t give me a location.¡± ¡°Someone should be meeting you at the landing.¡± The guide read off a tablet with a wooden case. ¡°The Weave has no known base of operations. I imagine you¡¯ll be all over the place. The Onyx Dragon compound and Druid¡¯s Grove are on opposite ends of the planet, but given the world tree¡¯s teleportation system, you should have no trouble reaching each other.¡± Exiting the vessel¡ªa cross between a submarine and a spaceship made out of a living tree¡ªwas a jaw-dropping experience. Nil and Selia held each other¡¯s hands tightly, studying the titanic structures around them. They were all amalgamations of stone and the local giant fauna. Luminous geometric shapes filled with Norse runes covered them. Most structures and vehicles looked grown instead of built, but there was also evidence of magitech far more advanced than what was available on their Earth. The air smelled of freshly cut grass. Bioluminescence combined with the giant sun lamps¡ªor fruit¡ªabove their head added a comforting warmth to the woody surroundings. Vapors rose from the ground around the landing pad, and Nil smelled a hint of sulfur. ¡°I think this entire place runs on geothermal energy, whatever energy Yggdrasil¡¯s daughter emits, and magic,¡± Nil whispered, struggling to filter everything Energy Instinct detected. ¡°Immigration is this way,¡± Shawn said, nodding to a sign. ¡°We better get going. I¡¯d rather not keep our host waiting.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Selia nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Before the group could proceed, a woman in long white silken robes stepped into their path. Her eyes drifted between the group¡¯s women. ¡°Selia Specter? You¡¯re to accompany me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I need to sort out my paperwork?¡± Selia tightened her hold on Nil¡¯s hand. He could hear the concern in her voice. ¡°It works differently for Spiders and all who serve the Weave. We leave now. Goodbyes. Now.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to say them so soon,¡± Selia whispered, facing Nil. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You heard what the guide said. With the tree¡¯s teleportation system, we¡¯ll never be far from each other.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see each other once the paperwork is sorted,¡± Andrew said. ¡°It didn¡¯t take long last time, even though I was technically a refugee instead of a guest.¡± ¡°My cabin shared a wall with yours,¡± Shawn grumbled. ¡°You¡¯ve said sufficient goodbyes. Just kiss so we can get going.¡± Nil got the feeling that it would be a while before he saw his girlfriend, and the look in her eyes suggested she thought the same. The world had no holo-devices, and none of them had the local communication tools yet. The couple whispered their final goodbyes and kissed. Nil watched Selia follow her guide to a magic circle by the landing pad. She blew him a kiss before disappearing from sight. ¡°It¡¯s just going to be you and me, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said. ¡°May the lack of beautiful distractions work in our favor.¡± ¡°You talk too much, Andy.¡± Susan sighed. ¡°A week without me, and you¡¯ll be pining too.¡± The statement got a chuckle out of Shawn as the quartet walked through the port. Nil spared the teleportation site a final glance before returning his attention to the wonders of Ashe Fall. It looked like a beautiful place to build a life. The air was clean. The sights were stunning. And the air was rich with energy suspiciously close to the Source in its silver form. 141. Life Under The Canopy ¡°The usual, Master Roy?¡± The fishmonger asked. After regular weekly meetings, they¡¯d grown comfortable around each other. She was among the few people in the Onyx Dragon Academy¡¯s vicinity who addressed him with a title. Only Control World residents seem to receive such respect. ¡°Yes, please,¡± Nil replied. ¡°Master Seer can¡¯t start his week without steamed toothfish?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. His routine hasn¡¯t changed in two centuries.¡± The woman appeared barely any older than Nil. He had long gotten used to the inconsistent aging processes of the world¡¯s residents. His senses told him she wasn¡¯t much older than him, but her comments said otherwise. When Nil found her stall, her eyes had been focused on the world tree¡¯s canopy. As she weighed fish on brass scales and placed them in the salt-water-filled tub Nil had brought, the fishmonger glanced up at the dense network of branches again. ¡°I have some fresh clams, sea snails, and¡ª¡± She paused. Nil followed her eyes to Ashe¡¯s canopy above. A small section was quivering. The woman sighed when it ceased. ¡°¡ªand sweet red prawns. Would you like any?¡± The distracted fishmonger ripped the shell off a live prawn, deveined it with her thumb, washed it, and handed it to NIl. He popped the raw salt-water crustacean into his mouth without a second thought. Ashe Fall ran on magic and green energy. All waste seemed to be perfectly recycled, and Nil doubted his Earth would ever have waters that were so clean. The prawn carried a natural sweetness, and even though he tasted it raw whenever the fishmonger offered him a sample¡ªwhich was every other week¡ªit sent shivers down his spine. ¡°I¡¯ll take two dozen,¡± Nil replied. He transferred her the necessary Schema Credit. ¡°Half for Master Seer. Half for me.¡± ¡°People around here don¡¯t trust Seed Worlders.¡± The fishmonger sighed. ¡°If only they met the likes of you. By Yggdrasil¡¯s sap, most local servants would happily purchase treats on their own credit.¡± The woman carefully counted twenty-four into Nil¡¯s tub and then added a couple of extra. ¡°They¡¯re on me.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, but¡ª¡± ¡°No arguments, Master Roy.¡± The woman glanced at the canopy again. ¡°Do you want any clams for soup?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take one of those.¡± Nil pointed at a mesh bag sitting in the giant stone basin behind her. It was a kilogram, by his estimates. Are the oysters any good today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re all reserved by the new forge master, but if you¡¯d like, I can set some aside for the day after tomorrow?¡± ¡°No. It''s alright. But please hold double the clams and three Black Pearl Spot.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Roy.¡± The fishmonger smiled. ¡°Our blind friend might not be harsh or cruel like some of the academy¡¯s other masters, but I always set aside his regular favorites. Loyalty trumps big purchases.¡± ¡°Are you expecting something?¡± Nil asked when she looked up at the canopy again. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± The name Ashe Fall made little sense to Nil for months after his arrival to the Control World. He asked his host, peers, and even people on the street about it. Most asked Nil how long he¡¯d be staying and then followed up with the same response. You¡¯ll see. It was Nil¡¯s ninth month on the planet, and it felt like the time for him to see had come at last. As Nil walked through the market, casually carrying a couple hundred kilograms of groceries on his back, he found several vendors and shoppers occasionally glancing at the canopy of pale grey-brown, rich green, and gold that covered the planet. He scanned for meat, but it wasn¡¯t unusual not to find any. It took Nil a while to get used to the change. Meat was a big part of his diet. Most of the world¡¯s fauna live on protected nature reserves or on farms. Cullings happened only a couple of times a year to prevent overpopulation. Vessels coming through the waygates also brought in live and slaughtered animals from across the multiverse, but only Ashe Fall¡¯s richest and most powerful indulged. Meanwhile, the world¡¯s oceans were rich with Life Magic¡ªthe same thing that powered Meatball¡¯s Regenerate and ability to rapidly grow plants¡ªfilled them. Rapid reproduction and growth meant seafood was never in short supply. Most of Ashe Fall¡¯s residents were pescetarians by choice or religion. A smaller subsection worshipped the world tree and ate only plant matter. The rest ate whatever they could afford. Even though Ashe Fall had a supposedly utopic society, Nil couldn¡¯t help but notice the wealth disparity. Everyone had decent accommodation, enough food to eat, medical care on the rare occasion they needed it, and all of their essential needs and comforts appeared met. Merit, coin, and contribution earned them the rest. Boxes with eggs, milk, grains, vegetables, mackerel, and daily essentials were dropped off at the academy twice a week. The quantity changed as the number of residents in Master Seer¡¯s halls changed. A teleportation circle took Nil from the seal level to the Dragon Onyx compound to about a thousand meters above the ground. The academy and forge sat on the side of a mountain. Students trained on the steep cliffs and green-speckled rock faces all day. Nil regularly trained by climbing it without assistance from his abilities. It had done wonders for his body attributes. He just didn¡¯t have time for it on market days. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Besides the essentials, the blind Immortal Realm cultivator, Seer, enjoyed more than the provided essentials. He liked to spend his earnings and Control-World-given allowance on fine fish and meats for himself and his students. And it was Nil¡¯s responsibility to cook for the man, the dozen residents in his villa, and the regular guests. After putting all the produce away, Nil got to work. His first job involved powering up the magitech equipment around his workspace. Master Seer had removed all the switches. Nil had to channel energy through them carefully. He held his breath, carefully feeding the first air-tight cupboard until the runes carved into it flickered alive with sapphire lights. Well, that¡¯s a relief. Nil¡¯s shoulders relaxed. The first dozen or so times he powered up the enchantment, he burned out the arcane circuitry and damaged the power supply. It was an exercise demanding precision and a light touch. Nil had neither when it came to emission and manipulation, but he was getting there. Similar exercises followed as he powered up the stove and other equipment. Only the oven and steamer didn¡¯t require cultivation techniques to activate. Nil only had to open the pipes connecting to the geothermal vents below. Onyx Dragon Academy and Forge sat on a volcano, and the masters had learned to harness their powers to fulfill half of their energy needs. Nil believed that working with the Nexus and serving the Control Worlds would eventually help his Earth become a type-one civilization¡ªcapable of fulfilling all energy needs by harnessing the planet¡¯s natural forces. Lack of magic would make it challenging, but Nil believed that they had enough technology to get most of the way there. Nil filleted fish. Made a stock out of bones and clams. He pickled and steamed vegetables and also prepared rice, boiled grains, and bread. It took him a couple of hours, but come dinner time, he had a big spread ready with a variety of proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates, and a couple of simple desserts. ¡°What do we say, younglings?¡± Master Seer asked as they all sat down for dinner together. ¡°Thank you, Senior Roy!¡± The children said as one. Master Seer, a blindfolded man, seemingly in his forties, sat at the head of the table in flowing robes. Ten children sat on either side of him, going from youngest to oldest. The group included only two teenagers. Nil and the other ¡®helper¡¯ sat on the opposite end. ¡°Don¡¯t forget Senior Iris,¡± the master added. ¡°Your lessons would be much harsher, and we¡¯d have no tea or snacks if not for her. ¡°Thank you, Senior Iris!¡± Then they all ate. The children merrily talked amongst themselves while the blind teacher listened. He appeared focused on his food but occasionally answered questions or told the youngest to behave. ¡°Great fish today,¡± Iris told him. She appeared in her late teens, but Nil knew better than to assume the age of the Control World or of people from other Seed Worlds like her. Iris smiled at him sweetly. ¡°I love the broth. I haven¡¯t tasted anything like it.¡± ¡°Merchant brought me a spice box,¡± Nil replied between bites. ¡°I flavored the broth with tempered onion seeds and ginger.¡± ¡°It really brings out the clammy flavor,¡± one of the children seated by Master Seer said. Nil had learned that the man¡¯s students were far harsher than any critics that visited Misdirection or anywhere else Nil had worked. She smiled at Nil. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s high praise coming from you, Miss Silver.¡± Nil nodded, bowing his head. ¡°It¡¯s Lady Silver.¡± ¡°No. No.¡± Master Seer¡¯s reprimand was gentle. ¡°No titles here. Nil Roy has every right to address you as Junior Silver. But he uses ¡®miss¡¯ to be nice. That¡¯s already more than you get while still a student of the Eyeless Dragon¡¯s Path. Young Silver is correct, though. Today¡¯s broth is excellent. Enjoy Nil¡¯s cooking while you can. It won¡¯t be long before he returns home, and Grandmother Wen will return.¡± ¡°Not Dragonbreath Wen,¡± one of the teenagers groaned, getting several chuckles out of the children.¡± Nil didn¡¯t know whether Grandmother Wen had horrid mouth odor or her cooking made the children¡¯s throats burn. He was just told they were glad she had taken a year off to help with her new daughter¡¯s newborn twins. The older students also thanked Nil for the lightly grilled prawns. Master Seer got two, while all but the youngest at the table received one. Nil had only brushed them with homemade garlic butter before swiftly cooking them over hot coals. He had the rest marinating for later. After the meal, the students cleared the table, took the dishes away for washing, and finished cleaning. It was a part of their regular duties. Master Seer believed that cultivators should assist with regular tasks regardless of wealth and power. It kept them humble and in touch with the people they were training to protect. Meanwhile, Iris and Nil remained at the table with their teacher. ¡°Good job. The pair of you. Running things has been a breeze ever since you arrived.¡± ¡°You flatter us, Master Seer.¡± Iris bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you both in the training room at fifth bell tomorrow. You¡¯re to be warmed up before I arrive.¡± ¡°Yes, master,¡± both Seed Worlders replied. ¡°You¡¯re excused, Iris.¡± Nil¡¯s colleague shot him a concerned look, mouthing whether she¡¯d see him in a bit. He shook his head. She bowed to Master Seer before leaving the dining room. Master Seer only spoke once the door was closed. ¡°Can you please ask your girlfriend to stop breaking into the manor? It¡¯s okay if she visits the compound, but the children here are of important families with secret techniques. If their parents or families find out about outsiders peeking in. There will be hell to pay.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to her, Master¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. But, you could simply cease the note exchange. I know things have been hard because the Weave keeps her away, busy, or is limiting contact, but I don¡¯t want to have the mountain¡¯s wards block her for good.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll warn her in my next note.¡± The master of the manor sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Run along. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± When Nil returned to his quarters, a humble square room, it had no bed. The straw mat floor was soft and bedding sat neatly folded in a corner. Much like most tables in the manor, Nil¡¯s desk only stood a foot above the ground. It wasn¡¯t much, but Nil appreciated the private space and the view that overlooked the green expanse around the mountain. A note awaited on his work surface. Are you trying to make me jealous, Nil Roy? Because it¡¯s working. 142. Breakthroughs Dont Come Easy Unlike the ludus¡¯s training spaces, the Onyx Dragon Academy¡¯s training areas didn¡¯t have a lot of security. Either altitude or the caverns containing the spaces gave them privacy. Master Seer insisted on using the crater at the top. Warm-up involved scaling the mountain¡¯s side. As instructed by his teacher, Nil didn¡¯t use Expend. However, he didn¡¯t hesitate to use Toggled Supercharging. Master Seer had only recently given Nil given permission to use it freely. The ability was almost at Bronze Realm, and Nil could feel its ascension just outside of grasp. With the final round of the ticket tournament rapidly approaching, Nil wanted every possible advantage. His world was due to receive only eight tickets for the Cleansing. Nil and his friends all had quests that involved winning one. Since the rewards involved a Silver Ascension Token, he needed to complete the quest and ensure Wilson Luduses didn¡¯t get the majority of the tickets as they had the past few years. Their representatives had already beaten Selia and Zora in two of the four tournaments, which listed them as the first prize. Iris woke Nil early the following morning. The doors had no locks, and she had let herself in. The woman wore nothing but a loose house coat that barely concealed her chest. Her hair was wet, and droplets on her exposed skin glistened in dawn¡¯s early light. Nil was cordial but short with her and asked for privacy so he could get ready for the climb. If she was disappointed, the woman didn¡¯t let it show. It wasn¡¯t the first time Iris had done something of the sort, and his attempts at setting boundaries had all failed. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether she hailed from a world where privacy and nudity were no big deal or if there was more to her behavior. Nil didn¡¯t give the matter thought since it marred little, if at all. The pair started the climb exactly at the fifth bell. Nil supercharged strength, infusing it with additional strength. It made supporting his weight with single-finger handholds a breeze. The several ranks of Might he had gained during his ten months on Ashe Falls also helped him push harder. Meanwhile, Iris crawled more than climbed the mountainside using two extra sets of arms. Unlike Shervon Grey, the dead brute¡¯s limbs, hers didn¡¯t sprout out of her torso. Instead, they floated next to her. The golden light constituting them set of Energy Instinct and felt suspiciously like the Source. He had previously faced the manifested limbs in combat, and they were no joke. Nil often wondered whether Watcher Behind The Stars specialized in individuals with access to the Source. It came as no surprise when she beat him to the top. Iris faced fewer limitations than Nil. He didn¡¯t enquire about her abilities, and she didn¡¯t volunteer any information. No one had explained it as such, but Nil got the feeling that it was rude to ask about one¡¯s power seed, abilities, or cultivation style. People only mentioned their overall ranks and didn¡¯t elaborate any further. There was a lot about Ashe Fall¡¯s etiquette Nil didn¡¯t understand, and no one appeared interested in explaining them. Even though most people he had met were polite, it felt almost as if the locals wanted to ensure that it remained obvious he was an outsider and also make him feel like one. The energy in the crater was dense. If it had mass, Nil imagined it would be like breathing and wading through honey. The altitude brought them close to the Qi-rich canopy. Whenever Nil looked up with Energy Instinct¡¯s visual component active, the world lit up with gold and green. Motes rained from the world tree¡¯s branches and especially her fruits. At the same time, orange drifted up from all volcanic vents. There were none in the crater, but it was where the energy was densest. Nil summoned the Source Gauntlets, manifested Source Weapons, and ran drills while channeling energy through himself. Thanks to Master Seer¡¯s regular lessons and endless practice, Nil could now handle three stable energy weapons: punching daggers, the three-finger blade, and also sharp knuckledusters that extended into a curving twenty-centimeter-long curved dagger. The pair weren¡¯t the only ones in the crater. Some of the older students spent the night on the mountaintop, cultivating. They always cleared out before the first lesson started, but every week, someone or another approached him for a conversation. When Nil took a break, a young pair, about sixteen, approached him. ¡°Does your world really have no Qi?¡± The female half of the duo asked. ¡°Or magic?¡± Her companion added. Nil nodded. ¡°It''s barren. No magic. No Qi. No Wells of Power. Nothing.¡± The pair exchanged concerned looks. ¡°Really? How do you do¡ª¡± She hesitated, fumbling over her words. ¡°¡ªdo anything?¡± ¡°Hard work. Technology.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°Our civilization has progressed and has had setbacks over the past ten thousand years or so. Things were rough for the longest time. Imagine a Beacon World full of war and maniacs but no magic or monsters. Things have gotten better over the last couple of hundred years.¡± ¡°So you still light fires to cook food and wash clothes by hand?¡± The girl sounded horrified. ¡°No. We compensated with technology. Our stoves run on electricity or gas. We have vessels for flight and have traveled to our moon. It was a groundbreaking experiment that caused our cataclysm and helped the Nexus find us.¡± ¡°All that without magic.¡± The boy whistled. ¡°And here I thought barren worlds were mostly full of barbarians.¡± ¡°Barbarians are a constant,¡± Nil said. ¡°They dress differently, and they don¡¯t use the same tactics as their counterparts in Beacon Worlds. They still ruin homes and¡ª¡± Nil caught himself. The pair appeared uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯d get better back to my warm-up. Have a safe descent.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± The pair nodded before leaving. Nil doubted he would¡¯ve received such a greeting if he weren¡¯t Bronze and on the cusp of Silver Realm. Then, Seer arrived, and sparring commenced. Iris was a challenging opponent. Her additional arms came at him from almost every angle, and she controlled each limb with incredible control, precision, and speed. They forced Nil to push all of his abilities to their limits. He relied on Energy Instinct to detect the arms as they flew at her. His Finesse helped him somewhat keep up with the speed and react appropriately. Nil frequently repositioned with Anti-Friction Lattice wrapped around his feet, sliding around the woman just about avoiding most of the attacks. Paint covered Nil¡¯s practice weapons, and he occasionally drew lines on her arms, torso and legs. They marked injuries and helped Master Seer declare the victor. After months of training, Nil had only come out on top twice. He was sure both victories were the product of luck and not skill. Toggled Supercharging gave Nil the sufficient toughness to take the hits that got through. He didn¡¯t use Absorb or Expend, as they would make the exercise moot. It took Nil an hour, but he finally got the results he had hoped for. Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Bronze 0! The cost increase of switching between boosts is significantly reduced, and the base power of each boost is increased by 25%. You may now activate two boosts simultaneously. Please pick one of the following to add to Toggled Supercharging¡¯s list of boosts:
  • Senses: Pick one or multiple senses to enhance. Boosting multiple simultaneously can cause sensory overload.
  • Psychic Fortitude: Reinforce your mind against psychic attacks and mental strain.
  • Motor Skills: Boost muscle control.
  • Energy Sensitivity: Increase ability to detect and follow magic, Qi, and all energy.
Nil couldn¡¯t help but whoop when the Schema notification appeared. It had taken him ten months of regular training to sufficiently rank the ability. He used it regularly, enhancing his speed while working or his strength when shopping. Nil supercharged toughness, often just for the hell of it. The ability to supercharge multiple features simultaneously especially excited him, and it didn¡¯t take him long to pick up his upgrade. Nil didn¡¯t particularly care about enhancing his senses or energy sensitivity. Energy Instinct gave him all the detection and tracking he required. Picking between psychic fortitude and motor skills was significantly more challenging. Supercharging speed and the latter went hand in hand. He could foresee himself moving at speeds much greater than possible for his realm and rank. Nil believed that boosting motor skills would also increase his combat prowess, helping him take on martially superior foes like Shawn. Meanwhile, the ability to supercharge psychic fortitude would cover one of Nil¡¯s greatest weaknesses. Because of his Mind potential, raising the attribute was nearly impossible, and the returns from it were also horrid. It left him vulnerable to Mind Mages and Void entities. Since the Cleansing would involve visiting a world conquered by the Void, it made sense to go for the option. It saddened Nil to give up on the possibility of superspeed in the end. It would make him unstoppable, but he felt obligated to go with psychic fortitude in the end. He needed it for survival and success. Nil would be useless to his friends in the group arena event if he fell vulnerable to a Mind Magic attack.
  • Might: Bronze 6
  • Finesse: Bronze 7
  • Mind: Iron 6
  • Spark: Bronze 8
Brutal Battery: Bronze 7
  • Absorb: Bronze 7
  • Expend: Bronze 8
  • Toggled Supercharging: Bronze 0
  • Energy Instinct: Iron 9
  • Anti-Friction lattice: Iron 6
Feats:
  • Armmaster¡¯s Disappointment
  • Through Sheer Grit
  • The Power of Belief
  • Primal Origins
Source Gauntlets: Iron 8
  • Wield The Source: Iron 8
  • Galvanized: Iron 9
Ironroot Whelp: Iron 9
  • Reinforce: Iron 8
  • Regenerate: Iron 9
¡°You look like you¡¯re in the mood to celebrate,¡± Iris said. ¡°I finally got it,¡± Nil said. ¡°Your boost got to Bronze Realm?¡± Master Seer asked. Nil nodded. ¡°Now, I just need to improve Energy Instinct.¡± ¡°If training with Iris hasn¡¯t done it, it means you need some sort of breakthrough. You¡¯ll get there soon.¡± ¡°I assumed as much.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I need, though. What would Bronze Realm in Energy Instinct even get me?¡± ¡°Improved detection, cultivation speed, power, and perhaps more,¡± his teacher replied. ¡°You¡¯re getting good with your QI techniques. Your shaping and emission are way beyond that of the Bronze Realm. Unfortunately, your manipulation is still lagging behind. Perhaps that¡¯s what you need? Get all to a decent enough level and combine them sufficiently. I believe the journey to mastering Qi techniques will push Energy Instinct to bronze. ¡°Are you still due to meet your friends the day after tomorrow?¡± ¡°I am. Do you need me to cancel?¡± Nil didn¡¯t mind. Awkwardly sitting with Shawn while Susan and Andrew kanoodled was far from his favorite activity. Even though Selia knew about the meeting, Nil considered she¡¯d show up. He always received an apology note once he returned from them. ¡°I can help you with training the little ones. Or¡ª¡± ¡°No. Go. See the world. Socialize. It''s important to enjoy Ashe Falls while you can. There is no telling when or if you¡¯ll see a Control World again.¡± Master Seer glanced at Iris. She was off at the crater¡¯s center, cultivating and practicing her ability. Iris floated a meter above the ground, sitting in the air with her legs crossed. ¡°Just remember not to reveal my true identity or mention it around the locals. My contemporaries won¡¯t be pleased if they know about my presence here.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, Keeper of Knowledge, Maka Dee, and Yggdrasil all interact with mortals and walk the physical realm?¡± ¡°They do,¡± Master Seer answered. ¡°But we¡¯re not all the same. Our privileges differ. Ashe Fall¡¯s ruling powers also have mixed feelings about me and my presence on their planet. Not everyone is as cordial with the Watcher Behind The Stars as the Nexus.¡± 143. Excercise Keeps One Focused Nil only used Absorb during his descent when necessary. Sliding down the smoother cliff faces while activating and deactivating Anti-Friction Lattice was a lot more fun. Source Gauntlets¡¯ fingertips helped him slow down when necessary and adjust angles. Supercharged toughness ensured his shoulder, elbow, and spine didn¡¯t suffer any pulls, strains, or worse injuries. The exercise was Master Seer¡¯s idea. Sliding down the mountain didn¡¯t just help rank Nil¡¯s abilities. He also owed his Finesse¡¯s rapid growth to the peak of the Bronze Realm and all the limitations around Absorb and Expend. The restraints forced Nil to push his muscles, reflexes, and senses to their limits. It was challenging and terrifying at first, but Nil was now thankful for it. He also had close to forty Schema Tokens prepared for when he ascended. Five had come from his victory against Pietro. Each of the past ten months on Ashe Falls had given him two. He had also attempted a Bronze Gauntlet match every lunar cycle and won most. The recent tournament¡¯s many stages also gave participants two per victory. Nil expected to get his primary attributes halfway to Gold as soon as he attained a Body of Silver. An ascension token waited for Nil at the end of his ticket quest, and he wanted to be as powerful as possible for the Cleansing. According to Layla, Watcher, and general chatter around Ashe Falls, the Cleansing was by far the most challenging and dangerous event of the Bronze Realm. More than half the participants died despite the surrender tokens capable of teleporting them straight to the Fountain of Pyrene. It wasn¡¯t just the Cursed Ones and beasts, but natural and arcane disasters often caused chaos. Then there was the Scourge. The arena construct almost always gave their worlds a chance at eight-to-sixteen tickets. The Cursed-Energy-wielding individuals rarely gave their opponents a chance to surrender. Only the exceptionally talented and individuals at the peak of Bronze Realm attempted the Cleansing. Unlike Selia and Shawn, Nil wasn¡¯t exceptionally talented. So, he hoped to get as close to the peak as possible. The climb was harsh and rough, but Nil wasn¡¯t one to give up or skimp on hard work. I need to get Energy Instinct and Anti-Friction Lattice to Bronze. The first felt achievable, while the latter seemed just out of reach. Nil still had two months left on Ashe Falls and little more than three on Earth before the Cleansing. He hoped it was enough time to get what he needed¡ªassuming he managed to score a ticket. Whenever Nil had time to spare, he went down to the academy¡¯s mess hall. The Schema let him access Apocalypse Arena feeds in the area, and he had spent countless hours watching ticket events from other worlds. Soul weapons and spirit companions started to become a more regular occurrence. Almost one in ten arena fighters appeared to have one of the either, if not both, and none looked like easy opponents. He also kept track of other fighters from his Earth pursuing Cleansing tickets. Nil recognized several faces and names. Some of the individuals now under Wilson Ludus¡¯s banner were former colleagues. A couple of Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson¡¯s assets had rare spells and spirit companions. It wouldn¡¯t surprise Nil if Cleansing aspirants enjoyed extra benefits and investment. Meatball loudly squeaked at Nil, catching up to him at Master Seer¡¯s manor. He let her run free during the training sessions and find her own way down. She seemed to enjoy the freedom but also didn¡¯t like being left behind. ¡°Well, you better speed up then, slowpoke,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you free during the Cleansing unless you get faster.¡± The Ironroot Whelp headbutted Nil, striking his shin with the woody carapace on the top of her skull. The blow had little momentum behind it, and supercharged toughness ensured he barely felt it. ¡°Hey!¡± Nil¡¯s protests triggered more angry squeaks. ¡°We both need to get better! Size and ranks aren¡¯t enough.¡± Living under the canopy of the world tree had proved excellent for Meatball¡¯s growth. In the past ten months, she had grown from the size of a grapefruit to a bowling ball. Her improved intelligence and communication skills also proved invaluable. Nil had also started to let her out in the arena more regularly. The couple of times he had accompanied Susan and Andrew on material and spell-learning quests, Meatball saved them a lot of time. She used her keen sense of smell and sensitivity to other living creatures to help track their target. ¡°If you hit me again, I won¡¯t buy you any light fruit,¡± Nil warned when Meatball¡¯s tantrum reached a peak. A squeak of anguish burst from the whelp. She hopped backward, coiled into a ball again, sprouted spikes, and charged at him. When Nil didn¡¯t budge, she turned at the last second and sped into the manor¡¯s garden. The previously neat green patch was now unkempt and wild. The gardener had appreciated Meatball¡¯s magic at first. She accelerated the local flora¡¯s already incredible growth speed and made it impossible for the academy¡¯s two groundskeepers to maintain. However, the students appreciated the extra dense Qi around the manor. It wasn¡¯t as incredible as in the volcanic crater, but a decent substitute for everyone too young or weak to make the climb. The mountain¡¯s many masters had several private cultivation spaces and only granted access to individuals under their tutelage. Thanks to Meatball, Master Seer¡¯s manor had two: the garden and the volcanic chamber below the basement. Nil owed Galvanize¡¯s growth to the space. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. First, Nil went to the kitchens. He prepared broken rice porridge for breakfast and left the pot on a heater in the dining room with several sweet and savory toppings. A small pot of milk and leftover clam broth sat by the porridge. The heat from the magical device was enough to keep the liquids warm. So, if the porridge got too thick, the students could soften their meal with whichever they pleased. After a quick snack, he prepared lunch. It was Nil¡¯s duty to prepare meals for Master Seer and the students every first, third, fifth, and sixth day of the week. During the rest of the days, he assisted with their lessons, trained them, and got one to himself. Since Nil had no responsibilities until the evening, he prepared an extra special meal. The dozen extra prawns he had purchased the previous day still swam alive in their tub. Nil killed, cleaned, and marinated them in chili, ginger, garlic, and the local dark sauce that smelled and tasted like soy. He also whipped together an assortment of steamed and raw chopped vegetables, a creamy broth made with clam stock, and threw some stuffed fish in the oven to slow roast. The rest of the ¡®daylight¡¯ hours were his. So, Nil took some in the manor¡¯s basement. The volcanic chambers below warmed all the water flowing through the building, and the level acted as the bath. Much to his dislike, it was a co-ed space, and Iris was already present cleaning herself. Nil politely returned her wave before scrubbing himself clean with his back to the woman. She appeared to get the hint or had more to do before lunch. He took the opportunity to settle in for a long soak. By the time Nil returned to the kitchen, his oldest friend and only favored human company on the mountain awaited him. ¡°What took you so long, Sunny-boi?¡± Andrew asked, eating a nectarine. Soot and grease covered his clothes but his hands, forearms, and face appeared freshly washed. ¡°I thought my stomach was going to start digesting itself.¡± ¡°Long morning?¡± Nil swiftly brought a pot of water to boil and dropped fresh noodles in them. The academy¡¯s main kitchen dropped off an assortment of buckwheat, flour, and rice noodles to all the mountain¡¯s manors every day. Their ingredients were a part of the staple supplies provided by the world¡¯s powers, and it made more sense to process everything in a place with more space and staff. ¡°Long night and then long morning.¡± Andrew leaned on the counter next to Nil. ¡°Samara doesn¡¯t give me a lot of time for independent projects. I started last night after dinner, worked until dawn, and then she had me help build a new Iron Realm chassis after breakfast. I swear I¡¯d collapse if not for the body ascension.¡± ¡°Rest tonight,¡± Nil told him, slowly grilling the skewered prawns over the scalding heat coming up through a vent that fed the kitchen. ¡°You don¡¯t want to show up tomorrow exhausted. Susan won¡¯t be happy.¡± ¡°Will you join us this time?¡± Andrew yelped when Nil smacked the hand creeping toward a skewer. ¡°They¡¯re not ready.¡± Nil carefully watched as the flesh lost their translucence and the naturally red lines running down the sides of the prawn¡¯s body darkened. ¡°I will,¡± Nil said after thinking about it for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Susan and Shawn. It will be nice to hear about how things are going in Druid¡¯s Grove. Have you made much progress with Shawn¡¯s weapon and chassis design?¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°If he likes the sword, I¡¯ll more or less have his chassis design finalized. It''s pretty straightforward; it just needs a final touch.¡± ¡°Can I come with you?¡± Iris asked, surprising the pair. She wore a fresh blouse and a short skirt that resembled a gladiator¡¯s kilt but came down to her knees. Despite her lack of boundaries, Iris was Nil¡¯s colleague and contemporary in the manor. She often invited herself to lunch with him and Andrew, and as someone who enjoyed feeding others, Nil never turned away. The woman¡¯s heart seemed to be in the right place. Master Seer had advised the pair not to reveal too much about their homeworlds to each other or the students. So, the pair kept their conversations and answers to the students¡¯ endless questions vague. The fragments Nil had picked up suggested that Iris came from a world with a strong warrior culture where everyone was open with their bodies, intentions, and interests. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nil shook his head. ¡°It''s just a meeting for my friends and I. We need to discuss our plans for after we return home and our quests. It¡¯ll all be subjects Master Seer doesn¡¯t want us to discuss.¡± ¡°No need to apologize,¡± Iris replied, laying out three stools. It was easier to eat in the kitchen where Seer¡¯s students were unlikely to bother them. The man didn¡¯t like outsiders like Nil wandering around the manor either. He only allowed outsiders to visit the kitchen on certain days since it sat on the ground floor and directly connected to the rest of the Dragon Onyx compound. ¡°I¡¯ve seen so much of your arena-fighter friends. It would be nice to meet them in person.¡± ¡°Shawn isn¡¯t a fun company,¡± Andrew said, carrying the soup noodles and vegetables to the end of the counter where they usually ate. ¡°He¡¯s a decent enough guy but much too serious and can be a bore.¡± ¡°And what about Selia Specter?¡± ¡°Her masters keep her busy,¡± Nil answered, bringing over the proteins. The roasted fish was crispy and the aromatics stuffed in its belly already had him salivating. However, it was the red prawn that excited him the most. The dark sauce¡¯s natural sugars had caramelized. Tiny pieces of lightly charred chili and garlic clung to the body. He made the dish whenever the fishmonger had good prawn in stock and the day¡¯s prices weren¡¯t too high. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll see much of her until it¡¯s time to return home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Iris commented, claiming the seat next to Nil. ¡°It must be challenging not being able to see your partner.¡± She paused, glancing between him and Andrew. ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s hard not to overhear Master Seer and your conversations.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Nil smiled, moving his chair a couple of centimeters away when the woman brushed against him and her touch lingered a couple of seconds too long. ¡°It''s just a couple more months until the quest ends. Selia and I will make up for lost time when we get home.¡± 144. Friends Look Out For One Another ¡°That girl wants you hard,¡± Andrew said when he and Nil set off for their meeting late the following morning. ¡°I don¡¯t need to point that out like I had to with Selia, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Nil said. ¡°So what are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°Nothing. Maybe it''s just how things work in her world.¡± Nil adjusted his giant pack when they exited the teleporter off the mountain. Most of its contents were Andrew¡¯s, but he had prepared a few sweet treats for Susan and some snacks for Shawn. The man titled Shieldmaster likely expected nothing from Nil, but there would inevitably be a lul when Andrew and Susan went off alone to make up for their time apart. Nil hoped the snacks would help deal with the inevitable awkwardness that accompanied the one-on-one time. ¡°Iris has been suggestive but never said anything outright. She¡¯s signaling that she¡¯s open to it but wants me to initiate. As long as I don¡¯t, the current status quo remains.¡± ¡°I think¡ª¡± ¡°I know what you think and want to say, Andy,¡± Nil interrupted. ¡°Selia and I have been longer apart than together. After everything with Aisha and seven years of stagnancy, I should get out there and wild oats.¡± He adopted a droning tone as he continued. ¡°Selia and I never committed to a full-on relationship. I have a multiverse of options and am settling down too quickly.¡± Andrew burst into laughter, shaking his head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not at all what I was going to say.¡± Andrew nodded toward the correct teleporter. Nil had strayed from the correct path while droning. He struggled to keep track of the complex signs in the transit hob. Not all of them made a lot of sense, and they needed to go through several gates in multiple hubs to reach their destination. They were traveling halfway across the planet, after all. ¡°Ever since you became a Summoned, you¡¯ve gained a fair bit of fame, power, and a fair bit of money,¡± Andrew said. ¡°You¡¯ve also become marginally better looking. Attention is bound to follow. There was the shopgirl in Mayfair. There will be girls like Iris knocking on your door. It¡¯s expected and I wouldn¡¯t blame you for considering your options and even playing the field.¡± ¡°But?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow. ¡°I get the feeling that there is a but coming.¡± ¡°But, I can tell that you really like this girl. It might feel like too soon, and you haven¡¯t seen each other for a while, but the way you talk about her and get excited whenever there is a note¡­¡± Andrew sighed. ¡°You might not like me saying this, but the last time I saw you this fulfilled and whole was when Aisha was still alive. Bloody hell, Sunny-boi. The way this is going, I¡¯d think you feel even more deeply for Selia. Given the way she looks at you, I¡¯m pretty sure she feels the same way about you. It would be mighty idiotic to lose something great because you can¡¯t keep it in your pants.¡± ¡°When the hell did you become so insightful in the matters of love?¡± Nil asked, shocked and amused by Andrew¡¯s speech. ¡°You¡¯re the biggest man whore I¡¯ve ever known. It started on my sixteenth birthday and¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªand ended with Susan,¡± Andrew said, completing the thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever thanked you for introducing me to her, Sunny-boi. Or hooking me up with this sweet gig.¡± He grinned. ¡°But being with her changed things. One of those things is how incredibly insightful I am now.¡± ¡°It certainly did nothing for your humility.¡± ¡°Humility is overrated. I¡¯m serious though, Nil. I believe you should give this thing with Selia a chance. I won¡¯t tell you what to or not to do. If you want to hook up with Iris and explore whatever she has to offer, go for it. But I think it''s a mistake.¡± ¡°I wasn''t planning on it, Andy,¡± Nil said, thoroughly amused by Andrew¡¯s unexpected growth. ¡°You¡¯re right. I like her. Iris might be an alluring prospect, but I¡¯m not interested. Ignoring her invitations¡ªor whatever she is doing¡ªhas worked so far, and I¡¯m happy leaving things just as they are. Acknowledging it is bringing things into the open, and that will make the working environment uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Do what you think is best,¡± Andrew said. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to try to make up for lost time after Aisha, go bed-hopping, and screw up a good thing.¡± ¡°Casual hook-ups were never my thing, and I got it all out of my system with Katherine. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°After the dark place Aisha¡¯s death sent you to and everything you told me, of course I worry. Anyway, I¡¯ve said my piece. Let''s forget we ever had this conversation.¡± ¡°Agreed. Sappy and serious is a horrid look on you.¡± The Druid¡¯s Grove sat in the more uninhabited southern half of the planet, where there were more wilderness reserves than urban centers. Their meeting place was almost exactly at the halfway point between the isolated compound and the Onyx Dragon Academy. As outsiders of the planet, there was a long list of places Nil and Andrew weren¡¯t allowed to visit. As a result, they had to take a criss-cross around the planet and go around several more hubs than locals to get to their destination. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Things weren¡¯t as restrictive for Shawn and Susan. As far as Nil could tell, the druid faction was the most trusted of the three ruling powers on Ashe Falls. They lived around the world tree¡¯s trunk, protected it, and reared it, after all. As individuals carrying the druids¡¯ mark, Shawn and Susan only needed a couple of changes to reach their destination and were already present and waiting. Instead of getting together in an expensive urban center, the group picked a coastal town. Primarily, fishermen inhabited, and they had tracked down an inn atop tall white cliffs that cooked the best crab and scallops Nil had ever eaten. It had rooms for Susan and Andrew to make up for their time apart. Meanwhile, the views were perfect for silent staring. It made the quiet less awkward. Susan ran into Andrew¡¯s arms as soon as she saw him. The pair embraced and lost themselves in a long kiss while Shawn waved over the server. Nil knew his friend¡¯s palette and had no plans of waiting for the couple to finish their reunion. So, he ordered and caught up with Shawn. ¡°You look different,¡± Nil said after their drinks arrived. ¡°Is it your hair?¡± Shawn had short, curly hair, which he neatly kept as cornrows whenever it got too long between trims. While living among the druids, he had changed his regular grooming habits. He had a short, neatly trimmed beard, while his hair was significantly longer and voluminous. It sat in a tight ponytail, almost forming a perfect sphere behind his head. ¡°No.¡± Shawn looked smug. ¡°I just woke up from my body ascension this morning.¡± ¡°You got a token?! Nil¡¯s eyes widened. Shawn nodded. ¡°Did you miss my match? I got my ticket and completed the quest. You and Selia are up next. Speaking of Selia.¡± He placed a bottle on the table. ¡°The owner said she left this for us a week ago.¡± Nil uncorked the container and was welcomed by a smell reminiscent of mead and fortified wine. ¡°It''s strong. It is probably best had with dessert. The love birds will enjoy it.¡± ¡°Have you seen her?¡± Shawn asked. Nil shook his head. ¡°Just messages. I don¡¯t know why the Weave will let her infiltrate where I sleep and leave messages but not let her spend time with me.¡± ¡°Clandestine organizations are like that,¡± Shawn said. ¡°Or so I hear. The druids don¡¯t like the Weave or their Spiders. They have special wards ensuring none enter their forests or get near the grove. They call Maka Dee¡ªthe entity the Weave worships¡ªa liar, trickster, and thief. They worry her agents will steal all of their secrets and stories.¡± ¡°And do what? Aren¡¯t they all about collecting and protecting information, ensuring nothing powerful ever gets in the hands of the Scourge or Void? They all need to be working together.¡± ¡°They are doing an excellent job of maintaining the balance in the Control World. I¡¯d argue that¡¯s sufficient cooperation. Everyone doesn¡¯t need to be hand in hand and best friends.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree. The animosity just doesn¡¯t make any sense to me.¡± Andrew and Susan joined the pair but didn¡¯t sit down. Instead, he opened the pack Nil had carried and dug out the weapons stowed within. He handed the first, a cross between a rifle and a mage¡¯s staff, to Susan. It was a product of several hours of experimentation, and Nil witnessed its testing. Summoners relied on spells almost just as much as mages but struggled to cast them as fast and suffered from greater mental strain. After all, their abilities forced them to invest in Spark first and Mind second. The weapon¡¯s two gems acted as spell stores. Susan could pre cast spells and call them forth when needed and not suffer the accompanying mental strain. They tested the rifle function outdoors. Crimson projectiles made of energy flew from the muzzle after a brief charge-up period. ¡°The drain isn¡¯t as bad as I expected,¡± Susan commented. ¡°My aim needs a hell of a lot of work, though.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get there,¡± Andrew said, taking it back to check the sights. ¡°Store this one in your Nexus wardrobe. I¡¯ll make another one on Earth for your CIT stuff. It might not be as good, but I promise you it will get the job done.¡± He pushed a sheathed sword into Shawn¡¯s hands. ¡°You¡¯re next, big man.¡± ¡°Fine craftsmanship,¡± Shawn commented, drawing the saber. Arcane symbols covered the blade, and the edge appeared to be made of volcanic glass. ¡°I had the base made by one of the finest swordsmiths in the forge. We exchanged favors, saving on labor costs. So I could afford to spend more on materials. Channel barrier energy into the blade. Maintain a continuous stream, circulating energy through the weapon and back into yourself. I designed it to be a part of your circuit.¡± The obsidian edge glowed bright silver as Shawn obeyed, and the flat side of the blade lit up with arcane symbols. ¡°It feels powerful,¡± he said, swinging the weapon. ¡°I can feel a thin barrier forming around the edge.¡± ¡°It¡¯s meant to emulate what you¡¯re attempting to emulate with the barrier folding technique,¡± Andrew explained. ¡°You can make do with this until you pull it off. The barrier protects the edge while creating a fine, compressed blade that can cut into much harder materials than you can with just raw strength. The density of the flow will increase the wrapped barrier¡¯s size. You can get more reach or create a broader blade for something more like a cleaver. Chop. Chop.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty incredible. Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet.¡± Andrew grinned. ¡°Now sever the flow into the weapon, but don¡¯t withdraw what¡¯s already in there.¡± ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Now swing that way.¡± Andrew pointed off the cliff and upward. The silver light broke free from the obsidian edge and flew free as a rough crescent as Shawn obeyed. It travelled for several dozen meters before dissipating. ¡°Timing and control will help with aim. Shaping will help with a better quality and sharp blade.¡± ¡°This is beyond amazing,¡± Shawn declared after several long moments of staring at her new weapon. ¡°And this is just the prototype?¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try to improve the design before our time here is done, so you have one for quests and the Arena that was made with Control World materials. I doubt the Nexus or arena construct will let you take it to Earth.¡± ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll just have to wait until I get a soul weapon for more.¡± ¡°Amazing work,¡± Nil commented. ¡°Might just die of jealousy.¡± ¡°Relax, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°This is all research and development for that arm cannon you want.¡± 145. Ashe Fall After the demonstration, they spent the day in the seaside town. They talked about their experiences in the Control World and everything they had learned and seen. The four of them talked, drank, ate, and watched the scenery. It wasn¡¯t their first visit to the inn, and the locals knew them. Most of them didn¡¯t watch Apocalypse Arena. In fact, a good deal of the world¡¯s residents considered it barbaric. Even if they recognized the Seed Worlders or their arena personas, they said nothing. Instead, the landlord and servers treated the quartet the same as everyone else. Meanwhile, the other patrons only shot them cursory glances. Mostly locals occupied the inn¡¯s dining room and bar. They left Nil and his friends alone. One commented on Andrew¡¯s artisanry. A couple, seemingly visitors like the group, asked where he worked and whether he had a store. Andrew and Susan got a room for the afternoon, leaving Nil and Shawn alone. They sat outside, ate, and watched the sea. The passing vessels ranged from Roman-style triremes, sailboats, and galleys to futuristic warships that glowed with arcane lights, which Nil expected to find in sci-fi films. The conversation was light and felt unnecessary. The pair mostly discussed cultivation, magic, and their teachers. Druids fascinated Nil. Initially, he expected mages who specialized in magic involving life and nature. He also expected animal companions or the ability to turn into beasts. After talking to Shawn, Nil learned that he was somewhat right but also capable of a lot more. ¡°Druids were the first mages and learned everything they know from Yggdrasil,¡± Susan had summarized when questioned. ¡°Then they shared everything they know with mortals and spread it around the multiverse. Some records suggest that Qi cultivators and the like outdate them, but the matter is heavily debated. ¡°Druids went around the multiverse, warding wells of power against the Void and building upon them. They built the waygates, stopped incursions, and gave mortal kind the chance to fight back. Space and time magic, modern healing, and this world are all their doing.¡± ¡°So they were the Nexus before the Nexus came to be?¡± Nil had asked. ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it.¡± Susan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m paraphrasing and am probably leaving out a bunch. They brought Shawn here because barrier and protection magic is their thing. The druid circle thinks he also has the potential to venture into space magic.¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°Something, something, natural summoner, and spirit companion host. Apparently, my potential for healing and life magic is above average. Honestly, I¡¯m out of my depth here. Shawn is the one learning things. I¡¯ve mostly been in their libraries or helping with the local wildlife. When I came here, I thought Andrew and I would get to see each other more often than just once a month. It¡¯s better than not seeing him for an entire year, I suppose.¡± Andrew and Susan didn¡¯t emerge from their rooms until the sunlamps above the patch of sea started darkening. It made for a wondrous sight, and Nil wished Selia was there to enjoy it with him. They parted ways afterward. Andrew held on to booze since the druids brewed their own liquor and didn¡¯t allow any from the outside world. Nil was eager to leave since he had a match coming up and wanted to cultivate before starting his work day.
Even though Nil didn¡¯t have a session with Master Seer the following morning, he scaled the mountainside using all of his abilities and made it in a third of the usual time. The crater housed a handful of other cultivators. Nil scanned them all with Energy Instinct. None used the same energy circulation and absorption techniques. Everyone had their nuances and unique methods, and none Nil had asked shared their secrets. Instead of handing Nil a secret, powerful technique, Master Seer had him improve on what he already knew. ¡°At the end of the day, nothing but the fundamentals matter,¡± Master Seer had explained. ¡°Most cultivation techniques work in tandem with a subset of powers or elements. Some are more efficient than others, but the end result is more or less the same. They¡¯re all variations and deviations of fundamental cultivation. The best way to describe it would be specialization. ¡°When you¡¯re cultivating raw energy. The Source. Why bother with specialization? Go with the most basic and fundamental methods because there is nothing better than mastering them. Just focus on your visualizations, your instincts, and the feel of it.¡± ¡°But Iris wields the Source and has a unique cultivation technique,¡± Nil said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I benefit from something similar?¡± ¡°No. Her use of the Source is vastly different from yours. Her ability is inherited and not handed out by the Schema. It''s an application of the Source that¡¯s been refined over several generations. Note how it doesn¡¯t disintegrate anything unless she causes a detonation. Meanwhile, you wield the Source in its rawest form and are discovering the applications yourself. So, you need to work with the basics until you develop something yourself.¡± ¡°Nothing comes easy, does it?¡± ¡°Not for you. No. You¡¯re not chosen. You¡¯re not special. You had to fight for everything you have literally, wrestle it under your control, and turn it into something valuable. I still can¡¯t tell whether the Source Gauntlets got to you by chance or you earned them. No one said this would be easy.¡± Master Seer appeared and sounded amused. ¡°You need to get where you¡¯re going through sheer grit.¡± ¡°I regret detailing my feats.¡± Nil sighed. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I never asked. Understanding your abilities and soul weapon is enough for me.¡± Nil casually sparred with the other cultivators, still not using Absorb or Expend. He focused on repositioning with Anti-Friction Lattice and pushing Toggled Supercharging further. Combining speed with toughness or strength made him a significantly greater threat. It gave him hope for the upcoming arena match. After his morning workout, he descended as fast as possible, had a quick wash, and raced to the market at the bottom of the mountain. Eyes were once again on the world tree''s canopy. In fact, a good deal of cultivators spectating the morning spars had occasionally let their eyes drift to the sea of green and brown above. ¡°Master Roy!¡± The fishmonger waved when she spotted Nil. Her stall was a roughly grown structure filled with tubs and enchanted boxes. She lifted one far too big and seemingly heavy for her slender build and cosmetic age, and brought it out to the front. ¡°I have your order ready! Live Black Pearl and clams. I have excellent muscles, oysters, and vigor urchin if you''d like.¡± ¡°Vigor urchin?¡± Nil raised an eyebrow, glancing at the fist sized bland and red spheres covered in five-inch long spikes. ¡°How are they different from regular urchin?¡± ¡°They give virile men the vigor to keep going all night!¡± The fishmonger laughed, glancing at the canopy for a moment. ¡°An arena fighter in his youth might not need such assistance, but they''re buttery, smooth, rich, and great for stamina. Whether it be for a night with your lady or fight¡­¡± The woman''s train of thought seemed to derail. Her blue-grey eyes focused on a patch of Ashe''s canopy. Before Nil could ask, he noticed an oddity. A branch was quivering and new woody tendrils slowly sprouted from it. The trees around the point shook violently and nearby clouds dispersed, revealing more such patches. Several shopkeepers and pedestrians had paused their conversations and trades to observe the occurrence. Nil worried there was a disaster coming and prepared to help with a possible evacuation but no one seemed concerned. The world''s average resident was high-Iron if not of Bronze Realm. Nil doubted they''d want much assistance from him. A soft breeze blew through the market and Nil felt a chill at sea level for the first time since his arrival on the Control World. Then, it happened. And, everyone in the vicinity burst into a deafening cheer. A quivering bud emerged from the growing and shifting branch. It pulsated with gold, green, and orange lights. Then it exploded open, spraying the world with a thick plume of magic that broke into motes and rained on the world below. The jerk also knocked several leaves free. Nil saw their incredible detail as gravity pulled them down. The giant pieces of green pulsed with dense magic and energy. As the wind made the leaf dance on its way down the ambient magic spiked and beautiful, calming lights spread on the ground below it. ¡°This is the answer to your question,¡± the Fishmonger said, wiping a tear from her eye. ¡°This is why we call our world Ashe Fall. Each life will inspire growth and health in all life around it. The lucky will get to touch and even luckier might get a fragment to take home and brew. Ashe shares her strength and prosperity with us, letting common folk and spirit companions flourish the generous gift¡¯s power.¡± ¡°Spirit companion, you say?¡± Eager to share the experience with someone, Nil expelled Meatball from his core. She shivered in his hand and her eyes shot to the falling leaves. ¡°One should touch down close to us. Want to have a closer look?¡± Meatball released a high-pitched squeak, barked like a dog, and then leaped from Nil¡¯s hand. She sped away, weaving through the people still enchanted by the scene. ¡°Go on, Master Roy!¡± The Fishmonger cheered. ¡°Go after her. You might never get a chance to feel Ashe¡¯s power this close and personal again.¡± ¡°But what about¡ª¡± ¡°Leave your shopping in my care if you''re worried. This isn''t a Beacon World; no one will touch your purchases unless they''re in the way disrupting traffic.¡± Nil accepted the offer without a second thought. Expend carried him to a nearby roof, and he relied on Energy Instinct to track Meatball. The whelp had already sped over a hundred meters away. Between Toggled Supercharging and Expend, Nil had no trouble outspeeding his spirit companion. However, the throngs of people in the market kept him from using the latter. The chances of causing accidents and injuries were high. There were also several children and teenagers racing towards the falling leaf. He didn''t like the idea of pushing past them. So, Nil leaped from one shop roof to another, taking off with Expend and softening his landings with Absorb. He inflicted no property damage but didn''t move particularly far, either. Several young adults¡ªor at least fully grown cultivators¡ªwith Iron and Bronze energy readings also pursued the leaf. Energy Instinct''s analysis of the supposedly rare event told him that it was an opportunity for the young, ambitious, and eager to get a power boost. The energy got thicker as Nil got closer to the leaf¡¯s probable landing sight. He could feel it rapidly approaching the mountaintop¡¯s viscosity. The air seemed almost manic. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was people celebrating or carried away by the wonder of the rare moment of beauty or power. But it didn¡¯t matter. Nil could feel incredible power just outside of his reach. I must have a piece of it! Nil felt drunk. His heart raced, and even though he hadn¡¯t yet touched his prize, an alien ecstasy threatened to take over. Unfortunately, his desires never saw fulfillment. Men and women wearing the world-tree crest blocked him. Nil knew the symbol. It was a simple circle showing a tree with deep roots and wide-spreading branches. Intricate leaves grew out of them, filling in the circle and wrapping around the border. Shawn and Susan¡¯s were made of stone, while the pair blocking Nil¡¯s path wore pale wood. ¡°This is for Ashe Fall¡¯s residents only. ¡°But¡ª¡± The silent one of the pair clicked her fingers, letting off pink and gold sparks. Nil¡¯s mind became clearer. ¡°You¡¯re caught up in the world tree¡¯s fervor. Calm or we shall¡ª¡± Clarity washed over Nil when he supercharged psychic fortitude. He felt calmer and not as desperate for the prize that lay ahead. Yet an invisible force demanded he charge forward and absorb the world tree¡¯s energy directly from the source. Then he caught sight of Meatball waddling away, carrying a thick chunk of leaf in her forelimbs and a smaller piece in her mouth. ¡°I apologize, Druids,¡± Iris said, seemingly out of nowhere. She looped an arm around Nil. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him.¡± ¡°Thank you but I can take care of myself,¡± Nil said once she had pulled him away. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the one that helped me there.¡± Iris chuckled, nodding at the ground. Two of her Source Arms drifted along the ground, carrying a large flat piece of Ashe¡¯s fallen leaf. ¡°As a thank you for being an excellent distraction, I¡¯ll share my prize.¡± 146. The World Trees Energy ¡°The Nexus and Schema didn¡¯t bring my world power seeds,¡± Iris explained once they were back in Master Seer¡¯s manor. ¡°My people already had Qi when they found us. Our use of it wasn¡¯t great, but it was enough to hold back the Scourge. They called us a Beacon World and sent us Summoned to help eliminate the terraformer Cursed Ones and eliminate Agents of the Scourge. ¡°It took my people a few decades to be declared a Seed World. We¡¯ve been completing quests for the Nexus and earning resources for our world. The Nexus has been sending us to protect Wells of Power as the local forces either build fortifications or learn to harness its power. I think they expect the same of us, and that''s why I¡¯m here. They want us to learn to make the most of our wells and prepare to ascend to the status of Control World.¡± Iris took the lead once they were in the kitchen. She butchered the quarter-meter-thick leaf slab like it was a piece of blue-fin tuna. She removed the outer layers, separated the ¡®meat¡¯ into long strips, and then prepared thin slices. Meanwhile, Nil boiled a pot of water at her request, and she carefully blanched each piece. The green became more vivid. Iris moved the pieces to an ice tray straight away. ¡°Are you sure it''s okay for you to tell me all of this?¡± Nil asked, helping Iris dig out a giant stone basin. ¡°Master Seer¡ª¡± ¡°Watcher says a lot of things. The Nexus didn¡¯t instruct us not to discuss our homeworlds with people we encounter. It can¡¯t be a big deal.¡± Iris moved the cooled pieces into the basin and conjured her arms. She used them to slowly grind their stolen prize. Meatbal squeaked, sounding amused. She had already finished her first chunk of stolen leaf and was now working on the second. ¡°Anyway. One of the things we¡¯re trying to get for my world is a Seed of Yggdrasil. There is a rumor that it might be one of the prizes in the Cleansing.¡± She paused. ¡°What¡¯s with the face?¡± Nil struggled to conceal his surprise. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you knew about Watcher or were going to be in the Cleansing.¡± Iris grinned. ¡°There is a lot you don¡¯t know. I got my ticket just before coming to Ashe Falls. The Nexus wants me to ensure the Scourge teams don¡¯t win and succeed at reclaiming their world. Watcher is helping me prepare for the job in the same way you are.¡± Now that they weren¡¯t sparring or busy avoiding attention, Nil got a clear look at Iris¡¯s conjured arms with Energy Instinct. They were similar to his energy weapons, made of a similar destructive power. The shell that contained the Source and gave it shape was different. It felt as if her technique gave the wild power another form that was more stable and inert. It was more than standard shaping. ¡°We¡¯re both on the same side, then,¡± Nil stated. ¡°For now,¡± Iris replied. ¡°I like you but I won¡¯t hold back if I meet you in the Cleansing. Seed of Yggdrasil or not, my family and people need this victory.¡± ¡°That makes us rivals then.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that way.¡± Energy flowed from the Source Arms into the green. The chunks of leaf softened and slowly started breaking down, forming an almost luminous paste. ¡°My alchemy isn¡¯t as good as that of a specialist, but it''s enough to get the most out of Ashe¡¯s leaf. Her Qi is now ours to cultivate.¡± ¡°If you already had Qi, what did the Schema bring you?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Was it just resources?¡± ¡°We knew how to use our world¡¯s energy, but that doesn¡¯t mean our methods were efficient or we were any good at it. The Nexus gave us knowledge. They showed us how to refine our cultivation, made our techniques better, brought in spirit companions, and taught the talented artisanal techniques.¡± When Iris finished, the contents of the basin were smooth and resembled mochi but glowed a vivid green. The energy that followed the luminous veins was now equally distributed throughout the mixture. She divided the contents into two and shoveled one half into a noodle bowl. ¡°Focus on cultivating and slowly draw the energy out of each mouthful.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t have the same euphoric effect as the leaf fall, will it?¡± Iris¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I may have signaled my interest and openness to your advances. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll use alchemy to lure into bed. There is no honor in it, and it''s not the warrior¡¯s way.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any offense by it,¡± Nil said. ¡°It''s not every day magic leaves rain from a tree big enough to cover an entire planet. And then a warrior woman you barely know whips together a meal rich with magic. I¡¯m not questioning your integrity. It''s just a matter of adjusting to cultural differences.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair.¡± Iris nodded. ¡°No offense taken. The fact that your world¡¯s women don¡¯t lay out their intent and interests as openly is a shock to me. It just makes everything so much easier and clear.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°For the record, I¡¯m very much not available for any form of sexual or romantic relationship at this time. I¡¯m happy with my current partner.¡± ¡°We need to finish the bowl before the Qi diffuses and returns to Ashe. Enough talk. Consume.¡± It was the deepest conversation Nil and Iris had ever shared, and he came away with it understanding the woman better. As he dug into the luminous, gelatinous mixture, he was glad to have laid everything out on the table. It eased the tension a fair deal and left Nil feeling more comfortable. He only wished they¡¯d had the conversation months ago. Iris arrived at Ashe Fall when Nil was almost halfway through his time there. Master Seer had sent him to the port to fetch her. It was the first time Nil got a chance to see vessels come through the ward gate and descend through the perfect circular openings in the canopy. The flight of the living vessels and the glimpse of the colorful cosmos beyond was a sight Nil never expected to forget. The Mangrove Tiger Cultivation Technique was straightforward and widely known but effective. As Nil absorbed the world tree¡¯s rich energy, he felt the imagined feline struggling against the honey-like fluid circulating through his channels. It almost felt as if dense leaves had rained on the river within and were causing clogs at junctions and turns. It took significant effort to break through them and continue moving the energy through his body. Might has progressed to Bronze 7! Finesse has progressed to Bronze 8! Spark has progressed to Bronze 9! It was like consuming several pills from Moon Rabbit Emporium at once. Instead of slowly absorbing the energy, his body seemed to take it as a shot of caffeine. Nil¡¯s insides burned, and it felt as if his circulatory system was going to rip itself apart. He still enjoyed the feeling. The sensation made him think of getting struck by a lightning bolt but then making the energy his own instead of crumbling under it. Something also clicked inside the Source Gauntlets but no flashes or epiphanies came with it. Nil couldn¡¯t exactly put his finger on the change, but it almost felt as if the scarred soul weapon seed was using the world tree¡¯s energy to fix the last of the damage it suffered because of Symbiotech. When Nil cultivated, his mental image involved a sphere made of the same metal of burnt black and chrome that formed the gauntlets. It hovered in his core where the river¡¯s waters collected and swirled, and the tiger rested between laps. Vines and fibrous extensions from the surrounding mangrove forest seemed to wrap around the sphere. A glowing pink bud broke free, and Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether it came from the vegetation or the Source Gauntlets¡¯ heart. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Iris asked. ¡°Incredible.¡± Nil gasped, struggling to contain the energy and assimilate it. He could feel the ground under him and the sky above. For a moment, he felt like a tiny fragment of a giant hole, and then it was all gone. The gauntlets claimed the energy, and the bud grew. When Nil felt a change, he manifested the soul gauntlets. The burnt black receded from the gem¡¯s edges. And spread around the back of his hands. He also sensed that the weapon¡¯s energy storage capabilities doubled. He sensed nothing different about the gems¡¯ amplification ability, but it was still a big change that would make his life significantly easier. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil said after the overwhelming cocktail of stimuli passed. ¡°Why, though?¡± ¡°Why I shared my ill-gotten gains with you?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°The Cleansing might put us on opposing sides, Godpuncher Nil, but in the greater scheme of things, we¡¯re allies. Ensuring the Scourge doesn¡¯t succeed is more important than either of us succeeding.¡± ¡°That is¡ª¡± Nil struggled to find the correct phrase. He didn¡¯t want to say something that would give Iris the wrong idea. Nil¡¯s mind regarding Selia and the ¡®invitation¡¯ hadn¡¯t changed. His desires for the future significantly outweighed short term fulfilment. ¡°¡ªmighty honorable of you.¡± Iris bowed her head, smiling. She got to scrubbing the stone basin straight away. Thick green fibers stuck to the bottom. ¡°You flatter me.¡± ¡°Let me know if I can do anything for you,¡± Nil replied. He helped with washing and putting away the bowls and the other equipment she had used. ¡°You know what I want.¡± Iris¡¯s playful grin suggested it was her attempt at flirtation. ¡°I meant more along the lines of getting Andrew to make you something nice.¡± ¡°I already have a quest involving a soul weapon and access to a soulsmith with far more experience. Andrew might be talented, but he¡¯s far too green.¡± Iris took Nil¡¯s bowl. ¡°You have a couple of months to think this over. There is no pressure. I enjoy our friendship in its current form too.¡± ¡°I have another proposal. We won¡¯t be allies in the Cleansing. However, we¡¯re fighting for the same purpose. If I encounter you while you¡¯re engaged with the Scourge Champions, my companions and I will lend a hand to ensure they¡¯re dispatched swiftly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a generous offer. If the Scourge functions the same way as they have in the past, then we¡¯ll need all the help we can get. There will be two squads of eight, and they have no qualms about working together until all other competitors are eliminated. ¡°Meanwhile, Seed World teams are rarely united. They¡¯ll function in three-to-fives, and even then, in-fighting isn¡¯t uncommon. It seems many don¡¯t prioritize team events or invest time, energy, and funds into a permanent team.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also guilty of that. My companions and I all rose through the Death Gauntlet. We¡¯ve trained together but never fought as one in the arena.¡± ¡°That is a major disadvantage and not just against the Scourge and the Void,¡± Iris stated. ¡°My allies and I managed to get all the tickets available to our world. We¡¯ll be working as two teams of four but plan to provide as much assistance to the other as possible. They¡¯re all family or brothers and sisters in arms. I suggest you find a way to rectify the problem.¡± ¡°Thanks, Iris. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± 147. Back To The Backrooms ¡°This is incredible but is severely going to limit your options for the next ascension,¡± Andrew stated. A set of lenses lined with arcane symbols floated around his head as he studied the Source Gauntlets. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, it''s a decent power-up. There are a lot of powerful options that demand the Essence of a World Tree, and the sample you absorbed is of far higher quality than what we can afford. It''s powerful, but that means your options are now significantly limited.¡± ¡°What kind of limited options are we discussing?¡± Nil asked, lying on the analysis table. Tools poked and prodded at the Source Gauntlet¡¯s joints, especially around the crimson gems¡¯ borders where the burnt black had faded. The chrome-like luster now matched the color around the elbows. ¡°Nothing lame, I assume?¡± ¡°No arm cannon for a while, unfortunately. Essence of a World Tree is the ingredient for more defensive and utility upgrades. We can expand the chassis significantly. I¡¯m talking arm, shoulder, and maybe even some chest armor. So you can Expend from more besides just hands and forearms. ¡° ¡°And more protection from Galvanized.¡± ¡°Besides that, the world tree¡¯s magic mostly leans toward healing, warding, barriers, spatial magic, and related domains. So, the upgrade would need to be along similar veins.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s not the worst,¡± Nil commented. ¡°Yggdrasil and her daughters are supposed to ward universes against the Void and connect them, right? Meanwhile, the Source is all about containing universes and maintaining boundaries. There are parallels. Maybe we can work with that.¡± Andrew sighed. ¡°This isn¡¯t like cultivation. Philosophical parallels won¡¯t work here. But I¡¯ll look into it. I can guarantee a decent upgrade to Galvanized, but the rest is yet to be seen. It might just be a boost to energy weaving or containment abilities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too bad. Galvanized has saved my butt a bunch of times. Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky with some more half-decent materials, so it''s not purely a defensive upgrade.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get my hopes up, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said. ¡°It''s not enough to get rare materials. If you intend to pair it with Essence of the World Tree and not become a supportive component, it needs to be of the same power and purity. Given that you got this directly from a daughter of Yggdrasil, it''s unlikely you¡¯ll find something good enough. This upgrade might be more defense and utility-focused, but it doesn¡¯t mean the next will be. You might find something badass during the Cleansing or as one of the rewards.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something, I suppose.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Probably for the best. Elemental or magical defenses, combined with Toggled Supercharging''s upgrade, will help me survive longer.¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°A good deal of my education here has involved research and studying other summoned and soul weapons. The level of destructive power you have with Expend¡¯s explosions and the red Source constructs is well beyond that of Bronze. In fact, it rivals a good deal of what¡¯s possible at Silver. If not for your range issues, I¡¯d say your powerset combined with the gauntlets makes you pretty damn over-tuned.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. Better defenses and resistance will help me get in close and put my tools to good use. Maybe mastery over Watcher techniques will eventually help increase my reach or get something ranged.¡± ¡°For the time being, you have Meatball. The way you turned her into a cannonball while fighting Pietro was pretty incredible. Why don¡¯t you do that more often?¡± ¡°Opponents and environments haven¡¯t been favorable,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I don¡¯t want her getting hurt for nothing.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she essentially immortal while you¡¯re still alive? Let¡¯s not forget Regenerate. She can recover from almost everything.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but she¡¯s just as good as a distraction. She¡¯s still a baby, Andy. I haven¡¯t lost a single Bronze Gauntlet match. If I think turning her into a weapon will turn the tide, I¡¯ll use her accordingly.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Andrew rolled his eyes. ¡°I suppose if your life is not on the line, using her to trip people up or cause environmental damage is good enough.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not far from Bronze Realm,¡± Nil said. ¡°Maybe whatever she gets with ascension and Ashe¡¯s leaf will give her more power or sturdiness to deal with these assholes. I swear almost every bastard I¡¯ve fought has had elemental abilities or magic. I¡¯m not going to throw Meatball at someone wrapped in fire.¡± ¡°I get it, Sunny-boi. You don¡¯t have to explain. I see Meatball as a weapon, but she¡¯s not an avatar of greater entities like Susan¡¯s dogs.¡± Andrew¡¯s eyes glowed blue, and the hooks he carried adopted the same light. The tools comfortably sunk into the metal of the source gauntlets, and the machine in his hand beeped. ¡°These gems are the most important part of your gauntlets. The storage and amplification are incredible. What the metal is to Galvanized, the gems are to Wield The Source. Unfortunately, Essence of the Life Tree only empowers the metal. I can talk to Samara if you¡¯d like.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°Did you change your mind about Selia and Iris?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nil felt caught off guard. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m not into bed hopping and am still all in on with Selia.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to get defensive. As I said before, there is no judgment, and you do what you think is best. I might be completely off base about you and Selia. Who knows what the Weave has turned her into? But risking something good for a hookup isn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°I agree. Iris and I talked it out, and she understands that I¡¯m not interested. I¡¯d assume you think more of me, Andy. Why would I waste something good for someone I won¡¯t see ever again after this quest? Well, except in the Cleaning, that barely counts.¡± Andrew shrugged. ¡°I enjoyed short flings before Susan. A guarantee of never having to see the person again made things more exciting and was a bonus. I¡¯m not proud of it. After you showed up having consumed Ashe¡¯s essence and claimed it thanks to Iris, I just worried something might¡¯ve changed, and you¡¯re making the same mistakes I made after university.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to trade my dignity for a power-up, Andy. Iris might have ulterior motives, but she shared because I accidentally helped her steal a big chunk of Ashe¡¯s leaf.¡± Andrew said nothing more on the topic and focused on his analysis and testing of the Source Gauntlets.
Entering the Arena backrooms as a Bronze Gauntlet fighter starkly differed from Nil¡¯s Iron days. Iron Gauntlet had the greatest number of participants, but they sped in and out of matches and spent little time in the pocket dimension. The arena construct didn¡¯t allow many consumables, and the few struggled with the exorbitant prices. A good deal of the armor and weapons on display demanded Bronze Realm or higher body attributes, and the few that didn¡¯t were well beyond the average Iron Gauntlet fighter¡¯s means. Most had to save for several quests and matches to afford one piece. The eateries and bars enjoyed occasional patronage from Iron Realmers. It gave them the opportunity to socialize with individuals from other realms and make connections for quests and the arena¡¯s team events. Nil had never given them much of a chance, but Sakura¡ªa woman he had met while questing and been on a few adventures with¡ªhad shown him how to send a message and invite her out for a meal. Bronze Realmers constituted the bulk of the people who hung out in the backrooms. Apparently, the bulk of arena fighters and Summoned were of the realm. The rarity of quests handing our ascension tokens shot up. Meanwhile, the number of arena events giving them out significantly increased. Besides the Death Gauntlet and Gauntlet of Ten, most of them came from team tournaments and events like the Cleansing. So, people spent time in the backrooms to make allies, find good deals on equipment, and avoid the loneliness of their homeworld. Nil considered himself lucky. Working for the Nexus gave him easier access to ascension tokens than most. He could ascend the ranks much faster than most and expected to outpace his former colleagues and opponents before long. Several of his contemporaries from Golden Aegis were now with Wilson Luduses or other high-end luduses. According to the arena feeds, they had ascended to Bronze Relam not long after him. They didn¡¯t get a year¡¯s worth of training in a Control World for three months of time on Earth. Nil doubted many had quests with Silver Ascension Tokens waiting for the end of them either. If Nil got a Cleansing ticket and then finished the event in any of the top three positions, he¡¯d ascend to Silver Realm in nine Earth calendar months following getting to Bronze. As far as he knew, no one from his world had ever achieved such a feat. Then there was the matter of loneliness. He was doubly lucky to have friends and family so close at hand. Most Summoned struggled to get time with their loved ones because of local laws and mostly had people they quested or fought with for company. He had read several cases of major mental health issues among low and middle-performing Summoned and fighters. The more successful ones either found a way around the restrictions keeping them away from civilian friends and family or surrounded themselves with an entourage of weaker Summoned. Nil missed eating meat and stopped by a stall selling grilled meat on skewers. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was beef, goat, lamb, or something alien and didn¡¯t care. The line at the stall spoke for its quality. Vendors selling dodgy products also swiftly got booted from the backrooms. Also, Nil only got to indulge in meat before and after his fights, and things were unlikely to change until he returned from his quest. He purchased one in a green, herby marinade and another with just salt and pepper before heading to the relevant arena gate. The temptation to buy more reared its beautiful head, but Nil resisted. I can¡¯t head into the finals feeling stuffed and bloated. Overeating can wait until after. Unlike with Death Gauntlet and Gauntlet of Ten matches, Nil knew what kind of arena awaited him. The list of allowed consumable products had also increased since his time in the Iron Gauntlet. So, Nil invested in a concoction that sharpened one¡¯s senses and in another that made his body more resistant to shock. Nil wished he could splurge on more but had read that all alchemical products had a level of toxicity and too many could cause adverse effects. Mixing them wasn¡¯t a good idea either. The arena construct also ensured that fighters couldn¡¯t just purchase consumables to make themselves resistant to an opponent¡¯s power. Resistance brews were meant to help combat issues caused by the weather, environmental issues, and arcane anomalies. The minor benefit he got against Pietro was a one-time thing. Tundra and desert arenas were reasonably common. As a result, the construct didn¡¯t stop fighters from buying products to combat the frigid temperatures or sweltering heat. Nil still had the vial he received from Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson. It sat in the storage system provided to all fighters in the Bronze Gauntlet and up. The enchantment protecting the container hadn¡¯t deteriorated, and he retrieved it at the gate before teleporting to his chance to get a Cleansing ticket. 148. Unexpected Challenges ¡°Today, we meet the storm with a smile!¡± The announcer¡¯s voice boomed in Nil¡¯s ears despite the roaring thunder. Lightning struck the worn stone buildings and the rocky ground, cracking and shattering all contact surfaces. Along with each strike came an anomaly Nil had only seen in recordings of the world. A sphere of crackling energy lingered after every strike. The air smelled of ozone. It was like someone had poured chlorine into all of the nearby puddles. ¡°The Cleansing is rapidly approaching, and with it comes nights like these. The best and brightest Bronze Realmers of this newly assimilated Seed World have been duking it out for months in the hopes of acquiring a ticket. Three are gone. Four remain. Who will walk away with another today? ¡°Rattler Butch breezed through all of these matches thus far. The easy victories and lack of challenge have made for a boring show. Hopefully, today¡¯s competitors will make for a better opposition.¡± Nil had watched the American¡¯s matches before. His ability reminded Nil of one of the power seed options he received: Serpent Tactics. It passively boosted speed, flexibility, and stealth¡ªhe imagined that involved blending into one¡¯s surroundings. It also made the person¡¯s blood and flesh poisonous. Nil wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Butch got exactly the same starting ability and then picked up more toxin-related abilities with each ascension. He used tactics similar to Selia¡¯s strategy against Shervon Grey. All of Butch¡¯s previous matches started with him introducing a toxin into his enemy¡¯s system and then fleeing until they fell to its effects. ¡°Next, we have the walking statue, Geode Lily. She¡¯s an unstoppable juggernaut. Lily has shrugged off everything her opponents have thrown at her and flattened them without hesitation. She hasn¡¯t lost a match since entering the Iron Gauntlet. Will her streak continue?¡± The woman in question was none other than the stone-armor-wearing teenager, Lily, from Golden Aegis. Wilson Ludus had recruited her after Symbiotech fell. Her martial skills and ability seemed to have come a long way since they last spoke. Lily had literally barrelled through the tournaments¡¯ previous stages. Breaking through her armor would take considerable effort, and Nil expected her super-powered blows to keep Brutal Battery¡¯s energy levels up. ¡°Our final competitor of the evening is none other than Godpuncher Nil. He initially made a name for himself with his eclectic fighting style, ability to take impossible blows and strike back with explosive attacks. Then he wowed everyone by becoming amongst the rare few to get a soul weapon at Iron Realm. He conquered several significantly more experienced opponents in Death Gauntlet, and his recent performance has been just as exhilarating. The man puts on an extraordinary show.¡± Lightning struck just outside of the pillar of light containing Nil, spraying the surroundings finger-nail-sized stone fragments. It left a fist-sized crater in the ground, and a sphere of crackling azure energy lingered. Fortunately, neither the shrapnel nor the lightning tendrils infiltrated the barrier and affected Nil. ¡°Three finalists wailing on each other certainly sounds fun, but we decided to make tonight¡¯s event extra special. The arena doesn¡¯t just house them but five Cursed Ones. The match won¡¯t be over until all of them have been slain.¡± Damn it! Why can''t these things ever be simple. It came as no surprise to Nil. Energy Instinct had detected the monsters as soon as the arena construct teleported him into the arena. He doubted he needed to worry about his opponents powering up by absorbing the Cursed One¡¯s energy. They only existed to add an additional complication. ¡°A point system will decide the victor. Each Cursed One has a point value ranging from one to five. The size and strength dictate how much they¡¯re worth. Each fighter is also worth five points. The match will end when all Cursed Ones are down, and only two fighters remain.¡± Nil silently celebrated. Lily¡¯s stone armor made her a lumbering giant. She was strong and tough but incredibly slow. Butch and he had similar speed, but Nil had significantly greater destructive power. If he prioritized taking out the more powerful Cursed Ones, then he could win without having to bother with the other fighters. Just taking out Lily or Butch afterward would clinch him the victory. Alternatively, he could prioritize defeating two other challengers first. Then, there would be no one to oppose him. So, as soon as the pillar of light fell, he took off at a run, making a beeline for the densest Cursed Energy signature in the arena. Nil started off with supercharged speed and leaped over obstacles using Expend. He wrapped his feet with Anti-Friction Lattice and slid toward his destination at break-neck speed. Hand blasts helped him adjust direction and pick up speed. Occasionally, he intentionally rammed into obstacles with Absorb active, recovering most of the energy he burned while speeding. The speed got his heartbeat up. The thrill covered his arms in goosebumps. It was especially exciting when he zoomed past or through areas within moments of a lightning strike. Except for the occasional puzzle, the arena was mostly dry. As a result, Nil didn''t have to worry about slipping on wet patches. He kept an eye out for loose gravel or moss while leaping and landing and focused on Energy Instinct. The ability didn''t just help him track his target but also the lightning. The air seemed to react whenever a strike was imminent. It seemed there was an alien energy signature pulsing underfoot, and it swelled at points, ionizing the air. The lightning always struck where it was densest. He suspected the anomaly was also responsible for the lingering crackling spheres afterward. Nil gave them a wide berth while speeding forward. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Around halfway to his destination, Nil caught movement out of the corner of his eye. There was always a chance of frequent lightning strikes causing a trick of the light. The shivering luminous flora also added to the dancing shadows. But Nil worried he had a stalker. There was a chance that Butch could keep up with his supercharged speed. The man seemed to have an endless bag of tricks and had proven himself a master of deception and misdirection. It wouldn''t surprise him if the man had a concealed soul weapon, tool, armor, or ability that no one had yet identified. Nil didn''t have the time or skills to track and wasn''t willing to waste time on the task. So he expelled Meatball from his core. ¡°Circle me,¡± Nil instructed, thinking hard about what he wanted from his spirit companion. He hoped their weak empathic connection would convey the message. ¡°Look out for human foes and distract them if you can. Go for the leg or just trip them up.¡± An excited squeak escaped the Ironroot Whelp before she departed for the assigned task. Nil considered her a lot more than a projectile. Meatball was his spirit companion. He didn''t know how to explain it to Andrew, but they were part of a whole. She was a part of him. Nil couldn''t quite explain it, but Meatball was much more than a mere pet. The feelings could be best described as paternal. The idea of her getting hurt pained him. He knew that Reinforce made her extra hardy, and the woody carapace helped her shrug off most blows. Regenerate would also heal most of what she suffered. Nil had observed her regrow a limb after it got caught and ripped off during an uncontrolled descent from the volcanic crater. But that didn''t stop him from worrying. When Nil heard an angry masculine yelp twenty or so meters to his left, he knew Meatball had done her job. He left her to the distraction and continued toward the Cursed One, leaping, sliding, and sprinting through the rough, uneven environment. The crumbling stone structures appeared to be part of a temple or educational facility. Nil passed spires, towers, amphitheaters, and open stone courtyards that oddly resembled basketball courts. The elevated stone hoops were vertical instead of horizontal. Aztec architecture? Or is it Incan? Nil didn''t know the difference and lacked the time to figure out an answer. He heard the Cursed One long before he saw it. Energy Instinct suggested it had detected him, too, and was charging to meet him. Stone cracked, and gravel crunched as the monster charged to meet him. The creature was simian and had long, muscled arms that aided it during the approach. The monster switched between running on all fours, swinging around spires, and frog-leaping over smaller buildings. The very human face had multiple eyes, and a mouth contorted into an ugly grin. Unlike Cursed One''s Nil had encountered before, the creature displayed human teeth, and its fangs only stood in place of the canines. If not for the twisted hide, scales, thorny ridges, and lack of fur, one could easily mistake it for a giant ape. When their eyes met, the creature grinned and skidded to a halt. Its throat glowed orange, and its mouth fell open. Then, liquid flames sprayed from the maw, flying at Nil. The unexpected attack forced him to deactivate Anti-Friction Lattice and slide to a stop. The swelling power on either side of him made diving to the side impossible, so Nil tapped into the Source. The gems on the back of his gauntlets turned silver, and Nil emitted energy of the same color through them. He coaxed it into a wedge with manipulation and then used shaping techniques to give the construct definition. When the liquid flames made contact, they lost their momentum and trickled down the barrier, pooling on the ground and melting it. Nil felt the incredible heat, and sweat beaded on his forehead. When the puddle of fiery orange and yellow started to spread and pool around Nil''s feet, he had no choice but to retreat. Fortunately, the Cursed One couldn''t maintain a constant flow and needed to stop to catch his breath. A blade struck Nil''s side before he could go on the offensive. Fortunately, using the silver Source energy demanded channeling Absorb, so the weapon radiating with noxious green energy failed to penetrate his skin. Rattler Butch had fled Meatball and had caught up to Nil. The man''s surprise envenoming attempt had failed; he tried to slither away, but Nil had no intention of letting him flee. The initial attempt at grabbing an arm failed. Slime covered the man''s sleeve. But then his gauntleted left hand successfully locked around Butch''s wrist. ¡°Geode Lily has taken out two Cursed Ones with a single strike!¡± The announcer¡¯s voice had cut off after the introduction, but it boomed again when the powerful Cursed Energy signature disappeared. The simian, liquid-fire-spraying monster had fallen. ¡°Her score is now seven points!¡± What?! How did she get two? A blood-curdling scream burst from Butch as Nil trickled energy through his gauntlet, disintegrating the captured limb. It wasn''t a vengeful move; Nil wanted his opponent to surrender and teleport out of the arena. So, when Butch didn''t do so automatically, Nil forced him to turn around and go for the temporary tattoo just below the neck. The recent boost in Finesse and supercharged speed proved invaluable. A snake burst from under Butch''s clothes, and Nil caught it just before it spread fangs could touch his skin. The serpent and master had more up their sleeve. It spat in Nil¡¯s face a heartbeat before he destroyed it with Expend. Nil held his breath and pressed his lips together before trickling energy through his face and vaporizing the slimy liquid sticking to it. He worried trying to wipe it off would only spread the probably toxic substance. The surprise had forced him to release Butch. The man tried to flee, but even while blinded, Nil had no intention of letting him escape. Nil empowered himself with Expend and stomped a leg. No bone that got underfoot survived. ¡°Rattler Butch has forfeited the match,¡± the announcer said. The woman failed to veil her surprise. ¡°Godpuncher Nil¡¯s score is now five! Two fighters and three Cursed Ones remain!¡± 149. Geode Lily Nil silently cursed the arena construct. The change in tournament format didn¡¯t make sense. It was supposed to be a simple three-way final, but the construct neededlessly complicated things. He was confident that if there were no point system involved, Nil would¡¯ve breezed through the match. He had the speed to overcome Rattler and the power to break through Lily¡¯s defense. The Death Gauntlet had taught Nil that Apocalypse Arena had a two-fold purpose. It wasn¡¯t just a method for Summoned and Seed Worlds to get resources and grow stronger. The construct used the matches to purge Cursed Ones from fallen worlds and fight back the Void. Besides giving mortals superhuman abilities, the power seeds also existed to purge corruption. The Cleansing was a mass-scale event to do the same. Nil didn¡¯t understand why the entry events needed to be more of the same. The first couple of Bronze Gauntlet fights taught Nil to carry water. He ended up in a sweltering, arid wasteland for the first. Meanwhile, the second involved a stupidly vast arena with lots of room for hiding and sneaking around. Nil ended up spending an entire day trying to hunt down his opponent. He brought a cheap waterskin with him again and washed out his eyes and face straight away. The cool liquid also soothed the irritated skin on his face. As far as Nil could tell, none of the snake¡¯s venom managed to get in his mouth or nose. If any got in, he had several minutes before their effects got bad enough to put him down¡ªor so he hoped. Nil needed to act quickly. He didn¡¯t recall seeing the snake in any of Butch¡¯s matches. Some match recordings featured him shooting venom out of his hands. Now, it was clear that the man hid a spirit companion within his clothes and had it spit at enemies. Doesn¡¯t matter. Take out Lily. The point system initially relieved Nil. He had sparred with Lily before, and defeating her felt well within his reach. Facing her in the arena was an entirely different game. She reminded him of Emily, and the thought of genuinely attacking her concerned him. So, he thought that the point system would help him win without having to fight the young woman. Now, he had no choice but to change tactics and take her out. Energy Instinct told Nil that Lily was en route to the next densest Cursed Energy signature in the arena. The last time Nil spoke to her¡ªjust before he left Golden Aegis¡ªshe had mentioned picking up a detection ability with her Iron Ascension. The rock armor significantly limited her vision and hearing, after all. Nil assumed she had a sense of tremor, but now he suspected otherwise. Lily¡¯s Bronze ascension earned her the nickname Geode. She appeared to have gained the ability to compress her armor into dense geometric shapes, grow minerals within them, and shape them into weapons or spikes. It made her look like the inside of a geode instead of the blocky pile of rubble that she used to be. Now, as Nil pursued the woman, it seemed she had somehow attained a Silver Ascension Token and further advanced her ability. Instead of lumbering forward, weighed down by the immense weight of her armor, Lily raced toward the next Cursed One. Her speed matched Nil¡¯s when he supercharged speed to his Finesse¡¯s limits. The ground rippled like a wave under her feet, and she rode it, speeding forward. When obstacles appeared, she burst through them, barely losing speed. She can¡¯t change direction. ¡°Meatball!¡± Nil called. The Ironroot Whelp took a couple of minutes to catch up to him. Rattler Butch had successfully evaded her, proving his sneaking prowess. She eventually found his scent, but the man had already forfeited it by then. ¡°I need you to find the biggest Cursed One and lead it away,¡± he instructed. Meatball obeyed while Nil pursued Lily. He had no trouble catching up to Lily when he added Anti-Friction Lattice and Expend-powered bounds and leaps to the mix. It came as no surprise when an Expend-powered blow did nothing besides destabilize Lily for a moment. She ignored Nil and carried on toward her target. He had hoped she¡¯d turn and try to fight him but was left disappointed. An Expend blast had a similar effect. He destroyed most of her armored left leg and knocked her off course, but she almost immediately righted herself and kept going. The ground almost appeared liquid under her feet and slithered up her leg, patching the damage. Lily was little more than an average brute when Nil first met her. She had become far more with every subsequent upgrade. He still hadn¡¯t figured out what boosts she received to her primary ability with each ascension. Lily still had secrets, and that worried him. Nil had hoped to face her in direct combat and disable her, forcing a forfeit, but now that felt like a waste of time. She was far too driven and focused on the strategy. Nil needed to cause serious injury even though she was a former ally and friend. Three-finger blade came to the rescue. A single slash removed an arm. Nil opened a giant chest gouge with the next blow and used the final remnants of crimson Source energy to destroy a leg. The stone armor collapsed into rubble, finally losing its stability. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Nil¡¯s heart leaped into his throat. Lily wasn¡¯t in the armor. He guessed the better weapon shaping and growing crystal ability were all a part of her core power seed¡¯s progress. The tremor sense came afterward, and she somehow kept her Bronze Ascension ability a secret for the ticket tournament¡¯s sake. Lily had gained the power to either puppet her armor or give it instructions and send it in another direction. Clever girl. The speeding armor was a distraction. It was a mistake for Nil to assume that others wouldn¡¯t hide abilities and strategically use them when it mattered most. He just never expected someone to get to the finals of the ticket tournament while hiding a tool as powerful as mobility or armor control. He had no idea where Lily had gone and didn¡¯t think she was stupid enough to continue toward the Cursed One ahead. An announcement confirmed his suspicions. ¡°Another Cursed One down! Geode Lily¡¯s score is now ten! This is going to be a close one, ladies and gentlemen.¡± If Lily took out the monster worth four points next, she¡¯d win even if Nil found her before the last Cursed One died and defeated her. So, he sped after it, cursing himself for being stupid. He didn¡¯t know what he could¡¯ve done better, but his teenage opponent had essentially played him. Nil wondered whether Wilson Luduses had teachers who taught strategy or Lily was far smarter than she seemed. It took Nil a couple of minutes to get to the strongest remaining monster in the arena. His spirit companion seemed to understand his attention and led it to him. It resembled a minotaur and also breathed fire, creating a glowing trail in Meatball¡¯s wake. A silver Source Barrier divided the fire. It floated around the wedge-shaped construct and superheated the surrounding air, leaving Nil¡¯s lungs stinging. Then its axe struck the barrier, and the sudden stop made the Cursed One lose control of its charge. Nil let the flailing limbs strike him a couple of times. The monstrous strength helped push Brutal Battery¡¯s stores to full. Then, he executed it with a blast to the face. ¡°Well, this is interesting! Godpuncher Nil just took out the second-strongest Cursed One in the arena, pushing his point count to nine. Only one target remains, and it is worth only one point. If he gets to it before Geode Lily, we¡¯ll have a draw, and they¡¯ll have no choice but to duke it out to declare a victor. Meanwhile, if Geode Lily wins the race, the match will end without the need for a further confrontation. Who will walk away with the world¡¯s fourth Cleansing ticket?¡± I hate you. The arena construct frustrated Nil. The first few rounds of the tournaments involved simple one-on-one matches. Then, in the quarter and semi-finals, Cursed Beasts and Cursed Ones were added, respectively. There was no victory condition affecting them. The individual who ended them gained a few hundred credits and either Schema Tokens or Nexus Market vouchers. It made no sense to change the tournament''s parameters at the final minute. Nil couldn¡¯t tell whether it was him overthinking things, but it almost felt as if Lily was prepared for the match, suggesting she had information he didn¡¯t. None of that matters now. Fucking focus. The final Cursed Energy signature proved significantly weaker than the rest and took a couple of minutes to find. It almost felt as if the arena construct had anticipated the final point becoming the clincher and wanted the fighters to struggle to find it. Might has progressed to Bronze 8! The sudden growth surprised Nil. Given how much Nil had used and focused on Energy Instinct during the match thus far, its ascension to Bronze would¡¯ve made more sense. Nil didn¡¯t have the luxury to give it much thought. He took off at a sprint, investing heavily in Expend and Toggled Supercharging. He slid with Anti-Friction Lattice whenever possible. Meatball fell further behind with every step, but Nil also got closer to his target. His heart seemed to beat harder in his chest, and the sides of his head throbbed. Nil¡¯s breath became ragged. It made no sense. Regularly ascending and descending the Onyx Dragon Academy¡¯s mountain had significantly improved his strength and stamina. The fight hadn¡¯t lasted long enough for him to lose breath. He drained the last of his water without slowing down. Much to Nil¡¯s relief, he found the Cursed One first. It looked like an oversized alligator, standing at approximately eight feet tall. Nil didn¡¯t bother manifesting a Source Weapon or using an Expend blast to put it down. An empowered punch did the job. He first crushed the skull, then ripped the heart out, relying on Galvanized to protect his arms. ¡°Damn,¡± a gravelly voice said. Nil spun around, ready to fight. A figure of geometrically cut stone and crystal stood before him. Unlike the armor Nil had just fought, the one before him carried more detail. The way the segments joined, and embellishments around the hip and shoulder joints reminded Nil of water lilies. The exposed brow and eyes helped him confirm that it was Lily he was dealing with and not another decoy. ¡°I thought the golem would keep you busy for longer,¡± Lily said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to have to fight you.¡± ¡°We had the same idea,¡± Nil replied. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but his voice warbled as he spoke. It wasn¡¯t just that his throat was dry. Stringing words together proved challenging. ¡°You clearly had more tricks up your sleeve than me. Silver Realm power seed?¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes betrayed amusement. ¡°This is going to hurt. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You could always surrender.¡± His knees wobbled. ¡°No can do. Sorry. I really need that ticket.¡± ¡°So do I. Just surrender before I maim you. Alright? You remind me of Emily. I¡¯d rather not chop something off.¡± ¡°Win or lose, should we have a drink afterward? It¡¯ll be nice to catch up.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As Nil took his first step, he was sure Rattler Butch¡¯s poison had found its way into his system. His skin felt clammy. The world turned blurry. Everything felt weak, and his stomach churned. Nil gave it his all anyway and lost in the end. Nil just didn¡¯t have it in him to continue after a couple of minutes and declared as much. He collapsed on to his bottom and sat there panting. Lily respectfully pulled back and let him forfeit. 150. Catching Up With Old Friends ¡°This is on me,¡± Lily said, paying for their meal before Nil could. The teenager had stuck around while the healers purged the venom from Nil¡¯s system. Then they left the gate together, looking for the agreed-upon drink. ¡°Seconds, too. No arguments, please.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t hear any protests from me,¡± Nil said. ¡°You¡¯ve clearly done amazingly well, but that loss was fucking bullshit. I don¡¯t mean that as an offense to you. I¡ª¡± ¡°None taken. There is a reason I fucking hate the likes of Rattler Butch. If your Might or other resistances aren¡¯t enough to overcome the poison, you¡¯re fucked. I have no doubt you would¡¯ve kicked my ass if not for him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°You played me well with the golem antic.¡± Lily giggled. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve been keeping that a secret. I got it for my Bronze Ascension, and it''s been under wraps for a couple of months. No one but the ludus higher-ups knew about it, and I had to train it in secret. There were a few matches that would¡¯ve been so much easier if I could whip it out, but I held off. So, Adrian gave me a Silver Ascension Token for my hard work.¡± Nil leaned back in his chair and whistled. ¡°Wow. I didn''t think Wilson Luduses invests so heavily in its assets.¡± ¡°They don''t often,¡± Lily replied, glancing at the bar and the kitchen door behind it. Like most individuals with physically-focused abilities, her calorie demands were high. ¡°Adrian believes I''m the second best available Bronze Realm defensive fighter they have for this Cleansing. The first failed his attempt to your friend Shieldmaster Shawn and he really wanted me to beat you. Since speed and mobility are your greatest assets and my biggest weaknesses, I took the movement ability.¡± ¡°Good thinking. It almost looks like you''re liquidating the ground and surfing on it.¡± Lily only smiled, not confirming or denying his hypothesis. ¡°Your match with Pietro was a real nail-biter, by the way. I was almost sure you were going to die.¡± ¡°I was too,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It''s the closest I''ve come to dying in the arena. The Death Gauntlet really isn''t worth it.¡± ¡°Well, whatever you''re doing is working for you. There aren''t a lot of people out there who qualified for Iron Gauntlet with or just before us and already have a soul weapon. You seem to have a match every week or two and seem to be significantly better every time you appear. I don''t know if you''ve been keeping track but the chat rooms and channels you''ve been blowing up on them.¡± ¡°Not a lot of people from the qualifiers are almost Silver Realm either, Lily. Don''t sell yourself short. I just got lucky with a soul weapon.¡± ¡°Don''t give me that bullshit. You don''t make any of it look lucky. Who the hell comes into the game almost at thirty and shoots to the top like you? I''ve seen what''s out there. Silver might be the end of the line for me. You, on the other hand, are going to the top.¡± ¡°You''re eighteen, Lily.¡± Nil laughed. ¡°A star and a force to be reckoned with. You got recruited by Wilson Luduses and seem to have Wildshape''s personal attention. People who peak early don''t do as well as you are.¡± Lily''s face hardened. Her eyes broke away from Nil''s, and she focused on the table between them. The server arrived just then with drinks and declared that their food wouldn''t take long. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°They''re going to kick me out of the arena fighter ludus if my performance in the Cleansing isn''t good enough,¡± Lily whispered. ¡°They made me sign a contract for the Silver Ascension Token. If my team doesn''t make it to the top three positions, I''ll owe the ludus a fair chunk of change and will need to join a security team under the Wilson Enterprises umbrella. I¡¯ll be stuck there until my debt is paid off.¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± Nil¡¯s chest tightened. She''s a kid. What the fuck is Adrian thinking? ¡°I''d rather not say.¡± Lily hesitated, eyes darting around the eatery. She seemed worried about eavesdroppers. ¡°I''m not the only one. A few others signed such contracts, including the guy Shieldmaster Shawn defeated. The owed amount is much higher if you fail to get a ticket. He has another attempt and won''t be playing it fair.¡± ¡°That sounds horrible.¡± Nil knew that he didn''t have the power to make promises. Giving the young woman false hope was also a bad idea. However, she reminded him of Emily, was a friend, and had trained with him often while they were a part of Golden Aegis. ¡°If you found an out and I got you a membership at the Forge, would you take it?¡± ¡°You''d do that for me?¡± Lily looked up at Nil, wide-eyed. Nil nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lily smiled. ¡°The contract is ironclad, and the Wilsons have an army of super lawyers, but I appreciate it. If I find a way, I''ll take you up on the offer.¡± She sighed, sounding defeated after her recent victory. ¡°It was a mistake, to be honest. I got swept up in the excitement and fame that came with being a Wilson Ludus arena fighter. Adrian has this disarming air about him. It''s easy to get caught up in his ideas. Staying an ordinary arena fighter and avoiding the Cleansing business wouldn''t have gotten me the Silver Ascension Token, but life would''ve been easier. The pressure is too much.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°That sounds rough. I¡¯m sorry you got dragged into this. My sister is about the same age as you and has not long become a Summoned. I¡¯m terrified she¡¯ll do something stupid like us and join Apocalypse Arena. I¡¯m afraid of telling her not to.¡± ¡°Because that will make her want to even more.¡± Lily laughed. ¡°How do I think I ended down this path? If everyone didn¡¯t push so hard for me not to and just stick to being an ordinary Summoned, I probably wouldn¡¯t be now.¡± ¡°I have no choice but to sit around with my fingers crossed and hope for the best.¡± Lily sat back in her chair and stared at Nil seemingly forever. Their meal of smoked lamb ribs, flatbread, and salad arrived, and the pair got halfway through their meals before she spoke again. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be talking about this, but there are two big opportunities to get tickets left that don¡¯t involve a tournament,¡± Lily told him. The statement got Nil to stop eating and listen. He knew of only one and had preemptively signed up for it. It was a race similar to the Cleansing. Individual challengers raced through separate paths and fought Cursed One¡¯s at the end of each of them. The next part of the path opened only after a certain number of challengers or Cursed Ones had fallen. Several paths converged, and fighters clashed. The following gates would open again after a number of participants went down. In Nil¡¯s opinion, it wasn¡¯t a fair event, and luck played a significant role in the victory. The other ticket events Nil had found were all tournaments with several stages. One couldn¡¯t enroll in more than one at the same time, and it was too late to join them. ¡°You know how almost impossible it is to find information regarding the Death Gauntlet?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°That¡¯s because Arthurtech has a contract with all the big governments. They have bots, algorithms, and entire teams dedicated to digging up intel, scrubbing it, and ensuring the source keeps shut. The same teams also do as much as they legally can with the pre-Cleansing events.¡± ¡°What?¡± The word came out too loud, and Nil almost banged the table. ¡°Most other parties who find out about the Cleansing do so by following the main Apocalypse Arena feeds, which are beyond Arthurtech¡¯s tampering. It helps Wilson Luduses get to the sign-ups a few seconds earlier and grab a bunch of slots.¡± ¡°That explains why almost half the people in these things are your colleagues.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s an event that I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t find out about until it''s too late.¡± Nil received a contact request from Lily through the Schema Interface. It was the same system he used to send quest invitations. When he accepted it, she sent him an information packet regarding the event, its date, and the sign-up date. ¡°Everyone at the Forge has been looking for information regarding this,¡± Nil stated, frowning. Even Layla struggled to get the relevant information and tasked multiple people with scouring the feeds for information regarding it. ¡°Runner-ups of the tournaments get first dibs on this, right?¡± Lily nodded. ¡°Priority should go to the people who got second in the tournament first and then third place before it opens up to everyone else. Wilson Luduses gets most of the positions because they¡¯re always ready for the sign-ups.¡± It was a battle-royale-style event called the Hunt. It involved fighting Cursed Ones to collect tokens, and the first person to get ten won. Challengers were free to fight one another and steal other people¡¯s tokens. ¡°It''s one of those crazy events,¡± Nil said, shoulders drooping. The luck involved in both of his remaining options frustrated him. ¡°I hope I get my ticket from the Chase. The Hunt is always so chaotic, and it''s almost always rogues or summoners that come out on top.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid the Chase won¡¯t be any easier or better.¡± Lily¡¯s smile almost appeared apologetic. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, you¡¯re an incredible fighter, but Wilson Luduses is sending four fighters, and you¡¯re likely to struggle with all of them. Three have far more experience than you and will give you a run for your money. The fourth is as green as you and me but just stupidly powerful. Neither I nor the Bronze veterans of our ludus can deal with her. A bunch of Silver Realms also struggle. She¡¯s been getting direct attention from Adrian.¡± Lily took a break to clean the meat off a rib before continuing. ¡°Just watch yourself. Alright? Don¡¯t get yourself killed trying to chase an impossible target.¡± ¡°People called Pietro impossible. I put him in the ground.¡± ¡°And almost died while at it,¡± Lily said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re pursuing the Cleansing, but death isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Nil and Lily ended up spending several hours at the back-room eatery. Neither seemed in a rush to return. Nil didn¡¯t look forward to facing Watcher and the others after the loss. He didn¡¯t expect them to reprimand him. They¡¯d sympathize, and with it would come pity. Even though Lily had won, she was unwilling to get back to the pressure and grind. They talked about how life had treated them after Golden Aegis failed and their adventures. Nil didn¡¯t tell her about the Forge¡¯s secrets or his time on Ashe Fall. Instead, he said he was currently on a long-term quest with time dilation, and the summoner gave him the freedom to enter Apocalypse Arena on his days off. Lily appeared convinced and opened up about life in Wilson Luduses. The media sold the chain of luduses as the place to be for any Summoned who wanted to be somebody or rise to the hall of fame of Earth arena fighters. They had the best equipment, teachers, medical facilities, and deep pockets to help the best get even better. However, anyone who struggled to perform or keep up with the insane pace risked neglect, isolation, and ostracization. Many faced pressure to sign service contracts. It seemed Adrian lured in powerful individuals, took large cuts from them to use the ludus¡¯s benefits and privileges, and kept them cash-poor. It was the perfect control tool. Then there was the anti-civilian and anti-government rhetoric. The organization seemed to believe that Summoned were supposed to rule, and the rest were lesser, and that the rule of the strong was what the planet needed to rise to the ranks of Control World swiftly. Apparently, many questioned and doubted Adrian and his supporters behind closed doors but kept their thoughts to themselves. It made no sense to Nil. From what he had read and learned during his time on Ashe Fall, even the most low-magic, technology-focused Control World had a Well of Power. A lot needed to change before his world could achieve the same. 151. Every Defeat Is A Lesson ¡°You know your biggest issue?¡± Watcher asked. ¡°You lack the killer instinct. I know you took lives in the Death Gauntlet, but your chances of winning a ticket are low unless you¡¯re willing to do the same in the pre-Cleansing events.¡± Watcher Behind The Stars didn¡¯t present himself as Master Seer. Instead, the entity appeared to him during his morning meditation the same way he had when Nil paid for lessons. ¡°But that¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing. You¡¯re a nurturer first and a soldier second.¡± The words didn¡¯t shake Nil¡¯s resolve or focus. He concentrated on absorbing the volcano and world tree¡¯s Qi. It flowed through his energy channels, refreshing muscles and joints as it passed and then gathered under his navel, gently swirling. It was a lot calmer than his Source Sphere, and Nil knew that was how it was supposed to be. The maelstrom of Source was for the outside. Within, he needed calm and control. ¡°This arena life isn¡¯t for you. Quest. Help people. Do good for the multiverse in your own way. Leave the cutthroat work for the people with a stomach for it.¡± Nil continued to ignore Watcher and pressed his fingertips together before him. His eblows rested on his knees, keeping his arms relaxed. The gems on the back of his gauntlets glowed silver and gained luminosity as he gathered energy within them. He slowly coaxed out a sliver and created a small vortex. He rarely created Source Spheres with defensive energy, but there was something he wanted to try. Controlling the Source in its silver form proved harder. It went well with energy shaping but not manipulation. Trial and error had taught him that silver was resistant to movement. It desired rigidity. Creating a Source Sphere with it gave him a mild headache, but maintaining focus proved more challenging. He only needed it for a moment. Nil had something specific in mind. After forming a grapefruit-sized Source Sphere, Nil pulled the energy back, leaving nothing but the outer shell. It was rigid and firm. A firm grasp of shaping helped him maintain the silver sphere when he switched to Expend, and the gauntlets¡¯ gems turned crimson, and it was time for him to push manipulation to its limits. Nil slowly emitted energy and created a crimson vortex. He pushed until just before the maelstrom of destructive energy caressed the silver. It was like oil and water. They didn¡¯t mix or react with one another. ¡°Excellent!¡± Watcher exclaimed, changing his tone. ¡°Now stabilize it.¡± Nil did just that. The encased Source Sphere wouldn¡¯t prove helpful in combat, doubly so when he switched back to Absorb and the construct remained. It made for an excellent practice tool. Once Nil mastered it, translating the technique to other shapes would be considerably easier. When Nil released the sphere and took a step back, it hovered in place. He thrust a palm into it and used a combination of emission and manipulation to drive it forward. It flew several meters before the shell collapsed, and the sphere started diffusing, extending the range significantly. Weild The Source has progressed to Iron 9! Source Gauntlets have progressed to Iron 9! Please consult a soulsmith about ascending your soul weapon to Bronze Realm. Energy Instinct has progressed to Bronze 0! Your mastery of internal and external energies has significantly improved. You can draw on defensive Source energy for a second after switching to Expend from Absorb, and the same is true in the opposite direction. The base upgrade was far more powerful than what Nil had anticipated. It would make his current exercise significantly easier. As his ability to maintain Source constructs improved, Nil could foresee holding silver barriers for a few extra seconds as he switched to Expend and prepared to strike. Pick one of the following for the ability evolution:
  • Energy Psychometry: When surrounded by alien energies, you¡¯ll gain a rough idea of its source and purpose. The more time between the expenditure and your detection, the less information you¡¯ll find. The psychometry has a limit of one hour.
  • Energy Purification: Absorb any and all energy and purify it before cultivation, separating the bad from the good and only keeping what you desire. The rejected darkness will dissipate and fade into nothingness. Harmful foreign substances will also struggle to survive the purification process.
Both options were excellent, but Nil didn¡¯t foresee needing psychometry unless he worked for CIT or took on more investigative quests. Meanwhile, Energy Purification felt significantly more tailored to his life as a cultivator, as well as the kind of work the Nexus expected him to do. He and his friends could avoid Cursed Energy build-up in their systems if he absorbed and purified it. In fact, he believed it would significantly help him eliminate the Scourge and assist in the reclaiming of fallen worlds. It meant that he wouldn¡¯t get any more double-edged traits, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. Taking Restless In Body And Mind had proven itself a mistake. Nil wouldn¡¯t get any more symbiotes to rip the bad out of his system. He wasn¡¯t sure, but the idea of using Energy Instinct to purify Emily absorbed during her quests also appealed to him. ¡°Good job maintaining your focus,¡± Watcher said. ¡°Perhaps derision isn¡¯t the best tool for rattling your focus and concentration. I¡¯d like you to continue the exercises independently. I want you to be able to create Source weapons and use them without consuming the energy. It¡¯ll help you diversify your attack style and approach.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I tried to emulate Iris¡¯s Source Arms,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying it with Energy Instinct for months, trying to figure out the different elements. Silver is the stable shell for the volatile crimson within. I need to figure out how to nullify the silver¡¯s absorption abilities, but it should serve as the Source Sphere bomb for now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the most efficient use of energy, but yes. Keep at it. You¡¯re close.¡± Watcher paused. Nil caught the number of eyes on the man¡¯s face multiply for a moment, but when he directly looked at the man, they disappeared. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before you bend the Source to do your will.¡± Watcher almost sounded amused as he continued. ¡°I can almost foresee it.¡± ¡°Are you clairvoyant?¡± ¡°No such thing exists. The future is flexible and forever changing. One can calculate probabilities and guess at possibilities, but nothing more. Many have attempted to find their best future and then force it to come true but they never succeeded. In fact, the only thing they achieved was the hastening of their downfall.¡± ¡°What are the chances of me making it into the Cleansing?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Low. I¡¯m afraid the odds are in the Void¡¯s favor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you intend to do anything about it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Watcher didn¡¯t elaborate. Three tickets were gone. Wilson Luduses now had two. Shawn had one. In the following days, the numbers changed, but it wasn¡¯t all bad news. Zora lost her match by a narrow margin, while Cara Sue won hers. Then came Selia¡¯s turn. Andrew alerted him of the match, and Nil caught the final minutes of it. She faced two foes just like he had. Both were from Wilson Luduses. This time, the arena construct put the challengers in a maze. They had to fight their way past several Cursed Ones, reach the maze¡¯s heart, and protect it. The rules reminded Nil of king-of-the-hill style of games. One person had to hold a position for a certain amount of time to attain victory. Selia breezed through the challenge. A beacon of light rose from the heart, marking its location. Selia phased through walls and monsters, reaching the maze¡¯s center long before her competitors. Then, she activated the central device and held the position with grace as they arrived bloody and tired after several battles. The Cursed Ones Selia had avoided also found their way to the light, creating further trouble for the other competitors. It took a quarter of an hour for the device to finish powering up, and she needed to stay on the large circular pressure plate, ensuring the device didn¡¯t lose its connection to whatever fed it. Its activation released a pulse that destroyed all Cursed Ones and teleported the competitors out of the arena. There was no second place. Both fighters from Wilson Luduses got marked third, while Selia walked away with the Cleansing ticket. Nil was happy for his girlfriend, but at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like a failure. Despite all the extraordinary opportunities the Nexus had granted him, he was falling behind. No. You still have a chance. ¡°Given all your breakthroughs and strength, you¡¯ll get one for sure,¡± Iris assured him. ¡°There is little one can do against poison.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Schema is fucking with me or things would¡¯ve been different if I ascended Energy Instinct sooner,¡± Nil replied. ¡°It might¡¯ve given me the tools to purge the poison from my system.¡± ¡°That¡¯s usually how it goes with the Schema. Or, so I hear. My brother lost his arena fight to Mind Magic, and the Schema offered him a manual on warding against such attacks a week later after reaching a growth milestone. If he had the manual earlier, do you think he would¡¯ve won?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Getting a technique or ability and learning to use it effectively in combat are two different things.¡± He smiled. ¡°Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Iris. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°We can do more to cheer you up, you know?¡± Iris¡¯s mischievous grin clarified what she meant. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but nothing has changed.¡± Iris shrugged and left to clean up for dinner. He washed and went to bed, feeling down. Andrew had tried to cheer him up early in the day, but it didn¡¯t help much. Nil needed some time to stew and decompress. He stripped down to his shorts and climbed into bed. Sleep proved elusive, and it took quite a while to find him. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t last long. A warmth joined him under his blanket. Nil felt smooth hairless skin against his back, and the characteristic softness of breasts accompanied it. Then, a delicate but toned arm wrapped around him, driving away the final traces of slumber. Nil jumped out from under the covers straight away, ready to rebuke Iris. He froze. The hair and body shape didn¡¯t match. Nil had encountered the same smile in bed several times before. It was Selia. ¡°Were you expecting someone else?¡± She asked, obviously amused. Selia sat up, and the moonlight caught her face. ¡°No,¡± Nil answered. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised.¡± He dropped to his knees and pulled her into a tight hug. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in forever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The Weavers didn¡¯t want me getting distracted during my training.¡± Selia kissed him, and the knot in his stomach unfurled. All the tension that had built up since the loss melted away. ¡°The notes were the most I could manage without getting caught.¡± ¡°I guessed as much. Did you give you a free pass after winning a ticket?¡± Selia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be starting ascending my body to Silver Realm tonight. They think I¡¯m locked in the warded ascension chamber. Since there is no fixed time for the process, I thought I could get some hours with you, and they¡¯d be none the wiser.¡± ¡°What are the consequences if you get caught?¡± Selia shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really care right now. I wanted to come to you when you lost. It was so bloody close. They wouldn¡¯t even let me celebrate my win with you.¡± She kissed him again, delicate fingers caressing his hair gently. The gentle touch sent a shiver down Nil¡¯s spine. Goosebumps appeared on his arms. ¡°How about we set aside all the bullshit and save our concerns for the morning?¡± ¡°That sounds amazing to me,¡± Nil replied. ¡°How long do we have?¡± ¡°Dawn would be pushing it, but let''s not worry about that right now.¡± 152. A Piece Of Darkness Nil woke alone from the best sleep he had in a long time. A note lay next to him. I believe in you. He started his day with a broad smile on his face. The recent victory had won him a couple of tokens, a voucher, and a couple of hundred credits. When Andrew asked for five thousand¡ªmore than half of his savings¡ªNil handed the money over without a second thought. He trusted his best friend and was in too good a mood to worry. Andrew demanded that he ask no questions, and Nil complied. Nil was pleased to find that Iris had covered for him by whipping together porridge for Master Seer and his students. He left a thank you note for her before going shopping. The markets were as pleasant as ever. No one watched the canopy, and everyone seemed extra cheerful. Nil couldn''t tell whether spirits were still high following the leaf rain or his mood was infectious. A new pink and orange flower glowed directly above the market. He detected no new energies raining from it but still suspected it played a role. The previous evening''s brief punctuating conversations repeated in Nil¡¯s head as he went about shopping. Selia summarized almost eleven months worth of adventures. The Weave didn''t have a base and operated out of temporary safe houses and in the backrooms of events hosted by powerful people. The spiders only knew their direct superiors and juniors and the local chapter''s president and functioned under several layers of secrecy. Often, they knew nothing about the purpose or consequence of their task and only found out about what they had helped accomplish after all the dominoes fell. Nil didn''t particularly like their methods. The system left too much room for internal deception and corruption. There was the risk of Spiders unknowingly doing something that did more harm than good because of incorrect, incomplete, or altered directives. He worried that the organization ran the risk of pulling Selia into something dangerous that could potentially ruin her chances with the Nexus or Control Worlds. However, the organization had stood for thousands of years and apparently only done good, foiling Void cults and the Scourge''s plots. Selia was also there to learn from them and not a permanent member, so he convinced himself not to needlessly worry about the matter. The Weave had kept her from him for most of their time on the Control World, but they had made up for lost time the previous evening, and the memories fueled him through the rest of his shopping, journey back, and meal prep. It wasn''t clear whether Iris had heard them the previous night. A hallway separated their rooms and as far as Nil could tell, sound didn''t travel far across it. However, she seemed different. He couldn''t tell whether it was paranoia or she had taken the previous evening''s rejection to heart, but the woman treated him professionally and gave him a wide berth. Nil didn''t mind or care. He went down to the academy''s mess hall after lunch and watched the Apocalypse Arena feeds. Digging through the archives for any recordings with ¡®Chase¡¯ or ¡®Hunt¡¯ in the titles. He studied the arenas, the format, and strategies of winners and runner-ups. Watching the tournament¡¯s earlier rounds had helped Nil identify his opponents and make rough guesses of their abilities. Nil would need to challenge the following events with minimal such knowledge. But if he understood the events and style of arenas well enough, Nil believed his chances of victory would be higher. Wilson Luduses did more than just weapons, ability, and team-fight training. Since they took large cuts of their members¡¯ arena earnings, the organization also provided strategy classes. They ranged from talks on how to get the advantage in specific match formats to more focused sessions to discuss the best tactics used against an appointment. Lily went into detail about the amount of preparation she had gone through to face him. Wilson Luduses didn¡¯t worry too much about her fighting Rattler Butch. The man lacked the power and ability to get his toxins through the stone armor. Instead, Adrian had a team break down Nil¡¯s ability and then had Lily learn strategies to defeat him in a variety of event formats. She expected similar lessons just before the Cleansing. Nil had tried to get information regarding the people in the ¡®Chase¡¯ and ¡®Hunt¡¯ out of her. Even though Lily was forthcoming about how Wilson Luduses functioned, she refused to share information about her colleagues. Her issues were exclusively with the organization. Most of her contemporaries were in the same position as her, and she sympathized with them. Nil respected the loyalty. As the afternoon went on, Nil found himself with unexpected company. A handful of ¡®Seniors¡¯ of Onyx Dragon Academy joined him to watch the arena recordings. Despite their title, the students were mostly older teens and young adults. Unlike the planet¡¯s older generations, they didn¡¯t seem to find Apocalypse Arena distasteful. In fact, they found the fights thrilling, bet on them, and even used it as an opportunity to find new techniques and strategy ideas. ¡°If you don¡¯t quest with the Nexus or fight in the arena, what¡¯s the point of all the cultivation and training?¡± Nil asked one of them. ¡°Is it just for the sake of pursuit of power and immortality?¡± ¡°Only in part,¡± one of them answered. ¡°There are far more realms and worlds struggling against the Scourge and Void than there are Control Worlds or Seed Worlds. You¡¯re sent where rituals and wards keep us from entering or when our efforts are best focused elsewhere.¡± ¡°So, we Summoned take on issues that are generally too small for you?¡± ¡°More or less?¡± The woman shrugged. ¡°If two worlds are in danger, one only has Wells of Power, and the other has the same but also technology or magic that the Scourge could use to lay havoc on several universes, which do you think we should prioritize? In most instances, a Control World Bronze Realm fighter is superior to one from a Seed World. We¡¯ll take on the latter world, where our strengths are best utilized. You¡¯ll be sent to the former. There will almost always be a couple of troubled worlds, if not more, that go ignored because they¡¯re lowered in the priority list.¡± ¡°Despite what many of you Seed Worlders think, the Control Worlds don¡¯t exist to suppress, control, and limit you,¡± another student added. ¡°It''s in our best interests to grow you, safely guide you to the status of Control World, and invite you to the Coalition so we can take care of the threats of the multiverse together. Unfortunately, your kind often tries to rush it or prioritize supremacy over unity. The advanced magic and technology end up becoming your doom.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The company proved far more educational than Nil expected. Both sides generalized a lot since they had limitations on what they could discuss and divulge. Nil talked about his world¡¯s barren nature and reliance on technology. The locals told him about similar Control Worlds, which had developed artificial Wells of Power and paired them with native technology to gain power and status in the multiversal platform. The conversation got Nil wondering whether the same was possible for his world. He didn¡¯t know what an artificial Well of Power would look like, and his new acquaintances refused to elaborate. Nil expected to gain favor with more Control Worlds and planned to push for time on them as well. He wanted to see how the advanced society worked. It would help him decide whether to stay and improve his Earth or leave it when the time came. It was idealistic, but Nil wanted to do good for his world. He didn¡¯t like how the Wilsons and other Gold Realm Summoned were currently using their power to accumulate wealth and power. They all appeared to desire their version of a Control World instead of emulating the likes of Ashe Fall. Ruling and controlling the masses seemed a greater priority than the good of all. It somewhat made sense to Nil, and he blamed the government¡¯s decision to segregate Summoned and civilians. The limited freedom and separation limited crime and accidents but also bred animosity. Nil was locked in a conversation regarding politics and philosophy with his fellow Onyx Dragon Seniors when Iris interrupted them. ¡°Master Seer wishes to see you,¡± she told him. ¡°It''s important.¡± ¡°Thank you for your time,¡± Nil told the trio that kept him occupied for the past several hours. ¡°This has been enlightening.¡± ¡°Maybe we can get together again before your time in Ashe Falls is over,¡± said the young woman who approached him first. ¡°We¡¯ll be sure to cheer you on during your next match. May the odds be in your favor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to take limbs next time,¡± a third added. ¡°Despite what everyone says, murdering fellow warriors against the Scourge isn¡¯t necessary for victory. Just remove a limb or two. The arena healers or Fountain of Pyrene will fix it up for them.¡± Iris and Nil walked mostly in silence. It wasn¡¯t particularly awkward. In fact, he did his best to avoid prolonged one-on-one time with the woman because of how comfortable she made him. After becoming a Summoned, Nil observed a strange attraction to powerful women with a warrior mentality. Iris was an attractive woman and fit the brief. In fact, if he were single, Nil would give her offer serious thought. But that was also the reason why he needed to keep her at arm¡¯s length. When Nil reached Master Seer¡¯s chambers, he was surprised to find Andrew present. The pair sat together, drinking tea. Iris bowed and excused herself, giving them privacy. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Nil asked, concerned. ¡°Yes,¡± Master Seer replied. ¡°Your friend came to me with a request.¡± Andrew pulled up his left sleeve, revealing his storage tattoo. He withdrew two chunks of metal from it. One was silvery, while the other was black and matte, like the charred sections of the Source Gauntlets. ¡°After a fair bit of haggling, I managed to score star metal slag and an ancient wyrm¡¯s scale,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re pretty powerful and will result in a decent chassis upgrade while linking beautifully with the current abilities, but I need something more to pair them with Essence of the World Tree.¡± Nil glanced at Master Seer, wondering why the man had been brought into the conversation. ¡°What is it? What will it do? How much money do you need?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been studying the new technique you¡¯re trying to develop, and it''s not going to work,¡± Andrew continued. ¡°The silver Source energy is too rigid and the polar opposite of the red. They can¡¯t function together.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. Unless you maintain a degree of separation between the two, they¡¯ll eventually neutralize each other,¡± Master Seer said. ¡°So, what¡¯s the solution?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I need the essence of a primordial. More specifically, it is the energy of something that transcends the universal laws. Then, the Source Gauntlets will let you tap into a third form of the source. You need something more stable and unreactive as red but not as rigid and focused as silver.¡± ¡°Young Andrew Harper desires an ingredient close to the Source.¡± Master Seer¡¯s form blurred for a moment. Nil almost missed the phenomena and couldn¡¯t tell whether it was rage or phenomena. ¡°He wants a piece of me.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t ask for that!¡± Nil frowned. ¡°I appreciate you for humoring him, but¡ª¡± ¡°Did you tell him about who I really am?¡± Master Seer asked Nil. Even though Watcher had no eyes in his current form, Nil could feel his glare. ¡°No,¡± Nil quickly said. It was the truth. Andrew had inferred it, and Nil never denied or confirmed it. ¡°Samara told me,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°She¡¯s known ever since she started here.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t supposed to discuss it. Knowledge and conversation can disrupt my life and work here.¡± Master Seer sighed, his form blurring again. ¡°Nil. Are you okay with tying yourself to me for as long as you live? A fragment of me would live within the Source Gauntlets, and it would become one of my many eyes in the multiverse.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯d be in my head?¡± Nil asked. ¡°Will you know my thoughts and read my mind?¡± ¡°Nothing so invasive. I¡¯m an observer. Occasionally, I might push mortal kind in certain directions, but I never get involved.¡± Watcher hesitated, returning to his stable form. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I understand this is a big gift and ask. Perhaps we shouldn¡¯t tie ourselves to each other so intimately and permanently.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll make it into the Cleansing,¡± Master Seer stated, sounding resolute. He held out his hand, forming a Source Sphere of his own. It manifested almost instantly, unlike Nil¡¯s construct, and was pure black. It was like staring into the nothingness of space. Then, a mote of light blue and purple formed within. ¡°My contemporaries might not look at you favorably, but they¡¯ll appreciate it. The probabilities say it''s one of the few ways the Scourge and Void might fail.¡± Nil glanced between his friend and enigmatic teacher. Hesitation and fear left his chest and temples tight. It was a big step, and despite their time together, he knew little about the Watcher. However, the possibility of power and breaking through his current limitations was tempting. Even though no one instructed him, Nil knew what to do. He kneeled before his teacher manifested the Source Gauntlets. Master Seer¡ªor more accurately, the Watcher Beyond The Stars¡ªreleased his hold on the alien Source Sphere, and it drifted into Nil¡¯s control. He claimed it and slowly used cultivation techniques learned since meeting the Immortal Song Yi to channel the energy into himself. It circulated through him, collected in his core. The imaginary metal sphere that hung from the network of mangrove vines trembled as the bud fed on the energy, darkening and adopting a metallic sheen. ¡°Let¡¯s get started, Sunny-boi,¡± Andrew said. ¡°We need to be quick about this.¡± 153. A Spider Seeking Prey Selia Specter felt like a silly name, but it was starting to grow on her. She preferred it far more than the ugly last name she had worn while registered with her last ludus. Even though she insisted that Murphy was a fake addition, it was the only way they¡¯d let her stay. The only legal documents she possessed contained them, after all. Now, the old name was gone, and she couldn¡¯t be happier. Her life almost felt perfect. Selia loved her time in the Control World. Her work with the Weave was fulfilling. She had learned a lot over the past several months and even made a few excellent friends. Just missing the one piece. The Broodmother, the Weave¡¯s leader on Ashe Fall, had stuck Selia with one frustrating limitation on the day of her arrival. She wasn¡¯t allowed to see Nil. The half-woman-half-spider woman¡ªit was how she portrayed herself, but Selia suspected illusion magic¡ªbelieved that romance, love, and relationships were silly obstacles that got in the way of the work that most mattered. ¡°Nothing takes priority over maintaining the eternal web,¡± the blind old bat would bark whenever Selia brought up meeting Nil between missions. All of her eight eyes stared into the distance, unfocused and not looking at anything in particular. ¡°Do you understand, girl? Your little plaything will still be around when your time here is done. For now, don¡¯t let your base urges get in the way of your work.¡± It was a frustrating limitation. Selia¡¯s ¡®sisters¡¯ and superiors kept a strict eye on her and kept her in line. She believed it was a part of her training. It took Selia almost the full year before she became proficient enough with her ability, techniques, and general sneaking skills before she was good enough to get away from everyone¡¯s watchful eye. The night felt worth any punishment she¡¯d face for getting caught. It wasn¡¯t just about missing Nil. Her head felt clearer. She felt whole. Now, it was time to get back to work. Selia already had her next mission, and it was supposed to begin fifteen minutes before she left Nil¡¯s quarters. She didn¡¯t regret her tardiness and didn¡¯t have far to go. Her mission involved infiltrating Onyx Dragon Mountain, and she had already completed the first step. It was a desirable job, and only the best new spiderlings got the chance to attempt it. Selia proved herself by regularly bypassing the mountain¡¯s wards and collecting little tokens from the forge and manors. It gave her the opportunity to peek in on Nil. I hate lying to him. Selia¡¯s body ascension wasn¡¯t due to begin until later in the evening. She didn¡¯t want to worry or alarm Nil or make him feel any less special than he was with the truth. There were also concerns regarding his views surrounding her and the relationship changing. It was no secret that individuals with the rogue archetype power seeds often got involved in thievery, sabotage, and espionage. When the Nexus issued the quests, the targets and purpose were more obvious, and motives less questionable. Matters felt far more complicated with the Weave. Selia wasn¡¯t sure Nil would understand. Most spiderlings and people in her role worked at night, especially when thievery was involved. Unfortunately, accessibility to residences and mess halls became more challenging when everyone wasn¡¯t off training or working. So, daytime was the best for the job. However, foot traffic around the teleporters skyrocketed after sunrise, making infiltration all the more challenging. As a result, Selia had to find a way in during the cover of darkness, and the security of Nil¡¯s room gave her the perfect hiding place. Stolen robes helped Selia blend in with the academy''s cleaning staff. The students were familiar with each other, and most of them seemed to come from well-to-do families. Despite Ashe Fall¡¯s supposedly utopic society, class disparities persisted. People with wealth, power, and great futures ignored all beneath them. None met Selia¡¯s eye line as she walked, carrying a mop and bucket full of dirty water. In fact, none, besides a handful of young men whispering to each other and wearing mischievous grins, spared her a second glance. The charcoal grey robes equipment proved a far more potent sneaking tool than any Weave technique or the semi-translucence granted by phase shifting. The constructions on Onyx Dragon Mountain appeared random, but Selia learned during her several explorations that there were three distinct sections. Researchers and scholars occupied the spaces closest to the peak. It was where Ashe and the volcano¡¯s Qi met and intertwined, creating the perfect environment for their experiments and studies. Manors, barracks, and combat training areas filled the mountain¡¯s midsection. Blind Dragon Manor, where Nil worked and lived, sat near the top of the area on a rocky outcropping that crossed into the researchers¡¯ territory. Selia never dared to venture above it. The more powerful wards and enchantments interfered with the enchanted tattoo that helped her to move freely, using restricted teleporters. She didn¡¯t want to risk getting caught and exiled to a prison dimension. Broodmother claimed that neither the Nexus nor the Weave would come to her rescue. Next came the academy¡¯s artisan workshops, where Andrew lived and trained. The area sat well above the mountain¡¯s base and extended into the volcanic vents. Forges, alchemy laboratories, warehouses, and vaults filled the section. It was where Selia¡¯s quest demanded she go. Cleaning staff and porters were even more common in Onyx Dragon Forge, and blending in became easier as Selia continued to descend. It took a handful of minutes to find where she needed to go. Selia had spent most of her previous visits casing the area, gathering information regarding all the buildings and the routines of the residents. If not for all the collected data, Selia doubted she would¡¯ve received the job. It would¡¯ve gone to the spiderlings with seniority and more accolades. Many of her peers believed that she enjoyed preferential treatment. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Some also appeared to resent her for her power seed. They had to train and practice all of their abilities before they reached the same potency as a freshly ascended person¡¯s power seed. The fortunate few who came from influential families inherited manuals that outlined techniques from the Mortal Realm across several ascensions. Even then, they had to spend days, if not weeks and months, on practice and training before any of it became useable on the field. The Weave¡¯s intelligence said that the Silverleaf Manor had recently completed a contract for Edwin Miles, one of Ashe Fall¡¯s three rulers and an Immortal Realm arcane engineer. It was, apparently, the most affluent artisanal faction on the mountain. The size, architecture, and decorations confirmed the speculation. Selia hoped that what she needed was in the master¡¯s office and that she wouldn¡¯t need to infiltrate the heavily guarded workshop and vault. Selia spent close to half an hour mopping the stone pathway outside the building before she found her opening. She phased through the walls, scanning every ground-floor room. It mostly consisted of staff and assistant bedrooms. A small library and study room gave her pause. She scanned the locked-away scrolls and documents. A few appeared valuable and Selia helped herself to them. The Weave would claim most and pick what she was allowed to sell or keep. The contribution would improve Selia¡¯s standing, granting her more privileges, equipment, and techniques. The second floor came with more hope. The entire level was a shrine to the master¡¯s vanity. Busts and paintings of the man filled it. Prototypes of the creations that made him rich and famous sat in enchanted glass cases. Selia pocketed quite a few valuables and scrolls the master had scribed himself. She also took a few of his ledgers for good measure. One manual Selia found gave her pause. She deviated from the mission for a moment to study its contents. Ghastly Chains looked like a direct upgrade to her Spectral Tethers spell. The stack of handwritten notebooks also included a research document on a material called Sunmetal and forging techniques she didn¡¯t understand. Selia stuffed them all into her mop bucket¡¯s hidden bottom. The Weave had spatial bags and pockets, but the mountain¡¯s teleporter had devices to track such things. A creak and clatter almost made Selia jump out of her skin. She spun around just in time to see a wide-eyed teenager staring at her. The boy snapped out of his shock, spun on his heel, and ran for the stairs. Selia was much faster than him. She phased through display cases and cabinets, beating him to the stairs. Her new energy detection ability suggested he had not long ascended to the Bronze Realm. However, the soft features and lack of muscle tone confirmed her suspicions of him not being a combatant. ¡°I don''t want to hurt you,¡± Selia said. The Weave''s exercises helped get her breathing under control and veil her surprise. ¡°Let me tie you up and finish what I came to do. Then, I''ll be on my way.¡± Broodmother will rip me an actual Web hoke if she finds out about this. ¡°I''ll get in trouble if I just let you leave,¡± he replied. ¡°It''s better than ending up dead.¡± Selia whipped out her dagger, her heart thundering in her chest. ¡°I don''t want your blood on my conscience, kid. Do the right thing?¡± Much to Selia''s relief, the boy complied and let her tie him to a pillar. She was extra happy because looking Nil in the eye wouldn¡¯t be easy if she killed someone Sam''s age for a job. Spiderlings were taught not to question their orders. They needed to have faith in the Weave and sometimes eliminate the innocents who wandered into webs. It was the way of life and vital for maintaining the Weave''s integrity. But, Broodmother and her superiors had listened to her boundaries and respected them. Moral limitations would keep her from climbing high in their organization, but Selia didn''t care. The boy''s darting eyes told her where to look, turning the lapse in her detecting and scanning skills into a boon. It was still a failure she intended to later analyze and ensure the same never happened again. Such mistakes during the Cleansing wouldn''t just jeapordize her life but that of Nil and her friends. Phase shifting finally uncovered Master Silverleaf''s secret office. There was no cliched bookcase hiding it. The space sat behind an innocuous wall with no apparent trigger mechanism for unlocking it. Wards and alarms protected the space, but Selia¡¯s improved phase shifting also altered her density. She applied almost no weight to the magic-circle-marked floor. Much to Selia¡¯s relief, no alarms went off as she opened the ledgers and blueprints contained in stoppered metal tubes. She carefully analyzed them all, and in the fifth document Selia uncovered, she found the necessary document to graduate to the rank of Spider. Master Silverleaf had designed a concealment spell for Edwin Miles. It masked the contents of spatial containers from up to Silver Realm arcane scans. Selia didn¡¯t know what Edwin Miles could be concealing. The Weave never provided spiderlings with all the information relevant to a case. ¡°Spiders are survivors,¡± Broodmother often said. ¡°They do whatever it takes to survive, including ripping off limbs, abandoning their webs, and leaving eggs to predators. The less information each individual spider has, the greater the chance of the Weave¡¯s survival.¡± Selia added the document to her fake mop bucket, stole a few more valuables, including a scroll that she believed Andrew, if not Nil, would benefit from, and then returned to her prisoner. Panic flooded his hazel eyes. ¡°Relax.¡± Selia punched him in the face twice, breaking his nose and busting open the lower lip. ¡°I''m keeping my word.¡± ¡°Then why hit me?¡± The teenager cried, blood gushing from his nostrils. ¡°Do you want your master to think you just rolled over and let me do what you want?¡± Selia asked. ¡°This way you can tell the story of how you put up a valiant fight, but the master thief beat you into submission. It was a tall man who summoned and commanded specters. Got it?¡± The boy nodded. ¡°And he wore Longshore Mining''s delivery uniform.¡± The detail wouldn''t do much but the company was recently robbed, and she hoped it would sell the story better. The boy nodded again. ¡°Good man.¡± Selia smiled sweetly. ¡°If you tell them the truth of what happened, I''ll come back and slice your neck while you''re sleeping.¡± After departing Silverleaf Manor, she didn¡¯t dare approach the teleporter off the mountain. There was always the risk of wards detecting her loot. Instead, she found a hidden outcropping to leap from. Previous scouting had helped her uncover it, and she had practiced her escape several times before. Lowered density meant Selia didn¡¯t need to bother about gravity. She made herself so light that the wind carried her away from the mountain as she floated to the ground. This better be enough. 154. Growing Soul Source Gauntlets have progressed to Bronze 0! The gems¡¯ storage capacity and amplification abilities have increased. The chassis¡¯s physical defensive capabilities have significantly improved.
  • Wield The Source has progressed to Bronze 0! You may now manifest the Source in a more neutral, stable third state. It lacks the power and volatility of Chaos and the unshakeable rigidity of Order. The third state is Balance. Equilibrium. It is Equipoise.
  • Galvanized has progressed to Bronze 0! The Source Gauntlets¡¯ metal is not just immune to their owner¡¯s energy, fire, and heat. Lightning and electricity are nothing before its defenses. Energy attacks will further struggle to break through the defenses.
Apparently, the standard soul weapon gained new abilities on ascension. The Source Gauntlets were anything but standard. Andrew and Samara claimed that few started with two abilities, and even fewer had memories and past experiences. The planeswalking soulsmith claimed to have never encountered anything so scarred but overflowing with potential. Nil¡¯s ability and soul weapon seed weren¡¯t anything as simple or potent as Sakura¡¯s Cutting Light and laser sword hilt. It didn¡¯t have the raw power and flexibility of Shawn¡¯s barriers. Brutal Battery, its accompaniments, and Wield The Source weren¡¯t nearly as straightforward as phase shifting. Every weapon and tool in Nil¡¯s arsenal demanded mastery through endless practice and the support of cultivation techniques. However, they were all a part of Nil. I bet the Schema sees probabilities too, and Through Sheer Grit is part of some elaborate joke. Andrew took a full week to finish the upgrade. Nil was terrified at first when Samara insisted he do it alone. He trusted his friend, but Andrew was inexperienced and had ascended his ability to Bronze Realm only weeks ago. Much to his relief, the more experienced soulsmith supervised the process and provided guidance whenever necessary. Before the process started, Nil received several chassis options. They included more arm armor, or protection all the way up one, and also a shoulder guard. There was the option for a breastplate that protected the chest and solar plexus. It had the potential to become full-upper body protection. Andrew also gave him the option of lower abdomen and groin protection. Nil rejected all of the options, but he had something else in mind. ¡°Watcher¡¯s essence is not what I expected,¡± Samara said after it was all done. ¡°It''s old and alien, as one would expect of a primordial entity, but this is something else.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Nil asked. The woman almost always sounded sure of herself. It was strange and concerning to seem so confused and lost. ¡°It means he''s so old and alien that there is no record about anything like him. I¡¯m talking either beyond or older than the multiverse.¡± ¡°So, I shouldn''t be concerned that there is a bit of him inside the soul weapon?¡± Samara shook her head. ¡°I did deep scans and analysis of what he gave you at all stages of the process. There was nothing malicious. No ulterior motives. It''s just unknown.¡± The soulsmith appeared embarrassed. ¡°I''m afraid I don''t know enough to tell you more. The best person to ask would be Watcher himself. You shouldn''t worry too much about it. We had control over the soul weapon''s evolution this time, but telling how future advancements will work out.¡± ¡°It''s not just about Watcher¡¯s essence,¡± Andrew added. ¡°Instead of working in tandem with the essence of the world tree, they have melded into one. So, it''s a matter of how both will develop together. If we¡¯re lucky, future material requirements will be significantly lessened.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m in your hands.¡± Nil smacked Andrew¡¯s shoulder, drawing a wince. ¡°Don¡¯t lead me astray, Andy.¡± ¡°When have I ever, Sunny-boi?¡± The exchange got an eye roll out of Samara. ¡°Andrew and I will be seeing each other occasionally. He¡¯s an excellent assistant, and I might summon him when I need help with challenging projects. If I discover anything, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± The soulsmith and her apprentice departed for a field mission. Nil offered to join them but they declared that Susan and Shawn were sufficient protection. They instructed him to stay behind, train, and prepare for the Chase. Lily had told Nil that he didn¡¯t have a chance against one of the Wilson Ludus participants. He wanted her to be wrong. Watcher and Iris gave him the opportunity to showcase his latest upgrade the day after Andrew completed the process¡ªand gained five ranks for his efforts. They got together in the mountaintop crater just after dawn. All cultivators evacuated out of respect to the Blind Master, giving them privacy. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Once the last of them had left, Watcher activated his technique. Nil didn¡¯t quite understand it, but the man seemed to create a domain out of the Source. It wasn¡¯t just an illusion or blind construct but the same clearing full of grass and trees Nil had seen before. The textures, smell, and breeze felt so real he was sure it wasn¡¯t an illusion. It felt like a pocket dimension or exclusive domain that co-existed with the rest of the universe. ¡°There is no death or permanent injury here,¡± Watcher told them. ¡°Cut loose. Use your abilities, techniques, and everything you have.¡± The pair obeyed. Nil soon discovered that he wasn¡¯t the only one with Source weapons. Along with her Source Arms, Iris also manifested a handful of weapons. Her human arms carried a pair of scimitars, one pair of secondary limbs bore axes, and the rest remained empty. She came at him as a tornado of blades, slashing and chopping. Her weapon-carrying disembodied limbs spun around her, making it nearly impossible to get close. Fortunately, Absorb and Nil¡¯s silver barrier had little trouble catching the attacks and feeding off their energy to restore Brutal battery¡¯s stores. Meanwhile, Nil created Source Spheres and weapons just as he had in training. Instead of making a silver shell, he coated them in ¡®Balance.¡¯ Balance seemed to have no color. However, it proved to be a more reliable container for Chaos than Order. Balance was significantly more flexible and not reactive. It didn¡¯t neutralize enemy motions or collapse, causing premature detonations. Coming into contact with other energy or materials didn¡¯t consume Balance. It was inert, unlike Order and Chaos. Nil¡¯s storage barely dipped as he fought, blocking and fending off Iris¡¯s endless flurry. There was still a lot of room for improvement. Balance felt significantly different from Chaos. Nil needed considerable practice to fine-tune his control over it. He needed to compress and contain everything better. Sharper edges were a priority. Nil also needed to figure out how he could effectively pair it with Order. It was easier when I could just think in terms of colors. Movement proved more effortless with the new chassis. Nil especially enjoyed not having to harness the entire thing at once. He could manifest the gauntlets or more if and when needed. The Source Gauntlet¡¯s base appearance had changed with the ascension. The burnt black had receded, and more of the gauntlet was chrome. After the ascension, the metal had developed a strange sheen. The shiny chrome sections seemed to ripple when the light caught them at certain angles, making the material appear almost mercurial. Meanwhile, the burnt areas were darker than before. Watcher¡¯s Source Sphere came to mind. Even though Nil was nowhere near used to the Source Gauntlets¡¯ advancement and adapting to its new capabilities, he pushed Iris to her limits and almost got her to surrender. Unfortunately, she snaked a disembodied arm carrying a Source Dagger around Nil¡¯s guard just as he switched to Expend and slipped it between his ribs, puncturing a lung. Watcher immediately ended his technique, and the two fingers returned to their starting positions before the sparring had begun, restored to perfect health. Was that all a simulation? ¡°You¡¯re terrifying¡±, Nil commented, thinking about the blade tornado that had come after him. ¡°Why have you been holding back for so long?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t¡±, Iris answered. ¡°Much like you, I¡¯m also here to learn and prepare for the Cleansing. One of us has progressed more during their time here than the other.¡± She plopped down on her bottom. ¡°Given the fight you just put up with incomplete techniques and unpractised techniques, you¡¯re pretty extraordinary yourself. A few more weeks of practice, and I will be the disadvantaged one.¡± ¡°That¡¯s until you get a soul weapon of your own,¡± Nil said. ¡°I¡¯m only keeping up because¡ª¡± ¡°It''s silly of you to put us on the same level at all. I¡¯m from a world that¡¯s had Qi and magic for more than a thousand years and is closing in on the status of Control World. I¡¯m using techniques that have been refined and perfected over several generations and have been practicing them ever since I could feel Qi. And how long have you been a Summoned? Half a decade.¡± ¡°Almost three years if we take time dilation while questing into account. About two years and three months in time relative to my world. It''s difficult to keep track of with questing and temporal inconsistencies.¡± Iris frowned. ¡°You¡¯ve been at this for three years and almost on par with me.¡± She sighed, rolling her eyes. ¡°And you complain about falling behind and failing to keep up with your colleagues. You expect far too much of yourself. Life is not a race, you know. You¡¯ll get killed if you don¡¯t take your time.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Watcher said. ¡°It is why I said before that it¡¯s a mistake to rush into the Cleansing. You need more time. But you might have a chance if you make the most of your remaining time here and the weeks leading up to it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to nail the Source weapons encased in Balance as soon as possible,¡± Nil stated. ¡°Combining it with Source Sphere should make for a badass bludgeoning weapon and bomb. I just need to improve my emission and manipulation to launch it faster and harder.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all. Silver, Order, or whatever you want to call it, isn¡¯t good for offense, and given its nature, I don¡¯t think that will ever change,¡± Watcher told him. ¡°However, combining it with Balance might help you get past limitations. Your mobility is one of your greatest strengths. Getting locked down when channeling Order or using its constructs is a major disadvantage. Perhaps you¡¯ll find a way to get around it.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a way I could do something with Anti-Friction Lattice.¡± ¡°You have a long way to go, Nil Roy. I look forward to your growth.¡± Watcher smiled. It was a rare show of emotion. ¡°Your odds of gaining a ticket and doing something positive in the Cleansing has gone up.¡± His eyes momentarily shifted to Iris. ¡°That¡¯s relevant for both of you now. I sense there is some bubbling animosity between the pair of you. It might be in your best interests to work past it and focus on what¡¯s important. The arena construct might give you tools to surrender and forfeit, but the Void and Scourge will try to keep you from using them. The probability of one or both of you dying is high.¡± 155. The Chase The weeks following Nil¡¯s soul weapon ascension blurred by. Watcher lightened his workload and offered him out as a sparring dummy to Onyx Dragon Academy¡¯s other masters. The training proved invaluable. He didn¡¯t risk using Source Weapons outside of solo technique practice. The shell of Balanced Source contained Chaos¡¯s pure destructive power, but Nil didn¡¯t trust his control. Nil wasn¡¯t sure if it was impossible or his control wasn¡¯t good enough, but he failed to create weapons out of the colorless energy. Without Chaos or Order¡¯s presence, they failed to remain stable. The invisible constructs wibbled like a mass of gelatin before collapsing. Instead, Nil focused all of his efforts on improving his other abilities and techniques. In real combat situations, Nil primarily used Anti-Friction Lattice to cover long distances. He wished to get better at maneuvering around foes by briefly activating the ability and zipping around them. Since manifesting the lattice, swiftly activating and deactivating it demanded a fair deal of focus. The chaos of combat often made him forget about it. The sparring sessions against fellow Bronze Realm fighters¡ªwho, despite their age, usually proved better than him¡ªforced him to rely on Anti-Friction Lattice. Energy Instinct and Toggled Supercharging also saw regular use. After a year or more with the abilities, their use had become second nature to him. He hoped to achieve the same with Anti-Friction Lattice. Nil also got valuable practice with Wield The Source. Instead of using Source weapons, he often erected silver barriers. Almost all the young cultivators of the academy had more than just physical attacks. Fireballs seemed popular, and many were oddly colored and often carried debris. Instead of blocking them with his Source Gauntlets and risking it with Galvanized, he relied on Order. The silver barriers filtered out non-energy components, and Nil hoped the gauntlets would take care of the rest. Often, they did. Other times, he needed to rely on the supervising master or report to the infirmary to take care of the burns, frostbites, poisonings, or a plethora of other ailments. Then, during Nil¡¯s final month on Ashe Fall, he went into Apocalypse Arena again, ready to take on the Chase. The arena construct divulged information regarding the arena before the match began, and Nil went in prepared. Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson had gifted him a high-quality potion meant to resist arctic temperatures, and he consumed it upon arrival. Snow covered the ground around Nil, and frigid winds swirled around him. He hoped the concoction would last long enough to get through the event. Nil didn¡¯t fare well in the cold. The arena backrooms had plenty of stalls selling warm clothing or enchanted outfits that kept out the chill. He hoped being cheap wouldn¡¯t bite him in the bottom later. It was unlikely most would survive until the end of the match anyway. If his opponents didn¡¯t destroy them, Nil would while Expending. Nil only bought water and rations for the long journey ahead. The arena construct placed him in an ice ravine that seemed to go on forever. Debris and barricades blocked his view of what lay ahead. Energy Instinct detected several powerful dark presences. Some lay directly ahead, while others were far off to his left or right. Nil imagined they stalked his opponents¡¯ paths. The announcer went over the event¡¯s rules and didn¡¯t bother introducing the competitors. He just knew that there were sixty-four of them and only one ticket. Each stage would cut the number of participants in half until only two remained. Fighters would need to defeat several Cursed Ones, waves of Cursed Beasts, or each other to advance. Nil had countless questions. How did the arena construct find the perfect arena to house so many fighters? Where did it find all the Cursed Ones? How did the arena constructs bring all the monsters into the arena and position them to fit the event¡¯s format? If it had the power to terraform, lure monsters, and perhaps control them, why did the construct use fighters for the job of eliminating them? Was its primary objective creating entertainment for the multiverse? It was unlikely he¡¯d find answers any time soon, and it wasn¡¯t the time to hunt for them. Instead, Nil focused on the many lessons he had learned while watching the event¡¯s recordings. Despite what the name suggested, it didn¡¯t feel like a race. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be gates limiting progression. The only benefit of reaching a gate before one¡¯s neighbors was picking the opponent. Individuals would get information on the closest opponents and pick whether to face them or entities born of Cursed Energy. Then, all gates opened at the same time, and the rush to the next gate began anew. Terrain and Cursed Ones slowed their progress. Eventually, options would run out, and the arena construct would make the decisions. Once again, Nil believed it was all needless complication. If it were up to him, he would bunch the fighters in a handful of routes or a single path, fill it with obstacles, traps, and Cursed Ones, and then let them fight or weave their way to the end. Nil was no expert and didn¡¯t pretend to answer the artificial consciousness¡¯s machinations. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It¡¯s a marathon. Only a person with endurance would be able to fight through waves of Cursed Beasts and Cursed Ones before taking on a gate and then repeat the same five times to win. Rogues would start with an advantage since most would avoid conflicts between gates, but Nil imagined they¡¯d struggle after a few of them. The journey between each checkpoint was sure to tire them out. Traditional mages were the most ill-suited for the Chase because of their high energy demands, and things weren¡¯t too different for Arcane Warriors. Nil imagined Summoners would have the least trouble as long as their companions didn¡¯t get killed. Meanwhile, Brutes and Knights and anyone who treated Might as one of their primary abilities would have a clear advantage. Their incredible stamina made them great for such events. Nil imagined that Adam, a fallen acquaintance with incredible regeneration abilities, would perform incredibly in the event. His assumptions didn¡¯t take into account inconsistencies caused by abilities and their evolutions. He was sure there would be many who subverted his expectations. ¡°We¡¯ll need to work together on this one,¡± Nil told Meatball, releasing her even before the barrier dropped. ¡°We¡¯re going to go fast and hard, defeating as big ones as we can while on the move. Once we reach the gate, they might converge on us. If we¡¯re lucky, the system will let us fight something else and push through before any survivors catch up.¡± Meatball¡¯s squeak sounded very much like an emphatic ¡®roger.¡¯ ¡°I need you to keep me from getting overwhelmed, but not at the cost of falling behind. I can¡¯t be finishing a gate and ready to carry on but then have to wait because you¡¯re chasing monsters. Is that understood?¡± The following squeaks sounded angry. ¡°No. I¡¯m not calling you incompetent.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Just laying out the game plan. This is going to be long, and you might get hungry.¡± He pulled out an assortment of dried meat cubes, seed loaves, and compressed dried fruits out of his pockets. ¡°I got treats for us both. Alright?¡± A bribe got the Ironroot Whelp to get over the slight and she jumped into his arms. It amused Nil how her personality had grown significantly over the past year, but she hadn¡¯t displayed many physiological changes. Whatever changes Ashe¡¯s leaf triggered were yet to be seen. The barriers fell, and the Chase began. Nil had filled Brutal Battery before teleporting to the arena from the academy¡¯s mess hall. He accelerated with Expend and heavily infused Toggled Supercharging. He ran until he encountered a long stretch without many obstacles. Then, Nil wrapped his feet in Anti-Friction Lattice and slid onward. He ceased supercharging speed and switched to Absorb. Anti-Friction Lattice demanded both wrapped feet remain in contact with the ground. Pulling one off it deactivated the ability. It had taken Nil the longest time to get used to the limitation. He couldn¡¯t kick off the ground to speed himself up. Directly pushing off objects with his hands proved ineffective as well. It always affected speed, and angles were rarely perfect. Nil preferred using Expend blasts, but they currently felt unnecessary. After the first five minutes of progress, rubble began raining on Nil and the path. Cursed Ones and beasts were descending on him from above. He ignored them and sped onward, only hesitating when a giant spider appeared in his path with a swarm of smaller arachnids gathering on the surrounding walls. ¡°You¡¯re up, girlie,¡± Nil whispered. He used the same move he had during his match against Pietro. Nil pulled his arm back, took aim, and threw her, Expanding and supercharging strength at the last second. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to Reinforce!¡± Meatball flashed red as she flew. Her spikes appeared longer as they extended out of her carapace. The wood appeared darker and more dense. She struck the giant spider¡¯s face like a cannonball. The Cursed One screeched, and the minions echoed the cry. Nil didn¡¯t switch to Absorb. Instead, he manifested the Source Gauntlets and manifested the knuckle-duster daggers, wrapping Chaos in Balance so the energy wouldn''t get consumed after the first couple of slashes. The blades extended twenty centimeters from the serrated guards over his fingers. A shoulder guard would¡¯ve made for an excellent addition to the chassis. He could have trickled energy through it and melted his way through the swarm. Instead, Nil settled on slicing through them. Hand blasts helped him prevent head-on collisions, and he left a trail of black sludge and orange slag in his wake. When the giant spider¡¯s legs appeared in his path, he sliced through them as well. Meanwhile, Meatball bounced around, crunching spider heads or crushing bodies as she advanced. The whelp occasionally extended tentacles to swing off the giant spider¡¯s legs or rocks, just about keeping up with Nil. When he realized that fleeing the swarm and their towering leader was impossible, he got under it and deactivated Anti-Friction Lattice. An Expend-powered leap carried him to the giant underside, and he hit it with a titanic blast. A Source Sphere would¡¯ve been better, but Nil didn¡¯t have the time to prepare one. Fortunately, Nil didn¡¯t have to cut deep to reach the Cursed One¡¯s first heart. He followed Energy Instinct, slicing as needed and cleaving through the organ with a three-finger blade. Hand blasts got him out of the way of the molten orange rain that followed. The giant arachnid, let alone a very human scream, stumbled into the ravine¡¯s side and caused another ice shower. Nil used the opportunity to track down the second heart and destroyed it. He immediately switched to Absorb, letting the rain of debris restore his energy. Meatball chirped loudly at Nil from several meters ahead. ¡°Yes. Yes. I¡¯m the one that needs to catch up to you.¡± Nil laughed, enjoying the thrill of the fight. He felt powerful and confident. Once the giant spider fell, its smaller followers scattered. They felt more like Cursed Beasts than full-fledged Cursed Ones. Nil cut down any that got in his path and pushed onward. After getting through the mass, he skated forward again. He ignored the rest of the monsters and used hand blasts to accelerate and adjust angles. It took him fifteen minutes to reach the first gate. Damnit. You¡¯re the second in your grouping to reach the gate. The first arrival has decided to challenge you to a fight. The gate opened, revealing a widened section of the ravine with squared-off sides. A man waited beyond it. He wore Wilson Luduses¡¯ colors. 156. Sliding Through Lily didn¡¯t betray her colleagues but had done Nil the courtesy of sharing the identities of the fighters in the Chase. She considered it fair since everyone knew about him and would attend extensive strategy and planning sessions to prepare specifically for their confrontations. Nil knew nothing about their abilities and had watched a few recordings of their previous matches between Chase videos. Much to his disappointment, the man he now faced wasn¡¯t on the list. Either the information he received was incorrect, the ludus had changed the roster, or Lily only knew about local participants. Wilson¡¯s organization had spread to North America and also Asia. They didn¡¯t dominate the market like Europe, but thanks to Arthurtech¡¯s influence, things were shifting in Wilson Enterprises¡¯ favor. He knew nothing about his opponent. However, except for the people in his world who knew about cultivation, Nil imagined few could fathom the extent of his recent growth and forever improving techniques. Then, there was the matter of the soul weapon. The channels had guessed that Nil¡¯s blasts injured him unless he released them through the gauntlets. No one on Earth knew about the chassis¡¯ expansion and the overall benefits. Initially, Nil had planned on keeping it a secret for as long as possible. If he kept it secret as Lily did with her golem ability, then it could potentially become an important trump card during the Cleansing. As soon as Nil crossed the gate¡¯s threshold and his opponent charged, he decided to bother with none of that. Victory took priority. For the time being, he resisted manifesting the full chassis and threw Meatball with all the strength he could master. The Wilson Luduses fighter ducked and continued his charge but had to stop when the whelp bounced off the walls and pinballed all over the place, randomly firing and regrowing her spikes. She swiftly unfurled her carapace, striking surfaces with her woody tentacles to accelerate or change angles. It made her an unpredictable menace. Meatball had remembered to Reinforce, and her iron spikes ripped clothes and even drew blood. Then Nil¡¯s opponent unleashed. Lightning burst from the man, spreading in all directions simultaneously. The energy seemed to linger for a moment, frozen in place, making the man look like a scraggly, blinding blue sea urchin for half a moment. A high-pitched squeak escaped as she came in contact with the lightning. She bounced away, smoldering. Nil¡¯s chest tightened, and his jaw clenched. He resisted the urge to check on his spirit companion and sped toward Meatball has Regenerate. She¡¯ll be fine. The frozen lightning retreated into the man. He gathered the energy in a giant sphere between his hands, and then it lanced at Nil as a beam made of rough, uneven, zigzagging lines. If it were as fast as ordinary lightning, Nil was sure he¡¯d suffer instant elimination, if not death. He leaped out of the way just in time. Then, another swifter but narrower beam flew at Nil, leaving him no choice but to manifest the rest of his chassis. Armor made of glossy chrome and void-black formed around Nil¡¯s lower legs. The manifestation shredded his boots and lower trouser legs. They coated his toes individually, letting them wiggle and move freely. His feet and ankles also retained their mobility. The extended chassis felt more like a second skin than boots. Now, when Nil pressed his legs together, angled his feet, and released a blast through both simultaneously, nothing burned. Instead, he moved in a diagonal, simultaneously dodging the attack and closing in on the enemy. A final lightning beam shot from the sphere, consuming it. It looked like two damaged, burning metal wires moving in an ugly helix. Nil only sidestepped it while closing the final gap between himself and his opponent, keeping a raised gauntlet up between the attack and his opponent. Energy tendrils danced on the soul weapon¡¯s metal but did no damage to its wearer. Since his opponent had a pure energy attack, Absorb and Order constructs were useless against him. As a result, Nil had only supercharged speed and relied on Expend during his approach. Now, unwilling to let his opponent prepare another attack, he wrapped his feet in Anti-Friction Lattice and shot at the man. Wilson Luduses¡¯ elite training showed. The man showed neither fear nor shock. Instead, he focused on defense. Lightning bathed his forearms and lower legs, fists, wrists, feet, and ankles glowing blinding blue. He successfully blocked Nil¡¯s Superman punch but failed to defend against the roundhouse kick that followed. Suddenly, infusing Toggled Supercharging and simultaneously Expending provided an unpredictable burst of speed. Nil had never seen one of his attacks not only knock someone off their feet but also send them spinning through the air before landing. He thought something so comical was only possible in cartoons and cheesy action films. His assumption proved incorrect. Anti-Friction Lattice rapidly wrapped around Nil¡¯s feet, and he used his current momentum to close in on the fallen man and broke bones before he could recover and strike back. Immediate surrender followed. Forty-five challengers remain. The gates will open when only thirty-two remain. The Schema Interface also included a counter, which immediately ticked down to forty-four and then forty-two a couple of seconds later. Instead of watching the descending numbers, Nil checked on Meatball, brushing the screen to the periphery of his vision. She chirped when he picked her up, sounding more sad and embarrassed than hurt. Black flaked off her carapace, and young, green wood replaced it, rapidly darkening with every passing second. ¡°You did well in there,¡± Nil told her. ¡°Good job during the approach too. You¡¯re incredible, Meatball. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± A soft, happy squeak followed. The whelp nuzzled his hand, and he understood what she wanted. Meatball had resisted the temptation of feasting on the many Cursed Ones and Cursed Beasts that they had left behind. Nil offered her a range of compressed cubes to pick from. She took one of compressed magical plant matter and savored it for the remainder of the rest period. The gates opened exactly nine minutes after Nil defeated his opponent, and he understood one of the reasons the Chase was a race. The first person to reach the gates got to pick their opponent. However, the first person to win the fights got the longest break. They got to start the next leg of the event, refreshed, rested, and refueled. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Instead of spiders, giant furry humanoid monsters haunted the next leg of the Chase. They looked like most fantasy interpretations of yetis, bigfoot, sasquatch, and similar entities, but with twisted, mottled hide wherever fur was absent. Cursed Energy billowed from the giant flat nostrils, and eyes glowed an ugly orange. They weren¡¯t as much of a nuisance as the spiders. Nil had an easier time cutting them down. He didn¡¯t bother going for hearts and only took out legs and heads. It was enough to slow them and race onward. Meanwhile, Meatball insisted Nil throw her. She disabled Cursed Ones or their smaller counterparts with every strike bounced or swung around and then returned to him, ready to repeat the process. Nil put Energy Instinct¡¯s latest upgrade to good use. He sucked in the violent Cursed Energy filling the atmosphere and let the ability do the rest of the work. His core seemed to work like a filter. The high-speed rotations seemed to make it work like a centrifuge, separating the pink, purple, and orange flecks by density. Meanwhile, the dark, black vapor that carried them got pushed out by the spinning and dispersed into the atmosphere before breaking down into nothingness. Nil didn¡¯t recognize the orange, but it carried incredible power and made him noxious. He expelled it. The pink felt like Mind Magic, while the purple reminded Nil of Watcher¡¯s Source Sphere. The black had reminded him of the endless blackness of outer space, but he failed to identify the faint purples and blues within. Nil didn¡¯t know what to do with the energy he gained. He circulated it through his system as he moved. Every time the pink and purple passed through his core, some of it lost its color and became one with him. It wasn¡¯t in the same form as Brutal Battery¡¯s stores, and Nil failed to use it in the same manner. However, the Source Gauntlets allowed him to use them in place of Balance. It didn¡¯t make a big difference, as Nil only ever needed enough of the colorless energy to coat his constructs and create their outer shells. During his weeks of training with the upgraded Source Gauntlets, Nil had tested his limits in every possible way. The experiments involved pushing the boundaries of Armmaster¡¯s Disappointment. Energy swords and spears were still off-limits. Katars, punching daggers, and the knuckle-duster blades were not. The last had swiftly become his favorite for their slashing power. Because of their curve and length, he could cut through enemies swiftly in smooth, flowing motions. Meanwhile, the three-finger blade stood on top as a chopping and deep penetrating tool. Once again, someone beat Nil to the gate. He faced another challenger. Instead of Wilson Luduses¡¯ colors, the woman wore a logo from a well-known elite group in Canada. They trained in the wildernesses across the country, and the facility in Banff National Park had a reputation for creating some of the world¡¯s best arena fighters. In fact, one of Adrian ¡®Wildshape¡¯ Wilson¡¯s top rivals hailed from the group and was now on the organization''s board of directors. A pair of tomahawks flew at Nil as soon as he entered the dueling ground. Even though the weapons appeared ordinary, Energy Instinct recommended that he avoid them, and he obeyed. The weapons moved like boomerangs, following a curved trajectory. They flew through where Nil¡¯s waist had been a moment ago before returning to their owner¡¯s hands. Soul weapon? After throwing Meatball at his foe, Nil charged with explosive speed. Once at a controllable velocity, he activated Anti-Friction Lattice. Nil had observed that the ability allowed him to wrap his feet in the energy weave while in mid-air. It lasted until after he landed and took one or both feet off the surface again. The Ironroot Whelp interrupted the woman''s follow-up attack. She only released one tomahawk. It went wide before circling back toward the woman. Much to Nil¡¯s surprise, it flew past her before speeding back toward him, gradually accelerating. He let it get close before dodging toward the nearest wall with an Expend blast. The axe once again changed direction and came for him. The edge glowed a faint fuschia interwoven with emerald. He saw no choice but to leave the ground using an empowered leap as it got close. The weapon took a sharp turn and followed. Meanwhile, Meatball successfully kept the woman busy. Speeding around and occasionally leaping or trying to tangle her leg with a woody tentacle. She landed a glancing blow every now and again, but the woody carapace flashed red just before each collision, and the whelp suffered little more than shallow gouges. Following Meatball¡¯s chaos took practice, a cool head, and patience. Nil wrapped his feet in Anti-Friction Lattice and angled himself so he hit the wall foot first. The energy weave helped him cling to the surface as he sped along in it. Hand blasts kept gravity from changing his trajectory and also kept the axe just out of reach. Anti-Friction Lattice has progressed to Iron 7! Once lateral to the woman, he launched off the wall and shot at her. Meatball appeared to have better spatial awareness than her. She got out of the way just in time for Nil to clothesline his opponent. He took her to the floor, but the woman harnessed surprising strength and threw him off. Nil flew toward the wall almost as fast as he would send Meatball flying. Instead of trying to slow himself, he activated Absorb. As a result, he didn''t crash into the wall but came to a gentle but abrupt stop and regained most of the energy he had lost. Nil shot at the woman again, reactivating Anti-Friction Lattice once at the desired velocity. The woman had kicked Meatball away and regained control of her axes. She threw both at Nil. He didn''t dodge and threw up an Order barrier at the last second. Despite the energy weave wrapped around his feet, he stopped. They didn¡¯t override Order¡¯s need to bring Nil to a stop. The axes didn''t stop after striking the barrier. Their speed dipped for a moment, but the weapons accelerated again. They followed the wedge-shaped barrier¡¯s angles to fly in opposite directions. Returning to Expend and taking off with hand blasts help Nil pick up speed again. Energy Instinct warned him of the axes hot on his tail. He ignored them. The knuckle daggers manifested, and his opponent prepared to grapple. Toggled Supercharging¡¯s upgrade gave him the ability to use two boosts simultaneously. He did so sparingly since the drain multiplied by three, but the time for conservation had passed. Nil infused speed with extra energy while also increasing strength. An Expend blast knocked Nil out of her grab at the last second and sent him into a spin. The woman screamed as he dropped into a crouch while passing. Fiery hot blood sprayed Nil''s bare arms and vest, leaving minor burns. They were nothing in comparison to what he had suffered during his early uses of Expend. The twenty-centimeter-long Source knuckle-daggers had shortened. Nil didn''t bother wrapping them in Balance before the attack. His focus had gone into ensuring he didn''t strike any vitals while avoiding her monstrous bursts of speed and strength. When he turned around, his opponent was gone. Only blood and a leg remained. Nil had severed the limb halfway between the knee and waist. Nil hoped the woman wasn¡¯t in the middle of a compulsory wait period and could take a quest. The regrowing of muscle tissue had been incredibly painful. He didn¡¯t want to find out how horrid doing the same with bone would be. 157. The Chase Must End Nil only got a four-minute respite before the gates opened. The second opponent took him far longer than the first to defeat. He raced through the next leg of the chase, covering it far faster than he had the previous two sections. Yet, he failed to get to the next gate first. No one picked to fight him, and he ended up taking on a monster that reminded him of his match against Pietro and Shervon Grey. The Cursed One wasn¡¯t the most giant Nil had ever faced, but it had the densest energy signature Nil he had ever faced. It had eight limbs. Four functioned like that of a centaur. Then, there was the almost human pair that carried a spear and shield. The final set grew out of its torso midway between shoulders and waist and ended in crab claws. Its eyes suggest near-human intelligence. The creature didn¡¯t roar or charge when Nil entered the craggy dueling ring. It fell into a defensive position and observed him. When he circled, the Cursed One watched, eyes following Nil. It also moved with him, keeping the shield between itself and Nil. Feints, taunts, and little lunges did nothing to shake the beast¡¯s steadiness. He threw Meatball, and the shield blocked her. Attacks on the black-carapace-covered lower body did nothing. She didn''t have enough power and failed to get close to the upper body. Then Nil struck, and it was over in less than five seconds. Meatball barely distracted the monster from its true enemy, but it was enough time to create a tennis-ball-sized Source Sphere. Balance coated the violent maelstrom of Chaos. He exploded first, darting forward with energy weaves covering his feet. A well-timed block pushed the thrusting spear aside, and a quick hand blast helped him avoid the following shield strike. Then, Nil drove the crimson sphere into the beast¡¯s midriff, where the human half met the insectoid body and released it. The contained energy spun free as it interacted with the Cursed One. Whatever mass didn¡¯t disintegrate was ripped to shreds. Two of the beast¡¯s three hearts were destroyed almost instantly. Then Nil blew the thrashing upper half apart with an Expend blast. He got a full fifteen minutes of rest. The next gate opened once only eight competitors remained. Nil made it to the next gate first and chose to fight a Cursed One again. The results weren¡¯t too different. His break lasted twenty minutes. It seemed the others¡¯ gate fights were starting to take longer. Nil had no idea what any of the other competitors were like, but he imagined they were taking longer to cover each subsequent stretch. As the Chase continued, Nil also discovered a new, unexpected function of Energy Purification. The upgrade¡¯s description suggested it was perfect for breaking down and purging Cursed Energy. It also had the lesser ability to break down and expel toxins. Nil hadn¡¯t thought about how it combined with cultivation. Circulating and absorbing the cleaned energy also seemed to help Nil¡¯s tiredness. Tiredness still hadn¡¯t kicked in two hours into the match. There was a dip in the third as the stretches between gates got longer. However, as Nil purified Cursed Energy and absorbed the filtered energy, the fatigue left him, and he was ready to keep speeding onward. Nil reached the next gate before the competition. Only four competitors remained, and the arena construct didn¡¯t give him any options. He had to fight a fellow competitor next, but the arena also contained a giant wolf-like Cursed Ones and several smaller canine Cursed Beasts. Nil knew nothing about his opponent¡ªa female Summoner barely older than Emily. She rode a giant frog and commanded three others that hopped around her. They spat giant luminous globules, which acted as adhesives or exploded on contact. The Cursed One killed one of her pets, and Nil destroyed another. Both ballooned violently before exploding. The woman¡¯s mount leaped high onto the wall, putting her out of reach, and she swiftly returned the number of frogs in the field to four. Instead of returning to the ground, the Summoner¡¯s minions rained explosive sludge from above, laying waste to the Cursed Ones. Nil erected an Order construct to shield himself. The temperature in the football-field-sized clearing rapidly increased as the rain of explosions continued. The hard, frozen ground underneath turned to slush and Nil felt movement on his back and abdomen. There were tiny frogs, no bigger than a thumbnail, hopping up his body. They exploded in quick succession before Nil could react. Using the Source in its Order form demanded Nil channel Absorb, so the concussive force didn¡¯t bother him. The chemical burns were an entirely different story. The frogs¡¯ bodily fluids burned through Nil¡¯s shirt and ate into his skin. The Silver energy only locked Nil in place, but it didn¡¯t stop him from moving altogether, and he aggressively wiped himself, trying to get rid of the corrosive sludge. Nil¡¯s abdomen survived with nothing but irritated skin, but things were considerably worse on his back. Blood wept from charred and cracked tissue. Nil couldn¡¯t see the injury but was sure it was an ugly mess. Meatball came to the rescue. While Nil defended against the overhead barrage, she had climbed the icy rockface. Her four-fingered paws had an opposing digit and claws, making them perfect for climbing. Her woody tentacles and the spikes growing out of them also made the job easier. Once above the summoner, she sent Nil a little empathic spike. Even though there were no words, images, or any other form of communication besides the little sting, he understood the gist of it. I¡¯m ready. The whelp let go of the cliff face and dropped, coiling into a tight sphere as she fell. Meatball struck the woman¡¯s head, unraveled, and wrapped woody tentacles around it and the neck. The barrage stopped within seconds. Nil released the barrier, switched to Expend, and launched off the ground with all the strength he could muster. When he reached the apex of his leap, simultaneous blasts from his hands and feet propelled him even higher. He just about reached the woman. Nil grabbed her by the shoulder and ripped her off her mount. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. A flaming hot tongue lashed against Nil¡¯s chest. It failed to find traction, and Nil activated Absorb on his way down. His opponent landed face-first in a pool of the frogs¡¯ sticky adhesive fluid. He pulled the back of her shirt down, exposing the tattoo where her torso and neck met. When he ran his fingers through the alien symbols, she disappeared in a flash, and all the flags disappeared. Nothing but burnt and eviscerated monster corpses remained, and the gate opened straight away. Nil continued, burnt, bloody, and sore with no rest. Only one other challenger remained now. The next leg of the Chase was the longest yet. The ravine crawled with monsters. Rocks and giant blocks of ice rained from above. Nil ignored them and sped along the walls with his feet wrapped in Anti-Friction Lattice. Nil switched between Absorb and Expend. The former let him take rubble to the face without issue and topped up Brutal Battery¡¯s stores, pushing it to capacity. The latter helped him stay high above the ground and the lumbering monsters below. Flame breath, arcane attacks, and thrown projectiles almost reached Nil, but no swipes or lunges got close. Progression got more challenging with every passing minute. Nil didn¡¯t want to have to worry about Meatball and returned her to his core. She wasn¡¯t happy about it but didn¡¯t fight him on it. Nil emptied his water skin and snacked on a couple of his compressed cubes. The salty meat filled his stomach, and the sticky fruit cube gave him the boost he needed. Around halfway through his progress, a Cursed One got close, and Nil ended it with a solitary Expend blast. Purifying and absorbing the energy moderately refreshed him and helped block out the pain. You can do this. You have to do this. Absorb has progressed to Bronze 8! Brutal battery has progressed to Bronze 8! Several creatures below gave off a bright pink aura, and Nil reinforced his psychic fortitude. When the masses below thinned and fell behind, he leaped from the wall and took out a pair of small Cursed specimens. Their energy helped clear his head and left his body feeling lighter. Localized Expend uses had sealed his wounds, ceasing the blood loss. Nothing he did helped with the burns, other injuries, or the pain that accompanied them. When Nil finally reached the gate, he wasn¡¯t surprised to discover that his opponent had already beaten him there. She stood in the largest fighting ring he had seen yet, sitting on a ledge and swinging her legs wildly. The young woman smiled and waved. She was the Wilson Ludus fighter Lily had warned him about. Nil knew the woman. They had met before, and for the longest time, he had referred to her as the ¡®Nameless Knight.¡¯ She always wore a full plate of armor and kept her face hidden until after the qualifiers where he learned that her name was Lucy. Golden Aegis¡¯ other residents knew next to nothing about Lucy. There were several rumors surrounding her. Everyone was of the consensus that she was related to someone powerful and famous and kept her identity hidden to avoid preferential treatment. ¡°Hi, Nil Roy!¡± She called cheerfully, dropping from the ledge. Despite the sleek metallic armor covering her lower half and arms, she floated down to ground level as if she were lighter than a feather. The monstrously oversized hammer she carried didn¡¯t seem to add to her weight in the slightest. ¡°Lily said I might run into you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to run into you again, Lucy,¡± Nil said. Nil had access to recordings dating back to her training videos in the Golden Aegis. He had watched it all. None had told him anything about her ability beyond weight control. It looked like super strength at first. Then she swapped between floating through the air and coming down like a meteor. Her landing and hammer swing had created craters before the wind carried her away. ¡°So, how should we do this?¡± Lucy asked. She appeared unmarred. There wasn¡¯t a drop of blood, any dirt, or a blemish on her. She didn¡¯t appear tired, either. ¡°Do you want to drag this out, get hurt, and then lose? Or would you like to save all of us some trouble and surrender now?¡± Energy Instinct gave Nil no information regarding the woman¡¯s power. However, he detected the energy flowing through her. It flowed around her body at a steady pace and gathered just under her novel, swirling and pulsing. Of course, she¡¯s a cultivator. Secret, powerful, summoned parents. Wilson Luduses. Her knowledge and resources must be near endless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucy. As much as I¡¯d like to go home, lick my wounds, eat, bathe, and sleep, I really need that ticket.¡± Nil stretched, rolled his shoulders, and cracked his neck. ¡°How about we make this quick? No talking. No messing around. GO at it with our full strength and call it a day?¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Lucy raised an eyebrow. As soon as Nil nodded, an invisible force pushed down on him. Absorb didn¡¯t help. His knees failed him, and he dropped to them. Breathing became laborious, and he had to rely on his hands to support himself. ¡°You¡¯re outclassed. You¡¯ve always been.¡± The monstrous hammer struck Nil¡¯s side, pushing Brutal Battery to near capacity. ¡°Huh. Do you really want to play it like that? I really didn¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± The force pressing down on Nil multiplied. Wrists and ankles cracked. Supercharging strength and toughness simultaneously did nothing to help. He fell flat on his face. Nil tried to speak, but he couldn¡¯t breathe. The weight threatened to crush his ribcage. Gravity. Lucy controls gravity. How the fuck do you deal with gravity? You have placed second in the Chase! You have earned 500 Schema Credits, Quicksilver Fruit for your spirit companion, and soul weapon materials. Nil lost out on another Cleansing ticket. The rewards and information barely compensated for the knowledge he gained. A canyon lay between his and Lucy¡¯s power levels. He didn¡¯t foresee catching up to her without a significant breakthrough. 158. What Is The Void? Achieving second place in a high-value event has also earned you 70 Ascension Points. Your arena rank has increased to Bronze V! The normal gauntlet required fighters to earn ascension points by winning solo or team matches or performing well in events. Nil had earned nominal amounts for the independent matches when he first progressed to the Bronze Gauntlet. The numbers had increased with each tournament round afterward. Placing second in the event earned him twenty-five points and got him to Bronze-Four. The reward for placing second in the Chase surprised him. He didn¡¯t expect it to propel him straight to Bronze-Five. Arena Rank: Bronze V 50% Placing second in two pre-Cleansing events has made you eligible for the Hunt. Please look out for sign-ups. It annoyed Nil that there was no automatic warning option for when sign-ups opened. When he vocalized his frustration, another Schema notification appeared. As a double second-place runner-up, you have earned the luxury of a warning notification. Take that, Adrian. Vile dickhead. Nil went over all the possibilities with Iris and Andrew afterward. He couldn¡¯t figure out a solution. Lack of injuries and fatigue wouldn¡¯t have made a difference. Fighting a cultivator with mastery over a physical force like gravity felt impossible. Absorb was ineffective against it. He couldn¡¯t think of a way to take her down. Nil needed new weapons. He needed new Chaos weapons and projectiles. A long-range attack using crimson energy had a chance of defeating Lucy. Unfortunately, Nil believed he was a long way from achieving something of the sort. The loss frustrated Nil, but he didn¡¯t feel as disappointed or let down as he had after the tournament finals. Falling to a superior, overwhelming foe didn¡¯t sting as much as defeat caused by poisoning. Instead, he felt proud of his performance. The Chase resulted in valuable growth. Nil tested his new tools, weapons, and tactics. He now knew what worked, what didn¡¯t, and what demanded improvement. I have one last chance. Brute strength and raw power isn¡¯t enough. I need more. ¡°That bit where you turned into a blade whirlwind was so fucking cool,¡± Andrew commented. ¡°He got that from me,¡± Iris claimed, wearing a proud grin. ¡°It¡¯s effective, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°I¡¯m also going to rip off those arms of yours someday. It might take a fair deal of mastery of the Source and a shit load of practice. But I¡¯ll pull it off someday.¡± ¡°My family is going to go crazy and try to have you killed if you pull that off.¡± Iris chuckled. ¡°They¡¯ll think you stole one of our family manuals.¡± ¡°Got it. I just need to make them different enough for plausible deniability. Your family can''t be the only ones in the multiverse with Source Arms.¡± ¡°There are others, but we''re the ones famous for it. Most people who develop similar techniques end up getting recruited by my family, marrying into us, or getting adopted. Our name carries weight and power. More people join us willingly than you''d think. Then their knowledge gets added to the technique, and the fine-tuning continues.¡± ¡°Are you royalty?¡± Andrew asked. Nil had the same query but had followed Master Seer''s advice and avoided probing questions. ¡°We abolished such concepts long ago,¡± Iris answered. She hesitated, eyes drifting to the silent, eyeless master sitting at the head of the table. ¡°But, we would be if my people still followed the old ways. Our objective is to emulate Ashe Falls¡¯ governance, but the resistance and pushback have been strong. One of my primary jobs before coming here was hunting down Agents of the Scourge and Void cults.¡± ¡°In worlds with magic and Qi, they''re the biggest obstacles in the way of Control World status,¡± Master Seer said. ¡°Meanwhile, in barren and low-magic realms, there is impatience and inception of technology using misunderstood and unknown forces. Far too many worlds have fallen because some bright mind tried to open a link to Yggdrasil but funneled magic into the world and created a Void rift instead.¡± ¡°Is that what happened to the Cleansing world?¡± Nil asked, topping up everyone''s cups with fresh tea. Steamed cakes, berries, and fresh cream cheese sat on the small square table between them. The most tantalizing item on the table had to be the fresh honey. Someone had cut out a piece of the hive, and the viscous treat pooled in the hexagonal honeycombs. It was almost as if the structure carried magic. The honey stuck to the structure and refused to drip out onto the plate. ¡°It''s similar but not the same. The Scourge tried to increase their power with a ritual connected to their other worlds to share Cursed Energy, magic, and technology. It was preparation before an attack on a Seed World about to ascend to Control World status. Their ritual failed, and instead of connecting to a parallel universe, they created a rift to beyond time and space.¡± Master Seer had no eyes, but Nil was sure the man was looking at him. ¡°It''s where Void Lords like Oth are born and reside.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°So they all weaponize Mind Magic?¡± Nil asked. ¡°I still sometimes have nightmares of everything I heard and saw when looking into that giant ugly eye.¡± ¡°Calling it magic would be wrong. It''s a combination of natural psychic waves and your mind''s inability to comprehend a form that transcends three dimensions.¡± Master Seer''s words felt measured. Careful. It was almost as if he was hesitant and unsure of how much he could divulge. It felt like the perfect opportunity to push for more and gain more information regarding the enemy Nil¡¯s group, with or without him, would soon face. ¡°Oth¡¯s stare almost drove me mad and ended my Summoned career before it could get started. Anything you can tell us about the Void could go a long way toward success, if not just survival.¡± The blind man picked up a skewer and removed the fruit from it before pointing at the picture-perfect honeycomb. ¡°Think of this structure as the multiverse. The beeswax is the Source, containing the hexagons, which are individual universes. It gives the boundaries structure and separates them. Meanwhile, the honey is the energy you might call Qi, magic, mana, aether, or whatever you please. ¡°Note its distribution,¡± Master Seer continued, highlighting full hexagons and those that were mostly empty, if not completely dry. ¡°I¡¯m going off-topic, but this is a perfect visual representation of prosperous, stable, poor, and barren worlds. Of course, instead of an external substance, the energy comes from within, with the power and quantity of Wells of Power being the deciding factor. But you¡¯ll generally find rich worlds in close proximity to each other. It''s almost as if the wells spawn in clusters.¡± ¡°What about universes that drain magic from their neighbors?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°That¡¯s what happened to Samara¡¯s original world, right? It turned barren because a neighboring Beacon World¡¯s magic and rituals bled the neighbors dry.¡± ¡°Anomalies,¡± Master Seer answered. ¡°Typically, it is the Void¡¯s influence and power that causes such incidents, and even then, it''s rare and near impossible to pull off. Let¡¯s get back on topic.¡± Master Seer drew a circle around the honeycomb. ¡°Despite how it might seem to those of us inside, the multiverse is finite but not the end of all. Dimensions and entities exist in the space beyond it. They transcend what mortal minds can perceive and consider possible. And then, when they encounter the impossible, their sanity comes into question. The psychic waves emitted by Void Lords like Oth exacerbate the situation and breed madness.¡± ¡°So, I should learn a mental fortification technique or two before the Cleansing,¡± Iris commented. ¡°And I¡¯ll need to get used to supercharging Psychic Fortitude,¡± Nil added. ¡°What does the Void want, though? I understand the Scourge. They were colonizers, conquerors, and general expansionists. Is feeding the Void¡¯s only motivation?¡± ¡°Every Void Lord¡¯s motivation is different,¡± Master Seer answered. ¡°Oth is also known as the Devourer. He is eternally hungry. Seeking out Yggdrasil¡¯s children and worlds with Well of Power for devouring is what he does. It''s the purpose of his existence.¡± That¡¯s not necessarily true for the others. ¡°You¡¯ll find several texts and reputed scholars referred to the Void Lords as truly eternal. It''s not because they exist in the Void that¡¯s beyond time and space but also because there is evidence of them existing before our multiverse came to be.¡± ¡°How¡¯s that even possible?¡± Andrew frowned. A half-eaten piece of cake sat in his hand, forgotten. Nil hadn¡¯t seen his buddy take a bite since the honeycomb allegory began. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you could date something to before the universes began.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because there is evidence of multiverses before ours. Brave and foolish explorers who¡¯ve dared to venture into the Void have returned with relics, fossils, and traces of life that predate this multiverse by several billion years. The Void Lords are so old that the few willing to converse with mortal kind don¡¯t remember when they were born or came to be. Some claim they¡¯ve always been. In the context of the Void and Void Lords, the multiverses are mayflies in the eternal weave. Oth doesn¡¯t need to consume us to survive but does it for entertainment. They seek out the light because it''s beyond them. Think of them as curious children poking at an anthill with a stick and burning the inhabitants with a magnifying glass.¡± The conversation went on for hours. They discussed the Void, different Void Lords, approaches to dealing with them, and the philosophy on the matter. Watcher¡¯s insightfulness and openness surprised Nil. At first, he assumed that the entity wanted to prepare him since the Source Gauntlets housed a fragment, but then it felt like more. He didn¡¯t have much time left before the quest¡¯s end and wondered whether pushing the matter in private was a good idea. Watcher had taught him plenty over the past year, and the service Nil provided in return felt like insufficient payment. Given his powers, the entity could¡¯ve done it all without assistance. In fact, his position and role as a teacher also felt unnecessary. It all seemed beyond him. Is he bored? Are we keeping him entertained and busy? Is this what all Primordials are like? When Nil returned to his room, he found a beautiful woman in his bed and couldn¡¯t be happier with her presence. He crawled in next to her, and the warmth temporarily pushed all the concerning knowledge aside. Selia had changed since their last meeting. All the after-effects of Symbiotech¡¯s experiments and living with a supercharged ability seed in a weak body had faded after she ascended to the Bronze Realm. Now, her Body of Silver made her look and feel like a goddess. She looked airbrushed; every movement carried an almost alien elegance, and Nil couldn¡¯t imagine someone more perfect. The Immortal he had met was something else and felt beyond the realms of comprehensible existence, but Nil didn¡¯t draw comparisons. Besides, Selia declared herself his during their last meeting, and he reciprocated the sentiment. It wasn¡¯t about owning each other but felt like a bond much deeper than that of merely boyfriend and girlfriend. ¡°You did brilliantly,¡± Selia told him after their mostly wordless reunion. ¡°I watched every second of it. You were flawless right up to the end.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t make a difference, though.¡± Nil sighed, feeling content with her in his arms. ¡°I was outclassed.¡± ¡°There will always be someone with an unfair advantage. What was it that Layla said? No two power seeds are made equal, and even the most seemingly overpowered ones have their limits and counters. Given my new upgrades, Lucy has no chance against me. If we bump into her in the Cleansing, I¡¯ll take her on.¡± ¡°If you bump into her in the Cleansing,¡± Nil commented. ¡°I don¡¯t have a ticket.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a ticket yet,¡± Selia corrected. ¡°You¡¯re going to win the Hunt. I believe in you, Nil Roy.¡± 159. Homecoming Is Near ¡°This is for you,¡± Selia said, handing him a scroll. Nil didn¡¯t recognize the crest on it. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will help or whether you¡¯ll get much use out of it, but I thought it might go well with the Source and everything else. I know your teacher preaches the importance of fundamentals, but that might not be enough for opponents like Lucy. ¡°I¡¯m almost a hundred percent sure what she used against you was a technique. She probably partially ascended to Silver like the other Wilson Luduses fighters, too. We¡¯ve seen dozens of Lucy¡¯s matches, and she hasn¡¯t done anything like that before.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Nil broke the seal and scanned the contents. His eyes widened. ¡°Lightning Wrapping technique?¡± Selia nodded. ¡°The Schema gave you the option to turn Brutal Battery¡¯s energy into fire or lightning, right? Maybe you can find a way to do it on your own.¡± She yawned, nuzzling into his chest. The pair lay tangled in Nil¡¯s sparse bedding. Neither minded the straw floor after a year on Ashe Fall. In fact, Nil believed he¡¯d struggle to get used to the soft mattresses after he returned. ¡°My mentors said that the Schema just assists in the evolution and growth of our power seeds, guiding us on our natural progression. We should be able to take the reins and accomplish some of it on our own. It''s no different from cultivators learning and developing multiple techniques.¡± ¡°I recognize some of the processes in here,¡± Nil said, scanning the diagrams and the segments beyond his understanding. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can pull it off, but giving it a shot might be fun. Even if I fail, this should help a fair bit with my energy control and manipulation.¡± He kissed the top of Selia¡¯s head. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± ¡°I stole it,¡± she stated matter-of-factly. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been allowed to keep any loot for myself.¡± Selia sat up and grinned. ¡°I nabbed a bunch of materials for when I can my power seed and a technique for myself. There was a bunch more to pick from. After scanning them with Arcane Eye, I decided to get one for you. Don''t worry about getting caught with it. All enchantments and wards have been removed. I disguised it as something you can purchase from the mountain store.¡± She paused, studying Nil''s expression. ¡°Indulging in stolen goods isn¡¯t a deal breaker, right?¡± ¡°Depends on who it was stolen from.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. It was no one good or worth your sympathy.¡± Selia unentangled herself from the bedding and Nil. She peeked out the window and swiftly started getting dressed. ¡°There are plenty of bastards on the Control World, and it''s the Weave¡¯s job to keep them in check.¡± ¡°Fair enough. I trust you.¡± Nil paused, watching his girlfriend as she moved around his quarters. They were comfortable, and he worried that a question that had been lingering since the qualifiers would ruin the mood. But curiosity got the best of Nil, and he believed they were in a place where an uncomfortable query wouldn¡¯t ruin things. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer this if you don¡¯t have to, but I have something I¡¯d like to ask.¡± Selia gave him an almost concerned look. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go by Selia Murphy? I remember seeing your last name during the Symbiotech investigation, but¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my real name,¡± Selia interrupted, returning to resting her head on his chest. Her fingers twirled the curly hairs on his pectorals. ¡°Symbiotech needed something to make their test subjects look above board and not like kidnapped children. They stuck me with the last name, and I hate it.¡± ¡°Selia Specter it is.¡± ¡°No.¡± She plopped down on Nil and kissed him. ¡°It''s Rios. My real name is Simone Maria Rios. But that¡¯s for your ears only. I¡¯ve been Selia for so long that it feels more like my real name. It''s for the best if we stick to it.¡± ¡°Simone.¡± Nil smiled. ¡°That¡¯s beautiful.¡± He tried pulling Selia back into bed, but she slipped out of his hold and playfully tutted. ¡°Do you have to go? Our time is here almost over. Aren¡¯t you done with the Weave?¡± Selia shook her head. ¡°There is one job left. Don¡¯t worry, though. I¡¯ll see you at the exit port.¡± She stepped toward the window and paused. Selia darted back to Nil, wrapped her arms around him, and squeezed tightly. ¡°I¡ª¡± She hesitated. ¡°I really care about you, you know? This year hasn¡¯t been easy, and we were barely a couple when we arrived. The separation hasn¡¯t been easy. Thank you for sticking around. Thank you for being patient.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nil smiled, his heart fluttering. ¡°I really care about you too.¡± Selia departed, leaving Nil grinning from ear to ear.
  • Might: Bronze 9
  • Finesse: Bronze 8
  • Mind: Iron 6
  • Spark: Bronze 9
Brutal Battery: Bronze 8
  • Absorb: Bronze 8
  • Expend: Bronze 8
  • Toggled Supercharging: Bronze 1
  • Energy Instinct: Bronze 0
  • Anti-Friction Lattice: Iron 7
Feats:
  • Armmaster¡¯s Disappointment
  • Through Sheer Grit
  • The Power of Belief
  • Primal Origins
Source Gauntlets: Bronze 0
  • Wield The Source: Bronze 0
  • Galvanized: Bronze 0
Ironroot Whelp: Iron 9 Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
  • Reinforce: Iron 9
  • Regenerate: Iron 9
Nil hoped Meatball would ascend to Bronze after consuming the quicksilver fruit, but nothing changed in the final days leading up to the departure date. He was eager for the little whelp to ascend and gain additional mass, defenses, speed, or ability. The whelp had proven her value and usefulness twice over during the Chase and also in the tournament final. Nil¡¯s trust in her increased day by day. Their understanding of each other also increased. It wasn¡¯t on the same level as that of a summoner and their minions, but enough for them to get by. Ashe Fall had proved an incredible growth and learning experience for both of them. If not for his family, Nil wouldn¡¯t have minded staying on the rogue planet for the rest of his life. It was peaceful and a far more functional utopia than anything he had encountered in sci-fi or fantasy. However, he felt obligated to do more good for his home. The possibility of moving to a Control World with all the people important to him was tempting. But Nil believed it was too early to give up on his Earth despite all of its problems. The soulsmiths studied the Soul Gauntlets¡¯ new chassis every other day. Watcher¡¯s essence still mystified them, and they hoped to see some change before Nil returned home. Andrew would still get to observe the developments, but he lacked Samara¡¯s experience and depth of knowledge. She worried that he wouldn¡¯t understand most of what he saw, especially in the context of the Source. Nil used his final days to practice cultivation and the fundamental techniques as much as possible under Watcher¡¯s supervision. The entity had agreed to occasional lessons in exchange for pay. It wasn¡¯t because of greed, but communing and conversing across universal barriers demanded considerable resources. Watcher believed payment came with commitment and no one¡¯s time or efforts would go wasted. The primordial believed Nil¡¯s grasp on the fundamentals was sufficient enough for him to expand his training. The advancement of Energy Instinct marked his progress in emission, shaping, and manipulation. Nil received no questions regarding where he got his scroll but believed it was a start and would be a good development on how he utilized Balance. Watcher believed that the third, invisible form of the Source had the potential for more than just the outer casing of Nil¡¯s weapons. Even if Nil failed to adopt the ability, practicing it would push manipulation to its limits. The final days went into outlining several different possible techniques and paths for how he could further develop Chaos and Order constructs. Imagining the first proved easier than the second. Order¡¯s rigidity didn¡¯t leave room for much experimentation and creativity. Three days before Nil was due to leave Ashe Fall, he found himself alone in the kitchen with Iris. They stood in the kitchen late in the evening, preparing for the following day¡¯s feast. The oldest teenagers in the mansion were due to finish their tutelage under Master Seer. Besides several vital figures from around the mountain, the pair¡¯s parents were also due to attend. Preparing food for more than thirty people alone was too much work for one person, and he was glad for Iris¡¯s help. They were almost done and in the middle of clean up while stocks boiled and fish cured when she abruptly stopped. ¡°I know we¡¯ve discussed this before and laid the matter to rest, but it''s vital I give this one last try,¡± Iris stated. ¡°You and I could be great together. It''s foolish to turn back on the possibility of it.¡± ¡°What are you on about?¡± Nil frowned, focusing on slicing the last of the scallops and nearly arranging them on a cloth-lined tray. ¡°I¡¯m leaving in a few days¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what getting together entails. It means you¡¯d move to my world with me. You get to bring your family, and they¡¯ll all live comfortable lives full of luxury, security, and opportunity. I¡¯m not kidding when I say we¡¯re as good as royalty.¡± Iris put away the last of the sliced vegetables. She washed her hands and sat on the counter next to him. ¡°My world will ascend to the level of Control World in the next couple of decades, if not half a century. ¡°Failing that, we have the invitation to move the entire clan to Ashe Fall. My grandfather would become one of the masters of Onyx Dragon Academy. They require more Immortals. You and your family would get to accompany us.¡± ¡°Honestly, Iris, I appreciate the offer,¡± Nil said, keeping his focus on the knifework. Slicing scallops demanded single, smooth, long slices and, more importantly, speed. Nil already had the processed and unprocessed products on ice trays, but they needed to be covered and in a more controlled environment as soon as possible. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, an incredible warrior, and your arena performance is also extraordinary. My family would also be happy with the opportunity. But I¡¯m committed to Selia and have no intention of leaving her.¡± ¡°Who said anything about leaving her?¡± Iris frowned. ¡°Bring her with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nil paused work for a moment, eyebrows raised. ¡°You¡¯d be willing to share me?¡± ¡°I expect you to reach Silver soon, and it''s not uncommon for married warriors of the realm to have concubines. Once you ascend to Gold in a decade or so, even a harem will be perfectly acceptable. I¡¯ve watched Selia¡¯s matches. She might not have access to the Source, but her power seed is rare and powerful. You need people like her for group arena events and quests. It would be silly to lose out on an ally like her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡± Nil sighed, returning to work. ¡°Why would you be willing to put up with all of this for me? It''s a lot.¡± ¡°You mean besides your talent, work ethic, and insanely rapid growth?¡± Iris asked, chuckling. ¡°Those alone make a desirable partner in life and a position of authority. But I don¡¯t think you realize how rare it is to encounter people like you. Individuals who tap into the Source are few and far between.¡± ¡°It''s not me, though. It''s the gauntlets.¡± ¡°You picked the chassis, but the Source is never an option. It only comes to the people with the ability to wield it. Then the Source binds itself to their very being, to the essence of who they are. You either earn the Source¡¯s power, or you¡¯re born with it. It''s incredible that the Source came to you only after a year of being summoned, and the amount you¡¯ve progressed in the little time since is nearly incomprehensible. If you and I were to get together, we¡¯re almost guaranteed to produce children who are also linked to the Source. They¡¯re bound to be talented cultivators.¡± ¡°Is that what this is about?¡± Annoyance replaced the flattery that accompanied a beautiful woman¡¯s insistence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it''s still a no. The idea of concubines, harems, and breeding super cultivator babies doesn¡¯t appeal to me in the slightest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just shelve the idea yet,¡± Iris said. ¡°Think about it. We¡¯ll see each other in quests. You¡¯ll get the opportunity to tell me if you change your mind.¡± I wouldn¡¯t hold my breath if I were you. 160. Weighted Farewells ¡°Today¡¯s meal wasn¡¯t just for two talented students graduating after years of dedicated tutelage,¡± Watcher announced once everyone was done eating. Nil and Iris had finished clearing the table, and the students were also done laying out desserts and tea. ¡°This last year, we¡¯ve seen incredible growth among the students not only because of their dedication but because of a regular stream of nutritious food that kept them energized, minds sharp, and rearing to go. ¡°Our chef for the year, Senior Nil Roy, never failed in his responsibilities. He kept up with them despite regular training sessions that now put him on par with Bronze Realm warriors who¡¯ve trained in Onyx Dragon Academy since Mortal Realm and monthly arena fights. The students and I have arranged a thank you.¡± All the children beamed at him. They stood in unison and bowed. Then, the oldest, after the graduating pair, carried out a tray. Folded clothing and a sealed scroll sat on top. ¡°We watched your arena fights,¡± the male half of the pair said. ¡°It looked like you might appreciate sturdier trousers.¡± ¡°They¡¯re enchanted,¡± the other said, struggling to maintain eye contact. She blushed as she spoke, glancing back at her stone-faced parents. ¡°If the fabric is damaged around the waist or groin, it will rapidly repair itself once every half an hour.¡± ¡°The pant legs will take longer, but the threads will regrow and weave themselves back together,¡± a little girl added. ¡°It¡¯s made from Ashe¡¯s fibers,¡± another said. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to carry them to your world.¡± Master Seer spoke softly, but everyone quietened as soon as he opened his mouth. ¡°However, I¡¯ve pulled some strings. They¡¯ll - ¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nil managed to say, struggling to find more words. A lump formed in his throat as his eyes glossed over the children. They always treated him with respect even though he came from a Seed World. It left Nil wondering whether the Control World residents'' prejudice against people like him was all in his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Master Seer held up his hand when Nil reached for the scroll. ¡°It''s the rest of your pay for your work here. The scroll will destroy itself within seconds of you opening it. I¡¯d suggest you leave it for when you¡¯re alone.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master Seer.¡± Nil bowed. ¡°All of you. My time here has been incredible, and I thank you all for making it all so pleasant.¡± He took the folded trousers and sealed scroll off the tray. Nil held them to his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll treasure these.¡± Master Seer also gifted a scroll to both graduating teenagers. Their parents appeared pleased but gave Nil a cold reception. It was the children¡¯s duty to clean up, but Nil helped them while giving Iris a wide berth. He was fine with the awkward flirtation, suggestions, and innuendoes but not the previous evening¡¯s conversation. Entertaining any sort of conversation with the woman was a huge mistake. Nil was due to leave the next day and desired minimal conversation. Nil left the mansion afterward and went down to the forge. Samara and Andrew were in the middle of a final talk, and he ended up sitting around, listening. ¡°Just because you can make a chassis with multiple abilities doesn¡¯t mean you should,¡± Samara told him. ¡°The more abilities there are, the more the seed¡¯s power is divided and the more components you need for the upgrading. Your options will be severely limited. Materials for upgrading the chassis and abilities won¡¯t be enough. It¡¯s like Ashe¡¯s essence. Unless you find materials that complement each other and are of equal power, only one element will get upgraded. The rest will lag behind.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°That¡¯s why I designed Shawn¡¯s chassis with only one ability. If he¡¯s happy with it, I¡¯ll do the same for his soul weapon. Selia needs a couple of abilities, though.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have to make the extension an actual ability. Make it a mechanical component. You¡¯re good with those. Don¡¯t go higher than three settings, though.¡± Samara shuffled the papers on her desk and picked out only a handful. ¡°Keep it simple. Dagger. Short spear. Long spear. Add an energy charger to add power to the extension. Focus the ability on the penetrative power or something that goes with her phasing. I¡¯ll leave that up to you and whatever materials you can find.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what she likes. Multiplying weapons or a ranged option might be great for her.¡± ¡°I think she¡¯ll prefer something simple,¡± Nil said. His contribution seemed unwelcome. ¡°Like a weapon that she can phase without phasing herself or maybe creates chains so she can lay traps. You¡¯re overthinking things. You¡¯re better off focusing on Zora.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been communicating with Layla on that,¡± Samara said. ¡°We¡¯ve sent over armor samples, mobility tools, and standard staves. Once she settles on something, we can figure out what to do with her soul seed. It is a concern for the distant future unless your team miraculously wins the Cleansing. Soul Weapon seeds are incredibly rare and getting rarer by the day.¡± She paused. ¡°That woman who almost crushed you in the Chase. She has a Soul Armor. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Anyway. There are only a finite number of soul weapons, and it''s rare for a new one to be born. Many believe that new ones don¡¯t come to be until one dies. You¡¯d have to place first to get enough soul weapon seeds for everyone. Even that¡¯s not guaranteed.¡± The pair seemed nowhere near done, so Nil returned to the mountain-top crater. Besides the tavern on the cliff, it was his favorite place on Ashe Falls. He loved the intertwining of the world tree and the volcano¡¯s Qi. Even though the energy in the crater¡¯s center was densest, he sat on its rim. The view was unparalleled. He could see for hundreds of kilometers in every direction, the curving canopy, and also the ocean. Ashe Falls had little blue except the little from certain bioluminescent plants. It was primarily a word of gold, green, brown, and silver. It wasn¡¯t the Blind Dragon¡¯s manor that had a graduation ceremony. As a result, the crater was empty, and Nil got some valuable alone time. He let Meatball free. She enjoyed speeding around the crater¡¯s curved sides. ¡°Have at it,¡± Nil told her. ¡°There is no one here, so you can go crazy.¡± The whelp chirped merrily before rolling away, picking up speed as she moved along the rim and spiraled her way downward. She accelerated with every passing second. Nil was sure her base speed and maneuverability had increased. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was a part of her natural growth or the Quicksilver fruit. The sun lamps around the mountain were starting to dim. Night was about to fall on Onyx Dragon Academy. Nil believed it was unlikely anyone would join him, so he opened Master Seer¡¯s scroll. Its contents disappeared into Nil¡¯s Schema Interface straight away, surprising him. The green clearing surrounded by trees replacing the world surprised him even more. Nil didn¡¯t expect to get sucked into Watcher¡¯s domain¡ªor whatever he called the strange pocket dimension he used for secret conversations. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Nil asked. Watcher wore the same face he did when they first started training. ¡°There are some things you need to see and know now that we are intertwined,¡± Watcher answered. ¡°And we can¡¯t do it in a way or place where others might be watching. Especially the other Primordials.¡± ¡°I sensed there was something you weren¡¯t telling me the other evening,¡± Nil stated. The energy density increased whenever Watcher brought him into his domain. Nil took advantage of the situation and cultivated. ¡°It''s about the Void, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Supercharge psychic fortitude.¡± Nil obeyed without question. ¡°I¡¯m about to show you a glimpse of my true form. You must mentally and physically prepare yourself. It might be a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Nil replied. ¡°No.¡± Watcher sighed. He sounded displeased. ¡°But, it¡¯s vital you know, and you know alone. As far as I know, the only individuals privy to this secret are Yggdrasil and Maka Dee. Not their minions or followers. Just them. Keeper of Knowledge has suspected it for quite some time, but he isn¡¯t sure, and I¡¯d prefer it if things stay that way.¡± ¡°The suspense is killing me. Can you just¡ª¡± Everything went black. For a moment, Nil worried that he had gone blind but then realized that he could see his hands and folded legs. The rest of him was still invisible. It took Nil a moment to realize that he wasn¡¯t alone. There was movement in the darkness. It seemed just like twitching at first, then as he looked up and down and side to side, the scale of what lay ahead became apparent. It was endless, seemingly going on forever in every direction. Then, it drifted away, and a tiny light appeared. It was a solitary eye with clear sclera and golden pupils. The eye darted around for a moment as if looking for something. Then, as the body slowly drifted away, the eye focused on Nil. As soon as it found him, countless others opened. Almost all of them were identical in size and were arranged in five neat waving lines. At their center was one more. It was the biggest of the lot. Bigger than Oth¡¯s eye that had driven Nil to near madness. Its luminosity was enough to illuminate the entire body. Nil tried to move, but he couldn¡¯t, so he had to crane his neck to see the entity in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re a starfish,¡± he whispered. The entity reminded him of Oth but not in a terrifying, rip-your-own-eyes-out kind of way. ¡°A Void starfish.¡± The grassy clearing returned, and with it came Watcher¡¯s preferred human form. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way to put it. Your assumption is almost correct. I was once a Void Lord. Hunger. Destruction. Chaos. None have interested me. I watch. I observe. I advise. There was a time when I was like my kin. But that me is gone. Dead. Now, I am nothing besides the Watcher Beyond The Stars.¡± ¡°Beyond The Stars. The Void.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it. I¡¯m more entangled with the multiverse and Source than other Void Lords. This lets me peek in on mortals, watch their lives, the Scourge, and the likes of Oth, but it also leaves me vulnerable. It means I step out of line, do something the other primordials like, use my greater powers, get involved in the lives of mortals, or directly influence anything in the multiverse, and they turn on me. They attack me. They rip bits out of me.¡± ¡°So, I have bonded with a former Void Lord¨Dwho other Primordials and entities far stronger than ascendants hate,¡± Nil said. ¡°I get it. I need to keep things secret.¡± ¡°If the knowledge of our bonds, it¡¯s not just me who¡¯ll be in danger,¡± Watcher said. ¡°Your life could be in peril, too. I did this on a whim because¡ª¡± He hesitated. ¡°¡ªwell, because I¡¯m bored. But the others might think that I¡¯ve picked you as a herald, a champion, or just an agent to do my bidding on the mortal plane.¡± ¡°But if I do good, incredible things, and then they find out about our bond, the other Primordials will think you want to do good, right?¡± ¡°How about we not find out? I need to maintain the status quo.¡± ¡°Why tell me at all?¡± ¡°Because my impulsiveness and your thirst for power have put both of us in peril.¡± Watcher sounded amused. ¡°Don¡¯t get killed. Stay alive. Grow. You¡¯re bound to find out sooner or later. So, it''s better that you hear it from the source or find out while bumbling around and let some talkative fool find out by accident. Understood?¡± ¡°Understood. Assume that I¡¯ve already forgotten everything you told me.¡± ¡°Reinforced psychic fortitude or not, I could do that right now. It would require me to flex my old muscles, but I have no qualms about taking the risk.¡± 161. Chaotic Departure Nil had come to Ashe Fall with nothing but the simple Nexus-given clothes on his back. His exit luggage was similar. He had the pair of light trousers gifted by Master Seer¡¯s students, and the scroll Selia had stolen for him. The one he gained from Master Seer had combusted after the mountain-top meeting. The Nexus wouldn¡¯t let him take any of his prizes home. They¡¯d sit in the multiversal organization¡¯s storage, but both now sat copied in his Nexus interface. So he could read them whenever he pleased. Meanwhile, Andrew had a big pack, and, as usual, it was Nil¡¯s job to carry it. He had a lot of prototypes and rejected projects that were still worthy enough to be sold in the Nexus Marlet. There were also several tools and materials that he hoped to take home. Andrew hoped that Layla would let them through as long as none of them left the Forge. All residents of Master Seer¡¯s manor, a few people from the Forge, and the senior students Nil had befriended saw the pair off at the mountain¡¯s exit teleporter. There were a few tears, a handful of hugs, and lots of bowing. Many asked Nil to get in touch if he ever returned to Ashe Fall. Once off the mountain, the pair passed through the market. They bought treats for everyone else, and Nil bid the fishmonger goodbye. Much to his surprise, she gave him a teary hug goodbye and wished him better luck for his next arena match. The well wishes caught him by surprise. More people on Ashe Fall seemed to watch Apocalypse Arena than they cared to admit. ¡°What the hell?¡± Andrew exclaimed as they walked to the teleporter to the port. ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°A few nights ago,¡± Nil answered. ¡°And you¡¯re telling me this now?¡± ¡°I wanted to tell you about Iris¡¯s craziness last night, but you were too busy.¡± ¡°Are you going to tell Selia?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not keeping something so big and insane from her. I tell her more nowadays than her.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Well, I would if not for the Weave and their nonsense.¡± Andrew feigned horror and dismay. ¡°You tell her more than you tell me?¡± ¡°Do you expect me to believe that Susan isn''t your primary confidant now?¡± ¡°No. But it''s like we discuss different things and opinions. It¡¯s a different kind of sharing. You understand what I¡¯m saying. Right?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Nil laughed. ¡°It¡¯s funny seeing you go from a bed-hopper to so smitten and in love.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Andrew nudged Nil hard in the ribs. Their Might difference ensured that he barely felt the blow. ¡°How are you feeling about the Hunt?¡± ¡°Confident. The format is more in my favor. Source Sphere is amazing at destroying Cursed Ones. I just need to focus on taking them out until I have ten tokens. It''s more of a race than the Chase.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident you got this in the bag,¡± Andrew stated. ¡°It was honestly crazy how you steamrolled through the Chase. If you were up against any other opponent besides Lucy, you would¡¯ve won.¡± Nil shrugged. ¡°Sometimes shit is just stacked against you, and there is no other choice but to keep calm and carry on.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t figure it out with a new crazy technique, I¡¯ll figure out something before your next upgrade. Just win the Cleansing so I can get a bunch of soul weapon seeds to quickly get to Silver Realm.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even all the way Bronze.¡± Nil snorted. ¡°Bronze is eons away.¡± ¡°My attributes are almost there, and I should make enough money off selling my goods to buy a Bronze Ascension Token,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°Layla promised me Earth-side quests of my own. If one of them doesn¡¯t eventually get me a Silver Ascension Token, I¡¯ll make enough money to buy one of those too. You can¡¯t begin to fathom my incredible money-making potential and general extraordinary-ness, Sunny-boi.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for underestimating you, oh Great One.¡± Nil¡¯s voice dripped with sarcasm. ¡°On a more serious note¡ª¡± Nil lost his train of thought when a crowd of guards rushed past the pair. One of them almost knocked Andrew down and didn¡¯t even pause to apologize. The pair grumbled, following the armored and armed individuals speed by. They weren¡¯t the only ones to pause and do so. Such sights weren¡¯t common in Ashe Fall. In fact, Nil hadn¡¯t seen a single soldier or guard during his time there. Security forces felt unnecessary in the utopic society. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Have you ever seen a guard on Ashe Fall?¡± Nil asked. More soldiers converged with the initial group as they continued toward the bigger palatial stone constructions beyond the markets. ¡°None except the few that hang out around the major teleportation hubs and the ports,¡± Andrew answered, sounding concerned. ¡°Do you think something is wrong?¡± ¡°There has to be. Why else would soldiers mobilize in a supposedly utopic society? Do you think we should help?¡± ¡°The average Bronze Realm adult is on the same level as you, if not significantly more skilled and experienced. What help would you be? I say we get to the port before this shit spreads. The last thing we want is to get stuck here because some Scourge or Void shit happened. I know the people here are supposed to be enlightened, but the foreigners always get rounded up first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Nil sighed, restarting toward the teleportation hub. ¡°The last thing we want is to get stuck here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind Ashe Fall. I just miss Susan.¡± ¡°And there is also Baba, Emily, and Sammy.¡± ¡°There is always Iris. You could¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even start with that shit,¡± Nil warned, rolling his eyes. More guards rushed past the duo, and they hastened their exit. Chatter on the way gave them a quick brief of the situation. Edwin Miles, one of Ashe Fall¡¯s three rulers and the person leading all magitech development, had perished. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, evidence of Scourge activity and forces had been found. The pair knew better than to engage in chatter and gossip when things were so much more dire than they imagined. Things were chaotic at all the hubs they passed on the way to the port. It was crowded and not orderly, like during arrival or when they returned from gathering excursions¡ªdelicate materials demanded that they return via waygates instead of teleportation. Andrew knew the lay of the land far better than Nil and took the lead. He had been through the part several more times and knew some of the guards and officials as well. Unfortunately, none of them entertained him. All directed the pair toward exit immigration. ¡°Let¡¯s just return our papers and get out of here?¡± Nil said, nodding toward the desks. A pushy crowd surrounded them. No one oversaw or maintained the queue system, and the usually well-behaved people also seemed to have forgotten all etiquette. It took them nearly an eternity to get to the front of the line. The person who dealt with the pair just took their paperwork before redirecting them to a waiting area. Their questions went unanswered. They were pleased to find Susan and Shawn already present. There were also a handful of other groups with concerned expressions and shooting each other suspicious looks. ¡°They say we can¡¯t leave,¡± Susan said after she had kissed Andrew and hugged Nil. ¡°Apparently, all travel is shut down until further notice. Do you know what happened?¡± ¡°Something about Edwin Miles getting killed and the Scourge being involved,¡± Nil answered, guiding his friends away from the others to a corner of the courtyard. ¡°Might not be true. It''s just what we heard on the way here. Everything was fine until we exited the markets. Then all hell seemed to break loose.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the look of things,¡± Shawn commented, peeking out through the courtyard¡¯s exit. ¡°They¡¯re blocking off the main exit hub. It looks like they¡¯re also grounding all vessels. Can¡¯t we just teleport back to the Nexus?¡± ¡°Not without the paperwork they just took off us,¡± Andrew replied. ¡°We can¡¯t even teleport back to the grove or academy. They¡¯ve got us trapped.¡± ¡°And I thought the druids could sort this out for us,¡± Susan sighed. ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to follow me,¡± Selia said, appearing through a wall. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do.¡± Her face was dirty, and fresh red stained her white blouse¡¯s cuff and sleeve. She extended a hand to them. ¡°LInk up and come with me.¡± ¡°Teleporter and vessels are all blocked off.¡± Susan frowned. ¡°Where will we even go?¡± ¡°Just trust me, alright? Things are going to get ugly here super quick. We need to move.¡± Everyone followed Selia¡¯s instructions, but Susan hesitated. It took some coaxing from Andrew before she took his hand, and they all phased through the wall together. They passed through dense foliage, a few back rooms, and another courtyard before coming to a stop. It was a private landing pad surrounded by tall walls. A ready vessel waited with an anxious-looking crew and the same woman who had taken away Selia when they first arrived on Ashe Fall. ¡°It''s the last vessel cleared for the waygate,¡± Selia said. ¡°We need to board before our permission is revoked.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Susan demanded. ¡°Why do you have permission? Why is there blood on you? We need answers, Selia.¡± ¡°You can have them later, Susan. Every second counts, and we can¡¯t discuss things here. The walls literally have ears.¡± ¡°Are you and the Weave involved?¡± Susan¡¯s tone didn¡¯t change, and while the others moved toward the vessel, she didn¡¯t. Andrew stood between her and the others, torn and confused. ¡°Susan, now is not the time!¡± Selia hissed. ¡°This place isn¡¯t safe for any of us right now. Anyone who doesn¡¯t board in the next ten seconds is going to be left behind and believe me. They¡¯ll all be subject to the inquisition. Knowing someone involved with the Weave alone is enough to get you screwed over.¡± Everyone boarded the vessel. Susan voiced her displeasure but didn¡¯t fight Selia. The Druid¡¯s Grove didn¡¯t like the Weave, and it appeared the distrust had rubbed off. Nil considered it uncharacteristic, and it seemed something more was at play. It wasn¡¯t the time to interrogate or talk, and he was glad when the vessel took off. It didn¡¯t take them long to reach the waygate. It transported them to a Beacon World, and the Schema then teleported them to the Nexus, ending their time away. 162. Friendly Friction ¡°The Scourge seduced Edwin Miles,¡± Selia said once they were all at the Fountain of Pyrene. ¡°He was about to sell Ashe Fall out to them. The man smuggled Silver and Gold Realm Scourge Champions onto the planet. They planned a coup. A soulsmith and a bunch of gold aren¡¯t enough to take down an Ascendant cultivator and a council of Immortal druids, but it was going to cause a whole lot of cause and instability. The Weave intervened.¡± ¡°So what? Instead of bringing the matter to the council, your lot just killed a reputable individual? Evidence¡ª¡± ¡°How about you stick to what you¡¯re good at, Susan,¡± Selia interrupted. ¡°We had the necessary intelligence and evidence of Scourge spies and saboteurs. Bringing things to the light would give Edwin and the other fuckers to cover shit up or flee. I know the druids don¡¯t like how we do things, but you know me. So, when I tell you to trust the Weave whose web expands across multiple Control Worlds, trust me. They don¡¯t work in self-interest. Their primary objective is the security of the residents and peace.¡± ¡°I call bullshit,¡± Susan said. ¡°Assassins. Thieves. Spies. The Weave is a den of them all. I¡¯ve been Summoned longer than all of you, and it''s not the first time I¡¯ve seen their work. It''s all for profit hidden by the veil of doing the greater good.¡± ¡°Believe what you will.¡± Selia sighed, rolling your eyes. ¡°You spent the past year with your ass glued to a library chair. I shut down a coup, prevented civil war, and potentially saved millions of lives.¡± Her following words were barely audible. ¡°Reading and listening to eccentric recluses has done you no good. You used to be insightful and intelligent, Susan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Nil said, stepping between the two women before the exchange could continue. ¡°We just got out of a stressful situation, and it''s for the best if everyone takes some time, perhaps a few days, to decompress.¡± ¡°That sounds like an excellent idea,¡± Shawn stated. ¡°I agree,¡± Andrew added. ¡°There¡¯s no point getting into this now.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t start it¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m ending it,¡± Nil said, interrupting Selia. ¡°Let''s check in with Layla and then go home. This matter is best left for another day. It''s not like we can do anything about it now.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Susan turned her back on all of them and marched away. Andrew gave them an apologetic look before following. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Nil asked Selia. Shawn echoed his concerns. ¡°You¡¯re bloody and don¡¯t look well. I¡¯m sure Layla won¡¯t mind if we leave our check-in for another day. You two could go home¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Selia said. ¡°The sooner we get all of this out, the better. I want to rest after finishing here and then get into training for the Cleansing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Susan,¡± Shawn continued. ¡°Just give her some time to calm down. The druids are old, prejudiced, and often major assholes. Getting caught in their echo chamber is not good for anyone. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll change her mind after she¡¯s had some time to herself and snapped out of the craziness.¡± The Nexus was almost as chaotic as Ashe Fall''s port. The only time Nil saw the otherwise orderly multiversal organization in such a state was after returning from his first emergency quest. Oth, the Devourer, had found his way to a Beacon World. The giant space octopus was in the process of flooding the planet with lesser entities from the Void and slowly devouring all life and Wells of Power. The Nexus had organized passage of all refugees to other Control Worlds, and many were passing through the pocket dimension that house the office. Chatter amongst passing Nexus staff confirmed a part of the story. Edwin Miles, the multiversally famous aethertech engineer, and soulsmith, was found dead surrounded by Scourge Champions. However, most seemed to think that he had died taking them down. Most sounded furious about losing an Immortal Realm Artisan. Only a few of them existed in the multiverse and were essential for weapons, tools, and armor against the Scourge and Void. How the hell did the Weave take out an Immortal? Nil had learned that immortal didn''t necessarily mean invulnerable. It was the path to agelessness and an escape from natural death. Many of the realm had the power to recover from impossible injuries and cheat death, but it wasn''t a hard and fast rule. It left him wondering about the logistics of such a task and how much of a direct hand Selia had in the act. He set his questions aside for later. Letting strangers know they had come from Ashe Fall or one of them had a hand in the recent incident wouldn''t end well for anyone. Many discussed their relief about the planet¡¯s strongest¡ªthe ascendant cultivator¡ªbeing around to bring the situation under control. Others talked about whether it was all a ploy by him to take control of the situation. Nil noted how no one questioned the druid council¡¯s involvement and motivations. He had learned that they were amongst the most trusted group of people in the multiverse. Even though their notable accolades were from several thousand¡ªif not tens of thousands¡ªyears ago, everyone seemed to trust them and their actions. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Nil considered such unquestioning faith stupid, but given his limited knowledge and experience, he didn¡¯t feel comfortable discussing the matter outside of closed doors. He was sure there was a lot he and Selia would discuss later. Nil couldn¡¯t wait to be alone with her later in more ways than one. Now that she wasn¡¯t limited by Ashe Fall or their individual teachers¡¯ rules, there was a lot more they could discuss. He wanted to know about the Weave and her activities around them. Even though Nil trusted Selia, he decided to keep Watcher¡¯s identity a secret. The knowledge felt dangerous. Meanwhile, the matter of Iris demanded urgent discussion. It wasn¡¯t long before Layla¡¯s pink clones ushered the five of them into her office. ¡°Before we get started, the Weave advised me to give you your reward personally,¡± Layla told Selia, handing over a marble of dark glass and silvery metal. It radiated concentrated power so pure it reminded Nil of the one immortal he had face to face. Energy Instinct saw formless, seemingly endless white. ¡°I expect you to do great things with this.¡± ¡°Holy, fucking shit.¡± Andrew¡¯s mouth hung agape. ¡°Is that a soul seed? I already get to work on a soul seed?¡± He excitedly glanced at Susan, but she was stonefaced. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Do you think you can get it ready in time for the Cleansing, Andrew?¡± ¡°Six months should be¡ª¡± ¡°You have a little more than three months,¡± Selia corrected. ¡°We lost close to six weeks on our way to Ashe Fall. You just had to stop for materials.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just me.¡± Andrew frowned. ¡°You lot also wanted to play hero.¡± ¡°And we got paid handsomely for it,¡± Shawn said. ¡°Can you manage in three?¡± The chaos during their departure had drained Nil¡¯s patience. He just wanted to move on with the meeting and go home. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do it in two so Selia has time to get used to the weapon and get some practice.,¡± Andrew answered. ¡°It should be possible, but we need to decide on a design and get the materials first.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorted on that end.¡± Selia smiled. She fished a rolled and tied parchment out of the satchel she carried and passed it to Nil. ¡°I¡¯ll hand over the materials once we¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°I guess I have no excuses then.¡± Andrew sighed. ¡°Moving on.¡± Layla clicked her fingers, and several screens appeared behind her. ¡°We have a lot to get through and not a lot of time. There is a bunch of good news and some bad news.¡± ¡°Bad news first, please,¡± Nil said. ¡°We¡ª¡± ¡°What about everything that just happened on Ashe Fall?¡± Susan interrupted. ¡°Are we just going to ignore that Selia helped assassinate a Control World¡¯s ruler and then got rewarded for it?¡± ¡°You mean she helped eliminate a traitor and prevented the Scourge from stealing vital trade secrets, schematics, weapons, and armor,¡± Layla corrected. ¡°We¡¯re on the same side and team. It''s vital that we trust one another. Are we ready to move on?¡± No one indicated otherwise. Susan still appeared unconvinced but didn¡¯t push the matter further. It was clear she needed some time. Nil felt bad for Andrew since he was stuck in the middle of it. ¡°Very well.¡± The screens lit up behind Layla. ¡°Shina has gone missing.¡± Multiple groans sounded around the room. Only Selia didn¡¯t react. ¡°Her transport was attacked on the way to the trial. Your law enforcement still refuses to cooperate with us, and we can¡¯t tell whether she was rescued by allies or taken.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a kick in the balls.¡± Shawn¡¯s words surprised most of the group. Time among the druids appeared to have mellowed the man. He rarely swore or was as expressive. ¡°On the bright side, we managed to get information on all the children who were implanted with stolen power seeds and artificially enhanced like Selia,¡± Layla continued. ¡°They¡¯re all suffering from similar physical issues, and we¡¯ve convinced the Schema to let us prematurely make them Summoned. There will be no dangerous quests for them. Just train and teach so they¡¯re ready for the multiverse and learn to safely use their abilities. We¡¯re giving them goals and short, supervised quests to earn Schema and Ascension Tokens to help fix Symbiotech¡¯s damage.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Selia nodded, appearing far more restrained than she used to be. Nil expected more of an emotional reaction from her. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. CIT has been working overtime in your absence. Unfortunately, we still have no leads about the symbiote. The murders and attacks are more infrequent. It almost feels as if it''s taking its time and moving carefully. Almost getting caught must have scared the creature, forcing it to end the wild feeding frenzy. On the bright side, we have a few agents in the Pits and have taken out a few of Symbiotech¡¯s partners ourselves.¡± Layla focused on Susan. ¡°You¡¯ll be working with the investigative team almost exclusively going forward. Cara Sue is taking over as our United Kingdom lead.¡± ¡°Does she have the time for that with the Cleansing almost here?¡± Susan asked. ¡°She decided to hand over her ticket to Zora and ascend to Silver,¡± Layla replied. ¡°I tried to convince her otherwise, but she was ready to progress to the Silver Gauntlet. I don¡¯t think she intends to continue her arena career for long.¡± The meeting moved on to more mundane topics. Layla updated them on everything that had happened during the past five months. There were minor CIT updates, changes with the Forge, and other Earth-side matters. After an hour, Layla dismissed everyone but Nil and kept him behind to discuss Emily. Nil was surprised to learn that his little sister had already progressed in her ability to Iron. Anger followed when he discovered she had signed up for the first-ever qualifiers being held at the Forge. It was a tournament-style event where the top three positions and two other best performers got inducted into the Iron Gauntlet. Nil imagined his father wasn¡¯t happy about the matter. He made plans to demand a favor from Layla once he got his hands on a Cleansing ticket. She appeared confident in his ability to succeed at the Hunt and seemed sympathetic about his recent losses. However, Nil couldn¡¯t help but feel that she was disappointed in him. He didn¡¯t blame her. 163. Shocking Homecoming The first thing Nil sensed after getting teleported back to his ludus apartment was the sheer density of Qi in the air. The look of surprise and confusion on Selia''s face suggested that she felt it too. He checked on the garden straight away and found all the plants in it neatly trimmed and pruned. Udit appeared to have maintained the space as requested. Nil had worried his father would damage the more precious plants or accidentally kill them. When he left for the quest, the garden was a pretty but wild patch of ordinary-looking and wild plants. They grew haphazardly and almost on top of each other in places. Udit appeared to have replanted many of them, leaving the more mature, sturdier shrubs alone, but had replanted many saplings, spacing them out evenly. He had also brought up a pair of circular slabs and placed them next to each other in the center of the room. ¡°That¡¯s sweet,¡± Selia commented as Nil looked around the garden. The Qi was so thick it almost felt suffocating, reminding him of the first time he stepped into the crater, but not quite. It seemed the plants had somehow kept most of the energy trapped within the garden, and he was dealing with several weeks'' worth of accumulated energy. It almost explained the density in the rest of the suite. Meatball let out a happy chirp when Nil set her free, but she hesitated before speeding off. She skittered back and forth in and out of the garden room, sniffing at the air instead of returning to her domain. He struggled to understand the meaning behind her little squeaks and worried she was unhappy that someone had curated her wild patch. Then, she waddled to the door out of the suite, plopped down in front of it, and let out a final squeak. ¡°Is everything alright with her?¡± Selia asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but if it were urgent, she would¡¯ve made it clear,¡± Nil answered. ¡°How about we have a quick shower and change before heading down? I¡¯d rather be clean when I see Baba and rip Emmy a new one.¡± ¡°Go easy on her. She finally has a taste of social and financial freedom and is just flexing her muscles. As long as she doesn¡¯t do anything crazy¡ª¡± ¡°Trying out for Apocalypse Arena when she is barely eighteen is crazy. I don¡¯t care that there are others like her. I know my sister, and she isn¡¯t ready for the ruthlessness needed to survive and succeed.¡± ¡°I understand and sympathize, Nil, but you need to see things from her point of view. Her life got turned upside down when you became a Summoned and then started working for the Nexus. Now, you¡¯re risking your life and doing whatever is necessary to make things better for your family. Emily probably felt hopeless, restless, and useless. Then, all of a sudden, she became a Summoned and got a fairly useful ability. It might be better if you take her under your wing and guide her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± Nil sighed, getting undressed. He started the shower. Selia reached past him and switched it to the rain setting, making the downpour more suitable for two occupants. ¡°Emmy will be more willing to listen if she thinks I¡¯m on her side. What are you going to do about Susan?¡± ¡°Do you expect me to do anything?¡± Selia raised an eyebrow, getting in the shower ahead of him while Nil swiftly ran an electric razor over his face. He had settled for maintaining a neatly trimmed beard on Ashe Fall after failing to figure out their strange magical face trimmers. ¡°I¡¯ve not done anything wrong. She¡¯s acting nuts over nothing.¡± ¡°No, but Andrew is my best friend, and both our lives would be easier if our girlfriends got along,¡± Nil replied. After achieving a Body of Bronze, his facial hair had become more stubborn. The electric razor failed enough to do a good enough job, and he had to resort to shaving cream and a blade. After ascending to Silver, he would have no choice but to invest in an aethertech facial trimmer. ¡°You¡¯re not at fault. I get that. You did your job, and we all knew what that meant before the quest started¡ªexcept the killing a ruler of a Control World thing.¡± ¡°It''s not like I did it personally. I distracted guards who happened to be Scourge champions in disguise and then took them out. My actions made it easier for a pair of Immortals to do their job unnoticed and without a trace, but that¡¯s it. If Susan doesn¡¯t chill out and see the light in a week or two, I¡¯ll talk to her. Working with Andrew means there is no avoiding her.¡± Selia laughed when Nil joined her in the shower and almost slipped. ¡°How can you go from the most surefooted sprinter ever to so clumsy at the drop of a hat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, and you¡¯ve spilled soap everywhere.¡± ¡°I squeezed too hard.¡± Selia giggled, throwing Nil the shampoo. Despite his claims of fatigue, he snatched the slippery bottle out of the air almost on reflex. ¡°Body of Silver will take some getting used to.¡± ¡°Did you ascend with Might as a prime attribute?¡± Selia shook her head. Her long black hair now hung down to her waist. Ascension seemed to have darkened her locks further and given them a luster Nil didn¡¯t think possible without digital editing. ¡°Finesse, but my Might is Bronze-Five. Ascension seems to have made it more effective, though.¡± Nil took a step back and looked his girlfriend up and down. ¡°Silver has done wonders for you.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Selia struck a provocative, glamor model pose. ¡°Silver Finesse has also made me pretty damn flexible. Would you like a demonstration?¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°We can go to the training room after catching up with Baba and¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, you clueless idiot.¡± Selia¡¯s giggle turned into a laugh. ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡°I missed you too,¡± Nil said.
¡°No spikes!¡± Nil warned when he opened the suite''s door. Meatball had waited patiently and rolled free. She twitched the woody tentacles that formed her carapace to adjust direction and manage her speed. Much to the couple¡¯s surprise, the energy density continued into the corridor. They saw nothing different along it or around the elevator and stairwell. Things were the same in the lobby except for energy density. Then they exited the building, and their jaws dropped. Luminous plants bordered the obstacle course, running track, and also the relaxation green patch. Qi was thick in the air, and Nil could sense a barrier around the Forge containing it all. Meatball rolled to a cluster of colorful lights. Before Nil could stop her, she dug a deep hole amongst the plants, crawled into it, and then buried herself. He left her to it. There wasn¡¯t much he could do about the situation. Either the Nexus would demand all of the alien flora be culled, or they¡¯d turn a blind eye and let the Forge keep its magic. There were already wards and barriers keeping technology and materials inside. Nil imagined it would treat the plants the same as other alien substances and keep them from spreading beyond the compound. ¡°What the fuck happened here?¡± Selia whistled, scanning his surroundings. Her recent training, combined with several detection spells, put her detection spells on par with Nil¡¯s. ¡°I might have a rough idea.¡± Nil made a beeline for the staff building. Potted plants decorated the cafeteria and the lobby. After Emily had become a Summoned, rules surrounding access to the civilian building had changed. Now, individuals with family working in the ludus and their partners could visit. There were limits on frequency and sleeping over, but it was a welcome change. Nil wasn¡¯t the only Nexus agent who had found jobs for their family in the compound. Many took on Earth-side quests, which made them and their loved ones targets for more malicious individuals or organizations. The Roy family lived on the top floor in a two-and-a-half-bedroom apartment. The half-bedroom originally belonged to Sam. He picked it over sharing a bedroom and insisted he have the smaller private space. Now that Emily had moved on to independent accommodation on the ground floor of the Summoned residences, he had taken over her old space. Nil had expected as much. What he didn¡¯t foresee was luminous plants and flowers decorating every corner of their space. ¡°Pretty, isn¡¯t it?¡± Udit asked, looking proud of himself. ¡°I don¡¯t think you realize what you¡¯ve done, Baba,¡± Nil said, struggling to find the right words. He didn¡¯t know how to explain to his father that he had almost caused a major ecological disaster with the potential to change the planet¡¯s trajectory and development. ¡°The garden¡­¡± The oldest Roy appeared confused. ¡°I did as you requested. Things kept getting in the way, and it was a month after you left that I checked the garden. It was so overgrown I could barely take a step past the door. So I trimmed, took cuttings, and replanted a lot of them, but things got out of hand, so I thought it might be better to decorate the grounds and the buildings.¡± He frowned, eyes scanning all the pretty, luminous, blooming plants around the living room. ¡°None of them were poisonous, were they?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°But they¡¯re all plants with alchemical properties or radiate different kinds of alien energies. None of them are harmful.¡± Emily silently entered the apartment. She hesitantly glanced between Selia, her brother, and her father before disappearing into the kitchen. ¡°Probably best if no one eats them,¡± Selia said. ¡°The products made from them are controlled and taken in moderation to avoid adverse effects.¡± ¡°They¡¯re supposed to help with the meditation process and help me get stronger,¡± Nil said. ¡°You didn¡¯t dump anything outside the compound, did you?¡± ¡°I tried, but it all got teleported to the workshop¡¯s underground compost corner. I guessed the Forge wanted me to be more green.¡± ¡°That¡¯s somewhat of a relief. Send a message to Layla with what¡¯s happened and images. She¡¯ll advise us on how to proceed. It might turn out for the best for everyone in the Forge.¡± ¡°As long as they learn to cultivate or know mana absorption and circulation,¡± Selia added. ¡°Cultivation?¡± Sam asked, perking up. The young teenager hadn¡¯t greeted Nil when he arrived; he only nodded awkwardly and lingered by the door to his room. Sam appeared broody. It wasn¡¯t unexpected for a teenager. Nil had observed the change before leaving and believed Emily¡¯s ascension had something to do with it. ¡°Like in the Chinese novels?¡± Nil nodded. ¡°Some worlds have dense enough energy for people to have developed cultivation.¡± He was glad Sammy was willing to speak to him. ¡°Turns out the power seeds, Schema Tokens, are just the Nexus¡¯s way of helping us barren world residents cultivate.¡± Nil¡¯s attention shifted to Emily as she exited the kitchen sheepishly. She appeared to expect a reprimand from him for attempting Iron Gauntlet qualifiers. ¡°I can teach you some meditation and cultivation techniques if you¡¯d like. It could help with your energy pool and focus and should also accelerate ability and attribute growth.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to yell at me?¡± Emily¡¯s eyes widened. She almost appeared comical. ¡°I¡¯m sure Baba has yelled at you enough over the past few days for me, Mum, all of our grandparents and past ancestors,¡± Nil said. ¡°I know neither of us are going to change your mind. I¡¯d rather ensure you come out in one piece and suffer minimal injury. The arena is a terrifying place, and I¡¯ll sleep better knowing you¡¯re as prepared as you can be.¡± Emily rushed to the couch, dropped next to her brother, and hugged him tightly. ¡°Thank you. I love you so much.¡± Udit looked like he was about to protest. He stopped, shoulders drooping. ¡°I¡¯ll call the cafe and have them send up some dinner.¡± Sam perked up once Udit left the room, moved closer to the Summoned, and spoke softly. ¡°Can you teach me too? I want to be ready in case I become a Summoned someday.¡± ¡°I suppose there is no harm in it.¡± Nil sighed. ¡°Might be good to also pick up a martial art,¡± Selia added. ¡°It¡¯ll help with focus and discipline.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been taking karate lessons,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Baba.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the manager of this place, you dolt.¡± Emily chuckled. ¡°Baba already knows.¡± ¡°The world is going to get more dangerous before it gets better,¡± Nil said. ¡°Summoned or not, all of us should prepare for the worst.¡± 164. Everyone Is A Dreamer ¡°I think I feel something!¡± Emily exclaimed. All the young Roys and Selia had gathered in ludus¡¯s green patch early the following morning. Sam wasn¡¯t allowed in the training building or the Summoned residency. Nil doubted the Schema would appreciate him and the others training in the civilian staff building. As luck would have it, the location with the second-densest energy signature was the green patch everyone used to relax after running or between sessions with the ludus trainers. It was where Meatball had made her burrow. She was yet to emerge. Nil¡¯s attempts at coaxing her out had failed. ¡°Spark affects your ability to detect magic, Qi, and similar energies,¡± Selia said. ¡°Mind also does so to a lesser extent. Since your potential for both is ridiculously high, you should have an easier time than Nil or me.¡± ¡°I needed a separate ability for it. If you can already, that means you¡¯ll do good with spells and magic,¡± Nil commented. ¡°I feel nothing,¡± Sam said, sounding crestfallen. ¡°Pretend you do,¡± Nil told him. ¡°You want to learn to cultivate? Most of it is image training. Think about the diagram I drew you and imagine energy flowing through you. Use the tiger fighting an opposing current if you want while maintaining the breathing exercises. You¡¯ll find what you need.¡± ¡°This will be a test of patience,¡± Selia added. ¡°Nil tried to teach me, and I thought I had it, but I learned during my time away that I was sorely mistaken. People with far more experience and opportunity than you struggle with this. Make it muscle memory and get to a point where you can maintain the breathing and image training going even while exercising, running drills, and executing katas.¡± ¡°Fake it till you make it,¡± Emily said. ¡°That¡¯s my strategy.¡± The Forge¡¯s other residents also appeared to have sensed the change. Some joined them as the morning continued, while others watched them curiously. A good deal of people who joined were mages and summoners. Their daily training already involved meditation and arcane control, which, in theory, seemed like another form of cultivation and Qi-technique training. Susan claimed that most summoners didn¡¯t bother with such things until the late Iron Realm or early Bronze when they had the energy to spare for magic after maintaining summons. Nil hoped starting Emily on the path early would make her life easier. Udit was, of course, not happy about the state of things, and despite the lack of arguing and yelling, it seemed things were tense in the apartment. After dinner, Emily returned to her new private room in the Summoned residence building, Sam was sent to bed, and Selia disappeared to catch up with Zora and Isabella. Nil and Udit stayed up late into the night discussing matters. Neither of the men was happy about Emily¡¯s decision regarding Apocalypse Arena. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, Sam was acting out. Nil becoming a Summoned didn¡¯t bother the teenager since he had always idolized him. But now that Emily was one as well, he wasn¡¯t pleased. She had never considered such a life but ended up in it while it was something Sam had always dreamt about. It was too early for him to become eligible for ascension, but that did little to soothe him. The Roy patriarch and his son discussed how to deal with the matter. Udit wished to nip it in the bud, but Nil believed that was the wrong approach. He feared that Sam would do something stupid trying to emulate the conditions leading up to his cousins¡¯ ascension. In the end, they agreed to placate Sam by letting him take martial arts classes and meditate with Nil. If, on the off chance, the teenager became a Summoned in a few years, he¡¯d be ready for the questing life. Nil didn¡¯t tell his father, but he also saw it as an experiment. After watching Master Seer teach several students how to sense and cultivate Qi, Nil wanted to find out whether he could do the same. There was always the chance that people born in worlds with unnatural energies evolved their senses to detect them, but Nil hoped that wasn¡¯t the case. He hadn¡¯t made up his mind about it, but the chances of moving to a Control World someday were high. It made sense to ensure that his family would be ready. Udit was likely too late and too old to become a cultivator, but Sam was the perfect age. After morning training, the four of them had breakfast in the cafeteria together. Emily and Sam rushed through the meal. They needed to bathe and prepare for school. Becoming a Summoned and trying out for Apocalypse Arena didn¡¯t excuse Emily from her education. She also seemed to enjoy her new routine. Once alone, Selia started telling Emily about her time with the Weave, but then a call interrupted her. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Bunty exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not happy about coming in second, but your performance but you¡¯ve been amazing.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Thanks,¡± Nil said, accepting the compliment even though he didn¡¯t consider it deserved. Despite the prizes that accompanied second place, it didn¡¯t feel like he had won anything. ¡°Are the sponsors still happy?¡± ¡°Garuda Systems would prefer you wear their logo more often and make appearances around the city riding their new hoverbike. The fashion brands want you to be seen at more events in their fancy threads, too. But your posters and adverts are all over the city. But, the bi-monthly arena appearances and your general attitude during them have them reasonably placated.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I worried that five months with zero engagement from my end would piss them off. Let them know that I¡¯m available again and my next event will be in about a month. It¡¯ll be another big group thing. Do you have anything on what I asked you to look up?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, not.¡± Bunty sighed. ¡°My team has been on it all night, but Ten-Ton Lucy is notoriously secretive. I¡¯ve heard through the grapevine that she has turned down almost every partnership and just has a few fashion and fragrance deals. Given her rapid ascent and undefeated track record, you¡¯d expect her to capitalize on her popularity and performance. The paparazzi struggle to get her either. The few appearances we have on camera always have her with the latest Arthurtech gear, and she¡¯s always with big names from Wilson Luduses.¡± ¡°No media partnerships either?¡± ¡°None. My people and a few others I know have tried to reach out to her, but contacting her is a pain. I think she¡¯s connected to someone big. Your rumor about big and powerful parents might not be wrong.¡± ¡°Do you think she is Wildshape¡¯s? He seems about the right age for a daughter Lucy¡¯s age.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t discount the possibility, but probably not. Wildshape Wilson¡¯s personal life has always been super public. Anyone who¡¯s dated or hooked up with him has ended up a celebrity. Hiding a kid from the paparazzi would be a nightmare.¡± ¡°Alright. I want to do something a little dirty to bait her and the Wilson Luduses team. If you¡¯re not up for it, maybe¡ª¡± ¡°Just tell me what you¡¯re after,¡± Bunty said. ¡°I already got my hands dirty with the Pietro bashing. This won¡¯t be much different.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Except, you know, possibly pissing off one of the most powerful men on the planet.¡± ¡°I want a video out on Lucy and my fight that focuses on her and her ability,¡± Nil said. ¡°It''s not weight alteration, as she wants everyone to think. Lucy controls gravity and has masked it pretty well so far. In fact, I think she¡¯s been fighting mostly using her soul armor¡¯s ability and hiding her power seed for something big like the Cleansing.¡± ¡°Soul armor? Gravity? Holy shit, that¡¯s big. Just a speculative video might gain a fair bit of traction.¡± Bunty paused, and Nil heard the sound of fingers on a glass keyboard. ¡°Why are you doing this? What¡¯s the objective?¡± ¡°Think of it like an enormous think tank. I have heard from a reliable source that Wilson Luduses has analysts and trainers dedicated to strategy. They don¡¯t just plan on how to overcome events but also take on specific opponents. No reason why we can¡¯t do the same using whatever resources we can muster.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment. Are you trying to make me your strategist?¡± Bunty sounded amused. ¡°Yes. But I¡¯m also trying to piss off Wilson Luduses. There is going to be a bunch of them in the Hunt. If they¡¯re mad and targeting me instead of trying to win the event, I might just be able to mess with their minds and trick them enough to get the ticket.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not saving the battle just for the arena, are you?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± Nil asked. ¡°They aren¡¯t. Most of my friends are in the Cleansing, and I refused to be left behind. It¡¯s time I start doing whatever it takes to win.¡± ¡°I like this side of you, Godpuncher Nil.¡± Bunty laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll get on this straight away. Expect results by the week¡¯s end.¡± The pair discussed finances and offered deals for so long that Nil¡¯s breakfast and tea went cold. Nil agreed to partnership deals from a men¡¯s grooming company and to make a few appearances at an Indian celebrity chef''s new opening later in the year. Because of his past experience, they wanted him to make an appearance in their kitchen as well as some promotional material. Nil especially liked the sound of the latter and asked to check for more involvement. The celebrity chef in question had a recent fall from grace regarding foolish remarks on social media. Some of his statements were taken out of context and blown out of proportion, and he was subsequently fired from the restaurant he had opened and won a Michelin star. Nil offered to invest moderate time and perhaps some capital in the restaurant to get his name on the door, consult on the menu, and make it look like a joint project. The man would need to share the spotlight but was bound to make far more money from a rising star¡¯s involvement. No restaurants had a head chef, executive, or culinary director who had ascended to the Silver Realm. If Nil made it to the Cleansing and eventually ascended, all parties involved with him were bound to profit. It wasn¡¯t something Bunty had ever done or attempted before, but he seemed eager to try. Nil had always dreamed of having his own place and knew it would mean dividing his time, but progress significantly slowed down at Silver Realm. It was unlikely he¡¯d have the time for such a venture on top of cultivating and working for the Nexus. The chances of the chef agreeing to it also seemed low, but it didn¡¯t hurt to try. Working in Ashe Fall made him miss working in a high-end kitchen and the pressures of a busy evening far more than he expected.