IRON GAUNTLET

©2025 J PAL

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ALSO IN SERIES

Apocalypse Arena

Mortal Gauntlet

Iron Gauntlet

Bronze Gauntlet

Silver Gauntlet

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1

GAUNTLET OF TEN

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 trickle 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 combating 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 conveged.

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.

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 offense, 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.

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 speartip. Nil had expected as much, grabbed a falling boulder—it had frozen for half a heartbeat on touching him—and 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. 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 without 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 midriff. 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 those of 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?” 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—”

“Just let me know, all right? 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 place, and I’ll be there.

2

TIME FOR ONESELF

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—untaxed and untouched by the government—and 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—”

“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 shoulders, 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 fit 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.”

“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—one of London’s most affluent areas—was 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—”

“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—”

“Oh.”

“—and, 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. His first impression was a positive one.

3

PLANNING AND INFILTRATION

“Iknow 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—especially Katherine. She was already disillusioned with the Nexus’s 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—” 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—it—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—”

“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—”

“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—”

“Speaking of the sabotage⁠—”

“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.”

“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 of 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—”

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—the 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 sank 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 hers. “You aren’t wrong about the Metropolitan Police Force. I just didn’t want to hear it.”

“It was insensitive of me. I’m⁠—”

“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?”

4

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Might: Iron 2

Finesse: Iron 4

Mind: Mortal 9

Spark: Iron 8

Brutal Battery: Iron 2

Absorb: Iron 2

Expend: Iron 3

Toggled Supercharging: Mortal 8

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—one of his ability options when he became a Summoned—would’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—”

“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—” She paused, studying Nil for a moment. “I’d rather not discuss this any further. The only thing that matters is that 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 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.”

“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—” 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’s 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—thin flour flatbreads—were 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—in the short or long term—then 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.”

5

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 sites 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—separating 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 about 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—”

“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—the recent ludus fees had cut his savings by a hundred—and 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’s 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.

6

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 are 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 Tokens

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 she 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.

“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’s 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—just 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 flame 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.

7

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—until 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 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 shrank 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—”

“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.”

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—two dozen Silver Realms, six Gold Realms, and several miscellaneous Iron and Bronze Realms support staff—had 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—I 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—including those leaking from the protected room—as 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—”

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 their 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—or demon, as the locals called it—coming their way. He needed everyone well rested for the coming battle.

8

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, along with 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 overextended 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.

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 lack of 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 overextended before losing momentum, giving him the perfect opportunity to capitalize on openings. It wasn’t perfect, and he suffered several lacerations—some deeper than others—but 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.

9

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—”

“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.

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:

Seeker of Arcane: Release a negligible pulse of energy that travels a hundred feet from you, detecting living organisms and other energy sources. Your passive detection is considerably sharpened, and you have an easier time detecting what you can Absorb and what you cannot.

Master of Self: You have instinctual control over the energy within your domain. Absorption, expulsion, internal circulation, and all else come naturally to you. Gain minor proficiency in shaping personal energy within six inches of your body.

Curse Eater: Process and assimilate all Cursed Energy you absorb to reinforce your attributes. Side effects may include hallucinations, fading sanity, and changes to your appearance.

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.

Might: Iron 2 | Potential: Bronze

Finesse: Iron 6 | Potential: Gold

Mind: Mortal 9 | Potential: Iron

Spark: Iron 8 | Potential: Platinum

Brutal Battery: Iron 3

Absorb: Iron 4

Expend: Iron 3

Toggled Supercharging: Mortal 8

Energy Instinct: Iron 0

Feats:

Haunting Visage

Armsmaster’s Disappointment

Through Sheer Grit

The Power of Belief

Restless in Body and Mind

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.”

10

THE NEXUS MARKET

The Nexus Market was everything Nil imagined and more. It resembled a gigantic, multi-story 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—”

“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.

“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-story 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—Mortal, 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—”

“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—one red, one blue, and one gold—sat 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 cavern 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 that 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.”

11

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 on 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—”

“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 gray-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.”

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 gray 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—probably over twenty kilograms—and 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

Reinforce: Iron 0

Regenerate: 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.”

12

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 dirtying his room. Next, he grabbed enough mulch to fill it—the pack contained worm eggs, which would hopefully serve as food for his new companion—and 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.

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.

13

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—one for Andrew and three for himself. He gave her one out of his share.

“It’s all right,” 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—the 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 nibbled 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 is 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?”

“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 writhe 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 Homonculi 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 soulsmithing, 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 sank 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.”

14

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 I owe 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.”

“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—besides devastating his mental health for a long time—he 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—the 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.

15

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 on 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.”

“I think Andrew is just that good. He’s been sharpening his skills for quite some time working—” 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. “—on 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—”

“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 about 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.

16

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. 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’s 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 a 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 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 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 had 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’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.

17

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 toward 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—a 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 harder, 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.

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. Really, 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—push 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’—the first ever Summoned he fought—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.

18

MOUTHFUL OF BRINE

Aspeedy 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—or 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.

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—or 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.”

19

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 him for them, the easier his life would be. Meatball ensured he took breaks to occasionally throw her—which 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

Reinforce: Iron 0

Regenerate: Iron 0

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:

Keen Eye for Vulnerability: No matter how durable or armored a foe is, it almost always has a vulnerable point worth exploiting. Your ability to identify an opponent's weak points increases with Finesse. You also gain the ability to judge which weak points are the most vulnerable and how to exploit them best. Successfully breaking through one has a greater chance of disrupting one's focus and psychic integrity.

My Body Is My Domain: None but the invited may enter your domain. Your resistance to harmful substances and presences significantly increases with Might. Alien magic also struggles to survive in your body, losing potency. Their chances and rates of success are significantly reduced. The trait only provides resistance to physical injury. Psychic and soul attacks will remain unaffected.

Shaper’s Focus: Your mental threshold strains are significantly reduced when using spells that manipulate or shape the raw energies connected to your ability. External stimuli struggle to break your concentration and focus during the act as well. Your focus and resistance scale with Mind.

Primal Origins: Only a few learn to tap into energies from the Beginning, and even fewer don’t automatically turn to magic to manipulate and bend it to their will. You have felt the primal forces that flow through all and have welcomed them into your body. Instead of forcing it into your control, you guide it and seek to become one with the origin of all. The origin wants to connect with you, too, but first, you must give up all possibilities and potential of using magic.

Your connection and mastery of internal energies grow with Spark.

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.

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.

Might: Iron 4

Finesse: Bronze 0

Mind: Iron 0

Spark: Bronze 0

Brutal Battery: Iron 4

Absorb: Iron 4

Expend: Iron 4

Toggled Supercharging: Mortal 9

Energy Instinct: Iron 1

Feats:

Haunting Visage

Armsmaster’s Disappointment

Through Sheer Grit

The Power of Belief

Restless in Body and Mind

Primal Origins

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 was 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—mostly arena fighters—often 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 tree bark but had the smoothness, color, and luster of polished mahogany. The metallic spikes covering her were just as magnificent.

Ironroot Whelp: Iron 5

Reinforce: Iron 1

Regenerate: Iron 1

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 her 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.

20

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 manners of danger 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—given 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 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 had 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—” 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 all right.” 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—which shouldn’t take long—we 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.”

“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—”

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 to 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 Iron 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—”

“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.

21

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—he barely knew her. However, her history with Symbiotech made her as determined to see them burn as him; 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—a perfect complement 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—”

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.

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 toward 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—almost 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 he 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 all right. 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:

Armsmaster’s Disappointment

Through Sheer Grit

The Power of Belief

Primal Origins

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.

22

A JOB WELL DONE

You have earned 6 Schema Tokens!

You have earned 1,000 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—just 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’s 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’s 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.

Pietro the Frost Emperor

Natasha “Airlock” Patel

Klocky Kennit, God of Time

Jaqueline the Shredder

Alex “Furball” Maher

Omar “Djinn” Fahid

Shervon Gray

Rewards: 5 Schema Tokens and 1,000 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?”

“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 her 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—whatever 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’s 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’s 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 right 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.

23

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. Once darkness came, his guard duty began. So far, he had faced nothing but Cursed Ones, no stronger than the entity 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. Soulsmith 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—which Samara called an artificing ability—gave 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.”

“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—a smaller contingent of guards and a Summoned knight from an alien Earth—descended 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—Primal 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—”

“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.

Might: Mortal 3 | Potential: Bronze

Finesse: Mortal 6 | Potential: Gold

Mind: Mortal 9 | Potential: Platinum

Spark: Mortal 5 | Potential: Silver

Soul Tinker: Mortal 4

Aether Manipulation: Mortal 5

Arcane Tinkering: 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 planet 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 discernible 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.

24

A SOULSMITH’S 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 acquisition, 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, Andrew 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-range 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 Andrew 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—first, 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 soulsmith 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 offense 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?”

The soulsmith 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—only 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 enveloped 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—”

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—”

“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.

25

SHIFTING SOUL

“Do you even know where you’re going?” Andrew asked, panting as he followed Nil down the caverns. They spiraled and zigzagged, heading deeper underground. Stairs occasionally made the descent easier, but in most instances, it was gray 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 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 toward 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, looking 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.

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 said. 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 shrank 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 toward 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 white 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.

26

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-a-half times the thickness and length of his own. It covered the elbows too and jutted outward at the elbow, tapering to a sharp point that lay flat against his triceps 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 burned, 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 opponents 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 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.

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 them 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 alert 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—almost daily attacks—but 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. When he finally checked his interface, the changes surprised and pleased him.

Toggled Supercharging has progressed to Iron 0!

The base energy cost per second is reduced by twenty percent.

Might: Iron 5

Finesse: Bronze 0

Mind: Iron 0

Spark: Bronze 1

Brutal Battery: Iron 4

Absorb: Iron 4

Expend: Iron 5

Toggled Supercharging: Iron 0

Energy Instinct: Iron 2

Feats:

Armsmaster’s Disappointment

Through Sheer Grit

The Power of Belief

Primal Origins

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

Wield the Source: Iron 0

Shape and Manipulate the source and convert stored energy into forms to suit your needs.

Galvanized: Iron 0

The energy emitted through the gauntlets will never hurt the wielder. Enemy energy attacks also suffer from breaking through their defenses.

Ironroot Whelp: Iron 6

Reinforce: Iron 2

Regenerate: Iron 3

The quest, and especially the last battle, had won him a good deal of strength. Even though the Nexus’s latest Earth-side quest displeased Nil, and he still had no intention of throwing his life away in the 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.

27

QUEST’S END

“Iwas 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 soulsmith 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—” He struggled to find the appropriate word. “—wild.”

“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—” She grinned, glancing at Nil. “Assuming he doesn’t get sick of you and allows it, of course.”

“A free soulsmith 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.”

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 that 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 grass-covered courtyard, as requested. It's just dirt for now. You can plant things in it or let Meatball—horrible name, by the way—do 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 to 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—dead 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 soulsmith 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.

28

HOMECOMING

Nexus’s 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-story 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 sank 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—”

“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?”

“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. “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 are 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 tiptoes, 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—not that there were enough staff or residents to book them out.

The Nexus’s 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 coherent 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’s 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.

29

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 soulsmith? 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 it 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 or 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.

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 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 Brutal 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 toward 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—” Adam mimed quotation marks. “—his 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 poor 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—” 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 A5 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.” Nil 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.

30

GLADIATORIAL 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—”

“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 soulsmith that can help form it and then develop it.”

“Good thing the ludus will soon house a soulsmith 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 soulsmith 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 behind 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.”

“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 regimen.”

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 as 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—Expand and Toggled Supercharging combined—did 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 upper hand. 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 Gauntlets’ 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 Gauntlets’ 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.”

31

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 all right.” 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 Bronze. 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 experiments 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.”

“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 Garuda 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—”

“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 in 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 arrived 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.

Might: Iron 6

Finesse: Bronze 0

Mind: Iron 0

Spark: Bronze 1

Brutal Battery: Iron 4

Absorb: Iron 4

Expend: Iron 5

Toggled Supercharging: Iron 1

Energy Instinct: Iron 3

Source Gauntlets: Iron 1

Wield the Source: Iron 2

Galvanized: Iron 1

Ironroot Whelp: Iron 6

Reinforce: Iron 2

Regenerate: Iron 4

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 others 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 narrowed down exceptions. Punching daggers, katars, and knuckledusters didn’t grossly affect his motor skills. Noah Granger carved a custom practice 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. It’s 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 offense.”

“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, it’s important you know that I consider pain an important and vital teacher.” Noah grabbed a practice 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.

32

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 practice 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 lets 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, all right?” 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.

“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 out 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 on 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.

33

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 toward 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—generally a limb—in 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 Credits 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 captives 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.”

“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—”

“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 turn to the Death Gauntlet for ascension. Pietro had suggested he would be the barrier-maker’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—wearing a crimson breastplate, a white cape, and a furry silver collar—but 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—likely 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 zigzagged 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 gray.

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 gray 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 and her friends on an intimate level 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 gray 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.

34

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 ribeye 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—”

“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—”

“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?”

“I always keep the extra in buttered 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—”

“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—” she paused, glancing at the people at the neighboring table. They also ate in silence but appeared more drowsy than morose. “—her 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.

Pietro the Frost Emperor

Natasha “Airlock” Patel

Klocky Kennit, God of Time

Jaqueline the Shredder

Alex “Furball” Maher

Omar “Djinn” Fahid

Shervon Gray

Rewards: 5 Schema Tokens and 1,000 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 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 afterward. 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 the 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 if 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 him more easily, bending 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 a new 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.

35

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 meal, 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!

Galvanized 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.

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 challenged 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. She 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 needed to reset his body clock. Therefore, he pushed himself while watching his future opponents’ match recordings.

36

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 upper hand.”

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 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.

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 Omar “Djinn” Fahid. Nil felt 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 him match videos but also the man’s interviews on Earth. Kennit was a short and skinny man with strong Greek features and 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 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.”

The 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 the Mortal Kombat movie 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.

37

DEATH GAUNTLET

Atorrential 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 gray 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 outward, 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 inside.

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 backward. 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.

38

BITTERSWEET VICTORY

You have received 5 Schema Tokens and 1,000 Schema Credits for your victory.

Victory against a combatant with seventeen Gauntlet of Ten and four Death Gauntlet wins and destroying the Cursed One have 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 greatly benefit 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 1,000 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 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 toward 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 era. Crumbling factories and abandoned carriages lined the streets. 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.

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 upward, 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 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—”

“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 tiptoes 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 eyes just 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.

39

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-sister 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 their 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 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 her 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.

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 two 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.”

40

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—”

“It’s Cara—” She paused for a couple of seconds. “—Sue. 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—” Cara sighed. “Never mind. 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 light 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.

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 never-ending 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.

41

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.

Might: Iron 7

Finesse: Bronze 2

Mind: Iron 2

Spark: Bronze 7

Brutal Battery: Iron 6

Absorb: Iron 6

Expend: Iron 6

Toggled Supercharging: Iron 3

Energy Instinct: Iron 3

Source Gauntlets: Iron 3

Wield the Source: Iron 3

Galvanized: Iron 3

Ironroot Whelp: Iron 8

Reinforce: Iron 4

Regenerate: 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 onward, 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.

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—”

“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. All right?”

“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 distant.” 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, all right? 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’d 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.

42

EMERGENCY QUEST

Adull 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—”

“Fine.” She groaned, throwing the cover off herself. “You’ll⁠—”

“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.

Nil and Selia took turns relieving themselves, brushing their teeth, and putting on comfortable sportswear. 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 gray 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 gray, 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-gray 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 by his failure and the injury, but by 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 gray. 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 up is restricting them as well. Merchant’s 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.”

43

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—”

“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.”

“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 defenses 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 gray 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 Merchant’s 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 inside suggesting he stop lost their 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 Vitae 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.

44

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—”

“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 down however many he could with martial ability alone while Selia suffocated the rest by trapping their heads.

The pair faced their first challenge when they encountered a sharp cliff. It was smooth and curved inward, 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 too wide a 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 lifted her onto his shoulder, 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 which 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. “They haven’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.”

45

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 if 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 forces’ 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.”

“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—he couldn’t tell the difference anymore—commanding 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 pointed 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 toward the cave mouth, pouring as much as he could into the Expend empowerment. It wasn’t enough. Escape was still a dozen or so meters 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 to 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 realized 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 higher up. 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 standard armor 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 hands. “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.

46

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 that 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—Nil, 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.

“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 deaths 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—”

“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 stated. “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 your priority. 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 all right. 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 all right?”

“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.”

47

SPENDING SPREE

The meeting lasted for just over an hour, and then Layla excused the Death Gauntlet Team—Nil 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. “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.

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—whatever 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—”

“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 grasp 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—”

“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.

48

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 gray. 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?”

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—or whatever Watcher was—had 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 was 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, 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.”

49

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 frost 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 knocked the air out of his lungs and threw 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 practice, 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.

“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.

50

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 zigzag 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.

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 cords went wrapped around it and extended down toward his trapped, upside-down adversary. He lifted Shawn until they were eye to eye. “You fucking⁠—”

“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.

51

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—he 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. Instead, 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 had 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 on 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.

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—including Alex “Furball” Maher—the 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 are 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—”

“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.

52

PRE-MATCH 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 kidnaps her 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 all right. Just remember we’re all on the same team.” Susan patted Shawn’s shoulder. “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 jackshit 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.”

“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—”

“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 match, but I’ll be cheering you on this time around. Come back alive, all right? 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 I 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—”

“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. “All right?”

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 glean 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 explained. “You have nothing to shape or manipulate without emitting it first—unless 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—which are basic emissions—need 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 zigzag 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.

53

NIL VS SHREDDER

“It’s a good day to die, but an even better one 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 movie 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—which he was sure she had—she 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 gray 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 Finesse, 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.

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 tall or 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. “All right?”

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 started 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 fingers. 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.

54

CLOSEST OF CLOSE CALLS

Askinny, 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 that 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 roller-skating movements, she fell into a surfing stance, and large sawblades manifested, spinning a couple of inches over her forearms, covering her hands 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 melee blades 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.

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—the one that had struck Nil—flickered. 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 wake.

Jaqueline the Shredder’s elegant, manicured hands lay at Nil’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!

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 1,000 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 1,000 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.

55

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 I can’t guarantee 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—”

“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,” she said to Nil. “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 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.

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.”

56

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 agonizingly 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.

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 a year 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 practice.”

“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.”

“It’s—” 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—” Nil paused, carefully picking his words. “—are 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 spoiled now, and nothing except your masterful culinary creations meet the mark.”

57

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 all right 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—or 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 spots 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.”

“Are you mad? Source weapons and Expand blasts would’ve sorted him out—” Selia snapped her fingers. “—like 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—”

“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 are just stealthier than those 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—”

“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 washed 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 also a 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.”

58

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 he 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 a forge 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 arms race, which caused the downfall of Seed Worlds 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—which Andrew took a lot of pride in being one such talent—the 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 a 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.”

“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 a 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 load 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—”

“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—”

“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 that is all that 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 twofold. 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 last 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—if not multiverse-altering—futures. 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.

59

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 blade 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 had 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—especially 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.

When the party of eight arrived for dinner at Misdirection—Nil’s former workplace—a 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 out, 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 buttload of points.”

“There’s the Cleansing,” Susan said. “You lot could try for that. It’s hard, but the top teams get a shitload 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 hundred and 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 construct’s 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—”

“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.”

60

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 among 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—”

“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 that 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—”

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—”

“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.”

“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—” 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 all right. 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—the people behind Symbiotech or Pietro and the remaining corrupted soul weapon wielders—had 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—”

“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. All right? I just became a Summoned. We got a lot⁠—”

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—”

“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?” Shawn sounded worried 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 to 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 inward. I don’t know if it will help at all.”

His barriers were so gray 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.

61

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—”

“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?!” Nil 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 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.”

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 that 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—”

“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.”

62

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—whatever that means—and 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—”

“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?”

“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 minors, 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 gray 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’ defense. 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 I 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.”

63

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—or 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 socializing 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 had 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.

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 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 appear 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—more like 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—” 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—”

“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.”

64

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 remains. 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.

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 gray 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 axehead 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 enough 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.

65

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 destroyed 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 Beasts, 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 shitload 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.

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 Gauntlets 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 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 willing 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—”

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 scarabs 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 gray 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—”

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 the 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.

66

DEATH GAUNTLET QUEST COMPLETE

You have received 1 Bronze Ascension Token, 10 Schema Tokens, and 2,000 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 1,000 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 to 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. All right?”

“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—”

“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.”

“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-range 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—”

“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 breath 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 again.

67

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 since 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 evening 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.

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 along with increasing his speed.

“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 no 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.

68

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 the Cleansing 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.

“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 a 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 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 my 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 working 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.

69

EPILOGUE

When Nil read the name “Ashe Fall,” he expected a volcanic planet where soot and gray 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—or countless ornate lanterns the size of garbage trucks—made 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 gray-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.”

“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—a cross between a submarine and a spaceship made out of a living tree—was 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—or fruit—above their heads 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 all right. 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.

Apocalypse Arena will continue in Book Three: Bronze Gauntlet!

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