Adam snapped his eyes open, jerking upright. Instantly, his body protested, and he clutched his stomach.

  My body feels like crap… I underestimated those chains.

  He looked around. The room was unfamiliar—sterile, featureless, devoid of windows or doors. Across from him, Guo Huan leaned lazily against the wall, fiddling with a spherical object no larger than a lime, seemingly unconcerned with Adam’s groaning.

  After a moment, Adam hissed through gritted teeth. “Why didn’t you stop the match earlier?” he demanded. “That wasn’t what we agreed on. How do you expect me to defeat a Domain user while I’m restricted to a single ability?”

  Guo Huan tilted his head, smiling. “You’ve finally come to your senses,” he said. “I got a little… excited.”

  Adam’s jaw tightened. “Don’t give me that crap—" he groaned again, clutching his ribs. “Tell me who you are, and how you know about me.”

  Guo Huan chuckled, slipping the crystal into his pocket before crossing his arms. “The less you know about me, the better for you. We don’t have much time. Let’s not waste it on trivialities, okay?”

  Adam narrowed his eyes, studying him. Where does Vicar even find these guys? Is Varidan lax… or has Vicar’s reach simply become too extensive?

  He pressed on. “Why did you ask me to provoke that guy?”

  “I needed confirmation,” Guo Huan replied simply. “Don’t ask why. But take solace—you didn’t disappoint me. Next question?”

  Adam scowled. The instructor’s evasiveness irritated him, but he moved on. “Why was the mission schedule brought forward? Wasn’t it supposed to—”

  “The timeline has changed,” Guo Huan interrupted. “Recent developments with Edril’s Elixir have altered the timeline. You—know who—is preparing, and you must be a part of it.”

  He pushed off the wall, stepping closer. “In a few days, when you’re officially an A-rank, you’ll be required to accept the mission specified in the file before proceeding to the farmhouse.”

  Adam clicked his tongue. “That can’t be the only reason the timeline was moved forward.”

  Guo Huan paused, briefly turning away. “I’m not supposed to tell you… but…”

  “But what?” Adam pressed, suspicion sharpening his tone.

  “There’s someone—don’t ask who—searching for you. You cannot meet them yet. If you do, it will end in your death.”

  Adam’s brow furrowed. “If there’s a madman out there, isn’t Varidan the safest place?”

  Guo Huan shook his head with a faint chuckle. “If you knew who was after you, you’d understand how nonsensical that is. Hiding in Varidan Towers won’t make a difference. Wherever you are, if they find you, a bloodbath will follow. Our priority is to avoid unnecessary conflicts and meaningless sacrifices.”

  He fixed Adam with a steely gaze. “There are too many of us operating in Varidan territory. An open assault would compromise identities we cannot afford to reveal.”

  A thought struck Adam. “Wait… the person hunting me is from—”

  “Shush.” Guo Huan appeared instantly in front of him, index finger pressed to his lips, hands tracing a series of arcane gestures. A thick barrier enveloped Adam, merging seamlessly with the surroundings, concealing him from any prying senses.

  A portal tore open. Elder Solomon stepped through, his eyes scanning the empty room until resting on the instructor, who immediately bowed.

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  “Greetings, Elder. Why have you come here?”

  Solomon’s gaze flicked toward the wall behind, before narrowing. “You exited training area C-23 a few minutes ago, despite several students suffering abnormal bleeding. Explain. Why did you leave?”

  The instructor trembled, falling to his knees. “Forgive me, Elder. A student recently passed the reappraisal and was assigned to my class. Although their promotion is not yet official, I conducted a sparring match to assess their abilities. An unexpected incident occurred mid-bout. I wished to avoid exposing my students to my weakened state before sending a detailed report.” His hand pressed over his chest.

  Solomon approached the opposite wall at a measured pace. He stopped, touching the concrete lightly. A distinct chill coursed through the tip of his fingers. “Finish your report,” he continued, “state your name.”

  “Guo Huan, sir,” the instructor replied.

  “Guo Huan?” the elder murmured, as though committing the name to memory. “What rank are you?”

  Before Guo Huan could answer, Solomon continued, his voice low and measured. “You do not carry the aura of an S-rank, nor the authority of a Blessed. I expect a satisfactory answer.”

  Guo Huan swallowed, his composure under pressure showing only in the slight rigidity of his posture.

  “Elder, I don’t know what to say.” Guo Huan’s words stumbled out, deliberate and measured. “I’ve surpassed the strength of the typical S-rank, but reaching the heights of Blessed… that remains beyond me until I fulfill the requirements of—he who bestowed his Blessing upon me.”

  “Hmm… I see.”

  Solomon stroked his silvered beard, each movement precise. “Good luck with your trial. Succeed, and you’ll earn qualification to become an Elder.”

  “Thank you, Elder. I will do my best.”

  “Where is that student now?”

  “He’s in my office, sir,” Guo Huan replied. “Unconscious. His opponent employed a Domain Manifestation on him. I can take—”

  “That won’t be necessary. Finish your report.” The Elder’s words cut through the room like steel. A portal shimmered into existence before the hunching figure, and he vanished without another glance.

  Guo Huan exhaled slowly once the room was empty, a faint chuckle escaping him. His gaze lingered on the wall the Elder had touched. Two measured taps of his left leg against the floor sent concentric ripples across the surface. From the undulations, Adam’s body emerged, gently resting on the stone before the floor settled back into stillness.

  “Who are you?” Adam’s voice cracked as he pushed himself up, disbelief sharpening his tone.

  Air. That was all he had felt. Shapeless, formless, swaying at the will of nature itself as the barrier cocooned him. His body had twisted, bent, and merged seamlessly with the floor—imperceptible even to the Elder.

  “You’re not a broken record, stop repeating the same question,” Guo Huan said. “I’ll have to send you back now. Remember what we discussed. Goodbye, Adam.”

  A portal ignited beneath him. The stone hummed, light flaring. Before Adam could protest, he vanished.

  Guo Huan retrieved a small crystal from his pocket, pressing his thumb against its smooth surface. The crystal pulsed, translucent glass rippling into deep violet as a faint static hiss filled the room.

  A voice cut through the interference. “Tesan, why contact me outside the scheduled time?”

  “Good day, Miss,” he said with a dry smile. “You’ll never guess who I just met.”

  “I’m not in the mood for this. I’ve been fending off the Disciples of Eben for days. I won’t speak unless it’s important,” Adelaide’s voice carried the howl of wind and distant thunder.

  “Yikes.” He coughed lightly. “They can be persistent. Good luck with them.” Tesan’s grin twisted briefly, amusement flickering across his eyes. “I met our golden boy. I’m currently in Varidan—”

  “Are you out of your mind?!” Adelaide snapped, cutting him off. “Why risk it? Do you intend to alert Varidan Towers to our activities? Didn’t—”

  “I was careful. I only wanted to see what makes him special,” he interrupted, tone even. “I haven’t messed anything up. I’m done here.”

  A silence stretched, broken only by the faint crackle in the crystal.

  “I’ll contact you when the mission is complete. Good luck with those pesky roaches.”

  “The mission has been cancelled!”

  Tesan didn’t answer.

  “Tesan, don’t you dare hang up on—” Adelaide’s protest died mid-sentence as he lifted his thumb from the crystal.

  “She’s going to…” He shook his head. “Luckily I won’t have to deal with her in person anytime soon.”

  A yawn escaped him. He stretched deliberately, his movements slow and languid. “Time to leave this place.”

  Another portal bloomed in the air. He stepped through and vanished.

  Moments later, a portal reopened. Elder Solomon’s hunched frame appeared, his eyes sweeping the empty room before resting on the wall he had touched earlier. A blue hexagonal mark flared to life, projecting a recording of Tesan—known to them as Guo Huan—speaking into the crystal.

  “Guo Huan, unknown incident report, case 045. The—”

  Solomon watched the projection until its conclusion. The mark faded, leaving the wall seamless once more.

  “So, he came here solely for his report… hmm.” Solomon’s fingers brushed his beard thoughtfully. A faint hum of contemplation passed through him before he stepped into another portal and vanished.