The city of Citadel J stirred beneath a pale morning haze.
Glass towers shimmered as mist drifted through the streets, their neon veins pulsing awake. The hub — Citadel J's heart and sanctuary — rose at the center like a monument of steel and circuitry. Adventurers moved in waves, trading credits, weapons, and rumors that carried the metallic scent of danger.
Raiden stepped through the hub's sliding gates, his cloak still heavy with rain from the forest outskirts. He ignored the crowd's noise, the laughter, and the constant hum of machines. His expression stayed unreadable, but his presence drew quiet glances — something in his aura felt heavier now, sharper, refined like a blade honed one edge too far.
"Raiden!"
The familiar voice turned his head. Alya waved from a mission terminal, her crimson hair tied back and a half-smile on her lips.
"You made it back early," she said, scanning him.
Raiden nodded. "Couldn't stay out there. The forest's done — corruption's dead."
Alya tilted her head, studying him more closely. "You look different though. Taller… maybe leaner?"
He shrugged. "Probably just the lighting."
But even he felt it — that subtle shift. His steps no longer carried strain, and every motion flowed with effortless precision. When he breathed, the air trembled faintly, carrying a static whisper that only he could hear.
He approached the counter and dropped a small data crystal on the table.
"Mission log. Forest anomaly neutralized. Brood Mother eliminated."
The attendant scanned the file, eyes widening. "Rank-B anomaly core? You handled that alone?"
Raiden gave no answer. The man swallowed hard, completing the process in silence.
"Reward transferred. Thirty-two thousand credits. You're also awarded hub merit bonus."
---
[SYSTEM LOG UPDATED]
> Quest: Forest of Black Halo — COMPLETED
EXP + 1800
Credits + 32,000
Hub Reputation + 10
---
Raiden exhaled slowly, feeling the faint pulse of the system at the edge of his awareness. It was quieter now — its usual crisp tone had dimmed, almost as if it were watching rather than speaking.
He summoned the interface.
---
[SYSTEM STATUS]
> Name: Raiden Ignatius
Level: 10
Race: Unknown (In Transition)
HP: 1300 / 1300
MC (MutantsCell): 1020 / 1020
Strength: 42
Agility: 47
Endurance: 41
Perception: 39
Stamina: 44
Unassigned Points: 12
> Skills:
– Lightning Slash (Advanced)
– Flow Step (Intermediate)
– Predator's Instinct (Passive)
– Storm Reflex (Passive)
> System Note:
Evolution in Progress — Biological Stabilization 72%
Level Progression Locked until Full Integration
---
"Everything okay?" Alya's voice cut through the faint electric hum.
Raiden blinked the interface away. "Yeah. Just… adapting."
"Adapting how?" she asked, half-teasing, half-concerned.
He considered answering — telling her about the agony of bone fracture and reformation, the crackling fire that had crawled under his skin — but instead said, "Guess I'm getting used to the grind."
She rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Just don't burn yourself out again. Even the toughest need rest."
Raiden smirked faintly. "Resting's never really been my strength."
They moved to a quieter section of the hub, trading reports and scanning mission data. The atmosphere buzzed with whispers — new corruption clusters, strange disappearances near the southern districts, rumors that the Black Halo's hand reached further than anyone wanted to admit.
Before leaving, Raiden stopped by the merchant bay. He purchased a few things —
• a reinforced med-kit,
• a mana stabilizer,
• and a sheath of obsidian fiber for Stormrend
Alya caught up as he tightened the strap across his back.
"So, what now?"
"Training," he said. "Need to get full control over Flow Step."
"Training? You just got back."
Raiden's grin was small, almost hidden. "Better than getting rusty."
She sighed, giving up with a faint smile. "Fine, but no blowing up another training field. The repair costs were insane."
As he stepped toward the exit, Raiden's reflection glanced back from the glass doors. His eyes — briefly glowing gold — dimmed to storm-gray again.
"…Right," he muttered and disappeared into the drizzle.
---
That night, Citadel J slept beneath a soft rumble of thunder.
Far above, lightning flickered across the clouds — not as a thr
eat, but as a heartbeat.
And deep within Raiden's core, the phoenix stirred again… no longer dormant, but watching.