"So… once we get this thing—" I lifted my wrist, showing the black band "—what happens? We turn into poster celebrities? Go demon-hunting? Or is there, like… a tutorial?"
The girl beside me glanced over, almost laughing before her mouth could decide.
Ugly… stuck-up…
"You activated Guide Mode?"
But her voice—God, that voice—pulled me right out of my irritation.
"Guide what?" I asked, frowning like she'd just invited me to a birthday mass.
Was this one of those 'didn't read the manual?' moments?
"The Guide. From the System. That basic thing that tells you where to go, what to do, and how not to die in the first three minutes."
"Oh." I gave a half-smile. "Thought that kind of thing came with instructions."
She crossed her arms, leaning her hip against the frosted-glass divider that separated the lobby from the registration area.
"It does. But you have to ask for it. The System doesn't force anything. It assumes an Ascended wants to figure things out on their own."
I rolled my eyes.
"Classic 'you're on your own, loser.'"
"It's almost that," she laughed, then added, "But there's a stigma, you know?"
"Stigma?"
"Some people refuse to use the Guide. They think it takes away from the glory. Like getting instructions is 'cheating.'"
"Oh, I get it… the good old 'too tough to need help' routine."
Her laugh this time was light, genuine.
Yeah, making girls laugh is my specialty… not that I get many chances, but when I do, it works.
"You've got a knack for this."
"For sarcasm?"
"For surviving."
I went quiet for a moment. She was looking at me with those gold eyes and, for a second, I considered keeping the joke going just to hold the moment.
But the truth was too heavy in my gut.
"Hana…" I lowered my voice. "I have no idea what I'm doing. Honestly."
She shrugged.
"Most don't. At least you asked."
"Guess having a mouth gets you to Rome, huh?"
She arched an eyebrow.
"And having a brain gets you to turn on Guide Mode."
I sighed, glancing around. The Agency lobby was built to impress—high ceilings with mechanical stained glass where light filtered through rotating gears; banners of famous Ascended armed to the teeth, glaring down like war saints; floating holograms showing stats, dungeons, prizes…
It was like a temple, a stadium, and a tech expo all rolled into one.
And there I was, standing in the middle of it in soot-stained clothes.
Some people had been eyeing me since I walked in.
One guy even smirked as I passed.
I gave him my best 'shove it up your ass' smile—gotta keep things polite.
"Alright…" I muttered, swallowing my pride. "System. Activate Guide Mode."
The response came instantly, like it had been listening the whole time.
Yeah… forgot I could've just done it mentally. The idea of something digging through my thoughts still makes me twitch.
[Guide Mode Activated.]
Welcome, Ascended 0472. You have completed initial registration and received your official ID. From this point, your decisions will be monitored and evaluated. Your evolution depends on merit, action, and Essence.
Next available steps:
Training Agency — Physical and endurance assessment, unlocking of basic equipment.
Would you like a more detailed explanation?
Yes / No
"Yes," I said aloud.
Initiating orientation…
Loading…
"Hey," Hana tilted her head, "first time I've heard someone say that out loud."
"Sorry. Forgot I'm… surrounded by people… hundreds of them."
I looked around. Two tables ahead, a group of uniformed C-Ranks were whispering and laughing in my direction.
One even mocked my voice under his breath, like activating the Guide was comedy gold.
Didn't used to bother me.
But now… maybe because I actually wanted to look like I knew what I was doing.
Trash.
"Relax," Hana said, patting my shoulder. "It's nice seeing someone not pretending they were born ready."
"Yeah… definitely not born ready," I half-smiled. "Any of these tests involve being roasted alive?"
"Only the Essence one. But don't worry—no one usually dies in the first week."
"'Usually' is a useless word in that sentence, Hana."
She laughed again, but something in her eyes… like a weight that wasn't just mine.
"Show me where this training thing starts?" I slipped back into my cocky tone. "Promise I won't trip over my own guts."
She winked.
"Alright. I'll take you."
We walked down a wide corridor, polished metal flooring on both sides lined with glass displays of gear—energy-charged swords, plasma rifles, modular armor…
Stuff I'd only seen on posters.
Each piece tagged with an Essence credit price that would take me ten lifetimes in the furnaces to afford.
We reached a staircase where two tall steel gates slid open with a deep hydraulic hiss.
Sensors caught my wristband and unlocked the way.
Inside, the Agency looked like another world:
Indoor running tracks with holograms adjusting gravity.
Glass-walled rooms where groups practiced martial arts under A-Rank instructors.
Closed simulation pods projecting demon battles way too realistic for my taste.
Meditation areas, silent, the air thick with Essence.
The System chimed in again, voice as neutral as a hotel clerk who couldn't care less about the guest:
Objective: Complete physical and endurance assessment.
Note: Performance will determine access to basic gear and initial C-Rank field missions.
Suggestion: Train physical aptitude before engaging in real combat.
Warning: Premature death reduces Essence potential.
"Premature death…" I muttered. "Great incentive."
Do they have checkpoints?
Hana smiled.
"Don't mind it. The System's always like that… blunt and dramatic."
I kept walking, but I could feel the wristband tighten on my arm—
like it was reminding me there was no turning back.
The Halo stuck to my head wasn't just a key.
It was a shackle.
A destiny.
A question waiting for an answer.
And mine started now.