Amid the low hum of conversation and clinking cutlery, Nova and Erevan made casual small talk as they enjoyed their meal. An hour passed in the warm haze of good food and easy company before Nova leaned back, patted his full belly, and rose from his seat, a look of satisfaction on his face.

He tossed ten gold coins onto the table with a casual flick of the wrist. "Here. This one's on me."

Erevan blinked, surprised. "Are you sure?"

They had spent the last hour chatting mostly about food—pleasant but superficial. They weren't exactly close.

Nova just nodded, already turning away. With a dismissive wave, he headed for the exit.

"If we meet again, it'll be my treat, then," Erevan called out.

The words stopped Nova mid-step. He glanced over his shoulder with a smile.

"Then you'd better make sure I can find you."

With that, he left the restaurant, disappearing in the crowd outside.

Still staring at the door through which Nova had gone, Erevan let out a soft chuckle and muttered to himself, "What an interesting guy."

No sooner had Nova stepped out of the restaurant than the Distance Token in his pocket began to vibrate. He pulled it out with practiced ease.

"What is it?" he asked calmly.

Elric's voice came through. "Boss, Alaric's back. He has some important information."

Though he used the word important, Alaric had already clarified to Elric it wasn't anything dangerous—at least, not yet.

"On my way."

Nova slipped the token back into his pocket and took off at a sprint, heading straight for HQ.

—

Meanwhile, across the city of Quarath, Sophia sat down across from a woman with snow-white hair, dressed head to toe in white. Hannah, one of the eight Leaders, just like Sophia, stared at her.

"I need your help," Sophia said, lifting a drink to her lips.

"With?" Asked Hannah.

Sophia set her glass down gently. Her voice was calm, almost casual. "Something's come up. I need to kill at least two people."

Hannah raised an eyebrow. "Do you not know my role? Coming here and asking me to kill people is foolish. You should've gone to either Colin or Ren."

She began to rise, but Sophia reached out and gripped her arm.

"You know I can't go to Ren," Sophia scoffed. "He might help them kill me. And Colin? I can't read him. You're my best option."

With a slight pull, Hannah freed her arm and turned to face her. Her voice was cool, composed. "And what exactly do you want from me?"

Sophia smiled. The fact that Hannah was still engaging meant she hadn't dismissed the idea completely.

"Do what you're best at," Sophia said smoothly. "Form a plan to eliminate them. Quietly. Then inform both Ren and Colin that there's a threat to our operation. Make it look like you're just doing your job."

Hannah narrowed her eyes, studying her. "So you don't want to face them yourself, but you want me to plant the seed and handle the risk. Clever."

Her gaze lingered for a few seconds more before she leaned back slightly.

"Fine. I'll do it. Now tell me everything—no half-truths."

Sophia launched into a detailed account of what had unfolded earlier that day—how Alaric and Thomas matched her in strength, and how five others had been present, their strength unknown.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

By the time she finished, Hannah understood why Sophia couldn't handle this alone. But with a calmer, more analytical mind, she picked up on something Sophia had missed.

If those people had truly wanted Sophia dead… she wouldn't be standing here now.

That fact revealed something important: they didn't see her as a serious threat. Not yet.

Hannah gave a slow, solemn nod. "I understand. I'll come to you when I'm ready."

She rose from her seat and moved toward the door.

Sophia, unable to hide the excitement in her voice, called out just loud enough for Hannah to hear, "Thank you, Hannah. I owe one you for this."

Hannah didn't stop or turn around—but the slight pause in her step said she'd heard every word.

Back at HQ, Nova and Alaric stood alone on the rooftop.

Nova's expression was thoughtful, his gaze distant as he mentally went over Alaric's report.

'So it's confirmed… There are other groups out there as strong as we are. And their goal, if that woman was telling the truth, is to seize as much of Earth as they can.'

He tossed a Distance Token to Alaric. "Unlock another Node. Then return to Jack's group and report any changes immediately."

Alaric caught the token and gave a curt nod. "Understood, Boss." With that, he turned and slipped away, leaving Nova alone.

He stretched, exhaling slowly.

'That was my break. Time to get back to work.'

Crossing the rooftop, he approached the array he had etched days earlier during the storm. He sat down, letting mana flow into him like a slow-burning current. From his Inventory, he retrieved the Array Basics booklet and flipped it open, eyes scanning the pages with renewed focus.

Time passed. A week later…

'I can't believe how much harder a Rank 2 array is compared to a Rank 1,' Nova thought, setting the booklet aside with a quiet sigh.

"I have enough mana to reform another Node," he muttered. "The question is... which one?"

He closed his eyes and mentally reviewed the seven remaining Nodes:

'Pulse, Voice, Manipulation, Stance, Vital Organs, Power, Perception.' These were the Nodes Nova still needed to unlock. But which one was the best choice right now?

He lowered his head, lost in thought.

Each Node had its unique purpose. Some boosted raw Stats, while others enhanced a person's control over mana—both within themselves and in the world around them. The Voice Node, for example, allowed its user to command surrounding mana with nothing more than spoken words.

Nova lowered his head in thought, weighing options carefully.

'What's the smartest move right now? What fits my current needs…'

'I can rule out Manipulation, Stance, and Vital Organs right away,' Nova thought. 'I don't need Strength, Speed, Dexterity, or Vigor—not urgently, at least.'

'Pulse and Voice are tempting. Both powerful… but if I wait another month, I'll have enough mana to reform them together.'

His thoughts lingered on the Voice Node—a particularly enticing one.

'Controlling mana with nothing but spoken commands… like commanding an army of invisible soldiers. If Jack's group hadn't antagonized that other faction, I might've had the luxury to experiment with it.'

He let out a quiet sigh. "That leaves the Perception Node."

He muttered to himself. "Enhances Wisdom and Intelligence. Grants the ability to see through illusions. But more importantly—boosts attunement to the world."

'With increased attunement, I'll be able to study arrays much faster.'

He gave a single nod, eyes sharpening with resolve. No hesitation.

Taking a deep breath, he focused inward—then directed the flow of Mana from his Core to his forehead, just above the brow where the Perception Node lay dormant.

[Mana Core (Low) -1]

[Perception Node 1/5,000,000]

[Mana Core (Low) -1]

[Perception Node 2/5,000,000]

[Mana Core (Low) -1]

[Perception Node 3/5,000,000]

'Melt it and forge a new one.'

The mantra echoed in Nova's mind, over and over, steady and relentless. He clung to it like a lifeline as he poured an unrelenting stream of Mana into his forehead.

The pressure built quickly. A sharp, splitting headache surged through his skull, forcing a low groan from his lips—cut short as he pressed them into a tight, silent line.

The Mana surged faster, heavier, as he pushed past his limit. The dormant Node began to dissolve, slowly, agonizingly—like metal softening under white-hot flame.

His hands clenched on his knees, fingers digging deep into flesh. Blood welled beneath his nails, trailing down his hands, but he didn't stop. Couldn't stop.

The pain was monstrous. His mind screamed in protest, flooding his nerves with alarm bells, urging him to black out—to escape. But if he lost consciousness now, the Perception Node would be lost.

The melting neared its end. His skin burned where the Node resided—his forehead radiating heat even on the outside—but to Nova, it was barely a whisper compared to the storm raging within.

He gritted his teeth, jaw trembling.

'Just a little longer.'

The moment the Node fully melted away, Nova's focus narrowed to a single word pulsing through his mind:

'Form. Form. Form.'

Over and over, like a war drum.

As if answering his will, the mana surged, carving out a larger space where the old Perception Node had once been. Slowly, deliberately, it began to rebuild—stronger, denser, more refined than before.

But if the melting was agony, the forging was something far worse.

The pain twisted deeper, sharper. His body convulsed, spasms wracking his frame without rhythm or mercy. His fingers dug deeper into his knees with a force that surpassed anything he'd showed during the tournament.

Every second felt like it stretched into eternity.

And yet, in truth, the entire process lasted no more than ten minutes.

Ten minutes that felt like weeks to Nova.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the pain receded—like a tide pulling back into the sea. A wave of relief crashed over him, almost euphoric in its contrast.

A notification rang in his mind and with that final cue, Nova's body slumped, his mind finally surrendering to the exhaustion.

Will 11 -> 12

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