The heat of the desert felt strangely weak now. To Kai, the sun was no longer an oppressor; it was just a light source. His Abyss Vitality had recalibrated his internal temperature to the cold vacuum of the Dead City.
"The extraction team is three klicks East," Aria said, her voice tight. She was walking a noticeable distance from him, her eyes constantly darting to his shadow as if expecting it to lash out and swallow her. "They'll have sensors. If your mana is still... leaking... they'll pick it up before we even see the dust clouds."
Kai stopped. He looked at his hands, then closed his eyes, reaching deep into the "Well" of the Abyss Core now anchored in his chest.
> [Abyss Level: 10.2%]
> [New Passive Unlocked: Void Veil]
> [Effect: Mimicry of a Standard Mana Signature. Current Setting: Rank C]
"Better?" Kai asked.
Aria pulled a small, portable mana-meter from her belt. She clicked it, and the needle, which had been vibrating into the red zone just seconds ago, suddenly dropped to a steady, unremarkable blue.
"How?" she whispered, her brow furrowing. "It's like you're wearing a mask made of nothing."
"It's a mask," Kai said, his voice returning to its human tone. "One I have to wear if I'm going to get into the A-Rank Trials. Han won't be able to protect me if the High Council smells the Abyss on me."
Aria sheathed her scimitars with a sharp clack. "Han. You think he doesn't know? He's the one who sent a 'C-Rank' into a zone with an A-Rank Clockwork Sentinel. He didn't send you to scout, Kai. He sent you to see if you'd survive it."
Kai looked toward the horizon. A black speck was growing larger—the Association's armored transport. "I know. He wanted a weapon. He just didn't realize that a weapon has its own will."
The transport roared to a halt, kicking up a wall of grit. The rear doors hissed open, and four armored hunters stepped out, their rifles leveled at the canyon. At their head was a man in a crisp, white tactical suit—Commander Vane, one of Director Han's personal enforcers.
"Report," Vane barked, his eyes scanning the two of them. "We lost the Sentinel's signature ten minutes ago. The city's seismic sensors reported a Class-4 Collapse. Where is the Guardian?"
Aria stepped forward before Kai could speak. She stood tall, her B-Rank authority radiating from her like a shield.
"The Sentinel malfunctioned," she said, her voice steady and bored. "The mana storm caused a feedback loop in the city's core. The machine went into a self-destruct cycle. We barely made it out of the grotto before the gate sealed."
Vane narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting to Kai. "And the scout? He looks remarkably intact for a C-Rank who just survived a Class-4 event."
"He followed orders," Aria snapped. "He stayed in the shadow of my mana-shield. If he hadn't been there to navigate the Glimmer-Bats, I'd be a husk right now. He's the reason I'm standing here, Commander."
Vane looked at the mana-meter on his wrist. It showed Kai as a baseline C-Rank. Nothing more.
"Hmph. Lucky brat," Vane muttered, signaling his men to lower their weapons. "Get in the van. The Director wants a full debriefing at Headquarters. And Draven... don't get used to the desert. Your next assignment is already on Han's desk."
As they climbed into the dark interior of the transport, Aria sat across from Kai. In the dim red light of the cabin, she leaned in, her voice a mere ghost of a sound.
"I lied for you," she whispered. "But not for free. When you go for that A-Rank... I'm going with you. I want to see what's at the bottom of that hole you're digging."
Kai leaned back, the shadows of the van's interior seemingly wrapping around his shoulders like a regal cloak.
"Careful, Aria," Kai replied, his eyes flickering with a dark, violet amusement. "The deeper you go, the harder it is to remember what the sun looks like."
> [Level: 21]
> [Relationship Updated: Aria Vance - 'The Witness']
> [Current Goal: Prepare for the 'A-Rank Selection' Tournament]
The transport sped away, leaving the Dead City behind, but within Kai, the city's heart continued to beat.