It was finally the day of the departmental meeting.
The hall Jaemin stepped into was polished to perfection—marble floors reflecting soft light from glass chandeliers, flower arrangements placed with precision, dark leather chairs lining the sides, and quiet instrumental music humming in the air. The temperature was cool, comforting. Everyone walked with poise, dressed in tailored suits and sleek shoes.
Everyone—except him.
Jaemin wasn't in joggers, thankfully. But he wasn't exactly dress code royalty either. A crisp white tee, tucked into black pants with a simple belt, and a plain black jacket over it—an effort to appear formal, without giving up comfort. It was enough to not raise eyebrows… but not enough to blend in either.
"Mr. Han?"
A voice spoke from behind. Jaemin turned and immediately recognised the face—clean-cut, slick hair, tidy suit.
Secretary Joo Minhyuk.
"Allow me to escort you to Director Gyeongmin's office. He awaits you there."
Jaemin gave a short nod.
"Sure."
They began walking, Jaemin quietly taking in the hallways as they passed. Bright lighting, intricate wall moulding, and display panels of old Coreborn achievements and Rift breakthroughs.
All pristine. All quiet.
Minhyuk stopped in front of a double-door suite and knocked twice. A pause.
Then he opened the door and gestured Jaemin to come in.
Jaemin stepped inside.
As Jaemin stepped in, the heavy door clicked shut behind him.
Gyeongnim stood by the tall windows, hands behind his back, eyes scanning the slow crawl of city traffic below. He was dressed in a deep charcoal suit—tailored, flawless—easily worth three months of Jaemin's rent.
"Director."
Jaemin said, voice steady.
Gyeongnim turned with a warm, diplomatic smile.
"Mr. Han, Pleasure to see you again."
Jaemin didn't sit. He waited.
"The meeting will begin shortly."
Gyeongnim continued, walking over to the desk and tapping a display pad.
"But before that—let me bring you up to speed on something… urgent."
Jaemin narrowed his eyes slightly.
"New intel on the Lapis Chamber." Gyeongnim said.
"Aether Crest's recently increased their personnel around the perimeter. More guards. More tech. No official statement, of course, but they're using the phrase: 'to prevent human casualties.'"
He sighed and leaned against the edge of his desk.
"This will complicate things for us."
Jaemin didn't blink.
"You mean for me."
Gyeongnim smiled, just faintly.
"Specifically for you, rather."
There was a beat of silence between them, calm, heavy.
"We'd better get moving."
Gyeongnim said, voice low but urgent.
"The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the better."
He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a sleek black earpiece. "Here."
Jaemin eyed it for a moment before accepting the device. Gyeongnim nodded.
"It's for communication over long distances."
Without hesitation, Jaemin slipped it over his right ear. It fit like it was made for him—light and effortless.
They left the office, footsteps echoing down the polished hall as they headed toward the meeting room.
"Remember, Mr. Han."
Gyeongnim spoke as they walked.
"Your main target is Dr. Kwon Haseok—President of Aether Crest."
Jaemin's eyes sharpened.
"I can only get you both on each other's radar. The real work…that's on you."
"Right."
Jaemin replied, voice steady and determined.
They entered the hall.
The air was crisp, scented faintly with leather and citrus polish. Chairs were lined in perfect symmetry against a long, obsidian-black table. The walls glowed in soft ambient lighting—minimal, but intentional.
As Gyeongnim stepped in, the stationed security detail struck a synchronised salute.
A quiet but sharp gesture of respect. Jaemin followed close behind, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable but alert.
Their shoes echoed as they passed through the aisle, nodding politely to familiar faces. High-ranking officials, Coreborn coordinators, division heads—most gave Jaemin a passing glance, some curious, others cautious.
But far ahead at the centre of the table, one man didn't look up. Mid-40s, sharp suit, clean spectacles. Cold composure. The emblem on his shoulder—the crest of Aether crest glinted faintly.
President. Kwon Haseok.
A figure that needed no introduction.
He wasn't just another administrator. He was the President of Aether Crest. Calm, collected, and reputed to be far more calculating than he let on.
After greetings were exchanged, Gyeongnim and Jaemin took their seats. The rest followed in sync, silence descending like a curtain.
A moment later, a voice filled the room.
"Welcome, everyone, to the annual Coreborn Summit."
The event coordinator said, standing near the front.
"On behalf of our Chairman, it is my honour to welcome you all and act as your coordinator for today's meeting."
He shuffled a tablet in his hands, tapping something before raising his eyes.
"Let us begin with our first agenda. Aether Crest will open the session. President Kwon Haseok—if you may."
All eyes turned to the man at the head.
Kwon Haseok stood with quiet grace. He adjusted his cuff once, then stepped toward the podium, not in a rush, not with hesitation either.
Jaemin's gaze sharpened.
This was no ordinary speech.
This was where the real game would begin.
"The world."
Kwon Haseok began, standing tall at the podium,
"Has become more technologically advanced thanks to the tireless efforts of the Coreborn Association… and the hard work, discipline, and vision of the entire research division at the very heart of Aether Crest."
His voice was calm. Clear. Not boastful—but measured, diplomatic, well-rehearsed.
"And so, as their President, I shall speak today on behalf of my team."
He glanced across the room. His gaze didn't linger—but when it briefly crossed Jaemin's, Jaemin instinctively narrowed his eyes. There was something about Kwon Haseok's tone that didn't sit right.
"We have been developing several prototype-grade weapons and tools to better prepare our frontline units. These are not for Coreborn, but for the military. The police. Every day security detail."
He paused.
"In the event that a Rift Raid spirals out of control—should Abyssals leak into the civilian world before Coreborns can respond—these prototypes will serve as humanity's immediate line of defence."
The hall remained silent. Everyone listened.
"Coreborns."
He continued.
"They are undeniably a gift. Chosen defenders. Born of extraordinary talent and trained with discipline. Their power is nothing short of miraculous. And though they continue to protect us, we as a civilisation must not grow complacent."
He turned slightly as a projector lit the space beside him. Holograms flickered on—schematics, blueprints, and imagery of a sleek, compact rifle.
"The A-707 Core Rifle."
A ripple of interest spread through the room. Some leaned in. Others whispered under their breath.
Kwon Haseok remained poised at the podium as the projection shifted, revealing a close-up render of the rifle's core housing.
"It utilises Rift Dust."
He said.
"which are readily available from sanctioned Rift cleanups. At the base of the rifle, here—"
He motioned with a laser pointer.
"—You'll find what we call the Fusion Core."
He stepped to the side slightly, letting the image speak with him.
"It's an integrated power source that converts dormant Rift Dust Energy into actual firepower. Think of it like a compression chamber—except it's not pressure-based, but essence-based. The stronger the Rift from where the Dust was bought? The deadlier the shot."
A low murmur moved through the room.
"Let's say a standard-grade rift dust gives you a dozen rounds at moderate power. Swap it with a Class-3 fragment? You'll shred through an armoured Abyssal in five shots or less."
He let the silence linger for impact.
"This doesn't replace Coreborns."
He continued.
"Nor does it make anyone invincible. But when a Rift leaks—and sometimes they do—response time can cost lives. This buys time."
A hologram played. Police units, military squads—training in simulated conditions. The recoil of the weapon was manageable, and the design was modular.
"Our military, police, and private security forces… will no longer need to rely solely on hope or hazard. They'll have firepower. Control. Protection."
A wave of claps rippled across the room.
Nods of approval. Quiet admiration.
Jaemin, however, wasn't clapping.
He leaned back, eyes locked on the blueprint.
"Fusion Core… compressed essence…"
He knew what Rift Dust could do. How unstable Core Fragments could become without proper tuning. How much danger this kind of tech could pose—if stolen, hijacked, or mass-produced without oversight.
And if they were testing it already? That meant this wasn't the beginning.
It was a rollout.
But Jaemin wasn't smiling.
Not even close.
Jaemin raised an eyebrow.
"Piercing Abyssals? With a gun?"
He didn't say anything, but the notion sat uncomfortably in his chest. Too ambitious. Too convenient.
Kwon Haseok continued.
"We are still refining the interface, of course, and regulating distribution. But this marks the first step… toward levelling the field. For everyone."
He folded his hands behind his back as the display faded.
"The ancient lands of India."
He said suddenly, shifting the topic without warning.
"Remain central to our research. Our archeological division has been carefully analysing core origin anomalies tied to ancient ruins and sites along the Indian subcontinent. Core radiation that predates even our earliest records."
Jaemin's ears perked at that.
"That is a matter we intend to pursue further. With support from the association and under full ethical compliance."
Kwon Haseok gave a small, practised bow.
After the practised bow, Kwon Haseok took a breath, lifted his gaze, and let his voice settle in the silence.
"On a final note."
He began.
"As much as knowledge is a gift… it can also become a cure for corruption—especially in the hands of the public."
The air in the hall shifted.
His tone turned firm. Measured. Intentional.
"A lot has happened over the past few years. Misfires. Misjudgments. Tragedies. Especially…"
He paused for the weight.
"...regarding the Lapis Chamber."
That name dropped like iron.
Even the quietest pen stopped scribbling.
"Hence."
He continued.
"We've heightened security protocols around the site and expect full cooperation from all parties here. That includes refraining from disclosing any operational details, findings, or speculation—no matter how minor."
He scanned the room. His gaze lingered on Gyeongnim. Then, briefly, on Jaemin.
"Aether Crest has been working tirelessly around the chamber to unravel its intentions. And we've made progress."
Another pause.
"But that progress… will remain classified for now."
"Any attempts to meddle with our jurisdiction or force information out..." Kwon Haseok's voice dropped a tone. Cold. Final.
"Will be met with severe consequences."
Not a warning. A loose threat—thinly veiled, but heavy enough to settle in the bones.
He continued without blinking.
"When the time is right, all information regarding the chamber will be disclosed to all of you."
He gave a final bow. Measured. Controlled. Then stepped down from the podium, returning to his seat without so much as a glance to the side.
The silence after wasn't one of confusion—it was one of knowing.
Everyone had heard what he really said:
Stay out of the Lapis Chamber. Stay out of our way.
Polite applause followed, echoed through the chamber like a habit more than praise.
The remaining divisions began taking the podium, one by one. Outlining their initiatives, reading plans, and submitting updates. Voices came and went, but none of it landed in Jaemin's mind.
He sat still, eyes forward, posture calm. But inside, quiet unrest brewed.
"What's buried in that chamber?"
"Why would the president of Aether Crest-the the highest seat of Rift-tech—go this far to seal it off?"
He didn't flinch. But the Lapis Chamber…Had just taken hold.