(Previous chapter - Gauge defeats the gatekeeper but the motive of the battle is still unknown)
"Three thousand units is pretty solid. Though I was hoping to capture all of it. Didn't know the device had a limit… I've never had this much currency before," Var muttered with a grin, inspecting the glowing riftcore.
He turned and found Gauge slumped on one knee, hands steaming with residual heat. The young warrior forced his eyes open, exhausted but still questioning.
"What was that thing? Why attack me? I just got here…"
Var's grin faded. His tone shifted, calm but serious, as he tucked the riftcore back into his satchel.
"That's exactly why. His job is to keep track of gatewalkers, to eliminate anyone strong enough to pose a threat. Doesn't matter if you're innocent—if you walk through a gate with power like yours, he'll appear. He doesn't think… he just acts on instinct. If you're strong, he fights. Well… not anymore."
Gauge staggered to his feet, brushing ash off his shoulder. "You called that thing a God. Do people worship him? Does he… grant wishes, turn swamp water into sweet wine?"
Var chuckled and slung an arm over his shoulder. "If those kinds of gods exist, I've never met them. Around here, 'God' isn't worship—it's a rank."
Gauge blinked, baffled. All his life, he'd seen prayers, symbols, and whispered legends. Now it was reduced to… a ranking system? Var caught the confusion in his eyes and smiled knowingly.
"Let me break it down. Beings in the mortal realms are divided into three categories:
1. Mortals — The common lot. Even enhanced ones still die from age, blades, or bad luck.
2. Immortals — Stronger than mortals, beyond aging, and immune to mundane weapons. Only other Immortals or higher beings can kill them. Some are born Immortal, like my kind—the Vampires.
3. Gods — Beings who can destroy a planet if they feel like it. They're ranked further: Bottom tier → Medium-Low → Medium-High → High tier → Supreme. The Supreme ones are remnants of ancient divinities, the kind who once walked among us but vanished long ago."
Gauge's jaw tightened. He thought back to the mage who raised him, to the ancient halls of Azoria. None of this knowledge had ever reached him.
"Then where do I fall in that system?" he asked quietly.
"That depends…" Var tilted his head. "Do you bleed from a normal weapon?"
Gauge thought back: training under Vagyros, the countless wars, even the battle with the Gatekeeper. He clenched his fists.
"To my memory… I've never bled. Not once. Not even when I should have."
Var's eyes narrowed. Then he's at least immortal—maybe higher. But there's no proof. Not yet.
"Then we'll wait," Var smirked. "Sooner or later, someone will try to scratch you. Until then…" He paused, his expression softening. "Hey kid, you said you were looking for your roots. That means what you're really after is knowledge, right?"
Gauge's interest snapped back. "Yeah. Something like that."
"Then I know a place brimming with it." Var tapped his riftcore. "But first—we need to make a pit stop."
Vel Kartha — The Bazaar
The bustling market was loud, alive with bartering and glowing holographic signs. As they walked, Gauge slowed, a strange familiarity tugging at him.
"…Wait. Don't tell me you're taking me—" His eyes widened. "The weapon vendor!?"
Var's smirk confirmed it. Gauge bolted ahead like a child, nearly tripping over himself, and snatched up the blade Feryx.
The merchant scowled. "You again!? Put that down unless you're buying it! I told you and your partner—seven hundred units, not a unit less!"
Before Gauge could protest, Var casually pulled out his riftcore. He flicked it toward the payment sector, linked Feryx's holographic seal, and tapped Confirm.
Payment sent successfully — Var's device.
Received 700 units from Var'zek of Nytherra — Merchant's device.
The air grew heavy in silence. The merchant's face burned red with shame. When he finally spoke, his tone had flipped entirely.
"I… I deeply apologize. The blade is yours, no conditions. Please—accept this satchel as well. A… small gift, for my earlier rudeness. And kindly rate me on riftcore, yes?"
He bowed, thrusting a fine leather satchel toward Gauge, embossed with runic stitching.
Gauge accepted it without a word, slipping the boxed blade into the satchel. The merchant's forced smile followed them as they walked away.
Curious, Gauge opened the menu attached to the blade. The ability list flared to life:
Sentient Blade
Holds within it the heat of a star.
2cm virtual edge extension (invisible, but still cuts).
His lips curled into a grin. "I've gotta test this soon."
Var watched him like a proud father. "Hmph. Wanna see something cooler, kid?"
They stopped before a massive holographic board, its words glowing like fire across the plaza:
RIFTCORE — INTERDIMENSIONAL BROWSING
Next Chapter — The Living Forest