Dawn light filtered through the warehouse cracks. Raze opened his eyes to morning sun.
Every muscle ached. He felt like he'd been trampled. Then set on fire. Then trampled again.
But alive. Definitely alive.
Kael sat beside him. Exhausted. Dark circles under his eyes. He'd monitored for the entire twelve hours.
"Welcome back. You scared us."
Raze tried to speak. His voice was hoarse. Raw from screaming. "Did it work?"
"See for yourself."
Raze pulled up his Status window.
Ding.
The translucent blue screen materialized.
[Status Window]
Name: Raze Dragonheart
Age: 17
Rank: Initiate (Peak) → Ready to advance
Core: Blooming (Low) - Newly Reconstructed
Bloodline: [Dormant]
Authority: [Dormant]
Talent: [Absolute Genius]
Strength: D (+) → C
Agility: C
Endurance: B (+)
Mana: A (+)
Mana Well: A (+) → S
Will: B → A
Perception: D
Charm: A (+)
Skills:
[Swordsmanship D (+)]
[Mana Manipulation D (+) → C]
[Inspect D]
[Combat Reflex C]
[Scarlet Leap C]
[Instant Transmission D]
Raze stared. Read it again. Then a third time.
"My Mana Well is S rank?"
"The reconstruction optimized everything. Your pathways are more efficient now. Your capacity increased dramatically." Kael leaned back. "With S rank Mana Well, you can cast continuously. Outlast almost anyone. Your mana regeneration is exceptional."
This changed everything. S rank Mana Well meant he could fight for extended periods. Use his skills repeatedly without exhaustion. His biggest limitation was gone.
Strength had jumped from D to C. Will had increased to A. His core was no longer Fragmented. It was Blooming.
He could advance normally now. His potential was no longer capped.
Raze felt tears sting his eyes. Relief and joy and disbelief mixing together.
"You did it." Aslan's voice came from nearby. "You actually did it."
"We did it." Raze's voice was hoarse but firm. "Couldn't have survived without both of you."
Kael provided food and water. "Eat. Your body needs to recover."
Raze ate slowly. Simple bread and cheese tasted like a feast. His body desperately needed sustenance.
As he ate, reality settled in. He was no longer fragmented. No longer limited. No longer weak.
The raid was tomorrow night. He'd have one full day to recover. To test his new capabilities.
To become what he needed to be.
---
Several hours of rest passed. Raze slept fitfully. His body healing. Integrating the changes.
By afternoon, he could stand without assistance. His legs held. Steady. Strong.
"I need to test this." He moved to the center of the warehouse. "See what the new core can do."
Kael watched carefully. Ready to intervene if something went wrong.
Raze reached for his mana. Like he'd done thousands of times before. But always with frustration. With the fragmented pathways restricting flow. Making everything difficult.
Not anymore.
Whoooosh.
The mana flowed effortlessly. Smooth as water. Natural as breathing.
Blue light danced across his fingertips. Stable. Controlled. Beautiful.
"Your control is remarkable." Kael's voice held awe. "That's mid Adept level control with an Initiate rank core."
Raze practiced channeling. Increasing the flow. Decreasing it. Precise control that had been impossible before.
His Mana Manipulation skill activated naturally. The C rank proficiency evident in how easily he shaped the energy.
Next, his movement skills.
Scarlet Leap.
Fwoosh.
His body blurred across the warehouse. The distance compressed. He crossed twenty feet in a heartbeat.
The landing was perfect. Controlled. His new Strength supporting the explosive movement.
Instant Transmission.
Blink.
Reality shifted. He materialized fifteen feet away. The disorientation was less now. His improved Will making the spatial distortion easier to handle.
Combat Reflex remained constant. His perception tracking everything. Every detail sharp and clear.
"The new core enhances everything." Raze's voice held wonder. "The skills feel stronger. More responsive."
"Because your mana flow is optimized. Everything channels through clean pathways now." Kael smiled. "You're dangerous, Raze. Actually dangerous."
Dangerous. Good. He'd need to be dangerous tomorrow night.
But something was missing. Something he'd neglected in all the preparation.
His Swordsmanship skill was still D rank. Barely trained. His combat effectiveness relied entirely on his new skills and stats.
Against Adept rank Syndicate enforcers, against potentially Expert rank overseers, he needed every advantage.
"I need a weapon." Raze looked at Kael. "A proper weapon. My knife is inadequate. I need a sword."
"The market district has weapon shops. But quality swords are expensive. We've spent most of our gold on materials."
"How much do we have left?"
Kael counted their remaining funds. "Maybe eight gold. Ten silver."
Not much. But possibly enough.
"I'm going to the market. I'll find something."
"Take Aslan. You're still recovering. Having backup is smart."
Raze nodded. "Aslan?"
The Mercurian stood. "I'll come. Fresh air sounds good anyway."
They left together. Two young men walking through afternoon crowds. One with white hair and blue eyes. One with silver eyes that glowed faintly.
People gave them space. Something about them suggested danger.
The market district was busy. Merchants hawking wares. Craftsmen displaying skills. The commerce of daily life.
Weapon shops clustered near the guard district. Swords. Spears. Bows. Armor. Everything a cultivator might need.
Raze entered the first shop.
Ding ding.
A bell chimed. The interior smelled like oil and metal.
An older man sat behind a counter. Weathered face. Scarred hands. A smith who'd seen combat.
"Help you?"
"I need a sword. Something quality. Eight gold budget."
The smith snorted. "Eight gold gets you basic iron. Nothing special."
"Show me what you have."
The smith gestured to a rack. Two dozen swords. Various lengths. Various qualities.
Raze examined them with his Inspect skill.
Ding ding ding.
[Iron Sword]
Quality: Poor
Durability: Low
Enhancement: None
[Steel Sword]
Quality: Basic
Durability: Medium
Enhancement: None
[Soldier's Blade]
Quality: Basic
Durability: Medium
Enhancement: Minor (Sharpness)
The options were disappointing. Basic weapons. Nothing that would survive serious combat against cultivators.
"These won't work. They'll break against mana enhanced attacks."
The smith shrugged. "Then you need more gold. Good weapons cost good money."
They left. Tried two more shops. Similar results. Basic weapons within budget. Quality weapons far beyond it.
Frustration built. Tomorrow was the raid. He needed a proper weapon. Something reliable.
Then Aslan spoke up. "What about the underground market?"
"Underground market?"
"The black market. Where illegal goods move. Stolen equipment. Cultivator weapons that can't be sold openly." Aslan's silver eyes reflected light strangely. "I've heard rumors. In the warehouse district. Hidden shops that cater to people who can't use legal channels."
Like them. Criminals by most definitions now.
"Do you know where?"
"I know the area. Finding the actual entrance might take time."
They navigated to the warehouse district. The legal one. Where proper businesses operated.
But behind the proper businesses, in alleys and forgotten spaces, other transactions occurred.
Aslan led them deeper. Into sections where sunlight barely reached. Where the smell of the river mixed with industrial runoff.
They found it by accident. A door that shouldn't exist. Between two warehouses. Unmarked. Unremarkable.
Except for the symbol scratched into the wood. A circle with a slash through it. The universal mark of black market goods.
Creeeak.
The door opened.
Inside was a narrow staircase. Leading down. Into darkness.
"Second thoughts?" Aslan asked.
"No. Let's see what they have."
They descended. The stairs creaked.
Creak creak creak.
At the bottom, another door. This one guarded.
A massive man stood there. Initiate rank. High Strength. He looked them over.
"You lost?"
"We're shopping." Raze kept his voice steady.
"This ain't a normal shop. You understand that?"
"We understand."
The guard studied them. Saw something that made him nod. "Alright. Don't cause trouble. Don't ask questions about where things come from. Pay in gold. No bartering."
They entered.
The space was larger than expected. A converted basement. Shelves lined the walls. Goods displayed openly. Weapons. Armor. Skill cores. Alchemical materials. Stolen cultivation resources.
Everything a criminal or desperate cultivator might need.
An older woman sat at a central desk. Sharp eyes. Sharper smile.
"New customers. How delightful. What are you buying?"
"A sword. Quality. Mana conductive. Something that won't break."
"Specific requirements. I like specific." She gestured to a locked case. "My premium weapons. Twelve gold minimum."
"I have eight."
"Then you have a problem."
Raze's Inspect skill activated. Scanning the displayed weapons. Most were out of reach. Too expensive. Too far beyond his budget.
Then he saw it.
Ding.
[Azure Edge]
Quality: Excellent
Durability: High
Enhancement: Mana Conductivity (Medium), Self Repair (Minor)
Material: Water Attributed Steel
Requirements: C rank Mana Manipulation minimum
Status: Stolen Goods - Three Months Ago
A beautiful blade. Slightly curved. Blue tinted steel. The craftsmanship was exceptional. It would channel his mana perfectly. Enhance his Swordsmanship. Survive the kind of combat he was walking into.
And it was marked at fifteen gold.
"That one." Raze pointed. "Azure Edge. What's the lowest you'll go?"
The woman examined him. "You have good taste. That sword is worth twenty gold normally. Stolen from a minor noble's collection three months ago. Mana conductive. Self repairs minor damage. Perfect for a cultivator with decent Mana Manipulation."
"I have eight gold. What else do you accept?"
"Information. Services. Rare materials." She leaned back. "What do you have that's worth seven gold?"
Raze thought quickly. His Absolute Genius processing options.
"Information about the Twilight Syndicate. Their main operation. Location. Layout. Guard rotations."
The woman's eyes widened slightly. "That's dangerous information. Why would you have it?"
"Because I'm planning to destroy their operation tomorrow night. Which means the information will be worthless after that. But before tomorrow night, it's extremely valuable to anyone who wants to know their vulnerabilities."
Silence.
Then the woman laughed. Rich. Genuine. "You're either the bravest or stupidest young man I've met in years." She pulled the sword from its case. "Alright. Eight gold plus detailed information about the Syndicate operation. We have a deal."
Raze counted out the gold. Then described everything he knew. The textile mill location. The extraction equipment layout. The typical number of guards. Their shift patterns. Everything except the specific timing of the raid.
The woman listened. Made notes. Nodded occasionally.
"This is good. Very good. My competitors will pay well for this." She handed over the sword. "Azure Edge. Use it well. Try not to die stupidly."
"I'll try."
They left. Raze carried the sword carefully. It felt right in his hand. Balanced. Responsive.
Back in daylight, he drew it partially.
Shhhhing.
The blade caught sunlight. Blue steel gleamed. Beautiful and deadly.
His Swordsmanship skill activated automatically. Muscle memory flowing. The sword became an extension of his arm.
Whoosh whoosh.
He cut through air. Testing. The blade moved perfectly. His C rank Mana flowed into it naturally. The conductivity enhancement working flawlessly.
"That's a serious weapon." Aslan watched with respect. "You actually look dangerous now."
"Good. I need to look dangerous." Raze sheathed the blade. "Tomorrow night, I need to be dangerous."
They returned to the warehouse. Evening was approaching. One day until the raid.
Kael looked up as they entered. Saw the sword. "You found something."
"Azure Edge. Mana conductive. Self repairing. Stolen, but perfect for what I need." Raze set it on the table Kael examined the blade with professional interest. "This is excellent craftsmanship. Water attributed steel. That's rare." He looked at Raze. "How much?"
"Eight gold and information about the Syndicate."
"Information they won't be able to use after tomorrow anyway." Kael smiled. "Smart."
Raze drew the blade fully now. Let it catch the lamplight.
Shhhhing.
The blue steel gleamed. He moved through basic forms. His D rank Swordsmanship guided each movement. But with the proper weapon, with his new core flowing mana through the blade, everything felt different.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
The cuts were clean. Precise. His C rank Mana Manipulation channeled through the sword naturally. Blue light traced along the edge.
"Your form is improving." Aslan observed. "The weapon suits you."
"It does." Raze felt the connection. The sword responding to his intent. "This will work. Tomorrow night, this will work."
Evening fell completely. They gathered around the work table. Tomorrow was the raid. Midnight. The textile mill. Everything they'd prepared for.
Kael had finished additional cure batches. Twenty doses. Enough for nearly half the infected children immediately after shutting down the Syndicate.
"After we destroy the extraction equipment, existing cases still need treatment. The corruption stops spreading but doesn't reverse on its own." Kael packed the vials carefully. "I'll carry these. Administer them as soon as the mill is secure."
"What's our approach?" Aslan asked.
Raze pulled out a rough map he'd drawn. The textile mill. Three stories. Underground basement. The extraction equipment in the basement where it connected to the sewer system.
"We infiltrate at midnight. Guards are minimal then. Most Syndicate members sleep in shifts. We enter through the eastern service entrance. Aslan and I go first. Clear initial resistance quietly if possible."
"And if quiet fails?"
"Then Mariabel creates chaos. Forces them into defensive positions while we reach the basement. Our primary objective is destroying the extraction equipment. That stops the corruption immediately."
"Secondary objective?" Kael asked.
"Gather evidence. Documents. Account books. Anything proving Syndicate involvement. We take it to authorities who can't ignore it."
"And tertiary objective?"
"Survive." Raze met their eyes. "We all walk out alive. That's not optional."
Aslan fingered the sedative vial in his pocket. "What if I lose control? Transform completely?"
"Then we use it. You fight until you feel the silver taking over. Then you take the sedative. Sleep through the worst of it. Kael and I handle the rest." Raze's voice was firm. "But I think you'll do better than that. Your control is improving."
"I hope you're right."
"I am."
They reviewed the plan twice more. Timing. Contingencies. Escape routes. Everything that could be anticipated.
Finally, Kael spoke. "We should rest. Tomorrow we'll need every advantage."
But none of them slept well. The warehouse was quiet except for occasional shifting. Nervous energy keeping everyone awake.
Raze lay on his bedroll. Staring at the ceiling. His new core hummed with power. His sword lay beside him. Ready. Waiting.
Tomorrow night everything changed.
Either they destroyed the Syndicate and saved the children.
Or they died trying.
No middle ground. No compromise.