Two months passed in silence—quiet for the world, but storm-like for Rufus.
In that time, the slums whispered new rumors.
A boy with no background was gathering people.
A strange training center had appeared in an abandoned warehouse.
At night, faint lights flickered from inside—never loud, yet unsettling.
Most dismissed it.
They had no idea what was being born.
Inside the warehouse-turned-base, ten figures stood in two orderly lines. The uniformity was unnatural—in their eyes, their posture, even their breathing. Dominion had already reshaped them. Their loyalty wasn't just stable; it was absolute.
Rufus watched them quietly.
Each wore the gear he personally forged and enhanced:
Second-order leather armor disguised as ordinary brown leather
A short sword—simple at first glance, yet perfectly balanced
A morphing shield—their primary weapon
A Black Swan tactical headset
A military-grade wrist-com enhanced far above its normal specs
Every piece had passed through Rufus's hands and through the faint glow of the sphere inside him. Everything looked cheap. Nothing was cheap.
"From today onward," Rufus said, "you're not just survivors. You're the Black Swan."
The ten straightened, silent but burning with purpose.
The Two Squads
Squad One – Captain: Fred
1. Fred – reliable, explosive temper, unmatched courage
2. Talia – fast thinker, sarcastic, gifted with coordination
3. Mako – quiet giant, slow speech, brutal strength
4. Rei – naturally observant, calm under pressure
5. Sean – optimistic, the morale lifter
Squad Two – Captain: Lira (determined, sharp-eyed, tough upbringing)
6. Lira – disciplined, strategic, hates inefficiency
7. Gandor – ex-factory worker, patient, stubborn
8. Nami – analytical, fragile-looking, smart in formations
9. Tess – hot-headed, competitive
10. Okafa – loyal to a fault, family-oriented
Each one chosen deliberately.
Each one molded thoroughly.
None of them could speak a word of his power to outsiders—Dominion ensured that. The sphere inside their bodies made sure of it.
Rufus raised one of their shields—dark, metallic, unassuming.
"Your shield has four modes," he reminded them.
1. Normal Mode
Regular usage. No energy consumption.
It looked like nothing but a simple defensive tool.
2. Engage Mode
The small sphere inside the shield activates, boosting durability and allowing basic energy manipulation—repulsion, parries, shockwaves.
3. Full Mode
The shield taps directly into the sphere inside the bearer's body.
Attacks transform—burst waves, barrier slams, piercing thrusts.
Perfect for formation combat.
4. Override Mode
The most dangerous.
The shield abandons defense and becomes a pure assault construct.
It shapes the energy sphere into a destructive force—an energy ram, a crushing wall, or an explosive impact wave.
Override drained the internal sphere heavily.
Without Rufus replenishing it, they couldn't use it frequently.
"You use Override only under my command," Rufus said firmly.
They nodded.
Their internal spheres pulsed faintly with Rufus's power.
The abilities they gained:
Body strength equal to peak third-order physical cultivators
Faster reaction speed
Heightened perception when in formation
Automatic recharge when killing monsters or absorbing ambient energy
A fraction (5%) of all absorbed energy stayed with them
Ninety-five percent returned to Rufus like a power bank refilling its core
With each passing day, Rufus grew stronger without lifting a finger.
On the holographic screen behind him, the registration flickered proudly:
Guild Name: Black Swan
Guild Type: Military / Expeditionary
Guild Rank: National (Provisional)
Founder: Rufus Vale
The warehouse scrubbed clean.
Trucks lined outside.
Two sleek, armored vehicles stood ready:
A combat transport truck for the squad
A command truck, equipped with surveillance drones, atmospheric scanners, expanded satellite link, and adaptive shielding
Rufus had modified both.
Nothing inside was factory standard.
Far beyond the slums, across the glimmering skyline of the capital, tension brewed.
Billboards flickered with warnings:
> BEAST WAVE THREAT LEVEL RISING
MILITARY RESEARCH DEPARTMENT RECRUITING HIGH-ORDER TALENTS
OUTER DISTRICT EVACUATION DRILLS – WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MONTH
Flying patrol ships hummed over the rooftops.
The city center was preparing for something.
And no one in the slums knew what.
But Rufus saw it as opportunity.
His Black Swan would rise in chaos.
Rufus stood before the team.
"You have seven days. Visit your families. Settle everything. No loose ends."
He transferred 100,000 credits to each person.
For most of them, this was more money than their families had ever touched.
Some cried.
Some trembled.
Some didn't know how to react.
Fred grinned wide, tears flickering despite his attempt to hide them.
Lira clenched her fists—this meant her siblings could finally attend school.
Nami whispered a silent prayer.
Okafa fell to his knees the moment the funds transferred.
Rufus let them feel it.
Humanity mattered.
Purpose mattered.
"Return in seven days," he said, "because when we leave…
Black Swan enters the wild."
The warehouse echoed with unified voices.
"YES, COMMANDER!"
Rufus nodded slowly, the faint glow of his internal sphere pulsing.
Everything was ready.
The world didn't know it yet…
but a new force had taken root.
And it was his.