That evening, around 8 PM, Arjun sat alone in his bunk with the curtains pulled shut.
His roommates were downstairs in the common room. He could hear them laughing about something—probably Aarav's terrible jokes.
But Arjun couldn't join them.
He had a problem.
A big problem.
He pulled up his Status screen, and the numbers made his stomach twist.
**[AETHER CORRUPTION: 23%]**
Twenty-three percent.
The System had warned him: hit fifty percent and he'd have maybe two weeks to live before Aether Burn killed him.
*That's less than two months at this rate.*
He opened his Quest Log and stared at the daily meditation quest.
**[DAILY QUEST: Aether Circulation]**
**Meditate for 30 minutes. Circulate Aether through all pathways.**
**Reward: +5 max AP, +15 SP**
**Failure Penalty: Corruption +1%**
Simple enough.
Except every time he meditated, his Void Core leaked.
Black Aether mixed with his Bolt Aether, contaminating his spiritual pathways like oil in water.
*Okay. Focus. You can do this.*
Arjun crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and reached inward.
---
His Cores sat in his chest like two glowing orbs.
The **Bolt Core** was easy to see—a bright ball of crackling blue-white energy, warm and steady.
The **Void Core** sat right next to it—smaller, darker, pulsing with black light that felt *wrong*. Cold. Hungry.
*Just keep them separated. Don't let the Void leak.*
Arjun pulled Aether from his Bolt Core and began circulating it through his body.
Up his right arm.
Across his shoulders.
Down his left arm.
Through his chest.
Down both legs.
Back to the Core.
Slow. Steady. Like water flowing through pipes.
For fifteen minutes, it worked perfectly.
His breathing steadied. His heartbeat slowed. The Aether flowed smooth and clean.
Then his concentration slipped.
Just for a second.
And the Void Core *lurched*.
Black Aether spilled out like ink, mixing with the blue-white energy in his pathways.
"No—no no no—" Arjun gasped, trying to pull it back.
But it was too late.
The contamination spread.
Cold flooded his veins. His right hand spasmed, black veins glowing bright under his skin.
**[WARNING! VOID CORRUPTION DETECTED IN CIRCULATION!]**
**[AETHER PATHWAYS CONTAMINATED!]**
**[CORRUPTION INCREASED: 23% → 24%]**
"Shit!" Arjun hissed through clenched teeth.
He forced the black Aether back into the Void Core, sealing it as tight as he could.
The contamination stopped spreading.
But the damage was done.
**[DAILY QUEST: AETHER CIRCULATION - FAILED]**
**[PENALTIES:]**
- Aether Corruption +1% (Total: 25%)
- No rewards granted
- XP penalty: -15 (60 XP → 45 XP)
Arjun slumped against the wall, breathing hard.
His whole body ached. His right hand throbbed.
*Two steps forward, one step back. Every damn time.*
He opened his Status screen with shaking hands.
**[HOST STATUS]**
- Level: 2
- XP: 45/500
- SP: 20
- HP: 180/180
- AP: 240/240
- Aether Corruption: **25%**
**[WARNING: At current corruption rate, critical threshold (50%) will be reached in approximately 25 days]**
Twenty-five days.
Less than a month.
*I'm going to die.*
The thought hit him like a punch to the gut.
*Unless I do something. Fast.*
---
## PART II: THE SHOP – SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS
Arjun pulled up the System Shop, scrolling frantically through the items.
There had to be something. Some way to slow the corruption.
He found the obvious answer first:
**[AETHER CLEANSING PILL]**
- Effect: Reduces Aether Corruption by 5%
- Cost: 500 SP
- Stock: Unlimited
Five hundred SP.
He had twenty.
*At 35 SP per day from daily quests—if I complete them all perfectly—that's... fourteen days to afford ONE pill.*
*And one pill only reduces corruption by 5%.*
*I'm at 25% now. I'd need five pills to get back to zero. That's seventy days.*
*I'll be dead in twenty-five.*
Panic clawed at his chest.
*There has to be another way.*
He kept scrolling.
Healing potions. Stat boosters. Skill books.
And then he found it:
**[VOID STABILIZATION MANUAL - TIER 1]**
- Effect: Teaches basic Void affinity control
- Reduces Void corruption buildup by 50%
- Unlocks skill: [Void Meditation]
- Cost: 150 SP
- Note: Does NOT remove existing corruption. Only slows future accumulation.
One hundred fifty SP.
*That's... four days. Four days of perfect daily quests.*
*It won't fix the problem. But it'll buy me time.*
Arjun made his decision.
"Four days," he whispered to himself. "I can survive four days."
---
## PART III: THE NEXT MORNING – SQUAD BREAKFAST
The next morning, Arjun dragged himself to the cafeteria at 7 AM, exhausted.
He'd barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the corruption percentage ticking higher.
25%. 26%. 30%. 50%.
*Dead.*
"Hey! Earth to Arjun!"
He blinked.
Anika was snapping her fingers in front of his face. "You alive in there?"
"Yeah. Sorry. Just tired."
She narrowed her eyes. "You look like hell."
"Thanks."
"I'm serious. Are you sick?"
"No. Just didn't sleep well."
"Liar."
Raj appeared with a tray loaded with food—gray protein paste, limp toast, and something that might have been eggs once.
"Morning," Raj said cheerfully, sitting down. "Guess what? I traded my dessert rations for extra flour. I'm making real bread tonight."
"How," Anika asked, "did you get a black market flour operation running in *five days*?"
"Capitalism, baby."
Nikhil and Sameer joined them a moment later.
"Morning, Squad 9!" Nikhil said, way too loud for 7 AM. "Ready for Beast Weapons class?"
"Beast Weapons?" Arjun asked, his brain still foggy.
"Yeah! Master Desai's teaching us today. Apparently he's going to demonstrate live forging. It's going to be awesome."
Sameer nodded enthusiastically. "I heard he once made an Emperor-tier gauntlet in under an hour. Dude's a legend."
Anika raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you hear that?"
"The Second Years. They love Desai. Say he's the best combat instructor in Base 1."
"Better than General Kapoor?" Raj asked skeptically.
"Different style. Kapoor's all discipline and fear. Desai's more... practical. He teaches you how to survive, not how to follow orders."
Arjun poked at his protein paste. "Sounds useful."
"You okay, man?" Sameer asked, peering at him. "You look—"
"I'm fine," Arjun interrupted. "Just tired. Let's eat."
They ate in silence for a minute.
Then Anika leaned over and whispered, "You're not fine."
"Anika—"
"I'm your sister. I know when you're lying. What's wrong?"
Arjun glanced around. The cafeteria was crowded and noisy. No one was paying attention to them.
He leaned in close and whispered, "I'll tell you later. Not here."
Anika's eyes searched his face. Then she nodded. "Okay. But you *will* tell me."
"I will."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
---
## PART IV: CLASSROOM 14 – BEAST WEAPONS LECTURE BEGINS
At 8 AM, Squad 9 filed into Classroom 14 along with the rest of the First Year students.
Sixty teenagers filled the tiered seats, chatting nervously.
Today's topic was on everyone's mind: Beast Weapons.
The tools that could mean the difference between life and death in a Fracture Zone.
Master Desai strode in at exactly 8:05, carrying a battered metal case.
He set it on his desk with a heavy *thunk* and looked at the class.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Master Desai," the class chorused.
"Today," Desai said, flipping open the case, "we talk about weapons."
He pulled out a gauntlet—dull gray metal with faint red etchings along the knuckles.
"This," he held it up, "is a Basic-tier Beast Weapon. Forged from an Ember Hound crystal. Worth about two thousand credits. And it could save your life."
He tossed the gauntlet to Sameer, who caught it awkwardly.
"Pass it around. I want everyone to hold it. Feel the weight. Feel the Aether."
The gauntlet made its way through the rows.
When it reached Arjun, he turned it over in his hands.
It was heavier than he expected—maybe two kilograms. The metal was cool to the touch, but there was a faint *warmth* underneath, like holding something alive.
He could feel Aether pulsing inside it. Weak, but there.
*This is a Feral-tier weapon. And it feels this strong.*
*What would an Emperor-tier weapon feel like?*
Desai waited until everyone had touched the gauntlet, then called it back with a casual gesture—it flew through the air and smacked into his palm.
"Right," he said. "Let's start with the basics."
---
## PART V: LECTURE – WHAT ARE BEAST WEAPONS?
Desai pulled up a holographic display showing a glowing crystal being extracted from a beast's chest.
"Beast Weapons," he began, "are tools forged from Echo Beast crystals. Every beast you kill contains at least one crystal—usually in the chest, sometimes in the head or spine. These crystals are concentrated Aether. We harvest them and turn them into weapons."
He tapped the gauntlet. "This was made from one Feral-tier Ember Hound crystal. It gives the wearer a small strength boost and one active skill."
Vikram Sehgal raised his hand. "How much of a boost?"
"Plus-three Strength. For reference, average human Strength is ten. So this adds thirty percent."
"That's it?" Vikram sounded disappointed.
"It's a *Basic-tier* weapon," Desai said dryly. "You want bigger boosts, hunt bigger beasts. An Emperor-tier weapon gives plus-twenty Strength. That's double your natural power."
The class went quiet.
"But," Desai continued, "Emperor weapons cost millions of credits and require Sovereign-tier beast crystals. You'll never see one unless you become a war hero."
He pulled up a pyramid diagram.
"Beast Weapons follow the same nine-tier system as beasts. Let me break it down."
---
### **TIER 1: BASIC**
"Basic weapons are forged from Feral-tier crystals. They give small stat boosts—usually plus-two or plus-three to Strength, Agility, or Stamina. Most have no active skills."
**Example shown: Iron sword with faint glow**
"Cost: Five hundred to one thousand credits. Every First Year gets issued a Basic weapon before their first Green Portal expedition. They're cheap, reliable, and won't embarrass you."
Raj raised his hand. "Can we choose what type of weapon we get?"
"Yes. There's a requisition form. You pick from the standard types: sword, dagger, gauntlet, staff, bow. Custom weapons cost extra."
"How much extra?"
"Double. Don't bother unless you're rich."
Raj nodded and made a note.
---
### **TIER 2: INTERMEDIATE**
"Intermediate weapons are forged from Elite-tier crystals. Plus-six Strength, plus-four Agility. One active skill."
**Example shown: Gauntlets with stone texture**
"This is a Terra Brute gauntlet set. The active skill is called *Stone Fist*—your punches become twice as strong for five seconds, then cooldown for thirty seconds."
Desai looked at the class. "Intermediate weapons are standard Military issue. Every active-duty soldier has at least one. They cost five to ten thousand credits."
Anika leaned over to Arjun. "That's more than we've made in our entire lives."
"Yeah," Arjun whispered back. "And it's only Tier 2."
---
### **TIER 3: ADVANCED**
"Advanced weapons need Commander-tier crystals. Ideally two crystals for maximum efficiency."
**Example shown: Sword crackling with electricity**
"This is a Fracture Drake blade. Plus-ten Strength, plus-eight Agility. Two active skills: *Thunder Edge*—blade gets covered in lightning for ten seconds. And *Lightning Dash*—you move fifty percent faster for three seconds."
Desai rested his hand on the hilt. "This sword costs one hundred thousand credits. It's what Adept-tier hunters use. It can kill Commander beasts in two or three hits."
Aarav's hand shot up. "Have you used one?"
"I *own* one. Bought it after five years of hunting. Best purchase of my life."
The class looked at him with new respect.
---
### **TIER 4: KING**
"King weapons require Lord-tier crystals. Three crystals minimum, all from the same beast for optimal results."
**Example shown: Glowing trident**
"Stats: Plus-fifteen Strength, plus-twelve Agility, plus-five Stamina. Three active skills. This particular trident is called *Leviathan's Fury*. Skills: *Tidal Slash*, *Water Prison*, and *Pressure Wave*."
"Cost: Half a million to one million credits. Only squad leaders and Master-tier mages use these."
Nikhil whispered, "A million credits. Holy shit."
"Language," Desai said without looking. "But yes. It's obscene."
---
### **TIER 5: EMPEROR**
"Emperor weapons are forged from Sovereign-tier crystals. Three or more crystals required."
**Example shown: Massive gauntlets with multiple colors swirling inside**
"Plus-twenty to all combat stats. Four active skills. Can kill Lord-tier beasts in sustained combat."
Desai's expression turned serious. "These weapons are national assets. They're locked in vaults, assigned to Archon-tier defenders, or used in war. Cost: Five million credits and up."
"I've held one," he added quietly. "Once. During the Sovereign attack on Mumbai in 1019. General Kapoor let me use her gauntlets for thirty seconds while she reloaded her Aether reserves."
"What was it like?" someone asked.
Desai smiled slightly. "Like holding a god's fist. Every punch felt like I could split mountains. It was intoxicating."
"Why only thirty seconds?"
"Because Emperor weapons bond to their user. If you're not strong enough, they drain your Core dry in minutes. I'm Master-tier Level 8. I could handle thirty seconds. A Novice would die in five."
That shut everyone up.
---
### **TIER 6-9: LEGENDARY, DEMI-GOD, DEMON, GOD SLAYER**
Desai pulled up images of four weapons, each more elaborate than the last.
"I'll be brief because most of you will never encounter these."
**LEGENDARY (Tier 6):**
"Ten times stronger than Emperor. Cost: Fifty million credits. Maybe five exist worldwide."
**DEMI-GOD (Tier 7):**
"Can drain life force from enemies. Prices don't exist—they're priceless."
**DEMON (Tier 8):**
"Grant permanent buffs. Flight, regeneration, immunity to fire. Three confirmed weapons. Locations classified."
**GOD SLAYER (Tier 9):**
"Designed to kill Calamity-tier beasts. Or gods, if gods existed." He paused. "Three confirmed God Slayers. They've been used twice in recorded history. Both times, continents burned."
Dev raised his hand timidly. "Could a God Slayer kill an Archon?"
"Yes. Easily. Which is why their locations are the most closely guarded secrets on Earth."
---
## PART VI: WEAPON TYPES – FINDING YOUR STYLE
Desai changed the hologram to show different weapon silhouettes.
"Now let's talk about weapon types. Because not every weapon works for every mage."
He pulled up five categories.
---
### **1. GAUNTLETS / TONFA (Close Combat)**
"Best for brawlers. Mages who like punching things."
**Advantages:**
- Don't restrict movement
- Amplify hand-to-hand combat
- Great for Terra and Bolt users
- Can block attacks
**Disadvantages:**
- Short range
- Requires getting close to enemies
- Dangerous against flying beasts
Anika's eyes lit up. "That's perfect for me."
"Terra-Gale dual affinity?" Desai guessed.
"Yeah."
"Then yes. Gauntlets. I'll add you to the requisition list."
---
### **2. SWORDS / KATANAS (Balanced)**
"The classic. Works for everyone."
**Advantages:**
- Versatile
- Can channel any affinity through blade
- Good reach
- Looks cool
**Disadvantages:**
- Requires training to use effectively
- Not optimal for anything specific
"If you don't know what you want," Desai said, "pick a sword. You can always change later."
---
### **3. BOWS / GUNS (Ranged)**
"For mages who like staying far from danger."
**Advantages:**
- Safe
- Long range
- Perfect for Bolt and Gale users
- Can hit flying enemies
**Disadvantages:**
- Requires ammunition (Aether-infused arrows or bullets)
- Useless if enemy gets close
- Expensive ammo
---
### **4. STAFFS / WANDS (Support)**
"For healers and support mages."
**Advantages:**
- Amplify healing and buff spells
- Extend range of Aether projection
- Light and easy to carry
**Disadvantages:**
- Terrible for direct combat
- Fragile
- Makes you a target
---
### **5. HEAVY WEAPONS (Hammers, Axes, Tridents)**
"For Terra users and tanks."
**Advantages:**
- Devastating damage
- Can shatter enemy defenses
- Intimidating
**Disadvantages:**
- Slow
- Heavy
- High stamina drain
Raj raised his hand. "I'm a Terra tank. Should I get a hammer?"
"How strong are you?"
"Strength stat is... fourteen."
"Then no. You'd need eighteen minimum to swing a beast hammer effectively. Stick with gauntlets or a shield until you level up."
"Okay."
---
## PART VII: CREATION PROCESS – HOW WEAPONS ARE MADE
Desai pulled up a step-by-step diagram.
"Let's talk forging. How do crystals become weapons?"
---
**STEP 1: HARVEST THE CRYSTAL**
"Kill the beast. Cut open chest cavity. Extract core crystal. Simple."
**STEP 2: INSPECT THE CRYSTAL**
"Look at the interior patterns. They tell you what weapon the crystal 'wants' to become."
**Examples shown:**
- Jagged, sharp patterns → Sword or dagger
- Smooth, round patterns → Gauntlets or shield
- Long, thin patterns → Spear or arrow
"Forcing a crystal into the wrong shape weakens the weapon. A good forger reads the crystal and follows its natural form."
---
**STEP 3: MELTING**
"Heat the crystal to two thousand degrees Celsius. Flame mages usually assist. The crystal turns liquid."
---
**STEP 4: ALLOY MIXING**
"Mix molten crystal with metal. Usually steel. Add Glathrium powder for Aether binding."
"Glathrium?" someone asked.
"Rare metal. Conducts Aether like copper conducts electricity. Expensive as hell. One gram costs five hundred credits."
Whistles around the room.
---
**STEP 5: SHAPING**
"Pour into molds or use Terra manipulation to sculpt by hand. Master forgers can shape weapons mid-air using pure Aether control."
---
**STEP 6: COOLING**
"Let it cool for twenty-four hours minimum. Rush this and the weapon cracks."
---
**STEP 7: ENCHANTMENT (Optional)**
"Master-tier forgers can embed active skills using runic inscriptions or additional crystals. This triples the cost but quintuples the value."
---
**STEP 8: TESTING**
"Stress test. If it breaks, you wasted a crystal. If it holds, you measure stats and certify it for sale."
---
Desai looked at the class.
"Forging is an art. Bad forgers waste crystals. Good forgers create tools. Great forgers create legends."
He paused.
"The two greatest forgers alive are **Alex Way** of the Cursed Faction and **Himari Sato** of Neo-Tokyo. Both can forge Emperor-tier weapons with ninety percent efficiency. If you ever meet them, show respect."
---
## PART VIII: LIVE DEMONSTRATION – FORGING A WEAPON
Desai reached into his case and pulled out a small crystal—glowing faint red, about the size of a golf ball.
"This," he said, "is a Feral-tier Ember Hound crystal. I'm going to forge it into a dagger. Right now. Watch closely."
The class leaned forward.
Desai placed the crystal on his metal desk.
He held his hand over it.
Frost Aether flowed from his palm—pale blue, shimmering.
The crystal's surface frosted over, but the glow inside intensified.
"I'm using Frost to cool the exterior while heating the interior with controlled Aether feedback. This creates tension that makes the crystal easier to melt."
The crystal began to glow brighter.
Brighter.
Then it *cracked*.
The outer shell shattered, and liquid Aether poured out—glowing red, viscous like honey.
Desai pulled out a steel rod from his storage pouch and dipped it into the liquid Aether.
The liquid clung to the metal, hardening almost instantly into a thin red coating.
He shaped it with his hands—bare hands, no gloves—molding the Aether-steel like clay.
Five minutes later, he held up a dagger.
The blade was dull gray steel with a red edge. Faint heat waves shimmered off it.
**[BASIC BEAST WEAPON: EMBER DAGGER]**
- Tier: Basic
- Stats: +2 Strength
- Active Skill: *Ember Edge* (blade ignites for 3 seconds, 30-second cooldown)
Value: ~1,500 credits
The class stared.
"That," Karan said, "was the coolest thing I've ever seen."
"That was the easiest thing I've ever forged," Desai corrected. "A professional could make ten of these in an hour. Now let's test it."
He tossed the dagger to Sameer. "You're Flame affinity, right?"
"Y-yes, sir."
"Good. Activate the skill. Push Aether into the blade."
Sameer held the dagger, closed his eyes, and concentrated.
Nothing happened.
"More Aether," Desai instructed. "Don't be shy."
Sameer pushed harder.
The dagger trembled.
Then—
FWOOSH.
Flames exploded along the blade, turning it into a flaming sword.
"HOLY SHIT!" Sameer yelped, nearly dropping it.
"Don't drop it!" Desai barked.
The flames lasted exactly three seconds, then died.
The class erupted in applause.
Sameer stared at the dagger, breathing hard. "That was... that was amazing."
"That," Desai said, "is a Basic-tier weapon. Imagine what an Emperor weapon feels like."
He took the dagger back.
"Now. Questions?"
Hands shot up across the room.
Desai pointed at Dev.
"Can you make weapons from Void beast crystals?"
"Yes, but they're unstable. Void weapons have a tendency to cut through reality accidentally. Most forgers refuse to work with them."
Arjun's stomach dropped.
Void weapons are real. And dangerous.
Next question—Priya.
"Do weapons break?"
"Yes. Damage reduces stat bonuses. A cracked Emperor weapon might only give plus-ten instead of plus-twenty. Repair costs scale with tier. Basic repairs: one hundred credits. Emperor repairs: fifty thousand."
Kavya raised her hand. "Can you combine crystals from different beasts?"
"Technically yes. Practically no. Mixed crystals create unstable weapons with conflicting affinities. Unless you're a Master forger, don't try it."
Vikram Sehgal: "What's the strongest weapon you've ever forged?"
Desai smiled slightly. "King-tier trident. Took me three weeks and three Lord-tier crystals. Sold it for eight hundred thousand credits. Bought a house with the money."
Impressed murmurs.
Nikhil: "Can Veilborn use beast weapons?"
"Yes. Weapons work for anyone. Veilborn use them all the time. That's how some non-mages survive as hunters."
Anika: "If I have dual affinities, should I get two weapons?"
"No. Get one weapon that synergizes with your primary affinity. Use your secondary affinity for support. Carrying two weapons splits your focus."
More questions.
More answers.
Finally, Raj raised his hand.
"Sir, when do we get our weapons?"
Desai checked his tablet.
"Requisition forms go out next week. You'll receive your Basic weapons before your first Green Portal expedition in Month 2."
"Can we buy better weapons?"
"With what money? You're students. You have zero credits."
"But—"
"When you start hunting beasts and selling crystals, yes, you can save up for Intermediate weapons. Most Second Years do. But that's six months away. Focus on not dying first."
Fair point.
After class, Squad 9 walked back to the dorms together.
Everyone was talking excitedly about weapon choices.
"I'm definitely getting gauntlets," Anika said. "Stone fists plus wind speed? I'll be unstoppable."
"I want a staff," Nikhil said. "Support mage life."
"Bow for me," Sameer added. "Flaming arrows sound cool."
"Hammer," Raj said firmly. "When I get strong enough."
They all looked at Arjun.
"What about you?" Anika asked.
Arjun thought about it.
His Bolt affinity was ranged. Precision strikes. Fast attacks.
But his Void affinity...
Void was close-range. Dimensional cuts. Teleportation.
He'd need something versatile.
"Gauntlets," he said finally. "Same as Anika."
"Really? I thought you'd pick a sword."
"Gauntlets work for both Bolt and... other things."
Anika gave him a look but didn't press.
They reached the dorm tower and split up—boys to one wing, girls to another.
As Arjun climbed the stairs, his System pinged.
[DAILY QUEST PROGRESS UPDATE]
Morning Training: Complete ✓
Spell Practice: Complete ✓
Aether Circulation: Pending
[Current SP: 55]
He'd completed two quests today, plus bonuses from class participation.
Ninety-five SP to go until I can buy the Void manual.
Three more days.
I can do this.
But first, tonight's meditation.
And this time, he had to succeed.
Because he couldn't afford another corruption increase.
Not if he wanted to live.