The final dawn over **Camp Veil's Edge** arrived not with trumpets… but with release.
The dread barriers that had hummed day and night for a week now vibrated softer—like a beast finally easing its guard. The oppressive pressure that once pressed against lungs and thoughts had thinned, leaving behind an almost fragile quiet.
For the first time in seven days…
The camp exhaled.
The cohort gathered in the central arena one last time.
They stood in loose ranks, faces worn yet tempered—a mosaic of exhaustion, survival, and fragile triumph. Some bore fresh bandages. Others carried new scars—physical and otherwise.
Seven days inside Veil's Edge had not trained them.
It had **forged** them.
Those branded by trauma stood quieter now. Still haunted—but steadier. Their eyes no longer fled from shadows, even if they did not welcome them.
The once-boastful recruits flexed less. The mirror chambers had carved humility into bone. Loud laughter had dulled into restrained murmurs.
At the front stood **Rex Thorne**.
Broad shoulders squared. Chin raised. Every inch the picture of dominance.
Yet his glare—angled sideways toward **Xia Ying**—carried an edge that refused to dull.
Resentment.
Unresolved. Smoldering.
Instructor **Garrick** stepped onto the platform, essence readers hovering beside him like crimson halos. His voice rolled across the arena with final authority.
"Assessments complete."
Silence fell.
"This week tested body, stealth, mind… and live dread tolerance. Rankings reflect potential—not momentary flash."
A gesture summoned a holographic recap above the arena floor.
Final mixed drills replayed in flickering crimson light—
Coordinated defenses.
Simulated horror packs.
Warded lurkers phasing through defensive lines.
Fear leeches swarming wounded supports.
The cohort had fought ragged… but functional.
The traumatized held rear formations.
The boastful charged frontlines—this time with discipline instead of recklessness.
Flaws still surfaced—
But no longer ruled.
Rex's squad dominated through raw force.
He smashed lurkers apart with brutal efficiency while his lackeys shielded flanks and cleared parasites. Crude, but effective.
Then the projection shifted.
To **Xia Ying's trio**.
Wei Jun's tracking marks illuminated phasing paths.
Lin Mei's healing glow stabilized will-drain victims.
And Xia Ying—
Flexible.
Controlled.
Lethal in restraint.
Shadow tendrils bound horrors with surgical precision while the **Adolescent Phantom** manifested only briefly—its aura wave stunning leeches long enough for clean dispersal.
No excess.
No spectacle.
Just mastery disguised as support.
Instructor voices echoed over the replay:
> "Cohesive unit."
> "High synergy."
> "Command flexibility noted."
The projection dissolved.
A crimson ranking sigil ignited above the arena.
Names scrolled downward before locking into place.
**Top Rank — Rex Thorne**
Raw Power. Endurance. Shock Suppression Rating: Exceptional.
A satisfied smirk tugged his lips.
Then—
**Mid-High Rank — Xia Ying (Top 5)**
Versatile Control. Abnormal Dread Resistance. Familiar Integration: Unique.
Xia Ying dipped his head modestly.
Internally—
He had aimed for exactly this.
High enough to command respect.
Low enough to avoid obsession.
Rex's smirk faltered slightly as his gaze cut sideways again.
*"Tricks… stole the real shine."*
The unspoken accusation lingered.
Graduation followed.
Not ceremony—
But distribution.
Bureau crates opened across the arena floor.
Each recruit received standardized terror loot:
* **Condensed Essence Vials** — minor harvest amplification.
* **Warded Cloaks** — dread resistance weave.
* **Stabilizer Bands** — Flaw surge dampeners.
* Certification seals stamped:
**"Curse Acclimated — Bureau Recognized."**
Functional.
Not glamorous.
The true rewards lay elsewhere.
As the cohort dispersed, Garrick approached Xia Ying privately.
Close enough that only he could hear.
"Smart restraint, kid."
His gaze lingered—sharp, measuring.
"Potential like yours draws predators. Legion watches assets who know when not to shine."
Xia Ying inclined his head evenly.
"Thank you, Instructor."
Internally—
He felt the weight of those words.
Eyes were indeed watching.
Hungry ones.
But concealment still held.
And concealment meant time.
---
### **Midday — Recruitment Hour**
Once barriers lowered, the arena transformed into a marketplace of predators in civilian clothing.
Plainclothes scouts flooded the grounds.
They circled high-rankers first.
Pitches came fast.
The first familiar face approached with an easy grin.
**Kai — Veiled Nightmare Syndicate.**
"Told you we'd keep watching," he said. "Phantom ascension already? That thing's Bazaar royalty material."
He leaned closer.
"Join us. Full access markets. Shared Rift runs. Sovereign types like you rise fast leading squads."
Flattery layered over calculated temptation.
Xia Ying smiled politely.
"Honored. But I prefer walking independent paths a little longer. I want to test… full hunger."
Kai studied him—then laughed.
"Fair. Lone wolves grow sharp teeth."
He slipped Xia Ying a data chip.
"Extra Bazaar invite. Plus a small essence favor credit. Call anytime."
Offer declined.
Benefit extracted.
Next came a rival syndicate scout—flame-aligned Dominion guild.
"Control like yours pairs well cross-element. Resources flow faster in hybrid squads."
Polite refusal again.
"Appreciate it. But shadows prefer night roads."
Still—
He left with a warded knife upgrade contact.
And another future door unlocked.
A third recruiter—minor independent collective—offered looser terms.
"No chains. No tax splits. Just alliance runs."
"Tempting freedom," Xia Ying replied smoothly. "Perhaps after my first field Rift."
Another bonus vial quietly changed hands.
Crumbs, all of them.
But crumbs collected… still formed a feast trail.
---
### **The Trio**
He found Lin Mei and Wei Jun waiting near the transport convoy.
Lin Mei shook her head firmly at a healer guild recruiter retreating.
"I'd rather… stay with friends."
Her eyes flicked to Xia Ying with shy certainty.
Wei Jun adjusted his gear straps.
"Tracker corps made offers. Declined. Team efficiency already proven."
Loyalty.
Pragmatic for Wei Jun.
Emotional for Lin Mei.
Both binding.
Iron threads tightening around him.
---
### **Return to New Haven**
The convoy departed Veil's Edge under a dimming sky.
As dread barriers faded behind them, the forest's whispers receded.
But the city ahead…
Was worse.
New Haven's outer districts bore deeper scars than when they'd left.
Rift proximity had intensified corruption bleed.
Fog hung heavier.
Sirens wailed more frequently.
Broadcasts crackled through convoy comms:
> "Slum Rift instability rising."
> "Swarm breaches increasing."
> "Civilian evacuation underway."
> "Legion reinforcement deployed. Volunteer squads requested."
The cohort buzzed with mixed reactions.
Some relieved camp was over.
Others energized by real-hunt prospects.
Lin Mei twisted her hands anxiously.
"People are dying… Are we ready?"
Wei Jun's eyes were already mapping routes in his mind.
"We scout edges first. Phantom changes engagement strategy."
Xia Ying offered a reassuring smile.
"Together. We survive… richer."
Dependence deepened.
Trust sealed further.
---
### **Evening — Home Base**
Night fell as Xia Ying returned to his apartment.
Door locked.
Wards checked.
Loot unpacked across the table.
Condensed terror vials glowed faintly like bottled nightmares.
Warded gear hummed softly.
He sat in silence.
Reflecting.
Camp Veil's Edge had been more than training.
It had been cultivation.
Network seeded.
Trio bound—devotion and pragmatism intertwined.
Bazaar access cracked open.
Syndicate eyes engaged.
And his Flaw—
Quiet.
Deeply sated from a week of curated terror feasts.
No hunger pangs.
Not for weeks.
Power pulsed through him steadily.
---
### **Private Evolution Test**
He summoned the Phantom.
The **Adolescent Form** manifested fully now—
Taller than before.
Orphanage garments darker… stained.
Ink tears flowed thicker from hollow eyes.
Its aura frost spread wider, whispers layered atop one another:
*Play… stay… eternal…*
He tested possession.
A shadow object lifted—jerky but controlled.
Tendrils extended farther than before, hardened and more obedient.
Even Xia Ying felt a chill crawl along his spine.
Thrilling.
Terrifying.
Perfect.
> "Terror ascends," he murmured.
> "Cycle… exquisite."
---
### **Reflection**
Memories of his past life surfaced faintly.
Old graduations.
Old alliances forged.
Old rivals erased.
But this world…
Was richer.
Because terror here was tangible.
Harvestable.
Weaponized.
"Sovereignty grows," he whispered.
"Tools. Essence. Concealment."
The Flaw remained silent.
Satisfied.
Addictively calm.
---
### **Mobilization Call**
A late comm ping shattered the quiet.
Volunteer deployment confirmed.
Dawn mobilization.
He met Lin Mei and Wei Jun briefly to finalize roles.
Reassurances given.
Strategies aligned.
Masks maintained.
Back home, he packed:
* Warded cloak
* Essence vials
* Knife upgrade
* Stabilizers
Outside—
Sirens wailed endlessly.
On the horizon…
The Slum Rift glowed brighter.
Crimson haze staining the clouds.
Inside his mind—
The Phantom whispered in eager anticipation.
Unbound terror awaited.
Civilians to save.
Horrors to harvest.
A public savior mask…
And a private abyssal feast.
Xia Ying closed his bag.
Eyes gleaming faintly in the dark.
Mobilization had been called.
Ascension would continue.
And this time—
The feast would be vast.