Morning came with pale light pushing through the narrow dorm window.
Shinra sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting loosely on his knees, eyes half-lidded as he listened to the city.
Even from this level, he could hear it: distant traffic, the hum of elevated rails, the murmur of too many lives packed into steel and glass. The world had learned how to be loud in ways his old era never could.
[Good morning, Great Master.]
Arios' voice chimed softly.
"Morning," Shinra replied in his mind.
[Your physical condition is stable. Minor fatigue from yesterday's mission, naturally regenerating.]
"Any news?" Shinra asked.
[Yes.]
A small window slid into the corner of his vision—Arios' summary of the world overnight.
[Internal to Sanctum:
— Unit 3's success has been logged.
— Your Tier 1 status has been confirmed in guild records.
— Rumor density: increased.]
[External:
— Ascendant Authority has not raised your priority level. Status: "observe at distance".
— Several guild chatter networks mention a "Tier 1 in Sanctum".
— Three guilds show heightened interest: Obsidian Crown, Silverline, and Apex Verge.]
"Any of them close by?" Shinra asked.
[Obsidian Crown and Silverline maintain branches in this city. Apex Verge is region-based—not local, but capable of rapid deployment.]
"Obsidian Crown," Shinra repeated quietly. "Sounds like the type that bites first."
[They are known for aggressive recruitment and territory posturing, Great Master.]
[Especially toward smaller guilds with valuable assets.]
"Like Sanctum," Shinra said.
[Yes.]
He exhaled slowly.
"They'll knock eventually," he said.
[Likely.]
He stood, fastened his guild band around his wrist, and stepped out into the corridor.
The guild felt busier than yesterday.
Or maybe that was just his awareness catching more.
He passed two low-tier Ascendants in mismatched armor arguing about whether Tier 6s should get hazard pay. A Mundane clerk hurried past with a stack of reports, nearly bumping into him before bowing quickly and murmuring, "Sorry, excuse me."
Shinra shifted easily out of the way. "It's fine," he said.
She relaxed fractionally and rushed on.
His band buzzed.
[Unit 3 — Assembly / Training Hall C — 15 minutes.]
"Training," he said aloud.
[Mizuki scheduled an internal evaluation after yesterday's Breach, Great Master.] Arios supplied.
[She wishes to see how you function in controlled combat conditions.]
"Understandable," Shinra murmured.
He headed toward the indicated hall.
***
Training Hall C was open and tall-ceilinged, with reinforced flooring and segmented zones. A few squads were already finishing earlier drills on one side, their shouts and impacts echoing.
Unit 3 clustered near the far wall.
Riku was stretching in the lazy way of someone who'd complain about any formal warm-up. Hana was checking the calibration on her disks, adjusting something with practiced flicks. Daren rolled his neck and shoulders like he was about to punch a building.
Yuna stood in front of them, hands on her hips.
Shinra approached.
"You made it," Yuna said. "Good. I don't like chasing people for training."
"I received the notification," he replied. "It was clear enough."
Riku glanced over and smirked. "Welcome to Evaluation Part Two: 'Can the new guy fight without collapsing the building.'"
"That's literally what we're hoping to find out," Yuna said.
She jerked her chin toward the center zone, where the floor markings glowed faintly.
"Mizuki wants a live demonstration," she said. "No full power, no suicidal stunts. This is still our training hall."
"Will there be an audience?" Shinra asked.
"Unfortunately," Riku answered, nodding toward the upper level.
A narrow viewing balcony ran along one wall.
Mizuki stood there already, tablet in hand, gaze steady. Beside her, Kaizen leaned on the railing, posture relaxed, eyes sharp. A few other squad leaders had drifted in to "just pass by," then conveniently stayed.
"I told them this is not a show," Yuna muttered. "They heard 'Tier 1 spar' and did not listen."
Shinra glanced up briefly.
Mizuki lifted her tablet in a tiny, formal acknowledgment.
Kaizen waved outright.
Shinra inclined his head and looked back at Yuna.
"How do you want to do this?" he asked.
"Step by step," she said. "First, Daren. Close combat, no abilities above moderate level. Then, if nothing explodes, you'll move with me."
Daren grinned, already stepping toward the center. "About time," he said.
Riku whistled. "Place your bets," he whispered to Hana. "How long before Daren gets thrown on his back?"
"We do not bet on internal sparring," Hana said. "It's unprofessional."
"Ten seconds," Riku added thoughtfully.
Hana sighed. "…Twelve."
Shinra walked to the marked zone opposite Daren.
Daren cracked his knuckles. "All right," he said. "Just so we're clear: I know you're Tier 1. Don't hold it against me if I take this seriously."
"I'd be offended if you didn't," Shinra said.
[Output, Master?] Arios asked.
Minimal, Shinra answered. Reflex and structure only. No unnecessary pressure.
[Understood.]
Yuna raised her hand at the edge of the zone.
"Non-lethal," she said. "No head-targeting, no joint-shattering, no internal crushing techniques. Clear?"
Daren nodded. "Clear."
Shinra nodded as well. "Clear."
Yuna dropped her hand.
"Begin."
Daren moved immediately.
For a big man, he was fast. His first step covered half the distance between them, weight driving through his legs as he threw a straight punch toward Shinra's chest.
It would have flattened most mid-tier Ascendants if it landed cleanly.
Shinra didn't block it.
He stepped to the side at the last instant, shifting barely enough that the fist passed through empty space. As it did, he reached out with two fingers and tapped Daren's forearm lightly, redirecting the momentum.
Daren stumbled, overextended, then caught himself and spun, bringing his other arm around in a hook.
Shinra leaned back just enough to let the hook brush the front of his shirt.
No more. No less.
[Your movements are extremely economical, Great Master.] Arios commented.
[You are letting his energy spend itself.]
He's strong, Shinra thought. But he pushes too hard when he commits.
Daren threw a low kick, testing his guard.
Shinra shifted his weight, foot sliding back to absorb the impact's threat without letting it land.
On the balcony, Kaizen murmured, "Look at that."
Mizuki was already watching closely. "He's reading Daren's movement on instinct," she said. "Not reacting to the strike he sees—reacting to the one that's about to form."
"Old habit," Kaizen said. "You see that in people who've survived too many battles."
Daren adjusted quickly.
He stopped chasing single heavy blows and started chaining his attacks—punch, elbow, knee, feint, step, shoulder. A rough but functional close-quarters rhythm.
Shinra let him.
He never stayed in one place long enough to become a target, but he also never ran. His movements were small, tight, precise—like a man walking through falling logs and never getting hit simply because he understood the path they'd take.
Riku's mouth gradually fell open.
Hana pushed her glasses up without realizing she was doing it. "…He's letting Daren show his full range," she said. "Without counterattacking."
"He's what?" Riku sputtered. "We've been here for almost a minute!"
Yuna folded her arms.
She watched Shinra's footwork, his posture, the way his shoulders never tensed too much.
"He could end it whenever he wants," she said quietly.
Down below, Daren panted once, sweat starting to bead at his temples.
"All right," he said, breathing a little harder. "Enough playing defense."
He stepped in, feinted a straight punch, then twisted into a low sweep aimed at Shinra's legs.
For the first time, Shinra moved with more intent.
He let the sweep come, shifted his leg just outside of reach, caught Daren's shoulder lightly as his center dropped—
—and used Daren's own momentum to pivot him off the ground.
It wasn't brutal.
It wasn't flashy.
One moment, Daren was sweeping; the next, he was on his back, staring up at the ceiling, air knocked out of him.
The hall went quiet for half a second.
"…Twelve seconds," Hana murmured.
Riku gaped. "That was way longer than twelve—"
"I meant from when he decided to end it," she said.
Yuna raised her hand again.
"Stop," she called. "Point to Shinra."
Shinra let go and stepped back, giving Daren space to sit up.
Daren did, rubbing his back and then his head, then laughed once, breathy.
"All right," he said. "Okay. Yeah. You're Tier 1."
"I told you that yesterday," Shinra said.
"Yeah, but my body understands it better now," Daren replied.
Yuna walked over, offering Daren a hand up. "You did fine," she said. "He just… does that."
"That?" Daren repeated. "What even was that? I didn't feel any power. It was like fighting a wall made of air."
"You overcommitted on your sweep," Shinra said. "Your weight was too far forward. It made it easy to redirect."
Daren grunted. "I'll keep that in mind."
[Your feedback is precise and non-derogatory, Great Master.] Arios noted.
[They will improve quickly with you around.]
They already improve quickly, Shinra thought. I'm just nudging.
Yuna looked at Shinra.
"Your turn," she said.
He blinked. "I just had one."
"With Daren," she said. "Now with me."
Riku made a strangled sound. "Wait, you and him?"
"This is for me," Yuna said. "I can't lead a squad if I don't know how the strongest person in it moves."
She stepped into the zone and rolled her shoulders, loosening herself.
Her aura rose just a little—not flaring, but tightening, focusing. The air around her hand shimmered as light began to gather again.
"Spear?" Shinra asked.
"Always," she replied.
The radiant construct formed in her grip, more compact than on the battlefield—training version, not full force.
Yuna twirled it once before settling into a stance.
"Same rules," she said. "Non-lethal. No serious injuries. I'd appreciate it if you didn't erase my limbs."
"I have no reason to," Shinra said.
[Output, Master?]
A little higher, he thought. Enough to give her something real to read. But nothing near the seal.
[Understood.]
Yuna glanced at Yuna and Shinra from the balcony and nudged Kaizen. "Now this will be something," he murmured.
Mizuki said nothing, but her eyes didn't miss a thing.
Yuna didn't wait for a dramatic start.
"Begin," she said herself, and she was gone.
She moved like a line of light drawn in the air—straight in, spear thrust at Shinra's chest. He shifted sideways, hand reaching to parry the shaft—
—and found the spear already not there.
She'd pulled it back and slashed instead, adjusting mid-strike.
Shinra frowned faintly, impressed.
Her control really was good.
He deflected the flat of the blade with his forearm, the energy crackling harmlessly over his skin, and stepped inside her guard.
She pivoted back, spinning, spear whirling in a tight arc to keep the distance.
They traded motions like that for a while.
Yuna's style was like a river—flowing, never quite where it looked like it would be at first glance. She chained thrusts and sweeps with quick footwork, constantly shifting angles, forcing anyone who fought her to move or be sliced.
Shinra let his power bleed a little more into his limbs.
He didn't counterattack outright.
He let her learn him.
The hall's background noise dimmed. Even squads on other sides stopped to glance over.
Down below, Riku whispered, "This is actually insane."
Hana nodded, eyes intent.
Daren watched quietly, no longer grinning—just observing.
Yuna stepped forward, feinted low, then snapped her spear butt up toward Shinra's ribs.
He caught the shaft with one hand.
Her eyes widened slightly.
He twisted—not enough to wrench the weapon away, but enough to pull her slightly off her axis.
She corrected fast, letting go with one hand, using the movement to spin her body and regrip higher, driving her knee toward his side.
He met it with a forearm, redirected it away from his torso, angled his body just enough to make the contact superficial.
"Annoying," she muttered.
"You're fast," he said.
"You're faster," she replied. "You're just pretending not to be."
He almost smiled.
[She's reading you well, Great Master.] Arios said.
She has good instincts, he answered.
He decided to show her a little more.
The next time she lunged, spear tip aiming for his shoulder, he stepped forward instead of sideways.
Their distance collapsed in an instant.
He let the spear pass close, turned his body so it slid by without finding purchase, and in the same motion, placed his hand lightly on her shoulder.
He didn't push hard.
Just… enough.
Her balance tipped.
For a heartbeat, it felt as if the ground had shifted under her feet. The world tilted in a direction it wasn't supposed to go.
Then he let it go.
Yuna stumbled, caught herself, boots sliding on the reinforced floor. Her spear's form flickered once before she stabilized it again.
She stared at him.
"What was that?" she demanded.
"Reorientation," he said. "I shifted your center against your will. Only slightly. Enough to tell you you were about to fall."
"Could you have made me fall?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
She narrowed her eyes, then huffed out a breath and dropped the spear. The light construct disintegrated into particles.
"Stop," she said. "Point to Shinra."
Yuna shook her hands out, like she was getting rid of residual tension.
"Okay," she said. "I hate you a little."
Riku groaned. "Welcome to the club," he said.
"But?" Hana prompted gently.
Yuna looked at Shinra.
"But," she said slowly, "I understand a little better now why Kaizen and Mizuki decided to keep you."
She addressed him directly.
"You don't just overpower," she said. "You read. You let your opponent show who they are. You correct instead of crush. You only push as hard as you need to."
Shinra regarded her.
"That's the most efficient way to make sure the people around you survive," he said. "On the battlefield, and after it."
Her expression flickered.
Something in that answer hit a little too close to something she knew.
"Yeah," she said quietly. "It is."
From the balcony, Kaizen smiled faintly.
"See?" he said. "He fits."
Mizuki didn't smile. But she spoke.
"He is dangerous," she said. "But not wild. That's the best we can ask for."
"And the worst?" Kaizen asked.
She watched Shinra as he stepped out of the sparring zone, letting his power settle back to its compressed, quiet state.
"The worst," Mizuki said, "is if something decides to aim him where we can't afford him to go."
***
Training ended in scattered groups.
Other squads drifted out of the hall. Some members stole glances at Shinra as they passed, whispering behind half-raised hands.
"Did you see that?"
"He didn't even use aura."
"Is that really Tier 1? Or something else?"
"If that's Tier 1… what are the others at the top really like?"
[Curiosity is rising, Great Master,] Arios noted.
[Fear is following closely behind it.]
Shinra followed Unit 3 toward the exit.
Yuna walked beside him, towel slung around her neck.
"That shoulder thing," she said. "You have to show me that again sometime."
"I can," he said. "It's easier to learn than it looks."
She snorted. "Doubt it," she said. "But I'll try."
Riku jogged up on his other side.
"Okay," he said. "I admit it. You're terrifying. I officially retract all 'fabricated Tier 1' comments."
"You already did that yesterday," Shinra pointed out.
"Yeah, well," Riku said. "Today was the physical demonstration. I like confirming my bad judgments thoroughly."
Hana smiled faintly. "He does," she agreed.
Daren rolled his shoulder experimentally. "I'll spar you again," he said. "Once I fix the mistake you pointed out."
"You fixed it before the end," Shinra replied. "That's why you lasted longer than you expected."
"…Huh," Daren said.
Yuna opened the training hall door.
Noise from the rest of the guild rushed back in—voices, footsteps, comms chatter.
They stepped into it together.
***
At Sanctum's front entrance, an hour later, two men stood just outside the doors.
They weren't Sanctum members.
Their coats were darker, sharper, with a different emblem stitched over the chest—a crown of jagged edges, wrapped in thorns.
Obsidian Crown.
One of them—a lean man with hair slicked back too carefully—looked up at the Sanctum sign with thinly veiled amusement.
"This is the place?" he asked.
His partner, broader, with a heavy jaw, nodded. "Yeah. Sanctum Guild. Tier 1's registered here."
"Santcum," the first man repeated, deliberately mispronouncing it. "Small building."
"Soft guild," the other said. "Reputation for charity cases and taking Mundanes in."
The first smiled without warmth.
"Then they don't need a Tier 1," he said. "It's wasted here."
They stepped inside.
The receptionist looked up as they approached, and her posture stiffened slightly.
"Welcome to Sanctum," she said politely. "Can I help you?"
The slick-haired man flashed a guild band. Obsidian Crown's emblem pulsed faintly on the projection.
"We're just visiting," he said, voice smooth. "We heard you have a newly registered Tier 1. 'Shinra,' was it?"
The receptionist's fingers tightened on her stylus.
"I'm not sure our internal members' details are public," she said carefully.
"We're not asking for secrets," the man said. "Just curious colleagues, concerned about balance. A Tier 1 showing up at a small place like this is… surprising."
His partner smirked.
"Especially with no past," he added. "Authority files got real thin on this one."
The receptionist opened her mouth to reply—and someone else spoke first.
"That's funny."
The voice came from the side.
Kaizen walked over, hands in his pockets, expression mild.
"Last I checked, guild law doesn't say Tier 1s are reserved for the highest bidder," he said. "Or that we have to present them to visiting critics like trophies."
The Obsidian Crown pair turned to him.
"You're Kaizen," the slick-haired one said. "Sanctum's leader."
"I am," Kaizen said. "And you are standing in my lobby, which means you'll keep it civil or you'll leave."
The man raised his hands, mock-placating.
"Just asking questions," he said. "We're all on the same side here. Breaches, Authority oversight, all that. Power needs to be… distributed responsibly."
"You mean in your direction," Kaizen said.
The broader man's jaw tightened.
"We mean," he said, "that when something unnatural appears, it's best in the hands of those equipped to handle it."
"Unnatural?" Kaizen repeated. "He passed Authority's registration. That's natural enough for me."
"Authority tagged his file 'monitor'," the first man said. "That doesn't bother you?"
"Lots of people have that tag," Kaizen said. "Even some of your bosses."
The man's smile thinned.
"Just be aware," he said, "that a Tier 1 with no past draws attention. The kind that can crush places like this if they get nervous."
Kaizen's eyes cooled a fraction.
"We've survived a lot of years without being crushed," he said quietly. "If something comes for us, we'll deal with it then. As for Shinra—"
He shrugged slightly.
"—we'll take responsibility for him while he's under our roof," he said. "That's what a guild is supposed to do."
For a moment, something unpleasant passed between their gazes.
Then the Obsidian Crown pair turned as one.
"We'll be watching," the slick-haired man said.
"Everyone is," Kaizen replied easily. "That's fine. Just remember we're watching back."
They left.
The door slid shut behind them.
The receptionist let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Sorry," she said. "I should've called you sooner."
"You did fine," Kaizen said. "You didn't give them anything."
He looked at the door for a moment, thoughtful.
Then he smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Looks like the city's starting to care," he murmured.
***
Later, when the halls had quieted a little and most people were buried in paperwork or off-shift, Shinra stood on an outside balcony near the dorm wing.
The city stretched below him—layers of movement and light. Somewhere in the distance, a faint Breach signature flickered, already being handled by some other squad, some other guild.
The air was cool.
[Master.]
Arios' voice was softer than usual.
"Hm?" Shinra asked.
[I've been analyzing your recent Breach encounters.]
He listened.
[The energy structure in yesterday's anomaly shares… similarities with the anomalies recorded in your final battle a thousand years ago.]
Shinra's hand tightened slightly on the balcony rail.
"Similarities how?" he asked.
[Frequency. Pattern. The way the fabric of space resists before tearing.]
[Not identical. But not unrelated.]
"So the Breaches in this era," he said slowly, "and the thing that ended mine…"
[Are likely manifestations of the same deeper phenomenon,] Arios said.
[Or at least siblings born of the same source.]
Wind slipped past them, carrying the distant echo of sirens and laughter and a vendor shouting about late-night snacks.
Shinra closed his eyes for a moment.
"Can you trace it?" he asked.
[Not yet, Great Master.] Arios replied.
[I would require more data. More Breaches. More high-level anomalies.]
"So I have to keep walking into them," Shinra said.
[You were planning to anyway.]
He huffed quietly. "True."
He opened his eyes again.
Far below, on the street, a Mundane man hurried along the sidewalk, clutching a bag to his chest. A group of low-tier Ascendants laughed too loudly nearby, their auras bright and unstable, power leaking out in showy sparks.
The man flinched away, giving them a wide berth.
The strong, careless.
The weak, cautious.
The pendulum of this era swung on the same crooked axis his had.
[Curiosity and fear, Great Master,] Arios said.
[That is the rhythm this age beats to when it looks at power.]
"And me?" Shinra asked. "Which one do they feel?"
[Both.]
He watched the city lights flicker, Breach signatures rise and fade, messages flow invisibly through networks he couldn't see but could sense through Arios.
"A lost name," he said quietly. "A Tier 1 with no past. A world with holes in it."
He smiled without mirth.
"Let them be curious," he said. "Let them be afraid. As long as they don't touch what I care to protect."
[And what is that, Great Master?] Arios asked.
He thought of Yuna's fierce spear, Hana's steady barriers, Riku's sharp shots, Daren's heavy fists. Of Kaizen's easy grin masking calculation, Mizuki's sharp eyes tracking everything, the Mundane staff who moved without flinching in these halls.
"…For now?" he said. "This guild. These people. The ones who haven't yet decided that power gives them the right to crush everyone else."
[For now,] Arios repeated.
Shinra pushed off the railing and turned back toward the doors.
The city's curiosity was awake. Its fear was just beginning.
He walked inside, footsteps quiet.
And somewhere, beyond the reach of his current strength and sealed name,
the same force that had once erased him
stirred in the cracks between worlds
and took notice—
not of a king returned,
but of a Tier 1 with no past
who refused to stay small.