Jonathan’s eyes widened as he activated his own scanning ability to look at the Rift. The color drained from his already tired face while he read the information.

Damien must have had a similar ability, since he started muttering at the same time. “Son of a bitch. He’s right.”

Greg stepped forward, and as he spoke, his voice rose in volume. “You said they were trying to break through. How could you get something this critical so wrong?”

“Asshole,” Martin said, as he flicked Greg in the ear. “Dude was there doing more than you were. Shuddup.”

Before Alex could respond, Jonathan held up his hand. “That’s enough, Greg. None of us could have predicted this. I wouldn’t have even known it was possible to increase a Rift’s rank.”

Alex groaned internally.

“What exactly does this mean, though?” Sam asked, looking between them.

Alex leaned some more of his weight against Sam and felt his limbs tremble from the strain of his earlier magic. “It means that instead of facing D-Rank elves in the 30 to 60 range, we’re now going to have to face C-Rank elves… Levels 60 to 90.” He paused and let the implications sink in for those around.

Jonathan spoke up again, staring at his boots. “The level range on Earth is what? 3 to 40-something? Even the elite Hunter teams are barely in the high forties.” He grunted and looked at his team seriously. “How long do we have?”

As if answering his question, a new blue window appeared in his vision.

A deafening silence fell over the group as everyone processed the System announcement. Alex felt every eye turn toward him, and the weight of their stares pressed against his already exhausted body.

“I-Integration Champion?” Greg stuttered to break the silence as he stared directly at Alex with wide eyes. “That’s you. Isn’t it?”

Before Alex could answer, people around them began talking and yelling. Some were about Alex, clearly having seen his massive magical display, and others were just about the System Announcement in general. Jonathan touched the communication device in his ear, and his expression grew grim.

“It’s not just us,” Jonathan said. “Every Awakened in North America just got the message. Director Matthews is on his way, and we’re getting more information.”

Sam tightened his grip on Alex’s shoulder. “What does Integration Champion mean?”

“I don’t know; I just got it when—” Alex was cut off as chaos erupted around them. The talking and yelling increased in volume and people began using communication devices and skills. Some using movement skills to make their way back to the forward operating area that they’d come from.

Jonathan looked at him seriously. “We need to get you somewhere safe. This changes everything.”

“I don’t need to go somewhere safe. What are you talking about? Sam, help me walk over there and grab my notebook,” Alex pointed to a space about ten meters away from their group, where he’d dropped his notebook during the cast spell.

He scoped it up and scanned the surrounding areas drastic change as a result of the spell. The miniature crater where they stood was surrounded by several scorch marks from where lightning had sought a place to ground itself, even as it was projected like a cannon several meters overhead.

Surprisingly, Maelis was the one to speak up. “The System just made you a target and an asset simultaneously. Being made an Integration Champion is rare enough, but a Continent-Locked event this early? Every powerful player on this continent now knows that there’s someone marked as singularly special to the planet that apparently already has abnormal growth in several areas. To make things worse, every person who witnessed this event now knows that it’s you. You may not want the attention, but you’ve got it now.”

A man in uniform approached their small group and had several other armed soldiers with them. Alex noticed they carried standard firearms, and their uniforms didn’t show any signs of recent combat. “Mr. Moore? I’m Colonel Hayes. Director Matthews is inbound and requested your immediate presence at the command center.”

“He needs medical attention first,” Sam said, still helping Alex stand upright. “His mana channels are damaged, and even just from the initial flush of healing, he’s not even close to recovered or ready to use more magic.”

Hayes nodded. “We’ll have our medical team—”

“I’m treating him,” Sam said.

The colonel’s eyebrows rose, and he looked at everyone else around him. When no one else seemed to have an issue with Sam treating Alex, he agreed. “Twenty minutes, then we need him at command. The entire continent just went on high alert, and mass panic is almost bound to set in.”

As Hayes walked away, Alex slumped further against Sam.

“Moore, look at the Rift again,” Jonathan said.

Activating his Heavenly Eye caused his head to throb in pain.

The timer was already ticking on the Rift and he didn’t realize it was possible for his body to suddenly feel more exhausted than it had moments before.

“Let’s get him to the med-tent,” Teresa said as she stepped up next to Sam.

Martin approached as well and laid a gentle hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he said simply.

“Form up, let’s move.” Jonathan rounded up the team and formed a tight perimeter around Alex as they made their way toward the medical tent. “We’ve got one year to prepare for something that should be impossible to survive.”

Greg whispered to Alex’s left, using his skill to communicate as they moved. “The director is ten minutes out. The comms are going crazy. Every Hunter team in the country is being recalled or redirected.”

Alex felt Val shift in the cloak form, and selfishly, he wanted his companion to stay wrapped close around him in the current situation.

“One year,” Sam whispered as they entered the medical tent. “Can we even get strong enough in that time?”

Alex grunted in pain as he was guided back onto a cot. He shifted to the middle and said, “We don’t really have a choice.” Teresa helped Alex get adjusted with Sam.

“You guys going to be okay here for a second? I’m going to check on Jon.”

“We should be good here,” he answered, already looking at Alex’s wounds and casting spells.

“Just let us know if you guys get moving, will you?” Alex asked.

Teresa nodded. “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said as she turned and left the tent to meet up with her team, leaving Alex and Sam alone.

The tent was quiet as Sam examined Alex’s mana channels. Outside the tent, the camp transformed into a hive of activity. Through the flap of the tent, Alex could see people moving in every direction and hear helicopters approaching in the distance.

Alex took a bit of the downtime to examine his new title.

Unclaimed Token?

Alex focused his intent on the title, and motes of light began to form in the air over his chest. He reached out and grabbed the small floating crystal disc.

“Woah,” Sam said, taking a small step back.

“Sam,” Teresa’s voice could be heard from outside the tent. Alex quickly stowed the token in his spatial ring before she walked into the tent. “We’re going to start helping with the evac— Are you okay?”

Sam looked from Teresa to Alex and back again. “Yep, I’m fine.”

“Don’t just pocket it like some trinket from the fair!” Maelis snapped in Alex’s mind. “That’s an Integration Champion token. Use it! Actually, better yet, don’t use it. Knowing you, you’d find some way to use the item it gives you to blow up your planet... And I’m pretty sure the god in charge of your planet just said she’d let you do it… Just… just leave it in the ring.”

“Okay? Well, we’re going to help get everyone moving. The director’s bird is going to take a bit longer to get here. Try not to keep the colonel waiting, all right? But, uh, just let us know if you guys need anything.”

Sam and Alex both nodded in unison. She gave them one more questioning look before hurrying back out of the tent.

Maelis. that’s really not helpful!

“I’m serious! You need to look at it and begin thinking about how to wear or use it.”

Alex wanted to look at the new item, and the rest of his gains, for that matter, but thinking about getting a new item, attempting to scan it, and thinking about stats and skills at the moment felt nothing but tiring. He ignored the spirit for the moment. “How bad is it, Sam?”

“Hm? Oh, it’s pretty bad…” He gave Alex an apologetic smile. “I can keep healing them, but it doesn’t seem like it’s doing much. If you let me work on it and try to adjust my [Healing Touch], we can probably make some progress, but it’s going to be slow.”

“What about in the meantime?” A creeping sense of dread filled him as he thought of finally obtaining his spell circle magic and epic class, only to be limited from casting by the pain of moving his mana.

“I really suggest you don’t use your magic. It’s going to hurt like hell to cast spells or use most skills since the System uses your mana. I think your mana regeneration might also be a bit slower, too. I’m not sure, but like most things with the body, it can’t be good to push through an injury like this. We need to let it heal,” Sam said.

Alex groaned loudly and let his head fall back on the canvas material of the cot.

Fuck.

“I’ll help you heal as much as I can. Also, you need to check the Advanced Ritual that Eura gave you. Some body tempering rituals in there increase the strength of mana channels, it could be that something like that—”

“Sam!” Alex said, with as much energy as he could muster. “You’re fuckin’ brilliant! I hadn’t even thought of those. We’re both past D Rank now and should be able to use them. Ugh, I could kiss you.”

Sam laughed and shook his head. “I actually saw one in there for me that I want to use. It can open someone’s body up to receive an affinity.”

“Really?” Alex asked. “I don’t remember seeing one in there like that.”

Sam grunted in response as he used another healing skill on Alex’s chest. “That’s because the manual talks about opening up your mind and body to a specific Dao. But, after spending so much time… there. I, uh, I know that it’s really similar.”

“All right. That sounds great. Are you going to go for a nature affinity?”

Sam nodded and continued to work. They chatted about small things, and Alex breathed a sigh of relief as he lay on the cot. Happy that everything was coming to an end, for now, and that he was safe and soon to return to his friends.

About thirty minutes later, Alex approached the command tent, making sure to walk slowly and limp every few steps. He was guided inside and asked to sit across from Colonel Hayes and a Major Bennett. It was a deliberate gesture, but he did his best to relax his posture despite the guards at each exit.

“Thank you for joining us, Mr. Moore,” Hayes said in a formal tone. “Director Matthews will be joining us shortly.”

Alex nodded and noted the phrasing. “All right, what can I do for you gentlemen?”

"Your abilities represent a critical national security asset," Hayes expanded on his earlier statement. "The display of power we witnessed today was visible for miles. Something of that magnitude requires proper oversight and development. This becomes even more critical if you have been deemed some sort of planet-wide champion."

Major Bennett leaned forward, and his expression seemed more enthusiastic and friendly than the colonel's rigid demeanor. "The research potential alone is extraordinary. We've never seen anything close to what you did with that lightning."

"I appreciate the interest," Alex replied, "but I'll need to consult with my team before making any decisions, and after some recent experiences, I will likely want to remain unaffiliated."

"This isn't a request, Mr. Moore. The situation with the Rift has escalated beyond individual preferences. The likelihood that the US government will need to declare martial law in all Safe Zones is almost guaranteed after that announcement. We need your knowledge and abilities, and it's going to be best for everyone to have you under proper supervision and monitoring."

"That sounds quite controlling and definitely not like it’s what's best for me," Alex corrected.

“Structure isn’t always controlling,” Hayes countered. “The Hunters Association can provide resources, and we can provide protection and a framework for your abilities that benefits everyone. You get a safe place to study, train, and develop your magic further.”

“We? You’re saying you’re separate from the HA? I thought you said Director Matthews would be here. I’d prefer to have this conversation with him present.”

“He will be here. He’s been delayed,” Hayes responded. “But he’s fully briefed on this situation and supports our approach.”

That confirmed Alex’s suspicions. He rose slowly to his feet. “I think we’re done here. I thought that the government and the Hunters Association were working together since the HA is supposed to be the newly established governing body for Awakened. I’m willing to collaborate as an independent consultant, but not as a government asset— and definitely not as something controlled under ‘supervision and monitoring.’” Alex used his fingers to make air quotes.

Hayes nodded to the guards, who moved to block the exits. “I’m afraid we must insist on your cooperation at this time. As of the event announcement, it has become a matter of national security, and it’s best if we move this discussion to somewhere more safe. We know from the doctor that you’re unable to cast spells at the moment. Please don’t strain yourself, Mr. Moore. We can work everything out without the need for violence. Remove his pouch and ring.”

“Sir?” One of the guards asked as he stepped forward.

“Remove them. They are spatial items, and he likely has weapons in them. We need to ensure that everyone is kept safe through this process.”

Alex smiled slightly. “If this is how you treat potential allies, I’d hate to see how you treat your enemies. And, just for some clarity, it’s not that I can’t cast my magic, it’s just that I probably shouldn’t.” With those words, “Alex” shimmered and dissolved into blue mana particles.

The tent erupted into confusion, and Hayes shot to his feet while barking orders at the guards. He sent them to search the perimeter while Bennett stared at the empty chair with his mouth slightly open.

“It was a fake? But it looked so real...”

The tent flap opened, and the real Alex walked in, though this time he wasn’t alone. Director Matthews himself followed behind him, and he wore a thunderous expression. Sam trailed after them with Valtherion riding on his shoulders. The blonde-haired healer looked as pleased as a Cheshire cat.

Alex gave him a wink while extending a mana thread to send a quick communication, wincing as he did so, while the director began to lay into the two military officers.

That is so awesome. I really can’t wait to explore that skill combination some more.

“Stop using your mana!” Sam’s voice came through the link clearly.

“Colonel Hayes. Major Bennett,” Matthews said in a low voice that spoke of danger. “Would either of you care to explain why you’re attempting to detain a civilian consultant without authorization?”

“Sir, we were acting on the assessment that Moore’s abilities represent a significant—”

“I’m well aware of Mr. Moore’s abilities and what you just told him,” the director cut her off. “What I’m unaware of is when either of you was authorized to conduct this interrogation or to claim to speak on my behalf.”

Bennett paled. “Sir, we thought—”

“No, you clearly weren’t thinking, Major,” Matthews said before turning to Alex. “My apologies, Mr. Moore. This is not how the Hunters Association conducts itself, and these two will both be met with severe punishments through their corresponding chains of command.” He turned back to them both and raised his voice for the first time. “If it were up to me, I’d have them stripped right here. But… there are proper chains-of-command for this, and the corruption of such processes will not start with me.” He barked out a few orders, and new guards came in to cuff and walk both officers out of the command tent.

Alex nodded while attempting to keep a deliberate, casual ease despite the tension he felt. After potentially just being thrown in a dark hole somewhere, he was feeling a bit squirrely. “This does highlight my concerns about working too closely with organizations I don’t know. I think this is the exact sort of thing I’m trying to get away from.”

The tent flap opened again, and Teresa entered with Jonathan, who spoke to the director in a hushed voice. The room itself fell silent, allowing Alex to hear their conversation.

“We’ve completed the sweep of the elven encampment. Moore’s notes weren’t found anywhere in the area, and almost no items of note were left behind.”

The director looked at Alex and shook his head. He had to restrain himself from wincing.

“You’re certain?”

Teresa nodded next to Jonathan to confirm the report. “We found a few other bits of mundane documentation, like maps of the local area, but that’s about it… nothing matching the description of Moore’s originally stolen notebook.”

The implications settled over them all, and Alex rubbed his forehead and let out a sigh. He exchanged glances with the director, who also understood what that meant.

“They took your work specifically,” Matthews said. “They took it back through the Rift with them.”

Alex nodded. “Which means they’ll have eight years to study it in the Rift before the System unlocks it.”

Hayes and Bennett remained silent, and the sober reality of the situation replaced their earlier aggressive stances.

Matthews turned to face them all. “This changes our approach. Mr. Moore’s knowledge isn’t just valuable— it’s now critical to our defense strategy. If the elves are studying his magical techniques, then we need to understand them better than the enemy does.”

“I agree,” Alex said. “But that doesn’t change my position on my team’s independence.”

Matthews studied him thoughtfully. “What do you propose? Give me your best-case scenario, and I’ll see how close to that we can get with my bosses.”

“Bosses?”

“Everyone’s got a boss, son.”

Alex nodded. “A collaborative relationship. I maintain my independence and authority over my team and our property, but I share knowledge and work with your researchers. I already want to share the knowledge of my research and see if it can help others. If anything, I think we might have a leg up on these elves. They might have my research, but they didn’t get it when it was completed.”

“And what about the larger threat? The C-Rank Rift?”

Alex scanned everyone in the tent. “This isn’t about government agencies or private organizations anymore. It really shouldn’t have been from the start… but it’s just become completely about survival. We need to prepare all of the Awakened that we can, not just the top of the Hunters Association. Everyone needs to gain as much power and as many levels as possible.”

“Things are going to be in chaos for a while. It’s almost guaranteed that the Safe Zones will begin to riot, and crime will skyrocket.” Jonathan said.

“I’m saying we need coordinated preparation,” Alex clarified. “You are in a trusted position in the public’s eye, and the Safe Zone gives you a lot of organizational potential, even if things are in chaos temporarily. Use what you already have to act as a rallying point for people and provide incentives instead of trying to manage or govern every awakened that you can get your hands on.”

Matthews winced in response. “A bit easier said than done, unfortunately. This situation is unlike anything that our current government and structure were built to handle. People look to us to keep them safe and provide for them, but that becomes a completely different beast when they need to be protected from a superhuman threat that could potentially fight against an entire squad of military personnel. I’m afraid that the restrictions will need to get tighter before they get more relaxed. The only hope we have of being able to police anyone is going to be to get powerful Hunters in the proper positions to do so.”

“I’d like to meet with my friends again and talk about the next steps. We can coordinate through my brother, Jake. I’d like to bring Sarah with us full-time or at least offer it to her. I know she enjoys her job with the HA.”

This caused the director to pause before giving a nod. “We should discuss Ms. Lee’s position more in the coming days. She still has a contractual obligation to the Association, but I can agree that there is a pressing need for different objectives right now, and similar to you, I know that she enjoys her friends and trusts you all. Jake Moore is welcome to act as a contact point. I’ve heard good things about him since he’s been in DC, though he might not want to go back to New Jersey. We’ll need to discuss things further, and we’ll need to figure out a structure for regular updates and progress reports… along with some more notes from your magic system. I wasn’t exaggerating, saying that this likely shifts our defensive plans.”

“You’ll have them,” Alex agreed. “I’m happy to share what I can about the magic, but I’m really not sure it’s going to be able to be recreated by anyone else at the moment.”

As they talked about the last few points of immediate importance, Jonathan approached Alex. “Great work with the ritual. I know you weren’t able to stop it, but I saw what you were trying to do and how much you put into it.” He held out his hand to shake.

Alex took it. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough…”

Jonathan shook his head and looked as if he were about to say something, but opted for a serious shake of his head and a grunt.

Thunder still rumbled outside the tent from the residual storm Alex had created. Government helicopters could be heard in the distance, and as they stepped out of the tent, it smelled like it would start raining soon.

As they waited for transport, Maelis spoke in Alex’s mind. It was odd to hear his voice devoid of the normal sarcasm. “The strongest position is rarely the loudest, kid. Build your power quietly while they watch what you choose to show them. The best piece of advice I can give you, now that you’re a Planetary Title Holder and an Integration Champion, is to gather good people around you. You will need them soon.”

Alex looked at the deflated encampment and the top of the Rift that he could see in the distance. He knew that even though it looked the same as the dozens he’d already entered, it held a potentially greater threat than they could handle.

He thought of his team—his friends—and the others waiting at home, unaware of how drastically their timeline for advancement had just become. There wouldn’t be the ability to take things slow and establish a well-rounded foundation, as Eura had taught him about. If they didn’t adapt here… they would die.

They had a year to prepare for war. And it would begin today.