Prelude: Departure for the Wastelands — The Forge
Summer break arrived, transforming the Academy city into a vibrant festival of noise and color. But beneath the celebratory chaos, Roy stood in a deserted hangar, methodically preparing for something far harsher.
His Fluxite wristband glowed, the storage compartments unfolding and sealing with soft thwips of compressed energy, converting physical items into clean data pulses within the Fluxite lattice.
"Everything has to fit inside the lattice," Roy muttered, checking his inventory list against the conversion success rate. "Food. Ammunition. Emergency gear. No excess. Every ounce of mass must be accounted for."
Jean appeared beside him, her presence radiating a quiet intensity. Pyrrion flames danced almost imperceptibly along her fingers, an instinctive expression of her own contained power. "You're really doing this," she said, her voice low. "No instructors. No safety nets. Just us and the wastelands' meat grinder."
Roy nodded without hesitation, tightening the gauntlet on his forearm. "The Academy can't teach us how to survive Vanes' lieutenants or high-tier Neutrons in a classroom. The Vanes are hunting S-ranks; we need to operate outside of the curriculum. This is the only way forward."
Lyra burst in, her compact supply pack already half-dissolved into Fluxite storage, bouncing on her heels. "Two months in the wastelands! No rules, no curfews, no boring lectures! I even packed extra water—don't ask how it fits; Fluxite logistics are magic."
Kira adjusted the straps of her massive shield, the steel vibrating with Terralith strength. Her voice was calm but firm, a grounding presence. "We move as one unit. No solo charges, Roy. If one falls, we all bleed, not just metaphorically. The environment is more dangerous than any single Neutron."
Taro tapped rapidly through his own Fluxite interface, confirming parameters. "Absorption parameters set. Only approved materials—no uncontrolled intake. We must maintain Fluxite efficiency over reckless greed. We need stable power, not rapid-fire evolution."
Roy exhaled slowly, watching the city lights flicker in the distance. He looked at his team—a powerful, if mismatched, collection of talents.
This wasn't a vacation. This was a crucible.
They left the city at dawn. Skiffers, powered by Pulsarite drive cores, skimmed over the broken highways, kicking up massive spirals of dust. The towering, pristine skyline of the Academy faded, replaced by scorched, broken land and distant ruins clawing at the horizon.
Roy stared ahead, the dust tasting metallic on his tongue. "It looks empty, deceptive… but this place will shape us. Every fight, every decision, matters out here."
Jean released a faint plume of fire, watching the heat haze distort the ruins. "Then keep your Fluxite in check, Roy. You're becoming stronger quickly. Power without restraint kills faster than any Neutron. Use the resonance; don't let it use you."
Roy smirked, tapping his core lightly. "It listens now. Not perfectly—it still demands more—but enough that I can hold the reins."
Lyra lounged against the seat, tossing a small, glittering shard of Pulsarite into the air and catching it. "Two months of hunting apex monsters? I hope they don't disappoint. I've been practicing water vaporization attacks."
"They won't," Kira replied, her eyes scanning the rock formations. "The wastelands punish arrogance and reward patience. We are hunting high-level prey that has survived S-rank incursions. Respect them."
Taro pointed toward a jagged, ominous mountain range ahead. "Pulsarite veins ahead—valuable. Also highly unstable collapse zones and nesting sites. We will choose our fights strategically. We are here for growth, not martyrdom."
As the sun dipped low, painting the sky in violent shades of orange and bruised purple, the wastelands opened before them—vast, brutal, unforgiving.
Roy felt his Fluxite core hum—a low, steady, eager vibration.
This was where limits broke.
For two months, the wastelands became their battlefield and forge.
They hunted high-level Neutrons daily—Level 85 to 100. Each kill was a precise, team-oriented strike.
Each kill yielded shards, marrow, and Pulsarite, all selectively absorbed into Roy's Fluxite core, reinforcing his weapons, stabilizing his Puls flow, and enhancing physical limits without the risk of reckless overload.
* Weapons Evolved: Roy's dual pistols grew faster, smarter, infused with Wind-guided energy, allowing curved trajectories. His Shadow blades gained layered elemental overlays.
* Defense Matured: His nascent Fluxite shielding matured from clumsy bursts into a seamless, reactive defense shell.
Jean drilled Roy relentlessly—forcing him to merge elemental output with Fluxite shielding, forming a true full-body aura. "Don't waste the energy, Roy! The core gives you the energy, but your will dictates the shape. Make it a second skin!"
Survival sharpened them. Combat hardened them.
Hunt I – Level 85 Neutron: Stabilization
A massive clawed Neutron stalked the dunes, crystal armor flashing beneath the dual moons.
Lyra collapsed the terrain with sudden, overwhelming water currents, trapping the beast. Kira absorbed the first catastrophic impact of its counter-charge, screaming through the contact. Taro amplified Roy's Puls flow—a surge of clean, stable energy.
Roy moved like a phantom. Wind-guided rounds shattered the crystal armor. Shadow-edged blades finished the job in the breach.
The Fluxite core absorbed 5 shards, 2 marrow, upgrading blade stability.
| Stat Update | Before | After | Change Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 40 | 41 | Base growth |
| Rank | B | B+ | Improved mission success |
| Weapons | Pistols/Blades | Blades gain Wind overlay | Improved reach/speed |
| Shield Aura | Basic Burst | Minor stabilization | Reduced energy drain |
| Puls Capacity | 100 | 105 | Initial core refinement |
| Fluxite Resonance | 1.0 | 1.1 | Minor efficiency increase |
Hunt III – Level 87 Neutron: Dual-Element Control
Jagged canyon. Brutal close combat against a highly aggressive, armored brute.
Jean pushed Roy into the fray. "Full body! Protect the vital points!"
Roy activated his full-body shield aura for the first time, the Umbryon energy radiating outwards. "It's too hot!"
"Adapt!" Jean roared back.
Roy forced the resonance to hold, and the blades gained a permanent dual-element Wind + Shadow overlay, allowing him to bypass the brute's energy-dampening armor. The energy was demanding, but stable.
Hunt IV – Level 88 Neutron: Throttling
A Pulsarite mine collapse nearly buried the team, triggered by the Neutron they were hunting.
Roy manually throttled his Fluxite intake—refusing to absorb the unstable Neutron energy from the near-death experience. He chose control over automatic hunger.
Taro looked impressed. "Manual restraint. Excellent energy discipline."
Pistols unlocked energy-infused rounds, a reward for the control.
Hunt V – Level 90 Neutron: Synchronization
Open wasteland. No cover. This hunt relied entirely on team synchronization and movement patterns.
Lyra provided blinding fog, Kira drew the focus, and Taro maintained the Puls link.
Roy's Fluxite core triggered an emergency armor reinforcement, a reactive shell, integrating his weapons fully with his elemental flow. He was no longer just using the core; he was merging with it.
Hunts VI–X – Level 91–100 Neutrons: Mastery
The team became relentless, a well-oiled machine. Shadow and Wind fused seamlessly in Roy's strikes. Dual pistols evolved into precision burst weapons. The Shield aura became fully reactive—deflecting, dispersing, and protecting allies without conscious effort.
Puls capacity, muscle density, and Fluxite efficiency synchronized naturally. Each kill refined Roy further—never excess, never uncontrolled.
Final Stat Panel (Post-Level 100 Neutron)
| Final Stat Panel | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Level | 45 | MAXIMUM POTENTIAL |
| Rank | High-tier A | READY FOR LIEUTENANTS |
| Weapons | Mastered dual pistols & blades (Wind + Shadow) | Perfected Elemental Fusion |
| Shield Aura | Perfected full-body reactive defense | Seamless integration |
| Puls Capacity | 150 | Stable and Efficient |
| Fluxite Resonance | 2.0 | Full Control Achieved |
| Elements | Wind / Shadow | Dual-Element Mastery |
They rested beneath a vast crimson sunset, the landscape finally quiet.
Lyra splashed cooling water across her arms, a rare smile of pure contentment on her face. "Best summer ever. I actually missed the sound of your fire, Jean."
Kira scanned the newly quiet horizon, her hand resting on her shield. "We survived the environment and the threats because we trusted each other. The core's power is nothing without the team's foundation."
Taro nodded, eyes bright behind his glasses as he logged the final data. "Fluxite efficiency… optimal. Growth curve stable. We pushed the physical limits exactly as planned."
Jean stopped before Roy, her flames dancing softly—a sign of respect, not aggression. "You've grown, Roy. Exponentially. But remember this. That two-point-zero resonance? Control is what makes it a tool, not a bomb. Don't forget the lessons of the mansion."
Roy clenched his fists, feeling the perfect, disciplined balance of power, the core humming quietly within him. "I know, Jean. The Vanes are hunting gods. We can't afford mistakes."
Faylen, who had somehow followed them and been miserably escorted by a detached patrol for two months, watched from the edge of the camp. "You're incredible, Roy. You shine now."
Jean shot her a sharp, warning glare. "Distance, Faylen. We are off duty. Find your escort."
Lyra, ever the instigator, laughed. "Jealous."
"I am not!" Jean snapped.
Roy ignored the familiar argument.
His Fluxite core hummed—quiet, disciplined, ready.
Closing
The wastelands had stripped them of weakness and forged them anew.
No longer students.
No longer sheltered.
Roy looked at his team, wind and shadow whispering around him, the scent of Pulsarite and ash in the air. "The Vanes won't wait. They're escalating. Neither will we."
Jean's flames pulsed warmly, a silent vow. "Then let them come."
The desert stretched endlessly ahead, but it no longer felt vast and unconquerable.
And this time—
They were ready.