The distortion cluster wasn't supposed to grow this fast.
That was the first thing Lina said when she called him the next morning.
"Something's wrong," she added without greeting.
Aiden was already awake, reviewing the map projections from the night before. "How wrong?"
"Fast wrong," she replied. "The cluster's energy output jumped by thirty percent overnight. That doesn't happen naturally."
Ignis, seated by the window, turned her head slightly. "Interference?"
"That's the theory," Lina said. "But no one's admitting anything."
Aiden closed the map display. "And the guilds?"
"Circling like vultures," Lina answered. "No official claim yet, but three of them have moved reconnaissance teams within range."
That meant the window for quiet action was closing.
Exactly as the Association had intended.
By midday, Aiden stood at the edge of the contested zone.
The distortion field pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat beneath the air. The ground was dry, cracked, and lifeless, as if the world itself had stepped back from the area.
No official barricades.
No Association banners.
But he could feel them.
Eyes.
Sensors.
Hidden observers.
Ignis stood at his side, calm as ever.
"They're all watching," she said. "Association. Guild scouts. Independent hunters."
"Good," Aiden replied.
Ignis glanced at him. "You sound pleased."
"If everyone's watching, no one can act recklessly," he said. "Not without exposing themselves."
"That includes you."
He didn't deny it.
He stepped forward, stopping just short of the distortion's edge.
The air shimmered, bending light into faint, unnatural ripples. Something deep inside the cluster shifted, like a massive creature turning in its sleep.
Ignis studied the energy patterns. "Unstable. Artificial acceleration is likely."
Aiden frowned. "Meaning?"
"Someone is feeding it," she said. "Either deliberately or carelessly."
Neither option was good.
A faint rustle came from the rocks behind them.
Aiden didn't turn.
"Scout," Ignis said quietly.
"Which guild?"
"Neutral gear. No emblem. Probably hired eyes."
Aiden nodded. "Let them watch."
He stepped into the distortion.
Inside, the air felt heavier than before.
Not dangerous—yet. But wrong. Like pressure building behind a sealed door.
A low-tier aberration emerged from the warped landscape, dragging itself forward on twisted limbs. Then another. And another.
Too many for a cluster this young.
Aiden drew his blade, but didn't activate any system functions.
He moved with precision.
Step.
Strike.
Retreat.
Redirect.
He avoided large energy bursts, instead using the terrain to funnel the creatures into narrow spaces where he could eliminate them efficiently.
Ignis watched carefully.
"You are maintaining the same pattern," she observed. "Controlled output. No escalation."
"Not yet," Aiden replied.
A larger creature stirred in the distance—its form barely visible through the distortion haze.
Ignis's eyes narrowed. "That one doesn't belong here."
Aiden followed her gaze.
The creature was bigger than anything expected in a cluster this size. Its presence alone suggested external influence.
Someone had accelerated the zone's evolution.
The question was: who?
A system notification flickered briefly at the edge of Aiden's vision.
[Abnormal Growth Detected]
External Variables: Unidentified
Recommended Action: Caution
He ignored the prompt.
Instead, he stepped back from the deeper zone.
"We're leaving," he said.
Ignis raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to clear it?"
"Not today."
"That will disappoint your observers."
"Good," Aiden said. "Let them wonder why."
When he exited the distortion, the air felt lighter, cleaner.
But the watchers were still there.
He could feel their attention shift—some confused, some irritated, some quietly impressed.
Aiden walked past the perimeter markers without acknowledging any of them.
Ignis fell into step beside him.
"You're forcing them to act first," she said.
"Yes."
"And if they don't?"
"Then the cluster grows," Aiden replied. "And the consequences become public. No one wants that."
Ignis smiled faintly. "You're turning pressure into leverage."
"That was the point of this mission, wasn't it?" he said.
That evening, Lina called again.
"You didn't clear it," she said.
"Correct."
"Half the guilds think you're cautious," she continued. "The other half think you're hiding something."
"And the Association?"
A pause.
"They're arguing again," she admitted. "Some think you made the smart call. Others think you just lost control of the situation."
Aiden leaned back in his chair.
"Good," he said.
Lina groaned. "Why is confusion always your goal?"
"Because confusion buys time," he replied.
Later that night, the system activated again.
This time, the message was sharper.
[Scenario Escalating]
Multiple External Actors Detected
Conflict Probability: Rising
Decision Point Approaching.
Aiden stared at the message for a long moment.
Then he closed it.
"They want a reaction," he said quietly.
Ignis looked at him. "And you?"
"I want the truth," he replied. "Who pushed that cluster to grow."
Ignis's expression turned serious. "And when you find out?"
Aiden's eyes hardened slightly.
"Then I decide who pays the price."
Far beyond the distortion zone, in a temporary command vehicle hidden among the hills, a man lowered his binoculars.
"He left," the scout reported.
The man beside him smiled faintly.
"Good," he said. "That means Phase Two can begin."
Back in the city, Aiden stood at his window again, watching the distant lights.
Somewhere out there, someone had made the first move.
And soon—
He would answer it.