The battle had made one thing clear to Dante. He was still weak. He had been knocked down, humiliated, and left behind while others took the spotlight. All that talk about being the protector of Graves Safe Zone meant nothing when it really mattered.
He sat in silence for a moment, his jaw tight. The memory burned in his chest. I can't let that happen again.
Slowly, he stood from his chair. If Graves was going to survive, he had to earn back the trust he had lost. The others might see him as a failure now, but that would change. Starting today, he would make sure of it.
Thomas, Bryan, and Iris watched Nevin's body lying motionless on the ground. He was still in his Glint form, his whole-body flickering like a dying lightbulb.
A few minutes earlier, Iris had been guarding him outside while the Orphans stood by to help. When Nevin's body began to glow and pulse, the Orphans panicked and sent Gale to find Thomas and Bryan. They came running, and now the three of them stood together, watching as Nevin's condition grew stranger by the second.
The energy inside Nevin's body pulsed erratically. His glowing wisp form shrank, expanded, then pulsed again, each time brighter than before. The light built up until it flooded the area, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
The glow stretched upward, taking shape. A head. A body. The jelly-like limbs hardened into real ones. From the top of his head grew a split jester's hat, one side tipped with a bell, the other trailing a thin ribbon of light. Eyes blinked open, sharp and alive. Fingers curled, then spread. A wide grin formed as the last of the light faded.
The Trickster Spirit stood before them, tall and steady.
The crew froze. They recognized that form. Not exactly like this, but close enough to the one from before, when Nevin almost lost control.
"Nevin… are you… you?" Iris asked carefully.
The others took a few steps back, just in case.
Nevin groaned. "Yeah, I'm me. What are you talking about? Wait…" He paused, looking down at himself. His voice rose in disbelief. "I'm not a wisp anymore."
He flicked his hand, and his interface appeared in front of him. A short log blinked across it:
Successfully transformed to Trickster Spirit. B Class.
"Whoa! Guys, I evolved! I'm a B class now! Wait, Stage 1 too! Haha!" His grin widened like a kid showing off a new toy, completely forgetting he'd been nearly dead minutes ago.
Bryan folded his arms. "How do you feel? Your injury?"
"Oh, right." Nevin patted his arms, chest, legs. Nothing. Not even a scratch. "I'm completely healed!"
Thomas let out a relieved laugh and clapped his shoulder. "As long as you're okay."
The group spent the next few minutes checking on Nevin, making sure he was really fine. Thomas had him move around, Bryan asked a few more questions, and Iris kept scanning his vitals through her interface. Everything came back normal. His energy was stable, his wounds were gone, and his new form looked solid.
Once they were sure he was okay, the tension finally lifted. The Orphans cheered, and even Iris smiled a little. After everything that had happened, the moment felt like a rare bit of peace.
They had gone through a lot today. Their first real fight against a boss Fade. Thomas revealing just how strong a Stage 3 Glint could be. And now, Nevin's evolution into a higher tier. Each event left them shaken, but also stronger in their own way.
As night settled over the Safe Zone, one thought lingered among them. There was still more out there. Stronger enemies, stranger powers, and countless things waiting for them to discover.
They stayed in Graves City for one more day before setting out again. Thomas tightened his grip on the wheel as the Hammer truck rumbled over the cracked road, leaving the tall walls of the Graves Safe Zone behind. The sky was heavy with Pink Fog, turning the horizon into a dull, endless haze. Behind them, the gates sealed shut with a deep metallic CLANG.
Vell and Gale stood near the gate, their figures slowly fading as the fog thickened.
"Take care out there, Thomas. And… thanks for everything. We owe you," Vell called out, his voice firm but sincere.
Gale gave a short nod, saying nothing, but his expression carried the same gratitude.
High above, on the upper wall, Dante Graves watched with his arms crossed. He didn't speak, but Thomas could still feel his stare following the truck. He kept his eyes forward. Whatever Dante was thinking no longer mattered.
They had a new destination, one that mattered more than any unfinished business here. They were getting closer to Iris's parents. The journey had already taken longer than expected, but now, with the Graves Safe Zone behind them, there was nothing left to hold them back.
Or so they thought.
Thomas kept the Hammer truck steady as it rolled through the mist. The road ahead was barely visible, the Pink Fog swallowing everything past a few meters. Outside, the others moved in formation, their Glint forms active and ready.
Bryan flew ahead in his Winged Tiger form, scanning the haze for movement. Nevin stayed close to the vehicle, still testing the limits of his new Trickster Spirit body. Iris walked beside the truck, spear in hand, her eyes constantly sweeping the fog. They weren't taking any chances.
Bryan's voice came from above. "We've got company."
Thomas didn't slow down. "Fades?"
"No. Red Hands. A scout team, and they're not alone."
Nevin groaned. "You gotta be kidding me. I thought they gave up on us."
Thomas rubbed his temple, keeping one hand on the wheel. He wasn't in the mood for another fight. "Do we punch or sneak?"
Iris spoke first. "Sneak. We don't need trouble right now."
Bryan nodded from above. "Alright. Turning west. Let's lose them."
Thomas turned the wheel, steering the Hammer truck off their original route. For a few minutes, it seemed to work. The Red Hands scout didn't follow. The road ahead was quiet, the only sound the hum of the engine cutting through the fog.
Then Bryan's voice broke the silence. "They're coming. They're chasing us."
Thomas glanced at the side mirror, but all he saw was fog. He didn't question it. "How bad?"
"They're circling. And they already called backup."
Thomas tapped the dashboard, thinking fast. "So, what now?"
Bryan scanned the area from above. "We don't stop moving." A beat passed. Then his tone sharpened. "Wait… up ahead. There's something there."
Thomas frowned. "Like what?"
"Not sure," Bryan said. "Could be Glints. Could be Fades. Either way, we're not alone. If they make a move, we fight back."
That was never good news.
Nevin clicked his tongue. "So let me get this straight. We tried avoiding a fight, and now we're heading straight into one?"
"Sounds about right," Iris muttered.
"Nice," Thomas said dryly, pressing harder on the gas.
In the nearest Safe Zone, a journalist carefully scanned her surroundings.
Auri adjusted the strap of her camera bag, moving quietly through the dimly lit corridor. Most of the guards had already left, responding to some urgent call. She didn't know what it was, and she didn't care. It gave her the perfect chance to investigate.
She wasn't supposed to be here. Auri had spent years working as an investigative journalist, chasing stories that others were too scared or too lazy to cover. But that changed after she was overshadowed by a rival, Clarielle, better known by her broadcast name Elaine Myre. The same woman who always seemed to be interviewing the famous scientist, Dr. Halbridge.
Since then, Auri had been pushed aside, stuck with small assignments that barely mattered. Or at least, that's what she thought.
Her latest assignment was to cover the spread of Pink Dust. At first, it seemed like just another drug crisis, another underworld operation that hurt only the desperate users who depended on it. But as she followed the supply lines, she started to notice a pattern. It wasn't just street dealers pushing the drug. It was something much bigger.
That trail had led her here, deep inside a Safe Zone, sneaking through restricted storage areas to confirm what she had long suspected.
Rows of crates filled the storage room, stacked high with Pink Dust shipments. There was more than she expected. This wasn't small-scale dealing. This was a full supply chain. A system built to run smoothly and stay hidden.
She flipped open a ledger and scanned the shipment records. Some of the names were familiar. Others weren't. Then her eyes stopped on a few entries that made her stomach tighten. Some deliveries weren't heading to slums or black markets. They were going to places with government protection.
Auri's pulse quickened. If someone in power was backing this, exposing it wouldn't just be dangerous. It would be suicidal. But that was her job.
A low noise caught her attention. Movement outside the Safe Zone.
She slung her camera over her shoulder and moved toward the nearest window. The mist outside shifted, and dark shapes emerged, moving quickly. Their uniforms were tinted red. Red Hands? Were they involved in the drug trade?