[WORLD EVENT]Location: Downtown Noctahalavis — Urban Core PlazaZone: Neutral Area → BreachedEnvironmental State: SILENT COLLAPSEUrban System: ACTIVE (PASSIVE INTERVENTION)Civilian Risk: CONTROLLED BY PRESENCE
No public notification issued.No automatic response triggered.The system merely recorded.
[INVOKED OBJECT]Name: Absolute Silver StakeType: Conjured Structure — Noble MetalClass: Execution RitualMaterial: Pure Silver (100%)
Properties:• Ignores Physical Defense• Nullifies Regeneration• Suppresses Passive Abilities• Territorial Binding: ACTIVE
State: FIXED
The stake rose from the asphalt at the center of the plaza like a final sentence.Tall. Perfect. Immovable.
The silver reflected buildings, drones, holo-screens, and people — returning no heat, no sound, no life.
Impaled at the center:
[ELIMINATED ENTITY]Name: BrakTitle: Leader of the Salt TeethRace: Hybrid — Half SharkLevel: 30Status: HP 0
Body suspended meters above the ground.Metal leg useless.SALT TEETH symbol split into two exact halves.Blood flowed slowly — never touching the ground.
[RESPONSIBLE ENTITY]Name: ArgovainTitle: Mage of Noble MetalsAffiliation: Snake GangLevel: 39 (Level Up from 35 → 39 for eliminating Brak)
• XP Gained: 57,896
Status:• Active Buff: Absolute Metallic Control• Global Threat: HIGH• New Ability: Golden Sphere
Left arm of silver still raised.Geometric filaments connected hand to the stake.Silver eye analyzed.Bronze eye observed.
Argovain lowered his arm.The stake remained.
He adjusted the golden ring and walked down the central avenue without haste.No civilian approached.No hostile entity reacted.
The system updated in silence.
[FINAL RECORD]Brak fell.The city saw.And learned.
No warning. No noise. Only consequence.
Argovain left the plaza without looking back.The Absolute Silver Stake remained embedded, reflecting the gray sky and fractured buildings.Brak's body motionless.
No alerts. The system simply logged.
[TRANSITION ZONE — EAST AVENUE]Argovain walked calmly.Boots echoed unevenly among debris and shattered storefronts.Silver on his left arm retracted, returning to a dull tone.Runic lines faded one by one.
Active Buffs:• Absolute Metallic Control → ENDED• Territorial Authority → MAINTAINED (PASSIVE)
He passed frozen civilians, inactive drones, cracked screens looping old advertisements.No one spoke. No one breathed loudly.
[LOCATION — "IRON MOON" TEA HOUSE]Status: STRUCTURE INTACTClass: Neutral EstablishmentPassive Protection: ACTIVE
The wooden door slid open softly.
Simple interior: clean tatami mats, low tables, gentle steam.The scent of dried leaves and hot water erased the metallic taste of the street.
Argovain sat alone.
Nyra appeared without hurry, as if she had always been there.Cat ears moved softly as she placed two cups down.
[SYSTEM — ENTITY REGISTERED]Name: NyraRace: FelineClass: Information MerchantLevel: 2Emotional State: CALM
— Long-leaf tea. High quality. Unadulterated.
Argovain took the cup with his silver hand.
[SYSTEM — CONSUMABLE]Item: Artisanal Tea
Effect:• Mana Recovery: +2% per minute• Stress Reduction: ACTIVE
He took a sip.Clean taste. Stable. Controlled.
Nyra sat across from him, relaxed posture, tail at her side.
— Downtown is… quiet today.
Argovain set the cup down carefully.
— Silence is just the interval between movements.
[SYSTEM — PASSIVE OBSERVATION]• Argovain: Mental Status STABLE• Nearby Threats: NONE
Nyra's ears twitched slightly.
— So that was a movement?
— It was an adjustment.
She accepted it without pressing.No mission appeared.No penalty applied.
[SYSTEM — CURRENT STATE]Argovain• Active Buffs: Artisanal Tea• Safe Zone: YES
He stood slowly.The chair didn't creak. Nothing there betrayed motion — as if the place respected those who knew how to move without asking for attention.
Nyra followed him with her gaze, ears tilting by an imperceptible degree.
[SYSTEM — PRESENCE EVALUATION]Entity: Argovain
— You're leaving before the tea fully cools — she commented. — That usually means two things.
Argovain stopped, still facing away.
— Say it.
— Either you already got what you wanted… — she paused briefly — …or you realized staying longer would be dangerous.
He turned his head just enough for her to see one eye.
— Dangerous for whom?
Nyra smiled. Not provocation. Honesty.
— I'm still deciding.
[SYSTEM — ADVANCED SOCIAL READ]Nyra• Interest: HIGH• Hidden Intent: OBSERVE• Hostility: ZERO
Argovain walked to the door but didn't open it immediately.
— People confuse danger with noise — he said. — What truly changes a city happens in silence.
Nyra rested her hand on the table.
— And you are… change?
— No. — Argovain replied without hesitation. — I'm what comes after.
The steam seemed to condense faster.
[SYSTEM — RARE DIALOGUE LOG]Type: High-Impact InteractionFuture Effect: VARIABLE
Nyra blinked slowly.
— Then I hope you come back.
— Why?
— Because when you do — she said, pouring her own cup — the city will be different.And I like comparing before and after.
Argovain opened the door. Street noise entered for a second and was cut off when he paused at the threshold.
— Nyra.
— Hm?
— Keep watching the voids.
Her ears stood fully upright now.
— Was that a warning?
He thought for half a second.
— No. — he said. — It was advice.
Argovain moved to leave, then stopped once more.This time, not hesitation.Decision.
He turned his head slightly.
— Before that — he said, glancing at the cup — how many SLAGS does it cost?
Nyra blinked, genuinely surprised. Her ears trembled for a fraction of a second.
[SYSTEM — SIMPLE COMMERCIAL INTERACTION]Request: PRICERisk: NONE
— Three SLAGS — she replied. — Fixed price. No charge for silence… or threatening presence.
Argovain nodded.
— Good to know.
He placed exactly three SLAGS on the table. Aligned. Soundless.
[SYSTEM — TRANSACTION CONFIRMED]SLAGS –3Item: Artisanal TeaEffect: Buff Maintained
Nyra watched the metal cylinders, then looked up at him.
— Curious… — she said. — You could've left without paying. No one here would have stopped you.
Argovain opened the door.
— Power doesn't erase cost. — he replied. — It only changes who pays later.
The door closed softly.
Nyra stared at the SLAGS for a few seconds.
— …three SLAGS — she murmured.Far too cheap for someone who just redrew the city's center.
Argovain already had his hand on the door when he stopped again.
This time, it wasn't pause.It was intent.
He stepped back, approached the table, and extended his silver hand.The metal cylinders were not placed — they materialized, one after another, with absolute precision.
The sound was different. Heavier. Final.
Clack.Clack.Clack.
It didn't stop.
Nyra frowned when she realized the amount.
[SYSTEM — ANOMALOUS TRANSACTION DETECTED]Value Inserted: 10,000 SLAGSCategory: EXTREME PAYMENTSystem Recommendation: CONFIRM
Her eyes widened slightly. Her cat ears stood fully upright, tense for the first time.
— …that's not the price of tea — she said carefully.
Argovain closed his silver hand, ending the metallic flow.
— I know.
[SYSTEM — TRANSACTION MANUALLY CONFIRMED]SLAGS –10,000Destination: NyraType: Voluntary PaymentSocial Effect: UNKNOWN
Nyra remained silent for several seconds.
Then she slid his cup a little closer.
— That buys a lot — she said. — Tea for months. Information. Protection. Silence.
— No. — Argovain replied. — It buys time.
She blinked.
— Time for what?
He thought for a moment. A rare moment.
— For you to keep being what you are now. — he said. — Before the city decides you need to be something else.
[SYSTEM — INTENT ANALYSIS]Hostility: ZEROManipulation: NOT DETECTEDMotivation: PASSIVE PROTECTION
Nyra swallowed. Not from fear. From understanding.
— Do you… do this often? — she asked.
— No.
— Then why me?
Argovain adjusted the golden ring to its exact place, calmly.
— Because neutral places don't survive on their own. — he replied. — Someone has to invest in them before they become battlefields.
Silence.
Steam rose between them.
Nyra took a deep breath.
— If anyone asks… — she began.
— They didn't. — he cut in gently. — And you owe no explanations.
She nodded slowly.
[SYSTEM — RARE SOCIAL EVENT]Nyra• Passive Loyalty: INITIATED• Moral Debt: NOT REGISTERED• Trust: HIGH
Argovain turned to leave.
— The tea was good — he said before opening the door.
Nyra smiled. A real smile. Uncalculated.
— Come back anytime. — she paused. — The house is… safer now.
He didn't answer.
The door closed.