Novels by S Devie

The echoes of the mafia boss's shout through the loudspeakers had not yet faded when the massive iron doors surrounding the arena slammed shut with loud thuds. BAM! BAM! BAM! Blood-red spotlights spun wildly, drenching every corner of the ring in a terrifying atmosphere. From the side corridors, dozens of hulking mafia thugs vaulted into the ring through the steel bars. They immediately surrounded Darian Voss from every direction, cocking short-barreled energy rifles with facial expressions radiating murder. "Finish him! Don't let this masked bastard draw another breath!" shouted a bald thug commander, brandishing his energy sword. Darian remained standing tall amidst the enemy encirclement. His gloved fingers didn't tremble in the slightest. Behind his iron mask, however, his eyes calculated the number of foes and escape routes with lightning speed. Thirty-four fully armed men. All main exits were locked tight from the outside via an automated steel bar system. "One against th

The searing heat radiating from Pippo's forehead pierced through the fabric of Darian Voss's coat, burning the skin on his shoulder with an acute warning of danger. Darian held his breath, staring straight ahead at the digital bulletin board outside the Astral Vanguard Academy complex. Among the rows of students facing expulsion, his eyes fixed on a single name at the top of the list. Caelum Rize — Class F Division — Danger Level Circuit Overload. Darian clenched his fists tightly inside his coat pockets. As a former chief strategist, he knew all too well what that warning signified. Caelum's energy circuit was a ticking time bomb growing larger by the second. Without a supply of ten Top-Tier Pure Aether Crystals to absorb the excess energy, the student's soul would shatter within three days. "Three days..." Darian whispered in an icy voice. Darian couldn't save Caelum empty-handed. He needed half a million credits tonight to purchase the top-tier purifying crystals on the b

Thick smoke smelling of burnt iron still billowed high inside Sector Nine's registration room. Amid the deafening blare of emergency sirens, Darian Voss remained standing tall before the shattered concrete blocks and metallic splinters of the measuring orb. The giant registrar who had mocked him moments ago sat slumped weakly on the floor, staring up at Darian with eyes wide with terror. Darian walked slowly toward the cracked registration desk. Extending his gloved hand, he picked up the VIP-class golden metal token and the stack of initial betting crystals he was rightfully entitled to. "I'll be taking my share," Darian stated flatly behind his iron mask. The hulking official didn't even dare to breathe, only capable of nodding frantically with a deathly pale face. Darian turned around, letting his black coat billow gracefully as he walked out, leaving the ruined room behind. Not a single armed guard dared to block his path. The sensation proved immensely satisfying inside Dari

The light projection from the recording crystal slowly dimmed, leaving the ruined dormitory room in the heavy silence of the night.Darian Voss stood frozen amid the wreckage. He squeezed the old leather-bound journal in his hands, feeling the lingering warmth from the voices of his late parents.The truth revealed by the heirloom set Darian's chest ablaze with emotion. His parents had foreseen that their family's true circuit would awaken only when the world turned its back and betrayed him.However, the notes inside the leather journal specified one condition that had to be met. To train and unlock the next tier of the Potential Blooming Circuit, Darian needed a supply of Top-Tier Pure Aether Crystals.Such rare materials commanded astronomical prices on the open markets of Metropolis Aethelgard. Darian ran swift calculations with his cold, analytical mind. At present, he was officially dead in the eyes of both the law and society.All his academy savings had been looted by Bram Ste

The low hum of the hovering helicopter in the night sky above Metropolis Aethelgard faded into the pitch-black darkness. Darian Voss stepped deeper into the shadows of the artificial pine trees fencing off the back area of the Astral Vanguard Academy. The faded hooded cloak he wore fluttered softly in the bone-chilling night wind. Beneath the folds of fabric over Darian’s chest, Pippo poked its tiny nose out, exhaling a breath as soft as silk. Darian gently stroked the crystal fox's back to soothe it. "Almost there, Pippo. We just need to grab what's left of my things," Darian whispered in a barely audible breath. As the team's former chief strategist, Darian knew every corner and blind spot of the hostel complex's surveillance cameras by heart. He slipped through the narrow gap between two old buildings, bypassing the night guards' patrols with eerie composure. His body felt weightless. The dual circuits in his chest constantly flushed a soothing warmth through him, making his r

"Stay hidden in the depths of this cave until I call for you again." Darian Voss gently withdrew his hand from the armored forehead of the Ancient Drake. The massive dragon exhaled a warm breath, rustling the hem of Darian's ragged cloak, before turning back and stepping into the shadows until its magnificent form vanished down the subterranean corridor. Darian adjusted the hood of his faded cloth cloak, concealing his face and black hair. Beneath the folds of fabric over his chest, Pippo shifted restlessly. "Easy, Pippo. We need to move fast," Darian whispered softly, patting the small bundle in his arms. The little crystal fox nuzzled its snout against Darian's neck, letting out a soft squeak before curling up obediently under his cloak. Darian followed the ancient energy conduit, which led directly to the borders of the metropolis of Aethelgard. His footsteps were firm, calm, and silent. Darian’s chest felt light and open. The Potential Blooming Circuit inside him operated in