"System, activate Adrenaline Rush!"[Adrenaline Boost has been activated. All attributes have been boosted by 10 points.]Jaxen burst forward at full speed toward the evaluator. The evaluator was caught off guard—he hadn't expected Jaxen to be that fast.Jaxen aimed his dagger straight for the evaluator's eye. The evaluator caught Jaxen's arm and deflected it upward at the last second.Jaxen made a 360-degree spin, trying to exploit the evaluator's exposed back. The evaluator read his movements and jumped away, barely avoiding Jaxen's dagger.Before the evaluator could even touch the ground, Jaxen dashed straight at him again, aiming for his heart."This kid is fighting to kill!"The evaluator twisted to the side, avoiding the blade. Now the evaluator was behind Jaxen, and Jaxen was wide open."You fought well, kid!"The evaluator aimed a punch straight for Jaxen's head. But Jaxen ducked low, swept his leg across the floor, and tripped the evaluator, sending him crashing to the ground

Chapter 44A full day had passed since Jaxen's confrontation with the Astra guild men. He still felt the phantom weight of their threat pressing against his chest. His sister's face flashed through his mind—her eyes finally open, finally aware. And now Astra knew about her.Focus. One step at a time.He stood in front of the three-story building, craning his neck to read the sign above.LIBERTY GUILD.Spelled just above the entrance in bold silver letters. Jaxen followed the address Bill had emailed him to where the guild's new headquarters would be."Liberty Guild, huh? That's an optimistic name." He muttered under his breath. Optimistic, or arrogant. Time would tell which.Jaxen walked right into the building. A receptionist sat behind a polished oak desk, her smile professional and practiced."Welcome to Liberty Guild headquarters. How may I help you?""Yeah, I have a meeting with the owner. Bill." Jaxen approached her desk, hands in his jacket pockets."Let me just check in a bit.

The morning of the trial arrived cold and gray. Jaxen stood by his apartment window, watching the city wake up beneath a blanket of clouds. His new suit hung neatly on the back of his door. His hands were steady, but his mind was racing. Testify. Don't testify. Protect her. Risk her. The decision had been eating at him for days. Astra had threatened his sister. They had made it clear—if he spoke against them, she would pay the price. But if he stayed silent, they would keep doing what they did. Experimenting on monsters. Using human lives as bait. Killing innocent people without consequence. His phone buzzed. Bill. Jaxen answered. "Jaxen." Bill's voice was calm, businesslike. "I'm sending a car to pick you up in an hour. We need to talk before the trial." "I haven't decided yet," Jaxen admitted. "I know. That's why we need to talk. Trust me, kid. I'll make this right." Jaxen ended the call and stared at his reflection in the window. Trust me. Those were dangerous words. He'd

Jaxen woke up to the faint glow of morning light filtering through his apartment curtains. He lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling, letting the events of the past few days settle in his mind. The trial. Astra's fall. Miguel on the run. Focus on today, he told himself. The raid. That's what matters. He swung his legs out of bed and made his way to the small kitchen. He brewed a pot of coffee, the rich aroma filling the apartment. He found some muffins in the cupboard—store-bought, nothing fancy—and ate them quickly while standing at the counter. After finishing breakfast, he took a quick shower. The hot water helped wake him up, washing away the last traces of sleep. He dried off and dressed in a simple black t-shirt and dark pants, his training clothes underneath his gear. He walked to the living room where his new equipment was still spread across the couch. The short swords gleamed under the dim light. The black leather vest sat beside them, along with the gloves, boo

Jaxen woke up to the gentle hum of his phone vibrating against the nightstand. He reached out blindly, his fingers fumbling for the device before finally grasping it. He blinked against the brightness of the screen and read the message. Liberty Guild Notice: Good morning, raiders. Today is a mandatory day off following yesterday's successful raid. The guild will be calculating profits and assessing performance metrics. Rest and recover. You've earned it. See you tomorrow. Jaxen read the message twice. A day off. He'd almost forgotten what those felt like. The academy had been nonstop. The guild had been nonstop. Even his days off before had been spent worrying about his sister, about money, about survival. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the news sink in. A day off meant he could do whatever he wanted. No meetings. No briefings. No raids. Finally. He sat up and swung his legs out of bed. His body ached from yesterday's fight—his muscles were sore, his arms