Midnight draped the outer sect residential blocks in deep shadow. The narrow dirt streets were completely empty. Corry Shaw stood in the center of a cramped room located in the female barracks. The squad commander kept his back rigid and his voice lowered to a harsh whisper. He stared at the young woman sitting on the edge of a simple wooden bed.Sofia crossed her arms over her chest. She wore a modest gray sleep tunic. Her dark hair was tied back in a strict braid. She was a dedicated outer disciple who spent her mornings swinging heavy wooden practice swords in the training rings. She valued discipline and orthodox rules above all else. She looked at her older cousin with a mixture of exhaustion and profound irritation."You are asking me to commit a crime," Sofia stated firmly. She kept her voice low to avoid waking the disciples sleeping in the adjacent rooms. "You want me to manipulate Zoe. You want me to convince my own sparring partner to carry a bundle of restricted demonic sc

Sofia raised her fist and knocked three times on the wooden door. The sharp raps echoed loudly in the quiet hallway of the female residential block. She stood with rigid posture. She wore her crisp gray training uniform and kept her steel practice sword sheathed at her hip. She waited for a response.A muffled, exhausted groan leaked through the thin timber."Go away," Zoe mumbled from inside the room. Her voice was thick with sleep. "Give me five more minutes.""The morning bell rang fifteen minutes ago," Sofia stated. She kept her tone strict and authoritative. "We have morning drills in the eastern rings. Open the door right now or I will kick it off its hinges and drag you out by your ankles."A sigh sounded from the other side of the partition. The wooden floorboards creaked. The latch slid back with a loud click.The door swung open. Zoe stood in the threshold. Her gray uniform was wrinkled and improperly buttoned. Her dark hair was a tangled mess resting on her shoulders. She ru

"What is your complaint?"The direct question pierced the silence of the cubicle. Sofia blinked. The suffocating pressure of his crimson aura disrupted her trained focus. She lost her train of thought. She stammered for a fraction of a second before her discipline reasserted control."My lower back," Sofia answered. Having no problem, she decided to mirror the exact symptoms Zoe had described weeks ago. "I suffer from a chronic ache in my lumbar spine. It hinders my morning sword forms.""You are in competent hands," Arthur said. His voice was a calm, steady baritone. "Sit on the edge of the table."Sofia obeyed. She perched on the hard wood. Arthur stepped closer and placed his bare hands on the back of her neck.The contact ignited a shockwave of heat. The Level Three Charm attribute bypassed her skin and sank directly into her nervous system.Sofia gasped aloud. Her mind flooded with uninvited, vivid imagery. She imagined his strong hands sliding down her shoulders. She pictured hi

Arthur walked through the gates of the western barracks just as the sun dipped behind the mountain peaks. The evening air carried the sharp chill of impending night. He did not feel the usual ache in his muscles after a long shift at the clinic. The systemic utility upgrades he purchased that morning provided him with boundless mortal stamina.The estate guards did not cross their halberds to block his path this time. The sentry standing on the left side of the entrance offered a deep, respectful bow. Arthur had reset the man's crooked neck the previous day. That single act of medical grace granted him full access to the fortified compound. The guard gestured for Arthur to follow him across the torchlit training grounds.They reached the central stone keep. The guard pushed the doors open and led Arthur down the dim corridor toward Master Seth's private quarters.Arthur expected to find the veteran hunter resting quietly. He stepped through the doorway and froze.The scent of copper a

The spiritual pressure in the private quarters finally settled into a calm silence. Master Seth stood naked from the waist up. His scarred chest heaved with renewed vitality. The estate guards lowered their halberds and stared at Arthur Drake with unquestioning reverence. The crippled vagrant had just pulled a dead man out of the grave.Arthur ignored the stares. He picked up a clean linen cloth and began wiping the dark venom from his silver surgical needle.Seth turned his imposing gaze toward the heavy oak doors. Master Linus remained on his knees near the entrance. The academic scholar stared blankly at the stone floor, his medical philosophy shattered by the reality of the extracted poison."Honor your wager," Seth commanded. His voice carried the booming authority of a veteran warlord.Linus flinched. He clenched his fists in his lap. His pride was ruined, but he understood the lethal consequences of defying a beast hunter in his own keep. The scholar slowly bowed his head until