Aiden Sebastian crouched behind a shattered concrete wall, wiping blood from his forehead. The air inside the rift zone smelled of burnt metal and ozone. Twenty yards ahead, a stone hide beast scraped its heavy claws against the ground. The monster was tall, covered in grey scales that looked like thick rock armor, and its yellow eyes searched the dim alleyway for any sign of life.Aiden slowed his breathing. His heart pounded against his ribs, but he kept his body still. He was a low-tier porter for the Iron Vanguard guild, hired to carry extra supplies and gear for the raid team. He was not supposed to fight. He was supposed to stay in the back and load heavy crates.To his right, hidden behind an overturned supply truck, stood Marcus, the raid leader. Marcus wore polished silver armor and held a broadsword that glowed with faint mana. Next to him were three higher-tier mercenaries. They were all supposed to be protecting the perimeter while the main squad cleared the inner rift cor

Aiden took a step back, his boots grinding against loose glass on the sidewalk. The heat radiating from the construct's red blade washed over his face, dry and suffocating. The machine stood seven feet tall, its dark metal frame covered in sharp angles and glowing red lines. It did not breathe or growl like the stone hide beasts. It just stared at him with its single red eye, analyzing his presence with cold logic.Aiden held his iron pipe in two hands, keeping his body low. The pipe felt sturdy, but he knew a normal piece of scrap metal would not block a blade made of pure energy. He needed to rely on his speed and the reflexes he had just absorbed.The construct moved without warning. It did not take a wind-up stance or make a sound. It simply glided forward, sweeping its red energy blade in a fast horizontal arc aimed directly at Aiden's waist.Aiden reacted instantly. His heightened reflexes allowed him to read the trajectory of the strike early. He ducked below the glowing blade,

Aiden stepped through the fading red light, his boots landing on smooth, polished white marble. Bright spotlights blinded his eyes for a second, and a deafening roar of cheering spectators hit his ears like a wave.He adjusted his grip on the glowing red energy blade, taking in his surroundings. He was not in an empty city alley. He stood on a high stone platform overlooking a massive arena filled with thousands of shouting people. Giant digital screens hung above the crowd, showing live footage of the platform where he had just appeared.In the center of the arena floor, Marcus stood holding a metallic microphone. He wore his silver guild armor, polished to a high shine, and held his hands up to quiet the roaring crowd."Ladies and gentlemen," Marcus's voice boomed through the surrounding loudspeakers. "Welcome to the annual Iron Vanguard Recruitment Exhibition. As you saw on the screen, our frontline squad has successfully cleared Sector Seven. We lost a low-tier porter during the i

The dark red magic circle glowed brightly beneath Aiden's boots, casting a bloody light over his face. Cold magic rushed up through the soles of his shoes, pinning his legs to the marble floor like heavy iron weights. Every time he tried to lift a foot, the red energy pulled him back down, steadily draining the warmth from his muscles.Around the edges of the circle, twenty elite enforcers dressed in black plate armor moved into position. They held long iron chains attached to thick metal stakes, forming a tight circle around him.On the high stage, Marcus let out a sharp sigh of relief. He straightened his silver armor, stepped toward the railing, and looked down at Aiden with a mocking grin."Did you think you could just walk into the main arena and challenge the guild master?" Marcus called out, his voice full of spite. "You are just a foolish porter who got lucky in the rift. You do not belong on this stage."Aiden ignored Marcus's taunts. He kept his breathing steady, closing his

The ground shook hard, throwing Aiden off his feet. He hit the marble floor, keeping his grip tight on the collar of Marcus's silver armor. Marcus screamed as the stone beneath them cracked further, exposing a dark drop into the earth below. Dust and shattered glass rained down from the broken stadium ceiling, drifting through the dark purple light streaming into the sky.Aiden dragged Marcus away from the edge of the pit. The air coming up from the deep hole tasted of sulfur and old dust. It felt freezing cold, making his breath turn into small white clouds in front of his face.Up on the royal balcony, the silver-robed city enforcers raised their shields against the falling glass. They were looking down into the arena with wide eyes. Guild Master Vane was gone, having escaped through the rear doors when the ground began to break."What is that?" Marcus gasped, pointing a shaking hand toward the pit. "That is not a normal rift! The energy is too concentrated!"Aiden stood up, pulling