In a world driven by Aether energy, the glory of explorers was determined by the power circuits etched into their bodies. For the students of the Astral Vanguard Academy, the Supporter was a protective battery — an unyielding pillar continuously channeling power, risking their lives in the shadows behind the main fighters. Darian Voss understood this unfair destiny all too well. Yet inside this toxic cave tonight, his loyalty and sacrifices were repaid with the ultimate price. "Hold the shield stronger, Darian! Do you want us all to die like idiots here?!" Bram Sterling shouted loudly from behind his Aether sword. Golden light flared brilliantly along the Captain's blade, reflecting the glare of the colossal toxic beast roaring fiercely before them. Darian Voss squeezed his eyes shut tight. He squeezed the remaining energy from the Aether circuit embedded along his support arm. A searing heat surged violently from his wrist down to the core of his chest. His energy circuit vibrat

"Is all this a miracle, or just a hallucination before I die?" Darian Voss whispered, staring at his unblemished palm. His raspy voice echoed against the stone walls of the silent abyss. He touched the left side of his chest once more. There was no stinging pain, no searing cracks in his Aether circuits, and no trace of the monster's poisonous blood. Everything felt so impossibly perfect. Yet in the mind of a rational strategist, doubts still lingered. For years, he had been branded a useless battery of a Supporter. This instantaneous transformation felt far too good to be true. "Yip!" An adorable little bark suddenly snapped Darian out of his thoughts. Perched on his shoulder, the tiny crystal fox fluttered its transparent wings playfully. The little creature scampered down his arm and gave the tip of his thumb a gentle bite, as if protesting its master's doubt. Darian couldn't help a faint smile. The warm bond radiating from the creature felt overwhelmingly real in his chest.

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

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 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