I arrived at the Stability Training Complex ten minutes early, presenting my credentials to an automated scanner that pulsed with muted blue light. The building stood as a squat, utilitarian structure on the eastern edge of Lighthouse City—deliberately positioned near the barrier where dimensional energy fluctuations could be safely contained while remaining accessible to low-tier raiders like myself.
"Raider Volt. F-tier. Level 6," the system announced clinically. "Remedial Training: Dimensional Stability Fundamentals. Authorized. Proceed to Chamber 14."
The narrow corridor leading to the training chambers was lined with dimensional energy absorption panels—technology developed during the Great Consolidation following the Devastation. I'd read about them but never seen them up close. Their surface rippled faintly when approached, drinking in excess energy that might otherwise accelerate dimensional thinning.
Chamber 14 contained only a single interface terminal, a neural-feedback chair, and viewing screens covering three walls. The fourth wall remained conspicuously bare—reinforced with stabilization alloys that could contain dimensional anomalies should the training simulations trigger any inadvertent manifestations.
I sat in the chair, feeling the neural connectors adjust to my physiology as the system initiated.
[DIMENSIONAL STABILITY FUNDAMENTALS]
[TRAINING SESSION 1 OF 7]
[COMPLETION REQUIRED WITHIN 14 DAYS]
The terminal hummed to life, projecting a holographic timeline that stretched across the viewing screens. It began at year 2222—nearly eight centuries ago.
"Your recent incident in Crystalline Labyrinth demonstrates a critical misunderstanding of dimensional mechanics," stated the automated instructor, its voice calibrated to convey both authority and mild disappointment. "To prevent further evolution events, you must comprehend why Stability exists and what happens when dimensional protocols are disregarded."
The timeline illuminated key historical points as the instructor continued.
"In 2222, dimensional rifts first appeared. Initially classified as scientific anomalies, the military quickly monopolized access after discovering the resources within. For eight years, they believed the situation was controlled."
The screens shifted to show archival footage—soldiers in pre-Devastation combat gear engaging what I recognized as F-tier monsters. Their tactics were laughably primitive by modern standards—no understanding of dimensional energy management, no attribute optimization, certainly no Domain Engine like traits.
"In 2230, everything changed. The first E-tier rifts emerged, overwhelming military containment. By 2333, after a century of devastating losses, over 70% of Earth's pre-rift population had perished. Conventional military forces proved completely ineffective against C-tier and above entities."
The screens displayed global maps comparing Earth before and after. Before: densely populated continents with sprawling cities. After: isolated points of light surrounded by vast swaths of monster-controlled territory. Current estimates showed human-controlled territory at less than 12% of Earth's surface—and even that required constant defense.
"The turning point came in 2333 when the first Source-tier entity—what we now call the Emperor—established Stability. Without this intervention, humanity would have faced extinction within decades."
The neural connectors transmitted subtle emotional undertones with this information—a programmed sense of reverence for Stability that I instinctively resisted.
"Today, in 3000 CE, we face an acceleration crisis. Observe the mathematical formula that governs rift manifestation frequency."
A formula appeared: ?s/?t ∝ (Emperor's tier)^2
The instructor continued, "Rift manifestation frequency is proportional to the square of the Emperor's tier—currently at S-tier Source level 100. This creates a paradoxical situation: the power that maintains our civilization also attracts dimensional incursions at an escalating rate."
The screens displayed global rift data: yearly increases in density, severity, and complexity. I shifted uncomfortably, remembering the crystalline appendages reaching through my dimensional fracture.
"Status participation rates continue their downward trajectory—a direct consequence of escalating F-tier instability and difficulty thresholds. Our initiatives to help civilians unlock their status have yielded diminishing returns year over year. Data analysis reveals a counterintuitive pattern: the more assistance potential raiders receive during their formative period, the more rapidly they hit developmental plateaus in tier progression.
The statistical probability of any individual reaching S-tier—already a vanishingly small figure—continues to contract at an alarming rate. This high-tier deficit has directly impacted our reclamation campaigns, which have either stagnated or lost ground since 2970, reversing centuries of hard-fought progress. To be clear: our challenge isn't insufficient numbers of low-tier raiders like yourself—it's the resulting bottleneck in the high-tier raider pipeline. Observe the following demonstration."
The screens displayed footage from "reclaimed" territories—Greenzone (former Washington DC), Nexusfields (Eastern-Europe), and Canyonwatch (Andes). Each required constant raider presence to maintain even minimal stability. When raiders withdrew, footage showed rift entities rapidly reclaiming territory through broken dimensional barriers.
"Beyond our city barriers lies a world fundamentally altered by dimensional contamination. Breach zones create areas where physics itself operates differently."
The display shifted to show three distinct types of breach zones:
Zone Alpha (F-tier to B-tier contamination): Mutated flora and gravity anomalies
Zone Beta (A-tier contamination): Time dilation where one hour equals one minute of real time, causing memory erosion
Zone Gamma (S-tier contamination): Conceptual physics where reality itself becomes language-dependent
"The exponential power scale between tiers cannot be overstated," the instructor emphasized as mathematical models displayed on screen. "While an F-tier entity might possess the destructive capacity of conventional explosives, an S-tier entity can rewrite local physics. Knight-tier S entities alone outclass entire armies. Source-tier entities like the Emperor can manipulate reality on a conceptual level."
The neural feedback chair transmitted a sensory approximation of dimensional pressure—just enough to demonstrate the crushing weight of higher-tier energy without causing actual harm.
"You created a temporary bridge to a higher dimensional plane—precisely the kind of incident that accelerates rift evolution. Such evolution events weaken the already tenuous stability of our remaining territories."
The screens displayed Lighthouse City's barrier systems—multiple overlapping fields of energy specifically calibrated to reject dimensional incursions below B-tier. Outside these barriers, continuous footage showed monsters roaming freely through ruins of pre-Devastation civilization. The contrast between the ordered safety within and chaotic danger without was stark.
"This concludes introductory session one. Six sessions remain to be completed within your 14-day mandatory period. Failure to complete training will result in immediate status suspension."
As I disconnected from the neural interface, the true scale of what I'd been participating in became clearer. My personal ambitions to advance rapidly through the tiers seemed suddenly trivial against the backdrop of humanity's precarious existence. The dimensional breach I'd caused wasn't just a personal setback—it was another crack in the fragile shield protecting what remained of human civilization.
Six more sessions of remedial training to complete. Six more days of suspension. I needed a more refined strategy. I had to prepare for when my fractures cause the barrier to collapse again, I couldn’t just run away like I did the last time—not in a world where dimensional stability itself was accelerating toward collapse. Whatever waited beyond the barriers, whatever had reached through my fracture, it was merely one fragment of a reality humanity was losing the capacity to contain.
The fine had been substantial—twenty thousand credits plus dimensional stabilization costs for sector seven. The incident report sat in my Network profile like a permanent scar, visible to anyone who bothered to check. I stood outside the Equipment District with 35,862 credits remaining—still a significant sum for an F-tier raider, but far from the small fortune I'd accumulated before.
Mandatory remedial training had consumed fourteen days, though I'd accelerated the process by scoring exceptionally well on the mastery examinations. The knowledge gained was worth the time investment.
My old equipment was beyond salvaging. All had been recycled for material credits, providing a small addition to my budget.
Stepping into the Equipment District felt different this time. I headed toward a shop I hadn't visited before—"Raider's Essentials"—a modest storefront with a reasonable selection of F-tier gear. I bought their standard F-tier average quality package, nothing special they all had simple damage reduction mods, with the Nanosteel Blade having an increased durability modifier. My previous Channel Blade broke way too fast for my liking and I could work around the mana issue.
The entire thing cost 8,700 credits—a substantial investment but necessary given my previous equipment losses. I spent another 3,000 on consumables.
"All standard equipment," the shop owner said as I finalized the purchase. "Nothing flashy, but it'll get the job done. Good hunting."
With equipment secured, I headed to the Network terminal to browse F-tier rift listings. Given Stability's scrutiny, I needed rifts that balanced reward potential against risk.
The Network console displayed available options, each with clearance statistics and observer warnings. Three candidates emerged from my search:
[F-21109: MAGNETIC ANOMALY]
[F-28775: FROST CAVERNS]
[F-12483: WHISPERING FOREST]
I purchased all available slots for each—the ten-slot purchase would ensure solo runs, though the cost was steeper due to my penalty status. Three solo passes cost 3,267 credits, leaving me with 9,895 for future expeditions.
As I confirmed the reservations, a notification appeared:
[STABILITY OBSERVER ASSIGNED: AGENT THORN]
[OBSERVATION PROTOCOL: NON-INTERFERENCE]
[REPORT SCHEDULE: POST-EXPEDITION]
My Stability observer materialized beside me, a lean man with augmented eyes that glowed faintly blue. The insignia on his uniform confirmed his D-tier status.
"Raider Volt," he stated without emotion. "I'm Agent Thorn. My function is observation only. Proceed as normal."
I stepped through the shimmering portal into, the air instantly thick with metallic particles. Floating debris orbited complex magnetic nodes, creating dangerous paths and unpredictable trajectories. The observer followed silently, keeping distance.
My Domain Engine highlighted everything immediately—shifting magnetic polarity zones, metal concentration hotspots, and the central core's erratic pulse patterns. Perfect playground.
Three Flux Hunters prowled the outer perimeter—wolf-like creatures with metallic particles orbiting their forms. I charged directly toward them.
"Create Hazard," I commanded, forming a concentrated gravity well that pulled the largest Hunter off its feet. First Fracture Charge accumulated, triggering Reactive Fracture Tether. My speed jumped 50%, the world seeming to slow around me.
I slashed through the disoriented Hunter, its metallic particles scattering. The remaining two circled, coordinating their approach. A narrowing window of opportunity.
"Invert Hazard," I called out, reversing a repulsion field between the Hunters into an attraction field. They crashed violently into each other, momentarily stunned. Second Fracture Charge accumulated, refreshing my speed boost.
Magnetic shrapnel began spinning wildly in a vortex ahead, blocking the path to the central core. Perfect.
"Amplify Hazard," I commanded, tripling the intensity of the shrapnel vortex. The metal fragments accelerated to lethal velocities. Third Fracture Charge accumulated.
The air shuddered violently as reality tore open. The three Fracture Charges consumed themselves, pulling a massive thunderstorm from another dimension. Lightning arced between metal objects, creating a chaotic web of electrical energy that filled the chamber.
I laughed, using the dimensional chaos to my advantage. Lightning struck randomly, obliterating one of the remaining Hunters while I dashed toward the central magnetic core, my enhanced speed barely outpacing the electrical discharges.
The lightning storm began to fade as I approached the core's outer defenses—automated turrets that launched superheated metal projectiles.
"Negate Hazard," I commanded, nullifying the magnetic shielding around the nearest turret. It immediately overloaded, exploding in a shower of components. First Fracture Charge accumulated again, speed boost activating.
I darted between failing turrets, closing in on the core. The last Hunter leapt at me from behind, jaws crackling with magnetic energy.
"Create Hazard," I called out, generating a localized gravity sink beneath the creature. It crashed into the ground with bone-crushing force. Second Fracture Charge accumulated, speed refreshing.
The core pulsed erratically as I approached, its defenses creating a repulsion field that pushed everything away. Perfect timing.
"Consume Hazard," I commanded, absorbing the energy from the repulsion field. Resources flowed back into me as the Third Fracture Charge accumulated.
MP: 50 → 75
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
HP: 80 → 100
STAMINA: 60 → 85
Reality fractured again, the charges consuming themselves and pulling a massive magnetic storm from another dimension. Metal objects of all sizes were violently ripped from their positions, orbiting a central vortex in deadly patterns. The remaining Hunter was torn apart by the chaotic forces.
I used the magnetic currents to propel myself directly at the core, my Nanosteel Blade charged with absorbed energy. One precise strike severed its primary connection, destabilizing the entire structure. The Magnetic Anomaly began collapsing, reality stabilizing as the field generators failed completely. The rift collapsed as we materialized in the RMC.
[RIFT CLEARED: MAGNETIC ANOMALY]
SURVIVAL RATE: 100% (SOLO)
CONTRIBUTION: VOLT (100%)
LEVEL: 6 → 7
F-tier cores × 2 = 198 credits
Magnetic Flux Components 14 units × 45cr = 630cr
Polarized Metal 9 units × 55cr = 495cr
Hunter Claws 6 units × 40cr = 240cr
SOLO BONUS (×10)
TOTAL (Network): 15,630cr
LEVEL UP! I was now Level 7. I immediately allocated my new attribute point to Speed.
SPEED: 6 → 7 (BASELINE)
The portal to Frost Caverns shimmered with crystalline blue light, frost patterns forming and dissolving continuously around its edges. I stepped through without hesitation, ignoring the silent observer who followed at a distance.
Frost Caverns unfolded in breathtaking beauty and lethal danger. Vast ice chambers stretched in all directions, illuminated by phosphorescent crystals embedded in the ceiling. My breath formed dense clouds that lingered unnaturally long before dissipating. Domain Engine immediately highlighted the primary hazards—ice so cold it could freeze flesh in seconds, hidden crevasses beneath seemingly solid ground, and areas of brittle ceiling that could collapse under even minor disturbances.
[F-TIER RIFT: FROST CAVERNS]
Base Requirement: Reach the Central Ice Spire and retrieve the Permafrost Core
The first challenge presented itself immediately—a field of ice spikes that grew and retracted in rhythmic patterns, blocking the most direct path forward. I didn't bother studying their patterns.
"Amplify Hazard," I commanded, targeting a thermal vent barely visible beneath the ice. The heat tripled in intensity, instantly melting the nearest ice spikes and creating a steaming passage. First Fracture Charge accumulated, triggering Reactive Fracture Tether. My speed surged by 50% as the world seemed to slow around me.
I dashed through the newly formed passage, my speed boosted by the slick surface. The thermal backlash from the amplified vent created a temporary fog bank that burned my face—perfect cover as the first Frost Wraiths materialized ahead.
These spectral entities phased through ice walls, leaving trails of intensified cold that crystallized the air itself. Three surrounded me, moving in coordinated patterns to create overlapping cold zones.
"Invert Hazard," I commanded without hesitation, reversing a nearby cold zone into concentrated heat. The thermal shock shattered one Wraith instantly as Second Fracture Charge accumulated, refreshing my speed boost.
The remaining Wraiths adjusted their tactics, one phasing into the ceiling while another retreated through a wall. I didn't wait for their return. With enhanced speed, I sprinted through the chamber, racing toward the next section.
A vast chasm appeared ahead, its depths lost in darkness. Narrow ice bridges crossed at various points, each looking treacherously fragile. Rather than testing their strength, I studied the ceiling structure.
"Create Hazard," I commanded, forming a localized pressure zone directly above. The brittle ceiling cracked perfectly, dropping a massive ice column that created a stable bridge. Third Fracture Charge accumulated.
The air distorted violently as reality tore open. The three Fracture Charges consumed themselves, creating a chaotic dimensional fracture. A blizzard from another dimension poured through—not the gentle snowfall of Earth, but razor-sharp ice shards propelled by hurricane-force winds.
I laughed, using the dimensional chaos to my advantage. The dimensional storm tore through the chamber, obliterating several returning Frost Wraiths while I crossed the newly formed bridge.
The effects of the dimensional storm began to fade as I approached a vast ice tunnel. The surface beneath my feet had been worn smooth by something large repeatedly moving through this passage. My Domain Engine highlighted fresh thermal signatures—something had passed through recently.
I activated a Rejuvenator, its energy coursing through me and pushing back the creeping exhaustion.
EXHAUSTION: 65 → 15
STAMINA: 100 → 50
The tunnel opened into a massive cavern dominated by a crystalline structure—the Ice Spire. Surrounding it were dozens of ice formations shaped like frozen waves, creating a labyrinth of reflective surfaces. And patrolling this maze was the cavern's guardian—a massive Ice Behemoth, its crystalline body absorbing and refracting light in hypnotic patterns.
"Negate Hazard," I commanded as soon as I spotted a concentrated cold zone near the entrance. The area normalized instantly, temperature rising to merely uncomfortable. First Fracture Charge accumulated again, speed boost activating.
I darted between ice formations, using my enhanced speed to remain just ahead of the Behemoth's awareness. The creature moved with surprising grace for its size, each step freezing the ground in expanding circles of absolute zero.
"Create Hazard," I called out when the ability came off cooldown, manifesting a gravity distortion that pulled several ice formations down across the Behemoth's path. Second Fracture Charge accumulated, refreshing my speed boost.
The creature roared, its voice creating visible sound waves that froze mid-air. It smashed through the fallen formations with terrifying strength, ice shards flying in all directions. Armor reduced the impact of hits, preventing serious damage but dropping my HP to 75.
I circled behind the Behemoth, analyzing its movement patterns and the structure of the Ice Spire itself. The central chamber containing the Permafrost Core was visible through translucent ice walls, but reaching it required passing directly by the guardian.
"Amplify Hazard," I commanded, targeting a thermal vent beneath the Behemoth's position. The heat tripled instantly, creating a pool of rapidly melting ice beneath the creature. Third Fracture Charge accumulated.
Reality fractured again, the dimensional tear pulling a superheated magma pocket from another dimension. Liquid stone poured through the fracture, instantly vaporizing ice and creating a deadly steam environment.
The Behemoth roared in confusion as its icy domain transformed into a chaotic battlefield of opposing elements. Steam obscured vision, melting ice created unpredictable currents, and magma burned channels through the ancient ice floor.
I used the dimensional chaos to sprint directly toward the Ice Spire's entrance, my enhanced speed carrying me past the disoriented guardian. The Permafrost Core pulsed with blue-white energy at the center of a crystalline chamber, its freezing aura counteracting even the magma's heat.
The Behemoth recovered quickly, charging toward the Spire entrance with thunderous steps. I had seconds at most.
"Invert Hazard," I commanded, targeting the Core's freezing aura. The field reversed instantly, emitting intense heat that weakened the surrounding ice structure. First Fracture Charge accumulated once more, speed boosting me as I grabbed the destabilized Core.
The entire Spire began collapsing as I sprinted for the exit, the dimensional magma continuing to melt supporting structures. The Behemoth roared behind me, trapped in a chamber rapidly filling with steam and water.
"Create Hazard," I called, forming a gravity distortion that propelled me forward with increased speed as I reached the tunnel. Second Fracture Charge accumulated, the combined speed boosts allowing me to outpace the collapsing cavern.
EXHAUSTION: 70/100
HP: 65/100
I spotted the extraction point pulsing ahead as the rift began stabilizing, the dimensional tear closing as balance restored itself. The observer stood waiting near the extraction point, data pad in hand, expression unreadable. Irrelevant.
The rift collapsed behind us as we materialized in the RMC.
[RIFT CLEARED: FROST CAVERNS]
SURVIVAL RATE: 100% (SOLO)
CONTRIBUTION: VOLT (100%)
LEVEL: 7 → 8
F-tier cores × 3 = 297 credits
Permafrost Fragments 12 units × 70cr = 840cr
Wraith Essence 8 units × 65cr = 520cr
Eternal Ice 15 units × 45cr = 675cr
SOLO BONUS (×10)
TOTAL (Network): 23,320cr
LEVEL UP! I immediately allocated my new attribute point to Speed.
SPEED: 7 → 8 (BASELINE)
My world shifted subtly with each Speed increase—movements becoming more fluid, reaction times sharper. With baseline Speed 8 and Reactive Fracture Tether's 50% boost, I could now move with precision that made even F-tier Elite entities seem sluggish by comparison. The observer continued documenting observations in silence. Just one more rift to endure under surveillance, then I could resume my advancement strategy unhindered.
Whispering Forest's entry portal glowed with warm amber light, pulsing with a rhythm that almost resembled breathing. I stepped through without hesitation, ignoring the silent observer following at a distance.
The forest materialized around me—massive trees with trunks wider than buildings stretched upward beyond visibility. Their bark shifted colors subtly, and their leaves moved with purpose rather than wind. Most distinctive was the constant, barely audible whispering that filled the air—words just beyond comprehension that seemed to respond to my presence.
[F-TIER RIFT: WHISPERING FOREST]
Base Requirement: Find and silence the Whisper Nexus
Alternative Path: Collect 7 Echo Fragments
My Domain Engine's Hazard Sense immediately highlighted numerous environmental dangers within my 50-meter detection radius: acoustic anomalies manifesting as rippling distortions in the air, conceptual hazard zones where whispers could alter physical reality, perception-warping fields that distorted distance and direction, and unstable terrain where tree roots could suddenly animate and entangle trespassers. Two Fracture Charges already pulsed within me, remnants from my previous manipulations.
I advanced cautiously, mapping the hazard patterns. The whispers intensified with each step, forming intricate sonic webs that could become physical barriers when disturbed. Three Echo Mimics—humanoid entities composed of solidified whispers—emerged from behind twisted trunks ahead, their amorphous forms rippling as they absorbed ambient forest sounds.
"Create Hazard," I commanded, manifesting a concentrated sound distortion identical to those my Domain Engine had detected throughout the forest. The sonic wave pulsed outward, temporarily disorienting the Mimics. Third Fracture Charge accumulated.
The air shuddered violently as reality tore open. The three Fracture Charges consumed themselves, pulling something utterly foreign into this whisper-filled dimension—an inferno. Roaring flames erupted from the fracture, spreading rapidly through the forest. Fire and whispers, creating chaotic interactions where they met. Trees that had evolved to manipulate sound now burned with unnatural intensity, releasing trapped whispers that manifested as screaming faces in the smoke.
I didn't laugh this time. The dimensional backlash had formed directly in my retreat path, cutting off my safest route. The Echo Mimics, momentarily stunned by the sudden environmental shift, began adapting—absorbing fire sounds and incorporating them into their forms. Their whisper-bodies now crackled with flame.
EXHAUSTION: 40/100
My Reactive Fracture Tether had activated with the third charge, boosting my speed by 50%, but navigating through burning conceptual trees required more than just speed. The whispers had become frantic, no longer subtle but violent and aggressive, forming auditory projectiles that could penetrate flesh.
I dodged between burning trunks, using my enhanced speed to stay ahead of collapsing foliage. An Echo Mimic intercepted me, its flaming whisper-form launching sound projectiles that cut through the air like solid objects. I deflected one with my Nanosteel Blade, but another sliced across my shoulder.
"Negate Hazard," I called out, targeting a perception-warping field that distorted distances. The field normalized instantly, revealing the Mimic's true position—much closer than it appeared. First Fracture Charge accumulated, refreshing my speed boost.
I dispatched the creature with two precise strikes, its form dissipating into fragments of sound and ash. The dimensional fire continued spreading, creating unpredictable interactions with the forest's native hazards. Where fire met conceptual whispers, reality itself seemed to waver, forming small pockets of contradictory physics.
The path ahead led deeper into the burning forest, where Echo Fragments glowed with increased intensity due to the dimensional disruption. I spotted the first fragment embedded in a tree trunk now wreathed in flames.
"Invert Hazard," I commanded, reversing a nearby acoustic anomaly. The sound-absorbing zone transformed into a sound-amplifying field, pulling the whispers away from the burning trunk. Second Fracture Charge accumulated, speed boost refreshing.
I extracted the fragment, its crystallized sound structure pulsing against my palm. Six more remained, scattered throughout increasingly dangerous terrain. The observer maintained his distance, documenting everything but offering no assistance.
The dimensional fire began fading as I located the second fragment, but the forest's response intensified. The trees themselves were fighting back—roots erupting from the ground in coordinated attacks, branches twisting to form barriers, leaves condensing into projectiles propelled by conceptual force.
"Amplify Hazard," I commanded, tripling the intensity of a nearby conceptual hazard zone. The whispers became visible as glowing text floating through the air, their meaning suddenly comprehensible—defensive algorithms, protective patterns. Third Fracture Charge accumulated.
Reality fractured again, this time pulling an electrical storm from another dimension. Lightning arced between trees, interacting chaotically with the fading fire and omnipresent whispers. Where all three elements met, small dimensional pockets formed—tiny rifts that showed glimpses of other realities.
EXHAUSTION: 65/100
I activated a Rejuvenator, pushing back the creeping exhaustion.
EXHAUSTION: 65 → 15
STAMINA: 100 → 50
The electrical storm provided unexpected illumination, revealing hidden paths through the forest's defensive systems. I collected the third and fourth fragments in rapid succession, though not without cost. A lightning strike hit a nearby tree, sending splinters through my left leg.
The forest grew more maze-like, paths shifting and reconnecting in patterns that defied normal geometry. My Domain Engine highlighted more hazards—gravity wells forming beneath fallen trees, time-dilating fields where whispers repeated endless loops, and conceptual traps that could alter one's perceptions permanently.
"Create Hazard," I commanded, generating a gravity distortion that pulled several animated roots from my path. First Fracture Charge accumulated, speed boost activating again.
The fifth fragment was guarded by a Guardian Whisperer—an Elite entity that manipulated sound with devastating precision. Its form resembled a humanoid made entirely of visible sound waves, constantly shifting and reforming. Where the electrical storm's lightning struck it, the energy was absorbed and redirected as sonic projectiles.
I circled the Guardian carefully, analyzing its patterns while dodging increasingly accurate attacks. My enhanced speed barely kept me ahead of its acoustic barrage. One particularly powerful blast caught me square in the chest, the Resonance Mesh distributing the impact but not negating it entirely I was down to 40 HP.
"Negate Hazard," I called out, nullifying a time-dilating field between us. The Guardian's movements normalized, revealing a momentary gap in its defenses. Second Fracture Charge accumulated, refreshing my speed boost.
I struck decisively, my Nanosteel Blade severing the creature's primary sound wave. It destabilized instantly, collapsing into fragments of crystallized sound. The fifth fragment floated free from its core, drawn to the others in my possession.
Locating the sixth and seventh fragments required navigating through the worst of the storm-damaged forest. Trees had been shattered by lightning, creating fields of splintered wood and exposed root systems. Whispers concentrated in these areas, feeding on the conceptual damage to form new and dangerous patterns.
"Invert Hazard," I commanded, reversing a perception distortion field. What appeared as impenetrable debris revealed itself as a navigable path. Third Fracture Charge accumulated.
The dimensional fracture manifested directly ahead—a tearing in reality that pulled absolute silence from the void between dimensions. In a forest defined by whispers and sound, this silence acted like antimatter, erasing acoustic phenomena wherever it spread. Trees affected by the silence zone froze completely, their conceptual animation halted without the whispers to sustain them.
I used this silence to my advantage, retrieving the sixth fragment from a now-immobilized animate trunk. The final fragment pulsed atop a massive stump at the center of a clearing—the remnant of what must have been the forest's largest tree.
The clearing was heavily guarded by multiple Echo Mimics that had evolved during the dimensional disturbances. Some incorporated electrical elements from the storm, others burned with residual dimensional fire, and a few had adapted to use silence itself as a weapon—projecting voids that erased sound and movement.
"Amplify Hazard," I commanded as soon as the ability refreshed, intensifying a gravity well beneath the largest Mimics. They collapsed inward, temporarily immobilized. First Fracture Charge accumulated, speed boost activating.
I sprinted for the central stump, dodging between evolved Mimics with enhanced speed. My Nanosteel Blade dispersed two that blocked my path directly, their destabilized forms temporarily scattering before beginning to reform.
The final fragment pulsed with greater intensity than the others, resonating with the six I'd already collected. The moment I grasped it, all seven began harmonizing, creating a frequency that spread throughout the forest. The ambient whispers synchronized with this new pattern, becoming coherent rather than chaotic.
The forest itself seemed to settle, hostile entities retreating as their conceptual foundation stabilized. The extraction point materialized near the collection site, pulsing with the same amber light as the entrance.
[RIFT CLEARED: WHISPERING FOREST]
SURVIVAL RATE: 100% (SOLO)
CONTRIBUTION: VOLT (100%)
LEVEL: 8 → 9
F-tier cores × 3 = 297 credits
Echo Fragments 7 units × 80cr = 560cr
Solidified Whispers 14 units × 55cr = 770cr
Guardian Essence 1 unit × 200cr = 200cr
SOLO BONUS (×10)
TOTAL (Network): 18,270cr
LEVEL UP! Another attribute point allocated to Speed without hesitation.
SPEED: 8 → 9 (BASELINE)
With over 50,000 credits accumulated from these rifts, I browsed available E-tier opportunities on the Network terminal. The observer filed his report and departed without a word.
[TIER ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITY]
Successful completion of E-tier Rift will qualify for E-tier advancement.
Warning: F-tier equipment functionality disabled in E-tier rifts unless boss-class.
It was time to rank up. To buy a solo pass for an E-tier rift it would cost me around 10000 credits each slot costing ten times as much as an F-tier pass. It was foolish to attempt a rank up alone, but I was committed. I was also loaded with 78115cr. Going home something totally unexpected happened:
[NEW CLEAR SPEED WORLD RECORD]
[SUBMIT NAME? YES/NO]
There was no way...
[An F-tier raider has set a new speed record by completing three F-tier dimensional rifts in just 7 hours and 48 minutes solo. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 8 hours and 16 minutes.]
