The sun was barely rising over the City skyline when Liam finally put on the spidersilk suit.
He stood in front of the mirror in the guest bedroom, adjusting the high collar of the dark jacket. The material was genuinely incredible.
It felt lighter than a standard t-shirt, completely seamlessly molding to the broad lines of his shoulders and chest without restricting his movement in the slightest. The subtle runic threading woven into the black fabric pulsed with a faint, almost invisible gray light when he channeled a fraction of his shadow magic.
It was the exact kind of gear he would have killed for at this point in his past life. Now, it had been handed to him by the heir of the Hunter Association based on a highly questionable wager.
Liam grabbed his water bottle and walked out into the main living area. Silas was standing by the door with a datapad, coordinating their transport, while Vespera and Liora were sitting at the kitchen island.
Both girls stopped talking the moment he walked into the room.
Liora was holding a mug of coffee. She took one look at Liam in the fitted tactical suit, completely forgot how to swallow, and ended up coughing violently into her hand. A massive rush of pink flooded her cheeks as she quickly set the mug down, trying to pretend she had not just choked on her own drink.
Vespera was much better at hiding her reaction.
She took a slow, deliberate sip of her espresso, her icy blue eyes raking over him from head to toe. She noted the way the dark fabric accentuated his lean, muscular build, and she immediately felt that annoying, completely irrational flutter in her chest again.
She ruthlessly crushed the feeling down and placed her cup on the marble counter.
"The fit is okay," Vespera declared smoothly, sounding exactly like a bored fashion critic. "The runes are properly synced to your mana signature. You look like you belong in a sanctioned arena instead of a back-alley brawl."
"I am comfortable," Liam replied, picking up a piece of toast from a plate on the counter. "The mobility is flawless."
"You look amazing, Liam," Liora managed to say, finally recovering her breath. She smiled softly, the silver light of her S-Rank core giving her skin a beautiful, radiant glow in the morning light. "Julian Vance is going to look completely ridiculous standing next to you."
The system chimed happily, floating a golden text box right over the toaster.
[Consort Approval Rating: Maximum.]
[She is currently imagining you fighting in that suit. And possibly taking it off. Great job establishing physical presence. Charisma +2.]
Liam casually ignored the glowing words and finished his toast.
The ride to the Arena was tense but quiet.
The massive coliseum sat on the edge of the ocean, surrounded by glittering skyscrapers and massive holographic billboards. As Silas navigated the armored transport through the VIP gates, Liam could hear the deafening roar of the crowds outside.
The Novice Gauntlet was practically a national holiday. Thousands of people packed the stands, eager to watch the next generation of Awakeners fight for glory, sponsorships, and guild contracts.
When they stepped out of the vehicle and walked into the underground staging area, the noise was chaotic. Reporters with floating camera drones buzzed around the entrance, trying to get statements from the nervous rookies.
Right in the center of the largest media cluster stood Julian Vance.
Julian was wearing a bright crimson and gold Vanguard chest plate that looked incredibly expensive and entirely too heavy for a C-Rank simulation. He was laughing confidently, showing off a small fireball hovering in his palm for the cameras, flanked by a massive group of heavily armored Vanguard trainees.
"My team is fully prepared," Julian boasted loudly to a reporter, making sure his voice carried across the room. "The Vanguard Guild breeds champions. We are going to clear the jungle simulation in record time. I fully expect to bring home the highest token count in Gauntlet history."
Vespera scoffed quietly under her breath as they walked past the media circus.
"He talks too much for someone who still needs his uncle to tie his boots."
Julian caught sight of Vespera’s pristine white coat and immediately puffed out his chest. His confident smirk widened, but then his eyes landed on Liam walking right beside her, and his expression instantly curdled into a scowl.
Julian pushed past the reporters and marched directly into their path, completely ignoring the cameras following him. His Vanguard lackeys fanned out behind him like an oversized boy band.
"Well, if it isn’t the E-Rank trash," Julian sneered, crossing his arms. He looked Liam up and down, clearly jealous of the sleek, custom-made spidersilk suit.
"I am genuinely surprised my uncle’s arrest warrant did not catch up to you yet. But it does not matter. The arena is a fully sanctioned combat zone. Accidents happen all the time in the jungle, Cross. Especially to weak little rats who like to hide behind women."
The cameras hovered closer, eager to catch the pre-tournament drama.
Liam did not tense up. He did not flare his aura. He just looked at Julian with the same absolute, deadpan apathy he reserved for annoying insects.
"Your chest plate is sitting three inches too low on your collarbone," Liam stated casually, his voice perfectly level. "It restricts your overhead reach and exposes the brachial artery in your neck. If you trip over a root in the simulation, the edge of your own armor will likely sever your windpipe before a monster even touches you."
The entire Vanguard squad blinked, entirely thrown off by the highly specific, deeply clinical insult.
Julian’s face flushed a brilliant, angry red.
He instinctively reached up to touch the collar of his armor, confirming that it was, in fact, digging slightly into his neck. He quickly dropped his hand, furious that he had just proven Liam right on live television.
"You think you are so smart," Julian hissed, stepping closer. "Let us see how smart you are when my squad hunts you down."
"I look forward to the exercise," Liam replied, smoothly sidestepping the angry Guild heir and continuing toward the preparation gates.
Vespera followed right behind him, a deeply satisfied smirk playing on her lips.
Before Liam could step into the teleportation circle that would drop him into the simulation, Liora jogged up to him. She reached out, her small hands grabbing the lapels of his dark jacket.
"Wait," she said softly, completely ignoring the massive crowd and the cameras pointing in their direction.
She stood up on her tiptoes, leaning in close. Her fingers smoothed out a nonexistent wrinkle on his collar. The scent of vanilla and starlight washed over him, momentarily drowning out the smell of the sterile arena.
[System Mandate: Do not pull away. The Consort is attempting a protective blessing.]
[Task: Look deeply into her eyes.]
Liam actually followed the prompt. He looked down at her, the harsh lines of his face softening just a fraction. He could feel the residual starlight from their previous session humming beneath her skin, resonating perfectly with the dark magic sitting in his own chest.
"Be careful," Liora whispered, her blue eyes shining with genuine concern. "Do not do anything stupid just to show off."
"I never show off," Liam promised quietly.
He gently placed his hand over hers where it rested on his chest, giving her fingers a brief, reassuring squeeze. The contact sent a tiny, warm spark of Yin energy straight into his core.
[Temporary Buff Acquired: Consort’s Blessing.]
[Stamina regeneration increased by fifteen percent for the next two hours. The power of young love is truly disgusting. Good luck in there, Sovereign.]
Liam released her hand and stepped backward onto the glowing runic circle. Vespera stood by the railing, giving him one final, entirely serious nod.
The countdown timer above the gate hit zero.
A blinding flash of blue light consumed his vision, pulling him out of the staging area and throwing him directly into the war zone.