Adonis walked through the streets of the city, the air thick with the familiar hum of machinery and the hiss of steam rising from the gutters. The towering spires of brass and iron loomed overhead, casting long shadows over the cobbled streets. The clatter of gears and the constant thrumming of factories filled the air like a heartbeat, relentless and mechanical.
His destination was clear—the Council building, the very place where his new life had begun. But his mind was elsewhere, racing through fragmented memories, trying to piece together the puzzle of the Heart of Nox. The name had come up more than once, and each time it echoed through his mind, bringing with it a vague sense of foreboding.
Where would the original Adonis have hidden it? Kosuke, now fully inhabiting Adonis' body, sifted through the memories as though they were tangled threads. The original had been clever—cunning, even. He wouldn't have left something so powerful and dangerous in plain sight. But there were places that only someone like Adonis, someone who had climbed through the ranks of both the underworld and the Council, could access.
Adonis clenched his fists as he walked, feeling the cool weight of his newfound powers swirling just beneath the surface. The Puppeteer Path had been revealed to him, but the powers of the Chains still called out to him, waiting to be unlocked. If he played his cards right, he could turn this entire situation to his advantage.
Escape is the only way, Adonis thought, his mind sharpening into focus. He couldn't survive long in the city under the Council's watchful eye—not with the web of debts and dangerous connections closing in on him. Moving to another city or country, even temporarily, could buy him time to grow stronger, to train his powers, and to outmaneuver his enemies.
But first, he needed a plan—something subtle, a series of small manipulations that would set events in motion without drawing attention to himself.
---
As Adonis continued his walk, the streets grew busier with people—merchants, workers, and travelers bustling about their daily lives. The city's complex financial system, powered by both industrial might and magical currency, allowed for rapid exchange and trade, but it also created opportunities for those willing to bend the rules.
Tiny events, subtle shifts. Adonis thought back to the Puppeteer Path and its ability to control events with invisible strings. He didn't need to make a dramatic move, not yet. He could weave small threads of influence that would push him toward his goal—finding a way to slip through the cracks of the Council's control.
He passed a small café, where two men sat talking in hushed tones. Their conversation flickered through his mind, barely registering at first, but then it clicked. One of them was talking about shipments moving between cities—unofficial shipments. Smuggling routes, just like the ones Adonis had once used.
That's it, Adonis thought. He could manipulate a tiny event here—perhaps a delayed shipment, a misplaced document, a small financial disruption—and use it as a distraction to slip out of the city unnoticed. With his power to subtly influence people and events, he could set a chain reaction in motion that no one would trace back to him.
His mind whirred, forming the outline of a plan. He'd need to train first, to hone his skills before attempting something this delicate. But it was possible. He could manipulate the city's bureaucracy, the underworld networks, even the Council itself—if he played it right.
---
By the time Adonis reached the Council building, his plan was starting to take shape. The towering structure, a blend of brass, glass, and dark stone, was a constant reminder of the power and control the Council wielded over the Empire. It was here that decisions were made—decisions that shaped not only the city but the world itself.
Adonis entered the building, nodding at a few familiar faces, though he kept his demeanor reserved. He made his way toward the training wing, a place where Adepts and Initiates alike honed their abilities under the watchful eye of the Council's instructors. He had been given access to this room after his rise to Rank 2, but the original Adonis had never fully utilized it. Kosuke, however, saw it as an opportunity—a place to test his limits and unlock the potential of his powers.
The training room was vast, its walls lined with polished brass and dark wood. Mechanical dummies, enchanted for combat simulations, stood in rows like silent sentinels. Pipes ran along the ceiling, hissing steam into the air, and glowing runes on the floor marked different sections for various types of training.
Adonis approached one of the dummies, feeling the subtle hum of magic in the air as he prepared to test his abilities. He focused on the chains that now defined his path—the invisible threads of fate that bound people, objects, and events together. He could sense them, like a web spreading out in all directions, some threads taut and others loose, ready to be pulled.
He closed his eyes, reaching inward to touch the core of his power. A faint whisper echoed in his mind—the voice of the original Adonis, reminding him of the power he wielded.
With a deep breath, he extended his hand, and from his palm, a thin, silvery chain materialized. It snaked through the air with a life of its own, wrapping around the nearest dummy. Adonis focused, sending a mental command through the chain. The dummy jerked, its limbs moving as if controlled by an unseen force.
A grin tugged at the corner of Adonis' lips. He was getting the hang of it.
Next, he turned his attention to one of the glowing runes on the floor, activating it with a thought. The room shifted, and suddenly, mechanical creatures whirred to life, their gears grinding as they marched toward him. They were training constructs, designed to test an Adept's reflexes and power.
Adonis raised his hand again, summoning more chains. This time, they sprang forward like serpents, wrapping around the legs of the nearest construct and yanking it to the ground. Another chain lashed out, striking a second target with precision.
This could work, he thought, his mind racing with possibilities. The Chains Path allowed him to manipulate more than just physical objects—it gave him access to the invisible bonds between people and events. If he could master this power, he could turn the smallest of actions into a ripple that would eventually become a wave.
Adonis continued to train, testing the limits of his abilities. He wove chains of varying thickness, controlling multiple targets at once, binding and directing them with the ease of a puppet master. The more he practiced, the more confident he became in his plan.
By the time he finished, his body ached with exertion, but his mind was sharper than ever. The events he would set in motion needed to be carefully planned, subtle and precise, but they would give him the window he needed to escape this miserable situation. Moving to another city—perhaps even another country—would buy him time to train, to grow stronger, and to gather more information about the Heart of Nox.
Adonis wiped the sweat from his brow and left the training room, his thoughts already racing ahead. The first move was his, and he would make it count.