Nina leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest. The room was dim, save for the glow of a large screen in front of her. On it played a grainy video—the security footage from the park incident, where Vincent had effortlessly taken down three monsters.
Three A-rank monsters.
It wasn't her first time watching it, nor the second. Nina had lost count of how many times she'd replayed those few minutes. Her eyes followed Vincent's movements—the way he dodged the creature's claws with precision, how he'd used a rusty metal pipe to crush one monster's skull with ease. His face remained indifferent the entire time, as though this was no more taxing than a walk home from work.
That part didn't sit right with her. Any B-rank would've struggled against one A-rank creature, let alone three. Even A-rank awakeners, like herself, would've had to strategize, exert effort, fight carefully to avoid getting overwhelmed. But Vincent? He barely looked like he was trying.
Nina paused the video, leaning forward to study the frozen image of Vincent standing over the bodies of the fallen monsters, looking almost... bored.
"What the hell are you?" she muttered under her breath.
The next day, Nina found herself in her guild's war room. Members of The Horizon Guild—one of the top three guilds in the city—sat around a long table, reviewing various reports, dungeon raid stats, and news from rival guilds. Nina's mind, however, was elsewhere.
"You with us, Nina?" a deep voice interrupted her thoughts. It was her guild leader, Marcus. His tone was more curious than reprimanding, but his sharp gaze told her he wasn't going to let her zoning out slide.
"Yeah," Nina nodded. "I'm here."
But Marcus wasn't convinced. He glanced at her with a smirk. "Still thinking about that guy from the park?"
The others at the table, including some of Horizon's top officers, exchanged looks. They had heard about the incident, though details had been kept under wraps.
Nina sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "It doesn't make sense. He's unregistered. No guild affiliations. No history in the system. And yet he took out three A-rank monsters like they were nothing. Alone."
She didn't need to explain why this was alarming. To the room full of seasoned awakeners, the idea of a lone unregistered C-rank being able to handle something like that was... impossible.
"Are you sure they were A-rank?" one of the officers asked, skepticism lacing his voice.
"Positive," Nina replied. "I fought those things myself before reinforcements arrived. I've dealt with A-rank monsters before, and those were definitely A-rank."
Marcus crossed his arms, frowning. "No way a C-rank could handle that. Maybe he's hiding his real rank? Could be a B, maybe even an A-rank pretending to be weaker for whatever reason."
Nina shook her head. "I don't think so. I talked to him. He's... different. I'm not sure he even realizes what he's capable of."
Marcus leaned back, considering her words. "And he just walked away? Didn't care about the monsters, didn't stick around for recognition?"
"Exactly." Nina's brow furrowed. "I tried to recruit him. I even told him about what he could do with those abilities—how he could make something of himself. But he didn't want any of it. He wasn't just uninterested. "
The room went quiet, the weight of her words settling in. For an awakener to possess such power and yet show complete disinterest in using it was baffling.
"You think he's dangerous?" Marcus asked.
Nina paused, choosing her next words carefully. "Not dangerous in the usual sense. But someone that strong... if we don't bring him into a guild, someone else will. And if he's as strong as I think, the balance between the top guilds could shift. We can't let that happen."
Marcus nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Keep an eye on him. If he shows up again, I want you to get to him before anyone else does."
Meanwhile, in another part of the city...
In a sleek office on the top floor of a skyscraper, the leader of the Silver Talon Guild, Derrick, leaned back in his leather chair, eyes fixed on the same footage Nina had been analyzing. His brows were furrowed in disbelief.
Derrick's guild was notorious for recruiting the strongest, and yet this unregistered awakener had slipped through their radar. He rewound the video again, focusing on Vincent's movements. They were deliberate, precise—almost too calm.
Behind Derrick, his second-in-command, Amelia, spoke up. "We've already confirmed with the Gate Authority. The monsters were A-rank. But there's nothing on this guy. No records, no guild, no ranking test."
Derrick let out a low whistle. "We've scouted most powerful B and A-rank in this city, and this guy comes out of nowhere? Are we sure he's not some rogue from another city? Maybe someone who's been hiding?"
Amelia shook her head. "We looked. Nothing. No connections. It's like he's been living as a normal civilian his entire life."
The leader drummed his fingers on the desk. "That's what makes it interesting, doesn't it? Someone with that much power, who doesn't care about rank or status. He's a wild card."
Amelia hesitated. "If Horizon is already after him, we need to move fast. We can't let them secure someone like him. If we get to him first—"
"—we won't have to worry about Horizon catching up," Derrick finished. He stood up, walking to the massive window overlooking the city. "Send someone to keep tabs on him. If he steps into another gate, I want to know the second it happens."
Amelia nodded and left the office, her mind already racing through possible strategies.
Back at Horizon Guild Headquarters
Nina stepped out of the conference room, her conversation with Marcus still echoing in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that Vincent was more than just an unregistered awakener. He wasn't just another powerful recruit to secure. He was... different.
As she walked through the hallways, her phone buzzed. Another message from her informant. She checked the screen and froze.
"We've got interest from multiple guilds now. Silver Talon is already sending people to track him. The word is spreading."
Nina swore under her breath. It was happening faster than she thought.
Why does he have to make this so difficult? she thought.
Vincent wasn't just a rogue awakener. He was becoming a target, and if more people got wind of his potential, it wouldn't take long before the larger guilds—those with more resources and fewer scruples—started making offers. After all, A rank awakeners have the most potential to become S ranks which could impact the world.
And Nina couldn't let that happen. Whether Vincent wanted it or not, his strength was something the world wasn't going to ignore. He could change the game. And if she couldn't convince him to join Horizon, then someone else would use that power—and not in a way he'd have any control over.
She pulled her coat tighter around her as she stepped outside, her breath visible in the cool evening air. There was a storm coming, and Vincent was standing right at its center, whether he realized it or not.
I'll have to convince him, she thought, walking quickly toward the park. Before it's too late.