The evening light filtered through the south-facing window, casting a warm glow into the room.
The light brown curtains were tied to one side, and the soft rays of the setting sun reflected off the glass, creating gentle shadows.
A faint blush of twilight spread across the walnut-colored desk, giving the wood grain a warm, rosy hue.
A cream-colored rug lay on the floor, right next to the bed. Beside it was a small table, with two round, cushy floor cushions placed nearby.
Inside the pine-colored cabinet, along with clothes, there were a few guitars, some sheet music, and a clarinet... all of which seemed like they hadn't been touched in a while.
This was Samantha's room.
She and Ethan lived in the same building, their doors only about 30 feet apart. After some persistent coaxing, Samantha finally gave in and brought Ethan back to her place to dig up some information on Metahumans.
The bed was neatly made with pink sheets, and the blanket was folded perfectly. On the bedside table lay a book with a bold title on the cover: How to Make Handsome Boys Fall Madly in Love with You.
Clearly, someone had been reading it late into the night.
"Don't look!" Samantha's face flushed red as she scrambled to hide the book.
Ethan couldn't help but tease her. "Samantha, are you seriously reading that kind of book?"
Samantha shot him a glare, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. She quickly shoved the book under her pillow, stammering, "It's just... uh, something I was flipping through! Nothing special."
Seeing her so flustered, Ethan burst out laughing again. "You wouldn't want Uncle Marcus to find out you're reading stuff like this, would you?"
"Shut up!" Samantha glared at him fiercely. "Just sit there and behave. I'm going to my dad's room to grab the files. Don't touch anything!"
"Alright, alright, I won't touch a thing," Ethan said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
Samantha got up and left the room, heading toward her father's room. Ethan, however, couldn't resist cracking the door open just a bit, sneaking a peek at her as she walked away.
Her father's room was directly across the hall. There was a quick "bang" as Samantha opened and shut the door.
Ethan sighed and sat back down, but when his eyes wandered to the corner of Samantha's room, he froze mid-thought.
"That's gotta be at least a D-cup."
A pink bra was hanging on the coat rack, swaying gently in the breeze from the slightly open window...
Before long, Samantha returned, holding a USB drive and a vinyl record. She plugged the USB into her computer and placed the record on the turntable, gently lowering the needle. Soft, soothing music filled the room.
The melodies of a saxophone, piano, and violin intertwined. Ethan could easily pick out the first two instruments, but the rest were beyond him.
The music had a calming effect, washing away the clutter in his mind and gradually bringing him a sense of peace.
He took a deep breath and turned his attention to the computer screen, his expression growing serious.
The first line on the screen was an introduction to Anomalous Creatures:
Anomalous Creatures: Powerful beings from the Dark Portal. Killing Anomalous Creatures will grant rewards, without exception...
"Killing Anomalous Creatures, gaining rewards, getting stronger, becoming a Metahuman..." Ethan muttered to himself as he continued reading.
The process of becoming a Metahuman was far more dangerous than he had imagined. It wasn't just a physical trial; the mental strain was immense. If someone couldn't handle it, they could mutate, fall into corruption, and eventually turn into an Anomalous Creature themselves.
Ethan's mood grew heavier as he read on.
Boundary Passage: Discovered fifty years ago by the legendary warrior Grant. The Boundary Passage is a shadowy space between the real world and the Dark Portal. This space is unique, perfectly replicating real-world structures, but with materials that are extraordinarily durable.
After the Dark Portal appeared, Anomalous Creatures began using the Boundary Passage to infiltrate the real world. Although the Aegis Operations Division has tightly controlled the entry points, some creatures still slip through.
Special Note 1: Every month, the Boundary Passage resets, recreating the real-world scenes. During this time, the number of Anomalous Creatures increases significantly and must be cleared out promptly.
Special Note 2: There is a risk of Soul Corruption in the Boundary Passage. Prolonged exposure will deepen the corruption, eventually leading to a loss of self and transformation into an Anomalous Creature.
Special Note 3: From Tier 4 (Elite level) onward, entering the Boundary Passage will result in a suppression of power, and the risk of Soul Corruption increases dramatically. It is not recommended for Elite-level individuals to enter unless absolutely necessary.
Special Note 4: The visible range within the Boundary Passage is between 10 and 17 feet. This range increases with strength.
So, the Boundary Passage was far more dangerous than he had realized.
As for the risk of Soul Corruption in the Boundary Passage...
Ethan thought back carefully.
He hadn't really felt anything unusual. When he activated the Nightseer's Eye, he could enter the Boundary Passage as if it were his own home—comfortable and at ease. He could see far, and his vision wasn't affected at all.
The only downside was the limited amount of Soul Essence, which meant he couldn't stay there for too long.
The music played softly in the background as Ethan continued reading.
[Metahuman]: Can be considered as Anomalous Creatures in human form.
His eyes froze on the screen after just one glance.
He looked up at Samantha, who remained calm, clearly not surprised.
"Don't look at me, keep reading," Samantha said.
[Metahuman]: They kill Anomalous Creatures, but at a cost. Metahumans gain power, but that power also corrupts them. Unlike regular people who lose control, when Metahumans lose control, they fully transform into Anomalous Creatures, losing all sense of self.
Special Note 1: Metahumans are inherently collections of Soul Corruption, constantly battling against it.
Special Note 2: After a Metahuman dies, their power may spiral out of control, with a high chance of them becoming an Anomalous Creature.
Special Note 3: If you realize you're unlikely to survive as a Metahuman, or your chances of survival are slim...
[Please exhaust all your power before you die.]
Ethan's breathing slowed as he stared at the last line, highlighted in bold red.
The second half of 12th grade was approaching, and the selection test for the Aegis Operations Division was about to begin.
This test would determine who was eligible to apply for the Aegis Operations Division, and only those who passed the selection could enter the Aegis Institute of Advanced Combat for training, where they would finally learn the true secrets of Metahumans.
Ethan sat in front of his computer, the screen filled with dense text. The sheer amount of information made him rub his temples in frustration.
The way Aegis Operations Division and The Federation had set things up seemed to have a deeper meaning, but he couldn't quite grasp it yet.
"Come here and give me a back rub," Ethan suddenly said, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion.
Samantha blinked, raising an eyebrow. "What? Say that again?"
A sly grin tugged at the corner of Ethan's mouth. "Three dates with me. You pick the place and what we do."
Samantha let out a soft, exasperated laugh but walked over anyway, placing her hands gently on his shoulders and starting to massage. "Why are you so tense?"
"Been working out lately," Ethan replied casually, his tone light.
In reality, his shadow clone had been training in the Boundary Passage, and the results of that training were synced with his real body.
Though his strength had been steadily increasing, his physique hadn't changed much. He looked a bit more toned, but there were no exaggerated muscles to show for it.
"Got abs yet?" Samantha teased, her fingers pressing into his shoulders.
Ethan raised an eyebrow, lifting his shirt with a mischievous smirk. "Of course. Wanna feel?"
Samantha, half in disbelief, reached out to touch.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Click.
A man walked in, his face dark and his eyes filled with barely contained anger, as if he was on the verge of exploding.
[HP: 98%, SP: 97%, Soul Energy (SE): 100. A man with some strength, on the edge of fury...] — This status bar appeared in Ethan's vision.
Clearly, this man was teetering on the brink of rage.
"Dad!" Samantha's hand froze mid-air, and the smile on Ethan's face instantly vanished.
The room was thick with awkward tension.
...
At dinner, the three of them sat around the long table in the living room. The table was loaded with fragrant roast beef, sausages, a vegetable salad, and three plates of spaghetti.
Marcus sat at one end of the table, biting into a sausage with a grim expression. He was still in his Phantom Sentinel uniform, which only added to his imposing presence.
Ethan sat across from him, focusing intently on his plate of spaghetti, pretending as if nothing had happened. But every movement he made was stiff, clearly trying to hide his nervousness.
Marcus's gaze occasionally flicked toward Ethan, his expression growing darker with each glance.
Samantha sat to the side, looking increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and spoke up. "Dad, you've got it all wrong."
"Oh, I'm wrong?" Marcus let out a cold laugh, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I saw it with my own eyes. How could I be mistaken?"
Samantha's cheeks flushed slightly, her lips parted as if to explain, but no words came out.
After all, the scene of her touching Ethan's abs was pretty hard to explain away.
Seeing this, Ethan cleared his throat softly and raised his wine glass, trying to break the tension. "Uncle Marcus, it's all my fault. Please don't hold it against me."
Marcus's eyes flickered, clearly surprised by Ethan's attitude, but he wasn't ready to let his guard down just yet.
"Bold kid, aren't you?" Marcus thought to himself, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.
"Where's my rifle?"
Ethan's smile froze on his face, and internally, he was screaming, Oh no...
...