"Don't wait for tomorrow to come. Live now and die now."
– Kael Draven
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Fissures are both a blessing and a curse.
Countless lives have been lost because of them. Yet countless others have found instant wealth, gaining power they never thought possible. Treasure and pleasure—that's what people seek, especially the dreamers, the fledgling Primers still learning the ropes.
The mechanical hum of turning gears and advance hybrid hydraulics echoed through the cave.
Some suits were little more than metallic garbage, clanking and sputtering with every movement. Others were nearly seamless, producing only the faintest of sounds.
Kael surveyed his surroundings, noticing the excitement gleaming in the eyes of those wearing knockoff suits. They stood inside one of the ten caves of the mine. The cavern was wide enough to fit ten people standing side by side, with ample space for small excavation vehicles to pass through.
His gaze shifted to the front, where a group of people in white coats operated advanced detection equipment, scanning for abnormalities in the Gray Fissure ahead.
The Fissure itself stood over two meters tall, oblong in shape, emitting a gray, smoke-like substance. It loomed there, its swirling black core almost beckoning them to step inside.
It looked no different than the ones Kael had encountered a hundred years ago. Back then, though, he was used to planet-sized Fissures.
Kael still found it strange to describe his "yesterday" as a hundred years ago. But after all the evidence slapped him in the face, he had no choice but to believe. This planet might not be as advanced as the ones he remembered, but his legend had managed to spread even here, though only as a story of a dead man.
That truth alone had convinced him this wasn't some slow, drawn-out dream. It was real.
The Fissure Inspector, standing near the gray phenomenon, glanced at the scientists in white coats. After receiving their nod of approval, he addressed the group.
"All right, a quick briefing," the Inspector said, his voice echoing off the cave walls and grabbing the Primers' attention. "You're about to enter a Gray-rated Fissure, the lowest rank. But remember, we can only measure its Quantum Flux, not what's inside. There have been cases where anomalies ranked Blue or higher were found within Gray Fissures. Usually, it's just one or two, but if you're not prepared for the unexpected, now's the time to back out."
The Inspector's gaze lingered on the two men who had shown up without any equipment.
Trey felt the stare and raised an eyebrow, silently challenging, What are you looking at?
When no one moved, the Inspector stepped aside. "You may now enter. And remember—if you die, it's your own fault."
The Primers-in-training didn't respond. Their excitement drowned out any hesitation.
To them, Fissures were gateways to treasure. Even if there's dangers involved, when it comes to status, money, and power, they will throw themselves into an erupting volcano. Well, of course, if there's a chance to survive, why else would they wear an exoskeleton suit?
Seeing the others move one by one, Kael took a step forward but was stopped by Trey.
Kael stared at the young man, confused.
"We'll enter last," Trey said.
"Why?" Kael asked, genuinely curious. It didn't matter to him whether he entered first or last, but Trey's insistence piqued his interest.
"What do you mean, wh—oh, right, I forgot this is your first time entering a Fissure," Trey sighed. "You look around twenty, still young to die. So it's better for us to go last. Remember what the Inspector said? There's a chance that creatures ranked Blue or above might appear inside a Gray Fissure. It's better for the others to go first because—"
He couldn't finish his sentence as Kael interrupted with a grin.
"They're the sacrificial lambs," Kael said, smiling. "Got it."
"Then why are you so eager to jump in?" Trey rolled his eyes.
"Well, it doesn't matter if a wolf attacks me the moment I step in—I'll just kill it. Easy peasy," Kael said with a casual shrug.
"D*mn, don't be so overconfident," Trey said with a frown, glancing at the Half-Aegis wearers. "Just look at them. They're waiting too, and their tech is way more advanced than anything we have! Let alone us—with my high-frequency sword and these gloves that can't even break a leg!"
His voice carried both frustration and helplessness. Trey had been Gray hunting ever since he received his Status Band and white gloves over a year ago. In that time, he'd only managed to kill a handful of enemies—and even those were thanks to intense preparation and a bit of luck. It was why he was struggling to reach the first rank of Primer.
As long as someone had a Status Band and participated in a Fissure, they could call themselves a Primer, even without an Exoskeleton Suit. But to become an official Primer, owning a suit was a requirement.
"You can break their legs," Kael said, glancing at Trey's white gloves.
"Sorry, but I can't. I've tried, and it hurt like hell," Trey replied with a wry smile.
"Oh?" Kael raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Anyway, it's your call."
Kael didn't mind having company, as long as they didn't hinder his plans or goals. Besides, Trey had lent him a sword, something he actually needed.
There were things Kael wanted to figure out inside the Fissure, aside from his main objective of saving Milan's father.
"Good," Trey nodded with a smile before his expression turned serious. His gaze shifted to another group waiting for the other Primers to enter. "Seems like those *ssholes are playing it smart."
Kael followed Trey's line of sight and spotted the group that had bumped into him earlier. His eyes glinted dangerously. Being looked down upon was one thing, but people who bumped into him without apologizing were another matter entirely—one that required proper 'education.'
As they stared at the group, one of them noticed their gaze. Smirking, the man said something to his companions, prompting laughter.
Trey saw them pointing fingers in their direction, one even making a slicing motion across his neck.
"D*mn it, I hate guys like them," Trey muttered in frustration.
"You know them?" Kael asked.
"Nope, but I've seen plenty like them. It's like they're programmed to act the same way. It's annoying," Trey replied before noticing the Half-Aegis wearers beginning to move toward the Fissure. "Let's go."
Kael nodded and followed his new friend while taking another glanced at the four men.