I stared at the status screen.
And stared some more.
Then rubbed my eyes like I'd been hit by a truck made of hallucinations.
"…No. No, no, no," I muttered, jabbing my finger at the glowing text as if that would bully it into submission. "You did not just rename my talent."
Right there, blinking like it hadn't just committed identity theft:
[Generator Nexus 1]
I slumped forward dramatically, forehead bonking against my knee.
"You betrayed me," I whispered to the empty air. "We had a thing. You and me. Generator. Just Generator. Simple. Clean. Mysterious."
I threw my arms up toward the sky or rather, the inside of the dome ceiling, which was a terrible stand-in for the dramatic heavens I deserved right now.
"Who even are you now? Generator Nexus? What are you, a router?!"
Silence. Not even the System dared to beep back.
I flopped onto my back and covered my face with both hands.
I shed a few silent tears as I stared at the name. My old companion—Generator—was truly gone.
We'd been through so much together. My first fight, my first breakthrough, my first near-death scream while being electrocuted from the inside. And now… renamed like some secondhand app update.
But I had to move on. Life didn't care about emotional attachments. It just kept shoving you forward whether you were ready or not.
So, with a deep breath and a heavy heart, I looked over my updated status screen.
Sure enough, the name had changed.
[Talent: Generator Nexus – Level 1]
The new name stared back at me like it was proud of itself. I gave it a long, judging look.
Along with the name change, my Essence Storage had increased. Twenty more points, bringing it to 55. A nice upgrade, sure—but it didn't ease the sting.
Then I noticed something else. The skills I'd worked hard to earn—Essence Circulation, Essence Refinement, and even the old Essence Shaping—were all gone from the list.
In their place was a single new skill:
[Essence Engine – Level 3]
I focused on it, and a simple description appeared:
[Essence Engine]: Regulates and automates Essence circulation, refinement, and conversion to elemental states.
'Huh.
So this was the result of all the skills being jammed together into one system? Circulation, refinement, shaping, even the shifting, that chaotic dance I'd been forcing my body through, it all got compressed into this one streamlined ability.'
It was neat. Efficient. Kind of terrifying.
I couldn't decide if I felt proud… or replaced.
Then my eyes fell on something else—something completely new. Something that hadn't been there before.
[Soul Shackle ]
I blinked.
I did not expect an upgrade like this.
My curiosity lit up like a bonfire. I leaned in instinctively, eyes wide. Whatever this was… it had nothing to do with basic Essence storage or energy control.
But before I could check the rest of my updates—
"So you're finally out."
I flinched and snapped my head around.
It was Arkas.
I blinked at him, already feeling a familiar itch in my fists. For a second, I seriously considered punching the old man just once… for closure.
But deep down, I knew exactly how that would end: me on the ground, face-first, wondering where my teeth went.
And on top of that, I was completely naked. Did this old man have no sense of shame?
He waved his hand, and my pants flew toward me. I grabbed them in a hurry and got dressed.
Acting like nothing had happened, I continued the conversation.
"Yeah. Why? Did something happen?"
Arkas stared at me for a few long seconds, like he was deciding whether to lecture me or laugh. Then he said.
"Nothing major. Just wondering if I should've stopped whatever it was you were doing."
I tilted my head.
"Wait… you were watching?"
"Not at first," he replied, crossing his arms. "But then you went ahead and did the crazy thing."
"Crazy thing?"
"Yeah. You know, alerting the Emperor and the Empire"
My eyes widened like saucers.
"What?! How?"
Arkas smiled, and there was this glint in his eyes that made me want to hide. "The tear in space," he said. "Actually, both of them. The first one drew attention, but the second one? Only the Emperor could sense that. Which means you pretty much waved a flag at the whole Empire."
I took a step back in shock.
But then, for reasons even I couldn't explain, I puffed out my chest and raised my chin like I had just saved the world.
"So what? I was just training," I said with as much pride as I could fake. "What's everyone watching me for?"
I tried to act like it didn't bother me but honestly, I wanted to dive straight back into the pool and disappear.
Still, if the Emperor was watching, then I had to look like more than just some kid playing with fire.
I had to look like a man. A capable one.
Arkas just chuckled.
"Stop. You look like an idiot. Anyway, I told them you were just training and that I let you. Things have calmed down a bit. But I expect a full explanation later, soldier."
I nodded.
"Yes, Commander. Actually, I was just about to go check the explanation myself before you rudely interrupted me."
Arkas scoffed.
"No excuses."
I glared at him and resisted the urge to headbutt him.
"So... can I keep staying here?"
He gave me a long look and scratched his chin.
"You don't want to go back to your unit?"
I raised a brow. I hadn't really felt like part of the unit lately. I wasn't attending regular training. I was leveling up faster than the rest. Honestly, going back just felt like slowing down.
But I had to be respectful, so I replied.
"I miss the unit a lot, Commander. But I think I can use my space and time better here."
Arkas tilted his head.
"Space and time, huh?"
I grinned.
"Yes, Commander."
"Alright," he said. "One more day. But the day after tomorrow, I want you back at the compound. We've got things to talk about."
My smile dropped a little.
"Is it about the Ferans?"
He nodded.
"The Ferans… and more."