I remained in the pocket space for a few seconds, letting myself settle. Then a soft chime echoed in my ears. A notification.
I pulled it open.
[Quest Update]
Objective 1: Investigate the base | Reward: 10 Merit Points | Status: Done
Objective 2: Capture the traitors | Reward: 20 Merit Points | Status: Done
Objective 3: Kill Abominations and Phutonomies | Reward: 100 Merit Points | Status: Done
Objective 4: Destroy the base | Reward: 500 Merit Points | Status: Done
[Quest Complete]
[Total Merit Points: 630]
[Current Rank: XXX29]
I exhaled slowly.
That notification meant the asteroid behind me wasn’t an asteroid anymore, just drifting debris and dust where a fortress and an army once stood. I called the gift I left behind the Time Bomb. A delayed explosion of Fractured Unity.
Another panel unfolded in front of me. This one was new.
A merit shop.
My eyes scanned through the list, focusing on the items I could actually afford. Everything beyond my MP range was blurred out.
There were laws:
[Minor Law of Fire – 100 MP]
[Minor Law of Water – 100 MP]
A whole section filled with minor laws ranging anywhere from 100 MP to 1000 MP. Tempting... but not urgent.
Then skills—categorized by weapon, element, and type. Most felt weak, things suitable for average fighters. They were meaningless to me.
The information tab was empty, but a "submit request" option was visible. I guessed that meant I could ask the system for specific intel, and it would quote me a price.
After that came weapon manuals, combat tutors, training chambers. And then... strange utilities.
Maps to hidden realms, lost treasures, rare bloodline data, elemental springs, forbidden zones. The kind of things people would kill for.
But one option made me pause.
[Disable Status Identification] No one will be able to identify your name or level using system scan. Cost: 500 MP
I didn’t even need a second thought.
I selected it. There was no visible effect. But my Merit Points dropped instantly: 630 → 130.
Then a brief prompt:
[Purchase Successful]
I nodded in satisfaction.
Assuming everything had executed properly, I stepped out of the pocket space and waved my hand. A spatial ripple spread and the portal and the entire pocket space unraveled into nothingness.
I let my perception sweep across all of Horus and everything seemed calm.
With that done, I dispelled the Shadow-Forged form. My body shrank back to its human height, my skin regained its normal tone, the wings dissolved, and the violet smoke faded. Once I felt fully myself again, I left the duo in their guest chambers and shot through the sky, headed straight for the cave.
*****
I landed beside Knight and Silver. Both of them sat outside on stone chairs I had created earlier. Neither spoke. Knight stared ahead like a statue. Silver lounged with his wings drooped, bored out of his mind.
"You came back so soon?" Silver asked, eyebrows lifting.
"Yeah," I said, brushing dust off my shoulders. "It was an easy job. Killed a few phantoms and around a million abominations."
Silver whistled low.
Knight didn’t react much, but he nodded. "I felt the rise in my power. I assumed you were killing something."
I smiled.
"All right. I have someone you should meet."
I summoned Aurora.
A crimson circle formed beside me, glowing softly. Light pulsed once and Aurora stepped out of it. Her hair moved like it carried static. Her eyes shifted between me, Knight, and Silver and then back to me, curious and bright.
"Is this your real form?" she asked. "The human one? Or was the other one real?"
"This is the real me," I said.
She nodded, thoughtful, then turned to Silver and Knight.
"Oh. You have more slaves."
I coughed. "Not slaves. They’re my summons. Just like you."
She pushed her blue hair behind her ear and replied casually, "It’s the same thing."
Before I could respond, Silver stood up so fast his chair scraped the ground. He flashed in front of her and inhaled deeply near her shoulder like a curious dog.
"You’re an elemental."
Aurora nodded politely. "I am. And you are... a hawk, or something close."
Silver puffed up proudly. "Yes. I am Silver. What should I call you?"
"Aurora."
"Perfect!" Silver spun around and pointed a wing at Knight. "Aurora, this is Knight."
Aurora offered a gentle "Hello."
Knight simply dipped his head in acknowledgment.
She looked back at me. "So, is this all the summons you have?"
I shook my head. "There are two more."
Her eyebrows lifted with quiet interest. "Can I meet them as well?"
I shrugged and summoned Lyrate and Ragnar.
A crimson glow flared and both stepped out of their circles.
"How dare you summon this queen at the end," Lyrate snapped the moment she appeared.
I blinked, confused. "How do you even know you were last?"
She ignored me completely and vanished, reappearing right in front of Aurora. They were almost the same height, their faces only inches apart.
Both just... stared.
Aurora’s eyes moved slowly from Lyrate’s hair to her feet and back up. A small smile tugged at her lips. "An elf. Interesting. You may call me Aurora."
Lyrate matched her smile with one of her own. "I am Lyrate. Nice to meet you, Aurora. So, you are an elemental."
Aurora nodded. "I am."
Lyrate tilted her head, studying her. "Then why are you a woman? I heard elementals have no gender."
Aurora’s eyebrow twitched.
"Those are only rumors. Elementals choose a form. We decide what we want to be."
"What do you mean choose? Can you change it midway?"
"It does not work like that," Aurora answered patiently.
Before Lyrate could ask her next hundred questions, Ragnar stepped between them with a dramatic cough.
"Hey, Lyrate, you can take classes on their gender some other day." He tapped his chest proudly. "Hi, Aurora. My name is Ragnar. I am the strongest of the group."
Aurora blinked once and looked at him calmly.
"Hi, Ragnar. Yes... I can see you are the strongest." Her tone was soft but completely straight as if she believed him. "I will be in your care from now on."
Ragnar’s chest puffed up like someone had pumped air into him. He grinned wide and nodded proudly. "Of course. I will protect you."
A long, suffering sigh drifted from behind us.
Knight, still sitting on the stone chair with his arms crossed, shook his head.
"Great. Another person for Ragnar to impress. At this rate we’ll need a separate storage ring just to fit his ego."
Ragnar spun toward him. "Hey!"