Jaemin stepped into the office of Covenant: Iron Judgement, walking straight through the hallway like he owned the place. No knocking, no hesitation.

  "Lee Hajun."

  He called.

  The man inside—mid to late twenties, sharp suit, clean-cut look—stood up immediately from behind his desk.

  "Oh—Mr. Han Jaemin!"

  Hajun practically rushed over to greet him.

  "It's been a while since I've gotten to talk to you. After Mr Gyeongnim's recent passing... I really couldn't get in touch. All of the Covenant was busy mourning the man who lost his life in the Lapis Chamber."

  Jaemin said nothing at first. Just listened.

  Of course, that was the official story. The President of Aether Crest had pushed it out fast, to silence the press, calm the public, and give a clean closure to Gyeongnim's death. According to the reports, he sacrificed himself to close the Lapis Chamber.

  A noble death. A national hero.

  Jaemin didn't despise that narrative.

  If anything… he was glad.

  Because it was better than the truth.

  That Gyeongnim had died years ago in a Rift, slaughtered by the Mirror Warmaiden. That his body had been possessed, manipulated, and used as a vessel by an Abyssal.

  Even now, Jaemin remembered how it all ended. Gyeongnim's body may have been gone, but the name lived on.

  He lost his life saving the world.

  Both in fiction and in reality.

  And that was enough.

  "I understand. I heard you've been recruiting people… for a special rift training mission"

  Jaemin said calmly.

  Lee Hajun's smile brightened, like he'd been waiting for this moment.

  "Yes, we have. Just a few, though. We're currently providing them training near our underground training grounds."

  Jaemin hummed.

  "Hmm… Well, I'm here to participate."

  His voice was casual.

  "I could consider joining this Covenant."

  Hajun practically jolted.

  "Oh my!! That would be wonderful!"

  He was nearly jumping on the spot. Just having Jaemin around would be a game-changer for them, especially with the recent loss of Director Gyeongnim. But Jaemin had no intention of joining—not really. At this point, he was just there for no reason except to fight or see how it goes.

  He needed access. He needed eyes on the recruits.

  "Please follow me."

  Hajun said quickly, already halfway turned around.

  "Let's move to the preparation deck."

  The halls of Iron Judgement's main branch were spacious and metallic. Everything from the tiled walls to the etched floors screamed structure and discipline—clean, industrial, no-frills.

  The preparation deck was quiet. Cold lights hummed above. Three recruits were standing in silence, geared up and waiting for orders. It was the pre-mission chamber where Coreborn would gather before being deployed—only used for Covenant members or those in training.

  Jaemin stepped in behind Hajun, his gaze sweeping across the room in an instant.

  Three recruits. He didn't even need to activate his Focus.

  He could already tell.

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  One of them had the subtle, reactive aura of a Flux-type—fast and mobile. Another one, taller, bulkier—a Bastion.

  But then, his eyes landed on the third.

  A girl.

  Hair in dark braids, hoodie pulled low over her face. Small frame. Quiet posture.

  She didn't belong here.

  Too young. Too raw. And her core signature?

  Auxiliary.

  Jaemin narrowed his eyes slightly.

  Auxiliary cores weren't made for frontline combat unless trained extensively. They were supporters—amplifiers, enhancers, buffers. Without proper conditioning, an Auxiliary on the field was a liability.

  And this one?

  Bad enough she was the youngest, but they had her heading into a Rift as a tester?

  "Iron Judgement's seriously lost their mind…"

  Still, Jaemin kept his face neutral.

  He had a connection here thanks to Gyeongnim. The old man used to be a member of this Covenant before taking a higher position in the Coreborn Council. That connection was his key in—and he was using it now, full force.

  "The training will begin around 10 p.m."

  Hajun said, checking his watch.

  Plenty of time.

  Jaemin gave a simple nod and walked off, straight to the girl sitting quietly in the prep deck's corner.

  "A little too young for this, aren't we?"

  He asked.

  The girl looked up from under her hoodie, emotionless at first, but her eyes widened fast.

  "Wait... are you Nari's oppa???"

  Jaemin blinked. Already?

  "How do you kno— Never mind. Yes, I am."

  She crossed her arms.

  "Well, seeing this, I'm pretty sure you're here to stop me from joining this training, right? Let me save you the trouble—my answer's a straight no."

  That was… abrupt.

  Jaemin let out a soft exhale.

  "No," he said plainly.

  "I'm not here to bat you out. I'm here to train too."

  That shut her up.

  In all honesty, he was a little baffled that he'd find her here; he was actually here to just fight. It was her choice after all to be a CoreBorn; he has no right to yank her out.

  Jaemin glanced away briefly.

  "So, you're also here to train, huh…"

  She muttered, watching him with a curious side-eye.

  Jaemin's gaze flicked down to the paper in her lap—the contract she'd signed willingly. Her name was printed near the bottom in neat handwriting:

  Kim Ji-yoo.

  "I am."

  He replied simply, then took the empty seat beside her.

  For a second, there was silence. Then.

  "So… how's Nari? I haven't seen her in a long time."

  Ji-yoo asked, softening a little.

  "She's good."

  Jaemin said.

  "Are you guys close?"

  "Yeah. Best friends, actually. Since high school. We haven't been apart at all—well, not until now."

  Her voice dimmed.

  "Well."

  Jaemin said casually, glancing ahead.

  "She's alone now that you left."

  Ji-yoo blinked and turned sharply toward him.

  "How do you know I left?"

  "It's the talk of your uni."

  He replied, voice cool.

  "I went there today for some stuff, and all I heard was about a girl who dipped out without a word."

  That shut her up.

  She leaned back, tensing slightly.

  "Why don't you consider something?"

  Jaemin said suddenly, his tone even.

  "You come out of the rift alive, get paid, and then go back. Finish your university. Pick it up again."

  Now that he thinks about it, maybe he can get her out of here. She was a little too young to throw her life away, even willingly.

  "What?! No. I'm gonna be a full-time Coreborn now."

  Okay nevermind.

  She said, immediately defensive.

  "Is that so?"

  Jaemin tilted his head, half-grinning.

  "Well, I'll hold you to that. Just so you know, Coreborn stuff can be part-time. Doesn't mean you have to throw the rest of your life away."

  Ji-yoo paused. Her lips parted—like she wanted to argue—but nothing came out.

  The thought hit her. Harder than she expected.

  Jaemin watched her quietly. He wasn't trying to win an argument.

  He was just giving her the one thing nobody gave him when he started—a way out.

  Because once the rift opens…

  Reality does the rest.

  The door swung open.

  "Recruits, please head to the underground chamber. The raid shall start momentarily."

  All the recruits, including Jaemin, moved along. Inside, the underground chamber buzzed with quiet energy. Ten members were already suited up and waiting. With the recruits now, the total made fourteen.

  The composition was clean: five DPS types—three Precision, two Velocity, one Flux—two Bastions, and three Auxiliary Cores. The rest were recruiters who were also Coreborns, all in their late twenties or so.

  Jaemin didn't bother looking too deeply. His eyes only paused for a second on the Bastions—one of them being the team leader, Hwang Seungho. Guy looked like someone woke him up from a damn nap. Grumpy expression, arms crossed, no-nonsense aura.

  Hajun leaned in close.

  "Mr Han Jaemin, are you sure you'd like to join this party? We can get you into our covenant straight away..."

  Jaemin offered a small smile.

  "No, thanks. I'd like to train like everyone else."

  "Well… just be careful. The leader, Hwang Seungho, isn't really fun or friendly to work with."

  Right on cue, the moment the clock hit 10:00, Hwang Seungho walked straight into the rift. No commands. No words. No signals.

  Just entered. Alone.

  One by one, the team entered.

  Kim Ji-yoo took a long, shaky breath, hands clenched into fists, then stepped through. Jaemin held in his laughter, watching her try to mask the nerves. She was doing a horrible job at it.

  As Jaemin moved to step in, something made him pause. A faint leak of black energy seeped out from the rift's edges—cold, silent, wrong. His body stiffened. Something in him screamed Don't enter.

  He entered anyway.

  The second he crossed the veil, the rift behind him expanded. A pulse. Then another. The entire rift warped outward with a whining twist, colours bleeding into a deeper violet… then crimson, then finally black.

  Jaemin's instincts snapped. He spun back, sprinted to the edge, and tried to shove his head through but could'nt, only his voice made it through.

  "Hurry! Contact a strike team or someone, or a raiding party! The Orthogenesis is changing—mov-!!"

  Too late.

  A blast of black smoke exploded outward, the energy wave slinging Jaemin backwards, just as the rift's edge glowed a deep blood black, humming low and ominous.

  "Shit, shit, shit!" one Iron Judgement official shouted, panic hitting hard.

  "We've got a Dysgenesis Rift! Get on the comms—now!"

  Hajun stumbled back from the rift's shockwave, his face pale, his hands shaking.

  "How did this… happen…"

  He stared at the monstrous black glow pulsing in the air, thick black smoke twisting like tendrils around it.

  A Dysgenesis Rift.

  https://tapas.io/episode/3547588