The cold wind bit at Jaemin's cheeks as he walked quietly through the city outskirts. The world had returned to normal for now—no abyssals, no Resonants, no rift. Just the crunch of his boots over sidewalk gravel.

  He wasn't dressed like a Coreborn. Just a hoodie, loose black pants, and his usual deadpan expression. His head was busy—thinking of the remaining 200 rift levels, the corrupted log, the errand with no answers.

  Everything was moving.

  And then—!?

  Jaemin instinctively turned, grabbing the wrist of a man just inches away from tapping his shoulder.

  "Whoa—Agent. Coreborn Association."

  The man said, quickly pulling out his ID. The badge gleamed in the streetlamp's light. Han Jaemin let go.

  "…Mr. Han, Director Kim Min-soo would like to have a word with you."

  Jaemin said nothing. No resistance. No expression.

  He already knew why.

  ****

  The car ride was short. Silent.

  Soon, Jaemin stood once again in front of the massive white-glass HQ of the Coreborns Association. The familiar logo, a core symbol split into five elemental lines, gleamed over the front entrance.

  The automatic doors hissed open, revealing the pristine marble floors, holographic displays, and security drones buzzing along the ceiling rails.

  Jaemin's steps echoed inside.

  He'd been here countless times before—not as a Coreborn, but as one of the failed ones. He was part of the "Observer Initiative"—a government-funded pre-Coreborn program meant to train the "most likely" candidates. Half the time, the trainees died in training. The other half were pushed to the brink, then made to touch dormant Core fragments in the hopes of triggering an awakening.

  Jaemin had washed out. Or so they thought.

  He remembered it vividly—every time he passed through this building, eyes followed him. The weak trainee. The failure. The boy with no potential—a waste.

  And now? Those same guards who once scoffed at him stood at attention.

  The door to the office finally opened.

  Kim Min-soo was seated at his desk, his eyes fixed on the open file under his hand.

  "Sir, Mr. Han."

  The man beside Jaemin announced.

  Kim Min-soo closed the file and looked up. The moment his eyes met Jaemin's, a sigh of relief escaped his lips.

  "Thank God… finally. Seeing you with my own eyes relieves pressure."

  He stood up, walking over. The man who escorted Jaemin stepped out, closing the door behind him.

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  "Please."

  Min-soo gestured toward the sofa.

  Both sat down.

  "So, what can I get you? Iced tea? Coffee?"

  "…Iced coffee."

  Believe it or not, the FOCUS store had cans of iced coffee.

  Jaemin chugged them nonstop in the rift.

  Kim Min-soo chuckled under his breath.

  "Sure."

  He reached toward a nearby phone and ordered it without delay.

  A beat passed.

  "So… you wanted to see me."

  Jaemin said, finally.

  "I did."

  Kim Min-soo replied.

  "Actually, it's not just me. There's someone else who wanted to see you."

  "Someone else? Who?"

  "The Chairman. Chairman Seo Jinyoung."

  In the past, just hearing that name would've made Jaemin flinch. But not now.

  "…Why?"

  Jaemin asked.

  "Well, it's only best we maintain a few good talks with our sixth Special Core in the world…"

  Jaemin's body tensed. The heat began to rise up his spine, curling across the nape of his neck and crawling toward the back of his head.

  "…How… did he know?"

  "The Lapis Chamber."

  Kim Min-soo said plainly.

  "Aether Crest can feed whatever story to the public—but not to the Association...not to the Chairman, at least."

  He leaned back into the seat.

  "They gave us everything. Every bit of information about the chamber's collapse... but nothing about you."

  Jaemin sat still. Silent. Listening intently.

  And Kim Min-soo didn't look away.

  "We knew that you were involved in it thanks to Gyeongnim... and well, a seasoned CoreBorn like him didn't get out of it, but you did, there is no way we are wrong in our conclusion."

  Kim Min-soo said calmly.

  "Well, then, everything pieced together on its own."

  Jaemin leaned back slightly.

  "These guys are smarter than they look."

  "What Special Core do you hold?"

  Kim Min-soo asked, leaning in now.

  "…Why do you wanna know?"

  Jaemin replied.

  "Because you're a Coreborn under the Association."

  Min-soo said.

  "The Association's been providing you—and your circumstances—financial aid in the medical field."

  Jaemin didn't reply at first. He knew it was true. He still paid the hospital bills, but the privilege of being a registered Coreborn gave him heavy discounts, sometimes even backchannel subsidies.

  "…It's complicated."

  Jaemin muttered.

  "There are only eight Special Cores."

  Kim Min-soo said, unfazed.

  "I'm sure it's not as hard as you think."

  "…Core of Shadows."

  Jaemin finally said.

  "That's what I've got."

  Kim Min-soo raised a brow.

  "And what all can you do with that?"

  Jaemin exhaled slowly.

  "Conjure weapons from shadow. Walk like a shadow. Shoot beams of shadows."

  "Hmm. Interesting."

  Kim Min-soo's voice was neutral.

  None of that was true. But Jaemin wasn't going to tell them about Core Override, not now. He was sure of one thing—there's no way they'd accept the fact that he could override a Core and use it as one of his Resonants.

  Kim Min-soo spoke again.

  "Well, we're keeping it away from the public for now—figuring you wouldn't like it…"

  His eyes locked on Jaemin.

  "…But there will come a time when it'll be known. And that will be done by the Chairman himself."

  "I'm fine with that."

  Jaemin replied coolly.

  "So, is this what you wanted to speak about?"

  He followed up, leaning slightly forward.

  Kim Min-soo nodded once, then shifted topics.

  "Have you, well... thought of reaching out to or joining a Covenant?"

  "I'm making a Covenant."

  Jaemin said.

  "With someone."

  "Hmm. Well, congrats then."

  Kim Min-soo replied, raising an eyebrow.

  "Either way, I've been meaning to ask—where have you been these past few days?"

  Jaemin paused for half a second, then shrugged.

  "Ehh, I was out of town... for a magic show."

  Kim Min-soo scoffed.

  "A magic show?"

  "Yeah."

  "Well, I hope those tricks were worth being away."

  Jaemin gave a faint smirk.

  "They will be worth it... soon enough."

  ****

  SCREECH!

  A sleek, luxurious black car halted at the steps of the Coreborn Association HQ. The door opened, and Kwon Hyun-Woo, President of Covenant: NOVA, stepped out in his crisp, tailored coat, eyes sharp as ever.

  Behind him, a second car parked. From it emerged Kang Daesang, the commanding spearhead of Covenant: Iron Judgement, adjusting his gloves as he closed the door with a quiet thud.

  "You're here too..."

  A calm voice sounded behind Kwon Hyun-Woo.

  He turned.

  "Kang Daesang..."

  He acknowledged, extending a hand.

  Daesang took it with a solid shake.

  "Yeah, well, my eyes have been restless to see this new man."

  Kwon Hyun-Woo said, expression unreadable.

  Daesang nodded.

  "He's something else entirely."

  "Ah, right—the Dysgenesis Rift."

  Kwon Hyun-Woo added.

  "The reports say more of them are popping up."

  "I'm aware."

  Kang Daesang replied.

  "It's getting bad."

  Kwon glanced at the tall building before them.

  "Either way... let's go see our new Coreborn friend. I'm dying to see him."

  He smiled—slow, knowing, unreadable.