The second stage of the Faction Trials began with a hum of energy and tension so thick it clung to the skin like sweat. Dozens of students gathered at the southern arena, where a temporary portal flickered with unstable energy. It pulsed like a heartbeat—leading into an isolated Rift Zone specially prepared for the trials.
Instructor Vale's voice boomed across the crowd. "Your objective is simple: enter the Rift Zone, gather as many qualifying resources as possible, and survive until the extraction beacon activates. You'll be competing not only against the environment—but each other."
Whispers spread like wildfire. Everyone knew what this stage truly was: a sanctioned brawl masked as a resource run.
Each student was handed a Rift Tracker—an obsidian band that would record materials harvested, combat stats, and send distress calls if needed. The moment Alexander's wrist made contact with his tracker, his system integrated it automatically:
> [Rift Tracker Synced]
[System-Linked Enhancement Enabled]
[Tracking: Passive | Cloak: Active]
His stealth protocols kicked in, hiding his movements from the standard detection systems used by others. It was one of many subtle advantages his system granted him—an edge no one else had.
Teams were formed based on class rankings and faction alignment. Unsurprisingly, Alexander was left unclaimed.
He preferred it that way.
He stepped into the portal alone, vanishing into the crackling dimensional light.
---
The Rift Zone resembled a corrupted forest. Trees twisted into unnatural shapes, stone outcrops jutted like fangs from the earth, and strange fog crawled across the moss-covered floor. Cries of creatures echoed through the canopy, sharp and sudden.
Alexander crouched low, activating Shadow Dance to slip through the terrain unnoticed. His map updated in real time as his system scanned the area:
> [Detected: Fire-touched Crystal Root - 15 XP]
[Detected: Venom Moss - 10 XP]
[Detected: Rift Beast Activity - 300 meters southeast]
Carefully, he harvested materials, his system cataloging and storing each one in his Portable Storage Container. He avoided conflict, letting other students clash and exhaust themselves deeper in the Rift.
At one point, he spotted Devin and Ryder fighting a massive Rift Hound. They struggled, disorganized and arrogant, nearly getting themselves killed before another faction interfered. Alexander watched from the shadows, expression unreadable.
> "They still haven't learned," he muttered.
Hours passed. The deeper regions were more dangerous, but the rewards were exponentially greater. Alexander's system chimed softly:
> [Rare Material Detected: Rift Core Fragment – High Value]
[Warning: Guardian Presence Detected]
He hesitated only briefly before heading toward it.
A massive, serpentine beast slithered around the Rift Core, its scales glinting with energy distortion. It pulsed with otherworldly heat—definitely above his current stats. But Alexander wasn't here to fight it.
He laid a trap using scraps from previous hunts and waited patiently. When a squad from the Obsidian Spire faction engaged the guardian, Alexander slipped in, used Seismic Step to dislodge the crystal, and vanished into the mist before anyone noticed.
> [Rift Core Fragment Acquired: +200 XP]
[Cloak Sustained | Threat Avoided]
---
By the time the extraction beacon activated, Alexander had collected more valuable resources than many entire teams.
Back in the arena, students returned—some injured, some fuming, some boasting loudly.
When the Rift Trackers were tallied, a murmur swept through the crowd.
"Wait… who's Tracker #57?"
"Almost 600 XP worth of Rift materials?"
"In solo mode?"
Instructor Vale raised a brow. His eyes scanned the crowd and briefly landed on Alexander, who stood at the edge, quiet, arms crossed.
But Vale said nothing.
Crystal, watching from the upper seats, narrowed her eyes.
---
That night, in the safety of his hidden base, Alexander reviewed his haul. The system pulsed with satisfaction:
> [System Reinforcement Available]
[Skill Upgrade Available: Shadow Dance → Phantom Step (Rare)]
[New Crafting Options Unlocked with Rift Core Fragment]
[Black Market Access Updated – High-Value Trader Unlocked]
He stared at the flickering screen and allowed a faint smirk.
Let them ignore him. Let them underestimate him.
The storm hadn't started yet.
But soon—it would