"Barbara. 32B-26-34. Single."

  "Oi, birdbrain. Can you shut it?!"

  "Amateur-ranked Player. Scout type, Class is Seeker. Favourite food is caramel pudding. Currently experiencing a mild craving for–"

  "Argghhh!!!" Jin pulled at his hair. "Enough. I can see her just fine. I don't need you to narrate her bra size or her pudding preferences into my skull. Bee, can you do something about this mouthy bird for me?"

  "Do you want me to silence him?" Bahamut replied. His low, vibrating voice rumbled in the back of Jin’s mind, bringing a much-welcome relief compared to the high-pitched, incessant hooting of the bird that trespassed in Jin’s thoughts.

  "I could overwrite his willpower, but you humans are prickly about control in such a way, are you not?"

  "This bird isn't human," Jin countered, adjusting the bridge of his new glasses as he walked through the crowded lobby. "But it’s not my style to force others. Even a bloody mouthy bird. But for the sake of my sanity, tell him to pipe down unless he’s actually needed. He seems to listen to you, though."

  It had been a week since the ritual at the shrine. Since then, the Owl of the Endless Tome – or Professor Owlbert ‘Tome’ Owlstein, as Elise had named him – hadn’t stopped talking for a single second. Even now, with Jin testing his unique Amalgamation form, the bird was a constant, ear-grating and mind-destroying presence.

  "I like the new look, Frank," Elise said, leaning against a sleek marble counter as Jin approached. In public, the group had agreed to use his alias in order to avoid unnecessary problems. "How’s Tome?"

  Jin pursed his lips in disgust, which made Elise chuckle. Unlike Fenrir or Cattleya, who transformed Jin's physical body, Tome took the < Amalgamation: Armament > form, manifesting as a pair of stylish, silver-rimmed glasses. The newfound advantage was massive – it left Jin’s physical form 'open’, allowing him to dual-amalgamate with his other summons at once.

  The cost, however, was his patience. The glasses provided a constant scrolling feed of data – the same divine information Bahamut had used to help him defeat the Anpu Statue and Magma Golem Sovereign. But with Tome narrating every line of it like a live documentary that never hit the credits, Jin was about to bash his head in.

  In the end, a single, sharp command from Bahamut finally silenced the mouthy bird. The sudden quiet in Jin's head was a gift. Any longer and he’d have started looking like a schizophrenic man suffering from a very public mental breakdown.

  "So, what have you got for me, Elise?" Jin asked, stopping in front of her. "Any word from Ironshield?"

  "Good news or bad news first?"

  "It’s too hot for bad news. Give me the good stuff."

  "The good news is that we can submit the company registration paperwork before you officially qualify," Elise said, her eyes bright with excitement.

  "And the catch?"

  "Well," she sighed, ticking her fingers off. "You need a pre-formed party of no less than five. We’ll need their names, their registrations, and then HQ will do some background checks. Also, because we're filing early, you’re subject to a one-year grace period."

  "Meaning?"

  "Meaning you have twelve months to hit Gold I rank, secure ten thousand personal SeC-rate points, and push your entire party to a combined thirty thousand," she explained. "Remember. Other than you, the other four are capped at five thousand, no matter how high their SeC-rate go. So, it’s a mountain of work for you."

  Jin let out a low whistle. "Damn. That is a lot of arse-kicking for one year. But thanks for digging that up, Elise."

  The girl’s smile turned mischievous. "Hehehe. And my reward?"

  "Now?" Jin glanced around the lobby.

  "Mhm."

  Despite having the soul of a middle-aged man, Jin still wasn't used to public displays of affection – especially when he looked like he belonged on a runway. But he’d made a promise, and Jin had to fulfil his part. He leaned in, and Elise not only took a kiss but also pulled him into a lingering hug. Around them, the lobby went quiet. He could feel the eyes of other Players – looks of pure envy and disgust from the nosy crowd who had nothing better to do than mind others’ business.

  Elise finally pulled away, unbothered by the attention directed their way. "Now, I’m off to Sid’s room for our little escapade. Hehe."

  Jin shook his head as she vanished into the crowd. She was pure terror for sure. Back in New York, she had remained reserved and professional; somehow, Neo-Tokyo had brought out her real, teasing self.

  "What do I know about girls?" he muttered to himself, his thoughts drifting towards his late wife, Elyzabeth. Even after all these years, he still didn't understand one bit why a woman like her had chosen to elope with him over her more prestigious, powerful, wealthier and more 'qualified' suitors.

  He shook off the nostalgia. Idle thoughts wouldn't get him to Gold I. Before he could reach that rank from Bronze V, Jin needed to climb to Silver I first. All he needed was to sit for a simple exam after completing fifty SeComm missions. This included clearing the RIFT mission objectives. And the exam, according to Ironshield, was much like the previous Player Evaluation and Assessment.

  Jin turned towards the SeComm mission counters, scanning the holographic displays for a RIFT that would allow him to grind out the first of his fifty required missions. As a solo freelancer, his options began and ended with cleaning up leftovers or joining a 'pickup' party.

  The rewards were lower, but the freedom was total – and right now, with a mouthy owl in his head and a company to build, freedom was exactly what he needed. Three missions stood out for Jin.

  [ Available Objective: Rank E-RIFT Subjugation, City Centre #NTCC2090-21210E] [Target: 20 Goblin Fangs | Reward: 150 SeC-rate points. Deliverable to the Cleaner Department on-site supervisor.]

  [ Available Objective: Rank F-RIFT Resource Collection, Ward 6 #NTW62090-21217F] [Target: 15 Luminescent Moss | Reward: 50 SeC-rate points. Deliverable to the Cleaner Department on-site supervisor.]

  [ Available Objective: Rank E-RIFT Mission Objective Clear, Ward 2 #NTW22090-21221E] [Target: Unknown | Reward: 450 SeC-rate points. Report to the SeComm on-site officer after completion.]

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Jin reached out to select the third option, but he was a second too late. The text greyed out instantly; another party had cleared the RIFT before he could tap the screen.

  Left with the remaining two, Jin opted for the goblin hunt. There were hundreds of other missions available for higher-ranked RIFTs, but he wasn’t looking to take unnecessary risks anytime yet. Besides, the math was simple. If he stacked these low-level runs, he could turn a single afternoon into a massive point gain. With Cattleya, Fenrir, and the pack at his side, it would be a cinch.

  As long as Tome shut his beak, anyway.

  ***

  "Now that I think about it, why is Ironshield only a Gold III after his retirement?"

  Jin mumbled to himself, his voice a low vibration beneath his face mask.

  "With his experience, skills, and fame, he could have easily hit Platinum III. Also, he’s a Player with a unique nickname like Ely. And those with nicknames more often than not climb the ranks faster than the rest. Ah well, knowing him, he likely has his reasons. No point digging unless he talks first."

  He breathed through the mask, the humid air of Neo-Tokyo clinging to his skin. He peeled it away to keep from suffocating, letting the air in.

  Though it was still early morning, the summer sun was already searing. Jin had been in the city for the better part of the season, and as the heat started in earnest, a wave of nostalgia hit him. This was the time of year when Eleana would have her school summer break. The same routes he once took her for shopping trips played like a film in his mind as he caught his reflection in a shop’s large window.

  "Eleana’s about this tall right now," he whispered, measuring his height against the memory of his daughter. It was a strange sensation – standing there in a body that looked twenty-one, grieving a life and a family that felt a lifetime away.

  "What are you doing, Frank?" a familiar voice called out. "Window shopping for your girlfriend?"

  Jin turned, surprised by the mention of his alias. Despite the face mask, the hood, and the fact that Tome’s amalgamation had shifted his silver-rimmed glasses into a pair of cool-looking sunglasses, someone had spotted him.

  "Hey, Eustace. It’s been a while," Jin replied, his posture relaxed. "And no, I don’t have a girlfriend."

  The freckled blond stepped forwards, looking far more self-assured than he had during the RIFT incident. "You sure? That’s not what I’ve heard from the guys. Word is you’ve got Emilia all to yourself, and then you went and added a foreigner to the mix."

  "She’s as foreign as you are, Eustace," Jin countered with a dry smile. "But that aside, how did you recognise me in this get-up?"

  "Despite changing my role, my Class is still a scout. Remember?" Eustace let out a broad grin, clearly chuffed that he’d managed to catch Jin off guard. "But if you’re not shopping, what brings you to this part of the city centre?"

  "There’s a RIFT a couple of blocks from here."

  "Oh?" Eustace’s brow shot up. "That’s where I’m headed too. Uh... do you have a party already?"

  Jin shrugged. "Nah. You know me. Who wants to party up with an Herbalist anyway?"

  "I do," Eustace said, his voice losing its playful edge. "If you don’t mind, can we party up, Frank? Honestly... I feel safer when I’m with you."

  Jin studied the boy. Eustace had changed. He spoke his mind with a newfound confidence that could only come from surviving a harrowing experience. Since the boy had offered and Jin had nothing to lose, he accepted the invitation.

  They formed a temporary party of two and headed towards the RIFT entrance. Their commissions were complementary. Jin needed twenty goblin fangs, harvested from the fallen as they didn’t count as 'system drops', while Eustace had to collect Black Spiral Shiitake, a rare mushroom that happened to be a goblin delicacy.

  "Say, Frank," Eustace asked as they began the trek, his eyes scanning the forest trail. "Do you have a pre-formed party? Have you joined a company yet?"

  Jin feigned ignorance, gauging the boy’s motive. "Why do you ask?"

  "Well, I’ve been trying to find a party to take me, but I guess I’m no good. Even after consuming the Stat Seed we got as the boss reward. I’ve sent applications to a few lower-ranked companies, but they all rejected me."

  "Why the sudden urge to join a company?" Jin asked. "I thought you were comfortable going solo."

  "At first, I was," Eustace admitted, looking down at the empty collection basket in his hand. "But after that incident... for the first time, I felt the thrill of being in a party. Of actually belonging somewhere. You opened my heart and my eyes, Frank."

  "It’s good that you’re willing to work with others," Jin said, his voice filled with a sudden warmth. "But why me?"

  He knew the 'safety' excuse was valid, but Jin needed more than that. He had a lofty goal of starting a company in a year, and the last thing he needed was to put responsibilities on a frail shoulder like Eustace’s, regardless of sentiment.

  "I... uh..." the blond struggled, fiddling with the strap of his basket.

  Looking at the boy, who was so close in age to his own daughter, Jin felt a flicker of sympathy. But a leader had to be objective. Firm. Ruthless even. He needed to know if Eustace could handle the very responsibilities Jin would foist on him in the future.

  "If you want to join my party, Eustace, you need to do something for me first," Jin said, his voice turned cold and firm.

  Eustace’s eyes lit up. Without asking why or what it entailed, he agreed to the task. Somehow, even if this boy lacked the raw courage typical of a scout, Jin noted that he was now obedient enough to follow orders without talking back. It was a far cry from the blond’s old self.

  Jin could use more people like that in the company. Maybe not for the five-man pre-formed party he needed for his future board of directors, but as general recruits where competence was not the only baseline, but loyalty and obedience were paramount.

  "For now, I have a little 'test' for you," Jin said. "You know Old Man Sid?"

  Eustace replied with an excited nod.

  "Good. You’re to go to him and tell him you want to join his Cartography Department. It isn't an official department yet, but it will be soon enough."

  "Yes, Frank. What should I do there?"

  "Draw maps. What else?" Jin said, his tone dry with amusement. "You know how vital mapping is to a party’s success, don't you?"

  In Player terms, 'Mapping' was the process used to lift the [ Fog of War ] within a RIFT. When a Player first entered the dimension, their mini-map was a void; only the immediate area around them was considered explored. The rest remained a blank expanse, hiding enemy types, terrain hazards, and the flora and fauna of the zone.

  The advantage was that once a Player mapped an area, his party shared the same data. High-level teams would often split up to lift the fog at the same time, provided they were strong enough to survive solo.

  Unfortunately, there was a significant downfall – it was Player-exclusive. Unawakened civilians, especially the Cleaners, never received the terrain mapping inside the RIFT. Without it, their work became much more hazardous. Worse, without shared terrain data, the old rumours about certain RIFTs sharing the same layout remained exactly that – baseless rumours.

  Currently, Jin’s party was non-existent, and the boy standing before him was far from capable of going solo. But Jin wasn't going to deny Eustace based on his current stats. In Jin’s book, attitude always trumped aptitude. He was going to mould Eustace’s attitude, and that process would start under Old Man Sid’s tutelage.

  "You think I can do it?" Eustace asked, his voice small.

  "Doesn't matter what I think," Jin replied. "Only what you think. If you reckon you can, you will. No matter how troublesome it gets."

  "But... what if I fail?"

  "So?" Jin shrugged. "Everyone fails. If not now, then later. What matters is how you rise from that failure and move forwards on your own two feet."

  "Y-You will not discard me? Like the rest?"

  The question made Jin curious, but he wasn't about to pry into the boy's history. "If you’re loyal to me, I’ll be loyal to you."

  "I’m loyal, Frank!" Eustace took Jin’s hand, gripping it with firm resolution. "I’ll follow you everywhere. Even to the end of the world itself."

  Jin couldn't help but laugh. Perhaps the boy was worth the effort after all.

  There was an old saying: 'What one should fear is not a competent enemy, but an incompetent ally.'

  For Jin, the absolute worst was an incompetent, backstabbing ally. At forty-two, he had experienced that particular displeasure more times than he cared to remember. To avoid a repeat, he looked at character first and foremost.

  "You won't be going to the end of the world," Jin said, "but you’ll feel like you have once Sid is through with you. And let me be clear, Eustace. You’re doing this of your own volition. I’m not forcing you."

  "Yes. Yes, I understand! Now, can we get back to work and finish up as soon as possible?"

  "Why? You got somewhere to be?"

  "Of course," Eustace said with a wide, toothy grin. "I need to pay Boss Sid a visit. The faster I do it, the better, right? You’re in a rush to find a party, and the last thing I want is for you to leave me behind.”

  Jin watched the boy hurry towards the next objective. One thing was for sure. The lad was sharper than he let on. A closet smartarse, through and through.