Lena stared at the jagged, translucent stone in Ethan's hand, its surface humming with a frequency that made her teeth ache. "What is that?" asked the woman.

"Something I picked up at the auction," Ethan said the young man with a tired smirk. "This is what's going to help us stay hidden. I'll explain the details later, but right now..." He glanced at the wall clock, which read 3:30 AM. "I just need to find a soft bed. I got out of prison this morning, and it's been a very long day."

The weight of the last twenty-four hours finally seemed to settle on his shoulders. He had gone from a jail cell to a battlefield, and from a battlefield to a high-stakes supernatural auction. Even with his boosted stats, the mental fatigue was real.

"We have several living quarters prepared in the building, boss," said Jason. "We'll take you to the primary suite we set up for you, but let us know if you want any changes."

"Thanks for the consideration. Get some rest, everyone," Ethan said the leader.

He left them in the main hall, their faces still reflecting the shock of his revelations. Escorted by one of the guards, he reached a spacious, minimalist suite on the top floor. The moment the door clicked shut, Ethan tossed the stone onto the silk comforter and collapsed into a plush armchair.

"Alright, System," Ethan said the user in his mind. "Now that we're alone... what exactly is this thing, and how do I use it?"

[You spoke with such confidence back there that I actually thought you knew what you were doing,] said the System.

"I have confidence in you, don't I? That's the same thing," Ethan thought with a yawn.

[Hmph. Flattery will get you everywhere,] said the System. [That fragment they call 'Sanctuary' is actually a Primeval Aether Shard. It is a rare mineral that doesn't belong to this era. To the humans, it's a cloaking device. To me, it's a localized reality anchor. If you plant this in the core of the building, I can weave its energy into the structure's blueprint.]

"And that makes us invisible?" Ethan asked the user.

[Better,] said the System. [It creates a 'Blind Spot' in the causality of the world. Even if a high-level mage walks right past the front door, their mind will simply skip over the fact that this building exists. It effectively removes Royal from the Union's map.]

Ethan looked at the stone, his eyes heavy. "Do it. But first... let me sleep for five minutes."

Ethan looked at the stone, his eyes heavy, but he wasn't about to let the opportunity slip away. "So, how do we start the integration? Just bury it in the basement?" Ethan asked the user.

[Not quite. To maximize the 'Blind Spot' effect and integrate it with my interface, you need a Fortress Blueprint: Silver Grade. It acts as the bridge between this raw mineral and the physical structure of the building,] said the System.

Ethan felt a surge of hope, but it was quickly doused. "Fine. How much?"

[10,000 Lux Points,] said the System.

Ethan froze, his mental fatigue instantly replaced by a sharp headache. He checked his current balance. Between the auction, the potions, and the previous upgrades, his hoard had dwindled. He was sitting on little more than 300 Lux Points.

"Ten thousand? You've got to be kidding me. I'm practically broke!" Ethan thought.

[It seems you'll have to work a lot harder, my little stallion. Don't forget the primary objective of this system,] said the System, its voice dripping with a playful, almost predatory amusement.

Ethan leaned back into the chair, a grim but determined smirk forming on his face. He thought of Victoria, Lena, Alexandria, and the countless others he had yet to encounter. The path to power was paved with more than just blood; for him, it was paved with desire.

"Of course I'll get the points. I'll get them even if I have to empty every woman in this world," Ethan said the user.

[That's the spirit. Never doubt yourself. Power requires fuel, and you know exactly where to find it,] said the System.

Ethan stared at the shard one last time before his eyes finally began to close. He was exhausted, broke in terms of Lux, and surrounded by enemies—but he had never felt more alive. He would rest for now, but tomorrow, the hunt for Lux would begin in earnest. Royal needed its sanctuary, and he needed his points.

While Ethan drifted into a restless sleep upstairs, the atmosphere in the basement interrogation wing was cold and heavy with the scent of ozone and damp concrete. Jason stood by the heavy steel door, watching Falcon 13 secure the chains on the broken Axhel.

Once the guard stepped out, leaving only the two of them with the shell of a man, Jason turned to Old Falcon. The veteran was leaning against the wall in calm.

"Are you finally going to tell me the truth, old man?" asked Jason. "What exactly did you do in your youth? And more importantly... why did you pick me out of all the candidates in the service?"

Old Falcon stopped mid-stroke. He didn't look up, but the shadows in the room seemed to deepen around him. He let out a long, weary sigh that sounded like shifting gravel.

"It seems the time has finally come, though I truly wished it wouldn't," said Old Falcon. He finally raised his gaze, and for a second, Jason saw a flicker of something ancient and terrified in the veteran's eyes. "The things in this world are far more complex than you can imagine, Jason. Even the boss is barely scratching the surface of what's really out there."

Jason straightened his posture, his hand hovering near his holster. The air in the hallway suddenly felt thin.

"Are you sure you want to know the truth?" asked Old Falcon, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. "Once you know, there is no turning back. You won't be able to look at a crowded street or a sunset the same way again. You'll see the strings attached to everything."

Jason didn't flinch. He looked at the door where Axhel was being kept, then back at his mentor. "I've been living in the dark for a long time. It's about time someone turned on the lights," said the soldier.

Old Falcon tucked his knife away and stepped closer. "Then listen well. Because the Union isn't just an organization, and Celestial isn't just a facility. We are living in a cage.

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