Alvian didn't leave the War Room. He sat down right there on the cold metal floor, the heavy tome in his lap. The atmosphere in the room was tense; Magnus watched with crossed arms, a silent sentinel judging his worthiness. Valeria and Seraphina stood nearby, forming a protective perimeter out of habit, though they were in the safest room in the district.

"System," Alvian commanded internally. "Analyze Skill Book."

[Scanning...]

[Skill Book: Tidal Barrier (Legendary)]

[Type: Defensive / Toggle]

[Description: The user manifests a spherical barrier of condensed hydro-pressure. The barrier negates damage based on the user's Mana Pool and Constitution. While active, the user gains immunity to displacement effects (Knockback, Pull, Suspension).]

[Requirement: 600 Constitution or Equivalent Mana Density.]

"Learn," Alvian ordered.

The metal book dissolved. It didn't turn into light; it turned into a heavy, grey mist that sank into his chest. It felt like swallowing a cannonball. A sensation of immense weight settled over his mana channels. It wasn't the sharp, biting cold of the [Frost Descent] or the electric thrill of the [Abyssal Flicker]. It was a grounding sensation. Heavy. Solid.

Alvian took a deep breath. He could feel the knowledge settling in his mind—the geometric formulas for dispersing kinetic energy, the mana flow required to create surface tension hard enough to stop a blade.

[Skill Learned: Tidal Barrier (Level 1)]

He stood up.

"Show me," Magnus rumbled.

Alvian raised his hand. "Tidal Barrier."

A shimmering, translucent blue sphere materialized around him. It hummed with a low, bass note. The air inside the sphere felt dense, pressurized.

Magnus nodded, unimpressed. "Basic form. It will stop an arrow. It might stop a sword. But a Leviathan will crush that like an eggshell. You need mastery, boy. You need to understand that the ocean pushes back."

Alvian smiled. "I understand perfectly."

He checked his status panel. The daily reset had occurred while they were traveling back from the Storm Reef. He had two charges of the [Super Upgrade System] available.

"System," Alvian whispered. "Target: [Tidal Barrier]. Upgrade."

[Ding!]

[SSS-Rank Talent Authority Invoked.]

[Consuming One (1) Daily Charge...]

The blue sphere around him flickered. The color deepened, shifting from a light aquatic blue to a deep, navy indigo. The mana structure of the spell was torn apart and rewoven by the golden light of his talent. The simple barrier became complex, layers of mana folding over each other like tempered steel.

[Upgrade Successful!]

[Skill Evolved: [Tidal Barrier +1] -> [Iron-Tide Fortress] (Legendary)]

[New Effect: [Density Scaling]. Barrier health now scales with 200% of User's Mana.]

"Again," Alvian commanded immediately. He needed more than just a wall. He needed a weapon.

[Consuming Final Daily Charge...]

[Forcing Mutation... Integrating [Reactive Force] concept from [Runic Aegis]... Integrating [Frost Heart] passive...]

The sphere changed again. The indigo light darkened further, turning into a swirling vortex of deep violet and black. The surface of the barrier wasn't smooth anymore; it rippled with potential energy, looking like the surface of a dark ocean right before a storm. Spikes of frozen mana formed and retracted along the surface.

[Upgrade Critical Success!]

[Skill Evolved: [Tidal Barrier +2] -> [Void-Mirror Aegis] (Mythical)]

[Skill: Void-Mirror Aegis]

[Rank: Mythical]

[Type: Defensive / Counter]

[Effect 1: [Absolute Nullification]. Blocks all incoming damage up to a threshold determined by Mana Output. Current Threshold: 50,000 DMG/hit.]

[Effect 2: [Tidal Reflection]. Any damage blocked by the barrier is stored as kinetic potential. Upon deactivation or trigger, the barrier releases 150% of the stored damage as a shockwave.]

[Effect 3: [Mana Conversion]. Damage taken by the barrier restores the user's Mana by 5% of the damage value.]

Alvian read the description. His eyes narrowed. It wasn't just a shield. It was a battery. It absorbed hits, restored his mana, and then fired the damage back. It was the ultimate "No U" card.

"Something changed," Magnus noted, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the violet sphere. "The mana density... it just spiked. That doesn't look like water anymore. It looks like... hunger."

"It's an improvement," Alvian said, deactivating the barrier. The heavy pressure in the room vanished instantly. "Efficiency requires that defense serves offense."

"Improvement?" Magnus scoffed. "You arrogant pup. You think you can improve on a technique passed down for generations in seconds?"

"I don't think," Alvian said. "I calculate."

He turned to the door. "We're going to Sector 4. The Sleeper is waiting."

"Wait," Magnus stepped down from his platform. He grabbed a massive tower shield from a rack on the wall. "You think I'm going to let you have all the fun? That creature has been eating my citizens. I'm coming with you."

Alvian paused. A Level 56 Guardian Tank. That would make the raid significantly easier. But it would also split the experience points.

"Inefficient," Alvian muttered under his breath, but he nodded. "Fine. But you follow my lead. I know where the weak point is."

Magnus bristled. "I follow no one in my own district!"

"Then you can explain to the Council why the city blew up because you triggered the failsafe," Alvian countered smoothly.

Magnus ground his teeth, the sound like metal shearing. "Fine. Lead the way, Anomaly. But if you get us killed, I'm haunting you."

Alvian looked at Valeria and Seraphina. Valeria gave him a thumbs up, clearly relieved to have the Iron Shell on their side. Seraphina was already checking her gear, her face a mask of professional focus.

"Let's go," Alvian said. "We have a crab to crack before we get to the main course."

Sector 4 was the armpit of the Western District. It was the old industrial sewage processing plant, a maze of massive pipes, rusting catwalks, and pools of toxic sludge that glowed with a sickly green luminescence. The air was thick with the smell of sulfur and decay.

"This place should have been condemned years ago," Magnus grumbled, his heavy boots clanking on the metal grating. "I ordered it sealed."

"The Syndicate unsealed it," Seraphina said, consulting her map. "They've been using the maintenance tunnels to move materials. The Siphon Chamber is at the lowest point, near the main outflow valve."

They moved deeper. The shadows seemed to writhe. Alvian's [Void Monarch] passive kept the lesser monsters at bay—mutated sewer rats the size of dogs scurried away in terror—but he knew the real threat wouldn't be scared.

They reached a massive circular chamber. In the center was a hole in the floor, fifty feet wide, leading down into the darkness. A thick, pulsating bio-cable ran down the hole, pumping glowing red fluid.

"There," Alvian pointed. "The feed line."

But the way was blocked.

Crouched over the hole was a creature that looked like a tank made of gold and chitin. It was a Golden Crab, but twisted by Syndicate science. Its shell was reinforced with gold-plated Adamantite. Its right claw had been replaced by a spinning mana-saw, and its left claw was a massive hydraulic pincer.

[Target Identified: General Aurelius (The Golden Shield)]

[Level: 48]

[Status: Mercenary / Cybernetically Enhanced]

[Passive: [Gilded Carapace] - Reflects 30% of magical damage. High Physical Resistance.]

"Aurelius," Magnus spat. "A traitor to the Crustacean Kin. He sold his shell for gold."

The massive crab shifted. Its eyestalks swiveled toward them. "Guardian Magnus," Aurelius's voice was a metallic rasp, amplified by a speaker box on his shell. "And the Godslayer. My employer pays a bonus for your heads."

"Syndicate money spends poorly in hell," Alvian said, stepping forward.

"You cannot pass," Aurelius clicked his saw-claw, the blade spinning up with a high-pitched whine. "This position is fortified. My shell is impenetrable."

"We'll see about that," Valeria said, stepping up beside Magnus. Two tanks. A wall of muscle and a wall of golden light.

"Wait," Alvian ordered. He held out his hand to stop them. "Magnus, you wanted to see my 'improvement' on your Art? You wanted to see if I had the resolve to hold the line?"

Magnus looked at him. "This isn't a training exercise, boy. That saw will cut you in half."

"Physics Lesson Number Six," Alvian said, walking toward the massive crab. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Unless you manipulate the vector."

"You're facing him alone?" Aurelius laughed, a sound like grinding gears. "Arrogant meat-sack. I will snip you into ribbons!"

Aurelius charged. The ground shook. For a creature so heavy, he moved with surprising speed, his multi-legged gait carrying him across the chamber in seconds. He raised the mana-saw.

"Alvian!" Valeria shouted, instinctively raising her shield to intervene.

"Stay back!" Alvian barked.

He didn't draw his lance. He didn't activate [Genesis Mode]. He stood perfectly still, his hands hanging loosely at his sides. He watched the saw descending. He watched the massive hydraulic claw reaching to crush him.

He waited until the metal teeth of the saw were inches from his face. The wind from the spinning blade ruffled his hair.

"[Void-Mirror Aegis]."

A sphere of dark, violet energy materialized around him. It wasn't the transparent blue of the standard Tidal Barrier. It was a black hole in the shape of a shield. It pulsed with a hungry, deep sound.

"THRUM."

The saw hit the barrier.

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