The military perimeter around the Old Industrial Sector was still active when Elias and Aria stepped off the transport helicopter at the Aegis Guild Tower's private landing pad.
The city was alive with noise. Every news network was cycling the footage from yesterday's Exhibition — the moment Elias had caught Thorne's greatsword with two fingers, then stared down Arthur Vance while his Shadow Legion materialized around them. The footage had been officially classified by the military within six hours, but classified footage had a way of leaking when sixty terrified cadets had personal recording devices.
The clip had accumulated forty million views overnight.
Elias walked through the Aegis Tower lobby without looking at the screens. Silas was waiting for him at the elevator, visibly five years older than he had been twelve hours ago.
"The military wants a formal interview," Silas reported, practically jogging to keep pace. "The Ministry of Hunter Affairs says your registration profile doesn't match your demonstrated capabilities. They want to re-evaluate your rank."
"Ignore it."
"The Vance family has filed a formal grievance with the Guild Council, claiming you made a direct threat against Arthur Vance."
"Ignore it."
"Magnus Valerius from Crimson Dawn is requesting a private meeting. He says it's urgent."
Elias stepped into the elevator. "Schedule it. Three days from now. Tell him to bring a gift."
The doors closed.
In the mirrored walls of the elevator, Elias examined himself. His ears had stopped bleeding somewhere over the tundra. His mana pool was recovering at the Heart of the Abyss's enhanced regeneration rate, but it would be another twelve hours before he was back to full capacity.
The doors opened on the top floor.
Elias sat down at the Guild Master's desk — his desk — and pulled up the System interface. He wanted to review everything gained from the Red Gate campaign before making his next decision.
Full Status Window
Name: Elias Level: 28 Class: Absolute Necromancer Titles: Pioneer of Catastrophe, Defiler of the Sacred, Monarch of the Bound
Health: 5,200 Mana: 1,980 / 2,860 (Recovering — 82% restored)
Strength: 88 Agility: 79 Intelligence: 140
Active Skills:
Shadow Extraction (Lv. 3) Domain of the Monarch (Lv. 1) Spatial Step (Lv. 2) Soul Dominion (Lv. 1) — NEW
Shadow Legion (72/100):
Commander Grade: Seraph (Lv. 40), Blood (Lv. 24), Eclipse (Lv. 28) Elite Grade: Iron (Lv. 19), Bloodfiend (Lv. 20) Standard Grade: 12 Shadow Inquisitors, 28 Shadow Trolls, 30 Shadow Knights Wendigos dissolved during Permafrost Field — pending re-extraction
Living Vassals:
Ymir, Glacial Sovereign (Lv. 50) — Bound. Currently inside Red Gate: Howling Glacier.
Elias dismissed the interface.
The door opened without a knock. Aria walked in and sat across from him, dropping into the chair with the unself-conscious ease of someone who had decided weeks ago that the concept of asking permission was beneath her.
She set a sealed document on the desk.
"Sterling Family intelligence report," she said. "My father had his people compile it overnight. He was very interested in the Exhibition footage."
"What does it say?"
"That the military's internal assessment has quietly reclassified you." Aria crossed her arms. "You were entered in their register as a B-Rank Summoner. After yesterday, their anomaly division has reclassified you as an Unknown-tier entity. The category they use for things they cannot properly measure."
Elias turned the report over in his hands without opening it. "How did your father respond to learning his daughter is partnered with an Unknown-tier entity?"
"He was angry for about ten minutes," Aria said, a dry note in her voice. "Then he was interested. He wants a meeting."
"He will get one," Elias said. "When I decide I need something from the Sterling Family that you cannot personally provide."
Aria held his gaze. "You realize you just told me my primary value to you is convenience."
"No," Elias replied. "I told you that your family's value is convenience. Your value is different." He paused just long enough for the distinction to land. "You are the only person I have met in this life who has seen everything and stayed anyway. That is not convenient. That is rare."
Aria said nothing for a moment.
"That is the closest thing to a compliment you have ever produced," she said finally.
"Don't get used to it."
The desk phone buzzed. Silas's voice came through, tight with anxiety.
"Boss. Arthur Vance is in the lobby. He is alone. He says he wants to talk."
The room went very quiet.
Aria sat forward. Elias leaned back.
Arthur Vance. S-Rank. The man who had lost his son to Elias's hands in a subway tunnel, who had witnessed his own public humiliation in the Academy arena, and who had spent all night furious, grieving, and — crucially — thinking.
"Send him up," Elias said