It was 8:50 AM, and everyone was ready to step through the portal. They cracked their bones, a their Circle of Pillars shimmered together, in unity. Adam and Elesch held hands as Nova prepared himself. Zane and Michael nodded at each other, then looked in front, as all the other guild members cheered them on.

As they stepped through, Marcus went to his office, which was still getting redecorated as he had now become the official President of the American Guild. He stepped into the elevator, ascending up. As the metallic doors opened, he was greeted by his secretary, and then went inside his office.

Just as he went inside, he smirked, as if already expecting the unexpected. In front of him, as he sat, was Cain, reading one of the books on the self. Marcus didn't mind him, after all, Cain was still his best friend and closest ally, a person that Marcus trusted with his life and soul.

"This book is nice," Cain said, astonished by the wordplay in the book. "I have to say, you still have good taste in books, even all these years back. I'm quite impressed, Grandpa."

"Ok, I'm not that much older than you, you're like what, thirty-seven, so humble yourself." Marcus backfired, as Cain let out a chuckle. "Anyways, how's Hana and Kiwi? Haven't heard much from her, is everything fine?"

"Yeah, they're good. Hana has been busy, now that our family of three is expanding." Cain said with a smile towards Marcus.

Marcus froze for a moment, his smirk fading into something more genuine, a mix of surprise and warmth. He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing playfully.

"Expanding, huh?" he said, tilting his head. "You're telling me you, of all people, are about to be a father again?"

Cain grinned, resting the book down. "Looks like it. Hana told me last week. Kiwi's thrilled. Already calling herself 'big sister' around the house."

Marcus chuckled, running a hand over his chin. "Well, I'll be damned. Never thought I'd see the day you'd trade battlefields for baby bottles."

Cain shrugged. "Hey, someone's gotta raise the next generation of powerful Adventurers. Might as well start early."

Marcus' tone softened, though his eyes still glimmered with that sharp edge of leadership. "You'll do fine, Cain. You've always been better at balance than the rest of us. Family and duty, those two rarely coexist, but somehow, you make it work."

There was a pause. Marcus leaned forward slightly, folding his hands. "But you didn't just drop by to tell me baby news, did you?"

Cain's grind faded. His expression grew serious. "Ever since James officially betrayed you on live TV, his little organization has been causing a lot of trouble in the underworld. I have been trying to avoid getting my members involved, but he has been slaughtering the newbies like a moth to a flame. Before long, he will come back for you, Marcus."

"So you're trying to warn me, is that it?" Marcus inquired, his expression folding into a deadly gaze.

"No... I'm trying to warn you. I'm making sure that the inner version of yourself, Shade, doesn't come out, just in case Jame Mahe kills any more of your guild mates. Especially that boy..."

Marcus rested his head back, knowing that Cain was right. He couldn't let Shade out, no matter what. Because if he did, the world that they know would come to an end, something worse than anything the world had ever experienced.

"Yeah, I will try to control it. Such a shame that the strongest person in the world has such a deadly counterfeit."

Cain chuckled. "Don't boost your ego that high. I'm still alive."

Marcus smirked as he took a deep exhale. His expression grew serious as he tapped into his Ability Chamber. And in front of him was his duplicate, otherwise known as Shade. Who was corrupted by the fabric of being.

Marcus opened his eyes, seeing a glimpse of Shade and feeling a sense of imminent fear radiating from Shade, even though he was inside for just a nanosecond. His heartbeat was high, abnormally high, which Cain sensed.

"I don't want to sound controlling, but try not to go in your Ability Chamber, because you know what happened last time you stepped in," Cain said, as Marcus slowly nodded.

"I know, I know. I won't go in there. Besides," Marcus said, standing up and walking towards Cain. "I have better things to do."

"If you say so," Marcus was in front of Cain, seeing the book he was reading.

"Oh, this book," Marcus realized. "I've had this for many years now. It's a pretty good book."

Marcus took the book gently from Cain's hands, running his thumb along the worn cover. "You know," he said quietly, "this book got me through some dark days. Helped me remember that power without restraint isn't strength, it's madness."

He extended it back toward Cain. "You should keep it. You'll need it more than I do, especially with another little one on the way."

Cain hesitated, then accepted the book, a rare sincerity softening his sharp features. "You're giving me your favorite book? You must really be getting sentimental in your old age."

Marcus smirked. "Maybe. Or maybe I just trust you'll actually read it this time."

Cain laughed, the sound echoing lightly through the office before he stepped back. The air shimmered faintly around him as space distorted around him. "Don't get yourself killed before I get back, President," he said with a grin.

Marcus folded his arms. "No promises. Go on, before I make you file paperwork. And then put you behind bars."

Cain chuckled once more before vanishing in a blur of light, leaving behind only the faint scent of Hana's perfume, which was lingering all over him. The room fell silent. Marcus exhaled slowly, his eyes lingering on the space where Cain had stood.

He turned toward his desk and pressed a button on the remote. The massive screen flickered to life, revealing the live broadcast of the tournament's second-to-last stage. Ten guilds remained, each fighting for dominance, for pride, for survival.

As cheers and explosions echoed through the feed, Marcus leaned back in his chair. His reflection wavered faintly in the glass, his face calm, but his pulse racing.

Even now, he could still feel Shade stirring beneath the surface, like a predator pacing behind a thin wall. A bead of cold sweat slid down his temple.

"Stay buried," he muttered. "Just… stay buried."

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