One evening, as Arden closed his eyes with the bloom in his hands, something shifted.

The energy pulsed, his circuits tightened, and a faint chime echoed in his mind.

A system notification appeared.

Arden opened his eyes, a slow smile spreading across his face.

The faint glow of the interface lingered in Arden's sight, each word etched as though the system wanted him to carve it into memory.

[Crimson Parasite Bloom (Refined Extraction)

New Life Signature Gained: Crimson Vein Bloom

Effect:

Overcharge Affinity: Temporarily doubles Fire, Lightning, Life Signature skills output.

Strain Buildup: Overuse risks backlash if not stabilized.

Passive Sense: Detects corrupted or parasitic energy in the environment]

Arden let the words settle. He had expected something crude, maybe even dangerous, when he wrestled the bloom into his own flow. Instead, it gave him a tool sharper than he'd imagined.

"Overcharge…" he muttered to himself, rubbing his chin. The thought of doubling his output made his pulse quicken.

That kind of boost could turn a losing fight, though he knew it wasn't without cost. The system never gave gifts freely.

But what really hooked his attention was the last line. His eyes narrowed as he read it again.

"A passive sense for corruption… that's…" He broke into a grin, leaning back. "That's exactly what we needed."

He couldn't hide the satisfaction in his tone.

Being able to track corruption meant no more blind searching, no more wasting time chasing shadows. For this mission, it was as though the bloom had turned itself from a curse into their compass.

Rael glanced up from sharpening his blade. "You're smiling at nothing again. What's are you thinking about this time?"

Arden chuckled, shaking his head. "Not nothing. Something useful. It looks like our parasite friend wasn't all bad after all. I've got a way to sniff out corruption now. Makes this mission a whole lot simpler."

Nyra gave him a quiet look, her fingers tightening slightly around her spellbook. "Useful, but dangerous. Anything that reacts that directly to corruption isn't harmless. Be careful with it, Arden."

"Careful's my middle name," he teased, though the smirk didn't completely mask the seriousness in his eyes.

Zephyra shifted, a low growl rising in her chest. Corruption leaves a scent. You can smell it now. That will guide us.

"Exactly," Arden said, nodding toward her. "Makes me wonder if this mission's about to get easier or harder. Guess we'll find out."

The night passed quicker than it felt, and by dawn they were already approaching the second zone of the Outlands.

The air was different here, thicker and wilder.

Even the beasts they came across bore the signs they remembered—eyes clouded with frenzy, movements sharper but unbalanced, as though the corruption pushed them past their limits.

They fought through a few packs, dispatching them without too much effort.

Rael stretched his shoulders after one clash. "Same madness as before. Hits hard, no guard, nothing left in their heads."

Nyra frowned. "Which makes them predictable… but dangerous in numbers. If it spreads faster than we think, whole areas could fall."

"That's why we find out where it's worst," Arden said, flicking blood off his blade. "And who better to ask than the explorers who've been sitting here longer than us?"

It didn't take him long to pick up a trail.

The new sense pulsed faintly within his chest, tugging him toward the faint traces of corruption that lingered in the air.

Each step brought the feeling stronger, like following a thread no one else could see.

Within the hour, they found it, a small camp tucked into a ridge. Barricades were set up around it, smoke rose from a low fire, and the sound of tired voices drifted on the wind.

They made their way closer, but before they could reach the gate two guards stepped out, crossing their spears in warning.

"Halt. This ground belongs to the Explorers' Guild," one barked. "No outsiders allowed past this point."

The other added, sterner. "Turn back. We're investigating this area. Too dangerous for anyone not assigned. You don't want to be caught up in what's inside."

Arden chuckled lightly, the sound cutting through the tension. "You should have started by asking who we are."

The guards stiffened, irritation flashing across their faces. "Then who are you?" one demanded, though his grip on his staff wavered.

Without a word, Nyra stepped forward, producing the insignia they all carried. Silver gleamed in the early light.

The guards froze. Eyes widened, shock plain on their faces. Silver. Not just that, but silver carried by a group so young it didn't fit the image they were used to.

Rael smirked, enjoying their stunned silence. "What's wrong? Not every day silver rank shows up at your door?"

Arden waved off the jab, his tone calm but firm. "We're The Outbounds. We're here for the same mission, and we'll need to speak with whoever's leading your camp. You can either show us the way or watch us walk through anyway. Your choice."

That snapped them out of it. The guards exchanged a quick look, then lowered their spears, their voices more careful now. "Apologies. We didn't expect… very well, follow us. The camp leader will want to know you're here."

"Good," Arden said simply, motioning for his group to move. His smirk returned faintly as they passed the flustered guards. "See? Not so hard when you start with the right question."

Rael snorted, Nyra sighed softly, and Zephyra rumbled low, the sound like a beast's laughter.

Together, they walked into the camp, the eyes of tired explorers already turning toward them, whispers spreading quickly through the air.

Silver rankers had arrived, and with it, the mission would shift.

And Arden, feeling the faint pulse of corruption tugging at his core, knew they were only just at the start.

A/N:

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