Author's Preface
Blue spent the next few days at home. He barely left the house. Most of his time was spent on the couch or down in the basement, staring off, lost in thought. He wasn’t his usual self. The energy was gone. David had asked him more than once to help with things around the house. Blue declined every time. He just… wasn’t there. Not really. His mind kept circling the same thing. The gate. The debrief. The way they handled it. Something was wrong. And the more he thought about it, the clearer it became... he was in the middle of something he didn’t fully understand yet.
Blue sat in his room on the edge of his bed. "Right now, there were only two people I can trust, Aaron and Eve. For now, at least. Everyone else…" He exhaled slowly. "Damn it man, I can't do anything about the Association. I don’t have the standing for that. Not the influence. Not the authority. If I tried now I'd get buried." He leaned back, stared up at the ceiling. "If they won't acknowledge me for whatever reason… then I'll make them. Not by arguing. Not by pushing. By getting stronger. By making it impossible for them to ignore me. This divine energy can surely help with that."
Later that evening, Blue sat in the basement, quiet. To Eve, it looked like he was just… staring off into space. She tilted her head slightly. “… What are you doing?” Blue blinked, then let out a small breath. “Oh, right. You can’t see my system.” He rubbed the back of his neck, still processing everything. “I’m just… I don't know.”
Eve stepped a little closer, watching him more seriously now. “Looks like you know.” Blue hesitated for a second, then spoke. “Well, I hit Five-Star Grandmaster,” he said. “I’m right on the edge of the Ascendant stage now. Which means I’m about as strong as my sect leader, Wu Jin, in Murim.” Eve’s eyes widened slightly at that. “And then there’s…” he trailed off, lifting a hand slightly, pointing at his system that she couldn’t see.
She frowned. “…What are you pointing at?”
Blue lowered his hand slowly. “The divine energy,” he said. “I used it in that gate. It was… different.” He exhaled. “Like everything just clicked.” He looked down at his hands. “But I can’t maintain it for long. Not yet.”
"I know you hate hearing this, but don't rush it. I'm sure everything will work itself out. Or, you can always join my team and let us help you Blue. Instead of always trying to do everything alone." Eve stared at Blue for a moment.
Blue didnt respond. The two of them sat in silence for the rest of the night until Blue went upstairs to go to sleep.
The following morning, David woke Blue before the sun had even touched the sky. “Dad… what time is it…” Blue rolled over, rubbing his eyes, barely awake. “5:30… what the hell?”
“Get up. Follow me.”
Blue groaned, threw on a shirt and shorts, and followed him downstairs… into the basement. Two lawn chairs sat in the center of the room, facing each other. Blue dropped into one as David took the other. They stared at each other in silence for a moment. Blue sighed. “…So, did you wake me up for a staring contest?”
David didn’t smile. “Do you remember when I built this place for you?” Blue didn’t answer. “How about when Eve left… and you worked your ass off as a porter… then still came down here and trained every night?” A pause. “I don’t know what you went through in that other world,” David said quietly. “But I do know this.” He leaned forward slightly. “You don’t quit.”
Blue’s expression shifted, just a little. “It’s something I’ve always admired about you,” David continued. “You persevere.” Blue looked down. “I gave up a long time ago,” David said, almost casually. “I do what needs to be done. Not what I love.” He gestured around the room. “This… all of this? Martial arts?” Another pause. “That’s you.”
Blue swallowed, but said nothing. “You’ve been down here for days,” David went on. “Moping. Quiet. Lost. I don’t know what’s going on. And you don’t have to tell me.” His voice softened. “But listen to me, son. Follow what you love. If being an awakener is too much… then don’t force it. Fall back on this.” He tapped the floor lightly with his foot. “Whatever your reason is for doing all this… just know.” David met his eyes. “I see you.”
Silence filled the room. “I see how hard you work. What it’s doing to you. Physically. Mentally.” He leaned back slightly. “And this place…” His gaze drifted around the basement. “This should be your peace. Leave the world at the door when you walk in here... let this be yours.” Another pause. “And when you’re ready to talk…” A small shrug. “I’ll be here. About whatever you need to get off your chest."
Then, with a sudden clap of his hands on his knees, David stood. “Anyway. Good talk.” Just like that, lighter again. “You want breakfast? Coffee?”
As David turned to head upstairs, Blue’s voice stopped him. “Dad…” David paused and glanced back. “You’re right,” Blue said, quieter now. “Thank you. I needed that.” A small, knowing smile crossed David’s face. “Of course, son.” He gave a nod and continued up the stairs toward the kitchen. Blue remained seated in the basement, the silence settling in around him. His father’s words lingered, heavier now that they had room to breathe.
He’s right. In Murim, things had been simpler. Not easier, but clearer. He hadn’t worried about politics or schemes. Wu Jin, Wu Cheng, Tang Yeol… they handled that side of things. Blue had only ever focused on what was in front of him, the fight, the next step, the next breath. Earth was different. Here, he was surrounded by people… and somehow felt more alone than ever. Even Eve couldn’t help with this.
The Association. Grayson. Whatever was moving behind the scenes, It wasn’t something he could just fight his way through. Blue exhaled slowly, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees. “…What can I control?” His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall. 5:47. A faint shift crossed his expression. “…Perfect.”
He stood. No hesitation this time. Blue moved quickly, taking the stairs two at a time. “Later, Dad!” he called as he passed through the house. “Don’t skip breakfast!” David shouted back from the kitchen. Too late. The front door shut behind him, and Blue was already sprinting down the road, the cool morning air cutting against his skin as his pace picked up. David stepped into the doorway, watching him disappear down the street. For a moment, he simply stood there. Then he smiled. “…That’s the Blue I know.” Behind him, the faint sizzle of bacon filled the kitchen as he turned and went back inside.
Blue didn’t slow until the Buckeye Guild came into view. His breathing was steady, controlled. The run hadn’t been about distance, it had been about clearing his head. He stepped inside without hesitation, moving past the front area and heading straight for the gym. Aaron was already there, stretching near the mats, working through his usual morning routine. He glanced up as the door opened.
“Blue?” he said, surprised. “What are you doing here?” Blue didn’t waste time. “Focusing on what I can control.” A beat. “Want to spar?” Aaron blinked once, then a grin spread across his face. “You had me at spar."
The arena in the basement was quiet. No crowd. No spectators. Just the two of them. They stood across from each other, the space between them charged with something heavier than anticipation. Aaron rolled his shoulders once, then let his aether flow. Across from him, Blue exhaled slowly. His qi stirred.
Neither of them spoke. This wasn’t training. This wasn’t practice. Aaron’s gaze sharpened, all traces of humor gone. Blue met it evenly. Both of them carried something into that space, frustration, pressure, things moving around them that they couldn’t control. But this? This moment? This was theirs. And neither of them intended to waste it.
The air between them tightened. Then, they moved. Fifteen minutes later, Blue hit the floor. He landed flat on his back, chest rising and falling hard as he stared up at the ceiling. “Oh my god… I’m done,” he muttered. “I can’t push any further.”
Aaron was still on his feet. Light on his toes. Moving. Barely even breathing hard. “Aww,” he said with a grin, still bouncing from foot to foot. “I was just getting warmed up.”
Blue let out a tired laugh. Aaron finally stopped and dropped down beside him, resting his arms over his knees. “You’ve gotten a lot stronger,” he said, more serious now. Blue didn’t respond right away. Aaron glanced at him. “You might even be on Eve’s level. Maybe even pushing closer to my executives’ range. You’re worthy of being a ranker, Blue.” His tone shifted slightly. “…I’m sorry I couldn’t do more during the debrief.”
Blue shrugged it off, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “It’s fine,” he said. “I’m only going to focus on what I can control.” He sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders. "Right now… that’s clearing gates. I want to be part of Eve’s team. Permanently.”
Aaron blinked, caught off guard. “…Okay. I wasn’t expecting that.” He leaned back slightly, studying him. “You know they’re not just one of the top teams here, they’re one of the top teams internationally. One of the five that actually matter when it comes to ranker competitions.”
“I know,” Blue said calmly. “Eve told me. I’ve met them all before.” He pushed himself to his feet. “I think it’s time I plant roots. If I keep flying solo… it’s just going to make everything I’m trying to do harder.” Aaron’s eyes narrowed slightly. “…Mind telling me what those objectives are?” Blue met his gaze. “…Mind telling me what really happened with my ranker exam?”
Aaron’s smile vanished. The shift was immediate. “…Touché,” he muttered. A brief silence settled between them. “You know I had nothing to do with that decision, right?”
"I do,” Blue said. “Ranker calls belong to the Association.” He stepped forward, giving Aaron a light pat on the shoulder. "We should do this more often. I need someone who can push me to my limit.”
Aaron let out a small breath, then smiled again. “Yeah… you got it.” As Blue walked out, Aaron stayed seated for a moment. His eyes drifted across the arena. Cracked flooring. Splintered panels. Deep gouges carved into the walls from strikes that had barely missed. He exhaled slowly. “If his limit grows any further…” he muttered under his breath, “…I’m not sure even Titus can contain him.”