The morning came in colors too sharp to be real.
Virelia's sky didn't "light up." It booted—like a corrupted screen flashing through its startup protocol. Neon pinks and violet glitches pulsed across the skyline while the city below hummed with controlled chaos.
Kade rolled off the mattress, mentally tugging up the System overlay before even brushing his teeth. He had priorities.
> Balance: 498,120 C
Note: You breathe expensive air.
A chime slid across his vision.
> NEW QUEST: A SEAT AT THE TABLE
Objective: Infiltrate Virelia's High Sector Gala
Reward: 25,000 C, Social Level Upgrade, Mystery Item (Rare)
Risk: Permanent Reputation Mark
Forged credentials auto-issued. Don't embarrass yourself.
Kade raised an eyebrow. "I don't even have real credentials, and now I'm faking elite?"
He accepted the mission with a mental tap. But this time, the System didn't just flash a UI. It activated.
A low pulse buzzed in his skull, and layers of his surroundings blinked, digitized, and recompiled. The air smelled briefly of burnt ozone—then came the code cascade.
> Forging Credentials…
Spoofing DataNode: Virelia HighNet
Access Level: Noble Tier 4 (Backer Lineage – House Orien)
Syncing Biometric Layers…
Activating Identity Shell: "Kael Orien"
Warning: This shell is unstable. Use limited to 72 hours. Legacy Systems may detect inconsistencies.
"Backer Lineage?" Kade muttered, half-impressed. "You're telling me I'm fake rich and fake important?"
> Correction: You are temporarily wealthy and legally untouchable. For now.
His suit downloaded into inventory like it had been waiting to be worn by someone audacious enough. Char-black with crimson-threaded veins, reinforced with reactive armor mesh and laced with anti-scan filament. Even his scent adjusted—pheromones dialed in, eye color modded, voice depth calibrated. The System didn't just give him a look. It gave him presence.
Then came the final detail:
> Teleport Token Created – Sky Gala Access Point Only
Single-use gate registered under alias Kael Orien
Status: VIP Invitee, Investor Rank
Kade whistled. "You're more than just a glitchy GPS, aren't you?"
> Correction: I'm the only reason you're still interesting.
The teleport gate shimmered to life in the middle of his rented room, casting shifting shadows on the wall. A sigil spun at its center—House Orien's crest. Whoever they were, they now had an uninvited guest impersonating their bloodline.
Kade stepped through.
---
The Virelia Sky Gala hovered mid-air like a glass crown above the city, suspended by anti-grav engines and old money. The inside was even worse—an architectural fever dream of starlight chandeliers, living marble, and tech so high-end it didn't look like tech.
Everyone looked perfect. Engineered, probably. Beauty was currency here, as was bloodline. And yet… somehow, Kade fit in. The System's disguise held. People nodded. Some glanced with recognition. Others looked twice, wondering how long it had been since "Kael Orien" had shown his face.
He floated to the bar like he belonged, ordering a Galaxyblood (hold the neurotoxins) just to flex.
That's when she entered.
Time didn't stop. But it absolutely recalibrated.
She moved like the gala was built for her. Midnight-blue dress, glittering heels that hovered an inch off the ground, jet-black hair cascading like liquid velvet. Eyes like stormstone—gray, unreadable, cold.
Kade's System stuttered, just for a moment.
> [WARNING: Identity Obscured]
Attempted Scan: Failed
Class: Unknown
Alignment: Undeclared
Clearance Level: Hidden
She walked through high-class bureaucrats, synthetic nobles, and genetically-enhanced CEOs like they were transparent. And she made a direct line for him.
"Alone?" she asked, voice slow, dipped in danger.
Kade gave a lazy grin. "Temporarily. You offering company or collecting data?"
She didn't smile. But her mouth almost moved.
"That depends how interesting you are."
They slipped into a conversation in a shadowed alcove of the bar—words like glass and silk, layered with half-truths and flirtation edged in suspicion. She asked about "his" house. His investors. Whether he preferred soft corruption or sharp alliances. He answered all of it without once breaking cover.
She introduced herself as "Vel."
The System, of course, had opinions.
> [Vel: Temporary Profile Created]
Relationship Status: ???
Note: This entity may become a boss battle or romantic interest. Or both.
Before Kade could ask her anything useful, a sharp digital chime rang out. The venue's AI activated in an ethereal voice, smooth and artificial:
> "Attention: A hidden item has been activated within this gala. The first guest to retrieve it shall earn one Legacy Favor and 1,000,000 Credits."
The atmosphere changed like someone had flipped a switch. The masks came off. Predators stepped forward.
Vel stood immediately, finishing her drink without flinching. "Game time."
Kade raised an eyebrow. "You're going for it?"
"I don't attend parties. I win them."
She was gone in a flicker of silk and sin, vanishing into the crowd like smoke sliding through keyholes.
Kade stared after her, then checked his system one last time:
> Hidden Objective Unlocked:
Locate: [The Echo Code]
Reward: 1,000,000 C + Legacy Favor
Warning: You are competing against enemies you haven't even met yet.
Kade cracked his knuckles and stepped into the crowd.
"Time to steal a little favor."