1.20 Aura Flexing

Chapter 20

[Gareth Nieve – ?]

As usual, [Inspect] gave me very little information. My stats too low, or my level perhaps. I ended the skill, the tag above Nieve’s head fading away. The skill seemed useless, it told me nothing about just how dangerous the man in front of me really was.

The universe always had strange ways of making seemingly impossible events happen. It wasn’t until a bit later that I would learn what a rare occurrence it was right there, in the side room of the funeral parlor at my brother’s vigil.

For context, I mentioned how rare someone getting a Legendary class was, that only ten people were known to ever get them.

So imagine the strangeness that the only two Legendary Class Rift Hunters in North America were currently packed into that little room. Barry Schilling, the Seraphic Paladin, and Colonel Nieve, Forgeborn Titan.

I didn’t know the Colonel’s class yet at that time, of course. But such information would be released in the near future.

Having said all that, there we were, standing within six feet of each other, two Legendary Hunters, and Earth’s only Disciple.

And in less than a year, one of us would be dead.

“Ametuer leagues?” Francis bristled up at the officer.

I set a hand on Francis’ shoulder, trying to calm him. The rage warrior flinched under my touch, but eventually stepped back. “What do you want, Colonel?”

The man held up his large hands, showing them empty, like that meant he wasn’t dangerous. “I’m here to extend you an offer to join the department of Rift Hunters and Public Safety, I guess the RHP, for short,” he shrugged at this. “It’s an RHI created by the Department of Armed Forces. I’ll be the department Head Administrator, of course.”

“Government run RHI? I thought the new regulations meant the government wasn’t allowed to have a personal Rift Hunter military division. It was an international provision added to the list of War Crime offenses.” Barry spoke up then, standing next to me.

“This isn’t headed or regulated by the military. It’s a private corporation with government oversight. Have you ever heard of the old United States’ FBI or CIA? Same thing, really,” Nieve gave an unsettling smile.

I frowned at that. It was just as I had feared weeks ago. Even with laws and international agreements in place, those who sought power, and to control power, would always find a loophole. Looked like there were chesspieces already being moved around the board.

“And Lucilla Sinclair? She a part of this as well?” I asked.

“Lucilla actually went her own way,” Nieve said. “After that little facility was closed, she was… forced to step down. She is beginning her own Guild now. I’ve come to learn she even entered a Tutorial rift and gained a class of her own.”

“Not unlike yourself,” I pointed out.

The Colonel wasn’t using any skill or ability, no mana circulation moving through him for a spell, but I could still feel his power. It was a pressure, a spiritual presence of some kind. I understood it to be something new I could sense, tied to the skill I had gained in the rewards for the Dungeon Breach Event.

[New Skill: Aura Mastery (Mythic) – Lvl 1 – Beginner]

[Skill: Aura Mastery
Effect: Allows one to become aware and manipulate their spiritual Aura. Auras are a combination of a person’s power, soul strength, and mana presence. With this skill, one may sense Auras of those around them, and later may learn to use their own Aura in combat. ]

The new skill let me feel the Aura of Colonel Nieve. And what I felt showed me he was far more powerful than Francis, or Vasquez. He probably only had his class for a week at most, but he was already showing an Aura that was just behind Barry.

If he leveled up more, and harnessed his skills properly… Would I be able to kill him? The thought crossed my mind, and I felt a bit of a chill creep over my skin, the hairs raising on my arms. Right now, yes. But it wouldn’t be easy, and not without casualties.

My eyes flickered once more past the doorway, to the gathering of people surrounding my parents, who stood in front of a veritable pile of flowers beneath a large picture of my deceased brother.

I reached into my mind, flipping my switch. Immediately my chill went away, my goosebumps smoothing. I stepped forward, and narrowed my eyes at the Colonel as my head tilted slightly.

“Just got a shiny new class and think you’re the big boss huh?” I activated my new skill, my own aura flickering out just slightly. Even without [Aura Mastery] the others could feel it, Barry looking sidelong at me in confusion, the others releasing short gasps, and Colonel Nieve took a step back.

“I’m not here to fight, Adam. As I said, I’m just here to extend an offer. I can give you just as large a salary as Paragon, and we already have a huge network of supporters and investors to ensure we can secure a huge number of Dungeon Rift contracts. You’d basically have your pick of the entire country,” he said.

I hesitated a moment at that.

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I didn’t like the Colonel as a person, but that didn’t mean he was stupid. Paragon had public good will, and minor political support. While Nieve was offering the backing of an entire country. Joining RHP would also be a way to monitor and be an inside man of the corruption I knew I wanted to fight against. A way to use their greed for my own benefit and let them fund their own demise.

But that would only last as long as the Government’s RHI was still around. Which I was planning to ensure was a rather short amount of time.

“No thanks, I appreciate the offer Colonel, but what kind of man would I be if I abandoned the comrades I had made and fought alongside with the last month? I don’t know where I’ll end up, but I think Paragon is the better fit for me between the options right now.”

“I understand, if you ever change your mind, you can always give a call.”

“Thank you for coming, Colonel.” I said the last sentence with a faint smile and a tone of a grieving brother dismissing a condolence for his loss. To his credit, the Colonel got the message and simply nodded before turning and walking away.

“You really gonna join with us then?” Norton asked once Nieve had left.

I waved a hand side to side, “Maybe, I really don’t know what I’ll do yet. Maybe I wanna make my own Guild?”