Emperor of the Source

The seven cadets reassembled back in the Vanguard Hall, their training uniforms bearing the subtle marks of their first real battles. Sweat stains, torn fabric, and the lingering scent of monster blood marked them as survivors.

Each cadet approached the verification station, their datapads glowing with recorded proof of their kills. The scanner emitted sharp chimes as it processed the data: Shadow Panther, Thornback Boar, Shadowmaw Wolf, Ironback Bear, Flame Salamander, Razorclaw Lynx, Steelback Porcupine.

Instructor Thorne studied the results displayed on his terminal, his expression unreadable. The silence stretched until he gave a single, curt nod. "You have passed the preliminary test."

Thorne gazed at all of them and said, “From this moment onward, you are no longer merely candidates. You are official members of the Vanguard Program. Welcome.”

The seven straightened almost simultaneously, and faint expressions of joy, relief, and satisfaction appeared across their faces. Even the most composed among them could not fully hide it. The preliminary trial had been the first gate, and they had crossed it without being removed in disgrace. For children trained since childhood to chase strength, recognition from a program this selective was not a small thing.

Thorne did not mind their reactions, though his expression remained severe. “On this path, you will face many perils. You will face deadly monsters around you every single day. You will watch comrades bleed, and if you survive long enough, you may even regret stepping into this program at all. But remember this clearly, giving up means letting down humanity itself.”

“At this exact moment, while we stand here speaking, our world is drowning beneath endless waves of monsters. Our cities survive only because they stand behind shielded walls, but walls alone cannot hold forever. That is why every city maintains Defender outposts, striking down threats before they reach civilization.”

“But outposts without strong Defenders are useless. You all possess gifted affinities, the kind humanity cannot afford to waste. Train harder, grow faster, and become the strongest walls our species can place between survival and extinction.”

The seven nodded their heads, their earlier joy sobering beneath the weight of his words.

Thorne continued without softening his tone. “Your first mission will take place at one of the Defender outposts. Normally, these are assignments given to Academy students after three years of training, once they have reached E-Rank combat ability and are able to handle multiple E-Rank monsters simultaneously.”

"Three years?" Marcus muttered under his breath.

“Yes. But since you seven have already slain E-Rank monsters,” Thorne said, “You will be sent early, under the command of a Vanguard graduate who now serves as a Defender.”

Adrian processed this information carefully. “This is too dangerous,” he thought.

They had all hunted an E-Rank monster, yes, but Adrian knew exactly how difficult it had been to fight even a single one. He had nearly depleted himself completely just to defeat the Shadow Panther.

If they were left to handle multiple E-Rank monsters at the same time, the difficulty would rise sharply, and the chance of death would be very real. The Academy had to know that, yet it was still assigning them such a mission. Thinking about it more deeply, however, Adrian understood that this aligned perfectly with everything they had been told about the Vanguard Program.

The preliminary test had not been a celebration of talent. It had been proof that they could survive the first step, and now the Academy intended to place them where their abilities would grow under pressure that no training hall could reproduce. Controlled danger was still danger, and the Vanguard Program clearly believed that rare affinities would stagnate if protected too gently.

Before the weight of their situation could fully settle, Thorne raised his hand. A holographic catalogue materialized in the air before them, expanding into rows upon rows of skill books, each one glowing with contained power.

Fire techniques, ice manipulation, spatial magic, healing arts, poison crafting, sonic abilities, metal shaping, defensive barriers, movement skills, tracking methods, and dozens more filled the display in structured categories. Every entry represented knowledge refined by generations of Defenders, compressed into learnable form and protected by the Academy’s authority.

“As a reward for your first hunt, and to prepare for your mission, each of you may select one skill book,” Thorne said, gesturing toward the floating catalogue. “Choose wisely. It will be delivered to your suite.”

The cadets stared at the vast selection. For most awakened humans, even one skill book could represent months or years of savings, family negotiation, military service, or academy merit. Here, the seven of them were being offered access to techniques matched to their rare affinities, as a necessary investment in their survival.

One by one, the cadets stepped forward.

Kai moved first, his silver hair catching the pale glow of the holographic catalogue as his fingers searched through the spatial category. He examined several options silently before settling on one particular skill. “Spatial Rend,” he said, “Creates controlled tears in space that slice through matter.”

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The skill would give him his first true offensive capability beyond mere teleportation. For a Space affinity user, mobility alone was valuable, but an offensive application was what turned difficult positioning into a lethal opportunity. Thorne nodded as Kai’s selection registered.

Seraphina moved next, her golden hair falling over her shoulder as she studied the light-based techniques. Her gaze lingered only briefly before she selected one, “Radiant Barrier. Forms shields of star-forged light that burn whatever strikes them.”

The defensive skill would complement her Solar Beam perfectly. If Solar Beam gave her destructive reach, Radiant Barrier would allow her to hold ground, protect herself, and potentially shield allies during chaotic encounters.

Marcus cracked his knuckles before approaching the catalogue, his eyes moving across the metal affinity options with obvious interest. “Shard Shot,” he declared after a moment. “Launches sharp metal projectiles from my own body.”

The choice gave him what his first hunt had lacked: a ranged attack to match his close-combat prowess. With Metal Hardening, he could endure direct blows. With Shard Shot, enemies would no longer be safe simply because they refused to close the distance.

Elena stepped forward next, her voice calm as she selected her technique. “Frozen Ground. Creates wide areas of treacherous ice to control battlefield movement.”

The tactical advantage was obvious. She could dictate enemy positioning while maintaining her own mobility, turning ordinary terrain into a weapon. Against monsters that relied on speed, charge attacks, or coordinated movement, such control could decide the entire battle before the first true clash.

Next was Damon, his mind guiding him toward a particular skill, “Venomous Barb. Ranged projectiles of concentrated toxins.”

The skill would allow him to target specific enemies without flooding the entire battlefield with his poison and endangering allies. It would also let him poison enemies before they could close the gap, turning every second of pursuit into a countdown against their own nervous systems.

Lyra stepped forward last among the six, studying the sonic techniques with visible focus before choosing one. “Resonance Shatter. A skill that focuses sound waves to find and exploit structural weaknesses in inorganic material, perfect for breaking armor or terrain.”

It was a strong selection, especially against armored monsters or fortified environments. If mastered properly, it could break through protective shells, disrupt cover, collapse unstable structures, and open opportunities for the entire team. The selection completed, Lyra retreated to her position.

The hall grew still as Adrian’s name echoed from Instructor Thorne’s lips. The catalogue shimmered before him, endless affinities glowing like captured starlight. Every gaze turned toward him, with curiosity about what he was going to choose.

Whispers rippled softly through the assembled cadets. Marcus smirked with interest while Damon’s eyes narrowed in analysis. “Echo can copy anything, right?” Marcus murmured. “Let us see what kind of affinity he chooses.”

Seraphina’s voice carried a more measured skepticism. “Skills are not so easy to learn just because an affinity can mimic them. Whatever he chooses, he still has to learn it from scratch just like us.”

Every gaze bore into Adrian as he stepped forward. His hand hovered above the many choices, "So far, I only have the Fireball skill, and I've never truly tested my ability to analyze someone else’s skill"

The analytical ability was said to be a working of the Echo affinity, while what Adrian truly possessed was Source, something completely different from Echo. But that did not make the situation worse. It made it better. Source was not meant to be limited to one element or one path. It was the comprehension of all powers, the origin behind every affinity.

"On the coming mission, I will be able to see six rare affinities unleashed before me. Space, Celestial Light, Metal, Ice, Poison, and Sound would all reveal themselves, and each one would become a chance to learn, analyze, and confirm whether I could replicate and refine what others wielded with my [Source]. So why should I waste this opportunity by picking something I could easily study later?"

“I need something rare, difficult, and unlikely to appear around me casually,” Adrian thought.

The catalogue glowed before him, and his attention settled on one particular entry.

“Gravitic Snare, Gravity affinity,” Adrian said, “Creates a localized field of pressure that pins or slows a target for one to three seconds. Short range, requires intense concentration, and drains mana steadily while active.”

The announcement rippled through the hall. Surprise, skepticism, and curiosity spread among the cadets. “Gravity?” someone whispered. “That is tied to Space. Everyone knows how impossibly difficult it is to comprehend.”

“He is overreaching,” another voice murmured. “Echo users are supposed to struggle with stabilization, and Gravity is not something you can just casually reshape your mana into.”

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed, while Kai let out a faint scoff. To someone with a true Space affinity, anyone attempting to touch an adjacent power like Gravity without the proper foundation seemed destined to fail. Yet even Kai’s reaction carried interest rather than simple disdain. If Adrian somehow succeeded in this, then humanity would be gaining a strong Defender in the future, and everyone in that hall understood that humanity needed strength more than pride.

Adrian’s expression remained calm. He simply returned to his place in line, his mind already focused ahead on the battlefield, on the rare chance to observe and understand the powers of those around him, and on the hidden possibilities that Gravity might open within Source.

Instructor Thorne broke the murmurs with a sharp command. “You have a month to prepare. Learn your new skills, test them against the forest beasts, or refine them in the training hall’s simulations.”

He looked at Adrian as he spoke again. “I will be present here in the Vanguard Hall every day. If you have any doubts about comprehending Gravitic Snare, come to me.”

Thorne then looked upon everyone and continued, “For the rest of you, you can only learn the skills by yourselves. As I already said, your affinities are rare, and the Defenders wielding the same affinities are busy on the battlefield. You can only depend upon yourselves to learn the skill.”

“Use this month wisely, and make sure to grow stronger. At the end of the month, you should be able to deal with multiple E-Rank beasts simultaneously. Otherwise, you will die in your first mission itself.”

The reality of his words settled in. They had one month to train themselves and become as strong as Academy students who had trained for three years. For ordinary students, such a demand would have sounded absurd. For the seven members of the Vanguard Program, it was the price of standing on the path humanity had chosen for them.