Chapter 17: The Mind Ascends
Alex sat alone in his office, dim light casting shadows across the walls. A soft hum of machinery underscored the quiet as he held the newly summoned artifact in his hands—Mindhalo of Ascension. It hovered an inch above his palm, a radiant ring pulsing with gold and indigo light. The mental energy it radiated was intense, but calming, like a song he had once heard in a dream.
Alex turned it slowly in his hands, its energy feeding directly into his mind. He glanced at the Mindcube of Clarity hovering in his mind—his old companion in this journey of mental strain and discovery. The idea sparked naturally: What if... what if they were combined?
He walked over to the Summoning Grid Table, still glowing from the last merge. He placed the Mindcube and the Mindhalo into the grid. His hand trembled slightly as he activated the merge. Light burst from the table—swirls of white, gold, and electric blue dancing like stardust in a whirlpool.
Then—darkness.
His vision faded for a moment as the energy overwhelmed his nerves. Bliss's soft hands rested on his chest as he slowly regained consciousness. "Not again," he muttered, eyes fluttering open
On the table, a new item glowed gently, waiting for him.
[Item Created: Mindcube of Ascension]
Rarity: Mythic
Effect: Vastly boosts mental energy regeneration and resistance to burnout. Allows the summoner to view deeper layers of summoned item or hero fate threads. Enhances strategic insight in high-stress conditions. Increases simultaneous summon limit by one. Acts as a mental relay for surveillance-type summons.
Description: The fusion of ambition and insight. The new core of the mental battlefield.
Alex picked it up with reverence. A faint whisper echoed in his mind—not from the item, but from the memory of Vault's relic. A promise. A link. A purpose.
The cube spun rapidly before vanishing in a shimmer, entering his mindspace. A cooling sensation spread through his skull. The haze in his thoughts lifted. He could feel the energy coursing through every neuron.
His fingers twitched. His heartbeat slowed. His breathing became measured.
"I can think faster," he whispered. "Clearer."
He blinked and opened the item log, eyes scanning dozens of past summons and unsummoned items.
Then he closed his eyes.
Alex took a slow breath, letting the mental energy from the Mindcube of Ascension settle into the corners of his consciousness. The rush of clarity and calm that followed steadied him. He began to organize his thoughts, preparing the next round of deployment reports for his summoned heroes.
He summoned Healer and Magician and gave them a simple mission—visit local hospitals and lend aid, but only to those who asked. With lawsuits and public scrutiny always a concern, he reminded them to respect boundaries. Both nodded and departed through their portals, quiet and graceful.
Moments later, Agent Yurei entered his office. She placed a slim file on his desk. "Report," she said.
Alex leaned back in his chair as he stared at the report Yurei handed him. The words seemed to blur as his mind wandered back to the early days—the beginning of his journey as a Dispatcher. He traced his finger over the name Circuit, printed clearly under "Inactive Summons."
"Circuit," Alex whispered, his voice carrying a quiet reverence.
Yurei stood nearby, arms crossed. "What happened to him?" she asked gently.
Alex took a deep breath. "After I upgraded him… he changed."
He could still remember that moment—the surge of power as the summoned item merged with Circuit. Sparks had danced across the hero's mechanical armor. Circuit had blinked in surprise, his glowing eyes flickering with something that looked like clarity. Then he'd turned to Alex with an odd expression—one that spoke of peace... and finality.
"He stopped responding to my call," Alex said, his voice low. "I tried several times, but nothing happened. It wasn't like a rejection—it was like he was… done. Like he had finally found his closure."
He paused, gripping the edge of the desk.
"Vault was the first to go. He fulfilled his promise. Saved me. Then Circuit—he didn't leave dramatically, no last words. Just silence. I think the upgrade allowed him to complete something inside himself. Something he never spoke about. Maybe he saved someone. Or maybe… he just let go."
Yurei didn't speak right away. The silence between them was respectful, not uncomfortable.
Alex looked up, eyes a bit misty, but composed. "Fixer was summoned afterward. I didn't plan it that way, but it felt like something in the universe made room for someone new—like Circuit passed the torch."
He glanced over at the corner of his office where a small holo-frame displayed images of his earliest summoned heroes. Vault. Zipline. Magician. And Circuit. Each one had shaped his path in a unique way.
"I owe him a lot," Alex said quietly. "He was one of the first to fight beside me. I wish I knew what he found at the end."
Yurei finally nodded. "Maybe silence was his message. Peace doesn't always speak loudly."
Alex smiled faintly. "Yeah… maybe that's true."
He turned his attention back to the report, the weight of memory still heavy, but no longer painful. There was comfort in remembering. Honor in letting go.
Alex glanced back at Yurei, brow furrowing slightly. "Why are you asking these questions now? Circuit's been inactive for a while."
Yurei straightened and replied, "It's for the monthly evaluation. The higher-ups are taking a closer look at your summons. Depending on the report, you might finally get access to the broader government database you've been requesting."
Alex nodded slowly. "That would help a lot."
Sensing his mood, Yurei offered a soft nod and quietly left the office, giving him space to reflect.
But instead of lingering in memory, Alex stood and walked out to check on his recruits.
Kian was out on missions, temporarily assigned to support other hero teams for field experience. That left Leena and Toru.
He found Leena in the greenhouse, crouched by a flower bed. A gentle glow radiated from the mutated sunflower she was tending. She didn't notice him at first, her hands carefully guiding a tendril of the plant.
"Trying to tone it down?" Alex asked.
Leena looked up and nodded. "Yeah… If I can suppress the emotional flare effect, this version might be viable for civilian use. Imagine rooftops with these sunflowers filtering light and air."
Alex gave her an approving nod. "Good work. Let me know how it goes."
Next, he visited Toru's workshop. The scent of metal and ozone hit him instantly. Sparks flew in the background as the engineer-turned-hero adjusted the calibrations on a modified riot shield.
Toru looked up, wiping his hands. "The local police are already deploying my stun pistols. Now I'm experimenting with shield fusions—seeing if I can enhance durability or maybe add a dispersal field."
Alex smiled. "Sounds like progress."
Toru gave a confident nod, clearly in his element. Alex watched the fusion tools hum with energy before stepping back toward the door. His team was growing in ways he hadn't anticipated—and that made him hopeful.
Even with the silence of those gone, the future still buzzed with potential.
___
In a hidden lab cloaked by layers of false walls and stolen encryption, the air hummed with low-frequency energy. Tubes of glowing liquid slithered along the walls, pulsing like veins. In the center of the room, suspended in reinforced glass and metallic restraints, was CR1S1S—the hybrid monster built from the DNA of five apex creatures. Its body twitched in slow movements, as if dreaming in its artificially induced slumber.
The Boss stood nearby, hands clasped behind his back, eyes locked on the creature.
A subordinate approached, voice hesitant. "Sir… about the rogue items. We still don't know the source. But we've intercepted whispers. They're being drawn toward something in government possession. Something old. Possibly powerful."
The Boss didn't turn.
"So they've finally started sniffing." His tone was amused, as if everything was playing out exactly as he wanted. "The government... still pretending they can control what they don't understand."
He looked at CR1S1S, whose tail flexed once, cracking the reinforced glass slightly.
"Let them think they've got peace. Let them plant their trees and parade their little heroes around. When the time comes… I'll show them who the real ruler of this city is."
His smile widened, cold and merciless.
"Very soon now."
[End of chapter 17]