The city had settled into an uneasy calm, the sun casting long shadows across the rooftops. Onex stood atop a high-rise, the wind tugging at their cloak, halos spinning softly around their wrists. Nix was crouched beside them, eyes scanning the streets below.
[Ding!]
[Incoming Alert: Shadow Syndicate – High Threat Encounter]
[Recommended Action: Engage / Farm Aura]
Onex's eyes narrowed. "Finally… they've decided to test me."
Nix smirked. "About time. I was starting to think you'd be bored forever."
The first wave appeared without warning—a swarm of shadowy figures, each radiating unstable aura patterns. They moved with precision, clearly scouts, but there were too many to ignore.
Onex activated Shadowlight, letting it coil around their arms. Voidlight halos flared around their legs, lifting them into a rapid, twisting aerial assault. Every strike absorbed fragments of enemy aura.
[Ding!]
[Aura Absorbed: +45 Shadowlight / +30 Voidlight]
[Skill Progress: Shadow Step Combo Ready]
"Not bad," Nix muttered, flipping a blade that glowed faintly with absorbed aura. "You've been practicing."
"Every moment counts," Onex replied, landing a spinning kick that sent two scouts crashing into a nearby wall. The sound of cracking concrete echoed down the empty streets.
The scouts regrouped, this time coordinating in triads, trying to flank Onex and Nix. But Onex anticipated the move, using Eclipse Flicker Dash to appear behind them. A series of strikes absorbed their aura mid-motion, causing the system to ping repeatedly.
[Ding!]
[Aura Absorbed: +60]
[New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Crush]
Nix's grin widened. "Looks like someone's leveling up fast."
Onex shot a glance at Nix. "And you better keep up. They won't stop sending waves."
Half an hour passed in a blur of motion and aura exchanges. Every encounter felt like a puzzle—predict patterns, absorb energy, and respond. Onex barely broke a sweat, but the system notifications were relentless.
[Ding!]
[Mini-Boss Detected: Shadow Syndicate Lieutenant – Aura Level 150]
[Recommended Action: Caution / Advanced Combat]
Onex's gaze sharpened. This wasn't a scout. This was someone trained, dangerous, and aware of aura tactics.
The lieutenant appeared atop a nearby building, a dark halo swirling around their fists. With a commanding gesture, they launched a barrage of energy spikes. Onex countered with Shadow Crush, absorbing part of the assault while Voidstep dodged the rest.
Nix hissed, impressed. "They're fast… even for Syndicate standards."
Onex smirked. "Good. Makes it fun."
The fight escalated, every strike sending shards of aura flying. Onex's system pinged continuously, logging every absorption, every skill upgrade, every movement.
[Ding!]
[Aura Absorbed: +90 Shadowlight]
[New Skill Ready: Eclipse Twin Strike]
With a sudden burst, Onex combined Shadowlight and Voidlight into a single concentrated strike, shattering the lieutenant's defenses. The figure was thrown back, leaving behind a trail of dissipating aura.
Nix's jaw dropped. "I didn't think that would work…"
Onex landed gracefully, letting halos spin and stabilize. "That's the advantage of farming every ounce of aura. You learn efficiency."
As the last of the scouts retreated, the city seemed eerily quiet. But Onex could sense a lingering presence, faint but deliberate—someone was watching, analyzing, waiting.
[Ding!]
[Warning: Shadow Syndicate Overwatch – Unknown Entity]
[Recommendation: High Alert]
Nix's eyes narrowed. "They've got someone else out there… probably the real leader."
Onex nodded. "And they're smart. I can feel the aura—they're assessing our abilities, our limits. Good. Let them. I've already prepared."
The sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the city in gold and crimson. Onex and Nix moved silently through the streets, checking rooftops, alleys, and vantage points, anticipating the next wave. Each step was deliberate, each move calculated.
[Ding!]
[Daily Aura Farm Complete: +350]
[Skill Growth: Shadow Step Combo +20% Efficiency]
[Halo Fusion Potential Detected: Stage 2 Unlock Possible]
Onex flexed their fingers, letting halos flare. "They think this is an attack. I see it as an opportunity."
Nix chuckled softly. "Opportunity for what? To show them who's boss?"
"Exactly." Onex's eyes glinted. "And by the time the Syndicate realizes it, we'll already be too far ahead."
The city lights flickered as shadows deepened, marking the beginning of a siege that would test every skill, every halo, and every ounce of aura Onex had collected.
And somewhere in the darkness, the true Syndicate leader watched, eyes gleaming, fully aware that the young halo farmer was already more dangerous than expected.
[Ding!]
[Next Chapter: Aura Surge Trial – Extreme Difficulty]
Onex and Nix disappeared into the night, halos spinning, ready for the challenges that awaited—knowing that this was just the first wave of what was coming.