Having access to a fount of information like Bianca Law did wonders for James' peace of mind. He got confirmation that his targets had reached C-rank but also that they were likely not in the best shape. That they were horrible people all around was nice to know, too.

Not that I had any doubt in mind, but there will be no misplaced sense of guilt this way. I might have hesitated had they been loving fathers.

James restrained the urge to mess with his hair as he walked down the streets of downtown Miami with an iced coffee in hand. Lauren had spent a good half an hour getting it dark brown and straight, and he knew he'd pay if he undid all her hard work.

His overall appearance hadn't changed too much. Just enough to provide some anonymity when his identity was questioned. He wore baggy jeans and a white shirt with the Clearsky logo, a small cloud in a blue field.

Even that was enough to make his heckles rise, but there was a good reason behind the subterfuge. Upon request, Bianca had provided him not just with information about Hopkins and Knowles but also with a meticulously crafted fake identity. This persona, Thomas Green, was supposedly a G-rank Awakener from a small suburb on the outskirts of Fort Lauderdale who had recently arrived in the city to seek fortune and recognition. The backstory was detailed enough to withstand casual scrutiny, complete with a fabricated history of minor feats and a believable reason for leaving his community behind - the death of his parents in a monster attack.

While suburbs were almost a thing of the past, some still clung to them stubbornly, and so it wasn't too unusual for people to die there.

All of this effort was for one reason. Infiltrating the Clearsky Guild without raising suspicions about his actual strength.

As Thomas Green, James would request an assessment of his potential, something that most guilds did for free, especially those looking to recruit en masse while engaged in a turf war with a larger organization.

Now, D-rank Awakeners didn't appear out of nowhere, unfortunately. Almost always, they were nurtured by a guild or at least had a connection with powerful people, which allowed them access to dungeons they needed to grow.

An unknown D-rank, for all that he might have valid papers, did not walk through the doors of a guild to ask for a place. They were recruited by dedicated personnel or developed a relationship with Awakeners inside the guild and were then brought in.

This meant it would take far too long for James to access the people he wanted. Luckily for him, one of his experiments had resulted in an ability that perfectly suited this situation.

Ethereal Harmony was a skill capable of translating his physical body into the ether, thus making him untouchable by all. Some tinkering with it had resulted in a couple of levels gained and a minor discovery.

If he dedicated a couple of minutes to it, James could shunt only his mana into the ether while keeping himself in the real world. This had the side effect of making it impossible even for someone as mighty as Mr. Julian to tell he was a D-rank. For all intents and purposes, while keeping Harmony active in this manner, James appeared as a fledgling Awakener. And he could keep it up indefinitely since his mana regeneration outpaced the cost of maintaining it.

This maneuver was useless in combat, where every drop of mana could mean the difference between life and death. Yet, in this context, it was the perfect ruse.

His heart pounded slightly faster with each step closer to the Clearsky Guild building, a towering structure that loomed ahead. Anxiety gnawed at him, not from fear of confrontation but from the anticipation of finally facing the men responsible for his father's betrayal. Every scenario ran through his mind, and each outcome was analyzed for the best approach and potential fallout.

I'm not even meeting them today. I need to go through the assessment first, and only if I fool them can I request to meet with them privately.

Finally, James reached the building. It was a new construction, all steel and glass, and he could sense robust protections covering the whole surface.

It was nowhere near what the New York AA HQ was, but then again, it wasn't a designated shelter spot in case of emergency dungeon breaks.

The Clearsky Guild was a rising power, and it was noticeable in the way significant wealth was dropped in the construction of its headquarters. Marble stairs lead up to the entrance, which was guarded by two burly men who James could feel were at the cusp of E-rank.

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Walking through the door, James let his psychic senses subtly expand, scanning the building for the presence of Awakeners. The guild was bustling with activity, the air buzzing with the energy of numerous conversations and the whir of computers. He noticed several powerful signatures, the unmistakable mark of high-ranked Awakeners, but he promptly dismissed those far above C-rank from his immediate concern.

Instead, he honed in on those within the range he was interested in, weaving through the lobby with practiced ease while keeping his senses alert for Hopkins and Knowles. James mentally reviewed his cover story as he approached the receptionist, a young woman with blonde hair, a warm smile, and an efficient demeanor.

"Good morning," he greeted, offering a friendly smile that he hoped matched his new persona. "I'm here for an assessment. I've been told the Clearsky Guild is the best place for an Awakener like me to start."

He slid over the AA card Bianca had given him, which identified him as Thomas Green, a G-rank Awakener with a Warrior Talent. The receptionist took the card, her practiced eyes scanning it before she tapped a few keys on her computer.

"Just a moment, Mr. Green. I'll process your request," she said, her tone professional yet welcoming.

James nodded and moved to sit in one of the plush chairs in the lobby. As he pretended to wait patiently, his psychic search continued, sifting through the guild members present in the building.

It took more time than he would have liked, as the guild had several C-ranks whose presence was quite shady, but eventually, he found them. He had only needed to delve into their minds for a second to know who they were. Jeremy Hopkins and Theo Knowles were just as slimy and disgusting as he had thought.

Despite that icky feeling, their minds were still structured and solid. These were not men who struggled with regrets like Donovan had. Instead, they seemed to revel in the position they held.

His cursory search had only been long enough to ensure they were who he thought they were, as James didn't want to run afoul of wards or enchanted artifacts.

His experiences with the crocodilian had taught him that while almost no one could handle his psychic might, it didn't mean that countermeasures weren't available. They might not be popular, but it was best to be careful.

"Mr. Green?" The receptionist's voice pulled James from his musings. "If you'll follow me, we have reserved an assessment for you."

He stood, returning the warm smile as he followed her guidance towards the training and demonstration area on the first floor. The elevator ride was smooth, and the receptionist chattered mindlessly about all the features he'd be able to use if he made it in. The first floor was an open corridor through which warm sunlight illuminated a series of glass doors.

They walked to the first on the left, which slid open to reveal an extensive chamber with high ceilings, polished floors, and mirrors lining one wall. It was equipped with various training apparatuses and sparring mats, far removed from the clinical setting of the AA assessments. Here, personal attention and hands-on evaluation seemed to be the norm.

Waiting for him was a woman of Caribbean descent with an air of confidence and physical fitness that spoke of years of training. Her presence radiated an E-rank energy signature, solid but not overwhelmingly so. She greeted James with a warm smile, extending a hand. "Hello, Thomas. I'm Clara, and I'll be conducting your assessment today."

"Pleased to meet you, Clara," he responded.

The woman said her goodbyes to the receptionist, who slid away silently before turning to regard James. Her questions were straightforward. "So, what brought you to the Clearsky Guild?" she asked, her curiosity genuine.

"I saw an ad online that led me to this really cool recruitment video. It just...spoke to me, you know?" James improvised, playing up the role of a starry-eyed newcomer. It wasn't entirely a lie; such tactics were common among guilds seeking to attract new Awakeners, and he had watched his fair share of Michael Towers videos.

"And has anyone mentioned any peculiarities about your Talent?" Clara continued, noting his responses on a tablet.

James nodded, crafting his lie carefully. "Yeah, the inspector from the AA mentioned I'm quite resilient for my rank. Took a bit more to phase me than others, apparently."

Clara seemed satisfied with his answers. Standing up, she gestured towards the center of the room. "Alright, Thomas. Let's see what you've got. Try to land a hit on me, and we'll assess from there."

James hesitated for a moment, aware of the delicate balance he needed to strike. He couldn't reveal his true strength, but he also couldn't appear too incompetent. Stepping into the designated area, he focused on maintaining his facade of a G-rank Awakener.

He launched a tentative punch towards Clara, carefully controlling his strength to match his supposed rank. Unsurprisingly, Clara deftly sidestepped, her movements fluid and precise.

She allowed him to continue with his clumsy assault, and had James not been able to compartmentalize his emotions, he would have burned in embarrassment at the show he was putting on.

Soon, Clara started adding gentle taps when he overextended, guiding him into the correct form. It was obvious that more than being an E-rank Awakener, she was a martial artist.

James continued for a while, demonstrating the resilience he had spoken of by fighting more than the average G-rank could, at least while enhanced. This seemed to please the woman. "Good," she said with an approving nod. "You have potential, Thomas. Let's try a few more exercises to gauge your abilities further."

As they continued with the assessment, James found himself admiring Clara's approach. She was thorough and encouraging, pushing him just enough to reveal his capabilities without overwhelming him. It was a stark contrast to the impersonal and sometimes harsh evaluations conducted by the AA. Still, he supposed they could use a much more personalized approach since they only had a couple of new entries every other week.

The assessment concluded without incident, with Clara providing constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement. "You've done well for a G-rank, Thomas. Of course, there's room for growth, but you have a solid foundation. If you could be so kind as to return to the lobby, I'll send my recommendation."

"Thank you, ma'am," James replied, dabbing his forehead of nonexistent sweat.

He resisted the instinct of taking the elevator to the third floor, where he could feel his targets laze around, and went down to the lobby.

There, the receptionist was waiting for him with a contract in hand. "Hey, Thomas. You've made quite the impression! This contract covers five years of service with us, but it can always be renegotiated if you go up in rank sooner. Let me know if you have any questions!"

James made a show of reading the papers before stopping at one particular line that had started this whole farce. New Awakeners for the Clearsky Guild could request a private meeting with their consultants to receive guidance on their path. "Hey, could I have my meeting with Hopkins and Knowles? They seemed pretty experienced based on what was written on the site." He asked innocently while signing with his fake name.

"Sure." The receptionist replied.