“While you were working on imitating my amazing construct, I worked on gathering where we need to go to get what we want once we’re there, so just follow me. First, we’ll go get our own account to connect to the front base network,” Arik, who proved again that he prepared himself the best, took the lead.

Stepping out of the platform a few seconds after it was secured and people started to come from everywhere, they went through one of the 4 available very big doors, at least spaceship-sized from Rune’s opinion.

From behind, he heard the officer who gave them the crash course order the first-timer patrollers around. He wished them the best before promptly ignoring them, the front base was much, much bigger than he expected.

Be it below, above, or any direction at 360 degrees, his sphere wasn’t able to find any limit. It was just more corridors, open spaces, perception-blocked rooms, and people.

‘100% it’s not just a base. Maybe they’re planning to welcome a permanent population? It’s still tier 4 ether density after all, so everyone is gaining some EP with time.’

Under Arik’s lead, the group took a few stairs and climbed to what the signs indicated as the “48th floor”, with the first floor being the topmost one, which was currently located outside of their perception.

There, even Arik started to hesitate at every turn and even asked a passersby where the “Network Registration Office” was. It seemed he had missed the piece of info telling him that there were multiple ones, explaining why some signs contradicted each other.

Once they got there, they just had to ask to be given an account while showing a simple identity chip. The process only took a few minutes and they were out after that with a newly-gained access to the “Bone Region Front Base Network”.

From there, it was Atsryde who took the lead after she communicated with her connected screen.

[I already contacted someone from the time watcher association. Lodging on the 136th floor, she’s also saying it’s just above a “social floor” where we’ll have easy access to what we need.]

“I don’t have a plan for where to settle, so let's just take your contact's words for what they are and check,” Arik didn’t say he didn’t have any more plans, he just said he didn’t have one for where they would settle for a bit.

As this time it was a massive way down, they opted to take one of the vertical corridors. Free falling for a few minutes took them to where they wanted to be, and they also started to understand why certain floors were called “social” floors.

It wasn’t thousands but tens of thousands of people that could be directly seen walking, playing, discussing, shopping, and miraculously enough, drinking for some.

‘So it’s really possible to recreate physical senses with only energy.’

Of course, “drinking” was only what Rune interpreted from people using a weird energy construct to go through glasses that contained liquid, and that liquid vanished after the construct touched it.

‘They must have too much time, or they’re true regulars that have been here for months.’

Stopping at the 136th floor, just above the floor with lots of people and lots of new things to explore, Astryde contacted her time watcher association’s… Friend? Again, and obtained the precise direction in a unique way.

[She’s here, the one who’s waving her hand and has a red scarf.]

‘Oh, it’s true that I’ll need to find a way to be recogni-’

He felt very stupid.

‘-zable…’

It was really awkward in his mind suddenly.

‘Sigh…’

Mobilizing his energy, which had by the way been proven to not have a physical existence before being prompted into existence, he used his already present energy clothes and changed their colors.

He made them switch from the usual gray with bands of black to blue, red, and green, before returning to grey with black bands.

‘Let’s just forget about this dear myself. Is it possibly a consequence of losing my brain? Or am I really that forgetful?’

While Rune was having an introspective war, the group started to move again after mapping an itinerary leading to the red-scarfed skeleton.

Minutes later they had reached “her” and Astryde went forward to discuss one on one, Arik and Rune remained behind “by politeness”. They didn’t want to intrude on this meeting.

“There’s an available apartment not far from here, it’s been freed a few days ago and I reserved it for your group,” a female voice got out from the red-scarfed skeleton.

[Lead the way? Once I settle my 2 pieces of luggage I’ll be free to go check the time watcher association and actualize.]

“Haha, luggage? In this case, it means you’ll become my own personal luggage soon?”

[I’m a piece of very light luggage compared to them.]

“Hohoho! Ok! Let’s go then,” she sounded good-natured and went with the flow as she took Astryde’s skeletal hand and started to walk, bringing her with her.

It went faster than the 2 asocials thought possible and Astryde waved at them, indicating to follow behind her as they went to a deserted corridor where Astryde did something after her friend told her how to.

“She’s using the network to rent an apartment, turn on the rent filter of the network public map,” Arik helpfully advised the ignorant Rune, allowing him to finally understand what was happening.

‘Oh…’

The door was unlocked a minute later as Arik and Rune received a notification that they became renters of the “58th corridor, 16th apartment, 136th floor of the bone region front base”, a really systemized notification that the two swept to the side, not caring to answer or look at it in detail.

[I’m leaving for now, send me a message if something important happens or if we have to urgently depart for whatever reason.]

After making sure we read her message, she departed with the red-scarfed skeleton in tow, not even entering the apartment she just rented.

“I’m leaving too,” Arik being Arik, he didn’t explain anything and just departed on his own.

‘Well, if everyone’s leaving, then I’m leaving too! Urban exploration is one of my hobbies!’

Making a fist and taking on a glorious pose, he made sure the apartment’s door was locked and started on his 3rd tour in less than 24 hours.

Being alone only made him feel freer than being with others, that was something he knew, so he hyped himself at being left alone.

‘First target: Not any of the social floors! I’ll start with the first floor!’

On those thoughts, he used his perception to find a new vertical corridor.

…

‘A bummer again. Did I set my expectations too high? Not like I can help it, even if there’s only a 0.000001% chance of finding a The Secluded Corner-like establishment, I need to make it happen!’

Rune had a personal methodology he developed himself when it came to urban exploration, and the first rule that led him to now feel a bit bored was that he needed to check… Everything. Every named room could have a shocking origin, every floor could have a secret.

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However, it became clear to him now that despite the front base having many people, only a small percentage of them were civilization-specialized.

‘I know only weirdos would make this base their main area of influence! But weirdos are exactly what I want to find here!’

After going through the first 20 floors nonetheless, he had to face reality, his urban exploration methodology was outdated here.

So he had to innovate.

‘Hum… I think I may have a fantastic plan… Let’s go with recovering my voice first, after that…’

A plan was being built at light speed in his mind. It was a plan that took 2 major factors into account, it also requested of him something he only now realized he could use.

‘First, nobody can recognize me, thank ether for this bone transformation. Second, my intent accessories and color creation proficiency are perfect at becoming someone else. And if nobody can recognize me, then I can act however I want…’

Clarifying his own plan step by step as he always did, he started to love the concept of this innovative urban exploration.

‘If I get my voice back, then use cosmic mist to hide my connected screen…’

He hadn’t even consciously thought about it yet, but his body automatically moved him back to a vertical corridor, where he got off at the 136th floor while refining more and more his amazing-sounding plan.

And then he reached their rented apartment. He didn’t hesitate to enter as despite it having perception-blocking energy walls, they weren’t strong enough for his specialty-boosted perception.

It meant he would still be able to observe all the people using and making their own larynx energy construct below, accelerating his learning process.

With all the right conditions united like that, Rune only had one thing to do.

…

“But a bit of better butter will make my batter better. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Can you can a can as a canner can can a can? Which witch is which? I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.”

Reciting famous tongue twisters he found online, Rune was satisfied with the end result. The last key fragment was now in his hand and he could start his plan whenever he desired.

And he desired for it to start now.

“The plan ‘Invisible Talking Skeleton’ is from now on… Started!”

Releasing cosmic mist, he started by filling his skull with it. Releasing even more cosmic mist, he created a reinforcement shape out of it and covered all his body with it.

And the final touch: He added the 1st stage intent. Now, he was thoroughly hidden to anyone else except people who had a similarly powerful perception and people who successfully recreated any physical senses capable of detecting him.

“Weirdos detector is officially online, and now for the intent-sensitive people detector,” the sound of his larynx energy construct escaped from his bony throat and passed through his 1st stage intent cosmic mist as he expected.

Below the layer of cosmic mist, nearly fused with his bones, energy started to take on a color similar to that of gold, a pale gold, the best color fitting for being infused with heroism-related intents.

‘Don’t know what will happen, I’ll let the world decide this fate.’

Set-up nearly finished, he only needed to add the finishing touch: Intent accessories.

‘I don’t know how to make eye energy constructs that work, and creating eyes would ruin the harmony provided by the skeleton appearance. I’ll only do tattoos then, tattoos with an unmistakably different intent.’

Violet-black lines of energy started to spread all over his pale golden energy covering, it was the ultimate color for the corruption-related intent, and he had much more experience with this one than with heroism. It was just a question of taste in the end, no wrong or right.

‘With that, my preparations are complete. Only physical senses, powerful perceptions, and cameras will be able to see me. And if they see me, I’ll also be able to tell as the shock from seeing such a…’

A pale golden skeleton with violet-black line tattoos wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts.

‘Unique. Yeah, a unique skeleton will make them react at least a bit. Let’s go.’

An entire day after entering the apartment, Rune exited as a changed skeleton. According to his innovated urban exploration plan, he wasn’t Rune Tudor anymore.

‘Cosmic Mist? No, too direct and obvious. Mist? Very general, obvious alias, perfect for this ridiculous plan of mine. Let’s go with that. I’m Mist Guy.’

Now, he was Mist Guy, a guy who wanted to live interesting things and who was very direct when it came to that. Ideally, he was also a social guy who was happy to get to know new unique people, and who didn’t hesitate to join dubious but funny activities, but never gave a permanent way to contact him. He was a guy you could only temporarily be with before he vanished.

“First objective: The social floor just below me! Is someone hearing me right now? I don’t care! What you’re hearing are just random sound waves after all, I’m not even here! You’re hallucinating too!”

…

“I’m telling you, I can feel it! It’s just there!”

‘How did the weirdos find me so fast…’

“Hu… I feel nothing? You sure you didn’t sniff some ether Hazard?” A yellow-ish skeleton asked this question back.

“You don’t really use intent so of course you feel nothing! But why aren’t you feeling it too Crystal?” A green-tinted skeleton had “found” Rune, and he seemed to belong to the intent-weirdos tribe.

“I’m just a bit better than Fission in intent creation, so it would be weird if I could detect it like you are doing,” a female voice escaped from one of his 3 pursuers, this one belonging to an ornate skeleton with a few gems lying here and there.

‘Hazard, Crystal, and Fission… What are those weird names?’

While they were pursuing him, it wasn’t really an “active” pursuit, it was more like a leisure hide and seek game. Rune also didn’t hesitate to slow down and near the guy called Hazard who could feel him to learn more and made him continue chasing him.

“Again! Don’t tell me you can’t feel it now Crystal!”

When Rune closed in again, he felt it again, so he exclaimed again. It was a cycle that already happened 5 times.

“Well… No?” She answered very hesitatingly this time.

‘Is my cosmic mist inhibiting a part of the radiated intent? I don’t think I have even the slightest propriety about blocking intent… Should I work on it as my 6th stage? Or include it in my 5th?’

“Are you just straight-up lying or are you supporting Fission? You should know better than being shy about expressing your superiority over him when you worked hard on it,” as if he realized what was going on, he got Rune out of his mind and turned to Crystal, admonishing her a bit.

“No! That’s not it! It’s just that… It’s not any intent I know, I think it’s more like an artist's intent? And as I have no experience with those…” Flustered by Hazard, she gave the true reason why she didn’t agree with him wholeheartedly.

‘What a weird group… But then they’re even more fitting for who I want to acquaint myself with, aren’t they?’

Ending up with this conclusion, he went forward and neared the skeleton called Hazard.

‘Doing a prank would be of bad taste. Would I want an invisible guy to pick me up suddenly? Of course not. And I’m Mist now! A social guy who likes to make new friends but not give his contact information!’

“There! There! What the f*ck! It’s so much clearer now!” The primary pursuer, Hazard, immediately sensed his continuous approach.

“Mmh, mmh, it’s much much clearer,” even Crystal nodded repeatedly.

“Oh…? I think, maybe?” The insensitive guy, Fission, finally seemed to get something, “But if you didn’t tell me… Should I study a bit of intent? Having such an obvious thing be missed just due to not being initiated to it is a shame.”

“Well! At least you’re not totally insensitive to intent, and yes it’s such a shame to miss out on the marvelous world of intent. But don’t go too into it if you’re not planning on using it,” a voice slightly different from Rune’s natural one was heard.

“Ahah! See! There’s really something! It’s even someone!” The moment there was an unknown answer, Hazard understood it was his target and had a joy boost at having succeeded.

“Yeah, yeah, you really catched up on me a lot faster than I expected! My plan of finding weirdos has succeeded much faster thanks to you!”

“Weirdos?” Crystal asked from the side, she didn’t share Hazard’s enthusiasm at finding him.

“Why are you still stealthed?” Fission also didn’t share it, he appeared a bit cautious?

“I’m not stealthed, you just can’t see me! I’m pointing at you with my finger but you can’t see it! That’s it!”

“Prrr! Hahaha! That’s the definition of stealth!” Easy-going Hazard already seemed to have become friends with Rune and followed his rhythm.

“And you, dear Crystal, you’re a weirdo for even knowing what intent are! Detecting it is making you even more of a huge weirdo! Accept it!”

“I’m not a weirdo!” She defended herself immediately.

“Yes you are! You can’t be the one to say you’re not a weirdo! Let’s ask your 2 friends if you’re a weirdo or not!”

Not being able to smile truly saved Rune as otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to talk looking at the amount of comedy the situation he was in radiated.

“Crystal is a weirdo! Agree!” Easy-going Hazard struck again.

“She’s not completely one, maybe a half-weirdo at best,” Fission half-agreed, with not a bit of reluctance in his voice.

“Only the truth hurts, girl! You’re a girl, right? Or you’re using a high-pitched voice to trick me? You’re not such a degenerate girl, right? I’ll call my youngest little sister if you are… Wait, no, that’s too violent…”

“Of course I’m a girl!” Emotions seemed to take control as even her body shook from frustration, “Give me your name! I’ll report you to the crazy association!”

“I’m Mist! Happy meeting 2 and a half weirdos so fast! Yes Fission, you’re also a complete weirdo in my book, look at your name, fission? What the penguin is that, why are all your names so weird? You’re all members of the crazy association? Did you just try to recruit me then girl?”

“You also have a weird name! It’s even an elemental name so are you a member of the elementalist club too? You’re trying to trick us?” It seemed worked-up Crystal had become his main interlocutor.

“Elementalist club? Jackpot! What is this club about? Is it full of weirdos like you? Wait, let’s find a place to settle down first, why not add music while we’re at it? I have a plethora of fantastic ones you must have never heard before. Do you have any urgent duty to attend to by the way?”

Looking at him silently for a few seconds, Crystal just looked like a skeleton with its mouth wide open.

“What’s your problem?” Was her only answer.