Jelani's body moved with an efficiency that surprised him, even now. The extra stats from Azaron's awakening had compressed what felt like months of bodybuilding and endurance training into mere points, each step precise and measured as he jogged forward.

The geckos emerged from burrows in a rock formation at the mesas edge, scales catching the strange light. Three larger ones moved to the front, forming a defensive line with their irises fixed on the approaching threat.

Their hissing carried across the rocky terrain – meant to intimidate, but Jelani could read the hesitation in how they shifted their weight, how their claws scraped uncertainly against stone.

"Maintain formation!" Tyson's voice echoed across the plateau. "Don't rush i—"

Jelani surged forward, already calculating angles of attack. His hexblade sang through the air in a precise horizontal arc, dark metal connecting with the first gecko's neck. There was no resistance as his blade passed through it.

His blade's momentum carried through to the second creature, its head dropping before its body registered death.

The third gecko launched itself at him, jaws stretched wide enough to reveal three rows of small needle-like teeth. Jelani pivoted left, feeling the wind of its passage ripple his clothes. He thrust his blade downwards with surgical precision, finding its mark right through the reptiles skull.

"Seven o'clock!" Pandora called out as her shotgun cracked like thunder. Pink mist erupted from a gecko Jelani hadn't noticed, the creature freezing mid-stride with a look of euphoria as dark veins spread like poison beneath its scales.

Five more geckos emerged ahead, claws clicking against stone as they spread out in a loose semicircle.

‘Pile up on me. I'll finish this quickly,’

Jelani drew his blade back as he moved forward, preparation for a sweeping strike. Before he could complete the motion, another blast rang out. The leftmost gecko's head exploded in a spray of gore and pink mist, a perfect shot through its forehead.

Jelani glanced back to see Pandora, determination etched on her face as ethereal smoke curled from her weapon's ornate barrels.

“Want to save some for the rest of us?” Pandora’s voice called out from a couple yards back and was mixed with irritation.

She fixed him with an unreadable expression, but Jelani was already turning back to his remaining targets. His blade whipped forward in a precise arc, cleaving through two geckos that had risen to their hind legs. The strike separated torsos from lower bodies, steam rising from the clean cuts.

The other two dropped to all fours, scattering to his flanks with predatory intent. Jelani backstepped from one's lunge, then drove his hexblade through its spine. The blade pierced scales and bone with surprising ease, as if the creature's natural armor meant nothing.

The last gecko nearly got its jaws around his leg, but Jelani's boot caught it square in the chest. The creature tumbled across the rocky ground before his blade found its throat, nearly decapitating it.

Seven more geckos emerged from the den, spreading out in a defensive formation. Jelani tensed to charge, but a shout stopped him.

"Wait!" Isaac's voice cracked behind him. Both he and Greta had finally caught up.

"Leave some for us man!" Isaac added, breathing heavily.

Pandora appeared closer to Jelani's left, squeezing off another shot that turned a geckos head into a bloody mush. Jelani noticed a bar of light running along her shotgun's barrel, slowly filling back up after the shot.

‘So her regular shots come with a small cooldown. Her weapon looks pretty cool though,’

"Can you slow down?" Pandora said, keeping her eyes on the remaining threats. "You aren't the only one here tryna grow."

The surviving geckos hissed in unison, their agitation visible as they stalked past their fallen packmates. Their reptilian irises fixed on the group with predatory focus.

Isaac positioned himself in front of Jelani, pentagon shield raised. His arms trembled visibly, betraying his nerves.

"You don't have to guard me, I'll be fine."

"I know... b-but I've got a new role to play now," Isaac's voice wavered but held determination. "Better to learn how to do it instead of watching from the sidelines."

"Let's work together to finish them off," Greta moved to Jelani's right. Her staff caught his attention – deep mahogany wood crowned with a silver adinkra symbol. A circle with arrows overlapping its top and bottom edges, all pointing inward. The meaning escaped him, but he definitely recognized the symbol.

Greta took a steadying breath and swept her staff forward. Two spikes of earth erupted from the ground but missed their targets. The geckos split apart, circling toward the group with nowhere else to retreat.

Pandora stepped back, shotgun raised. Isaac's shield trembled less now, though his legs still shook. Greta readied another attack, staff glowing faintly.

Two geckos charged Isaac directly. He yelped, swinging his shield in panic – and suddenly, blue pentagon-shaped constructs materialized, slapping the creatures backward. Isaac's eyes widened at his own success.

‘Guess he hadn't tested his ability beforehand. Seems pretty standard though.’

Pandora's shotgun cracked, another gecko dropping as Greta finally found her range. Her earth spikes caught the two Isaac had repelled, impaling them cleanly through the gut.

The remaining four geckos launched a desperate rush. Isaac tried summoning his constructs again but couldn't replicate the effect. One gecko leaped onto him, bearing him to the ground.

Isaac panicked and managed to push it aside with his shield then proceeded crushing its skull manically with its edge. Jelani moved to intercept the other three, his blade taking one through the chest before it could reach Isaac. Pandora's shot claimed another while Greta's final earth spike skewered the last.

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As Jelani moved to collect his cores, he turned to find Isaac breathing hard, Greta kneeling beside him with words of encouragement.

‘N*gga might not make it far as a radiant if these basic geckos got him this shook, But I respect him for pushing forward instead of being another scared ass dude in the back. That's something at least,’

Across the mesa, Malik wasn’t looking as put together. Two geckos had their teeth buried in his thigh while he swung his mace in wild arcs, finally connecting with an approaching gecko's skull. The crystalline head of his weapon crackled with red static as bone and brain matter sprayed across the rocks.

Saveon charged in, massive tower shield held like a battering ram. He swung it in crude but effective sweeps, trying to clear space around his cousin and smacking some geckos in the process.

"I got this, I got this!" Malik called out defiantly as blood leaked down his legs.

"The hell you do!" Saveon cursed, but Malik just laughed, the pain seemingly feeding his excitement.

Around them, Charles' staff pulsed with energy, sending out aurora-like waves that locked approaching geckos in place. Davi had his arm raised with a crossbow attachment on his wrist that he used to pick off the remaining geckos methodically. Multiple geckos were pierced by orange energy arrows.

As both groups finished up and converged, Tyson and Mary approached. Their expressions promised a thorough critique.

"Well," Tyson's voice carried practiced disappointment, "that was a masterclass in how not to handle a raid."

He turned to Jelani first. "You've got skills beyond what a fresh awakened should have," his tone carried suspicion, "maybe it's your weapon's ability. But rushing ahead like that? In a real raid, you'd leave your team exposed and out of position."

Before Jelani could object, Tyson rounded on Malik. "And you – all his recklessness with none of the capability to back it up. Thank whatever gods you believe in that your cousin's got your back."

"Man, whatever!" Malik shot back, still riding his battle high. "You just mad we handling business our way. Yeah, I got bit up a little, but I'm still standing ain't I?"

"You're standing because I saved your dumb ass," Saveon muttered.

"Nobody asked you to! I was finding my rhythm, feeling it out—"

"Finding your rhythm in a morgue is what you were about to do," Tyson cut in.

Malik's jaw tightened. "You just a hater, old man. Can't handle seeing young bloods do their thing."

"Malik," Saveon's voice carried warning, "just listen for once."

"Whatever." Malik crossed his arms, but fell silent.

Tyson turned back to Jelani. "And you – hogging all the kills like some one-man army. What about your team's growth?"

"If I can handle threats efficiently," Jelani kept his voice measured, "isn't that better than risking everyone?"

Mary stepped forward as Tyson's frustration became visible. "The point isn't just about handling threats," she said gently. "Everyone needs combat experience, needs to earn cores. A strong team is more valuable than a strong individual."

Jelani felt the friction between his instincts and her logic. He’d been sold the idea of being a one army by Azaron but there was still a practical reality he had to deal with. After a moment, he nodded. "My bad yall," he told his team. "Got carried away with testing my limits."

"Thanks for owning it," Greta smiled. "We've got to learn to move as a unit if we want to make real change out here."

Pandora seemed like she had something to add but decided to keep it to herself.

Malik scoffed, clearly annoyed at being the only one still in the wrong.

Tyson ran a hand over his face, visibly resetting his patience. "Alright, time to deal with your cores. First rule – keep them secure in your inventory. Some raiders will steal them first chance they get."

"Each gecko core should give you one source point," Tyson explained. "Basic monsters, basic rewards. You'll get more from stronger enemies later. Take one and then we'll do your first absorption."

Each person in the group manifested one core from their inventory and waited.

His expression grew serious. "Fair warning – this isn't pleasant. Absorbing source in the early phases will cause your body to react in ways you’re not used to. Everyone experiences it different, but it always hurts. For now limit yourself to one core at a time,"

"Focus on drawing in the energy," Tyson continued. "Like pulling in a deep breath, but with your whole body."

The sensation hit like liquid fire in Jelani's veins. His muscles tensed as the gecko's source energy fought its way through his system. Around him, others showed similar reactions – faces contorted, bodies tensing. Malik's knees hit the ground as he let out a pained yelp with two cores in his hands.

"Lord have mercy," Mary muttered, watching their reactions. "Why are boys so damn hard-headed?"

"Check your status scroll," Tyson said once they'd recovered. "You should see your available source points at the bottom."

Jelani opened his scroll, surprised by what he saw:

Name: Jelani Von

Strength: 5

Durability: 5

Speed: 5

Source: 5

Mind: 5

Stamina: 5

Current total: 30 pts | 470 pts to next rank

Souls available: 8

Source pts available: 24

‘Twenty four pts? That’s three points per kill?’

Jelani kept his face neutral despite his shock. He didn’t want to seem too excited and draw questions.

‘Must be Azaron's system giving me extra. That’s gonna be clutch as fuck!’

"Now for the fun part - where to put those points," Tyson began, pacing slowly. "Each class has traditional builds, stuff that's proven effective. Warriors usually stack strength, sorcerers pump source, sentinels focus durability, and artillerists favor speed."

He stopped, looking each trainee in the eye. "But your perfect spread depends on your weapon's ability and how you fight. Some warriors need speed more than raw power. Some sentinels split between durability and source. You'll figure out what works for you."

"Try allocating a point now," Mary added. "Get a feel for it."

‘There’s lots of way I could spread these points, but for now I’ll do three in strength until I can experiment a bit more in private.’

Pain shot through his muscles like they were being shredded and rewoven. His knees buckled as the changes took hold, each fiber adapting to its new potential.

"And that," Tyson pointed at Jelani's grimace, "is why we don't get greedy with stat raises. Too many at once can leave you incapacitated."

The others added their points more cautiously, though Malik, predictably, followed Jelani's example. He crashed to one knee with his teeth gritted.

Mary sighed. "Lord give these boys some sense to not be so impatient,"

Once everyone recovered, Tyson's expression grew more serious. "Usually in a hunt-type vortex, the end goal would be tracking down a boss monster. But this place is... different. No boss spawns, just waves of geckos on several mesas until there’s no more. After a couple of days the spawns reset but don’t worry we won’t be here that long,"

"Is there any idea why this is happening?" Jelani asked.

"Honestly. No clue. We've heard of similar phenomena, but none that stayed stable for repeated entries like this." Tyson lowered his voice. "Keep it quiet though. Military finds out, they'll take control faster than we can blink."

"That don't sound too smart by your own logic," Malik cut in, a smug grin spreading across his face. "What happened to not taking unnecessary risks?"

"Says the guy who just got his leg chewed up by basic geckos," Tyson shot back. "And you're right – this ain't my call. Upper management sees an opportunity to bolster our numbers quick,”

"Any boost in radiants doing good work is a net positive right now," Mary added, though her tone suggested she shared some of Tyson's reservations.

“Even if it feels like we’re throwing a glass of water on a house fire." Tyson added sardonically.

Jelani nodded slowly. "Makes sense. Better to have more people on the right side of things, even if the odds look bad."

‘Especially with whatever Azaron hinted was coming’

"Glad someone's thinking practically," Tyson said. "Now, there's another land bridge ahead leading to the next mesa. We'll get you some more practice there." His eyes narrowed. "And this time, maybe we stick to actual formations?"