“…only here for a day,” a male voice to my left said.

A soft, familiar buzzing pulled me back to consciousness, but a heavy, almost pleasant numbness kept my eyes closed.

“Thirty-three hours,” a female voice directly to my right replied. Was that Diana?

“Fine, he's been here for thirty-three hours, Di, and you've been at this the whole time. Is he worth it?” the male voice said smoothly.

“It’s not like I summoned a Brine Tyrant to the city, Alexander,” Diana replied plainly. “Higher-class monsters are showing up more and more frequently.”

That stirred something in me. Brine Tyrant? I cracked an eye open, and a flash of my recent memory returned—the blast, the searing heat, the chaos of that damn fight.

“You dodged my question,” Alexander said. This guy was good—I knew it when Diana sighed.

“Do you think you’re worth it, Ben?” she asked lightly. “Worth all the trouble to get you to my Academy?”

I felt my stomach clench. Even with my eyes closed, the weight of her question bore down on me. My mind raced over the past hours. Did I even have an answer?

“I… uh…” I said, still keeping my eyes closed. “I mean, I blew up a giant fucking crab, right? That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

“You hear that, Alexander? He blew up a giant fucking crab,” Diana repeated.

A familiar furious chirping came from Alexander’s direction.

“Shut up, Stanley,” I muttered, opening my eyes.

My gaze adjusted to the dim light, and I took in my surroundings: soft blankets draped over me, curtains drawn to keep the sun out, the gentle buzz of magic in the air.

I was lying in my room at Doreen’s. Sitting right next to me was Diana, in a low-cut white linen dress, her white grassy hair flowed down over her shoulders. Her hands were held out casually over me in some kind of mudra. She smiled when I made eye contact.

Perched on the bedpost was a brown Vildar who looked even more intense than Doreen—like a field mouse in thick plate armor down to clawed boots.

Stanley, in his canary form, sat on his head. The bird was wearing a wide-brimmed hat with a yellow ribbon.

“That’s not what I meant,” Alexander said. “What you do with Lyra is your business. But you’ve pissed off Maris, which means…”

“I know what it means. I’ll meet with her,” Diana interrupted gently. “Ben, darling, do you enjoy politics?”

“Does anyone?” I answered.

“Ha, I’m glad you know the word.” Diana laughed. “I simply saved you from the months of cock-fighting that would have happened when you arrived. Cultured people are not suited to it.”

"Months of politics?" I felt the weight of that settle in my mind. Great, another layer to this mess. Not only was I out of my depth with magic but now I had to deal with bureaucracy.

“Is that why my kind typically leaves?” I asked, trying to sit up. Ow.

“Stay down, stupid,” Diana exclaimed, surprising me with a rare hint of actual concern under her teasing tone.

What was she doing? I could feel something warm moving through my body giving me goosebumps. Was this healing magic?

Alexander’s face softened, and he jumped from the post to the bed, trudging up to me, his armor clattering as he moved. He sighed heavily.

“Usually, yes. How rude of me. I am Alexander Kane. Most know me as the Axe, Grand Master of the Guardians,” he said, holding his hand out over me so I didn’t have to move much. I shook it awkwardly, trying not to jostle myself. He had an extremely firm grip and an absolutely bad ass name for someone so small.

“Benjamin Crawford,” I said.

“I know,” Alexander quipped. “It seems like your mentor here thinks she was doing you a favor. But she never thinks far enough ahead.”

He shook his head.

“That’s not why I’m here. It's simply a coincidence that Diana was near enough to provide healing when I showed up.” He shot a glance at her, and even Stanley let out a peep. “I’m here to give you an accolade, Ben. As an Acolyte, you were considered Class F, able to hunt mana beasts should the need arise. But you have defeated a Class D monster, which is two full classes above your own. Albeit with some help,” he shot another look at Diana.

“Not much, according to Erik,” she snorted.

Class D? Right Felix had explained that. I tried to understand the weight of what it meant. I'd handled a monster ranked high above me, apparently, and yet I still felt raw, unprepared. What would it take to go up against a beast like that without nearly dying?

“Either way, this is an accomplishment worthy of commendation. Where is your Manascript?” Alexander asked, looking around.

“My what?” I said.

“It’s called a pass now, Alexander. The kids don’t like the term Manascript anymore,” Diana stated.

“Oh, I put it in the vest… over there,” I pointed towards the Monster Hunter vest hanging from a hook near the door.

“I didn’t exactly defeat that thing,” I said. “I just kind of blew it up with what I had available.”

“Darling, if blowing up a monster didn't count, the Monster Hunters would be out of a job,” Diana chuckled as Alexander leaped off the bed and walked over to the door.

He unhooked my vest and carried it over to the bed, quickly retrieving the items inside. He produced the wash kit and placed it on my nightstand. Next was the pass. He opened it up and looked at the front page, which seemed to have several red and blue runic seals printed on it. They looked a bit like Chinese seals or stamps.

“Really?” he said, holding it up to Diana. “These actually got him through to the twenty-eighth floor? We’ll need to have a look at our security if a child like you can draw our bypass glyphs.”

She scoffed, but Alexander continued.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve given out this accolade,” he said, producing a large, ornate jade stamp from… somewhere. The bottom was covered in a blue pigment that was left behind when he slammed it into the booklet. It was almost too big for it.

“Benjamin Crawford, the combined council of the Monster Hunters recognizes you as a Breaker, and will afford all benefits that come with the title. Reflect on what it means, Ben. This isn't just about strength—it's about responsibility, about understanding the weight of your actions. Get stronger, not just in power, but in purpose.”

I blinked. Breaker? It sounded intense, dangerous even. The word hung in the air like a challenge.

“An Acolyte and a Breaker in less than a day,” he said, shaking his head. “The last human that came through here started a brawl that lasted for a week. We had to throw her through a portal.” He sighed. “Absolutely bizarre woman. Refused to wear shoes.”

He leaped off my bed with a real flip, landing lightly on a throw rug, which immediately slid out from under him, sending him crashing down onto his rear.

Diana snorted, and I couldn’t help but laugh. The sound echoed in my sore ribs, and for a second, I forgot about all my injuries.

“Dammit, Doreen!” Alexander yelled with sudden fury. “You gods-forsaken clutter-mouse. Clean your house up.” He got to his feet and brushed his bottom off. “I’m going to go yell at Doreen for a while. Speak with your Apprentice—but keep in mind the rules.”

He trudged out of the gaudy room, almost slipping again on an animal skin rug.

“This room looks like a noble family exploded in it,” Diana muttered, her eyes sweeping over the mishmash of tapestries, gilded trinkets, and mismatched furniture that seemed to fight for space in the room. “I’d forgotten how the Russets manage to cram every shiny thing they own into their homes.”

“Russets?” I asked, glancing around. The name fit somehow, all dark, earthy colors offset with ridiculous metallics. Doreen and Alexander were definitely a deep reddish-brown. “Like the color?”

Diana nodded, then leaned back in her chair, cracking her knuckles. “Doreen is a Russet Vildar, Lyra an Albinus. And yes, as you might imagine, they don’t always get along.”

I tried sitting up again, this time with no pain.

“Oh, you’re healed now,” Diana said, gesturing at me with a casual flick of her hand. “At least enough that your body can handle the rest.” Her tone was brisk, as if magically mending someone’s cracked ribs was a simple chore.

“So you’re a healer?” I asked. “Is that what that feeling was?”

“I dabble. Remember when I said I’d hoped you wouldn’t do something crazy? If you plan to fight outside of your class, you’d do well to buy some healing pills—or better yet, a few potions. And—” her eyes narrowed slightly, “Put on some fucking armor next time. You’re not Chas.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

And then it was my turn to scoff. She weaved between languages when she wanted to curse?

“Diana, Alexander said it—I’ve been here less than a day! Wait how long is a day? But it’s not like I’ve got pockets full of gold or something for all that armor and potion talk.” I wasn’t a warrior. I went to Culinary school.

She stood up, crossing the room in two long strides, and picked up a glass orb the size of a basketball from the table. The orb was a vibrant shade of blue, with red flecks that swirled and drifted like embers in water. I could feel an odd hum just looking at it, like it was alive with energy, making the hair on the back of my neck prickle.

“Thirty-six hours to a day, sixty minutes to an hour, sixty seconds to a minute. Sound familiar?” she said, tossing the orb in her hand.

“Incredibly.” I paused, frowning as I studied her. “But back home, we only have twenty-four hours. Is Ark bigger? Slower rotation?”

“You know that much about celestial bodies?” She sounded impressed. “Are you a scholar of some sort? I thought you said you were a cook?”

“I was a manager!” I said defensively. “But it’s pretty common knowledge, I think. We don’t have magic, so… we study everything else.”

Was a Manager? When had I accepted I wasn’t going back?

Diana seemed to find that answer amusing, settling back in her chair and studying me with a newfound interest. “Then how did you know Stanley was Fenghuang… a Phoenix?” Her voice was mild, but her eyes gleamed, like she was testing a theory.

“Are you sure you’re ready to hear the answer to that?” I chided, not wanting to miss an opportunity to repay her in kind.

“Oh, fuck off,” Diana chuckled. “It’s for Stanley. Do you have any how long it took for me to talk him down? He was elated that humans knew of his kind.”

“Stories,” I said simply. “Millions of stories about every kind of imaginable thing. Magic, mythical creatures, gods, planets, space travel—whatever we could dream up, we write about.”

Diana’s face softened, and I could tell I’d caught her off-guard. “Graceful gods,” she murmured. “Humans do sound… interesting. Don’t tell Stanley—the world already struggles to contain his ego.” Her gaze shifted slightly, as if she were seeing me with fresh eyes.

I stared at the glowing orb in her lap. The hum pulsed louder, and my fingers itched to touch it, to feel that power up close. It was like being next a high-voltage wire just out of reach. It reminded me of the Tower. Diana slapped my hand like a child.

“Careful,” she warned. “If your body wasn’t so starved for mana… Right now, you’d probably absorb the gods-damned thing. It’s the Brine Tyrant’s mana core. Extremely effective for restoring mana, and even more valuable as a source for mana coins. This particular core would be worth… oh… about a hundred gold-tier coins.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Whoa. Cassie said it took her a year to earn one of those.”

Diana shrugged, the faintest glimmer of pride in her eyes. “It’s not much for an Adept, but yes. For an initiate, it’s a king’s ransom. Seems you didn’t need my help after all.”

“What help?” I scoffed.

“Ben, you’ve been here for a day,” she replied, a hint of a smirk on her lips. “Walk around the Tower wearing that Acolyte insignia and tell me I didn’t give you a hand.” She paused, her expression shifting to something more calculating. “Then again… the Breaker title may have even more impact.”

Suddenly, I realized—I was naked. I looked down at myself, then back up at Diana.

She rolled her eyes, barely suppressing a smirk. “Ben, I’ve already seen everything, remember? Less than eighteen hours ago.” She waved dismissively, as if modesty was a foreign concept.

I reached for my clothes, getting dressed in my single set while Diana continued, “Erik told me you earned this core, fair and square…”

I interrupted, zipping my vest. “Are you the reason I’m here, Diana? Everyone seems to think you pulled some wild moves to get me into your Academy. The runic circuits—was that all you?”

Diana laughed heartily, throwing her head back. “Ben, if I could Runebind the way Felix described in his report I’d have left this world ages ago.” Her laughter faded, and she leaned forward, voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. “The truth is, we have no fucking idea what that was. I have some theories, but…” she raised a finger, “…those will have to wait.”

“Exam?” I asked.

She nodded, her gaze sharpening. “I’m not officially your mentor until you’re accepted to Sylvarus Academy. And since I’m not a Monster Hunter, you don’t get to enjoy any of those perks until you’re in.” Her gaze softened momentarily, the smallest sign of warmth breaking through. “Unlike Chas and the others, My position demands I play by the rules… most of the time.”

She leaned back, folding her arms. “One more question, then it’s time you face your adoring fans.”

“My what?” I asked, feeling a surge of apprehension. Since when did I have fans?

Diana stretched, clearly ready to leave. “Ben, it’s been over a decade since a Hunter earned a Breaker title on Ark. You saved a lot of lives last night. People are going to remember that, and they’ll want to see who did it. Don’t get too comfortable, though. We lost a few people. Seems no one remembers to lock their doors at night…” She trailed off with a sigh. “Anyway, I’ll take this core to get processed for you. I’m at least allowed to do that much.”

Fans? That couldn’t be the right word. I glanced at her skeptically, but she just raised an eyebrow in return. Right. The Breaker title. And I did blow up a giant crab… Okay, maybe she had a point.

“What about my question?” I asked, feeling like I was owed at least that much.

She tossed her head, exasperated. “You already asked it. And it was stupid.” She shot me a grin, the gleam in her eye practically daring me to protest.

Oh, I’d get her back for that.

----------------------------------------

The instant I stepped into the common room of Doreen’s, the noise erupted. Everyone was pounding tables, walls, or whatever surface they could find. The whole place seemed to vibrate, the pounding taking the place of applause. It was deafening—a chaotic mix of cheers and rhythmic drumming that seemed to shake the entire building.

I hesitated for a moment, stunned. All eyes turned toward me, beaming with admiration. Cassie was there, her large hands clenched in fists, slamming down on a wooden table, her smile wider than I’d ever seen. Felix stood on a chair, drumming his hands on what looked like some kind of timpani hanging from the ceiling. It definitely wasn’t there last night.

“Breaker! Breaker!” Several hunters chanted, and soon the rest took up the call. The sound swelled, filling the room until it seemed like the walls were going to come down. I couldn’t help but grin, a mix of embarrassment and pride rising within me.

Diana, standing off to the side, caught my eye and smirked as if to say, “I told you so.”

I raised my hands in an attempt to quiet the room. It took a while, the pounding and chanting gradually fading as people settled back into their seats or leaned against the walls, still watching me expectantly.

“Alright, alright!” I said, feeling the grin on my face resist my attempts to remove it. “I didn’t do it alone. I had help.”

“Erik got his ass kicked!” Cassie shouted, and the room erupted into laughter. “But our fearless Breaker decided to blow the damn thing up! They’re going to be cleaning goo off the street for weeks—I’d have paid to see it.”

“Fearless is a stretch…” I rolled my eyes. But… I did have Bravery magic, right?

Diana clapped her hands once, the sharp sound echoing like a gunshot in the room.

“Enough hero-worship. Even though he killed a Class D monster, it’s his second day in our world. Ben has a lot to learn, and he’s going to be relying on you to teach him. If you want to fight next to a Breaker—from Earth—help him pass the Exam. You all have things to be doing, so get back to it.”

The room shifted as the energy changed, hunters exchanging glances and then focusing on me with what I could only describe as anticipation. Then, as they moved to leave, the arm-punching began. It was apparently some kind of twisted congratulatory rite, with every hunter who passed me delivering a hearty, painful thump to my arm—right in the same spot each time.

My arm was going to be bruised as hell by the end of this.

Doreen whistled from her chair near the fireplace. “No shit.” She got up, and the remaining people fell silent as she walked toward me with a wicked grin. “Oh, we’ll beat his ass into shape for the Exams. Don’t you worry about that, Dina… uh… Grand Mistress.”

Diana smiled wickedly at me, and I gave her a flat look.

Once most of the hunters had filed out, Cassie gave me one last punch, hard enough to make my eyes water. “Not bad, Breaker. Who’d have thought the weird curtain-guy would actually make a damn good Striker?”

“Oh please, he used re-purposed lantern orbs as bombs! That’s got Arcanist written all over it,” Felix replied.

“Only a Guardian would be stupid enough to run back into a fight,” said a voice from the stairs leading up to the second floor. Erik carefully made his way down the last few steps. He looked worse for wear, a massive bandage wrapped around his chest and left shoulder.

“Erik—holy shit! Are you okay?” I said, rushing over, concern evident in my voice.

He waved me off and stood up straighter.

“I’ll be fine. The Grand Mistress healed the worst of it. The damn thing pierced my armor.” His face showed a glint of pride in his eye. “You got away with only minor wounds and some burns. You did a damn good job, Breaker. Come see me in a few days, and I’ll teach you a few things.”

Cassie snickered. “Erik’s allergic to healing pills.”

He rolled his eyes. “My sister never misses an opportunity to make sure everyone in the damn city knows that.”

Felix handed me a massive bowl filled with porridge and some bread. “Have some breakfast, Ben. Then we’ll get to work. No better way to train.”

I nodded and sat down, ravenous beyond belief at the sight of the food.

It was… bad. The bread was about as fresh as sawdust and you could probably lay bricks with the porridge. But I was starving and wolfed it down, more bread appearing next to me as Felix grabbed it from a serving tray in the center of the table. As a contrast the water in a pewter cup handed to me was cool, sweet and clean. Like drinking spring water.

Doreen’s had mostly emptied by now, though Diana was still here, talking quietly with Erik, probably checking over his wounds and giving him her usual blend of advice and thinly veiled insults.

As I finished the last bite, Stanley soared through the open door, landing on the table next to me. His canary form, tiny and comical, made him look almost out of place amidst the hunters. He cocked his head, showing off his ridiculous wide-brimmed hat with its yellow ribbon, and blinked at me with unmistakable smugness.

I glanced at Diana, who noticed my look, then back to Stanley, and smiled at him.

I held my hand out and Stanley hopped onto it—he was surprisingly light. I lifted him up to eye level and met his eyes. They weren’t a canary’s eyes. I remembered the Phoenix, and his kind and gentle demeanor... And also his posing.

“Stanley,” I said, keeping my voice deadpan. “That hat is magnificent. You’re a true style icon, you know that? Hats everywhere are simply better for you wearing one.”

Stanley puffed up, preening. Diana let out a quiet groan from across the room, catching on a second too late.

“And you,” I continued, holding him up higher, “are absolutely majestic. A damn fine hat for a damn fine bird.”

Stanley chirped, his feathers shimmering with a sudden glow as his wings spread wide. The room began to heat up, warmth radiating from his tiny body like the onset of a desert sunrise.

“Ben, don’t—” Diana started, already halfway to moving, but it was too late.

Stanley started glowing as he spread his wings out, and a sudden blast of heat and light knocked me off my feet. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, people scrambling around me in a frenzy.

Stanley flared, his little canary body transforming into something grander, his golden feathers burning like molten sunlight. His wings expanded, their span now huge, casting warm light across the room. The hat stayed, of course, perched atop his head as he stretched his neck out in a dignified, almost regal pose.

Doreen’s chair scraped as she shot back to her feet, her expression somewhere between awe and terror. “Get your fuckin' bird out of my house, Dina. This time, before he burns it down!” Doreen screamed, and I scrambled to my feet. The heat radiating from Stanley was intense, but he was incredible.

Stanley, oblivious to the chaos, let out a melodic call that filled the room like a song, warm and endless. The air itself seemed to hum, pulsing with waves of heat that made me feel lightheaded.

Diana stormed over, hooking her arm around Stanley’s neck in a headlock. The majestic phoenix let out a startled squawk, thrashing his wings.

“Enough with the theatrics, you narcissistic turkey,” she muttered, pulling him toward the door as he flapped, still glowing.

Stanley, feathers ruffled and pride clearly wounded, chirped indignantly, his little head poking out from under Diana’s arm. He managed one last mournful look at me, as if to say, “Help!”

Diana shot me a final look, a wicked grin lighting her face. “I’ll get you back for this, Ben.”

Then she swept out of the room, leaving the rest of us blinking in the aftermath of Stanley’s performance.

As the residual heat faded, the common room slowly returned to its usual clamor, though a few hunters were still laughing and shaking their heads, exchanging looks like they couldn’t believe what had just happened. Doreen, visibly ruffled, was muttering under her breath about “damned arsonist birds” and “fuckin’ initiates” as she tried to tidy up.

“Well,” Felix said, smirking at me, “you certainly like to make an impression.”

I shrugged, “Just trying to fit in.”