Upon hearing Shoun's request, everyone sat down in front of him. Meanwhile, the young man set aside the nearly melted ice pack. Little by little, he was getting used to the new range of his energy senses, though due to how overwhelmed he felt by all the energy around him, he had to reduce his total range to about 5 square meters, even though he could sense much farther.
—Well... I wanted to talk a bit about the situation we're in now.
—I figured as much. What did Robin tell you?—Deuz asked with a serious expression.
—How do you know we talked about that?
—Let's just say I expected things to change with your new ability, so I used one of my shadows to listen in on your conversation—As soon as he said that, everyone turned to look at him, visibly confused.
—Since when can you do that!?—Sein asked, clearly unsettled.
—Since always.
—We could've used that before! With that ability of yours, we wouldn't need to use Kaze as a scout!—Shoun protested, angry at Deuz for hiding information.
—Let's just say it's not very useful. I can only control shadows I can see or "touch." Shadows of people, remnants, or animals are off the table. So, to maintain control, my maximum range is about 5 meters. That's why I didn't mention it before. I also don't like putting Kaze in danger. I regret not mentioning it earlier, and it won't happen again—Deuz apologized humbly to his companions for his mistake. Shoun, who had been angry, quickly calmed down and, with a sigh, tried to steer the conversation back on track:
—Haaah, you know what? It doesn't matter. Just don't make the same mistake... Let's continue where we left off—Shoun then explained how he was now a target for many people and organizations—And that's the situation I'm in now…
—There's something I still don't understand. Why does having a Grade S ability make you a target? Sure, you're valuable, but enough for people to want to kill you?—Sein asked, his tone laced with concern for his friend.
—Well, let's put it this way. The government, the guild, and many others invest in people with high talent or potential because the fatality rates for Codex bearers are very high. So, they invest more in those who are more likely to return that investment. But it's also simpler than that. Kaze, tell me something. Assuming Shoun can control his ability and has the same number of points as you, do you think you could beat him in a fight?—All eyes turned to the masked boy after Deuz's words.
—...I don't know the full extent of his ability, but the fact that he has almost infinite electricity doesn't give me confidence that I could win.
—That's the second reason. Generally, someone with an ability one grade higher ends up being more powerful than someone with a lower-grade ability. That's why, for example, the current Demon King was able to seize the throne in his time. The most powerful people have the power to shift the balance of society, and if that shift happens, organizations and certain powerful individuals want it to be in their favor.
—Damn... haaah, I'm sorry for dragging you guys into this mess, but honestly, I don't know what to do.
—The simplest solution is to join one of those big organizations. It doesn't eliminate the danger, but it minimizes it. Something you obviously already know. So, why are you so reluctant to take that option?—Deuz asked. He knew how Shoun had become a Codex bearer, but that didn't fully explain his reluctance.
—...The guild is guilty of not managing its territory well. It's painfully obvious how people with money pay them to privately protect their areas, as seen in the statistics showing how the portal-related death rate is higher in poorer parts of New Caven. They don't protect citizens... not all of them, at least. That's why I don't want to join them. But the government...—At that moment, Shoun began to get angry, evident in how he clenched his jaw and tightened his fists—I'd rather die than work for them. I don't like talking about this. Just remembering it makes me sick and furious, but it's only fair that you know the story... that you know what happened while I lived in a government-run orphanage…
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On a cloudy day, a white car could be seen driving down the road. It traveled for a while before stopping in a somewhat remote area within the city, though still inside the great wall surrounding New Caven.
A man in a black suit stepped out of the car and then helped a small boy out. The boy's face showed a neutral expression, almost devoid of emotion, though a clear sadness could be seen in it. This boy was none other than young Shoun.
Shortly after arriving in the area, he was taken to a large structure. It was an orphanage that also served as a government research center. There, children in the same situation as him were brought—children whose families had been killed by remnants and who, one way or another, ended up becoming Seekers. The number of children wasn't large; counting Shoun, there were barely 10, so the facility was mostly used as a research center.
Young Shoun had spent several weeks in the hospital. While he hadn't been injured during the incident, he still needed to recover from the shock of the event.
Upon entering, he was greeted by a researcher, who, unfortunately, was the one assigned to interview the boy—a tedious and exhausting process that every researcher in charge dreaded. Due to the small number of children, the researchers occupied most of the space in the facility, interacting little or not at all with the kids.
—Alright... Your name is Shaun Faster, right?—the researcher asked distractedly, barely glancing at the tablet with the boy's personal information.
—My name is Shoun Foster—the boy corrected, somewhat embarrassed.
—Whatever. Everything you say here will be monitored. In other words, we'll know if you're lying or telling the truth, so try not to lie to speed things up.
—Okay...—The researcher smiled slightly at the boy's submissive attitude. It seemed her process would be easier than that of other researchers.
—First, tell me how you became a Seeker.
—Hmm...—The boy hesitated, but under the researcher's stern gaze, he finally gave in. With obvious sadness in his voice, he began to recount what had happened—A remnant invaded my home... my parents and my sister protected me... then that thing came for me. I gave it an electric shock and–
—An electric shock? I asked you to tell me what happened when you became a Codex bearer.
—I was born with that ability—At that moment, the researcher couldn't believe it. There was always a chance that a child could be born with special abilities, but the odds were minuscule.
—(Wow... this kid isn't lying)—she thought with a big smile as she reviewed the related files more carefully, confirming the boy's words—Tell me about your two abilities.
—The first one improves my ability to manipulate electricity. Now I feel like it would be very easy... My second ability is my core. I don't fully understand it, but it says it allows me to store my electricity and absorb more.
—Hmmm... That should mean you can't manipulate spiritual energy... But that makes me wonder, how powerful is this electricity of yours?—Looking for a device, she began testing how much energy Shoun could transmit to various objects, discovering just how powerful it was. Even if he used electricity he had previously absorbed from a battery, it would still be amplified after passing through Shoun's core—Hehehe, looks like you hit the jackpot, kid.
—Huh?—Shoun was confused, but he simply did as he was told. From that day on, he became just another tool for the researchers, who were quite pleased to have a much more powerful—and, to some extent, limitless—source of energy. Shoun's very existence helped them test things they couldn't before due to the lack of power in their previous batteries. Once they confirmed that what they wanted to do worked, they built a specific battery for the device. Little by little, the team's contributions began to resonate within the corresponding government departments, earning recognition and, of course, money.
Of course, the way they treated young Shoun improved. He received the best meals and was helped to stay healthy. All of this began to breed envy among the other children in the facility.
—Hey, you!—Suddenly, a group of five children, aged between 10 and 12, surrounded the table where Shoun was eating—Who do you think you are!? Why do you hog all the attention!?
—I... I.
—Shut your mouth!—shouted a different boy, who used his ability to knock Shoun to the ground. Before Shoun could react, he was hit again, this time with the tray he had been eating from. The physical assault continued for a few moments before one of the guards intervened. As they took Shoun to the infirmary, he could still see the other children glaring at him with hatred as they were scolded.
Over the following weeks, the children became more cunning in their physical abuse of Shoun, doing it at times and in places where it would take longer for anyone to notice. After Shoun arrived injured multiple times, the researchers gave him a whistle to make it easier for him to signal when he was being hurt.
This measure effectively reduced the attacks but left Shoun isolated. Everywhere he went, he felt unwanted. In the cafeteria and common areas of the orphanage, he saw how everyone looked at him with envy and avoided him. The researchers, on the other hand, loved having Shoun around—but not for who he was, only for his abilities.
They never let him speak, even if he tried to start a conversation. They liked the previously submissive and quiet Shoun who cooperated without protest, and they wanted him to stay that way.
Little by little, the boy's life turned gray. His sense of self slowly faded amid the indifference and hatred of his peers. But that changed one day.
Two years had passed since Shoun arrived at the orphanage. Many children came and went, but all maintained their cold attitude toward him. Not many people tried to adopt orphaned Seekers, but those who did were never given the option to take Shoun.
One day, he entered the TV room. The other children there almost immediately left when they saw him. Used to it, Shoun walked past and sat in front of the TV, flipping through channels at random until something caught his attention.
It was a documentary about the band "The Red Phoenix," the same band his sister, Chelsea, used to listen to when she was still alive. Since her death, the band had exploded in popularity, especially thanks to their newest hit song, "We're Still Here." Intrigued, the boy let the documentary, which had just started, play and listened intently.
—Yes, it's been hard... Just as we were starting to take off, a few months ago, my family died in a remnant attack—explained a young man, who couldn't have been more than 20 years old, with a lump in his throat and a clear expression of pain on his face. He had long black hair and was wearing a sleeveless denim shirt with the band's logo.
—I'm sorry to hear that, Delsin, but despite that horrible event, you still released music not long after. Can you tell us how you managed to keep going despite your pain?—the interviewer asked Delsin, who replaced his pained expression with a confident and cheerful one.
—Well, it wasn't easy. My bandmates stood by me through it all. They hadn't suffered the same loss as I had, but they had friends who had. Thanks to them, I became interested in the families of the victims—Taking a breath, the vocalist continued—It was hard, but I reached out to many of them. They told me their stories. Some became Codex bearers to "avenge" their families in some way. Others tried to live their lives as normally as they could, but the scars didn't fade with time. The number of people affected by the rifts only grows. There are even surviving children who were left orphaned... All of them were victims of the same enemy: the remnants, and to a lesser extent, the guild and the government. All those stories gave me the courage and motivation to keep going. Not only that, but I also felt the need to put it all into a song. That's how "We're Still Here" came to be.
After those words, the documentary cut to a completely different scene—a concert with a massive audience. Just as Delsin took a breath, the song began, accompanied by the rhythm of the instruments.
—"The ruins tell stories the world wants to forget, but our scars scream the truth in the dark!"—That powerful introduction left the boy on the other side of the screen stunned. He listened even more intently, captivated—"The dust has settled, the flames have died, but our footsteps still echo on the land we were denied!"—The drums powerfully marked the song's strong rhythm, and the guitar added a layer of depth to the melody. But what resonated most with Shoun was something even simpler: the pain, the pain that was clearly present in the vocalist's voice—"The authorities look the other way, they think time erased us, but here we are, roaring against oblivion! They tried to forget us, they tried to silence us, but the thunder in our veins erupts again! For every mark on the stone, for every scar on the skin, we swear again and again: we're still here!"
It was at that very moment, with that line from the song, that something new stirred inside Shoun—something that roared and burst to come out.