In the harsh cold and utter darkness, three figures moved among the houses, food stalls, and guard towers—two young men and a girl. One had hair as white as snow, a slender frame, and piercing blue eyes that glowed in the dark with a cold strength, as if life itself flickered within them. The girl had chestnut hair and a face sprinkled with freckles. The other was a young man with a muscular build, skin tough as steel, and a towering height close to two meters. Their names were Nym, Lester, and Jina.
Lester grumbled, "Man, what a miserable city, drowned in darkness. I wish I could see the legendary dawn, that sun of eternal warmth."
As he spoke, he folded his arms under his armpits, breathing out visible puffs of vapor.
Bundled in layers of fur and leather, Jina replied, "They say that those who rise to the rank of Dominator can manifest their power into a creature—or a concept—even though the latter is limited to a specific region."
Nym turned to her. "Who told you that? I've never heard of such a thing."
"My mother did," she answered.
Lester and Nym replied in unison, "Your mother?! Didn't you say you live with your grandmother because your mother abandoned you as a child?"
"Yes," Jina said. "But she left me with my grandmother because she was too busy. She didn't have time to teach me or play with me. That doesn't mean I can't visit or speak with her whenever I can."
"Then who is your mother?"
Jina smiled at them. "Commander Flora, of course."
Nym and Lester gasped. "Commander Flora?!"
Jina chuckled at their stunned expressions and said, "We're almost at the workers' residence."
In the City of Fading Light, there weren't many shops—most supplies were delivered weekly by the Council of Elders. Food, clothing, blankets, and other necessities came in bulk.
When they reached the door, they pulled it open and stepped inside. The sight before them was that of a group of middle-aged men drinking carrot beer or spirits and eating their dinners.
A boy stepped up and asked, "What do you want?"
Nym thought to himself, What a rude kid.
Jina handed the boy a piece of leather. He gave her a strange look and said, "I don't know how to read this."
Nym revealed a ring and said flatly, "Doesn't matter. We need pickaxes, shovels, and rope—a good amount of rope. Three of each tool."
"Fine, but wait here," the boy muttered and walked off to speak with a man.
When he returned, he said, "Half a core gem. Non-negotiable."
Though core gems had value for the Bound, they also served as currency. Nym's lip twitched as he handed over half a core gem from his own pocket.
Damn, I'm broke… he cursed inwardly and glanced at Jina.
She whispered to him, "I'm not as rich as you think. My mom is strict about money. Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked you for gems instead of monster parts."
He sighed. What a poor crew.
After collecting their gear, they returned to the barracks, had a simple dinner, and went back to Nym's room. When he closed the door behind them, Nym smiled and said, "The secret I mentioned earlier? It's that we're the team with the highest success rate. Because I'm on the verge of becoming Bound. Maybe even before the next hunting mission."
Jina gasped, her beautiful face struck with shock, while Lester growled, "Damn! That fast? Is it because of that monster part?"
"Yes," Nym nodded. "Though not entirely."
"That's insanely fast for you, Nym. I mean, it has happened before, but it's rare. You're hardworking, sure, but still… I'm impressed."
Nym laughed. "It depends on one's talent. And I have plenty of it. Jealous, aren't you? A Bound's son living in the barracks."
"See you later. I'm off to eat some monsters," Lester said, dashing toward the door with Jina following behind.
Nym sat on the bed, closed his eyes, and focused on his core. As he gazed inward, his body trembled. He hadn't felt cold since absorbing the Eye of the Frost Lizard, yet now… his core was white and raging like a blizzard.
When he channeled world essence, it resembled a cocoon—or a stone made of pure white ice.
Whew… I don't know why this change happened, but it feels… good. My instincts tell me so.
With that thought, he continued absorbing the world's essence, feeding it into his core. As it entered his body, it transformed into a snowstorm invisible to the eye, seeping into his core.
Terrifying… he thought, watching his core form faster than ever—six times faster than his previous pace.
When he saw that it had reached 84% completion and the hour was late, he buried himself in the fur blanket and drifted to sleep.
The next morning, after a modest breakfast in the hall, Nym overheard Kursh advertising his ability. He paused for a moment, then walked over to him.
"I want two weapons enhanced," he said.
Kursh turned to him. "Ah, young Garid. Welcome. Don't worry—I won't taint you with my insults. But what happened to your hair and eyes?"
Nym smiled faintly. "Just a minor accident during training."
"I see, I see. One core gem, then. Come back tomorrow with your weapons—I don't see you carrying them."
Nym frowned briefly, then quickly masked it. "Fine. Same place, tomorrow."
He left the barracks and made his way through the streets until he reached the Bound Academy, lit by hanging lanterns and candlelight. Inside, energetic youth bustled with excitement over the approaching end of the year. Some faces were anxious, afraid of failure—afraid of being labeled second-rank Bound.
Nym passed them and walked down the corridor until he reached the second classroom. As he entered, he heard Instructor Ozni's voice:
"Since you all know the school year is ending soon, allow me to share some knowledge about the ranks—and how to avoid the most common dangers posed by monsters."