Waking up from a long nap, Oliver rose to sit upright in his bed, the peaceful silence of the bedroom wrapping around him like a soft blanket. He stretched slowly, joints loosening, then allowed a long yawn to escape his lips.

It was only now that he truly noticed how exhausted he had been from his earlier endeavors in the Second Realm and the Dark Castle.

And as he reached for his phone, his eyes narrowing slightly at the brightness of the screen, he calculated his hours of rest.

Which had been almost half a day.

’Half a peaceful day...’ Oliver thought, his gaze dimming slightly as he recalled how this had been the single most comfortable sleep he had gotten since...

Prior to his regression.

That thought lingered for only a brief moment before he dismissed it entirely.

And without wasting time, he rose from the bed and dropped down to the floorboards, almost as though he were collapsing face-first—only to catch himself at the last second.

Then he started a sequence of push-ups, his body moving in steady rhythm for several minutes. Each rep was controlled, deliberate, his breathing measured as though he were forcing life back into his limbs.

After that, he transitioned into sit-ups, then pike push-ups, his muscles tightening and relaxing under the strain. Finally, he stretched even more, slow and precise movements to ease the stress buried deep within his muscles.

When he was finally done with all that, he pushed himself up and left the bedroom, heading down to the kitchen.

There, he prepared himself something simple to eat, moving with quiet efficiency. And when he was finally done, he made his way to the living room, sitting down with a plate filled generously with spaghetti.

He began eating, not rushing but not slow either—devouring nearly halfway through the bowl when...

[Ding!]

[You have received a message]

Oliver furrowed his brows slightly. A message? he thought, opening the status screen in curiosity, wondering who would send him a message at such a time.

[Bai Mina: Sorry this is coming late, but I have been trying to get a hold of you for a while now.]

[Bai Mina: Are you online now?]

Oliver let the message linger for a moment, his fork pausing midway to his mouth. Then he replied, typing out a message of his own.

[Oliver: What?]

[Bai Mina: As a Ranker, you are requested to attend the Council of Twelve. And this is urgent. I expect you to attend. Refusal is spitting in the face of the council.]

[Bai Mina: I’ll send you the information of the venue and all.]

Oliver nodded slightly as he dismissed the notifications, his thoughts already shifting as he pondered the statement—Council of Twelve.

The Council was the table of Rankers and the Twelve Leaders of human society, more commonly known as the Guild Leaders of the Awakener society.

They were in charge of the protection of Earth and all its inhabitants.

For a meeting like this to be called, it meant something very bad was happening.

Something that could very well affect the human race.

Oliver could not refuse a call like this.

Especially when he was curious to find out just what was going on.

---

Oliver finally arrived at the entrance of the massive Awakener Association building, dressed in a black suit with a crisp white shirt beneath and a neatly fitted black tie. It was a corporate outfit he had found in the house he had gotten—simple, yet fitting.

According to Bai Mina, there was another entrance to the building, one meant specifically for meetings like this.

Finding the entrance wasn’t hard, as Oliver simply had to move some distance around the building until he found a much more secured path leading to a closed black door.

There were about five guards stationed along the way, each dressed in dark suits and sunglasses. Their presence was firm, unmoving—each of them no doubt B-rank Awakeners or lower, not a threat for Oliver yet not to be underestimated.

Upon seeing Oliver, one of them quickly approached, holding out a hand to stop him.

"Who are you?" the man asked, his tone sharp but controlled.

Oliver raised a hand calmly and projected his system interface toward the security officer, allowing him to see the invitation letter from Bai Mina.

It didn’t take the man more than a few seconds before he nodded in acceptance and stepped aside.

Afterwards, Oliver continued toward the black door, which one of the guards opened for him in silent respect, allowing him to pass into the building.

The interior of this section of the Awakener building was stunning, quietly luxurious. From the polished tiled flooring that reflected light like a mirror, to the wide, open lobby that carried an air of authority and wealth.

The moment Oliver stepped in, a woman dressed in a fitted black suit. Similar to the security outside, approached him.

She bowed slightly at his presence before standing upright.

"I’ll lead you there, Mr...?" she asked.

"Crow," Oliver replied without hesitation.

"Come with me, Mr. Crow," she said, bowing once again before turning and leading the way toward an elevator.

They entered together, and she tapped a few buttons along the panel.

In an instant, Oliver felt it.

They were moving.

But not up.

Down.

Oliver’s gaze sharpened slightly as he felt the subtle shift in pressure.

He had known the building to be massive, but for it to extend so deeply into the earth’s crust... that was on another level entirely.

’Figures I guess.’ 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

A gentle chime echoed through the enclosed space as the elevator doors slid open.

The attendant stepped aside and bowed once more. "Please proceed, Mr. Crow."

Oliver nodded and stepped out.

What greeted him was a massive underground hall.

The expanse was enormous, almost like a hidden world beneath the surface. Within it stood a number of people—men and women alike. Awakeners. Some were leaders of large guilds, their presence heavy and commanding, while others were Rankers like himself.

As he stood there, his gaze moved calmly across the crowd, studying each presence, weighing them silently.

Then—

One person approached him.

Bai Mina.

She wore a strikingly alluring pink gown that clung elegantly to her figure, paired with silver heels that clicked softly against the polished floor as she walked. There was confidence in every step she took.

She stopped before him, her eyes scanning him from head to toe with a faint smile.

"I guess you are the Crow. You look even more handsome in person," she said playfully.

Oliver’s lips curled slightly in response. He gave a small nod and opened his mouth to speak, but then—

"Hey, Oliver! What a surprise!"

The voice.

He could recognize it from anywhere.

Oliver turned sharply, his gaze tearing away from Bai Mina as he scanned the crowd until his eyes landed on two figures approaching him slowly.

"You look startled," the man said again, raising a hand in a casual wave.

Still, Oliver remained silent, unmoving, his eyes fixed on them as they closed the distance.

Then, finally, they stopped right in front of him.

Kyle and Trisha.

They stood there with snug, almost knowing looks on their faces as they stared at Oliver, the air between them tightening into what felt like a silent stalemate.

The moment stretched.

And then, Kyle spoke again.

"It’s nice to meet you again... and also—Happy birthday, Oliver Mori."