Chapter 35 protocol : Rising Storm

The alarm bells of Guild Tour had barely faded, but the world never stopped shifting.

At the southern wing of the massive complex, the Executioner Training Program was already in full motion. Children lined the arena floor, some no older than twelve, their Code marks glowing faintly as instructors barked commands.

The air was alive with sparks, flame, and smoke.

Training here was not play—it was war condensed into drills.

Hope executioner Rank B crossed her arms as she leaned against the railing, watching the chaos below.

“This is insane,” she muttered. “Kids their age should be in school, not bleeding for the Council.”

Kevin executioner Rank A, standing beside her, adjusted the strap on his gauntlet. “That’s Death Protocol for you. Change the uniform, change the slogan—but it’s the same machine grinding them down.”

A young man by the said nothing. His eyes tracked two particular figures in the arena.

Taylor raised his hand, and the clouds overhead darkened. Wind whipped through the training yard, scattering instructors. Forks of lightning snapped into the sand as a storm formed unnaturally fast. The boy clenched his jaw, forcing the storm into a tight spiral—raw power, too much for his young frame, yet controlled with frightening instinct.

Opposite him, Isabel pushed through exhaustion. Her binary sword flashed as constructs—mechanical beasts born from her Code—rose at her side. A hulking wolf of glowing steel leapt at the dummies, tearing them apart, while a bird-shaped construct shielded her from falling debris. Sweat streaked her face, but she never faltered.

Hope's scowl deepened. “Monsters versus storms. They’re breeding weapons, not training people.”

Kevin fists clenched.

David’s name echoed through the chamber. Dozens of Executioners crowded around, praising him for his victory against the ice giant. His white binary sword still hummed faintly with residual lightning, the mark of the finishing blow that saved the city.

But celebration shattered with a single voice.

“Pathetic.”

Julius stepped forward. His scarred face was twisted with fury, his aura heavy with authority. Another A-Rank Executioner—David’s equal, his rival.

“You stole my mission,” Julius spat. “You wanted the glory, didn’t you? Again.”

David’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t steal anything. I did what had to be done. While you were standing around waiting.”

The crowd went silent as sparks danced between their marks.

The tension thickened, Executioners holding their breath.

Then a soft, steady voice cut through the storm.

“Enough.”

Vina, auburn-haired and calm-eyed, stepped between them. “Both of you are too valuable to waste on pettiness. David saved lives. Julius, you would’ve done the same. So shut it.”

For a moment, the two men glared over her shoulders—pride clashing with restraint. Neither yielded, but neither struck.

Before another word could ignite, a rune flared above the hall, projecting light across the chamber.

“All Executioners,” the voice of the Council boomed, “report to the central chamber. An emergency meeting has been called.”

The hall erupted in whispers. Even David and Julius forgot their quarrel as the summons carried an unmistakable weight.

Far from Guild Tour, Riven, Lucy, Kira, and Chiper stepped into the rift’s eerie void.

But something was wrong. No monsters stirred. The silence was oppressive.

Then, the ground split.

Two figures emerged from the haze.

Joe. Sasha.

Riven’s pulse spiked. Their presence was suffocating—legends, executioners. Two of the first three.

Joe’s eyes swept the group like knives. “So these are the ones shaking the Council’s order. The boy who defies the Code. The girl who returned from death.”

Sasha twirled her spear, grin sharp as a blade. “Cute toys you’ve brought, Riven. Let’s see how fast I can break them.”

Lucy’s blades gleamed into existence, her stance wide.

Kira’s sword flickered with unstable light, her breath sharp.

Chiper stepped forward beside them, binary fire igniting. “We’re not your test subjects. If you want a fight, you’ll get one.”

Joe tilted his head. “Good. Show us your worth.”

The ground shook as his Code flared, shadows lashing outward like chains and weapons fromed. Sasha leapt forward, spear spinning in her right hand as she points her left hand towards Riven. her aura exploding into wildfire heat.

The team braced. There was no hesitation—Joe and Sasha weren’t here to spar. They were predators, gauging their prey, pushing them toward breaking.

Back at Guild Tour, preparations for the Council meeting gathered urgency. The message was simple: the Council wanted Riven brought in immediately.

But inside the rift, blades of code were ready.flame, and shadow tore across the void as Riven and his friends got ready to hold their ground.

And in the storm of battle, Joe’s voice echoed coldly:

“You have no idea what’s coming. But you will.”