While patiently waiting for Thomas to return, Sonny crossed his arms, leaning against a wall, as he thought about the Gears he had chosen.
Cheetah IV – Tier 3
Silverfang II – Tier 2
Crimson Talon – Tier 2
Azure Blade – Tier 3
What was the difference between the ranking system for Gears and Skills? Honestly, not much.
Gears were ranked in a system similar to Skills, but instead of using Levels, the Association classified them with the Tier prefix. Naturally, Tier 0 was the weakest, while Tier 6 stood at the top as the strongest.
The firearms Sonny purchased were mostly within Tier 2 and Tier 3.
So why didn't he go for higher-sequence Gears like Tier 4 or 5? It wasn't as if he couldn't afford them.
What was a few tens or hundreds of millions to him?
Of course, anyone would be tempted to splurge on the best equipment they could find. It was understandable. The monsters lurking in the Tower were quite vicious and merciless. There was always a chance of running into a high-ranking creature on a floor where it shouldn't even appear. And if you weren't properly equipped, you'd be dead before you knew it. In order to avoid that devastating fate, or any unfortunate surprises in general, Hunters armed themselves with sturdy armor to guard against crushing blows and carried weapons capable of piercing the tough hides of those filthy beasts.
For example, if Sonny had been properly equipped during that bloody skirmish with the damn Furiataur, he could've easily finished off the already wounded, forsaken beast. Instead, he was forced to rely on indirect methods to bring it down, methods that landed him in the hospital for an entire week.
Recalling that bitter shard of memory, he clicked his tongue.
Well, that incident had its merits too. After all, he'd slain the hulking creature and awakened as a Sleeper. If not for that fight, his dormant abilities would've stayed buried, and he would've remained a powerless Dreamless. Besides, how could he have gotten his hands on Gears back then anyway?
Therefore, it was useless to think about that incident. But he couldn't help but feel a little irritated that the reason for his survival was nothing but pure luck.
Going back to the subject matter, Sonny had deliberately avoided purchasing those high-ranking Gears. Why? Wasn't it obvious?
Just because Hunters entered the Tower to gather power and resources didn't mean their only enemies would necessarily be monsters. Though rare, there were instances when an awakened had to face and slay other awakened inside the Tower, some far more vile and detestable than any creature. Needless to say, high-ranking Hunters wouldn't stoop so low as to target weaker individuals.
But what about those lower-ranked individuals themselves? What about the Hunters who had been stuck on the same level for years?
Naturally, those desperate, pitiful souls would grow envious of others and go to any lengths to acquire higher-ranked equipment like hunting down newbies from wealthy families and stealing their gear. There was even a rumor that an awakened could absorb more exousia from killing humans than from slaying monsters. No one knew this was true or not and so often regarded that rumour as a sick joke made by some jobless fellow in his mother's basement, it was still rather disturbing and dreading to think about.
Could it be that the Hunters who had gone rogue did so to test this theory?
Was it possible for someone to become so desperate that they'd resort to indiscriminate killing, targeting other humans just to grow stronger?
"...?!"
As that thought crossed his mind, a chill ran down Sonny's back. Some might call him a hypocrite if they ever found out what he'd done on that fateful day. But even so, the idea of Hunters losing their humanity out of sheer desperation felt utterly wrong to him. It was something that didn't sit and felt deeply out of place.
'On second thought, I should probably buy one just in case.'
Buzz! Buzz!
The sudden vibration in his pocket snapped him out of his reverie. Still a little dazed, Sonny blinked, pulled out his smartphone, and quickly unlocked it.
On the screen, his AI assistant, Warp, greeted him with her usual energetic voice.
[Master, Master!]
"Huh? What's with you? Why are you so hyped all of a sudden?"
[That's what I wanted to tell you! I'm picking up an energy reading nearby. It's faint, but I can definitely sense it! Probably a high-tier weapon!]
"Really? Is that so?"
Sonny blinked in surprise.
He hadn't known Warp could do that. Wait a second... doesn't this mean she was basically a treasure detector now?
'Honestly, I'm not even surprised anymore. She's a self-aware, advanced AI... or rather, one subconsciously born from my Innate Ability. And also... why did I suddenly start thinking of Warp as she?'
At some point, he had subconsciously started referring to her as she, perhaps because Warp's playful manner of speaking and mischievous personality reminded him of a cheeky girl.
But Warp wasn't human, nor even a living organism in the traditional sense. She didn't have a gender. Warp was a digital lifeform, after all. So was it even accurate to call such a being she?
Shaking off the silly thought, Sonny refocused, his curiosity now piqued by the mention of the so-called energy reading.
"Alright, let's see what the fuss is about."
[You got it, Master! According to my scan, the signal's coming from the northwest section of this place. It looks like it's near the disposal area for defective Gears.]
Sonny raised a brow.
"The trash heap?"
[Well... technically, yes. But I'm telling you, the energy reading doesn't lie! It's faint, but it's definitely not ordinary junk.]
He sighed, pushing himself off the wall.
"Of course. Figures my AI would turn me into a scavenger now."
Still, he couldn't deny that his interest was hooked. If Warp's detection was accurate, and she hadn't failed him yet, then this might actually be worth checking out. What's more, no one ever paid attention to the disposal piles; if there was something valuable left behind, it would be like finding treasure in plain sight.
Following the subtle directions flashing on his phone, Sonny made his way toward the neglected corner of the room where broken weapons and failed prototypes were discarded.
Upon reaching the marked spot, he paused, taking in the sight before him. As expected, it was nothing impressive. It looked like the Association had simply or rather lazy, tossed all the useless, worn-out gear and defective pieces of equipment into one massive junk heap.
As he moved closer, the sharp scent of oil, scorched metal, and something acrid grew stronger, thick enough to make his stomach turn. It was as if the foul, lingering stench was trying to knock the wind out of him. Grimacing, Sonny recoiled a few steps backwards and pinched his nose with one hand. He couldn't help but wonder how anything of real value could be hiding in something this grotesque.
But his AI companion clearly thought otherwise.
[Master, what are you doing?! Why are you stepping back instead of moving forward?]
"...Are you seriously telling me there's actually something valuable in there?"
[Of course! If there wasn't, I wouldn't have bothered alerting you in the first place. Besides, it's not like I'm trying to prank you or anything. I don't even have the emotions to enjoy that.]
The way she phrased it made Sonny feel exactly the opposite.
Wasn't that exactly what someone trying to pull a prank would say? He let out a helpless sigh.
"Alright. But if there isn't anything here, then I'm going to mute you for an entire week!"
Warp stiffened as though receiving a heavy blow.
[Master, that's completely unfair! And besides, how can you say there's nothing when you haven't even looked yet? I promise there's something, just search it, you'll see!]
"If you say so."
Sonny cut off the conversation then and there. He propped his smartphone on a nearby crate, angling it so Warp could get a clear view of his search.
With a resigned breath, he rolled up his sleeves and started sifting through the pile of discarded scraps, one piece at a time.
"Is it this one?"
[No.]
"Is it this one?"
[No.]
Sonny tossed the rusted, cracked rifle frame aside with a loud clang. He reached for the next piece, a jagged fragment that might've once been part of a spear shaft.
"This?"
[Still no. Keep going, Master! You're getting warmer.]
He grunted in annoyance. "You better not be using 'warmer' in a metaphorical sense."
[Would I ever do that to you?]
"...Yes. Yes, you would."
[...Fair.]
Sonny shook his head and kept digging. Sweat was beginning to bead on his forehead — not from exertion, but from the stifling smell of burnt circuitry and chemical rot wafting from the pile. Every time he shifted something, it released a fresh puff of that nauseating scent. His stomach clenched.
Another busted handgun. A shattered longsword. A melted helmet visor. All junk.
But then...
[Wait! Right there! The thing buried beneath that broken exosuit arm... pull that out!]
Sonny paused. His gaze settled on the twisted metal limb sticking out at an odd angle. Beneath it, barely visible, was a faint glint. Something metallic, but not corroded like the rest.
With a frown, he grabbed the exosuit part and heaved it aside, revealing a small case wedged between the wreckage. It was scratched and dusty but looked strangely intact.
"...This?" Sonny muttered, brushing off the grime with his sleeve.
[Yes! That's the source! I'm detecting a faint energy signature inside, it's definitely a Gear! And a high-tier one at that!] Warp chirped with excitement.
His heart gave a small jolt. Could that be possible? A high-tier Gear discarded here among broken scraps and failed prototypes? Logically, it made no sense. The Association would never throw away something valuable unless it was defective beyond repair. His mind told him that much. And yet… his heart whispered a different possibility.
What if it's real? What if it's usable?
Swallowing the dryness in his throat, Sonny hesitated for a moment before slowly unlatching the case.
Then, his face fell.
Inside, nestled in faded, crumbling padding, was a plain black rod.
At a glance, he could tell it was about eight to twelve inches long. Too short to be a sword, too small even for a decent walking stick.
It looked utterly unremarkable all over. In short, it was just a dull stick.
"So this is the so-called high-tier weapon, huh?" Sonny said flatly, disappointment leaking into his voice. "Figures. What a complete waste of time."
He let out a sigh and reached for his phone.
"That does it. Warp, as promised, you're getting muted."
[Wait, wait, Master, you big jerk! You haven't inspected it yet!] Warp's voice rose in frantic protest, the usual playful tone replaced by desperation. [I swear I wasn't lying! The energy signature is real and I can still feel it even now! So please listen to me! Please, please, please, don't mute me!]
Sonny glanced at the screen, where Warp's avatar was now flashing with exaggerated teary eyes, complete with poppy doll cheeks.
He sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"...Fine. One last check. But if this turns out to be junk..."
[It won't! I promise with all my heart! Just trust me, Master!]
Carrying his smartphone in one hand, Sonny raised the black rod to eye level, inspecting it more carefully this time.
The rod had a matte finish, absorbing light rather than reflecting it. The object's surface was smooth to his touch, almost unnervingly so. Even then,
Sonny frowned and tilted his head.
'… What is this even supposed to be?'
The black rod was too short to be a sword and too short to pass for a walking stick. No matter how he turned it this way or that, it remained utterly unremarkable.
Perhaps sensing his growing disappointment, Warp spoke up, offering a suggestion.
[Why not try infusing your soul power into it, Master?]
Sonny blinked.
"My soul power? What's that got to do with this? And besides, how am I even supposed to do that? I've never tried before."
[There are no special steps, Master. Just will it and it will answer.]
Was it really that simple? Sonny wanted to ask but realized it would be pointless. Besides, he always wanted to attempt using his spirit power one way or another at a later date or so.
'Let's try it.'
Closing his eyes, Sonny drew in a slow breath and focused. He reached inward, willing his spirit power to flow into the black rod. This time, unlike his clumsy attempts to wield his 'uniqueness,' the power within his soul responded to his will. No resistance. It moved smoothly, as if waiting for this moment.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Bam!
A tremendous burst of force erupted. From the rod's tip, a blade of light flared into existence; luminous, spiralling, flaming, and trembling in the air. Nearly 90 centimeters long, it extended outward like a living flame drawn from his very soul.
Sonny's eyes widened.
'This is...'
Look at him thinking the rod was a short walking stick. It turned out to be a sword this entire time!