Emotion Hunter: System Awakening.

Marcus wrinkled his nose the second they stepped through the creaky glass door.

"This place smells like sweat...it's like we're in a gym."

Riven almost choked holding in a laugh.

He glanced around Murphy's Military Surplus and had to admit Marcus wasn't wrong.

The whole store looked like someone dumped an apocalypse bunker onto a garage sale.

Dusty racks of camo gear leaned against one another like tired soldiers. Tactical vests, gas masks, dented helmets, and boots stacked in piles that looked one earthquake away from burying them alive.

The lighting was dim...yellow bulbs buzzing overhead, struggling to make the place feel alive. The air smelled faintly of oil, old leather, and something that might've been…unwashed socks.

Definitely regret.

Above their heads, a row of faded American flags drooped from the ceiling, colors dulled with time.

One wall was plastered with framed photos.....

It was pictures of soldiers grinning in desert sun, it was black-and-white portraits from wars nobody bothered remembering anymore.

Behind the counter, the man himself..."Murphy"....leaned on one elbow, with his eyes narrowed on them.

He had gray hair cut short like he'd never left the army, he wore a blue and black flannel shirt....it looked like any other beach clothes..very light too, his face was etched with the fine lines of sleeplessness....even his eyes were red...the only thing that's distinct on him is that he has a little mole below his right eye.

His nametag, "Murphy," was peeling, like it couldn't be bothered anymore....

"You boys looking for anything specific?" His voice came out hoarse but sharp.

Riven felt a bead of sweat crawl down his spine.

Lying to cops?....that's Hard.

Lying to old military dudes who looked like they could smell dishonesty?....Terrifying.

"Uh…" He forced his tone casual. "Basic protection gear. We're, uh, into urban exploration. Dangerous buildings and stuff. We need something that'll keep us from getting too banged up."

Murphy squinted, gaze flicking between them like he could see every guilty thought hiding under their skin.

"Urban exploration, huh? What kind of buildings we talking about here?" He asked them with a raised brow.

Marcus jumped in before Riven could fumble. "Its Old factories. Abandoned warehouses. With lots of sharp metal and unstable floors. Our insurance won't cover us if we get hurt without proper safety equipment."

Riven had to fight not to grin. Smooth. Way smoother than his excuse.

Murphy grunted, suspicion lingering a few beats too long. Finally, he pushed off the counter. "Alright, let's see what we can do for you paranoid kids."

Twenty minutes later,

Riven was sweating inside a tactical vest that felt like someone strapped a car battery to his chest.

The store's changing area wasn't really a room, just a curtain shoved into a corner between shelves of ancient backpacks and belts.

The mirror was also cracked.

The floor squeaked.....all in all...this place should not even be opened, it felt like it was an illegal establishment.

Marcus tugged at the straps on his vest, face scrunched. "This thing weighs a ton. If I fall into a river, I'm basically sinking straight to the bottom."

"Better heavy than dead." Riven adjusted his own straps, grimacing. His vest fit better...black, with multiple pockets...but it still felt bulky, unnatural.

He was used to moving light, hoodie and jeans. This made him feel like he was wearing someone else's body.

Marcus raised his arms, turning to the side. "Be honest...do I look cool, or do I look like I lost a bet?"

"Both." Riven look at him with a amused grin.

"Damn."

Riven couldn't stop the small smile tugging at his mouth.

For all his complaining, Marcus filled out the gear better than expected.

He looked less like a nerd with a laptop, more like a rookie soldier who accidentally wandered into the wrong video game.

They grabbed combat boots next...it had thick soles, heavy leather, laces that felt like they'd never come undone once tied.

Then the tactical gloves had knuckle padding stiff but reassuring.

Murphy hovered, making suggestions in that gruff, too-serious way.

"The boots should go higher to protect the ankle. Also gloves should be snug, Don't want 'em slipping when you're climbing."

He added more supplies fast: first aid kit, two cheap flashlights Murphy claimed would "last longer than your dumbasses," a roll of paracord he threw in "for good measure."

The register beeped as Murphy tallied everything. "That'll be four hundred and sixty points...."

Riven's stomach dropped. Most of his monthly government stipend...gone. He hesitated, but Marcus was already sliding his credit card across the counter.

"I got this," Marcus said, voice steady.

Riven blinked. "Dude—"

"Consider it an investment in not having to identify my body from dental records." Marcus grinned, but there was a shadow under it. He was scared too. Just hiding it better.

Murphy handed over their bags without ceremony. "Don't get yourselves killed out there."

They ditched the gear in their packs and headed across town, grabbing coffees to stay awake.

Central Park wasn't exactly peaceful at this hour.....

There were kids blasting music from portable speakers, couples making out under trees, an old guy walking three dogs that looked meaner than half the monsters Riven had fought.

But they found a quiet corner bench near the duck pond.

Riven pulled the Veil Compass from his pocket. The needle spun once before locking northeast, steady and unshaking.

"It's been pointing that way for two days now." He tilted it toward Marcus. "Either there's a stable Veil about three kilometers in that direction, or this thing's busted."

"Only one way to find out." Marcus flipped open his laptop, satellite map glowing against his glasses....yeah he uses glasses in class or reading...he can't really see his books or when directed to sunlight. "Northeast puts us in Riverside District. You know, the abandoned zone."

Riven's chest tightened. Riverside. The name carried weight.

Five years ago, a Red Veil had ripped open there. Monsters spilled into residential blocks, Hunters were scrambling to contain it. Six hours later, the Veil was closed....but half the district was gone.

Families displaced. Buildings gutted. Streets rotting ever since.

He still remembered watching the news coverage as a teenager. The firelit skyline. The sound of choppers.

The way anchors used words like contained and casualties in the same breath.

Marcus zoomed in on the map, circling streets with his cursor. "Perfect place for a Gray Veil to pop up unnoticed. No one lives there. No one cares about that place."

"Or perfect place for us to get mugged, arrested, or eaten."

Marcus snorted. "I'll take eaten over arrested. Less paperwork."

They planned anyway, Riven tracing routes with a finger on the screen. "We go at night. Stick to alleys. Avoid main roads. If cops stop us—"

"We're dumb college kids looking for Instagram clout. "Urban explorers" rightttt?."

"Exactly."

They sat there another hour, maps pulled up, marking escape routes and rally points.

Marcus printed physical maps at the campus library printer, circling exits in red pen like a nerd general planning war.

"What about weapons for me?" he asked eventually, stuffing the printouts into a folder. "I can't exactly swing your anime sword around."

"Let me check the shop." Riven pulled up his system. The blue interface flickered against his vision, options scrolling.

-------

[Basic Combat Knife - 20 SP]

[Collapsible Baton - 25 SP]

[Crossbow (10 bolts included) - 45 SP]

[Tactical Hammer - 30 SP]

---------

He winced. "Cheapest thing is twenty points and I only got fifteen."

Marcus peered at the air he couldn't see. "What about potions? Health packs?"

"Thirty each. That's also out of reach." Riven groaned, closing the window. "We're broke."

Marcus rubbed his chin like he was auditioning for "Guy Thinking in a Meme."

"Okay, but what if I don't fight? What if I just… support? Spotting enemies, keeping track of the map, helping you make calls. You said the anchor thing lets me feel what you feel. Maybe I can help you keep your head straight."

It wasn't a bad idea. But dragging Marcus into a Veil without a weapon felt like dragging him naked into a war zone.

"Let's compromise." Riven stood, slinging his bag. "We scout first. If it looks bad, we bail. There's no shame in that."

"Deal."

Back at the apartment, prep felt endless.

Marcus charged his phone, downloaded offline maps, labeled their printed sheets.

Riven practiced weapon forms.....The resonance Blade flowing from sword to spear to dagger, metal humming in his grip. Each shift got smoother and quicker.

They studied the first aid kit like two idiots cramming for a test, trying to memorize "how not to bleed out in thirty seconds."

Marcus cracked a joke about earning his honorary nurse badge.

Riven pretended not to laugh, but it eased the tension anyway.

Evening crept in slow. The city outside the window dimmed into shades of orange, then purple, then dark.

Riven strapped on his vest, securing the blade's carrying case. His hands shook just slightly.

"Any second thoughts?" Marcus asked softly.

"Can't even find the second thoughts." Riven adjusted the straps again. "But about dragging you into this. I keep imagining… all the ways it could go wrong."

Marcus waited.

"About you getting hurt. The anchor failing. Me having to choose between saving you and—"

"Stop." Marcus's voice was calm, firm. "You know what I keep thinking about? The look on your face yesterday. When you showed me those forms. You weren't just messing with powers...you looked like you believed. Like, for once, you weren't drowning in grief. You were holding onto hope."

He slung his backpack over one shoulder, easy grin sliding back into place. "I can't fight monsters for you, Riv. But I can keep you human while you do. And I'll take that job."

The system flickered in Riven's vision, hungry to devour Marcus's conviction. He ignored it. Some emotions deserved to stay exactly where they were.

"Alright," he said finally. "Let's go find a Veil."

They stepped out into the night. Silver Town's skyline burned orange and red at the edges, fading into violet.

Streetlights hummed to life one by one. The Veil Compass pulsed faintly, its needle still quivering northeast.

Riven tightened his grip on the strap of his pack. Ready or not, tonight was the test.

"Hey, Riv?" Marcus said as they headed toward the bus stop.

"Yeah?"

"Next time we do something this insane, can we start smaller? Like bungee jumping? Or swimming with sharks?"

Riven barked a laugh despite himself. "I'll keep it in mind."

But deep down, they both knew the truth. There wouldn't be a next time. Either they came back stronger...or they didn't come back at all.