The World That Broke

III

It had been another week since I last time checked the Hunter Net…

Over the past two years, I'd carved out a name for myself in the shadows of the hunter world. My codename, The Author, might've been a bit over the top, but in this business, theatrics were everything. A dramatic alias carried weight, and it helped me stand out among the crowd of faceless brokers.

That reputation finally paid off when I landed a big client.

Diamond_Black: Do you have information on how to hunt Devils?

I paused, staring at the screen. Diamond Black. The name alone sent a shiver of recognition down my spine. He was one of the key characters from my novel—a relentless occult hunter obsessed with the supernatural, especially Devils.

In the story, I'd written him as a morally gray antagonist. Not quite a villain, but not a hero either. In a world like this, the lines between good and evil blurred easily.

Still, the fact that he was reaching out to me was... interesting.

Author_Thirteen: Who recommended you?

I signed the message with my current alias, Thirteen. It was my thirteenth account, and in this line of work, you learned to keep things fluid. Burn an identity, create a new one. Always stay one step ahead.

I had rules for clients. If they didn't come through a trusted recommendation, they'd have to pay double. Not in cash, of course—I didn't leave a paper trail. My currency was favors and information. Desperation made people agree to all kinds of terms, even ones that didn't favor them.

Diamond_Black: No one recommended me.

Red flag.

I frowned, fingers hovering over the keyboard. Still, I wasn't about to turn away a big client just because they came in cold. If he could pay, I'd deal.

Author_Thirteen: We'll talk if you agree to pay twice the amount. Just so you know, I only deal in information and favors. You cannot buy from me with money.

I sent the message and leaned back, waiting. The seconds dragged on before his reply came through.

Diamond_Black: I am willing to pay back in favors. However, I would renege on that deal if I find your information lackluster.

Typical. Everyone thought they could outsmart me. But I had my ways of ensuring payment. The trick was never giving clients the full picture upfront. Feed them just enough to keep them hooked, desperate for the rest.

Author_Thirteen: This is what's going to happen. I'll give you half of the information now. Once you succeed and complete your part of the favor, I'll give you the other half. Do you understand?

I sent the message and stretched, feeling the rough bark of the tree against my back. Every deal carried risks, but that was the nature of the game. If anyone tried to double-cross me, well, I had contingencies.

Diamond_Black: Deal. What's the favor?

I cracked my knuckles, already planning my next move. This was my chance to reconnect with Leora, even if it was indirect.

Author_Thirteen: With the kind of information you want, the price will be three favors.

Diamond_Black: Fine.

I almost laughed at how begrudging his response sounded.

Author_Thirteen: Leora the Bright. Courier duty. Send her my contact number. Tell her it's from her favorite author. Then, tell her: "I'm the most handsome guy in the world, and that's why you can't resist me. Banana." She'll get it. If she chooses to keep you around, you'll proceed with my second favor—bodyguard duty for whatever she needs, for the next month.

I waited, imagining Leora's reaction to the message. She'd recognize the line immediately—it was an old inside joke from simpler times.

Diamond_Black: Deal. Now, what's the first half of the information?

Hook, line, and sinker.

Author_Thirteen: To make a Devil's Trap, you'll need the Lesser Key of Solomon. It's a grimoire—ancient and powerful. And don't believe whatever the internet or hunter communities say about it. Most of the information out there is either lost, fabricated, or distorted. You'll need to track down the original. Without it, you're as good as dead if you try to trap a Devil.

That should be enough to get him started. The bait was set, just enough to keep Diamond_Black interested and dependent on me. Now, all I had to do was wait for him to fulfill that first favor. The sooner I could get Leora back in my life, the better.

I stared at the screen for a few more minutes, waiting for a reply. Nothing. Either he was already moving to fulfill the favor, or he'd ghosted me. It was a coin toss at this point, and I wouldn't know until I heard back from Leora.

The uncertainty gnawed at me, and my fingers started tapping rhythmically against the rough bark of the tree. I hated waiting—it was like holding my breath underwater, unsure if I'd make it to the surface in time.

Then, my other phone buzzed.

KZ_1_2: I found information on what you're looking for… Quick methods to awaken aura. It's rather brutal, but you asked for it.

My breath hitched as I read the message. Aura.

I'd written about it in my novel, painting it as the pinnacle of power—an energy field that could turn the mundane into extraordinary. Seeing it in action over the first time had been both awe-inspiring and terrifying. It wasn't just a concept here; it was real, raw, and utterly out of my reach.

Until now.

My pulse quickened as I skimmed through the message. There were no fancy diagrams, no mystical incantations—just steps. Cold, detailed steps on how to forcefully awaken aura within a person.

The methods were brutal. Pain, trauma, and near-death experiences were the core ingredients. My stomach churned as I read through the instructions, each line more daunting than the last. This wasn't just a matter of willpower; it was a trial by fire, a gauntlet of suffering with no guarantees.

I leaned back against the tree, staring at the fading sunlight filtering through the branches. Could I do it? Could I put myself through hell just for a shot at becoming something more than a helpless bystander in this predator's world?

"Well," I muttered to myself, "it's either that or wait to get killed when the favors run out."

My gaze dropped back to the message. KZ_1_2. The naming system was all too familiar—guild-issued, most likely. The "1_2" suffix marked this guy as a low-level grunt in some organization. Just another cog in the machine, probably trying to make a quick deal.

That didn't mean I could afford to dismiss him. If this information was even half-baked, it could cost me my life. But if it was accurate...

I clenched my fists, the bark digging into my palms. The truth was, I didn't have a choice. In a world where hunters and monsters walked side by side, survival demanded sacrifice.

The thought of putting myself through this trial was terrifying, but the alternative was worse—remaining weak, powerless, and at the mercy of a world that didn't care whether I lived or died.

I typed back a quick reply:

Author_Five: How can I verify this method works?

The seconds stretched into eternity as I waited for a response.

KZ_1_2: It worked for my boss. He started as mundane. Now he's top-tier.

The words sent a chill down my spine. If that was true, then it was possible.

I quickly typed a response, my fingers flying across the screen.

Author_Five: I've received your intel. On the basis that your information proves false, an assassin will then be sent your way.

It was a bluff, of course. I didn't have assassins on speed dial or anything remotely close to that. But in this world, perception was everything. Fear had a way of loosening tongues and making people more truthful than they intended to be. If KZ_1_2 had any sense, he'd make sure his intel was rock-solid.

I waited for a response, but none came. Hopefully, that meant the message had the intended effect.

Now came the hard part—deciding what to do with the information. The steps to awakening aura weren't just extreme; they were downright suicidal. Brutal methods, trauma, near-death experiences... It felt like volunteering for a death sentence. But if I wanted to protect myself and Leon, I needed every advantage I could get.

I glanced at the message again, my stomach twisting into knots. This was it. Do or die.

I sighed and pocketed the phone. "Well, I asked for it."

Just as I was about to climb down from my perch, a sudden ping from the phone made me pause.

I retrieved it, unlocking the screen to find another message from KZ_1_2.

Attached to the email were corresponding testimonials about the aura awakening process, specifically using the shortcut method he'd outlined.

The more I read, the more uneasy I felt. The organization KZ_1_2 belonged to used a nightmare-inducing aura ability as a key part of the process.

It was a familiar name—one of the underground groups I'd written about, infamous for their psychological warfare and mental manipulation.

The method relied on pushing a person to their absolute limits, mentally and emotionally, until their aura activated as a desperate survival mechanism. The testimonials confirmed its effectiveness, but the cost was high. The mental strain alone was enough to leave some participants broken, and a few had even died during the process.

I leaned back against the tree, letting the phone rest in my lap. The steps seemed legitimate, but they presented a new problem.

I had no access to someone with that kind of nightmare-inducing ability. And even if I did, trusting anyone enough to put me through something so dangerous was a leap of faith I wasn't willing to take.

Then there was Leon. I couldn't afford to lose my grip on reality while he depended on me. The last thing I needed was to botch the process, go insane, and accidentally leave my son to fend for himself—or worse, watch him set the cave on fire in the chaos.

I closed my eyes, exhaling deeply. This was the risk I'd asked for, but the reality of it was sinking in hard. Awakening aura might be my only chance to stand a fighting chance in this world, but the road to get there was nothing short of a nightmare—literally.

I opened my eyes, staring out at the forest. "Guess I'll have to figure out another way," I muttered.

The aura awakening shortcut wasn't off the table yet, but I needed time to plan, to prepare for the fallout if things went wrong. Until then, Leon came first.

KZ_1_2: I hope we are quits, man… No need to send assassins on me…

I couldn't help but grin. The guy was sweating bullets. My bluff had worked like a charm.

Author_Five: I will inform you after we've determined the accuracy of the information you've provided.

Using "we" was all part of the act. I had no organization, no team, and definitely no assassins on standby. But letting people believe I did? That was part of the mystique I cultivated. The less they knew about me, the more powerful they assumed I was. It wasn't the first time I'd pulled this stunt, and every time it worked, it reminded me how much people feared the unknown.

Leaning back against the rough bark of the tree, I allowed myself a moment to breathe. Now came the hard part—figuring out my next move.

What were my options? Wait for someone to magically hand me a nightmare-inducing ability on a silver platter? Not likely. Or, I could risk it and try something more… primitive. Both choices carried their own set of risks, and neither was particularly appealing.

To distract myself, I opened up the Hunter Net again.

The usual stream of posts and gossip flooded the screen, and I skimmed through it, filing the interesting bits in the back of my mind. Staying updated on the latest happenings in the hunter world was part of the job, and every scrap of information had the potential to become leverage later.

After I'd gathered enough intel to satisfy my curiosity, I switched gears. It was time to do some marketing.

I opened my draft folder and pulled up the next chapter in a web novel series I'd been writing under the pseudonym Hunterworks. The series was a collection of one-shots featuring ambiguous characters—ones that might or might not be allegories for real-life hunters. The stories were vague, dripping with mystery, and designed to pique curiosity without giving too much away.

It was my way of showing off my "goods" to potential clients. The hunters who frequented the forums loved a good riddle, and these stories gave them just enough to keep them hooked. I never confirmed whether the tales were real or fictional, and that ambiguity was what kept them coming back for more.

I chuckled to myself as I typed up the title of the new chapter. The irony wasn't lost on me. Years ago, when I was just a struggling writer trying to make ends meet, I'd written a web novel called Hunterworks. Back then, it was nothing more than a passion project, a fictional world where hunters and supernatural forces clashed in epic battles.

Now, here I was, living in a world eerily similar to the one I'd created. The name Hunterworks had come full circle, and I couldn't help but marvel at the poetic symmetry of it all.

With the new chapter uploaded, I leaned back again, satisfied. The hunters on the forums would devour it, dissecting every word and debating whether it was based on real events. And maybe, just maybe, one of them would reach out, looking to hire The Author.

For now, all I could do was wait and see who took the bait.

"Aura… Is there a way for me to awaken aura safely?"

~003