I slammed my fist on the display. The price of F-tier Nanoweave had tripled overnight – all thanks to my stupid record. The prices made no sense. Spending exorbitant amounts on F-tier gear felt completely wasteful when E-tier access was potentially within reach.

  I scrolled through the Network forums and witnessed absolute chaos. Users were analyzing every detail of the new record, creating speculation threads that stretched for pages. Thankfully, I had opted for anonymity—publishing my name would have made everything a mess.

  The system had effectively blindsided me. I had no knowledge of any record-tracking functionality within the Network. I hadn’t even tried to go fast I simply wanted to complete the mandatory observation period efficiently.

  Nothing to be done about it now. I redirected my focus to my upcoming rank-up attempt. This challenge would significantly exceed the difficulty I'd grown accustomed to. The tier thresholds consistently present the greatest obstacle for raiders, as the advancement required clearing a raid a tier higher. Success meant E-tier gear, a new ability. I really should have just joined a raid group, preferably a corpo-premade or a Stability squad but there was no way I was going to do that.

  The E-tier portal shimmered with a distinctive emerald luminescence that pulsed with mathematical precision—exactly 1.7 seconds between each wave of dimensional energy. I'd spent most of my credits on a solo pass, a decision that even the Network had flagged as "High Risk - Confirmation Required."

  TIER ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITY

  E-09981: SHATTERED CONFLUENCE

  RISK ASSESSMENT: EXTREME (SOLO ATTEMPT)

  WARNING: NORMAL, ELITE F-TIER EQUIPMENT NON-FUNCTIONAL IN E-TIER ENVIRONMENTS

  I'd prepared as thoroughly as possible, studying the limited public records of previous F-tiers attempting what I was about to do—only 8% succeeded. Every statistic, every probability screamed against this attempt. But progression demanded risk.

  I stepped through the portal. One Fracture Charge already pulsed within me, a remnant from my last rift. The Shattered Confluence materialized around me, instantly overwhelming my senses. Reality itself seemed fragmented here—landscape pieces from completely different environments fused together at impossible angles. Desert plateaus intersected with frozen tundra. Sections of ancient city infrastructure jutted from crystalline formations. Above it all, the sky itself appeared broken into geometric panels displaying different atmospheric conditions.

  My DOMAIN ENGINE immediately highlighted dozens of environmental hazards within my 50-meter detection radius:

  Gravity wells: Localized areas of intensified gravitational pull, some strong enough to crush bones.

  Temporal distortion zones: Patches where time flowed at different rates, causing potential desynchronization of internal organs.

  Dimensional thinning: Areas where reality weakened, risking uncontrolled energy bleed from adjacent planes.

  Perception-warping fields: Zones that distorted sensory input, causing disorientation and potentially permanent cognitive damage.

  Radiation pockets: Concentrations of dimensional energy known to cause rapid cellular decay.

  [E-TIER RIFT: SHATTERED CONFLUENCE

  Base Requirement: Locate and defeat the Convergence Guardian]

  Despite my meticulous preparation, a sinking realization settled in as the dimensional energy signatures registered. This environment wasn't just marginally more dangerous than F-tier rifts; it represented a lethal increase in challenge. The Nanosteel Blade felt like dead weight in my hand; its edge dulled before my eyes as higher-dimensional energies negated its molecular bonding. It wouldn’t be good for much. The first Rift Strider materialized 30 meters ahead—a humanoid entity composed of overlapping reality fragments. Its movements created visual echoes as it phased partially in and out of dimensional alignment. T Two more appeared on its flanks, their forms rippling with emerald energy. These weren't normal entities—they were ELITES, immediately recognizable by their multiple phase cores.

  I needed to be methodical. Rushing would be fatal.

  The Striders hadn't detected me yet. My passive Hazard Sense highlighted a promising approach—a narrow path between two gravity wells that would provide cover from their sensory range. The wells themselves posed significant danger, pulling with force sufficient to fracture limbs, but the 50% damage reduction from my Resilience passive would make them survivable if I maintained precise positioning.

  Moving with deliberate care, I edged between the gravity wells, feeling their pull tugging at my extremities. The Fracture Charge in my chest pulsed brighter as I neared the wells, resonating with their dimensional properties. The central Strider paused, its fragmented head turning toward my position—some form of dimensional awareness.

  The terrain ahead formed a killing field—open exposure with minimal cover and at least four environmental hazards overlapping in complex patterns. My Speed was my only advantage, but moving quickly would alert the Striders. I needed to create a controlled chaos.

  I focused on a concentrated radiation pocket amassing near the Striders and commanded, "Create Hazard." A surge of dimensional energy emanated from my core, intertwining with the ambient environment. My intent was to amplify the existing radiation, twisting the pocket into a tangible hazard. The energy expenditure was significant; I felt an immediate drain of 10% of my mana reserves. As the radiation intensified, the telltale sign of Second Fracture Charge began to accumulate, its resonance triggering a Reactive Fracture Tether.

  An immediate surge of power coursed through me, amplifying my speed by 50%. The environment blurred as my perception of time seemed to warp, granting me a crucial three-second window to reposition. The radiation field expanded exponentially, painting the air with an ominous green glow. The Striders reacted instantly; their forms contorted and shimmered as they attempted to phase shift away from the intensifying hazard. Two managed to tear themselves free from the radiation's grasp, their forms flickering as they escaped. However, the third Strider faltered, its phasing sequence disrupted by the chaotic energy. The creature became ensnared within the field's influence, its dimensional stability rapidly unraveling. Perfect. The plan was working.

  With my speed boost, I cut past the nearest gravity wells, the localized distortions masking my approach as I halved the distance to a more stable section of the rift. A Strider reacted, its fragmented arm lashing out—an impossible reach across the void. Anticipating its trajectory, I shifted vectors, the enhanced speed differential allowing me to evade its weak attempt.

  Directly ahead shimmered a temporal distortion zone, where time flowed at roughly third its normal rate. Entry would compress my perceived actions from the outside, while subjectively elongating my time within. Ideal for recuperation, but fatal if the Striders managed to encircle it.

  "Invert Hazard," I commanded, recalibrating the temporal zone. The distortion inverted, now accelerating time flow to approximately three times normal.

  The air shuddered as reality Fractured. Three Fracture Charges, birthing a chaotic dimensional rupture above the accelerated zone. From the tear emerged an anomaly—a gelatinous mass of semi-transparent fluid that defied conventional physics, spreading across the ground in precise, geometric patterns.

  Crystallization Fluid—a substance confined to higher-tier dimension. It instantly solidified any matter into crystalline structures suspended in dimensional stasis. The fluid flowed with unnerving awareness, prioritizing the Striders as I dodged to avoid it. One was ensnared, its form flash-frozen into a crystalline sculpture of fractured spacetime. The fluid's expansion provided cover while neutralizing an ELITE. However, its erratic dispersion generated a new environmental hazard, flagged instantly by my DOMAIN ENGINE. The crystallization front would reach my location in approximately twelve seconds.

  I used the momentary advantage to sprint through the accelerated time zone, experiencing several minutes of subjective time in what would appear as a blur to outside observers. The remaining Striders lost track of me completely as I exited the accelerated zone, emerging into a region resembling a ruined cathedral, fractured mosaics suspended within localized gravity anomalies.

  My Hazard Detection immediately identified three new environmental dangers:

  Glass Storms: Shards of dimensional glass periodically orbiting central points at lethal velocities

  Reality Anchors: Pulsing orbs that stabilized local physics but attracted ELITE and BOSS class entities

  Memory Fog: Translucent vapor that eroded short-term recall, potentially causing disorientation

  The cathedral space was partially enclosed, offering temporary shelter from the crystallization fluid spreading throughout the open area behind me. I needed to let my resources regenerate before proceeding deeper.

  "Consume Hazard," I commanded, targeting a localized memory fog pocket. The fog dissipated, its energy flowing into my systems, expediting my recovery while creating another Fracture Charge. My Mana reserves were fully restored.

  The crystallization fluid, unexpectedly, became my guide. As it solidified, delicate crystal lattices bloomed, not randomly, but in response to the cathedral's inherent structure. The crystals clustered most densely around areas where the very air seemed to shimmer with dimensional stress, subtly highlighting the safest paths through the unstable space. The absence of crystals, became a clear warning sign, marking zones to be avoided.

  My Hazard Detection charted a course through interconnected chambers. Each successive space filled with increasing energy, guiding me toward the rift's heart. The only path forward led directly through the cathedral's central altar, where a reality anchor blazed with unnerving power, a beacon and a barrier all in one.

  Weaving through the chaotic dance of glass storm orbits, I advanced toward the anchor. Its waves exerted a localized dampening effect, making the ambient hazards safer, a brief calm in the storm. But it came at a cost. Two ELITE Striders shimmered into being near the anchor, summoned by its stabilizing influence. Their energy signatures pulsed with a distinct resonance, branding them as Resonant Striders—a designation that spoke of coordinated attacks and amplified lethality. Their proximity promised a dangerous synergy, a lethal amplification of their already considerable power.

  The anchor itself presented both opportunity and threat. To destroy it meant plunging the area into chaos, unleashing unpredictable hazards as the local reality frayed. Yet, its destruction promised to sever the beacon drawing in more entities. Preserving it would maintain relative stability but guaranteed a continuous stream of ELITE reinforcements.

  I chose the controlled chaos approach.

  "Amplify Hazard," I commanded, focusing on the nearest glass storm. Instantly, the orbiting shards multiplied, a dense, hurtling cloud of destruction. As the intensified storm grazed the reality anchor's field, an unforeseen reaction ignited. The transparent glass devoured the anchor's dimensional energy, solidifying into obsidian shards, each a miniature vortex of instability, leaving hairline fractures in reality itself. My Hazard Detection flagged the event: a rare environmental cascade, a temporary state of hyper-charged hazard. Seizing the moment, I accelerated around the storm's edge, herding the Striders between the swirling glass and the anchor's pull. One Strider, overconfident, attempted to phase through the storm. A fatal miscalculation. The dimensionally-charged shards ripped through its form, disrupting its phasing matrix, tearing it apart into scattered fragments of crystalline energy. Second Fracture Charge reached critical mass, unleashing a surge of speed.

  My Speed boosted, I circled the amplified glass storm, corralling the Striders between the whirling blades of glass and the anchor's seductive pull. One Strider, arrogant in its phasing abilities, lunged directly into the storm's heart. A fatal misjudgment. The dimensionally-saturated shards tore through its form, overloading its phasing matrix, and ripping it into shimmering fragments of crystalline energy.

  The second Strider, demonstrating a disturbing level of tactical processing, modulated its own dimensional frequency, unleashing a focused resonance wave directly at my position. It had analyzed my movement patterns over the preceding seconds, anticipating my likely evasive vector. Attempting to disrupt its prediction, I deliberately broke my established rhythm, sacrificing speed for chaotic movement. The Strider compensated instantly, its fragmented head shimmering with a lattice of probability calculations as it recalibrated to my altered trajectory. Complete evasion proved impossible. The edge of the resonance wave grazed my left side, sending searing agony through my systems as it induced partial cellular desynchronization

  HP: 75/100

  The injury not only reduced my Health, but also placed a debuff on me. Dimensional desynchronization resisted conventional regenerative processes. My left arm flickered, phasing in and out of visibility, a ghostly limb momentarily existing across multiple dimensional planes simultaneously. Each flicker was a stark reminder of the encroaching instability, the unraveling of my physical form.

  I needed to eliminate the surviving Strider before further reinforcements arrived. Circling behind the anchor, I used its bulk as a temporary shield, masking my movements from the Strider's awareness.

  "Negate Hazard," I commanded, focusing my energy on the reality anchor. The stabilizing field collapsed, vanishing instantly. The stored dimensional energy erupted outwards in a concussive shockwave, momentarily staggering the Resonant Strider. Third Fracture Charge reached critical mass.

  Reality fractured again, unleashing a more volatile anomaly: a gravity inversion field. The directional pull flipped violently, sending everything unanchored hurtling skyward. I had anticipated this contingency. Bracing myself, I grappled a jutting crystal formation as the world inverted. The Strider, caught off guard, flailed helplessly in the reversed gravity. Freed from its planar constraints, the glass storm expanded in three dimensions, becoming an all-encompassing sphere of razor-edged projectiles.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  The Strider's form was systematically dismantled by the glass fragments, its resonant energy dispersing into the environment. I maintained my grip on the crystal formation, fighting the upward pull while reorienting myself to the inverted perspective.

  The cathedral's ceiling had become a new floor, revealing previously hidden architecture—walkways and chambers designed for inverted navigation. My Hazard Detection adjusted, highlighting new dangers that had been concealed by dimensional folding:

  Vertigo Zones: Areas that disrupted inner ear function and spatial awareness

  Phase Traps: Devices that would forcibly shift targets into adjacent dimensional planes

  Echo Chambers: Acoustic anomalies that amplified sound waves to tissue-damaging levels

  The inverted gravity simplified progression through these areas by making previously inaccessible paths viable. However, the constant upward pull exacted a brutal toll, rapidly accelerating my Exhaustion. Each strained muscle fiber screamed in protest as I fought to maintain my grip.

  EXHAUSTION: 15/100

  I pulled myself along inverted walkways, moving deeper into the rift structure while conserving energy where possible. The dimensional fracture's effects would likely persist for several minutes—enough time to reach the next major area if I maintained efficient movement.

  The inverted path led into a colossal central chamber. A gargantuan crystalline structure dominated the space – a dimensional nexus where shattered realities converged and bled into one another. The energy signatures emanating from this nexus dwarfed anything I had encountered in F-tier rifts, confirming my suspicions: this was the Guardian's domain. The closer I got, the more palpable the sense of wrongness became, the feeling of being at the epicenter of a broken world.

  As I neared the chamber entrance, my inverted position offered a distinct advantage: three NORMAL rift entities patrolled below, oblivious to my presence above them. They resembled distorted humanoids, their limbs flickering between multiple potential positions, existing in a superposition of states.

  The gravity inversion faltered, its hold weakening as the dimensional fracture began to mend. Barely thirty seconds remained before normal gravity reasserted itself, dropping me squarely into the patrol's path.

  "Create Hazard," I commanded, channeling energy to manifest a vertigo zone at the patrol's projected intersection point.

  The vertigo zone shimmered into existence—a subtle distortion in the air, almost imperceptible save for the slight refraction of light. The patrolling entities blundered directly into it, their spatial awareness fracturing. Their movements became erratic and uncoordinated, some firing wildly at phantom threats while others stumbled, losing all sense of balance.

  The gravity inversion abruptly collapsed, without the gradual decay I had anticipated, throwing me off balance mid-preparation. I plummeted toward the disoriented entities, leveraging my enhanced reaction time to adjust my descent, angling for a relatively clear landing zone.

  The impact drove the air from my lungs, but I channeled the momentum into a roll, distributing the force and rising to a defensive stance just as the nearest entity registered my presence through its fractured perception. Unlike the Striders, these entities favored conventional projectile attacks—bursts of crystallized energy that shattered on impact, showering the area with secondary dimensional shrapnel.

  I dodged the initial volley, but the second found its mark, impacting my right leg and embedding crystalline fragments deep within my thigh. The pain was immediate and searing, the fragments attempting to propagate their crystalline structure into the surrounding tissue, threatening to encase my limb.

  HP: 60

  The wound was a liability, restricting my agility against enemies who favored ranged combat. I retreated behind a crystalline outcropping, seeking temporary respite while my systems analyzed the nearby environmental hazards. The Hazard Detection highlighted a promising synergy: an echo chamber intersected by a weak gravity well. The acoustic properties could be amplified and weaponized.

  "Invert Hazard," I commanded, targeting the gravity well. Its pull reversed instantaneously, morphing into a repulsion field that violently pushed outward. Second Fracture Charge reached critical mass, triggering a surge of Speed.

  Enhanced by the speed boost, I darted and weaved, herding the entities toward the manipulated hazards. The first entity advanced cautiously, unleashing a continuous barrage that forced me to remain in constant motion, exacerbating the agony in my leg. Blood seeped through my pant leg as the crystalline fragments bored deeper into the muscle tissue, threatening to lock my joints.

  The entity stepped onto the precipice of the echo chamber just as I plunged inside from the opposite side. The acoustic properties of the chamber amplified every sound to an ear-splitting intensity. Seizing the moment, I slammed my fist against a resonant crystal formation, generating a focused sound wave that the chamber magnified exponentially.

  The entity's form vibrated violently at the resonant frequency, its dimensional integrity unraveling under the specialized acoustic assault. It imploded, dissolving into constituent energy as it lost the ability to maintain structural cohesion.

  The remaining entities displayed a concerning degree of adaptive learning, circumventing the echo chamber entirely while maintaining a relentless barrage from multiple directions. The crystalline fragments in my leg propagated their effect, inexorably immobilizing the limb.

  I required a more decisive solution, a gamble to break the stalemate.

  "Amplify Hazard," I commanded, focusing on the echo chamber. The acoustic intensity intensified exponentially, unleashing a devastating wave of sound that shattered nearby crystal formations. Third Fracture Charge reached critical mass.

  Reality Fractured once more, unleashing a temporal storm—a chaotic distortion of time that rippled through the chamber in unpredictable waves. Different regions of the space experienced wildly varying time flows: acceleration, deceleration, and even reversal zones.

  The temporal storm presented an unforeseen strategic opportunity by mapping the intricate patterns of temporal zones. At the convergence points between temporal acceleration and deceleration, razor-thin boundaries materialized – "time shears" – that exhibited unique physical properties capable of slicing through even the Guardian's dimensional defenses.

  I positioned myself at the nexus of three temporal zones, enduring the disorienting pull as my body experienced multiple time flows simultaneously I could only handle it because of my Resilience. The strain was immense, rapidly increasing my Exhaustion, but it granted me insight on the Guardian. Its attack patterns, previously chaotic and inscrutable, revealed themselves as a complex yet predictable sequence when viewed across the fractured temporal landscape. This was the key to higher-tier combat: not merely reacting to immediate threats, but manipulating fundamental dimensional principles to gain an advantage. The revelation was worth the pain.

  The remaining entities were caught completely off guard. One became trapped in a reversed time flow, its form unraveling and decomposing back into component energy. Another was caught in an accelerated zone, experiencing the equivalent of minutes of existence compressed into mere seconds, rapidly depleting its energy reserves.

  I was not immune to the storm's effects. My perception shattered as I traversed the temporal boundaries, experiencing disjointed and fragmented sequences of events. My consciousness remained intact, but the relationship between cause and effect became distorted and unpredictable. My injured leg underwent sporadic cellular regeneration in accelerated zones, only to revert to its damaged state in regions of temporal backflow.

  The chamber itself underwent a grotesque transformation under the storm's influence—structures aging to dust in one instant, only to revert to pristine form the next. Amidst the chaos, I discerned a pattern: the central confluence remained relatively stable, shielded from the storm's full force by an unknown mechanism.

  That had to be my objective.

  Navigating the temporal patchwork required precise timing and meticulous pattern recognition. I mentally charted the flow rates, plotting a course that utilized accelerated zones for temporary healing while circumventing reversed zones that would exacerbate my injuries.

  The strain of navigating the fractured temporal landscape rapidly depleted my reserves. I had to reach the central confluence before Exhaustion overwhelmed me. The temporal storm began to dissipate, the zones merging and normalizing as the fracture's influence subsided.

  There—a fleeting alignment of accelerated zones forming a direct conduit to the confluence. I seized the opportunity, surging forward and experiencing the unnerving sensation of compressed time as my body underwent minutes of biological processes in mere seconds. The crystalline fragments in my leg partially dissolved as accelerated healing fought against their destructive spread.

  The central confluence loomed before me—a gargantuan crystalline structure riddled with countless reality fragments embedded within its surface. Each fragment offered a glimpse into a different dimension, some recognizable as Earth landmarks, others alien beyond comprehension.

  At the confluence's heart floated the Convergence Guardian—not a conventional entity, but a self-sustaining dimensional anomaly that had achieved rudimentary sentience. Its form constantly shifted, oscillating between humanoid shapes, geometric constructs, and utterly abstract patterns. Energy readings classified it as an E-tier BOSS with unique and formidable defensive capabilities.

  The temporal storm dissipated completely as I approached, reality snapping back into standard time. The sudden reversal struck me like a physical blow.

  EXHAUSTION: 60

  The Guardian registered my presence instantly, its form solidifying into a crude humanoid silhouette composed of crystalline shards. Each shard contained a trapped reality, creating a constantly shifting mosaic entity.

  Its first assault manifested not as a physical blow, but as a dimensional pressure wave that compressed the space around me, threatening to crush me. The pressure intensified exponentially, constricting blood vessels and compressing organs.

  "Create Hazard," I gasped, targeting the pressure wave in an attempt to disrupt it with an acoustic zone. The effort failed to negate the attack, but the speed boost allowed me to narrowly evade the worst of it.

  MANA: 40

  The Guardian retaliated with a volley of reality fragments—crystalline projectiles containing miniature pocket dimensions that could partially phase targets into alternate realities upon impact. One projectile grazed my shoulder, instantly numbing my entire left arm as it desynchronized from baseline reality.

  HP: 45

  Fueled by the speed boost, I circled the confluence, scanning its structure for weaknesses. The Guardian was inextricably linked to the confluence itself—obliterating the physical structure might eradicate the entity. However, the extreme density of dimensional energy rendered direct attacks futile.

  I had to exploit the environment.

  "Create Hazard," I commanded the instant my 60-second cooldown expired, creating a dimensional thinning zone at the confluence's base. The zone would weaken the barriers between dimensions, potentially destabilizing the entire structure. Second Fracture Charge reached critical mass, replenishing my Speed boost.

  The Guardian recognized the imminent threat, abandoning its assault on me to reinforce the vulnerable area. This defensive reaction exposed its underlying weakness: it prioritized defense over offense.

  EXHAUSTION: 75

  I passed the Exhaustion threshold—Reactive Fracture Tether did no longer augment my Speed. I couldn't sustain this tactical approach for much longer. The Guardian began to adapt, prioritizing threats based on their severity rather than reacting to each equally. Its learning capacity surpassed that of typical E-tier entities, hinting that it might be an evolutionary precursor to a higher classification.

  One final chance presented itself—a pattern of resonant frequencies embedded within the confluence's structure. If manipulated correctly, these frequencies could trigger a cascading failure throughout the entire system.

  "Amplify Hazard," I commanded, targeting a naturally occurring resonance point within the crystalline structure. The frequency tripled in intensity, generating visible vibrations throughout the confluence. As the third Fracture Charge reached critical mass, subtle dimensional telltales flickered around it. The air acquired a faint violet hue and pressure differentials manifested as an ultrasonic hum. I sensed that the impending hazard would involve gravitational forces, granting me crucial seconds to brace myself against the nearby crystalline formations before reality shattered.

  MANA: 10

  Reality Fractured for the third time, unleashing the most devastating phenomenon yet: a gravity collapse that momentarily spawned a miniature black hole at the chamber's center. The gravitational pull was immense, drawing everything toward a central point of infinite density. Without preparation, I would have been caught completely defenseless.

  The Guardian's form began to unravel, its fragments pulled relentlessly towards the singularity. It struggled against the inexorable pull, attempting to stabilize the distortion, but the combined forces of the gravity collapse and the resonant vibrations proved insurmountable.

  I anchored myself to a secure crystal formation, battling the gravitational forces with rapidly diminishing strength. The black hole consumed the Guardian piece by piece, each absorption unleashing violent bursts of dimensional energy that radiated outwards in erratic patterns.

  One energy burst struck me directly, overwhelming my remaining defenses and inflicting searing pain throughout my nervous system. My grip faltered as consciousness threatened to slip away.

  HP: 25

  EXHAUSTION: 95

  The black hole began to destabilize as it devoured the Guardian's energy, the fundamental laws of physics reasserting themselves against the artificial singularity. The gravitational pull weakened momentarily, offering a fleeting opportunity for escape.

  I released the pillar, summoning the last vestiges of my strength to propel myself away to safety. The gravity collapse began to invert, transitioning from attraction to violent repulsion as the singularity prepared to explode outwards.

  EXHAUSTION: 100/100

  Maximum Exhaustion hit like a physical blow, my body instantly beginning to deteriorate under the strain. Health drained at an alarming rate as vital systems began to shut down, the dimensional stresses exceeding biological tolerances. A strange calmness came with complete exhaustion—the "adrenaline" effect granting one final push beyond normal limits.

  HP: 15→ 5

  With trembling hands, I activated a Rejuvenator, its energy flowing through me and pushing back the crushing exhaustion just as my body began to fail completely.

  EXHAUSTION: 100 → 50

  The gravitational repulsion launched me into a wall as the singularity collapsed behind me, releasing a final wave of dimensional energy that washed over everything. The extraction point pulsed with stabilizing energy, Network protocols engaging as the rift recognized completion conditions.

  The last thing I saw before extraction completed was the confluence shattering into billions of crystalline fragments, each containing a captured reality now released back into the dimensional flow. Reality shifted as I materialized back in the RMC.

  [RIFT CLEARED: SHATTERED CONFLUENCE

  SURVIVAL RATE: 100% (SOLO)

  CONTRIBUTION: VOLT (100%)]

  [TIER ADVANCEMENT: F → E]

  [LEVEL: 9 → 10]

  [ABILITY SELECTION AVAILABLE]

  Tier advancement registered in my status display, dimensional energy reconfiguring my core structure to align with E-tier resonance patterns. The physical alterations were subtle but profound: a slight increase in dimensional stability, improved energy conductivity within my cellular matrix, and enhanced hazard adaptation.

  I collapsed onto the chamber floor, the lingering effects of dimensional desynchronization still plaguing portions of my body. I groaned as medical drones descended, injecting stabilizers and running diagnostics. More credits funneled into repairs, but survival always came at a cost. The price of progress, etched in scars and missing credits.

  As the medical drones diligently worked to stabilize my condition, the initial assessment flashed across my wrist implant: "Dimensional Scarring (Left Arm): Reality desynchronization affecting 32% of tissue. Projected recovery: 72 hours minimum. Maximum functionality capped at 80% until treated with specialized E-tier nanobots. Nervous System Damage: Temporal exposure has created micro-fractures in neural pathways. Higher function complexity limited to 65% efficiency for next 48 hours. Crystalline Contamination: Trace fragments embedded in right thigh. Recommendation: Allow dimensional half-life decay or seek specialized resonance therapy."

  With my E-tier status now confirmed, the doors to better equipment, more complex rifts, and more credits was open. The transition from F to E had nearly cost me my life. Defensive attributes… could I afford to keep ignoring them?

  As the medical drones administered treatment, I pondered the daunting path ahead. E-tier was still considered low-tier. If advancement demanded this level of sacrifice at each stage, the fraction of raiders reaching S-tier would remain vanishingly small. That was why Humanity was losing ground – too few S-tiers. Or perhaps Stability deliberately kept the competition culled. No, probably not.

  I had survived this encounter by exploiting environmental chaos, a strategy that would only become more precarious as my FRACTURE ENGINE(CURSED) unleashed greater instability. Further progress demanded novel strategies and greater control.

  My wrist implant displayed my updated status as the medical system concluded its initial stabilization procedures. I stared at the glowing *E-TIER* designation, feeling the crushing weight of the distance I still needed to go—and how close I had come to failing.

  This marked only the beginning of the true challenge. Before I could second-guess myself, I reopened my status and immediately allocated my attribute point to Speed.

  E-tier core ×1 = 999cr

  Dimensional Silica: 18 × 150cr = 2,700cr

  Temporal Shards: 12 × 200cr = 2,400cr

  Graviton Particles: 9 × 175cr = 1,575cr

  Resonant Essence: 3 × 300cr = 900cr

  Convergence Fragments: 2 × 500cr = 1,000cr

  BASE TOTAL: 9,574cr

  SOLO BONUS (×10): 95,740cr

  POST-RIFT PENALTIES:

  MEDICAL DEDUCTION: 23,000cr

  NET GAIN: 72,740cr

  [SPEED: 9 → 10]