Symbiote Sovereign

Chapter 10: Feedback Loop

Three days.

That was all it took for Vane to refine his entire Ether reserve from Tier 1 "Raw" state to Tier 1 "Pure" state.

Normally, this process took three months for a C-Grade aptitude.

In the darkness of his dorm room, Vane exhaled a breath of misty blue vapor. The **Fermented Gene-Slug** in his stomach was vibrating happily, having digested dozens of Primeval Stones.

"Efficiency: 98%," Vane checked his internal diagnostics. "Ether density has reached the threshold for Tier 1 Middle-Stage."

He clenched his fist. The **Lunite Shard-Tick** responded instantly, its blade sharper, brighter, and more stable than before.

It was a perfect feedback loop.

1. **Rob students** -> Get Primeval Stones.

2. **Feed Stones to Gene-Slug** -> Get Pure Ether.

3. **Feed Pure Ether to Shard-Tick** -> Get Superior Firepower.

4. **Use Superior Firepower** -> Rob more students.

"Simple economics," Vane murmured.

He stood up. It was time for the morning rush.

...

The Academy Gate.

Today, the crowd was different. They weren't just scared; they were waiting for a show.

Standing in front of Vane's usual blockade spot was a tall, muscular student. He held a heavy bone-shield Symbiote on his left arm.

*Gu Yue Dao.* B-Grade aptitude. A known enforcer for the Mo Faction.

"The party's over, Vane," Dao smirked, tapping his bone shield. "The Elders are tired of your little toll booth. I'm here to evict you."

"Are you paying?" Vane asked, ignoring the threat.

"I'm paying in pain!" Dao roared. He charged, the bone shield glowing with yellow light. "**Seismic Bash!**"

It was a Tier 1 combat skill. Heavy impact. High defense.

The crowd gasped. They expected Vane to dodge.

Vane didn't dodge.

He stepped *into* the charge.

*Analysis: Bone Shield covers 80% of frontal torso. Blind spot: Lower right quadrant. Femoral artery exposed.*

Time seemed to slow down. Vane's 500 years of combat experience processed the enemy's movements like a supercomputer solving a math problem.

Vane slid under the shield bash. His hand flashed blue.

*Lunite Slash.*

*Zzt!*

A thin, precise beam of light sliced through the gap in Dao's leg armor.

"Argh!"

Dao screamed as his leg gave way. He collapsed, his shield slamming uselessly into the ground.

Before he could recover, Vane was on top of him. The glowing blue blade was pressed against Dao's eye.

"Shields are useless," Vane whispered, "if you don't know how to cover your feet."

The silence at the gate was absolute.

Vane stood up, kicking Dao aside. He looked at the stunned crowd.

"The price has gone up," Vane announced. "Two stones per person. Call it a... 'Security Fee'."

Nobody argued. They lined up, wallets in hand.

In the corner of the courtyard, hidden in the shadows, an unseen observer made a note on a datapad.

*Subject: Vane. Combat Rating: Re-evaluation required. Threat Level: Rising.*