The realization was humbling and terrifying in equal measure.
For three years, Zeph had been the apex predator in his territory. The Ghost. The thing other scavengers warned each other about. Even after losing his transformation, he'd killed two B-rank awakened and felt powerful doing it.
But standing in this line, watching that man with the blank presence casually observe gate traffic, Zeph understood with perfect clarity:
He was still at the bottom of the food chain.
He'd just moved from a small pond to an ocean!
"Next!"
The shout snapped Zeph's attention back to the present. The line had moved forward while he'd been analyzing threats, and now it was his turn at the checkpoint.
He stepped up to the processing station—a reinforced booth with multiple guards, scanning equipment, and what looked like a System interface terminal built into the desk.
