[Warn1ng: Data Br3ach Det3cted. Acc3ss t0 User informat1on—Unauth0rized Vi3wing 1n Pr0gress!!//]
"Wha—what the hell?!"
Velren's heart skipped a beat as his Codex flared to life without warning. The holographic interface flickered erratically, sparking with glitching symbols. Lines of distorted text twisted and scrambled before settling into that ominous message.
'Data breach detected...?'
His mind raced. Does that mean—someone's reading into his Codex?
He instinctively turned to call out to Gramps, but before he could get a word out—
BZZZT. Flick!
The screen vanished, disappearing just as abruptly as it had appeared.
"Wha—what?"
Velren stared at the empty space where the display had been.
Gone? Just like that?
He clenched his jaw. An error...? No. His interface, despite its usual static and glitching tendencies, was never wrong. Faulty, always. But not wrong. If the Codex issued a warning, it meant something had happened. Which raised the unsettling possibility—Did someone actually breach his Codex? On purpose? Or by accident?
Velren's gaze darted across his surroundings. The street was alive with people: vendors shouting out their wares, townsfolk chattering as they navigated the bustling main road, and children weaving between the crowds. Knights still marched in the distance, as the tail end of the royal procession was barely visible now.
No use... Whoever—or whatever—had accessed his data was long gone, assuming they were even nearby to begin with.
His stomach twisted at a worse thought:
'What if they saw my status... my... 'Anomaly' marker?'
Gritting his teeth, he whispered under his breath, "Codex."
The holographic screen blinked to life again. Familiar lines of text appeared:
Nam3: Velren
Rac3: Human (An0maly)
Titl3(s): Fat3's An0maly | [??]
Aff1l1at10n: N0ne
Skills:
[0bs3rvat10n]: Bas1c und3rstand1ng 0f surr0und1ngs
[Inst1nctiv3 Res1stance]: M3ntal res1l1ence aga1nst ext3rnal 1nflu3nc3
[Predatory Accumen]: H0n3d sk1ll 1n track1ng, hunt1ng, and adapt1ng t0 t3rra1n
Anomaly Traits:
[Fate D1vergenc3]: Y0ur ex1stence dev1at3s fr0m pr3det3rm1ned fat3.
[Syst3m Interf3rence Det3cted]: C3rta1n funct10ns may b3have abn0rmally.
[V1tal Cr3st]: Rift Pulse.
Everything looked normal... on the surface. But if someone had seen this, if they knew—
'Damn it...'
"Oi!"
A hand clamped down on his shoulder. Velren flinched, turning to see Gramps frowning at him.
"Can you not hear me callin' you?! What's with that look? Somethin' wrong?"
Velren hesitated, tension coiled in his gut.
'Should I tell him...?'
But—no. Not until he understood what was going on. No need to make Gramps worry over something that might be nothing.
"...No. It's nothing. Just... lost in thought, that's all," Velren finally said, forcing a shrug.
Gramps gave him a long, searching look, clearly not buying it. But instead of pressing, he huffed.
"Whatever. Just don't space out like that—you'll get yourself trampled. C'mon, hurry it up. Sun's settin', and I ain't keen on bein' out when it gets dark."
As the old man walked ahead, Velren let out a slow breath, drifting his gaze somewhere.
'Who the hell... was watching me?'
***
Velren followed Gramps through the bustling streets once more. But his mind—his thoughts—remained trapped on that warning.
Is that even possible? To be able to peek through someone else's Codex? Could it be someone's Ka... or was it something else entirely?
He was so caught up that he barely noticed when Gramps suddenly stopped. Velren, reacting just in time, stopped to avoid bumping into him.
"Huh?" His gaze shifted forward.
In front of them stood a quaint, weathered building nestled between two larger structures. Its faded wooden sign, swaying gently with the breeze, read The Swaying Oak. Warm, amber light spilled from the windows, casting a welcoming glow onto the street. The scent of roasted meats, spices, and freshly baked bread wafted through the air, mixing with the faint hum of conversation and clinking mugs inside. The exterior was adorned with creeping ivy and a few chipped lanterns that flickered softly, giving the place an old-world charm despite its rough edges.
Velren blinked.
"...This is where you get your usual booze?"
Gramps grunted and nodded.
"Damn right. But first—" He smirked.
"Food's on me today. Come on."
***
They found a corner table inside, the wooden surface was scarred with the stories of countless patrons before them. The place was lively but not overwhelmingly loud—just the right mix of chatter and warmth.
Velren sat across from Gramps, idly resting his hand on the sheathed katana laid across his lap. He ran his fingers along the scabbard, then carefully unsheathed the blade just a little. A glint of polished steel caught the dim light, but his gaze... was distant. His reflection in the metal looked as troubled as he felt.
"So," Gramps spoke up, breaking the silence.
"What happened back there?"
Velren's head snapped up, blinking.
"What?"
"Don't play dumb with me, boy."
The old man leaned back in his chair.
"You're a thousand years too early to be lying to me."
Velren hesitated, pressing his lips into a thin line. How does he always see through him so easily...? Still, words failed him. He didn't know how to even begin explaining.
Gramps, clearly not waiting for a response, tilted his head.
"...Is it about your Codex?"
Velren's eyes widened. His grip on the katana tightened.
'How did he—?'
He finally sighed, shagging his shoulders.
"...Yeah."
He paused, then decided there was no point holding back.
"I just got a warning from it. Said someone was... breaching it. Peeking into my data. Or trying to?"
"Hoo...?" Gramps arched a brow, stroking his chin.
"So that hunk of junk can do somethin' like that, huh? Interesting."
"Wait... that's not normal?"
Velren had just assumed that everyone's Codex could do the same.
Gramps chuckled lowly, shaking his head.
"Kid, just like how everyone's Ka is unique, a person's Codex ain't no different. Sure, the basic stuff—names, race, affiliation—that's all standard. But the functions? That's where things differ."
He leaned forward, dropping his voice just enough to make Velren lean in as well.
"Some folks got Codexes that act like simple records—just sittin' there showin' stats and titles. Others?"
He tapped his temple.
"Might have analysis tools, danger sensors... or, apparently in your case, intrusion warnings. What you got ain't exactly common, but it ain't unheard of either. Just... rare. Real rare."
Velren absorbed the information, pursing his lips. So it's like Ka—personalized, but even that has layers of variance...
Gramps leaned back again, waving for a server.
"Point is, don't go thinkin' everyone's got eyes in the back of their Codex like you. Whatever that was? Might not've been random. Keep your head on a swivel, yeah?"
Velren nodded slowly, easing the tension in his shoulders—if only a little.
Still... that didn't stop the nagging question lingering at the back of his mind:
Who the hell was looking at him? And what did they see?