The scent of stale coffee and disinfectant hung heavy in the air of the Crimson Guard's common room. Usually, the atmosphere was punctuated by raucous laughter and the clang of sparring matches, but today, a palpable tension had settled, thick and suffocating. Ethan tried to appear nonchalant, nursing a lukewarm mug and feigning interest in a news report flickering on the communal screen about a Rift surge near Berlin. But he could feel the weight of their gazes, a silent scrutiny that pricked at the back of his neck.

Maya was the most obvious, her usually bright eyes narrowed, a crease etched between her brows. She sat a few tables away, meticulously cleaning her recurve bow, the rhythmic rasp of the string a deliberate attempt to create a distraction – or perhaps, to observe him more discreetly. He caught her gaze flicker to his hands, then quickly dart away. She had definitely noticed something during the last Rift Raid.

Then there was Diaz, the hulking brute of the team, whose usual jovial demeanor was replaced with a sullen, suspicious glare. Diaz wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he possessed a primal instinct for danger, and Ethan knew that instinct was now pointed directly at him. Diaz probably couldn't articulate why he was suspicious, but the fact remained: Ethan was different.

But the most concerning was Captain Thorne. His presence was a subtle pressure, a quiet storm gathering on the horizon. He sat at the head of the table, his usual easy smile replaced with a thoughtful frown. He was running diagnostics on his energy rifle, a task he usually delegated to one of the newer recruits. It was a pretense, Ethan knew. Thorne was thinking, observing, analyzing.

The incident with the Devourer still replayed vividly in Ethan's mind. The grotesque creature, all gnashing teeth and writhing tentacles, had lunged at Maya, ready to tear her apart. In that split second, instinct had taken over. The Resonance System had surged to life, flooding his veins with power. He’d moved faster, struck harder, than ever before. The Devourer hadn't stood a chance.

He had tried to play it off as adrenaline, a lucky shot fueled by desperation. But the looks on their faces – shock, disbelief, and now, suspicion – told him the performance hadn't been convincing enough. He'd gone from being Echo, the laughingstock, to something… else. Something unknown, something potentially dangerous.

"Ethan," Thorne finally said, his voice calm and measured. "Got a minute?"

Ethan forced a smile, setting his mug down. "Sure, Captain. What's up?"

Thorne gestured towards his office, a small, sparsely furnished room crammed with maps of Rift zones and tactical diagrams. "Just wanted to debrief on the last mission. Close the door."

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he followed Thorne into the office. The air felt immediately thicker, charged with unspoken questions. He closed the door with a soft click, sealing himself in with the man who had been his mentor, his friend, and now, potentially, his inquisitor.

Thorne turned, leaning against his desk, his gaze piercing. "That was… impressive, Ethan. The Devourer went down fast."

"Yeah, well," Ethan stammered, trying to maintain a casual tone. "Adrenaline, I guess. I just saw Maya in trouble and reacted."

Thorne raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Adrenaline can only do so much, Ethan. You haven't shown that kind of strength or speed before. Not even close."

Ethan swallowed hard. He had to be careful. "Maybe I just got lucky. I've been working out more, you know, trying to improve. Maybe it's finally paying off."

Thorne didn't reply immediately. He just continued to stare, his gaze unwavering. "We all know your capabilities, Ethan. We've seen you in action for years. What happened in that Rift wasn't just a slight improvement. It was a quantum leap."

Ethan’s mind raced. He had to steer the conversation away from the truth. "Look, Captain, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe I just surprised myself. I'm just glad Maya's okay."

Thorne pushed himself off the desk and walked towards Ethan, closing the distance between them. "The Ascendant Guild has been monitoring Rift activity. They’ve noticed a slight uptick in essence anomalies near our sector." He paused, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Rumors are circulating about an Ascendant rapidly gaining power, almost unnaturally. Someone absorbing essence at an accelerated rate."

Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. The rumors were about him. He was the "essence thief."

"I’m just saying," Thorne continued, his eyes locking with Ethan’s, "It's important to be honest with your team, Ethan. We're a family. We need to trust each other."

He left the statement hanging in the air, a clear implication that he didn't trust Ethan's explanation.

"I am being honest, Captain," Ethan insisted, forcing himself to meet Thorne's gaze. "I don't know anything about essence anomalies or power surges. I'm just… trying to be a better Ascendant."

Thorne studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed. "Alright, Ethan. I'll take your word for it. But I'm going to be keeping a close eye on you. Just know that."

The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air as Thorne turned back to his desk. Ethan knew he had bought himself some time, but the reprieve was temporary. Thorne wouldn't let it go. He was too experienced, too perceptive.

As Ethan left the office, he could feel Maya's gaze on him again. He offered her a weak smile, but she didn't return it. She simply watched him, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and suspicion.

Back in his cramped apartment, the weight of the situation crashed down on him. He couldn't hide the Resonance System forever. Sooner or later, his powers would become undeniable. And when that happened, he would become a target – not just for the Crimson Guard, but for the Ascendant Guild, and potentially, for anyone who wanted to exploit his abilities.

He sat down at his rickety table and activated the Resonance System. The familiar interface flickered to life in his mind, the glowing symbols and lines of code a stark contrast to the dingy surroundings. He had to master this power. He had to learn to control it, to conceal it, to use it to protect himself.

He navigated to the "Skills" tab, his eyes scanning the list of potential abilities. He had accumulated enough essence from the previous Rift Raid and the encounter with the Devourer to unlock a new skill. He hesitated, unsure which path to take. Strength? Speed? Defense?

His gaze fell upon a skill listed at the very bottom, partially obscured by the interface. It was labeled "Essence Concealment."

The description was vague, but it hinted at the ability to mask his aura, to hide the Resonance System from detection. It was exactly what he needed.

Without hesitation, Ethan tapped the icon. The Resonance System pulsed with energy, draining his accumulated essence. He felt a strange sensation, a subtle shift in his perception of himself. It was as if a veil had been drawn over his presence, muffling his energy signature.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling. He could still sense the Resonance System, but it felt more…contained. Less obvious. He hoped it would be enough to fool Thorne, to allay his suspicions, to buy him the time he needed to prepare.

He knew one thing for sure: The game had changed. He was no longer just Ethan Blackwood, the perpetually underestimated Echo. He was something more, something powerful, something dangerous. And he was about to enter a world where the stakes were higher than he could ever have imagined. His days of scavenging were over. The time for awakening had begun. But so had the time for deception.