First Clue!

James stood in his room, staring at the glowing words from the system, his excitement bubbling over like a boiling pot.

He had unknowingly unlocked a hidden condition of the system, and the Clue system had been initialised.

The guidance clue was now being revealed, a cryptic lead that would point him straight towards the hidden boss of the region.

He practically vibrated with energy as the system's voice echoed in his head.

He muttered to himself, "Come on, system. Don't give me one of those nonsense clues that sounds like it came from a Shakespearean or Hogwarts nightmare."

Finally, the system chimed.

[Ding! Guidance Clue:]

[In the shadow of grandeur, he hides his name,

Where the water dances, near power's flame.

A watcher of clashes, where strength was displayed,

Ten paces from life's mirror, the role he played.]

James squinted at the words, then immediately flopped onto his bed, groaning. "What… what is this? A riddle? Really, system? You couldn't just say, 'Go to the mountain and look for Bob'? Nooo, you had to go all poetic on me."

He had already expected this, but if each guidance from the system was going to be harder than his police academy exams, it wasn't going to be helpful.

The system simply wanted him to suffer!

Despite his complaints, James couldn't help the growing intrigue building inside him. The gears in his mind began to turn.

He read the first line again: "In the shadow of grandeur, he hides his name."

"Shadow of grandeur… grandeur… that means someone important, right? Someone in the upper echelon?" He tapped his chin, pacing the room.

"And 'hides his name' means he's probably keeping a low profile. So, the hidden boss isn't flashy. He's keeping a low profile."

James scratched his head. Then the word he hit him like a brick. "Wait… he. It's a man!"

The hidden boss was officially confirmed to be a man!

This was huge! For days, he'd been spinning wild theories about who the hidden boss could be.

In his head, he'd imagined everyone from a mysterious business woman to a badass Vanguard Representative who also happened to like girls.

It could literally be anyone. Afterall, there was no rule somewhere that said that the hidden boss had to be a man.

But now, with this line, he could narrow things down. He grabbed a piece of parchment and a pen from his desk and immediately crossed two names off his mental list: his mother and the Vanguard Representative.

They were strong and influential, but they clearly didn't fit the clue anymore. He had to search for men, now.

He moved on to the second line: "Where the water dances, near power's flame."

"Water dancing… that's gotta be a fountain, right?" he said to himself. "That makes sense. But what's 'power's flame'? That's so… weird! What the heck does that mean?"

James sat down, trying to connect the dots. He thought about every fountain he'd seen recently, but nothing clicked.

For hours, he sat there, tapping his knuckles against his desk, his brain running in circles.

His focus was so intense that he didn't even notice the time passing outside his window. Afterall, his life was on the line here. This was worse than preparing for any exams!

He spent hours trying to decipher the clues, going back and forth, pacing the floor until his legs ached. By the end of the day, all he had was a headache and an intense craving for a snack.

He still hadn't managed to decipher this second line. It was too tricky.

By the time evening rolled around, James was no closer to solving the clue. Frustrated and hungry, he decided to take a walk in the garden with his mother.

The garden was bathed in moonlight, and the soft glow made the flowers look magical. His mother was in high spirits, chatting away about her plans to introduce more rare blooms to the estate.

"And these flowers here," she said, pointing to a row of pink blossoms, "are called Everhearts. They're so delicate, but they thrive in moonlight! Isn't that fascinating?"

James nodded absentmindedly, his thoughts still stuck on the riddle. He was half listening to his mother, politely murmuring, "Oh, that's wonderful," while his brain screamed, 'What the heck is power's flame supposed to mean?'

Then his mother said something that snapped him out of his daze. "I was really surprised at how well you fought during the Aegis Resonance Banquet. You've improved so much in hand-to-hand combat! How did you manage it?"

James froze mid step. "The Aegis Resonance Banquet…" he whispered, his eyes widening. Suddenly, the second line of the riddle made perfect sense.

"Where the water dances, near power's flame."

He remembered the grand fountain at the banquet, its waters sparkling under the light of the chandeliers.

That was it! 'Where the water dances' was a fountain, but it wasn't just any fountain—it was the fountain at the Aegis Resonance Banquet!

The "flame" wasn't literal—it was a symbol of power, the kind of prestige the banquet represented!

Excitement surged through him, and he quickly connected the next line: "A watcher of clashes, where strength was displayed."

He remembered the intense sparring match that took place during the banquet between him and Trent. The hidden boss had been there, watching everything.

It was confirmed now. No more guessing. James' target had been at the Banquet!

Finally, the last line: "Ten paces from life's mirror, the role he played." James's thoughts zeroed in on the fountain again, its crystal clear water reflecting everything like a mirror.

Water was the only natural substance that functioned as a mirror. Which was why it was called life's mirror!

The hidden boss had been standing ten paces away from it.

His mind raced back to the banquet, replaying the seating arrangements and the key moments of the evening.

Especially the part where he had fought Trent. He could practically see the faces of the people around the fountain during that fight.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. 'I've got you now,' he thought.

His lips curled into a cold smile. "I finally have a list of suspects," he muttered under his breath.

The hidden boss thought he could stay in the shadows, but James was about to prove otherwise.

_____

Power stone Goal!

20 PS - 1 Bonus chapter

50 PS - 2 Bonus chapter

100 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.