The hooded sorcerer’s words lingered long after he disappeared into the shifting mass of people. Evan tried to focus on the tests and the creators waiting in line but something in the sorcerer’s voice gnawed at him. It was not simple jealousy or bitterness. It carried certainty conviction the tone of someone who had already made up his mind about Magenet long before seeing it.

A storm cannot be contained
The phrase repeated in Evan’s mind like a warning echo

He helped the last of the creators pack up their tools and illusions. The crowd thinned slowly. Sera Valen finished her notes and approached Evan with a calm but intense gaze.

Your system attracts more than curiosity she said It attracts fear Fearful minds create enemies faster than any invention

Evan sighed I know but I thought early development would stay small
Sera shook her head softly You built the first spark of a new communication age Nothing about it will stay small

She tucked her pen into her belt
The Chronicle will publish an observation piece about what I saw today
Evan stiffened Is that allowed under the Council rules
It is only a description Sera replied No illusions no diagrams But enough to spread interest

Her eyes narrowed slightly You will gain supporters but also critics Prepare for both

She departed leaving Evan with a knot tightening in his chest.

The craftsman approached next placing a strong hand on his shoulder
You must learn to see not only runes and pulses but people and intentions The network will not fall because of flawed crystals but because of flawed hearts

Evan swallowed and nodded I will be ready

The courtyard now nearly empty felt colder than usual. He packed the relay crystals in the wooden case and walked back toward the inn with the mages. They chatted about the day’s tests but even they sensed the tension.

One mage asked Are you worried about the sorcerer
Evan replied quietly Anyone who speaks in riddles and disappears before answering questions worries me

They reached the inn just as lantern runes drifted through the evening air. Inside the taproom several adventurers talked loudly about illusions they had seen. Some reenacted the flowing pulses with exaggerated gestures. Others argued about who recorded the best clips. The entire place felt like a lively forum of creators.

But near the corner a pair of cloaked strangers whispered with heavy seriousness. Evan felt their eyes brush across him. They turned away when he looked. The mages noticed and moved closer to him.

Not everyone likes new magic one said softly
Another added Some guilds fear anything that shifts the balance

Evan made his way to his room and sat at the small wooden table. He opened his sketchbook and flipped to the pages where he wrote about early creator communities. He had faced similar problems in the real world toxic influencers early friction arguments about visibility but this was different.

Here disagreements carried mana
Here jealousy could summon real fire
And here critics could wield curses instead of angry comments

He took a long breath
Magenet must have structure or it will break

He drew a new page and wrote
Early Safe Practices

The Insight Vision activated glowing faintly as if approving. He wrote rules
Limit pulse intensity
Cap clip length
No battle illusions near public crowds
Designated testing areas

Then he hesitated before writing another rule
Identity tracking runes

He frowned
This meant users would have a magical signature attached to their content. It would prevent anonymous danger but risked angering creators who wanted freedom. It was a delicate balance and he knew it would spark debate.

The inn suddenly shook with a faint boom
Evan jumped from his chair
Another explosion followed
Shouts echoed from outside

Evan rushed to the window
A plume of dark smoke rose near the crafting quarter
Mana flared brightly then dimmed

He grabbed his cloak and ran outside with the mages behind him.

When they reached the crafting quarter they found the street littered with shattered pottery and glowing fragments of failed spell runes. Several shops had flickering wards triggered by sudden force. People gathered in fear whispering.

The craftsman’s shop was intact but its windows shook from the shockwave.

Evan hurried to him Are you hurt
The craftsman shook his head but his eyes narrowed The explosion did not start here It started down the lane where the lesser crystal shops are

He pointed
A small shop lay in ruin its door blown off its hinges smoke drifting from within

A frightened merchant stumbled out coughing
Someone tried to test a relay crystal he gasped They carved unstable runes They said they wanted to make their own network node

Evan felt cold spread through his chest
Imitators
Already
Dangerous imitators

He walked slowly among the debris. He recognized fragments of cheap crystals and crude attempt runes. Someone saw what he had built and tried copying it without understanding the structure.

The craftsman muttered This is exactly what I warned The idea is loose now in the world You cannot stop others from trying
Evan clenched his fists I have to guide them or they will create more harm
He knelt and examined a broken relay fragment Its rune lines were jagged unstable drawn without understanding mana flow.

Insight Vision activated
It projected the path of the explosion
A flawed pulse overloaded the crystal
A single misaligned rune caused a violent mana kickback

Evan whispered They could have died

The craftsman nodded
And soon someone will if you do not create rules

The crowd murmured angrily
Who made this
Who caused this danger
Is this the outsider’s fault

Evan stood
Not with fear
But with resolution
I will take responsibility I will speak tomorrow in the plaza and set the first safety standards

The craftsman nodded sharply And I will stand beside you

Evan felt the weight of the day
The enthusiasm of the growing community
The fear of those threatened
The danger of imitators
The shadow of the hooded sorcerer

Magenet had grown its first creator group
Its first fans
Its first risks
Its first explosion

And tomorrow
He would have to become not just a builder
But a leader