SYSTEM ASCENSION

”Team Beta requesting backup! Location: Cagary, Gate 1255...”

”Transfer the patients to the medical ward...”

”Team Rondo preparing to enter an A-rank portal. Location...”

Sound League was as bustling as ever.

Being the largest raiders’ league in the history of the Salvador Empire, it boasted over a million raiders alongside countless affiliated leagues spread across the world. It was also the only league with branches on every continent, making its influence unparalleled.

Because of its long history and top-tier security, a break-in was considered virtually impossible.

So the moment Rowen stepped through the main entrance, he found himself surrounded.

”Intruder detected,” an A-rank raider announced. ”I repeat, intruder detected.”

Rowen frowned.

”Surrender and state your identity!”

His gaze swept across the crowd.

There were well over a hundred raiders.

It was a troublesome situation, though nowhere near enough to make him uneasy.

”Rowen Ringoff.”

The guards exchanged uncertain glances.

Instead of lowering their weapons, they tightened their formation, every one of them preparing for a fight.

”Our boss is already in the building.”

Rowen slapped a hand against his forehead.

Everything suddenly made sense.

”Your boss isn’t Rowen.”

The raiders looked at one another again, confusion spreading through their ranks.

He sighed, realizing how ridiculous he must have sounded from their perspective.

Before he could explain any further—

”What is going on?”

The crowd immediately parted as a woman stepped forward.

”Miss Remy!”

Every guard bowed.

Although she officially worked as a nurse, Remy was currently ranked fifth among Sound League’s strongest raiders.

She stopped before Rowen and respectfully lowered her head.

”It’s been seven years, Mr. Rowen.”

The surrounding raiders froze.

”...Seven years?”

”Mr. Rowen?”

Whispers spread through the hall as countless eyes darted between the two.

”I had to come,” Rowen said. ”Razeal has been here for six months. By now, he might’ve destroyed half of Sound League.”

A smile tugged at the corner of Remy’s lips.

”He’s been too interested in the kid he brought to destroy anything.”

She turned and began leading him toward the training grounds.

”In just six months, that kid has grown tremendously. He’s even challenged the Numbered.”

”Hm... the Numbered?”

”Yes.”

She grinned proudly.

”He’s currently ranked sixth, only one place below me.”

”At this rate, it’ll only take another year before he challenges you, Mr. Number One.”

”I’m looking forward to it.”

Rowen glanced over his shoulder.

The raiders who had nearly attacked him were still following at a cautious distance, refusing to lower their guard.

Oddly enough...

It made him proud.

”For some reason, though, he hates being ranked by numbers,” Remy continued with a shrug. ”He once said he used to be Number Five and didn’t want another number attached to him.”

”Number Five?”

Rowen raised an eyebrow.

’The tattoo on his wrist...’

”There’s another problem.”

Remy’s cheerful expression faded into a helpless sigh.

”I feel completely incompetent.”

Rowen looked at her.

”His eyes still haven’t healed.”

She lowered her gaze.

”I’ve tried everything I know, but nothing works. Is it really impossible to treat him? Mrs. Gwen hasn’t returned in the past six months.”

Rowen almost laughed.

”Don’t worry. It has something to do with Zeal’s ability.”

Remy abruptly stopped outside the training hall.

”...Are you saying Sir Zeal is deliberately keeping him blind?”

Rowen merely shrugged before pushing open the massive doors.

The arena erupted with cheers, arguments, and excited shouting.

Almost every raider stationed at Sound League Headquarters had gathered around the training grounds.

It had become a familiar spectacle.

The now-famous spar between Elias and Zeal.

Elias foot dug into the arena floor as he vanished from where he stood, closing the distance between himself and Zeal in an instant. His fist shot toward Zeal’s chest with frightening precision, carrying enough force to send an ordinary A-ranker flying.

Zeal met it with the back of his hand.

The collision released a sharp shockwave that swept across the arena, causing the front rows of spectators to instinctively shield their faces.

”Are you saying he’s still blind?”

”...That’s the terrifying part.”

Zeal twisted Elias’s wrist, intending to throw him over his shoulder.

Elias anticipated it. Instead of resisting, he followed the motion, allowing his body to rotate before his free leg whipped toward Zeal’s temple.

Zeal tilted his head, and the kick brushed past his hair.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

”Good.”

Elias said nothing. The compliment only irritated him.

He continued pressing forward, every strike flowing precisely. His punches no longer chased sounds alone; they chased the disturbances in the air, the pressure created by movement, the faint vibration beneath his feet.

The arena erupted.

”He’s forcing Sir Zeal to move!”

Their fists collided, and kicks met in midair.

The dull impacts echoed throughout the arena, each collision sending ripples across the reinforced floor.

Five minutes passed.

No one had gained an advantage. Even Rowen folded his arms with genuine interest.

”...He’s adapted far faster than I expected.”

Remy nodded.

”I’ve never seen Sir Zeal move this much. The kid also. It seems he had abandoned the idea of seeing altogether.”

”Things are going to smooth to be true,” Rowen eyes narrowed. ”I feel like —”

Zeal’s attention had shifted, and landed on him.

”...He’ll get distracted.” Rowen completed.

Zeal’s expression brightened, a grin spreading across his face. He casually raised one hand.

”Big bro!”

The arena fell silent.

Rowen palmed his face.

”...Idiot.”

Zeal’s gaze had wandered for barely a second.

Without hesitation, Elias planted his foot, rotated his hips, and unleashed a devastating roundhouse kick toward the exact opening Zeal had unknowingly created.

By the time Zeal looked back, it was already there.

BOOM!

The kick connected squarely with his ribs.

The impact detonated like an explosion.

Zeal’s body became a blur as he shot across the arena, skipping across the reinforced floor before crashing through three training pillars one after another.

Dust erupted, fragments of concrete rained across the battlefield.

Absolute silence.

Every spectator stood frozen.

Someone quietly lowered the drink they had been holding.

”...”

”...”

”...Sir Zeal...”

”...Got kicked?”

Remy’s mouth slowly fell open.

Rowen sighed.

”I told him to stop fooling around...”

The cloud of dust slowly settled.

Zeal remained buried beneath the rubble for several seconds before a hand emerged, casually pushing aside the broken concrete.

He climbed to his feet, dusted off his shoulder, and looked toward Elias, who still maintained his stance.

”...Nice kick. I broke a rib or two.”

”HOW IS THAT NICE?!” The spectators yelled.

”Forget the part,” a female raider pointed. ”Who the hell is that?!”

All eyes moved to Rowen and back to Zeal.

”Two of them?”

”Is this a clone technique?”

”Idiot, they are twins.”

”Your boss is Zeal, not Rowen,” Remy announced.

”Huhhhh?”

All eyes turned to Zeal.

He smiled and waved. ”I’m Zeal.”

”THEN WHY HAVEN’T YOU SAID IT!”

”Hehe...”

Rowen eyes followed Elias who was already leaving the hall. He walked to Zeal and when the latter had expected a hug, Rowen grabbed his ear.

”Ouch! Aargh!”

”Fix his eyes, you stupid brat!”

”I will!”

”This is basically kidnapping in classic terms!”

”I’m sorry!”

”Why are you telling me?”

”I’ll apologize to him!”

Everyone just watched their boss jumping like a two year old.

When Rowen finally released his ear, he slumped down. ”My...rib...”

”So?” Rowen asked. ”What now?”

”Now,” he smiled. ”We’ll clear some portals.”