CHAPTER 75: AFTERMATH!

Tears streaked down Ozai’s face as his voice broke into a desperate cry. "Please... kill me, Bruce!"

Bruce didn’t hesitate.

He unsheathed his dagger in one fluid motion, no malice, no thrill, just quiet efficiency. The blade flashed once.

SCHLICK!

Ozai’s voice cut off instantly. His body went still. His head rolled to the side, eyes still wide and wet with fear.

Bruce exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable as he stared at the lifeless face looking back at him.

Even in death, Ozai’s eyes were pleading.

Bruce’s gaze softened, just slightly, and he shook his head, a faint sigh escaping his lips.

"An unmotivated test subject isn’t worth it."

He sheathed the dagger, his calm aura returning like nothing had happened, the faint scent of blood dissipating into the hot, still air.

Another kill. Another adaptation.

Another experiment complete.

...

Meanwhile, back in the pod room, Lucen sat frozen.

Dozens of holographic screens glowed before him, each showing different recruits battling, struggling, surviving, but his gaze was fixed on one feed. The one where Bruce had just ended Ozai Thorne’s life with a single, effortless stroke.

For a long moment, he couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

His mind was struggling to process what he had just witnessed.

"Impossible..." he muttered under his breath, eyes wide with disbelief.

He replayed the scene again, the Fire God Incarnate form, the cellular combustion, the brutal exchange, and finally that cold, clinical execution. Every second of it defied logic.

’Ozai Thorne.’

A direct heir of one of the Great Ancient Families.

A newly prodigy of fire, trained in the path of dual swords since childhood also trade in mana control, and flame authority after his awakening. A young master groomed by generations of power and wealth.

And Bruce, a nobody, no heritage, no political backing, had just humiliated him, dismantled him piece by piece, and executed him without hesitation... inside a public simulation.

Lucen’s mind reeled.

’What was he thinking?’ he thought in panic. ’To humiliate a Thorne like that... that family won’t take this lightly.’

The Thornes like most other Great Ancient Families are notorious for their pride. They weren’t just powerful, they were vindictive.

The humiliation of one of their direct heirs wasn’t something they’d forgive, not even in a simulation. And Bruce hadn’t just beaten Ozai. He’d broken him. Made him beg for death.

Lucen rubbed his temples, anxiety bubbling in his chest.

’The Thornes are going to come for him... This could turn into a political nightmare.’

Yet, even as he thought that, his eyes never left the screen.

Bruce stood there, calm, expressionless, his dagger dripping with digital blood as Ozai’s lifeless head stared blankly from the ground. There was no arrogance in Bruce’s face, just quiet composure, a cold professionalism that made the entire act feel surgical.

Lucen’s heartbeat slowed. The shock gave way to a strange, cautious admiration.

He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing as a small gleam lit them.

"Such genius..." he whispered. "This guy... with the knowledge and precision he’s shown, his adaptability, his understanding of healing, his tactical use of biology and mana, this is no ordinary recruit."

He exhaled slowly, regaining his composure.

"Yes, Bruce Ackerman may have just offended a Great Ancient Family..." he murmured, "...but someone like him, someone who can think, fight, and evolve like that, is too valuable to lose."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"The Adventurer’s Guild must shield him. No matter the cost."

Lucen leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the screen where Bruce stood alone amid the fading flames.

"A powerhouse like him, with such unique class," he said quietly, a note of conviction in his voice, "...will change the balance of the Guild’s future."

Then, at that moment, a long mechanical hiss echoed through the pod chamber.

Lucen’s eyes flicked toward the sound instinctively. One of the pods in the far corner was releasing steam, the glass front fogging before it slid open with a soft hydraulic whine. Thick mist billowed out, curling through the dim light as a silhouette slowly stepped forward.

From within the haze, a figure emerged, broad-shouldered, sharp-featured, his dark hair damp from the pod fluid. His movements were stiff at first, but his eyes... those pale, cold eyes were unmistakable.

Lucen’s brows lifted slightly. "Ozai..."

The young master of the Thorne family walked out of the steam without a word, his bare feet leaving faint wet prints on the metallic floor. He stopped beside Lucen, not even sparing him a glance. His gaze, however, was fixed on the screen still showing Bruce’s figure standing calmly in the virtual world.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The only sounds were the soft hum of the machinery and the rhythmic hiss of cooling vents. The silence stretched, heavy, suffocating, until Ozai finally broke it.

His voice was low but steady. "No matter what happens, Lucen... don’t let news of this fight with Bruce reach my family."

Lucen turned toward him, slightly surprised. Ozai’s tone wasn’t pleading, it was commanding, urgent, almost desperate beneath the surface.

"They shouldn’t see or hear of it," Ozai continued. "I don’t care what methods the Guild uses, what it costs. Just... don’t let them know."

Lucen exhaled slowly, nodding once. "That won’t be a problem, Sir Ozai," he said carefully. "But there’s an issue... your death recordings, or rather all deaths are automatically transmitted. They’ll be automatically broadcast in the Vr world for all recruits to hear. It’s... protocol."

Ozai’s jaw tightened. His teeth ground audibly as his eyes snapped toward Lucen. "It can’t be canceled?"

Lucen hesitated, then shook his head. "No, sir. It’s a system function directly tied to the simulation servers. Even I can’t override that."

For a few seconds, Ozai said nothing. His face was calm, but his knuckles whitened, veins rising beneath the skin as he clenched his fists.

Finally, he sighed through gritted teeth. "Alright," he said quietly. "I’ll handle it."

***

A/N:

Mass release Chapter No 7... Your support is my motivation, Vote, powerstones and Golden tickets 🙏