CHAPTER 76: RANK 5

Ring... Ring... Ring...

The shrill sound of a phone echoed inside Ezra’s hotel room.

Elena, seated gracefully on the sofa with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand, placed the cup down with a sigh. She glanced at Ezra, who was sitting at the desk, focused intently on his computer screen.

"Excuse me for a moment," she said softly, rising to her feet.

Ezra merely gave a small nod, eyes still locked on his work.

Elena stepped out onto the balcony. The cool evening breeze brushed against her long hair as she answered the call. Her voice sharpened the moment she saw the name flashing on the screen.

"Colonel Mirella, what is it?"

A hoarse but urgent voice replied from the other end."Elena, can we talk right now? We’re in a serious problem. Colonel Mustafa and his men... they’re accusing us of being vampire spies. They’ve already taken Jonas. Without any evidence, they’ve started torturing him!"

Elena’s eyes widened, her composure shattering."What? How dare he!" she shouted, her voice trembling with fury. "Does he think he can do anything he pleases? Under whose permission is he acting?"

Mirella’s tone grew heavier."On General Sergei’s orders. You know the Valastovich family has always held a grudge against me. I rejected their marriage proposal to their youngest son—this is their way of revenge. Mustafa is their dog, and Jonas is paying the price."

Elena’s jaw tightened. She clenched the railing of the balcony until her knuckles turned white."Ridiculous," she hissed. "So this is the weight of a Great Family’s arrogance. They think because of their bloodline, they can crush anyone beneath them. Don’t worry, General. I’ll handle this personally."

She ended the call abruptly and turned back into the room.

"Ezra," she said, her tone clipped yet steady, "I have something urgent to deal with. Don’t worry about it. You should rest. That Justin fellow will soon be caught—two Rank 6 generals are already investigating him."

Ezra looked up from his computer and simply nodded."Alright. Be careful, Elena."

She gave him one last reassuring look, then stepped onto the balcony once more. With a sharp leap, her figure shot into the night air, landing silently on the rooftop across the street. From rooftop to rooftop, she vanished into the distance like a shadow of authority.

Ezra remained still for a long moment, listening to the faint hum of the city below. Then he whispered to himself:

"Who would’ve thought I’d already become the target of someone like him?"

Closing the laptop, he reached for his phone. A notification blinked on the screen—an unread email. When he opened it, four photographs appeared, along with a short, fragmented dossier.

The message carried no sender name, only blurred words and half-erased sentences. But what was written was enough to send a chill down his spine.

Alias: Justin. Haider. Vladimir. Park Jung Soo.Ability: Shapeshifter. Not talismanic. Innate.Rank: 7.Last Sighted: Elven Continent.Known Method: Uses allies temporarily, discards them. No loyalty.

Ezra’s brows furrowed. He swiped through the photographs:

The first was unmistakable—the same Justin he had encountered.The second, a sharp-faced elf he didn’t recognize.The third, a beastkin with amber eyes.The last, a gruff dwarf with scars across his cheek.

Four faces. Four masks. But one man.

"A Rank 7 assassin..." Ezra muttered. His expression darkened. "That’s far beyond my league."

He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping the armrest. He had no illusions—if such a monster truly targeted him, survival would be a miracle.

"I should return to the academy," he thought aloud. "It’s safer there. Whatever conspiracy is boiling here in Bloodfort... it has nothing to do with me. Better to vanish before I’m caught in it."

But before he left, there was one thing he had to do.

Ezra walked to the closet, pressing his palm against a small hidden compartment. A faint ripple of mana unlocked the seal, revealing a small black box inside. He pulled it out carefully, his heartbeat quickening.

Click.

The box opened, revealing a single glowing pill radiating waves of condensed energy—the Rank 5 Breakthrough Pill.

His eyes narrowed with determination."If I want even a chance of survival... I must break through now."

An hour later, Ezra’s car screeched to a halt near a desolate cliff on the outskirts of the city. He left his phone behind in the hotel—too easy to track—and carried only magic crystals stored in his space ring.

The air grew colder as he descended the cliff, moving deeper into the wilderness until he reached the mouth of a frozen cave. Jagged icicles hung from above like the fangs of some great beast.

Ezra stepped inside. The silence was absolute, broken only by the faint drip of melting water. He walked until the light of the entrance disappeared behind him, then sat cross-legged on the icy ground.

Drawing in a deep breath, he began placing magic crystals around him in a careful circle. The crystals pulsed faintly, resonating with his mana.

Finally, he pulled out the pill. It glimmered with a golden hue, heat radiating from its surface despite the cave’s freezing air.

"Let’s begin."

He swallowed it.

At once, a surge of violent energy erupted inside him. His body trembled, heat flooding through his veins like molten fire. The frozen cave walls around him began to sweat and crack, ice dripping into steaming puddles.

That was why he had not dared attempt this in his room—the energy unleashed from breaking through Rank 5 was not gentle. It was transformation.

Ezra’s breathing grew heavy. His body felt as though it were being torn apart and reforged at the same time. The mortal shell of Rank 4 was crumbling, making way for something greater.

The crystals around him shattered one by one, their mana sucked greedily into his body.

Flames of mana coiled around him, flickering between visible and invisible states. His skin glowed faintly as veins of light traced themselves across his arms, his chest, his face.

"Argh—!" Ezra clenched his teeth, forcing the energy to obey.

Rank 5 was more than just raw power. It was evolution. A cultivator’s very lifespan extended, pushing them beyond the fragile boundaries of mortals. From 150 years to 200 years—an extra fifty years of dominance.

And with it came control.

The ability to mold mana into weapons. To bend it into shapes. To wield power not just as force, but as form.

Ezra’s vision blurred. The heat inside him roared like a furnace, threatening to consume him whole. His body trembled as if cracking apart.

_____________________

Meanwhile — In Marshal Chu Kuangren’s Chamber

Elena stormed through the ornate double doors of Marshal Chu Kuangren’s chamber, her heels striking against the marble floor in sharp, angry beats.

"Uncle Chu!" she called out, her voice already heavy with frustration.

The Marshal—an imposing figure with streaks of silver hair tied neatly behind him—looked up from the pile of documents on his desk. His sharp eyes softened the moment he saw her.

"Elena, dear niece," he said with a tired smile. "What trouble has brought you here so late?"

Elena didn’t bother with pleasantries. She walked straight to his desk, her tone heated."Uncle, you have to do something! This is completely unjust. General Sergei isn’t just targeting Mirella because of that rejected marriage proposal—he’s targeting everyone under her command. Colonel Jonas has already been dragged out and tortured without a shred of evidence. Even the Sword Corps as a whole is being branded as spies!"

Her hands slammed against the table, her eyes burning with outrage.

Chu Kuangren exhaled slowly, folding his hands."Elena... listen. Sergei has received credible intelligence from our spies on the Vampire Continent. The tip says a vampire agent is hiding within the Sword Corps."

Elena scoffed, almost laughing at the absurdity."The Sword Corps has nearly two thousand members! And yet, he only tortures those under Mirella’s direct command? How do you explain that, Uncle? Isn’t it obvious he’s settling personal grudges under the guise of ’council orders’?"

The Marshal fell silent, his eyes troubled. For a long moment, the only sound in the chamber was the crackle of the brazier’s flames. Finally, he shook his head.

"Elena, he has the Council’s order. My hands are tied. I cannot interfere directly."

Her expression froze. Slowly, she leaned back, her lips parting in disbelief."Uncle... you too?"

For the first time, the look in her eyes wasn’t anger—it was disappointment.

Chu Kuangren finally let out a heavy sigh and rose from his chair. His voice carried the weight of authority, but also the tone of an uncle speaking to his niece.

"Elena... leave it to me. I’ll handle this matter. Sergei has truly crossed the line this time. Don’t trouble yourself further—go back and rest. I’ll see that it’s stopped."

Elena hesitated, her lips pressed tight. Finally, she nodded, forcing a small bow."...Alright. Uncle, General."

Still half in doubt, she turned and walked out of the chamber. Hope and frustration clashed in her eyes as the heavy doors shut behind her.

The moment she left, Chu Kuangren’s expression hardened. He turned toward the shadows behind him."Sergei. I think it’s time you stop targeting Mirella’s camp so openly. Yun Hao is extremely displeased, and you know better than anyone the reach of his influence. If you continue, even I may not be able to shield you."

From the darkness, a ripple of space twisted. A tall figure stepped out—General Sergei. His sharp features carried no shame, only a faint smirk.

"Hmph. That girl Elena... too pure for her own good. Always believing things can be fair in this rotten system." He shook his head, letting out a dry sigh. "Fine. I’ll stop—for now. But understand this, Kuangren. If anything happens from here on, it won’t be my fault. And you’re only saying this because of that old fox Yun Hao, aren’t you?"

Chu Kuangren’s eyes narrowed."Do not underestimate him. His influence in the Council is unmatched. Every officer in the Magic Division owes him something. Push him too far, and even your Great Family won’t save you."

Sergei’s smirk faltered for a second, but he quickly masked it with indifference."Enough warnings. I’ll take my leave."

Without waiting for permission, Sergei’s figure blurred into motes of mana light—and vanished.

Chu Kuangren remained alone in the chamber, his hands gripping the armrest of his chair tightly. The firelight flickered across his face, revealing not just weariness... but worry.