While Lin Tang wiggled her little butt at the center of the magic circle, placing the summoning medium and carving arcane runes, new figures emerged at the edge of this abandoned zone.
"I never expected to bump into Mr. Titan here," said one of two brothers dressed in short shirts, his face flashing with surprise as a towering shadow stepped out of the woods.
Titan stood over two meters tall, a small giant with arms thick as tree trunks. Coiled muscles thrummed with explosive power beneath his skin.
Titan glanced at them and gave a curt nod. "Where are the Lin siblings?"
The brothers exchanged an awkward look. "We just arrived too."
"But they should be here by now."
Titan frowned slightly. Before he could speak, a sharp whistling cut through the air overhead. A figure hovered above them on a compact hovercraft.
"That’s a solo hovercraft unique to the Hero World," one brother murmured.
All three stared up, stunned. They’d survived Hero World missions and knew how hard it was to earn such gear.
Whoosh.
The man leaped down smoothly, his ponytail swaying. Hands tucked in pockets, he landed lightly—but the trio felt a faint ripple of Spirit Energy. He’d timed it perfectly, using his power to cushion the fall.
His hovercraft shrank with a mechanical hum, transforming into a sleek tech-bracelet on his wrist. The brothers eyed it enviously. That bracelet cost two thousand exchange points! Most Awakened earned less than a thousand after a whole world mission.
"Well, well. Who needs such a flashy entrance? Only Shadowblade," Titan said, his expression finally shifting to respect. He and Shadowblade were the two B-rank Awakened hired by the Lin siblings—both top-tier in their class.
Shadowblade smirked. "I heard you were prepping to break through to the ‘Soul’ realm. What dragged you out for this job?"
Titan snorted. "The kids paid well enough. And you? Only a fat offer would tempt the notoriously picky Shadowblade. They must’ve bled their pockets dry."
Shadowblade shrugged, then swept his gaze over the brothers. "Ah, the Speedster Duo. This team’s stacked. Combined, you could almost take down an A-rank Beast. Those kids aim high."
"Speedster Duo?" Titan reevaluated the pair with new interest. He’d dismissed them earlier, but now... they seemed unusually capable.
The brothers stayed humble, greeting Shadowblade politely.
Titan filed that detail away silently.
Meanwhile, Lin Chuan—tipped off by Shadowblade’s message—dragged Feng Ye over from the summoning circle, grinning eagerly.
But Titan and Shadowblade’s eyes narrowed instantly. They recognized the longsword strapped to Lin Chuan’s back: a Divine Artifact.
"Damn, these kids really roll in wealth," they thought, lips twitching. After risking their lives across worlds, neither owned a Divine Artifact. Yet this rookie carried one like a toy. Some people were just born lucky.
Lin Chuan ignored their stares, cheerfully introducing Feng Ye. "This is Titan, B-rank #17—a powerhouse attacker. Shadowblade, B-rank #9—a speed assassin. And these two? The Speedster Duo, C-rank #2 together. Rare support-type Awakened."
Feng Ye scratched his head awkwardly. Lin Chuan had dragged him here to "meet the team" before the fight. He usually fought solo. As Night Maple, he’d always lurked on the edges, mysterious and detached.
"This is my brother, Feng Ye," Lin Chuan announced. "A top-tier controller Awakened I just recruited." He paused, suddenly curious. "Oh right—what’s your rank again, Feng Ye?"
"Eh?" All eyes snapped to Feng Ye.
"If I recall..." he mumbled.
"Last logged... D-rank #77,712?"
"What?!" Lin Chuan gaped. "D-rank seventy-seven thousand? But you one-shot me earlier!" He couldn’t believe it. He was C-rank top hundred, yet hadn’t even seen Feng Ye move during their test spar.
"Save the rank talk for later," Titan cut in, already losing interest. He didn’t spare Feng Ye another glance. Just a freeloader riding Lin Chuan’s coattails. The real work would fall to him and Shadowblade anyway.
