The moment the floor raid reset counter reached zero, applications began flooding into the Floor Administrator’s system. Dozens of factions had been preparing for this opportunity, and each of them immediately submitted a request for the right to challenge Floor 21. Ren was among them, submitting his own application on behalf of the True Elites.Normally, whenever a floor raid opportunity became available and several factions wanted to challenge the same floor, the final decision was left entirely to the tower’s Floor Administrator. The administrator had complete authority to decide who received the right to launch the raid, and there was no fixed rule that guaranteed the strongest faction would automatically be selected.This time, however, the administrator didn’t need long to eliminate most of the applicants. More than a dozen requests had arrived, but many of the factions clearly had no realistic chance of defeating Marcus. Some were simply seeking revenge or hoping to take advant

CreekRhys slowly opened the door to the farmer’s cabin, half expecting an ambush to be waiting for him on the other side. Fortunately, the room was quiet, and the only person inside was Maeve.“You’re precisely on time. Like always,” Maeve said with a faint smile as Rhys, Kael, and Varyn entered the cabin.She looked past them almost immediately, clearly expecting a much larger group to follow.“What? That’s it? You only brought those two losers with you? Do you really think you will be able to get through prison security with just those two bozos?” Maeve asked, her expression changing as she realized that something was different from the plan they had discussed.Originally, Rhys had agreed to bring an elite group of fighters with him. They were supposed to escort him through the underground prison and help him reach its deepest level, where Violet was being held.That was why Maeve was genuinely surprised to see only Kael and Varyn standing behind him.“Calm down. We have a new stra

Thud!Thud!Thud!Every step Rhys took after crossing into the outer palace was carefully counted.His escape plan depended on knowing exactly how far he could retreat if something went wrong. That was why he had been counting his steps from the moment they crossed the boundary. His maximum effective range was around 320 steps. Beyond that distance, even a Tier 4 warrior chasing him could potentially catch up and kill him.So Rhys kept track of every step as they moved toward the inner prison.‘71… 72… 73… 74…’He continued counting in his head, refusing to lose track of the distance.“We are here…” Maeve finally announced.Rhys had reached 143 steps.Maeve stopped in front of a massive metal door that separated the underground tunnel from the inner prison.‘Kael… do your thing.’Rhys didn’t need to speak. One look was enough.Kael immediately understood the signal and began preparing his magic while Rhys kept Maeve distracted.“Umm Maeve…” Rhys called.Maeve turned toward him. By now

Rhys panted heavily as he raced toward the exit of the tunnel, his lungs burning from the effort.Every part of his body was still charged with adrenaline, making him intensely aware of everything around him. He could hear the hurried footsteps behind him, feel the weight of Maeve over his shoulders, and sense the danger that had been chasing them only moments ago.Yet somehow, they had made it.Not only had Rhys successfully lured several hundred Tier 4 and Tier 5 experts into his carefully prepared trap, but he was now escaping with his life intact and their most important prisoner hanging over his shoulders.“Hahahaha…. We did it guys,” Rhys said with a huge grin as he looked toward Kael and Varyn. “We actually did it.”He couldn’t help but feel proud of the three of them.Everything had gone almost exactly as he had planned.Maeve had betrayed him at the entrance to the inner prison, precisely where Rhys had expected her to make her move. An ambush force was waiting beyond the doo

By the time Daren returned to the base camp with Maeve restrained and captured, Ren and the Cowards Army had already finished setting up their long-range siege weapons.“You’re back? So Rhys’s plan actually worked?” Ren asked with a relieved sigh. He had spent the past hour on edge, unable to shake the worry that Rhys’s risky plan might fail and leave him trapped inside the palace with hundreds of enemies chasing him.“Yes, apparently the kid’s a genius. I’m telling you Ren, very soon he will replace you as the Earth’s strongest fighter.That boy is beyond fearsome,” Daren said, his voice filled with admiration as he continued praising Rhys and the terrifying potential he had shown.“Well of course, he is a genuine ‘SSS’ talent. Of course he will overtake me in the long-run,” Ren replied with a soft smile. He genuinely liked the thought of someone eventually surpassing him. For years, the burden of carrying Earth’s hopes had rested on his shoulders, and if Rhys could one day take that