God of Restitution : Zero to Sovereign

Chapter 3: The Sovereign Awakens

The bright lights of the twelve black cars cut through the dark night. The blinding glare forced Leo to close his heavy eyes. The loud engines roared like angry beasts, shaking the walls of the narrow alleyway.

The doors of every single luxury car flew open at the exact same time. Dozens of tall, heavily armed men poured out into the pouring rain. They did not wear standard security uniforms. They wore dark military armor with a fierce golden dragon symbol stitched onto their chests.

Their heavy black boots marched in perfect rhythm, splashing the muddy water as they quickly formed a protective wall around Leo. Each man held a powerful weapon, his face completely serious and full of deadly focus.

From the lead vehicle, a man with a scarred face and high-ranking military stars on his shoulders stepped out. He was Logan, the famous Supreme Commander of the Dragon Vanguard, a legendary force that protected the country.

Logan did not care about his expensive uniform or the heavy rain. He ran straight into the thick mud and dropped to his knees right beside Leo’s bleeding body.

“My Lord,” Logan cried out, his voice shaking with deep emotion and panic. “We finally found you. Please forgive us for being late.”

The other soldiers immediately followed their commander. Dozens of elite military men bowed their heads, kneeling in the dirty puddles in front of a broken delivery boy.

Leo lay there, his heart pounding wildly. As Logan touched his arm, a sudden shockwave exploded inside Leo’s brain. The intense physical pain from the brutal beating cracked a thick wall inside his mind.

Five long years of darkness suddenly vanished. His amnesia was shattered into a million pieces.

Images and memories rushed back into his head like a roaring river. He was not a penniless orphan. He was not a useless delivery driver who had to beg for a living.

He was the supreme leader of the Dragon Vanguard. He was the man who controlled half the wealth of the entire nation and commanded millions of elite soldiers. Five years ago, a terrible accident during a secret border mission had stolen his memory, making him wander the streets as a nobody.

Chloe had treated him like garbage. Julian Vance had crushed his fingers into the dirt. They thought he was an insect they could destroy for fun. They had no idea they had just beaten the most powerful man in the country.

A cold, terrifying energy began to fill Leo’s chest. The weakness in his body completely disappeared, replaced by a strange, supreme power.

Logan quickly signaled to the medical team behind him. “Bring the stretcher immediately. The Sovereign is badly injured. We must take him to the military hospital now.”

“Stop,” Leo said.

His voice was no longer trembling or weak. It was a deep, icy tone that carried absolute authority. The simple word made the entire alleyway go dead silent. Even the heavy rain seemed to quiet down.

Logan froze, his eyes wide with shock and joy. “My Lord, you remember?”

Leo slowly pushed himself up from the ground. The broken ribs, the split lip, and the bleeding fingers did not seem to bother him anymore. He stood completely straight in the center of the dark alley, his yellow raincoat dripping with mud.

He looked at his hands, then turned his gaze toward the glowing windows of the luxury restaurant. Inside, Chloe was still laughing, sitting in the warmth, completely unaware that her entire world was about to end.

Leo wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes were completely dark and sharp, filled with a terrifying calmness.

“My Lord, let me send the troops inside right now,” Logan said, his fists clenched in anger. “The people who dared to touch your sacred body will be executed before the sun rises. We will wipe out the Vance family by midnight.”

Leo raised his hand slightly, stopping his commander. A cold, slow smile formed on his lips.

“Crushing them right now would be too easy,” Leo said softly. “If we kill an ant immediately, it does not feel the pain of true despair. I want them to think they have won. I want them to reach the absolute top of their happiness.”

He took a deep breath, the royal power radiating from his posture making every soldier bow their heads lower in pure reverence.

Leo stands up, his injuries ignored, and issues his first decree: "Do not reveal my return yet. I want to see how high they fly before they drop.”