Reborn in the Apocalypse :The son In-law's revenge

Chapter,7:The Rival Guild

The trap worked perfectly.

Elara's modified beacon had been broadcasting a false signal for six hours. Leo and his team watched from the rooftop of a collapsed parking garage as a group of armed survivors walked directly into the ambush zone—three blocks east of their actual position.

"There," Mia said, pointing. "Scouts. Six of them. Well-armed."

Leo studied them through a pair of binoculars he had looted from a sporting goods store. The scouts wore matching black armbands with a red fist painted on them. They moved with military precision. Trained. Disciplined.

[System Alert: Faction detected – Iron Fist Guild. Threat Level: Moderate.]

"Iron Fist," Elara said. "Victor Kane's people. They control the eastern district. Largest guild in the city. Over two hundred members."

"And they're looking for us," Leo said.

"They're looking for anyone strong enough to threaten their control," Elara corrected. "Victor doesn't tolerate rivals."

The scouts searched the empty street for twenty minutes. When they found nothing, their leader—a tall woman with a shaved head—pulled out a radio.

"This is Scout Unit Three. No sign of the target. The beacon signal was false. Repeat, false. Over."

A voice crackled through the radio. Cold. Authoritative.

"Then someone is playing games. Find them. Victor wants the SSS-Class alive."

Leo's blood ran cold. They knew about his class.

"How?" Natasha demanded. "How do they know?"

Elara's face was pale. "The system broadcasts global announcements. When you reached Level 10, it announced an SSS-Class holder had emerged. Everyone heard it."

Leo cursed under his breath. He had been so focused on surviving that he hadn't considered the consequences of his own power.

"They'll keep hunting us," Mia said. "Victor won't stop until he controls you or kills you."

"Then we deal with him now," Leo said. He stood up and drew Mercy's Edge. "Before he becomes a bigger problem."

---

They intercepted the scouts at a collapsed intersection.

Leo didn't bother with stealth. He walked into the open, his team fanning out behind him. The scouts spun around, weapons raised.

"Stand down," Leo said. "I just want to talk."

The bald woman—the scout leader—sneered. "You're the SSS-Class. The son-in-law. Victor's been looking for you."

"Then take me to him."

The woman laughed. "You think I'm stupid? Victor said to bring you in chains. Or in pieces. He wasn't picky."

She raised her hand. The five other scouts drew their weapons—batons, machetes, a crossbow. They were geared for human combat, not monsters. That told Leo everything he needed to know about Victor Kane.

"You're making a mistake," Leo said quietly.

"I don't think so," the woman said. "Kill the others. Take the SSS-Class alive."

They attacked.

Leo activated Power Strike. His blade carved through the first scout's crossbow, then through the man's shoulder. He went down screaming.

Natasha charged the left flank, her warhammer crushing a scout's ribs. Mia vanished into the shadows and reappeared behind the bald woman, her blade pressed against her throat.

"Call them off," Mia whispered. "Or I open your neck."

The woman froze. "Stand down!" she screamed. "Everyone stand down!"

The scouts dropped their weapons.

Leo walked over to the bald woman, wiping blood from his blade. "You're going to deliver a message to Victor Kane. Tell him I'm not interested in joining his guild. Tell him if he sends anyone else after me, I'll come for him personally."

The woman trembled. "He'll kill me for failing."

"Then you should have chosen a better leader."

[Plunder Available: Target 'Scout Leader (Unnamed)' has D-Rank Skill: 'Basic Command'. Do you wish to Plunder?]

Leo considered it. Basic Command was weak. But it could be useful for managing his growing team.

[Plunder Successful. Gained Skill: Basic Command (D-Rank). Effect: Minor boost to ally coordination.]

The scouts fled, dragging their wounded behind them.

---

Victor Kane found them two hours later.

Leo's team had taken shelter in an abandoned police station. They were preparing to move when the doors burst open and thirty armed men flooded the lobby.

Victor Kane walked through the center of them.

He was tall—over six feet—with broad shoulders and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore a black tactical vest over a pristine white shirt. Unlike his scouts, he looked like a man who had never missed a meal. He had the bearing of someone used to being in charge.

[System Alert: NPC detected – Victor Kane. Class: Warlord (A-Rank). Level: 22. Loyalty: 0%. Status: Hostile.]

"Leo Vance," Victor said, his voice smooth and calm. "The SSS-Class son-in-law. I've heard a lot about you."

Leo didn't stand. He didn't reach for his sword. He simply looked up from the map he was studying. "You've heard wrong."

Victor smiled. "I doubt that. My scouts reported you killed three of my men and maimed two others. That takes skill. Or a very good system."

"They attacked first."

"They followed orders," Victor said. "I told them to find you. I didn't tell them to engage." He glanced at the bald woman, who was cowering behind him. "That was her mistake."

Victor drew a pistol and shot the woman in the head. Her body crumpled to the floor. No one moved.

Leo's eyes narrowed. "You just killed one of your own."

"She failed," Victor said simply. "I don't tolerate failure. Which brings me to you." He holstered the pistol and spread his hands. "Join me, Leo. The Iron Fist is the largest guild in the city. We have resources. Weapons. Safe zones. With your SSS-Class and my leadership, we could rule this city."

"And if I refuse?"

Victor's smile didn't waver. "Then I kill everyone in this room except you. And I take you anyway. The only difference is how many bodies I have to step over."

Natasha's hand tightened on her warhammer. Mia melted into the shadows. Lily's hand hovered near her pistol.

Leo stood up slowly. He looked at Victor. Then at the thirty armed men behind him. Then back at Victor.

"No," Leo said.

Victor sighed. "I was hoping you'd say that." He snapped his fingers. "Kill them."

The lobby exploded into chaos.

---

Natasha was the first to move. She swung her warhammer into the nearest man, sending him crashing through a glass partition. Mia appeared behind another, her blade flashing. Lily raised her hand, golden light healing a gash on Bruiser's arm as he swung his fire axe.

Leo drew Mercy's Edge and activated Power Strike.

The world blurred. He was in the middle of Victor's men before they could react. His blade carved through two, then three, then four. Bone Stalkers had been faster. Flesh-Hounds had been stronger. These were just men.

[Devour not available. Human targets cannot be Devoured. Plunder cooldown: 23 hours remaining.]

Leo didn't need the system for this. He had been fighting for his life for days. These men had been fighting for a paycheck.

Victor watched from the back, his arms crossed. He wasn't worried. He was evaluating.

"You're good," Victor called out. "Better than I expected. But you're still just one man."

He raised his hand. A blue aura surrounded his body. The air crackled with energy.

[System Alert: Victor Kane has activated Warlord Skill: Rally. All allies gain +10 Strength and +10 Vitality for 60 seconds.]

The Iron Fist members roared. Their attacks became faster, stronger. Bruiser was knocked to the ground. Kevin took a baton to the ribs and collapsed. Lily screamed.

Leo's eyes went cold.

He activated Basic Command. A faint golden aura spread from him, touching his team. They steadied. They fought harder.

But it wasn't enough. Victor had thirty men. Leo had five fighters and two support.

The math was simple.

Leo did the math differently.

He sprinted toward Victor.

Victor's eyes widened. He drew his pistol and fired. Leo dodged left, then right, then ducked under a wild swing from one of Victor's men. He was closing the distance.

Victor activated another skill. A shimmering barrier appeared around his body.

[System Alert: Victor Kane has activated Warlord Skill: Iron Skin. Damage reduction: 50% for 30 seconds.]

Leo didn't slow down.

He activated Power Strike. His blade slammed into the barrier. It cracked. He activated it again. The barrier shattered.

Victor stumbled backward, his eyes wide. "How—"

Leo drove his fist into Victor's face. The Warlord crumpled to the ground.

The lobby went silent. Victor's men stared at their fallen leader. Then, one by one, they lowered their weapons.

Leo stood over Victor, breathing hard. Blood dripped from a cut on his forehead. His shirt was torn. But he was standing.

"Here's what's going to happen," Leo said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Victor Kane is dead. The Iron Fist is mine now. If any of you have a problem with that, speak up."

No one spoke.

[System Alert: Faction 'Iron Fist' has been captured. Leader: Victor Kane (Defeated). New Leader: Leo Vance. Members: 187.]

[Level Up! You are now Level 12.]

[Plunder Available: Target 'Victor Kane' has B-Rank Skill: 'Rally'. Do you wish to Plunder?]

Leo looked down at the fallen Warlord. Victor was still alive—barely. His eyes flickered with hatred and fear.

"Do it," Victor rasped. "Finish it."

Leo knelt beside him. "I'm not going to kill you, Victor. I'm going to do something worse."

[Plunder Successful. Gained Skill: Rally (B-Rank). Effect: All allies gain +15 Strength and +15 Vitality for 90 seconds.]

Victor gasped. He felt something ripped from his core. His connection to the system flickered. His class—Warlord—shattered. He was just a man now. Weak. Powerless.

"You'll regret this," Victor whispered.

"No," Leo said. "I won't."

He stood up and turned to his team. Lily was already healing the wounded. Natasha was binding a cut on her arm. Mia was watching Leo with a strange expression—something between respect and curiosity.

Elara walked up beside him. "You just conquered a guild. In one day."

"Not a guild," Leo said. "An army. And we're going to need it for what's coming."

He looked at the system map. The red dots around Meridian were multiplying. The First Wave was less than 48 hours away.

[Global Announcement: 48 hours remain until the First Wave. All survivors must reach Level 15. Safe zones will be purged.]

Leo looked at his status screen.

[Name: Leo Vance]

[Class: Apex Plunder (SSS-Rank)]

[Level: 12]

[Strength: 45 | Agility: 34 | Vitality: 32 | Intelligence: 15]

[Skills: Basic Beast Tracking, Golden Tongue, Intimidation, Basic Command, Rally, Devour, Plunder, Synthesize]

[System Points: 0]

He had 48 hours to reach Level 15. He had an army of 187 survivors. He had four powerful female sidekicks. And he had a destination: the Meridian Institute.

"Elara," Leo said. "How far to the Institute?"

"Two miles," she said. "But the path is blocked. There's a Tier 4 dungeon directly between us and the front door."

Leo smiled coldly. "Good. We need the XP."