After a brief discussion, they all agreed that the best course of action was to head toward the palace.
On the way, the group chose not to use any of their enhanced speed or abilities, simply because none of them wanted to make a mistake they’d regret.
The memory of what had happened to the news station—and to the man responsible—was still fresh in their minds.
While they were focused and determined to adapt to this new world of Earth, none of them, not even Neon or Atlas, could fully adjust in mere moments or even days.
The changes they faced were too great, no matter how much prior knowledge they had about fantasy worlds.
—- The group moved down the darkened road together, six figures walking at a steady, human pace despite the power humming beneath their skin.
The memory of the news station—of the man who had obliterated a wall without meaning to…
It hung over them like a warning, a reminder that one wrong move could turn them into monsters before they even understood what they had become.
And…
the world around them was a harsh reminder of just how bad things had gotten.
The Kingdom of Arden…
it had turned into a total disaster.
Buildings that had stood for generations were now nothing but rubble, cars flipped on their sides, streetlights twisted and broken, and bodies scattered in the distance, their outlines lost to the shadows.
Even the air hung heavy with the metallic taste of blood and the acrid scent of smoke, drifting slowly through the dark in choking waves.
As they walked together, each made a conscious effort to maintain their composure.
“This is madness,” Atlas remarked as he broke the silence, nudging a fragment of rubble aside with his foot.
“People…
are really acting without restraint.” He had anticipated such a turnout, but it was one thing to imagine it and another to witness it firsthand.
The Kingdom of Arden had never been a place of lawlessness, long reigning in influence and wealth.
If anything, it was home to some of the world’s most important people.
So, for them, this was the first time they had seen dead bodies lying in the open and such widespread chaos all around.
Neon tried not to focus too much on the destruction and chaos around him—at least not directly.
Instead, he kept his composure, maintaining a calm, casual demeanor for the most part.
‘I really don’t understand… why am I getting a rush from all this chaos?’ he wondered.
Where he expected fear—or at least to feel lightheaded from all the death…
he instead felt an overwhelming desire to claim it all for himself.
It was as if, deep down, something at his very core urged him: take this chaos, make it yours… take this kingdom, make it yours.
And then there was his father, a man who caught his attention every time he looked at him.
[Throne Sense (Passive)] ‘If the trait’s description is right… does this mean he has more Authority than others?’ That was the only explanation he could think of for the trait to activate.
But the truth was, he didn’t even know what Authority really meant.
—- As they strolled along, his red eyes stayed fixed ahead, hands resting casually in his pockets, posture easy as he spoke.
“Look…
I couldn’t care less about taking charge or anything, but we need to keep the focus on us,” Neon said, his tone calm and casual.
It was obvious what he meant—with all the chaos and lawlessness around, it was smarter if no one tried to play the hero.
“As long as we’re alive, that’s what counts.” Maylene looked at him, her eyebrows knitting together, but she remained silent.
And none of them did…
The world had changed too drastically for hope and idealism to persist.
Atlas let out a shaky laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Honestly?
I’m surprised dungeons haven’t popped up yet.
Or some invasion.
Usually that’s how these things go.” BOOOOOOMMMM!!!!
Before anyone could respond, a body flew across the street, slamming into a parked car so hard the vehicle detonated in a burst of fire and metal.
The explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet, sending a shockwave of heat across their faces.
They stopped instantly, their expressions hardening, their senses sharpening.
A chubby man stepped out from behind a ruined storefront, dusting off his hands with a casual laugh.
His clothes were torn, his face smeared with blood, but his grin was wide and unbothered.
He spotted the group, paused, then let out a delighted bark of laughter.
“Well, well, well,” he said, spreading his arms as though greeting old friends.
“If it isn’t the top two wealthiest families in all of Arden.” Lucien and Alan stepped forward immediately, their bodies shifting into protective stances without hesitation.
Maylene and Alice mirrored them, stepping in front of Neon and Atlas with instinctive maternal ferocity.
In that moment, Neon and Atlas shared a glance before both shaking their heads.
Lucien’s breath was tight, his fingers flexing at his sides as he readied himself for a fight.
Alan’s throat bobbed with a swallow he tried to hide, his eyes flicking between the chubby man and the ruined street as if searching for an exit that didn’t exist.
From the moment everyone became stage one life forms, they could choose sub-paths—but none of the parents had chosen any that offered combat advantages.
The man strolled closer with an easy swagger, his smile stretching wider, his eyes bright with the kind of confidence that came from already testing his new strength on the world around him.
“You know,” he said, tapping his chin with exaggerated thoughtfulness, “it’d be pretty great if you passed along a bit of that fortune.
Just looking out for your well‑being, naturally.
Or hey—maybe let me get a piece of the action, huh?” Lucien forced his voice to remain steady.
“Maybe…
we can work something out…
As long as this doesn’t result in violence.” Alan nodded, as he forced a shaky smile.
“Right…
we can talk this out.
No need for violence.” Hearing what they said, the man let out a laugh, quickly followed by a sharp snort.
“You still think this is some dream you’re going to wake up from?” he mocked, sweeping his hand in a wide gesture to indicate everything around them.
“Wake up already!
Haha, the only thing that matters now is violence!” He took a step closer, his gaze sliding over to Maylene and Alice with a slow, twisted sneer.
“Especially when you’ve got pretty little things like those…
just waiting to be taken.” At that, Maylene froze, her breath hitching in her throat, while Alice’s hand flew to cover her mouth.
Then the man laughed—loud, unrestrained, manic.
HUMMMMMMM!!!!!!
[-150 Essence] In that instant, a tremendous surge of energy erupted from his body, rippling through the air like a shockwave.
But this wasn’t just ordinary energy—it was Essence, the very fuel that powered everything in this new world of Earth… everything that came from the outside, that is.
Shimmering white energy spilled from him, curling around the nearby cars like living tendrils.
Metal creaked and groaned under the strain, tires left the pavement, and whole vehicles lifted smoothly into the air as if held fast by the invisible grasp of some immense, unseen force.
“Shit…” Lucien muttered, stumbling backward with wide eyes, his voice low and tense.
Alan stood frozen, his breath caught somewhere between his chest and throat…
and the women were no better.
Behind them, even with dozens of cars suspended high in the air, Neon and Atlas couldn’t help but smile.
It wasn’t that they weren’t worried—because they were, and a fear had definitely crept in—but the thrill coursing through them was stronger than anything else.
Everyone could see it clearly…
the man wasn’t controlling metal at all.
He was bending Essence itself, wrapping it around objects like a rough extension of his will.
That could only mean one thing—he’d taken the elixir far earlier than they had and was already adapting to his newfound powers.
Neon shot a glance at Atlas, took a breath, and looked back at the man.
“So,” he said, “did you choose the right subpath?” Atlas gave a small nod, his voice low.
“No shit, dude… now, less talking before this guy kills us before I even get to live my dream.” It was obvious to Neon without further explanation—Atlas had gone for the hand-to-hand subpath, or at least something that made him far from useless.
Without hesitation, they stepped forward, slipping past their parents before anyone could intervene.
“Neon!
Atlas!
Wait!” Maylene’s voice cracked as she reached out with trembling hands, but the two young men were already on the move.