I stepped into the 24th pose, my body locked in perfect form—and in that moment, it happened.
A sudden suction pulled sharply at the temple of my head—not spiritual, not metaphorical, but real. It was like a vortex had opened just beside my skull, drawing in mana from the surrounding air with terrifying force.
I froze—not from fear, but from the intensity.
The mana spiraled toward my temple, condensing rapidly, forming something. I could feel it knitting together just beneath the skin—hot, then suddenly cold. A mark. A seal. The second one.
As it finished forming, it released a wave of cooling energy, washing over my whole body.
My pain dulled. My mind, moments ago fogged by fatigue, became clear and sharp. The soothing flow traveled from my temple, down through my spine, into my limbs—relaxing, stretching, strengthening.
It didn't just heal. It realigned me.
My breathing steadied, my pulse slowed, and for the first time in what felt like hours, my body wasn't screaming.
Albert watched from the corner, silent as ever, but I could see it in his expression—a flicker of approval.
"You've done it," he said calmly. "You've entered the second tier of the path. Most take weeks to get there. You did it in hours."
I dropped to my knees, gasping—not from defeat, but from triumph.
Two seals down. Eight more to go.
And then... the Amethyst Seal.
I would've loved to train more, to push into another cycle and really test my limit again, but our stop was approaching."Half an hour left," I thought. "Then we'll be in Carrol City."
Even with the fatigue in my limbs, I couldn't help but smirk to myself.
Who else on this train has two Supreme Combat Seals already?Probably no one. Unless there was another Peak Private-tier prodigy hiding out, which I highly doubted.
I glanced at Albert, who stood as still and composed as ever. His face, calm and unreadable as always.
But I noticed it.That flicker.
When I completed the second seal, even he had been caught off guard—just for a second. The faint twitch in his brow, the subtle widening of his eyes. It was quick, but I saw it.
He'd never admit it, of course. He'd probably act unfazed later, maybe even throw in a warning about arrogance or self-control. Classic Albert stuff.
But I knew what I saw.
He was shocked as hell.
And honestly? That made me even more curious.
How will he react when I tell him… I've already begun to grasp a Level 2 Rule?
Now that might actually break his poker face.
He might even go bonkers.
I almost laughed at the thought, but I kept it to myself. Not yet. Let him recover from the second seal first. I'll drop the Level 2 bomb later—after we settle in Carrol City.
Let him think I'm already pushing the limit.
Because the truth is?
I haven't even started yet.
As we neared our stop, I changed out of my sweat-drenched training clothes into a clean set—sharp, sleek, and fitting for someone of my status.
Carrol City.
Only half an hour left.
I briefly wondered if we might encounter some chaos on arrival. You know, like how it happens in those cliché protagonist stories—a surprise train accident, best tide anomaly, something dramatic.
But no.
Our travel was uneventful.
Professionally smooth, in true Peak Private fashion.
Well… almost uneventful.
We did pass through a slight distortion zone—one of those high-mana sectors where the environment shifts just a bit off. Nothing dangerous, but it did mess with the sensors for a few seconds.
Still, no monsters. No explosions. No epic "your journey begins now" moment.
I looked over at Albert.
"Alright, time for you to go into hiding."
He gave me a simple nod, and without a word, turned and stepped into the hidden compartment behind me—his preferred shadow-shed, as he called it. From there, he could observe everything without being seen. The perfect silent guardian.
Now it was just me, stepping off the train alone.
"Let's see what Carrol City has to offer," I muttered as I adjusted my collar and walked toward the gates.
As I approached the entrance, the guards scanned my ID. Their expressions shifted quickly from default indifference to instant recognition.
They didn't even ask questions. Just stepped aside and waved me through.
I walked in without hesitation, my steps echoing slightly on the marble-tiled floor as I passed the gates and entered the city proper.
Carrol City.
Carrol City wasn't all that different from my own—same towering buildings, same neon glow cutting through the dusk—but the atmosphere here… it was heavier. More dangerous. Like power lingered in the air, watching.
"Alright. First things first—let's get a hotel," I muttered to myself.
I raised my HoloWatch, a sleek, high-tech piece of gear that functioned like a next-gen smartphone. With a flick of my fingers across the holographic screen, I scanned nearby accommodations. It didn't take long to find one that suited my status—secure, private, and, of course, discreet.
As I selected my hotel, a thought crossed my mind.
The protagonist lives here too.
But… my memory wasn't sharp enough to recall which hotel he was staying at. Not that it mattered much. He'd arrived early, had already been living here for some time—so far, he was blending into the city like a shadow, yet still standing out in some ways. I remembered he was also participating in the tournament, and that caught my interest.
I nodded to myself as I made my way up to my room.
The hotel wasn't anything special, but it was secure and comfortable. After setting down my things, I tossed my jacket aside and flopped onto the bed.
I grabbed the remote and flicked on the holo-TV, immediately searching for tournament updates.
I didn't have to search for long. Soon enough, the tournament matches began to roll in, and there he was—Michael Zaar, front and center in a live feed.
The match was already underway.
His opponent? A girl, probably about the same age as him. She was fast—slipping through the air with moves that blurred the lines between agility and raw power. But Zaar, as usual, was on a different level. His Silver Flames flickered and danced around him, a manifestation of raw power, each movement precise and controlled.
I watched as he weaved through her attacks, his green eyes focused and calculating, while the sparrow monster on his shoulder seemed to vibrate with energy, mimicking its master's every motion.
The fight was close—too close for comfort—but Zaar had an edge. His experience, combined with the overwhelming strength of his Silver Flames, was enough to force the girl into a corner. She fought valiantly, but it was clear who had the upper hand.