“Commander Zain, I would like to introduce you to someone. This is Zero, an S-Ranker,” General Leon introduced Aengus by his chosen alias. Though surprised, General Leon accepted the request calmly—after all, the name didn’t change the person, and that was all that mattered.
“Hello, Commamder! It’s nice to meet you!” Aengus said respectfully.
“An S-Rank?”
Commander Zain looked Aengus up and down, assessing his physique and confirming the General’s words as truth.
“Such a fine, healthy young man—and an S-Rank at such a young age. I’m impressed. What would you like me to do for him, General?” Commander Zain asked, clearly impressed. Being an S-Rank himself, he found it shocking that someone so young had achieved the rank so quickly. He had no doubt in General Leon’s claim, nor in his own expert eyes.
“What? That guy is already an S-Rank?”
“That’s impossible! He’s so young!”
“Yeah, it’s hard to believe. But if General Leon says it, it must be true.”
The soldiers, both young and old, murmured in shock at the news.
“Silence!”
The captains ordered firmly, restoring order.
As the crowd quieted, General Leon spoke up, “Assign him as a Squad Leader, Commander Zain. There’s no need for formalities.”
Commander Zain hesitated, unsure. “Are you certain, General? With his power, he could easily take my position.”
He felt it almost disrespectful to place someone of such strength in charge of a mere squad.
Aengus spoke up with calm assurance, “It’s fine, Commander. You’ve earned your position through years of service. I wouldn’t feel right taking it from you so suddenly.”
General Leon nodded in agreement. “Yes, he’s young and needs time to grow into larger responsibilities. Let him begin at a more manageable level.”
Though Aengus was more experienced than they assumed, he chose not to correct their perception. He knew time would reveal his true capabilities.
“Understood, General,” Commander Zain replied seriously. “I’ll assign him to a capable squad.”
Pleased, General Leon turned to Aengus and Aria. “Very well, I’ll take my leave. Serve the kingdom with pride and treat it as your homeland. Ethan, Aria and the others are now under your care.”
He then addressed Princess Delilah, “You have the choice to join them or serve under your brother’s command. There’s no shame in stepping back.”
Princess Delilah met his gaze with determination. “Thank you, General. But, I’m committed to this.”
General Leon nodded approvingly. “Good. You truly honor your royal status, Princess. My best wishes are with you.”
Aengus gave a small nod and went ahead to see General Leon off alongside Commander Zain.
As they moved, General Leon glanced Aengus beside him, still couldn’t figure out his true motives or aspirations.
“So, what are your goals if we win this war, Ethan?” General Leon asked gently.
Aengus, testing the waters, replied, “Say General, If I told you I want to restore peace and absolute order to this world, would you support me?”
Both Commander Zain and General Leon raised their eyebrows. Surprised by the audacity of the boy’s courage.
“That’s a mighty big dream, boy,” Commander Zain said, sounding doubtful.
But Aengus focused on General Leon’s reaction.
At first, Leon seemed taken aback, but soon a smile crossed his face. He extended his hand, gripping Aengus’s firmly.
“If you can defeat me, you’ll have my support,” General Leon challenged, inviting him to a contest of raw physical strength. It was unclear if he wanted to test Aengus’s resolve or perhaps secretly hoped to witness a miracle.
Aengus smiled back. “Don’t go back on your word, General.”
With that, Aengus accepted the challenge, his muscles swelling as he readied himself. Though he was unsure just how powerful a Transcendental truly was, he maintained tight control over his strength to avoid unintentionally hurting Leon.
Commander Zain watched, almost certain of General Leon’s victory. The gap in strength between S-Rank and SS-Rank was vast, after all. But he couldn’t help but admire the young man’s courage to take on such a powerful figure.
As the contest began, both men appeared calm, their grips firm but not overly strained. However, as time passed, it became clear that the struggle was taking a toll on General Leon, while Aengus remained completely composed.
Commander Zain’s initial surprise turned to outright disbelief. His eyes widened as he watched the subtle signs of strain on General Leon’s face: his hand reddening, veins bulging under the strain, and a barely noticeable twitch in his expression.
Aengus, noticing Leon’s discomfort, slowly tightened his grip, his expression remaining serene.
General Leon’s ears flushed with embarrassment as he fought against the seemingly immovable force of Aengus’s grip. Realizing the young S-Rank possessed strength far beyond anything he had anticipated, General Leon’s confidence faltered.
He hadn’t expected an S-Rank to possess such monstrous strength — strength that could easily rival, if not surpass, that of a Transcendental.
Finally, unable to maintain his pride any longer, General Leon exhaled, pulling back his hand in a subtle retreat. He quickly concealed his red hand and looked at Aengus with an expression that was a mix of admiration and incomprehension.
“Amazing,” Commander Zain muttered to himself, his voice mixed with awe and respect.
“I can’t believe you’ve become so strong, Ethan!” General Leon exclaimed, his face lighting up with smile.
“And, I’ll keep my promise. When you’re ready, I’ll support your goal. But the Araknis Kingdom must remain intact, even if you establish a new rule. That’s my only condition.
I, too, wish for changes in this world. It has become a place of bloodshed, sorrow, and where peace is now a luxury. I hope you can accomplish what I failed to achieve.” General Leon said with a smile as he patted Aengus’s shoulder.
Aengus returned the smile, pleased by his support. “You won’t have to wait long, General. And I promise, your Kingdom will remain as it is.”
“Then, I’ll be waiting eagerly to see you shine in tomorrow’s battle.”
With that, General Leon took his leave, leaving Commander Zain speechless at their exchange.
