The morning atmosphere inside Jessica's apartment was steeped in a gentle, relaxing atmosphere. Following a hearty breakfast and the recently concluded mana control lesson, the sound of the three girls chatting and laughing while picking out outfits in front of the bedroom mirror drifted out periodically.
Today was an important day. They were scheduled to take Jessica, the newest member of the Awakened world, to officially register as an 'Awakened' at the Association.
In the living room, Owen leaned back against the plush sofa, occasionally taking lazy sips from a cold can of soda. He was savoring the peaceful moment before that tranquility was inevitably interrupted by a familiar notification chime.
Ding!
The smartphone screen on the glass coffee table lit up, displaying a new email notification. Owen glanced at the glowing screen, his thick eyebrows rising slightly when he saw the sender's name prominently displayed... the exact person he had baited and been waiting for these past few days.
[ Sender: Ryan Goldwin ]
The young man picked up the phone, unlocked it, and immediately opened the electronic mail to read its contents.
[ Mr. Marlowe... I had my people run a background check on you. I must admit, many of your claims are vague and entirely untrustworthy. However, the information stating that you are 'Nova's disciple' is genuine. Therefore, getting to know you shouldn't do any harm.
Unfortunately, I don't have the time to sit around sipping coffee like someone with nothing better to do. My schedule for clearing dimensional gates is packed. If you want to 'teach' or talk to me about something, meet me this morning in front of the B-Rank gate named 'Orc Hunter.'
I hope you don't mind talking while watching me clear a dungeon, 'Senior'... ]
After scanning the message, instead of feeling annoyed by the rigid, formal language and the boy's arrogant, challenging tone, Owen merely chuckled deep in his throat, a good-humored smirk curling his lips.
"At least the fish took the bait... even if it's struggling a bit too hard."
With Owen's vast experience in reading people, he could see right through those crafted words. This was clearly the reaction of a kid whose 'ego had been severely shattered.' Ryan intentionally set a sudden appointment so Owen wouldn't have time to prepare, and deliberately chose a B-Rank gate as the meeting spot, hoping to use the situational pressure and his status as a top-tier Hunter to 'intimidate' or 'flex' on him.
It was the transparent struggle of a young man who had lost his confidence after being humiliated by a mature woman like Clara at the luxury dinner. Ryan was scrambling to assert dominance to reclaim his fragile sense of power.
Owen analyzed the situation in his mind with a calm smile.
He assessed the risks and immediately concluded that the chances of being ambushed inside the gate were less than 10%. The photos he had sent as bait—both the intimate picture with Nova and the photo of a highly influential figure like Sahara—had done their job perfectly. Ryan didn't want any actual trouble with him... the kid was simply 'starving' and trembling with desperation to learn his secrets and techniques for picking up women.
His strong fingers rapidly typed a short, concise reply.
[Reply: Agreed. I should arrive within an hour.]
Owen hit send and casually tossed the phone onto the sofa just as the bedroom door opened. Jessica stepped out wearing a cream-colored, tailored pantsuit that looked dignified and highly practical, perfectly befitting her role as his capable secretary. Flanking her were Victoria, in her favorite elegant, tight purple dress, and Talia, dressed in casual activewear—a white t-shirt and short denim cutoffs.
"Looking great, girls," Owen complimented smoothly before standing up to his full height. "But I have an announcement... there's a slight change of plans for today."
Jessica raised an elegant eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I won't be able to go to the Association with you all today. Something urgent came up that requires my immediate attention," Owen explained. "Victoria, Talia, I'll leave it to you to act as guides and take Jessica to register at the Association in my place. Keep her safe..."
Hearing that her young boss wouldn't be attending her big milestone, Jessica pouted slightly. Her peach-lipstick-coated lips moved as she mumbled, "What's this... I thought you were going to watch me get my Awakened license yourself. What urgent business could possibly be more important than your own secretary?"
Jessica's rare, sulky demeanor made Owen suppress a fond smile. He stepped closer, using his fingertips to gently tilt the beautiful secretary's chin up. He met those captivating brown eyes and flashed a sly, magnetic smirk.
"Don't pout just yet, Ms. Secretary..." He leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss against her lips. "Go take care of your business, be a good girl... and tonight, I'll come back and give you a massive 'reward,' deal?"
Hit with the pack leader's signature charm, Jessica's face instantly flushed a deep crimson. Her sulkiness vanished in the blink of an eye. She nodded obediently. "D-Deal. I'll get it done quickly."
Having delegated the tasks, Owen retreated to his room to prepare himself.
However, instead of donning heavy protective armor like a typical Awakened preparing to enter a B-Rank gate, Owen opened his wardrobe and pulled out the most remarkably 'ordinary' casual clothes imaginable... a fitted black V-neck t-shirt, flexible dark jeans, topped with a black leather jacket that broadened his shoulders and gave him a rugged, effortless look.
It wasn't because he was careless or wanted to act cool and superior... the harsh reality was that he simply had no money to buy decent gear! A crippling debt of nearly ten million dollars still hung over his neck, and high-tier equipment on the market cost an absolute fortune.
More importantly, just as Nova had constantly drilled into his head, low or mid-tier armor available on the market was practically useless and a waste of money for someone of his power scale. It was vastly more efficient to rely on the [Mana Armor] technique to shroud his body. The defensive capability and absolute freedom of movement it offered were far superior to wearing those clunky tin cans.
And the final, indispensable piece was the single Legendary-grade item in his possession... the [Gauntlets of the Sun God]. Owen equipped the faded, charcoal-red armored gauntlets onto both hands. They fit snugly, covering him from his fingertips all the way to his elbows.
This familiar, heavy sensation brought Owen peace of mind. It was his one and only life insurance—simultaneously his most impenetrable armor and his deadliest weapon. He would absolutely never step out of a safe zone without it.
"I'm heading out, girls. See you this evening."
Owen walked back into the living room, bidding his harem farewell with a confident smile before grabbing his car keys off the table and leaving the apartment. His demeanor was completely relaxed, utterly devoid of any pressure or fear.
The young man started his trusty SUV and hit the gas, speeding away from the residence toward the coordinates of the "Orc Hunter" dimensional gate.
…
About 40 minutes later, Owen's car pulled up in front of the quarantine zone on the outskirts of Titan City. The moment he stepped out of the vehicle, the chaotic and heavily tense atmosphere immediately assaulted his senses. It was vastly different from the low-level C-Rank gate he had previously visited.
Before him stood the B-Rank dimensional gate codenamed "Orc Hunter." A mass of dense, ominous red energy swirled mid-air like a massive tornado, emitting the metallic stench of blood and a suffocating pressure that would make any ordinary person go weak in the knees.
The security measures here were strictly military-grade. Heavily armed armored vehicles formed a formidable blockade around the perimeter. Steel barriers and barbed wire were erected as an impenetrable defensive line. Hunter Association officers in full tactical gear patrolled the area, and high-level Awakened were scattered about—naturally, anyone permitted to be here was at least B-Rank or higher.
And amidst all that chaotic hustle, there was only one focal point drawing every single eye...
'Ryan Goldwin' stood prominently and elegantly right in front of the dimensional gate. His appearance was fully decked out, looking as if he had just stepped off the cover of Hunter of the Year magazine. The young man wore resplendent silver knight armor exquisitely trimmed with gold. The chest plate was intricately engraved with magical runes to enhance defense, clearly a top-tier item that the Hunter Association had undoubtedly poured massive funds into providing for their golden boy. In his hand, he casually held a large broadsword that radiated a brilliant, golden aura.
Ryan was surrounded by high-ranking officials fawning over him, treating him exactly as if he were a crown prince. Meanwhile, other Awakened in the vicinity stole glances with mixed reactions. Some admired his sheer strength, others curled their lips in annoyance at his blatant arrogance, and some simply ignored him, not wanting to get entangled with privileged rich kids.
Owen shoved both hands into his leather jacket pockets and casually strolled into the quarantine zone. His mundane casual attire looked bizarrely out of place and completely clashed with this highly dangerous environment, making him look like a lost tourist who had wandered onto an active battlefield.
"Halt! Civilians are not allowed in this restricted area!"
As soon as he approached the barrier line, two massive guards stepped out to block his path, raising their hands firmly to stop him. Owen, well-aware of standard operating procedures, slowly pulled his hand from his pocket and handed over his Awakened ID card.
The officer took the card to scan it. His thick eyebrows furrowed immediately when the green display screen indicated that the unassuming man before him was a 'B-Rank Awakened.' They looked up at Owen, then back at the screen a few times to be absolutely sure, before one of them spoke up, issuing a stern warning out of professional duty.
"You really are a B-Rank... but you're going into a B-Rank gate dressed like this? No armor, no backup potions?" The officer looked him up and down incredulously. "If you're actually planning to enter the 'Orc Hunter' gate, I strongly advise you to find a party of at least three and gear up significantly better than this. The Orcs in there are ferocious and incredibly durable. A solo B-Rank simply can't take them on alone, sir."
"Thank you for the warning, but I have an appointment." Owen offered a polite, faint smile, nodding in acknowledgment before taking his card back and stepping through the checkpoint.
Not far away, Ryan was observing the newcomer with an arrogant, dissecting gaze. At first, upon seeing Owen's mundane t-shirt and jeans, the boy secretly laughed to himself. The fragile ego that Clara had crushed began to rapidly inflate once again.
'Heh... A t-shirt and jeans? This guy is far more pathetic than I thought. Must just be some broke guy who can't even afford cheap, low-tier armor,' Ryan thought to himself condescendingly. 'Even if he has some skills because he's a true S-Rank's disciple like Nova... there's absolutely no way he can compare to me, someone destined to be an S-Rank in the future!'
However... that condescending train of thought was abruptly derailed when Owen stepped closer, allowing the late morning sunlight to fully illuminate him.
Ryan's eyes locked onto the single item the young man was wearing... the [Gauntlets of the Sun God]. They were just faded red armored gauntlets, looking old and heavily battered, worn on both of Owen's hands. They didn't flash with blinding light, nor did they possess the spectacular, intricate designs of his own hundred-million-dollar armor... but the very moment Ryan accidentally focused his highly-tuned senses on them, his primal instincts as a genius Awakened shrieked in absolute terror!
The mana aura emanating from those old gauntlets wasn't flashy or boastful. It was incredibly heavy, profound, and overwhelmingly imposing. It felt like an ancient, primordial monster slumbering at the bottom of the darkest ocean, ready to awaken and snap the neck of anyone foolish enough to disturb it.
Gulp...
Ryan secretly swallowed a thick, dry lump of saliva. The ego that had just inflated to the size of the sky deflated significantly. The razor-sharp survival instinct that had saved him from numerous dangerous gates was flashing a blaring red warning... 'Do absolutely not underestimate that piece of equipment!'
The boy always trusted his instincts. He instantly adjusted the tactical plan in his head. He decided he wouldn't provoke Owen too far. His main goal today wasn't to fight Owen anyway, but to trick the man into spitting out his 'techniques' for approaching warm, gentle older women like Clara.
'Nothing in this world is free... The fact that he came to see me so easily means he definitely wants something from me too. Maybe connections? Or money?' Ryan analyzed astutely.
With that thought, Ryan waved his hand dismissively to shoo away the Association officials before plastering on a professional, highly commercial smile. He strode forward to greet Owen with elegant poise, desperately projecting the image of a leader entirely in control of the situation.
"Right on time, Mr. Owen," Ryan said in a friendly tone that harbored a subtle, underlying attempt at dominance. "I'm glad you came. I hope you don't mind that I called you out so urgently. My schedule is just incredibly tight... Just follow behind me at a safe distance. Think of it as observing a frontline Hunter at work while we discuss our business. Just be careful not to get caught in the crossfire."
The boy's words were beautifully crafted, effectively treating Owen like a mere fanboy who had been granted the privilege to watch his idol perform.
But how could Owen fail to see right through such a shallow, transparent game?
Instead of being provoked into anger or trying to brag back to defend his pride, Owen simply smiled... a faint, placid smile filled with the profound stillness of the bottom of a lake.
Owen swept his gaze over Ryan from head to toe... not with the eyes of an enemy sizing up a rival opponent, but with the eyes of an 'adult feeling fond, amusement toward a child proudly showing off his superhero costume.'
"Whatever makes you comfortable, Ryan... I can call you that informally, right? Please, lead the way," Owen replied briefly with a polite, even smile. It was utterly devoid of pressure, completely devoid of validation, and lacking any shred of actual care. Just like an adult too lazy to argue with a petulant child.
And in Ryan's perception... Owen's reaction was infinitely more devastating than any verbal insult!
It was a complete and utter 'dismissal' of Ryan's provocation and blatant display of superiority. That utter calmness pierced right through Ryan's divine armor, making the fiery, proud young prodigy instantly feel incredibly 'small.'
Ryan's eyebrow twitched violently. A surge of hot irritation welled up in his chest when his carefully crafted words seemingly attacked thin air. He exhaled sharply through his nose to suppress his boiling emotions.
"Tch..." Ryan scoffed in his throat, deeply frustrated that his psychological intimidation hadn't worked in the slightest. He then whipped his head around and stomped forward, leading the way through the swirling red energy curtain of the dimensional gate in a fit of pure annoyance.
Owen shoved his hands back into his leather jacket pockets and casually strolled right behind the young man, his sly smirk slowly widening. His golden eyes flashed brilliantly in the dim light. The game board was perfectly set, and he was fully prepared to use his [Choice System] to gracefully persuade, manipulate, and make the arrogant kid trust him like an older brother in absolutely no time...
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