Inside the Interdimensional Chatroom, the fluctuation didn't go unnoticed.
"He's spiking again…"
Yue Buqun watched the shifting indicator beside Noah Vale's name, his expression tightening despite himself. At this point, it wasn't even surprising anymore. Every time Noah returned from a mission, his strength seemed to… ripple.
After a few seconds, the fluctuation settled.
Level 8.
Silence lingered for a moment.
That number wasn't just a number anymore. It meant the kind of power that could crack continents apart without trying. Given a little time, it could reduce an entire planet to drifting debris.
"We're falling behind," Kana Kimishima murmured, cradling a cup of tea as she stared at the update.
Leveling up in the chatroom wasn't a straight climb. Each step got harder, steeper, almost cruelly so. Most members were still struggling to push forward.
Even Sasuke Uchiha, one of the strongest among them, had only just reached Level 5 through sheer destructive power.
Kana exhaled softly.
We're not really catching up… we're just following the trail he leaves behind.
Still, she typed out a quick congratulations along with the others. It felt like the least she could do.
Elsewhere—
The central hub of the system was anything but calm.
A violent shockwave tore through the plaza, scattering people like leaves in a storm. High above, a visible stream of force carved its way upward, slamming into the golden barrier overhead and erupting in a thunderous cascade of energy.
When the winds died down, only one figure remained standing.
Noah Vale.
He stood alone at the center of the plaza, relaxed, as if he hadn't just unleashed something capable of leveling a planet.
Around him, no one dared approach.
They only watched.
The tension wasn't just fear.
It was recognition.
Ever since the previous top-ranked player had died, the entire ranking system had been thrown into chaos. The former number one had possessed gear far beyond most people's reach, yet he'd been killed during what should have been a routine mission.
And now—
A new number one had appeared.
No one knew who he was.
Until today.
Some of the onlookers stared harder, their expressions slowly shifting from confusion to disbelief.
Wait… isn't that…?
They remembered him.
A newcomer.
Someone who had walked through this very plaza not long ago without drawing attention.
And now—
He stood at the top.
Noah's gaze drifted lazily across the crowd.
To him, they weren't threats.
They were… inventory.
Resources.
Possibilities.
The weight of his attention alone made several people instinctively step back.
They reassured themselves quickly.
No one can just attack people here. There are penalties.
Even the strongest had to follow the rules.
Right?
Noah's eyes shifted.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Looks like a few interesting ones finally showed up."
They arrived quickly.
First, a woman riding a towering wave of water, carried forward like a living tide.
Then a broad-shouldered man wrapped in crackling golden lightning, appearing in a flash.
Behind Noah, a lean figure stepped out of the shadows, face obscured, presence almost nonexistent.
One by one, more followed.
Within moments, over a dozen figures had formed a loose circle around him.
These weren't spectators.
They were the top thirty.
The strongest players currently active.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
Then an older man stepped forward, posture calm, voice measured.
"I represent the strongest faction in East Asia," he said. "You must be the current number one. Impressive… and so young. Tell me—are you originally from Asia?"
Noah didn't even blink.
"Don't try to bond with me."
The words landed flat and clean.
"By your standards, I'm just someone from a mission world. We don't share history. We don't share anything."
He waved a hand dismissively.
"Bloodlines don't mean much when every world runs on different rules."
The air cooled.
That answer told them everything they needed to know.
No affiliations.
No ties.
No loyalties.
Which meant—
He was someone anyone could try to recruit.
And suddenly, every pair of eyes burned a little brighter.
Noah cut through the tension before anyone else could speak.
"Alright," he said, extending a hand casually. "One of you. I need a Level 5 invitation. Now."
The circle froze.
For a second, no one reacted.
The tone wasn't a request.
It was a demand.
"…Well?"
Noah's fingers twitched impatiently.
"Don't make this awkward."
A bald man stepped forward almost immediately, pulling out a glowing envelope.
"I… I have one."
Noah took it without hesitation, barely sparing it a glance before storing it away.
"Good."
Then he looked back at the man.
"As thanks," Noah added lightly, "is there anyone here you want dead? I can take care of it."
The temperature dropped.
Hard.
A ripple of cold sweat spread through the gathered elites.
He wasn't joking.
That was the worst part.
What kind of lunatic says that out loud?
Every instinct screamed that this man didn't operate within normal boundaries.
No politics.
No caution.
No restraint.
The bald man swallowed, his mind racing.
For a fleeting moment, a dangerous thought surfaced—
What if I asked him to wipe them all out?
It vanished just as quickly.
He forced a smile.
"My name is Nunara. I represent India."
He straightened slightly.
"I'd like to invite you to join us. If you agree, I'm willing to step down and hand you leadership."
The offer hung in the air.
Heavy.
Tempting.
And utterly serious.
Noah tilted his head, considering.
Not the offer.
But the man.