(Samuel's POV – Cutting All Ties to the Past)
With Project Hades reduced to rubble, Henry and I stood outside, watching the factory collapse in flames.
Smoke rose into the night sky, a monument to the destruction we had left behind.
But my work wasn't done yet.
I pulled out my phone and dialed Volkov.
The call barely rang twice before his deep Russian-accented voice came through.
"Samuel. I assume Project Hades is no more?"
I smirked, exhaling a breath of satisfaction. "Completely wiped out. But I need you to handle something for me."
Volkov chuckled. "Of course you do. What is it this time?"
I grinned. "I'm faking my death."
There was a brief pause.
Then—
Volkov burst out laughing. "Hah! You always impress me, Samuel. But faking your own death just to get away from your pathetic wife? Now that's something else."
I chuckled. "Mr. Volkov, you know me. If I want to fake my death, I'll do it. And as for that whore? She can spread her legs for whoever she likes—I don't give a damn."
Volkov laughed even harder. "Ah, Samuel. You truly have no mercy."
I smirked. "Why should I? She had no mercy when she brought men into our bed and humiliated me."
Volkov exhaled, his tone turning serious. "Very well, Samuel. I will arrange everything. By tomorrow morning, the world will believe you are dead."
I grinned. "Good. And while you're at it, I want a new passport."
Volkov raised an eyebrow. "A new identity? And what name shall I put on it?"
I smirked, my emerald eyes glowing with amusement.
"Wolf."
Volkov chuckled. "A fitting name. Ruthless, calculating, and untouchable."
I nodded. "Exactly. Make sure it's Russian. That way, Bardot won't even think twice."
Volkov hummed in approval. "Consider it done. I will handle Arkanis and ensure his daughter is safe by morning. Your papers will be ready as well."
I let out a satisfied breath. "Perfect. Then tomorrow… Samuel Gebb dies. And Wolf is born."
Henry, who had been listening in, smirked. "Damn. You really like making things dramatic."
I grinned. "Hey, if I'm gonna disappear, might as well make it interesting."
Volkov chuckled. "Indeed. Well then, Mr. Wolf, I'll see you soon."
The call ended.
I exhaled, staring at the flames of what was once Project Hades.
Goodbye, Samuel Gebb.
Tomorrow, I would no longer be a private investigator with a failed marriage.
Tomorrow, I would be a ghost.
And the world?
It wouldn't even know what hit it.
----
[SYSTEM ALERT: QUEST COMPLETE – WAR OF ASCENSION]
Objective Completed:
✔ Eliminated Supreme Executioners of Project Hades
✔ Eradicated the Demonic Generals of the Hidden Order
✔ Destroyed the Abyssal Anchor
Rewards:
+10 Levels Each (Samuel: 116 | Henry: 116)
New Hidden Abilities Unlocked
Entry to the Final Stage of This World Unlocked
Cooldown Timer Activated – 3 Years Until Next World
----
(Samuel's POV – The Countdown Begins)
As soon as the system notification popped up, I felt an immense surge of power flooding my body.
The Black Heart inside me pulsed violently, adapting to the new strength.
I clenched my fists, feeling the raw power coiling within my veins.
This… was something else.
Henry, standing beside me, rolled his shoulders, a golden aura swirling around him as his own Titan Heart adjusted.
He glanced at me, smirking. "Well, look at that. We finally hit the requirement."
I let out a dark chuckle. "Tch. About time."
Then, another notification popped up.
---
[SYSTEM ALERT: TIME UNTIL WORLD TRANSFER – 3 YEARS]
NOTE: The system requires a three-year cooldown before transporting players to the next world. Use this time wisely to grow stronger and prepare for future threats.
---
I smirked, staring at the countdown timer in my system.
Three years.
I knew it.
This world still had things to offer.
Opportunities.
Power.
And most importantly—unfinished business.
Henry exhaled, taking a sip from his whiskey flask. "Three years, huh?"
I chuckled. "Plenty of time to wrap things up."
Henry grinned. "Damn right."
Our journey wasn't over yet.
And in three years…
The next world would open.
And I would be ready.
(Samuel's POV – A Past Buried in Flames)
The night air was thick with the smell of gasoline.
I stood beside my Maserati, staring at the lifeless body sprawled on the ground.
A man who had no importance to me.
A man who, a few hours ago, was breathing, laughing, thinking he had control over his life.
Now?
Nothing but a corpse waiting to burn.
I poured the last of the gasoline over him, watching as the liquid soaked into his clothes, the ground beneath him already stained with his own blood.
I flicked open my lighter, staring at the small, dancing flame.
My mind drifted back—to a question that had been lingering for far too long.
---
Should I Tell Her?
Abigail Bardot.
The woman who hated me.
The woman who ruined me.
But once upon a time… she loved me.
And once upon a time—I loved her, too.
Would things have been different if she knew the truth?
Would she have forgiven me if she knew why I left her at her lowest?
Because it wasn't by choice.
It was because of my so-called uncle, Mark.
The man who controlled the Bardot family's downfall.
The man who promised to invest in her company—
But only if I walked away and left her broken.
Four years ago, when she needed me the most, I became the villain of her story.
Because that's the role Mark wanted me to play.
I sighed, rolling my shoulders. "None of it matters anymore."
Abigail made her choices.
And now, so had I.
I wasn't Samuel Gebb, the heartbroken husband.
I wasn't the man she could torment and humiliate.
Now?
I was the Wolf.
---
Burning the Past
I flicked the lighter shut—then tossed it onto the gasoline-soaked body.
WHOOSH!
The flames roared to life, consuming the corpse in an instant.
The fire's glow reflected in my emerald eyes, flickering like the past I had just erased.
No evidence.
No name.
Just another unmarked grave in the world of monsters.
I leaned against my car, lighting a cigarette as I watched the fire burn.
As the smoke curled into the air, I let out a small, dark chuckle.
"Uncle Mark… was he really the villain of this story?"
Or was there something bigger at play?
Something I hadn't seen yet?
I exhaled, shaking my head.
"Doesn't matter."
Because in the end…
Everything burns.