The Rivalry

Ged's entire body trembled with fury. He had offered Ethan a chance—genuine, in his mind—but Ethan had flat-out rejected him.

"Ethan," Ged snarled, his voice low and dangerous, "I was willing to let this slide because we're classmates. But you've forced my hand."

His fists tightened, cracking audibly. He turned to the burly man with the beard—one of his top enforcers—and pointed at Ethan.

"Take back what's ours," Ged commanded through clenched teeth.

The enforcer grinned, a wicked glint in his eyes. He had been a criminal even before the world changed and had taken more lives than he cared to remember. To him, Ethan was just another soft civilian who happened to get lucky against a monster. Fighting humans was a whole different game.

"Don't worry, boss," the enforcer said, flexing his hands as sharp, blade-like claws extended from his knuckles, gleaming like polished steel. "No one's taking anything from us."

Behind him, several other awakened individuals revealed their talents. Flames, hardened skin, and other powers flared to life as they prepared to strike.

Before Ethan could react, Lynn stepped forward, despite her obvious exhaustion. She raised a hand, and with a flick of her fingers, a crystalline lotus made of ice bloomed in front of the enforcer. Instantly, the room's temperature plummeted, frost crawling across the floor.

"Anyone who takes another step will be frozen solid," Lynn warned, her voice cold and unyielding.

The enforcer hesitated, glancing nervously at the ice under his feet. He could feel its deadly chill seeping through his boots. His grin faltered.

"Lynn," Ged said, his tone laced with bitterness, "are you really willing to go this far for Ethan? Against your own family?"

"If anything happens to him," Lynn replied icily, "I guarantee your family won't have a moment's peace."

The tension in the room crackled like static electricity. Ned squared his shoulders, his fists glowing faintly. "You heard her. You want a fight? We're ready."

Ethan, however, remained calm, casually tossing the Awakening Core from hand to hand. He studied Ged's group carefully. Besides the enforcer, the others seemed to have mid-tier abilities—nothing he couldn't handle. If things got serious, he had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, including his airborne movement technique.

In truth, Ethan was almost eager to fight. But he knew that wasn't the smartest move right now.

Ged clenched his teeth, his face contorted with frustration. "You're willing to ruin everything over this guy? Lynn, you're making a huge mistake."

Lynn didn't flinch. "Maybe you should stop underestimating people, Ged."

Ethan smirked. "It's funny. You act like you're calling the shots here, but you're the one about to get shut down."

The atmosphere thickened, each side waiting for someone to make the first move.

"Enough!" A deep, authoritative voice echoed through the room, breaking the tense silence.

Everyone turned to see a towering figure enter—Ferris, the stone-skinned powerhouse from Lynn's family. He strode into the room with an air of calm dominance, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.

"Ferris!" Ged blurted, his expression shifting to shock. He hadn't expected backup from Lynn's side to arrive so soon. Worse still, Ferris wasn't alone—several other high-ranking awakened individuals followed close behind.

"Looks like I showed up just in time," Ferris said, his voice friendly but firm. "Lynn, you alright?"

"I'm fine," Lynn replied, visibly relaxing for the first time since the confrontation began.

Ferris's gaze shifted to Ged, his smile tightening. "What's going on here, Ged? Trying to cause trouble on neutral ground?"

Ged swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure. "It's not what it looks like. I was just... negotiating. Ethan has something that belongs to us."

"Is that so?" Ferris chuckled softly, though the sound was anything but friendly. "Funny, because from where I'm standing, it looks like Lynn's friend. And if he's Lynn's friend, that makes him my friend too."

Ged paled, his bravado crumbling under the weight of Ferris's presence. He knew the odds had just turned against him.

"Now," Ferris continued, his tone hardening, "unless you want to start a war between our families, I suggest you back off."

Ged's enforcer shifted uncomfortably, his claws retracting as he glanced nervously at Ferris. The rest of Ged's group quickly followed suit, their powers fading.

"Fine," Ged muttered through gritted teeth. "We'll leave... for now."

Ferris stepped aside, motioning toward the door. "Good. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Ged shot one last glare at Ethan before turning on his heel and storming out, his entourage trailing behind him.

As soon as they were gone, the room's tension finally eased. Ned let out a loud exhale. "Holy crap, I thought we were dead for sure."

"Thanks for the assist, Ferris," Ethan said, offering a nod of respect.

"No problem," Ferris replied with a grin. "But you've definitely made some enemies today. You might want to watch your back."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Ethan said, shrugging.

As they left the hotel together, Ferris pulled Ethan aside.

"You've got serious potential," Ferris said, his tone more serious now. "Our family could use someone like you. We'd protect you from guys like Ged and make sure your talents are fully developed."

Ethan shook his head with a smile. "I appreciate the offer, but I've already made up my mind."

"Suit yourself," Ferris replied, though there was no animosity in his voice. "Just know the offer's always open."

With that, Ethan climbed into his Ferrari, eager to get back to training. He had a feeling the world was about to get a lot more dangerous—and he needed to be ready.