EX 16. Family Reunion

As the day drew to a close, the buzzing energy of the rankings announcement gradually faded. Students returned to their various homes, chattering in hushed voices, still processing what they had witnessed.

Leon Kael—64th place. No one had seen that coming.

But as surprising as it was, none of them would lose sleep over it. After all, it was his life, not theirs. The world kept moving.

Outside the trial center, the evening breeze carried the scent of warm pavement and fading tension.

Leon walked beside Elizabeth, their fingers laced together in a quiet show of intimacy. Neither of them spoke as they approached the main gate. The silence between them was comfortable and familiar.

A sleek black car pulled up in front of them, its glossy surface reflecting the orange hue of the setting sun.

The driver stepped out and rounded the vehicle before opening the rear door without a word.

Elizabeth glanced at Leon. "My ride's here."

"I can see that," Leon replied with a faint smirk.

She turned to him, her expression shifting—serious now. "Don't listen to what others say about you," she said softly. "Their opinions don't matter."

Leon's smirk curled into something calmer. "You should know me by now," he said. "It takes more than that to make me react."

Elizabeth nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "That's true."

She leaned in, pressing a light peck to his cheek. It was gentle but compared to how she usually was this show of affection was reserved.

Then, without another word, she slipped into the car. The driver closed the door behind her, gave Leon a respectful nod, and returned to the driver's seat.

A moment later, the car slid smoothly into the street and disappeared down the road.

Leon stood there, watching the vehicle until its taillights vanished around the corner.

He turned without a word and headed toward his own car—a low, gleaming sports car.

Sliding into the driver's seat, he shut the door with a solid thud and let out a breath.

Leon wasn't the type to respond to petty insults or baseless rumors. He had two rules for when he did react. The first: if his life was threatened. The second… was a line no one should ever cross.

Because the moment someone did, they'd regret it for the rest of their life.

He turned the key, and the engine purred to life before erupting into a powerful growl. With a masterful turn of his wrist, Leon turned the wheel, tires screeching as he drifted effortlessly out of the lot.

Then, with the roar of horsepower behind him, he sped into the evening, the city lights blurring as he raced toward home.

****

Three hundred years ago, the world fell into chaos.

The skies burned red, cities crumbled under claw and flame, and humanity stood on the brink of extinction as demons surged forth from the abyss.

But in their darkest hour, a spark of salvation appeared—the Trial Resonance. This mysterious phenomenon granted select individuals access to the Trial World, a brutal realm where power could be earned through blood, sweat, and survival.

Those who returned from the trials came back stronger—faster and deadlier with a few being gifted with supernatural talents. With these powers, humanity pushed back against the demonic tide, reclaiming a sliver of land and building a fragile wall between order and oblivion.

But even with a common enemy, human nature did not change.

Greed crept in like rot beneath the surface. The initial unity fractured as the trial-born powers inflated egos and ambitions.

Instead of pointing their blades at the demons, humans turned them on each other. Factions rose, borders were drawn, and petty wars flared. Each side sought to become the supreme ruler of the reclaimed world.

And while humans bickered, the demons grew stronger once more. Battles were lost, territories fell and history threatened to repeat itself.

Until he returned.

From the Trial World came a man unlike any before him, bearing a Supreme Rank Talent—a rank so transcendent, it shattered every notion of power.

He was unmatched, unstoppable, a force of nature. And with that power, he did what no council or treaty could ever achieve: he unified humanity.

And he called the unified Land.... the Federation.

The demons were pushed back once again, beaten down by a unified front led by a man who had no weakness.

He elected himself the first Governor and established the Yakomoto Family as the ruling lineage, a symbol of strength and order.

Under his command, the Federation was structured into administrative territories governed by noble families.

The noble families were split into two ranks:

Rank 2 Families: Leaders of regions. Their heads possessed Ordinary Talents—powerful, but common among talent awakened trial-takers.

Rank 1 Families: Rulers of entire domains, vast territories composed of multiple regions. Their bloodlines bore Extraordinary Talents, granting them influence, power, and prestige.

Leon Kael was born into one such Rank 1 family—The Kael Family, rulers of the Kael Domain. Both his father and mother wielded extraordinary talents and sat high on the Federation's noble ladder.

As Leon drove away from the capital, the glow of the city faded behind him, giving way to the lush, expansive roads of the countryside. It didn't take long before he crossed into the Kael Domain.

Along the roads, workers paused and waved, common folk nodding with reverence as the sleek sports car roared past. To them, he was the young master, heir of the Kael's.

After a short drive, towering gates came into view, opening automatically for his approach.

He drove through without delay—recognition of both him and his car granting immediate access.

The mansion ahead sprawled across the estate like a fortress made for kings. Guards stood tall, but not a single one moved to stop him. They knew exactly who he was.

Pulling to a smooth stop before the main house, Leon handed his keys to a waiting butler, who bowed and moved to park the vehicle properly. Without waiting, Leon stepped up the stone steps and entered the house.

He barely made it two steps in before stopping.

His father—Darian Kael sat in the central chair of the foyer's great room, posture straight, eyes locked on him. His mother—Selene Kael stood beside the chair, hands folded tightly, a composed but unmistakably serious look on her face.

By the doorframe, leaning casually with arms crossed, stood his older sister—Valeria Kael, her gaze unreadable.

Leon froze for a moment, blinking.

He had been ready to smile, ready to greet them. But the air inside the mansion felt… off.

'What's going on?' he wondered, eyes narrowing slightly.

And then it clicked.

'Wait… don't tell me this is about my rank in the evaluation.'

His face stayed neutral, but inwardly, Leon sighed.

'Seriously?'

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A/N: Please send power stones and leave reviews.

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