Chapter 67: The Coloureds

Malik walked behind Carita, flanked on either side by two bodyguards dressed in pristine white suits, their name tags pinned neatly on the left side of their breast pockets. From the subtle way they moved, poised yet powerful, Malik could tell these were no ordinary guards—these were Carita's personal protectors. That only deepened his curiosity.

Why bring me here? Malik wondered.

"This is the venue of the RICH," he muttered under his breath, emphasizing the word "rich" with a heavy dose of sarcasm and awe. His eyes scanned the massive hall that looked more like a cross between a high-tech arena and a royal ballroom.

What stood out were the people—elegantly dressed figures split into four distinct groups, each donning a single solid color.

White stood across from Black. Red stood opposite Green. All facing one another in a subtle standoff.

Carita walked toward the group in white and, without hesitation, bowed deeply before a middle-aged man whose aura alone screamed authority. The two bodyguards followed suit. Malik, however, remained standing, watching the man carefully.

For a moment, their eyes locked.

This man... Malik felt a chill crawl up his spine. He's dangerous. No, something beyond dangerous.

The man was giving nothing away, but Malik could almost feel the pressure leaking out of him like suppressed mana—dense, unrefined, and lethal.

"You worthless thing. How dare you stand tall before my grandfather?!" A young man from the White group surged forward, his name tag flashing: White Mage. Two bulky figures followed behind him.

Beads of sweat rolled down Malik's face as he instinctively took a step back, fists coiling. He was ready. But before the tension could snap, the middle-aged man raised a hand.

Instantly, they halted.

"But Grandfather, why?" White Mage protested, his voice laced with venom. "This outsider disrespected your prestige! We should punish both of them!"

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Carita with a disappointed frown. "Carita. Why did you bring a novice to a Coloured gathering? Are you trying to smear the prestige of the White Family?"

"Father, it isn't so. It's just that—"

"'De Law,' is it? A student. I bet he's from the same faculty as you," scoffed another man, younger than the middle-aged elder but still older than Carita. From the exchange, it was clear—this was Carita's father.

"I think it's high time you switched schools," he added, his voice sharp with scorn.

"Father…" Carita whispered, eyes cast downward. Her body tensed, but she didn't rise.

Her father sneered and turned to Malik. "And you, De Law. You should leave this place immediately."

"You heard him, De Law," White Mage echoed, now openly mocking. "You heard your little lover's father. Scram, scram, scram!" He waved Malik off like dirt.

Malik clenched his jaw, fists trembling, but he said nothing. Instead, he slowly bowed his head toward the Grandfather.

"You dare ignore me?!" White Master roared, his rage boiling over as he reached out toward Malik, but the old man once again raised his hand.

"Today is a busy day," the elder said calmly. "There's no room for petty squabbles. We'll settle this later. For now, take your seat, Carita."

"But Grandpa, he's not even dressed in full white!" White Mage snapped, shooting Malik a look of disdain.

Carita nodded silently and led the way to her seat. Malik followed closely behind her, standing beside the two guards.

"I'm sorry for what happened earlier," she whispered.

"You don't have to apologize, Boss. It's my fault. I should've paid more attention to the dress code," Malik replied.

"You're not working for the White Family," she snapped gently. "And this isn't your fault. If not for my selfishness, you wouldn't be here."

Malik smiled faintly. "If you put it that way, then… you're pardoned."

He handed her a glass of water he'd just filled when he suddenly felt a burning stare digging into his back.

He turned.

A young man in red sportswear was glaring directly at him.

"That's the Young Master of the Red Family. Godwin Red," Carita explained quietly.

Malik raised a brow and looked around. Sure enough, he spotted two others: one young man from the Green Family with the tag Tom Green, and a poised girl from the Black Family with Lucky Black etched on her chest.

So these are…

"The Coloureds," Malik whispered.

"You catch on quick," Carita smiled. "These four families make up The Coloureds—one of the most powerful organizations in both the real and virtual world. Every year, they gather to determine the rankings among themselves. Right now, Red is first, Black second, White third, and Green is dead last."

"How do they decide the rankings?" Malik asked, just as a man in a grey suit stepped onto a raised platform.

Carita pointed. "You're about to find out."

The man in grey tapped his mic, his voice echoing across the hall.

"Today, we once again gather to determine the yearly rankings of the four families that form the mighty Coloureds. This organization is not only a global force but also dominates within the Virtual World."

"This year's contest will be a Royal Rumble. Each family will send a team—ten members per group, plus one representative. Forty-four participants in total."

"Each team must protect their representative. If the representative dies, the entire team is eliminated. Last family standing wins."

"Any questions?"

"Mr. Grey! Are weapons allowed?"

Mr. Grey smirked. "You'll find out once you step on the platform. Note that the arena simulates a game environment. Dying there won't affect you in real life. Each kill earns you points. The player with the most points receives a personal reward."

"If there are no further questions... Let the game begin."

Applause erupted.

Malik turned to Carita. "You're going in?"

She smiled. "Of course."

He tried not to blush. "Are you sure?"

"Why? Worried?" she teased.

Malik quickly shook his head.

Already, the Red Family had entered the platform, ten members with HP bars floating over their heads, all at 100%. The Black Family followed, led by Lucky Black. Then came the Green Family under Tom Green.

"Grandfather, I will lead the White Family!" White Mage declared proudly.

The middle-aged man shook his head. "You'll support your cousin."

"You're leading, Boss. I should come with you," Malik said as Carita stood.

She shook her head. "I promised you'd do nothing. Just stay calm and watch."

With that, she stepped forward, followed by nine White Family members—including a reluctant White Mage.

Each family left one spot empty behind their rep as the battle began to unfold atop the grand stage.