"496... 496... 498... 5... 500..."
A woman collapsed onto the floor, her body drenched in sweat. The extra layers of fat had started to melt away, revealing her beautiful curves.
Her servant, Mina, rushed toward her, holding a small bucket of water and a towel.
"My Lady, do you really need to be this cruel to yourself?" Mina asked, her voice filled with concern. "You haven’t eaten anything, and you’re pushing yourself too much. This isn’t good for your health!"
The golden-haired woman shook her head and smiled.
"You don’t understand, Mina," she said softly. "I have to do this. I have to get stronger."
"Stronger to prove myself."
"Stronger to prepare for the war that’s coming."
She splashed water on her face, with her mind drifting back to the past.
She had asked around and learned about the Black Star.
Its rise was an omen,a bad one.
Soon, the Emperor’s health would start failing. He would call everyone to the capital and begin the Crown Games to choose his successor. But before things could settle, he would die. That would throw the Heizen Empire into civil war.
The empire would be ripped apart into four factions, and their enemies would be watching like vultures.
In the final flames of war, the side Ariana supported would win.
It was the fiancee of Adele Veydrin, the Third Prince but he won only barely. Three of the empire’s great provinces would be destroyed.
And worst of all... they would survive only with the help of a foreign enemy.
Thinking of the bloodshed, her fists clenched.
"I need to be stronger..." she whispered. "Strong enough to make everyone on the Continental List tremble in fear."
Back at the Veydrin Estate
"My Lord, you shouldn’t have provoked Lord Grant."
Gare’s voice was filled with concern as he stood before Kael.
"He’s the overseer of Veydrin’s rules. Messing with him could cause big problems."
Kael snorted. "Like I care."
He looked ahead at Ramos, who was lazily reading a newspaper.
"What are you looking at?" Kael asked.
Ramos didn’t even glance up. "Seems like your dear sister, Adele, made it into the top 10 on the Continental List."
"Continental List?" He turned to Gare and Baret. "What the hell is that?"
"You don’t know?" Ramos finally looked up, raising a brow.
Ramos squinted at him, rubbing his chin.
’This bastard doesn’t know a damn thing about major events. Is he stupid? Or does he have some memory problem? Wait... could his weird-ass behavior be because of that? Maybe I should get a good doctor to check him out...’
While Ramos was lost in thought, Gare explained.
"Sir, the Continental List ranks the strongest young generation fighters anyone above 18 years and older but they should be below 30."
"They are the strongest youth of current generations who had potential to reach SSS rank and above."
Kael raised a brow. "And how do people get on this list?"
"You have to be strong and if possible, have a unique class.And each year, there is a group of people who assess the strength and feats of a person and then rank them," Baret added.
Kael scoffed. "A unique class? Do these idiots just announce their class to the world? Are they all fucking stupid?"
"Nah, it’s just another one of those modern trends," Ramos snorted. "These thick-headed morons can’t help but seek attention and glory."
"Besides, most of the people on the list are from the Imperial Academy," Baret added. "So, the whole thing is pretty biased. Half the list is just overhyped brats."
"Also, there is no guarantee that this is their real class."
Kael’s expression twisted with disgust. "Tch. Figures.So what did Adele do now?"
"She was ranked around 50 last year but during the tour to the Capital a few months ago she pummeled a few Royal knights and nobles who tried to flirt with her."Ramos answered with a smile trying to see panic in Kael’s eyes.
"Hand me that newspaper."
Ramos tossed it to him. Kael’s eyes skimmed through the list.And then he froze.
His hands tightened around the paper as he stared at a familiar dark-haired face.
The Top 20 of the Continental List
1. Regis Ferland – "The Starborn Sovereign" (Crown Prince of Ferland, Unique Class: Celestial Monarch)
2. Drake Vermillion – "The Red Executioner" (Duke’s Heir, Unique Class: Bloodblade Warlord)
3. Ilya Rosenheim – "The Frost Enchantress" (Marquess’s Daughter, Unique Class: Glacial Witch)
4. Zenos Argent – "The Unbreakable" (Knight Commander’s Son, Unique Class: Adamant Guardian)
5. Leonhardt Valerian – "The Phantom Hunter" (Noble Assassin, Unique Class: Void Reaper)
6. Seraphina Dawn – "The Sun Saintess" (High Priestess Candidate, Unique Class: Holy Radiance)
7. Orion Graves – "The Tyrant’s Fist" (General’s Son, Unique Class: Titanic Destroyer)
8. Silva Nightshade – "The Moonlit Shadow" (Duke’s Heir, Unique Class: Lunar Assassin)
9. Magnus Blackthorn – "The Arcane Conqueror" (Imperial Scholar, Unique Class: Stormcaster Archmage)
10. Roosevelt Luther – "The Imperial Scion" (First Prince of the Heizen Empire, Unique Class: Ethereal Emperor)
11. Cassandra Luther – "The Rose of Dominion" (1st Princess of Luther, Unique Class: Sword Sovereign)
12. Adele Veydrin – "The Blazing Valkyrie" (Daughter of Duke Veydrin, Unique Class: Storm War Goddess)
13. Dante Everhart – "The Abysswalker" (High Noble of the Everhart Lineage, Unique Class: Abyssal Knight)
14. Raphael Stormrider – "The Thunderborn Knight" (Son of a Renowned Battle Duke, Unique Class: Tempest Warden)
15. Siegmund Zephyrion – "The Skybreaker" (Marquess’s Son, Unique Class: Storm Herald)
16. Elara Noctis – "The Veil Weaver" (Noble Shadow Mage, Unique Class: Eldritch Mystic)
17. Lucian Drachenfeld – "The Dragonheart" (Warrior of Royal Bloodline, Unique Class: Draconic Champion)
18. Valeria Ashenford – "The Silver Valkyrie" (Elite Order Knight, Unique Class: Celestial Warbringer)
19.Rein Luther – "The Crimson Tyrant" (Fourth Prince of the Heizen Empire, Unique Class: Infernal Overlord)
20. Vale Raven – "The Shadow King" (Heiress of a Noble Assassination House, Unique Class: Dusk Enforcer)
"What the fuck are these sick ass names..."Kael was bewildered for a moment.
The class names were so sick and fucking cool that he was pratically drooling.
’I really wanted something like that.’
Kael’s fingers twitched as he stared at Adele’s name.
His sister.She was in the top 20.
And that bastard.That dark-haired bastard.
How can he forget him.The guy who hit him and splashed wine on his face when he opened his eyes after death.
His breath slowed. A maniacal grin stretched across his lips.
Ramos, noticing the shift in his expression, groaned.
Gare and Baret exchanged nervous glances.
Kael’s eyes gleamed with madness.
"This is great...This great thing saved me quite a bit of trouble."
"What trouble?"Ramos asked curiously.
"Trouble to put up a list to hunt," he whispered, his voice dripping with insanity.