In one of the palace's long corridors, where only a few guards stood watch and countless doors lined the walls, Vikram Vellory, son of the Hammer Saint, lay in his room, replaying his defeat to Michael over and over in his mind.
"Damn it… how did I lose to that outcast? And in the rankings I still ended up behind him. Damn, damn, damn!" he cursed to himself. "I'm not letting this go. Just wait and see—I'll make you pay for this."
A sudden, heavy knock echoed from his door. The sound alone carried a seriousness he could feel, but it still irritated him. With a scowl, he got up and yanked the door open.
Standing there was his mother, Leela Vellory—a woman more skilled in politics than the diplomats seated in the royal chamber, her stern expression alone enough to make Vikram tense up. He swallowed and asked, "Mother… what happened?"
Leela's gaze did not soften. "Go to the royal balcony," she said."Why, Mother?" Vikram asked, confusion and unease creeping into his voice.She did not answer his question. Instead, she turned away, leaving him with only two words: "Prepare yourself."
Meanwhile at the royal chamber, I'm just standing there staring face-to-face with my fucker father while everyone around me is already bent to their knees and he just looks at me with that slight smirk in his eyes, the kind that says he already knows everything and is waiting to play whatever twisted game he has planned. And I can easily understand it, and that puppet noble from the four stronghold families just watches me with amusement, like he's enjoying a clown show, just what's with him? And before I can move, from behind, that war general Rudra Shakthiraya slams his hand into the back of my leg, forcing me down onto my knees and he growls, "Hey, brat, disrespect to Hammer Saint can't be tolerated."
Grand Chancellor Aravindan Velkar speaks immediately, voice sharp and authoritative, "Yes, agree, but War General, restrain yourself, you are standing before our liege." Rudra gets irritated at the tone and the look the Chancellor gives him, but he doesn't know that what he said is exactly right here, so without further argument he steps back, jaw tight and eyes burning with pride he can't swallow. And Rudra Shakthiraya, war general get seated on his seat which is lower and besides the hammer saint throne.
And then suddenly the state representative, Devashish Aarin, speaks, voice filled with venom and superiority, "Well, outcast, you are the one who claims to be the elder son of our Hammer Saint, right? How do you explain—"
But he doesn't even get to finish because Aravindan Velkar cuts him off immediately, "Well, Mr. State Representative, I don't think we agreed to let you speak. This speaking and questioning is to be done only before the Dominion Gathering and the state council, not in our royal chamber."
And everyone laughs. Loud, sharp, mocking laughter. Even the other stronghold heads join in, and that humiliation hits the Aarin head like a hammer to the skull and he sits back down in his seat, face twisted with rage and embarrassment.
The Grand Chancellor turns back to me, expression unreadable and voice calm, "State your point, kid."
State your point.
What the fuck is happening here?
A royal chamber full of these high-born fuckers asking an outcast like me to speak my point?
What kind of ridiculous theater is this?
Definitely something is wrong.
Whether these bastards actually know who I am, or they're just toying with me because they already decided how I'm going to die here—whichever it is, the strings are already tied. And every second I stand here, I feel it tightening around my throat.
But what choice does I have here," what should I say, to satisfy your curiousity, just ask your hammer saint, who I am, why to me" while I saying this I just open my status.
Core Combat Stats
Strength: 37
Agility: 34
Endurance: 34
Vitality: 31
Offensive Power
Base Attack Power: 74
Ability Amplification: 71%
Elemental Affinity (Black Essence): 15.5%
Critical Force: 35.5
Effective Damage: 104.5
Defensive Power
Damage Resistance: 23.8%
Corruption Resistance: 10.2%
Mental Fortitude: 10.2%
Regeneration Rate: 6.2%
HP: 310
Essence & Ability Growth
Black Essence Capacity: 4000 / 4000
Essence Absorption Rate: 16 BEU/sec
Lotus Synchronization: 4.17%
Petal Stage: 1 / 24
And suddenly the whole royal chamber erupts into chaos because of what I said.
For them, it's an insult they can't tolerate, but not for the four stronghold heads—they're enjoying it inside themselves.
And that Hammer Saint…
He's just watching what I'm doing, and he doesn't have even a bit of anger on his face.
Ahhh well, that's who he is.
But I don't care.
I check what I want to know, open that particular thing, and when I see what it shows now—I just laugh.
And seeing me laughing at this moment just makes everyone furious.
That Jai Singh Senapathi, sly bastard, gives a signal to the guards to attack me—basically to kill me in one go.
Both of them launch themselves, mid-air, about to land their spears straight through me.
And that exact moment, a window pops up:
"Do you want to unlock the 2nd Petal Stage
Cost: 4000 BEUs
YES / NO"
What more do I need to know?
Definitely fucking YES.
And after that—what happened is just fucking awesome.
In an instant, I make them fly away with a single punch.
Bodies crashing backwards like trash being thrown out of a window.
Everyone's jaw drops.
The Grand Chancellor keeps a straight face but is obviously amazed, War General actually smiles, and Jai Singh Senapathi has a completely fucked-up expression.
"What is that?! All of them are B-rank soldiers and he knocked them off—who is he really?!"
Not only him—the other stronghold heads stare with the same reaction.
But that bastard Rajendra…
He's looking at me like he expected this from the beginning.
Then another window pops up:
Devourer's Gaze
Effect: Gains 25% of opponent's strength at 10% HP for 10 seconds
Ah well, everything is insane, but that HP condition—
To achieve this condition , I pierced myself with the short sword to drop my HP. And then I activated it
Fuck—blood is pouring out of my body like a broken tap.
I just put all my bet on that regeneration rate, but hell, it takes time to heal.
And the countdown is ticking… once this skill burns out, it's gone.
Within these seconds if anyone faces me?
I can manage.
So come on—fucking come now.
The entire royal chamber is in chaos, terrified eyes everywhere…
Except him.
The Hammer Saint just watches me like I'm some circus clown, like this is entertainment.
And I say it:
"This world doesn't wait for the powerless… it simply moves on.
And so will I."
The moment my words echo through the chamber, something shifts.
I see it—a spark in the eyes of Hammer Saint and his brother, Arjun Vellory.
Everyone freezes.
Grand Chancellor, War General, even the useless nobles—they all stir as if struck by lightning.
Whispers rise. Power trembles.
Then—
"Silence."
Just one word from Rajendra Vellory…
And every single person in the chamber feels ice crawl down their spine.
Even me.
A silence heavy enough to crush lungs hangs for a few minutes.
Then he speaks again, voice calm but absolute:
"Proceed with the arrangements. Treat his wounds. Make him ready."
Everyone bows, "Yes, Liege!"
And I'm just standing there thinking:
What the fuck should I be ready for?
---
Royal Balcony — The Assembly
Everyone gathers at the royal balcony.
Vikram Vellory with his mother Leela Vellory.
Neha Khuraar.
Varsha Aarin.
Nagul Senapathi.
Ranveer Rathore.
All of them, with their mothers and bodyguards behind them.
Confusion everywhere.
Every pair of eyes asking:
Why the fuck are we here?
The royal chamber members file in next.
Arjun Vellory steps forward and Vikram tries to ask something—
But the moment he opens his mouth—
BOOM—the entrance shakes.
A voice announces:
"Here he comes—The Ruler of Indravana!
The Hammer Saint, Rajendra Vellory!"
The air changes.
Pressure crushes the balcony as he steps up to the podium.
His voice booms across the entire dominion:
"Here, in front of our people…
I announce the return of my elder son—
Adhitya Vellory."
And then I walk out.
All eyes turn—
Vikram, Neha, Ranveer, Nagul—
Even usually composed Varsha—
their jaws drop.
Eyes wide like they've seen a ghost crawl out of its grave.
Shock. Rage. Fear. Confusion.
And just like that—
A new chapter begins.
A chapter written in front of these sheep who once thought they could trample the weak.