Rank 6 changed everything.
Kali felt it the moment he stepped into the training district the next morning.
The air seemed lighter. His feet struck the ground with controlled force. His breathing no longer fought him — it obeyed.
But the world did not become kinder.
It became sharper.
Whispers followed him across the platforms.
"Rank 6 already…"
"No contract."
"How did he do it?"
"He's burning himself out."
Kali ignored them and headed for the Combat Hall.
Inside, students gathered in dense clusters. The evaluation boards glowed overhead, scrolling through match pairings and power metrics. His name had moved up the list.
Near the far wall, Chen Rui spotted him and hurried over.
"You shouldn't be here," Chen Rui whispered. "They're changing the match order."
"Why?"
Chen Rui hesitated. "Because of you."
Before Kali could respond, the main board flashed.
Special Evaluation Match
Kali vs. Zhao Jie
The room went silent.
Zhao Jie stepped forward.
Planetary Rank 6.
Elite contract.
Perfect record.
His gaze locked onto Kali with open contempt.
"So," Zhao Jie said, "the stray dog climbed a step."
Kali took his place.
The barrier field ignited.
"Begin."
Zhao Jie moved first — fast, clean, overwhelming. His fist cut the air with lethal precision. Kali raised his arm and the impact rattled his bones, but he held.
They exchanged blows.
Zhao Jie was stronger.
More stable.
More experienced.
But Kali was something else.
Every strike Zhao Jie threw, Kali answered with ruthless efficiency. He slipped inside attacks, redirected force, struck where Zhao Jie's guard failed. His body screamed, but it obeyed.
The crowd roared.
Zhao Jie's expression twisted. He poured energy into his next strike — a killing blow.
Kali met it head-on.
Their fists collided.
The shockwave cracked the barrier wall.
Both of them slid backward.
Zhao Jie's eyes widened.
Kali's chest burned.
The fracture inside him pulsed.
The match halted.
Instructors stormed in.
"Enough."
The board updated:
Match Result: Draw
Zhao Jie stared at Kali in disbelief.
Kali met his gaze without blinking.
From that moment on, Kali Lin was no longer invisible.
And that was far more dangerous than being weak.