Chapter 33: My Turn to Ask the Questions

Zane stepped out of the bathroom, towel around his neck, hair still damp. He dried it lazily as he walked over to the side table and flicked his wrist. “Computer,” he called casually, “are the lenses I designed ready?”

A familiar beep responded in his head.

“Yes. Lens design complete. Calibrated and synchronized with battle power system. Ready for use.”

“Nice,” Zane smirked.

He raised his hand slightly, palm open. A subtle flicker of silver mist danced at his fingertips before a slim, matte-black box materialized from thin air. His eyes glinted.

“So… my connection to the island’s getting stronger again. I can summon mid-tier items like this now without strain,” he muttered thoughtfully. “Yeah… my power is definitely growing on its own ever since I comprehended those Laws. Hah.”

His smirk faded, and a small sigh escaped.

“Gotta seal some of it again before I accidentally sneeze and collapse this damn universe.”

He made a complicated motion in the air, and golden runes twisted to life around him like a delicate spiral of energy. With one confident step forward, he walked into it.

A chill ran through his veins. Power… retreating. Sealing. He could still feel it, almost touch it—but he couldn’t use it unless he broke the seal himself. Not that he needed to.

“Back to my normal broken self,” he chuckled.

Just then, his gaze flicked toward the window.

“…Huh?”

On the rooftop of a nearby building, a small figure hunched low, half-concealed.

“That Ron kid again? Still there?” Zane narrowed his eyes. “Wait, he’s been staring at my window this whole time…”

A pause.

“…Don’t tell me…”

A dramatic gasp left his lips.

“…IS HE A PERVERT?!”

He clutched his chest mockingly, face horrified. “I knew it! I only mentioned his illusion magic once—was it made by someone special or what? It’s not even that impressive… or am I just that insanely strong?”

He shook his head solemnly.

“No, no. I’m clearly the victim here.”

With a long-suffering sigh, he clicked open the lens box. Inside, a pair of crystal-clear lenses floated in soft fluid. They looked utterly ordinary… yet they were anything but. A fusion of rune arrays, magical matrices, and embedded nano-circuitry—Zane’s own invention.

He slipped them into his eyes.

Ding.

[Welcome, Owner. Transferring battle power data from Technowatch. System synchronized.]

A sleek bluish-green window blinked in front of his vision before vanishing, replaced by a faint HUD overlay. Transparent. Non-intrusive.

“I don’t like clutter. HUD off unless scanning,” he muttered.

The overlay blinked out obediently.

Zane glanced toward Ron’s rooftop hideout and smirked. “Well, let’s see what kind of pervert I’m dealing with.”

Beep..Beep..Beep

The HUD blinked back.

Name: Ron Volkov

Age: 16

Battle Power: 336 (Suppressed)

Full Battle Power: 416

Zane raised an eyebrow.

“Not bad. Suppressed, too. Definitely not an ordinary kid. Wait—Volkov? Royal family of Glimmereach?” he paused, thinking. “Minor kingdom, but their military power is just below the Big Six.”

He snorted.

“So he’s a prince. A peeping prince.”

Zane shook his head. “Disgraceful. Poor kingdom.”

Chuckling to himself, he stepped out, locking the room behind. The inn’s manager personally guided him to the breakfast buffet. A lavish spread awaited.

As he took a seat and started sampling each dish—because how else do you judge a buffet?—he felt another familiar presence.

Here we go again… he sighed internally.

He glanced to the side.

Two tables away, a girl with soft brown hair and calm eyes sat, quietly eating. It was Lia.

Measuring…

Beep..Beep..Beep

Name: Lia Isolde

Age: 16

Battle Power: 322

Full Battle Power: 408

“Oh come on,” he whispered.

“Another one?” He squinted. “Isolde… royal family of Thesmaris. She’s a princess too?”

A beat of silence passed.

“…I’m being tailed by a prince and princess. What the hell is this, a soap opera?” he muttered into his porridge.

Still, the food helped calm his nerves. It was good.

After finishing, he stood, stretching.

“They’ll follow me to the library. Pretend to read. Think I won’t notice. Sigh… such amateurs.”

He casually strolled out of the inn.

.

.

.

Zane stepped out of the inn, stretching lazily as a cool morning breeze greeted him. The streets were already bustling, merchants hollering, children laughing, and the aroma of grilled meats and fresh bread hanging temptingly in the air.

He strolled casually, plucking a steaming meat skewer from a vendor’s stand and tossing a coin without slowing down. The savory flavor made him hum in satisfaction. He stopped here and there, inspecting strange trinkets in the shops, always aware of the presence of the two shadows tagging along behind.

“Still following, huh?” he muttered under his breath, eyes glancing faintly to the side without turning his head. “Persistent little flies.”

After his casual stroll, he finally entered the town’s public library. A cool calmness washed over him at the familiar scent of parchment and ink.

A woman at the desk looked up—auburn hair tied in a loose bun, deep blue eyes reflecting sharp intelligence.

“Good morning,” Zane greeted, pulling out a few coins. “I’d like access to the first floor.”

She took the coins and handed him a token, her lips parting. “My name is Lyra. Lyra Ashwood, sir.”

Zane paused for a second, a faint glint in his eyes. “Zane Creed,” he replied smoothly. “Nice to meet you, Miss Ashwood.” He turned and ascended the stairs.

Upstairs, surrounded by ancient tomes and velvet silence, he lost himself in research—well, mostly.

Power structures, huh? Circles and stars. Mages use circles, warriors stars. From 1 to 10, and then the merged ranking system: G, F, E… up to SSS.

And beyond that… Z-rank or god-rank, equivalent to 11th circle or star. Rare, almost mythical.

He flipped through pages rapidly, absorbing like a sponge. But every few minutes, the irritation returned. He could still sense the kids. Still lurking. Still ruining the experience.

After nearly five hours, Zane shut the book with a sigh and descended.

“Done for the day, Miss Ashwood.”

She smiled. “Before you go… I think I should tell you. There were two strong kids following you. They kept glancing toward the first floor while pretending to read.”

He smiled faintly. “I know.” He turned. “Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll handle it.”

He exited, walking quickly. The streets blurred past him as he sped up, slipping through alleys and then out the gates. They followed, as expected. Into the forest he went—far enough to ensure no one else would be affected.

He stopped. The wind stilled.

“You know,” he said, voice low and steady. “I already don’t like being followed. You can come out now.”

From the bushes, Lia and Ron emerged. Lia’s jaw was set in nervous determination. Ron… Ron looked like a kid who’d just realized he was in over his head.

Zane watched them, arms folded.

“You really are troublesome kids,” he said calmly—too calmly.

Then the girl spoke. “Who really are you?”

Zane’s eyes gleamed faintly. The air tensed. He let out a light chuckle. “Zane Creed. I already introduced myself back in the cart.” He waved lazily at Lia. “You can drop your disguise now. I know exactly how you look.”

She hesitated. “Which artifact did you use to see through it?”

Zane blinked, then laughed. “A comedian, huh? That’s adorable.”

“It’s not funny! Tell us!”

He sighed. “I didn’t need to use anything to see through that low-level magic trick.”

“I don’t believe you could defeat that wolf without—”

Before she could finish, the air shattered.

The atmosphere shifted.

A pressure unlike anything ever felt before crushed down on the forest.

The sky dimmed. The birds fled.

The earth beneath them cracked open like glass under too much weight. Trees bent and snapped. Wind screamed as if in pain. A low, haunting rumble echoed across the continent.

Far away, miles—no, kingdoms—away…

A cloaked figure sitting in meditation atop a sacred mountain abruptly opened his eyes.

He looked up toward the heavens, his voice laced with disbelief.

“…What is this? A natural disaster? No… this feels like… the end of the world.”

On another coast, a tsunami that had no business forming surged hundreds of feet into the sky, threatening to crash down on entire towns. Volcanoes in dormant valleys rumbled ominously. The mana in the air spiraled out of control.

In the forest…

Lia collapsed, shaking, blood dripping from her lips. Her body convulsed. Her disguise broke completely, revealing her real form as her artifact shattered under the overwhelming force.

Zane’s expression didn’t change. “Say another word like that and I won’t care what fate you’re tied to. You’ll die.”

Ron felt like the world itself was pressing down on him. The pressure made it hard to breathe, hard to think. He heard bones creaking in his own body.

“Please…” he fell to his knees, tears streaking down his cheeks.

“Please, sir, spare her. She’s impulsive, she didn’t mean harm. She has a good heart. Please…”

Zane looked at him—genuinely looked. The air still trembled. But then, with a sigh, the pressure lifted.

“Tch. Fine.”

He raised his hand, fingers glowing with pale golden light.

With a single snap—

Time reversed.

The cracks in the earth vanished. The tsunami calmed before it touched the shore. The wind quieted. The shaking stopped. Volcanoes stilled. The very mana in the world returned to peace.

Back in the forest, Lia’s blood reversed its flow, returning to her veins. Her body healed. Her breathing stabilized.

Zane looked down at Ron, then at the unconscious Lia.

“That girl is unconscious now,” he said calmly. “And you…”

His gaze narrowed slightly. “You seem a bit smarter than her. So…”

He stepped forward, the forest now silent, the aftermath of his magic lingering like a whisper of doom.

“Now it’s my turn to ask questions.”

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