The city trembled under the weight of their battle.

Every clash between Vell and the Guild Leader destroyed another building, sending dust and debris raining down on the panicked streets below. People ran screaming as their shops and homes crumbled into ruin, and the city guards, realizing the futility of trying to maintain order, had abandoned their posts to focus on evacuation instead.

“Is this what you wanted?” the Guild Leader shouted, barely dodging another of Vell’s devastating attacks. “To destroy everything we have built?”

Vell’s laughter echoed through the ruins, a cold and unsettling sound. “Destroy? No, no, this is not destruction.” He appeared behind the Guild Leader in a flicker of movement, that terrible, predatory smile still fixed on his face. “This is renovation.”

His punch sent the Guild Leader hurtling through the wall of a nearby temple. Before the old man could even begin to recover, Vell was there again, his hand clamped around the man’s throat, lifting him into the air.

“You see, I have been watching you, learning,” he said, his grip tightening. “This whole system you have built? It is rotten to the core. The guilds, the sections, all of it. I am going to tear it all down and build something better in its place.”

The Guild Leader’s face turned a deep shade of purple, but he managed to gather enough energy to blast Vell away. He fell to his knees, gasping for air as he clutched his throat.

“You are… insane,” he coughed, his voice ragged. “The system maintains order. Without it-“

“Without it, people might actually be free?” Vell cut in, the dark symbols around him pulsing with a malevolent energy. “That must be a scary thought for someone like you, is it not?”

The Guild Leader’s eyes narrowed. He pushed himself to his feet, his pristine white robes now stained with blood and dirt. “Enough of your games.” His voice became deeper, more resonant, filled with an ancient power. “You want to rule over this section? Fine. But that will only happen if you manage to win this fight.”

A blinding white light exploded from his body, and the ground beneath him turned to glass from the sheer heat of his power as his eyes began to glow like small suns.

“Full Release: Divine Authority.”

The pressure of his power made the very air feel heavy, and windows shattered for blocks in every direction. The remaining guild masters, watching from what they thought was a safe distance, fell to their knees from the sheer force of his presence.

Vell’s smile disappeared. “Interesting, your power is making me angry for some reason,” he said, his voice flat.

The Guild Leader did not reply. He moved, faster than he had ever moved before, his fist aimed directly at Vell’s heart.

But Vell caught it.

“What?” The Guild Leader’s eyes widened in shock.

“This annoying feeling, so this is what divine power feels like, huh…” He squeezed, and the sound of bones cracking echoed through the ruined city. “I expected more.”

The Guild Leader pulled back, clutching his broken hand, his face a mask of disbelief. “How? This power… it should be-“

“Should be what? Overwhelming? Unstoppable?” He shook his head, a look of profound disappointment on his face. “You still do not understand.”

The dark symbols around him suddenly stopped moving, and for a moment, everything went quiet.

Then they began to spin, faster and faster, merging into a swirling vortex of dark, chaotic energy.

[Warning: Power levels exceeding safe parameters]

[Caution: Host body experiencing extreme stress]

[Recommendation: Remove secondary limiters]

“Override,” he commanded, his voice cold and emotionless. “Maximum output authorized.”

The vortex exploded outward. The Guild Leader threw up his strongest barrier, pouring every last ounce of his divine power into it.

It shattered instantly.

The blast caught him full in the chest, sending him crashing through building after building. When he finally came to a stop, half the city block had been reduced to rubble.

“How…” he wheezed, struggling to stand. “What are you?”

Vell walked slowly toward him, each step leaving a burning footprint in the ground. “I told you before, I am something you have never dealt with before.”

He reached down and grabbed the Guild Leader by his robes, lifting him up as if he weighed nothing. “Now, about those changes I want to make…”

But before he could continue, a new voice rang out, sharp and authoritative.

“That is quite enough.”

Vell turned, seeing a group of figures standing at the end of the street. They were wearing robes different from any he had seen in this section.

“Well,” he said, dropping the Guild Leader to the ground. “Players from a higher section. I was wondering when you would notice your pet guild leader was in trouble.”

The lead figure stepped forward, pulling back their hood to reveal a face marked with strange, glowing symbols.

“Vell, was it?” they asked, their voice echoing strangely. “You have caused quite enough chaos for one day, do not you think?”

“Have I?” His smile returned, darker and more predatory than ever. “I think I am just getting started.”

The marked figure studied Vell for a long moment, their eyes seeming to pierce through him. “Interesting, you are not what I was expecting.”

“Oh?” Vell’s smile remained fixed, but his eyes narrowed slightly. “And what exactly were you expecting?”

The figure glanced at the devastation around them, the crumbling buildings, the unconscious Guild Leader, the dark symbols still swirling in the air. Then, unexpectedly, they laughed.

“Well, certainly not this level of entertainment.” They turned to their companions, speaking in a language Vell did not recognize. After a brief discussion, they faced him again. “You know, we came here ready to deal with another tedious power struggle. Instead, we find someone actually capable of making things… interesting.”

“Get to the point,” he said, his patience wearing thin.

“Very well.” The figure made a dismissive gesture toward the fallen Guild Leader. “This section is yours. Do with it what you will. Consider this your… gift… and a warning.”

Vell’s expression did not change, but the symbols around him slowed their spinning. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.” They smiled, but it did not reach their eyes. “Though I suspect you would have taken it regardless of our blessing. This way is simply… neater.”

“And what is the catch?”

“There is no catch. Consider it professional courtesy.” They pulled their hood back up. “Though I do look forward to seeing what changes you implement. It has been so long since anyone properly shook things up.”

As they turned to leave, the figure paused. “Oh, and Vell? Do try to leave some of the city standing. Rebuilding from scratch is such a bother.”

Their group vanished as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving him standing alone among the ruins. He looked down at the unconscious Guild Leader, then at the trembling guild masters in the distance.

“Well then,” he said, his smile returning as the dark symbols faded away. “Let us talk about those new rules.”

[System: First Limiter Re-engaging]

[Power Levels Normalizing]

[Host Body Stabilizing]

The guild masters trembled as he approached them, his footsteps echoing in the now-silent streets. Though his power had diminished with the re-engagement of his limiters, the memory of his true strength left them paralyzed with fear.

“First rule,” he announced, his voice carrying across the ruins. “No more corruption. No more extortion. No more ‘disappearances’ of those who speak against you.” His predator eyes glowed faintly. “If you break this rule, I will show you exactly what I did to your leader.”

One of the masters, braver or perhaps more foolish than the others, spoke up. “But… but how will we maintain order without-“

“Without fear?” He cut him off. “You will learn. Consider it a growth opportunity.” His smile turned sharp. “Second rule, the arena system stays, but it changes. No more rigged matches, no more forcing fighters to lose, only true competition.”

He looked around at the destruction his battle had caused. “Third rule, you will help rebuild what was destroyed today, not with the people’s money, but with your own hoarded wealth.” He paused, letting that sink in. “Consider it your first step toward redemption.”

The masters exchanged glances, then slowly nodded. They had no other choice.

“Good.” He turned to walk away, then stopped. “Oh, and one more thing.” He glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes holding a dangerous glint. “If I hear even a whisper of resistance to these changes… well, let us just say I will not be as gentle as I was today.”

As he walked through the ruined streets, the system screen popped up.

[Warning: Detected multiple surveillance attempts]

[Source: Unknown sections]

[Recommendation: Maintain current power restrictions]

He smiled. ‘Hah, let the losers watch. Let them see what real change looks like.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep