Ethan and the others didn't roll out of bed until well past nine.

After days of roughing it outdoors, crashing on a high-end Simmons mattress in a luxury home felt like heaven. No surprise they'd slept in.

When they finally made it downstairs, they found Garrick and Sean already bustling around the kitchen, putting together breakfast.

"Huh? You two are up early," Ethan said, a little surprised.

"Uh… I didn't really sleep," Sean admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Too hyped."

Hard to blame him. Waking up with a powerful new ability you'd only dreamed of? Yeah, excitement was inevitable.

Ethan nodded, totally getting it. Then he turned to Garrick. "What about you?"

"I got dragged out of bed at the crack of dawn to spar with this lunatic," Garrick said, shooting Sean a look of deep betrayal.

"…"

"So who won?" Ethan asked, curious now.

"Him. That metal fist of his is brutal. One punch and I was almost out of commission," Garrick said, wincing as he rubbed his chest.

"Ray was a damn idiot," Sean said, still buzzing. "That kind of ability on him was a total waste. Garrick's summoned stone walls? Crumbled in one hit. Once I got in close, he couldn't do a thing."

"That's because you know Garrick's moves inside and out," Ethan pointed out. "If you didn't, you might've ended up with a dirt spike up your ass."

"…"

"But yeah, in terms of raw combat power, Sean's ability is more straightforward," Ethan went on. "Once his arms turn to metal, his punches hit like a truck. If he gets in close, it's game over. But Garrick's ability is more versatile—he can ambush, attack, or throw up a wall for defense. It's not about which power is stronger, just different strengths."

"Yeah, those dirt spikes are a pain," Sean muttered. "Gotta watch your ass every second when you're fighting him. One slip and boom—no more butthole. Seriously, Garrick, can you not be so damn shady? Always aiming for the ass."

"The point of a fight is to kill the other guy," Garrick said flatly. "There's no such thing as shady or noble. If it works, it works. If you die being noble, what good did that do you?"

"He's got a point," Ethan said. "Doesn't matter how you win, as long as you win."

"I know, I know. I was just complaining," Sean said with a shrug.

"Go call the others down for breakfast," Ethan said.

"On it."

...

Not far from Lakeview Estates, a convoy of heavy trucks rumbled to a stop.

One by one, groups of Enhanced soldiers climbed out.

These weren't random mercs—they were the Harlan family's secret forces, trained and kept in the shadows until now.

Ray's death had pushed the Harlans past the breaking point. They weren't hiding their strength anymore. They were mobilizing.

And they weren't alone. Mayor Marks had sent reinforcements too. The alliance between him and the Harlans might've been uneasy, but it was real—and this was his way of showing it.

The moment the trucks emptied, the Enhanced troops surged forward, storming into Lakeview Estates.

Their target: a particular luxury home nestled deep inside the neighborhood.

Inside the luxury home…

The seven members of the Fallen Star Squad were gathered around the dining table, casually eating breakfast.

"So, Ethan," Chris asked between bites, "what's the plan for today?"

"We're staying in," Ethan said coolly. "There's a good chance we'll have company—Harlan's people are probably on their way. Time we showed them the teeth of the Fallen Star Squad. Otherwise, every stray mutt and alley cat will think they can stroll into our house and loot the place."

"But Ethan," Garrick said, frowning, "what if they bring serious firepower?"

"You're all Tier 5 now. Standard rifles and SMGs won't do much to you," Ethan replied. "If they bring heavy weapons, I'll teleport in and take them out before they can even aim. The Harlan family's just that—a family. It's not strange if they've got some guns, but heavy ordnance? That's usually military-grade. I doubt they've got that kind of pull. So don't stress."

"Hell yeah," Sean grinned. "I've been itching for a real fight ever since I awakened. Let's go."

"Don't get too excited," Ethan warned. "When we're up against the Harlan family, don't use your ability. Ray's power—they'll recognize it. If they see you using it, they'll start putting pieces together. And there are some things we can't afford to reveal. Not yet."

"Ugh… fine," Sean muttered, clearly disappointed.

Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from outside.

"They're here," someone said, and the squad exchanged quick glances.

Ethan immediately activated True Sight and looked through the walls.

Outside, nearly three hundred people were charging toward their luxury home.

Some carried melee weapons, others had SMGs slung across their chests. Among them, Ethan spotted two Tier 5 Enhanced, close to a hundred Tier 4s, and the rest were mostly Tier 3 elites.

He scanned the crowd carefully—no sign of heavy weapons. He exhaled, relieved.

Good. That made things easier.

Outside, the mob quickly surrounded the house, sealing off every exit.

At the front of the crowd stood Richard from the Harlan family, and beside him, Alicia Grant—Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Marks. Both had their eyes locked on the house.

"They're still inside?" Alicia asked.

"Confirmed," Richard said. "We've had eyes on them. Saw movement not long ago. No one's left since."

He didn't dare underestimate this woman. Mayor Marks had several aides, but Alicia was the only one he'd personally helped advance to Tier 5. That said a lot.

Marks wasn't the type to promote someone just because they were pretty or good in bed. If Alicia had made it this far, it was because she was dangerous.

"Then let's not waste time," Alicia said. "Breach the door."

Richard nodded and was just about to give the order—when the front door creaked open on its own.

Seven figures stepped out slowly.

In an instant, every gun in the crowd snapped up, barrels aimed squarely at them.

"Well, Lakeview Estates sure is lively today," Ethan said with a smile, completely unfazed by the sea of weapons pointed at him.

Richard's face darkened the moment he saw Ethan.

Alicia's brows drew together. Something felt off.

They were too calm. Calm enough to make her uneasy.

"Was it you who killed my nephew Ray?" Richard asked coldly.

He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from their mouths.

"Ray?" Ethan glanced toward a distant luxury home. "You mean that idiot who tried to rob us?"

"Yes," Richard growled through clenched teeth.

"Oh, then yeah. That was us," Ethan said casually. "Guy wasn't too bright. Broke into our house, tried to steal from us. Had to put him down."

"…"

Richard's fury exploded.

"Fine. Then you can all die with him! Kill them!"

At his command, the soldiers with SMGs opened fire.

Ratatatatatat—

A hail of bullets tore through the air toward the seven.

But before they could hit, a thick wall of earth erupted in front of the squad, swallowing the bullets with a dull thud. A moment later, a massive boulder came crashing down from above, crushing several attackers instantly.

"Awakened!" someone shouted.

Richard and Alicia both froze, their expressions shifting.

And then—something even more terrifying happened.

Ethan, who had been standing calmly at the door, was suddenly in the middle of the crowd. No one had seen him move.

In his hands, a barbell bar spun like a scythe. With one sweeping arc, he cleaved through a dozen men—cut clean in half at the waist.

"Another Awakened?!"

Alicia's face went pale.

No… this wasn't just Tier 5.

This man—he was something else entirely.

A chill ran down her spine.

He might be Tier 6.

...

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