The final bell echoed through the halls of Virellia Crown University, but no one in the Elit group rushed. They never did. Time didn’t control them—they controlled everything else. Kang Jae-Hyun stepped out last, his tall frame immediately drawing attention as conversations quieted without effort. His expression remained unreadable, dark eyes half-lidded as if nothing around him was worth noticing. Behind him, the rest of Elit followed, laughter and low voices trailing like a storm that hadn’t decided whether to hit yet.

Lucien stretched lazily as they walked down the marble steps. "So… Ashen Borough tonight. Try not to kill anyone too early, yeah?"

Adrian smirked, cracking his knuckles. "No promises. I’m bored."

Ryu adjusted his sleeve, voice calm. "There’s a fight scheduled. High bets. They’re expecting you, Jae-Hyun."

Jae-Hyun didn’t answer. He just kept walking.

They moved through Aurex City, past polished streets and glowing lights, until luxury faded into something darker. The roads grew uneven. The air changed. Ashen Borough greeted them like it always did—quiet at first, then tense. People noticed. They always did. Heads turned. Conversations stopped. Fear mixed with curiosity as the elite stepped into a place they didn’t belong—but owned anyway.

Noah glanced around, unimpressed. "Still smells the same."

"That’s because nothing here changes," Seo Ji-Won replied smoothly, though his eyes scanned everything.

They reached the party first—music loud, bass shaking the cracked walls of a crowded warehouse. Bodies moved, drinks spilled, smoke filled the air. The moment Elit entered, the energy shifted. People parted without being told. Some stared in awe, others looked away quickly.

Lucien grinned. "Ah, I missed this."

Girls immediately took notice, whispers spreading like wildfire, but Jae-Hyun didn’t look at any of them. He walked straight through, untouched, uninterested.

From the back, a voice called out, "Fight’s starting soon!"

Adrian laughed. "Finally."

They exited through a side door, heading deeper into the lower district where the real event waited. Underground. Hidden. Illegal.

The fight arena was carved beneath the streets—concrete, dim lights, the smell of sweat and blood thick in the air. Crowds circled the ring, shouting, betting, hungry for violence. The moment Jae-Hyun stepped in, the noise shifted into something sharper—anticipation.

"That’s him…" someone whispered.

"No way… he actually came."

Ryu leaned slightly toward him. "Your opponent’s strong. Lower district champion."

Adrian smirked. "Won’t matter."

Jae-Hyun finally stopped at the edge of the ring, rolling his shoulders once, slow and controlled. His opponent stepped forward—bigger than most, confident, fueled by the crowd.

"You don’t belong here," the man said, voice rough.

Jae-Hyun lifted his gaze for the first time.

"You’re right," he said quietly. "I don’t."

Silence fell heavier than any shout.

Then he stepped into the ring.

The bell hadn’t even fully echoed before it was over. Movement—fast, brutal, precise. The crowd barely registered what happened before the other man hit the ground, breath gone, body refusing to move.

No celebration. No reaction.

Jae-Hyun stood still for a second, then turned and walked out like it meant nothing.

Behind him, the arena exploded into chaos.

Lucien exhaled, shaking his head with a grin. "Yeah… no one’s touching him."