I Evolve 10,000 Times Faster

The Capital didn’t take long to ignite.

It started with murmurs in the crowd, confused and angry voices spreading through the gathering. People who had been bowing their heads moments ago were now looking at each other, then at the Emperor, then at the metal plate Holden had held up for every crystal camera in the Kingdom to see.

Then someone threw a shoe.

It sailed over the reporters’ heads and bounced off the podium near the Emperor’s feet. It was a small, almost ridiculous act, but something about it broke the tension holding the crowd together.

"Murderer!"

"You tried to kill kids!"

"The Crown is corrupt!"

"DOWN WITH THE THRONE!"

The shouts multiplied. The solemn gathering became a mass of anger as people pushed forward and the Royal Guards formed a defensive ring around the podium. Their hands moved to their weapons, but even they looked uncertain about what to do.

The Emperor’s sad smile was gone. Whatever political training he had received couldn’t hide the fear on his face anymore. He grabbed the arm of the nearest guard and barked an order.

The guards immediately moved.

They formed a wedge around the Emperor, pushing civilians aside with their shields as they forced a path toward a waiting armored carriage. The crowd pushed back, and when one guard struck a man who grabbed his arm, the situation only became worse.

By the time the Emperor reached the carriage, people were already throwing rocks and bottles after him. The doors slammed shut, and the vehicle lurched forward, nearly hitting several people as it sped away.

The reporters barely followed.

Their cameras swung between the fleeing carriage and the four teenagers still standing near the Spire entrance, capturing every moment.

"Mr. Voss! How did you discover the control-rune?"

"Is the Academy going to press charges against the Crown?"

"Miss Sterling! Do you believe this was a targeted assassination attempt?"

"Mr. Emric! Can you confirm that the Spire was artificially enhanced?"

Emric actually stopped at that one.

"Based on the frenzy-totem we destroyed on the first floor and the control-rune found in the boss’s remains, there is almost no chance this Spire occurred naturally. The evidence strongly suggests that it was deliberately modified."

That answer was enough.

Within minutes, Emric’s statement was being replayed across every major news channel in the Kingdom.

A convoy of military vehicles soon arrived at the Spire. These weren’t Royal Guard transports. The emblem of Vanguard Academy was painted across their sides.

A squad of Academy soldiers jumped out and formed a perimeter around Team Soup.

"Academy escort!" the squad leader announced. "Clear a path! Team Soup is under Vanguard protection by order of the Headmaster!"

The crowd actually listened.

The Academy’s reputation was one of the few things in the Capital that still commanded enough respect to cut through the chaos. People stepped aside, creating a path toward the waiting vehicles.

Holden guided Lyra toward the transport while Renna followed beside them, still buzzing with adrenaline. Emric, meanwhile, was already dictating notes into his wrist display, apparently writing a tactical report while walking.

The ride back to the hotel was anything but peaceful.

The streets were packed with people, and smoke rose from several parts of the Capital. Rioting had broken out in multiple districts, forcing the military transport to take a long detour around the worst of the unrest.

Lyra stayed quiet for most of the journey.

Her hand eventually found Holden’s, and she didn’t let go.

When they finally reached the hotel and entered the suite, she turned toward him and pulled him into a tight hug. Her face pressed against his shoulder as she held on for several seconds.

"You just destroyed an Emperor on live television," she murmured.

"Technically, I just asked a question."

"You know what I mean."

Holden smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"I know."

Maeve was waiting for them.

Every screen in the room was tuned to a different news channel, filling the suite with footage of the riots, the Emperor’s fleeing carriage, Holden holding up the control-rune, and analysts arguing over what had just happened.

Maeve turned away from the screens when they entered. Her eyes immediately went to Holden.

She didn’t say anything.

She simply walked over and hugged him, briefly but fiercely.

"Good job," she whispered.

Renna threw herself onto the couch.

"I can’t believe we’re famous. Well, you’re famous. I’m famous by association, but that’s still famous!" She sat up suddenly. "I need a nickname. Something cool. The Silver Arrow? The Storm Archer? Renna the Magnificent?"

"I think you should rest," Emric said, dropping into an armchair.

Renna frowned.

"You’re not even going to vote?"

"No."

"Terrible teammate."

Holden’s earpiece crackled.

He recognized the frequency immediately.

Vespera’s encrypted channel.

He stepped onto the balcony and closed the door behind him, leaving the noise of the news broadcasts and Renna’s nickname discussion behind.

"Voss."

"Instructor."

There was a pause.

Then Vespera laughed.

It was cold and sharp, but there was genuine amusement behind it.

"You actually broke the Crown."

"Seemed like the thing to do at the time."

"The Emperor is locked inside the palace while half the city demands his abdication. The Royal Guard has lost control of several districts, and Parliament is calling an emergency session to discuss removing the Crown’s authority over the Academy."

Holden leaned against the balcony railing.

"Sounds busy."

"You did all of this with a metal plate and a camera."

"Don’t forget the polite smile."

Another quiet laugh came through the earpiece.

"The Vanguard Academy is officially backing you. The Headmaster released a statement condemning the Spire as an act of political violence against Academy students. You now have the full weight of the most powerful combat academy in the Kingdom behind you."

"Good to know."

"The Royal Family lost years of political ground in a single day, Voss. Most people would spend a lifetime trying to accomplish that."

"And?"

"You did it with a dead dragon and a questioning tone."

"Efficiency is important."

Vespera laughed again.

"I believe I owe you that favor now."

"You believe correctly. I’ll collect it later."

"I look forward to it."

The line went dead.

Holden remained on the balcony for another moment, looking over the Capital. Smoke rose in the distance while the city’s energy wards flickered beneath the strain of the unrest.

It was ugly.

Messy.

And, as far as Holden was concerned, completely deserved.

He eventually went back inside, said goodnight to the others, and locked his bedroom door.

The moment the door clicked shut, he summoned the Platinum Chest onto his bed.

The chest glowed with a silver-white light.

Holden opened it.

Inside was a pair of wings.

They were made from black bone, polished smooth and threaded with faint purple veins. Each wing was roughly six feet long, with several joints that allowed them to fold tightly together.

Holden picked them up.

They were much lighter than they looked.

The moment his fingers touched the bone, the purple veins brightened.

[Ding!]

[Platinum Chest Opened!]

[Item Acquired: Rank 3 Abyssal-Bone Wings]

[Description: A spatial artifact forged from the remains of an Abyssal Bone-Wyrm. When bound to the user, it enables brief high-speed flight. Flight duration is limited by the user’s energy reserves.]

Holden raised an eyebrow.

"Flight."

That was useful.

He pressed the wings against his back.

They latched onto him instantly. A brief sensation ran through his body as the artifact connected to his energy system, then faded almost immediately.

Holden focused.

The wings unfolded.

Black bone spread behind him, filling the room. The joints moved smoothly and silently, responding to his thoughts as naturally as his own limbs.

He flexed them once.

The tips brushed the ceiling.

He folded them again, and they collapsed neatly against his back, barely noticeable beneath his jacket.

Holden dismissed them into his inventory.

Then he sat on the edge of his bed and opened his System panel.

[KP: 282,890]

[Multiplier: 10,000x]

[Rank: 2 (8-Star)]

He stared at the numbers.

He had enough KP for another major upgrade, and now he had a flight artifact on top of everything else.

But the most important number was still his rank.

Rank 2.

8-Star.

Only one step remained.

One more breakthrough would take him to the peak of Rank 2.

Holden leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

He had spent the entire day clearing an S-Class Spire, killing a Rank 3 Bone-Wyrm, exposing the Emperor, and acquiring an artifact that could let him fly.

Tomorrow, he’d deal with the next problem.

For now, there was only one thing on his mind.

It was time to buy the peak.

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