Chapter 144: The Gym Renovation is Completed!

The meeting with the representatives from AAG was very fruitful. Silas and Chloe’s contracts would remain the same, but with some additions. Chloe’s contract would be both for an S-Rank ambassador and a worker in the company.

Meaning that she would be paid as a top employee. The company took into consideration the condition of her family, who were somewhere far away in City A. Chloe was planning to relocate them, but she didn’t know how to tell Silas.

As for Silas, his contract addition was that he would be a hidden member of the AAG Board and also its protector under his name. The heads of the company were wise. Having the backing of an S-Rank being was in no way a little matter, even if said S-Rank was a new one.

Other companies would think twice before crossing them.

All in all, it was a good offer, and Silas was gonna take it. He still hadn’t come to terms with his current background as a billionaire or the fact that his parents were billionaires in hiding, but he would be a fool to not accept anything that brought money... For free.

And they’d also delivered the clothes he requested for. It was all good.

Only Damien was stupid enough to reject such an opportunity because of pride.

In a private gym, Damien, who was trying push-ups, suddenly slipped and sneezed. His nose hit the floor and broke in the process.

As for the day’s events, earlier, he had found out that Nelson Argent, the first S-Rank of Valecrest, wasn’t in City A at the moment. The one he had fought was Neil Argent, Nelson’s little brother and his body double.

Neil was an A-Rank. As for how he was able to go toe-to-toe with Silas most of the time, was because of his ability: Perfect Copy.

The ability allowed him to copy someone’s appearance alongside their ability for some time- minutes, hours, days, regardless of rank- through touch or knowledge.

Neil’s brother was Nelson, and since he knew his brother for so long and had worked as his body double for quite some time, he knew just what to copy.

"I still feel like beating up the guy again..." Silas muttered as he opened the refrigerator.

The satisfying hiss of a soda can echoed through the kitchen, and he took a long sip.

"Much better."

"Who?" Alpha asked from the dining table, where he was currently attempting to beat Chloe at a card game.

"Neil."

"You already punched him through a wall."

"I know."

"And electrocuted him with his own ability."

"I know."

"You embarrassed him in front of the entire academy."

"I know."

Alpha looked at Chloe.

"He’s scary."

Chloe nodded while placing another card on the table.

"You’ve only just realized?"

"I’ve known." Alpha sighed. "I’m simply reaffirming my findings."

Silas ignored them and leaned against the kitchen counter. His mind wandered back to the meeting. Becoming a hidden board member, protector of Aureline Apparel Group... It sounded absurd.

Just a few weeks ago, maybe a month or two, he had worried about whether he’d have enough money for lunch.

Now, he casually owned mansions, had companies approaching him, ruled another world, and somehow possessed enough influence to protect one of the country’s largest fashion corporations.

"Life is weird."

"It certainly is."

Raymond’s voice interrupted his thoughts. The man entered the kitchen carrying his ever-present tablet.

Silas smiled. "Perfect timing."

"I try." Raymond adjusted his glasses. "There is something I would like to report."

Silas immediately straightened.

"What is it?"

"The renovation. It has been completed."

"Already?"

"The construction teams worked continuously. Most of the equipment had already been manufactured. The final installation was completed approximately forty minutes ago."

Before Raymond had even finished, a massive green blur shot across the hallway.

"Gym?"

Gromda’s head suddenly appeared around the kitchen doorway. Her green eyes sparkled brighter than Silas had ever seen.

"Done?"

Raymond smiled politely.

"Yes."

She disappeared, and a loud series of footsteps thundered through the mansion.

"She’s changing clothes," Chloe guessed.

Exactly twelve seconds later, the gigantic Runic Jotun came sprinting back.

She had somehow changed into a black sports bra, compression shorts, training shoes, and even tied her long white hair into a high ponytail.

"How? Fast."

"Apparently." Alpha stood. "I’ve never seen anyone change clothes with combat speed."

Gromda looked at Raymond expectantly.

"Gym?"

Raymond chuckled.

"If everyone is ready, I’d be delighted to give you the tour."

The walk wasn’t particularly long. The renovated gym occupied its own wing of the estate. Even before reaching it, everyone noticed the changes.

The building itself had grown. What had once resembled an ordinary private fitness center had transformed into something resembling a military training facility.

Its exterior walls had been rebuilt using thick, dark alloy panels engraved with faint mana-conductive patterns. The entire structure looked sturdier and heavier, like it had been designed to withstand artillery.

"You weren’t joking." Silas whistled.

Raymond smiled proudly. "The engineers exceeded expectations."

Massive reinforced doors slid open automatically, and everyone stepped inside, only to be struck with silence. The room... No. The hall had nearly tripled in size.

The ceiling now stretched almost fifty feet overhead.

Massive support pillars reinforced with awakened steel divided the enormous space without making it feel cramped. The floor no longer consisted of polished wood. Instead, it was covered in a dark gray material unlike anything Silas had seen before.

Raymond noticed his curiosity.

"Mana-reactive impact flooring. It absorbs shock generated during awakened training. Even repeated impacts from S-Ranks should cause minimal structural damage."

Silas slowly nodded.

"That’s impressive."

’I’m not an S-Rank, though. I would have to tone down my strength a bit.’ He thought.

It wasn’t just the flooring. Everything looked heavy. The bench presses resembled industrial machinery. The squat racks looked capable of supporting tanks. Even the dumbbells no longer had numbers like fifty kilograms or one hundred kilograms.

Instead, 500 kg, 1 ton, 2 tons...

Alpha rubbed his eyes.

"Please tell me those labels are decorative."

"They are not."

"I’m leaving."

"No, you’re not."

"I don’t belong here."

Gromda had already disappeared.

"...?"

"Where’d she-"

CLANG!

Everyone turned. The giantess had somehow reached the free-weight section. Without warming up, she grabbed what appeared to be a three-ton barbell.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Then... she lifted it effortlessly.

"Oh..." Her smile slowly grew. "Heavy."

Silas smiled.

"Looks like they got it right."

The elderly engineer who had overseen the renovation stepped out from another room after hearing the noise. He looked toward Gromda.

"Well?"

She looked at him. "I like."

He laughed loudly.

"Excellent! I knew five tons would be enough to start."

"Start?"

Alpha repeated weakly.

"Start?"

The engineer nodded confidently.

"If she continues growing, we can always increase it."

Alpha looked at Silas. "Increase?"

Silas shrugged. "She’s evolving."

"I don’t like this sentence."

Raymond continued the tour.

"There are several new additions." He pointed toward thick blast doors. "Beyond those is the combat hall."

Another direction.

"The indoor archery range."

Another.

"Mana recovery room."

Then another.

"Sparring arena."

Silas’s eyes lit up. The sparring arena occupied almost half the building. Its circular platform measured nearly eighty meters across. Countless runes glowed beneath its surface.

"Adaptive barrier technology," Raymond explained. "The arena will automatically reinforce itself according to the combatants’ output. At present, it has been calibrated to tolerate battles between newly awakened S-Ranks."

Silas slowly walked into the center.

"This..." He smiled. "This is incredible."

The system chimed softly.

[Facility Upgrade Complete.]

[Awakened Headquarters: Established.]

[Additional Training Bonuses Available.]

[Recommendation: Use frequently.]

Silas laughed.

"Trust me. I intend to."

A loud metallic clang echoed once more. Everyone turned. Gromda had quietly wandered over to another machine. She was reading the instructions upside down.

"Hmm."

She sat down, placed both feet against the platform, and pushed.

CRAAAAAAANG!!

The five-ton sled shot upward so violently that it slammed into the safety stops with enough force to shake the building. Dust drifted from the ceiling, and everyone froze.

The engineer stared at the machine.

"..."

He slowly looked toward Raymond.

"I think... we’re going to need the ten-ton version after all."

Gromda tilted her head innocently.

"Did I break it?"

Silas pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let’s wait until tomorrow before testing the warranty."