Chapter 28: The Path Of Revenge!

The modified Rezvani SUV sat quietly beneath a secluded bridge pillar, its matte-black body blending almost perfectly into the shadows like a beast lying in wait.

Inside, Aiden Cross leaned back in the driver’s seat with the windows rolled tightly shut, muffling the distant roars of monsters and the chaos consuming the city. He didn’t make his next move immediately.

The battle between the elite players at Jadewater Park, along with his, ’chance encounter’ with Zach Merrick’s squad and the, ’gift’ he had so conveniently delivered, had gone exactly as planned. But the entire operation had drained a considerable amount of his mental and physical energy.

More importantly, reaching Level 3, obtaining new equipment, and acquiring a new skill had given him a clearer understanding of his current strength. Especially after witnessing the terrifying performance of [Sovereign of Souls] in actual combat, he realized something: he was still far too weak.

He began by reviewing his current status.

[Personal Level: Level 3 (EXP: 1,250 / 1,800)]

[Attributes (excluding equipment):]

[Strength: 12 (Base 5 + Level Up 2 + Soul Essence Absorption 2 + Free Attribute 3)]

[Agility: 11 (Base 5 + Level Up 2 + Soul Essence Absorption 2 + Free Attribute 2)]

[Constitution: 9 (Base 5 + Level Up 2 + Soul Essence Absorption 2)]

[Spirit: 8 (Base 5 + Level Up 1 + Soul Essence Absorption 2)]

[Free Attribute Points: 0]

[HP: 190 / 190 (Based on Constitution)]

[MP: 80 / 80 (Based on mana)]

[Equipment: [Damaged Ring of Greed] (Rare grade, increases drop rate), [Vine Staff: Uncommon grade, Spell Power +3, Spirit +1, Equipped and active, but stored in inventory.)]

[Skills/Soul traits: [Root Entanglement, Partial Soul Absorption, Soul Devour, Mask of the Faceless, Slightly Sharp, Regenerative Reconstruction, Titan Strength, Adhesive Dominion, Thermal Perception, kinetic smash, Pressure Shot.]

[Items: Various monster materials.]

[Assets: Anonymous account balance: 5,000,210 gold coins; one modified Rezvani SUV]

His Strength had already surpassed that of ordinary players by a significant margin. At this stage of the apocalypse, it was enough to place him among the stronger players. But Aiden knew better than anyone that this was nowhere near enough. Not even close. He had to get stronger. Much stronger.

His gaze shifted toward the [Sovereign of Souls] Class interface floating within his mind.

Dark-gold and blood-red radiance pulsed across its surface like the heartbeat of some ancient predator. His eyes eventually settled on its most terrifying ability.

[Effect 2: Soul Devour]

[Can forcibly strip another player’s God-Given Class and make it your own by cutting of their class from their souls after devouring it... (Possesses an extremely long cooldown and can only be activated after meeting specific, exceptionally cruel conditions.)]

Aiden stared at those words for several seconds.

Soul Devour. The power to steal another person’s God-Given Class and make it his own.

A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

"What a heaven-defying ability."

In his previous life, as the owner of the S-Rank Class [Dragon Sovereign’s Guard], Aiden understood better than anyone what a Class truly represented.

A perfectly compatible Class wasn’t merely a powerful ability. It was the ceiling of a player’s potential, the cornerstone of their entire power system, and the greatest factor determining how far they could ultimately climb.

Yet in this life, [Sovereign of Souls] could shatter that ironclad law. Other players had to rely on their own talents. Aiden could take those talents from them. He could gather countless powers unto himself, turn the strength of others into his own, and transcend limits that should never have been possible to break.

But there was one problem.

"An extremely long cooldown... and exceptionally cruel conditions."

Aiden’s smile faded slightly. The cooldown didn’t concern him. Time was something he could plan around. The conditions were another matter entirely.

The blood-soaked name, [Soul Devour], alone was enough to make him suspect that the Game wouldn’t allow such power to be used cheaply.

Perhaps the target needed to be critically wounded. Perhaps they needed to be on the verge of death. Perhaps their will had to be completely broken. Or perhaps something far more brutal was required.

Aiden didn’t know. Yet instead of discouraging him, the uncertainty made the ambition burning inside him grow even hotter. He would find out. Eventually.

His eyes narrowed as four names surfaced in his mind: Damien Vale, Seraphine Nox, Selene, and Garrett Kaine.

Every one of them possessed an extraordinary Class, and every one of them had once stood on the other side of his life. They had betrayed him, used him as a sacrifice, climbed over his corpse, and eventually stood at heights he could no longer reach.

In his previous life, those powers had been untouchable. In this life, Aiden looked at them differently. They weren’t untouchable anymore. They were targets. Potential trophies.

"Damien..." His voice was barely above a whisper. "Sooner or later, your Sovereign of Fate will belong to me."

A cold light flashed through his eyes. Then Seraphine. Then Selene. Then Garrett. One after another, he would take everything from them: their strength, their status, their pride, their hopes, and eventually their Classes.

Why should he let them keep what he could take?

The thought was insane. Absolutely insane. But once it took root, it refused to disappear. Simple death was no longer enough. Killing them would only end their lives.

Taking their Classes would destroy the very foundation upon which their futures were built. That would be the ultimate revenge.

Aiden’s eyes darkened until they resembled a bottomless abyss. Greed burned within them, so did unwavering resolve.

But there was one name that stood above all the others. Damien Vale. Sovereign of Fate. SSS-Rank. The chosen child of destiny, blessed by fortune itself.

In his previous life, Damien had relied on that terrifying Class to gather countless talented individuals beneath his banner. Time and time again, disaster became opportunity. Every crisis became fortune. Every setback became another stepping stone. Eventually, Damien had risen to become humanity’s acknowledged leader.

Aiden remembered it all: the glory, the followers, the countless people who worshipped him, and the fate that had once seemed inevitable.

"...Destiny?" Aiden let out a low, disdainful laugh, the corners of his lips curling upward. "In this life... I want to see whether your so-called destiny is stronger than my path of revenge."

He slowly clenched his fist. "I’ll make even your destiny... part of the souls I claim."

Silence returned to the vehicle, but something inside Aiden had changed.

Revenge was no longer his ultimate goal. Revenge was merely the beginning. He had finally seen the path ahead.

First, he needed strength. He had to reach Level 10 before everyone else. He needs enough strength to seize the resources, hidden opportunities, quests, and first-clear rewards that would shape the early stages of the apocalypse.

He would find the people who would eventually become pillars of his faction. He would build his own foundation, his own territory, his own power. And while everyone else was still struggling to survive, he would quietly widen the gap.

As for Damien’s Dragon Sovereign faction? Aiden’s lips curled into a faint smile. There was no need to confront it yet. Not now. He knew too much about the future, and that knowledge alone was a weapon.

He would grow stronger while Damien believed himself destined to stand at the top. And when the time came, Aiden would begin taking everything from him: his allies, his influence, his fortune, his reputation, and finally his Class.

As for Soul Devour, Aiden would uncover its conditions sooner or later. He had all the time in the world. Once he succeeded for the first time, there would be no turning back. One Class. Then another. Then another.

Until the powers that had once been considered impossible to obtain became nothing more than nourishment for his ascent.

A throne built from stolen destinies. A path paved with blood. A future in which he alone decided who rose and who was sacrificed.

Aiden slowly opened his eyes. The uncertainty that had briefly lingered within them was gone. Only absolute resolve remained. Supremacy. That’s what he aimed for.

He inserted the key and started the Rezvani. The modified engine released a deep, restrained growl that echoed beneath the viaduct. Aiden tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"The first step... Level 10... and the first clear of the Abandoned Subway Station."

The accelerator was pressed down. The Rezvani burst from the shadows like an arrow loosed from its bow, racing into the city consumed by monsters, bloodshed, and opportunity. The seed had been planted. Now it was time to let it grow.

The modified Rezvani rolled through the increasingly chaotic streets before gradually coming to a stop outside a subway entrance concealed beneath abandoned vehicles and the twisted remains of collapsed billboards. A rusted sign bearing the words [Jadewater Park Station] hung crookedly above the entrance.

Beyond it lay nothing but darkness. The tunnel yawned open like the throat of a slumbering beast, exhaling a cold, damp breeze tinged with the faint stench of rust, mold, and decay.

Aiden stepped out of the vehicle. His gaze settled on the darkness below. This was his destination. The Level 5 Dungeon. [Abandoned Subway Station].

During the early stages of the Game Invasion, dungeons were among the most valuable opportunities available to players. They offered enormous amounts of experience, high-quality equipment, rare skill books, and, most importantly, first-clear rewards.

The first team to conquer a dungeon could receive rewards generous enough to establish a decisive advantage over everyone else.

Aiden stared into the darkness. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Let’s see who gets the first clear."