The training grounds were silent, and every member of the squad stared at Ares, their jaws practically on the floor.
The shock was unmistakable—they'd just seen Ares defeat Jackson like it was nothing.
One moment the fight had just began, the next moment Ares had vanished into thin air and before they knew it, he appeared behind Jackson with a spear placed right above his heart!
It was too shocking!
Even the official overseeing them couldn't hide his surprise. He had seen many rare Bloodlines in this world, yet this one actually managed to frighten him.
When Ares used his Switch ability, he'd vanished so seamlessly and thoroughly that even the official had lost track of him for a moment.
Only by using the superiority of his Bloodline bead to sense the energy shifts in his surroundings did the official catch a faint trace of Ares—though even then, he couldn't be entirely sure of Ares's position.
He'd never seen a youth move with such stealth, especially someone who was just getting started with his bloodline.
"Impressive," the official thought, his eyes narrowing as he sized up Ares. "This kid's bloodline… it's something else."
If he ever went rogue or became an assassin...
The damage he would be capable of causing would be too immense.
Meanwhile, Jackson, still fuming from the loss, clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. He had lost in the most humiliating manner without being able to unleash any attacks on his opponent!
Not even one!
His pride was wounded, and the urge to charge at Ares one more time burned in his eyes. He couldn't just lose like that. He refused to believe the gap between them as result of their Bloodline grades was so wide.
But before he could even take a step, the official raised his hand and shook his head sternly.
"Jackson, enough. You've had your shot, and you'll have another chance next week if you're up for it." His tone was sharp, leaving no room for argument.
Humiliated, Jackson muttered something under his breath before stepping back. His face was flushed with embarrassment, especially as the entire squad watched him in silence.
The official turned to the rest of the group, his gaze sweeping over them with a challenge. "Does anyone else want to step up and take him on?"
The squad members shuffled uncomfortably, glancing at one another. Each of them had witnessed the match and the sheer confusion Jackson had suffered.
No one wanted to be the next to fall without even knowing how to counter Ares's mysterious power. It was humiliating.
Inwardly, Ares felt a sense of satisfaction. The Switch ability was proving more valuable than he'd anticipated. It downright almost made him untouchable as long as he was in the parallel world.
But he kept his expression neutral; he wouldn't let a single victory get to his head. The official's gaze settled on him, and a hint of respect flickered across the older man's face. He nodded approvingly.
"Ares, congratulations. From today, you're the squad leader."
Ares accepted the squad leader badge, pinning it to his chest, feeling the slight weight and significance of the title.
The official handed him a small, locked box. "This contains your rewards," he said with a nod. "Put them to good use."
Ares couldn't wait to dive into the rewards, especially the Primordial stones. He had plans for them, serious plans. His mind was already racing with the thought of meditating with the stones to strengthen his connection with his Bloodline bead.
In this world, the major way of improving ones strength was by increasing their levels. And increasing one's level could only be done by meditating and connecting with the bead.
By meditating and connecting with the Bloodline bead, the bead would be able to grow and one's level would increase.
Each level had five milestones, and each one refined their Force, enabling them to increase their Bloodline pressurization rate, execute more complex techniques, and enhance their Bloodline abilities.
After hitting all five milestones, the bead would begin to crack, revealing a smaller, denser bead inside. This showed a breakthrough had been achieved, and the process would start anew.
This was the major way of growing powerful in this world. Although there were other ways to become stronger, they were not mainstream and were only optional.
But the process wasn't easy. After each bead meditating session, a bead required time to recover, limiting the frequency of sessions since it was impossible to accelerate the process.
That's where Primordial stones came in.
They could significantly shorten this recovery period by filling the bead with potent energy during meditation and cutting down the time needed for breakthroughs.
Since Primordial stones could only be mined in the Primordial Zones, they were invaluable treasures for anyone seeking to break through faster.
The opportunity to use them was an advantage Ares was not about to waste. His grip on the box tightened.
He knew these stones would be his key to reaching new heights faster.
Finally, the official dismissed the squad. Lisa, who had watched the fight with bated breath, jogged over to Ares. "Well, look at you, Mr. Squad Leader," she teased, grinning up at him.
Ares allowed himself a small smile. "Guess I'll have to get used to being stared at."
"Yeah, or you could just make yourself disappear again and skip the attention altogether," she replied with a laugh, poking him lightly on the shoulder.
They strolled together, chatting about random, casual things. Ares, despite his usual calm demeanor, found himself actually enjoying the conversation, something that didn't come easily to him.
Lisa had a knack for bringing out the lighter side in him, even if he didn't quite understand how.
As they neared the barracks, an official approached, looking serious.
"Ares," he announced, "Commander Selene requests your presence."
Lisa's eyebrows shot up, glancing between the official and Ares. Ares nodded, feeling a spark of surprise himself.
Commander Selene… whatever she wanted, it was bound to be interesting.
_____
Power stone Goal!
100 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
200 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
300 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.