“Big Brother Klaus, were you the one who did all this?” the young lady asked, still in shock but slightly happy to be the one discovering the name of the infamous pretty boy. “Oh, my name is Hanna,” she added with a shy smile.
Klaus chuckled softly. “Please, just call me Klaus. ‘Big Brother’ makes me feel older than my mom,” he replied, smiling. He felt a sense of satisfaction from defeating the Tier 5 Terror monster, even if it was already halfway dead. He had also just created a new killing skill powerful enough to bring down an entire city. These were things that should have made him proud—and they did.
“Brother Klaus is funny,” Hanna said, smiling warmly at him.
“Glad to hear that,” Klaus said, still amused. “And yes, I killed these monsters. Is everything alright?” He was well aware that he had been recorded, but after what Madam Fei had told him, he knew he was bound to become popular sooner or later. Getting a bit of free press wasn’t the worst thing.
“Heavens, you really managed to clear the entire Eastern Section of Ruin City all by yourself?” a young man shouted, clearly stunned by Klaus’s admission.
“Quick, someone check the ranking!” another man called out urgently, signaling for someone to verify it.
“Oh my god, he’s on the City ranking” a young woman exclaimed in disbelief.
“What number?” someone nearby asked excitedly.
“He debuted at number 90” the girl replied, her legs nearly giving out from the shock.
“What? He’s also on the Region ranking—number 360!” another person shouted, looking even more astonished than the last.
Everyone immediately checked the Union ranking too, but Klaus’s name was nowhere to be found. Even so, the fact that he appeared on two different ranking charts was more than enough to leave everyone stunned.
The Union consists of many cities. After the descent of Spiritual Qi, humanity entered a new era. All the countries within each continent were brought together under a single rule, and the continents were renamed into unions. Each union contains many Cities, most of which are now controlled by powerful families. These families hold significant power and influence over much of the affairs.
Each Union is divided into five regions: Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, and Central. Within each region, there are numerous cities. As a result, ranking the best warriors and mages in each area is something people pay close attention to.
Klaus, being just an Ascended Warrior, had no business appearing on of any ranking chart at this stage. It wasn’t unheard of for someone to debut early, but to appear on two charts in the same day and rank near the top—that had never happened before.
Yet, Klaus had done just that. His sudden appearance on both charts had caused an uproar, and it was enough to create a huge commotion across the region.
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Back in Ross City, life went on as usual. People were busy with their daily routines. Cars sped through the streets, some on the ground, others flying overhead. Suddenly, all the screens on the buildings and signboards switched to a breaking news alert.
The news anchor appeared, her voice clear and excited. “This just in! We have a new name on the City and Region rankings!” she announced. The crowd around the screens started to slow, their attention drawn to the news.
“Earlier today,” the anchor continued, “a young Ascended Warrior named Klaus has broken records by debuting on two different ranking charts—both the City and Region rankings.”
The screen showed Klaus’s name in bold letters, followed by his rank: Number 90 in the City Warrior Ranking Chart and Number 360 in the Region Chart.
“This is truly remarkable,” the anchor said. “Klaus has become one of the very few to make such an impact so early in his journey. Experts say his rise is unheard of, especially for someone so young.”
The streets of Ross City buzzed with murmurs of disbelief. “Who is this Klaus?” someone in the crowd asked.
“No one knows much about him,” another person replied, “but if he’s already on the charts, we’ll be hearing a lot more about him soon.”
The anchor continued, “It’s not every day that a new warrior makes such waves. Klaus has achieved what many only dream of—ranking on both charts in one day. Stay tuned for more updates.”
The crowd’s chatter continued to grow, excitement buzzing in the air. Suddenly, notifications began popping up on everyone’s phones, flooding in so fast that people couldn’t keep up. Before anyone had a chance to open them, the giant screens lit up once again. This time, a video started playing—a young white-haired boy battling a massive Tier 5 Terror Monster.
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as they watched, mesmerized by the boy’s speed and power. After a few seconds, the video cut to the news anchor, her voice now more urgent.
“Breaking news!” she announced. “The newly ranked warrior, Klaus, has been identified as none other than the infamous ‘Pretty Boy’ who took the internet by storm just a few days ago. It turns out the rumors are true—he is not just a pretty face but a terrifying force on the battlefield.”
The anchor continued as more clips of Klaus fighting flashed on the screen. “Reports confirm that Klaus has entered the Ruin City Forbidden Zone, an area notorious for its deadly monsters. Incredibly, he has single-handedly cleared all the monsters in the Eastern section of Ruin City, including defeating the Overlord of that region.”
The crowd erupted into a frenzy. People couldn’t stop talking, pointing at the screens in disbelief. More videos started flooding the internet, showing piles of dead monsters, charred earth, and utter destruction left in Klaus’s wake.
“Heavens, who is this guy?” a young man in the crowd muttered, clenching his fists. The fire in his eyes was unmistakable—he had been deeply motivated by what he saw. Klaus’s actions had ignited something inside him.
The disbelief was palpable. People struggled to comprehend what they were witnessing. If Klaus had been a Grandmaster, they might have accepted this outcome. But an Ascended Warrior? How could someone at his level possess such overwhelming power?
The streets and the internet were in chaos. Videos, comments, and threads exploded across every platform. Everyone was talking about Klaus, sharing every detail they could find. The name “Klaus” was on every lip, in every headline, and at the top of every trending list.
Once again, Klaus had broken the internet.
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In a garden more vibrant than the evergreen rainforest, a young woman with silver hair scrolled through her phone. Suddenly, she froze, her eyes widening.
“Anna! Anna, come quick!” she called out. Moments later, another young lady appeared—Anna Ross, the girl Klaus had saved during his first hunt.
“Look!” the silver-haired girl, Lucy, said excitedly, showing her phone to Hanna. “Your boyfriend has appeared on the City and Region charts!”
“What?!” Anna gasped, but quickly composed herself, her cheeks flushing. “Sister, please stop. He is not my boyfriend. We’re just friends.” Despite her protest, she couldn’t hide her surprise at seeing Klaus’s name on the charts. A moment later, a smile crept onto her face. “But honestly, I’m not surprised.
Klaus really is something else.”
“You’re not concerned?” Lucy asked, her gaze narrowing slightly as she observed her sister.
“Why should I be concerned? It’s Klaus. From day one, I knew he was special,” Anna replied, her pride evident in her smile.
“Aren’t you worried that powerful families will start making moves on him? His fame is spreading like wildfire. People might start having… darker thoughts,” Lucy said, her tone serious.
Anna tilted her head slightly, giving her sister a reassuring look. “Sister, you seem more worried than I am. Klaus hasn’t even called me yet. We should keep our distance for now until he reaches out. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll introduce you two eventually, so your fashion designer friend can have his model,” she said, flashing a playful grin.
But Lucy wasn’t amused. “Anna, I’m being serious here. Do you understand what it means to climb the rankings like this? People will start seeing Klaus as a threat. He’s famous now, yes, but some won’t see that as a good thing. A nobody rising out of nowhere, shooting up the charts—it’s bound to create enemies.
His life is about to get much harder.”
Anna’s smile faded slightly, though she didn’t lose her confidence. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens,” she said softly. “But I have a feeling Klaus is going to keep everyone on their toes.” Her smile returned, this time more thoughtful.
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In a bustling training room that resembled a gym for an academy, dozens of students were hard at work. Some were lifting weights, others practicing martial arts, and a few were sparring in the corner. Suddenly, a voice cut through the air, loud and excited:
“The pretty boy has been identified as Klaus! He’s entered both the City and Region ranking charts!”
Everyone froze. The weights clanged to the floor, the sparring halted, and every student fumbled for their phones. Within seconds, images and videos of Klaus flooded their screens, showing his feats and his rise through the ranks. Chaos erupted in the room as the news spread like wildfire.
“Haha! Brother Klaus has finally made his move!” a voice boomed from across the room. “Danny, let’s go to Ross City!”
Daniel and Danny had fought alongside Klaus during the Zombie tide back in the Everlasting Zombie Forest, and they had been waiting eagerly for his call ever since. But it never came. Now, seeing what Klaus had been up to, they didn’t need to wait any longer. Without hesitation, they dropped everything, grabbed their bags, and rushed out of the gym, their destination clear—Ross City.