Immediately after Klaus disembarked from the shuttle, the entire area erupted. The sounds of boys, girls, men, and women filled the air. Klaus, who was at the center of this attention, could only move with an embarrassed expression. He wasn’t used to this kind of attention and wished the earth would swallow him whole.
Hanna, standing beside him, also couldn’t handle it. She hid behind Klaus. She was a nobody who gained some fame after appearing in a video talking to Klaus following the massacre in the Eastern Region of Ruin City.
“Brother Klaus, can I get your autograph?”
“Brother Klaus, I want to be as handsome as you!”
“Brother Klaus, tell me your secret to becoming so strong!”
“Brother Klaus, I’ve heard so much about you! Can you give me some advice?”
“Brother Klaus, my friends won’t believe I saw you! Can we take a picture together?”
“Brother Klaus, I’ve been your fan forever! Please, just one photo!”
“Brother Klaus, what’s it like to fight those monsters? I want to hear all about it!”
“Brother Klaus, can you sign my shirt? Please?”
The crowd’s requests were endless and shameless, and Klaus could only smile awkwardly, trying to navigate through the throng of eager fans. The people, young or adult, are all shouting at the top of their voices knowing full well that none of the requests will be met.
Suddenly, Klaus noticed some familiar faces. “Anna, what are you doing here?” Klaus asked, looking at the girl he had met twice before. The first was in Sunlight Forest, and the second was in the Everlasting Zombie Forest. He had seen glimpses of her at Ross Academy but never had a chance to interact with her. Now, things have changed.
“Oh, we’re here to welcome you, Klaus,” Anna replied.
Before Anna could say more, Danny walked up to Klaus giving Klaus a room to breathe. Being at the center of things is rather overwhelming. Klaus promised himself he would reward Danny for his help today. In the face of thousands of monsters, Klaus’s resolve never faltered, but among all these people, he felt weak.
When it came to fighting, he showed powers beyond comprehension. But faced with cheering humans, he felt lost.
“Danny, good to see you again,” Klaus said, patting the young man on the shoulder. This gesture drew comments from the crowd, especially as Daniel, Mark, Kilian, and Kay also approached, greeting Klaus and Hanna.
Many people recognized Danny and the others, adding to the chaos. The appearance of Danny and Daniel caused an even greater stir.
They are known as the Daniel Brothers, they were famous for always doing everything together. Even before they awakened, their bond was stronger than that of most brothers. At first, many people thought they were actual brothers, but in truth, they were just close friends who had met at the same academy.
Their fame made Klaus’s already overwhelming popularity even greater. The crowd’s excitement only grew with the arrival of Mark, Kilian, and Kay, who were well-recognized and welcomed.
But when Anna, Lucy, Lily, Asha, and Nia appeared, the scene erupted. The Ross Sisters were legendary, known across Ross City and beyond as geniuses born once every thousand years.
Anna is a Dual Elementalist, she awakened both Ice and Water elements. Her sister, who had already entered Celestial Mountain Academy, also had the Ice element, but her second element was the wood element.
Their reputation as geniuses was well-known, and seeing them welcoming Klaus caused a frenzy of cheers and emotions from the crowd. Lily was also famous, coming from the esteemed Felin family, just like Anna. Although Asha and Nia were less known, their stunning beauty made them popular. Their appearance added to the excitement, as everyone admired their looks.
“Hello everyone, good to see you all,” Klaus said, finally able to relax a bit as he looked around with grateful eyes. However, when his gaze landed on Lucy, he paused for a moment.
Noticing his gaze, Anna quickly introduced them. “Klaus, this is my sister Lucy. She’s a big fan,” Anna said with a slight smile, looking at her sister, who seemed mesmerized by Klaus’s golden eyes.
“Nice to meet you,” Klaus said with a warm smile. He then turned to Hanna. “Everyone, this is Hanna. She’s my friend,” he said, introducing her to everyone individually. Hanna, who had been lost in thought, quickly snapped back to attention as Klaus introduced the group.
“Hi everyone,” Hanna said with a slight bow.
“Sister Hanna, no need to bow,” Asha said, taking Hanna’s arm and gently pulling her away from behind Klaus, bringing her to the side of the ladies. “Since you’re Brother Klaus’s friend, you’re our friend too.”
“Mmm, can we find somewhere more private to talk? This place is too crowded,” Klaus suggested. Everyone nodded in agreement.
Soon, they all got into an extravagant car that could accommodate them all. Before entering, Klaus noticed Kofi, his chief security officer. He messaged Kofi to follow them. With that, they left the scene.
Shortly after they departed, news of the arrival of the young, handsome hero began spreading. Along with the news of his power and looks, it was also noted that he was friends with some of the most renowned geniuses in the Eastern Region of the Northern Union.
Klaus and his friends left the scene and headed toward Ross City. Inside the car, Klaus learned just how much chaos he had caused. To their surprise, Klaus only smiled and said he hadn’t meant to offend anyone. He was just training, and if anyone needed to be blamed, it was the monsters for being too weak.
This remark made everyone look at him as if he were a monster himself. “Let me tell you, Brother Klaus, the fact that you’re now on the three Ranking Charts shows your status has reached the highest level,” Danny said, he then cast an apologetic look at Anna and Lily.
“Although you don’t seem concerned, many of these Great Families won’t want you disrupting the status quo. They’ll either try to curry favor with you or try to stop you from shining.”
“No need to apologize, Danny,” Anna said. “I’m from a Great Family, and I know how they operate. But don’t worry, Klaus, my family won’t come after you or try to use other means to win your favor.” Lily nodded in agreement.
Klaus looked at them with a smile. “You’re all my friends, so if your families need help and I can assist, I won’t just stand idly by. But as for those who try to use intimidation, heh, Uncle Zizzy and the others will certainly have a field day,” Klaus said with an evil grin, imagining the look on his uncles’ faces when he tells them he’s in trouble and needs their help.
“Anyway, no more talk about who’s after whom. I just want to live my life. If anyone tries to disrupt that, I’ll handle it when the time comes. For now, I want to know how you’re all doing,” Klaus said, subtly warning them.
This made the young men and women sigh in their hearts. Klaus was certainly different from what they had expected, but since he had made it clear he would be there to help when needed, they smiled happily.
Despite their reluctance, Klaus could see they were here to curry favor. He understood that their families wouldn’t make things easy for them, so he made that bold statement to calm them down.
“Well, the Felin Youth Ball is next week,” Daniel said. “Other than that, we’re just training and waiting for the Celestial Mountain Academy Selection Exams.”
“What is this Felin Youth Ball?” Klaus asked. It was his first time hearing about it. Lily glanced at Mark with a look that seemed to say, ‘You better explain.’
Mark, who, like Lily, was from the Felin Great Family, cleared his throat and started explaining. “Well, it’s an annual gathering of the youth from the Eastern Region of the Northern Union. We meet to make connections and interact with newly awakened individuals. To be honest, it’s a gathering of the elite from various cities and clans in the region. It’s strictly by invitation,” Mark explained.
The Felin Youth Ball was started by the Felin Great Family 14 years ago. Initially, it was meant to scout elite youth to bring into their fold. However, they soon realized it could be more than that. Instead of inviting every awakened youth, they began selecting whom to invite. While the heirs of other Great Families are always welcome, those from less prominent backgrounds can only attend if invited.
Their goal was simple: to bring these individuals into their fold, show them the kind of life they could live, and hopefully win them over to their side. It was a smart move, and for the past 14 years, it has been quite successful.
“Sounds like a fun gathering,” Klaus said with a neutral expression. He didn’t care much about being invited. However, he knew he would be invited regardless of whether the guest list was complete. As expected, Lily confirmed this.
“Brother Klaus, you are invited. Sister Hanna, you are too,” Lily said.
Klaus smiled and nodded. He then turned to Asha and Nia. “Fairies, are you still interested in buying Zombie Stones?” he asked with a knowing smile.
Asha and Nia’s eyes lit up at the mention of Zombie Stones. “Yes, we’ll buy any amount you have!” they said quickly. They had been waiting for the right moment to ask, so hearing his offer, they were eager to accept. Klaus was pleased to sell to them, especially since they planned to inflate the market price.
Shortly after, they arrived in Ross City and entered a lush restaurant. Klaus, who had never been to such a place before, was impressed by the interior decor. But despite his surprise, he composed himself and followed his friends inside.
They were led to a private room where various drinks were waiting for them. Klaus wasn’t surprised by the luxury, as this restaurant was one of many owned by the Ross Great Family.
‘It’s good to have money’