Meanwhile, Sebastian left the council hall like a man who had lost his soul.

No one stopped him. No one looked at him. No one even bothered to acknowledge his existence.

Just a few hours ago, he had still been a respected outer member of the Vayne Clan, controlling businesses worth hundreds of millions and enjoying a status ordinary people could only dream of.

Now?

He was little more than a servant.

A servant expected to work for the rest of his life while handing over every cent of profit to the clan.

His hands trembled as he walked toward his car.

The mountain air felt colder than ever.

He sat behind the steering wheel but didn’t start the engine immediately. Instead, he stared blankly through the windshield.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.

"My own clan..."

"My own family..."

He had spent decades serving the Vayne Clan. Risking everything. Building businesses. Expanding influence. Making money for the sect.

And in the end?

The moment he became a burden, they had thrown him away without hesitation.

The realization hurt more than any punishment.

After a long time, Sebastian finally started the car and slowly drove down the mountain road.

Meanwhile...

Back at the villa, Lucas had just finished another round of shameless dirty talk with Ivy.

The thought of her embarrassed reaction brought a grin to his face.

Only after ending the call did he finally stretch lazily and take a long shower. Warm water washed away most of the soreness left behind by Bianca’s brutal training session.

Almost.

His body still felt like it had been run over by a truck. Especially his ribs. Every movement reminded him of yesterday’s humiliation.

"That woman is insane..."

Lucas muttered under his breath.

After getting dressed, he headed downstairs toward the dining area.

But halfway there, he suddenly slowed.

His eyes swept across the massive villa.

And for a moment, it didn’t even feel like his house anymore.

The peaceful luxury villa he had bought was gone.

In its place looked more like a military base.

Several martial artists occupied different parts of the property. Some sat cross-legged in meditation. Others practiced sword forms in the courtyard. A few exchanged blows in controlled sparring matches.

The sounds of fists colliding echoed through the air. Metal weapons flashed under the morning sunlight.

Swords. Daggers. Spears. Even weapons Lucas couldn’t identify.

The atmosphere was completely different from ordinary life.

Everyone moved with purpose. Nobody was laughing. Everyone seemed to be preparing for something.

Lucas leaned against the hallway railing and watched quietly.

The longer he observed, the stranger he felt.

At first, he thought this conflict was about him.

But now?

He wasn’t so sure anymore.

This felt bigger.

Much bigger.

The tension between Xavier’s side and the Vayne Clan seemed too deep to have started because of one fight at a restaurant.

Lucas narrowed his eyes.

It almost felt as though he had accidentally become the spark that ignited something that had already been waiting to explode.

The thought made him uncomfortable.

Very uncomfortable.

He only wanted to enjoy his life. Make money. Spend money. Collect rebates. Find beautiful women. Live comfortably.

That was all.

Yet somehow, he now found himself standing in the middle of a conflict between powerful martial factions.

Lucas rubbed his forehead.

"How the hell did my life end up like this..."

A few nearby martial artists glanced at him before quickly returning to their training.

Nobody said anything. But Lucas could feel the pressure hanging in the air.

After watching for several more minutes, he finally entered the dining room and grabbed breakfast.

Yet even while eating, his thoughts continued racing.

It had only been a few days. A few days. That was all. Yet it felt like months had passed.

Since obtaining the system, everything had changed too quickly. His old life felt increasingly distant. He missed his normal life.

At least normal life wasn’t trying to kill him.

After finishing breakfast, he leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

"What am I supposed to do today?"

Training?

No.

Bianca would probably beat him half to death again. Thinking about yesterday already made his body ache.

Stay inside the villa?

That sounded even worse.

He was already bored out of his mind.

For a brief moment, a dangerous thought appeared in his head.

Maybe he should sneak out. Go visit Ivy. Enjoy himself. Forget about clans and martial artists for a few hours.

The thought sounded incredibly attractive.

Unfortunately, the image of Xavier’s serious expression immediately appeared in his mind.

Lucas sighed.

"Yeah... that’s probably a terrible idea."

His life was currently worth too much money to gamble recklessly.

Still feeling bored, he pulled out his phone.

His eyes widened slightly.

Dozens of unread messages.

And surprisingly, not just from Ivy.

Several girls had messaged him. A few were even women who had somehow gotten his contact information through mutual connections.

Lucas scrolled through the messages.

His expression gradually brightened.

Lucas was lazily scrolling through his messages when a familiar voice suddenly interrupted him.

"The Vayne Clan is here."

Bianca’s voice was calm.

Too calm.

Lucas immediately froze.

The smile on his face disappeared.

He slowly lifted his head.

Bianca stood a few meters away with her arms folded across her chest. Her expression was unreadable.

But her eyes were fixed toward the front entrance of the villa.

The atmosphere around her had completely changed.

Gone was the woman who enjoyed beating him senseless during training.

In her place stood a genuine martial artist.

Alert. Focused. Dangerous.

Lucas immediately put away his phone.

His heartbeat sped up.

"So soon?"

Bianca nodded.

"They arrived five minutes ago."

Lucas stood from his chair.

Only then did he notice something strange.

The villa had become eerily quiet.

Too quiet.

He frowned.

Just moments ago, martial artists had been training everywhere. The courtyard had been full of activity. The hallways had been crowded.

Now?

Not a single person remained inside.

It was as if the entire villa had been emptied.

Lucas didn’t need Bianca to explain.

Everyone had already gone outside waiting.

The realization made his heart beat even faster.

For a brief moment, a familiar instinct appeared.

Run.

Stay inside.

Let Xavier handle everything.

After all, this conflict had long surpassed the level of ordinary people.

But that thought disappeared almost immediately.

Lucas clenched his fists.

Then slowly exhaled.

If he hid now, what would happen later? What would happen the next time danger appeared? The next conflict? The next enemy?

He couldn’t spend the rest of his life hiding behind other people.

Lucas straightened his back.

"Let’s go."