Soul system:Return Of The SSS-Ranked Troublemaker-Chapter 71: Ambush (1).

"What? You were expecting some dramatic pause or something?" K scoffed, letting out a short chuckle. "Look, I don’t really care. Just come back later I’m kinda tired." He lay back down against the grass, hands folded behind his head like a pillow, eyes closing lazily as if nothing mattered.

"I see... alright then," Zion muttered with a sigh, turning away. He waved halfheartedly over his shoulder. "That was... easier than I expected."

A voice echoed beside him dry and sarcastic, unmistakably Zero’s. "Looks like he’s just tired of dealing with you."

Zion smirked. "Doesn’t matter. What counts is that we’ve got him now."

Sometime later, Zion stood in the center of a secluded forest clearing, flanked by five individuals cloaked in shadows and secrecy his newly gathered allies. They were in the middle of discussing plans when Yin suddenly burst through the trees, sprinting toward them.

He was breathless, sweat trickling down his temple. "Z-Zion! Your boy’s making moves!"

Leon raised an eyebrow, his bright orange hair catching the sunlight as it shifted in the breeze. "Oh? Sounds like we’ve got a situation."

"I-I just heard... it’s big! The hero from Germany’s Orator himself is coming! And he’s not alone... your target’s with him!" Yin stammered, gasping between words.

Zion’s expression snapped into focus, his eyes sharp. "Target...? I’ve got more than one."

"No," Yin said quickly, catching his breath. "I mean the target Principal Raizel Varek of the Academy!"

Zion’s eyes widened in alarm. "What day?!"

"Tomorrow..." Yin replied, almost apologetically.

"Tomorrow?! You’ve gotta be kidding me!" Zion shouted, tension rising in his voice.

Perched casually on a thick tree branch above them, K yawned. "Might wanna get planning now, boss. Clock’s ticking."

Ken pushed up his glasses and stepped forward, his tone calm. "I’ll help. Seems like it’s just the two of us here who actually use our brains."

"U-uh, I can help too!" George added nervously. "My ability could be... really useful in a mission like this."

Zion nodded. "Good. We’ll need every edge we can get."

He turned to the group, voice rising. "Alright let’s make a plan, now!"

Leon stepped forward, arms crossed, his gaze intense. "Zion... how do you feel about this?"

Zion hesitated. "Honestly? It’s insane. Our first real target, and it’s the Fire King of Germany. One wrong move, and we’ll be roasted alive."

Leon’s eyes narrowed. "Then make sure no one gets reckless."

K chuckled from above. "Look at you, Leon actually sounding like a leader."

"Just making sure we all get what we’re here for," Leon replied coolly. "And that we survive doing it."

"Don’t worry," Zion said confidently, his gaze sweeping over the group. "Each of us has a deal. We all know what we’re after."

The next day arrived.

The atmosphere around the base was tense and expectant. Every student had been ordered to line up along the sides of the training field. In the center, a wide strip had been cleared the designated path for the visitors.

All eyes turned skyward as the distant roar of engines grew louder.

A sleek airplane approached and descended smoothly, landing on the runway just beyond the field. The aircraft’s doors hissed open, and one by one, the heroes from Germany stepped out.

Unlike the flashy, battle-ready appearance one might expect, the German heroes wore tailored suits instead of their costumes. Their presence was calm, but their aura of strength was unmistakable.

As they made their way down the ramp, the Korean heroes, who had been tasked with guarding the students in Jeju, stepped forward to greet them. A formal exchange followed handshakes, nods, a few respectful words between elite warriors from two nations.

After a short conversation, the protocol was lifted.

The German heroes were now free to interact with the students.

Whispers spread through the crowd. Some students were excited, others nervous, and a few... watchful.

Among them stood Zion, his eyes focused not on the heroes’ titles or reputations but on one man in particular.

The target.

"Master, it’s your second time seeing him after a while... what do you think?" Zion asked, his voice low, both fists clenched tightly.

Zero stood beside him, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "Strange... I don’t feel anything at all. But still, do your best." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Zion nodded silently, his eyes sharpening.

Midnight.

The moon hung overhead, dim and watchful. In the shadows just beyond the academy walls, six figures moved with practiced silence. Clad entirely in black, they blended into the night not an inch of skin exposed, only their eyes visible beneath the dark fabric.

Zion, Yin, George, Leon, K, Ken, and Victor.

The team crouched low as they approached the base, their footsteps silent across the cold ground.

"Are you sure this is his room?" Zion whispered to Yin as they reached one of the secluded buildings.

"Yeah," Yin nodded. "I saw him speaking with the Mighty Knight earlier. They came in together it should be this one."

Zion raised a gloved hand, signaling the others to hold position. He slowly pushed the door open.

Creak.

They slipped inside like shadows.

The room was dimly lit by the moonlight peeking through the curtains. A bed sat neatly against the wall blankets folded, pillow untouched.

"!?"

Zion’s breath caught in his throat.

The bed was empty. No one was sleeping there.

The room was too still. No signs of recent use. Not even the scent of someone having rested there.

"Shit..." Zion muttered under his breath. "Something’s off."

The tension thickened like fog around them.

"Gaze." Zion activated his ability, his pupils briefly glowing with a soft shimmer as his vision expanded beyond the trees and shadows.

He narrowed his eyes. "There’s only one person in that part of the forest... It’s him."

Everyone nodded silently, no questions needed.

They moved as one swift, silent, determined darting between trees and underbrush until they reached the designated clearing.

There he stood.

Raizel Varek.

Alone.

Draped in a long coat, his silver hair catching the moonlight. One hand rested casually in his pocket, while the other held a sleek phone to his ear.

He wasn’t facing them but he wasn’t unaware either.

His presence was heavy.

Deliberate.

Zion slowed to a halt, raising a hand to signal the others to stay low. His heart pounded, not from fear, but from anticipation.

"He’s alone... but why does it feel like we’re the ones being watched?" he thought.

The wind rustled lightly, and Raizel spoke into the phone his voice calm, unreadable.

Draped in a long coat, his silver hair catching the moonlight, Raizel stood motionless. One hand rested casually in his pocket, while the other held a sleek black phone to his ear.

He wasn’t facing them yet somehow, he felt aware.

His presence was heavy.

Intentional.

Zion came to a sudden stop and raised a clenched fist. The others froze. His heartbeat echoed in his ears, not out of fear... but anticipation.

"He’s alone... so why does it feel like we’re the ones being hunted?" Zion thought.

The wind stirred faintly.

Raizel spoke, his tone calm, detached. "Yeah, yeah... I know what I’m doing. That thing’ll never be exposed, anyway."

Zion’s expression hardened.

"That’s enough." he muttered under his breath.

He flicked his fingers a silent signal.

George nodded and slipped down from their position, blending into the foliage. Hidden beneath a thick bush, he crouched low. Their eyes met briefly.

That was all it took.

George closed his eyes.

Over the past month, he had awakened a new power one that allowed him to draw allies into his dimension: a battlefield of his own creation.

He whispered, "Zone."

Suddenly, the world around Raizel shifted.

The trees, moonlight, and wind vanished.

He now stood on a flat, endless grey plain. The sky above was pitch-black, and the ground beneath his feet cracked with faint energy. His phone vanished into thin air.

Raizel’s eyes snapped open wide. "What the hell is this?!"

Flames erupted across his body in a fiery surge. His aura exploded outward as his instincts screamed danger.

"Illusion Arts? No... this is something else." he thought, teeth clenched.

Then they arrived.

Zion. K. Ken. Leon. Victor.

Five shadows descending from the air, their movements fast and coordinated.

George remained at the edge of the domain, maintaining control.

And with that

The clash began.

As Ken focused, trying to read Raizel’s breathing—he froze.

His body stiffened, as if an invisible hand gripped his spine.

"What... the hell is this?" he thought, eyes wide with dread. "That’s not normal... that’s not human!"

His teeth clenched involuntarily. A cold sweat ran down his back.

Meanwhile, Victor’s hulking frame began to steam, heat radiating from his body as his muscles bulged. Surprisingly, his suit remained intact specially engineered to adapt with his size and power. It clung to him like living armor.

Without hesitation, Zion spun forward a full 1080-degree whirlwind of motion, his leg shimmering with raw Aetheris energy. With precision and explosive force, his kick landed clean against Raizel’s jaw.

CRACK!

Raizel was launched back like a missile.

Ken staggered back, gasping for air as the pressure that had frozen him suddenly lifted.

But Raizel wasn’t done.

Mid-air, he twisted with frightening control, flipping upright and sliding to a halt several meters away, his boots grinding sparks off the grey floor of the Zone.

He wiped a trail of blood from the corner of his mouth and clicked his tongue.

"Tch. So you are playing for real..." he muttered coldly, his eyes narrowing.

Then, they ignited.

Twin infernos blazed in his sockets as flames roared to life across his body, licking the air with dangerous energy.

"Tell me who the hell are you people?"