BUILDING MY OWN EMPIRE - My Journey from Nothing to Overwhelming Power-Chapter 88: Side - – When Madness Decided to Fight.

Chapter 88: Side Chapter – When Madness Decided to Fight.

If someone had passed by from afar and looked at the battlefield at that moment...

They would’ve thought this wasn’t a war...

But a chaotic stage play...

Written by someone who lost his mind halfway through the sentence.

.

The air was saturated with the smell of blood.

The ground was riddled with craters.

And the sky...

Still carried the fading traces of that blue glow from those networks no one understood.

.

But—

Amid all of that...

There was something strange.

.

A brief calm.

Illogical.

As if everyone... had agreed to take a short break before going back to killing each other.

.

Suman stood, catching his breath, brushing dust off his shoulder.

He looked around...

Then said quietly:

"Alright... who’s still alive?"

.

From behind him—

The horned wolf emerged...

Or rather... what remained of it.

It limped, staring at Suman with a very clear look:

"I did not sign a permanent contract with you."

.

"Don’t look at me like that..." Suman muttered.

"I didn’t tell you to go get stabbed by a thousand knives."

.

On the other side—

Lewis stood.

Her knee was still trembling...

Her gauntlets pulsed with weak energy... barely.

She looked at Suman.

"If you say something stupid right now... I swear I’ll hit you instead of the enemies."

.

Suman immediately raised his hand.

"Alright. Silent."

.

Silence.

Two seconds.

Then—

"But seriously... you don’t look okay."

.

"—!!!"

.

In the back—

One man still stood calmly.

The leader of the Rock Fighters.

His shoulders were like a wall...

His body covered in dust... blood... and victories.

He looked at them...

Then said:

"How many are we?"

.

"Three..." Suman said.

.

"Four." came a voice from the side.

.

They turned.

.

From the rubble...

An unexpected figure emerged.

.

The turtle.

.

Yes.

Walking... slowly...

But still... alive.

.

Suman stared at it, then said:

"Nice. We’re four and a half now."

.

"—"

.

Lewis put a hand on her face.

"Why am I even fighting with you?"

.

"Because you’re lucky."

.

"Lucky?!"

.

"Yeah... others died."

.

"—!!!"

.

Before the argument could turn into a crime—

The ground trembled.

.

From the opposite side...

The enemies began to appear.

.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five.

.

Five fighters.

But... nothing about them was normal.

.

The first—

A very tall man... disturbingly thin...

Holding a book... reading while walking.

.

The second—

A short woman... laughing for no reason...

Holding a cooking pot.

Yes.

A pot.

.

The third—

A bald man... muscles bigger than his brain...

Punching the ground every two steps... as if confirming his existence.

.

The fourth—

A ridiculously handsome young man...

Looking at his reflection in his blade instead of his enemies.

.

And the fifth—

...

Silence.

.

"Where’s the fifth?" Suman asked.

.

"I’m here."

.

The voice came...

From behind him.

.

He turned.

.

A man stood... very close.

Too close... uncomfortably close.

.

"Since when were you there?!"

.

"From the beginning."

.

"Why didn’t you speak?!"

.

"No one asked."

.

"—"

.

Suman looked at the sky.

"I’m tired."

.

The Rock Leader clenched his fist.

"Focus."

.

The five stood facing them.

.

A moment of silence.

.

Then—

The reader spoke:

"Shall we begin?"

.

The woman with the pot replied:

"Wait... I haven’t cooked yet."

.

"We’re in a battle."

.

"And I’m hungry."

.

"—"

.

The handsome man said:

"Please... let me finish quickly. I have plans."

.

The bald one:

"I hit."

.

The fifth disappeared.

.

"Oh no..." Suman muttered.

.

And suddenly—

The battle began.

.

The bald one charged.

BOOOOM!

The ground cracked.

.

The Rock Leader—

Smiled.

"This one’s mine."

.

He charged.

BOOOOOOM!

Collision.

Earthquake.

.

"Finally... someone who speaks the language of fists," said the leader.

.

On the other side—

The woman raised the pot.

"Soup?"

.

Then—

She threw something.

.

Suman dodged.

"What is that?!"

.

He looked.

.

"Potatoes?!"

.

"Explosive potatoes," she smiled.

.

BOOOOM!

.

"—!!!"

.

Lewis:

"I refuse to die because of potatoes."

.

Above—

The handsome man threw daggers...

But—

He was looking at himself.

"Wow... this angle really suits me."

.

"Focus!" Suman shouted.

.

"I am... on beauty."

.

"—"

.

Suddenly—

Suman vanished.

.

The fifth man appeared behind him.

"Slow."

.

But—

Before he struck—

Crunch!

.

The turtle.

.

Bit his foot.

.

"—!!!"

.

He looked down.

"What is this?!"

.

The turtle:

...

.

Suman reappeared farther away.

"Don’t underestimate it."

.

"It’s a turtle!"

.

"A turtle with self-worth issues."

.

Elsewhere—

Lewis faced the woman.

.

"Why the pot?"

.

"I love cooking."

.

"In a war?!"

.

"Atmosphere."

.

She threw the pot.

.

Lewis blocked it.

.

But—

It exploded.

.

"This is not cooking!" she shouted.

.

"This is art."

.

In the center—

The Rock Leader and the bald man...

Turned into a disaster.

.

Each strike... like two mountains colliding.

.

"Finally!" the bald man roared.

.

"Finally!" the leader answered.

.

"—"

.

Above—

The reader closed his book.

.

"I think... it’s time."

.

He raised his hand—

.

Suddenly...

The ground froze.

.

Suman:

"No, no, no... I’m tired of abilities."

.

Lewis:

"You didn’t do anything."

.

"I dodge. That’s a job."

.

"—"

.

The man smiled.

.

"Let’s see... how you survive."

.

And suddenly—

The battlefield...

Became total chaos.

.

But—

Amid all that...

.

Suman stood.

.

He sighed.

.

"Alright... plan."

.

He looked at everyone.

.

"We hit them... or run?"

.

Lewis:

"We hit."

.

Leader:

"We hit."

.

Turtle:

...

.

"Good."

.

Suman smiled.

.

"So... we’re getting hit."

.

Then—

He charged.

.

The battle truly began.

.

But...

With the worst coordination in history.

.

Suman rushed forward—

Then suddenly stopped after three steps.

"Wait..."

.

He turned.

"Which one of you actually has a plan?"

.

"You said plan!" Lewis shouted.

.

"I was joking."

.

"—"

.

Before she could respond—

The ground exploded beneath them.

BOOOOM!

.

The bald man didn’t wait.

He charged again toward the Rock Leader, his face carrying a stupid... happy grin.

"Hit me!" he shouted.

.

"With pleasure." the leader replied.

.

BOOOOOOM!!

.

Another collision.

The shockwave threw Suman and Lewis several meters back.

.

"I’m sure they’re enjoying this more than we are," Suman muttered.

.

"Because they’re idiots," Lewis replied.

.

"I agree."

.

At that moment—

"Hot soup!"

.

"NOOO—!"

.

The woman threw another pot.

This time...

Not potatoes.

.

But...

A strange green liquid.

.

Lewis barely dodged.

But—

Suman wasn’t so lucky.

.

"Why is it always me?!"

.

The liquid splashed on his shoulder.

.

Sssssss!

.

"AAAAAH!!"

.

"What is it?!" Lewis shouted.

.

"Acid!! This is not soup... this is a chemical crime!"

.

The woman laughed.

"I told you... art."

.

"I’m filing a lawsuit!"

.

"—"

.

Above—

The handsome man kept attacking... annoyingly.

His daggers were precise... fast... deadly.

But—

"Wow... blood reflection improves my skin tone."

.

"Focus, idiot!" Suman shouted.

.

"I am... on details."

.

"—"

.

Suddenly—

The fifth vanished again.

.

"Where did he go?!" Suman said.

.

"Behind you." Lewis replied.

.

"—"

.

Swoooosh!

.

He appeared right behind him.

.

But—

Before he could strike—

BOOOOM!

.

A side punch from the Rock Leader...

Sent him flying dozens of meters.

.

He rolled... then stood.

.

"...Thanks?" Suman said.

.

"I was in the way." the leader replied calmly.

.

"—"

.

Elsewhere—

The reader reopened his book.

.

"Chapter three... field control."

.

He raised a finger.

.

Suddenly—

The ground turned...

Slippery.

.

"What is this?!" Suman shouted as he slipped.

.

"Tactical surface," the man said calmly.

.

"Your name is too long—shorten it!" Suman yelled while struggling.

.

Lewis jumped.

"Stop talking and focus!"

.

"I am focusing!"

.

Then—

He slipped and fell.

.

"—"

.

The turtle moved forward.

Slowly.

.

Then—

Stabilized itself.

.

Didn’t slip.

.

"Of course... it’s the only one comfortable," Suman muttered.

.

The woman laughed.

"Even the turtle is better than you."

.

"I’m injured!"

.

"With what?"

.

"Life."

.

"—"

.

Suddenly—

Everything calmed for a second.

.

Then—

A scream.

. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"AAAAAH!!!"

.

Everyone turned.

.

The bald man...

Was embedded in the ground.

Half his body... inside it.

.

And the Rock Leader...

Standing over him.

.

"You’re fun," said the leader.

.

The bald man smiled through blood.

"You too."

.

Then—

He raised his arm from underground.

.

BOOOOOOM!

.

A surprise strike.

.

The leader slid back several meters.

.

"Good..." he said, smiling.

.

"Let’s raise the level."

.

In the sky—

The handsome man...

Finally got serious.

.

"Alright... beauty time is over."

.

He paused.

Two seconds.

.

"But... I’m still beautiful."

.

"Hit him!" Suman shouted.

.

Daggers launched.

.

But this time—

Different.

.

Faster.

More.

Sharper.

.

Suman barely dodged.

Lewis blocked some.

.

"That’s better," she said.

.

"I disagree!" Suman shouted while running.

.

In the back—

The reader closed his book.

.

"I think... the fun is over."

.

He raised his hand—

.

Suddenly—

The slipperiness vanished.

.

Then—

The ground cracked.

.

From it...

Stone arms emerged.

.

"Nooooo..." Suman muttered.

.

"Again?!"

.

One grabbed him.

.

"—"

.

"I hate the ground."

.

Lewis cut the arm.

.

"Run!"

.

"I’m trying!"

.

The turtle...

Approached.

.

And struck the arm.

.

It shattered.

.

Suman fell.

.

"Thanks... hero."

.

...

.

At that moment—

Everything stopped.

.

Silence.

.

Everyone... felt something.

.

Something heavy.

.

Pressure.

.

Coming...

.

From above.

.

They raised their heads.

.

There...

.

He stood.

.

The blond master.

.

Still.

Expressionless.

.

But—

The aura around him...

Was enough to silence everyone.

.

Even the bald man...

Stopped.

.

Even the woman...

Stopped laughing.

.

Even the handsome man...

Stopped looking at himself.

.

Silence...

Was absolute.

.

Suman swallowed.

.

"Okay..."

.

He looked at Lewis.

.

"I changed my mind."

.

"What?"

.

"We run."

.

"—"

.

The Rock Leader didn’t move.

.

But he said:

"Too late."

.

Suddenly—

The blond master raised a finger.

.

A small motion...

.

But—

Swoooosh!

.

Something...

Passed through them.

.

They didn’t see it.

.

But—

The air split.

.

And the next moment—

The ground behind them exploded.

.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

.

Everyone was thrown back.

.

Suman rolled.

Lewis held her ground.

The leader... didn’t move.

.

"This..." Suman muttered.

.

"Is not fair."

.

The blond master...

Smiled.

.

"Finished playing?"

.

No one answered.

.

"Good."

.

He lowered his hand.

.

"My turn."

.

Suman...

Sighed.

.

"Alright..."

.

He looked at everyone.

.

"Now... we actually die."

.

Lewis:

"Shut up and focus."

.

Leader:

"Hold your ground."

.

Turtle:

...

.

And Suman...

Smiled.

.

"Fine... let’s die properly."

.

Then—

He charged.

.

And the chaos...

Turned into a real hell.