The Blood Matriarch stood frozen, her gaze locked onto the shivering, vomit-caked mess that was once the most feared manipulator in the Union. The Deacon. The man who had laced her life with poison, who had turned her most trusted allies against her, and who had forced her into a life of shadows and bitterness.

The weight of her past betrayals felt like a physical coldness in her chest, but as she looked at the broken man at her feet, that coldness began to thaw into a searing, white-hot heat.

"I hope you find the gift to your liking," Ethan said, his voice cutting through the silence like a silk ribbon. "And thank you, Matriarch... for looking after this place while I was ’away.’"

The Matriarch let out a sudden, sharp laugh—a sound that was half-sob and half-triumph. Tears began to trace paths through the dust on her cheeks, but her eyes were not soft. They were predatory.

"You have no idea what this means to me, Ethan," she whispered, her voice trembling with restrained violence.

"I’ll leave you to settle your outstanding accounts," Ethan replied, nodding toward the catatonic Deacon. "When you’re finished, I’d like to discuss our next steps. We have much to catch up on."

"Of course," she said, her fingers twitching as thin threads of crimson energy began to swirl around her palms. "Though... don’t wait up for me. I intend to take my time. A man like this deserves to feel every second of the next few days."

Ethan looked at her. Despite her elegance and the tears in her eyes, there was no mistaking the truth: she wasn’t a porcelain doll to be protected. She was a seasoned killer, a warrior who had waded through rivers of blood to survive. He respected that.

"Enjoy your work," Ethan said simply.

With a powerful, effortless flex of his legs, Ethan launched himself upward. He didn’t need the stairs; he ascended the complex in a single, gravity-defying leap, landing silently on the highest spire of the Royal Headquarters.

He sat on the edge of the roof, his legs dangling over the side as he looked out over his city. The skyline had changed. The Royal banners flew from every reinforced tower, and the hum of industry and magi-tech echoed from the streets below. Everything was more orderly, more fortified, more his.

This had always been his favorite place to think—high above the noise, where the wind smelled of ozone and the world looked like a chessboard waiting for its first move.

"Crul," Ethan muttered, his amethyst eyes scanning the horizon. "It’s time to see just how much of a mess Jason and Lena have been cleaning up while I was sleeping."

A holographic map of the globe projected from Ethan’s wrist, shimmering in the twilight air. Crul’s voice began a rapid-fire briefing on the new state of the world.

[Master, the technological leap during your absence has been exponential. Since the database restrictions were lifted, I have implemented a new generation of spiritual weaponry. We developed specialized lasers to engrave mana crystals with microscopic precision, replacing standard discharge mechanisms with ’Spiritual Resonance’ emitters. Our latest rifles are now 200% more powerful. If the old Scavenger were alive today, he wouldn’t be a threat—he would be vaporized before he could draw his weapon.]

Ethan scrolled through the schematics of the new "Iron-Clad" transport trucks. They looked like mobile fortresses.

[We are currently reinforcing our heavy units with Cold Steel plating] Crul continued. [However, the process is agonizingly slow. The thermal energy required to smelt such a metal is extreme. We are forced to use specialized furnaces powered by spiritual-stone arrays, and the consumption rate of high-grade stones is reaching critical levels. On a global scale, our influence has grown. Hundreds of factions have pledged secret fealty to Royal. On the surface, they appear independent, but they report directly to us.]

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, catching a discrepancy in the data. "Wait... back up. You said ’since the fragmentation.’ What happened to the Union?"

[Master, the Union as you knew it no longer exists. Rumors state that the Union Leader and Lord Truth Seeker vanished the same day you did. In the power vacuum, a bloody revolution erupted. Hidden clans and ’coiled dragons’ who had been suppressing their strength for centuries finally revealed their fangs, annihilating the old guard. The world is currently fractured into thousands of warring territories.]

Ethan leaned back, his eyebrows raised. "And they haven’t tried to move on us? With me out of the picture for six months, this place should have been a target."

[That is where I intervened] Crul replied with a tone that bordered on digital pride. [I have maintained the myth of your invincibility. Using deep-fake AI simulations, I created ’live’ broadcasts of you overseeing operations and personally recruiting leaders in distant territories. I maintained the illusion that you were healthy, active, and stronger than ever. Given that you were seen surviving the wrath of the Celestial Dragons without a scratch, fear has been our greatest shield. No one dared to test the ’God of Royal’ while the memory of that lightning storm was still fresh.] 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "So, you’ve been running a ghost empire."

[[ Precisely, Master. However, the deception is reaching its limit. Rumors of your ’seclusion’ are starting to breed suspicion among the more ambitious Obsidian-rank leaders. We have maintained a hollow peace for six months, but the illusion is wearing thin. It is imperative that you make a series of public appearances to solidify their fear. It is better to prevent a rebellion now than to cure a war later. ]]

Ethan stood up, the violet glow of his eyes reflecting the city lights below. "A public appearance, huh? I think the world is in for a shock. They’re expecting a scarred veteran, not a K-pop idol with the power of a Void Nightmare."

He looked down at his elegant, crystalline hands.

"Let’s give them a show they’ll never forget. Who’s the first ’guest’ on the list?"