Just when Ricky was starting to panic, he finally spotted a familiar face through the glass window of a restaurant.

The girl had fair skin and delicate features. Her old braided pigtails were now replaced by long, wavy hair, and the worn-out clothes she used to wear had been swapped for something trendy and stylish.

But right now, she was nestled in the arms of another guy, laughing and chatting with him like they were the only two people in the world. The way they acted—so close, so intimate—it was obvious she was happy.

"Lena?"

Ricky's eyes widened. The bouquet he was holding slipped from his hands and hit the ground with a soft thud, petals scattering across the sidewalk.

Inside, the girl turned her head, sensing his gaze. Their eyes met.

For a moment, time froze.

Then Ricky's chest ignited with a fire he couldn't name. He stormed into the restaurant, crossing the floor in a few long strides until he stood right in front of her.

"Lena, what the hell is going on?"

"Ricky? What are you doing here?" Lena looked genuinely surprised to see him.

"I got an Inner City pass," Ricky said through clenched teeth. "I wanted to surprise you. And this is what I find?"

Lena didn't even flinch. "You shouldn't have come like this. It's not good for any of us."

"..." Ricky's face darkened, veins bulging on his forehead.

The guy next to her raised an eyebrow. "Lena, who's this?"

"Oh, just my ex from the Outer Zone," she said casually. "I told you about him. I've been meaning to cut ties for a while now."

Her words hit Ricky like a knife to the chest. He felt like he couldn't breathe, like the air had been sucked out of the room.

"I worked my ass off in the Outer Zone, saving every cent just to pay your tuition. And this is how you repay me?"

"Don't be dramatic," Lena said, rolling her eyes. "I got into Pinnacle Academy. Do you even realize how far apart our worlds are now? You really thought I'd still want to be with you? Please. I don't know what kind of dumb luck got you an Inner City pass, but that doesn't change anything."

"Pfft!"

Laughter erupted from nearby tables.

"Look at this dude... full-on simp mode."

"Man, this is like watching a soap opera in real life. I've heard of this happening, but never seen it."

"Well, now you have."

"..."

Their mocking voices were like salt in an open wound. Ricky's fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. He was on the verge of exploding.

But no one in the restaurant seemed worried. These were Pinnacle Academy elites—top-tier Awakeners. They had nothing to fear from someone like him.

Lena smirked. "You're not seriously thinking of starting something here, are you? Do you even know who my boyfriend is?"

"He's not someone you can compare yourself to just because you scraped together a few bucks. He's in a whole different league—one you'll never reach. If he wanted to kill you, it'd be like squashing a bug."

"..."

Her words pushed Ricky over the edge.

"I'll kill you!"

He raised his fist and lunged at them.

But neither of them moved. Ricky was just a B-rank Awakener, still without any awakened abilities. To them, his punch was slow and soft—like being hit with a pillow.

"Pathetic," the guy sneered. He casually lifted a hand, and a wave of icy cold spread through the air. Ricky's body froze mid-motion, his limbs stiffening as if he'd been flash-frozen.

Then, with a look of disgust, the guy raised his foot and slammed it into Ricky's stomach.

Thud!

The impact sent Ricky flying over thirty feet, his body curling like a shrimp before he crashed to the ground on his knees.

"Ahh—damn it!"

He clutched his stomach, face twisted in pain. His whole body felt like it had been drained of strength—he couldn't even stand.

When he looked up, the guy was grinning at him.

And Lena... she was clinging to his arm, gazing up at him like he was some kind of god, eyes full of admiration.

"Simp got what he deserved."

"Seriously. Dude brought this on himself."

"Damn, that was satisfying to watch."

"..."

Ricky pressed his hands to the floor, trying to push himself up, but the laughter around him just kept coming, each word stabbing deeper than the last.

I'm not a simp... I just loved the wrong person...

But it didn't matter anymore. What was done was done.

Still, he wasn't going to let this go.

Not after being humiliated like this.

"I'll kill you both!"

A surge of rage and hatred flared in his chest, burning so hot it felt like it might consume him. Somehow, from somewhere deep inside, he found the strength to stand again—and charged straight at them.

"Yo?"

The young man raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised Ricky was still standing.

But the result was the same as before—Ricky was sent flying with another brutal kick. The gap between him and a Pinnacle Academy student was just too massive.

He hit the ground hard, curling up in pain. His face had gone ghostly pale, and sweat the size of raindrops rolled down his cheeks. This time, he couldn't even try to get up.

"Guy really doesn't know when to quit," Lena scoffed, tugging on the young man's arm. "Dorian, let's not waste our time with him. We've got class."

"Yeah, alright."

Dorian gave a faint smile, then the two of them stood up, walking side by side toward the exit.

As they passed by Ricky, Dorian glanced down and said calmly, "Name's Dorian Hawke. If you've got a problem with me, feel free to come find me at Pinnacle Academy."

"..."

Ricky, still gasping for breath, froze for a second when he heard the name.

Dorian Hawke?

He forced his eyes open and watched the two of them walk out the door, their silhouettes swallowed by the sunlight outside.

"No way…"

"That can't be a coincidence…"

...

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Ethan was still glued to his laptop, scouring the net for any useful intel. But the deeper he dug, the more he realized—there was nothing.

The top-tier weapons he was after were Inner City's most tightly guarded secrets. Everything from lab locations to the names of the scientists involved was locked down tighter than a vault.

Some of those researchers had even erased their identities, living in total isolation for decades, all in the name of their work. No outside contact. No digital footprint.

"Damn… this level of tech isn't gonna be easy to get," Ethan muttered, rubbing his chin.

But that only confirmed how powerful it must be. If he could get his hands on it, it'd be a total game-changer.

"Looks like I'll have to go through the Hawke family after all…"

Just then, he heard unsteady footsteps echoing down the hallway. Ricky stumbled in, one hand clutching his stomach, the other dragging along the wall for support. His face was pale as a sheet.

Ethan turned to look. Ricky's suit was a mess, and there were two distinct boot prints on his abdomen. Clearly, he'd taken a beating.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"I… I'm fine. Just tripped on the way back," Ricky said through gritted teeth, trying to force a smile.

"Uh-huh…" Ethan nodded, thinking, Tripped? More like tripped over someone's foot… or face. But he didn't press it.

"Did you find your girlfriend?"

"Yeah… I found her. She's doing great. Way better than I expected, actually… heh." Ricky let out a dry laugh, the kind that sounded more like he was laughing at himself.

But then his expression shifted, and he remembered something important.

"Oh right, boss—while I was at Pinnacle Academy today, I ran into this guy named Dorian Hawke. Not sure if he's connected to the Hawke family, but…"

His voice trailed off, the implication hanging heavy in the air.

...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.