Chapter 152 — Fuck

[Tranquil City - Core Region - Mafia Headquarters]

The building stood tall and imposing in one of the Core Region’s most affluent districts, its sleek black exterior and modern architecture marking it as belonging to someone with significant resources and ambition.

A far cry from the decrepit Serpent Gang warehouse they’d operated from just three months ago.

Inside the main conference room, nearly two hundred people were gathered around multiple holographic displays, all showing the same live broadcast from Norrington City.

But these weren’t the same ragtag collection of gang members and desperate students who’d first followed Damian’s vision.

Every person present wore crisp black suits, perfectly tailored and professional.

The men looked like corporate executives and the women wore equally sharp business attire that commanded respect.

Their posture was different from before too, straighter and more disciplined. Carrying themselves with the confidence of people who knew their worth and their power.

Old Man Mike stood at the front, his weathered face composed as he watched the broadcast, his A+ rank Aura radiating controlled authority.

Beside him stood Marco Chen, Edrin Kael, Ronan Hale, Lysa Morwen, and the other core student members who’d survived and grown stronger over the past months.

All of them were watching as the portal on screen pulsed and figures began emerging.

"That’s Major Ryan Sukov from the information that we gathered. He seems to have survived."

Edrin’s analytical voice noted the first emergence.

"...Nine more survivors, all carrying body remains of others who didn’t survive."

The room remained tense as more survivors appeared, the broadcast showing exhausted, bloodied men being treated by military medics.

Then the situation changed on screen.

Every Mafia member felt it through the broadcast somehow.

A figure stepped through the portal.

He was bare cheated with deep crimson hair and eyes, taking a step out–

BOOM.

And the ground where he stepped, cracked!

As soon as he was visible completely, the entire room erupted.

"THAT’S SIR!"

"HE’S ALIVE!"

"LOOK AT THAT ENTRANCE!"

"I FUCKING KNEW IT!"

"I TOLD YOU ALL BEFORE!"

"DID YOU SEE THE GROUND BREAK? JUST FROM STANDING?!"

Mike raised his hand, and silence fell immediately despite the excitement.

Everyone watched as Damian adjusted to Earth’s environment, his footsteps gradually becoming controlled, his power slowly being reined in.

Then his casual introduction, hands in pockets, looking like he owned the world.

"I’m Damian Valcor."

That confidence... That arrogance! That absolute certainty in his own capabilities!

Ronan was grinning like a madman.

"Did you see that? Did you fucking see that? Our leader just walked out of a hostile portal dimension after two months and the entire military garrison looked ready to shit themselves!"

Lysa’s expression was more controlled but equally satisfied.

"The pressure he’s radiating on them is obvious even through the broadcast. Whatever happened inside that portal, he’s grown significantly stronger."

Marco adjusted his tie, his mind already working through implications.

"The media coverage is massive with every network broadcasting live. Millions of people are watching. His reputation was already significant after the Demon fight, but this? This puts him on a completely different level."

Old Man Mike spoke quietly, his voice carrying weight that made everyone listen.

"We knew he would survive. From the moment we confirmed it was a C grade portal, there was never any doubt in my mind that Sir would emerge alive."

He gestured to the screen showing Damian standing amid military forces.

"But look at how much he’s changed. The power he’s radiating and the way trained military soldiers are afraid to approach him. Whatever he experienced inside, whatever he had to do to survive, it transformed him into something beyond what he was."

Mike’s weathered face showed pride mixed with concern.

"Our leader has returned even stronger and more dangerous than before. He is becoming more and more capable of achieving the vision we’re all working toward."

He turned to address the assembled Mafia.

"Which means our work becomes even more important. He trusted us to build and expand while he was gone. Time to show him we didn’t waste these two months."

Edrin pulled up organizational reports on a secondary hologram.

"The Core Region expansion is proceeding ahead of schedule. We control sixty percent of major operations now, with the remaining forty percent either negotiating terms or actively being pressured to submit."

"Outer and Inner Regions remain completely under our control. No resistance to speak of. Infrastructure improvements are ongoing with the Orphanages now housing over four thousand children and the hospital partnerships expanded to almost all facilities across all three regions."

Marco added his own report.

"Presence established in thirty-two of the forty-seven Central Region cities. For now we are conducting only small operations, mostly focused on orphanages and relationship establishment, but we are growing steadily."

"Uniform production facility is completely operational. All Mafia members now properly outfitted with professional appearance maintained across all operations."

Mike nodded approval at each report.

"Good. When Sir returns to Tranquil City, he’ll see we’ve not only maintained what he built but expanded it significantly. That’s how capable subordinates should operate. Not just following orders but exceeding expectations."

On screen, Damian was being offered clothing, his casual request for pants breaking tension in the military standoff.

The Mafia members watched their leader navigate the situation with characteristic confidence, treating an entire military garrison like a minor inconvenience rather than a threat.

"He’s barely sixteen years old now."

Lysa’s voice carried wonder.

"His birthday passed while he was trapped inside that portal. Sixteen years old and already more powerful than most adults will ever become."

"And he’s our Boss."

Ronan’s grin was fierce.

"That monster standing there making high ranking soldiers nervous? That’s our fucking leader! That’s the person we chose to follow. Best decision we ever made."

The room murmured agreement, every Mafia member feeling their blood boil with pride and anticipation.

Their Sir had returned.

And the real work was about to begin.

****

[Stormhold Academy - Noble Student Gathering Room]

The first-year Noble students had gathered in one of their private meeting rooms, a dozen heirs from various houses watching the broadcast with varying expressions.

"This is our chance!"

One student, a minor Noble named Tobias Crane, spoke with barely contained excitement.

"Damian Valcor hasn’t returned from the portal yet! Only ten survivors! That means he’s probably dead inside! Micheal, you should challenge his ranking immediately! Claim the spots he and his Mafia members hold before–"

"Shut your fucking mouth before I shut it for you."

Leonard Ashford’s cold voice cut through the room like a blade.

The heir to the Ashford Imperial Family leaned forward in his chair, his grey eyes hard.

"Did you not watch the same broadcast as the rest of us when those Demons attacked his train? We all saw him fight seven elite Demons alone and surviving. Seven!"

His voice carried contempt.

"I wouldn’t be confident surviving against even one of them in single combat. None of us would. And you want to challenge his ranking because you think he died in a portal? You’re not ambitious, you’re fucking suicidal!"

Micheal Thorne, still recovering psychologically from his devastating loss to Damian months ago, nodded slowly.

"Leonard’s right. Damian isn’t someone you challenge opportunistically. He’s someone you avoid unless you have overwhelming advantage or allies."

Tobias scowled but pressed his point.

"But look at the screen! Only ten men emerged from the portal! Ten out of seventy-four that were pulled into it! Valcor isn’t among them! He’s dead! We finally have an opportunity to–"

Before he could finish speaking, the portal on screen pulsed again.

Everyone fell silent, watching as the elite military soldiers tensed up and pointed their weapons at the entrance instinctively.

All of the Noble students could feel the tension even through the screen.

Then... Damian stepped through.

The sight of him – bare-chested, scarred and radiating power with ground cracking beneath his feet – made every Noble student in the room go pale.

They watched in stunned silence as he walked forward, each footstep creating impacts that spoke of physical strength beyond anything they’d thought possible.

They watched his casual introduction and his arrogant confidence.

They also watched his complete lack of concern for the military garrison surrounding him.

One by one, the Noble students sat down heavily, the fight draining out of them.

"Fuck."

Leonard’s quiet curse summed up everyone’s feelings perfectly.

Tobias had gone white, his earlier bravado completely evaporated.

"That’s... How is he so strong physically?! What the hell happened to him inside that portal?"