The global master rankings—watched by every Samsara.
Any shift in the list drew attention.
But a change at the very top? That shook the entire world.
Now, countless Samsaras had gathered beneath the glowing monument of the Global Master List.
All eyes were fixed on the board.
Adam…
Had fallen to second place.
Ranked first was a completely unknown figure, nicknamed "Uvall."
"Where the hell did this Uvall come from? How did he suddenly take the top spot?"
"F**k! Did the Samsara system glitch?"
"Impossible. The system doesn't make mistakes. But how does some random guy get an S-level comprehensive strength evaluation overnight? For those of us who've bled and sweated for every point of strength, this is a slap in the face!"
"Exactly! Who is this guy? He just popped up and instantly hit S-rank? That's absurd."
"Wait—Uvall? Isn't he just B-rank? Why is he sitting at number one?"
"I heard monsters have been appearing all over the world tonight. Feels like Uvall is tied to that somehow!"
"Yeah, it doesn't add up. His strength skyrocketed too fast. There has to be a connection!"
"Don't tell me this bastard sacrificed our entire planet just to climb to the top…!?"
"First the monster invasion, now the rankings are overturned. Tonight is pure chaos!"
The crowd seethed with speculation, voices rising like waves.
Someone who leapt straight to an S-rank evaluation, instantly crushing his way to first place—how could anyone not be shaken?
All around, Samsaras who had clawed for every scrap of power were furious. One unknown name had leapt past them all. To many, it felt like a cruel joke.
When Fenric and Aurora arrived beneath the monument, the crowd stirred even louder.
"Look, Boss Aurora's here!"
"The masked man beside him—that's Shura!"
"They say Shura's true identity got exposed tonight. Supposedly he's just a high school student!"
"F**k, really? A kid that strong!?"
"Don't know if it's true, but the rumors are everywhere."
"Apparently his name's going to appear on the list soon too. Can't believe he's that young."
"So what if he's in high school? That just proves he's a real genius. I respect Shura a thousand times more than that so-called Uvall, who snatched first place out of nowhere. It just feels wrong!"
The stares and whispers followed them, but Fenric's face remained unreadable.
Still, when his gaze landed on the number one spot, his eyes narrowed.
Adam had long been the lone S-rank master.
Now, someone else had not only joined him but surpassed him outright.
Fenric was almost certain this "Uvall" was tied to tonight's chaos.
"Aurora," Fenric asked quietly, "ever heard of this Uvall?"
Aurora's calm expression didn't waver, even though she had been pushed to third place.
"No impression. I'll have people investigate later."
Before Fenric could respond, a cold voice echoed across Samsara Square.
"Attention, all Samsaras: In Area C, 'Uvall,' number 33631, has violated contract terms—trading with the Devil to illegally boost his strength.
He is hereby delisted.
An A-level wanted order has been issued.
Any Samsara who kills 'Uvall' in the real world will be rewarded with one million Samsara points!"*
"..."
The crowd froze.
Then the square erupted in shock.
For the first time since the creation of Samsara Space, a large-scale wanted order had been issued.
Clearly, Uvall's actions had crossed a forbidden line.
"Holy sh*t! Samsara Space can issue wanted orders?!"
"They've existed, but never on this scale!"
"One million points? Did I hear that right?"
"Insane… kill Uvall and you're instantly rich!"
"Man, I used to envy him. Now? I pity him."
"Yeah… even if he's number one in raw strength, he won't survive the world coming after him."
Fenric's brows furrowed.
One million Samsara points.
Even for him, that number stirred temptation.
And if it stirred him, then surely Adam, Aurora, and countless others would be equally eager.
This Uvall… trouble would stalk him endlessly from now on.
Fenric glanced at Aurora. Their eyes met, and he could see the spark of desire flicker in hers.
"Shura," Aurora said softly, "this isn't a place to talk. Let's return to the teahouse."
"Agreed."
The two vanished, returning to the quiet of their private room.
Belle was waiting. The moment they stepped in, she rushed over.
"Sis, Shura—I just heard the broadcast. Is that Uvall really the new number one?"
Fenric nodded. "Yes. He's the one behind tonight's mess."
Then, turning to Aurora, he smirked. "Aurora… I take it this wanted order has caught your interest?"
Aurora didn't deny it. "Of course. One million Samsara points—who wouldn't be interested?"
With that amount, she could confidently break past her current limits, even surpass Adam.
Her bloodline potential rivaled that of a Saiyan, but what she lacked was Samsara points to awaken it fully.
"This won't be easy though," she admitted. "For Uvall to surpass Adam, his strength is no joke."
Fenric nodded. "Exactly. Anyone above Adam isn't weak."
Aurora's gaze sharpened. "But Shura, did you notice? The announcement didn't focus on the disaster Uvall caused in the real world. It condemned him for one thing: violating the contract."
She leaned back with a sigh.
"In other words, Samsara Space doesn't care what chaos we bring into reality. As long as we don't break its rules, it turns a blind eye."
Her voice grew heavy. "If that's the case… I fear tonight won't be the last. More and more like him will appear."
Fenric and Belle fell silent.
Finally, Aurora changed the subject. "Enough of this. Shura, are you running a dungeon tonight?"
"Of course," Fenric replied without hesitation.
"Good. The cooldown refresh cards will arrive soon. Well head to the trading center later."
Fenric waved it off. "No rush on the cooldown cards. What I need first is a strategy. Do you remember the thirteenth-floor dungeon of the Samsara Tower? Tell me what you know."