"For having no intention to kill, I'll give you two options."

--

[1 EXP used: Earth Control (Passive) - Control earth at will. Mana cost varies. Claimed.]

Suddenly, Amelia felt a cold touch on her forehead.

---

[Earth Control has been rented to you by the Saint.]

Payment: 5,000 lifespan every month.

Grace period: 3 days.

(Kill lifeforms to acquire 5% of their lifespan.)

Penalty for failed payment: Death.

You may choose to continue or return the talent after each payment period.

Accept? Yes / No

---

Amelia froze.

Her eyes darted toward Aron several times, disbelief etched across her face.

"It's either yes, or you die," Aron said flatly. "You have one minute."

Before even a second passed, he noticed the third slot of his talent vault had been filled.

One brow rose.

Through his enhanced senses, he could hear Amelia's heartbeat hammering in her chest, a rhythm of fear and fury.

Her hands trembled as she clenched her wrist, barely holding back the anger and killing intent directed straight at him.

Even so, Aron didn't care.

He had no intention of wasting a potential lottery win.

Without another word, he stepped towards the shattered rooftop and launched himself out, leaving a deep dent on the floor.

As soon as he was gone, Amelia rushed to her whimpering cat, its legs twisted at unnatural angles.

Tears welled in her eyes and spilled freely as she saw its condition.

With red-rimmed eyes, she looked up through the hole in the roof.

"The Saint…" she whispered, voice trembling with fury.

"I'll remember this."

--

Outside, Aron's clones had already broken free of their entrapment.

They surrounded the moving car, wiping out every threat in sight.

Aron, aware of everything through his senses, simply didn't care.

If her hatred could drive her to earn him 5,000 lifespan, that was a win in his book.

Laid back, he opened a bag of snacks and resumed watching The Rise of Aguyvis right where he'd left off.

Within minutes, he was completely immersed again.

--

Two Hours Later

Dozens of military vehicles, heavily modified buses, and spiked transports filled the area, thousands of them, all parked around the building.

What had once been Aron's car garage, filled with sleek luxury rides, had now transformed into a bustling marketplace.

People crowded everywhere, some handling cages full of captives, others displaying weapons, food, or strange relics.

The whole place buzzed with chaotic life.

That is, until everything suddenly stopped.

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

A sleek black car rolled in, flanked by thirty masked figures radiating a suffocating aura.

The crowd instinctively parted like a tide.

The car came to a stop.

Ten of Aron's clones stepped forward, forming a perfect line in front of it like elite guards.

All eyes watched, curious who warranted such a grand escort.

After a few suspenseful seconds, the car door lifted upward with a soft hiss.

A leg stepped out, casual sandal, neatly groomed ankle. Then another.

Out came a handsome young man, casually yet neatly dressed, his skin smooth and glowing under the sunlight.

His expression stayed calm and detached as he scanned the surroundings, every movement radiating quiet confidence.

He walked toward the building unhurriedly, like a man who owned the place.

One of his clones paid the entrance fee to a frail old man at the gate, the kind who looked like a strong breeze could send him straight to the afterlife.

Aron passed by, drawing countless stares.

But behind his composed expression, he was honestly surprised.

Through his senses, he detected four other Transcendents in the area, one of them being the supposedly "frail" gatekeeper.

---

[Name: ???]

[Rank: Transcendent]

[Talent: ???]

---

Aron frowned.

His inspection skill revealed nothing but question marks, aside from the rank he had already sensed.

As he moved forward, the crowd's whispers grew.

"Wait a second! Doesn't he look like that wanted guy on the D-One posters?!" someone shouted.

At once, several people pulled out crumpled posters and compared the crude sketch to Aron's face.

Aron blinked.

(The hell am I wanted for?)

He kept walking calmly as the air grew thick with tension.

Murmurs spread.

"I gotta hand it to him, dude's got guts showing up here when D-One's after him."

"Should we try to catch him? D-One's bounty's a hundred Ascender Cores!"

"You're insane. That's the Saint, ranked fourth in Solara's power charts. He killed D-One's brother and still walked in here like it's Tuesday. Go ahead, try your luck if you've got a death wish."

The first man shut his mouth fast and went back to work.

---

"Damn… so that's the Saint, huh? Guy's a legend."

"This is gonna be interesting," another said with a grin.

Aron heard every word.

From their chatter, the picture became clear: D-One had placed a bounty of one hundred Ascender Cores on his head for killing his brother.

Aron shrugged.

Did he care? Not in the slightest.

Anyone who courted death would find it.

Period.

He no longer cared about life or death, the world had broken him long ago.

Now he lived by one simple truth: a man stood alone.

Soon, the stares and whispers faded, and the lively atmosphere returned…

Completely unaware that today would be a day they'd never forget.

...

..

.

Author note:

If you've read this far, then it's clear you're loving the journey just as much as I enjoy writing it.

Every scene, every twist, every chapter you read is built with time, effort, and passion. I pour that same energy and tension into each update because I want you to feel the weight of the choices, the thrill of the fights, and the despair of a dying world.

But here's the truth: stories don't grow on their own. They grow because of you, the readers who stand beside them. And on Webnovel, your Powerstones, Golden ticket and engagement are the heartbeat that keeps a novel alive. Each support you cast isn't just a number on a chart. It's a signal that you want more, that you believe Aron's story deserves to climb higher, to reach more people, to carve its name into the rankings where it belongs.

Your encouragement decides the pace of this journey. Together, we can push this story through the chaos, step by step, one stone, one ticket, one chapter at a time.

So thank you, for every stone, every ticket, every moment you've given this story. You are the reason Aron's world lives and grows.

Let's walk through the apocalypse together.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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