The hover car passed through the towering gates of the Phoenix Clan estate, its grand architecture standing as a symbol of their unmatched power and prestige. Mana-infused spires shimmered under the fading light, their brilliance stark against the distant gloom of the outer ring. But for the first time, Ryker felt no pride looking at his home.
He couldn't stop seeing the boy's haunted face, couldn't stop hearing his voice laced with bitterness.
As the car hummed to a halt, Ryker stepped out and gazed at the sprawling compound. The estate, once a sanctuary, now seemed suffocating—as though its towering walls weren't built to protect, but to isolate. His fists clenched as the boy's words replayed in his mind, each one striking him like a physical blow.
Mathias, ever steady, stood beside him. The veteran warrior had been Ryker's protector for as long as he could remember, but today, Ryker needed something more than protection—he needed answers.
"Mathias," Ryker said quietly, his voice laced with uncertainty. "Tell me the truth. Has the clan—my clan—really done things like that boy described? Humiliating those from the outer ring? Treating them like they're less than human?"
Mathias hesitated, his gaze unreadable. He seemed to weigh his words before finally speaking.
"Young master," he said carefully, "the Phoenix Clan is a beacon of strength and leadership. But strength is not always wielded with fairness. There have been… incidents. And while they are not openly spoken of, they are real."
Ryker's chest tightened. His clan, the mighty Phoenix Clan, revered across the continent, was not just complicit in the suffering of the outer ring—it was one of the pillars upholding it.
He turned to Mathias, his golden eyes blazing with something deeper than anger. It was resolve.
"Then we have to change it," he said. "I have to change it."
Mathias studied him for a long moment before a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "It won't be easy, young master. You're fighting against centuries of tradition, against the weight of power itself."
Ryker nodded, his resolve only hardening. "If humanity is to rise to its peak, as our clan claims, then we can't keep ignoring those we've left behind."
That night, Ryker stood alone on the balcony of his chambers, overlooking the sprawling city below. The shimmering lights of the inner ring gave way to the dim, flickering embers of the outer ring in the distance—a stark reminder of the divide between two worlds.
He closed his eyes, reflecting on the events of the day. He had begun the morning as a carefree child, ignorant of the world's harsh truths. But ignorance was no longer an option. He had seen the truth, and now, he would follow his heart.
He would do what was right.
Elsewhere in the estate, within a dimly lit chamber, Lila and Aiden sat side by side, their expressions unreadable. Before them, Mathias knelt in submission, having just finished his report.
Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken tension.
Lila's golden eyes burned with barely restrained fury. "So," she said slowly, her voice dangerously calm, "you, a mere servant, took it upon yourself to expose my son to the cruelty of the world? Without my permission?"
Mathias lowered his head. "Milady, I only answered the young master's questions. He asked, and I could not lie to him."
Lila's hands clenched at her sides. "And you couldn't have made an excuse? You couldn't have found another way?" Her voice trembled—not with fear, but with unbridled rage. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Mathias remained silent.
"You've stolen his childhood from him!" Lila snapped, rising to her feet. "My boy is only one year old! He was supposed to have time—time to be happy, to be free of burdens, before he had to face this wretched reality! But now that's gone. And it's all thanks to your incompetence."
Aiden interjected honey i understand you, but Mathias is one of our most capable and loyal servants don't you think you are overreacting
Overreacting, you think I'm overreacting, this bastard due to his negligence stole our sons childhood from him and you think I'm overreacting. If anything, I'm handling it pretty well considering the fact that he is still breathing.
Haaah, calm down dear, as i said before Mathias is one of our most loyal and capable servants. He can be punished, but that is as far as it should go. What has happened has happened. We cannot fret and lose someone of his abilities over this or we will regret it later
Lila exhaled sharply, forcing herself to sit back down. "You're right," she muttered. "But I still hate that this happened."
Aiden leaned forward. "The truth is, we didn't want Ryker to face this so soon. But it's happened, and there's no undoing it. The only thing we can do now is prepare him."
Lila's golden eyes darkened. "Yes," she murmured. "We must."
Then, after a long pause, she added coldly, "Mathias, have you identified the boy who dared to berate my son?"
Mathias nodded. "Yes, Milady. His name is Elias. He lives in the slums of the outer ring with his sister and sick mother. His father was an advanced core awakened but perished in a dungeon raid two years ago. Since then, he has been the sole provider for his family."
Lila's expression remained unreadable. "Take a few men and bring them here. Since he dared to speak against my son, he will serve him for life."
Mathias inclined his head. "Understood, Milady."
As he left the room, Aiden studied his wife with amusement. "You're sparing them?"
Lila scoffed. "Killing them would only hurt Ryker. He's too soft. If we're to shape him into the leader he must become, he needs to learn how to wield both kindness and ruthlessness."
Aiden nodded. "Agreed. I'll speak with him tomorrow."
"And I'll give him the best mental cultivation technique in my clan's archives," Lila added. "His mind must be unshakable."
That same night, under the shadows of the Phoenix Clan estate, Mathias moved with purpose. The air was cool and quiet, the hum of mana-infused wards resonating faintly in the distance. He approached the outer gate with a small detachment of guards, their expressions resolute yet wary. The slums of the outer ring lay ahead, a labyrinth of crumbling homes and narrow alleys, where flickering lanterns cast feeble light.
Elias's home was not hard to find. Its sagging roof and cracked walls stood out even among the decay of the outer ring. Mathias gestured for the guards to wait as he approached the door. He knocked firmly, his knuckles rapping against the worn wood.
Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing a thin, sharp-eyed boy. Elias stood straight, his shoulders squared despite the obvious exhaustion etched into his features. Behind him, a woman coughed weakly, her frail form lying on a makeshift bed. A little girl, no older than seven, clung to Elias's side, her wide eyes filled with both curiosity and fear.
Mathias met Elias's gaze. "Elias," he said, his voice steady but not unkind. "I am Mathias of the Phoenix Clan. We have come to escort you and your family to the estate."
Elias's eyes narrowed. "Escort us? Why?"
Mathias hesitated, then spoke carefully. "You spoke with the young master today. Milady Lila has decided that you are to serve him directly."
Elias's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. "And if I refuse?"
Mathias regarded him for a long moment before responding. "Refusal is not an option. But I can assure you this: no harm will come to you or your family. The young master is... different. Perhaps this could be an opportunity for change."
Elias's glare softened slightly, though the tension in his frame remained. He glanced back at his sister, who looked at him with wide, questioning eyes. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. But if you break your word, I will make you regret it."
Mathias inclined his head. "Understood."
The next morning, Ryker stood before his father in the Phoenix Throne Room, the chamber carved from volcanic stone and illuminated by the perpetual flame of the clan's mana core. His father, a towering figure, regarded him from the ornate throne with an expression as unreadable as ever.
"Ryker," his father said, his deep voice filling the chamber, "I understand you have questions."
Ryker stepped forward, small yet unshaken. "Father, why does the clan allow the outer ring to suffer? How can we claim to lead humanity while abandoning our own people?"
His father's sharp gaze bore into him. "You've seen the outer ring once, and already you question centuries of tradition?"
"Tradition doesn't justify cruelty," Ryker shot back. "How can humanity rise to its peak if we leave half of it behind?"
His father leaned back, his expression contemplative. "And what do you propose? Should I divert our resources from the front lines, risking our defenses, just to ease their suffering? Who will keep the monsters at bay? Who will protect them?"
Ryker hesitated.
"You speak of compassion," his father continued, "but leadership demands sacrifice. The Phoenix Clan has lost too much to waste its efforts on those who do not understand the burden we bear."
Ryker clenched his fists. "Even so… I know there's a better way."
Let's say i agree with you that abandoning them is not the way forward what next, If i give you the green light to do what you must for them what can you do. You have no power no influence, no resources that do not belong to the clan.
You are my son Ryker, my only heir and i love you beyond what words can describe but you are too young to understand the complexities of society. You must strengthen your mind. One encounter with an underprivileged boy has you this shaken and it's not a good sign, The world is not black and white. So, for now focus on yourself build your own strength, strengthen you mind and find out for yourself the truth behind this reality. After that, make your choice. Before then i don't want you to do anything rash. Do we have an agreement Ryker."
Yes Father