CHAPTER 80: CH 80 ENTRANCE 2

Klaus had just boarded the car with his grandpa, William, leaving the familiar grounds of the Bennet Mansion.

The luxury magic car hummed to life, gliding smoothly along the long, winding driveway.

As they drove, Klaus’s mind replayed his recent activities.

In his past week, he had diligently practiced with his summoned monsters inside his fused subspace realm.

The System had advised him to hoard summons, to expand his legion daily, and he had followed that advice with strict discipline.

He already commanded a formidable force of 12,000 A-ranked monsters, far surpassing his previous 5,000.

He had also given the fused realm a new name, he now called it the Sanctuary.

To be honest, he did not have a particular name in mind initially, it was just the System subtly pestering him to give it a name, suggesting it would help to establish a better connection to the realm.

"Brat, don’t get overconfident," William said, his voice cutting into Klaus’s thoughts, his tone was stern.

"Alright? Many main family heirs were absent at the conclave. They are not to be underestimated.

Plus, there are many highly talented individuals from the common populace, the so called ’dark horses’ who choose to remain hidden, unaffiliated with any family or guild.

Try to bring them on your side if you can. It will be beneficial to you in the long run. Allies are crucial in the war to come."

"Okay, old man," Klaus nodded, acknowledging the advice.

He understood the value of allies, though his methods of bringing them to his side might differ from William’s.

"Grandpa," Klaus began, a faint smirk touching his lips.

"Let’s make a bet."

William sighed, a long, drawn-out sound that conveyed both exasperation and a hidden amusement.

"What bet, now? You want me to make you another wine bar in the mansion? Do you even care about your liver, brat?

You seem to be a drinking addict nowadays."

"Nope, old man, that’s not the case," Klaus retorted, his smirk widening.

"This time, the bet is different. It’s about the new dungeon."

"Speak," William said, a new curiosity in his voice, dismissing his earlier playful protests.

"If I get the first rank in the ranking battle," Klaus stated, his voice clear and firm.

"You will let me enter the SSS-rank dungeon before you allow anyone else. I get first access, undisputed."

William’s expression immediately shifted. His eyes narrowed, and a sudden, sharp intake of breath escaped him.

"Brat, are you mad?" he demanded, his voice low, filled with disbelief and concern.

"Do you even know why the Ravensteins, despite their immense value as a farm for SSS-ranked monsters and even stronger entities, agreed to give us that dungeon?"

"Why?" Klaus asked, his curiosity genuinely piqued.

"Because it is a ticking time bomb," William revealed, his voice grim.

"The SSS-rank dungeon, the one in the Antarctic landmass, is new and unstable.

If by any chance a gate break happens, then the monsters within, including powerful SSS-rank monsters and even EX-ranked, would literally leak out and start wreaking havoc.

Not just in a single city, but across every major city on the Blue Planet, causing unprecedented devastation.

And the whole responsibility will fall squarely on the Association’s head since we have officially signed the ownership transfer recently."

William continued, "I was going to go there myself, after your Academy entrance is over, to clean up the dungeon, stabilize it, and reinforce its defenses so it doesn’t break and unleash a catastrophe.

It’s a priority mission that requires careful planning and caution"

"Then just take me with you, old man," Klaus stated, his voice firm, no hint of hesitation.

He had already mentally calculated the implications.

The SSS-rank gate was a crucial stepping stone for his own System’s progression. He needed those SSS-rank kills eventually.

Klaus had already decided that he would not absorb the Antarctic SSS-rank gate core anytime soon, not until he established his identity as the "Gate-Eater" properly across the world, creating enough chaos and confusion to mask his unique ability.

So, he just wanted to advance to the SSS-rank in actuality for now, by defeating its monsters, so that he could open up a new path of progression within his own System.

Plus, his elemental affinities would get a major boost from such a high-tier dungeon, allowing him to create even more powerful skills.

"Fine, I guess," William said, a long sigh escaping him, though a faint, resigned smile touched his lips.

"But you will stay with me the whole time. You will follow my instructions without question. No reckless solo charges."

"Why are you being so flustered, Grandpa? I haven’t even won the bet yet," Klaus teased, a rare moment of lightheartedness.

William chuckled, a sound of defeat. "Because I know you will."

He said, his gaze fixed on Klaus.

He had seen Klaus’s prowess firsthand in the conclave, the overwhelming power of his skills and also his ruthlessness.

Even though he didn’t show it overtly, he knew that Klaus was an absolute monster, a force capable of truly remarkable feats. The bet was already decided in his mind.

"Hahaha," Klaus laughed heartily, genuinely amused by William’s resigned expression. "Sure, you know that."

The banter continued from both sides along the way, a comfortable back-and-forth.

The car finally pulled up to the grand entrance of the World Heritage Centre, the sun high in the sky.

Klaus disembarked his car, his form striking in the tailored suit, and walked towards the student entrance, his movements fluid and purposeful.

The area was still a hive of activity, swarming with media personnel and excited spectators.

"Hey, isn’t that Klaus Bennet?" A media reporter, quicker than the rest, spotted him immediately.

His voice was a shout, cutting through the general hum of the crowd.

Within seconds, all the news anchors and their camera crews swivelled, pointing their massive cameras towards Klaus.

The immediate vicinity became a blinding explosion of flashbulbs.

Now, the live broadcast of all the major channels simultaneously showed Klaus’s cold, composed face, his white hair gleaming under the powerful lights.

The anchor, his voice suddenly filled with heightened excitement, began speaking rapidly about Klaus’s mysterious background.

He recounted how Klaus had "charmed" Rose Blackwood during their dance at the banquet.

The media anchor knew the immense amount of views and social media engagement Klaus’s dance with Rose had gained; it had been the most talked-about moment of the banquet.

He was clearly delighted to see his live viewership ratings spike dramatically.

Klaus simply ignored the blinding camera flashes, the shouted questions, and the rapid-fire commentary.

He moved towards the entrance with Andre walking silently behind him, as a formidable bodyguard, his aura dispersing anyone who tried to come near Klaus.

Klaus casually walked inside, his composure unwavering, and disappeared through the entrance doors, leaving the media in a frenzy.

Inside the World Heritage Centre, a massive screen was airing the live broadcast from a random media house to engage the participants waiting in the lobby.

The faces of the participants, the young scions of various Legacy Families, flickered across the screen.

Several of these scions had been absent during the initial banquet, choosing to maintain their arrogant distance from the Blackwood family.

They had thought that Klaus’s sudden reputation was just the result of overwhelming a manipulated narrative designed to bolster William’s new heir.

They watched the live feed, narrowing their eyes, grumbling among themselves about how, when they entered, they were simply ignored by the media.

Now all attention was being stolen by this newcomer. They resented the fact that someone like Klaus, a newcomer without much history, was getting all the global attention.

Meanwhile, people like James Ravenstein were now shivering uncontrollably, seeing the young man enter.

Those who had been "cooked" by him alive in the virtual arena, those who had experienced the terror of his sudden, overwhelming surprise attacks, knew the true horror.

They knew that Klaus, unlike others, did not wait for even a breath of time.

His attacks were instantaneous, lethal, and utterly unpredictable. The sheer unpredictability and raw strength of this man were horrifying.

They watched his composure on screen, his cold eyes, and a chilling thought settled into their minds.

In the actual ranking battle, they would ensure they never, under any circumstances, crossed paths with him.

They would actively avoid him, even if it meant sacrificing their own progression.

His presence alone had already shifted the psychological landscape of the competition.