CHAPTER 255: AMBITATION

"We approve the proposal," came their unanimous response—swift and assured, as if the decision had already been made long before the question was asked.

The second request had passed.

Without missing a beat, Adyr moved forward—his next proposal flowing naturally, as though it were simply the next item on a carefully prepared agenda.

"Thank you for your support," he said, his voice smooth and composed, "and for your foresight. My next suggestion concerns the newly formed PTF unit. I propose we establish clear leadership. Selina White as Commander, with Victor Bates and Eren Jager serving as her captains."

The shift in the room was immediate.

Selina offered a calm, knowing smile, serene, as if this had been expected.

Victor’s reaction, however, was the opposite. His eyes widened in surprise, darting toward the others, clearly caught off guard.

Eren didn’t so much as blink. His broad frame remained planted in his seat, his expression unreadable. He looked like a man prepared to accept any role without question or pride.

Adyr’s choices made perfect sense. These were his closest allies—the people he trusted most. By elevating them to positions of command, he wasn’t just delegating power. He was securing it.

A wave of murmurs began to ripple through the hall. But before any of them could take root, Adyr’s voice sliced through the noise level, calm, yet impossible to ignore.

"For the STF operatives assigned to this mission," he continued, "I recommend Henry Bates as chief overseer. Rhys Graves will serve as field commander. As for their captains, I believe that decision should be left to their own discretion."

He smiled faintly, almost casually, as if offering harmless suggestions to a group of equals.

But the atmosphere told a different story.

Everyone in the room could feel it—these weren’t suggestions. They were declarations dressed in politeness. Every word he spoke carried weight. And one by one, each proposal would be accepted... not because they wanted to agree, but because none of them had the power to refuse.

Whether they realized it or not, Adyr was already in control.

Still, he left them space to speak. To respond. To pretend they had a voice in the matter.

One of the City Managers, his wrinkled features marked with quiet hesitation, finally raised his voice.

"We can accept your recommendation for the STF structure," he said slowly. "But the PTF...? We expected you to take command yourself."

It was a reasonable expectation. With Adyr’s current authority and influence, he could have claimed leadership over both forces, and not a single soul would have challenged him.

But the fact that he hadn’t... gave them pause. It made them wonder what he was truly aiming for.

Before he could reply, another voice rose—gentle, aged, and laced with amusement. Another City Manager, an elderly woman seated in the front row, leaned forward slightly as she spoke:

"Unless, of course, you have something else in mind."

Her words silenced the room once again. Every eye was trained on Adyr.

And then they saw it—the small change in his expression. His smile didn’t widen, but it sharpened. A glimmer of something deeper—intention—flashed behind his eyes.

He wasn’t interested in commanding the PTF. His ambitions clearly lay elsewhere.

Instead of answering her directly, Adyr posed a question of his own—his tone casual, as if they were discussing theory, not destiny.

"Are you aware of the governing systems that define the other world’s order?"

A pause followed, quiet and reflective. Then, from the Players’ section, a voice answered.

Selina White stood, poised and graceful, effortlessly drawing attention. She spoke with clarity and confidence.

"The world is divided by race. And those races have built kingdoms. At least, that’s what we know so far—from the Outer Region and the Midlands."

Beyond those two regions lay shadow and uncertainty. The Central Region and a place ominously called the Abyss Line remained unmapped—nothing more than names, whispered in fragments, without records or reliable sources.

Adyr nodded, satisfied, then continued.

"And what is the one thing that allows those kingdoms to exist... and continue to survive?"

Selina’s answer came without hesitation. Her tone shifted—weightier now.

"Power," she said. "Even the weakest kingdom in the Outer Region survives only because it has at least one Rank 4 Practitioner to protect it."

The clearest example was the Velari Kingdom—Adyr’s current foothold. If not for Liora Virell, a formidable Rank 4 Practitioner, that kingdom would have been torn apart long ago. Its people—wiped out.

Adyr’s expression changed—just slightly. The smile remained, but there was something behind it now. A quiet edge. His gaze drifted from Selina to the crowd, allowing his next words to settle deeply:

"So we can agree, then—if we want a foothold in that world, we’ll need at least one Rank 4 powerhouse on our side... wouldn’t you say?"

Silence.

But this time, it wasn’t uncertainty that held the room still—it was understanding.

Adyr’s voice rang out again, steady and clear.

"While all of you are focused on building the infrastructure—laying down the systems and structures—I will do my part... by pursuing the one thing that will keep it standing. Power."

His words didn’t need to be shouted. They carried their weight in clarity alone.

Then came a voice, faint, shaking, yet full of meaning.

"Do you intend to build a kingdom?" one of the City Managers asked. "A human kingdom?"

It was the dream they all shared. Everyone in that room. But to hear it voiced aloud—so soon, so plainly—set something alight.

Especially when the one thing that could make it possible... was Rank 4 power.

They had all read the reports. Heard the testimonies. They knew what a Rank 4 Practitioner was capable of.

A single one could destroy all 12 Shelter Cities with ease.

And now the question sat on every tongue:

How strong had Adyr already become? And how close was he to reaching Rank 4?

"Kingdom?" Adyr echoed the word with a short laugh, as if someone had just told a joke. His hands moved behind his back, his posture straightened, and he lifted his head.

No arrogance. Just certainty.

"I’m planning to build an empire."