Journey to Become the Zenith

Whispers of the Underworld

The night over Fantom City had deepened by the time Lane left Clara behind.

Moonlight coated the rooftops in silver, and the cool wind of the northern district carried the scent of smoke, cheap perfume, and spilled ale. The streets below were alive with shadows and murmurs—gamblers, drunks, merchants of questionable goods.

But Lane ignored all of it.

Her steps were light, almost silent, as she ran across the rooftops.

Victor’s list remained folded inside her sleeve.

Every instruction he had given was clear in her mind.

Soon the rooftops changed.

The narrow streets of the Northern District appeared below.

Once this area had been one of the most dangerous places in Fantom City—controlled by gangs, smugglers, and drug dealers.

But things had changed recently.

Now the brothels and gambling houses still existed...

But the drug trade had quietly vanished.

In its place, a far more valuable commodity was being sold.

Information.

And the reason for that shift was simple.

Eon.

The man Victor had placed here.

Eon’s men now guarded the brothels.

They patrolled the streets, stood watch at corners, and ensured that violence remained under control.

Because of that, the Northern District had become strangely... safer.

Not lawful.

But organized.

Lane landed lightly on the roof of a familiar building.

Below her was the office of the woman who controlled most of the information network here.

Brinda.

Without hesitation, Lane crossed the roof and slipped through the open window.

Inside the office, warm candlelight flickered softly.

A figure of calm settled into the chair, hands resting easy near a notebook. The desk held her weight without protest, steady beneath quiet fingers.

Into the space she walked, quiet yet impossible to ignore. A stillness followed her, settling like dust after a footstep. Not loud, but large somehow. The air shifted without sound. Then silence waited for her voice.

Beauty clung to Brinda like morning light on water. A glance her way never stayed just one. Her presence arrived before she did. Eyes followed without meaning to. Something about her made silence speak louder.

Flowing strands of deep purple tumbled past her shoulders, smooth as polished silk. Those eyes - one shade darker than twilight - cut through noise with quiet certainty, leaving many speechless on first sight.

Her lips curved into a slow, knowing smile.

A loose knot held the purple robe at her hips, its fold falling open slightly to show the gentle slope of her collarbone and boobs to the stretch of leg caught in the gown’s tall side gap. That shape stood out - not loud but sure, shaped soft and wide, carried slow on purpose, each step fluid like something seen through water. Stillness did not make it less sharp.

She looked like temptation itself.

And she knew it.

With a slow stretch, Brinda tilted her head. ”You know,” she added, eyes half-lidded, fingers curled beneath her jaw, ”you could just use the front entrance.”

Her smile deepened.

”I already noticed you the moment you stepped on the roof.”

Lane didn’t answer.

Behind Brinda stood Eon.

The black-haired man leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, his dark eyes narrowing slightly when he saw Lane enter.

Unlike Brinda, he didn’t bother hiding his irritation.

Ever since they had agreed to work under Victor, they hadn’t seen him again.

Victor had promised Eon something important.

He had promised to help increase Eon’s mana capacity.

But nothing had happened yet.

And that left Eon in a bad mood.

”So,” Eon said bluntly, ”what do you want?”

Lane stepped forward calmly.

”Victor asked if you already sent some men to Kanal Village.”

Eon answered immediately.

”I already did that.”

His tone still carried faint irritation.

Lane simply nodded.

”Victor also said...”

She paused slightly.

”...once he returns from his trip, he will begin trying to raise your mana capacity.”

Eon froze.

His eyes widened.

For a moment he looked genuinely shocked.

Then slowly, he exhaled.

”...Good.”

That was all he said.

But the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

Lane turned her attention to Brinda.

”Brinda.”

Victor’s next message.

”You need to gather information about the underground businesses of the neighboring cities.”

Brinda tilted her head slightly.

Her violet eyes studied Lane carefully.

”Why?”

Her lips curved in a teasing smile.

Even though she already suspected the answer...

She wanted to hear it.

Lane answered calmly.

”Victor said we should conquer the underworld societies of the nearby cities.”

Her voice remained emotionless.

”And we should do it within two months.”

Silence filled the room.

Then—

Eon’s lips slowly curled into a grin.

His blood practically boiled with excitement.

Conquer the underworld.

That was exactly the kind of ambition he respected.

Brinda, however...

She felt something different.

A faint shiver ran down her spine.

Victor.

The young man’s presence was unforgettable.

The first time she had sensed his mana...

It had felt like standing before something that wanted to devour the world itself.

His ambition...

His calm confidence...

It thrilled her.

Brinda leaned back in her chair.

Her lips curved into a slow, seductive smile.

”Very well.”

Her violet eyes glimmered.

”I’ll do as he says.”

Lane watched her silently.

But inside—

Her emotions stirred.

That woman...

She’s thinking about Victor.

Lane’s fingers tightened slightly.

This damn woman.

If Victor didn’t need her...

I would put an arrow through her skull.

But Lane showed none of that on her face.

Her expression remained perfectly calm.

Her black eyes revealed nothing.

Once the message was delivered, Lane turned toward the window.

Her task was finished.

But before she could leave—

Brinda’s voice stopped her.

”Wait.”

Lane paused.

Brinda leaned forward slightly.

”That’s all?”

Her lips curved playfully.

”Aren’t you going to take your share of the profit?”

Lane didn’t even turn her head.

But she remembered something Victor had said.

”Victor said...”

Her voice remained steady.

”...use that money to buy more information.”

”The more information we can sell, the better.”

Then she added one final instruction.

”Oh.”

”I almost forgot.”

Now she turned slightly.

Her gaze landed on Brinda.

”Any information you acquire about noble houses ranked Earl or above...”

Her voice sharpened.

”...we keep that for ourselves.”

”And you inform Victor when he returns.”

Brinda’s smile widened.

How interesting.

Without waiting for a reply, Lane stepped onto the window frame.

And jumped.

Her figure vanished into the night.

Brinda watched the empty window for a moment.

Then she sighed softly.

”...Like I said.”

Her lips curved with quiet amusement.

”You could’ve just used the front entrance.”

But her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

To Victor.

To the terrifying mana she had felt from him.

To the ambition hidden behind that calm smile.

A faint thrill ran through her body.

Brinda leaned back slowly in her chair.

Her violet eyes gleamed.

”That boy...”

She whispered to herself.

”...is going to shake this entire city.”

And strangely—

The thought excited her.