Chapter 512
Minutes before the third round began, the Reunion Class hall vibrated with tension.
Tobias stood his ground as Belinda stormed toward him.
She slammed a finger into his chest, hard enough to jolt him back.
“Tobias, you useless piece of shit,” she screamed, fury cutting every word. “Listen carefully. You will make damn sure your Phantom does not win this round. Do you understand me p>
“The Phantom has to win the final round,” Tobias said fearlessly.
Her hand cracked across his face.
“How dare you disobey me?” Belinda snapped. “I am your fiancée. Don’t forget-I lent you fifty thousand dollars when you were drowning in debt. My father will never forgive this. You will regret crossing me, so shut up and do exactly what I say p>
Tobias said nothing.
A man like him had learned long ago that arguing only made things worse. He stood there in silence, as he always did, letting others speak over him.
Belinda circled him like a queen inspecting a prisoner. “Do you know how powerful my family is p>
Tobias nodded slowly. “I memorized it. You made sure I did p>
She smiled, slow and cruel. “Good. Then you know what happens when you embarrass us p>
Her voice dropped, sharp and icy.
“Here’s what you’ll do,” Belinda continued. “You will make sure Phantom loses. I’ve already put two hundred thousand dollars on the bet. My father put in fifty million p>
She leaned closer, eyes burning.
“If you let Phantom win, I’ll divorce you and force you to repay every cent you owe. Hell, I’ll kill you myself p>
“Enough,” Tobias said at last, his spine finally straightening. “Say whatever you want. The Phantom will win the third round p>
He lifted his eyes and met hers.
“And our engagement is over,” he said coldly. “Starting now p>
“How dare you reject me?” Belinda screamed.
She raised her hand again, ready to slap him.
Tobias closed his eyes.
The slap never came.
When he opened them, ten men in black suits had appeared out of nowhere, forming a tight circle around him.
One of them caught Belinda’s wrist in midair.
The man turned to Tobias and spoke calmly.
“Sir, tell me how you want us to handle this woman. I can break every bone in her body in seconds p>
Tobias froze. “Who… who are you p>
“We’re security,” one of them whispered, careful not to draw attention. “Sent by Eden Group to protect you. The Countess asked you to check your bank account. The transfer has already gone through p>
Another man stepped forward and placed a heavy suitcase into Tobias’s hands.
“Inside is two million dollars in cash,” he said quietly. “Use it however you like p>
Tobias stared at the suitcase.
Then he looked at Belinda.
“She slapped me once,” Tobias said after a pause. “So slap her once for me. Just once p>
“Sure,” the man gripping Belinda’s wrist said.
He raised his hand, tensing every muscle in his arm, pouring all his strength into the strike and slapped her once, hard, with everything he had.
The sound cracked through the room.
It wasn’t light. It was brutal.
Belinda was thrown to the floor. Two of her teeth skidded across the tiles. Blood poured from her mouth.
“How dare you!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face from pain and shock.
Tobias calmly placed the suitcase on the table and snapped it open.
Stacks of cash filled the case.
The room erupted in gasps. Whistles. Shocked murmurs.
Tobias picked up a bundle of bills. Each stack was ten thousand dollars. He grabbed
five stacks and tossed them onto Belinda’s body.
“That’s fifty thousand,” he said coldly. “The money I owed you p>
He picked up another five stacks and threw them beside the first.
“And another fifty thousand. Interest included. Exactly as promised.” Belinda stared at the money, shaking.
“We’re done,” Tobias said. “No debts. No engagement. No connection p>
He closed the suitcase and turned to leave, surrounded immediately by his bodyguards.
Belinda tried to rush forward, rage twisting her face, but the guards blocked her without hesitation.
“Do you really think your trash Phantom can win against Alpha and the other companies?” she screamed. “You’re dreaming p>
She laughed hysterically.
“I’ll take you hundred thousand and bet it all against your Phantom. When it gets destroyed, I’ll win a hundred million. You pathetic bastard p>
Tobias stopped and looked back at her.
“As your former classmate,” he said calmly, “I advise you to stop betting. Phantom will win. You’ll lose everything p>
“Phantom will win?” Belinda burst into laughter as she pushed herself up. “If Phantom wins, I’ll eat shit right in front of you p>
Tobias smiled.
“Fine,” he said evenly. “Everyone here, remember this moment. When Phantom wins, make sure she eats it p>
He paused, eyes cold.
“I’ll donate one hundred thousand dollars to anyone willing to stay and witness it until the end p>
Tobias walked out with his heart pounding.
He had always been timid. Careful. The kind of man who swallowed anger and stepped aside.
But not today.
He was done running. Done bending. For the first time in his life, he wanted to be the one who forced change.
As he reached the exit, Ragnar stepped into his path.
“Tobias,” Ragnar said coldly, “I gave you a way out. I was generous. And you chose the hardest road.” His lips curled. “Do you really think your Phantom can survive? The other nine mobile suits will hunt it down. They’ll tear it apart in front of everyone p>
Tobias didn’t slow his steps.
“We don’t know yet, Ragnar,” he said without turning back. “Until the third round ends, no one knows what will happen p>
“Keep dreaming!” Ragnar roared. “Remember this—when you lose, your entire family will belong to me p>
Tobias kept walking.
Outside, Eden Group security was already in position. A fast spacecraft waited with engines humming, sleek and ready.
“Where are we going?” Tobias asked as he boarded.
“Somewhere safe,” the lead security officer replied, voice calm and professional.
“Far from danger. Your family has already been extracted. You’ll reunite at the secure location p>
“Is this really necessary?” Tobias asked quietly.
“When Phantom wins the third competition,” the officer said evenly, “you won’t survive the backlash. Only a corporation as large as Eden Group can handle what comes after p>
Tobias opened the screen and looked back at the stadium feed.
“So Eden Group believes Phantom can win?” he asked.
On the screen, Phantom entered the arena in the final seconds. The crowd roared.
The match began.
Nine mobile suits raised their weapons.
Phantom moved forward.
Alone. Calm. Unarmed.
The commentator laughed loudly.
“Did I see that right?” the
commentator scoffed. “Phantom is
entering the arena without
weapons. Are they already
bankrupt? Gant eveni
equipment p>
The second commentator shook his head, lips curling in disdain.
“No. Phantom’s weapons are outdated. They can’t pierce the thick armor of the other mobile suits Sout decided to stroll into the park empty-handed instead p>
Both of them burst into laughter.
On the screen, Phantom kept walking forward.
Without fear.
Then the start signal shot into the sky.
The other mobile suits locked their weapons, fingers hovering over the triggers,
ready to fire at the slightest command.
And then-
To everyone’s shock, every other mobile suit dropped to its knees before the
Phantom.
The drivers felt it at the same time.
A crushing killing intent.
An invisible force slammed down
them, heavy and absolute, like the
gn
weight of the sky it pressed into their chests crushed their thoughts, stripped away courage..net
Some drivers passed out instantly.
Others lost control, urine soaking their suits, mouths hanging open as saliva spilled
out uncontrollably.
Alpha’s driver gasped, voice tearing apart inside the cockpit.
“I—I can’t move. My body won’t listen to me p>
His co-pilot screamed over comms, “It’s just a machine! It’s just Phantom p>
The driver’s teeth chattered violently. “No… it’s looking at me p>
Systems blared warnings. His hands slipped off the controls.
“I’ve fought wars,” he sobbed. “I’ve killed men p>
Phantom stepped closer.
Slow. Silent. Absolute.
The driver dropped fully to his knees.
“This isn’t combat,” he whispered, shame breaking him. “This is judgment p>
Something terrifying was looking down at him.
Something far above.
All he could do was tremble.
It was like a small chicken facing an alpha wolf. No fight. No resistance. Only fear.
Phantom stepped forward.
Calm. Unhurried.
It reached Alpha and took its weapon with a single smooth motion. Then Phantom
turned, lifting that same weapon and aiming it at the kneeling mobile suit.
The trigger clicked.
A laser burst out.
The kneeling mobile suit was destroyed instantly.
Then another.
And another.
One by one. They didn’t move.
They didn’t fight.
They only knelt and were executed.
“Am I… am I seeing this wrong?” the commentator shouted, voice shaking. “Are the
other mobile suits just waiting to be executed p>
The second commentator screamed, voice cracking.
“Why aren’t they fighting back?! MOVE p>
A spectator hurled a bottle at the screen.
“You cowards! You took our money p>
Another shouted, veins bulging, “This is rigged! Eden Group is cheating p>
The stadium shook with rage.
“Fight back, you bastards p>
“Go fight that tin can p>
But Phantom didn’t stop.
It kept firing.
Cold. Methodical. Merciless.
One execution after another.
Nine entered.
Four were already gone.
Online, the outrage exploded.
“What are these companies doing p>
“Are they working together to steal our money p>
“Fight, damn it p>
“You’re all paid by Eden Group p>
The entire Prussian nation boiled with rage.
It had never hated anyone this much.
High above, Countess Marlena laughed until her voice cracked, delight pouring out
of her.
“Damn it! Damn it!” the other company owners screamed. “My money-my fucking
money! I put everything into that bet p>
They smashed whatever was within reach, fists and rage flying, cursing one another
as their machines were destroyed one by one.
They stared at Phantom like it was death itself.
An angel of execution.
Finally, only Alpha remained.
Its driver knelt on the battlefield, shaking uncontrollably.
Phantom raised the weapon.
And placed the barrel against Alpha’s head.