Gil and Cynthia immediately stopped their conversation as they heard the name of the new President. Everyone thought that Latanya's name would be called… But Evans?

Was that… Van?

​​

Their questions, however, were quickly answered as a small boy stood on the ledge of the balcony. The previous whispers and cheers were now drowned by the silence that filtered through the air as everyone on the plaza stared at the boy.

"Pft," after a few more seconds of silence, Cynthia finally could not hold it in as she let out a small chuckle. And her chuckled signaled the start of the people's confusion; their bewildered whispers traveling from one person to the next.

Eugene, who was at the very front and could see the new President clearly, was probably the most confused of them all; almost asking the old general, Sasha, if this was some sort of joke. But seeing the weight on her eyes, he could only take it as the truth. If Eugene was not mistaken, there were also hints of admiration exuding from her eyes.

Back at the end of the line, Gerald's eye was already twitching uncontrollably. He could swear that Van was totally looking down on him as he stood short on the ledge. The one beside him, on the other hand, had a complicated expression on her face.

Xinyan couldn't believe that the newly appointed President of the Locals was just a kid. But this could also be a good thing, she thought. Since he was only a kid, she could easily manipulate him into going outside the Pit and fight the Circle.

It wasn't only her thoughts that lingered in the air. The whispers of everyone in the plaza were starting to drown the air.

"This… boy assassinated the President!?"

"How is he even capable of doing something like that!?"

"Will… will we be alright?"

All sorts of whisper and clamor echoed throughout the plaza.

But then, once again, silence.

Almost instantly, the people shut their mouths as soon as their new President stepped forward… on empty air.

"W… what the?"

"Is… is he flying!?"

Van looked at the people below him, completely ignoring their hums of awe as he continued to use his [Air Step] to walk forward above them. Suddenly, it was as if the boy with the short figure could no longer be seen, all that was left was a towering figure that stood above them… literally.

Nisha and Latanya, who were with the senate and leaders of the other Cities at the balcony, could not help but let out a loud sigh at the same time.

"You think you could have done something like that?" Nisha muttered as she slightly glanced at Latanya.

"Don't start."

Hearing Nisha's words, Latanya could only sigh once again. The role of being the leader of the Locals should have been hers, but alas, fate had something else in store for her.

Still… seeing Van floating domineeringly in the air like that, perhaps fate actually had something grander planned, Latanya thought as she lightly licked her lips.

"...People of Somer-- No..." Van's words started to resound throughout the plaza. There was a slight stutter. Still, there was an unexplainable calmness in his tone, "Lost people of the Pit…

...There is another world out there, a land much bigger than this one."

"!!!"

Those in the senate and the leaders of the other cities immediately clamored to stop Van from continuing his words. They were, however, quickly stopped by the guards and soldiers before they could even take a step forward.

"W… why are you stopping us!?"

"He is the one we should stop!"

"We have strict orders from the President not to let anyone disturb him."

"O… orders? Why are you following him!? He just--"

"He is the President, sir. Please watch your tone."

The higher-ups could only slightly back away as they heard the serious tone in the guards' words. The boy has barely been in the position for 2 weeks, and yet he had already captured the soldiers? Just what exactly did he do!?

Even when they arrived here, in the Main City, they were asked to wait in their rooms, only meeting the new President once. If they knew that he was planning something like this, then they would have immediately started a coup.

Their minds hollered as they could only continue to listen to Van's words.

"The Gate is a portal to another world?"

"Is that… true?"

"I did hear a rumor… but I thought--"

"Some of that world's people are standing amongst you right now."

"!!!"

The City Locals could not help but look around them, their eyes full of wary as they tried to find who it was.

"I am one of them."

"!!!"

The people could not help but once again turn their heads towards Van as they heard his words. Their murmurs were growing louder and louder by the second, their whispers becoming talks.

"And so are all of you. You are all sons and daughters of the world outside."

Van's words felt heavier and heavier as his speech went on. The Locals no longer knew how to react, or if what their new President was saying was true in the first place. But still… they could not help but be drawn to him; their ears have never been this open before.

"The people outside have hidden you from the rest of the world because they are ashamed of you…

...Ashamed of us. They threw us out here because they decided that we had no right to live in their world. Like how all of you decided that the Villagers had no right to live in yours. Even leaving children who did not know any better to die, to suffer just because they can't be bothered to help those who are inferior to them."

Latanya, who was intently listening on the balcony, could only close her eyes and take a deep breath as Van's words instantly resonated with her. The City Locals still had no idea what Van was saying; but for some reason, the blood on their veins was starting to clamor… It was as if something was calling them.

Van then slowly raised his hand, and in it was a Crystal. And before any Locals could even wonder what it was for, he dropped it.

Those directly below Van started to fight as the Crystal landed on their reach, trying to grab the Crystal from whoever was able to catch it.

"There are more of those inside the castle," Van said as he pointed towards the castle, "A mountain of them is being hidden to you by the previous leaders of this world."

"..." Latanya furrowed her eyebrows. Just what is Van thinking, she thought. Was he planning to instigate chaos?

"But even if we give those away, they will not be enough for even a third of you. But you know where there will be enough for all of you? Where all of you will have a chance to be one of the strong!? Opportunity is nearer to you than you imagined…

...It's out there in my world. Everyone will have the chance to get thousands, no. Hundreds of thousands of Crystals much more valuable than what you were just fighting for. Treasures that are just waiting for us to claim, a vast land where all of us can laugh with our friends and family… and yet we are here, hiding like rats, only taking whatever scraps they throw at us!"

The Locals started to look at each other, their whispers once again a background to Van's words.

"So the first thing I would do as your new President… is to set all of you free."

"!!!"

"And the second one…

...is to destroy anyone that stands in the way of that freedom. It is us or them… We will kill them all if we need to!"

"W… what!?" Gil could not help but stutter as he heard the last words that were coming out of Van, "What… what are you saying, Van!? This isn't the way to--"

"Yeah!"

"Kill them all!"

Before Gil could finish his words, the Prisoners' shouts that were filled with fire drowned the entire plaza. And soon, even the Locals were starting to cheer. If there really was another land out there where they will have more opportunities, then they would gladly journey there.

"N… no," Gil once again voiced out his worry, "There… are criminals here. And if all of these people go out…

...There will be chaos."

"I think that is what the little boss wants."

"W… what do you mean?" Gil quickly turned his head as soon as he heard Cynthia's words.

"If this kind of number went out all at once… he would be able to escape without a problem. The guards will be busy killing most of them that they won't even notice him."

"Van… Van wouldn't do that."

"You really are blind, Gil," Cynthia could not help but let out a long sigh, "Sometimes it's cute, but you should know by now that little boss doesn't care about the lives of other people…

...He is a fucking psychopath. I would know."

"Is… is it really like that?" Gil took a nervous gulp as his worries grew by the second.

Xinyan listened to Van's speech attentively, not even allowing herself to miss a single word. And the things she heard put a smile on her face. She initially wished to request an audience with him, convince him to fight the Circle.

But it would seem she didn't even need to.

"This world…" Van's voice slowly became quiet. But even then, it whispered to the ears of the people as if it was his loudest words yet, "The world…

...The world will be ours."