Ex rank talent Awakening: 100% Dodge rate

Greg's eyes narrowed. "One of them already showed up—at our house. And I couldn't do anything. Not a single thing."

Lilith, who had only recently entered this world, looked stunned. "Wait… when did this happen? Who was it?"

Greg paused. "He has an absolute concept."

The color drained from Lilith's face. "That's… troubling."

"What's an absolute concept?" Aaron asked.

"In simple terms," Lilith said, her voice quiet, "it means we're cooked. Absolute concepts can't be countered by normal power. Only someone with an absolute concept can beat another."

She turned to Greg. "How many of them… have this?"

Greg hesitated.

"Twenty-four… maybe more."

"Huh?" Lilith froze. Her confident demeanor cracked as her mind went blank for a heartbeat.

The others exchanged puzzled glances, unsure what had caused her sudden reaction—but Lilith understood all too well. She alone grasped the gravity of the situation. After all, she knew the terrifying weight behind the words absolute concept.

"We certainly cannot wage war against them. Not yet." Her voice was low, laced with a bitter mix of frustration and caution. "But what I don't understand is… how does your world even have so many absolute concept holders? Twenty-four? That's more than my world ever had."

She stared ahead, her expression darkening as the implications sank in. The demon god's grand ambitions suddenly seemed foolish—dangerously naive.

"They are hidden families," Greg explained, his tone steady, but not without weariness. "Their existence has been concealed from the world for centuries. They possessed ability long before the apocalypse."

"Wait, wait," Aaron cut in, his eyes wide with excitement. "You're saying this world had superpowers even before the end times? That's… sleek!"

A cold glare from nearly everyone in the room instantly silenced him.

"If your words are true…" Lilith began, her crimson eyes narrowing. "Then we must avoid them by all means necessary. Picking a fight with beings like that would be suicide."

"I'm afraid we can't do that," Greg said calmly.

Lilith turned to him sharply. "What do you mean?" Jessica echoed her with a frown tugging at her brow.

Greg exhaled slowly. "One of the hidden families has already made contact with me. They tried to recruit me—to pull me into their fold."

"And let me guess," Will George interjected with a dry chuckle, "you kicked in their door without a second thought."

Greg didn't respond, but the ghost of a smirk touched his lips.

"You can't seriously expect him to join their side, can you?" Annabelle snapped, shooting Will a disapproving glare.

"He's not wrong though," Thomas said, shrugging. "All he's saying is that Greg tends to act recklessly. We all know that."

Greg didn't deny it. He didn't even flinch. Deep down, he agreed. He had been reckless—and he wasn't about to regret it.

Will looked at Greg's face and read him like an open book. A wry smile spread across his own.

"You're right," Greg said finally, "I was reckless. Especially in letting him escape."

"You let him escape?!" Aaron sputtered, his jaw dropping.

Greg nodded. "I didn't know who he was at the time. I was caught off guard."

"Hah," Thomas scoffed. "Doesn't really matter. Whether he escaped or died, the end result would've probably been the same."

"All of you," Lilith interjected, waving a hand dismissively, "this isn't the time to psychoanalyze Greg. He wouldn't change even if you tattooed your concerns on his skin."

A slight smirk curled her lips. "Besides, isn't that why he formed a team in the first place? Despite his inability to lead, he somehow attracts people."

"Lilith is right," Jessica agreed. "Let's move forward. There's still much to plan." She turned to Annabelle. "Can you find Brian, Chris, and Cain? We'll need them here."

Then to Will, she added, "Use your connections. Send out a recruitment invitation to the entire world. Absolute concept wielders aren't our only concern. We're going to need numbers—lots of them."

And so, the discussion continued—laying the foundation for their resistance, their future, and perhaps even their dominion over the world. Quiet resolve gave way to strategy, a storm brewing beneath every calculated word.

---

Meanwhile, in a shadowed chamber on the other side of the world…

A long, rectangular table stretched across the center of a lavishly decorated hall, its dark mahogany surface gleaming under the crystal chandelier above. Around it sat the most powerful individuals in existence—heads of the hidden families.

At the helm sat the head of the Rothschild family, fingers steepled before him, eyes calm but commanding.

"We all know the reason for this meeting," he began without preamble. "So let's get straight to the point: the criteria for the battle for world domination."

Silence fell over the room as his voice echoed slightly against the marble walls. Every head of every hidden family was in attendance. The air was thick with power and quiet menace.

"First," he continued, "there shall be no infighting between our respective families. If a conflict arises over a region or a shared interest, a competition shall be held—one chosen by the families involved. The winner of the game will claim the prize. No exceptions."

The room remained silent, everyone listening intently.

"Second," he said, his tone deepening, "as agreed, each family head will proceed to awaken their ancestors from slumber. As promised, they will serve only as advisors and guardians. However, they are strictly forbidden from interfering in the competition… unless an external force becomes a threat. Only then may they act."

He paused.

"This second proposition," he added, "was not made by me. It was suggested by the Judge of All Hidden Families—Daniel."

At that exact moment, the heavy double doors at the far end of the chamber creaked open.

All heads turned as a tall figure stepped into view, his youthful face framed by silver hair that defied time. Daniel, the eternally young arbiter of balance and law, entered with measured steps.

Gasps rippled through the room. Even among the elite, his presence struck like a bolt of lightning.

Only two individuals remained unsurprised: the head of the Rothschild family, and Sabbah.

They had known.

They had waited.

The game for world supremacy had begun. And the pieces were already moving.