Liam stood at the heart of the chaos, his eyes locked on Vance, the man who had been orchestrating the underground System distribution.
The Corrupted Core behind him sputtered and cracked, unstable energy arcing wildly.
The once confident recruits screamed, collapsing as their forced System activation backfired.
The Elite Enforcers lay unconscious, broken by Liam's superior combat skills.
The smoke cleared, revealing the final two standing.
Liam Carter vs. Vance.
A standoff between two System Users.
And only one of them was leaving victorious.
---
Vance: A System Monster
Vance rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck, his calm smirk returning.
"You're full of surprises, kid," he said, unshaken despite the destruction around him. "I figured you'd be a problem… but I didn't expect you to tear through my operation in a single night."
Liam kept his stance firm, watching every twitch in Vance's muscles.
His System-enhanced instincts screamed: Vance was dangerous. More than anyone he'd fought so far.
> System Scan:
Vance – System User Level 2.9 (Critical Progress to Level 3).
Threat Level: Extreme.
Liam's jaw tightened.
"Damn. He's almost at Level 3."
Vance grinned, sensing his concern.
"Yeah, you feel it, don't you?" He spread his arms, a dark energy rippling around his body. "I'm on the verge of ascending. And you? You're standing in my way."
Liam's fists clenched.
This was it.
He had one shot to take Vance down before he reached Level 3.
Because if he failed?
Vance would become something far worse.
---
The First Clash
Vance moved first.
Fast. Too fast.
A shockwave blasted outward as he lunged at Liam, fists glowing with raw System energy.
Liam barely dodged, flipping backward as Vance's punch shattered the concrete floor where he had just been standing.
Too much power. Too much speed.
Liam gritted his teeth.
"If he hits me even once at full strength, I'm done."
> System Combat Prediction Activated.
Analyzing Vance's movement patterns…
Weakness Identified: Power Focused on Strength, Slight Lag in Speed Recovery.
Liam's eyes sharpened.
"He's got overwhelming force, but his recovery time leaves gaps."
That was his opening.
Liam moved in.
Vance swung—a brutal right hook aimed at his skull.
Liam ducked, slipped inside the attack, and drove his knee into Vance's ribs.
CRACK!
Vance stumbled back, surprised.
But Liam wasn't done.
He spun, delivering a sharp elbow to Vance's temple, then launched a precise kick to his jaw.
Vance reeled, shaking off the pain, but Liam saw it.
A flicker of frustration.
He's not invincible.
---
Vance's Rage: System Surge
Vance spat blood and laughed.
"Not bad, Carter." His voice darkened. "But let me show you what real power looks like."
His System interface glowed, his entire body pulsing with energy.
> Vance is forcibly pushing into Level 3.
WARNING: His strength is increasing exponentially.
Liam's breath hitched.
"Shit. He's forcefully leveling up."
Vance's muscles expanded slightly, his veins glowing a faint red.
Then—he disappeared.
Liam barely had time to react.
A fist slammed into his gut, sending him flying backward.
CRASH!
Liam smashed through a stack of crates, coughing blood.
Pain exploded through his body.
Vance appeared above him, bringing down a hammer-like punch.
Liam rolled just in time, the impact shattering the ground where he lay.
He was outmatched.
For the first time, Liam was losing.
---
A Desperate Gamble: Overclocking the System
Liam wiped the blood from his mouth, his mind racing.
"I can't match his strength… but I don't have to."
He opened his System interface, heart pounding.
"System! Override my limits! Push my reflexes to the absolute max!"
The System hesitated.
> WARNING: This will put extreme stress on your body. Risk of injury: HIGH.
Liam's eyes burned with determination.
"DO IT."
> Override Engaged.
Reflexes boosted by 300%.
Processing speed enhanced by 250%.
Pain dampening activated.
A white-hot surge of energy coursed through Liam's veins.
His vision sharpened. Time slowed.
And now?
He could see every one of Vance's movements before he made them.
---
The Final Exchange
Vance charged again, faster than before.
But Liam moved faster.
Duck the first punch.
Parry the follow-up strike.
Slip past his defenses.
Counter.
Liam unleashed hell.
A brutal hook to the ribs.
A spinning knee to the chest.
A lightning-fast elbow to the jaw.
Vance staggered.
He roared in frustration, swinging wildly.
Liam sidestepped and drove his fist into Vance's throat.
The crime lord choked, stumbling back.
His guard was down.
Liam moved in for the kill.
A final, devastating kick to the head.
Vance's eyes rolled back as he collapsed.
Unconscious. Defeated.
---
The Aftermath: Liam's Rise
The room fell silent.
The recruits, the few remaining enforcers—they all stared in disbelief.
Vance, their powerful leader, lay broken at Liam's feet.
Liam exhaled, his body screaming in pain.
But he forced himself to stand tall.
This wasn't just a victory.
This was a statement.
Liam Carter had just taken down the most dangerous underground System User in the city.
And now?
He owned the battlefield.
A System notification flashed.
> Congratulations. You have defeated Vance.
System Upgrade Unlocked: Level 3 Progression Available.
Liam smirked.
"This war isn't over."
"It's just beginning."
Ultimate Life Upgrade System
Chapter 15.2: The Aftermath of War
Liam stood over Vance's unconscious body, his chest rising and falling heavily. His entire body screamed in pain from pushing the System beyond its natural limits, but he refused to collapse.
The room was dead silent.
The remaining recruits and enforcers stood frozen, staring in disbelief.
**Vance—**the underground System lord, the man who had terrorized this city's black market, had fallen.
And Liam?
He was still standing.
A System notification flashed before his eyes.
Congratulations! You have defeated Vance.
System Upgrade Unlocked: Level 3 Progression Available.
Liam's fingers clenched into fists.
"I did it."
He had won the battle.
But now?
He needed to secure the victory.
Taking Control: The First Move
Liam scanned the remaining people in the room.
The Elite Enforcers were unconscious.
The new recruits were disoriented, still weak from their failed forced activation.
They were leaderless. Vulnerable.
He could feel their fear.
One of the recruits, a young man with short black hair, swallowed hard and asked in a shaky voice:
"…What happens now?"
Liam's eyes darkened.
He could say one sentence that would change everything.
A statement of power. A declaration of dominance.
His voice was cold, commanding.
"You work for me now."
The recruits visibly tensed, unsure whether to resist or submit.
Liam took a step forward, his System-enhanced presence suffocating the room.
"You think I took Vance down just to walk away?" He gestured at their fallen leader. "He was running an empire built on fear. I'm offering you something better—power, control, and a future."
One of the enforcers, barely conscious, coughed out a bitter laugh.
"You expect us to just follow you?"
Liam's foot snapped forward, slamming into the enforcer's gut. The man gasped in pain, doubling over.
Liam crouched down, his voice a whisper of steel.
"You don't have to follow me. You can take your chances out there—alone, weak, and hunted by the next guy who wants this power."
The enforcer gritted his teeth.
Liam stood back up, eyes scanning the recruits.
"I don't need weak followers. If you want to leave, go. But if you stay, you'll be stronger than you ever imagined."
Silence.
Then—one by one, they knelt.
A silent oath of loyalty.
Liam had won more than a battle.
He had claimed the throne.
System Notification: New Power Secured
New Achievement: Lord of the Underground
You have taken control of a major System distribution network.
Reputation Increase: Underground Influence Rising.
New Resources Acquired: Base, Recruits, Intelligence Network.
Liam smirked.
"Vance built this empire. Now it's mine."
But his victory was short-lived.
Because before he could even take a breath—
His System flashed red.
WARNING! WARNING!
Unidentified System Users Incoming. Estimated Power Level: HIGH.
Liam's eyes snapped to the broken entrance.
And that's when he heard them.
Footsteps. Slow. Heavy. Controlled.
Two figures stepped through the smoke-filled hall.
One was a woman dressed in sleek black combat gear, her piercing gaze locked onto Liam like a predator.
The other was a towering man, his presence radiating something dark—something unnatural.
Liam's breath slowed. His instincts screamed.
These weren't just random thugs.
They were elite System Users.
And they had come for him.
The Next Enemy Appears
The woman's lips curled into a smirk.
"So you're the kid who took down Vance," she mused, crossing her arms.
Liam's eyes narrowed.
She's not surprised.
The towering man cracked his knuckles, his voice a deep, menacing growl.
"The boss isn't happy about what you did," he muttered. "But he likes results. And you? You've got his attention."
Liam stilled.
"The boss?"
His mind raced.
Vance wasn't the top of the chain.
Someone higher up had been running this from the shadows.
The woman tilted her head.
"Let's keep this simple, Carter. You have two choices."
She raised two fingers.
"One—you work for us. Take Vance's place, expand the operation, and keep the System flow running. You'll have wealth, power, and access to Level 4 resources."
She lowered one finger.
"Or two… we kill you now."
Liam's pulse steadied.
A lesser man would hesitate. Fear. Fold.
But Liam?
He grinned.
"You think I'm stupid enough to hand over my empire to someone else?"
The woman's smile widened.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
She vanished.
Liam's System screamed a warning.
WARNING: Enemy Combat Power Detected.
Level 3 System User – Special Class: Assassin.
Liam barely dodged as a knife cut through the air where his throat had been.
She reappeared behind him, spinning with a second attack.
Liam's foot snapped up, blocking her blade with precise control.
The towering man moved next, his fist crashing toward Liam like a wrecking ball.
Liam flipped back just in time, the impact shattering the ground beneath them.
WARNING: Two enemies at Level 3. Combat Prediction Unstable.
Liam's teeth clenched.
"Damn. I'm outmatched."
He wasn't ready for two Level 3 enemies at once.
But he wasn't going down easy.
Liam gritted his teeth and activated his most powerful ability.
System Override: Unleashing Full Reflex and Combat Awareness.
Time slowed.
He could see their attacks before they happened.
If they wanted a war?
Then he'd give them one.
To be continued: