From Ruin to Reign Leander's Unbreakable Will novel Chapter 188

Chapter 188 The Storm Is Coming, Strong Enemies Approaching

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As Wayne’s words fell, the room plunged into silence. Even the masked man–the strongest

among

them–narrowed his eyes under the hood, a rare flicker of tension betraying his calm.

“So, you’re saying the higher–ups want us to bring Jeff into the Arbitration Office? And if he refuses, we kill him?”

The glamorous woman’s expression twisted in shock. For all their arrogance, the Arbitration Office always weighed its interests first. Provoking an S–level powerhouse without cause wasn’t strategy–it was suicide.

“Wayne, just be honest,” the man in the black trench coat said, voice like steel. “Why do they care so much about Jeff? You know as well as I do–challenging someone like him could tear this place apart.”

“I know. The higher–ups know too. But this isn’t negotiable. Jeff must either join us or die. Because he killed one of our own,” Wayne replied.

He tapped the table, then flicked his finger. A pulse of inner force shot out from his palm, summoning a cup from across the room into his hand.

“You may not have known this, but Tsaric–the Sword Master of Yamora–wasn’t just some wandering powerhouse. He was one of us–a fellow arbitrator. Not internal–he was an external arbitrator, personally appointed by the Chief Arbitrator. But make no mistake–he was family.

“It was because of his affiliation with us that his strength surged over the past decade. He was on the brink of the Transcendent Realm.”

The others looked at each other, shock lingering. None of them had known this. But now, it made sense. The Arbitration Office had a rule as old as the organization itself–unchanged for centuries: no internal member could die by an outsider’s hand.

If an arbitrator fell to someone beyond the Arbitration Office, that person had two choices- join and replace the fallen, or become an enemy of the entire Arbitration Office. There was no third option. The consequences were absolute.

Everyone present, including Wayne, let out a heavy breath. In all their years–some serving over two decades–this was the most dangerous and challenging mission they had ever faced.

“So, what now?” the masked man asked. “We try to convince him to join?”

He slowly sat back down, a sign of the weight he now attached to this matter. Only someone like Leander–who stood atop the Astrian martial world–could make him that serious.

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Chapter 188 The Storm Is Coming, Strong Enemies Approaching

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“Yes,” Wayne nodded. “The Chief Arbitrator was clear. If he refuses, we are to capture him alive. That is our top priority.”

Then he delivered the final blow. “Because he is going to be the next Chief Arbitrator.”

The room erupted in stunned silence. Everyone turned to Wayne, eyes wide with disbelief.

Chief Arbitrator?

Since the day they became arbitrators, this had been the seat they all dreamed of–the highest authority, commanding half the organization, capable of deploying anyone with a single order. Yet none of them had ever been qualified.

Leander had no record, no service, and wasn’t even a member.

A brawny man with a blood–red blade strapped to his back shot to his feet, fury radiating from him.

“Wayne, are you insane? The Chief Arbitrator must have at least forty years of experience in the organization. Even if he joins, he’s a complete outsider. What qualifications does he have?”

Though the others stayed quiet, the same question was written all over their faces.

Wayne scanned them calmly. “I don’t expect you to like it. I don’t either. But this decision comes from the Chief Arbitrator himself.”

He let that sink in. “Unless one of you plans to challenge his authority?”

The fire in the room dimmed instantly. No one spoke. One by one, their gazes fell away.

The strength of the Chief Arbitrator was no secret. If he wished, he could defeat everyone in the room as effortlessly as drawing breath–no one dared defy him.

“Jeff’s potential has already been thoroughly evaluated,” Wayne said steadily. “The Chief Arbitrator made it clear–he isn’t just the future Chief Arbitrator. He may very well become one of the next Supreme Arbiters.”

That pronouncement stunned the others into silence. Any lingering doubt was swept away by disbelief. A Supreme Arbiter–just the thought of it left them shaken. Even the Chief Arbitrator, for all his power, was merely a subordinate to those ten. He answered them, followed their commands like any other.

The Arbitration Office was home to thousands of elite martial experts, yet in its long history, there had only ever been ten Supreme Arbiters. Each one was a near–mythic figure with strength that exceeded even SSS–level ratings. They could withstand modern military firepower, command fear on a global scale, and stand alone at the pinnacle of the martial

world.

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Everyone here respected Leander’s strength, some even feared it, but to compare him to those legends was unthinkable. And yet, the Chief Arbitrator believed he had what it took to join their ranks.

Wayne laced his fingers and continued in a calm, steady voice. “No one’s come close to that level for centuries. Gareth once had a shot, but he came with too much baggage–family ties to the military, political roots in Astria. Too risky. So, the Office backed off.

“But Jeff is different. He started from nothing. No family name. No government backing. No political weight. Everything he has, he earned himself.” Wayne’s tone sharpened. “He’s young, yes, but he’s ruthless. Decisive. Unflinching when it comes to killing. He carries himself like a general, a natural–born commander. That’s exactly the kind of rare talent our organization needs.”

His eyes flickered with a cold certainty. “That’s why all seven of us are going to Astria. We are bringing Jeff back.”

The other six finally nodded. The fog had lifted. They still couldn’t shake their astonishment, but now they understood what was at stake. No matter how absurd it seemed, the mission had been made clear–they had to make it happen.

Then, breaking the silence, the masked man spoke at last. “And if he refuses to join? If we fail to capture him alive, what then?”

Everyone turned to Wayne. They had all wondered the same thing.

Wayne slowly raised one hand, shaped it like a blade, and dragged it across his neck.

“Then we kill him.”

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