From Ruin to Reign Leander's Unbreakable Will novel Chapter 291

Chapter 291 The Man Behind the Title

The midday sum was merciless, but no one dared to shift a muscle. The entire Southern Wyvern Blade squad stood ramrod straight on the training field, sweat dripping down their backs, breaths shallow, still dazed by what they had seen.

Boomer gritted his teeth, his heart still racing. “What the hell was I thinking, trying to challenge someone like Chief Ashcroft? I must’ve been dropped on my head as a kid.”

Vane laughed next to him, shaking her head. “Seriously. I still can’t believe it. Just imagine your face if he actually took you up on that fight.”

Even now, the memory of that strike had their stomachs doing flips. The shock hadn’t worn off.

Brute chimed in, half joking, “Think about it. General Leon has ruled over the Crestgate Military District for over a decade. You think a guy like that would hire some random nobody as our instructor? No chance. We were way out of line carlier… and I’ve got a bad feeling training’s about to get brutal.”

Boomer gave a wry snort, his eyes gleaming. “Let it be. If it means getting even a tenth of Chief Ashcroft’s strength, I’d crawl through broken glass. The Northern Wyvern Blade boys better start running.”

No one argued. No one cared how tough things would get. They had seen what real power looked like. Leander didn’t just raise the bar–he kicked it into orbit. This was the kind of strength they’d all dreamed of chasing.

Vane glanced at Skyler. “Now I get why you’ve been moping around. If I saw a guy like him show up as my competition, I’d probably pack my bags and go home too.”

Skyler clenched his jaw, swallowing the bitter taste of reality. He wanted to argue, but couldn’t. Deep down, fear sat heavy in his chest. That palm strike? It rewrote everything he thought he knew about strength.

Still, one thing kept bugging him.

He turned to Torre. “Captain, I get that Chief Ashcroft is a big deal. He’s got Jeff Enterprises, took Mornwick by storm… but why was Chief Hooper so terrified just now? Like… knees- buckling, begging–for–his–life scared. What does he know that we don’t?”

The squad fell quiet, their curiosity suddenly sharper than before. They’d all been too caught up in their own panic to notice Larry’s reaction. Now, the image of him dropping to one knee replayed in everyone’s mind.

Torre raised a brow. “You didn’t catch what he called him?”

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Chapter 291 The Man Behind the Title

Boomer frowned. “Wait, what’s that supposed to mean? You know Chief Ashcroft?”

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Finished

Torre nodded. “Most of you just started tapping into inner strength a few months back. So, you’re not really ‘martial world‘ folk yet. I’ve been in this game a while. Picked up things here and there.”

He took a breath, voice dropping like he was about to spill a secret. “In Astria, Martial Sovereigns sit at the top. Once you hit that level, you’re a king among men. No one stands above you.”

Everyone nodded. That was common knowledge–even rookies like them knew that.

Torre continued, “There’s a ranking list–Astria Power Index. It ranks the top fifteen Martial Sovereigns across the whole country. Updates every twenty–five years.”

That got a reaction. Eyes widened. Brows lifted. No one dared speak, but the thought was the same across the board.

Hitting Martial Sovereign and making that list? That’s the big one. Every drop of blood, sweat, and bone- grinding training, just to get a shot at that kind of recognition.

Boomer scratched the back of his neck. “So… Chief Ashcroft’s on it?”

Torre smirked. “After what you saw earlier? Of course he is. No doubt in my mind.”

He paused for effect, then dropped another name. “And you remember Maximilian Morgan- Royce, right? Our Chief Instructor from a decade ago? He’s a Martial Sovereign and third on the Astria Power Index.”

That name hit hard.

Maximilian was more than just a legend. He was the reason the Southern Wyvern Blade once dominated. A Highcliffe prodigy. The man who trained half the current military elite. Under his watch, they crushed the Northern Wyvern Blade five years straight.

Then he vanished–retired to run the family in Seagate. Not even Darrow’s personal visits could lure him back.

So, when Torre said he was ranked third? Everyone nodded. It checked out.

Torre wasn’t finished. “Now remember who led Northern Wyvern Blade in the last Wyvern Cup?”

He didn’t wait for a reply.

“Gareth Ashcroft. Patriarch of the Ashcroft family from Highcliffe. He’s also a Martial Sovereign. Ranked second, one spot above Maximilian. That’s why we got wrecked last time.

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Chapter 291 The Man Behind the Title

We weren’t just unlucky. They had a monster on their side.”

It clicked instantly.

Finished

Larry Hooper had been their Chief Instructor–an Elite Grandmaster at best. Talented, sure, but nowhere near a Martial Sovereign. He was outmatched before the fight even started.

Looking back, their crushing defeats didn’t seem so one–sided anymore. They were just outclassed.

Skyler blinked. “Captain… so where does Chief Ashcroft actually rank on the Astria Power Index?”

All eyes swung to Torre.

No one expected a jaw–dropping answer.

Just the fact that Leander had made it onto the Astria Power Index while still in his twenties was already unreal.

Most of them figured he ranked somewhere below Gareth or Maximilian, which was still miles beyond anyone they’d ever trained under.

As long as his name was on that list, that alone meant they were in for the kind of training Larry couldn’t even dream of delivering. Maybe, just maybe, when the next Wyvern Cup rolled around, they wouldn’t go down like a joke again. They’d go down swinging or, better yet, win.

Torre stepped forward, turned his back for a beat, then spun around to face the squad. He stood tall, chest out, every inch of him locked in. There was a grin on his face, but in his eyes? Fire. Blazing, hungry, and itching for payback.

“I didn’t just tell you all that for fun. I told you because we’ve got a real shot at crushing the Northern Wyvern Blade in the next Wyvern Cup.”

The squad blinked, stunned.

Torre added, “You all know who’s leading Northern Wyvern Blade–Gareth Ashcroft. Head of the Ashcroft family from Highcliffe. Ranked number two on the Astria Power Index.”

He leaned in slightly, voice steady.

“Well, our Chief? He’s number one. Name’s Jeff Ashcroft. Or, as the whole martial world calls him–the Iron Sovereign.”

Boom.

Just like that, the squad exploded into a thousand thoughts.