That evening, when Maria Hill and Natasha Romanoff returned home, they were delighted to find that Rowan had finally ended his period of seclusion.
Their joy, however, turned quickly into surprise when they discovered Wanda in the living room.
Maria's astonishment soon gave way to genuine happiness. To her, it looked as if her younger brother had finally found himself a stunning girlfriend. Wanda, with her gentle temperament and quiet grace, gave off the air of someone both pure and strong-willed.
Natasha, on the other hand, was briefly startled, though she adapted quickly. Unlike Hill, she had never expected to be Rowan's only partner. Deep down, she harbored a quiet sense of unworthiness, believing herself somewhat mismatched with someone like him. Years of life as a spy had also taught her a hard truth: the stronger a man was, the less likely he was to remain devoted to just one woman. A man like Rowan, who now stood unmatched on Earth, was unlikely to ever give his heart to only one person.
Accepting this reality, Natasha met Wanda warmly, even reaching out to hold her hand as she greeted her with a smile.
Rowan introduced Wanda as his personal secretary. Both Hill and Natasha teased him about it, but Rowan insisted on that title, never directly denying that she might be more than that. Wanda herself had intended to confess honestly that she was, in fact, Rowan's little maid, but he stopped her with a glance. Left with no choice, Wanda accepted the role of secretary, and to her surprise, she fit easily into the household.
The tension in her heart finally loosened. For the first time in a long while, Wanda felt at peace.
The next morning, Rowan departed for the Swallowed Star world to attend the ceremony where he would be officially appointed as the new Inspector of the Extreme Martial Hall.
The event was monumental. Hong, Thor, and nearly every council member and warrior of note attended, along with countless representatives of the martial world. The guests alone could shake entire base cities to their core simply by showing their faces.
Millions of civilians watched through live broadcasts. They were left stunned at the sight of so many legendary figures gathered in one place. Never in modern memory had such a collection of powerhouses stood together in a single hall.
And at the center of it all stood Rowan.
His story had already become something of a legend. At just sixteen years old, he had broken through to the level of a warrior. Within a single year, he had risen all the way to the rank of council member. To prove his strength, he had slain a terrifying king-class beast: the Four-Winged Black Dragon.
For ordinary people, this was beyond comprehension. It was the stuff of myths, feats that none of them could ever dream of replicating.
On this day, the whole world came to know Rowan's name. Another figure had appeared alongside Hong and Thor, someone destined to carry the weight of humanity's survival.
While Rowan was being celebrated, Luo Feng sat in a small bar with the Fire Hammer Squad, his current team within the Extreme Martial Hall. He had left school behind after becoming a warrior, training and fighting alongside the squad as part of his development.
The gathering that evening was meant to welcome him, a simple party held at the bar while the group tuned in to watch the ceremony.
When Luo Feng saw Rowan standing on that stage, however, his entire world tilted.
The moment Rowan was introduced as the new Inspector, Luo Feng spat out his drink in shock, his eyes bulging wide as disbelief froze him in place.
He had always assumed Rowan had graduated early because he had become a War God. But never not in his wildest guesses did he imagine Rowan had reached the rank of council member.
It all made sense now. The reason Rowan could casually change contracts, the authority he wielded… it wasn't favoritism, it was power.
Luo Feng felt his confidence crumble. Only days ago, he had been filled with determination, believing he could someday catch up. Perhaps in a year or two, he might even become a War God like Rowan.
But now? Rowan wasn't merely a War God. He had already soared into the council's ranks, a leap so outrageous Luo Feng couldn't even begin to imagine how to follow.
He sat there in silence, nursing his drink, but every sip tasted bitter.
The Fire Hammer Squad exchanged confused looks. None of them could understand why Luo Feng looked as if his entire world had collapsed just from watching a broadcast.
Clenching his fists, Luo Feng whispered to himself, "No… I can't stop here. I need to grow stronger. I need to enter the Elite Training Camp as soon as possible."
If Rowan had risen so quickly through the camp, then surely the program held secrets that ordinary warriors couldn't reach alone. He knew he wouldn't catch up just by fumbling forward on his own.
After completing the ceremony, Rowan lingered in Hongning City for several days, spending time with Yaorao. Their bond grew deeper, and though they had yet to voice certain feelings aloud, the connection between them was unmistakable.
When the time came to leave, Yaorao stood on the airfield, her lips pressed together, her eyes betraying a conflict she couldn't voice. Rowan said nothing. For a man like him, finding companionship was too easy. If he wanted a woman, all he had to do was give the slightest hint, and factions would trip over themselves to send beauties his way.
But Yaorao was different. Her talent and strength were undeniable. She had clawed her way up to planetary level despite being born a woman in a harsh world. And she never flaunted her beauty, hiding it behind a mask as if to prove that she did not rely on her appearance to claim her place in the world.
That, more than her body or face, was what Rowan admired.
She was, in his mind, worthy of being his partner not a plaything.
But he would never chase her. If she wanted to stand beside him, she would have to come forward herself.
Back at headquarters, Hong observed Yaorao's distracted expression and sighed knowingly.
He had a good idea of what had happened. Strong and proud as she was, Yaorao couldn't bring herself to confess her feelings.
"Do you remember what I once told you?" Hong asked gently. "Above the planetary level above the council members there are still greater stages. Stellar level. Universal level."
Yaorao blinked, startled by the sudden lesson, then nodded. She remembered.
Hong smiled faintly. "In my eyes, Rowan has the potential to reach the Stellar level."
Her eyes widened in shock. Stellar level? Even now, Thor stood only at planetary level seven, and Hong himself at level six. Despite decades of training, the gap between them and the next stage remained insurmountable.
Yet Hong believed Rowan had already begun to walk that path. He had felt the change during the ceremony, sensing Rowan's life force radiating more strongly than even Thor's.
Hong suspected the inheritance Rowan had acquired was far greater than anyone imagined.
He didn't say this aloud, but he did leave Yaorao with a final piece of advice: "If you care for him, you'd best tell him soon. Rowan won't wait forever."
Yaorao lowered her head, her cheeks burning beneath her mask. To confess outright went against every principle she held, yet she knew Hong was right. If she lingered too long, Rowan might lose interest.
Meanwhile, Rowan sat across from Luo Feng, who stared at him like a spurned lover.
"So you're really an Inspector now?" Luo Feng asked bitterly.
Rowan chuckled and nodded. "That's right. Official title and all."
"So you're not a War God. You're a council member?"
Rowan spread his hands. "I never said I was a War God."
Luo Feng groaned. He realized it was true. Rowan had never claimed such a thing it had all been Luo Feng's assumption.
"But how?" Luo Feng pressed. "How did you do it? One year, Rowan! You went from warrior to council member in a single year!"
Rowan nearly laughed. Poor Luo Feng, breaking his head over something that could never be explained. Sorry, little brother. I've got cheats you'll never understand.
He leaned back casually. "Honestly? I just… took some medicine."
"Medicine?" Luo Feng's eyes lit up instantly.
Rowan produced a vial of glowing jade liquid and a small tube of golden dragon's blood. "I slipped a little into your mouth the day your body transformed. This is what it was jade marrow. Strengthens the body with no side effects."
Luo Feng gaped at the items, his breath catching. Such treasures… and Rowan had them so casually.
"How can I get these?" he asked, voice trembling.
"They do appear in auctions," Rowan replied. "But the starting bid is usually a hundred billion."
The hope drained from Luo Feng's eyes immediately. That kind of money was an impossible dream.
Seeing his despair, Rowan smirked. "But there's another way. Enter the Elite Training Camp. Perform well enough, and they'll award you jade marrow or dragon's blood as prizes."
Luo Feng's pulse quickened. At once, his determination flared again. He would enter that camp. He had to.
Rowan studied him quietly, then added, "I'll also teach you something special. A training method for mental masters."
And as Luo Feng leaned forward eagerly, Rowan smiled. Hook, line, and sinker. With this, I've got him tied to me for life.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
Already hooked? Tell me what reeled you in leave a review, spark the fire with a comment, and if we hit every 250 Power Stones, a bonus chapter drops!
The evolution's just begun. Dive deeper into Unbound Evolution and stay leagues ahead!
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a.