Ex-Rank Awakening: My Attacks Make Me Stronger-Chapter 90: EX . Deal

As Leon stepped up to the D-rank counter, he blinked in mild surprise at the person behind it. His lips curled into a small, amused smile.

"I thought you were just a guide."

Jarvis, seated calmly behind the counter in a different uniform from before, sleek and professional, with her platinum hair tucked beneath her cap, met his gaze with her usual cool expression.

"I’m a lot of things," she said simply, but even she couldn’t completely hide her surprise at seeing him.

Truth be told, Jarvis was still processing the news that had swept across the base like wildfire: Leon Kael, the newly deployed cadet, had been promoted to Combatant on his first day. She had heard it, sure. Everyone had. But seeing him show up at the dispatch counter barely a day later caught her off guard.

"I didn’t expect to see you here so soon."

Leon gave her a grin that was far too relaxed for someone in his position. With a hand placed over his chest, he responded with mock solemnity:

"It’s all for the Federation."

Jarvis narrowed her eyes.

She didn’t buy it. Not for a second.

But she let it slide, rolling her eyes with a soft exhale.

"So, you’re reserving a D-rank stronghold?"

"Yes," Leon nodded.

She raised a brow.

"Confident you can handle it?"

Leon shrugged casually, but his gaze held quiet conviction.

"If I can’t handle this much, then my title as Combatant is just for decoration."

That, Jarvis had to admit, was a solid line.

"Fair enough," she said, pulling a form from the drawer beneath the desk and sliding it toward him.

"This is your reservation form. Fill in your name as the combatant and, since this is your first week, the names of the cadets under your command. There’s also a field to choose the number of strongholds you want to reserve for the week."

She paused, giving him a warning glance.

"The max you can reserve at once is six."

Leon, who had already picked up the pen, froze.

"Six?"

"Yes," Jarvis confirmed, brows raised. "Is there a problem?"

Leon forced a smile and shook his head. "No... no problem at all."

But in his mind, a full-blown economic crisis had begun.

’Six? Just six?! That ruins everything! I planned to clear 30 strongholds in a week, do you know how many credits that is?’

His hands clenched slightly on the form.

’All those beautiful, shiny credits... slipping through my fingers!’

As he was caught in the middle of mentally reworking his strategy, a sudden disturbance swept through the dispatch office.

Chairs scraped.

Raised voices echoed.

And every head, including Leon’s and Jarvis’s, turned sharply toward the source of the commotion at the entrance.

The source of the commotion was a group of combatants, three males and one female, clustered near the dispatch office entrance. The tension between them was thick in the air, and it was clear who the loudest voices belonged to: Derick, a rugged man in his mid-thirties with a haunted look in his eyes, and Stephanie, the only woman in the group, her voice laced with frustration and concern.

"Derick, don’t be greedy! We’ve already cleared two strongholds. One more will be pushing it too far."

Derick clenched his fists.

"Stephanie, you know I have to do this. My wife... she’s sick. The Federation’s medical care doesn’t cover her treatment. And the credits we earn, it’s barely enough. Just one more stronghold and I’ll have what I need."

Stephanie’s eyes flickered, pain and helplessness shadowing her features. She looked away from him and toward their other two squadmates, both men, slouched against the wall. Their faces were pale with fatigue, clothes singed and stained with dried blood. They looked barely alive, still recovering from the previous mission.

’They barely survived the last stronghold,’ she thought grimly.

’Only the stars know if we’ll be lucky enough to survive another...’

Suddenly a voice cut through the heavy silence.

"Looks like you guys need some help."

The four turned their heads in unison toward the voice. Standing there, as relaxed as ever, was a teenager in military gear far too crisp for someone who had supposedly seen battle.

Derick blinked, confused.

"I don’t think you can help us, kid."

Leon smile was calm and composed, but with a glint in his eye that made Stephanie’s skin crawl.

"Oh, I think I can help you plenty. You just have to agree."

The four combatants stared at him. There was something about that clean-cut, and almost innocent smile, but it didn’t sit right with them. It was too calm. Too confident. Like a wolf offering a sheep directions out of the forest.

Stephanie’s instincts screamed caution, but Derick, desperation thick in his eyes, stepped forward.

"...Help how?"

Leon’s grin widened ever so slightly, his voice dropping into a smooth murmur.

"That depends. But only if you’re ready to hear my proposition."

Derick stared at Leon for a long moment, his eyes scanning the young man’s expression for any trace of deceit. But all he found was calmness, an unsettling, confident calmness.

With a heavy exhale, he finally said,

"There’s no harm in at least hearing you out."

Leon’s smile deepened.

"Good. But let’s talk in private."

Derick nodded slowly, taking a step forward, but just as he was about to follow Leon out of the dispatch office, Stephanie grabbed his arm.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice low and tense.

Leon looked back at the two, but said nothing. He could’ve interrupted but he didn’t.

Derick met Stephanie’s eyes, voice quiet but firm. "Yes. It’s not like I’m selling my soul to a devil."

Stephanie’s grip hesitated... then released.

"Okay," she whispered, but her eyes stayed glued to Leon the whole time, distrust flickering beneath her concern.

Leon and Derick exited the dispatch office, the buzz of the crowd fading behind them as they walked to a quiet corner behind a nearby supply crate stack. The area was deserted, only the soft hum of industrial generators filling the silence.

Derick crossed his arms, standing tall.

"So, speak. What is it that you said can help me?"

Leon leaned casually against the crate, arms folded, and smiled with the same maddening ease.

"Simple. Just reserve six strongholds."

Derick blinked, then scoffed and rubbed his face.

"I don’t know why I thought you’d actually help me. My squadmates can’t even handle one more stronghold. And you’re saying six? Are you insane?"

Leon didn’t move. He just looked at him, eyes calm as ever, and said,

"Who said anything about you clearing the strongholds?"

The words hit like a punch to the gut. Derick blinked again, processing.

"...You can’t possibly be suggesting what I think you’re suggesting," he said slowly, voice lowered in disbelief.

Leon shrugged lightly. free𝑤ebnovel.com

"Don’t worry. I’m not."

Derick let out a breath of relief, just a fraction, until Leon added:

"I’m planning to do way more than what you’re thinking."

The silence that followed was deafening. Derick felt something in his spine chill, not out of fear, but out of realization. The boy in front of him wasn’t just a bold upstart.

He was dangerous.

A madman who was foolishly overconfident, or a monster strong enough to back up every insane claim he made

And as that unsettling smile remained on Leon’s face, Derick suddenly started to believe... this just might work.

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