Leo frowned as he heard the words first explosion. It sounded strange, almost like some high-level code.
At first, he thought Victor was just trying to sound mysterious or was throwing around fancy terms.
But one look at Victor's serious face told Leo otherwise. This wasn't some random phrase—it meant something important.
Leo turned to Victor.
"Sorry, but I really don't know what you're talking about. Are you talking about an attack or something? Where did this explosion even happen?"
Victor stayed silent for a moment, just watching Leo. From Leo's reaction, Victor realized that Leo had no idea about it. He sighed, grabbed a nearby glass of water, and took a slow sip before speaking.
"Listen, Leo," he said, setting the glass down. "This is related to the beginning of everything we're experiencing now. As we're trying to understand the apocalypse and the system, you should know about this too."
"At the start, there was a massive explosion somewhere on the western side of the globe. It happened in the United States of America. And right after that, the sky turned red. Ever wondered what could've caused that?"
Leo's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"You're saying the system… this whole apocalypse… started because of something that happened in America?"
Victor nodded slowly.
"It's just a guess right now. I don't have proof. But I think something happened there—maybe a gate opened, or something even bigger—and that's how the system appeared. If we want real answers, one day we'll have to go to America."
Leo thought about it for a while before shaking his head.
"You're not sure about this, and if it's just a guess, I think it's better to stay in China for now. We should build a stronger base first."
"Maybe visit India later too—there's a lot of people there, and a good chance of finding strong allies. After gathering strength, we can think about going to America. It would be smarter to go there when we are ready."
Victor smiled a little and agreed.
"You're right. It's always better to have numbers on your side. More allies mean more chances of success when the time comes."
Leo leaned forward slightly.
"Since you're telling me all this... does this mean you're ready to confirm the partnership?"
Victor chuckled softly.
"I don't think there was ever any doubt. The moment we met, I had a feeling we'd end up fighting side by side. Call it instinct."
Leo smiled faintly at that.
"Anything else you want to share?"
Victor scratched his head, looking thoughtful.
"There's a lot, honestly. I've been doing my own research, but I don't think dumping all that information on you right now would help."
"Since we're going to be working together for a long time, we can take it slow. I just wanted you to know about the explosion because it shows there's a lead... we're not completely in the dark. If we put in the effort, I believe we can figure out what really happened."
He paused for a moment, then added,
"But before we go chasing mysteries, we need to grow stronger. Expand our camp. No matter how right we are, without real power, nobody's going to listen to us."
"People respect strength, not words. If we want to have a say in the new world, we need to prove that we're worth listening to."
Leo nodded in agreement.
"I think the same way. Working with you will help me get closer to my goals too. You're a smart guy, Victor. It's good to have you on my side."
Victor laughed.
"Smart? Come on, man, that's a boring compliment. Say something cooler."
Leo smirked.
"Alright then. You're useful."
Victor pretended to clutch his chest like he was hurt.
"Ouch, you're killing me here! 'Useful'? That's what you call your partner?"
Leo chuckled.
"You're getting way too familiar all of a sudden."
Victor leaned back casually.
"Of course. You have to treat your partner properly, you know. A partnership without a little friendly teasing is like a gun without bullets—pointless."
Leo laughed.
"That was a terrible analogy. Work on your jokes, old man."
They both laughed quietly.
Inside, though, both of them knew—this was the real beginning of something bigger. They didn't say it out loud, but they understood it.
They had made their first real step toward shaping the world they now lived in.
And whatever challenges were waiting for them, they were ready to face them—together.
With that thought, they made their way through the corridors toward the training area.
Leo knew that if they were serious about reaching their goals, the first step was building real military strength.
Victor had already put together a solid force, but if Leo was going to lead them moving forward, he needed to see what kind of strength they actually had.
Victor walked beside him, leading the way through the hallways until they reached a large open space. The training area was busy with activity. Soldiers in track gear and half-sleeved shirts were training hard.
Some had weights strapped to their shirts for added difficulty. Others were practicing with swords and spears, their movements sharp and focused.
Different kinds of weapons were scattered around, and everything about the space spoke of discipline and investment. It was clear Victor had put a lot of effort into building it all.
As soon as the soldiers noticed Victor, they quickly lined up in formation and saluted. Their respect for him was obvious, and it wasn't something that could be forced—it was earned.
Leo had only expected to watch the training for a while. But Victor had other plans.
Once the soldiers were all lined up, Victor raised his voice so everyone could hear.
"This man beside me," Victor said, gesturing to Leo, "is named Leo. From today onward, he will be your Commander-in-Chief."
Murmurs ran through the lines. The soldiers looked surprised, and for good reason. After all, their current Commander-in-Chief, Alex, was still standing just a few steps away, calm and expressionless.
Leo himself was caught off guard. He turned to Victor with a questioning look, but Victor continued before anyone could say anything.
"I know you're confused," Victor said, addressing everyone. "Alex is still my right-hand man. That hasn't changed. But for leading our expansions and future operations, Leo is the right person for the job. From today, he'll be taking charge. Make sure the news spreads across the camp. That's all. You're dismissed."
The soldiers still looked a little stunned, but they didn't linger. One by one, they left the training area.
Leo waited until they were alone before speaking.
"You made that decision pretty suddenly," he said.
Victor smiled casually.
"Well, we're partners now. It only makes sense to give you a position that matches your level and status. Hope you don't mind."
Leo gave a small, amused smile but didn't say anything else. He wasn't the type to chase after authority, but this wasn't about working under Victor—it was about standing side by side. That, he could accept.
The long day slowly came to an end, and the two of them moved forward, ready for whatever came next.