Top Ranker's Second Chance: I Am the Lord of Passive Skills
Chapter 11: Critical Strike

Chapter 11: Critical Strike

In the early evening, Ace caught the bus back to the city, rain speckling the windows. He wasn’t alone; Mercer had tagged along after stuffing a few clothes into a bag and storming out of his house. The kid clutched his school backpack and refused to meet anyone’s eyes.

On the ride Mercer reeked of the stale cigarette smoke that filled his parents’ home. A few passengers frowned, but Ace’s glare shut them up before they spoke. Mercer already had it rough. Ace stayed silent for the kid’s sake.

Ace focused on the glowing system prompt floating in front of him.

[You have obtained a new passive skill—Critical Strike (I)]

I pounded half the dojo and cracked a few noses, yet Critical Strike never showed. It only triggered after I poured every ounce of anger into the punch that decked Mercer’s dad. Guess emotions matter more than I thought.

[Critical Strike (I)—Whenever you land a critical strike, your damage rises by 20 %. The bonus applies only to that hit.]

Sounds about right.

At first people called Critical Strikes lucky hits. Later they learned a shot to a vital point could force one. Now Ace suspected raw emotion could spark the bonus too, which was handy. He was an emotional guy; the multiverse had already slapped him with an emotional flaw to prove the point.

Ace and Mercer got off the bus and headed straight for the dojo. The crew should be there, sharpening their skills for the looming apocalypse. With Mercer’s knack for swords, Chaewon would end up his teacher, so he figured she’d be excited.

Five minutes later...

"You kidnapped a kid!" Chaewon yelled, yanking Mercer behind her.

Ace’s eye twitched. "Didn’t kidnap him. I saved him."

"You should’ve called the cops! You live on an orphan’s stipend. How’re you gonna raise a kid? Where are the papers?" she fired back.

From the sidelines Chaewon’s dad muttered, "Sounds like a married‑couple spat, huh?"

No one answered him.

"Don Capo says we gotta treat Lil Mercer better than the boss himself," Alex chimed in. "He’s our precious little bro."

Marko puffed up. "We ditched school and look at us—soon we’ll run Don Capo’s cap shop and our own bodyguard firm!" He tried to sound smart; he wasn’t.

While Chaewon unloaded on him, Ace stayed calm. Women yelled at him a lot; his stunts earned it. Deep down he knew she was worried about both him and Mercer.

I don’t care about legal crap. Once the Gates swallow people and turn them into rankers, they stay rankers—papers or no papers.

Chaewon’s voice finally dropped. "So... what do we do?"

"Teach him your sword style," Ace said. "He’ll pick it up fast, grow strong, then join our games—practice runs that drill discipline and teamwork."

"You still don’t get how serious this is!" she snapped.

Mercer spoke up, voice small. "I wanna stay with big bro... even if it’s just a few days."

Chaewon threw her hands up. "Fine! We won’t split you two. He’ll even lend you his laptop so you can watch anime."

"I was gonna lend it anyway," Ace muttered, unheard.

—

Back home, Ace gave Mercer a quick tour—not that there was much to see. The kid showered, flopped onto the bed, and started his first anime—the same action series Ace loved. Soon it would be Mercer’s favorite too.

While Mercer stared at the screen, Ace drifted into thought.

Two months left... Can I really change someone else’s future? Who’d believe me?

There were people Ace could reach on social media. He could share the secrets only he knew—anything to make them believe. Yet, looking from their side, it felt hopeless. Telling folks to brace for an apocalypse sounded nuts; he doubted anyone would buy it. They might chalk his clues up to dumb luck.

Maybe I should try anyway, even if no one believes me. Reach out, make contact, and see what happens.