Top Ranker's Second Chance: I Am the Lord of Passive Skills
Chapter 27: The Second Day

Chapter 27: The Second Day

"Enter."

Ace’s fight with the Silvervest Bear stunned almost everyone.

Chaewon’s cheeks warmed as she gripped her katana. She had trained since childhood, so his display struck her hard. She had always been bold, but now she wanted to grow stronger, bold enough to chase him across Gravehaven Isle and keep her rank high.

He was the strongest ranker in this Gate, and she trusted him completely.

There’s still something off about you, Ace... I need to ask you about it soon.

Alex’s grin spread into a wild, almost maniacal smile, just like Chaewon’s father’s grin. He had spoken with his fists for as long as he could remember, so the battle thrilled him.

His role was clear: stand as the immovable Rook in Ace’s Sixteen and tank every hit. Letting Don Capo dance against even deadlier monsters became Alex’s goal.

Don Capo’s the best!

Most of the gang felt the same, except for the two men who’d been closest to the friend killed in the cave. As they stepped into the Bank Grotto, they saw their friend’s body, a pool of blood, half his neck gone. Tears filled their eyes.

Their cries reached Chaewon. "I’m sorry," she whispered.

The men sobbed harder.

Ace glanced at the corpse. In a cruel twist, it had to be you, Elias.

Elias was the one who banged on Ace’s door after Ace had ordered chicken wings. It could be said that Elias had started the Don Capo Gang. If not for that event, Ace might never have gotten involved with the orphan thugs.

I’m almost numb. Losing you hurts, but this is our reality. The weakest rankers will be weeded out before the strong build their camps. Even I can’t stop every death. Thank you for staying with us, Elias.

Ace sighed and walked deeper into the grotto.

Behind him, Elias’s friends stared at Don Capo with red eyes. They wanted to bury their friend, but Ace had said no. Unable to argue, they lowered their heads.

The chamber where the fight started opened before them. Torches lit every corner except for the dark mouths of unexplored tunnels.

Rows of bunk beds drew every eye. After a long day, they wanted sleep.

"I’m taking this one with Mercer," Ace said.

Mercer beamed and nodded.

Chaewon pointed at the bed beside theirs. "I’ll keep this whole bunk to myself."

"Yeah, that’s fair," Ace replied.

No one objected. They washed with drinking water, stripped off bloody clothes, and crawled into bed. Cushions eased them into sleep as the torches died.

—

The second day on Gravehaven Isle began.

"It’s... not a dream," Sean muttered. He had lost a friend yesterday.

"We’re in hell. Elias died, and I might be next..."

With the adrenaline gone, clear thought returned. They had been taken to an unknown place and forced to fight monsters to rise in rank.

That was a ranker’s life: fight, kill, maybe die. Was there space for anything normal?

The smell of ration sauce wafted over to Sean, and he turned.

Ace sat by a fire, boiling water and cooking food for himself and Mercer. He acted like nothing had happened.

"Don Capo!" Sean called.

"Sean? What’s up?" Ace looked over his shoulder.

"Will I... die too?" Sean asked.

"Maybe," Ace said and faced the pot again.

The blunt answer drained the color from Sean’s face. He leapt from the bunk.

"Elias just died! Don’t you feel anything?!"

"Yeah... I feel sad," Ace said.

"Doesn’t look like it!" Sean barked. "You only sighed yesterday! Now you’re cooking like nothing happened! We lost a friend! A good friend! Any of us could be next!"

A deeper voice cut in.

"Whaddya want Don Capo to do?" Alex asked, sitting up on the top bunk. "Cry? Blame himself? Swear you’re safe? Just trust him."

"Alex..." Sean whispered, then raised his voice. "You’re calm about Elias, too!"

Alex smiled faintly. "I’m riskin’ my neck, so everyone else better risk theirs for the gang."