At the Gates of the Demon Group Headquarters
A towering sand giant, several hundred meters tall, stood silently at the entrance. He had now become the guardian of central New York. No matter how many demons arrived, they were all buried beneath the golden sands.
Because of him, the property prices around the Demon Building had become several hundred times higher than elsewhere—yet few were willing to sell.
In this era, safety was priceless.
Crowds surrounded the sand giant. As long as they didn't step into the range of the Demon Building, he didn't bother with them. His only mission was to guard the building behind him.
Meanwhile, inside the Demon Building, countless figures shot out like arrows from all directions, heading to battlefields in need of reinforcements.
In the Basement
Pierce faced a group of a few dozen people who hadn't left. Their eyes were fixed on him, each of them wearing a ring and eyeing him with hostility and greed.
"You all still have business with me?" Pierce asked calmly.
"I want to trade rings with you. You're not even fighting—give the strongest ring to the strongest person!"
The speaker was a mutant with bony spikes covering his arms. His eyes gleamed with desire as he stared at the ring on Pierce's hand.
"No, it should be mine. With two rings, I'll become even more beautiful. I'll satisfy all your desires," said a woman sweetly. As she spoke, she began removing her clothes before everyone's eyes, trying to seduce them.
"Give me all your rings! I'm the strongest! I will conquer the world—even the Demon King will bow before me—"
Bang!
An orange energy beam blasted through the muscular man's shield and exploded his head, blood splattering across the floor.
No one looked at him. Their greedy eyes stayed locked on Pierce's ring. It was more powerful than all of theirs.
"What a bunch of trash," Pierce muttered. "But this works out nicely..."
His eyes glowed orange, and a crazed smile spread across his face.
"I want your rings too."
"Kill him! He's just one person!"
A man with a mohawk charged forward. His ring manifested into a machine gun, which he fired without hesitation.
Energy bullets rained down like a storm, engulfing Pierce.
"Hahaha! The ring is mine!"
The mohawk man canceled the machine gun construct and rushed to grab the ring.
As the dust cleared, a massive creature stood in Pierce's place.
From its tentacles, Pierce emerged completely unharmed.
The Behemoth Kraken
According to legend, the Kraken lurked in the ocean depths. Whenever a ship came near, it would extend its tentacles, wrapping tightly around its prey and dragging it into the deep sea. Its hunger for food and treasure was insatiable—it greedily plundered everything from passing ships.
"Kraken, eat them all," Pierce commanded.
The moment he spoke, several tentacles shot out toward the Orange Lantern users.
With overwhelming strength, they shattered their energy shields and dragged them into a mouth like a meat grinder.
Yet even in death, they tried desperately to grab the fallen rings from the floor.
"My ring...""Let me go! Give it back to me!""Aaahhh... the... ring..."
Meanwhile, in the laboratory, the Orange Lantern Battery began to flicker, and its energy slowly drained away.
Pierce ignored the sounds of chewing and tearing behind him. Carefully, he picked up the rings on the floor, completely unfazed by the blood.
His ring began absorbing the energy from the others. Cracks spread across its surface, but he kept absorbing more.
Bang!
At last, the ring could no longer withstand the energy and exploded. But in its place appeared a new ring—formed from high-density orange energy.
[Sentient lifeform locked...][Alexander Pierce of Earth...][Your hunger is insatiable...][You belong to the Orange Lantern Corps.]
An orange-and-black suit materialized over Pierce's body.
He had used his overwhelming greed to gain the approval of the Orange Battery, transforming his temporary ring into a true Lantern Ring.
[Assimilation complete...][Identities stolen...][You... are Orange Lantern Deputies...]
Behind him, the Kraken spat out dozens of orange energy bodies—soulless forms of the Orange Lantern users it had devoured.
"Mine... mine... all mine!"
Pierce whispered, satisfaction and triumph filling his voice.
Mexico
A husband shielded his pregnant wife.
"Sam, run!"
The wife cried out from the house.
But Sam stood outside, firing a rifle at the approaching demon. Unfortunately, the bullets only made dents in its skin, and the demon's face showed twisted enjoyment.
"Come on, you freak!"
Sam tossed the empty gun aside and spread his arms, trying to shield his wife with his body.
BANG!
A massive yellow steamroller dropped from the sky, crushing the demon into pulp.
Crossbones slowly descended, sensing the fear around him—fear that made him stronger. Yet the man before him had no fear—only rage.
"Go back inside. I'll clean up the demons here," Crossbones said, pointing to the house.
Sam stared at him blankly and asked, "Who are you?"
"Demon King Group. Yellow Lantern. Crossbones."
Chicago
A figure wreathed in blood-red flames tore monsters apart with his bare hands.
"Die! All of you trash! Where are the enemies?! I need more enemies!"
—The Red Lantern.
Australia
Cage rode a green rocket at high speed—the fastest transport he could think of.
When he arrived, he found the demons already defeated.
"Who are you people?"
He descended from the sky, staring at the figures in yellow robes—clothes that didn't seem suited for combat.
"Guardians of Kamar-Taj. Karu."
One of them replied calmly. Then he waved his hand and drew a circle in the air, opening a portal. They all stepped in and vanished.
"They must be the mages the boss mentioned," Cage muttered. He was once part of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Outside World
With the Lanterns and the mysterious mages joining the fight—and with support from local militaries—the demon invasion from Dormammu was soon under control.
Humanity even began to strike back.
The flames on Dormammu's skull flared violently.
He hadn't expected Earth to still harbor such strength after losing the majority of its forces.
"Looks like I'll have to step in myself."
Dormammu stepped out of the rift. The Sorcerer Supreme had yet to appear throughout this invasion—which meant he likely wasn't on Earth. That gave Dormammu the confidence to personally bring true disaster to the planet.
Upon Reflection...
Of all the people, Pierce was truly the most fitting candidate.
It wouldn't feel right if the Orange Lantern Corps didn't have a civil war.
Quote of the Chapter
"Greed doesn't whisper—it devours."
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