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At the headquarters of the Aranka Foundation, the massive conference room held only four chairs.
As the doors opened, people filed in one by one, but only four high-ranking executives sat in those chairs. Sitting in the chief seat was none other than the head of the Aranka Foundation—Nonika Aranka.
Nonika sat with fingers interlocked, eyes closed, calmly listening to reports.
"That's the summary of our recent financial performance," someone concluded.
Nonika nodded. "Not bad."
Everyone felt a sense of relief. Seemed like the Yuster incident hadn't raised alarms with the boss.
But then—everyone's hearts jumped into their throats.
"However… what happened at the Yuster company has made me very unhappy. Have you found the people responsible?"
A nervous executive replied, "Yes… it was Blade—Erik—and the Punisher."
Nonika's eyes shot open, her crimson pupils sweeping over everyone. A chill ran down their spines.
Nonika had undergone the Ascension Ceremony and was now a full-fledged member of a vampire family—a status unheard of for outsiders. No one had ever joined a vampire bloodline after it was established. But Nonika made it happen.
"I know about Blade. We don't need to worry about him—for now. Higher-ups will deal with him when the time comes. But this Punisher guy—what the hell is that?"
"Chief, the Punisher is—" someone quickly tried to explain.
"Hah," Nonika scoffed. "I thought he was someone impressive. Turns out he's just another self-righteous clown. Not even worth mentioning."
He closed his eyes again and asked flatly, "Have you found the location of Count Vlad's seal?"
"Yes. It's inside a place called the Valentin Orphanage. But it's now been bought by Stark Industries, and they're hosting a charity gala there this weekend."
"Stark?"
Nonika cracked one eye open, a sharp glint flashing in his gaze.
"That damn Stark caused me enough trouble back in the day. Now his descendants want to mess with me too?
I don't care what kind of charity work it is—I want you to find a way to release Count Vlad. That is the foundation of our Aranka clan's power in the vampire world."
"Understood, Chief. We've already got a plan."
The weekend finally arrived, and the small Valentin Orphanage became the center of attention across New York.
Behind the orphanage, a brand-new city theater had been built—commissioned by Stark specifically for this charity gala. Tonight, it would become an unforgettable landmark.
Outside the theater, luxury cars and sports vehicles gathered from every direction. Hired valets bustled through the parking lot.
A car from the Osborn Group slowly pulled in.
Two young people stepped out.
"Whoa… this place looks amazing. It was nothing like this the last time I came with Uncle Ben and Aunt May."
As soon as little Peter got out of the car, he was stunned. The current Valentin looked nothing like the Valentin he remembered—almost like a whole different place.
"Alright, boys, don't be too shocked yet. The real highlight of the day is inside."
A middle-aged man stepped out of the car and spoke to the two boys.
That man was none other than Norman Osborn, head of the Osborn Corporation.
Harry, standing nearby, also looked just as stunned.
"What a shame Dan couldn't come with us," Peter said with a bit of regret, shaking his head.
"Hey Peter, do you know where he went?"
Peter shook his head again. "No idea. He's been super busy this whole week. There's always a car picking him up after school."
"Alright, boys, no more standing around out here. Let's head in."
Norman led the two boys through the main entrance and into the venue. Inside the grand theater, he was greeted by many high-society elites—of course, Norman himself was one of them.
The hall was decked out in luxury. Celebrities and bigshots from all walks of life were taking their seats. As night began to fall, it signaled that the charity gala was about to begin.
With the sound of a ceremonial cannon, the lights dimmed. Spotlights hit the stage, officially kicking off the charity event. It started with a flashy, over-the-top opening act. Then, a platform slowly rose up from the stage. The lights dimmed again, replaced with dazzling, flickering colors that amped up the mystery.
"Boom~!"
With another bang, a ridiculously flashy man made a dramatic entrance, surrounded by gorgeous women. That man was, of course—Tony Stark.
"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening!"
Tony waved dramatically, and upbeat music blasted through the hall, drawing loud applause from the crowd.
"Okay, I gotta say, I'm usually a pretty low-key guy. It's just too bad my talent doesn't allow me to stay low-key."
The audience burst out laughing.
Tony shrugged like it was no big deal—he was used to this kind of attention.
"Let's cut to the chase. You all know I hate boring formalities. I'd rather be having a drink with a pretty lady than stuck with a bunch of rules."
More laughter followed—classic Stark humor. Only those used to partying at these elite events with Tony would really get his style.
Once the laughter died down, Tony smiled and continued.
"Alright then, I now officially declare tonight's charity gala open! Please welcome a representative from the Valentin Orphanage to say a few words—give it up for Dan!"
The audience didn't know who Dan was, but they still clapped enthusiastically. After all, it was Tony Stark's event. Whoever he brought on stage had to be someone worth clapping for.
"Oh my god! Did he say Dan? Our Dan?"
Peter and Harry were stunned. They clapped while staring at the stage, eager to see if it really was the Dan they knew.
The spotlight moved to center stage as a young man stepped forward.
He wore a sleek gray tailcoat that showed off his sharp figure, a crisp white shirt, and a red bowtie. His neatly styled short hair framed a young, confident face. Dan walked to the center of the stage, following the steps they'd rehearsed, and bowed politely to the crowd.
"Good evening, everyone. As a kid who grew up at Valentin, I'm honored to stand here on behalf of the orphanage."
Peter and Harry stared at Dan with their jaws practically on the floor. Just minutes ago, they were feeling bad that he had to miss this amazing event. Now they realized—he was the star of the night.
"....."