— Laughing Before Nine Grandmasters —
"You went to such lengths to set the stage," Eren said lightly. "It'd be rude not to show up."
His gaze drifted past Marcus, Lyra, Arden, and Leopold before resting on Darius.
"Darius, why is it that every time I see you, you're getting beaten up?"
"Overlord, I am incompetent. I have shamed you."
His words sent a shockwave through the crowd!
Darius, the undisputed ruler of the underworld—called him Overlord ?!
For a moment, the air itself seemed to freeze. Every eye was locked on Eren.
So this was why Marcus had mobilized nine Grandmasters. The masked man's status was beyond anything they had imagined!
"Insolent! How dare you ignore me?!" Marcus roared, his aura erupting, his hair and beard seeming to stand on end.
"Brat, kneel and surrender now, and I might grant you a whole corpse!"
Even as he shouted, his hands subtly signaled—the eight Grandmasters fanned out silently, killing intent thickening the air.
Eren responded with a cold smirk. "Old bastard, I'll return those exact words to you. Kneel and surrender, and you might die quickly."
"Arrogant fool!" Marcus was so enraged he laughed. "Do you think your words can defy the heavens? Look clearly—you are surrounded by nine Grandmasters!"
Eren lifted his eyes, his tone calm yet carrying the weight of thunder. "Grandmasters?" Eren's tone was calm, almost bored. "Ants. Double their number—they're still ants."
"Come, all of you."
He stood with his hands in his pockets, looking lazy and relaxed, yet as unshakable as a iron tower, dominating the scene.
In that moment, everyone's heart shook. Facing nine Grandmaster-tier Warriors, he hadn't even moved half a step!
"Kill him!"
The roar erupted as all nine moved at once! Surging energy swept out like a hurricane, spell force surged like a tidal wave—it seemed heaven and earth would be torn asunder.
This single strike held power enough to shatter cities and sever mountains!
Lyra's face turned deathly pale. Darius and Leopold felt their breath freeze.
Nine Grandmasters attacking together? This wasn't a battle—it was an execution!
—Yet, in that instant, everything changed.
Thump!
A head flew into the air, blood arcing like crimson silk.
It belonged to one of the nine Grandmasters!
Before anyone could even gasp, a second, then a third...heads flew in succession!
In the blink of an eye, all eight were dead—silent, soundless!
A mist of blood filled the air, heads tumbled to the ground like falling rocks, staining the tiles beneath their feet.
The entire venue fell into silence.
Only the sound of frantic heartbeats and terrified breaths remained.
Marcus felt a chill seize his body, his eyes locked on the nearly transparent thread held between Eren's fingers.
Drip—
A single drop of blood slid down the thread and fell to the floor. The sound was faint—yet it shattered Marcus's mind like thunder.
What was that? He never even saw him move!
The Grandmasters he had spent a fortune to hire...slaughtered in an instant?!
Fear, like a venomous serpent, coiled around Marcus's throat.
For the first time, he realized—
The man in the mask before him was not a man. He was—Death.
— Judgment of True Flame —
"Do you know why I left you alone?"
Eren's voice was low and cold, his gaze sharp as a blade resting on Marcus. The slight smile on his lips was more chilling than any killing intent.
Marcus's Adam's apple bobbed as he forced out the words: "Wh...why?"
An absurd sliver of hope flashed in his mind—perhaps he would be spared?
Yet, in the next moment—
A cluster of crimson flame ignited silently in Eren's palm.
"Because—"
His voice was calm, almost tender.
"A family should stay together—even in death."
Whoosh—!
The flame shot through the air!
Marcus snorted inwardly, a thread of contempt rising: A mere spark dares to harm me?
But he didn't plan to fight. He turned to flee, protective auras
surging within him—he only wanted to escape alive!
If he could just survive this, he swore he would find a Great Grandmaster-tier Warrior and repay this debt in blood!
However—
Hummm—!
Just as he gathered his energy, a scorching force silently pierced through his protective auras and ignited from within!
In that moment, Marcus's pupils contracted violently, his mind reeling.
"This—is impossible—!"
Boom!
Flames burst from within, roaring like a primordial beast, devouring him completely in an instant.
"Ahhh—!!!"
A piercing scream tore through the night air, echoing in every corner of the hall.
The blaze was so intense, few could bear to look directly at it.
In moments—
Marcus was reduced to ashes.
Eren waved a hand, sending out several wisps of flame that incinerated the eight headless corpses as well.
The air filled with the smell of scorching, so intense it was suffocating.
Silence.
Utter, complete silence.
Nine Grandmaster-tier Warriors had been mobilized, yet they had been utterly annihilated without even touching their enemy's clothes.
Everyone looking at the masked figure felt only one word in their hearts—Terror.
Who was he?
What kind of existence lay behind that mask?
From this day forward, the power structure of Novalis Sector would be completely rewritten.
Lyra covered her mouth tightly, tears glistening in her eyes.
He was truly invincible, like a myth—a real-life Power Ranger.
Darius and Leopold were dazzled, stunned to the point of forgetting to breathe.
In that moment, only one thought remained in their hearts—
To follow him would bring no disgrace to this life.
"Miss Lyra!"
Suddenly, someone called out loudly: "I wish to sign a strategic partnership with HelixPharm! I'll purchase three billion—no, five billion!"
As soon as the words were spoken, those who had been in Marcus's camp rushed to echo the sentiment.
In a matter of moments, the winds had shifted, and everyone was currying favor with Lyra.
"Miss Lyra, we also support HelixPharm's expansion plans!"
"If your company has new drug projects, we want priority investment!"
She responded with a calm smile, handling it all with grace.
In that moment, HelixPharm became the center of attention, its influence skyrocketing, hinting at its future status as a giant in Novalis Sector's corporate landscape.
At the edge of the crowd, Alaric watched Eren in silence.
Then he turned away.
That night, in his manor, he gave a single command:
"From this day forth, the Morven family shall never cross the man in the mask."
---
— The Alchemy Furnace Awakens —
"Darius, come here."
Eren's tone was casual, but it made Darius's heart skip a beat.
Thud!
He dropped to his knees immediately, his face full of panic. "Overlord, it's all my fault for being incompetent, for repeatedly shaming you! I will train twice as hard, I beg you, don't cast me aside!"
A vein twitched at Eren's temple. He couldn't help but kick him away lightly. "Have you lost your mind? Cut the drama. I'm not some heartless lover."
Darius was stunned for a moment before realizing Eren wasn't exiling him. His expression instantly shifted from despair to joy. "I was overthinking! What are your orders, Overlord?"
Eren glanced at him and said lightly, "Find me an alchemy furnace."
"An alchemy furnace?"
Darius was so shocked he nearly bit his tongue, his voice rising an octave. "M-Master...you know alchemy?!"
An alchemist—that was the most mysterious, rarest existence in the world. One capable of refining spiritual pills could make countless powerful forces bow in submission!
Eren looked up, his voice cold enough to freeze hell. "Am I asking you, or are you testing me?"
"My apologies! This subordinate deserves death!"
Darius broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly explained: "Alchemy furnaces are extremely hard to find, but...the black market auction might have one. They specialize in rare treasures and hold one every month. Coincidentally, the next one is tomorrow night."
Eren nodded slightly. "Good. We'll go take a look tomorrow."
He turned to leave—
---
— The Gaze Behind the Mask —
"Wait, please!"
Lyra caught up to him, her high heels clicking urgently on the floor.
Her clear eyes held too many complex emotions—gratitude, confusion, and a touch of indescribable attachment.
He was always like this—arriving with the storm, vanishing with the calm.
And every time he left, the silence felt emptier than before.
"Who...are you, really?" she asked softly, her gaze intense enough to melt the air. "Why do you help me? Could you...let me see your face?"
Eren was silent for a long time.
When he finally spoke, his voice was low and hoarse. "I'm not a good man. You would only regret it."
Lyra's breath hitched, but her eyes grew more determined. "No matter who you are—hero or demon—you will always be my salvation. I beg you—let me see, just once?"
Eren looked at her, his gaze passing through the mask, meeting hers quietly in the space between them.
For a moment, he seemed to want to say something, but only a bitter smile emerged.
"What if—"His voice was soft, almost breaking.
"What if I was the one who killed your father... who destroyed your family?"
The air froze solid.
Lyra stood rigid, as if struck by lightning. She shook her head, her voice trembling. "No...that's impossible! How could you be him?! The murderer is Eren—that monster! I already had him dealt with!"
(So it was true...she was the one who hired the dark web assassins.)
Eren let out a soft laugh, a laugh filled with unspeakable bitterness.
He said nothing more, only looked back at her one last time—a look that seemed like both a farewell and an absolution.
Then, he turned and walked away.
Lyra stood frozen in place, watching his retreating back until her vision blurred with tears.
Her heart ached as it never had before.
If that "monster" hadn't defiled her...
Perhaps she would have had the right to chase after that fading figure.
But now—she was no longer worthy.
---
The wind swept between the skyscrapers, the night as dark as ink.
That night, all of Novalis Sector whispered—
One man incinerated nine Grandmaster-tier Warriors.
No one knew his name.
They only knew one thing—
From this night onward, Novalis Sector had a new god.