The tension in the VIP hall of the auction house was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Red walls of laser grids had closed in around Dollar (Vikram) and Master Yu.
Lady Scarlet smiled at her triumph. "No matter how powerful you are, Dollar," she said. "This is a 'Photon Cage.' If you try to move, it will incinerate you at the molecular level."
Vikram looked at the deadly red light. Ordinary Gene Warriors would have been terrified, but Vikram felt a deep sense of calm within himself.
"Light..." Dollar's mechanical voice echoed, sounding as if he were speaking from a deep well. "...can only exist where shadows grant permission."
Vikram focused his consciousness on his 'Origin-Source Gene'—that golden droplet which was now swirling within his Gene Core like a black hole.
[Secret Technique Activated: 'Void Domain' - Stage 1]
[Warning: This zone temporarily suspends physical laws.]
Suddenly, the shadow beneath Vikram's feet began to expand like a living creature. This was no ordinary darkness; it was a thick, viscous black liquid creeping across the floor.
"What is this?" The Duke's bodyguards stepped back.
The blackness spread rapidly. It covered the floor, climbed the walls, and finally... it touched the laser grid.
As soon as the shadow touched the red laser, there was no explosion. The laser simply... vanished. It looked as if the darkness had 'eaten' the light.
"Impossible!" Scarlet screamed. "Boost the energy generators!"
But it was too late.
"Darkness is the only truth," Dollar said.
The next instant, the entire auction house was plunged into Absolute Darkness. It was a darkness where even infrared vision or night vision goggles failed to work. All sensors went blind. Machines shut down as the 'Void' absorbed their energy.
Panic erupted among the crowd. Wealthy nobles ran helter-skelter, crashing into chairs.
Amidst this chaos, Vikram could see everything clearly. To him, this darkness was as bright as day.
"Take my hand, Master," Vikram said.
Master Yu, unable to believe his eyes, grasped Dollar's hand.
"Spell," Vikram commanded mentally. "The roof."
A blue flash pierced the darkness. Spell aimed her cannon at the ceiling.
Boom!
A silent yet powerful explosion occurred. A massive hole was blasted into the roof, allowing light from the two suns outside to try and enter, but the 'Void Domain' kept even that light at bay.
"Void Walk," Vikram whispered.
He didn't jump. He simply took a step forward.
Scarlet, trying to locate Dollar in the darkness using her 'Sonic Sense,' felt Dollar's energy signature suddenly vanish.
There was no movement in the air. No sound was heard. Dollar and Master Yu had simply ceased to exist.
10 seconds later
The effect of the 'Void Domain' wore off. The auction house lights flickered back on.
The laser grid reactivated, but it was now imprisoning empty air. The cage was empty. Dollar, Master Yu, and that small mechanical girl—all were gone.
In the center of the hall, where Dollar had stood, a scorched mark remained on the floor—the symbol of a black sun.
Lady Scarlet stared at the empty space. Her fists were clenched so tight that blood trickled from her palms.
"He didn't break my technique..." Scarlet muttered, her voice a mix of fear and rage. "He annihilated the laws themselves. What kind of power is this?"
The Duke, who had been hiding under the table, crawled out. "He... he was a monster! He ruined my auction! Scarlet, you have to catch him!"
Scarlet cast a cold glance at the Duke. "Catch him? If he wanted to, he could have slit all our throats in that darkness. He spared us."
City Outskirts - An Abandoned Warehouse
A black rift opened in the air, and Vikram (Dollar) and Master Yu tumbled out.
Vikram immediately removed his helmet and gasped for breath. The 'Void Domain' had nearly drained his mental energy.
"We... we survived?" Master Yu looked around. "This is the city's Eastern Sector. We are 10 miles away from the auction house... in an instant?"
He looked at Vikram, who was drenched in sweat.
"Boy... no, Vikram," Master Yu's voice was grave. "What you did back there... that was not an 'Origin Art.' I have read about it in history books. It is called 'Anti-Law.' A power created to kill Gods."
Vikram opened a water bottle and took a sip. "It is called 'Origin-Source,' Master. And this is just the beginning."
Just then, Vikram's communicator beeped. It was Lady Scarlet's private channel (connected to Vikram's slave communicator).
"Vikram, report to the barracks immediately. A state of emergency has been declared in the city. Dollar has attacked the auction house. We need every capable warrior."
Vikram smiled. "That's the fun of a double life. I am the hunter, and I am the prey."
He looked at Master Yu. "Master, you will be safe here. This warehouse belongs to an old acquaintance of mine (the hideout of the fake Dollar). There is a Gene Lab here too. I need your help. I need to stabilize my 'Super God Body,' and you possess the knowledge."
Master Yu nodded. "For you, I would build a lab even in Hell. But be careful, Scarlet is not going to stop now."