— The Lifesaving Talisman's Glow —
"I'm done for... this is really it." Lyra's face went deathly pale, her heart hammering in her chest.
The Maserati was smashed apart by the heavy truck, erupting into raging flames.
At that critical moment, she felt a burning sensation in her palm.
A soft yet resilient light surged forth, enveloping her entire body in an intangible, protective barrier.
The destructive impact and the ensuing inferno failed to harm her in the slightest.
"How is this possible..." Stunned beyond words, Lyra didn't hesitate. She kicked open the deformed car door and swiftly escaped the burning wreck.
Only after reaching a safe distance did she look incredulously at her palm. The crude, makeshift paper talisman had already turned to ash, scattering in the wind.
"My God... it actually saved me!"
Even a fool could tell that the simple paper charm had shielded her life at the critical moment. The shock in Lyra's heart was indescribable.
"Aveline, my dear friend, thank you..." Just as Lyra was filled with gratitude, a van screeched to a halt in front of her.
— The Masked Figure —
The side door slid open, and five men with vicious faces, dressed like thugs, jumped out.
"Miss, had an accident? Need some help?" The leading bald man, his face fleshy and brutish, looked Lyra up and down with a lecherous gaze, not bothering to hide his greed.
The others also wore malicious smiles, their eyes roaming over Lyra's graceful figure.
Lyra's heart tightened. Forcing calm, she said, "I'm fine. I've already called the police. They'll be here soon."
"No, no — I think you need our special care." The bald man grinned menacingly and waved his hand. "Brothers, escort this lady into the car!"
Lyra immediately sensed the danger and turned to run, but the bald man and his crew were prepared, quickly blocking her escape.
"Get lost!" In desperation, Lyra sharply raised her foot and kicked the bald man in the groin.
"Ah—!" The bald man cried out in pain, collapsing. Enraged, he roared, "Kill this bitch!"
Several lackeys drew their daggers and pounced on Lyra like hungry wolves.
"It's over..." Despair instantly overwhelmed Lyra.
Just as the blades were about to touch Lyra, a majestic figure descended from above. With a single kick, he sent the lead thug flying several meters.
It was Eren.
He wore a mask styled after a Power Ranger — black and white, the stark design looking almost solemn in the flickering firelight.
"Who's there?... Stop playing tricks!" The bald man, enduring the pain, brandished his dagger with a false show of strength.
But before his words faded, a cold light flashed in Eren's eyes. He moved like lightning. In the few seconds it took Lyra to stare in shock, all the thugs were on the ground, screaming, spitting blood, and falling unconscious.
"So strong!" Lyra's beautiful eyes were full of admiration. "Thank you for saving me. What's your name? Why are you wearing a mask?"
Eren stood with his back to Lyra, struggling internally. He wanted to reveal his identity, but thinking of Lyra's hatred for him, he ultimately swallowed his words.
He altered his voice and said without turning around, "Just lending a hand. Take care."
"Wait!" Lyra chased a few steps, but the figure had already vanished from sight.
In a corner, Eren watched her leave safely, then flashed back to the scene. He stepped on the bald man, waking him.
"Talk. Who sent you?" Eren's voice was cold as steel.
Terrified out of his wits, the bald man stammered, "It was... it was the leader of the Iron Vow, Darius Crowne!"
— Storming the Iron Vow —
Thirty minutes later, Eren met this underground emperor at The Iron Vow headquarters.
Darius was in his forties, burly, with sharp eyes and a powerful aura radiating from him.
Seeing the bald man bring in a stranger, Darius frowned in displeasure. "Is the mission complete? Who is this kid?"
"I hope you answer my question honestly," Eren said coldly, "or The Iron Vow will be erased today."
Darius was stunned for two seconds, then burst into hysterical laughter. The gang members joined in the roaring laughter.
"Where did this lunatic come from?" Darius waved his hand sinisterly. "Kill him!"
A burly man nicknamed "Black Bear" stepped forward, his fist, large as a sand pot, smashing toward Eren with a gust of wind.
Eren casually threw a punch to meet it. Black Bear flew back like a kite with its string cut, dead before he hit the ground.
"Sorry," Eren said apologetically, "didn't control my strength well."
Darius's pupils contracted. "Third Brother, you go!" he said gravely.
A man with a hooked nose stepped out, the spiritual fluctuations around him causing palpitations.
"Wait." Eren suddenly raised his hand.
"Scared now?" Darius sneered.
"No," Eren wagged his index finger. "I mean, you should all come at me together. He alone isn't enough."
"Seeking death!" Feeling insulted, the hook-nosed man charged with full force.
Eren casually thrust out his palm. The palm wind swept past, the air splitting like a sharp blade. The hook-nosed man's head jerked to the side, blood misting the air.
"Damn!" Eren himself was startled. "Sorry, I'll hold back next time."
The surviving gang members turned pale. Darius's mouth twitched violently. He finally realized the young man before him was a monster.
"All of you, attack!" Darius roared.
The gang members swarmed forward. Eren used only ten percent of his strength, yet no one could get near him. In an instant, the hall was filled with moans and wails, only Eren standing proudly amidst the chaos.
"Heh, satisfying." Eren finally had a clear understanding of his own strength.
Darius rose from his throne, his face ashen. "Just who are you?"
"Come, let me see how much this 'Underground Emperor' is really worth."
Darius let out an angry roar, his aura exploding as he unleashed his ultimate technique:
"Thunder Rush Fist!"
The fist wind was like thunder, heavy as a thousand pounds, capable of shattering even giant rocks. The surviving gang members held their breath, awaiting their leader's vengeance...
— The Underground Emperor's Submission —
But what happened next blanked everyone's minds.
Facing Darius's thunderous, lethal strike, Eren neither dodged nor flinched.
Instead, he casually plucked a leaf from a nearby ficus tree. With a flick of his finger, the ordinary leaf turned into an emerald streak, shooting toward Darius faster than a bullet.
In Darius's perception, that light leaf was ten thousand times more terrifying than any weapon.
His face changed dramatically, as if he had seen the most horrifying thing in the world.
He forcibly halted his fist mid-strike and dropped to his knees with a thud!
This decisive surrender saved his life. The leaf grazed the top of his head, flew over a dozen meters, first shattered the throne behind him, then slammed heavily into the wall.
"BOOM—!"
A large hole was blown open in the solid concrete wall, debris flying everywhere.
At that moment, deathly silence fell over the hall. Every member of The Iron Vow realized this seemingly ordinary young man was an existence far beyond their reach.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Darius Crowne kowtowed three times without hesitation, his voice trembling.
"I didn't know a Grand Overlord was honoring us! I have been blind! I deserve to die ten thousand times for offending you!"
The Underground Emperor of the Novalis Sector was now as humble as an ant, his former authority utterly gone.
Eren shook his head and asked his intended question: "Why target Lyra Veyne? Who ordered it?"
His tone was flat, but it sent a bone-chilling cold through Darius.
"Sir, I... I don't know either..."
Before he could finish, a cold light flashed in Eren's eyes. With a casual wave of his hand, he sent Darius flying.
Darius spat out a mouthful of blood, endured the pain, and crawled back, hastily explaining,
"Yesterday, my account received a transfer of twenty million, with a message ordering me to target Miss Lyra. That's all I know, I beg for your mercy, Sir!"
Eren fell into thought. The masterdmind was so secretive.
Who could it be? Damien Vale?
But with the Vale family's power, they wouldn't need to use a middleman.
"If you know nothing, what use are you to me?" Killing intent reappeared in Eren's eyes.
Terrified out of his wits, Darius kowtowed repeatedly. "Sir, have mercy! Give me two days! I will definitely find the person behind this!"
Looking at the humble state of this underground emperor, Eren felt an idea. He pointed his finger like a sword toward Darius's heart from a distance.
"Ah—!" Darius felt a sharp pain in his heart, thinking his end had come.
"Stop howling," Eren said lightly. "I've placed a restriction in your heart. I can detonate it at any time. If you serve loyally, you will be safe and sound. If you pretend compliance while acting against me..."
These cold words sounded like music to Darius's ears.
He kowtowed excitedly. "Thank you, Overlord, for sparing my life! Darius vows to serve you faithfully, even as your horse or hound!"
— Protection in the Shadows —
Eren nodded in satisfaction. "Besides investigating the Overlordmind, you must personally protect Lyra's safety."
Darius agreed without hesitation but soon showed a troubled expression. "Overlord, I am unacquainted with Miss Lyra. Approaching her rashly might cause misunderstanding..."
Eren frowned in thought, then suddenly had an inspiration. "Don't mention me. Just say the Power Ranger sent you."
"Power Ranger?" Darius's mouth twitched. He lowered his head to hide his strange expression. "Understood."
After exchanging contact information, Eren turned and left. Darius respectfully shouted, "Farewell, Overlord!"
Warden Kane, who had been standing by the door the entire time, witnessed everything. His heart was shaken to the core.
The Iron Vow — a force that had ruled the Novalis Sector for years — had been subdued by Eren so easily?
As Eren got back into the car, Kane bowed slightly and asked with respect,
"Mr. Eren, where to next?"
"Kairos Manor."
"Kairos Manor?!" Kane was stunned once again.
Of course, he knew what that name meant. The Kairos family was on an entirely different level — and yet, Eren seemed to have connections even there.