—— Funeral Secrets ——
TThe funeral of Adrian Voss was less a farewell—and more a show of power.
Two hundred black-suited bodyguards stood like statues, their presence enough to silence every whisper.
The air reeked of money and tension. Wreaths upon wreaths turned the hall into a suffocating ocean of flowers—beautiful, yet cold as a grave.
At the center, Adrian's portrait loomed beneath dim light, a constant reminder of what this gathering truly was.
Marcus Voss stood before it, face carved in grief, but the glint in his eyes told a different story. He wasn't here to mourn—he was hunting.
Today's grand funeral was bait.
A hush fell over the crowd as a sleek motorcade rolled in.
From the central Lincoln stepped an elder in a dark Tang suit, silver hair gleaming under the lights.
He needed no introduction—the weight of his presence said it all.
This was Alaric Morven, head of the Morven family—the foremost power in Novalis Sector.
He walked slowly toward Marcus and spoke in a heavy tone, "Marcus, my condolences. No parent should have to bury their child."
"Brother Alaric, I didn't expect you to come in person. Thank you." Marcus clasped his hands in salute, a flicker of wariness passing through his eyes before being swallowed again by sorrow.
Alaric sighed softly. "First, the Veyne family was wiped out, leaving only one girl. Now, you've lost your son in your later years... Could this be retribution for what we did back then?"
"Shh—" Marcus quickly signaled with his eyes. "Brother Alaric, there are too many ears here. Be careful."
Alaric waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine. Marcus, you've grown more timid with age."
Marcus fell silent. Years ago, he, Alaric Morven, and Lucien Veyne had joined forces in an earth-shaking scheme, securing the influence and status that established the three great families of Novalis Sector.
Yet, ever since that event, all three families had suffered dwindling lineages.
Now, with his only son dead—not even leaving a whole body behind—he couldn't help but wonder: was this truly fate's repayment?
—— A Sudden Interruption ——
As time passed with no sign of his son's killer, Marcus grew increasingly restless.
His gaze turned icy as it fixed on the hotel across the street, where a launch event was underway. A cruel, cold smile twisted his lips.
He raised his voice, addressing the entire crowd: "Thank you all for taking time to see my son off. Marcus is deeply grateful. I'm sure many of you are wondering—how did my Adrian die?"
His words caused a stir. Attendees glanced at one another, puzzled by his intent, but their curiosity was undeniable—who in Novalis Sector would dare touch the infamous young master?
Marcus scanned the crowd, then let his gaze settle coldly on the hotel."The one responsible for my son's death is none other than Lyra Veyne! Now, I ask you all to join me—let us cross over and demand justice for my son!"
---
Meanwhile, at the product launch venue across the street, the atmosphere was one of dazzling opulence and grand scale.
Every major media outlet and influential social media personality in Novalis Sector had gathered, their cameras and recorders aimed at the radiant woman on stage.
Lyra, in a pristine white gown, wore a perfectly poised smile as she eloquently presented the product and deftly handled questions.
She knew that once this product launched, it would cause an unprecedented sensation.
This event meant everything to her—and deep down, she secretly hoped that a certain mysterious, imposing figure would make an appearance.
Many in the audience silently admired her. Despite the recent tragedy that had shattered her family, here she stood, calm and articulate. Her resilience alone put most of the onlookers to shame.
But just as the event was reaching its peak, Marcus stormed in with his funeral procession in tow! Chairs were kicked over, reporters were shoved aside—their hostile intentions were unmistakable.
Lyra's face darkened instantly. "Mr. Marcus, what is the meaning of this?"
"My son died because of you! Today is the seventh day since his passing—the most important day of mourning!
And here you are, holding this... this celebration! Have you no conscience?!" Marcus's gaze was as sharp and cold as an arrow, his hatred palpable.
"What does your son's death have to do with me? I wouldn't dare, nor would I even have the ability, to kill him. I must ask you to leave at once—this event must continue!" Lyra's voice was firm, but inside, she was trembling.
The Voss family had always been ruthless; she knew this wouldn't end easily.
Marcus snorted. "This launch? Don't waste your effort! I declare here and now that I will unite all forces in Novalis Sector to fully boycott HelixPharm! From this day forward, your company will not sell a single product!"
As soon as he spoke, voices rose in support: "That's right! We stand with Patriarch Voss! Boycott HelixPharm!"
Lyra's face turned deathly pale. If a full-scale boycott took effect, HelixPharm would crumble in moments—let alone launch anything.
—— Gathering of Powers ——
Just then, a clear, commanding voice cut through the noise:
"I'd like to see who dares to boycott HelixPharm!"
A middle-aged man of imposing presence strode into the venue, flanked by attendants. It was none other than Arden Kairos—the newly appointed Mayor of Novalis Sector!
(Previously, Eren had used the Liuren Soul-Compelling Art to influence the minds of Arden's three competitors from a distance, causing them to withdraw from the race the very next day after losing their backers. Arden was now the sole candidate—his position as Mayor was certain.)
Arden walked with confident authority, his cold gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Anyone who tries to boycott HelixPharm is an enemy of mine!"
Before his words faded, two more voices rang out:
"He's right! Anyone targeting HelixPharm will answer to the Iron Vow Gang—and to me, Darius Crowne!"
"And to me, Lucien Graves!"
Darius and Lucien entered with large groups of followers, flooding the venue.
For a moment, the entire audience was stunned!
Not only had the new Mayor Arden appeared in person, but even the two most powerful underground figures in Novalis Sector had come to support Lyra?
Most shocking of all—Lucien Graves, the First Deputy of the Tri-Society, was openly betraying its leader, Marcus! It was unbelievable!
Just what kind of influence did Lyra possess?
Lyra herself was equally astonished. She never imagined the Mayor and the Tri-Society would stand up for her. But she quickly realized—this could only be the work of that Power Ranger.
—— Pressure of the Grandmasters ——
"Mayor Arden, are you deliberately making an enemy of my Voss family? Of me, Marcus?"
Marcus's face was dark with fury. He had planned for many scenarios, but never expected anyone to dare interfere.
He could disregard Darius and Lucien, but Arden's status forced him to tread carefully.
Arden responded with a cold smile. "Patriarch Voss, bullying a woman who has lost her entire family—is that what passes for skill? Let me make this clear: whoever dares to trouble Miss Lyra will have me to answer to!"
"Hah! The Mayor throws his weight around quite freely! If you want to meddle, you'd better be sure your seat is secure!"
Marcus waved a hand, and two elderly men leaped out from behind him, releasing a crushing pressure that made it hard for anyone to breathe!
"Grandmasters! Two Grandmaster-tier warriors!" The crowd recoiled in fear, scrambling back to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
"You think you're the only one with Grandmasters?"
Darius smirked and clapped his hands. Two men emerged from his group, radiating equally terrifying auras, directly opposing the two on Marcus's side!
Four Grandmaster-tier warriors releasing their pressure at once—the scene was overwhelming!
These were figures rarely seen in daily life, yet four had appeared at the same time. Everyone felt it—the very balance of power in Novalis Sector was shifting!
"Darius, you've hidden your strength well—but today, you'll see real power! Everyone, out!"
Marcus shouted, and six more figures emerged behind him.
Seeing them, Darius's heart raced, cold sweat nearly breaking out. Two more Grandmaster-tier warriors, plus four Spellcasters! Where had Marcus found so many top-tier experts?
Marcus snorted in satisfaction. "Darius, take your people and leave now, and I'll pretend you were never here."
Darius gritted his teeth. "Marcus, what are you trying to do? Start a massacre in Novalis Sector?"
"And what if I do? If you refuse to see reason today, Darius, you will die here!"
Marcus's tone was filled with contempt as he turned to Lucien.
"And you, Lucien! Don't think your usual influence means anything. In my eyes, you're nothing but an insect! I'll give you one chance—kneel, apologize, swear never to betray me again, and I might let you keep your miserable life!"
"You old bastard! How dare you!" Insulted so blatantly, Darius and Lucien couldn't hold back their rage, cursing loudly.
But Marcus simply pushed out a single palm. An invisible force erupted, striking Darius and Lucien like a thunderbolt, sending them flying backward, blood spraying from their mouths!
"You... you're a Grandmaster-tier warrior too?!" Darius's pupils contracted in shock. He never would have guessed the old man had hidden his strength so deeply!
The entire venue trembled in fear! Including Marcus himself, there were now nine Grandmaster-tier warrior experts on his side! What was he trying to do—take control of all Novalis Sector by force?
Even Alaric, who had been watching calmly from the sidelines, twitched at the corner of his mouth, his eyes shifting as if calculating something.
"Heh, that's right! I stepped into the Grandmaster-tier warrior realm ten years ago!" Marcus laughed wildly, his demeanor overbearing, as if he alone dominated the world.
His eyes swept across the venue like lightning, his voice booming: "Masked bastard! If you don't show yourself now, I'll kill Darius first, then Lyra—to accompany my son in death!"
—— The Masked One Arrives ——
His words made everything clear. So this overwhelming display was all to force the masked man into the open!
Just who was this person, to make Marcus go to such extremes? All eyes darted around, urgently searching for any sign of him.
Whoosh—
The crowd parted as if moved by an invisible hand. A tall figure stepped forward slowly, hands in his pockets. The Power Ranger mask on his face stood out starkly under the lights.
To see one's enemy is to see red!
In an instant, Marcus's eyes burned crimson with hatred. He stared fixedly at Eren, the words hissing through his teeth:
"You... you've finally come!"