— Lash of the Curse —
Vale Family Mansion.
Damien paced the hall like a caged animal, his agitation a palpable force. "That useless Kaelen! Why is there still no word?"
Before his curses could continue, Quillon rushed in, his face ashen. "Young Master, terrible news—the great snow mountain where the Frostveil Sect resided... the entire peak has collapsed."
"What?!" Damien's head snapped up. "And Eren?"
"Unknown. Rumors say someone escaped, but their identity is unclear."
A tightness seized Damien's chest, a deep-seated sense of wrongness. "A mountain doesn't just collapse for no reason—"
His words were cut short as his body convulsed, bending double. The curse markings on his chest tore open as if sliced from within, and a raw, agonized scream ripped from his throat.
"ARGH—! Bastard! Eren!!"
Quillon was terrified out of his wits. "Young Master?! What's happening... is it a curse? Should I call—"
"GET OUT—!" Damien snarled, gritting his teeth until the wave of curse-induced agony receded. He collapsed to the floor, his whole body trembling.
A moment later, a virulent, twisted hatred bloomed in the depths of his pupils.
"Eren... I will make you beg for death. Starting with those around you."
He sneered, each word an ice-cold blade. "Go. Kill Lyra."
Quillon was taken aback. "Young Master, I'm Quillon... Erskine is long dead."
"I don't care who you are! I gave you an order!" Damien roared.
"Yes! At once! I'll see it done!"
A flicker of twisted excitement passed through Quillon's eyes. He turned and hurried away, a dangerous smile playing on his lips.
— Predators at the Door —
HelixPharm, CEO's Office.
"I apologize for the intrusion. I am Ryo, of the OH-KO Groop. I'm here today to acquire HelixPharm."
The man in gold-rimmed glasses spoke with feigned politeness, but his eyes roamed over Lyra's form with brazen audacity.
Lyra's brow furrowed. Ever since the explosive success of the new drug formula Eren provided, many powers had set their sights on HelixPharm, but she hadn't expected anyone to dare barge into her office so brazenly.
"It's not for sale. Please leave."
Her tone offered no room for argument.
"Miss Lyra," Ryo didn't move, his voice dropping. "Perhaps hear our offer fir—"
"The answer is no, regardless of the terms." Lyra's voice was firm.
Ryo smiled, a cold, unpleasant thing. "On behalf of OH-KO Groop, I offer—one dollar."
Lyra understood instantly. This wasn't a negotiation. It was a naked power grab.
"You're looking for a fight,"
she said coldly.
"Exactly."
As the word left his mouth, several dull thuds sounded from outside. Lyra's bodyguards and several employees were slammed into the corridor walls, embedded into the plaster.
Lyra's face paled. She took a step back, her hand discreetly pressing the speed-dial for Eren.
"This is a crime—"
"Crime?" Ryo licked his lips, the lecherous gleam in his eyes almost overflowing. "Once you're in my hands, both HelixPharm and you yourself will belong to me."
"Dream on."
Swiftly, she drew a sleeve pistol, leveling it at him
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
The bullets froze mid-air, then fell to the floor with a series of metallic pings.
Ryo sat down on the sofa, the picture of leisure. "I told you, don't waste your energy."
Lyra's heart tightened—these men weren't just business rivals; they were powerful martial artists.
Ryo's expression shifted to the cold smile of a predator toying with its prey. "Besides that consciousness drug, what else is HelixPharm hiding? Don't tell me that's all you have."
Lyra steadied her breathing, forcing down her fear, making her tone sound like a formal business presentation. "We are developing multiple treatment plans—for heart disease, hypertension, liver disease, diabetes... we even have breakthroughs in the field of cancer, all in pre-clinical validation. The process is very complex and requires—"
Ryo listened intently, but when she said "cancer," he leaned forward sharply. "Wait, what you're saying about these—"
"Sir Ryo,"
one of his subordinates interjected coldly, "She's clearly stalling for time."
Ryo's face darkened instantly, as if he'd been publicly slapped.
"Well, well... playing me for a fool, are you?"
His laugh was cold and trembling with anger. "Then we needn't waste any more time."
He pointed to the black-clad man beside him.
"Master Kuro—do it! Soul Snatch!"
Kuro stepped forward, his vertical pupils glinting like a serpent's, cold and predatory.
A chill ran down Lyra's spine. "Soul Snatch...?"
Kuro's eyes blazed with crimson light. A wave of mental force, sharp as an arrow, shot toward Lyra.
Lyra felt her consciousness being violently pulled, nearly causing her to stumble.
"Be a good girl and become my plaything," Ryo laughed.
Just as the red light was about to touch Lyra—
The jade pendant at her neck flared with a soft, white radiance! It lashed out like a blade, deflecting the mental attack directly back at its source!
"GYAAHH!!"
Kuro screamed, staggering backward, two trails of blood streaming from the corners of his eyes.
A deathly silence fell over the room.
"She has... a protective talisman,"
Kuro said, his face pale as he sat cross-legged, forcibly circulating his energy to recover.
Lyra clutched the pendant—Eren's protective charm had saved her again.
Ryo's face twisted with fury. "You bitch! You actually have a magic treasure shielding you!"
No sooner had he spoken than he flashed in front of Lyra, his palm striking directly at her chest, aiming for the pendant.
The white light erupted once more!
BOOM!!
Ryo was sent flying backward, crashing through the wall, blood spraying from his mouth.
"Impossible... a mere protective charm, it blocked two attacks?!"
His voice trembled with rage and shock.
— When the Trap Locks Shut —
Lyra seized the brief respite, turning to flee—the pendant was already cracked; she could feel the protective layer was on the verge of shattering.
But the moment she reached the door, before she could even touch the handle, a line of figures blocked her escape.
Quillon walked in with over a dozen subordinates. His gaze swept over her, lecherous and dripping with vile intent.
"Well, well, Miss Lyra, why the hurry?" Quillon's smile was nauseating. "My brothers and I are feeling a bit... pent up. We thought we'd come to you to... relieve the pressure."
Lyra felt her spine turn to ice, her stomach churning with nausea. She forced herself to stand her ground, stepping back. "Who are you people? Have you lost your minds? Do you have any idea what you're getting yourselves into?!"
Quillon initially looked dismissive, but then his eyes fell on the severely injured Ryo and the bleeding Kuro. His expression froze for a moment.
"You... what kind of monsters are you?" Quillon frowned.
"Bakayaro!"
Ryo struggled to his feet, clutching his chest as he roared, "That woman is our prey! You scum, get out now! Or else—"
SMACK!
Quillon moved like a ghost, his hand flashing out to send Ryo spinning to the floor with a single slap. His voice was cold as iron. "Dare to yap in front of me? Try barking again."
Ryo, seeing stars, several teeth missing, couldn't process what had just happened. "You—you hit me?! Do you know who I am?! I'm from OH-KO Groop—"
SMACK!!
The second slap was even fiercer, deforming half of Ryo's face.
Quillon spat impatiently. "What the hell is OH-KO Groop? I am Quillon of the Vale Family!"
Ryo trembled with rage. "Our OH-KO Groop has a partnership with the Vale Family! How dare you touch me? Starting tomorrow, I'll make sure your family—"
Hearing the word "partnership," Quillon's face underwent a dramatic change—
In the space of a second, he went from a vicious hound to an obsequious kitten, his face breaking into an ingratiating smile.
"Aiyo, aiyo, it's Sir Ryo! A misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding! This lowly one has failed to recognize your esteemed self! Please, don't take it to heart—"
Ryo's anger hadn't subsided, but capturing Lyra was the priority now. He coldly snarled, "Enough nonsense! Seize that woman first!"
"At once, at once!"
Quillon turned, his smile vanishing, replaced by a bloodthirsty, twisted grimace.
He advanced on Lyra step by step. "Miss Lyra, you heard the man. Two choices—first, submit willingly. Second, have a few bones broken *then* submit. I'll count to three... Three... Two—"
Before he could reach "One"—
—Click.
The air in the entire building seemed to be vacuumed out, replaced by an oppressive, suffocating pressure.
A voice, cold enough to freeze bone and sharp with killing intent that felt like steel blades, exploded in everyone's ears.
"—Heh... Heh."
The laughter didn't sound human. It sounded like death itself leaning in to whisper.
Then—
"I'll give you two choices."
The voice seemed to come from the void itself, from inside their very minds.
"First—Kneel down now, and kill yourself."
The air grew so cold it was hard to breathe.
"Second—I'll help you..."
The killing intent in the voice detonated:
"—Into pieces!"