Getting out of bed, Lynn raised his hand slightly.
Woosh!
In the next moment, more than thirty ghostly figures of young girls appeared before him.
Each spirit, steeped in violet resentment, circled around Lynn several times before bowing deeply.
The bloody tears in their hollow eyes slowly faded, replaced by the innocent, cheerful smiles they once had in life.
A beam of light appeared in the center of the room, and the Power of Death within the ghostly girls surged into Lynn's body like a rising tide.
On the system panel, the Harbinger of Death progress bar shot upward rapidly.
The surge of energy filled Lynn with an indescribable sense of exhilaration, as if he were drifting in a sea of pure comfort.
As the Power of Death continued to flow, the ghostly girls' eyes grew clear once more. One by one, they floated into the light and vanished.
When the room was quiet again, Lynn waved his hand, and the blood bead materialized in his palm.
Feeling the concentrated Power of Death inside it, he began to absorb it immediately.
A blood-red mist swirled around him as the energy poured steadily into his body.
Soft cracking sounds echoed from his bones, and he could feel his organs, skin, and muscles tightening, becoming more refined and resilient.
After a few minutes, the blood bead dulled into an ordinary gem. Lynn set it casually into a box.
Opening the system panel, a flicker of surprise crossed Lynn's eyes.
Jackpot. He'd definitely hit the jackpot this time.
This haul was even better than the resonator from that abandoned villa in the New York suburbs.
💀~~~~✨[Grace of Death]✨~~~~💀
[Host: Lynn Hall]
[Age: 22]
[Identity: Harbinger of Death (33%)]
[Supernatural Abilities: Five times peak human physical fitness, Potion Crafting (LV3), Phantom (LV3), Super Senses (LV3), Bone Shield (LV3), Heat Vision (LV1), Undying Body]
[Note: Harbinger of Death progress reached 30%, new skill acquired — Heat Vision!]
💀~~~~✨~~~~💀
Not only had his Harbinger of Death progress risen to 33%, but his physical fitness had also jumped from three times to five times that of a normal person, with all his abilities showing improvement.
And now, he had a new skill—Heat Vision.
Picking up a mirror, Lynn concentrated for a moment. His eyes glowed faintly, the energy of Heat Vision gathering at his command.
It felt like he could unleash it anytime, with just a thought.
After dispersing the energy, Lynn stretched lazily.
Finally—he had a new offensive ability.
It seemed that increasing the Harbinger of Death progress bar had been the right call; reaching 30% had granted him Heat Vision.
So what would happen when it hit 60%… or even 100%?
Would he gain? A Man of Steel body? Silver Superman powers? Or something even stronger?
Lying back on the bed, Lynn closed his eyes and began to imagine it.
Yeah… that sense of anticipation for the unknown—that was the best feeling.
Like opening a blind box and wondering what treasure might be inside.
Wait.
Lynn suddenly opened his eyes, a faint frown on his face. He felt like he'd forgotten something.
After a few seconds of thought, he shook his head.
Forget it. No point overthinking—it was late, and he still had work tomorrow.
...
Meanwhile, back at the manor in New York—
"Good heavens, there really are vampires in this world!"
Landing beside Steve and Natasha, Tony stepped out of his armor and glanced around as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents worked to excavate the underground city.
He turned to them with a grin. "Really? You two didn't call me for something like this? Come on—we're a team! I was hoping to see if vampires are actually as ugly as the legends say."
Natasha crouched down, scooping up a handful of dirt. Her voice was calm but heavy. "Tony, we just lost a friend. Someone we hadn't known for long, but who got along really well with Steve and me."
"He was a lot like you."
Looking up at Tony, she sighed softly. "Equally cynical, equally fond of enjoying life… and equally fond of beautiful women."
"But he also had a kind, righteous heart. He was willing to fight for strangers who were suffering—even if it meant sacrificing himself."
Tony's smile faded.
"I'm sorry, Natasha. Steve. Honestly… if he were still alive, maybe he and I could've been good friends."
"But unfortunately…"
He trailed off and shook his head, silent for a long moment.
Then Steve, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. "His sacrifice mattered, Tony. But tell me—did Jarvis really not detect any of his body tissue after the explosion? Not even a trace?"
"Sorry."
Tony Stark shook his head again.
"Then let's build him a tombstone."
Watching the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents haul debris out of the underground passage, Steve said solemnly, "Lynn has no family left in this world. That means it's on us. Even if he died a hero's death, we should still leave behind something to honor him."
Steve's words made both Natasha and Tony nod in agreement.
"Leave the grave and the tombstone to me," Tony said firmly. "I might not have known your new friend, but I want to do my part—for Lynn, a man worthy of respect."
As he spoke, several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents emerged carrying the bodies of young girls from the underground city.
None of them were very old—the oldest couldn't have been more than sixteen. Each face was frozen in terror, a grim reminder of how they'd died.
Tony's eyes reddened.
His fists clenched tight as anger burned through his voice. "Steve, Natasha… I think we should do something."
"Whether it's to honor Lynn's memory—or for these innocent girls who never got a chance to live."
"The Avengers should probably assemble again."
Steve Rogers' expression was solemn as he gripped the Shield in his hand. "I agree. I'll report to Nick Fury and have S.H.I.E.L.D. launch a full investigation into all vampires hiding within U.S. borders."
"I'll reach out to the vampire hunters," Natasha said after a brief pause. "I know two—one's based in Europe, and the other can come through a portal anytime."
As the two decided on their next steps, Tony spoke up. "Then I'll handle the tech and get in touch with Dr. Banner. Unfortunately, Asgard doesn't have phones or email, so we can't reach Thor."
He shrugged lightly. "Otherwise, I'd have sent him a text or something."
With their roles settled, Steve said in a low, steady voice, "Then let's move forward—after we hold Lynn's funeral."
______
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