— When Power Takes Sides —
Just then, a clear, commanding voice cut through the chaos—
steady, unhurried, yet carrying an authority that silenced the room in an instant.
"I'd like to see who dares to boycott HelixPharm!"
The murmurs died mid-breath.
Cameras froze. Even Marcus's followers instinctively stiffened.
A middle-aged man strode into the venue, his posture straight, his presence heavy enough to bend the air around him. Attendants followed at a measured distance, not flanking him so much as orbiting his authority.
Arden Kairos.
The newly appointed Mayor of Novalis District.
A name that, until this moment, had existed only in headlines and rumors—now standing in flesh and bone before them.
(Unseen by all, fate itself had already been tilted.
From afar, Eren had quietly invoked the Liuren Soul-Compelling Art, unraveling the resolve of Arden's three rivals. Backers withdrew. Conviction collapsed. By the next day, every competitor had bowed out.)
This election had not been won.
It had been cleared.
Arden advanced step by step, each footfall measured, inevitable. His cold gaze swept across the crowd—not searching, not threatening—simply claiming the space.
"Anyone who attempts to boycott HelixPharm," he said evenly,
"is an enemy of mine."
The words fell like a seal being stamped.
Final. Absolute.
Before the weight of his declaration could fully settle, another voice burst forth—sharp, fearless, carrying the edge of blood and iron.
"He's right! Anyone targeting HelixPharm will answer to the Iron Vow Gang—
and to me, Darius Crowne!"
A ripple surged through the venue.
"And to me," another voice followed, calm yet unmistakably dangerous,
"Leopold Graves."
Two entrances.
Two forces.
Darius and Leopold stepped in from opposite sides, their followers flooding the venue like a rising tide, instantly overwhelming the fragile order Marcus had imposed moments earlier.
For a heartbeat, no one spoke.
The audience stared, minds struggling to keep pace with reality.
The newly installed Mayor—here in person.
The Iron Vow Gang's overlord—openly taking a stand.
And Leopold Graves... the First Deputy of the Tri-Society... publicly turning against his own patriarch.
This wasn't support.
This was alignment.
Whispers spread like cracks in ice.
What kind of woman commands this kind of backing?
No—what kind of force stands behind her?
Lyra stood frozen at the center of it all.
Her fingers curled unconsciously at her side, her breath shallow—not from fear, but disbelief.
She had braced herself for humiliation, for isolation, for collapse.
She had never imagined this.
The Mayor.
The underworld.
Even the Tri-Society itself—fracturing for her sake.
Slowly, clarity dawned.
This was not her influence.
Not her name.
Not her power.
Her gaze lifted, instinctively searching the crowd.
That mask...
Only one person would move pieces like this.
Only one would remain unseen while reshaping the board.
Her heart tightened—not with panic, but with something dangerously close to certainty.
So you were here all along.
—— 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 Leopold, 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 District 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 District ?"
"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 Leopold.
"And you, Leopold! 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 Leopold couldn't hold back their rage, cursing loudly.
But Marcus simply pushed out a single palm. An invisible force erupted, striking Darius and Leopold 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 District 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!"
— At Last, He Appears —
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!"