Darkness.Then—a surge of power.Nathan’s eyes snapped open. His body, which had been weak and on the brink of death just moments ago, was now overflowing with an unimaginable force. It roared through his veins, washing away every trace of exhaustion, every drop of weakness.He could feel it—raw, boundless energy radiating from the ring on his finger."What… is this?" he whispered, staring at the glowing metal band.Suddenly, a flood of ancient knowledge stormed into his mind—cultivation techniques, battle strategies, secrets of power beyond comprehension. The information was overwhelming, but his body instinctively absorbed it, as if it had been waiting for this moment.But before he could even begin to process what was happening, a snarl cut through the air.The savage dogs lunged.Sharp teeth gleamed in the dim light, their monstrous bodies rushing toward him, driven by hunger and instinct.Nathan didn’t think.He simply moved.CRACK!With a single kick, the first dog’s bones shatt

The clerk aze flickered between the expensive designer clothes draped over Margaret Miller and the simple attire Nathan wore.Margaret noticed the hesitation and immediately pounced. "You see? Even the clerk knows something is off. A street racoons like him could never afford such an expensive herb. He probably scammed someone for that card."Jessica folded her arms, sneering. "Or maybe he found it in a trash can like the rat he is."The clerk furrowed his brows, clearly uncertain. Then, in a bold move, he reached forward and placed his hand over the herb, blocking Nathan from taking it."I’m sorry, sir," the clerk said, forcing a polite smile. "But given the circumstances, I believe it’s best to let Madam Miller purchase the herb instead."Nathan’s eyes darkened. "Given the circumstances?"The clerk nodded. "Madam Miller is a well-known figure in the city, and you… well, you don’t exactly look like someone who can afford this."Margaret smirked. "You hear that, Nathan? Even random no

Sophia Miller gripped her phone, her lips pressed into a thin line as she listened to her mother and sister rant about Nathan.Margaret’s voice was shrill with indignation. "That damn racoons actually walked out of that store like he was someone important! You should have seen the look on his face—so smug, so arrogant! It was disgusting!"Jessica snickered. "Oh, don’t worry, Mom. He’ll be put back in his place soon enough."Sophia exhaled sharply. "Let him have his little moment. Tomorrow, at Imperial Corp’s anniversary event, Lucas will deal with him."Margaret perked up. "Lucas?"Sophia smirked. "Yes. I’ll be attending the event with him. And believe me, Lucas won’t let Nathan walk away unscathed."Margaret and Jessica burst into laughter."Oh, that’s perfect!" Jessica clapped her hands. "Lucas’s father already has a strong foothold in Imperial Corp, doesn’t he?"Sophia leaned back in her chair, confidence radiating from her tone. "Exactly. He’s been working closely with insiders, a

Nathan barely had to lift a finger, and yet chaos was unfolding all around him. The moment his deep, confident voice cut through the air, Lucas and Sophia instinctively took a step back. It wasn’t fear—not that they would ever admit—but a primal wariness, the kind that animals had when sensing a predator in their midst. Lucas recovered first, his lips curling in disdain. “What’s with that smug look? You think flashing a cheap knockoff of an exclusive black card makes you somebody?” He snorted. “I could probably get a better one printed at home. Maybe on shinier paper.” Sophia laughed, sharp and cruel. “Right? Did he pull it out of a cereal box? Or maybe it came as a buy-one-get-one-free deal with that disaster of an outfit he’s wearing.” She wrinkled her nose, eyeing Nathan’s sleek but understated attire. “Seriously, it’s embarrassing.” Nathan remained impassive, rolling the black card between his fingers as if their words were nothing more than a light breeze against his skin.

Lucas and Sophia strutted through the grand halls of Imperium Corp, their smug smiles practically carved onto their faces. Being escorted back into the building had been satisfying enough, but the cherry on top was seeing Nathan humiliated in front of everyone. Sophia folded her arms and sneered. “You must really have no shame, Nathan. To think you could just sneak in with some card you probably scammed off someone.” Her voice dripped with disdain. “Trash like you should know their place. Just because you managed to set foot in here doesn’t mean you can be compared to Lucas.” Lucas laughed, adjusting his cuffs with exaggerated arrogance. “Compared to me?” He scoffed. “Let’s not be ridiculous, Sophia. A worm like him isn’t even worthy of standing in my shadow.” His eyes flicked to Nathan, who remained maddeningly calm. “But don’t worry, since I’m feeling generous today, I’ll give you a lesson in what true success looks like.” He turned to the gathered executives and staff, spe