Tommy let out a loud roar as he launched forward.His body shot across the hallway like a charging bull, one massive fist raised high in the air.The punch came down fast.Fast like lightning.Heavy like a falling hammer.The men from Shimmer Corporation instantly burst into excited cheers.“That’s it, Mr. Valkyrie!”“Crush him!”“Break his head open!”Their confidence was absolute. In their eyes, Tommy was unbeatable.Even Wula had quietly opened the door to the room and peeked out from the side.She leaned against the doorframe, watching the scene unfold in the hallway.The moment she saw Tommy attack, a faint sparkle appeared in her eyes.She had seen Tommy fight before.Anyone who faced him usually didn’t last ten seconds.But this time, something different happened.Just as Tommy’s fist was about to smash into Jaden’s face, Jaden simply took a small step backward.It was effortless.Almost lazy.The punch missed him completely.Kaboom!Tommy’s fist slammed straight into the wall

Night pressed down on Ironvale like a heavy cloak.Across the shimmering waters of Lake Rose, the lights of the city reflected in long ripples of gold and crimson. Music drifted from the lakeside restaurants, and laughter mixed with the clatter of plates and teacups.Rosary Teahouse stood proudly along the shoreline, its wooden balconies stretching out over the water. Lanterns hung along the railings, casting a warm amber glow over the diners gathered inside.At this hour, the place was usually filled with wealthy businessmen, tourists, and socialites enjoying the evening breeze.But tonight, the atmosphere changed the moment the doors swung open.A group of men strode inside without hesitation.At the front was a young man in an immaculate tailor-made suit. His posture was relaxed, but the cold arrogance in his eyes made people instinctively avoid looking at him for too long.This man was Balo Nagger.The youngest son of Leon Nagger.The boss of Shimmer Corporation.And one of the mo

The moment Balo Nagger’s name left his lips, the restaurant emptied.There was no deliberation, no exchanged glances, no polite gathering of belongings. People simply got up and moved toward the exits with urgency. Within seconds the spacious interior of Rosary Teahouse had shed nearly every soul inside it — diners, waitstaff, security personnel, all of them flowing out through the doors and disappearing into the street without looking back.Nobody who knew the name Balo Nagger needed an explanation. He was the kind of man whose reputation preceded him so thoroughly that his mere presence in a room constituted a threat. He killed without ceremony and without consequence, and the people of Ironvale understood this the way they understood weather — as a fact of nature, not a moral question.In under a minute, the teahouse held only Balo Nagger, his men, and ten of Rosemary’s tea mistresses, who had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide and were now standing very still, hoping stillness mig

Rosemary’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “Mr. Nagger,” she said, her voice steady despite everything, “these girls have nothing to do with any of this. Whatever grievance you have — it’s with me. Let them go and deal with me alone.”Behind her, the tea mistresses reacted immediately. “Rosemary, no!” The voices came together in a ragged chorus, Sarah’s loudest among them.Balo Nagger lifted his tea cup. He took a slow sip, set it back down, and regarded Rosemary with something that might have passed for appreciation if it weren’t so cold at its core.“Tommy was my right-hand man,” he said pleasantly. “He’s dead now. And every person in this room shares responsibility for that, whether they know it or not.” He tilted his head. “I am not a patient man, Rosemary. I have extended considerable courtesy tonight already. If you won’t make the call, then I see no reason to keep my subordinates waiting any longer. They can do as they please with all of you.”Rosemary met his eyes and he

Jaden looked at Balo Nagger and the men behind him.Then he let out a quiet chuckle.“You guys?”The words were simple, but the ridicule behind them was obvious.Balo Nagger’s face instantly darkened.He let out a cold snort.“Just my men alone are enough to kill you a hundred times over.”His eyes flashed with irritation.Then he called out sharply.“Black Reaper!”“At your service!”Black Reaper immediately stepped forward.Despite the blister still visible on his mouth, the thin man looked more excited than angry.In fact, the humiliation he had just suffered only made his desire to kill even stronger.He rolled his neck slowly as he walked toward Jaden.A wicked grin spread across his pale face.His eyes glowed with savage excitement.“Bastard,” he said with a sinister laugh.“I’m going to dig your heart out for ambushing me.”As he spoke, his fingers slowly curled.His long nails stretched forward like the claws of a beast.Those hands had torn through countless enemies before.N