Emperor Of War

Chapter Nine: The Monster at the Gate

Derek Carter's POV

The atmosphere inside the mansion remained calm. At least, it had been.

I sat comfortably in the private lounge, discussing business matters with Greg Harrison while several influential guests enjoyed the celebration taking place throughout the estate.

Outside, however, the noise was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. At first, I wasn't concerned. Hulk was handling it.

That fact alone should have been enough to settle anyone's nerves. Hulk wasn't merely a commander. He was the strongest fighter in my private army. A ruthless warrior who had crushed countless enemies over the years.

If some reckless fool had managed to enter my estate, Hulk would deal with him.

Simple.

Another burst of cheering erupted from outside. I smiled. "Sounds like they've started enjoying the show."

Greg chuckled. "The poor idiot never stood a chance."

I nodded. "Not against Hulk."

Outside the large glass windows, distant voices continued echoing through the estate grounds.

Most of the spectators had gathered around the courtyard. They were expecting an execution. A demonstration of Hulk's overwhelming strength. Many of them had witnessed it before. Whenever Hulk entered a fight, the outcome was always the same. Victory.

That was why nobody doubted him. Not even me. Then suddenly— The cheering stopped. An uncomfortable silence followed. I frowned slightly. That wasn't normal.

Greg noticed it too. "What happened?"

I stood and walked toward the window.

Unfortunately, the angle prevented me from seeing the courtyard clearly. Before I could investigate further, another commotion erupted. Only this time, it sounded different. Not excitement. Shock.

Pure shock. The voices outside became louder. Confused. Panicked. Disbelieving.

"What?"

"Impossible!"

"Did you see that?"

My expression darkened. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Outside.

The entire courtyard had fallen silent. Hundreds of soldiers stood frozen. Guests stared with wide eyes. Nobody seemed capable of processing what they had just witnessed.

Moments earlier, they had been cheering for Hulk. Praising him. Encouraging him to crush the intruder.

After all, Hulk's reputation alone was enough to inspire confidence. The giant commander slowly raised his massive battle axe. The weapon gleamed beneath the estate lights. Its size alone was intimidating.

Several spectators smiled. Certain the battle was already over.

One guest laughed. "He's finished."

Another nodded. "Hulk will tear him apart."

The crowd erupted in support. But then everything changed. The axe descended.

And Adam moved. No. Moved wasn't the correct word. He simply raised one hand. One hand. And caught the enormous weapon. The entire courtyard froze. The axe stopped completely. As though it had struck an invisible wall.

Hulk's eyes widened. The soldiers stared.

The guests stared. Nobody breathed. Nobody spoke. For several seconds, absolute silence dominated the estate.

Then the whispers began. "What type of monster is he?" "How is that possible?" "He stopped Hulk's axe!"

The disbelief in their voices was impossible to miss. Even Hulk looked stunned. For the first time in years, uncertainty appeared on the giant's face.

He attempted to pull the weapon free. It didn't move.bAdam's grip remained firm.

Effortless. Calm. As though he were holding a simple stick instead of a massive battle axe.

The crowd's shock deepened. Then Adam spoke. His voice was quiet. Dangerously quiet.

"Is this your full strength?"

The question struck Hulk's pride like a hammer. The giant roared in anger. Using all his strength, he tried to wrench the axe away. Adam released it.

The sudden loss of resistance caused Hulk to stumble forward. And that was all the opening Adam needed. One step. One movement. One strike.

The impact landed squarely against Hulk's chest. A thunderous sound echoed across the courtyard. The giant's eyes widened.

Then his massive body left the ground.

Gasps erupted from every direction.

Hulk crashed several feet away before sliding across the stone pavement.

Silence followed. The commander of the Carter Army lay motionless. Defeated.

The soldiers looked horrified. The guests looked terrified. Nobody could believe what they were seeing.

The invincible Hulk had fallen. And the battle had barely begun.Adam slowly lowered his hand. His expression remained calm. Unbothered.

As if defeating Hulk required no effort at all. Then his voice echoed across the courtyard.

"Where is Jackson Carter?"

The question cut through the silence. No one answered. No one dared. Inside the mansion, I felt a chill run through my body.

For the first time that evening, genuine concern appeared in my mind.

Who was this man?How had he defeated Hulk? And why was he looking for Jackson?

More shouting erupted outside. The crowd was losing control.

"What is he?"

"Is he even human?"

"I've never seen anything like this!"

The questions spread rapidly throughout the estate. Fear followed close behind. I stepped away from the window. My expression had become serious.

Greg noticed immediately. "Derek?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I headed toward the lounge entrance. Something told me I needed to see this situation personally.

Before I reached the door, it suddenly opened.

A terrified security officer rushed inside.

His face was pale.nSweat covered his forehead.

"Sir!"

I stopped. "What is it?"

The guard swallowed hard. "Hulk has been defeated."

The words struck the room like lightning.

Greg's eyes widened. I stared at the man.

Certain I had misheard him.

"What?"

"Hulk lost."

Silence filled the room. For several seconds, nobody moved. Nobody spoke.

Then anger surged through me. Impossible. Hulk couldn't lose. Not here.

Not against some unknown intruder.

I immediately left the lounge. Greg followed closely behind. Together, we moved through the mansion and toward the courtyard.

The closer we got, the louder the commotion became. People were shouting. Running. Panicking.

When I finally stepped outside, my eyes immediately found the source of the chaos.

A lone figure stood in the center of the courtyard. Surrounded by hundreds of soldiers. Yet somehow, he looked like the most dangerous person present.

My gaze narrowed. Who was he?

The man stood calmly, his sword resting at his side. The confidence in his posture was unsettling. He looked less like an intruder. And more like someone who owned the place.

Greg suddenly stepped forward. "Who do you think you are?" he shouted.

The stranger's gaze shifted toward him. Cold. Emotionless.

Greg hesitated. Only for a moment. Then he continued.

"You've gone too far!"

The stranger began walking. Straight toward us. The distance between them disappeared quickly. Greg's confidence vanished. A single movement followed.

Fast. Precise. Unexpected. Greg stumbled backward.

The force of the impact sent him crashing to the ground. Gasps erupted from the crowd. The stranger didn't even glance at him again. His attention remained fixed on me.

And for the first time that night… I felt uneasy. The courtyard fell silent. Every eye turned toward me. Waiting. Expecting.

Demanding action. My jaw tightened. Enough was enough.

I pointed directly at the stranger. My voice thundered across the estate.

"Kill him!"

The soldiers immediately reacted. Weapons rose. Boots moved. And hundreds of armed men charged forward.

"Kill him!" I shouted again. "Kill that monster!”