Emperor Of War

Chapter Seven: The Gatekeepers

Adam Swift's POV

The entire compound had fallen silent. Every eye was fixed on me. The guests who had gathered near the mansion stared in disbelief. The guards standing along the walls remained frozen. Even the security officers watching through surveillance monitors seemed unable to process what they had just witnessed.

One moment I was outside the estate. Next, I was standing inside its heavily guarded perimeter. As if I had appeared from nowhere.

The silence stretched for several seconds before a voice finally broke it. "Who the hell are you?"

The speaker was one of the armed guards stationed near the inner courtyard. He stepped forward cautiously. His hand rested on the grip of his weapon. The other guards quickly followed. Their expressions were tense. Nervous. Alert. I glanced at them without answering.

The guard frowned. "I asked you a question."

Still, I said nothing. Years ago, I might have cared about explanations. Tonight, I wasn't here for conversations. I was here for one man. Jackson Carter. Nothing else mattered.

The guard's face darkened. "Looks like he doesn't want to talk."

Several guards laughed. Though their laughter sounded forced. As if they were trying to convince themselves they weren't afraid.

The first guard pointed toward the exit. "Leave now."

I continued walking forward. The guard immediately stepped into my path.

"Did you not hear me?" His voice rose. "I said leave."

The atmosphere grew tense. Everyone could feel it. The guests watching from a distance slowly backed away. Nobody wanted to become trapped in whatever was about to happen. The guard reached for my shoulder. A mistake.

The moment his hand touched me, I moved. The reaction was instant. The guard never saw it coming. One second he was standing. Next, he was on the ground.

The two guards beside him reacted immediately. They rushed forward together. Their movements were fast.

Professional. Clearly trained.

But training alone wasn't enough. Not tonight. I sidestepped the first attack.

The second man swung toward me. I blocked the strike effortlessly. A quick counter forced him backward. The third guard attempted to flank me. I turned and intercepted him before he could get close.

The confrontation lasted only moments. When it ended, the three guards were no longer standing. Shock spread through the crowd. Nobody expected such a one-sided outcome.

The remaining security personnel exchanged nervous glances. A few even took steps backward. Fear was beginning to spread. Then suddenly—

A loud mechanical sound echoed across the compound. Everyone turned toward the enormous gate leading to the mansion grounds. The massive steel doors slowly began to open. The atmosphere changed immediately. The guards who had been nervous moments ago suddenly looked relieved. Confidence. Almost excited. My eyes narrowed. Something important was coming. The gates continued opening. And then I saw them.

Rows upon rows of armed men. Not ordinary security guards. Not ordinary soldiers. These men moved differently. Their posture. Their discipline. Their expressions. Everything about them screamed experience. Danger.

Violence. These were fighters. The kind of men hired to eliminate problems permanently.

Hundreds of them poured out from behind the gates. The sight alone was enough to make many of the guests panic. Several immediately began retreating. Others looked pale. Some even started running.

Nobody wanted to be caught in the middle of this confrontation.

The soldiers quickly formed ranks. Perfectly organized. Perfectly disciplined. At the center stood a giant of a man. He was at least six feet seven. Broad shoulders. Massive arms. A scar stretched across one side of his face.

His presence alone commanded attention.

The soldiers parted as he stepped forward.

The giant's gaze landed on me. Cold. Calculating. Dangerous.

"So you're the intruder."

His deep voice echoed across the courtyard. I said nothing. He continued studying me. Almost as if trying to solve a puzzle.

Finally, he stopped several feet away. The soldiers behind him remained motionless.

Waiting. Watching.

The giant crossed his arms. "Interesting."

His eyes narrowed. "You somehow bypassed the front gate."

I looked at him calmly. "There was nothing difficult about it."

A few soldiers exchanged surprised glances. The giant raised an eyebrow.

"What happened to the men guarding the entrance?"

My expression remained unchanged. "I dealt with them."

The giant stared at me for several seconds. Then he nodded slowly. "I see."

There was no anger in his voice. No outrage. Only curiosity. Almost respect.

"You must be stronger than I expected."

The soldiers behind him appeared surprised by the statement. Clearly, they weren't accustomed to hearing compliments from their leader.

The giant took another step forward. "My name is Hulk." The name suited him perfectly. Everything about him radiated overwhelming physical strength. "You've caused enough trouble for one night." His voice remained calm. "Leave now."

That surprised me. Apparently, he was offering mercy. An opportunity to walk away. Unfortunately, he didn't understand who he was dealing with. I smiled faintly.

"No."

The giant's expression hardened. "You should think carefully."

"I already have."

His eyes narrowed further. "You don't understand the situation."

I looked directly into his eyes. "Then explain it."

The soldiers shifted uneasily. The tension was rising. Everyone could feel it.

Hulk's voice became colder. "You're standing inside Jackson Carter's territory." I remained silent. "You've attacked his men." Still silent. "You've disrupted a private gathering." His patience was beginning to disappear. "And yet you're refusing to leave."

I finally answered. "I'm not here to leave."

The giant's jaw tightened. For several moments, neither of us spoke. The night air felt heavier. The atmosphere more oppressive. Then Hulk sighed. A disappointed sigh. As though I had wasted a final chance.

"That's unfortunate."

He turned slightly toward his men. The soldiers immediately straightened. Waiting for orders.

Hulk looked back at me one final time. "If that's your decision..." His voice became ice cold. "...then eliminate him."

The command echoed across the courtyard. The soldiers instantly reacted.

Weapons were drawn. Boots moved forward. The formation began tightening around me. A circle of armed killers. Hundreds of them. All focused on a single target. Me.

The guests watching from afar looked horrified. Many couldn't believe what they were seeing. One man against an entire private army. The outcome seemed obvious. At least to them.

I slowly stepped forward. Not backward.

Forward. Directly toward the approaching soldiers. The movement caused several men to pause. Confusion flashed across their faces.

Did he intend to fight? Was he insane? Even Hulk looked surprised.

I continued advancing. My expression calm. My heartbeat steady. The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances.

Then one of them finally spoke. The disbelief in his voice was impossible to hide.

"Is this kid serious?”