The King Of War Returns

Chapter 391

Even though Kenton and Christian shared the same father, they could not have been more different. Kenton was the legitimate son of the Duvan family, born into prestige and raised as the rightful heir. Christian, on the other hand, was nothing more than a blemish on the family name—a bastard child born from their father’s mistress.

From the beginning, the two had been set on opposite ends of the spectrum. Kenton wore his legitimacy like a crown. Christian carried his existence like a stain. That was why Kenton had never once considered him a real brother.

When Christian’s name came up now, there was no grief in Kenton’s expression. No hesitation. No trace of familial bond. Instead, his voice carried a faint curl of disdain, as though speaking of a stray dog that had finally been put down.

The Verrick brothers shifted uneasily in their seats. The cold indifference of this man unsettled them. They had expected bitterness, perhaps a hunger for revenge. What they hadn’t expected was a complete lack of care, as though Christian’s death meant less than nothing.

Elias cleared his throat and forced a smile, though his voice trembled slightly.

“Mr. Kenton, you’re very astute to have seen through the reason for our visit. We… we’re deeply sorry about your brother’s death. Truly. We wanted revenge for him, but things have become complicated.”

He leaned forward, lowering his tone as if speaking of forbidden matters.

“The underworld has shifted. Morix Sable has turned it into his playground, and he made it clear—no one is allowed to touch Rift. We’ve been forced into silence. If we act, we’ll be destroyed. We don’t know what else to do, so we came here hoping you could… perhaps… put in a word with your father. Convince him to forgive us for failing.”

Aiden quickly added, desperation dripping from his tone.

“Yes, exactly! If you do this for us, Mr. Kenton, we’ll reward you greatly. Anything you ask, we’ll provide.”

The room grew still. Kenton sat there, studying the brothers with narrowed eyes, as though they were insects groveling for scraps. Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair and let out a humorless chuckle.

“The Verrick family…” He let the name hang in the air for a moment, his smirk curling cruelly. “For generations, you’ve prided yourselves on being the Duvans’ close allies. Who would’ve thought I’d live to see the day when the Verricks came crawling to me, begging for help like beggars in the street?”

The brothers stiffened, shame flashing across their faces, but Kenton was far from done. His eyes glinted with mockery, cutting into them like knives.

“You can’t even handle a petty thug like the so-called king of Ironvale City’s underworld. Pathetic.” He tapped the table lightly with his finger, the sound sharp in the silence. Then, with deliberate calmness, he made his offer.

“How about this—I’ll personally see to the extermination of Jaden Rift and Morix Sable. You don’t need to lift a finger. All you need to do is prepare one hundred million for me as my reward.”

Their eyes widened in disbelief, but Kenton’s expression didn’t waver. He leaned forward, voice steady, cold, merciless.

“After I kill Rift, you’ll hand Selena Verrick’s project over to my father, just as you agreed with him. Then I’ll put in a good word for you. With my voice behind you, my father will forgive your failures. That way, the Verrick family might still have a future.”

The words hit like a hammer. Elias and Aiden sat frozen, their faces paling. One hundred million was no small sum, and the thought of going against Rift and Sable personally was terrifying enough. Yet Kenton spoke as if it was no more than brushing dust off his sleeve.

Finally, Elias managed to choke out a strained protest.

“Mr. Kenton… surely you know Rift and Sable are not average weaklings. Are you certain you want to go after them yourself?”