Chapter 7 The Era of the Predator

"Kneel, Moretti," Leo commanded arrogantly. "Kneel and apologize for standing in my way, and I might toss you a few coins so you can buy yourself some new clothes."

Killian did not flinch in the slightest. The pressure of the aura that normally would have made him pass out now felt like a cold breeze. His Evolution Eyes activated automatically, revealing the energy structure within the lion.

[Target: Radiant Golden Lion (Rank: Legendary - Low)]

[Status: Arrogant, Untested]

[Weakness: Arrogance within its core of light]

"Your lion looks afraid, Leo," Killian said calmly.

"What did you say?" Leo's eyes widened. "Afraid? It's an apex predator!"

"Really?" Killian glanced at his shoulder. "Giz, show him who the real predator is."

Giz, who had been hiding until now, slowly crawled to the top of Killian's head. He did not change size, but he opened his dark purple eyes.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the street changed.

The golden lion suddenly stopped growling. Its eyes, once filled with rage, were now clouded with confusion, which quickly turned into pure terror. The lion began trembling. Its radiant golden fur dimmed drastically.

"Simba? What's wrong with you? Attack him!" Leo shouted, his face beginning to pale.

The lion did not attack. Instead, it stepped backward, its tail tucked between its hind legs. A faint whimper escaped its mouth, a sound that had no place coming from a Legendary predator.

"Giz," Killian whispered. "Crush him."

Giz released a soft hiss. A nearly invisible wave of purple energy swept through the area.

Booom!

The massive golden lion suddenly dropped to its knees before Killian. Its head lowered until it touched the asphalt, its body shaking violently as though it were carrying the weight of thousands of tons. The King of the Jungle had just bowed before a tiny insect.

The entire crowd fell silent. The atmosphere became so still that the sound of water dripping from a leaking pipe could be heard clearly.

"T-this... impossible..." Leo stammered, stumbling backward until he slammed into his carriage. "What did you do? What did you use on my Pet?!"

Killian stepped forward, walking past the lion that remained prostrated on the ground. He stopped directly in front of Leo and stared into the eyes of the young master, now filled with fear.

"Ranks are nothing more than numbers created to make people like you feel safe, Leo," Killian said in a cold, piercing tone. "But in the face of true power, your gold is nothing but scrap metal."

"Y-you'll regret this!" Leo shouted, though his voice trembled. "The Valtor family won't let you go! You've provoked us!"

Killian leaned close to Leo's ear and whispered words that made the blond young man's hair stand on end. "Tell your father this. The era where your kind could trample everyone else is over. From now on, I will be the predator in this world."

Killian straightened and signaled to Giz. The suffocating aura vanished instantly, returning light to the dim street. Leo's lion still did not dare rise, remaining curled up on the ground even as its master continued screaming for it.

Killian walked away, leaving the crowd staring at him in disbelief and fear. He could feel his Evolution Eyes throbbing, as though they were savoring their first taste of victory on a public stage.

"Where are we going now, Killian?" Giz's voice echoed inside his head, a telepathic connection that had only just formed.

"We need allies, Giz," Killian replied inwardly. "Someone who knows how to manage this power. Someone as broken as we are."

Killian made his way through the city's dark alleys, heading toward the lowest district, where outcasts and people who had lost everything gathered. He remembered a name often spoken of as a fallen genius: Bianca Valenti.

Several hours later, Killian stood in front of a filthy bar that looked ready to collapse at any moment. Inside, loud voices and the stench of cheap alcohol spilled outward.

"She's here," Killian muttered, looking toward a dark corner of the room through the vision of his eyes.

A woman with dull red hair sat alone, staring blankly into her empty glass. Several rough-looking men surrounded her, clearly trying to intimidate her.

"Come on, Valenti. Hand over what's left of your family's fortune, and we'll let you walk away safely," one of the men said as he slammed his fist onto the table.

The woman, Bianca, merely lifted her head slightly. "I have nothing left. Leave before I lose my patience."

"Hah! You think you're still some rich princess? You're nothing but trash without protection now!" The man raised his hand, preparing to slap Bianca.

But before his hand could land, another hand seized his wrist with a grip as hard as steel.

"She told you to leave," Killian's voice rang out, low yet commanding enough to fill the entire room.

The man turned around, his face red with fury. "Who the hell are you, huh? How dare you interfere in Black-Steel Gang business!"

Killian did not answer with words. He simply stared at the man with his pulsing golden eyes. Giz, perched on his shoulder, began revealing tiny fangs glowing with purple energy.

"I am the man who's going to change this woman's fate," Killian said. "And if you don't want your arm ripped off your shoulder in the next three seconds, you'd better run."

The man looked at Giz, and for some reason, his survival instincts screamed at him. He pulled free and hurried backward with his companions, fleeing the bar as though they had just seen a demon.

Bianca stared at Killian in confusion. "Why are you helping me? Who are you?"

Killian pulled out a chair and sat across from her, placing Giz on the table. "My name is Killian Moretti. And I've come to offer you a deal you can't refuse."

Bianca laughed bitterly. "What kind of deal? I've already lost everything. I have no power, no money, nothing."

"You have the brain they fear, Bianca," Killian replied, his eyes gleaming. "And I have power beyond anything they can imagine. Join me, and we'll build an empire that will force the Valtor family and this entire system to kneel beneath our feet."

Bianca froze. She looked at the tiny black insect on the table, now staring back at her with intelligent purple eyes, then shifted her gaze back to Killian. In the young man's eyes, she saw no lies or arrogance. She saw an ambition so immense it could burn the world.

"Are you serious?" Bianca whispered, her hands beginning to tremble.

"I've never been more serious in my life." Killian extended his hand. "It's time for the trash to rule, Bianca. Are you with me?"

Just as Bianca was about to take Killian's hand, the bar doors were kicked open violently. A group of heavily armed mercenaries stormed inside, led by a man with an eyepatch radiating dangerous energy.

"There she is! Capture Bianca Valenti alive, kill anyone with her!" the leader shouted.

Killian slowly rose to his feet, a faint smirk appearing on his face. "Looks like we have a small interruption, Bianca. Watch carefully. This is a preview of what we're going to achieve together."

Without the slightest hint of fear, Killian stepped forward, walking straight toward the barrels of energy weapons already aimed to kill him. At the same moment, Giz leaped high into the air. Surrounded by enemies, the tiny insect's body suddenly expanded dramatically, releasing a Void aura so dense and destructive that it smothered the entire bar.

Tonight, inside this filthy bar, blood would bear witness to the birth of a terrifying legend: the Void Emperor who would shake the world.