The halls of the Z City Ice Clan Headquarters were strangely quiet as Celine and Pyrus entered the Branch Head's Office. Behind the desk, Rei Cryoson, Celine's Secretary, was buried under a mountain of paperwork.

  Celine smiled. "Rei, you should take a break. Pyrus and I will finish the rest."

  Rei exhaled in relief and stretched her arms. "You have no idea how much I needed that. Thanks, Celine." She stood up, rolling her shoulders before heading out of the office.

  As the door clicked shut, Celine's eyes wandered toward the wall-mounted television screen. The news blared across the office, drawing their attention.

  "Breaking News! John Igna, former head of the Z City Fire Clan, has been detained by the government for possession of illegal enhancement drugs and destruction of public property."

  Pyrus smirked. "Serves him right."

  Celine sighed. "But this means new leadership is coming."

  The news continued. "In his place, the Fire Clan's main branch has appointed the third son of the F City Fire Clan to oversee the Z City branch."

  Pyrus snorted. "Huh, just like you said."

  Then suddenly, a sound like thunder erupted from the walls, shaking the building and rattling the windows. Celine rushed to the window and looked down. Three black Cadillacs had parked outside the entrance of the HQ.

  Something was wrong.

  Without waiting, Celine and Pyrus dashed to the lobby, only to be greeted with utter chaos. Ice lay everywhere. Several Ice Clan soldiers were sprawled on the ground, groaning with frozen limbs and battered bodies.

  Standing in the middle of the destruction was a man with icy silver hair and a sharp, twisted grin on his face; even just his presence was oozing with arrogance and malice.

  "Who in the hell are you?" was Pyrus' question as his fists clenched.

  The man smirked, spreading his arms theatrically. "My name's Nemu Cryoson. The Second son of the V City Ice Clan's Branch Head."

  Celine's blood ran cold.

  Nemu stepped forward, motioning to the remaining Z City Ice Clan soldiers. "I'll make this simple. Bring me Celine, or I'll level this building to the ground."

  Before anyone could react, Celine's voice rang out, firm and steady: "I'm already here! Now stop hurting my people!"

  Nemu's grin widened. "Ah, there you are, my lovely fiancée."

  Celine's expression darkened. "I am not your fiancée!"

  Nemu laughed mockingly. "Oh, but you are. It was decided long ago by your uncle—and the government."

  Celine's eyes widened. "The government? What does the government have to do with this?"

  Nemu smugly explained. "Clans are part of the government, my dear. If both parties agree to an arrangement, it's legally binding. Your uncle signed a contract—if he died, the Z City Ice Clan would fall under my control. By law, women are not permitted to be Clan Heads. So congratulations! You belong to me now."

  Celine's fists trembled, ready to unleash all the rage boiling in her veins. "Fucking ass shit...!"

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  At that moment, Pyrus stepped boldly forward, his eyes ablaze with fury. "To fucking hell with that! I challenge you to a duel for Celine and for the clan!"

  Nemu's smirk vanished, replaced with an ugly expression twisted by fury. In a heartbeat, he conjured an ice sword. Without so much as a warning, he slashed at Pyrus across the chest. Pyrus stumbled back, blood spattering down from the wound. And just when his vision began to blur from the shock, Nemu swung Pyrus by the collar and hurled him through the revolving doors out onto the pavement below.

  Celine screamed, "Pyrus!"

  But Nemu still wasn't over.

  An incoming wave of frost energy charged from his palms and firmly froze his opponent in place. With no hesitation, he conjured several sharp ice lances and sent them flying toward his defenseless target.

  Pyrus gritted his teeth. He was paralyzed, and at that moment, he realized, "This is bad..."

  Celine's scream ripped through the chaos. "Wait! Stop!"

  Nemu did not acknowledge her protest. He advanced on Pyrus with an ice sword raised, eyes glowing with sadistic delight.

  But just as he was about to cut Pyrus—a voice cut through the tension. "What the fuck is going on here?"

  Everyone turned.

  At the entrance stood Kai Ciphera, his glowing eyes burning with fury as he saw the scene before him: Pyrus bleeding, Celine terrified, and Nemu menacingly poised above his friend in pain.

  Pyrus coughed, the blood dripping from his lips. "K-Kai..."

  Kai's face turned dark. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. "I've been ambushed once today already... and now my friend is going to get killed in front of me?"

  His voice dropped to barely above a murmur. "Why does God hate me?"

  "Tch. Another nobody?" Nemu's brows twitched in annoyance. But before he could finish his sentence, a hand shot out, gripping his throat in an ironclad grip.

  Nemu's eyes were wide with horror as he felt his feet leave the ground.

  With one hand, Kai lifted him effortlessly.

  "W-What?!" Nemu squirmed, clawing at Kai's fingers and accidentally dropping his ice sword. "You damn commoner—let me go!"

  "Don't just stand there! Kill him!" Nemu yelled to his soldiers.

  The soldiers of the V City Ice Clan unleashed a flurry of frost attacks, but as soon as they struck Kai's Energy Barrier, all of them were sent reeling backward as the attacks rebounded.

  Kai stared daggers at Nemu, who was sweating bullets at this point. And then he squeezed again; suddenly, heat was radiating from his palm. Nemu screamed as his neck was burned, the flesh searing underneath Kai's grip.

  Celine rushed forward. "Kai, stop! If you kill him, you'll start a war with the V City Ice Clan!"

  Tightened behind gritted teeth, Kai's muscles turned taut with rage. Then, with a deep, savage growl, he hurled Nemu across the street.

  Wham!

  The Ice Clan heir crashed into a lamppost. As he groaned in pain, Kai turned to Pyrus and nullified the ice lances, turning them into steam.

  He knelt beside him and asked. "What the hell happened?"

  Pyrus coughed. "I challenged him... but he caught me off guard."

  Kai sighed and lifted Pyrus with ease. "Celine, get him to the Healing Tank."

  Then, Kai turned his attention back to Nemu. His voice echoed loudly. "Hey, You piece of shit!"

  Nemu flinched as he attempted to steady himself.

  Kai declared, "My friend Pyrus here wants to challenge you to a battle for his girlfriend and the Z City Ice Clan. If you refuse... I'll kill you right here, right now, without mercy."

  Nemu's face paled. He shook, spattering blood as he said, "Fine! I'll fight him... in two weeks! After I recover!"

  Kai grinned savagely. "Good. Cause If he loses..." His eyes glowed with an ominous light. "...your damn head is mine."