There lay a gaping portal hovering above cracked asphalt, spewing out hordes of decaying, snarling zombies. Their rotting flesh dripped with blackened ooze, and their hollow eyes were fixated on the prey.

  But, indeed, Kai Ciphera stood there, completely unfazed.

  His energy barrier shimmered while he delivered a devastating punch that blew apart the remaining zombie's skull into a spray of blood and shreds of bone. The headless corpse twitched a little before it collapsed at his feet and finally went still.

  Kai exhaled and shattered the remnants of gore from his fist. "I know you're there. Come out before I make you."

  From somewhere around a nearby alley, a lone figure stepped up.

  He looked like a man out of a murder mystery, wearing a sleek black suit and a fedora. He didn't even bother glancing at the mountain of dead-turned-undead on the streets but only cleared his throat.

  "Kai Ciphera." His voice was smooth, almost casual. "Don Guido wants to talk to you. Go to Rosetta Restaurant at 6 PM sharp."

  "And what if I don't?" Kai asked, cracking his fingers.

  The messenger did not flinch but instead flashed a knowing smirk. "Well, there's always your friends. Or perhaps... your father?"

  Kai's eyes flickered dangerously, but his lips curled into an easy, nearly amused grin.

  "Okay, I'll play along." He dusted off his jacket.

  The messenger tipped his fedora. "Wise choice." After that, he turned on his heels and disappeared.

  Kai watched him walk out, his expression unreadable, but chuckled later to himself. "Guess it is now time to claim that bounty."

  After all, Don Giorgio Guido's head was worth 10 million Credits, and Kai had just been given the perfect opportunity.

  The Rosetta Restaurant was eerily silent in the dead of night.

  No soft chatter. No clinking of wine glasses. No waiters bustling about.

  Only Don Giorgio Guido, seated at a table draped in pristine white linen, bathed in the dim glow of an overhead chandelier. The air carried the aroma of fine cuisine, but it did nothing to ease the palpable tension between him and her.

  Kai's eyes scanned the empty dining hall. The place was too quiet.

  His instincts were screaming that it was a trap.

  Still, he played along. Casually, he slid into the chair across from Guido, who was slicing into one of those prime steaks with elegant, unbothered movements.

  "Pick whatever you want," said Guido smoothly, gesturing to the open menu. "I own this place. You won't have to pay a dime."

  Kai stared at him. "I'm not hungry." His voice was sharp. "Let's get straight to the point. Why the hell am I here?"

  Guido dabbled his mouth with a white napkin before putting down his knife and fork. His look remained unreadable as he leaned forward.

  "I just lost my Mercenary Champion," Guido began. "Which means I lost quite a lot of money."

  Kai smirked, tilting his head. "So, what's next? Are you gonna leash me up? Or just kill me for screwing up your plans?"

  Guido did not flinch at the provocation. He just kept on saying, "The semi-monthly World Mercenary Tournament is coming up."

  Kai released a dry laugh as Guido went back to sipping his wine.

  "Money?" Kai's smirk widened. "You mean my money, right?"

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  Guido placed the glass down and locked eyes with Kai. "You don't seem to understand. I'm not asking you to work for me-I'm ordering you."

  There was a brief silence. Then, Guido lowered his voice. "You've become a hazardous thorn in my side, Ciphera. So you either join me..." Guido's eyes darkened. "...or die."

  Kai's amusement vanished. He scoffed. "You really think you can take me down?"

  Guido just smiled.

  Then, with a snap of his fingers-

  Discomfort, but there was no pain.

  It was as sudden as that.

  "What the hell did you do?" Kai's voice came tinged with confusion.

  Just before he could react-

  BAM!

  Guido smashed his fist against Kai's face. A savage, bone-crunching punch that sent him tumbling onto the floor.

  For the first time in months, he felt a sense of pain.

  His head was spinning, and a warm trickle came down his lips.

  He touched his nose. There was blood.

  Kai's blood.

  His mind reeled. "My Energy Barrier...didn't activate?"

  That single brief moment of distraction was all Guido needed for a vicious kick to the gut, which sent Kai slamming into a wooden table, flipping it over on impact. He gasped, the wind knocked out of him, struggling to process the sudden loss of his powers.

  "What... did you do to me?" he growled as he leaned into the floor to push himself upright.

  Guido casually loosened his tie and stepped forward, towering over him.

  "This wouldn't have happened if you had just complied." His tone was mocking, as if scolding a misbehaving child.

  He grabbed Kai by the jacket, hoisting him up, then slammed him down onto another table, shattering it beneath his weight.

  Kai gritted his teeth. His body refused to respond the way it should.

  Guido leaned in with his breath chillingly near. "Let me spell it out for you, Ciphera. I am Don Giorgio Guido, the most powerful mafia boss in Z City. I have my hands in every single clan-including your precious Ice Clan."

  Kai's eyes widened a little as Guido continued. "Half of their men are under my payroll. Your friends... your father... none of them are safe as long as I'm here."

  Guido let those words sink in, then pulled a sleek, silver pistol from his coat and pressed it against the side of Kai's head.

  "So let me ask you one more time."

  CLICK!

  The cold steel dug into Kai's temple.

  "Join me... or die?"

  A heavy silence filled the air.

  Kai clenched his fists. His pride screamed at him to fight, to rip this bastard apart.

  Gritting his teeth, he forced it out. "Fine! I'll work for you!"

  Guido let out a satisfied sigh, then hurled Kai across the floor like trash.

  Kai crashed through two more tables, splinters cutting into his arms as he lay there, battered and bloodied.

  Guido straightened his suit, brushing dust off his sleeves. "Good." Without another word, he turned and walked out of the restaurant, his leather shoes clicking against the polished floor.

  Kai lay on the cold tile, watching the mafia boss disappear through the doors.

  His fingers twitched.

  His mind burned. "I'll fucking kill you for this!"

  Meanwhile... Inside a luxurious black Cadillac, Guido sat comfortably, lighting a cigarette in his hand.

  His driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "Did it work, Boss?"

  Guido exhaled in relief. "Like a charm."

  Behind them, a white van followed closely. It contained the Ability Tampering Device (ATD) Prototype, a cutting-edge weapon developed by Technovaire Industries of A City.

  A marvel of cyber warfare.

  It nullified the abilities of anyone Level 4 and below.

  "However, it has a flaw," Guido muttered. "If a person ever reaches Level 5... the device will be useless."