"What? You think you're that awesome? Do your parents know?"
"The last guy who bragged like that—yeah, the grass on his grave is already a meter tall."
The group of bloodthirsty mercenaries was stunned by Leo's arrogance.
"Seriously? You're gonna act like we're not even here? Are we that insignificant to you?"
Their anger exploded. Who the hell had ever seen one guy daring to surround hundreds of armed mercenaries?
The Black mercenary leader waved his hand and shouted, "F*ck it! Open fire! Kill that pretty boy!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At his command, a storm of bullets tore through the air.
They couldn't take it anymore—Leo's calm expression was too infuriating.
Flames erupted from the gun barrels, and the mercenaries' twisted smiles spread across their faces.
"Hahaha! That's what happens when you act tough!"
"Kid, don't be so arrogant in hell!"
"There's no shortage of idiots these days!"
But a moment later… their laughter froze.
The bullets didn't hit Leo at all. Instead, he dodged them—cleanly, effortlessly, like a ghost moving through a hail of lead.
"F*ck! He's a mutant!"
"Quick! Over there! Shoot!"
"Don't waste bullets! Aim, damn it!"
They panicked. No one could move that fast unless they were enhanced. But even as they tried to regroup, Leo's silhouette disappeared into the sandstorm.
Bullets ripped through the air, hitting only dust.
Leo's calm voice echoed from behind them.
"Sigh… test complete. You're completely unqualified. I can't even measure my limits with you."
"I'm done playing. You can all just die."
A shiver ran down every mercenary's spine. The air around them dropped sharply—so cold it hurt to breathe.
"What the hell—?!"
"Oh my God!"
"Holy Mary, save—"
They never finished.
Leo raised his hand, and countless shimmering ice arrows materialized in the air, each one aimed precisely at a target.
"Go."
He flicked his wrist, and the storm began.
The sky filled with whistling ice shards.
"Shoot! SHOOT!" the leader screamed, firing blindly as panic took over.
But it was useless.
Even if he hit one or two, hundreds more followed.
The mercenaries barely had time to scream.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Bodies fell in seconds, the sound of arrows piercing flesh muffled beneath the storm.
[Ding! Host killed a regular mercenary. Gained 5 bio-energy points.]
[Ding! Host killed a regular mercenary. Gained 5 bio-energy points.]
[Ding! Host killed a mercenary leader. Gained 10 bio-energy points.]
[Ding...]
The Destroyer System's emotionless tone echoed like a cash register.
Money. Power. Progress.
Leo's lips curled into a smirk.
"All mine."
Suddenly—BOOM!
A rocket exploded where he'd been standing a second earlier.
Leo blinked in surprise. "Holy crap. You guys brought rockets? I might've underestimated you!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A series of explosions erupted across the camp, shaking the desert.
The noise reached deep into the mountains—into the cave where Tony Stark and Dr. Yinsen were being held.
Tony frowned. "Hmm? Did they start fighting each other? Or did my rescuers finally show up?"
Yinsen glanced toward the cave entrance. "Tony, I think the latter. Maybe someone's here to save us."
Tony chuckled, his beard scruffy and his once-charming face caked with dirt. "Heh. Even like this, I'm still popular enough to get a rescue mission, huh?"
He was joking, but his eyes lit up with hope.
Yinsen's face softened with relief. "Finally… we're saved."
Being prisoners of those mercenaries had been hell. No food, no freedom, no dignity.
They couldn't even go to the bathroom outside—forced to use rocks inside the cave.
Rocks.
Every time he remembered that, Yinsen shuddered. "Damn it, Tony… they could've at least given us toilet paper."
Tony snorted. "Relax, Yinsen. Once my armor's done, I'll get us out of here—no rescue needed."
His eyes gleamed with fury. The Mark I armor behind him was almost ready, and when it was, he'd burn this camp to ashes.
He'd make them pay for every insult, every bruise.
Suddenly, the gunfire outside stopped.
Yinsen frowned. "It's quiet… Did they win?"
"I'll check," he said, turning to Tony. "You stay here and finish the armor."
Tony nodded. "Be careful."
They'd suffered together for so long that their bond was unshakable—more like brothers than captives.
Yinsen nodded back firmly. "A scholar dies for his confidant."
Outside the cave, Leo stood silently among the carnage. The ground was covered in ice and blood. Corpses littered the sand.
His face was pale.
Had he really done this?
Hundreds of people, gone in seconds.
He sighed quietly. "I'm sorry… but you won't be the last. Anyone who stands in my way has only one ending."
He turned his gaze toward the camp, eyes cold as frost.
He couldn't afford to stop. If he hesitated even once, he'd be the one lying dead in the sand.
"Hmm? Who's there?"
He sensed movement.
The next instant—Whoosh!
An ice arrow appeared, hovering at someone's forehead.
Thud!
Yinsen fell to his knees, trembling. His eyes were wide with fear.
To him, Leo wasn't human—he was a demon wrapped in flesh.
"Wh–Who are you?!"
Leo narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? What's your name?"
The man's face looked familiar… and so did this place. A cave. A desert camp. Wait—
"My name is… Yinsen," he stammered. "I was kidnapped by those mercenaries, my lord."
Leo's expression shifted slightly. "Yinsen? So that means… Tony's inside?"
Yinsen blinked. "Y-Yes, my lord. Tony's still inside. Are you here to save us?"
Leo smiled faintly, lowering his hand.
"Yeah," he said with a nod. "Let's just say… you could call it that."