"Pfft."
"Whether that guy was truly a threat to this world, or if, according to the Zola Algorithm, he was simply a threat to your HYDRA's ambition for world domination... Only you people know the truth."
"Of course, from where I stand, it just looks like you got greedy for that crucifix and resorted to good old-fashioned robbery and murder."
"So don't act all righteous and noble."
With a sneer, Eren continued, "That said, I honestly don't care about any of this. I'm only here for one reason—to kill you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Eren raised his pistol and pulled the trigger, aiming straight at Alexander Pierce from dozens of meters away.
Just as he said, he wasn't here today to play judge and jury—he was here to put Pierce in the ground. Even if that Cantor guy really was as rotten as Pierce claimed, at most Eren might do him a favor on his way out—with a bullet straight to the temple to send him to meet his god.
…
The moment Pierce heard Eren mention the Zola Algorithm, his heart sank.
If even that information was known, then it meant Nick Fury knew a lot more than he had anticipated.
And that, was a serious problem.
But before Pierce could worry about what was to come, the problem right in front of him had already arrived.
Bang!
With a sharp crack, an orange-yellow bullet zipped through the air, aimed directly between Pierce's eyes.
With Eren's marksmanship, hitting a target from dozens of meters away was as easy as breathing.
But—
Just as the bullet was about to hit its mark, a silvery metal arm suddenly moved in front of Pierce.
Ding!
With a burst of sparks, the bullet deflected off the metal arm, its trajectory thrown off.
The figure who had appeared in front of Pierce was a towering man, wearing a metallic helmet, both arms replaced with mechanical prosthetics similar to the Winter Soldier's.
Before this figure appeared, Eren had already spotted him with his spiritual vision. He'd been hiding in Eren's blind spot under disguise.
So his sudden appearance didn't surprise Eren in the least.
Just as the metal-armed figure thought he had successfully blocked the shot—
Bang! Bang!
Two more shots rang out from Eren's gun.
The towering man immediately pulled Pierce to the side, diving to avoid the bullets.
But before they could hit the ground, one bullet curved mid-air, like it had been waiting for this moment, and struck the man's exposed ankle, tearing through one and burying itself in the other.
Meanwhile, the second bullet arced around the metal-armed figure, heading straight for Pierce.
But just as it was about to hit, the sharp pain from his ankle caused the large man to flinch involuntarily.
That one twitch was enough to jolt his mechanical arm—and shift Pierce's body just enough to dodge the incoming bullet.
Eren, having entered a state of adrenalized hyperfocus through self-hypnosis, saw it all in slow motion.
"Another lucky coincidence, huh?"
"Heh."
With a faint laugh, Eren's fingers moved again, and he emptied his entire magazine in Pierce's direction.
Bang bang bang bang…
In a hail of gunfire, the metal-armed man was hit clean in the heart and the eye socket.
Heart and brain—both critical spots, both struck.
Without a sound, the man dropped dead.
But despite the barrage, Pierce came out of it mostly unscathed—aside from getting a little bruised from the fall. The rest of the bullets?
All deflected… by chance.
One had hit a spoon previously knocked aside and bounced off.
Another was blocked by a piece of metal décor that happened to fall from the second floor due to vibrations...
One accident after another, each conveniently saving Pierce by a hair's breadth.
"This kind of unnatural luck—is that your trump card?"
Watching as Pierce shoved the corpse off himself and struggled to his feet, Eren asked curiously, "I'm very curious—how exactly do you have such absurd luck?"
Pierce's face twisted as he looked down at the corpse of the second-generation Winter Soldier, killed before he could even act.
"You think I'd tell you?"
He spat the words with hatred, then pulled out a sci-fi-looking weapon from his coat—clearly something special.
Since his underlings had all failed, he'd do it himself.
With "that item," even if his aim was terrible, enough coincidences would let him hit his target.
And with the power of this energy weapon, a rare relic from World War II, one shot was enough to turn anything to dust.
But just as Pierce raised his arm—
"LOOK AT ME, YOU BASTARD!"
The shout slammed into him like thunder.
His eyes instinctively snapped open—and locked with Eren's.
In that instant—
The figure before him seemed to transform into an ancient, roaring dragon.
An indescribable aura crashed down on him, making the world tremble.
In the face of that primal, dragon-like pressure, Pierce felt like an insect. His soul quaked violently.
And before he could regain composure, a dragon-shaped shadow exploded through his spiritual defenses—smashing his will to pieces.
As he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness—
A sudden warmth bloomed in his chest, like being cradled in a mother's arms.
That gentle sensation overwhelmed his mind.
…
"Gotcha."
With a flash, Eren grabbed the collapsing Pierce and immediately began questioning him while the man was still hypnotized.
He didn't want any more "coincidences" interrupting this interrogation.
…
Staring into Pierce's dull eyes, Eren asked the most pressing question.
"That freakish luck—what's the deal?"
"The ring… the Lucky Ring."
Pierce raised his hand. On his left pinky, there was a worn bronze ring.
Eren didn't hesitate—he tore it off.
Lucky Ring.
So it really was this thing.
He stared at it, brow furrowed.
"Where did you get this ring? And besides this one, do you have any other supernatural items?"
"The Lucky Ring was recovered by a S.H.I.E.L.D. team in the UK during a paranormal incident. After I learned of its power, I went to Britain personally and took it. I also erased all records of that mission."
"As for other items… I have a HYDRA energy gun from WWII. In the villa's basement, there are two more artifacts. And in Special Prison B-13, we've sealed several more—though those are far too dangerous..."
As Pierce rattled off his hidden stash, Eren's expression twitched.
Seriously?
All the fighting I've done since arriving in this world—and if I don't count the random loot from the Fate Balance system—I haven't even collected half the crap this pampered snake has lying around!
Still…
Starting today, they're mine.
With Pierce in tow, Eren made his way to the basement.
Using Pierce like a human keycard, he opened the hidden doors.
Then, using his Greed Ring, he quickly looted every valuable item from the vault.
Mission complete, he dragged Pierce back out.
…
Outside, Bucky—still bleeding from multiple wounds—approached.
While Eren had been fighting inside, Bucky and his team had been handling a brutal skirmish with HYDRA reinforcements.
Pierce hadn't only had a security squad in his villa—he'd also set up hidden contingents around the estate in case Nick Fury ever made a move.
Fortunately, Eren had already foreseen their arrival.
He and Bucky had rigged the area with traps.
And thanks to those traps—and the elite squad Bucky had handpicked from Fisk's underworld army—they'd caught HYDRA by surprise.
By the time Eren emerged with Pierce in tow—
Bucky had nearly wiped them all out.
…
Bucky's gaze locked on Pierce. There was hatred in his eyes—but also confusion.
Why hadn't Eren finished him?
"He's yours now."
With a soft smile, Eren shoved Pierce toward Bucky.
"Close this chapter yourself, Bucky."
He gave Bucky a pat on the shoulder and strode past him.
Then, from his Greed Ring, Eren retrieved another pistol—and joined the ongoing fight outside the villa.
With his spiritual sight and curved bullet technique, Eren was a walking massacre.
Within minutes, the rest of the HYDRA forces were eliminated.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield.
Alexander Pierce, with a grenade stuffed in his mouth, exploded into a shower of blood and bone.
Bucky stood in the blood rain, bathed in the remnants of his old tormentor.
His final grudge—washed away.
…
He stood there in silence, then turned with a hint of peace in his eyes and looked at Eren—who now stood beside him, holding an umbrella.
"BOSS. We need to go. Otherwise, we're not getting out."
"Of course."
The battle had gone on too long.
If they didn't leave now, the cops—and maybe even the special forces—would have the whole district sealed off.
If they didn't want to be hunted, they had to disappear fast—and shake off anyone who might come sniffing.
After all, Alexander Pierce wasn't just some mobster.
He was a top-level figure in the World Security Council.
His death… was going to make waves.
(End of Chapter)
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