A Deadly Bounty

"Hey! You left me behind, you jerk!" Ned's voice echoed behind Ethan, filled with both frustration and exhaustion. "You didn't even wait for me to get in the car!"

Ethan's Ferrari sped down the road, leaving a cloud of dust behind. He smirked but didn't slow down. He wasn't deaf; he'd heard Ned just fine. But he had his reasons for taking off in a hurry. There was no point risking Ged's goons catching up to them. Even though Ethan didn't fear them, he didn't want to drag Ned into any unnecessary trouble.

"Sorry, man," Ethan muttered to himself. "Once I master this Advanced Thunder Breathing, I'll be unstoppable. Then we'll see who's running."

As the city lights blurred past, Ethan's mind shifted to the events of the night. Lynn's calm yet intense presence lingered in his thoughts. For all her icy exterior, she'd gone out of her way to protect him. It was… unexpected.

Back at the hotel, Ferris stood next to Lynn, watching the Ferrari disappear into the distance.

"So, what kind of deal did he ask for?" Ferris asked, raising an eyebrow. "If it's something reasonable, we can't afford to let a talent like that slip away."

Lynn hesitated for a moment before answering quietly. "He said he wanted to be... the family's son-in-law."

Ferris blinked, caught off guard. Then, unable to contain himself, he burst out laughing. "Wow. That's bold. Gotta admire the guy's ambition! Too bad that's not something I can authorize."

The other awakened members of their group chuckled awkwardly, casting subtle glances at Lynn. It wasn't hard to see why anyone would want such a position—Lynn was not only stunningly beautiful but also backed by a powerful family with deep influence.

"Still, Lynn," Ferris added, "it seems like you've taken a special interest in him. Am I wrong?"

"Does my opinion matter?" Lynn replied coolly before turning away. Without another word, she climbed into a sleek black sedan, leaving Ferris to ponder her cryptic response.

"Ah... being part of a major family really is a curse sometimes," Ferris sighed. He knew how little control they had over their futures. Marriages were rarely about love or personal choice—it was all politics and power.

Meanwhile, back in the banquet hall, Ged was having a full-on meltdown.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

His fists struck the marble wall repeatedly, each blow echoing through the empty room. Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface, and with one final punch, the entire section crumbled to the floor.

"Ethan... Ethan..." Ged hissed, his eyes burning with rage. "He humiliated me. Stole my core. Stole... everything."

His enforcer, a large man with a scruffy beard, crossed his arms, his expression amused. "You're overthinking this. The guy's a loner. No family backing him. Once you take him down, it's game over."

"Unless he joins a powerful family," Ged muttered darkly. "That's what worries me."

The enforcer chuckled, revealing sharp teeth. "Don't worry, boss. I know one of Ferris's guys. If Ethan hasn't signed on with their family yet, we'll take him out before he gets a chance."

Ged's eyes narrowed, his fury giving way to cold determination. "Do it. I want that core back. And I want him erased."

Before they could finalize their plan, a deep, authoritative voice interrupted.

"What's going on here?"

Everyone turned to see Carl, Ged's father, striding into the hall. Dressed in a black suit and flanked by two stern-looking bodyguards, Carl's mere presence was enough to silence the room. Even Ged instinctively shrank back a little.

"Dad," Ged muttered, lowering his gaze. "The mutated lobsters we imported escaped. They killed some people, but Ethan and Lynn managed to take them down."

Carl crossed the room, inspecting the massive lobster corpses. He ran a hand over the frozen remains of the first one, nodding in understanding. "Lynn did this," he murmured. "An A-tier ice ability... Impressive. Wallace's daughter is quite the asset."

His tone, though complimentary, caused a pang of resentment to stir in Ged's chest. Being compared unfavorably to Lynn by his own father was a familiar but bitter wound.

Carl moved to the second lobster's body and paused. His eyes narrowed as he examined the series of brutal, gaping wounds across its armored frame.

"Come here," Carl ordered, his voice sharp.

Ged approached hesitantly, following his father's gaze. When he saw the extent of the damage up close, his jaw dropped.

"No... That's impossible," Ged whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. "I fought this thing myself. Its armor was like steel. Even with my speed punches, I barely scratched it."

"Yet Ethan tore it apart," Carl said quietly, his eyes gleaming with newfound interest. "He's far more dangerous than you realize. You've made an enemy of someone who could become a serious threat to our family."

Ged swallowed hard. For the first time, he felt a twinge of fear.

"Is your grudge with him irreconcilable?" Carl asked.

Ged nodded, clenching his fists. "It's already beyond that point."

Carl sighed but made his decision swiftly. "Fine. Two billion dollars. That's the bounty I'm placing on Ethan's life. Make it happen."

"Two billion..." Ged's eyes widened. Even for their wealthy family, that was an enormous sum.

"Don't hesitate," Carl warned. "If this boy isn't dealt with now, he'll become a thorn in our side for years to come. Kill him before he reaches his full potential."

The enforcer's eyes gleamed with greed. "Consider it done, Mr. Carl. We'll make sure Ethan doesn't live to see another day."

Meanwhile, back at his apartment, Ethan had no idea that a massive bounty had just been placed on his head. He sat on his bed, pulling the Advanced Thunder Breathing technique from his storage space.

As he activated the jade slip, a surge of energy filled the room.

BOOM!

Lightning crackled around him, illuminating the darkness.

"Let's see what you've got," Ethan muttered, a grin spreading across his face.