Chapter 67: CH-67
BOOOOM!
Another explosion ripped through the air—this time from the 50th floor. The shockwave was so strong it felt like the whole building might collapse at any moment.
Whatever kind of bomb they used, it burned hot enough to melt through reinforced steel beams.
A taller firefighter, clearly of higher rank, stepped forward. His helmet reflected the flames, and his soot-smeared face bore the strain of someone who had been running from one emergency to the next.
He looked directly at me.
"Mr. Mercer, considering that you are the only person with authority over this matter, we recommend a complete demolition of the building."
"Demolition?" I repeated. "You want to blow it up? Are you insane?"
"The fire is spreading too fast. If we don’t take decisive action, it could jump to neighboring buildings. Lives could be lost, and the surrounding area could be completely devastated. We have the expertise and explosives ready to bring it down safely."
I ran a hand over my face, trying to think clearly.
This building was the lifeline of the Mercer Group—every bit of research was stored here. If it got destroyed, it would be like shooting ourselves in the foot.
I wasn’t exactly keen on running the business into the ground after I took it over.
"There’s no need for that," an aged voice interjected.
I turned to see an old man with graying hair, dressed in a brown suit and fedora. His body was thin, but his monolid black eyes were filled with confidence.
Every single one of us recognized him.
Toshi Sakamoto—one of the founding fathers of Dark Rock Capital, and the sixth richest man in the country.
That kind of wealth was on another level. Daniel didn’t even crack the top hundred.
Sakamoto stepped closer.
"As of now," he said, eyes on me, "the Mercer Group is under Dark Rock Capital. We were going to announce the acquisition tomorrow. But this... incident... changed the timing."
His statement hit just as hard as his sudden appearance. I saw the news that they invested, but it was very far from a hostile takeover.
I didn’t know Daniel that well, but one thing was certain—he loved this company more than anything. There was no way he would willingly sell off the majority shares.
Wait—how did I miss it? The impostor. That was the only way this could happen.
Fuck. So even Dark Rock Capital was working with Daniel’s mysterious backer. They even had a fake sign a contract.
"Do you really expect me to just take your word for it? The Mercer Group has been in my family for generations—long before all this tower nonsense. So tell me, why would we sell our shares to you?"
A faint smile appeared on his lips. Not a friendly one, but the kind that instantly made people feel small, like they were being looked down on.
"You must be Ace. Your father talked a lot about you."
Bullshit. That man probably forgot I even existed until I got out of the hospital.
He stepped closer and handed me a stack of documents.
"Young man, your father signed this document this afternoon in front of numerous witnesses. Even the government was informed, and the money has already been transferred to your father’s bank account."
The documents were lined with seals and signatures. All of them looked legit.
I clicked my tongue in irritation. Everything had already been arranged so they could seize full control.
As for the money... I could only hope to access Daniel’s account once his death was officially announced. Assuming it didn’t mysteriously vanish first.
"Young man, if you know what’s good for you, let the adults handle this. Just enjoy your father’s money and live your life quietly and peacefully."
He patted my shoulder like a concerned uncle. But I could tell that beneath that smile, he was warning me.
Damn it. First the teleporting woman, now an old, super-rich asshole. Do they all think I’m a pushover?
Before I could even respond, a brittle crack echoed from above.
Everyone’s head snapped upward.
From amidst the smoke and ash, a figure emerged. Her outline glowed against the fire in front of her.
Every time she took a step, a thin sheet of ice formed under her foot, shining like crystal in the light. As soon as she moved again, the ice break up, then formed again under her next step.
The woman looked like a vision pulled straight out of fantasy novel. Pale-blue hair spilled down her back, glinting like frost in moonlight.
She wore a layered robe of white silk that fluttered despite the absence of wind. And her eyes — her eyes were glacial blue, the kind that could freeze a person’s soul from a single glance.
People stopped shouting. Firefighters lowered their hoses mid-spray. Even the fire seemed to hesitate, its flames flickering against the cold.
"W–who is that?" a male medic whispered.
"She’s walking on... ice?" another said, voice trembling from shock.
She stopped at the height of the 30th floor, the origin point of the explosion.
Her expression didn’t change. Calm, emotionless, unnaturally composed — as if the raging inferno before her was nothing but a minor inconvenience.
She raised her right hand.
At first, nothing happened. Then, soft white particles began to drift from the sky — like snow, but finer, sharper, glinting faintly with a bluish hue.
Wherever it landed, frost spread outward in branching veins, crawling rapidly over the asphalt, the cars, even the firefighters’ boots.
Then her voice echoed — crisp, clear, and commanding:
"Blizzard."
The single word carried power.
Wind howled. A cyclone of frost erupted from her raised hand, spiraling upward into the flames.
The two forces collided. Steam exploded in big bursts as temperature extremes clashed, covering the night sky with mist.
Within minutes, the orange glow of fire dimmed and vanished.
Where the skyscraper once burned furiously, now stood a frozen monument — glass, steel, and ash preserved beneath thick layers of frost.
No one spoke for several seconds. The only sound was the faint crackle of ice settling.
Someone finally spoke up. "The whole... the whole floors..."
"It’s frozen solid," another muttered, awe and disbelief mixing in his tone.
Even the firefighters could only stare, slack-jawed, at the impossible sight before them.
"Ice Maiden..." someone whispered behind me in a paper-thin voice.
Murmurs spread through the crowd:
"You mean the Ice Maiden? The Rank-S Seeker... the strongest crowd-control type in the country?"
One firefighter’s breath puffed in the freezing air as he swallowed hard.
"There’s no doubt... that’s Anna Valkaruv!"
One reason her appearance was so surprising was that she didn’t live in this city.
She didn’t react to the call. She only turned her head slightly toward Mr. Sakamoto, offering a respectful nod before leaving.
"So this... this is the power of an S-Rank," I blurted out, unable to hide my amazement.
"That’s right, young man," Sakamoto chuckled as he turned to face me. "And with enough money, you can easily mobilize these monsters in human skin. Whoever controls the most money controls the strongest."
Damn it. He wasn’t totally wrong.
However, that was only true for now. Toshi Sakamoto—I won’t forget this night. I promise I’ll make you eat those words in the future.