There were only four Guardians in total.
And tonight, there were two separate fire sites.
The students held their breath, nervous beyond measure.
They all knew that abandoning one location would be the most sensible choice—but these were Guardians!
Everyone was hoping for a miracle.
And the miracle appeared.
"I'll take care of the other one."
A confident voice rang out over the logistics center's broadcast system.
Then, a red-and-gold figure appeared on the screen.
It was Iron Man—Tony Stark!
"That's great!"
"So cool!"
"Iron Man is amazing!"
The logistics center instantly erupted into cheers.
Nothing was more exhilarating than seeing a hero depart with hope before your very eyes. Those people trapped in despair amid the flames were about to witness a miracle.
"I've already notified every fire department in New York, asking them to dispatch teams to patrol Manhattan," playboy Tony said calmly under the circumstances. "There will probably be more fires tonight."
"The Criminal Profiling Division has completed a psychological profile of the arsonist," the head of logistics reported after receiving a message. "Male, with clear violent arson tendencies. Arrogant personality, craving attention. Experts believe that tonight's multiple arson attacks may be a provocation aimed at a specific Guardian. There should be follow-up actions."
In fact, this fire-controlling ability user had long been on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watch list, but their records described him as timid and low-risk.
Now, however, the conclusion was completely different.
For someone with such a dangerous ability, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s evaluations had always been meticulous. The only explanation for this change was that something had happened to him in the period following S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse.
"Provocation?" Tony had already arrived at the second fire scene."Then he should come straight for me, or for the virtual reality company—not vent his anger on ordinary people. He's nothing but a coward."
Tony's anger was not without reason.
Even if help arrived in time, a blaze of this scale likely meant casualties.
Using one's power to inflict violence on innocents was the most detestable act in the eyes of all heroes.
What Tony didn't know—
Was that the man really was coming for him.
At the construction site of Stark Tower, the lights were still blazing as bright as day.
Building a skyscraper hundreds of meters tall in just a few months was impossible even with the most advanced modular construction methods. But Tony Stark had money—lots of it. Eighteen hundred workers operated in three shifts around the clock, so even at night, nearly seven hundred construction workers were still on site.
Not long after Iron Man streaked across the sky, a fat man weighing over two hundred pounds emerged from the street.
Price—the wanted fire-controller.
"At last… at last this day has come."
His tiny eyes, buried beneath layers of fat, stared at the construction site with unmistakable hatred and intense excitement.
He hated Iron Man deeply, yet at the same time yearned to be noticed like him—even if it meant being stared at with fury.
"Bring the fuel truck over," Price ordered into his phone.
His ability was not to generate flames, but to guide them. There was a power within his body that allowed fire to spread in directions he controlled, even to take on shapes he desired.
As long as there was enough fuel nearby, he was invincible.
Flames surged upward under the lights as bright as daylight.
"Emergency report—the arsonist has appeared!"
Chaos erupted in the virtual reality company's logistics center. All kinds of shouts rang out. Almost simultaneously with the fire erupting at Stark's new building, two more locations in Manhattan were deliberately set ablaze.
Without question, the arsonist's true target was Tony's newly constructed landmark building of Stark Industries.
While Iron Man and the Guardians were busy dealing with the other fires, the flames at the construction site spread at terrifying speed.
Howling fire engulfed the entire site. Fire serpents shot into the sky, and twisted flames could be seen from half of Manhattan. Price stood at the highest point of the building, while hundreds of construction workers were forced by the flames into several separate areas, trembling in fear.
Police helicopters were already circling overhead, but no one dared to attack.
The fire was too volatile to control. A fuel truck had been parked beside nearly a hundred workers. Flames wrapped around them, yet seemed restrained by an invisible force, merely flowing around their bodies.
If control were lost, every worker there would be consumed by fire in an instant.
"Madman—has this guy lost his mind?!"
Parker clenched his fists, struggling to believe what he was seeing.
The worst people he'd ever encountered were bullies at school. Never had he seen a villain threaten the lives of nearly a thousand people.
But in Harry's surging gaze, there was a hint of excitement.
He knew what the man was waiting for—for Iron Man, for the Guardians, for the eyes of the entire world.
"I am the sovereign of flames! The King of Blazing Fire!!"
Price spread his arms, standing high above the ground. Flames formed dragon-like shapes that coiled around him, illuminating his fat face twisted in wild laughter. This was the most dazzling moment of his life.
Shen He was excited as well.
He stood atop a nearby building, accompanied only by Saiki Kusuo and Jeanne. All three wore long robes bearing the insignia of Chaldea.
"Saiki, can you see this?" Shen He asked.
"No," Saiki Kusuo shook his head. "What I see is the entire building engulfed in flames, with many people struggling."
What Saiki saw was the future after the arsonist was killed—flames left uncontrolled, ultimately destroying the entire building and everyone inside.
At the same time, television news helicopters arrived.
Price held his pose. He wanted the entire world to see his kingly stance, to make Iron Man submit before the eyes of all.
Even Shen He hadn't expected this butterfly-effect villain to be so effective.
Power aside, the sheer spectacle exceeded his expectations—it almost made him want to award the guy a "Best Supporting Villain" prize.
The more formidable the villain appeared, the more it highlighted Chaldea's status and strength.
"Master, when do we help?" Jeanne turned and asked.
With a Servant's keen eyesight, she could clearly see the innocent people huddled together inside.
"No need to worry. Saiki's here. Let's wait a bit longer," Shen He shook his head.
Fire was one of the easiest forces for telekinesis to control. Being intangible, and dependent on oxygen to burn, it could be easily carried away with a suitable manipulation of air.
So Shen He wasn't concerned. And considering the "contribution" this villain was making for Chaldea, he decided to let him continue his performance—at least long enough to finish his lines.
It was around ten at night. For city dwellers, most people were still awake.
More and more people turned on their televisions, following this sensational superpowered crime.
Meanwhile, the Guardians were still rushing between fire sites.
Only Iron Man—Tony Stark in his armor—finally arrived at the scene.
When the red-and-gold figure appeared in midair, the terrified workers seemed to calm down noticeably, while viewers in front of their TVs felt their blood heat up.
This was the charm of a superhero.
Tony flew to Price's front, already aware of the general situation.
The workers were deliberately divided into several separate groups.
If the fat man in front of him became a dead fat man, even Iron Man wouldn't be able to save everyone.
"Sir, Mr. Shen has arrived nearby," Jarvis reported.
Tony let out a breath of relief.
He didn't know why Shen He hadn't acted yet, but since they were here, a tragedy was unlikely.
"Tony Stark!"
Price raised his head, staring at Iron Man not far away, his voice trembling slightly.
When he noticed reporters on nearby helicopters pointing cameras at him, his excitement soared.
"You—"
Tony drifted a little closer, sizing him up.
"You're this fat—how did you even climb up here?"
Price took a deep breath, forcing down his rage, deliberately lowering his voice. "You don't remember me? Tony Stark! I'm Price!"
The reporters nearby immediately grew excited.
This was targeted revenge—there had to be a story behind it.
"Sorry, but I don't think we've met," Tony searched his memory and found nothing. "Honestly, with your build, if we had met, I'd remember."
"How could you forget me?!" Price suddenly roared. "I emailed you! I wrote to you! I said I'd make you regret it—regret taking away my most precious Mary!"
"Wait—"
Tony raised a hand to interrupt him.
"You said I took away your most precious what? Mary? What is that—your favorite toy?"
"Stop pretending!" Price raised his voice, every word broadcast live. "You tricked my beloved girlfriend! Took her to bed! I swore I'd make you regret it!"
Pfft.
No one knew how many viewers spit out water in front of their TVs.
Shen He's eyes widened as well.
Was this guy really putting a green hat on Tony for the whole world to see?
Tony's expression was particularly painful.
As a billionaire playboy, he'd slept with countless women and had no obsession with purity—but the thought that one of them might have been this fat man's girlfriend gave him an indescribable feeling.
"Looks like you remember now," Price mistook Tony's silence for confirmation, wearing a smug grin. "Now, step out of that armor! Kneel before me! I want Mary to see you kneel before me—before the King of Blazing Fire! Then she'll come back to me!"
"…"
Tony genuinely didn't know what to say.
As a billionaire playboy with women throwing themselves at him, he simply couldn't understand this man's mindset.
"Buddy," Tony raised his palm and aimed it at him. "I don't know who this Mary is, but if I did sleep with your girlfriend, I'm very, very sorry. Truly. But now, please surrender peacefully."
"It seems you still don't understand the situation."
Rage surged through Price as the surrounding flames suddenly danced wildly.
"I'll give you one last chance! Kneel! Or do you not care about those workers' lives at all?!"
"No, I do care," Tony suddenly turned his head. "He, how long are you planning to enjoy my embarrassment?"
The cameras immediately followed Tony's gaze, zooming in on three figures standing atop a nearby rooftop.
Only Shen He had his hood down, revealing a young East Asian face to the television audience.
"Let's go," Shen He said quietly.
In the next instant, the three figures appeared abruptly beside Tony, hovering silently in midair.
The supernatural display made countless viewers scream.
They quickly recognized one of them—the hooded heroine.
These three were members of Chaldea!
Price became alert at once.
But looking at the surrounding flames, and the workers held hostage below, confidence surged back into him. He spat on the ground.
"Chaldea? Just Tony's lapdogs!"
Shen He frowned, then quickly relaxed.
Why argue with someone like this?
"Tony may be a playboy, a public enemy of men," Shen He spoke calmly, "but he would never steal someone else's girlfriend. That aside, it's none of our concern. We will restrain your ability and hand you over to the police. You will face multiple serious criminal charges."
"Criminal charges?" Price sneered and raised both hands. "Right now, I make the rules here!"
And then—
Nothing happened.
He waved his arms again forcefully, but the coiling fire dragons didn't change at all. Or rather, their surging was trapped by an invisible force.
Everyone sensed the difference—because Saiki Kusuo, standing behind Shen He, had also extended his hand.
"Here," Shen He exhaled softly, "we're the ones who make the rules."
The moment the words fell, Saiki's palm moved—and a violent gale erupted.
All the flames spiraled with the wind. Even viewers in front of their TVs could clearly hear the howling roar. The fire was completely beyond Price's control now, guided by a far greater force. Before his disbelieving eyes, the flames rose and spun, forming a massive fiery vortex that surged upward and gradually dispersed, illuminating even the clouds in the night sky.
The scene was so spectacular it looked like specially edited visual effects.
"Tony, he's yours," Shen He said, shaking his head.
In the next moment, their figures vanished once more.
If not for the construction site now restored to normal, it would be as if they'd never been there.
Yet that effortless, elegant departure only emphasized Chaldea's mysterious power.
The tone had been set.
Though controversy would continue, from here on, Chaldea only needed to act according to that tone, doing what it was meant to do.
As for when their reputation would truly reach its peak—
That would be during the Battle of New York.
-----------------------
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