The adrenaline that had kept Eric standing began to drain from his body.
His legs trembled.
His chest burned.
For a brief moment, he felt like he might collapse right there in the middle of the store.
The pressure inside him was overwhelming.
Enough to break an ordinary person.
But he wasn't ordinary anymore.
The Midas System had changed everything.
He took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and repeated to himself:
I can't fall now.
Beside him, Elena continued staring at the masked men, her eyes wide.
Slowly, they began removing their balaclavas, revealing faces shaped by hard lives—subtle scars, cold eyes, expressions forged through years of discipline and controlled violence.
Then one of them stepped forward.
A man in his forties.
Black hair.
Deep blue eyes.
A posture so rigid it felt carved from stone.
His presence alone made Elena instinctively step back.
Eric had to resist the urge to do the same.
"Mr. Santos," the man said, his accent difficult to place. "It seems everything went well. However, your security still requires maintenance. Where would you like my men to stay?"
Eric blinked, trying to regain composure.
His tiny apartment—filled with gold coins—was definitely not the place to host twenty professional mercenaries.
"Stay at a hotel," he said. "I'll cover the costs. For now, I only need half of you."
The man nodded.
"And the payment?"
Eric pulled out a small pouch of gold coins and handed it over.
"As promised. Untraceable."
The man studied him for a few seconds—
As if trying to read him.
Or intimidate him.
Eric held his gaze.
Unshaken.
Finally, the man put the pouch away.
"I believe we're done here," Eric said, his tone now carrying authority.
The man inclined his head slightly.
Respect.
"Did you prepare what I asked?" Eric continued.
"Yes, sir. Two armored vehicles. One for you. One for the security team."
Elena's jaw nearly hit the floor.
Armored vehicles?
Private security?
Who exactly is this man?
She turned toward Eric, demanding answers with her eyes.
He cleared his throat.
"This is Emir Kaya," he said. "One of the leaders of Black Falcon."
Emir extended his hand.
Large.
Cold.
Calloused.
Elena hesitated for a moment—but shook it.
"I-I'm Elena Lin," she said, trying to regain her composure.
Emir gestured for only two men to remain.
The others began leaving in absolute silence.
"Let's go," Eric said to Elena. "I'll take you home."
She walked beside him, still in shock.
Eric looked confident on the outside—
But inside, he was just as lost.
The weight of what he had done was only now settling onto his shoulders.
"And… what about that place?" Elena asked, glancing back at the store.
"I already asked Lucía to put it up for sale," Eric replied, as if it were nothing.
Elena frowned slightly at the mention of the lawyer.
That blonde…
There was something about her that bothered Elena deeply.
As they walked, Elena thought about her father.
About how hard he had fought to keep the pawn shop alive.
About the desperation that had led him into debt.
She thought about her mother.
The grief.
The collapse of everything.
And then—
She thought about this strange man.
A tired young man in a black T-shirt, with exhausted eyes—
Who had appeared at the worst moment of her life.
When criminals were destroying her shop.
When she was on her knees, begging.
Who would've imagined…
That he would save her?
Pay her debts?
Protect her like this?
It was hard to believe.
But…
She was free.
They stepped outside as the mercenaries lowered the metal shutters of the store.
Across the street—
Two black armored vehicles waited.
Sleek.
Imposing.
Eric couldn't hide the brief spark in his eyes.
It was surreal.
He had never imagined living like this.
Before getting in, Elena stopped.
"What is it?" Eric asked.
She lowered her gaze.
Her lips trembled slightly.
"Th-thank you," she said.
Simple.
Sincere.
And enough to draw a real smile from Eric—
Not the calculated one he used with the loan sharks.
A genuine one.
Elena's face flushed instantly.
Embarrassed—and confused—she quickly got into the car before saying something foolish.
Eric smiled again and followed.
The car pulled away.
Across the street, hidden in the shadows of a building—
The six loan sharks who had left earlier watched everything.
The cars.
The men.
Eric.
Elena.
And in their eyes—
There was more than hatred.
There was revenge.