"Open the gate. I have an appointment with Norman Osborn. Take me to him."
As Eren spoke, he subtly employed a hypnotic technique from the Mind Imprint, modulating his voice into an enchanting rhythm that irresistibly drew others in, compelling trust and obedience.
Combined with the residual effects of the earlier Dreadful Gaze, the two guards standing before Eren quickly surrendered their willpower. Subconsciously, they treated his words as absolute truth.
After a brief flash of confusion in their eyes, one of the guards took out a keycard and opened the gate, leading Eren into the Osborn estate.
"Very well, sir. Mr. Osborn is resting in his bedroom. I'll take you to him."
Eren nodded and followed the guard into the estate.
The large iron gate opened to reveal a striking angel fountain. The estate itself was vast, meticulously maintained, and radiated an aura of orderly sophistication.
Despite its grandeur, there were few people within the estate. Besides a gardener tending to the plants, Eren saw no one else on his way inside.
Entering the main building, a castle-like mansion, they were quickly approached by a middle-aged butler with a balding head, wearing a suit and white gloves. He frowned as he walked toward them.
"Jarwin, I recall telling you that the estate is not accepting visitors today. If you can't give me a satisfactory explanation, you may need to start looking for a new job tomorrow."
The guard quickly responded, "Butler Brian, this distinguished gentleman has an appointment with Mr. Osborn, so I brought him in."
Butler Brian frowned. "An appointment with the master? Why wasn't I informed?"
As Brian turned to scrutinize Eren, his gaze was abruptly engulfed by the icy depths of Eren's eyes.
"You know now," Eren said calmly.
Activating Dreadful Gaze once again, Eren swiftly dismantled Brian's mental defenses. With practiced ease, he followed up with the hypnotic technique from the Mind Imprint.
Brian, despite his stronger willpower compared to the guards, quickly succumbed under the layered assault. Eren's soft, modulated voice combined with a series of intricate hand seals he performed in front of the butler. The shifting seals created afterimages, almost mesmerizing in their complexity, making it nearly impossible for an ordinary person to resist.
A few minutes later, Eren stood before a wooden door.
"This room will be quite dark, sir. It may take your eyes some time to adjust," Brian said before opening the door.
Eren nodded, and the butler opened the bedroom door.
Just as Brian had warned, the room was exceptionally dim. Heavy curtains blocked most of the sunlight, allowing only a faint glimmer to filter through.
In the center of the large, spacious room was a luxurious canopy bed surrounded by high-tech medical equipment.
A feeble coughing sound emerged from the figure lying in the bed, seemingly triggered by the sound of the door opening.
Seeing this, Brian immediately approached, pulling back the semi-transparent curtain to help the figure sit up.
"Sir, shall I call for a doctor?" Brian asked respectfully.
The man waved a trembling hand dismissively. "No need."
After catching his breath, the man looked up at Eren, standing at the doorway. A bitter smile spread across his face.
"Wow. Another one? To think someone could bypass my knowledge and have Brian bring you here—impressive. Let me guess, another important figure coming to take their piece? Ha! I'm not even dead yet, and you're already so eager. So, what is it you want? Who do you represent?"
Eren didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gestured toward Brian.
Seeing this, Norman Osborn waved his hand again. The butler obediently left, closing the door behind him. With the door shut, the room became even darker, almost pitch black.
Interestingly, Osborn's expression visibly relaxed as the light faded further.
"You seem to dislike light, Mr. Osborn," Eren remarked.
"That's correct," Norman replied, raising his diseased, trembling right hand and smirking bitterly. "I'm like a vampire from the legends now, allergic to sunlight."
He chuckled weakly, then continued, "How ironic. I gave millions the chance to live in the sunlight again, and now look at me—reduced to this."
Norman waved his hand again as if trying to say more, but his arm fell limply to his side.
Eren broke the silence. "The Osborn family's hereditary disease? Yes, I've heard of it. An extremely rare genetic condition that remains untreatable to this day."
"Indeed. So, why are you here?"
Eren answered directly. "In fact, that's precisely why I'm here."
Norman raised an eyebrow, suspicion flickering in his weakened eyes.
"Let me clarify—I'm not one of those opportunists hoping to carve out a piece of Osborn Corporation. I won't reveal whom I represent, but I'm here to propose a deal—a deal that could change your fate and save your life."
With that, Eren reached into his backpack and pulled out the Universal Antidote, placing it on a nearby machine.
"This is the Universal Antidote, a rare magical potion created by an alchemist from an extraordinary world. It can cure most diseases in existence, including your family's hereditary condition."
Norman scoffed, glancing disdainfully at the vial. "A universal potion? Magic? Do you think I'm a fool? There's no such thing as a true panacea."
"If you expect me to believe that this... concoction can cure the Osborn family's disease, you'd better come up with a more convincing explanation."
(End of Chapter)
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