Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
Kaiser KenPlease leave a review under the book, if you liked the story so far. Also read my ongoing story THE PEERLESS MAN WITH A THOUSAND GIFTS, set in the same universe.
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The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 022 Let Me Dine In Peace!
The Owens were a third-tier family who had sworn loyalty to the Coopers. Even though they were not a big deal in Sapphire City, they took pride in their connection with Mark Cooper, the family patriarch. Tim Owen was especially aware of the downfall of the Grant family and Tyler's imprisonment.Melissa Brown was a stuck-up young woman who had a crush on Tyler during their college days. However, the latter chose Erica as his partner because of her humility. Now, Melissa felt she had the upper hand since she landed an Owen family member as her boyfriend."Do you even realize where you are, Tyler?" Tim asked, drawing up a chair opposite him. "You're sitting on a VIP table in the Marian Hotel, a hub for the wealthy and the mighty. It's not meant for filthy rodents like you!""Should we even speak to this man, Tim?" Melissa snapped. "He's an ex-convict who slipped into this party for free food and liquor. It's better if we call the guards before he bites us!"Tyler paid no attention to the
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 023 The Cooper Patriarch
The volatile sequence of events happened so fast that barely anybody had time to react.Before the bodyguards could intervene, Tyler pulled Trent out of the soup and shoved him away. The petrified Cooper heir stumbled and fell on his butt. As soon as he was free, he let out a somewhat effeminate shriek. One could only imagine the pain of being immersed face-first into a bowl of scalding soup.The servants panicked and splashed cold water over Trent’s face to wash away the vegetables. Ultimately, he looked disheveled and ragged like a soaking wet tabby cat. His facial skin turned a darker tan.Erica ran to her fiance in tears. “Are you okay, darling?” she asked, trying to comfort him. The young man swatted her hand away and glared at Tyler with bubbling hatred.“You delinquent!” Erica hollered at his attacker. “Are you trying to kill my fiance?”Tyler returned to his seat and continued enjoying his meal as if nothing unusual happened.“If I really tried to kill him, he would already be
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 024 The Proposal
“Trust me, Natalie,” Trent explained. “I’ve known this guy since high school. He neither has any medical skills nor any other talent. His only gifts are lip service and grifting, to which my present fiance, Erica, fell victim. I sent Tyler to prison and rescued her from his entrapment.”The truth was—Trent had been pursuing Natalie romantically for years. It was public opinion that she was one of the most beautiful women in Sapphire City, definitely better-looking than Erica.Even Mark Cooper wanted Natalie to be his daughter-in-law so he could one day claim the Anderson conglomerate. However, Natalie never showed interest in Trent and repeatedly turned him down.“If Mr. Grant has inadvertently offended you, I apologize on his behalf,” Silas told Mark. “But he is under my protection. You may not threaten his life while I am alive.”Tyler sighed, dipping his hand in the finger bowl and wiping it on tissues. He was finally done with his meal.“Silas…” he said, turning to the billionaire.
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 025 Stalemate
The entire hall was shocked to hear Tyler's declaration. The Ice Princess, Natalie Anderson, had finally chosen a mate? Was she dating Tyler Grant? What was she thinking?Natalie herself was delirious, her gaze firm on Tyler as he held her by the waist in an intimate embrace. "She is my girlfriend," he repeated. "Anybody who wants to court her has to go through me first."Even Silas looked bamboozled. Personally, he was thoroughly impressed by Tyler's abilities and behavior. He wouldn't mind having someone like him as his son-in-law."What nonsense is this?" Mark thundered. "Silas! Is this true? Have you given consent to this relationship?"Silas took a deep breath before replying. "It is my daughter's choice who she wants to be with. I have no say in the matter."Mark turned to Natalie. "Is it true, girl? You can tell the truth. This miscreant is lying, isn't he? Why would a popular diva like you want to be with a wastrel like him?"Natalie's gaze shifted from Mark to Silas and then
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 026 The Verdict
Dwayne narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the bearded young man dressed in ordinary clothes. His gaze was sharp, and there was an air of confidence about him, but mostly, he seemed harmless. Why was Mark Cooper so intent on killing a commoner?“What did he do to deserve to die?”Mark clenched his jaw. “The wastrel barged into Trent’s pre-wedding party, attacked him, and chased away the guests. He is just desperate because his ex is marrying my son today. Moreover, he humiliated my family name over and over. I’d like him to stop breathing as soon as possible.”Dwayne scratched his chin. So this was a jilted lover’s quarrel? He felt silly being part of such a childish situation.“What do you have to say, Silas?” he asked the Anderson patriarch.“Tyler is my healer, and he saved my life. The truth is, Trent provoked him first. That’s why I was willing to fight the Cooper family. But I will be glad if you adjudicate, Mr. Mosby.”Dwayne rubbed his bald head and guffawed. Two great billionaire
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 027 True Identity
Dwayne realized he broke into a cold sweat for the first time in years. ‘Is this young man who I think he is?’ he asked himself nervously.Dwayne looked down at the two goons who attacked Tyler. They were unconscious, and their bodies appeared to be roughed up for hours. What kind of attack has such an effect? The young man before him was not ordinary.“What happened?” Trent whispered to his father. “Why didn’t Mr. Mosby command his men to attack Tyler?”“Don’t breathe a word,” Mark replied under his breath. “Maybe he wants to savor the kill? Let’s wait and watch. I’m sure Tyler is moments away from a painful death.”Dwayne pondered for half a minute before walking over to Tyler.“That tattoo…” he asked out of the earshot of others. “Where did you get it?”The young man rubbed his arm nonchalantly. “The tattoo? It’s something my teacher gifted me before I left Montserrat prison. Why do you ask?”“And do you have the ring?” Dwayne posed.Tyler narrowed his eyes. Was the gangster referri
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 028 The Grant Family
“Dad?” Tyler called out with uncertainty. “Is that you?”Hugh Grant used to be an upright, proud man with masculinity and vitality. However, the past three years had not been kind to him. The man was reduced to a husk of his former self. His posture was crooked, his hair grey, and his face wrinkled. If not for his distinct voice, Tyler would have never recognized him.“Tyler?” his father responded. “Finally, you’re out of prison! What a relief!”Hugh immediately became conscious of his appearance—his disheveled clothes and soiled body were pathetic. He tried to turn away so his son would not see him in such a miserable condition.“Why don’t you go home, Tyler?” he mumbled. “Tell your mother I will work late tonight. When I return in the morning, we will catch up, okay?”Tyler bit his lip in anguish and shook his head. “I am not going anywhere, Dad… You don’t need to work here anymore!”Just then, the contractor, Danny, butted in. “Hey, are you Hugh’s son?” he asked with disdain.“Yes,
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 029 Stress Relief
"Yara? What are you doing here?"Yara Mathews was the ravishing young lady Tyler had left in charge of the recently acquired GlobeMall. She had been instrumental in acquiring his father's rightful property without bloodshed. She was intelligent, fashionable, and drop-dead gorgeous. But her sudden appearance in Tyler's bedroom was unexpected."Mr. Grant…" Yara began with a concerned look. "I apologize for dropping in unannounced, but I was worried about you. Today's chaos in the Marian Hotel was featured on the local evening news."Tyler leaned on the door frame. "You assumed it had something to do with me?"Yara smiled coyly. The last time they met, she was in a tantalizing bodycon that accentuated her voluptuous figure. Tonight, she was casually dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. She looked irresistible anyway. One could easily mistake her for a raunchy cheerleader."Only someone of your stature could have shaken up the bigwigs—the Anderson and Cooper families," the young woman said. "
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- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
230 Lazarus Briar
The Seraphim King’s mention induced a wave of muttering among the conference members. Lazarus raised his hand to silence them. "The last time I checked, the Seraphim King was dying in Montserrat Prison," he resumed with a louder voice than normal. "What the hell was he doing in El Abyssium? Tell me the truth!" A couple of shadows parted from the room's darkness and gradually slithered towards Dagon and Veronica. The hulk realized this and panicked. "When we reached the Hetacomb site, Butch Salvatore was already there! It was actually him who defeated Goliath!" "So you thought it convenient to claim the credit? You picked up the pieces and ran with the tail tucked between your legs?" The shadows moved faster, now only several feet from Dagon and Veronica. "No, my lord! I killed the Seraphim King with Kraken! He is dead!" Lazarus raised his brows. A gasp of surprise in unison rose from the conference members. It turned into scattered cheers. The Seraphim King was considered t
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
229 The Coronation Arc Begins
“You will certainly not die if you eat the forbidden fruit,” the serpent said to Eve.~Genesis 3:1-5.***Far off, a secret conference was under way in an undisclosed location. Selected individuals crowded a long table. Some faces were covered with hoods and masks, while others were shadowed. Regardless of the secrecy and covertness, the chatter was loud."What? We lost El Medalla? How could this happen?""Years of hard work and investments ruined? Shame!""What were the mercenaries doing? Did the Red Marauders give up?""Dagon has never failed us before! Does that dog's leash need to be tightened?""How dare the Prince of Petra launch a war against us? Who told him about El Medalla in the first place?""We must retaliate! We have no other alternative!"A man sat at the head of the conference table, paying no attention to the rabble. He looked engaged in deep meditation or profound thought. Suddenly, he stirred, his eyes turning to the side.A surge of incoming energy disturbed his in
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
228 Note To Readers
The previous chapter marks the end of the Ascension Arc. I applaud and congratulate all readers who have read this far. I hope you enjoyed the journey. However, this is just the beginning. The Ascension Arc will be followed by the Coronation Arc, where Tyler deals with more daunting enemies and situations. New characters will be introduced, and the focus will shift towards those I have ignored till now. We have had a lot of fantasy battles. It is now time to return home and face more down-to-earth challenges. Those who read so far, kindly leave a review under the story's main page. (Note: there is a difference between leaving a comment on a paragraph or chapter and under the main page) I hope you will still accompany Tyler further on his journey. Thanks again for the support and love. Yours fictionally, KAISER KEN P.S: Do read my other story, THE PEERLESS MAN WITH A THOUSAND GIFTS. It is set in the same universe with an equally awesome main character. Thanks.
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
227 The End
The Salvatore estate was situated in the hilly regions of Sapphire City. It was remote, accessible only by helicopters, ski lifts, and cable cars. Other billionaires of the city were rather unaware and uninterested in the massive terrain covered by the Salvatore estate. They dismissed it as waste hilly lands. Actually, the ancient estate was hidden from commoners through different geographical and magical means. However, the truth was far from it. The area was replete with mines and minerals. It was a treasure trove of riches. Moreover, a thirty-thousand-square-foot castle dominated the Salvatore estate. It was an ancient structure from where Butch used to rule when he was alive. Britta was raised within those premises. Tyler Grant touched down at a site specially selected for the old man’s last rites. As his wings retreated, he noticed a ceremonial gathering had been summoned. They were Salvatore loyalists, castle butlers and staff, and a few of Tyler’s acquaintances. Under Ty
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
226 Lilith
The resurrected Yara Mathews received no replies from the others. Instead, she was the object of shocked stares from the girls and a blank look from Tyler. She turned from one to the other in utter perplexity. Suddenly, Yara realized she was naked. She let out a feminine scream. With one arm, the beauty covered her breasts and her crotch with the other. “Someone help me…” she whimpered. “I don’t know what’s happening…” Tyler turned his eyes away from the nudity, instead focusing on the charred Hetacomb site. While he dwelt on his emotions, Kat and Britta rushed towards Yara to aid her. “Don’t worry, child!” the goddess called out the soothing words. “Everything’s fine. I’ll manifest some clothes on your body immediately!” “Stay right there, Yara!” the young Salvatore assured her. “We’re coming to help you!” Suddenly, Tyler’s senses tingled. His gaze whipped back to the girls. “Don’t look at her while she is naked!” Britta snapped at him. “What’s wrong with you?” The you
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
225 Pitch Black
Kat was still connected to Tyler emotionally and spiritually through a fine strand of mystical energy. It snapped abruptly, making her take an apprehensive step back. The goddess realized something had broken inside him. Butch Salvatore's death had already dealt a powerful blow to Tyler's psyche. Now, Yara's passing had broken the threshold. A part of his personality that he had suppressed all his life had awakened. "Tyler… You're scaring me…" Kat mumbled anxiously. The young man's demented smile was oddly persistent. He appeared not to have heard the goddess' concerns. He spun sharply, taking a purposeful step in the opposite direction. "Where are you going?" Kat asked, knowing her question would fall on deaf ears. Tyler took a single leap and, in a second, appeared fifty yards away. The area he landed on was bathed in deep red. It was as if a large tank of blood had been overturned. The young man's sharp eyes scanned the area with urgency. He finally spotted what he was l
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
224 Crippling Loss
"NOOO!" Britta screamed, jumping off Kat's back before the latter stopped her gallop.The girl's loud reaction was justified. She had just noticed that her grandfather lay on his back, seemingly lifeless. The old man had only one arm. Half a dozen holes riddled his muscular torso. Moreover, the corpse had already begun to turn blue.The great Butch Salvatore was dead. Tyler knelt before his body with a vacant and spaced-out expression. His own clothes were tattered, but no injuries or bruises were visible."Thank the primordial gods," Kat muttered to herself, realizing her ex-husband was alive and unharmed. She skidded to a stop and changed into her human form.The Mayan goddess raced towards Tyler for a much-desired reunion. However, she stopped abruptly on spotting Butch's corpse. Kat stood motionless, unable to decide whether to hug Tyler out of relief or grieve for Britta's grandfather.Butch Salvatore meant nothing to her as a person. She hadn't encountered him earlier in the pr
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
223 The Prophecy
“Yes. Do you know what it is about?”“I thought it was another name for the Seraphim King?”The old man shook his head. “No. The prophecy is about the arrival of one powerful soul in a hundred thousand years.”“A hundred thousand? That is a long time period, running into prehistory! Even before humanity came into existence!”Butch furrowed his brows dismissively. “I don’t have the time to tell you about all the ancient civilizations that existed before recorded history. All you need to know is that the thousandth Seraphim King will be the prophesied Gilded Man.”“Who is he?” Tyler asked curiously. “What number were you?”“I was the nine hundred and ninety-ninth,” the old man replied with a knowing smile.Tyler sat up with a start, now that all his injuries were healed. “I am the Gilded Man? Are you sure about that? Clearly, there’s been a mistake! Someone who couldn’t even protect his own master can’t be a savior born from prophecy!”“Didn’t I ask you not to interrupt me?” Butch fired
- The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
222 Unexpected Savior
Pluck! Something arrested Tyler’s free fall in mid-air. It was unexpected since his fractured senses detected no living beings in the vicinity. That was the primary reason he gave up in the first place.The young man opened his bleeding eyes to find out what was happening. Who was the mysterious savior? With sunlight blinding his already blurry vision, he could see someone carrying him. Together, they floated to the ground comfortably.Tyler strained his eyes as they landed. A heavily muscled torso and a familiar face loomed over him. It was Butch Salvatore!“Master!” he groaned in disbelief. “Is that really you? I thought you were dead!”Tyler had seen Butch die with his own eyes. Kraken devoured the old man’s right arm and later riddled his body with holes. In the end, the monster crushed his heart, essentially ending his life.How did Butch survive such irreparably fatal wounds? How did he fix his entire shredded body? Moreover, it was known that damage taken from Kraken could not
