Lord of Annihilation

Brothels, bars, betting stations, gambling dens, slave shops, and many other buildings filled the streets The buildings were tall and decrepit, with various types of people present in them.

One could see a variety of humanoids, belonging to both the [Good] and [Evil] faction walking through the streets. Some looked monstrous, with two heads and four arms, while some resembled humans to a tee. However, common amongst all of them was their sharp gazes, a weapon within arm's reach, and a bloodthirsty aura surrounding their bodies.

These were people tempered by blood and combat. Veterans in killing and demons with no moral limits. In an orderly city, they would be considered to be the scum of society. In Pandemonium, however, these people were the norm. 

They were the survivors. People who possess sufficient strength or influence to bravely walk down the streets without fearing an assault or assassination. Not all of them were Stage 2 in strength, but the ones who were Stage 1 were sure to an influential gang or have a strong backer.

With an indifferent gaze, Lucius calmly observed them, evaluating each one within his mind. He continued walking while releasing [Annihilation Intent] at full-force.

Similar to how Lucius was evaluating the people on the streets, they also evaluated this party of newcomers. Entranced by the beauty of Olivia and Lucius (who was mistaken for a woman), blood rushed to their heads and their eyes shone with a lustful gaze.

However, seeing the tangible black mist surrounding the expressionless lady, their excitement instantly cooled down and the faces of some of the veterans turning pale. Some eyes, however, shone with excitement and the desire to conquer.

While Olivia felt uncomfortable facing such stares, Lucius was completely indifferent. In fact, he hoped for some hot-blooded idiot to attack them, in order to establish dominance.

None came forward.

Walking past these crowds Lucius suddenly turned and entered a narrow alleyway, leaving the main street. Walking through the spider thread-like corridors with familiarity, he arrived in front of a small, broken shop.

Stone steps led to a cracked wooden door reinforced with metal edges. A large bronze knocker was present on the door. The stone walls surrounding the shop flawlessly merged into the buildings by the side, making this shop resemble a single room, rather than an individual building.

There was nothing extraordinary about this shop for it resembled the rest of the surrounding building. In fact, its entrance was merged into the alleyway causing one unfamiliar with this city to easily miss it. 

Lucius, however, could not be more familiar with this shop. Certain memories appeared within his mind.

A man caked in dirt and filth. His bones broken and his face torn by various cuts. His body laid face-first on the stone floor unmoving, revealing the horrific whip-marks on his back. He was on the verge of death, as he gasped for air.

Behind him followed a trail of blood exiting the shop and leading into the street. It made one question, how did this man make it all the way to this shop with such serious injuries.

The sounds of rapid footsteps approached the crippled man, a pair of bony, wrinkled hands reached down to hold him: "KID! What happened to you?!"

Exerting strength into his arms, the owner of this pair of wrinkled arms, an old man judging from his appearance screamed towards his daughter.

"Tara! Clear the bed and prepare some clean water!" lifting the dying man from the floor, he carried him to the second floor.

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An unknown amount of time passed, when the man finally opened his eyes. His eyes which were previously filled with anger and hatred was now colored with...emptiness.

"I—I..." he tried to speak but only hoarse sounds exited his throat.

A young woman, human in appearance and seemingly in her late teenage years, ran towards this man and hurriedly offered a glass of green liquid.

"Please don't try to talk Brother Lucius. Your injuries were too severe and haven't healed yet." She pleaded.

The sound of heavy footsteps was heard followed by the anger-filled voice of an old man.

"How many times have I told you?! Don't go against the orders of your master!"

"You are a slave! Your life belongs to your master! When are you going to accept that?!"

"Your struggles against his orders are meaningless. If he orders you to fight you must fight! If he orders you to die, you must die! Why does this fact not sink into that thick skull of yours?!"

"Father, you're being too harsh on Brother Lucius." The young girl tried to intervene, only to be fiercely scolded but the old man.

"Shut up and don't you dare try to intervene!" he stared at his daughter with bloodshot eyes before turning to face the man lying on the bed once again.

"Do you even know how serious your wounds were this time? Not a single bone was unbroken in your body! The only reason you managed to survive was because the slave collar on your neck preserved final bits of vitality in your body!"

"Why are you incapable of obedience? Why do you keep seeking death against that man?!"

"Freedom is the privilege of the strong. Weaker beings like us are meant to be slaves!" he screamed. 

Tara watched her father furiously reprimand Lucius. She tried to remain quiet while stifling her tears and cries. She couldn't intervene, for her father spoke the truth.

The Strong prevailed and the Weak perished. This was the system in the Universe.

Lucius refusing to obey the commands of his master, struggling against his fate as a slave, was simply foolish and meaningless.

The only reason that he already wasn't killed for his disobedience was due to his master favoring him for his handsome looks and his value as a rare collectible ([Killer] soul).

"Give up! Just give up your struggles and accept your fate! I promise you life will become much simpler and painless!"

Having screamed at all his strength, the old man rapidly gasped for air. 

In his heart, he could understand Lucius' struggle, who would want to spend their life as a slave. But what was the point of struggling, if one did not possess the strength to struggle.

Wearing an expressionless look and blank eyes, Lucius stared at the ceiling of the room.

"Do you know?" he suddenly spoke: "Do you know what that monster does to me?

Lucius turned his head around and faced the pair of father and daughter. His terrifying scar-filled face spoke with a calm tone.

"Every single day during the nights he calls me to his room and does unspeakable, deplorable, sickening actions with my body."

"And each time I resist, he uses a small, pin-like dagger and carves my flesh, before healing and repeating once again."

"Unable to withstand it anymore, I disfigured my own face."

"I was tortured for a week, but at least I no longer have to live as his toy."

"During the days, the other slaves and guards spit on me and treat me in the most deplorable manner. No matter how perfectly I perform my tasks, they always make an excuse, before breaking my bones and whipping me 15 times."

"Unable to continue, I tried to kill myself. Haha." He suddenly burst into a faint laugh, as he continued: "As you can see, that did not work."

Raising his head, he stared at the old man.

"I'm tired."

"I'm tired of resisting, of struggling… of living."

"I watched my only family die in front of my eyes. I watched the girl I loved torn apart by beasts. I watched my kind fail in the Ascension, watched as they were annihilated."

"And I couldn't do anything to prevent it. Every single time, I was there, watching these events unfold with my very own eyes. Each time, I was helpless to act."

Pausing for a moment, Lucius looked at his reflection on the cup of water, that he held in his hands.

"Or maybe I was scared. Too scared to face death."

"I could have stepped in and fought till my last breath. To die alongside my kin. But I didn't. I was a coward. An irredeemable coward, too afraid to face death."

"But not anymore."

A smile formed on Lucius' face as he continued.

"Having lived this hellish life, I'm no longer scared. Death does not frighten me."

Peering into the murky eyes of the old man, Lucius finished with a calm tone.

"So please, kill me." 

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"Lucius!" Olivia's voice woke Lucius from his daze. His eyes regained clarity and settled on the source of the voice. 

Olivia's face had a look of concern, as she asked: "Are you okay? You seemed to have spaced out for a moment." Her face closed in onto his own.

"I'm fine." He brushed off her concern nonchalantly. His face was expressionless and his eyes resembled deep wells, calm and without a single ripple.

Although the memories of his previous life had appeared within his mind, Lucius' heart was void of any emotions. It almost seemed as if the person in those memories weren't him, but someone else. Lucius simply watched with indifference.

"O-Okay." Olivia unsurely answered and stepped back. Her face reverted back to her normal expression; however, her eyes still contained some worry. She wasn't convinced by his answer.

Ignoring Olivia' Lucius stepped forth and knocked on the door twice. Without waiting for an answer he pushed the door open and stepped into the shop.

It was then that suddenly, a large, cylindrical object emitting an eerie red-aura ferociously swung towards Lucius.

『Die you beast!』