Lord of Annihilation

Extending both his arms to the sides, Lucius started walking towards the gang members, step after step. His movements were unhurried and his demeanor was nonchalant.

An odd smile was present on his face, as Lucius tried to recall the feeling he had when he instinctively used [Annihilation Energy] earlier.

'A formless energy that stems from inside my soul. An unstoppable stream that annihilates everything that blocks its path. Is this the path of the [Annihilator]?' 

'A [Killer] isn't one who simply kills, but one who ends a Cause.'

'With the [Annihilator] I get a similar feeling, but deeper and profound.'

'Annihilation…it is not to end a Cause, but to utterly erase it?' 

Thoughts collided within his mind, as Lucius' mind recalled that earlier feeling. A formless, invisible energy started to gather around his arms and slowly started to take shape. 

At this moment, Lucius' aura no longer resembled that of a [Killer]. His aura grew sharper and more incisive, giving others the impression of being cut repeatedly till nihility. They could feel their souls rapidly shaking and crumbling into nothingness, piece by piece. 

'Rule of Annihilation'. A rule that was on the same level as the 'Rule of Beginnings'.

If the beginning meant creation and the start of everything, then annihilation represented nihility and the end.

"KI-KILL IT!" the Boss' mind had completed collapsed from his earlier incidents. 

Much of his strength had already been absorbed by Lucius. His originally bulky body and bulbous muscles had already shrunk and disappeared. His body now resembled a shriveled corpse, with the majority of his back missing. 

To his horror, he discovered that his originally potent regeneration was no longer working!

"SOMEONE KILL THAT MONSTER!!" he screamed, before collapsing onto the ground.

The three Terran Vice-Leaders had mostly recovered their senses. They looked at their boss, looked at each other, and looked towards the approaching Lucius. 

Coming to a tacit understanding, they immediately turned around and ran towards the exit door.

"We cannot face him alone! Gather the rest of the gang!"

"There is no way that he can fight against the thirty of us!"

"Let's show this monster the strength of the Minaccia Gang!"

They sought to shout such emboldening words to muster some courage and justify their cowardly actions. Gripping the handle of the door, they used their full strength to heave it open.

"EVERYONE! GATHER HERE---" just as one of the Terran Vice-Leaders sought to gather their forces, his voice stuck to his throat and refused to sound out.

Right in front of him, was a group of five black, shadowy warriors. Each of them wielded a different weapon; a giant double-handed ax, a long sword, a pair of daggers, a whip-like weapon, and a cudgel. 

However, common between all of them was the fresh blood dripping from their seemingly immaterial weapons. 

The five pairs of cold, ice-blue, soulless eyes stared directly into the eyes of the Terran Vice-Leaders. 

Just as they were about to lose all hope, a cold voice resounded throughout the meeting room.

"Stand down. Do not kill these men." Lucius ordered his warriors. The Forgotten nodded their head in acquiesce, albeit reluctantly. Sheathing their weapons, they stood blocking the door.

"If you want to survive…struggle." 

"Struggle while staking the entirety of your lives."

"Show me the most glorious struggle and I promise I will you live." Lucius slowly spoke out. His voice was solemn and serious.

The Terran Vice-Leaders looked into each other's eyes. Their eyes were mostly colored with uncertainty and despair. However, after hearing Lucius' promise, a tiny spark of hope was born.

"Alright! We accept your promise!!" frankly, they had no other choice. But perhaps such valiant words were required to muster their courage.

Lucius' presented the most dazzling smile and spoke.

"Let us begin."

----------------

The result was no surprise. Lucius won, overwhelmingly. 

In fact, it wasn't a fight between two equal parties at all. Lucius was simply using the two Terran Vice-Leaders to test his new-found ability. The result to which …was stellar.

[Annihilation Energy] was the main skill of the [Annihilator]. It took the form of an immaterial, invisible, stream of energy. It possessed the properties of nullification and erasure.

All types of energies; be they physical, mental, or even soul power, were simply broken down and erased. There were no sounds, flashy effects, explosions, or anything in fact.

Just absolute silence.

Silence so sickening, that it made a person despair.

Lucius had also discovered, that [Annihilation Intent] was a derivative of [Annihilation Energy], that is to say, he had been unconsciously using it to a certain extent all along.

It was just that, in the fight earlier, he had learnt to consciously use it.

'With this, I have found the path forward. I need to deepen my understanding of the [Annihilator] and look for a chance to advance. I'm getting sick of the limitations of Stage 1.' Lucius grumbled.

Advancing to the next Stage was not as simple as it sounded. One needed to meet a certain requirement in their accumulation, complete certain a criteria, or condition, and even after this, one can only advance during an opportune moment.

These opportunities came in many forms. Some advance in sleep, some advanced during a heated battle, some advanced during a life or death situation, hell, some even advanced while being engaged in 'nightly activities'. Of course, this still depended on the previous two criteria.

Lucius' accumulation was solid and his understanding of the required criteria was becoming clearer and clearer. As for the opportunity, Lucius had to look for it.

'Three months. I must advance within three months.' 

'However, staying within this city will not give me the opportunity to advance.' 

'I need to leave and travel. Alone.' He concluded.

One's path can only be walked by one's self. Advancing in Stages wasn't simply a boost in power, but also an understanding of the Universe and its Rules.

Those who treat their advancements as only a means to greater power can never walk far in their paths.

As the only Stage 7 [Killer] to ever come into existence (according to him), Lucius understood this better than anyone.

'Anyways, I had another unexpected gain.' Lucius suddenly thought.

Extending his nail, he made a long tear across the length of his right arm. A long, bloody wound, leaking with black-colored blood quickly formed.

Lucius' face did not flinch from the pain and calmly watched. He did not contract his muscles to close the wound nor did he use his soul power to heal it. Lucius quietly watched like a spectator.

It was then, that a shocking thing occurred.

Without the input of his soul power, his muscles and skin around the wound started to wriggle and move! 

Closing in on the place of the wound, they quickly stemmed the blood flow and covered the tear. In a matter of seconds, new flesh and skin sprouted on his wound, restoring it to it's previously, undamaged state.

It was an extraordinary, troll-like regeneration of the Scrofanian!

'Not only that.' Lucius walked towards the walls of the room and punched with all his strength. His fists slammed against the stone walls and shattered the rock.

Feeling a stinging pain in his fists, Lucius lightly shook them before the pain rapidly melted away.

'My physical strength is well into the realm of Stage 2.' He concluded.

Taking a deep breath, he summarized within his mind.

'The physical strength and the troll-like regeneration of the Scrofanians. The increased resistance to cold temperatures of the Fjord Beasts. The compact and resilient muscle structure of the Sickle Bugs.'

'Not only that, but I also noticed a slight improvement in my Light and Astral affinity. Although minor, it nonetheless is the unique ability of the Bertarians.'

'Void Eater…'

Taking a deep breath, part in excitement and part in disbelief, he spoke.

"Seems like I can steal the unique strengths of people I eat."

All of their strengths and none of their weaknesses. A race that was on a path to become the most perfect life form in existence.

This was the ability of the Void Eater, the Ender of All Life.

--------------

"Father! Father! Where are you, father!" a youthful, blue-haired girl shouted at the top of her lungs. Her almond-like eyes hastily scanned the interiors of the shop.

"MIA!!" Baltmer's disbelieving scream replied. A blue-haired old man rapidly descended the stairs of the shop and arrived at the shop floor.

"FATHER!" the girl cried joyful tears and leapt into her father's arms.

The duo of father and daughter hugged each other quietly and cried in happiness. After what seemed like an ocean of tears, Mia slowly explained.

"What?! That boy eliminated the entire Minaccia Gang?!"

"He took over that entire compound with little to no damage was done and even freed all the prisoners and slaves?"

"All three of the Vice-Leaders have surrendered to him and have become his loyal subordinates?!"

Baltmer couldn't believe his own voice. He stared stiffly into empty space for a while and doubted his understanding of the language. Only after repeatedly confirming with his daughter, did he finally accept it.

'That boy…no, That Lord is simply too great.' Baltmer concluded. (AN: Lord as in the title, not those 'Lords')

Olivia who was standing next to the father-daughter pair simply nodded her head, as if it was only natural. In her mind, these pathetic bugs never stood a chance against Lucius.

Clenching her fists, he inwardly thought: 'I missed this opportunity to fight alongside Lucius. This can't do! I must train harder and become stronger, quicker!' 

At this moment, Lucius walked into the shop. Following behind him were the five Forgotten, two 'zombie' Mid-Level Stage 1 guards, and the newly added 'zombie' Peak Level Stage 1 Terran Vice-Leaders.

Watching Lucius enter, Baltmer immediately kneeled on the floor and spoke.

"Lord Lucius! I cannot thank you enough for your kindness! I swear, from this day forth I will use my entire being to repay this debt!" he swore allegiance.

Lucius was a little stunned, as he had not expected the old man to go so far. Still, he quickly recovered and lightly nodded his head.

'It will be less troublesome this way.' He concluded.

Seeing that everyone was gathered here, he blandly announced his decision.

"WHAT?! You are leaving?! But we just got here!" Olivia screamed. Her body faintly shook, having not completely recovered from the effects of the Babel Fish.

"Indeed." Lucius indifferently replied.

"Let me come with you." She pleaded, to which Lucius replied: "No."

"You will stay here in this city and grow. There is a battle arena to improve your sorely-lacking combat skill. Plus, this is also a test for you."

"A test?" Olivia questioned.

Nodding his head, Lucius explained.

"I just single-handedly wiped out an established gang. News of it must have already been widely disseminated. The Five Big Ones are will surely come knocking."

"The Leader of the Gang I just killed seemed to have an important backer in the Black Sabbath Gang. It is safe to assume that, we are now at odds with them. Apart from that, the businesses and territory previously owned by the Minaccia Gang are also ours."

"The whole city has been stirred and every single force will come to rob and steal our gains. We will be facing an endless amount of trouble."

"Well, by 'we', I actually mean you. The information that was leaked, spoke of a young, black-haired beautiful female. In other words, a description that precisely matches you."

"Survive and grow in these three months and I shall formally acknowledge you as my student. Fail, well, you will end up in a fate worse than death."

"I will be leaving now. These five men will be absolutely loyal to you. Use them, however, you wish. I will be leaving behind the Five Forgotten too."

"Do not disappoint me." Saying so, Lucius turned around and walked out of the shop.

Olivia who had heard his instructions stood stiffly. After Lucius had left, her body started to uncontrollably quiver.

Blood rushed to her head and her entire face, from the top of her forehead to the bottom of her neck, turned crimson.

'H-H-He-He called me BEAUTIFUL! KYAAA! I'm so happy. I-I-I….' Olivia was ecstatic…for the wrong reason.