"She is of no use to me. She's neither smart like you nor strong like others like me. Still, I'll allow her in too. Only if she passes the loyalty test."
"What loyalty test?" Alexi asked, frowning.
Lucifer glanced at Mirali. "That man right there... Kill him, and I'll extend the same offer to you.
"I won't kill one of us," Mirali straight refused, not even entertaining the thought for a single second.
Lucifer smiled in response. "I know you won't do it. But if you can't kill one person for me, how will you fight for me in the future?"
As he spoke, the aura around him became slightly more intense. Even though there was a smile on his face, his aura was showing something else entirely.
"Alexi, you want her alive?" he asked Alexi. "Then kill in her place. Let me see if your brain deserves the credit I give it."
Alexi observed Mirali, who kept shaking her head, telling Alexi to not do it.
Alexi took a deep breath, ultimately nodding. "I will kill him. That's the best choice of action."
He picked a nearby chair and broke one of its legs before he stepped towards the man who was lying on his knees.
Argh~
A scream came from the back as another old man was stabbed in the chest by the Shadow Warrior of Lucifer. The man was purely an elemental warrior who couldn't do anything under Energy Negation.
Even his fighting skills couldn't help him against a shadow who neither felt tired nor bled. In the end, it was the old man who was tired instead.
He couldn't block the attack of the shadow. The sword used the flaw in his defense to surpass it before stabbing the chest of the man.
The man's painful cry filled the entire hall as his sword flew away, falling on the ground.
The man blankly looked towards the Shadow as his lips bled. He slowly turned towards Lucifer. In the back of his head, there was only a single thought.
He wanted to kill this guy, thinking he was a kid. But let alone killing him, he couldn't even get close to him before dying.
Lucifer didn't even have to pick a sword himself. Just one clone was enough to take out a strong person like him.
He has anger and disgust for Lucifer for killing him, but he also has admiration and respect for the strength Lucifer.
His body slowly started falling on the ground, falling on the feet of the shadow. His eyes closed slowly, but there was a satisfied smile on his bleeding lips.
The Shadow split into multiples, swallowing the body of the man before disappearing. Not even the sword of the man was left behind.
Alexi stopped before the other man who was lying on his knees, unable to move.
"Alexi, are you really siding with that man to save your own skin? You coward! You still have a chance! Help me get up!"
Alexi sat on his knees before the man. "I'm sorry. But we aren't friends. If it were Yovann in your place, I would've thought twice, but I'm not going to lose my common sense for you."
"Sorry, but you must die so we can live."
He placed the sharp end of the wooden piece on the neck of the man.
"Just know, if I don't do it, he will. Your death is inevitable. So die with my hands so we can live instead. One dead is better than two dead."
Thrust~
He pushed the wooden piece inside the neck of the old man, impaling his throat.
The old man's eyes opened wide in shock and pain. His nerves tightened as he found it hard to even speak.
He tried speaking something, but no words came out. His eyes remained open even as he took his last breath before his body lost all strength.
Alexi closed the eyes of the man as he gently pulled out the wooden stick from the man's throat. "Rest in peace."
He gently laid the body of the man on the ground before standing up. He tossed the wood aside.
He turned to Lucifer. "I did as you said."
Lucifer nodded. He glanced at Mirali. "Run and leave this place. I won't kill you. Just don't stand in my path, and you can watch me make my vision a reality."
"If I ever find you interfering with my goals, you won't get a second chance." He turned his back on Mirali and grabbed Xaen by his collar.
Another shadow appeared behind Alexi, swallowing the second body as well.
Lucifer grabbed the collar of unconscious Xaen before placing his other hand on Alexi. Both of them disappeared.
Lucifer appeared on top of the facility, standing under the bright moon with Alexi.
"This island is your home." He glanced at the beautiful moon, losing himself in thoughts. "This world is my home. I don't crave its destruction. I only want to make it a place which I can be proud of."
"And what would that world be like?" Alexi asked.
"An old man once said... This world is filled with conflict. There is blood and death everywhere. Variants kill Variants; humans kill humans... People die every day, not from old age but from battles, wars, and conflicts. This world is broken."
"That same old man said that it's impossible to change this world. I didn't understand the depth of his words at that time, but only after regaining my memories did I realize how broken this world truly is."
"It's a world where a kid can be killed for the ambitions of a few people. It's a world where friends can kill friends. It's a world where even family can backstab you if needed."
"It's also a world where a kid can be beaten simply for asking for good or dirtying someone's clothes. The world isn't all bad, I agree, but it's not good either."
"I want it to be a place that will be safe for me and for everyone else. A place where I won't have to worry about being backstabbed. I want to make it a place where I can control everything, stopping all unnecessary conflicts."
"A place where no one I care for will ever die! I want to make it my world! That's my vision for this world. That's how I want to make it before I leave."
Alexi was stunned to hear the vision of Lucifer.. It was the first time he was hearing something like that. A man who wanted to destroy all boundaries and establishment of the world, all so he could create the world that he wanted? Could he be any more ambitious?