Chapter 92: The Last Target

Sometimes people meet by chance. Minor missteps or encounters lead thousands of people down paths that may or may not be good, and the paths of Strax and Beatrice crossed long, long ago.

A ten-year-old boy was huddled in a secluded corner of the courtyard. The tall walls and dense vegetation offered a temporary refuge but couldn't dispel the crushing weight he felt in his chest. He hugged himself, his head bowed, his body trembling with stifled sobs. Silent tears traced salty lines down his dirty face.

The cruelty of his siblings and the coldness of his father had broken him once again, leaving him overwhelmed by a devastating sense of loneliness and despair.

The soft sound of light footsteps on the grass approached, but Strax didn't lift his head. He was too engulfed in his sadness to notice the presence drawing near. It was then that a sweet, gentle voice, like a summer breeze, cut through the fog of his anguish.

"Are you okay?" A smiling little girl asked, noticing he was in a bad state.

She stood a few meters away from him, radiating happiness as if she was having a great day. She seemed like just an ordinary child, but for some reason, she exuded a maturity and understanding beyond her years. Her slightly purple hair shone under the sun, while her face wore a gentle and concerned smile.

Strax tried to hide further, curling up as if he could disappear into the ground. He didn't want her to see him like this, weak and vulnerable.

She came closer, kneeling beside him, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey, look at me." Her voice was a whisper of kindness, an anchor in the stormy sea of his pain. Reluctantly, he raised his gaze, and the girl's eyes met his, filled with a tenderness that almost made him cry more.

"I... I'm a failure, leave me alone," he murmured, his voice breaking. "They... they always treat me like this. I can't... I can't be what they want me to be."

Beatrice shook her head, her gentle smile never wavering. "You're not a failure. You're different, and different isn't bad, and I know you have a strength they can't see."

She sat beside him, gently pulling him so he could rest his head on her shoulder. Strax, hesitant at first, finally yielded and let the little girl hold him. The warmth of her embrace drove away the cold that had settled in his heart.

"I'm here with you," Beatrice whispered, gently stroking his hair. "You're never alone. Whenever you feel like this, remember that I'm here, and I always will be. Together, we can face anything, right?"

Strax closed his eyes, letting the tears fall freely now, but they were of relief and gratitude.

"What a greedy man, a greed that borders on possessiveness," Xyn said in her mind. "Well, my foolish user has already fallen, there's nothing more I can do to stop it... Damn," she murmured, and Xenovia heard everything. Xenovia didn't even know how to react. "I'll be back later," Strax said and left through the door, leaving everyone speechless.

"Who's going to prepare the funeral?" Eva was the first to say, her comical tone startling everyone who immediately looked at her. "What?! He's dead already," she said, pointing to Darius. "I'm not dealing with this. In fact, I'm going with Strax. See you!" She said and ran off, following her brother...

As Strax headed to the arena, Darius stayed behind, trying to gather his courage and composure. He knew this duel was not just about physical strength but swordsmanship. He couldn't afford to lose, not at all.

"You better take care, brother," Liam said, catching his attention while standing up with Mason and heading to the arena.

"I tried to warn you, but you were arrogant as always," Veronica said, standing up. "Congratulations on killing two of your brothers, you worthless piece of shit," Veronica finished and walked off with Hinna and Vine, who seemed a bit frightened.

The rest remained silent, and Darius was left alone... He turned his head to see where his father was sitting, but... He and Diana had disappeared, leaving only him at the table with the Clan Olarin Leader's head in front of him. A growing rage began to radiate from within him... "Do all these bastards think I, Darius Vorah, am this weak?!" he roared, not at all happy. He had stayed silent for too long.

"I'll use this crap," he said, taking something from his storage ring. "Screw all of you, you pieces of shit," he roared and rose from the table, his heavy steps echoing as he headed to the arena, without any remorse.

Meanwhile, back at the Mansion...

Sniff-Sniff

A woman cried as she looked at her own daughter, covered in bruises. "She's alright... at least it looks like she'll get better," Samira murmured. Unfortunately, in recent days... they had been completely confined indoors and couldn't leave at all. Strax made sure to imprison them inside the house, and if anything happened, the assassins took care of it.

"Are you going to tell her?" Samira asked. It was a delicate moment, but it was better to occupy Monica's mind with something before she had another breakdown, like previously when she destroyed all the training dummies. She wasn't a fighter, but she had done things and trained to become one if necessary, to avenge anyone who took her family away from her.

"When she recovers, yes, I will reveal it," Samira heard, but she was still worried about something... "Don't you think she will..." She was quickly interrupted, "If she has a problem with my relationship with Strax... honestly, I don't know what I'd do." Monica replied. There were many layers to the subject. "But now is not the time to think about it. Let's wait until she fully recovers..."

They continued to observe Beatrice's body. "Ladies, I have news," Cristine appeared. She had arranged everything to transport Beatrice safely to Strax's mansion, and these women were very grateful.

"Now, there's only one target left," Cristine said with a sinister smile. "Darius Vorah will die today."