Chapter 10: Painful Memories

Lucas moved stealthily through the darkened streets, following the man at a safe distance. His senses were heightened, and his heart pounded with anticipation. The man led him to a secluded area on the outskirts of the village, where the dim light of a single lantern illuminated a shadowy figure waiting with two imposing bodyguards.

The short man glanced up as they approached, his eyes gleaming with malice. The two bodyguards stood on either side of him, their stances menacing and their auras radiating mid-tier one-star warrior strength. Lucas could sense they were not as powerful as the hobgoblin he had slain, but they were formidable nonetheless.

The man with the scar on his face stepped forward and bowed slightly. "I've followed the woman as you requested," he reported.

The short man's eyes narrowed. "And? What did you find out?" he asked, his voice a low, dangerous whisper.

"She lives on the outskirts of the village, in a secluded area," the scarred man replied. "She appears to be alone, except for her brother."

"A brother, you say?" The short man's eyebrows arched in interest.

"Yes," the scarred man confirmed, nodding. "But he seems to be just a young boy. Hardly a threat."

The short man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, she has no other family?"

"None that I've seen," the scarred man answered, his tone confident.

"Good," the short man said, a sinister smile creeping across his face. "Will the brother be a problem?"

The scarred man shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Her brother is just a kid. He won't be able to interfere."

The short man chuckled darkly. "Excellent. Then we will proceed as planned. Let's take her tomorrow night."

He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with malice. "Make sure everything is ready. I don't want any mistakes."

"Understood," the scarred man replied, bowing once more before stepping back.

The short man's grin widened into a perverted smile, his eyes glinting with cruel anticipation. "This is going to be fun."

Lucas, hidden in the shadows, listened to the entire conversation, feeling a surge of anger boiling within him. He recognized the short man immediately. The face and the voice were etched into his memory like a scar that never healed.

"This is the same bastard," Lucas thought, his eyes narrowing. "The one who took my sister in my past life."

In that previous life, the short man's cruelty had known no bounds. He hadn't merely kidnapped Lucy; he had subjected her to the worst kind of horrors.

Lucas vividly recalled the night she was taken—her screams echoing through the dark, a desperate cry for help that he couldn't answer. The days that followed were a nightmare, filled with futile searches and mounting despair.

The short man had not only violated Lucy but had sold her into a life of unimaginable torment. The details of her suffering were too painful to dwell on, but they haunted Lucas.

He remembered the first time he had received word of her fate, a crumpled letter delivered by a trembling hand. It spoke of the brutalities she endured, of the relentless abuse that broke her spirit.

The most harrowing memory was the sight of Lucy's tortured and lifeless body, sent back to him as a cruel taunt. Her once bright eyes were vacant, her body marred by the violence she had endured. The image seared into his mind, a constant reminder of his failure to protect her.

He remembered the anguish that had consumed him, a pain so deep it felt like his very soul was being torn apart.

The helplessness was overwhelming, knowing that he had been unable to save the one person who mattered most to him. And then, as if the universe itself conspired against him, he was framed for crimes he didn't commit.

Due to lies and deceit, the locals also turned against him. They believed him to be the villain, and he was ostracized, cast out with no chance to defend himself. The betrayal stung almost as much as the loss of his sister, leaving him isolated and consumed by a desire for vengeance.

The short man leaned back, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "We'll take her tomorrow night. Make sure everything is ready."

Lucas's fists clenched tighter, his nails digging into his palms. "Not this time," he vowed silently. "This time, I will stop you."

The short man continued, oblivious to the fury lurking in the shadows. "And what about the brother? Are you sure he won't be a problem?"

The scarred man nodded confidently. "He's just a boy, no threat at all. We can handle him easily."

Lucas felt a cold rage settle over him. "You have no idea what you're up against," he thought, a grim determination hardening his resolve.

Unbeknownst to the villains, fate had different plans. Though the short man intended to kidnap Lucy, his plans would soon be disrupted by a hobgoblin attack on his gang. But Lucas, focused solely on the present, was determined to protect his sister. He wasn't aware of the impending chaos, but it wouldn't have changed his resolve.

With the Zeus Mask, Lucas felt a newfound confidence. The mask would conceal his identity, allowing him to move without fear of recognition. "I will put an end to this threat before it can harm Lucy," he promised himself.

He watched the group disperse, the short man and his bodyguards moving with an air of malicious anticipation. Lucas waited until they were out of sight before slipping away, his heart pounding with a mix of anger and resolve.

As he made his way back to his home, he kept to the shadows, his mind racing with plans. The night was still, and the only sound was the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. Lucas's face was set in a grim mask of determination. He knew what he had to do.

The short man and his gang had no idea that their intended victim's brother was not the helpless boy they imagined but a warrior reborn, armed with the power of the Divine Mask. Lucas would ensure that Lucy was safe. This time, he would change their fate.

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