The silence thickens between us as Luci circles, that twisted, smug smile dancing on his face. He''s enjoying this—basking in his new power, thinking he''s finally gained the upper hand. He laughs, low and mocking, his voice echoing through the hall.

    "Look at you now, Zero," he taunts, spreading his arms wide, the red symbol pulsing with dark energy. "All your talk of power, of control. And here you are, cornered, weaponless. It seems even you aren''t immune to a good old-fashioned beating."

    I raise an eyebrow, unfazed by his words. Instead, I let a slow smirk spread across my face, meeting his gaze with that same calm, detached confidence that I know will irritate him.

    "Is that what you think this is, Luci?" I chuckle, letting the amusement show. "I was only testing you. I just wanted to see how strong this ''power-up'' of yours really is."

    His expression falters, confusion flashing across his face for just a second. "What...?"

    In that exact instant, a sharp gush of red erupts as the blade of my sword pierces his abdomen from behind. His eyes widen, and he gasps, looking down in disbelief at the weapon lodged deep in his flesh.

    I stand and let out a small chuckle, brushing off the dust as I approach him. "Did you honestly think I couldn''t control my own sword?" I ask, voice dripping with mockery. "How ignorant of you."

    He stares at me, choking as he reaches for the blade, but I twist it just enough to make him wince. His aura flickers, the pulsing red symbol on his body dimming as his energy wavers.

    "Zero," he hisses, barely able to speak through the pain. But I don''t give him the chance to recover. With a single, brutal motion, I wrench my sword free, watching as he stumbles back, clutching his side. I grin, enjoying the look of shock and horror in his eyes.

    "It''s over, Luci," I say, stepping forward, my voice cold and unwavering. "You''re out of your league."

    He tries to strike, throwing a wild, desperate punch, but I block it easily, my sword slicing through the air in a deadly arc. He staggers, each of my blows landing with precision, my power overwhelming him in seconds. His new strength, his aura, all of it fades in the face of true mastery.

    I press my advantage, driving him back, and with a final, powerful swing, I send him flying upward, blasting him through the ceiling with enough force to tear apart the structure around us.

    The ceiling cracks open as his body hurtles through it, the explosion sending debris and dust raining down. I leap up through the hole after him, emerging onto the surface of the company building, where Luci lands in a crumpled heap, coughing blood.

    *Cough* *Cough*

    Athlea steps back, horrified as she watches the mindless crowd advance toward us, each of them radiating twisted energy.

    "No... this can''t be. Luci, you doing this to me, your own wife?"

    I sneer, disgust filling my voice. "How disgusting. Even with your wife here, you have no shame. You''ll throw anyone under your boot, won''t you?"

    Athlea''s voice cracks as she takes another step back, her hand shaking as she wipes away a tear. "Luci... I can''t believe you''d do this."

    Her words seem to fall, as the crowd closes in, their eyes fixed on me with deadly intent. They surge forward, their bodies thrumming with Luci''s dark energy, ready to tear us apart.

    "Stay behind me," I tell Athlea firmly, holding my sword in front of me as I prepare for the oncoming assault. She nods, eyes wide with fear but resolute, taking a step back as I position myself between her and the approaching horde.

    I raise my arm, feeling my aura surge, dark and powerful, wrapping around me like a shield. With a deep breath, I let it build, gathering strength until it feels ready to burst.

    —And then, with a single, decisive swing, I release it in a shockwave that rips through the air, cutting down every last one of Luci''s controlled minions in one fell swoop.

    The workers fall, their bodies collapsing as the red symbols flicker and fade. Smoke rises from the ground, and as it clears, I see Luci, his face contorted with rage and desperation, watching from a safe distance behind his fallen army.

    "Y-you monster..." His eyes meet mine, and I see the terror behind his fury as he realizes just how thoroughly he''s been outmatched.

    But instead of standing his ground, he turns and flees, disappearing back into the depths of the building.

    "A coward until the end," I mutter, lowering my sword as I watch him retreat.

    Athlea steps forward, her gaze fixed on the devastation around us, her expression a mixture of sorrow and disbelief. She turns to me, her voice barely a whisper. "Who are you?"

    But I don''t answer, my gaze focused on the path Luci took. There''s no time for explanations now.