Chapter 117

The Kingdom.

The largest underground city in the Empire, and once the apex of the underworld, known as the Lord’s domain.

Only a few years ago, this place was considered the heart of the shadows.

Murder, drugs, human trafficking—here, they were as commonplace as the air itself.

It was hell, plain and simple.

Even the Empire had no effective way to deal with it, so it was no surprise that this “city” came to be called a Kingdom.

It felt like a purgatory born from the concentrated malice of humanity.

"...This brings back memories."

I murmured briefly.

The words slipped out unconsciously, tinged with nostalgia.@@@@

A kind of memory I didn’t want to recall.

"I-If you walk just a bit further, we’ll arrive!"

Injustice stumbled along awkwardly ahead of us.

We walked.

As we crossed the darkened streets, a faint stench of blood seemed to linger in the air.

It might have been an actual smell wafting from the alleys.

Either way, it wasn’t pleasant.

"Do you think this place has changed?"

"Y-yes... it’s been three years since the war, after all."

"Heh."

I scoffed.

No.

To my eyes, nothing had changed at all.

Peeling off a bit of the rotten surface wouldn’t hide the ugliness beneath.

The city was still a filthy place, filled with trash.

Rustle.

As if to prove my thoughts, I felt eyes on us.

Figures lurking in the alleys, watching us.

All of them clutched dirty knives, stained with someone else’s blood.

Their bloodthirsty eyes scanned for vulnerable prey.

"..."

Would we be included in their hunt?

Strutting down the streets so openly should have invited a knife at our backs by now.

But upon spotting the girl walking beside me, they hesitated, pulling back their steps.

‘Impressive.’

It seemed her reputation preceded her.

Injustice, for all her flaws and humiliating moments, was still one of the nightmares that ruled this city.

As part of the Lord’s personal guard, her skills were undeniable.

The wolves slinked away, tails between their legs.

Thanks to that, we reached our destination without any trouble.

"We’ve... arrived."

Not far ahead, we stopped.

Before us loomed a massive palace.

Its grandeur clashed with the bleak surroundings, an extravagance that seemed almost absurd here.

It was the very symbol of this bloody and shadowed city, a fortress even the most deranged criminal organizations feared.

It was the dwelling of the absolute ruler.

"Let’s go inside."

"Y-yes...!"

We stepped into the interior.

The sight was somber.

While opulent enough to outshine most castles, it felt devoid of life, like a black-and-white image stripped of color.

Perhaps its splendor was merely a veil for the countless tears shed within these walls.

I kept silent.

Tap, tap, tap.

As we walked through the long corridor, a door came into view at the far end.

It was the place where the Lord awaited.

The gatekeepers, noticing us, opened the doors without hesitation.

Their movements were precise and respectful.

"His Majesty is expecting you."

Thud.

With a heavy sound, the doors opened.

Without hesitation, I stepped forward.

A crimson carpet stretched out before me, leading to a throne at the far end.

I naturally looked up at it.

"..."

Sitting on that greedy throne was the Lord.

An elderly man with a sharp, severe expression.

Even without moving, the mana in the room seemed to bow to him, pressed under his overwhelming presence.

By his side stood the rest of the personal guard.

Dread, Distrust, Discord, Injustice.

The Five Depravities.

Among them was Discord, whom I had encountered before, standing in her usual spot.

Thunk!

A single shadowy dagger flew through the air, embedding itself in the throne.

The blade narrowly missed the Lord’s neck, grazing his carotid artery. A shallow cut on his throat dripped blood.

Had the strike been even slightly off, his life would’ve ended right there.

Dusting my fingers off, I declared calmly.

"Whatever your reasons may be... If you dare meddle with those around me again, there will be no mercy next time."

"Understood."

The Lord nodded with an unperturbed expression.

His aged eyes remained calm.

It didn’t matter.

My target wasn’t the old man himself.

Suddenly, I sensed movement behind me.

"How dare you threaten His Majesty...!"

It was none other than Distrust.

He had been glaring at me since earlier, and the attack on his master had finally pushed him to act.

With a fierce gust, his blade sliced through the air, hurtling toward me.

Whoosh!

"I did give you a chance, didn’t I?"

As expected.

I had been waiting for this.

Turning to face him, I murmured, my narrowed eyes now fully open.

"You’re making me act like my old self again."

With eyes gleaming dangerously, I extended my hand.

In one swift motion, I seized the shadow hurtling toward me by the neck.

Suspended in midair, he choked and flailed desperately.

"Ugh... Khh!"

I stared coldly at his struggling figure.

I had already spared him once.

But criminals like him were never grateful.

Unless you crushed them completely from the outset, they would always bare their fangs again.

I snapped my fingers.

Snap!

The sharp sound echoed in the hall.

In the next moment, his limbs were severed.

Cleanly detached arms and legs fell to the ground, leaving his torso to collapse in a heap.

His dumbfounded face surveyed his own mutilated body before erupting into a scream.

"Ah... Aaaaaahhh!!!"

Pain, fear, confusion, despair.

A cocktail of emotions twisted his expression into a grotesque mess.

His still-twitching fragments wriggled on the bloodied carpet.

Ignoring them, I fixed my gaze on the throne.

The Lord, for once, massaged his temples and spoke disapprovingly.

"...You’re unusually temperamental today."

"I’d like to kill him."

"Please restrain yourself. You know it would harm our mutual interests if this side’s forces were weakened."

"You have a poor eye for talent. That man is unfit for the guard, no matter how you look at it."

"Well, considering the previous holder of the ‘Distrust’ title... You killed him three years ago, didn’t you? There weren’t many suitable replacements available."

"The Kingdom’s future looks grim."

"I’ll see to his retraining."

"See that you do."

The Lord sighed faintly.

"Now, might I ask you to restore him? A favor, if you will."

"If you insist."

Snap!

Another snap of my fingers.

The severed fragments of Distrust’s body rewound, seamlessly reassembling into his original form.

His body was whole, without a single wound.

Though unconscious, he remained motionless.

"..."

"I’ll take care of him. Please continue your discussion."

Seemingly recognizing the need to clear the tension, Discord approached politely, picked up the limp body of Distrust, and withdrew.

The hall, now silent, was finally conducive to conversation.

Clapping my hands, I broke the quiet.

Clap!

The black shadows stirred.

Threads of darkness wove together, forming a throne opposite the Lord’s.

Sinking into its plush surface, I crossed my legs and spoke without urgency.

The old man’s sharp eyes scrutinized me.

"Now then... Let’s hear it, shall we?"

The atmosphere had shifted entirely into my control.

Venom dripped from my every word.

"What is this important information you claim to have acquired?"

The Lord and the Serpent locked eyes, the tension between them thick and unyielding.