Season 0: Theme Keycard #1 C21: EXP and Loots (4)

The Chimera's mechanical wings, still glistening with the fading embers of Nephthys's slow demise, beat with a rhythmic clang as its razor-edged blades began to dissect the Phoenix's weakened form at her joints.

In a final, desperate act of defiance, the Blazing Phoenix unleashed a torrent of flames in her attacker's heads, her dying screeches echoing through every nook and cranny of the desolate mountainside.

The attack, however, proved rather ineffective, washing harmlessly over the Chimera's hide.

Crimson eyes gleaming with a cold, predatory amusement, the blades strapped to the Chimera's forearms tore into the Phoenix's already fractured joints as it ripped her wings apart, tossing her golden feathers in the air where they quickly dissolved into wisps of dissipating fire.

With a final, triumphant growl, the Chimera's head snapped forward, its jaws clamping down on the Blazing Phoenix's neck, and crunching on naught but nothingness.

Tossing its heads back, the Illusion Beast unleashed a howl that travelled through the mountain pass, while its scaled tail lashed against the now melted asphalt, leaving deep gouges in the road.

Then, the creature whirled, its crimson eyes locking onto Lenix's risen silhouette.

Dropping onto all fours, the Chimera slowly closed in on its prey, who appeared rather unfazed, posture betraying neither fear nor any sign of injury. He and Nephthys both knew she would never be a match for other Boss Monsters in terms of raw Stats, but what the Blazing Phoenix lacked in sheer ATK and DEF, she more than made up for with her versatile and potent effects.

The Illusion Beast had not won; it had merely completed the setup for its own destruction.

'It's a shame, really,' Lenix mused, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features.

He'd hoped Summoning would mirror Conjuration, but the In-Universe Method was frustratingly restrictive, capable only of producing card-accurate Monsters shackled by their printed effects, rather than the lore-accurate Spirits he's accustomed to.

Take the Sacred Phoenix, for instance.

When Conjured, she could freely traverse the Underworld, and her board-clear effect's not just limited to Spells and Traps, affecting even Monsters weaker than herself despite her card text stating otherwise.

The Blazing Phoenix had also been somewhat 'neutered' by the constraints of her card.

Her Effect, while quite deadly, was not 'Once Per Turn' and instead an 'On-Summon Trigger' Effect.

Fortunately, the limitations of Summoning compared to Conjuration were balanced by its exceptionally low energy expenditure. While the initial Summoning required a steep cost of Level × 1000, sustaining said Spirit would take a mere tenth of that per minute. Had he relied on Vorona instead, Lenix's Duel Energy would have been emptied in 29 seconds, tops…

Snapping out of his contemplation as the Illusion Beast began its advance, Lenix Aummoned three Flying Kamikiri #1s to slow the Monster's approach.

Predictably, the Chimera made short work of them.

With a brutal swipe, it tore the first Kamikiri in half, splattering a gush of viscous green blood across the scorched asphalt.

Then, before the severed halves could fully dissipate, the Chimera used the still-manifested corpse as a crude bludgeon on the second Insectoid. The third, attempting to gain momentum with a desperate aerial charge, was met with the Chimera's massive fist and crushed to a pulpy, acidic smear in an instant.

As the three cards representing the Insectoids dissolved into ever-collapsing cubes, their data sent into his GY, Lenix straightened his back.

Though a good seven meters shorter, Lenix held his ground, his posture radiating a disdain the Illusion Beast clearly resented.

"HOW'S THAT, YOU FUCK?!"

Ichi shrieked, his voice a raw, grating string of noises behind the Chimera's bulk.

"I'M GONNA FUCK YOU UP AND FUCK YOUR BITCH RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!"

His arrogant certainty, his smugness and cruelty—Lenix'd make the man pay for them in full, and then some.

He'd erase him from the fabric of this world.

"From the ashes of forgotten pyres, I call to you!“

Golden lines pulsed across his Duel Disk as the Blazing Phoenix's invoked, followed by a violent eruption of fire from his Graveyard. Unlike the Sacred Phoenix's serene flames, the Blazing Phoenix felt much, much more intense, more… Cataclysmic.

“Rise, Winged Inferno, and purge this Taint from the Earth!"

Lenix's heart rate spiked as the Chimera raised its bladed fists, but before the attack could land, tendrils of searing flame erupted from the earth, coiling around the Illusion Beast and immobilizing it. Trapped, the Beast howled in pain, its roar a frustrated bellow directed at the ground or rather the world below; a world that was ruled by Nephthys' Jackal-Headed Son.

"What are you doing, idiot?! Use your effect! Use your fucking effect!" Ichi barked in a panic.

The fool.

While the Illusion Beast could indeed reduce an opponent's monster's ATK to 0 at the end of the Damage Step, this was the Main Phase, not the Battle Phase.

Nephthys wasn't Attacking the Chimera; she had simply Targeted it for her Effect.

Walking past the struggling Chimera, Lenix turned his attention to the kidnapper. With a mental command, Vorona shifted, twisting and coiling into a coiled blade secured to his wrist. "Ever heard of 'death by a thousand cuts?'”

Behind them, the Blazing Phoenix erupted from the Seal of Anubis, far bigger; big enough to easily devour the Chimera whole. With a savage shriek, her massive beaks sliced the Illusion Beast in halves, yet even then, the creature continued to struggle, striking her beaks with its wrist-blades. If only effort alone were enough to save it.

Blazing Phoenix of Nephthys

Attribute: FIRE

Level: 8

Effects:

1. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand or GY) by banishing 2 FIRE and/or WIND monsters from your GY.

2. If this card is Special Summoned: You can destroy 1 monster on the field, and if you do, banish it, then this card gains ATK equal to half the original ATK of the banished monster.

ATK: 3000 » 4450

DEF: 1000

Seemingly indifferent to the Chimera's destruction, Lenix took slow, deliberate steps towards the criminal, who seemed incapable of anything besides incoherent babbles at the sight.

“Is that fear I see?“

"Y-You! Stay back; stay the fuck back!" Tossing aside the now-blank Fusion card, Ichi yanked out a gun and fired wildly at Lenix. Each bullet, however, was met with the geometric barrier that was Vorona itself, the cubes solidifying into a wall of near-impenetrable steel.

Without the added power of Equip, they were merely as tough as average Duel Disk, but, as the kidnapper quickly learned, that was more than sufficient.

"Stay back, or I'll shoot her!"

Desperate, the kidnapper resorted to his final leverage: Sachi.

Dragging the girl to her feet by her hair, a brutal, jarring motion that elicited a scream of pain, Ichi pressed his .45 ACP to her temple and threatened again. “I said STOP! Or you can pick your bitch's brain off the road!“

Tears still streaming down her face, Sachi reluctantly met Lenix's eyes even as she tried to shield her bruised face. "Lenix... S-Sorry, I tried to escape on my own, but—"

"Shut the fuck up, bitch!"

'Seven meters,' Lenix muttered to himself, halting eleven meters away.

He could close the distance in a heartbeat, but he wasn't sure if he could outpace his opponent's trigger finger.

"Your Magic, turn it off, now!" The kidnapper tremblingly demanded.

"Lenix, don't—"

The gun's barrel slammed into Sachi's face, the impact silencing her words instantly as she cried out, her hands flying to cradle the injury, revealing the full extent of her suffering: The bruised cheek, split lip, and a bloodied eye.

And like that, any trace of hesitation that might have lingered in Lenix's mind vanished.

There would be no second chances, no imprisonment—none of that "We must be better" or "Forgiveness is the best revenge" bullshit. Lenix would kill them, and then he'd return home tonight and sleep like a fucking baby while dreaming of their terror-stricken faces.

Fists clenched, Lenix activated Mimic, relinquishing his Bond with Nephthys and allowing the Blazing Phoenix to return to her Astral Form.

Mimicking Man-Eater Bug's indestructibility wasn't a matter of hardened shell, but of its malleable physique. With it, he could feign injury, lull his opponent into a false sense of security, and then strike. Vorona quickly receded into his body as Lenix raised his arms in pretense, and predictably, bullets instantly riddled his torso.

“NO!!!“

Falling on one knee, his burning glare fixed on the kidnapper.

Indestructible he might be, but the searing, white-hot pain was as real as could be.

"Not so fucking tough now, are ya'?!" Giggling hysterically, Ichi shoved Sachi towards Lenix to gloat.

'Ten…'

"Are you deaf?! I said: Not so tough now, are ya'?!!" Ichi repeated, tone rising in a manic rage. Giddy with his perceived power, he waved the gun between the two, burnt skin cracking with the force of his laughter.

'Nine.'

"I'm going to kill you." Lenix answered flatly.

"Quite the mouth on you..." Ichi sneered. "You think this is Erebus? There ain't no rules in the street, dumbass!“

'Eight.'

"None to shield you from the bullets—"

'Seven!' Seven meters.

That was the limit of his Conjuration range.

And unlike the sluggish In-Universe Summoning, Conjuration was instantaneous. From the Void, Grasschopper's head lurched forth, tearing into the kidnapper's arm just as he turned the gun towards Lenix's head.

The Spirit must have been quite pleased with its 'treat', as its Bond Progress, which had been stubbornly stuck at 9.9% for what felt like an eternity, finally surged past 15%.

Sadly, Lenix had little time to dwell on the development, nor on the influx of new Skill cards that he would get to pick between soon enough.

Reverting to its blade form, Vorona sliced through Ichi's remaining arm, the clean cut sending the kidnapper sprawling onto his back as an animalistic scream tore through his vocal cords and blood rapidly pooled beneath him.

Credit where credit was due: The yappy little cunt was quite resilient.

Most people would have succumbed to shock and blood loss by now.

"Lenix!"

Freed from her captor, Sachi stumbled forward, throwing herself into his embrace, hands frantically unfastening his shirt.

"My God, woman! We can do it later!" Lenix retorted with a dry humor that belied the situation.

"Stop joking! You just got shot!"

“I'm fine! Look, see?" Lenix pointed to his unmarred skin, then gently ran his thumb down her battered face.

Flinching at the contact, Sachi recoiled and hid behind her hands.

"Let me see," Lenix insisted, but she'd not have it. "No! No! I'm ugly!"

He contemplated prying her hands away for a moment, then decided against it, instead gently stroking the back of her head. “Alright then... Keep your hands there, and don't let go no matter what you hear, got it?"

Nodding against his shoulder, the tension drained from her body, leaving her weak-kneed and shaking.

Lenix didn't even need to guide her down; she simply succumbed to gravity, allowing him to snake an arm beneath her thighs, cradling her against him.

"Death by a thousand cuts.“

He muttered, his voice low and threatening as he stood over the crazed criminal. Pointing Vorona at the man, Lenix mentally commanded the Shapeshifting Duel Disk to shorten, then lengthen, spearing a bloody chunk of flesh, skin, and muscle from his blackened bicep. "It's an execution method practiced in China, Korea, and Vietnam up until the 1900's. The longest such execution has lasted is said to be days…”

He received no response, only screams, which was fine by him.

"Historically," The blade plunged into the criminal again, eliciting a roar that caused Sachi to stiffen in his arms. "The most amount of incisions done to a person is rumored to be 3,000... I doubt you'll last that long, but I don't like to half-ass things either—"

Voice muffled by his jacket, Sachi's fingers interlocked over his nape as she interrupted. "Lenix, please… I don't want to hear his voice anymore."

Although reluctant, since his lady had spoken her mind, ”Mah, you're one lucky sonuvabitch.“

His accomplices, however, wouldn't be nearly as.

“A-Aniki…”

“Don't worry, your brother will follow you soon enough.“

Dragging a skin-deep "X" across his torso, Lenix ransacked his pants pocket, a cold smile spreading across his face as he felt a phone.

“Smile.“

Only after the picture of the eviscerated criminal was sent to every contact on the device, along with the message, "I'm coming for the rest of you," did the rage in him cooled somewhat.

Summoning Jinzo next, he kicked the body towards the Android like a trash can.

“Do with him as you please.“

Duel Energy: 38,400 » 32,400/38,400 (Regen: 32 Units/Sec)

Lenix couldn't see the Spirit's face beneath the psychotic-looking mask, but he could have sworn the pinkish flesh where its eyebrows should have been had just lifted. “Thank you, Contractor.“

“You're welcome. And be sure to make it hurt.“

— [SK(GX)] —

Lenix didn't enjoy hospital visits, whether it was the chemically sterile scent, the blinding white fluorescent lights that somehow cast everything in a disgusting, moldy green hue, or the countless ghost stories he'd heard about them.

Yet, here he was, in the hall of one, waiting for Sachi's check-up while the people in the reception area surrounded him with disgusted whispers.

To be fair, he completely understood how this looked.

A guy bringing his disheveled, beaten-up girlfriend to the hospital for checks-up?

He knew exactly what was on their minds.

Hell, he's surprised no one had called him in for questioning yet.

Oh, wait… “Speak of the devils.“

From the entry entered two blue and white-clad officers, who headed straight to his seat, offered a brief salute, and then impatiently introduced. "Lenix Owens? We are from the DCPD. The hospital contacted us with some concerning details regarding a patient you brought in, a Ms. Sachi Fujita. We have a few questions for you about how she sustained her injuries."

The officer behind him didn't look the slightest bit amused. Hell, judging by how rapidly she was pushing that pen, she was probably just waiting for a reason to jump on him. “Do you have a warrant?“

“No, but we have a probable cause—your unconscious girlfriend. Tough guy, huh? Beating women and children your thing?“ The officer's words made Lenix's lips itch to explain, but he swallowed the words, aware that any attempt at denial would only do more harm than good when it came to meting out his own brand of justice.

Despite what Anime often depicted, the legal system in Japan was a different beast altogether, especially when it came to self-defense laws, and the legal system would instantly land him in a jail cell if he admitted to hunting down and getting rid of these vile filths.

The case, inevitably, would come up empty. Lenix had been captured on numerous cameras across the city during Ichi's violent demise, after all, and 'Magic' wasn't exactly the most compelling argument in a court of law. However, it would cast the harshest, most unwelcome spotlight upon him. “Fine.“

Handing his wrists to the officers, Lenix ignored Jinzo and the Archfiend Emperor, both of whom were actively urging him to get rid of the officers.

What power, really, did the legal system hold over him?

Which prison could truly confine him?

Who could stop him?

“EXP and Loots, Lenix… EXP and Loots.“

"Just to be clear," Lenix calmly stated. "I will not answer any questions without my legal representative present, nor before I get to make my phone call."

“That's your right, Mr. Owens.“ Snapping the cuffs around his wrists, the female officer threatened. “Just as it'll be your right to spend the next 48 hours in the station. And for your sake, I do hope whatever happened to her was an accident, or I'll do everything in power to keep you there.“

— [SK(GX)] —

Sachi's first thought, as the world seeped back in, was a wave of relief.

She'd half expected the event of last night to be a wishful dream her disoriented mind had concocted, but she was well and truly safe.

Afraid to open her eyes, Sachi lay still, listening intently to the hushed tones around her in an effort to discern who was present.

A calm, authoritative voice spoke first, followed by the familiar, worried murmurs of her parents.

"...I assure you, we have the man responsible in our custody, and are doing our best to get him in jail."

Relieved it wasn't her captors, Sachi tried to sit up, only to inhale in agony as a sharp jolt of pain hammered at the back of her head as she took a fistful of the crisp hospital sheets in-between her fingers. Then, her eyes snapped open to the expected sight: Her parents and an officer.

Her father stood beside her, his brow furrowed in worry, but the set of his jaw spoke to his displeasure. Meanwhile, her mother's grip on her designer handbag was white-knuckled as she rested a cool and dripping towel against Sachi's forehead.

"Sachi," Her mother began, voice trembling slightly. "Sachi, my poor daughter! You're finally awake!"

“Mom! Dad!“ The words tumbled out in a choked sob as Sachi reached for her mother. Embracing her tightly, Sachu buried her face against her shoulder and wept, the tension of the past night finally breaking through the strong front.

Her mother held her close, whispering soothing words against her hair. “It's alright, Sachi. Mommy's here.“

“Th-They—” And she wept some more, the tears flowing freely before she finally drew a shuddering breath and wiped at her eyes, her gaze slowly focusing on the faces swimming above her.

“Ms. Fujita, if I may ask—” The officer started, his tone professional but touched by a hint of concern.

“Ask my goddamn ass!“ Her father exploded, face reddening with fury as he moved to physically shield Sachi. “She’s barely conscious! Have you got rocks for brains?!“

Glancing between the taut visages of her parents and the pale form on the bed, the officer’s Adam's apple bobbed nervously as he edged towards the doorway. "Pardon.“

“Hold on.“

“Later, Sachi,“ Her father rumbled, his hand resting protectively on her arm.

“Did you apprehend the others?“

The officer faltered. “Others? Begging your pardon, but our understanding was that Mr. Owens acted unilaterally.“

“Lenix?“ Sachi’s breath hitched at the name, lips parting in confusion. “What in heaven’s name has he got to do with any of this?“

“Wasn't he the assailant?“

“He saved me!“ She's about to elaborate further, when her barely functioning brain reminded her what Lenix had done. He'd have gotten off easier if he had actually struck her.

“Ms. Fujita, do you mind elaborating?“

Glancing between the cop and her parents, she pleaded. “Can you leave? I wish to talk to my parents, alone.“

If anyone could make this matter disappear before it negatively impacted Lenix, it'd be her dad. She needed only to convince him.

“Ms. Fujita, if you're being coerced, you must tell us.“

“Please leave.“ She reiterated, staring directly in her father's eyes.

“You heard her. Out.“

Left with no other choice, the officer gave a curt nod, his eyes flicking between Sachi and her parents one last time before he withdrew from the room.

“Sachi,” Her father lowered himself to be at her eye level, his voice gentle. “Tell me what happened, sweetheart.“

And she did.

Recounting the ordeal in vivid details, starting with the moment her shortcut led her into the clutches of the kidnappers—a detail that earned her disapproving looks from both her parents—to her captivity and the eventual arrival of Lenix and how he saved her, minus the Magic and battling Monsters, of course. “Lenix… He has a bright future ahead of him; I don't want to ruin that.“

A tense quiet settled over the room as she finished.

While relieved she was safe, the middle-aged couple did not approve of her relationship with Lenix, needless to say.

All of this could have been avoided if Sachi had never gotten involved with him at all.

“I can ensure he faces no consequences, but you need to promise me something: You have to break up with him.”

“What? No!“ Sachi immediately rejected, visibly agitated.

“Sweetheart,” Her mother began gently, hand covering Sachi's, “This is about your safety… You're fortunate this time, but what about the next time?“

“You always said I should marry someone who could look after me! He's that person!“

“And I do not doubt he'll try, but what if he fails?“

“He won't!“ Sachi responded stubbornly.

Defeated, the couple could only leave the room, and just as they stepped into the hallway, Mr. Fujita noticed an uniformed officer lingering near the nurses' station, and an idea suddenly struck him. His daughter might not be willing to listen to reason, but maybe her 'boyfriend' would.

“You still holding Lenix Owens?”

“Yes, sir.” A sigh escaped the retired CEO as he ran a hand over his greying hair, and requested. "I wish to have a word with Lenix Owens. Afterwards, we'll drop all charges.“

“What?!” The officer’s eyes widened. “Sir, with all due respect, Mr. Owens is in custody for assault. This is a very serious matter!”

Rolling his eyes, Mr. Fujita “Call your chief. Tell him Fujita needs a favor.”

The officer hesitated, clearly conflicted, before pulling out his radio.

A brief conversation followed. He hung up, looking slightly resigned. “Sir, the chief has instructed me to take you down to the station. He also said that all charges against Owens are to be dropped.“

Mrs. Fujita, who had been watching silently, gave her husband a questioning look.

“I'll talk to the kid, man to man.“

“Don't do anything excessive. He still saved our daughter.“

“I won't.“

Mr. Fujita's gaze softened as his wife leaned in to give him a fleeting, chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth… With a final wave, she returned to tend to her daughter.

Leaving the scene of the hospital behind felt like stepping into a different reality entirely. Domino City passed by in a blur as Mr. Fujita considered how he'd speak to the young man, yet before he could articulate his thoughts, the car had already reached the station, where his gaze quickly fell upon the fuming teenager dressed in red, flanked by three officers who were escorting him out.

“Owens?“

The boy's eyes instantly narrowed in suspicion. “Who's asking?“

“My name's Hiroshi Fujita, and I'd like to have a word.“

Recognition flickered across the boy's face as the tension in his features slowly eased.

"Lenix Owens, sir. Sachi's told me about you… It's nice to put a face to the name."

A low chuckle escaped Hiroshi Fujita, he gestured to the seat beside him. "Hop in. You drink alcohol?"

“No, sir, I’m good.“ Lenix answered politely, already dreading the conversation bound to follow.

Alcohol might give him the needed courage, sadly he had gotten drunk before, and found the beverage most disagreeable with his body.

His liver, in particular, still quivered at the mention even now.

"Good… You're not afraid to displease me and hold onto your ideals. That is very good. Coffee, then?" Mr. Fujita chuckled, a hint of approval in his voice as he took a look at Lenix. If the kid had been a bit more… 'Normal,' he could have been a great son-in-law, alas. “What a shame.“

Requesting the officer to pull into a roadside cafe, Hiroshi pushed through the establishment's doors, with Lenix trailing only a step behind. Once they had both ordered their drinks, they settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying the soft strains of jazz until their beverages arrived. Lenix took a sip, then looked at his 'in-laws.'

“I'm assuming this isn't a social call?“

“You assume right… I'll be honest, I have learnt all there is to know about you; from your meteoric rise as a duelist to your involvement with Erebus—”

Lenix's hand tightened slightly around his glass as he let loose a quiet sigh.

“What's the first rule about Fight Club?“

“You do not talk about Fight Club?“ Lenix answered questioningly.

“And the second?“

“You don't talk about Fight Club.“ He repeated, finally realizing what the middle-aged man was trying to convey.

“So you don't have to look so worried. I was in your position once, I won't snitch.“ Leaning back in his chair, Hiroshi tossed the grateful kid a knowing glance.

“Is this about the group responsible? I promise you, I'll get that sorted soon.“ Lenix firmly stated.

“And J don't doubt you will, but that's not what I want to discuss… Though it does tie in.”

Hiroshi leaned forward, his expression a bit forlorn. “Back in the days, when I first came to Domino City, I had nothing in my pocket.“

Grinning slightly at the memory, the older man continued, “And you know how people are when desperate… I fell in with the wrong crowd, Lenix. It was bad. I've hurt; I've killed, but at the time, I was winning, and it all felt so… Trivial.

Until I had my first child, whom I'm sure you're already quite familiar with.“

The middle-aged man laughed.

He didn't take the bait.

“At first, I didn't think anything of it, until one day, an old enemies of mine decided to take Sachi for ransom… I remember how it felt then, how crushing it was to hear my daughter had been taken; how fearful I was. In spite of my current success, if I could do it all again; if I could avoid my wife and children ever being put in that situation at all, I would have done it in a heartbeat, which is why I'm begging you as a father: Let Sachi go.“

Lenix didn't know what he was expecting, maybe a bit of threat; a little bribe perhaps, but not… Not this.

“I don't understand.“

He might not be rich, but he's doing quite well for himself, and he had proven he could protect Sachi—he had bled and sweated, and this was his thanks?

“I know, Lenix… I know the depths people will sink to, the dishonorable lengths they'll go. If you were unremarkable, while I wouldn't have been thrilled, at least I wouldn't constantly fear for Sachi's safety.

But you're not. You're powerful, and I suspect that influence will only grow. Power, kid… Power invites challenges. Challenges from people who most likely won't hesitate to use my daughter against you again.“

Biting on his lip, Lenix took another sip, trying to process the jumbled mess that was his mind, then asked. “What if I refuse? What'd you do?“

“Nothing.“ Hiroshi snorted, a wry smile touching his lips. “Of all the things to inherit, Sachi has gotten my stubbornness, and unless you break up with her, or she simply gets bored of you—which I highly doubt—nothing I say will change her mind. Even if I have you tossed in prison right now, but my daughter would raise Hell and back.“

“Which is why you're talking to me.“

“Yes.“ Hiroshi didn't even bother to hide the manipulation. “Because I believe you'll make the right choice for her, however painful it may be.”

Setting a firm hand on Lenix's shoulder, Hiroshi pulled out a handful of change to pay for their drinks and stood to leave, before tossing over his shoulder.

“She has a whole life ahead of her, kid, and if your feelings for her are real, you’ll do your best to preserve it, even if it means breaking her heart.”

And with that, he was gone, leaving Lenix alone to stare blankly at the ceiling as he absently stirred his distastefully cold coffee, mind muddled with conflicting thoughts until it reached a heavy conclusion.

“Your Eminence, don't listen to him—”

“No… No, he's not wrong, Meryt.“ If Peter hadn't broken his promise to Captain Stacy, Gwen would be alive. He might have been able to prevent further harms to her this time, but what about the next, and the time after that?

Laughing bitterly, the Chosen of Nephthys knocked back the rest of his drink, then stumbled to his feet. Misery adored company, and there just so happened to be four more criminals for his to spread.

+81 X0-XXXX-YYYY (99+):

You fuck! What have you done to my brother?!

Answer me!

Where is he?!

Tapping on his Duel Disk, Lenix's gaze trailed down the screen and three hundred-plus threats the kidnappers had sent him.

Then, he gnashed his teeth, crushing the empty cup in his hand to fine glass.

“One down. Four more to hurt.“

But first… Loots.

[Beginner's Bundle]