The remnants of the room whispered of chaos as I reappeared in a blinding surge of light, standing tall amidst the wreckage. Every fiber of my being hummed with raw energy, my body thrumming with a power I could barely recognize. My muscles felt denser, my mind sharper, and each breath I took resonated like the echo of a storm, as if my lungs had been infused with the essence of the Exorcist World itself.
I clenched my fists, the sensation of power surging through me intoxicating, yet controlled. The air around me crackled faintly, reacting to my presence as though acknowledging a shift—a transformation that couldn't be undone.
Slowly, deliberately, I opened my eyes. My gaze swept over the room, taking in every detail, every fragment of shattered wood and fractured stone, but most of all, the faces of my family. They were stunned, their expressions betraying a mixture of disbelief, fear, and something else I couldn't quite place. Was it awe?
This was the first time they were seeing me like this. Not as Lu Shian, the cautious, underestimated heir to the Lucist Family, but as something else entirely. Something stronger. Something indomitable.
"So," I began, my voice calm but carrying an edge that cut through the silence like a blade, "how does it feel to fail?"
The words hung in the air, heavy and deliberate.
From the splintered remains of the doorframe, Lu Len shifted. Her usual nonchalance faltered, her posture stiffening as her sharp gray eyes scrutinized me. The playful smirk she often wore—the one she used to veil her intentions—wavered.
"You… completed it?" she asked, her tone tinged with disbelief.
I took a step forward, each movement deliberate, the ground beneath me crackling faintly under the weight of my aura. "Of course, I completed it. Did you really think I'd let a challenge like that defeat me?"
Her expression tightened, calculating, as though trying to reconcile the person standing before her with the nephew she once knew. "We weren't trying to defeat you, Shian. We were—"
"Testing me," I interrupted, my tone cold and unyielding. "I know." My gaze flicked to the others in the room—Lu Darner, his broad frame unusually still, his violet eyes sharp with appraisal; Lu Shirley, her worried gaze darting between us; and the other relatives who hovered in the background, their silence speaking volumes.
"You wanted to see if I could handle it," I continued, my voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of fury. "To decide if I was truly worthy of leading the Lucist Family."
A heavy silence followed, the weight of my words pressing down on them. Lu Darner, the family's most steadfast enforcer, who had never shied away from confrontation, remained quiet. His scrutinizing gaze flickered with something close to uncertainty.
"But let me make one thing clear," I said, taking another step forward. My aura flared slightly, the temperature in the room dropping as the raw energy I had gained began to seep into the air. "The Exorcist World isn't a game. I was summoned to a realm where death is a guarantee and survival is a privilege. I faced horrors you can't even imagine. And do you know what I did?"
The silence deepened, every eye fixed on me, as though they already knew the answer but needed to hear it from my lips.
"I won."
The weight of those two words was suffocating, each syllable imbued with the gravity of what I had endured. The room seemed to grow smaller, colder, as if the shadows themselves were recoiling from the truth.
Lu Len stepped forward cautiously, her sharp gaze locking onto mine. "Summoned to the Exorcist World? That's… impossible."
"Impossible?" I chuckled darkly, the sound echoing through the room like a distant thunderclap. "Believe whatever you want, Aunt Len Len, but the fact remains—I was chosen. And now, I'm back. Stronger. Smarter. More prepared than ever to lead this family." My gaze bore into hers, unflinching. "So tell me… what exactly did you think you could stop?"
Her lips parted as if to respond, but no words came out.
Behind me, a dark chuckle broke the silence. Sesy, his form cloaked in shadow, stepped forward, his aura curling protectively around me like an obedient hound. "Didn't I warn you all? The Master isn't someone you can control."
"Quiet, Sesy," I ordered, raising a hand. My tone was firm, but I didn't need to look at him to know he would obey. My focus shifted to Lu Darner, who had remained motionless, his expression unreadable. "You were so confident in your interference. Tell me, Uncle—what was the real purpose of that artifact? Don't insult me by pretending it was just to test my strength."
Lu Darner's jaw tightened, his broad shoulders stiffening. "If you couldn't handle it, you wouldn't have been fit to lead," he said evenly, his tone steady but lacking its usual conviction. "The Lucist Family doesn't need a head who—"
"Crumbles under pressure?" I finished for him, taking another step forward. My aura surged again, the raw energy crackling visibly now, forcing him to take an involuntary step back. "Do I look like someone who crumbles?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
Finally, Lu Len sighed, her arms crossing over her chest as she shifted her weight. "You're not wrong, Shian," she admitted, her tone softer now, though still tinged with the sharpness she was known for. "We were testing you. The family can't afford weakness, and you're still untested in many ways."
I smirked, stepping back slightly as I crossed my arms. "Then consider this test passed. And from now on, don't waste my time with pointless challenges. If you truly care about this family, support me instead of standing in my way."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Lu Shirley fidget, her expression hesitant. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft. "Big Brother… are you okay?"
My gaze softened as I turned to her. "I'm fine, Shirley. Better than fine, actually."
Her worry eased slightly, her lips curving into a tentative smile. But the moment was brief, fleeting. My attention returned to Lu Len and Lu Darner.
"This family needs a leader who can handle what's coming," I said, my voice regaining its edge. "I am that leader. Whether you like it or not."
For the first time, Lu Len's expression shifted, a faint smile curving her lips. There was something in her sharp gray eyes—a flicker of pride, perhaps. "Well, you've certainly got your grandfather's fire," she remarked.
"Good to know." I turned, my gaze landing on Sesy. "Clean this mess up and tell Mr. Biggie to prepare a feast. We're celebrating tonight."
"As you wish, Master," Sesy replied with a low bow.