Chapter -17.
Leading a band of ruthless Azkaban inmates to attack the Ministry of Magic sounds straightforward, but making it happen involves a lot of planning.
If Lester actually brings these vicious prisoners on a rampage inside the Ministry, he can't be sure he won't fall victim to the Killing Curse himself.
After all, in the heat of battle, who can really tell friends from foes?
This unruly group is bound to unleash dark magic and create havoc in the Ministry.
If Lester doesn't take some protective steps now, the day he makes his escape could turn into his last.
Don't let his comfortable situation in Azkaban fool you; the only reason it's quiet now is that these dark wizards are unarmed.
If they get their hands on wands, Lester, who can only turn invisible and phase through walls, will be no match for them.
So he needs to draw lots for some better skills.
And all of this depends on the currently blissfully unaware Arlis.
At this moment, Arlis is completely oblivious to the danger and is just thrilled to have found Lester so easily.
Observing the cheerful Arlis, Lester isn't letting his faults slide.
He pulls a small knife from his gray prison uniform and swiftly stabs Arlis in the right hand.
[ Ding! Fear value from Arlis +1000 ]
The sound of Arlis's fear immediately reaches Lester's ears.
Without missing a beat, Lester retracts the knife and stabs Arlis's left hand before he can even react.
"Ah!"
Finally, the sharp pain jolts Arlis into action, letting out a cry of agony.
"Cut his tendons," Lester commands Scar coldly, ignoring Arlis's screams.
A powerful wizard like Arlis, who could generate 1000 points of fear instantly, makes Lester doubtful that he won't try to cast spells without a wand.
To be safe, Lester decides to first disable Arlis's hands, ensuring he won't be able to cast anything even if he finds a wand, thus providing himself with a bit more safety.
Arlis: "."
Despite the excruciating pain from being stabbed twice, Arlis's ears are working just fine.
He can't even tell who the assailant is anymore; why does he suddenly want to cut his tendons?
Scar is taken aback for a moment but soon wears a sinister grin as he pulls out a homemade knife and steps menacingly toward Arlis.
Looking at Arlis, who is still crumpled on the floor with blood flowing from his hands, Scar's eyes gleam with malice. Without hesitation, he swiftly cuts Arlis's tendons.
Accompanied by Arlis's heart-wrenching screams, Lester hears the satisfying sound of the system notification once again.
[Ding! Fear value from Arlis +1000]
[Ding! Fear value from Arlis +1000]
[Ding! Fear value from Arlis +1000]
[.]
Gazing down at the writhing Arlis, Lester maintains a blank expression.
If he intends to kill, he should be prepared to die! Moreover, as a killer, Arlis probably has many lives on his conscience, so dealing with him like this can be seen as a way to eliminate a threat to others.
But, of course, he can't just kill Arlis; he must ensure that this valuable source of information is well taken care of.
"Arlis, right?" Lester crouches down slowly, locking eyes with the helpless Arlis.
A strong intent to kill radiates from Lester, constantly bearing down on Arlis.
At this moment, with stabs in his hands and his injury from the potion bottle, Arlis's mental state has shattered.
If his hands had been fine, once Lester and the others let their guard down, he could've easily taken them out with a few death curses.
But now, as he stares at his incapacitated hands, tears of regret brim in Arlis's eyes.
He wishes he had eliminated Scar earlier when he had the chance instead of letting himself be ambushed, and now he finds himself unable to cast any spells.
Unfortunately, there's no going back now.
What he needs to focus on now is surviving in the presence of this little demon.
Gazing up at Lester, who is staring back at him with unwavering intensity, Arlis feels a wave of fear wash over him.
With handsome features, a prominent nose, and a head full of black hair, even dressed in a gray prison uniform, he carries an air of composure that makes him appear unruffled.
His calm demeanor conceals a deep well of fury, filled with infinite undertones of menace beneath his tranquility.
"This is truly a ruthless person," Arlis realizes as he takes in Lester's presence.
"Tell me, who sent you?"
Lester's piercing gaze remains locked on Arlis, revealing an endless hunger for vengeance.
Despite being a killer himself with many notches on his belt, Arlis has never faced such a terrifying stare before.
[Ding! Fear value from Arlis +1000]
Ignoring the system's notification, Lester raises the knife, pointing it at Arlis's heart, and starts counting.
"10"
"9"
The familiar countdown, usually mundane, now sounds like a foreboding death knell in Arlis's ears, striking directly at his heart.
"He really will kill me," Arlis thinks, feeling the cold sweat bead on his forehead.
"8"
"4"
Suddenly, Lester abruptly halts the count; after saying 8, he skips directly to 4!
"F***," Arlis's heart nearly stops at the unexpected jump from 8 to 4.
He feels a wave of hopelessness wash over him, thinking, "Boss, is this how you interrogate people? Jumping straight from 8 to 4, if you want me dead, just say it!"
Of course, Arlis only dares to voice this thought in his mind. Faced with the grim reality of death, he realizes it's better to surrender.
Watching the small knife poised to pierce his heart, Arlis can't hold back any longer.
"It's the Venus family!" he yells, his sanity hanging by a thread. "It's the Venus family that sent me!" [Tl: I've changed Halifa.]
He casts aside the dignity of being a killer; if he's going to die, what good is dignity?
After a fleeting moment of hesitation, Arlis spills the beans about his employer without a second thought.
But that's not all; hoping to save his life, Arlis's mouth takes off like a machine gun, quickly explaining the ins and outs of the Venus family.
Since he's already defected, he might as well go all out.
Moreover, when the Venus family sent him, they made it clear that their target was just a harmless little brat.
Who could have guessed that this kid was so vicious and adept at navigating the treacherous world of Azkaban!
Tl/N : Reading this? Throw some powerstones then..