The clash of steel echoed through the alley like a thunderstorm, the night illuminated only by the cold gleam of swords and the crimson spray of blood. Lucian stood between his two opponents, his katana dripping red from an earlier massacre. His grin was wide and unhinged, eyes glinting with savage delight. The two men before him radiated rage, their movements sharp, deliberate, and fueled by vengeance.
Lucian, in stark contrast, stood loosely, His katana hung lazily at his side, its blade already stained with blood from earlier encounters. Opposite him stood two swordsmen, their stances rigid, their grip on their blades unwavering. They weren't here to intimidate—they were here to kill.
Lucian tilted his head, a wild grin splitting his face as his dark eyes gleamed with unrestrained excitement. He raised his katana, the tip dragging against the concrete, the screeching sound like nails on a chalkboard. No words were spoken. The tension between them was suffocating.
The two swordsmen attacked simultaneously. The one on the left came in with a high diagonal slash, while the other swung low, aiming to cleave Lucian's legs. Lucian didn't hesitate. With a wild laugh, he leapt into the air, twisting his body unnaturally as the blades missed him by inches. He landed between them, his katana sweeping in a vicious arc that forced both men to back off momentarily.
One of them lunged with a precise, thrusting strike, aiming for Lucian's chest. Lucian sidestepped, barely avoiding the blade, and swung his katana upward. The attack was crude, almost reckless, but it forced the swordsman to retreat. Before Lucian could press his advantage, the second swordsman attacked, his blade sweeping in a horizontal arc toward Lucian's neck.
Lucian ducked, rolling forward beneath the swing. He came up swinging, his katana carving a jagged line through the air. The swordsman blocked, their blades clashing with a deafening clang. Sparks flew as Lucian pushed forward, his strength overpowering the swordsman's guard. With a guttural laugh, he kicked the man's knee, the joint buckling with a sickening crunch.
The first swordsman was already behind him, his blade slicing downward. Lucian spun, his katana meeting the descending strike. The force of the impact jarred his arms, but his grin only widened.
There were no words exchanged, only the raw language of violence.
One swordsman aimed a high slash at Lucian's head while the other targeted his legs. Lucian jumped, twisting his body in midair to avoid both strikes. He landed on the first swordsman's outstretched blade, using it as a springboard to leap toward the second.
The second swordsman barely had time to react before Lucian's katana crashed into his. The force of the blow drove the man back, but Lucian was relentless. He dropped his katana momentarily to grab the man's arm, pulling him forward and slamming his forehead into the swordsman's face. Blood sprayed from the man's nose as he stumbled back, disoriented.
Lucian retrieved his katana in time to parry the first swordsman's strike. Their blades locked, and Lucian leaned in close, his manic laughter echoing through the alley. With a sudden burst of strength, he shoved the swordsman back and lunged, his katana slicing through fabric and flesh.
The first swordsman clutched his bleeding side but refused to back down. He swung his blade in a desperate arc, but Lucian caught the attack on the flat of his katana. With a vicious grin, he stepped into the man's guard, biting into his shoulder with feral intensity. The swordsman screamed as Lucian tore away a chunk of flesh, spitting it onto the ground like it was nothing.
The clash of steel echoed through the alley like a thunderstorm, the night illuminated only by the cold gleam of swords and the crimson spray of blood. Lucian stood between his two opponents, his katana dripping red from an earlier massacre. His grin was wide and unhinged, eyes glinting with savage delight. The two men before him radiated rage, their movements sharp, deliberate, and fueled by vengeance.
The first man lunged, his blade aiming for Lucian's throat with precision. Lucian shifted his body at the last moment, the blade grazing his collarbone. Before the man could recover, Lucian countered, his katana whipping up in a brutal diagonal arc. The strike caught the man across the chest, splitting flesh and bone. Blood spurted like a fountain, staining Lucian's face, but instead of recoiling, he licked his lips, the coppery taste igniting something primal within him.
The second man roared and charged, his sword raised high for a decapitating strike. Lucian spun, dodging the attack, and slammed his elbow into the man's jaw. The force sent the attacker stumbling, but Lucian didn't give him a chance to recover. He drove his katana straight through the man's abdomen, the blade piercing out the other side.
With a vicious twist of the sword, Lucian yanked it free, the sickening squelch of torn muscle echoing in the confined space. Blood gushed from the wound, pooling at the man's feet as he dropped to his knees, his eyes wide with shock.
Lucian chuckled darkly, his voice low and guttural. He didn't stop there. His katana swung again, this time cleaving through the man's neck. The head toppled to the ground with a dull thud, rolling to a stop as the body collapsed in a lifeless heap.
The remaining swordsman roared in rage, swinging wildly. Lucian ducked under one strike, then slammed his katana into the man's wrist, disarming him. The swordsman stumbled back, clutching his bloody arm, but Lucian didn't stop. He drove his katana through the man's torso, twisting it cruelly before yanking it free.
The swordsman crumpled to the ground, his body twitching as the life drained from him.
Seeing the brutality infront of them the thugs swallowed hard, their voice breaking. "He's not… human. He's… he's an Akuma."
The remaining attackers hesitated, their courage shattered after witnessing Lucian's brutality. Their hands trembled as they clutched their weapons, exchanging uncertain glances. None dared to move toward the towering figure standing amidst a pile of broken bodies, his katana dripping crimson, his dark hair clinging to his sweat-drenched face.
But desperation can make men cruel.
Their gazes shifted to her. Unlike Lucian's wild, unhinged demeanor, the girl appeared fragile, vulnerable. Clutching her twin katanas tightly, her breaths came in sharp gasps, her injuries slowing her movements. She looked at the encroaching mob, fear and determination flickering in her eyes.
"Get the girl!" one of the attackers barked.
Like a pack of wolves sensing weakness, they charged toward her. She steadied herself, her grip tightening on the hilts of her blades. She wasn't Lucian—she lacked his monstrous strength and bloodlust—but she wasn't defenseless.
The first man lunged at her with a knife. She sidestepped, her blade slicing cleanly across his throat. He gurgled, dropping to the ground. Another swung a club at her. She ducked, countering with a swift upward slash that severed his arm at the elbow.
She moved with precision, every swing calculated, every step measured. Her twin katanas became an extension of her will, carving through the attackers who dared to approach. But the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming.
She killed five, maybe six, but they kept coming. A spear grazed her shoulder, blood soaking her uniform. A sword sliced across her thigh, and she stumbled. Another blow knocked one of her katanas from her grip, sending it skittering across the bloodied pavement.
She pressed on, blocking and parrying with her remaining blade, but exhaustion was setting in. Her movements slowed, her strikes losing their force. She fell to one knee, her chest heaving. The mob closed in, their weapons raised, their faces twisted with malicious grins.
Her vision blurred. She gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out. But in her heart, she knew she couldn't hold them off much longer.
Then, like a thunderclap, a deafening roar shattered the air.
Lucian.
The attackers froze, their heads snapping toward the source of the sound.
He was already moving.
Lucian tore through the crowd like a hurricane, his katana flashing in the dim light. His eyes, dark with crimson pupils, glowed like embers in the night. The faint grin on his lips was gone, replaced by an expression of pure, unbridled rage.
He didn't just fight—he destroyed.
Lucian's blade slashed through one man's chest, the force sending the body crashing into two others. Without missing a beat, he swung the katana around, severing another's head cleanly from his shoulders. Blood sprayed in all directions, painting him in a macabre red.
A desperate attacker charged at him with a chain. Lucian caught it mid-swing, yanking the man toward him. His fist collided with the man's face, shattering his nose with a sickening crunch. Before the body hit the ground, Lucian's katana was already cleaving through another assailant's torso.
The attackers tried to retreat, but Lucian wouldn't let them. He threw his katana like a spear, impaling one through the chest. Another tried to flee, but Lucian tackled him to the ground, sinking his teeth into the man's neck. Blood gushed as Lucian tore a chunk of flesh free, spitting it out with a deranged laugh.
More came at him, hoping to overwhelm him, but it was futile. Lucian used everything—his feet, his fists, even his head. One man screamed as Lucian drove the hilt of his katana into his eye socket, twisting it until the screams stopped. Another fell as Lucian slammed his boot into his throat, crushing it underfoot.
The girl watched in stunned silence.
This wasn't just fighting—it was carnage. Lucian was an unchained monster, his every movement radiating raw, primal fury. She had always known he was strong, but this... this was something else entirely.
The girl struggled to her feet, clutching her injured arm. Her vision blurred with tears, partly from the pain, partly from relief. Slowly, she approached Lucian.
His back was to her, his body tense, his breathing ragged. The crimson glow of his eyes hadn't faded, and the bloodlust still clung to him like a dark, suffocating aura.
Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, her head barely reaching his chest. Her slender arms trembled as they encircled his bloodied form, and she pressed her face against the stained fabric of his uniform.
"Lucian… it's over," she whispered, her voice soft, almost pleading.
For a moment, he didn't move. The tension in his muscles remained, his katana still gripped tightly in his hand. The air around him felt heavy, as if the bloodlust hadn't completely faded.
But then, slowly, he exhaled, a long, shuddering breath. The red glow in his eyes dimmed, the demonic fury softening into something calmer.
Lucian lowered his katana, its edge dripping crimson, and turned slightly, flashing a grin that glinted with bloodied teeth. "Told you I'd save you, Ojousama," he said, his voice rough yet laced with a teasing edge.
The girl, trembling but relieved, clutched at her side. Her eyes searched his battered figure for something human amidst the blood and chaos. "Let's go now," she urged, her voice barely steady.
But Lucian's grin only widened as he lazily rested the katana on his shoulder. "No," he replied, his tone firm but casual, "not yet."
Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
He met her gaze, the faint glow of crimson still flickering in his eyes. "Like you said," he began, his voice calm, "I need to ask Lord Shintaro something myself. Gotta pay my respects, right?"
Her heart dropped, and she yanked his sleeve desperately. "No, Lucian. No!" she nearly shouted, her voice tinged with panic. "He'll kill you!"
Her voice trembled as her thoughts spiraled to the stories she'd heard. Yamazaki Shintaro—the man who had killed his own brother in cold blood, who had slaughtered his father to claim his throne. A man ruling the Yamazakis with an iron fist, feared by all.
But Lucian only laughed, low and guttural, brushing her hand off like a mere annoyance. "You can go back if you want," he said, his tone light yet unyielding. "But I need to see him."
He paused, his head tilting slightly as his gaze sharpened, a dark shadow passing over his expression. "After all," he said, his voice dropping
"We both killed our fathers...."