Alex was terrified at that moment.
The boy was still watching him absentmindedly. Normally, someone would start running if their pursuer lost focus for even a moment.
But Alex was a realist. If he tried to run…
There was no need to say what would happen to him.
He was already starting to feel exhausted in that position, so he gathered a bit of courage and asked Neo:
Alex: S-Sir, c-can I s-stand up?
Neo looked at him as if he were nothing and replied:
Neo: And who told you to kneel in the first place?
Alex wanted to snap back, but after thinking about it, he realized that no one had actually told him to kneel. Still, he felt an overwhelming urge to punch that brat. However, knowing the absurd strength Neo possessed, he held back.
Without further hesitation, Alex stood up and took a closer look at Neo. He tried wiping away the layer of blood clouding his vision, and when he finally got a clear look at him, he froze.
"Wait… isn't this one of the kids I helped kidnap?"
The moment he realized that, sweat started pouring down his face. If Neo had done that to random guards, what would he do to one of the people responsible for putting him here?
Oblivious to the nightmare unfolding in Alex's mind, Neo was still lost in thought, debating whether he should kill him or simply subjugate him.
On one hand, Alex was part of that cursed slaughterhouse and could very well be just another one of those scumbags Neo had encountered there.
On the other hand, having a sorcerer by his side in battle could be useful.
After a few seconds of reflection, Neo decided that the best way to find out whether Alex was one of those mutant-hating bastards was to ask the very mutants who had suffered throughout the slaughterhouse.
Then, he looked at Alex and said:
Neo: Follow me.
Without further explanation, he started walking toward the place where he sensed the highest concentration of cursed energy.
Oh, and if you're wondering how he can sense cursed energy, the answer is simple: all sorcerers can detect it within a certain range. But in Neo's case, the entity merging with him is literally the strongest in the world of Jujutsu.
Even with such a low percentage of fusion, he can already sense all cursed energy within a 1-kilometer(0.62 miles), which is, at the very least, an absurd ability.
For those who don't know, all living beings have cursed energy, but since they don't have the talent to control or even sense it, it remains dormant.
Seeing the large concentration of cursed energy, he decides to head there, knowing that the mutants are probably gathered in that area.
Meanwhile, Alex follows right behind. If you asked him why the hell he was following this mini psychopath, the answer would be simple:
Because he has nowhere else to go and because there's no way to escape the little monster in front of him, and he knows that.
He had always been the weakest physically. Even in school, he could never do a proper push-up due to his lack of strength and endurance.
As they walked, the silence dragging between them was, at the very least, uncomfortable.
Neo was beginning to feel uneasy.
His cursed energy was running low—maybe he could fight one more time before he was completely drained.
He prayed he wouldn't have to face something too strong or too many enemies at once, or he'd be screwed.
As they made their way toward the area brimming with cursed energy, Alex, trying his best not to tremble in fear, finally spoke.
Alex: "C-can I ask you something?"
Neo glanced at him over his shoulder.
Neo: "Depends on what you want to know."
Still apprehensive, Alex gathered his courage.
Alex: "I just wanted to know… what exactly was that thing you mentioned earlier?"
Neo looked at him briefly before turning his attention back to the other mutants ahead.
Neo: "What thing?"
Alex: "That cursed energy."
Alex asked, still a little afraid.
Now understanding, Neo replied without even bothering to look at him.
Neo: "Simple. It's an energy that manifests from the negative emotions of intelligent beings. It can be harnessed by a different 'race'—one with an extra part of the brain that allows them to control, manipulate, and perceive it."
Alex's eyes widened. He had never even considered that something like this could be possible.
Then, as if realizing something, Alex spoke up.
Alex: "Wait… does that mean you're one of those beings who can use this energy?"
Neo answered quickly, as if it were nothing.
Neo: "Not just me. You too—you're just like me."
Noticing Alex's reaction, Neo smirked and added with irony.
Neo: "So… how does it feel, knowing that you're technically one of the mutants you hate so much?"
Abruptly, Alex remembered the horrors his "comrades" had inflicted on the mutants, and before he could stop himself, he shouted:
Alex: "DON'T COMPARE ME TO THOSE SCIENTISTS!"
Neo flinched, startled by the outburst. He looked at Alex with curiosity and asked:
Neo: "What do you mean, 'don't compare me to them'?"
Alex was about to respond but stopped. The realization hit him—he wasn't so different from those scientists after all.
Noticing the sudden shift in Alex's expression and his lack of response, Neo remained silent. They continued toward the source of the cursed energy without saying another word to each other.
___________________________________________________________
After three minutes of walking, Neo and Alex finally reached the slaughterhouse courtyard, where a large group of mutants had gathered in front of a massive steel gate.
Some were using their powers to try and bring it down, but despite the variety of attacks, the gate barely budged.
Neo began to approach.
As he got closer, a few mutants noticed him—then, they saw Alex. The moment they realized who he was, one of them shouted:
Mutant 1: "GUARD!!!"
At that, all movement ceased. The mutants stopped attacking the gate and turned their attention to Neo and Alex.
Seeing how Alex was dressed, many of them prepared to attack.
Neo intended to stop them, but before he could speak, a young girl—who looked no older than sixteen—threw herself in front of Alex and shouted:
Carina: "STOP!!!"
The crowd was stunned—even Neo was surprised.
Before anyone could say a word, Carina turned to Alex and spoke.
Carina: "Thank you so much, sir."
She bowed her head in respect.
Sensing something was off, Neo questioned her.
Neo: "Why are you thanking the man who brought us to this slaughterhouse?"
Carina turned to him, smiling.
Carina: "He may look like the men who put us here—hell, he may even be one of them—but what he did for me, no one in this hellhole has ever done."
Neo: "Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that he's one of the people responsible for our suffering. He helped imprison us like animals, left us here to die."
Many of the surrounding mutants murmured in agreement.
But then Carina spoke again.
Carina: "It doesn't matter what he did—it matters what he will do. Besides, he regrets it. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw what this man did to help the mutants he could."
As she finished speaking, an old man with golden skin stepped forward from the crowd, stopping in front of Alex.
Golden Mutant: "I finally recognize you, young man. Thank you."
The mutants were now even more confused—except for Neo, who was beginning to piece things together.
As some of the mutants recognized Alex, they realized he was the "Saint" of the slaughterhouse—the one so many had heard about.
There was a legend among the captives that one guard, out of all of them, helped mutants escape momentarily from torture, gave sweets to the children, and provided bandages and medicine to the wounded.
Even though no one knew if he was real, they all began calling this guard the "Saint" of the slaughterhouse, for even in the smallest ways, he helped those trapped in that desolate place.
After the golden old man spoke, several mutants scattered throughout the crowd began moving toward Alex, thanking him.
Seeing this, Neo completely dismissed the idea of killing Alex—he no longer seemed like someone who deserved to die.
At that moment, what Alex felt was not happiness or pride in what he had done, but guilt.
He felt so much guilt for making these people believe he had a good heart that he made a decision.
With tears welling up in his eyes, Alex removed his mask, revealing a symmetrical face, golden hair that almost reflected the sun, and nearly pure blue eyes. However, completely shattering that angelic appearance, a horrible scar ran from his forehead diagonally down to his chin.
He began to cry as he fell to his knees and screamed.
Alex: "IT WAS ME!"
All the mutants were confused by this statement, unable to understand what he meant. Before they could ask, Alex continued.
Alex: "I WAS THE ONE WHO CREATED THE DEVICE THAT BROUGHT YOU ALL HERE!!!"
Consumed by guilt, Alex could no longer bear to keep all this pain and remorse locked in his heart. So, he willingly offered himself up for redemption.
When the mutants heard this, many were furious, ready to tear Alex apart. Some felt betrayed, while a few others felt... something else.
Just as the mutants were about to lunge at him, Neo stepped in front of Alex and slashed the ground, creating a deep cut to separate him from the enraged crowd. Then, he spoke.
Neo: "Look, I get that you're angry, but don't you think this is a bit much?"
The furious mutants stared at Neo in confusion but let him continue, respecting his previous display of power.
Neo: "Yes, he created the device that brought us here. He handed it over to the men who tortured us. But…"
Glancing at Alex behind him, Neo smirked before finishing his sentence.
Neo: "He never tortured us. He never treated us like animals. He helped many of us. And above all… he regrets it."
At that moment, Alex remembered something.
Something his best—and only—friend, who died in an accident, used to say. Something that, only now, he realized fit this situation more perfectly than he could have ever imagined.
Neo: "We cannot judge this man for the actions of others who are not him, nor judge many for the deeds of a few..."
As Neo finished speaking, a realization struck him.
The hatred he carried for humanity wasn't for an entire race—it was for a specific group of people.
At that moment, Neo understood that his mission was not to kill all humans, but to eliminate those who had strayed from the true path of humanity.
To destroy those who had lost the most important part of being human…
EMPATHY.
When Neo said this, most of the mutants realized he was right—they had been directing their rage at the wrong person. Others, still consumed by anger, saw this as proof that humanity was corrupting even the mutants.
Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Neo turned toward the slaughterhouse gates. Using the last of his cursed energy, he slashed them in half while shouting at Alex.
Neo: "HEY, ALEX!"
Neo called out as the massive gates collapsed.
Neo: "Wanna be my companion?"
As Alex watched the scene—those once-impenetrable metal gates now falling like aluminum, with the sunlight shining behind Neo as he extended his hand—it was nothing short of…
DIVINE.
Like a king opening the gates of his kingdom for his people.
Still sobbing and gasping for air, Alex shouted back.
Alex: "Y-YES, MY KING!"
He spoke as he knelt like a knight before his sovereign.
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Hey guys, as usual, Power Stones, please.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. I dedicated a lot of my day to writing this, so I really loved it. But if there's anything you didn't like or if you have any criticism or suggestions, feel free to share—I read everything!
That's it for now, good night, everyone!
P.S.: This time, I promise to write another chapter today