[Third Person’s PoV]

Lucian moved swiftly through the shadows, effortlessly weaving through the darkness. Hands suddenly emerged from the void, grasping at him—daemons and other shadow-dwelling apparitions attempting to seize him.

Daemons were no different from demons. They were spirits born from forces of nature and abstract concepts.

Children of Hades were often warned not to linger in the shadows for too long, lest they be attacked and dragged away by the beings that dwelled there—or worse, by deities who held dominion over darkness.

Annabeth’s artificial spirit, Nox, could also be considered a daemon, as it was born from the very concept of darkness and shadows.

Normally, when Lucian traveled through the shadows, he was a master of concealment, nearly undetectable even to the entities that resided there. His natural affinity for darkness made him a ghost among ghosts, invisible even to those who shared his domain.

But right now, stealth was the last thing on his mind. His [Dread Presence] pulsed through the void, not as a cloak of concealment, but as a beacon, drawing the creatures of the abyss toward him.

Lucian abruptly halted, stepping back just in time to see a sharp claw slash through the space where he had stood.

His glowing red eyes locked onto the figure before him—a woman cloaked in shadow with massive, dark wings.

Though she possessed an eerie beauty, her mouth bristled with protruding fangs, and her clawed feet barely touched the darkness beneath her. A blood-stained tunic draped over her form.

‘Keres… Daemons of violent death and disease…’ Lucian recognized them instantly.

Another claw lashed toward him from behind. Without turning, Lucian tilted his head just enough for the attack to miss. Then, with a swift motion, he seized the extended limb and hurled its owner toward the first Keres.

‘And they usually travel in groups. How troublesome…’

Lucian let his [Dread Presence] expand, his voice cold as he spoke.

“Move. I’m not in the mood. If one more of you interferes, I’ll slaughter you all.”

The daemons of violent death were unfazed. If anything, his power only seemed to excite them.

“This little brother is feeling murderous~” one of the Keres purred, her sharp grin widening.

The other licked her fangs hungrily, her mouth watering. “Maybe we should let him go… and follow him instead. He might lead us to a feast~.”

Lucian’s eyes glowed brighter for a moment before dimming as he shut them.

“I warned you both.”

Tink.

Tink.

Two more claws emerged from the darkness, one aiming for his neck, the other for his side.

Before they could land, a black suit of armor materialized over his body. Sparks flew as the deadly claws scraped against the impenetrable metal.

Lucian’s eyes snapped open, now encased behind a helmet. A red cape unfurled behind him as he repeated,

“I warned you all.”

In a flash, Lucian seized the arms of the Keres on either side of him. With a powerful yank, he tore their limbs from their bodies.

Blood burst into the darkness as the Keres let out bloodcurdling shrieks, their now-empty shoulders gushing.

They flapped their wings desperately, retreating from him.

The sky of shadows churned as more Keres gathered, circling like vultures over a fresh kill.

Lucian extended his hand. His scythe materialized in his grasp.

The Keres moved unnaturally fast, darting through the darkness in erratic patterns. Even with his enhanced sight, they were difficult to track.

But Lucian didn’t need to follow where they were. He needed to predict where they were going.

He surged through the void, appearing above one of the armless Keres before she even realized he was there.

With a single, brutal swing, his scythe cleaved through her neck.

Lucian barely hesitated. The scythe morphed into a spear in his grip, and with all his strength, he hurled it toward the second armless Keres.

A shockwave exploded from the impact as the spear punctured through her chest, carving a gaping, see-through hole.

Both Keres disintegrated into golden dust, their shrieks fading into the abyss.

Lucian controlled the spear through his blood connection, making it change course mid-flight toward the remaining Keres. However, the others were prepared. They darted through the darkness, narrowly avoiding the blitzing weapon.

With a flick of his wrist, the spear twirled back into his grasp. Clicking his tongue in irritation, Lucian noticed even more Keres emerging from the shadows.

“Asura. Golurk. Slaughter them.”

His spear shifted seamlessly into a beautifully crafted longsword as two towering figures materialized beside him. One was a six-armed, three-headed demon cloaked in darkness, its muscular frame exuding pure menace—Asura. The other, a massive, black rock golem with glowing red eyes—Golurk.

Without hesitation, they surged into battle.

A Keres lunged at Asura, her claws slicing through his chest, hoping to infect him with a death-inducing disease. But nothing happened. Asura wasn’t alive in the conventional sense—he couldn’t be poisoned, sickened, or afflicted. Grinning madly, all three of his faces twisted in amusement.

With one hand, he grabbed the Keres by her torso. Two more clutched her arms, two gripped her legs, and the final one clamped around her head. Then, with a mighty pull, he tore her apart. Blood sprayed across the void.

Asura’s laughter boomed as he charged his next victim, tearing out her wings before twisting her neck with a sickening crack.

Golurk, meanwhile, crushed two Keres between his massive hands, blood seeping through his rocky fingers. More Keres swarmed him, slashing at his body, but his wounds healed instantly. With slow, methodical movements, he swatted them from the air like insects.

Lucian, ever the apex predator, danced through the shadows, his blade carving through any daemon foolish enough to get too close. Severed limbs and golden dust filled the air, a storm of carnage in his wake.

Dark energy coiled around his sword as he spun, unleashing a violent tempest of black crescents that cut through the swarm like an unavoidable death sentence.

When the slaughter ended, only one remained—the first Keres who had attacked him. He had left her alive on purpose.

Lucian’s glowing red eyes bore into her soul through the visor of his helmet. She trembled, her body wracked with shivers as she was forced to relive her worst fears.

“D-Demon…” she stammered, staring at the corpses of her fallen sisters. “You’re a demon… Our Night Mother won’t forgive—”

Lucian’s hand shot out, clamping over her mouth. He pulled her closer, his gaze burning into her. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to escape his paralyzing presence.

“I warned you not to stand in my way,” he said coldly. “You failed to heed my words and as such you paid the price. You want to blame someone, blame your lack of foresight”

His grip tightened.

Her head exploded in his grasp, sending blood and brain matter splattering against his black armor. Without a second thought, he tossed the lifeless body aside.

“Asura. Golurk. Return.”

Asura flexed his muscles, grinning ear to ear, while Golurk bowed respectfully before vanishing into the darkness.

“Chomper, absorb.”

A mimic chest materialized in the void, its gaping maw opening wide.

A powerful suction force pulled the spoils of war into the mimic’s compartment for safekeeping. Once it was done, Lucian dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

“Arise.”

Immediately, twenty-three new connections formed. Black and red shadow figures emerged, each possessing dark raven wings. They knelt before Lucian in unwavering obedience. With a thought, he absorbed them into his shadow.

Clicking his tongue, he exhaled sharply. “I’ve wasted enough time.”

Yet, despite his annoyance, this battle had been useful. It had allowed him to calm down, to think. He couldn’t afford to let his killing intent toward the gods be so obvious. Even if he wanted nothing more than to slaughter some of them, he had to be patient.

“How pathetic…” His lips curled in disgust. “I hate feeling this weak.”

His presence disappeared into the darkness, allowing him to travel undetected to his true destination—the Empire State Building.

From a nearby alley, a dark-armored knight emerged. Blood and viscera dripped from his blackened form as he carried his long blade at his side.

The Cursed Knight’s gaze lifted to the towering skyscraper before shifting forward. Without hesitation, he stepped out of the shadows, forming a sheath of darkness at his waist to secure his sword.

It was time.

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