Face the music (Ended)

Slim Shady, accompanied by Xur and his gang, appeared in front of Orion, who was sitting and smiling brightly.

As the gang locked eyes with Orion, one of them let out a scream and shook his head in disbelief. "Am I dreaming?" he thought.

Xur swallowed hard, his face twitching. Was this a ghost standing before him? He looked at Orion once more, unsure of how to react.

"But... I saw the picture. You were crippled, how did it happen?" Xur stammered, looking at Orion in shock.

"Okay, okay, I understand. No need to stammer. I'll be direct. If one of you manages to cripple the other, I promise not to intervene," he said, a smirk forming on his face.

"So, you're here for revenge. It's amusing how a weak boy like you survived such a minor injury. No need to pretend you're all powerful. I assume you have some kind of system?"

Orion smiled calmly to Xur words, trying not to lose his cool.

'I want to rip off his head. Can you believe he had the nerve to downplay my injury as just a small wound?"

"Boss..." Slim Shady's voice trembled.

"What? I'm right, that wound wasn't serious," Xur said with a smirk.

"What can he even do? Sure, he may have a system, but I bet he's still at level 0. What a jerk. Fortunately for us, he's just walked into the lion's den," Xur chuckled.

Orion chuckled at Xur and promptly rose from the bench. "Actions speak louder than words, so let's see what you've got."

Xur was taken aback by the audacity of this bold young man. "Hey, Nick, go tie him up," he ordered.

Nick trembled as he heard his boss's command.

"Why can't you do it yourself, since you're so strong?" Nick thought to himself as he approached Orion with a determined expression.

"Listen up, you pathetic bastard . You better start kissing the boss's ass if you want any chance of getting back in his good graces. And don't even think about pulling any more stupid stunts, or you'll end up like last time - crippled and begging for mercy."

"Fortunately, you provided me with a rat to use for experimentation. I will simplify this process for myself."

'Activate Energy Drain!!'

{Energy Drain activated, 5Pp expanded}

'Nice.'

"What do you say, I'm no rat you bastard," Nick exclaimed defiantly before launching himself at Orion fiercely.

However, to his dismay, Orion dodged the attack skillfully, his hand narrowly missing his ear, a cunning grin playing on his lips.

In a swift and calculated move, Orion extended his arm and lightly grazed Nick's shoulder, his gaze filled with a devious spark.

A shiver ran down Nick's back as he felt the touch of Orion's fingers on his skin, a sense of unease creeping over him, causing his heart to race with a mix of fear and adrenaline.

Orion's eyes gleamed with a supernatural light as he unleashed his Energy Drain skill.

Nick watched in terror as his energy and mana were drained away, leaving him feeling weak and depleted, like a leaking vessel.

Orion's hold on Nick's shoulder grew stronger, his fingers digging into his skin. Nick's vision started to blur, his strength fading as his life force was gradually drained.

As his knees gave out, Orion kept him standing, feeding on his energy like a parasite. With the Parasyte System, he had become one himself.

Nick's mind became clouded, his thoughts dispersing like leaves in a gust of wind. Attempting to speak, his voice emerged as a mere whisper.

Orion's grin expanded, his eyes ablaze with an otherworldly vigor as he relentlessly sapped Nick's life force.

At the pinnacle of the energy transfer, a soft, pulsating light enveloped Orion's body. His eyes gleamed a deep crimson, and his skin exuded a radiant, almost godlike aura.

In stark contrast, Nick appeared as a mere echo of his former self, his once vibrant body now devoid of color.

With a final burst of strength, Orion let go of Nick's shoulder, causing him to fall hard to the ground.

Nick remained still, drained of all his energy and mana. Standing above him, Orion's chest rose and fell rapidly with anticipation, his eyes still shining with a fierce red light.

{Congratulations, host, you have gained 300 EXP.}

He then slowly shifted his gaze towards Xur and the four men standing beside him, their faces contorted with horror and disbelief.

"Monster," one of them cried out, pointing accusingly at Orion.

Orion chuckled maniacally, his laughter echoing through the room. "That's quite offensive, don't you think? I'm the one who's been wronged here, can't you see that?"

Xur stood frozen, unable to utter a word. What they were witnessing was beyond anything they had ever experienced. The figure before them was not the same Orion they had mercilessly attacked and left for dead.

"Now, who among you will be the next to face my wrath, or shall I take it upon myself to cripple each of your legs?" Orion inquired, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he advanced towards them.

"Orion, we understand your anger, but consider this - I was merely following orders to cripple you. Your true enemy is Xur," Slim Shady stammered, his body trembling with fear and sweat glistening on his brow, a clear indication of the dire situation he found himself in.

"Fair point, but you did follow his order, so both of you are responsible. Am I right?" he asked.

The shivering boy nodded immediately as he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything...

A piercing scream of excruciating agony escaped his lips as the intense pain shot through his knee, rendering him unable to feel his lower limbs. His gaze fell upon his severed legs lying on the ground, blood gushing from the exposed bone, a horrifying sight that sent shivers down his spine.

He cussed before he became unconscious.

"Here, I crippled him," Xur's voice sounded stern at the same time.

Orion looked at him and began to clap. He was sure that this guy would do this, and it was a lovely show. "Yaa, till next time, Xur."

Orion said before he left them. Xur, whose legs were shaking, turned to his three boys. "For now, lay low. This should be between us for now," he ordered, and they nodded their heads before taking the two motionless bodies to the trash…

Meanwhile, Orion had already left them and was heading home with his head held low.

{You didn't kill Xur. Can you tell me why?}

'Simple, his father is the type of person I don't want to mess with for now. I was just scaring him. When the right opportunity comes, his legs will be gone.'

{Okay, I bet if you had killed his son, it would result in your family dying. Is that right?}

'Yeah, you get it. For now, I'll lay low and get stronger while with my ladies.'

*Bang*

"Sorry, didn't see you there," a woman quickly apologized as she bumped into someone and hurriedly continued on without looking back.

"It's okay," Orion whispered as he watched the woman with black hair tied in buns dart away.

"Hmm, that was odd."