Chapter 4: Blood and Brotherhood
'There are four different workshops... I hope I can reach them all in time.'
In the distance, a loud BOOM echoed, followed by the sounds of screams and laughter.
'Damn, Jalen is really going at it. Maybe revealing his power to him was a bad idea. Doesn't matter now—I need to pick up the pace!'
More soldiers flooded the streets, forcing Lucio to engage. He took them down swiftly with non-lethal strikes, weaving through the battlefield like a ghost. His hands moved with precision—disarming, striking pressure points, knocking men unconscious without dealing fatal wounds. He needed to get underground, but they kept coming.
"APPREHEND THE TRAITOR!"
Before he could react, a mass of soldiers tackled him, dragging him to the ground in a suffocating dogpile. Their weight pressed down on him, pinning him to the dirt. Thanks to his passive skill, their strikes felt like little more than annoyances, but he was losing precious time.
Lucio gritted his teeth. Killing them would be the easiest solution, but... these were his men. They had taken him in when he first awakened in this world. They weren't his enemies. As a Marine in his past life, he had sworn to protect his brothers, never betray them. How could he repay their kindness with death?
'I will not kill them! There has to be another way...'
Through the gaps in the struggling bodies, Lucio spotted two soldiers breaking away—one heading north, the other south. Between them, the unit commander stood tall, his voice cutting through the chaos.
"New orders! Forget subduing him! Commandment 24 is now active—kill that bastard Lucio!"
"AYE, SIR!" the soldiers roared in unison.
Before Lucio could react, white-hot pain exploded in his side. A sword tore through his defenses, slicing deep. Blood splattered across the cobblestone. A sharp metallic taste filled his mouth as more blades were drawn.
"AGH, DA— COUGH"
"Impervious to all damage except slashing attacks. Let's put that to the test. All of you—move in!"
The weight lifted as the soldiers leaped back, giving Lucio just enough room to move—only for a blade to slash across his chest.
"Art of a Thousand Wounds."
A storm of pain erupted across his body. Dozens of cuts appeared as if from nowhere, nerves and pain receptors screaming in unison. His passive skill had made him nearly invincible against blunt force, but against blades? Against this? He was helpless. His body refused to obey as he collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.
"You thought we wouldn't figure out your weakness, Commander?" the officer sneered. "Strength alone won't save you. We've watched, studied, waited for the moment to strike. And now—this is it."
Lucio could barely breathe before a boot slammed into his gut, forcing more blood up his throat. He coughed violently, his vision blurring.
"And there you have it, men. If you slash him enough, regular attacks start hurting him too." The officer crouched beside him. "Give up, or die here. Either way, your rebellion ends tonight. And when we're done with you, we'll snuff out your friend next."
The mention of Jalen ignited something in Lucio. He had accepted his own suffering, but the thought of Jalen being next?
'You know what... fuck this.'
Lucio grit his teeth, forcing himself upright despite the screaming pain in his body.
"Ultimate Skill: Silent Night."
The world around them twisted into stillness.
The soldiers tensed, gripping their weapons tighter. They had heard of Silent Night—had trained against it—but few had ever seen it in action. No one had survived long enough to speak of it.
A whisper drifted through the cold air.
"You were my brothers in arms. It pains me to do this. But NO ONE threatens my friend. You had your chance to walk away. In your fear, you turned me into your enemy. I will not be the cause of your damnation... May your souls find peace in the Duat."
SHWOOSH
The silence shattered. Blood painted the walls. Soldiers collapsed where they stood—some with mere slashes ending their lives in an instant, others reduced to unrecognizable carnage. Detached limbs, mutilated corpses... The unit that had once stood against him was now nothing more than a pile of lifeless bodies.
Lucio, drenched in their blood, turned without hesitation, sprinting toward a manhole and disappearing underground.
As he ran through the dark tunnels, he pulled out an earpiece, pressing it in with bloodstained fingers.
"Jalen! Can you hear me?!"
"L-Lucio?! How the hell are you in my head?!"
"No time! Listen, I need you to draw more soldiers to your location. The King has issued a kill order and is trying to wipe out the workshops. I'm heading to the east side, but there are three more! I don't know if I can reach them all in time, but I have to try!"
"Say less, buddy! I've got it all under control—HEY, GET OFF ME! DON'T TRY TO RUN BRING YA ASS BACK HERE!"
'Damnit, Jalen.'
Lucio pushed forward, his body aching, his mind racing. The smell of smoke hit his nose first. Then came the screams.
Panic tightened in his chest as his jog turned into a full sprint.
'Please... let me make it in time.'
The closer he got, the worse it became. Walls of fire towered over the streets. Charred bodies littered the ground—some reduced to little more than blackened skeletons, others still alive, their flesh melting off like candle wax.
"H-hh-Help us..."
They reached for him weakly. Lucio felt no remorse for the soldiers, but he refused to let them suffer. With quick, clean strokes, he ended their misery and pressed on.
At the center of the destruction stood a figure, shrouded in smoke and flame. The civilians cowered behind him.
Lucio's body tensed, his stance shifting into a defensive position. "Who the hell are you?"
The stranger turned, flames flickering at his feet. "Whoa, easy there, mate. I ain't here to fight with a twat like you."
Lucio's eyes narrowed. "Then why are you here? How do you know about this place?"
"Not enough time for that conversation, sunshine." The man smirked. "I saved two more workshops—the north and south. No real motives. I live by the will of the Flame, and it tells me my job here is done. You should hurry."
He turned to the civilians, voice sharp and unfiltered. "Listen up, ya mucks! Me and this twat are the reason yer all alive. If you don't wanna end up like that lot over in my fire pillar, listen close."
Lucio took a deep breath, composing himself. "I'm here to get you out. I've set everything into motion. I just need you to trust me."
The civilians hesitated, glancing between him and the burning wreckage of their old lives. Then, one by one, they nodded.
"Head into that tunnel. When you reach the end, wait there. I have others to save, but I will come back."
With determination burning in his chest, Lucio turned and disappeared into the darkness once more.
'Just wait. I WILL save you all.'