chapter 9: the organization III

Lucas's mind was going INSANE—it was racing with thousands of questions.

"Who is this man?"

"Why does he sound so familiar?"

"How does he know my name, and why is he calling me like that?"

"I'm having déjà vu… This is insane!"

The man smirked, swirling the wine in his glass before taking another sip.

"I know your mind must be racing right now. I can feel your pulse."

Lucas quickly regained his composure, finally meeting the man's gaze.

"Who are you?"

The man sighed and took another sip of his wine before setting the glass down.

"It disappoints me that you can't even break through something as simple as enchanted iron cuffs. I suppose this is what happens with cross-breeding and genetic editing." He shook his head. "But I guess humans are the most compatible with our genes."

Lucas's confusion deepened. What was he talking about? What did he mean by that?

"Tell me… who are you?"

This time, the man didn't drink—he instead threw his glass of wine aside in irritation. The glass shattered on the floor.

"This is a waste of time. You haven't even developed magic yet? How am I supposed to—?" The man clenched his jaw, his frustration evident. "Are you really Lucifer's grandson? There's no way. A son of the Main-Morningstar family, with more Morningstar blood than even I have, and yet you're this weak? How the hell am I supposed to break the seal now?"

His gaze shifted toward the amulet hanging around Lucas's neck. He smirked, extending his hand outward. In a flash of golden light, a knife plated with gold appeared in his grasp.

Lucas, overwhelmed by the man's cryptic words, snapped out of his thoughts the moment he saw the knife. His body tensed with fear, and he tried to scream—but before he could, a dark force surrounded his mouth, muffling any sound.

He struggled, thrashing against the cuffs on his wrists and the bindings on his legs, but they held firm.

The man slowly positioned the knife near Lucas's eyes. Lucas squeezed them shut, still struggling desperately. But it was useless.

A sharp pain seared through his skin as the blade carved a thin, stinging wound between his eyes.

"Lucifer would be furious if he saw this," the man muttered, tilting his head. "But then again, he cast me away from his family and cursed my name. He must pay. Once I break the seal and harness its power… heaven and existence itself will crumble at my feet. Humans, angels, gods—everyone will die."

With a snap of his fingers, the force around Lucas's mouth vanished.

Lucas gasped for air before screaming, "YOU FUCKING MONSTER! I don't know who you think you are or what the hell you're talking about, BUT YOU'RE HORRIBLE!"

The man chuckled at Lucas's outburst.

"You know what's crazy, Luke? I'm not your enemy, I—"

Before he could finish, six masked figures burst into the room.

"SORRY TO INTERRUPT, SIR, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A BREACH!" One of them reported frantically. "AN INTRUDER HAS PENETRATED THE HQ! WE SENT 90 OF OUR SOLDIERS AFTER THEM, BUT NONE HAVE RESPONDED—THEY'RE ALL DEAD! CCTV CAPTURED A GLIMPSE OF THE INTRUDER BEFORE THEY VANISHED… IT'S ESCAPEE 004, BRODY BOTCHERMAN."

The man scowled, clearly irritated by the interruption. "Put the base on emergency lockdown. I'll handle this myself."

The masked figures nodded and immediately rushed out.

The man turned back to Lucas. "Sorry to cut our reunion short, but I have business to attend to."

With that, he calmly walked out, leaving Lucas alone—stunned, confused, and struggling to process what had just happened.

---

Ariel sat on the cold, damp floor of her cell, her body trembling. No… No, he didn't leave me. He couldn't have. He wouldn't leave me… right?

Her thoughts were cut short as a masked guard approached. The cell door creaked open, and the guard stepped inside, locking it behind them.

Ariel immediately sprang up. "WHERE IS LUCAS?! WHERE DID YOU TAKE HIM?!"

The guard laughed mockingly. "The boy we caught with you? He ran away. Left you behind."

He snickered.

Ariel let out a hollow laugh. "Ha… Haha… So funny. Lucas could never leave me… NEVER."

The guard tilted his head, amused by her unwavering belief in Lucas. But then he saw it—this wasn't faith.

It was denial.

"If that's true," the guard sneered, "then why hasn't he rescued you yet?"

Ariel's expression darkened. Her laughter faded.

"He has his reasons… right? Yeah. He must be planning a way to get me out of here. He wouldn't leave me. No, no… That can't be true… It CAN'T be."

Tears slipped down her face as she clenched her fists. With a sudden burst of anger, she kicked the wall—hard.

She pressed her forehead against the cold metal, her voice cracking. "Please… help me. Please. I'll do anything—just let me out of this GODDAMN PLACE!"

The guard smirked. That's the reaction I was waiting for.

"Well, now that I've crushed your hope, time to do what I actually came here for."

He stepped closer, towering over her.

Suddenly, he pulled out a whip.

Ariel barely had time to react before the first strike landed on her back. A searing pain shot through her body like a needle stabbing into her flesh.

She screamed. But no one came to help.

---

Brody had infiltrated the HQ successfully. Every guard that crossed his path died.

But then—

He was suddenly ambushed.

Forty guards blocked his path. He turned—another forty. He glanced left—forty more. He looked right—

One man.

The same bastard who had tortured him before. The same man who had scarred Lucas.

Rage boiled in Brody's veins. He clenched his knife, then dashed forward at inhuman speed.

But the man caught his wrist.

Brody smirked. "I see you're strong. But that's not what you should be worried about."

With his free hand, Brody threw a smoke grenade to the floor. In an instant, the room was covered in thick, choking fog.

By the time the smoke cleared—he was gone.

"FIND HIM!" the man roared. "SEARCH EVERY DAMN CORNER OF THIS HQ! SHOOT HIM IF YOU HAVE TO!"

Brody sprinted through the facility, reaching Floor 4, where beastmen were imprisoned for slavery.

He yanked down a heavy lever—

CLANK!

The cages unlocked.

The beastmen rushed out in a frenzy, escaping into the halls.

But one remained.

Ariel.

She sat in her cell, her arms wrapped around her knees, staring at the floor in utter despair.

Brody ran to her. "What the hell are you doing?! Get up! We need to go, NOW!"

Ariel lifted her head slowly. "What's the point…?"

Brody gritted his teeth.

SLAP!

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! YOU ARE NOT LETTING THEM DECIDE YOUR WORTH!"

Before she could react, he grabbed her and carried her on his back, sprinting toward the exit.

But then—

A dark presence loomed behind them.

The man.

Ariel's body froze against her will.

"You're the girl who was captured with Lucas, huh? My men reported that he unleashed demonic power when you were hurt…"

The man smirked. "I think I have an idea."

He turned toward Lucas's room. Ariel's body—out of her control—followed him.

---

TO BE CONTINUED…