For a moment, the underground station was completely silent. The two hundred terrified survivors watched with bated breath, waiting for the bloodbath.
Arthur's charismatic smile slowly vanished, replaced by an ugly, arrogant scowl. He laughed, a short, barking sound that echoed off the tiled walls.
"Take my throne?" Arthur mocked, pointing his glowing Rare-grade Azure Blade at Kael. "Do you have any idea what this sword is? I got it from killing a Level 10 Orc Chieftain. The System chose me to lead! Get him!"
The five thugs surrounding Arthur rushed forward, swinging crowbars and fire axes.
In Kael's past life, these five men had formed the Vanguard of the Aegis Guild. They were brutal, merciless killers who had tortured dozens of scavengers for fun.
Lesser Bloodlust: Activate.
Kael's vision turned crimson. He didn't even bother to draw the Monarch's Dagger. He merely stepped into the attack of the first thug, catching the descending fire axe by its wooden handle. With a casual flick of his wrist powered by his overwhelming +17 Strength, he snapped the thick oak in half, grabbed the thug by his collar, and hurled him like a bowling ball into two of his companions.
They crashed into the tiled wall with a sickening crunch of breaking bones.
The remaining two thugs hesitated, staring in horror at their comrades. That hesitation cost them everything. Kael vanished using Shadow Step, reappearing directly behind them. Two swift, brutal chops to the back of their necks dropped them to the floor, unconscious and paralyzed.
It took exactly four seconds.
Arthur's face drained of color. His grip tightened on the Azure Blade. "Y-You... What kind of cheat skill is that?!"
"One you'll never comprehend," Kael said, taking a slow step forward. The air around him grew heavy, practically suffocating the area with his murderous intent.
Arthur roared, swinging his sword in a wide, desperate arc. The blade released a crescent of blue energy, an innate skill of the Rare-grade weapon.
Kael didn't dodge. He drew the Monarch's Dagger and slashed upward. The obsidian blade cleanly absorbed the blue energy, nullifying the attack instantly. Before Arthur could recover his stance, Kael stepped into his guard.
Swish.
A clean, black line traced the air.
Arthur stood frozen for a second. Then, his right arm—still clutching the glowing Azure Blade—fell heavily to the subway floor.
A beat of silence passed before Arthur fell to his knees, unleashing a bloodcurdling scream as blood sprayed from his severed stump. The two hundred survivors gasped in unison, shrinking back against the walls.
Kael calmly kicked the severed arm aside and picked up the Azure Blade. He appraised it.
[Azure Blade (Rare) - Grants +5 Strength and 'Energy Wave' skill.]Garbage compared to my dagger, Kael thought, tossing it to Elara, who caught it clumsily. "Keep it," he told her. "Consider it your first salary."
He then looked down at Arthur, who was sobbing and clutching his bleeding shoulder. Kael felt a deep, dark satisfaction welling up inside him. Ten years of carrying this man's burdens, ten years of being treated like dirt, and the agonizing pain of the broadsword piercing his heart on the 100th floor.
"P-Please," Arthur begged, tears streaming down his face. His charismatic facade was utterly shattered. "Take the station! Take everything! Just let me live!"
"If I let you live, you'll just betray someone else," Kael whispered, crouching down so only Arthur could hear him. "This is for the 100th floor."
Arthur's tear-filled eyes widened in pure confusion. "The... what?"
Kael didn't explain. He drove the Monarch's Dagger straight into Arthur's heart.
[Ding!][Player 'Kael' has slain Player 'Arthur'.][Warning: Safe Zone Violation Detected! Preparing extreme penalty...]
A red, ominous light began to flash violently across the ceiling of the Safe Zone. The System's execution lightning was gathering.
But then, Kael's newly acquired A-Rank passive skill activated.
[System Interference (A-Rank) activated.][Player 'Kael's' signature has been masked. Penalty cannot locate target.][Error. Aborting penalty.]
The red flashing lights ceased. The Safe Zone returned to its gentle blue hum. Kael had just murdered a man in broad daylight inside a Safe Zone, and the System had simply shrugged.
Kael reached into Arthur's fading corpse. "Devour."
[Devour successful!][Skill Acquired: 'Aura of the Leader' (C-Rank) - Passively increases the morale and combat effectiveness of allies within 20 meters by 10%.]
Kael stood up, wiping the blood off his dagger. He looked at the sea of terrified survivors, projecting his newly acquired C-Rank aura over them. Instantly, their terror shifted into a strange, compelling reverence.
"I am Kael," he announced, his voice carrying the weight of an absolute monarch. "This Safe Zone is now under my protection. There are no tolls. There are no slaves. But make no mistake—if you break my rules, there is no mercy."
He turned to Elara. "Organize them. Start forming hunting parties. Anyone who refuses to fight doesn't eat."
"Where are you going?" Elara asked, her eyes darting to the corpse of the False King.
Kael smiled, pulling the black iron key from his pocket. "I have a door to unlock."