[Memory retrieval sucessful]
[Healing capacity currently at 60%] Lucian gasped as he awoke, his eyes snapping open in shock, his breaths heavy as he finally remembered who he was. His mother, his father, Felicia, and Jakob all came rushing back into his mind. Nearby, Dana and Drake were arguing in hushed tones. “I’m sorry, but this is on you, Drake. You keep stressing him out!” Dana scolded in a whisper. “You shouldn’t have told him about Godfather’s death when he hasn’t fully recovered. You were too quick and didn’t even consider how he’d feel!” Drake looked at Dana, struggling for a response, and then noticed Lucian’s eyes were wide open. “Your precious boss is awake. Now, go exert your focus on him instead,” Drake said, turning her toward Lucian. Dana’s eyes widened, and she quickly rushed to Lucian’s side. “You’re finally awake, boss! It’s been hours! You had us—had me—worried.” Lucian exhaled heavily, his mind still reeling. It felt like he had just experienced an awakening. So, Jakob was his stepbrother. He remembered meeting Felicia once. That woman better be ready to die. And his father? He had actually never seen him. He heard Davis was mostly a man married to his work. He hardly showed himself to the media, unlike his son. He was rarely present at events, always sending his son or wife in his stead. “Boss?” Dana called out with a tearful gaze. She hated how he was always so quiet, leaving them to guess what was on his mind. Lucian looked at both of them and sat up, his upper body now fully healed, though his leg was still injured. “It seems you’re getting better,” Drake observed, a smile spreading across his face. Lucian nodded, taking in the sight of them. It was amusing how much they knew about him. Unlike Drake, who he considered a close friend, Dana was someone who constantly followed him around, offered to drive him to wherever, and had the means to find out the truth about his past. Although everyone knew he wasn’t Godfather’s biological son, few knew the details of his adoption. “How was he buried?” Lucian asked Drake. “He always said he didn’t want to be buried in the ground, so I’m guessing he was cremated. I’d like to pay my respects.” “He’s at the columbarium at Metro Cemetery. Why? Do you want us to go right now?” Drake questioned, raising an eyebrow. Lucian was about to nod when Dana suddenly shouted, “What’s wrong with you, Drake?! Look, I’m sorry, I’m trying to be respectful as much as I can, but how can you encourage him to go when he’s not in the right condition?” “I’m good, Dana,” Lucian said, looking at her with a steady gaze. “Just tell the doctor to get me crutches. No one is keeping me here. Go now.” Dana pouted while Drake smirked at her. “For someone who’s trying to be respectful, you sure shout at me a lot.” Dana rolled her eyes in annoyance and walked away to fetch the doctor. Lucian arrived at the Columbarium, carefully using his crutches as he approached his Godfather’s resting place. His name was Donald Stone. He stood before the picture of Donald Stone, his gaze fixed on the urn that held his Godfather’s ashes. Dressed in baggy trousers and a loose sweatshirt, Lucian let out a heavy sigh. The weight of the moment made him feel speechless, as though the words he wished to express were trapped within him. Godfather had rescued him, granting him a new lease on life, even though he was gonna run him over if Lucian hadn't stopped the car with his strength, and that was because someone like his Godfather didn't care that a little boy was in his way. He was saved and transformed into a weapon of sorts, though his Godfather had never explicitly stated it. Lucian wasn’t naïve, but he was still grateful. Because being alive was enough. Being alive meant he had a chance for revenge, something he could only pursue while he was still breathing. With a trembling breath, Lucian spoke softly, “Thank you so much, Godfather. I always loved you and am deeply grateful for everything you did for me... everything you've given me. You were the only family I thought I had until today. You were the only one who stood by me when I needed someone. Whoever did this to you… will definitely pay dearly.” His eyes were misty as he spoke, and he clenched his teeth, struggling to hold back tears. The revelation of his true identity was something he had wanted to share with his Godfather first. Now, with the Godfather gone, he just felt like he had no one once again. He suddenly felt alone. A deep, shaky breath escaped him as he lowered his gaze in deep thoughts. “Why don't I know what to do all of a sudden? I feel lost. Overwhelmed. And I have no one to talk to. What am I gonna do? Where am I gonna start from? Why do I have to lose you too?” Dana had never seen Lucian so vulnerable before. Moved by the sight, she approached him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head gently against his chest. Lucian, slightly startled, took a step back while still gripping his crutches, and looked down at her in a mixture of surprise and uncertainty. “I’m sure you’ll be fine, don't worry,” Dana reassured him, smiling at the feeling of being in his arms. Lucian let out a slow, deep breath, accepting the warmth of her presence without protest. Drake, arms folded and a determined look on his face, spoke up. “If you’re wondering where to start, it’s simple. You need to step into Godfather’s role to restore order and give everyone confidence. We all believe that with you taking charge, nothing like what happened will occur again. After that, we’ll focus on taking down William Craig for what he did to you and Godfather.” Drake’s voice grew more intense as he concluded, “He thought that hitting you with two cars would finish you off. He’s gravely mistaken!” [Healing capacity currently at 80%] “Hitting me with two cars…” Lucian repeated, his gaze drifting back to the urn. “He must have really wanted me dead,” he murmured, his thoughts drifting back to Jakob. Drake nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. He knew you were the only one who could stop him, so getting you out of the way was his priority. It’s surprising, though, that just two weeks later, you're already on your feet—well, not fully. But you get the idea.” As Drake continued to discuss William Craig, Lucian began to question whether Drake’s theory held any weight. He wondered if Drake’s suspicions about Craig were correct—perhaps Craig had somehow tracked him to the location where he was supposed to meet Jakob. However, Lucian quickly dismissed this idea. The vans had been in position long before he arrived at the meeting spot with Jakob. They were waiting for him. William Craig couldn’t have known exactly when he would show up. Suddenly, Lucian hopped backward as Dana’s sudden movement nearly caused him to lose his balance. The jolt gave him a brief shock. “Alright, I think that’s enough with the hugging…” Drake immediately dragged Dana away from Lucian. “The man said it’s enough.” “Hmph,” She rolled her eyes away, before turning her gaze back to Lucian with a look of concern. “So what’s the next step? We’re ready to follow your lead.” Lucian instinctively turned his head and noticed an elderly, hunched man approaching a compartment where an urn was placed. The man selected one of the urns, their eyes meeting briefly before he hurried away. But to Lucian, the man didn’t appear merely old, hunched, and frail. There was something unsettlingly different about him beneath that seemingly innocent exterior. [Alert: Your Golden Eyes have detected a demon.][Alert: Your Golden Eyes have detected a demon.]Lucian’s eyes widened in shock as he absorbed the information. Ah… So, what should I do? Do I need to kill it?What will happen if I do? I’m supposed to earn points for this, right?[Point System: You earn points for each demon you eliminate. The number of points awarded varies based on the demon’s rank.]Ahh... Of course, demons have ranks.[Assessment: The demon you have just detected is classified under the Revenant rank, a B-rank high-level entity in the Demon Hierarchy. You're currently too weak to confront such a powerful demon.]Lucian couldn’t help but scoff inwardly. An old man? That hunched old man?[Identification: That demon is known as the Ashen Revenant, possessing the ability to shapeshift. The guise you witnessed was a transformation into the form of the deceased family members, a tactic used to deceive and gain access to the urn]Ohhh… Shapeshifting.Wait... Ashen Revenant? Which means it needed the Ash of a …[Demon
[Healing capacity currently at 100%]Lucian sat on the examination table, his crutches propped up beside him as he waited for the results of his MRI. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the machines. Dr. Wells, a seasoned physician entered the room with a stack of papers and a look of curiosity.“Alright, Lucian,” Dr. Wells began, her tone professional yet tinged with intrigue. “Let’s see what the MRI has to say.”She paused as she saw Dana close to him. Drake had left to take care of something. Then she furrowed her brows, and asked, “Are you his wife?”Dana’s face flushed upon hearing that. She glanced at Lucian who wasn't saying anything, so she didn't say anything either.Dr. Wells shook her head, brushing it off, then began to review the images on her computer, her eyebrows rising in surprise as she scrolled through the results.The contrast between the new scans and the previous ones was striking. Just a few weeks ago, the scans had shown a network of fractures and
Lucian took a deep breath and addressed them, “Anyway, I'm sure you’ve all been through a lot. The loss of our Godfather has been devastating, and I want to address how we’re going to move forward.”Lino nodded in agreement. “We are here with you no matter what, Lucian. We are certain you will get us through such a big loss. It’s what the Godfather — Donald—would have wanted.” Lino sighed, feeling sad as he remembered his best friend. He still couldn't believe the Godfather would just die like that. Lucian lowered his gaze, knowing Lino was right. “I’m sure with you being here, I can handle this,” he nodded, giving himself an assurance before speaking up, “We’ve lost not just a leader but a mentor and a protector. But we can’t afford to crumble under this loss. We need to stand united, now more than ever.”A murmur of agreement swept through the room.Lucian continued, “Our first priority is to stabilize our operations. The Godfather’s death has left a power vacuum, and it’s crucial
Everyone had left, but Lucian remained in the warehouse, lost in deep thought. He set the crutches aside and walked over to the window, gazing out at the moon shining in the night sky.He tried to push thoughts of Riya out of his mind, but he couldn’t help it. He loved her, and the realization that he had already lost her made him angry.Could he just let her go? Just like that?Lucian was the kind of person who never really found girls to be amusing or special enough to give them his heart. Nah… all he did was fu¢k them.But the day he met Riya, something changed. He wanted her all to himself, and he succeeded even though he knew she didn’t like him—largely because she thought he was poor.Who wouldn’t like Lucian aside from that?He couldn’t exactly tell her he was a gangster. He probably just wanted her to love him for who he was.It all backfired though. Jakob came into the picture and ran him out of the way. Like mother, like son, huh?They seemed to love taking things that didn’
Lucian collapsed to the ground with a groan, finding himself back in front of the warehouse. He looked down at his hand clutching his stomach and saw his blood on his hands. Getting stabbed wasn’t an illusion, it seemed.Taking a shaky breath, he shifted backward as the imp materialized in front of him, this time in the guise of his godfather.Oooh, okay, what am I gonna do? How am I gonna kill it?! For a low-level demon, it’s pretty strong, don’t you think? What is its weakness?[Imps are sensitive to bright light, which can disorient and weaken them.]Lucian felt a surge of frustration as he scanned the area. There was no source of bright light.He groaned, feeling the sting of the wound in his stomach, wondering how long it would take to heal.“Recognize me?” the imp taunted with a grin. “I remember when I killed him. I felt his blood on my hands, and I loved it. Although, I have to admit, he tried to put up a fight, but it was useless against me. How can a puny human fight me? You
Lucian was back home in his spacious room, a place that should have brought him comfort but failed to do so.He felt really satisfied to know he had killed the pawn sent to assassinate his godfather, and the thrill of gaining experience points, but...He was restless.Memories, ones he never actually had, plagued him. He couldn’t shake the image of his mother’s death, wondering if it had truly happened that way or if there was more to the story. He tried sleeping off, but the accident replayed endlessly in his mind, haunting himHe couldn't sleep.As the first light of dawn seeped through his curtains, Lucian got out of bed, heading to the fridge for something cold to drink. Just as he reached for a beer, he sensed someone behind him.“No, no, I’m sorry, boss Lucian.”It was Madame Jane, a woman in her mid-forties who had been part of his household since the godfather had found him. She often acted as a mother figure, though Lucian never wanted her and would always push her away.“
“It was me!” Lino shouted repeatedly, his voice trembling with disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m saying this! I shouldn’t be saying this! Why can’t I stop?!”Lino was painfully aware of his own words, yet powerless to hold them back. His confession poured out uncontrollably, as if a dam had burst within him, releasing a torrent of long-buried guilt and frustration.Lucian watched him, his expression unreadable. These were the words he had dreaded hearing, but somehow, deep down, he had expected them. But from Lino? He hadn’t expected that. Lino was the least suspicious person in his circle, but Lucian had learned long ago that it’s often the least suspicious who turn out to be the betrayers.Never let your guard down, no matter what.But what had changed? Lino, who had been a father figure to him. Lino, who had been Godfather’s closest friend, a man Lucian had trusted without question. What had gone wrong along the way?“Why?” Lucian finally asked, his voice cold and sharp. “Why di
Davis’ gaze dropped, feeling as though he’d just been dealt a harsh reality check. His only biological son had been missing for over a decade, but the finality of accepting his death was something Davis had never fully come to terms with. The thought caused a tremor of grief to run through him.He exhaled a shaky breath, his heart suddenly feeling heavier than ever. “Get out of my sight, Jakob,” he commanded, his voice laced with barely controlled anger. “If you want anything from me, you’d better learn some respect. Provoking me won’t get you anywhere.”Jakob wasn’t fazed by his father’s reaction. He knew all too well that the mere mention of Davis’s lost son could set him off. ‘Foolish old man,’ Jakob thought, a sneer curling his lips as he turned to leave the room. ‘He has no idea what he’s up against.’As Jakob stepped into the hallway, he was met with the piercing gaze of his sister, Melanie Winchester. She stood there, her expression a mixture of disapproval and concern. Me
Lucian arrived at his old hideout, yanking the Weepwraith out of the car and throwing her forcefully to the ground.She gasped, her expression a mix of shock and fury. “How dare you treat a woman so roughly? You’re utterly disrespectful!” she spat as she scrambled to her feet. “You’ve just signed your own death warrant. Let’s see your face when you realize you’ve kidnapped the wrong person.”Lucian scoffed, glancing around the familiar surroundings. “This place,” he began, his tone casual as he started unwrapping the bandage on his hand, “this is where I killed my first demon. Wasn’t too long ago, actually.”The Weepwraith’s eyes narrowed, her composure faltering. She hadn’t expected that.Tossing the bandage aside, Lucian clicked off the safety on his gun. “Do gunshots work on demons? Let’s find out.”The Weepwraith’s face contorted, her human guise slipping. “How did you know?” she hissed.Lucian silently raised the gun, aimed it at her head, and pulled the trigger. The bullet tore
Lucian and Leah stepped out of the marriage registry building, marriage certificates in hand. It was official—they were now legally husband and wife.Just like that, Lucian had married a woman he barely knew.‘How… interesting,’ he thought to himself as they approached the car that had brought Leah there.“So, what’s next?” Leah asked, her excitement barely contained. “We should start living together now, right? I’d like to introduce you to my family as my husband.”Lucian shook his head, his expression calm but distant. “Let’s cross that bridge after the wedding.”Her smile faltered. “Oh, the wedding…” she murmured with a slight frown. “I RSVP’d, but I wasn’t sure if I’d actually attend. Why do you seem so interested about it?”Lucian gave her a faint, enigmatic smile. “You’ll find out soon enough,” he replied, sidestepping the question.Without another word, he opened the car door for her. “We’ll be in touch,” he added smoothly, gesturing for her to get in.Leah’s smile softened as
“Boss!” Kevin’s right-hand man, Kief, burst into the office, his face tight with urgency. “Have you seen the news? The city’s buzzing—those kidnapped girls, they’ve all been freed! According to the reports, someone rescued them!”Kevin’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? And the Brussels—have they been caught yet?” he asked, his voice tense.Kief shook his head and answered, “Not yet, boss. But it’s only a matter of time. The cops have a sketch of the suspect they’re looking for.”Kevin clenched his teeth in anger. “Damn it! And what about our asset? Has he returned?”“No, boss, he’s still out of reach. And the one who saved those girls? They’re keeping his identity under wraps—for now,” Kief replied.“Not for long,” Kevin muttered, reaching for his phone. He dialed a number and waited, tension crackling in the air. After two rings, a hushed voice answered, “Mr. Craig, can we maybe do this later? Things are happening at the precinct right now.”Kevin’s expression hardened. “I don’t c
The next morning, news reports buzzed with the story of an anonymous man who had heroically saved all the kidnapped girls, bringing them home safely.In her room, bathed in the soft morning light filtering through her curtains, Amber was on a call with Liz. She couldn’t contain her surprise. “Wait—are you serious?! You were the one who told him I was missing?”Liz responded, “I had to. You didn’t show up at school, and as usual, he came to pick you up. Your phone wasn’t reachable, and then your dad called…”“My dad called you?” Amber asked, stunned.“Yep. He sounded really worried, and that’s when I realized something was off. I’m not even sure why I thought to call Lucian. I just had this feeling he needed to know because he seemed worried too, and he seemed to care about you. It didn't even take too long, and you're already back home. He saved you.”Amber couldn’t help but giggle, shaking her head. “The moment I saw him there… I’ve never felt so relieved. And the way he just broke o
“Can we… get married?” The girl’s voice was hesitant, but her eyes were full of hope as she gazed up at Lucian, as if she genuinely believed he might say yes.Lucian raised an eyebrow, staring at her as if she’d lost her mind. “What?” he looked around, noticing his cars parked everywhere, a few of them pulling back in. “Where did that come from?” he muttered under his breath in confusion.“I said, marry me,” she repeated, more insistent.He glanced at her. “Yeah, I heard you. But I’m not marrying you,” he replied firmly, shaking his head and began to walk away toward Jace, who was talking to one of his men.As soon as Jace saw him, he approached with a grin. “Boss…”“Why are all my cars here? From my house?” Lucian asked, his expression confused.Jace nodded in confirmation, looking at the surrounding cars as well. “Yep. How else were we supposed to get all the girls home?” he replied casually. “Just like Drake took your sister, the guys are making sure they all get back safely. Don’
Lucian thought it was over for him. He was already feeling like he was dying due to the searing pain coursing through him, and the Fiend’s cruel enjoyment only made it worse, drawing out every agonizing second.Then, out of nowhere, the girl charged forward, swinging the stick high and hard. With all her might, she brought it down onto the Fiend’s head. The sound of wood meeting skull was followed by a grunt of surprise from the demon. He staggered back, disoriented, claws retracting for a brief moment as he turned toward her in fury.“You…” the Fiend hissed, preparing to lunge at her. But before it could, Lucian mustered the last of his strength and shoved the Fiend hard, forcing it several feet back.Lucian struggled to catch his breath, glancing down to see his shirt in tatters, chest scorched and raw.The Fiend stumbled but quickly regained its footing, though the momentary distraction had given Lucian the edge he needed.Ignoring the throbbing pain, Lucian straightened, his eyes
Lucian flexed his hands, feeling the pulse of his strength coursing through him while staring intently at the eyes of the Fiend.“You’re no match for me,” the Fiend’s voice was smooth, almost coaxing, but there was a cruelty beneath it.Lucian kept silent, his attention fixed on the creature. He couldn’t afford any distractions—his only defense here was his enhanced strength.Hopefully, this one wouldn’t try to mess with his mind like the Imp had.The Fiend attacked him.Lucian barely had time to react, sidestepping as razor-sharp claws extended from the Fiend’s black gloves, slicing through the air, narrowly missing his shoulder. The Fiend’s movements were swift, almost too fast to track, but Lucian had trained his body to anticipate attacks. He swung back with his fist, landing a blow to the Fiend’s side. The Fiend staggered, surprise flashing in his eyes.With a growl, the Fiend dropped into a low crouch, his eyes locked on Lucian’s throat as he lunged forward. Lucian’s breath ca
Lucian walked toward the junkyard worker, who noticed him approaching and stepped forward, asking politely, “Can I help you with anything, Sir?” Lucian’s lips curled into a forced smile as he nodded. “Yeah.” Without warning, he launched a brutal punch that sent the man sprawling through the air. The worker collided with one of the nearby cars, his body crashing into it before he crumpled to the ground, unconscious and bleeding. “Damn,” Jace remarked, eyes wide with admiration. “I’ll never get used to how strong the boss is. I love it,” he added, mimicking the punch with a clenched fist. Drake, however, just scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. Lucian entered the small building Ron had just exited. Inside, the room appeared plain—nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first glance. He shook his head, as he kept looking around. For someone who had been in the gang for so long, he knew there were things beyond what the eyes meet. Drake and Jace followed him in, their eyes swee
Lucian lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply as he tried to steady his nerves. He paced back and forth in his office, mind racing as he awaited an update from Drake. He needed to find his sister, and time felt agonizingly slow.Frustrated, he moved to the window, resting his arms on the rail as he stared out at the row of dilapidated buildings, the air thick with the smoke he exhaled through his nose and mouth. He felt restless. Where is Amber? She must be terrified right now. And what is my father doing to find her?His phone suddenly rang, snapping him from his thoughts. He quickly pulled it from his leather coat. Drake was calling.He moved away from the window, answering immediately, “Did you find anything?”“Yes, we located an old CCTV camera in the area. We found someone able to connect it, and he’s working on it now… it’s ready,” Drake reported, then instructed the technician, “You can leave it to us now. We’re heading over, boss.”Lucian nodded and ended the call.He sat on his ch