Chapter 1932: ... Lackey

"God... do you know about this?" Nova asked as she pointed towards the visuals of the Purple Fairy displayed on the screen.

If anyone knew about something like this, it would be God, right?

However, Lackey remained silent for a moment. His gaze lingered on the visuals before the corners of his lips slowly curled into a faint smile.

"I don’t know. But if I had to guess... Eternal Prison."

Hearing that, Nova flinched.

"T-Then... is it going to kill us?" she asked, her voice laced with worry as she looked at him.

Lackey merely glanced at his shoulder, where his elder sister was comfortably sitting, seemingly unconcerned by the entire situation.

"Who knows~? You guys have done so many wicked things in the name of God. It wouldn’t exactly surprise me if something came knocking on your door... just like me~"

Grace rolled her eyes but didn’t bother commenting.

Nova, on the other hand, grew even more worried.

If even God himself didn’t know what they were dealing with, then there was a genuine possibility that things could get out of hand.

And that was precisely what she feared.

Without wasting any more time, Nova ordered her team to search for the girl named Lily.

Lackey didn’t interrupt her or offer any further comments.

He simply let her do her own work.

After all, why should he bother when everyone else was already busy worrying?

Time slowly passed as they went about their respective business.

The tension surrounding the mysterious Purple Fairy remained, but eventually, the day moved towards evening.

And with the tournament approaching, Beta finally arrived to escort Lackey to the Alpha Division.

Inside the Main Arena’s base,

Lackey stood before a mirror, preparing himself for the upcoming fight.

Or, more accurately, he was admiring himself.

He wore a set of fancy clothes that looked far more suitable for a luxurious party than an actual battle.

Attached to the back of his hand was a strange mechanical device, its metallic surface reflecting the overhead lights.

It was the weapon Torag had given him.

Although the weapon would work much better when paired with a Mech-suit, it was still powerful enough to be used on its own.

Just like his Twin Eclipse.

Lackey slowly clenched his fingers.

Click!

The device activated with a mechanical sound.

In the next instant, three razor-sharp claws erupted from its metallic frame, extending along his hand. Their dark, polished surfaces gleamed beneath the lights, and their shape resembled the deadly claws of a dragon.

Lackey tilted his hand from side to side, admiring the weapon with a satisfied expression.

Then, as he slowly unclenched his fist, the claws smoothly retracted into the device.

He stared at his reflection for a moment.

And then...

"ARHH!!"

Lackey suddenly let out a ferocious growl, clenching his fist and crossing his arms into an ’X’ as the claws shot out once again.

His expression turned fierce.

"I’m the best there is at what I do, and what I do... best isn’t very nice!"

Then he thrust his clawed hand forward.

"COME AT ME, MOTHERFUCKERS!!" Lackey roared like a wounded beast. "I AM GONNA RIP YOU INTO FUCKING PIECES—"

"God?"

A quiet voice interrupted his declaration of war.

Lackey froze.

Standing at the entrance was Beta.

For several seconds, neither of them moved.

"..."

"..."

Dead silence descended upon the room.

Lackey’s fierce expression gradually crumbled.

His cheeks turned red.

He slowly lowered his hand, as though that might somehow erase the previous ten seconds from existence.

"Ahem..."

He cleared his throat and casually retracted the claws back into the device.

"What are you doing here? I thought you left?"

Beta continued staring at him.

For a brief moment, it seemed as though she wanted to ask what exactly he had been planning to rip into fucking pieces.

However, she ultimately decided that some questions were better left unanswered.

"Well..." Beta began, awkwardly shifting her gaze away from him. "I actually came here to give you something."

She extended her hand, revealing an object wrapped carefully in a piece of cloth.

"I almost forgot to give this to you earlier."

Lackey immediately perked up.

"Oh? It’s ready already?"

He carefully unwrapped the cloth, revealing a sleek, polished metallic mask beneath it.

The mask had a reinforced structure, its smooth surface reflecting the light with a cold gleam.

His eyes gradually lit up as he placed the mask over his face, and the moment it made contact with his skin, the metallic structure attached itself to his face like a magnet.

A faint mechanical hum resonated from within the mask as its integrated system activated.

For a brief moment, everything turned dark. Then, the darkness gradually shifted, revealing the surrounding world in perfect clarity. He could see everything without needing to have an eye slot, as though he wasn’t wearing a mask at all.

Lackey tilted his head from side to side, testing the device before turning towards the mirror. Satisfied with how naturally he could see through it, he examined his reflection for a moment before glancing at Beta.

"Is it... good?" Lackey asked.

Beta looked at his mask, taking in its polished black surface and the unsettling white grin painted across it.

He could have chosen an entirely black design, which would have looked sleek and intimidating on its own. Instead, he had specifically requested a white grin that stretched across the mask.

And not an ordinary grin, either. Its twisted shape gave the impression that the person behind it was enjoying something deeply disturbing.

Actually, just looking at him made Beta feel a little uncomfortable.

He looked like a devil who had somehow found his way into the human world.

Still, Beta smiled through her visor and said, "You look amazing, God."

"..."

Lackey gave her a deadpan look. Even through her visor, he could practically sense her awkwardness.

"That’s a very convincing compliment," he remarked.

Beta’s smile stiffened slightly. "I meant it."

"Sure."

Shaking his head, Lackey turned back towards the mirror and studied his reflection. The black mask, the twisted white grin, and the overall appearance seemed to fit together perfectly.

He remained silent for a moment before quietly muttering, "Lackey."

He stared at himself a little longer, as though he were finally visualising what Lackey was supposed to look like.

It felt as if he had just completed the final piece of a character he had been imagining for a long time.

Satisfied with the result, he straightened his posture and turned towards the entrance.

"Well then, I’ll do my best."

His name echoed through the Main Arena as the announcement called him to the battlefield. Lackey casually raised his hand in a wave before heading towards the enormous doors.

Beta nodded at him. "Good luck, God."

Lackey gave her a thumbs-up without turning around.

Beta watched him leave for a moment before turning around and heading towards the VIP section.

However, the moment she entered the chamber, her body instinctively flinched.

Someone was already there.

A figure clad in deep black armour sat on the sofa, his imposing presence filling the room despite his relaxed posture.

Beta’s expression stiffened.

"President?" she murmured.

"I heard you picked up a rather wonderful slave?"

The President remained seated with his back turned towards her. He didn’t even bother looking in her direction as he spoke.

***

Meanwhile, back in the arena,

Lackey walked onto the arena, his footsteps echoing across the vast expanse of the ground.

As he took in his surroundings, however, he noticed something unusual.

The entire arena had fallen silent.

Unlike before, the spectator seats were now almost completely filled with people.

Countless faces were turned towards him, their attention fixed entirely on the lone figure entering the battlefield. Some leaned towards their companions to whisper, while others simply watched without saying a word.

Not a single person shouted.

Not a single person jeered.

Lackey blinked behind his mask; he had assumed the spectators would mock him and hurl insults at him again, just as they had before.

Instead, he was greeted by an eerie silence.

Lackey shrugged. It wasn’t as though he particularly cared about their opinions. Besides, silence was certainly preferable to having an entire crowd screaming insults at him.

With that thought, he turned his attention towards the spatial crack and began walking towards it.

Meanwhile, Grace remained quietly perched on his shoulder, watching the rift with an unusually serious expression. A dangerous glint passed through her eyes as she studied the darkness within, her gaze sharpening for a brief moment.

Then, as though deciding against whatever thought had crossed her mind, she shook her head and flew away from Lackey’s shoulder.

She wanted to give him enough room to fight without any unnecessary interference.

Lackey stopped directly in front of the spatial crack.

He slowly raised his hand.

Just as before, the spatial crack began to widen in response to his gesture. A deep rumble rolled across the arena as the rift expanded, its jagged edges stretching further apart.

Something moved within the darkness.

Another monster had arrived.

Lackey tilted his head slightly, examining the creature without showing any obvious signs of concern. Then, the corners of his mouth curled beneath the mask, forming a sinister smirk that matched the twisted grin painted across it.

He clenched his fist, and a sharp metallic sound rang out as three razor-sharp claws extended from the device attached to his hand.

"Alright," he said, his voice carrying a faint mechanical undertone through the mask. "Let’s get to work."

"RROOOORRRRRR!!!"

The entire arena watched Lackey fight the monster, and honestly, most of the spectators had only come for one reason: what he had done to them the previous day.

He had treated them like insignificant insects, showing absolutely no respect for their status or pride.

When he had attacked the monster, it had felt as though he was beating them.

As if they were nothing before him if they entered into the arena.

Naturally, they wanted revenge.

Since they couldn’t do anything to him themselves, they had come to watch him suffer instead.

They wanted to see him struggle, get torn apart, or at the very least, be thoroughly humiliated by the monster.

Unfortunately for them, things weren’t going as planned.

The man who had struggled against his opponents the previous day was now fighting the monster with ridiculous ease.

All due to...

"What kind of item is he using?" one spectator muttered, leaning forward in his seat.

"I’ve never seen anything like it before. And... it seems to work pretty well, don’t you think?"

"Hmph! He’s just a brute! Look at him. All he’s doing is swinging those claws around!"

Lackey lunged forward, evading the monster’s attack before driving his clawed fist into its body. The sharp metallic claws tore through flesh, sending blood splattering across the ground as the creature let out a furious roar.

"Hehe~"

Lackey’s unsettling laughter drifted across the arena.

For some reason, that little laugh sent a shiver down the spectators’ spines.

One spectator swallowed nervously.

Another slowly leaned back in his seat.

And somewhere in the crowd, a very reasonable thought crossed everyone’s mind.

’Please, someone just kill this monster!’

They had come here hoping to watch Lackey suffer, yet the sight before them was beginning to make them question their own judgment.

The monster was supposed to be the terrifying one, wasn’t it?

Then why did they feel more frightened of the man fighting it?

As the battle continued, Lackey delivered another brutal strike, sending the monster crashing to the ground. The creature struggled to rise, but he gave it no opportunity to recover. With one final attack, he finished it off.

The monster collapsed, and its body gradually fell still.

The battle was over.

For a moment, the arena remained completely silent.

Then the spectators’ expressions fell as the result became clear. Their hopes of witnessing Lackey’s miserable defeat had been thoroughly crushed, leaving nothing but bitter disappointment on their faces.

Lackey, meanwhile, paid little attention to their reactions. His gaze shifted towards the enormous stone, where his name was being moved up the rankings.

His position finally settled around the 90th place.

Lackey stared at the number for a moment before his expression soured.

’Tsk, at this rate, it’ll take forever to reach the top. Can they give me someone strong already?’ he thought, letting out a dissatisfied groan.

With a disappointed shrug, he turned away from the battlefield and walked out of the arena.

By the time he returned to the base, however, he noticed someone waiting for him.

Beta was pacing back and forth near the entrance. She seemed so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t immediately notice him approaching.

Lackey tilted his head as he watched her for a moment.

Then he casually called out, "So, how was my fighting?"

"It was way too easy," Lackey continued before she could answer. "I was hoping they’d give me something more interesting, but I guess I’ll have to make do with this for now."

He shrugged his shoulders, his disappointment evident in his voice.

However, when he looked at Beta, he noticed that she wasn’t responding.

She simply stood there, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

"Beta?"

She suddenly snapped out of her daze.

"Y-Yeah?"

Lackey stared at her for a moment before asking, "You saw the fight, didn’t you? What did you think?"

Beta hesitated before forcing herself to answer. "Y-Yeah... it was an easy fight."

Lackey frowned slightly.

Something was off.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Beta’s expression faltered for an instant.

"I... I’m fine. I was just lost in my thoughts."

Lackey studied her for another moment, but he didn’t press her further.

"Okay. Let’s go back."

He turned and began walking towards the exit.

Beta remained where she was for a moment, watching his back as he walked away.

Her lips pressed together, and she clenched her fists at her sides.

After a moment, she bit her lip and quietly followed him.