The air grew still. No one knew how the evening would end. Considering the bombs that were dropped, Elian didn’t know either.
The truth was sothing that destroyed Elian’s worldview. The Defects weren’t natural—they were created for a sinister purpose.
Elian could understand the logic. With the introduction of the Activators, many would treat it as the change that would split humanity apart.
But the governnt or the Big Three Guilds turned the narrative. By making it every person’s right to be given an Activator—a dosage of nanomachines—it made being able to wield mana normal. That would resolve most of the population.
And the ones who resisted?
That’s where the second part ca into play. They created the Defects.
A group of people treated as absolute garbage and second-rate citizens. They weren’t slaves, but they couldn’t hold jobs, property, or any power to speak. Their only right was to exist for everyone else to see. They were pitiful, poor, and considered the sha of society.
Enforced in every country and continent. Once a person was branded a defect, it was permanent.
The treatnt of the Defects showed the people what the Guilds could actually do. They were cruel and inhumane but justified themselves by making it the logical response to a Defect.
And as they were different, normal folk weren’t worried that the Guilds would one day turn on them. Simply because they weren’t part of the Defects, and they could never be one. So long as they used an Activator.
I lived my entire life being discriminated against. How many others went through the sa thing I did? Whoever ca up with this crap is smart.
If one didn’t want to take an activator to wield mana, they would do so just so they weren’t placed among the Defects. Within a single generation, all traces of Ascendants were erased and defects were ingrained into society. A brainwashing on a worldwide scale.
However, at that mont, Elian’s mind raced back to his own experiences.
He could have rembered the crooks who swindled his parents for Activators. Or the corrupt school system that allowed him to enroll there only to be abused by the other students. But instead, he rembered sothing else. It was the mont that changed his life.
"Of course. Two Talents. No wonder the world misjudged you."
His talents couldn’t grow because he had two. What if the sa situation happened to the other defects? What if they were like Elian? People who had imnse potential, overlooked because a technicality.
I should review this in the future if I am right. I have to find as many of them as I can.
"Elian, what in the world are you talking about?" a beautiful voice echoed in his mind.
The Tyrant looked at the woman beside him—his anchor, his lover, his reason. The realization suddenly hit, without both the Crucible and his life as a Defect, he would have never t her.
If all of this — the pain, the past, the sha — was just to et you... then it’s worth every mont.
Within an instant, all the bitterness of his past vanished.
Bianca’s face flushed in an instant. It ran from her cheeks down to her swan-like neck. Unable to et Elian’s intense gaze, she turned her head to the side.
"J-Just what are you saying? Focus! We need the humans on our side, leave that part to ."
Elian thought for a mont and shook his head. "Not really," he said out loud.
His words caused everyone in the room to turn toward him.
"Huh? What do you an?" the witch asked, confused.
"What humans do no longer concerns . After I kill everyone who betrayed you, I will fight and win the Crucible."
Bianca’s eyes widened, "..."
Elian suddenly felt bad for Bianca. She was had invested so much into Earth’s politics—no doubt she’d made plans. But to him, none of it mattered.
His focus revolved solely around protecting his people and Bianca.
He didn’t even need Earth to do it. He could just relocate to a different planet similar to the Snow Wolves or the Fla Swallows. Apart from a few the wished to save, and those he wished to kill, he hardly cared about anyone else.
Elian surveyed the people around him and noticed they were all surprised or taken aback. Figuring it was expected, he turned to Marcus and addressed him for the first ti.
"Tell them this—if all you care about are monsters, I’ll handle them. Just give the ones who betrayed Bianca. I don’t give a crap what the rest of you do."
Marcus furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, "Wait, you are serious, aren’t you? Let get this straight, you do not intend to beco Earth’s Tyrant to rule it? You don’t want that power? You only do so to fight the monsters?"
The golem nodded.
"Humans are weak. You would be nothing but a burden. Just don’t get in my way. I don’t want weaklings. Just the Weapons. Just my own."
"Weapons? You an these monsters? What about the humans? You prioritize them over your own race? You are a human of Earth!"
Elian scoffed at Marcus’ words, "My loyalty is to Bianca, not humans. I am no longer one of you. I want to be Earth’s Tyrant, not Humanity’s. Apart from a handful, I couldn’t care less if the rest of you died."
Marcus clenched his jaw and grimaced. Tessa sighed and began massaging her temple; she added.
"How ironic, they got what they wanted. A Tyrant who wouldn’t interfere with their politics and power struggles. But he also doesn’t even care about humans at all."
"This is wrong. How could you be Earth’s Tyrant if you do not care about humans?" Marcus snapped.
Bianca clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Tsk. Sanctimonious filth—dripping virtue from their lips while blood pools behind their backs."
"Excuse ?"
"Marcus Steel, get over yourself. You crowned yourselves the apex of the food chain, treated every other race like an afterthought—and now cry injustice when the favor is returned? You were born in the mud and still find ways to crawl lower."
Bianca’s harsh rebuke caused Marcus to stiffen. But, unlike before, he held his tongue and turned to Elian.
"Our honor would not allow us to abandon those people to you. We will defend them with everything we have," he vowed.
Hypocrite. What honor? You defend these evil bastards but abandon the Defects?
Elian strode forward and stopped inches away from Marcus. His body, which had Heaven’s Fists proportions, was still smaller than Marcus’ but no less imposing.
"Good. Then die for them. Maybe that would appease the souls of all the Defects that you dood to a pitiful end." He then turned to Tessa, "Until they are dead, whether I help humanity remains uncertain. Do not forget this."
She gulped in nervousness but bowed, "I understand. I will let them know."
Having said his piece, Elian turned to the only person he still called a friend. Ned imdiately offered the keepsake with both hands and a respectful bow. The golem chuckled at the formality.
He took the beat-up Crown and created an exact replica of it in onyx Living tal. Elian also took a dozen high-end potions and shoved them to Ned.
"From this point on, you are one of my people. When the ti cos, I will call for you. Should you have any issues, just call on this coin, and I will co rescue you," Elian implored.
Seeing the treasure he had in his hands, Ned grew visibly flustered. "Elian, uhm—Lord Reed, this is too much. I can’t accept this."
Rather than answer him, the Tyrant ignored his complaints and asked, "What weapon do you use?"
"Huh? I use a mace and a shield, my lord."
Not a second later, an onyx-heavy mace and tower shield appeared in his hands. He was about to hand them to Ned but noticed his arms were full.
"Here, darling. This is an S-ranked magic bag," Bianca offered.
Before Ned could react, Bianca stored the potions Elian handed out in the bag and placed it on the table. The young crusader began to tremble and tried to stop the couple from showering him with gifts.
"Lady Velvet, these are too expensive; I wouldn’t be able to protect them..."
"Nonsense, you are my darling’s person, please don’t be so reserved." Bianca explained.
Bewildered, Ned could hardly say anything in shock.
"Just give it up. You’re no longer a nobody, you’re my friend. Here, hold these."
Although his mouth said no, Elian saw the greed and desire in Ned’s eyes. He practically drooled at the sight of the weapons he was about to receive. Unfortunately, the mont Elian let go, the weapons dropped to the ground like bricks with loud crashes.
The floor warped beneath the weight. Ned’s eyes looked teary, and his palms were red from bruising.
"Hmm, too heavy, huh?"
In an instant, Dominator variants snaked from Elian hands and picked up the weapons. The tals fused in real ti reforging their weight and density. Once Elian finished, he again gave them to Ned.
This ti he could bear their weight. In excitent, the teenager began swinging the mace.
"Wow! These are amazing!"
"You would also need armor," Elian muttered.
Living tal and Dominator snakes rushed out of Elian’s back and rushed to Ned. Tessa took a step back upon seeing the ominous serpents. Within seconds, they covered him like cloth and solidified into a two-toned set of high-end suit of armor.
Seeing Ned’s heroic, imposing appearance, Elian nodded in satisfaction.
"It will do, for now."
Reviews
All reviews (0)