Jas and Clara walked ahead, leading Alex toward the massive mansion on the hill.
The path gradually shifted from cracked streets and burned houses to clean stone roads. The contrast between the ruined town below and the estate above was almost insulting.
Clara slowed her steps slightly and glanced at Alex.
"Lucifer... we can still go back if you want."
Her voice was quieter now.
Jas nodded. "Yes. You don’t have to fight for us. The big clans are dangerous. They have powerful mbers, resources, artifacts, and alliances. It’s better not to ss with them unless you absolutely have to."
Alex kept walking calmly, hands in his pockets.
"Don’t worry. I’m a very peace-loving guy. I’ll handle this calmly—without any violence."
He gave Jas a thumbs-up.
Jas’ eyes lit up slightly. "I believe in you."
Clara suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
’Why the hell am I getting a bad feeling all of a sudden?’
They continued walking.
Soon—
They reached the entrance of the mansion.
It was massive.
Three stories tall.
White marble walls.
Tall iron gates with intricate carvings of scorpions.
Guards stood at the entrance.
They were demi-humans.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
With dark bronze skin and sharp yellow eyes.
Small curved horns protruded from their foreheads.
Their hands were clawed.
Long tails swayed lazily behind them, ending in hardened stingers like actual scorpions.
Each wore black armor with purple accents.
Their presence alone was oppressive compared to the struggling challengers below.
The mont Alex, Jas, and Clara approached—
The guards crossed their spears, blocking the entrance.
One of them sneered. "State your business."
Alex stepped forward casually.
"Whoa, guys. Relax. We’re just here to get back so stuff of ours that you took. Nothing more, nothing less. So please call the person in charge. I’d like to talk to him."
The two guards stared at him for a second.
Then—
They burst into loud laughter.
One looked at Jas. "If I’m not mistaken... you guys are those Rainbow Guards or whatever, right?"
The other snorted. "Rainbow beggars would be more accurate. Have you seen them? These guys live in the streets in tents."
Jas’ face turned beet red.
Clara clenched her fists tightly.
From inside the mansion grounds—
Other Scorpion Clan mbers began gathering.
Leaning on pillars.
Sitting on railings.
Watching.
Enjoying the humiliation.
So chuckled.
So whispered.
Clara was about to explode.
But Jas quickly grabbed her wrist.
"That’s what they want, Clara. Don’t get agitated. Let’s just ask for our supplies and leave."
Alex tilted his head slightly.
"So I take it... you guys aren’t going to give back our supplies?"
One guard looked at him up and down. "And who are you? Another beggar who joined them?"
The other smirked. "What color are you?"
He looked at Alex’s dark outfit and skeleton mask.
"Let guess. A black beggar."
The surrounding clan mbers laughed loudly.
Alex remained calm.
Completely calm.
"I’ll ask again. You’re not going to give us back our supplies?"
One of the Scorpion Clan mbers stepped forward with a smirk.
He cracked his neck once, then suddenly shoved both Alex and Jas backward with force.
"What if we don’t? What are you going to do about it?"
Jas stumbled, barely keeping his balance.
Clara clenched her fists.
Jas lowered his voice urgently. "Lucifer... let’s go back. It was a bad idea to co here. They’re not people we can have a rational talk with."
Alex tilted his head slightly.
"Did you not see? He just punched you."
Jas blinked in confusion. "When? When did he punch ?"
Alex stared at him for a mont as if he were inspecting Jas’ face.
Then he nodded slowly. "I guess he didn’t."
Before Jas could react—
Alex turned and punched Jas straight in the face.
The sound cracked sharply through the air.
Jas flew backward several ters before hitting the stone ground hard.
His lip split open instantly.
He was knocked unconscious cold.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Clara froze.
She couldn’t believe what she had just seen.
Then suddenly she exploded.
She grabbed Alex by the collar violently.
"What the hell are you doing, Lucifer?!"
The Scorpion Clan mbers burst into loud laughter.
"Look at that!"
"That guy is trying to impress us!"
Another one sneered. "Looks like he wants to join our clan. That must be his real reason for coming here with these clowns."
More laughter followed.
Clara slowly looked at Alex.
Doubt flickered in her eyes.
"Is that really the truth? Were you pretending to help us... just so you could impress them?"
Alex calmly pried her fingers off his collar one by one.
His voice remained steady.
"These guys attacked Jas and knocked him out. Did you not see that?"
Clara’s face twisted in disbelief. "What kind of nonsense are you saying?"
Alex leaned slightly closer.
His voice lowered to a whisper near her ear.
"It doesn’t matter what the truth is. What matters is how you present it. Always rember that."
Confusion flickered in Clara’s eyes as she couldn’t make sense of what the strange man in front of her was saying.
Before she could respond—
He vanished.
One blink.
Gone.
The next instant—
He appeared in front of the first demi-human guard.
And punched him.
The impact exploded like a cannon blast.
The guard’s body shot backward like a cannonball.
Crashing through the massive iron gates.
tal twisted and shattered as if it were made of plastic.
He tore through the garden, plowing across marble tiles.
Then slamd violently into the mansion wall.
Stone cracked.
A deep crater ford where his body landed.
Silence.
The other Scorpion Clan mbers froze.
Clara mouth hung open in disbelief.
Alex stepped forward calmly.
"You guys used violence first and knocked my friend Jas unconscious. My friend clara clearly saw that."
He glanced briefly at Jas lying on the ground.
He dusted his sleeve lightly.
"And now... for his injury, I need a big compensation."
Behind the skeleton mask—
A wild grin spread across his face.
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