Extra's Death: I Am the Son of Hades

Instead of answering, Neo gave the defense team leader a cold stare.

He turned to the policemen.

"Take him away."

The policemen nodded.

They hurried to pick the defense team leader before Neo changed his mind.

Just as they stepped out of the room, Neo suddenly spoke.

"Announce it to the town. Next time someone does something like this again, I won't let them go alive."

"Y… yes."

Neo placed his sword into the scabbard—

His consciousness grew hazy, then, with a snap, he woke up on a different day.

Neo was used to the disconcerting sensation of losing control over his mind and regaining it by now.

He didn't waste his time and delved into his memory.

"This is getting ridiculous," he muttered.

Protests had started throughout the city.

They rallied against Neo, calling him a tyrant, demanding justice.

In the meantime, the hate against Kane took a turn for the worse.

Kane was kidnapped a few days ago and nearly killed at the hands of citizens.

In their words, they wanted to stop the statue monsters attacking the city.

Neo had saved Kane, of course.

Recalling the whole incident left a bitter taste in Neo's mouth.

"Anomaly #33 let go of its control over Kane's mind during the kidnapping.

"It wanted to see how Kane would react."

Neo pursed his lips.

Not just Kane—Anomaly #33 would randomly free citizens from the mind control to enjoy their reactions.

"Intelligent monsters really are the worst."

Neo sunk into his chair and stared at the ceiling.

By now, it was easy to guess Anomaly #33's goal.

"It's almost one month since I entered this city."

In five days, the 233rd Arzew City Festival would take place.

Neo rubbed his neck with one hand.

"Five days until I'm hanged, and my soul is eaten by Anomaly #33."

He chuckled.

Anomaly #33 and he were perfect counters to each other.

It made him wonder if Shadow Supreme started his trial near this place to see Neo and Anomaly #33 clash.

Neo's vision grew hazy, and Anomaly #33 took control.

Just then, the door of the mayor's office was opened.

Kane rushed inside.

"Neo! How are you…"

He stopped speaking when he noticed Neo's muddled gaze.

'He is under the monster's control.'

Kane bit his lips.

The frequency at which Kane could recover his mind was starting to increase.

It did not take him long to realize the citizens were under the control of a monster.

"Why did you enter my office without any appointment?" Neo asked, under Anomaly #33's control.

Kane's expression worsened.

Awakeners were akin to gods.

Neo especially was far stronger than any awakener Kane had seen.

That's why he depended on Neo.

On a kid who looked half his age.

'Fuck, what have I been doing until now?' thought Kane.

His gaze grew determined.

"Neo, let's leave the city."

"…"

"You know the statue monsters won't stop coming after you.

"Sooner or later, the city will become collateral damage in your battles," Kane said.

"There is no need for you to worry about that. I can handle a few monsters on my own."

Was it because Kane gave a reasonable reasoning to leave the city, or was it because it was time to end things?

Awakeners of the city rushed into the office.

They pushed Kane aside and surrounded Neo.

"Quite a few people are coming to meet me today," Neo said.

The head of city police stepped forward.

He took out a document.

"This is a warrant to take the Mayor, Neo Hargraves, into custody. The city will judge your crimes."

"What!? That's absurd! Nei hasn't done anything!" Kane reacted.

The head of city police turned to Kane and glared at him.

"Shut up, old man. You are going to jail too."

Unsurprisingly, Neo didn't object to being jailed.

He peacefully let himself be cuffed.

"Not going to throw a tantrum now, Sir Divine Ruler?" the head of city police questioned sarcastically.

"I know that justice will take my side."

Neo and Kane were jailed inside the city's prison. Explore more stories at m,v l'e-m|p y r

Kane's mind was in chaos.

He continued to try and escape the prison, but it was useless.

A normal human like him was powerless.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

Again. He couldn't do anything.

Five days later, Kane was allowed to go.

"…?"

He stared at the prison guard with vacant gaze.

The prison guard frowned.

Kane hadn't eaten anything for the past few days.

His cheeks had become hollow, and his limbs were thin.

It wasn't a pleasant sight.

"Get out. You have been bailed."

"How…?"

"It was the mayor's wish."

Kane's eyes widened.

He understood the prison guard's words, but he did not understand them at the same time.

The prison guard grabbed Kane's hand, who was too weak to resist, and threw him out of the prison.

Outside, Kane noticed the city draped in a festive atmosphere.

"They are celebrating the monthly festival?"

Kane's face contorted.

He couldn't understand what was wrong with the monster who was controlling the city.

Among the dozens of people talking around him, his mind inexplicably focused on a particular sound.

"Mom, I want to go to the city center! I heard they are holding the festival's main performance there!" The little girl looked at her mom with puppy eyes.

The mother smiled bitterly, and caved into her daughter's demands, taking her to the city center.

"City center. Isn't it the 13th street avenue?" Kane mumbled.

He recalled the previous mayor being hanged in the very same place, and the dozens of corpses hanging on street lights.

"No, no, this can't be happening."

He rushed to the city center.

Throughout the way, he couldn't help but recall the prison guard's words.

'It was the mayor's wish.'

Not Mayor's order.

But wish.

Kane reached the city center just in time for the announcer to end his speech.

"-fifty of our city's brave warriors fought together to put down the mayor!"

"Yeah!"

"Hang him!"

The host of the show pulled the cloth down from the stage, revealing Neo about to be hanged.

Unlike the previous mayor, he wasn't overreacting.

He stood just there, as if he had accepted his fate.

"Death to the tyrant mayor!"

"Death to the tyrant mayor!"

The city cheered as the platform beneath Neo's feet vanished and he was hanged.

Kane's mind blanked.

He couldn't think or comprehend what was happening.

His body moved on its own.

He pulled the sword out of the waist of the city guard next to him, and dashed forward to rescue Neo.

Kane wasn't under the monster's control.

He knew he would be killed if he tried to rescue Neo.

'What am I doing?'

Kane's thoughts started to move.

'I'm a coward. Why am I acting like a hero when it's useless?'

He pushed away the guards who were trying to block his path and jumped onto the stage.

'I ran away when the monsters attacked the previous base. I escaped while my own brother sacrificed his life to save me.'

Awakeners among the citizens reacted quickly.

They grabbed Kane.

Kane could feel the monster trying to control his mind and stop him before he saved Neo.

'Yeah, I'm a coward. I should stop before I get killed.'

Kane resuated the awakeners.

He pulled his sword back and he bent his knees slightly.

Unknown to him, an ethereal power materialized around his blade.

Kane would get killed.

He could feel the monster trying to tear apart his mind because it couldn't control him.

But.

It was okay.

Sometimes there were things one must do no matter the cost.

Kane swung the sword towards the rope when suddenly someone grabbed the blade.

"I thought you weren't an awakener?"

Neo, who should've been dead, raised his head and looked at Kane with a grin.

Much to Kane's surprise, his eyes were clear.

He wasn't under the monster's control.

"Wh… what? How are you alive?"

"Dumbass, a rope isn't enough to kill an awakener… Well, this isn't a normal rope though."

Neo winced as the rope tightened around his neck.

He shifted his gaze to Kane's sword.

"Anyway, congratulations. You've awakened."

Neo curled his thumb and pressed it against his middle finger, aiming at Kane's forehead.

"Now, off you go. I'll return after taking care of this monster."

He flicked Kane's forehead.

The simple action contained ginormous force behind it.

Kane was blown away.

The aftershocks of the attack threw everyone off stage.

"Darkness… come," Neo chanted.

The shadows danced in the night.

The Darkness hidden within them bloomed and formed a dome around him.

"I guess there is no need to continue this farce anymore."

Neo grabbed the rope and snapped it with a simple tug.

He landed on the stage lightly.

"Come out. I know you are there. It's not like you can run anymore."

As soon as he spoke, he felt a foreign power trying to take over his brain.

His eyes grew hazy.

Neo, under Anomaly #33 control, took out his sword and held it in reverse, aiming the tip at his heart.