Several heroes rushed forward, their abilities ready for action. But the moment they entered the shadow— they froze, their bodies locked in place. Eyes wide with terror.
"What—?!"
They couldn't move nor speak.
The figure didn't even spare them a glance, its attention remained on Victor.
"Tell me," it said softly, "have you made your decision?"
Victor's heart pounded violently. Everything was happening too fast. Him saving the villainess, his execution, the betrayal from his family and friends… everything was crashing into him at once, giving him no time to think, no time to breathe.
Before he could respond, a sudden surge of power erupted.
One of the distinguished men moved without warning. He didn't speak... One moment he was seated under the canopy, the next—he was already in front of the figure. The ground beneath his feet cracked instantly as his aura exploded outward, heavy and suffocating, forcing the surrounding air to tremble violently.
"So you're the one causing all this," the man said, his voice calm but laced with authority. "Release them and surrender."
The figure tilted its head slightly, shadows curling around its body like living entities. "You speak as though you have the right to command me."
The man didn't reply, instead, he moved quietly. His fist shot forward with terrifying speed, tearing through the air with a deafening sound. The attack landed—
BOOM!
The impact sent a shockwave across the entire field, dust and debris rising violently into the air. The ground cracked further, spreading like a web beneath them.
But—The figure was gone.
It reappeared behind him, stepping out of the shadows as though it had always been there.
"Too slow," it murmured.
The man's eyes narrowed. He turned instantly, his hand already moving. A blade of condensed energy formed in his palm and slashed downward.
The shadows rose.
Clang!
The attack was blocked instantly.
Darkness hardened like steel, absorbing the force before dispersing like smoke.
The two clashed again and again.
Each movement faster than the last. Each strike powerful enough to shake the surroundings. The ground split apart with every impact, the air screamed under the pressure of their power. Heroes nearby were forced to retreat, unable to even approach.
Victor stood there alone, watching the fight.
He didn't understand what was happening anymore. Everything had spiraled far beyond him. His execution, the sudden appearance of this mysterious figure, the overwhelming power being displayed before him… he couldn't move. He stood there, completely lost.
At the edge of the field, his parents remained still. His mother's hands trembled slightly, but she said nothing. His siblings watched in silence. His friends avoided his gaze.
Then, a man approached. He had been standing behind one of the leaders since.
He moved quickly, stopping beside Victor's father before leaning in and whispering something into his ear.
Victor noticed it — the shift in his father's expression.
Seconds next, the man's gaze fell on Victor.
Victor's heart skipped. He has never seen his father looking that way before.
The man took a step, then another until he stood right in front of him.
Victor's lips parted slightly.
"Fath—" He never finished.
Something pierced through him, sharp and unforgiving. Victor froze that moment, his body went stiff as his eyes slowly dropped downward.
And that's when he saw it — his father's arm buried deep inside his chest.
For a moment, his mind went blank, he was yet to process it when suddenly, heard a soft wet sound. A sickening squeeze echoed from inside his body.
Victor's eyes widened, his breath hitched violently.
His heart... He could feel his father's hand… it was gripping it tightly.
Pain exploded through his entire body, far worse than before, spreading like fire through his veins. His fingers twitched uncontrollably as his knees threatened to give way.
"…Fa…ther…?"
His voice trembled, fragile, broken beyond repair.
His father's expression didn't change.
If anything—his grip tightened. He squeezed once more.
Victor felt it — every single bit of it.
Like his life was being crushed… slowly… deliberately… inside him.
"You should have died quietly," his father said coldly, his voice low enough that only Victor could hear. "But now… you've become a liability."
Victor's vision blurred instantly, tears spilling down his face without restraint.
"…Liability…?"
"Orders have changed," his father continued. "You are to be erased."
Something inside Victor didn't just break—
It collapsed completely.
"…I see…" his lips trembled. "…so even now…"
Another weak squeeze echoed inside him, and Victor choked on his own breath. "…I was never… anything…"
For a brief second, no one said anything.
"…Did you ever see me… as your son…?"
His father didn't reply immediately. He paused, staring at his son.
"No."
And that was when everything truly ended for Victor.
His father pulled his arm out, blood followed immediately.
Victor's body swayed before collapsing to the ground. The world around him faded. The fight, the people, the noise...Everything became distant.
"…So this is how it ends…"
His eyes slowly began to close, darkness crept in.
And just before everything disappeared—
A voice echoed.
"…How disappointing."
BOOM!
A surge of darkness exploded outward, forcing everything back. The fight came to an abrupt halt as the figure appeared beside Victor's fallen body.
The air grew heavy and opressive.
The figure slowly lifted its gaze and locked onto Victor's father.
"You..."
The shadows around it twisted violently.
"... have made a great mistake."
The figure raised its hands, the air trembled.
Darkness gathered around the figure's hand, condensing into something terrifying, something capable of erasing everything in its path. The ground beneath Victor's father began to crack as the pressure intensified, the very space around them distorting under the weight of it.
Heroes tensed, some tried to move but fear held them still.
Victor's father stood his ground, his expression still cold.
The figure was about to move but just then Victor spoke.
"Stop," he said. His voice was weak, barely audible but it was enough.
The figure froze, the shadows flickering. Slowly, it turned its head.
Victor lay on the ground, his body drenched in blood, his breathing shallow, uneven. His fingers trembled slightly as he forced himself to remain conscious.
"…Don't…" he whispered, his voice cracking. "…don't do anything… to him…"
The figure stared at him. "He just killed you," it said quietly.
Victor let out a weak, broken breath.
"I know…" His vision blurred, but he still forced a faint smile onto his lips."He's still… my father after all."
A long pause followed, then the darkness around the figure slowly calmed… though not completely.
"…You are more pathetic than I thought," it said, but there was no mockery in its voice this time.
Victor didn't respond, he didn't have the strength to. Instead, he moved slowly. Pain shot through him but he ignored it. His hand pressed against the ground as he tried to lift himself up. His body screamed in protest, his chest felt hollow, every movement threatening to end him right there.
But he forced himself, he had to. There was something he needed to say. He raised his head slightly, his gaze moved across the field. To the heroes, to the crowd and to the people who had judged him, condemned him, and abandoned him.
His lips parted, blood slipped out.
"…I…" His voice shook."…I believed in you. I wanted to be like you…" His breathing grew weaker. "…to protect people… to do what's right…" A faint laugh escaped him."…but all of that…" His eyes slowly hardened. "…was a lie."
The words fell heavily into the silence.
Victor's gaze dropped slightly… then rose again. "I'm done," he whispered. "I'm done being a hero."
The moment those words left his lips, the world seemed to stop. Everyone gazed at him in silence. They didn't seem to care. They had seen his father kill him, that was what mattered.
Meanwhile, the figure's eyes narrowed slightly. "…I see…"
Victor's strength finally gave out, his body went limp, collapsing fully onto the ground. His vision faded completely, darkness consumed him..And this time, he didn't resist it.
The figure went over to Victor's body and carried him in its arms. It tilted its head towards the people.
"You heard him," it said. "... He is no longer part of you. In death or in life, he belongs to us now." With that, the figure dissolved into shadows and vanished.