Beast Hack: Customizing Beasts and Capturing Beauties-Chapter 496: The Cost of Victory

Lucius smirked, his silver eyes cold and sharp as he watched Hadrian's energy swirl in the air.

"Is this it?" he asked, his voice steady.

He tilted his head slightly, watching the light and power gather.

His hand rested casually on his hip, the other hand loose at his side.

"Now let's be more serious," he said. "I'll show you the power of Divine Tier."

Lucius raised his hand, his palm glowing with silver energy.

"[Luxorite World]," he said calmly.

The mana in the air twisted, sucked into Lucius's hand.

The energy Hadrian had gathered trembled and faded, the light flickering and dying before it could reach its peak.

The air grew still.

Hadrian's eyes widened, his breath catching.

"How… how can it be?" he gasped, his claws trembling.

Lucius's smirk never wavered.

"How can it be?" he repeated, his voice mocking.

"Of course it can—because I'm here."

He shifted his stance, his silver hair flowing behind him.

"But still, you're so stupid, huh?" he said.

"Don't you know there were others here?"

Hadrian's claws lowered, his eyes darting around.

"What…?" he muttered.

Lucius's smirk widened, his eyes cold. He snapped his fingers.

A ripple spread across the battlefield.

From the shadows, L-Snake, L-Shark, and L-Hawk emerged.

They were dragging Theron and the siblings behind them.

Their chains rattled, their heads hung low.

Theron's eyes burned as he tried to stand, his claws scraping the ground.

"Hadrian…," he growled.

Victor's eyes were wide, his claws trembling. "Father," he whispered.

Cassius's eyes narrowed, his drones sparking weakly.

Sylvia's shields flickered as she looked up, tears in her eyes.

"Father…," she whispered.

Hadrian's breath came in hard, his chest heaving.

"Theron… Victor… Cassius… Sylvia…" he said, his voice breaking.

"How can you be here?"

Hadrian's claws tightened as realization dawned.

"Don't tell me…," he started, his voice low.

Lucius laughed, his head tilting back slightly.

"Don't worry," he said. "Your main base wasn't destroyed."

Hadrian's breath caught. "Then…," he whispered.

Lucius's smirk widened, his eyes sharp.

"But still," he said, "almost all your elite soldiers should have died, right?"

L-Snake's tail flicked as he slithered closer. "It was easy," he hissed.

L-Shark's saw-blade arms spun slowly. "A feast," he said.

L-Hawk's wings shifted, his feathers glowing faintly.

"No one escaped," he said.

Victor's eyes burned. "You—," he started, but his voice cracked.

Cassius's drones sparked as he struggled. "Father…," he muttered.

Sylvia's shields flickered. "No…," she whispered.

Theron's eyes were cold as he looked at Hadrian.

"They… they were too strong," he growled.

Hadrian's claws trembled as he lifted his head.

His red eyes glowed with fury.

"Lucius," he spat, his voice shaking. "You planned this."

Lucius's smirk was calm. "Of course," he said.

"Did you think you could win without consequences?"

The battlefield was silent except for the sound of wind and the faint hum of Lucius's armor.

Hadrian's breath came slowly and heavily as he looked around at his captured family.

Lucius's eyes glowed. "It's over," he said. "You've lost."

Hadrian's claws clenched as he glared up at Lucius.

"So what will you do now?" he spat, his voice low and harsh.

"Kill us?"

Lucius's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming.

"Of course not," he said, his tone mocking. "I won't make it that easy."

He turned his head slightly, his gaze shifting to Fiona.

"So now," he said, "let's announce the winner."

Fiona hovered closer, her visor glowing as she started her stream.

She grinned, her voice smooth and playful. "Sure, boss," she said.

She raised her mic, her voice filling the battlefield.

"Fans of Luxoria, now cheer for the boss of Luxoria—Lord Lucius—the winner of this battle!"

The chat exploded.

---

@SteelFang: LUXORIA RULES!!!

@BladeEdge: Lord Lucius, unstoppable!

@HybridHeart: This is the greatest raid ever!

---

Fiona's grin widened. "And also," she continued, "he has officially made Luxoria the top faction!"

The chat went wild.

---

@PlasmaKnight: Yesss! Luxoria on top!

@SilverStrike: Show them all, Lord Lucius!

---

Lucius's smirk grew as he lifted his arms.

"Thank you," he said, his voice calm but full of pride.

"And for your cheers—"

He paused, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Let me see… let's do this," he said.

"I will hold a sale of Vornis later this week."

His grin turned sharp.

"You can even immediately customize it—and we'll help you," he said.

The chat went crazy.

---

@BattleLord: A sale of Vornis?!

@EdgeRunner: Custom Vornis? I'm in!

@HybridMaster: Lord Lucius delivers again!

---

Lucius's eyes turned cold as he looked back at Hadrian and his family.

"Now, about you Aurelius," he said slowly, his tone dangerous.

Hadrian's claws trembled, his breath shallow.

Lucius's smirk widened, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Let me think," he said.

Suddenly, Vandred pushed himself up from where he had been resting against a broken pillar.

He wiped the blood from his lip, his expression calm but determined.

"I have some suggestion," he said, his voice low and steady.

Lucius tilted his head, his smirk never fading.

"Oh?" he said. "What is it?"

Vandred stepped forward, his steps slow but sure, his broad shoulders straight.

"Let's just release them," he said.

"But make them pay you in resources as they already lost."

Lucius's eyes narrowed, the grin growing sharper. "Resources, you say?"

Vandred nodded, his tone steady.

"You already streamed it, Lucius. They won't be that stupid to challenge you again without paying."

Cassius's eyes widened, his drones buzzing faintly.

"Vandred, what are you—" he started, his voice tight.

Vandred ignored him, his gaze locked on Lucius.

"If you kill them now, you'll get nothing," he continued.

"But if you let them live, they'll be forced to pay you. It's a better trade."

Lucius chuckled, the sound low and dangerous.

"You've got quite a good idea," he said. "I can release them, sure."

Hadrian's claws trembled, his eyes narrowing.

"Lucius," he spat. "You—"

Lucius raised a hand, cutting him off.

"Even," he said, his tone light, "I don't need them to pay me. Just let them go."

Sylvia's eyes widened. "What?" she whispered.

Victor's claws dug into the ground. "You—" he started, his voice shaking.

Hadrian's breath hitched. "You're mocking us," he growled.

Lucius's smirk was cold.

"I already became strong," he said.

"But I don't like it when I don't have some opponents."

Vandred's eyes widened slightly. "You…," he muttered.

Lucius stepped forward, his boots leaving faint prints on the scorched ground.

"So I will release you and let you become strong," he said, his silver hair catching the wind.

"Let me see if you can kill me."

His smirk widened, his voice calm but sharp. "I will be waiting for you," he said.

---

@HybridMaster: Lucius is fearless!

@SteelEdge: He's letting them go?!

@PlasmaFang: That's just asking for trouble!

---

Hadrian's claws clenched, his breath coming in harsh gasps.

"Lucius," he said, his voice low, "I will come back—and I will kill you."

Lucius's eyes gleamed. "Good," he said. "I'll be waiting."

The battlefield fell silent, the wind carrying the promise of a future battle.