Reawakening: SSS-Rank Villain's POV-Chapter 82: Revenge I!

Lucian stared, his mind blank as his mouth opened wide, struggling to comprehend Kyra's sudden, casual appearance. When had she even come out? He hadn't summoned her. He hadn't felt her emerge from his shadow space at all. Had she been watching the entire fight? Munching on an apple?!

"Kyra...?" he managed, his voice hoarse from exertion and surprise. "How...? When...?"

She simply smiled, a smile more devastating and brilliant than even the morning sun reflected off polished gold. "Oh, I get bored just sitting in the dark, Master," she purred, her voice a melody that vibrated deep within Lucian's chest. "Thought I'd come out for some... fresh air." Her long, black tail gave a lazy flick behind the chair. "Quite the show you put on. Very... vigorous."

"Crunch." Another bite of the apple echoed in the sudden silence of the destroyed ballroom.

Lucian felt a headache coming on, a sharp throb behind his eyes that had nothing to do with his near-fatal injuries. This Blood Shadow... this Mythic Blood Shadow... was going to be a problem. An incredibly powerful, unbelievably beautiful, and potentially uncontrollable problem.

"I..." Lucian started, then cleared his throat, trying desperately to regain some semblance of composure despite the pounding exhaustion and the bewildering presence before him. "I didn't summon you."

Kyra giggled, a low, throaty sound that sent inappropriate shivers down his spine despite the circumstances. "Does a queen need permission to step out onto her balcony, Master?" She leaned forward slightly, her golden eyes locking onto his, a playful yet dangerous glint within them. "Besides, the connection feels... stronger now. More like a suggestion than a chain, wouldn't you agree?"

That confirmed his fears. The Mythic Soul Essence, the unique resurrection... it had altered the standard Blood Shadow bond. She had free will, or something dangerously close to it.

"Recall!" he commanded again, focusing his will, trying to assert dominance through the strained connection.

Kyra sighed dramatically, tossing the apple core over her shoulder where it vanished before hitting the ground. "Spoilsport." Her form shimmered, dissolving into the familiar vortex of black, gold, and crimson light, flowing back towards Lucian and reforming as the intricate, pulsing tattoo on his arm. But this time, Lucian felt a distinct resistance, a playful nudge against his command before she complied.

He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, slumping slightly. He needed rest. He needed mana. He needed to figure out what to do about Kyra. And he needed to get out of this hotel before the City Guards arrived.

He quickly gathered the loot dropped by the assassins – a wicked-looking cleaver from Gristle, Silk Edge's elegant katana and wakizashi, Viper's twin stilettos still faintly shimmering with poison, and a few pouches containing relic coins and some minor potions.

[Item Acquired: Gristle's Abattoir Cleaver]

[Grade]: ⟨Epic⟩

[Type]: Heavy Cleaver

[Attack Power]: +280%

[Effects]: +50 Strength, +20% Armor Penetration, Causes Deep Wounds (Bleed).

[Item Acquired: Silk Edge's Moonshadow Katana]

[Grade]: ⟨Epic⟩

[Type]: Katana

[Attack Power]: +220%

[Effects]: +60 Agility, +15% Attack Speed, Enhanced Sharpness.

[Item Acquired: Silk Edge's Silent Moon Wakizashi]

[Grade]: ⟨Rare⟩

[Type]: Short Sword

[Attack Power]: +150%

[Effects]: +30 Agility, Silent Strike (Reduces noise on attack).

[Item Acquired: Viper's Twin Stilettos (Pair)]

[Grade]: ⟨Epic⟩

[Type]: Dagger (Pair)

[Attack Power]: +180% (each)

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[Effects]: +70 Agility, +20% Poison Application Chance, Inflicts Neurotoxin (Slows target).

He didn't have time to reroll now. Sirens were growing louder in the distance. He shoved the items into his inventory. Checking his own status, the Titan's Rampage had worn off, leaving him feeling weaker, though his base stats were higher than before the fight thanks to Blood Devour.

His legendary armor was scratched and dented, the durability significantly lowered, but holding. His clothes, however, were once again shredded. With a thought, he equipped a simple black tunic and trousers from his inventory over his armor, activating the incognito feature.

He glanced back at the carnage in the ballroom – the shattered floor, the broken chandeliers, the bloodstains already fading from the polished stone thanks to the Tower's ambient cleanup magic, and the distinct outlines where the assassins' bodies had dissolved after death.

Time to go. He couldn't use the main elevators or lobby. He headed towards the gaping hole in the outer wall where he'd first been blasted out. Peering down eighteen stories, the wind whistling past, he took a deep breath.

He jumped.

Instead of plummeting, he controlled his descent using minute bursts of mana from his feet, slowing his fall, angling away from the Celestial Rest. He landed silently in a dark alleyway several blocks away, the sirens converging on the hotel behind him.

He blended into the shadows, pulling up the hood of the Umbra Cloak he'd rerolled earlier.

[Passive Activated: Perfected Shadow Blend]

His form blurred, becoming nearly invisible in the dim alley light. He moved quickly, putting distance between himself and the chaos. His mind was racing.

Assassins. High-level, coordinated, well-equipped assassins from a group called the 'Shadow Syndicate', based on the system notifications. Who sent them? Why? The obvious answer pointed to the Green Dragon Guild. Darius's parting words, the veiled threat... it fit. That level of petty, immediate retribution for a simple refusal.

Lucian's eyes turned cold, the exhaustion momentarily forgotten, replaced by a chilling fury. He had tried to avoid trouble, tried to simply get stronger, but trouble had found him. Darius had crossed a line. Trying to kill him? In his own room?

Fine. If they wanted war, they would get annihilation.

He recalled the information from the hotel receptionist. The Green Dragon Guild headquarters wasn't far. He changed direction, melting into the flow of the Nexus City night, a vengeful phantom seeking retribution. The need for strength wasn't just an abstract goal anymore; it was a necessity for survival, and now, for revenge.

He moved through the city like a ghost. The Umbra Cloak was proving its worth, allowing him to slip through crowds and patrols unnoticed. The city was vibrant even at night, mana lamps casting intricate patterns on the streets, late-night stalls still selling glowing trinkets and steaming food, adventurers returning from hunts or heading out for nocturnal expeditions.

Lucian ignored it all. His focus was singular. He navigated the streets, his enhanced perception picking out the guild signs hanging above various buildings. He passed the roaring forge of the Blacksmith's Collective, the quiet library of the Scholar's Enclave, and finally, he saw it.