Genetic Ascension

It was quite amusing. Sylas found himself sitting in a cell across from, well, himself.

Nosphaleen was chained up and still pretending to be him. The two looked toward one another calmly before returning to their own thoughts.

Time ticked by, and as Sylas expected, the restlessness of the city caused them to have to take drastic measures. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a shame if he missed out on his three-day promise because some bureaucrats decided to take their sweet time?

Soon, his cell was rattling and two large figures in hoods appeared. They had the solemnity of death about them, a thick scent of blood wafting from their hoods, into the air as though they had just had a feast of raw meat.

Maybe it was supposed to be intimidating, but Sylas couldn't find himself caring at all.

This was what he had expected. They came to execute him, likely in a public forum. Since they were losing control of the city, the best way to manage things now was to rule by fear.

This wouldn't work for the long term, but because they had a short-term goal of dealing with Cassarae as quickly as possible, they probably thought that this would be enough to silence people for the time being.

Plus...

The Guiz City Lord certainly wasn't thinking very straight right now. After all, it was his younger cousin, a man that was no different from his own little brother, that Sylas had killed.

If he wasn't absolutely furious right about now, he might as well not be a creature of flesh and blood.

Sylas was ripped up from his feet.

What neither of these two bloodied reapers noticed, though, was that as Sylas moved past Nosphaleen's cell, she vanished.

...

After so long in the dark, the blinding rays of the sun made Sylas squint a bit.

It was high noon the day following as he was brought to the platform in a public square packed to the brim like rows of sardines in a line.

Unlike what one might normally expect from a public execution, no one was clamoring for better seats. In fact, it almost felt like they had been forced to be here.

And that was actually precisely what had happened.

Many would have come to this execution anyway, but City Lord Guiz, who stood on a high- rise building not far away, didn't just want them to come of their own volition.

He wanted them to understand that their lives weren't their own anymore.

High above the ground, his hands clasped behind his back, and his gaze filled with a deep, brewing darkness, City Lord Guiz watched as Sylas was forced to his knees, his head tilted forward.

"Today." City Lord Guiz began to speak coldly. "We will be executing a traitor of our beloved city."

Silence returned his words.

"Declassifying secret military procedures without permission, killing government officials, and causing millions in property damage along with traumatizing the most vulnerable community among us-the poor and the disenfranchised.

"Your crimes are punishable by death.

"Kill."

The speech wasn't very long, nor did City Lord Guiz have any intention of dragging it out.

A collection of mourning took hold of the crowd, but none of them were strong enough to do anything. Those that had dared had already all been savagely beaten and thrown in a jail cell.

All they could do now was feel a suffocating burden on their hearts, their chests pounding with agitation and unwillingness.

Among them, Eness was at the very first row, not by choice, but by design. In fact, she had already long kicked up a fuss and should have been in a jail cell right this moment.

Observing her for a moment right now, other than the tears brimming in her eyes, it was as though her expression was frozen stiff. She couldn't even move her fingers like she wanted to.

Time froze as the reapers moved, the stench of blood they came off rippling out in a nauseating aroma.

Many vomited on the spot, unable to watch.

But the moment the bloodied reapers raised their rusted scythes and began to swing down, City Lord Guiz felt that something was very wrong.

The blade passed through Sylas' body as though he wasn't there at all.

There was a flicker and the kneeling man disappeared, replaced by a man standing just two or

So meters in front of the reapers and looking up at City Lord Guiz's position.

But now, Sylas' mask was nowhere to be seen. He stood there calmly, his short brown hair shifting in the wind along with the white fur of his outfit.

City Lord Guiz's pupils constricted as the bad feeling overwhelmed his heart.

"Trying to secretly kill a Noble and your own General without due process... as expected of a man who wants to rule with an iron fist. Today, it seems like I don't have much of a choice but to counter you in such a public fashion."

There was a tremble in City Lord Guiz's heart as he felt a backlash hit him. It was hidden away deep in the depths of his heart, but it was undeniable.

Sylas had done this on purpose.

A City Lord couldn't act with impunity. He was already overstepping his bounds by killing citizens, but he had managed to find a loophole to take advantage of. Since they had witnessed the death of a General, he had been able to stretch the truth a bit to claim they were part of the conspiracy that killed General Broussard.

Because they were neither Nobles nor military officials, it was easy.

When it came to killing Eness, this was a backlash they had already been willing to take, which was why Lucirius had acted personally though he inevitably failed.

But something like this... was particularly bad.

Suddenly, City Lord Guiz realized that he had fallen for a trap, an elaborate one with webs that stretched so far he could see through them at all.

"You are not fit to be City Lord. Today, I will represent the people and challenge you."

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