Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 79 Inhumane

The room behind the large vaulted door was a stark contrast to the chaotic scenes outside. It was filled with the gentle hum of machinery, the sound creating a low, rhythmic drone that reverberated off the walls.

The space was bathed in a soft, cool light, with a climate control system ensuring the technology didn't overheat. Servers lined the walls in neat, precise rows, their lights blinking methodically, almost like a heartbeat.

Each server was encased in sleek, dark metal, and the cables snaked across the floor and ceiling like the veins of a vast, mechanical beast.

Alicarde marveled at the sight. The sheer amount of data being processed in this room was staggering. The machines here were the nerve center of whatever operations this building supported, their purpose obscured by their complex design.

He walked in, maintaining his sinister composure, the violet glow of his eyes casting eerie shadows in the dimly lit room.

'Stay cool, Alicarde, stay cool... be like Batman,' he thought, a flicker of childishness hidden beneath his dark facade. But his thoughts were a far cry from the terror-stricken mind of Kim, who floated helplessly behind him.

Her black hair clung to her face, damp with sweat, tears, and snot. Her eyes were wide with fear, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

Kim hadn't even found the strength to cry out loud, the fear had lodged itself too deeply in her throat. Her mind raced, wondering what would become of her. She was just an ordinary girl who had stumbled into this nightmare.

She had gotten this job by sheer luck—or perhaps, more accurately, by a little underhanded deal. She had given her life savings to an important-looking man in a suit, and in return, she had secured the job.

Was this her penance for indulging in a bit of nepotism? It wasn't her fault, really. The system was to blame. She had met all the qualifications, but without knowing anyone important, she'd been overlooked. The unfairness of it all gnawed at her, but that indignation quickly dissolved into raw terror.

Kim had a family to support, her parents worked so hard for her to get to where she was, only for the final obstacle to be the corrupt system that was based on who you know rather than your qualifications.

Why was she being punished? Why wasn't the Grim Reaper punishing those who were truly responsible?

'Why? I don't want to die...' Kim wept silently, her wide, tear-filled eyes locked on the man she believed to be the Grim Reaper himself.

Alicarde moved deeper into the room, fully aware that an armed unit or two would soon be on his trail. He wasn't overly concerned—a group of humans with guns was hardly a threat to him. However, Malefica's rule about not killing weighed on his mind. He could take them out easily enough, but he was bound by her rules.

'At least let me do it in self-defense,' he mused, but he knew the witch wouldn't accept that as an excuse.

He approached the largest machine in the room, its massive frame dominating the space. However, he quickly realized there were no visible ports to insert the drive. For a moment, he was at a loss, but then an idea struck him.

He pointed the drive at the machine, hoping for a miracle. To his relief, the drive vibrated in his hand, a green bar appearing on its sleek black surface. He moved it closer, and to his surprise, it snapped onto the machine like a magnet. The green bar began to fill slowly, indicating the data transfer was in progress.

But as the seconds ticked by, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching. His time was running out. He knew he had to protect the drive while it completed its task.

'Soldiers, quite a few of them too, but not enough to matter. They will either submit or die... hmm, right, I can't kill them.' Alicarde thought, the last part making him somewhat irritated.

Calmly, he walked toward the sounds, his hand never leaving the hilt of his sword. Kim, still floating behind him, trembled with a renewed glimmer of hope. Perhaps the incoming personnel would save her from this nightmare.

The corridor outside echoed with the hurried steps of armed men, their boots striking the floor in unison. Alicarde's violet eyes narrowed beneath his hood as he assessed the situation. He could sense their anxiety, their determination to take him down. He knew they wouldn't hesitate to shoot, but he had no intention of giving them that chance.

As he advanced toward the door, his shadow stretched out, flickering ominously under the cold, artificial light. The soldiers were getting closer now—he could hear the clatter of their equipment, the low murmur of their voices as they communicated with each other.

Alicarde stood just inside the threshold, his stance relaxed yet ready for action. Kim, despite her terror, couldn't help but cling to the desperate hope that these men would rescue her.

But Alicarde had no intention of letting that happen. As the first shadow crossed the doorway, he prepared to unleash the full extent of his powers. This would be over quickly—no killing, just incapacitation. After all, he had a data bank to protect.

He quickly reviewed his objectives. Priority one, protect the server room—one damaged machine could ruin the mission. Priority two, keep the young woman alive—he wasn't about to let someone he was supposed to protect die.

Priority three, have fun and make them submit before him... though he knew the last one was more of a personal preference than an actual priority.

'And no killing,' he reminded himself, begrudgingly.

The soldiers approached the server room with military precision. The leader stepped forward, raising his weapon and issuing a clear, authoritative command.

"Hands in the air! Now!"

He moved with blinding speed, his body a blur as he closed the distance in an instant. His first punch landed with the force of a sledgehammer, striking the nearest soldier in the chest. The impact caved in the man's body armor, the breath leaving his lungs in a single, pained wheeze as he was lifted off his feet and hurled backward.

Kim, still floating behind him, watched in silent horror as the bullets halted just before they could reach her. The soldiers were too consumed by fear to even attempt a rescue.

Alicarde waved his hand, and three soldiers were yanked into the air by the gravitational pull, their bodies lifting as if they were weightless.

He paused for a moment, letting their terror build, then slammed them down with brutal force. The concrete cracked beneath them, the sickening sound of bones breaking filling the air. Blood flowed freely, but their groans assured him they were still alive, just broken.

He lifted two more high into the air, their arms flailing uselessly as they dangled like ragdolls. Their terrified screams filled the air, a symphony of despair that Alicarde savored.

'Man, I hope their health insurance can cover this,' Alicarde thought.

"He's not human!" one of the soldiers cried out, his voice cracking with terror. "What the hell is he?!"

Another, barely holding it together, shouted, "We're gonna die here!"

Alicarde's smile widened under the hood as he toyed with them, enjoying every second of their panic. He sidestepped another soldier who had tried to intercept him, grabbing the man's outstretched arm with one swift motion.

The force of his grip was crushing, the bone snapping with a sickening crack.

The soldier screamed, his face contorted in agony. Alicarde twisted, and the man's body spun with the motion. With a flick of his wrist, he flung the soldier into the wall, the impact sending him flying through the room. Blood sprayed from the man's mouth as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious but alive.

The room was a cacophony of screams and gunfire, the soldiers' desperation pushing them to reckless bravery.

Alicarde moved through them like a force of nature, each step calculated, each motion precise. He grabbed another soldier, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. The man's eyes widened in terror as Alicarde's grip tightened, the bones in his arm cracking under the pressure.

With a flick of his wrist, Alicarde sent the soldier flying across the room, his body crashing into a row of heavy metals. The impact shattered the metal and glass, the man's body limp as he fell to the ground, unmoving.

Alicarde turned, his gaze locking onto the remaining soldiers. They were trembling, their weapons shaking in their hands. He could see the fear in their eyes, the realization that they were utterly outmatched.

He stepped forward, his presence overwhelming, and the soldiers stumbled back, their resolve crumbling.

"This is the part where you run," he said, his voice dripping with menace.

But they didn't run. Instead, they opened fire again, their shots wild and erratic, desperation etched on their faces.

Alicarde's eyes narrowed, and he extended his hand. The air around him shimmered as he manipulated the gravitational field. The bullets stopped mid-air, suspended by his will. He closed his fist, and the bullets crumpled like paper, dropping harmlessly to the ground.

He flicked his fingers, and the remaining soldiers were lifted off their feet, their bodies spinning helplessly in the air. With a sharp, downward motion, he slammed them into the ground. The impact shook the room, the soldiers' bodies bouncing off the concrete before collapsing in broken heaps.

Alicarde stood amidst the carnage, satisfied with the outcome. Behind him, Kim's eyes were wide and trembling, her face ashen.

'Well, no one died... I hope,' he mused.

'He isn't human... This is a monster that enjoys toying with human lives,' she thought, the realization chilling her to the core.

Alicarde turned away from the soldiers, leaving behind a trail of blood, pain, and fear. The dark smile hidden beneath his hood was one of triumph as he returned to the server room.

The drive was now fully loaded, the green bar on its sleek surface glowing brightly. He pulled it off the machine, marveling at the technology.

Demi-plane technology was truly something else—it had downloaded an immense amount of data from the government system. Bank accounts, personal data, confidential reports—all of it was now in his possession. The only exception was the police records, which were housed in a separate system.

'I'll have to pay the local police station a visit,' he mused, pocketing the drive.

The server room was filled with the gentle hum of machinery, cool air circulating to keep the tech from overheating. Alicarde admired the rows of servers, their blinking lights casting an eerie glow in the dim room. Everything had gone according to plan, and now all that remained was to make his escape before reinforcements arrived.

He took one last look at the room, his gaze lingering on the trembling form of Kim. She was still floating mid-air, eyes wide with fear and disbelief. For a moment, he felt a pang of something—regret, maybe—but he quickly brushed it aside. She was a casualty of circumstance, nothing more.

With a final glance at the dimly lit room, Alicarde turned and strode through the door, his dark figure melding seamlessly with the shadows of the corridor. Behind him, Kim slowly lowered to the ground, her legs giving out as she collapsed onto the cold floor, shaken but alive.