Lucas Anderson didn't avert his gaze from the children connected to tubes as he spoke languidly, "When did you plan on getting up from that wheelchair and stopping your charade of being a cripple?"
Gard Celestine's expression shifted dramatically. His feigned disability was a secret he had guarded zealously, one that had allowed him to dispatch any potential threats to his position. The fact that Lucas knew left him reeling in shock.
"Sons, kill this traitor who dares defy his father!" Gard Celestine bellowed, expecting immediate compliance. To his astonishment, the ten armed masked men stationed around the lab didn't even look towards his direction.
"Do you really think you could have deceived everyone indefinitely?" Lucas retorted with a dismissive shake of his head.
With his secret unveiled, Gard Celestine recognized the futility in maintaining his ruse. He stood up from the wheelchair, his movements smooth and unimpaired. None of the men in the laboratory seemed surprised by this revelation.
"How long have you known?" Gard asked Lucas, his tone laced with venom, his eyes ablaze with fury.
"Since the day you raped and murdered Gramma. I was there, hidden in her wardrobe, watching everything," Lucas replied, his voice cold, his eyes reflecting a deep-seated intent for vengeance.
Gramma had been the woman who looked after him, ensuring he didn't suffer the same fate as the other children at the hands of the lab attendants. She was like a mother to him.
Gard Celestine's laugh was bitter, filled with contempt. "I have no regrets about killing that woman. Anyone who opposes me deserves death."
Lucas Anderson's mouth twisted into a grim smile. "I don't desire your regret, what I desire is your life."
With that, Lucas's voice boomed, "I challenge Gard Celestine, the father of this organization!"
Andrea, a silent observer to the unfolding drama, felt as though she had been spared from the slaughterhouse, only to witness her captors turning on each other.
A mechanical voice immediately intoned, "Eligibility confirmed. The Arena of Fate is now prepared. Challengers are to proceed to the arena without delay. A ten-minute delay means forfeiting and the forfeiter must be executed immediately."
The rule that Gard Celestine had long sought to abolish within the organization was now the very one he was bound to honor. Concealing his strength had kept him safe from challengers, but no longer.
His glare fell upon Andrea, blaming her for inciting Lucas's bold gambit. "If I defeat him," he hissed, "you will beg for a swift death that will not come. And that boy, I'll ensure he perishes slowly, roasted alive."
Andrea paled, terror clenching her heart at his words.
Lucas Anderson, however, was already en route to the Arena of Fate, not pausing to listen to Gard Celestine's threats.
Andrea took a deep breath and trailed behind Gard Celestine, her fists clenched tightly, betraying her nervousness.
Her disdain for Lucas Anderson surpassed that of anyone else, yet in this moment, she found herself yearning for his victory against Gard Celestine.
Upon entering the so-called arena of fate, Andrea was met with a sight that left her stunned. Three statuesque figures, enshrouded completely, sat upon the judges' panel, their identities obscured. The setup was simple yet imposing, with a high podium at the center and less than three hundred seats for spectators encircling the platform.
"Step onto the platform. The rules are straightforward: no weapons allowed. Whoever is cast down from the platform will be executed on the spot as the loser," declared one of the judges in a voice that was chillingly devoid of any warmth.
Lucas Anderson bounded onto the platform with Gard Celestine following suit. Standing before Lucas, Gard Celestine sneered mockingly, "Do you really think you can defeat me with your subpar fighting skills? I'll send you to meet Gramma. Don't worry; you won't be lonely for long. After you, Andrea and her son will join you. It'll be quite the family reunion."
With an insidious grin, Gard Celestine seemed to relish the thought. Lucas, however, responded not with anger but with a disarming smile, his teeth a stark white contrast to the tension around them.
"Begin!" announced one of the judges, his impatience palpable. It had been too long since a fight had occurred in the arena, and the judges were oblivious to any developments that had transpired outside their domain.
Without hesitation, Lucas lunged forward, fist ready to strike. Gard Celestine's sneer deepened. "Naive."
The clash that ensued was one of raw power, fists flying, devoid of finesse or technique, each seeking to inflict maximum damage upon the other.
Andrea, unable to stomach the savagery, shielded her eyes with her hands.
"Excellent," remarked another judge, clearly pleased by the brutality.
Lucas stepped back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, while Gard Celestine's stance faltered, his body rejecting the violence with each bloody cough. Despite his enhancements, age was a factor he could not overcome.
"What have you done to me?" Gard Celestine demanded, terror seeping into his voice as he realized his diminished speed.
Lucas, through bloodstained teeth, replied hoarsely, "I've done nothing. But someone else has. I simply played my part to draw you out of hiding."
Realization dawned in Gard Celestine's eyes, replaced quickly by fury. "Traitors! All of you! You'll pay! I'll kill you all!"
Lucas shook his head, pitying the man who, despite his monstrous deeds, expected loyalty and love.
"It's time for you to join Gramma," Lucas said, and with a powerful spinning kick, he sent Gard Celestine flying from the platform.
The judges watched impassively as Gard Celestine met his end. "Congratulations. You are now the father of the organization," said one, his tone as flat as if no life had been lost.
"Trade it for my freedom. I want nothing to do with this organization," Lucas declared, turning to face the judges.
One judge snapped back sharply, "Impudence!"