With the battle finally behind us and the facility firmly in our control, the aftermath of the chaos weighed heavily on the air. Blood soaked the cracked concrete, the stench of fear and desperation clung to the walls, and the cold steel bars of the cells seemed to hum with the lingering echoes of screams. Ryuji and the twins stood at my side, their eyes sharp but weary, ready to take on whatever remained of the daunting task ahead.

I turned to Ryuji, my voice cutting through the eerie silence with an edge of urgency. "Ryu, gather Lana and the rest. Bring the guards from the entrances and exits, too. We've got a mountain of work ahead of us, and time isn’t on our side."

Ryuji gave a quick nod before disappearing into the shadows like a wraith, his movements fluid and ghostlike. Ten minutes later, he returned with Lana, her small group, and the guards who had pledged their loyalty to us from the very beginning. Their faces, worn from the endless conflict, told stories of exhaustion, but there was no respite yet.

I locked eyes with Lana, her weariness evident, but I offered her a brief, sympathetic smile. "Lana," I said, my voice softening just for her, "I know you’re running on fumes, but we need you. The survivors need you. Check every cell. Treat those who are still breathing. As for the dead… hand them over to Ryuji for cremation. Also, round up the nurses and remaining scientists. Put them in the cells with the guards. We can’t leave anyone unaccounted for."

She sighed deeply but nodded, already moving to gather her team, her resolve steady despite her visible exhaustion.

Turning to Ryuji, I gave him a firm look, though my gratitude for him shone through. "Ryu, secure the remaining guards. Bind them alongside your comrades and lock them in the cells. Then, move the bodies to the crematorium, offer them a final prayer before they're burned. Afterward, get the technicians and begin repairs—this place is in shambles."

Ryuji's icy eyes met mine with understanding. But before he turned to leave, he stopped, his voice low but steady. “And what about you?”

A dark smile twisted across my lips, a grin that promised vengeance. "I’ve got unfinished business. Promises to keep. Leave the chefs here with me; they’ll be useful. Now go handle what I've asked."

With a brief exchange of nods, Ryuji and Lana left to carry out their tasks. I was left with the remaining prisoners, chefs, Albert, Aurora, and the twins. The weight of leadership pressed down on my shoulders, but I was determined to keep control. I motioned for the chefs and prisoners to follow, heading toward the grim torture chambers, where unspeakable acts had once taken place. As we moved, I gave Albert, Aurora, and the twins their orders to retrieve Rick, Carlo, and the chief, dragging them to the center of the prison where judgment awaited.

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Before they left, I turned to Aurora. Her body practically vibrated with rage, her fists clenched so tight her knuckles turned white. The fire in her eyes was undeniable. “Aurora,” I said, my voice steady but dripping with authority, “I can see the fury burning inside you. But if you lay a finger on him before I’ve had my fill, I swear on everything, you’ll pay with your own life.”

I shifted my gaze to Albert, my tone hardening. “Old man, keep her in check. If she steps out of line, it’ll be on your head.”

Albert, ever the stalwart, gave a solemn nod, fully understanding the weight of my words. “As you wish, sir. I’ll see to it.”

With that settled, I led the prisoners and chefs down the dim, damp hallways toward the torture chambers. The heavy iron door creaked open, revealing a room steeped in darkness and old blood. There, I grabbed three thick, iron poles from the corner, each one pocked with rust and the dark stains of suffering. They felt cold and foreboding in my hands—a fitting tool for what was to come.

"Take the other two," I commanded, my voice sharp.

Without question, the prisoners and chefs hefted the remaining poles, their expressions grim. As we marched back into the open courtyard, the eerie silence pressed in from all sides. I channeled my mana, letting it surge through my arms as I drove each pole deep into the earth. The ground cracked beneath the force, and the sound echoed through the stillness like the toll of a death bell.

I handed out ropes to the prisoners and chefs. "Secure them to the poles," I ordered.

With methodical precision, they dragged Rick, Carlo, and the chief toward their fates. Rick and Carlo whimpered as their necks and hands were bound tightly to the poles, their legs left free, but the fear in their eyes betrayed them. The chief, however, received no such leniency—his neck and torso were bound so tightly he could barely move. He was caught like a rat in a trap, his once-overbearing confidence now replaced with silent dread.

The courtyard was filled with an unbearable tension, the air thick with anticipation. The prisoners and chefs stood in a tight circle, watching every move with wide, anxious eyes. They knew something was coming. They could feel it.

With a deliberate step, I approached the chief. His head lolled forward, unconscious from the earlier battle. I slapped him hard, mana coursing through my hand, sending him jolting awake. His eyes snapped open, filled with fury and fear.

"You... you mangy dog... you dare—" His voice was a guttural growl, but I didn’t let him finish.

With a swift movement, I severed his ear clean off, blood spurting from the wound. His scream tore through the courtyard, raw and primal, a sound of pure agony. I leaned in close, my voice low and venomous. "I’d watch that filthy mouth if I were you. The next cut will make this one feel like a kiss."

The chief’s bravado shattered in an instant. His lips trembled, and his voice cracked with fear. "Please… great sir… spare me. Let me live, I beg you."

A cold, twisted grin spread across my face. “Oh? You want to live, do you?”

His frantic nodding was pitiful, sweat mixing with the blood pouring from his ear.

"Then beg," I said, my voice dripping with sadistic amusement. "Beg for your miserable life, like the dog you are. Come on, let's hear it."

The chief, shaking with fear, bit his lip so hard it bled. Through clenched teeth, he spat the words, his dignity crumbling before my eyes. “This lowly dog begs for his worthless life. I will give you anything—anything you desire.”

His groveling ignited something dark inside me. He was at my mercy, and I intended to make him suffer.