Lord of Annihilation

"What is that?" "Is this an attack?" "What should we do?"

Looking at this large foreign object enter the atmosphere of their planet, the crowd muttered to themselves in confusion.

"All soldiers gather in your assigned squad formations and prepare for an attack." Olivia promptly provided instructions quelling the confusion. She herself roused her soul power, preparing for an attack.

"Don't bother too much. They aren't here to attack." Lucius who stood next to her whispered into her ears.

"Huh?" Confused at his declaration, she turned to look at Lucius' face.

Wearing the same blank expression, Lucius spoke while staring at the slowly descending space vessel.

"They aren't here to attack." He repeated.

Feeling hesitant at his answer, Olivia asked. "Are you sure?" 

"Positive." 

Holding absolute trust in Lucius, Olivia retrieved the gathered soul power and promptly gave an order.

"Stand down. Don't attack until I give the order." 

Meanwhile, Ka'lor'ah who had returned to her spot atop Lucius' shoulder curiously asked. 'How do you know that they aren't here to attack?'

'Because I know these guys. They are small-time pirates and Pectron is too much of a backwater planet to attract their attention.'

'Know them…wait, is this that pirate organization that you joined back then?' Ka'lor'ah asked referring to Lucius' previous life.

'Yes. I recognized that symbol.' Lucius casually answered. As he continued, his tone then turned serious, as he continued, 'However, I don't understand what they are doing here. Their field of activity lies in the neighboring star system and the regions inward.' 

'Maybe they're here to plunder Pectron?' Ka'lor'ah guessed.

'I doubt it. They aren't strong enough to plunder an entire planet.' 

The large spacecraft finally came to a halt, hovering at a comfortable distance of a few meters of the ground. The whirring sounds of mechanical components resounded through the air, forming an opening on its smooth metallic hull.

Following the appearance of the opening, a few floating floors exited the spacecraft forming a staircase to the ground. With the formation of the staircase, heavy footsteps followed.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

The low clanking of metal against metal was followed by the appearance of three alien visitors. These aliens visitors clad in full metallic armor, descended the stairs and stepped foot on the newly-cleared plains of Pectron.

Looking around, the alien visitors seemed to notice the distant walls of Pectron. Kicking off the ground, their figures quickly crossed the distance arriving just before the tall walls.

Lucius, who had witnessed the fluctuations of their soul powers, narrowed his eyes.

'Three Peak-Level Stage 2.'

Stopping at a reasonable distance from the newly established rampart, the trio stood in the formation of an arrowhead (^ - like that) and collectively looked at the gathered crowd atop the walls.

The alien visitor standing at the apex of the formation removed his metal helmet exposing his tanned, Terran face to the crowd of onlookers.

"Well, well, what a nice welcoming group. I'm honored." Performing an exaggerated bow, the Terran visitor scanned the crowd atop the wall.

'Hmm… just a bunch of Low-Level Stage 2s, except for the two upfront, I can't get a read on them.' He thought to himself, pausing at the figures of Lucius and Olivia. 

Staring at them with a piercing gaze, a lewd expression appeared within his eyes. 'Oho...two top-notch looking b*tches. The one of the left's got a hot body, while the one on the right's got a better face. This is going to be a fun day, hehe.'

Having confirmed the entire group's strengths, an arrogant expression appeared on his face, along with a change of tone.

"Now, if you bugs would be kind enough to go in and inform whoever's in charge to come and meet me that would be great." He haughtily announced, before pointing at Lucius and Olivia, "I want those two to stay and 'entertain' me." He spoke while salaciously licking his lips.

Hearing his request, the faces of all the guards solidified with anger especially that of the Oncanian Captain whose eyes turned a shade darker and whose hands stealthily reached for his daggers. A collective bloodlust rose from the group of soldiers.

To dare insult the honor of their Governor…if the fates of the trio were undecided at the beginning, it was finalized at this instant. 

Even if it cost them their lives, these soldiers would drag this trio to hell alongside them.

Meanwhile, Olivia who was subject to mockery showed no change in her facial expression. Such words…she had heard far too many times during the last three years that she hardly reacted to them anymore.

The three years of brutal battles, schemes, and fights for power and authority had removed all traces of naivety and hot-bloodedness that was once present in her.

Olivia had not only grown as a warrior but had also grown as a person. 

'Wow…' Ka'lor'ah who had witnessed that declaration, silently muttered. 'That guy really wants to die, huh?'

Mentally performing a shrug, she continued. 'Well, this solves the question of transportation, I guess.'

Noticing the lack of movement from the crowd atop the wall, the Terran visitor grew irritated. And when he noticed the collective bloodlust directed towards him and his group, he finally snapped.

"Pathetic dogs who don't understand the difference between our powers. Let me teach you the price of offending---"

His furious voice, accompanied by gales of soul power suddenly stopped when his eyes met with that of Lucius. 

A pair of eyes that glowed with differing shades of color. 

Lucius, who had activated [Charm], an ability of dubious origin, ensnared the gaze of the Terran visitor with his own. Once trapped, he simply sent a wave of invisible energy that destroyed the opponent's psyche.

The moment this invisible wave of energy struck the Terran, his pupils shook intensely for a second before breaking into numerous pieces. Much like a puppet whose strings had been cut, his body powerlessly dropped to the ground.

Lucius, who had effortlessly destroyed his unprepared opponent, mentally nodded his head in satisfaction.

'This method derived from the attacks of the crimson soul is quite effective, allowing me to destroy the psyche of a higher-tiered being using my unique abilities. This can be further improved.'

'Whoa! That looked so awesome, how did you do that?!' Ka'lor'ah squeal resounded within his mind.

It wasn't only Ka'lor'ah who was surprised. The two companions of the recently-deceased Terran, Olivia, the Oncanian Captain, and even the guards atop the tower looked at the collapsed body with confusion and shock.

"Wha-what just happened?" 

"Why did he suddenly fall?"

"Is he dead? Who attacked him?" 

The guards quietly chattered amongst the crowd. Having an experienced eye, they quickly noticed the state of the Terran.

"WHO DID THAT?!"

Of course, being similarly experienced, the two companions of the Terran also confirmed the state of their friend. 

"Come out and show yourself, coward!" While their shouts were filled with righteous anger, their legs noticeably trembled.

To kill a Peak-Level Stage 2 being in such an efficient and imperceptible manner…it had to be a Stage 3 existence. And against such a terrifying existence, they would stand no chance.

"I'll have you know, our Boss will seek revenge for this! You better prepare yourself!" 

Having already taken back numerous steps, the two alien visitors shouted one last time before rushing back towards their spaceship. They did not even dare recover the body of their companion and continued their pathetic retreat.

A grand display turned into such a comical affair, the onlookers were stunned to silence. 

Lucius, who was silent all the while, softly called out his companion's name. "Olivia."

"Settle your affairs and bring everything that will be required for the journey; spirit coins, weapons, armor, etc. We shall leave this planet in six hours." His tone was of the utmost seriousness.

Olivia nodded her head, before immediately turning to leave. She did not ask any further questions, for she already had a vague understanding of what had happened and what was going to happen.

Lucius, for this part, fully extended his scythe and jumped off the rampart. He looked at the towering spaceship at the distance and started to head in its direction.

Their ride had arrived. It was time to rid it of its pests.

-----------

Four hours later. 

Inside a hemispherical room containing many screens of light, mechanical terminals, system controls, and other such devices, stood thirty humanoid figures with bloodless faces and trembling legs before another wielding a scythe.

The figure with the scythe, his hands, and robes covered with blood, scanned the inhabitants of the room with his plain, black eyes before asking.

"Who's the Captain of this ship?" His words although normal in nature, were all but normal in the ears of its recipients.

The bodies of the thirty figures visibly shook with greater intensity, yet not a single one stepped forth to answer. Hell, they did not even dare to breathe before this monster, wishing everything to be a nightmare.

And what a nightmare it was.

Only four hours had passed since they had landed on this planet. Four hours since this monster in front of them had boarded their ship. 

And within these mere four hours, this monster before them had killed no less than 400 of their crewmates, while systematically and thoroughly crushing any resistance faced.

Well, perhaps 'killed' was putting it too kindly.

Nay, this monster did not simply kill. It tore their bodies, shattered their bones, grind their flesh, and seemingly as if this wasn't demonic enough, this monster also 'ate' some of them. To add to this nightmare, some of the victims suddenly froze upon meeting the monster's eyes and suddenly feel, never to get up once more.

It was scenes that even they, being pirates who plundered, killed, and performed horrible actions against living creatures, found horrific. 

It was the manifestation of their greatest of fears and the worst of their nightmares. 

A Killer, who killed for the sake of killing.

Growing annoyed at the lack of response, Lucius furrowed his brows and asked once more.

"I won't ask again. Who is your Captain?"