Chapter 102 Don't confuse my kindness with weakness.

"You!" The assassin leader grinned like a lunatic, his bloodshot eyes twitching with excitement. "You're the other one I've been hunting! Hah! This is perfect! Perfect! I don't even have to waste my time searching for you now! Hiahiahia!" His laugh echoed like shattered glass, sharp and wild. He spread his arms theatrically, as if expecting applause, his madness dripping from every word. Rex rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "So it's you, the assassin that my bald friend warned me about." He took a step forward, his boots crunching against the gravel with a deliberate slowness. "You know what, little bastard?" His voice was calm, almost too calm, but there was a weight to it, like a storm waiting to break. From beneath the assassin leader, white chains shot up from the ground, slamming into his limbs with a ferocity that rattled his bones. The chains coiled around him like angry serpents, pulling him into the air as he struggled and cursed. "W-what the hell is this?! Release me! Do you have any idea who I am?" The assassin leader barked, his earlier confidence cracking. His eyes darted around like a cornered rat. "If you hurt me, my uncle will make you regret it! You'll wish you were never born!" He screamed, a mix of fear and arrogance dripping from his words. Rex stopped just inches away, his eyes level with the assassin's as the chains held him aloft. A cold smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Not a single day goes by where I regret being born," Rex said, his voice carrying the kind of chill that made even the bravest men falter. And then, without warning, his fist slammed into the assassin's stomach with enough force to shake the ground. The assassin gasped, blood spurting from his mouth as Rex's arm plunged straight through his torso. But instead of fear, the assassin leader laughed, a wet, gurgling sound that made Rex raise an eyebrow. "Hah! That's it? That's your best shot?" The assassin wheezed, his voice rasping but defiant. "Do you think I'm scared of a punch? I'm immortal, idiot! You can't kill me with your pathetic tricks!" He grinned, blood staining his teeth as his chest heaved. Rex didn't react. He didn't even blink. Instead, he touched the communicator on his neck. " Cleo, is that enough data for you?" He asked, his tone flat and detached, like he was ordering groceries. "Affirmative," came the cool voice of Cleo through the communicator. "The blueprint for the device has been sent to your HUD. Proceed as planned." "Good, " Rex said, cracking his knuckles as he turned his gaze back to the assassin. "Now, take the twins and your soldiers. Get out of here. Things are about to get... messy." "Understood. Phantom unit, retrieve the twins, and fall back," Cleo commanded. From the shadows, sleek black soldiers materialized like specters, their crimson visors glowing menacingly. Unlike Cleo's usual pristine white Aegis units, these were darker and deadlier, their silence more unnerving than any battle cry. Two of the phantoms shifted their arms, blades of crackling energy extending from their wrists. With mechanical precision, they sheathed the blades and scooped up the unconscious twins before vanishing back into the darkness. Rex waited, watching until every last one of Cleo's troops was gone. The assassin leader watched too, though his smirk was beginning to waver. The silence felt heavy, suffocating, as Rex slowly opened and closed his hands, the metallic gleam of his freshly crafted brass knuckles catching the faint light. "Still playing with toys, huh?" The assassin leader sneered, though his voice quivered ever so slightly. "Do you think those useless trinkets can stop me? I told you, I'm—" Rex's fist smashed into his face before he could finish the sentence. The sound of the impact was like a gunshot, reverberating through the air. The assassin's head snapped back, his nose breaking with a sickening crunch, but Rex didn't stop. Her tone was sharp, but there was a subtle undertone of concern beneath her scolding. " We understand, Teacher," the twins replied in unison, their voices a mix of resignation and determination. The momentary calm was shattered by the echoing loud sound of a distant explosion, followed by the deep, bone-rattling sound of shockwaves tearing through the air. The girls jumped slightly, their wide eyes darting to the nearest window, though it offered no view of the outside chaos. "What... what was that? " Nyra asked, her voice sharper now, the edge of her curiosity tinged with unease. "Oh, that? Don't worry," Cleo said, her tone unusually casual, almost dismissive. " That's just Rex... having a little talk with one of our uninvited guests." "A talk? " Lyra tilted her head, blinking in innocent confusion . "But... it sounds so loud! Is he yelling at them or something?" Nyra frowned, her instincts kicking in. She was no fool, and she knew exactly what Cleo was trying to sugarcoat. Her sister might buy the explanation, but Nyra wasn't so easily convinced. Her gaze lingered on the holographic teacher. "Teacher, can we see how Rex is 'talking' to them?" Nyra asked, crossing her arms. Her sharp tone was all too aware of the truth Cleo was trying to dodge. Cleo hesitated for a moment, her expression flickering as if she was calculating something. Over the past week, the twins had begun calling her "Teacher" out of respect, not just for the combat training she'd given them, but for the countless other lessons she'd drilled into them. From empire management to survival skills, even down to the subtle art of cooking something as simple as a perfect egg, Cleo had become their unyielding mentor. "Hmmm..." Cleo mused aloud. "I can't show you everything. Some parts are... classified." She was already filtering the footage, removing anything too visceral or gruesome from Rex's ongoing interrogation. "But I can show you a little, just enough for context." With a flick of her holographic hand, Cleo summoned a massive holo-screen that filled the center of the medical bay. The video began playing, showing Rex's arrival at the scene, his cold, methodical approach to the assassin leader, and the first devastating punch that broke the assassin's smug demeanor. The screen cut off there, leaving the twins with just enough to paint a picture, but far from the whole story. Their reactions couldn't have been more different. Lyra's eyes widened in shock, her hands gripping the blanket tightly as she tried to process what she'd just seen . "I-Is that how Rex... talks to people?" she stammered, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. She shrank back slightly, almost as if she could still feel the echoes of Rex's chilling aura through the screen. Nyra, however, had an entirely different reaction. Her lips curved upward in a sly, almost devious smile. She rested her chin on her hand, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous curiosity. "Hah... so that's how he deals with them," she murmured, her tone low and amused. It wasn't fear she felt, it was admiration. Cleo noticed the stark contrast between the two girls and narrowed her eyes slightly, addressing them both. "You'd do well to remember that Rex's methods aren't something to take lightly. What you saw wasn't a game, nor was it a show of strength for entertainment. It was a necessity." Lyra nodded quickly, still clutching the blanket as if it might shield her from the thought of Rex's brutality. "I... I get it. He was just doing what he had to... right ?" Nyra, on the other hand, leaned forward, her grin widenin g. "Oh, I get it, Teacher. Believe me, I get it." Her voice was practically dripping with mischief.