My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

Under the shuddering tension of the battlefield, Lucien's underlings surged forward, their eyes wide with shock as they saw their leader's lifeless body crumple in Lucan's arms.

Darius was the first to react. His usually composed demeanor shattered as his heavy steps, each firm and determined carried him closer, yet his expression was a mask of restrained fury.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Lucien…" Rhys muttered, his usual calm face twisted with disbelief. He glanced up, his gaze catching Lucan's, the moment's weight pressing down on him.

"You!" Rhys shouted, his voice filled with confusion and accusation. "What have you done?!"

Darius stepped forward, his hand lifting to silence Rhys. His voice was sharp and commanding, laced with authority. "Hold your tongue," Darius growled, his dark eyes fixed on Lucan. This is not his fault."

He turned, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, finally landing on the Illusionist, whose panic was written all over his face. The Illusionist was still disoriented from the clash of energies, his body stiff and almost frozen, as if struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

"Look at what you've done!" Darius snapped, his voice laced with venom. "You coward!" He pointed at the Illusionist with a finger as sharp as a blade. "You switched places with Lucien! He wasn't supposed to be part of this!"

The Illusionist's eyes flickered toward Lucien's body, then back to Darius. He sneered, the tension in his features snapping like a wire. "So what?" The words dripped with disdain as he took a half step back. "You want me to die?" His voice cut through the air like a bitter wind, filled with scorn.

Darius's expression darkened, and his jaw tightened as he stepped closer, fists clenched. "His life was—"

"Is that brat's life more valuable than mine?" The Illusionist interrupted, his voice rising, every word punctuated with fury and a dark sense of self-preservation. His eyes flickered with a cold, cynical glare, revealing that his only true concern was survival.

Darius clenched his fists, his muscles coiling with the desire to strike, but he froze as the Illusionist pulled a small, unfamiliar device from his pocket. The Illusionist's lips curled into a smirk, his thumb hovering dangerously over a button. His gaze met Darius's, daring him.

"Oh? You want to retaliate?" the Illusionist taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Or perhaps you'd prefer to see what happens if I press this?"

The tension in the air thickened, every eye flicking to the device in the Illusionist's hand. Darius's expression shifted, the fire in his eyes dampened by caution as he carefully assessed the threat.

From across the room, Ethan's brow furrowed, his mind racing as he tried to decipher the device's purpose. Was it a weapon? A trigger for something more?

While piecing it together, he felt a presence approach him from the side. Instinctively, Ethan raised his guard, pivoting slightly, prepared for anything. But as he turned, he found himself face to face with Hale, whose gaze held a mix of intensity and something that felt almost like concern.

"Relax," Hale muttered, his voice low and steady. "I mean no harm."

Ethan didn't let his guard drop completely but eased his stance, wary but listening.

"Are you…" Hale hesitated, glancing briefly toward the Illusionist and the others before continuing, his voice barely a whisper. "Are you here for Leah and her kids?"

Ethan's eyes narrowed, a flash of surprise crossing his face. He hadn't asked anyone for the names of Steven's family members, but the mention struck a chord. "If you're talking about Steven's family," he replied carefully, "yes, I'm here for them."

A shadow passed over Hale's face, and he nodded, a faint sense of relief softening his expression.

Hale's gaze lingered on Ethan, a rare vulnerability flickering in his eyes. "Can you ensure their safety?" he asked, his tone edged with something almost like desperation.

Ethan blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in Hale's question. "Of course," he replied firmly, though confusion colored his words. He wanted to ask more, to understand why Hale seemed so invested in Steven's family. Still, the urgency in Hale's eyes silenced his curiosity, at least for the moment.

Before they could speak further, the Illusionist's voice cut through the tension, dripping with menace. His gaze locked onto Lucan, his words filled with a dark promise. "I'll ensure you're held responsible for everything that happened here today."

The room fell silent as the implications settled. Lucan stiffened, his jaw tightening, and the other Warlords exchanged tense glances.

They all knew the gravity of the Illusionist's words. As a member of the Petrova family, his accusations carried immense weight.

His statement was no idle threat; it would ripple through the city's power dynamics, marking Lucan—and, by extension, the Warlords and even Ethan—as scapegoats for this encounter.

The realization struck like a blow, heavy and unavoidable.

The Illusionist's smirk deepened as he held up the small device, his thumb hovering over a button. "Enjoy this little gift I've prepared," he sneered, pressing down.

An ear-splitting explosion roared from somewhere below, sending tremors through the entire building. The walls shook, and the floor beneath them quaked with a force that made everyone stumble. Before the dust had even settled, the Illusionist and the other two Petrova Ascendants swiftly regrouped, their expressions calm amid the chaos.

Without hesitation, the Illusionist pulled out a talisman, crushing it in his hand. The three instantly vanished as if teleported out, leaving the others facing the unfolding disaster.

Darius, still clutching Lucien's lifeless body, looked around with mounting urgency. He raised his voice, shouting above the din, "Everyone, get out—now! This place is rigged to collapse, and the final explosion will take us all down if we don't move!"

The urgency in his tone cut through the chaos, and those around him scrambled to comprehend the danger. Darius continued, his voice tight with urgency, "We've got less than ninety seconds. Move!"

Lucan's eyes snapped toward his team as the blasts shook the building. He shouted for his Warlords to leave immediately, his voice cutting through the chaos.

"Go! Now!" The urgency in his command was clear—they had no time to waste, and the sound of additional explosions confirmed the worst: the final blast would be devastating.

As the Warlords began to move, Lucan's gaze fell upon Ethan. He noticed Hale was with him, and he hesitated briefly. Ethan and Hale were heading toward a door, swift and purposeful. Lucan's brow furrowed in confusion. 'What's he doing?' he thought.

Before Lucan could shout a warning or call out to Ethan, his attention was pulled away by his Warlords, who were looking to him for guidance.

"Where's Ethan?" Flint asked, his voice tense as the explosions reverberated around them.

"Get moving!" Lucan snapped, but his eyes remained on the door where Ethan had just disappeared with Hale. "He's with one of the enemies," Lucan added grimly, his thoughts racing. He couldn't risk letting Ethan get too far ahead with them.

But Calder, ever the quick thinker, glanced at Lucan and immediately understood. "He's following him," Calder said, his voice low but firm. "Ethan's after Steven's family. He's trying to save them."

Lucan's eyes widened as realization hit. 'Of course…' He couldn't afford to waste any more time. But he had to weigh the risk—Ethan was heading deeper into enemy territory, potentially walking right into the trap set by the Petrova family.

"Dammit," Lucan muttered, clenching his fists. "You guys keep moving. I'll help Ethan."

The other Warlords nodded and quickly made their way toward the exit, the sound of explosions growing louder with each passing second. However, Axel, to Lucan's surprise, stayed behind. His heavy footsteps fell in line with Lucan's, and without a word, he followed.

Lucan glanced back at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Axel," he called, his voice laced with curiosity, "I gave you a direct order. What the hell are you doing?"

Axel grinned and shrugged, clearly unfazed by Lucan's reprimand. "Oh, you know," he said with a hint of amusement, "I've better sense of direction. I wouldn't want my leader getting lost in the middle of a collapsing building, would I?"

Lucan shot him an incredulous look, but Axel's grin only widened.

Axel paused, his tone light, before adding, "Remember that mission a few years ago? When we had to pull you out of that whole mess when you got lost trying to navigate your way through that damn forest?"

Lucan's expression soured, though he was clearly trying to suppress a smile. "That was one time," he muttered, gripping his hair in frustration.

Axel laughed. "Yeah, one time. But I've been covering your back ever since. Now it looks like you need me again."

Lucan chuckled despite himself, shaking his head. "Fine," he said with a smirk. "You've got a point. Let's go save our new 'leader.'"

Axel's grin grew wider, and they both picked up the pace, moving swiftly through the crumbling building. Still focused on the task at hand, Lucan couldn't help but feel a brief moment of warmth from the bond between them, even in the chaos.