Building An Empire Starting From The Labor Camp In Exile-Chapter 273: Deserving death

Contrary to Atrox’s expectations, Thrain didn’t come out immediately. It seemed he was also using the opportunity to rest.

"Hey! Are you really going to hide like an animal in a hole? The great clan leader? What will your army say if they find you like this? The one who will save the clan! What a joke. You can’t even save yourself!"

Atrox laughed. It wasn’t fake laughter. It was real, genuine because it was actually funny to him. "Ah! I bet this isn’t how you planned things in your head.

"Somehow, you thought you were going to sweep the ground with me and kill me. By this time, you were supposed to have my head in a bag. But look at you now, running like an animal. No shame! You are a disgrace to the Soryu clan name!"

Atrox was telling the truth. What was the use of all the posturing if one couldn’t back it up with action? Thrain was the one who wanted to fight, yet he was also the one running.

It made Atrox angry, but he found it funny at the same time. He shook his head. "You are not worthy of becoming the clan leader."

Atrox thought his words wouldn’t get to Thrain. After all, taunts were a classic battle strategy to destabilize an enemy’s mind. But even taunts could be ugly truths that stabbed at the heart.

Especially for someone like Thrain, who thought he was above everyone else. And he was, in his own tiny world. Wasn’t he the one who created the faction that killed the clan leader?

Wasn’t he the one who took the seat of clan leader? Wasn’t he the genius? The one who would raise the clan to its highest glory?

But then Atrox came and ruined everything. He turned it all upside down and made the whole world watch as Thrain was made a fool. And then, the idea of defeating Atrox in a duel came to mind. It was the perfect plan.

Not only would he be solving the issue of internal war, but he would also be laying the foundation for his own legendary story. Instead of defeating an army, he would challenge the leader of the rebels to single combat—and he would win!

It was all so perfect in his head. So why? Why had things gone horribly wrong? Why was he running?

Everything, combined with Atrox’s taunts, made him explode.

Suddenly, the shadow beside the tree where Atrox stood thickened. A face glinted out of the darkness, and Thrain raised his head to look at Atrox laughing in the tree.

Thrain gritted his teeth. He raised his hand and touched the tree, a green glow appearing between his fingers. It was an ability he rarely used because it lacked the brutal offense he favored. What was controlling trees compared to hurling fireballs?

But then Atrox stopped laughing and said, "Everything around me should slow down!"

Thrain frowned, not understanding. But he felt a slight disturbance in the air, as if something was using essence—very faintly.

Atrox looked down, and to Thrain, the speed was too fast. His head was a blur. "Hello again, Thrain!"

Then he leaped down. Thrain hadn’t completed what he was doing with the tree, but he didn’t continue. He panicked and tried to withdraw into the ground, but his movements were slow. His heart beat sluggishly, and it felt as if he were submerged in thick liquid, struggling to fight his way out.

He didn’t get the chance because Atrox wasn’t affected by the law’s application, and he was suddenly in front of him. The sword, which looked like rusted metal, came down like judgment.

It was fast, but Thrain’s eyes could track it. He even saw different ways to avoid it, but the problem was that his body wouldn’t respond. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The sword met his armor right where his shoulder connected—and cut through with ease. It rose and fell again, severing the other arm as well.

A blood-freezing scream tore from Thrain’s mouth as his body shuddered and jerked with pain. His severed hands flopped onto the ground.

Not only was it painful, but the sword was so hot that the pain overloaded Thrain’s mind. His eyes glazed over, and his head slammed into the ground, foam spilling from his mouth.

Atrox frowned. "Pathetic. Wolf did worse than this to me. Well, he did cut my hands, but the other things he did were just as painful."

He dragged Thrain out of the hole. "I wanted to make you suffer."

Atrox spoke, but his eyes were watching the sky, where flashes of golden light burst with brilliance. The clouds were heavy with rain. No, it was actually raining in some parts, but the water never touched the ground.

Terrix was fighting seriously now, and Atrox didn’t want to deal with him if he managed to free himself from Pomora.

"No... you can’t... I’m the... clan leader."

Atrox looked down at his brother and shook his head. "Not anymore. You have never been the Clan leader. You took what you were never worth of. And you do not deserve this too."

In the end, it was a fast and easy death. Atrox’s sword parted his head with ease. Thrain’s shocked eyes locked onto him in absolute surprise before their light faded.

Atrox frowned. "An easy death is too much of a gift for you. Even my anger is not satisfied. But this will have to do for now."

He called the tower over to absorb the body and head. Then, he entered the tower himself and floated up into the sky, closer to where the two Master Knights were fighting.

"Thrain is dead!"

Terrix froze. He was inside a storm of golden light, and he just froze like that. Very slowly, he turned toward the tower and asked, "What?"

Atrox repeated the words. "I killed him. The one who set the duel. My brother. Thrain Soryu. I killed him."

The light around Terrix dulled immediately.