UNDER HIS RULES

Sam wiped the corner of his injured lip, blood staining his palm, though not much. His jaw was slightly stiff, but he didn’t care too much. As long as he hadn’t defeated this opponent who still looked at him with contempt, Sam wouldn’t fall. He would keep pressing until this man was completely destroyed in his hands.

“Is that all?” Sam asked, stepping closer. The opponent stumbled slightly after the blow he had received earlier. How could he not? Before, Sam had pummeled him as if he didn’t allow the man to catch his breath. Continuously. Without pause. Without mercy. And without caring if his opponent was already beaten to a pulp.

His anger had reached its peak.

“Damn it!” Joseph muttered softly, trying to alleviate the throbbing in his head. The heavy blow from Sam had made him a bit dizzy.

Hand-to-hand combat was no issue for Joseph, but unfortunately, he overlooked one fact: Sam was a true fighter. He wouldn’t let his opponent take a leisurely breath. Although Joseph could have drawn his weapon, shooting Sam right in the head or heart, thus killing the ruler, and then quickly disposing of Alfred to achieve all his goals.

However, Joseph also realized that Sam was armed with many weapons in his pockets. The man hadn’t used them yet, although he could have. Ah… Joseph had to start the fight with a lot of gunfire. Similar to the background surrounding them, where gunshots filled the air. The cries of pain and curses were clearly heard in the courtyard of Alfred’s mansion, which had turned into a battlefield.

“Enough with the talk, you bastard!” Joseph spat. He pulled out the weapon from his pocket, pointing it directly at Sam, who stared back at him with a malicious gaze. Was Joseph afraid? Not at all.

“Do you think I enjoy playing with you?” Sam replied quickly. He pulled out the two pistols that had been concealed in his pockets, evading the target Joseph had set on him as quickly as possible. When it came to agility and evasion, Sam had the upper hand. The bullet struck the edge of a pillar behind Sam. If Sam had been a little slower, the bullet might have lodged in his head.

No, Sam wouldn’t be easily defeated. He wouldn’t let Joseph leave this area alive, especially not to achieve his goals. He took cover behind a large flower vase. The corner of his eye quickly captured the surroundings, especially Joseph’s whereabouts. Sam was confident that the man was also seeking cover to protect himself.

A loud burst of laughter resounded, originating from Joseph. Sam knew that.

“I thought you wouldn’t hide, Sam! It seems you’re still afraid of dying!” Once again, his laughter filled the air. He quickly ensured that the weapon in his hand was fully loaded. He didn’t want to run out of ammunition in the middle of his attack on Sam. His enjoyment would be interrupted. Who knows, during that pause, it might become the moment where he could incapacitate Sam.

“Enough with the nonsense!” Sam rose. His hands immediately aimed the pistols at the spot where he believed Joseph was taking cover, behind the car hood he had used. A thin grin appeared as his mind quickly processed what he would do to incapacitate Joseph.

He aimed one bullet at the car hood, causing a loud clang as the shot missed its mark. But no, Sam didn’t care about the laughter that came from Joseph’s lips. He continued to aim his weapons and target several points. He wouldn’t let Joseph escape from his gunfire. Whether alive or dead, it made no difference to Sam. Although he would prefer it if there was still some life left in Joseph afterward.

It wouldn’t be easy to die after what that bastard had done to Sam. He wasn’t a benevolent ruler who would hand everything over to the authorities. Moreover, the reports that reached his ears mentioned that not only was the Twin Serpent’s headquarters destroyed, but many of his subordinates also became victims. In this situation, would Sam not seek revenge? It was impossible.

“Hahahaha!” Joseph laughed satisfactorily. “Is that all your shooting skills, you asshole? Idiot!”

Sam grinned as he continued to unleash shots that seemed haphazard to Joseph. Another bullet whizzed past, almost hitting the shoulder of someone he suspected to be Joseph. Suddenly, the laughter disappeared, replaced by curses, and Sam prepared himself. Because within seconds, Joseph emerged from his hiding place. Before the man could aim his weapon, Sam fired one final shot.

Right above the engine ignition.

Creating a dramatic explosion, with flames shooting high. Also, the screams from Joseph, who was unaware of what had happened. The fire quickly engulfed his body. The explosion itself had a profound impact, sending Joseph’s body flying quite far. His screams and cries suddenly turned into a horrifying chant amidst the ongoing battle.

“Ugh!” The piercing sound that resonated in his ears made time seem to stand still. The flames were not far from where he fell, and Sam himself was affected by the explosion. He was thrown quite far, although he didn’t come into contact with the flames. He had made his own calculations to minimize the risk of the explosion. Despite the pain in his back from hitting scattered debris, he felt a great sense of satisfaction as he gazed at the growing blaze.

Several people approached the source of the fire, but they couldn’t do anything.

“Boss!” Valdo, who was not far from Sam’s position, immediately approached. After shooting one of Joseph’s soldiers who had been targeting the right side, where the defenses were weaker, Valdo’s main task was to ensure that no one could enter, especially Joseph’s men.

He quickly reached out his hand to help Sam get up. “You… you okay?”

“Does it look like it?” Sam scoffed. He grabbed the offered hand and stood up as quickly as he could, ignoring the pain and soreness that ravaged his body. He immediately picked up his fallen pistol, checked its ammo, and swiftly walked towards the man he had incapacitated. There was one thing he needed to make sure of now. Despite his own injuries, blood streaming from his head, he paid it no mind.

Had Joseph died? If not, Sam’s pistol or blade needed to be quenched with this damn man’s blood.

“Call Hugo,” Sam commanded, without room for refusal. Valdo nodded immediately and let Sam do whatever he wanted. The ruler’s steps continued to approach the helpless figure lying there, still engulfed in flames. But Sam didn’t care.

Once he was near Joseph, the overpowering scent and the gruesome sight of the man’s body from the recent explosion made Sam grimace. Joseph’s eyes still pleaded, no longer challenging or seemingly dominating the world. The mocking gaze and arrogance had vanished, replaced by excruciating pain. Sam looked at him with a flat expression.

His other hand, full of burn wounds and partially dried blood, trembled as it extended. Most of his clothes were already burnt. Joseph’s eyes continued to lock onto Sam’s standing figure, even though his entire body rendered him utterly helpless. The pain he felt was indescribable. Everything felt paralyzed. Nothing crossed his mind except power. Even if he was now lying defenseless, Sam wanted to experience the same.

Death.

Or at least feel the same pain. So, with all his strength, he gathered it in his other hand, the one still holding the pistol. He didn’t know if it still worked or not, but Joseph remembered all the weapons Sam possessed. It should still be usable, even if it was charred. The weapons he possessed were different from the ones commonly available. He was somewhat grateful that he was a Quassano, with control over several sectors, including the arms trade.

Diverting Joseph’s attention with a pleading gaze, Sam focused all his determination as his other hand swiftly aimed the pistol at Joseph, who was less than two meters away.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

“Do you think I’m stupid?”