Criminal X : Epitome Of Evil

The Ashen Crucible was in the middle of Jasper, Hollow and Forza Kingdom.

But it belonged to no kingdom. It was an independent place and no one dared to take its ownership. No one wanted the place to be called theirs. They believed they would be cursed if they tried to exert their authority over the Crucible.

Right now, nearly the whole personnel of all the three kingdoms were present in the Ashen Crucible.

And those who weren't present were able to watch the War from the screens placed all around their Kingdoms.

Well, only Jasper and Forza Kingdom were able to see the war. Hollow, the kingdom of the Cannibals wasn't able to see it. Corrosive believed that there was no point in making those people see the war who weren't at the war fighting.

Malvador didn't care about the views of the Cannibal king so he made sure his Jasper kingdom gets to see the ongoing war.

Pablo had also asked for the same thing from the King of the Forza Kingdom and the King had agreed.

So Pablo had brought ten eyeball cameras with him and just after the war started, like Malvador he too made the cameras hover around the Crucible to show the War to everyone.

Right now, in the Forza Kingdom, people were gathered at various places around the cities and their eyes were on the screens placed on various buildings, seeing and hearing whatever was going on in the Crucible.

These people were women, children, elderly and those who were crippled or disabled.

They weren't able to participate in the war and there were some men too. Some fit and fine men.

Before the war, Pablo had made sure to ask the common men around the kingdom if they would be willing to fight in the war, some men agreed and some men didn't.

Pablo had forced no one and he didn't blame those men who didn't participate in the war. It wasn't a game after all.

The Royals of the Glory city were also invested in this war and none of them had raised their hands to fight in the war. They couldn't get the balls to fight. They were just watching the war on the screen.

And all around the Forza kingdom, a sudden scream of excitement rang as they saw something delightful on the screen.

The people's favorite, the people's most trusted man for the war, Pablo Castillo, drew the first blood.

With just one throw of his sword, he killed three Vampire soldiers.

For the people of Forza, as long as Pablo was alive, they wouldn't lose the war.

In the Ashen Crucible.

Nike, whose troubles got less with Pablo's aid, turned his head at his master and did a slight bow.

But in return, Pablo shook his head.

"I am no one right now, Nike. I am a soldier like you at the moment. If I see someone I can kill, I will. I didn't help you. I only saw three Vampires ready to die."

Pablo said and the full army heard him because they all had the earpiece with them.

Nike nodded at Pablo's words and delved deeper into the Crucible.

Pablo called back his Colt as the black sword came out from the heads of the Vampires and landed back on his right hand.

Pablo didn't jerk it and let the brain matter of the three Vampires he just killed stay on its blade.

He also stared at the three dead Vampires and after seeing that they were really dead, he moved ahead.

"The Vampires can heal. So make sure to damage their brains or hearts. That's the only way to kill them for good." Pablo said some pointers.

"Got it." The soldiers replied and the war kept on.

In front of Pablo, Malvador was there and like Pablo, he also walked forward in a straight line to reach near each other.

He saw Pablo killing the three Vampires and clapped for the man.

Pablo frowned. As he didn't expect the man to clap. He was too carefree and childish. Who the fuck claps mid-war? For the enemy who killed three of his soldiers, at that?

Then Malvador gestured, saying, 'My turn now.'

Pablo waited and Malvador raised his red sword.

He looked around the Crucible and his gaze stopped at someone as he broke into a smile.

Pablo followed Malvador's gaze and saw that he had chosen a High Duke.

If a High Duke is there then is the King nearby as well? The King can't die right away!

Pablo squinted his eyes but he didn't find the King around the high duke.

Pablo sighed but he wasn't fully relaxed.

"Malvador will throw his sword at a high duke. Watch out. And stay safe, your highness. If you die, then… Well, we will crown someone else."

The soldiers laughed.

"I am safe." The King replied.

"He is targeting me. Shall I kill him?" The High Duke asked. He was the one whom Malvador targeted.

"If you can kill him, sure. Go ahead. But personally? You are better off dodging and going somewhere else."

"Heh. No offense to you, Commander. But I am not a High Duke for nothing. Also, I am not under you. I only take orders from the Admiral and the King."

Pablo sighed. "Good luck then."

Pablo didn't have all day to pamper prideful men. He let the high duke be and watched Malvador.

The Vampire King aimed his red sword at the High Duke and the High Duke spread his arms.

Malvador raised his brows, impressed by his target and finally threw his red sword at the big burly man.

SHRILL!

The red sword pierced the air and went straight at the High Duke.

But just when it was about to touch the man's head, the thick red sword stopped.

Pablo saw that and he kind of expected this.

Of course a High Duke can stop a sword with his hand. What tenses me is that Malvador must have also considered that his sword might be stopped. So he didn't have just thrown his sword at him for nothing. There must be something else involved.

And indeed, just after the High Duke held the sword with his bare right hand…

The sword showed its true colors.