The Anomaly Beyond The System

(Warning: The weaker minds that cannot handle violence... I hope you don’t get traumatised or anything, since I have already warned you.😤

When?

Just now.😊)

****************************

Damien remained completely unaware of the woman slowly approaching from behind him—or rather, swaying toward him with each unsteady, painful step, as though moving her body itself was a struggle.

And yet...

She continued walking.

Meanwhile, Damien’s attention was completely fixed on the child before him.

Again and again, his blows continued falling upon Aiden—and upon Lucian, who was forced to relive every second of it from within the memory.

Each strike sent another wave of pain through his small body.

Though Lucian himself wasn’t really affected by it, every impact made Aiden cry out louder than before, his sobs echoing throughout the spacious hallway.

Tears streamed endlessly from his eyes. Snot filled his nostrils, making it even harder to breathe.

"F-Fa—!"

The broken word barely escaped his lips.

"I’m not your father." Damien immediately spat those words out, his voice carrying nothing but disgust.

Then, looking down at the crying little body before him...

A faint smile slowly curled across his lips.

A smile that carried a twisted satisfaction, almost as if he were enjoying the sight before him.

’Sadistic bastard... heh.’

A hollow chuckle echoed within Lucian’s mind.

Even he didn’t know exactly what emotion he should be feeling anymore.

Anger? Hatred? Despair?

Those feelings had existed before, back when he had been in Aiden’s place, experiencing everything with the mind of an actual child.

But now...

He could only feel one thing.

Relief.

A bitter, hollow relief after seeing Damien continue beating him, especially with that disgusting smile on his face growing wider with every brutal strike.

When he had first awakened inside this infant body, when he had seen Damien gently carrying him, when he had watched him smiling at Seraphina—which had been somewhat annoying...

For a brief moment...

A frightening thought had crossed his mind.

What if...

What if his memories were different from what had actually happened?

What if Damien wasn’t exactly as he remembered?

It had terrified him.

Not because he wanted Damien to be innocent, but because if he had misunderstood everything...

Then Lucian wouldn’t have known what to do, or where to direct all the anger that had consumed him for so many years.

But now...

’He’s showing his true colours.’

That was the only thing that mattered to him.

Now, he wouldn’t feel even the slightest remorse or guilt over thinking he might have been wrong—even though, deep down, he knew he wouldn’t have cared either way.

Damien’s fate had already been decided.

The only thing left... was the day Lucian finally reached him.

Damien’s leg slowly lifted once again, and the faint shadow cast by his raised boot fell across Aiden, who looked up at him with eyes completely filled with fear—completely marring the innocent features of the little boy.

Then—

Something suddenly caught his attention.

Just as Damien’s leg was about to slam into his body—

Aiden immediately noticed his mother standing directly behind Damien.

Her hair fell over her face, completely hiding her features as she looked at her husband—if she could even call him that anymore.

Her body continued trembling.

Her jaw was clenched tightly as her fingers gripped the neck of the wine bottle so hard that her knuckles had already turned pale.

Then, without making a sound, she slowly raised the bottle above his head.

The instant Lucian saw that, everything inside him went still.

’Don’t... don’t...’

He screamed inwardly.

But despite his repeated screams...

His lips suddenly parted.

And against his will—

"M-Mom...!"

Aiden’s desperate cry echoed as he trembled in fear and pain.

’YOU STUPID IDIOT...!’

Lucian screamed within his own mind.

Because...

The moment that cry reached Seraphina’s ears...

Her raised arm froze.

Then, slowly... she lowered her gaze.

Their eyes met, and the moment she saw his tear-stained cheeks, his trembling body, and his terrified expression now directed at her...

Her heart violently shook.

Then—

SHATTER—!!

The bottle slipped from her fingers, crashing against the polished marble floor.

The sudden sound instantly made Damien snap his head around, his eyes widening as they landed directly on Seraphina.

His gaze slowly drifted toward the shattered bottle scattered across the floor.

The remaining wine spread outward, the dark crimson liquid slowly flowing between the broken shards, almost as though blood were seeping from them.

For a brief second, cold sweat appeared on Damien’s forehead before his expression immediately twisted into fury.

"You fucking woman!"

He roared.

His hand instantly shot toward her.

SLAP—!!

"Did you just try to kill me?!"

Seraphina’s already weakened, exhausted body couldn’t withstand the force, causing her to collapse to the floor immediately.

"H-Huh...?"

Aiden stared blankly.

"M-Mo..."

He didn’t understand.

He didn’t know what his mother had been trying to do, and he didn’t understand what had happened afterwards.

Everything had happened far too quickly for his childish mind to comprehend.

His body instinctively tried to move toward her.

But then...

His body suddenly felt unbelievably heavy.

His head throbbed even more violently, making his thoughts sluggish.

The world slowly blurred.

His tiny palm instinctively pressed against the floor, and without noticing...

Several sharp shards of glass pierced deep into his hand.

Blood welled up, mixing with the dark red wine spilled across the floor.

But before the pain could even register...

His vision had already begun to darken.

’M-M... Mom...’

The words didn’t even leave his lips before...

He fell unconscious.

’...’

[So—]

’...Silence, Akasha.’

Silence descended upon his dark consciousness as he floated alone within the endless black void.

Minutes passed...

Or perhaps hours.

He honestly didn’t know, and his mind didn’t even bother counting anymore.

Before long...

The darkness slowly began to recede.

Lucian’s—or rather, Aiden’s—eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Kid...? Are you awake?"

A gentle voice softly reached his ears.

The moment Aiden opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a hospital nurse looking at him with a gentle expression.

For several long moments, Aiden blankly stared at her, completely confused.

Then...

The fragile silence shattered completely as the memories suddenly came rushing back, overwhelming his mind.

Almost instantly...

Fear flooded his tiny face once again.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!