Leon woke to the taste of blood and the rhythmic pounding of rain against the ceiling. His entire body throbbed, pain radiating from every limb like he’d been shattered and pieced back together wrong. He was tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse, dimly lit by flickering lights.
Victor stood in front of him, rolling up the sleeves of his expensive suit. “You know, I wasn’t planning to kill you,” Victor mused, stepping closer. “But then I thought… why not? It’s not like anyone will miss you. Your wife? She’ll move on. Your in-laws? They’ll celebrate. And me? Well, I’ll finally take what’s mine.” Leon looked at Victor, his gaze tired. “Why are you doing this? Please, let me go,” he begged, struggling weakly against the restraints. “Let you go?” Victor let out a sharp chuckle, shaking his head. “So you can go back to playing house with a family that despises you?! If I were in your shoes, I’d have put a bullet in my own head.” Leon spat blood onto the floor, his breath ragged. His expression was one of pure exhaustion. “I married Isabella because I love her. Why is it so damn hard for everyone to just let us be?” Victor’s fist crashed into Leon’s face. Then his voice dropped to a whisper. “You were never supposed to be here. Isabella was meant for me. Not some worthless street rat who doesn’t know his place. I don’t know what you did to her, but I’m going to fix it. Once you’re dead, she’ll have no choice but to move on… with me. It’s that simple.” “And you're really gonna kill me?” Leon questioned in disbelief. “Go to hell.” Victor’s eyes darkened. He grabbed a rusted metal pipe from the ground and swung it. Crack! The impact shattered one of Leon’s ribs. Leon screamed, his body jerking against the restraints. Victor let out a sigh. “Why are you trying to act tough with me, huh? The only thing you’ve ever done is grovel at the Hartwells’ feet. You were nothing more than a glorified servant in their house. Let’s see how tough you really are when I break every bone in your body.” Leon was scared, and his voice trembled. “P-please… let’s talk about this…” He tried to beg but the next ten minutes were hell. Victor and his men took turns beating him senseless, each blow sending shards of agony through his battered body. His face swelled, his vision blurred, and every breath became a struggle. Victor, unfazed, stretched out his hand. “Give me the knife.” One of his men quickly obeyed, placing a blade in Victor’s palm. Panic enveloped Leon’s bruised face. “What… what are you going to do with that?” he stammered. “Haven’t you done enough? Just let me go… please… I’m begging you…” Victor smirked, and pressed the cold steel against Leon’s throat, leaning in close. “This is the end for you,” Victor whispered. “No one will ever know what happened. They’ll just find a corpse.” Leon’s eyes widened in terror. “Don’t do this… don’t—” Then, with one swift motion, he slit Leon’s throat. Leon felt the warmth of his own blood spilling down his chest. His body convulsed as he choked for breath. Then the pain began to fade, his vision blurring. The last thing he saw was Victor’s satisfied grin before his head slumped forward. Victor breathed out, wiping the blade clean with a cloth. “You’re out of my life now, Leon,” he said with a smirk. “I still can’t believe you were ever competition for me. But don’t worry… I’ll take good care of your wife. Do whatever I want with her, in fact.” He chuckled, pleased with himself. Then, turning to his men, he gave his final order. “Take him outside into the rain. Dump the body far from Wale Street. Make sure no one finds him too soon.” — The rain fell hard, drenching the lifeless body lying on the pavement. Thunder rumbled in the distance, as if the heavens themselves were mourning. Leon’s eyes were wide open, and vacant. It was late and darkness had enveloped the place. Then a sudden bright light appeared from nowhere, making its way toward where his motionless form lay. A voice followed. “At last… a worthy vessel. Rise, my vessel…” Suddenly, a pulse of dark energy erupted from Leon’s corpse, cracking the pavement beneath him. The rain halted midair, frozen in time. His body twitched. Then his fingers curled into a fist. His eyes that were opened blazed to life, glowing silver. “I… am… back…” he murmured. And just like that, the rain resumed its downpour, hammering against his skin. His eyes immediately tightened with a sharp gasp, his brows knitting together as he instinctively raised an arm to shield his eyes from the rain. With a groan, he sat up, soaked to the bone. “Damn…” he muttered, shaking his head. “Who the hell leaves someone to die in the rain? Wicked.”
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From Humiliation to Godhood 3: The God of Dominion has awakened
Isabella stood on the porch, anxiously waiting for Leon to return. The night was restless, and so was she. Sleep refused to come as worry gnawed at her.“Where is he?” she muttered in frustration, her eyes fixed on the gate, hoping he would walk through at any moment. The rain poured heavily, and the wind was sharp, making her shiver in the cold. “Did he find shelter somewhere? He didn’t even take an umbrella. Not that it would’ve helped in this weather. Is the place he went really that far? Where exactly did Victor send him?”She clenched her fists. “He should’ve listened to me. He shouldn’t have gone.”After waiting a while longer, the cold became unbearable. With a sigh, she turned back inside and retreated to her room, finally drifting off to sleep.The next morning, Isabella woke with a start and hurried downstairs, hoping to find Leon home. But he was nowhere in sight.“Sara, is Leon back?” she asked one of the maids.Sara shook her head with a scoff. “No, Miss Isabella. He was
From Humiliation to Godhood 4: Allies beyond fools
Leon stood there, his silver eyes locked onto Miranda as if she were the most foolish creature he’d ever encountered. He scoffed, the memories of his vessel’s suffering flashing through his mind. The humiliation, the mistreatment… it was as though he was the one that had endured it all.‘These people do not deserve any measure of grace,’ he thought, his expression darkening. ‘No… in a world like this, I will carve out my place. They will know who I am. They will kneel.’With a sneer, he replied, “Madame, you will simply have to accept my presence. I do not sleep outside.”Miranda scoffed, folding her arms. “Look at you, pathetic as ever. Do you even know where Isabella is right now? She’s out on a date with Victor. Yes, Victor. She wants nothing to do with you anymore!” Her smirk widened as she leaned in. “You said it yourself, you were leaving and wouldn’t return! So why are you back? Oh… I know. Because you realized you can’t survive a single hour without us. Pathetic!”“Victor?”
From Humiliation to Godhood 5: St. Pete’s Hospital [1]
“Sir,” the receptionist began, her patience wearing thin. “You should leave now that we’re trying to be polite or we’ll let the security handle the job.”Leon glared at them. ‘If I had my full power, they would kneel before me without question.’ He sighed, restraining his frustration. ‘How am I supposed to meet this so-called friend of mine in such a world?’“Are you deaf? I said leave.” The nurse pointed toward the exit, her voice sharper this time. “Unless you have an appointment, you have no business here. Now go back to scrubbing your in-laws’ floors.” She let out a mocking laugh.Just then, the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime. A man stepped out, carrying a frail young girl in his arms, a woman following closely behind, tears streaming down her face. And behind them—“Dante Cole.”Leon smirked, stepping forward with ease. “Ah, just the man I was looking for.”Dante’s eyes widened at the sight of him. “Leon? What are you doing here? Are you ill?”Leon scoffed. “Ill? Me?
From Humiliation to Godhood 6: St. Pete’s Hospital [2]
Leon walked toward Emily. He placed his palm against her chest, and a warmth spread from his touch.Emily gasped. Her entire body tensed for a moment before exhaling in a sharp release like a chain deep inside her had just snapped free.Dante’s breath hitched as he watched the impossible.Before their eyes, color rushed back into her skin. Her breathing steadied.Mrs. Vale clamped a trembling hand over her mouth, tears slipping freely down her cheeks as Emily’s lashes fluttered open.“M-Mom…?”A weak, rasping voice, but unmistakably alive.Dante stared. He scrambled for his stethoscope, checking vitals. He pressed it to Emily’s chest, listening. Perfectly stable. “She… she was dying,” Dante whispered. “Five minutes ago, she was…”“… Not anymore,” Leon interrupted smoothly, a satisfied smirk gracing his lips. “Good to know I still have the touch.”Dante looked up at him, his hands trembling.“What the hell did you just do?”Leon kept smiling as he met Dante’s gaze. “If I explain, you
From Humiliation to Godhood 7: St. Pete’s Hospital [3]
Dante frowned at Leon’s reaction to his question and immediately threw a book at him. “Oh, come on! Wipe that face off. I know possession isn’t real. I’m just trying to make sense of whatever sorcery you pulled back there.”Leon raised a brow, and blinked in realization. ‘Oh, it was a joke. He thinks it’s a joke. That’s… convenient.’“Let’s just say I’ve been occupied,” Leon said, voice calm, unbothered. “I need power. I need wealth. And in this world, I need to understand how to take it.”Dante chuckled, shaking his head. “Wow… I see. No wonder. The way I see it, you’re already on the right track. I mean, you have fifty million now, Leon. Fifty. In a single day, you’ve become a millionaire, and that’s beyond insane. With this new skills of yours, Leon, I think you can have all the wealth in the world.”“Healing skills?” Leon furrowed his brows. “It’s a great deal here, huh?”Dante laughed. “Are you kidding? Today, you cured an illness that should have been impossible with a touch. An
From Humiliation to Godhood 8: Leon is dead
Leon returned home to the Hartwells. As he stepped inside, his gaze swept over the three figures seated on the sofa.“And where exactly have you been?” Miranda demanded with a pointed look and folded arms. “You disappeared without a word… don’t you know there are responsibilities to handle at home?”Leon didn’t so much as glance in her direction. Her words were beneath him. His focus landed instead on Victor. The man looked like he had just seen death itself. Pale. Breath unsteady. Hands twitching.Leon sneered. Pathetic. He moved toward him until he was close enough to loom over him. Then, he extended his hand.“I want my phone back,” Leon said, his voice smooth, and mixed with authority. “Give it to me.”Victor swallowed hard, unable to tear his gaze away. His chest rose and fell erratically. ‘He’s alive. He looks alive. How is he alive?’‘I slit his throat. I watched him bleed out.’Victor’s mind spun, struggling to grasp the impossible. Yet here Leon stood, unbothered, untouched,
From Humiliation to Godhood 9: Diane?
Gerald Hartwell had just returned from work, and while Leon remained in his room, the rest of the family gathered in his spacious study for an important discussion.Seated across from her parents on the couch, Isabella straightened her posture and cleared her throat. “Dad, Mom, I’ve made my decision.”Gerald and Miranda glanced at each other in confusion. Gerald leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp. “What decision? It better be the right one,” he warned.Isabella sighed before speaking. “I’ve decided… to accept Victor’s proposal.”Miranda’s confusion instantly melted into delight, her brown eyes lighting up as a wide smile stretched across her face. “Are you serious? You really mean it?”Isabella gave a firm nod. “Yes, Mom. I understand my responsibility as your only daughter. I don’t want the rest of our so-called family thinking they can take anything from us just because I’m tied to Leon. I won’t let that happen. I won’t be the reason we lose everything.”Gerald’s lips curled in
From Humiliation to Godhood 10: I need silver needles
“Diane?”Leon was horrified, and his mind rejected the sight. ‘No. Impossible. This is an illusion. Diane is dead. She has been for a long time.’Had she fallen from the sky?Gasps and murmurs filled the air as a crowd gathered around the bloody sight before him.“Oh my God, did she fall or was she pushed?”“That’s a three-story drop. She’s definitely dead.”Leon’s silver eyes lifted to the building above. ‘Not from the heavens, then. A mortal fall. But was she truly real? he pondered, completely shocked as he looked back at her.Then he saw it… faint, but unmistakable. Her life force still clung to her battered form, refusing to fade completely.Without hesitation, he crouched beside her, his fingers pressing deftly against precise points on her body, stabilizing what remained of her existence. Then, effortlessly, he lifted her into his arms and carried her away through the stunned onlookers.He thought deeply as he walked. ‘Diane is on the edge, and my energy alone won’t be enough.
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He took a step closer, towering over her as he continued, “Now think about this, if I decided to report this little stunt to the police, I could easily make these men back me up. Imagine the headlines: daughter of a known criminal caught committing a felony. Your father’s reputation is already in the gutter. Add yours to it, and you’ll be finished. You’ll be lucky if you can ever show your face in public again.”Tears welled up in Diane’s eyes, and she shook her head desperately, her entire body trembling. “Please… I just wanted to know the truth about Dana’s death!” she cried out, her voice breaking under the weight of her fear.Ethan smirked cruelly, folding his arms again. “Dana’s death? That was over a year ago. Why are you digging up something that should stay buried and rotten?” he said, his tone dripping with condescension. “Face it, Diane. You set a trap and ended up falling into it yourself. That’s so stupid.”Diane’s face crumpled as her fear turned into full-blown sobs. Her
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Ethan laughed bitterly, shaking his head like he found her pathetic.Diane wiped her eyes quickly, her voice low and cold. “I’m not letting you walk out of here until you tell me everything. I’ll keep you here as long as it takes. And if you think this is bad, just wait, I’ll drag Brianna here too if I have to.”Ethan chuckled under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.“You always looked so bright, so innocent,” he muttered darkly. “But look at you now. Who would’ve thought, you’re just another bitch. Doing this to your own cousin… your own family?!”Then Ethan chuckled darkly, the sound low and mocking.“Ahh, now I see what’s happening here,” he said, a cruel grin curling on his lips. “That poor bastard you’ve been clinging to… he’s been feeding you just enough courage to make you believe you can stand tall in a hurricane. Like a paper boat floating on a raging river, causing you to think you're moving forward, but you’re really just seconds from sinking straight to the bottom.
64: Unexpected abduction 2
Ethan’s eyes widened in pure disbelief at the figure that stepped through the entrance.Diane.She walked in slowly, calmly, her heels echoing against the metal floor. There was a faint smile on her lips, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.“Well,” she said smoothly, “surprise to see me, Ethan?”Ethan’s expression twisted into rage. Even with the gag still in place, the hatred in his eyes was unmistakable.Diane tilted her head and sighed dramatically, clearly unimpressed by the fury in his stare. She walked over to him, crouched slightly, and began to untie the cloth from around his mouth.The second it dropped, Ethan spat out his words like venom. “You bitch!” he barked, eyes blazing with fury.Diane didn’t flinch. In fact, she just scoffed.“Relax, Ethan,” she said coolly. “I brought you here for a reason.”Ethan yanked against the ropes binding him, his face flushed with fury. “And what kind of stupid reason involves kidnapping me and tying me up?!” he shouted. “I swear, when I
63: Unexpected abduction
Ethan walked into the garage of Lancaster Enterprises, making his way to his car while talking on the phone with Brianna, who had called to remind him about their scheme against Diane.Ethan let out a tired sigh, glancing around the garage before responding. “We’re trying to be careful here, Brianna. We have to be strategic about this. Our plans didn't work the first time, and it’s imperative that Diane closes this deal with Mr. Grave before we make another move. She’s our only access to that contract.”“Well, I still don't like that she's getting such an opportunity,” Brianna replied, clearly irritated. “You know this isn't just about getting the contract, it’s the prestige, the access, the spotlight. Why should she get that kind of privilege before me? It’s insulting.”Ethan slowed his pace as he approached his car, pausing beside it with a furrowed brow. “Well, she won’t be flaunting anything if she’s no longer breathing. I mean, think about Dana. She scored that massive deal a few
62: Apex Clinic 5
Leon stood still, eyes fixed on Johnathan’s body lying lifeless on the floor of the clinic ward. His mind was spinning. His brain tried to piece together what just happened, but it was like grasping smoke. ‘Something killed him…’ the thought echoed through Leon’s mind like a slow tolling bell. He watched as Johnathan’s skin lost every bit of color, his features hollowing unnaturally fast. His body stiffened, rigor mortis setting in much too quickly. It looked like he’d been dead for months, not minutes. Just then, the door slammed open and Jarvis and Dante stepped in, both stopping short at the sight in front of them. “Oh my God!” Dante gasped, his voice laced with disbelief and horror. “He’s dead! He’s…” His words stumbled as his eyes locked onto the body. “Damn, he’s…” he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Whatever he was about to say got caught in his throat. “He was a dead man walking,” Leon said flatly, his eyes still locked on the corpse. His mind was elsewhere, tu
61: Apex Clinic 4
At Apex Clinic, Leon sat behind his desk, eyes narrowed in deep thought. Something wasn’t right, and he could feel it in his bones. There was a disturbance he couldn’t ignore, something festering just beneath the surface. If he didn’t get to the bottom of it soon, it would keep gnawing at him.The dark energy surrounding Johnathan Kells had been undeniable. It was the same one he’d seen before, specifically in Daniel Mercer’s leg. That couldn’t be a coincidence.Letting out a deep sigh, Leon muttered to himself, “Whatever this is… I don’t recognize the signature, but I know one thing—it’s not good.”His phone began to ring, pulling him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen. Itwas Diane.He answered.“I can’t believe it, Leon!” Diane’s voice rang through the speaker, filled with excitement.“What?” Leon asked, his expression still shadowed with confusion.“I thought I was done for,” Diane said quickly. “My grandpa said I had to hand over the opportunity you gave me to my cousin
60: Apex Clinic 3
Johnathan Kells shifted restlessly, growing more irritated by the second. He felt like he was being interrogated, and it was quickly wearing on his nerves. With clenched teeth, he yanked the machines from his body and stood up, his voice laced with frustration. “Where’s Jarvis Grave? I need to speak to him, because I’m not going to sit here and be harassed by… someone like you. A self-proclaimed healer who thinks waving needles makes him God.” Unfazed, Leon let out a low chuckle. “Those words are coming from a place of fear, and that’s why you can't admit it. Jarvis isn't gonna help you here, so I suggest you to tell me the source of why you've been a dead man walking.” Johnathan shook his head violently. “I’m not telling you anything because there’s nothing to tell! I’m not some ‘dead man walking.’ Whatever you saw after examining me… maybe the equipment you used is just malfunctioning. Maybe it’s a fluke.” Leon couldn’t suppress another chuckle, clearly amused. “I don’t need
59: Apex Clinic 2
At Leon’s new office in Apex Clinic, Leon sat behind his desk, calm and focused, while Jarvis relaxed on the sofa nearby. Dante remained standing, holding a set of patient files in his hand, which he passed to both men.Leon flipped open the clinical note in front of him, scanning the content as Dante began to speak.“Our first patient is a city council member in Brookdale, Mr. Johnathan Kells,” Dante said. “He wants to run for Mayor, but it’s gonna be difficult, because, well, as a stage four pancreatic cancer patient, he's living on borrowed time.”Jarvis’s brow furrowed as he flipped through the pages. Something didn’t add up.“Wait,” he said, pointing at the note. “Did you examine him recently or is this accurate? Because it’s written here that the patient has exceeded the expected survival window by approximately three months.”Dante sighed, and replied, “Yeah, I examined him myself. It’s strange. I’ve reviewed everything… labs, scans, the tumor progression. According to all our
58: Apex Clinic 1
At the Lancaster Villa, inside Gregory’s study room, the family was having a meeting. It was a situation that was frustrating for them. The air was stiff with tension, the kind that pressed down on everyone’s shoulders.Jarvis Grave demanded to see just Diane before they could sign a contract with him, and it put them in a very tight spot“D-dad…” Brianna said with a frown, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “Do we really have to let Diane take all the glory?” There was a bite in her voice, the kind that masked insecurity. She hated how Diane always seemed to find her way into the spotlight, even when she wasn’t around.David shook his head, lost in deep thought. “Are you saying that poor guy… what was his name again? Was involved?” he asked Ethan, clearly trying to piece things together.Ethan nodded, and explained to them what Leon had said about Jarvis owing him, and which was why Jarvis gave Diane such a birthday celebration and made Diane the one to have the business meet
