269 269. Man-Eat-Man world. 

Slash!

Clank!

"You can't win against me, slave. I can't believe you've lasted at the top for five years—Pathetic." 

Boom!

"The winner is… Sir Malus!" 

Woosh!

Eyes opened abruptly. Lost, pained, angered, and reeling with hopelessness. There were not enough words to describe the feelings that Kaecilius felt at the moment. It had just been a day since he lost, and now, he was digesting another grave news. 

"Haaa!" 

Bam!

He slammed his fist on the wall. His entire room was full of the aftermath of destruction by now. "My son… Remus…!" 

Merely a few hours ago, the news of his son's demise had come. His son had fallen from the horseback while training and had broken his neck. He had just returned from finishing the cremation of his body. 

"Only if I was better… If I could have done something." But deep down, he knew there was nothing he could do. He was a slave, and so was his family.