Lucifer and Harley burst into the underground world of the sewer system, the sudden darkness a temporary shield.
Lucifer ignored the immediate threat of pursuit from the Speedster and the Flier, knowing Raven was already moving.
"Raven, report,"
Lucifer spoke, his voice tight.
"The pursuit is neutralized. And Lucifer... you need to hear this. The client who issued the contract is hostile."
"I know. It's Joker, or one of his many fronts,"
Lucifer dismissed, dragging Harley deeper into the tunnel.
"No, not the Joker this time. It's a high-level containment agency, and they are escalating fast. If you complete the delivery—hand Harley over to them—she will be moved to a maximum-security black site. Permanently. The moment she leaves your custody, her probability of survival drops to 12%... Or lower…"
Lucifer stopped dead, his fingers digging into the restraints on Harley's arm.
His Fundamental Insight confirmed the cold, statistical truth of Raven's analysis.
Joker's plan wasn't just to prove his love; it was to force him into an impossible choice: money and professionalism, or Harley's life.
Lucifer looked at Harley. Her eyes were wide, and his Basic Empath registered a wave of intense "Fear" mixed with a strange, passive "Acceptance."
"He's giving me a choice, Raven,"
Lucifer stated, his voice barely a whisper.
"He knew the client was hostile. He's forcing me to choose between the path I built and the family I abandoned."
"You already made the choice,"
Raven murmured, her avatar tilting her head.
"I can feel your emotions, Lucifer. Underneath the anger, there is profound 'Protectiveness' and 'Grief.' You love her deeply. She's not an asset; she's your sister."
Lucifer shut his eyes, the memory of his raw, desperate yell echoing in the close, damp air: "Don't you dare try to pull that shut with me!" He had betrayed his own logic.
He reopened his eyes.
The notification for the mission, visible in his helmet display, pulsed mockingly: [New Gold Rank Delivery: Black Market Asset Retrieval].
He slammed his fist against the concrete wall, ignoring the pain.
"Cancel contract,"
Lucifer announced the command heavy and final.
The notification vanished, replaced by a simple, grim message:
[Delivery Record Tarnished. 99.8% Completion Rate.]
His 100% completion record, the emblem of his new, ordered life, was gone. Lucifer didn't care.
"The financial goal remains,"
Lucifer stated, pulling up his system status.
"I need the $3.5 million to unlock the next system tier and establish an undetectable, permanent base. Joker just confirmed that every step of my current life will be targeted until I can build an untouchable fortress."
He checked his current funds and the newly acquired functions:
[Current Funds $1,000,000]
[New Function 10% interest rate]
[One-month period.]
[One-Time Free Purchase]
[Goal $3,500,000]
[Required to unlock the next system function]
"The interest is irrelevant right now; the time delay is too long. I need immediate, massive revenue,"
Lucifer concluded.
"But first, I need offensive power."
He focused on the One-Time Free Purchase option, his mind already cycling through all known metahuman powers and specialized technology he had cataloged.
He needed something high-impact, low-cooldown, and untraceable.
He needed a power that could match the Joker's chaos with absolute force.
Lucifer ordered.
"System, give me Tier 5 Minimum offensive power. It must be a direct, single-target offensive ability. Prioritize low power signature and immediate deployment."
The system whirred, accessing his massive database and cross-referencing Tier 5 offensive powers that could be integrated instantly.
A single option flashed across his visor.
It was a power he had once studied, a rare, terrifying ability often associated with cosmic entities, but it could be acquired and stabilized by the system.
[System Integration: Free Purchase Option Available]
[Target Ability: Void Severance (Tier 5)]
[Description: The ability to create a momentary, localized vacuum—a 'void'—in the immediate vicinity of a single target. The instantaneous pressure drop causes massive kinetic disruption, internal trauma, and temporary containment of the target (Duration: 3 seconds, Cooldown: 10 seconds). Highly discreet and untraceable.]
[Cost: FREE (One-Time Use)]
"Void Severance,"
Lucifer repeated, the name tasting cold and final. It was perfect. It wasn't flashy, and it was the ultimate counter to a close-range chaos agent like the Joker.
"Purchase,"
Lucifer commanded.
The power surged into him, a cold, empty feeling of absolute potential settling in his chest.
....
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