Lust Meter System: Conquering Beauties-Chapter 95: A Monster

The younger man’s hand moved—a blur of motion as steel hissed from its sheath.

He spun, blade already extended, pointing directly at the shadowed alcove.

Nothing.

Empty space.

His eyes narrowed, scanning every corner, every shadow.

’Impossible.’

His grip tightened on the sword.

’Only three people I know can vanish like that.’

"Is something wrong, Lit?"

The older man’s voice came from behind him, casual but curious.

Lit didn’t lower his blade immediately. His gaze lingered on the darkness for another heartbeat before he finally sheathed the sword with a smooth click.

"Nothing," he said. "Thought I sensed something. Must’ve been the wind."

"Heh... heh heh." The old man’s laugh rattled in his chest. "You’re too paranoid, boy. This place is making you jumpy."

Lit turned back, falling into step beside him.

But his hand never left the hilt of his sword.

They continued walking, their footsteps echoing down the hallway.

---

Liam pressed his back against the cold stone wall, his chest heaving.

’That was too close.’

His heart hammered against his ribs. He waited, listening for footsteps, for the sound of steel scraping against leather, for anything that would tell him the man was coming back.

Silence.

He peeled himself away from the wall slowly, checking both ends of the hallway. Empty.

The corridor stretched in both directions. Dim torches threw long shadows across the floor.

’Shit. I hesitated.’

Liam’s jaw tightened. His fist slammed into the wall.

Pain flared up his arm.

He’d been so focused on getting away that he hadn’t paid attention to where he was going.

The hallways all looked the same down here. Stone walls, iron sconces, the occasional door that led to who knows where.

’I need to get out of here.’

He started walking, keeping his footsteps light, his breathing controlled.

Every corner could be a dead end.

Every turn could lead him straight into a guard or worse, back to that man with the sword.

Then he heard it.

A voice. Loud. Angry.

"I wasn’t supposed to fight today. And I’m definitely not fighting that monster."

Liam stopped.

Another voice responded, quieter, more desperate.

"You don’t have a choice."

The voices were coming from somewhere ahead. Liam moved toward them, pressing himself against the wall as he approached the corner. He peeked around.

A hallway. Wider than the others. Two men stood near the far end.

One was built like he could break a man in half without breaking a sweat. Broad shoulders, thick neck, muscles that strained against the fabric of his shirt. His face was hard, scarred along the jawline, eyes cold and unmoving. He stood with his arms crossed, staring down at the other man.

The other man had white hair. Cut short. Dark eyes. Sharp jawline.

Recognition hit Liam like a punch to the gut.

’That’s Elsa’s brother.’

He’d only seen him once. In a photograph.

Elsa had invited him over for dinner a few weeks back. Her parents had been polite, her mother especially.

Now here he was. Looking up at a man twice his size, trying to reason with him.

"You don’t have a choice," Elsa’s brother repeated, his voice strained. "The people want more."

"The Shade family runs this," Elsa’s brother said quickly. "You know how this works. They pick the families. We provide the fighters. They handle the bets, the arena, everything. And when they say fight, you fight."

The big man let out a harsh laugh.

"I don’t have to do anything."

"You signed the contract."

"I don’t care about the contract." The fighter’s voice was flat, final. "I’m not fighting some numbered freak no matter how much you pay me."

"It’s not about the money anymore," Elsa’s brother said quickly. "It’s about—"

"I don’t care what it’s about." The fighter uncrossed his arms, his massive hands hanging loose at his sides. "I’ve fought for you for years. I’ve bled for you. I’ve broken bones for you. But I never signed up for this. I never agreed to fight something that isn’t even human."

"He is human," Elsa’s brother insisted, though his voice wavered. "He’s just—"

"He’s a monster." The fighter’s eyes were hard, unblinking. "I saw what Number Twenty did to those guys. I watched him grab that first man by the head and crush his skull like it was nothing. Just squeezed until there was nothing left but blood and bone. And the second guy? He tried to run. Number Twenty caught him, lifted him up, and snapped his spine over his knee like he was breaking a stick."

Elsa’s brother ran a hand through his white hair, his jaw tight.

"If you don’t fight, they’ll come after my family. They’ll—"

"Not my problem."

"Please," Elsa’s brother said, and there was real desperation in his voice now. "Just this one fight. Just one more. After this, you’re done. I’ll void the contract myself. You’ll never have to fight again."

The fighter stared at him for a long moment. Then he shook his head.

"No."

"I’m begging you—"

"I said no." The fighter took a step forward, and Elsa’s brother instinctively took a step back. "I’m not fighting. I’m done. And if you’ve got a problem with that..." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Then come force me."

Elsa’s brother’s face went pale. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

The fighter didn’t move. Just stood there, waiting.

"I..." Elsa’s brother’s voice cracked. "I can’t..."

"That’s what I thought."

The fighter turned and started walking away, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Elsa’s brother stood there for a moment, frozen. Then his legs gave out. He dropped to his knees, his hands hitting the floor.

"I’m screwed," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I’m so screwed."

And then Liam was suddenly beside him.

"What was that all about?"

Elsa’s brother’s head snapped up. His eyes went wide, his whole body tensing like he was about to bolt.

"What the—when did you—" He looked around, confused, panicked. "I didn’t even hear you."

Liam didn’t answer. He just looked at him, calm, steady.

Elsa’s brother pushed himself to his feet slowly, his legs still shaky. He stared at Liam for a long moment, his breathing heavy.

"Who are you?" he asked finally.

Liam tilted his head slightly.

"Is that really important right now?"

Elsa’s brother blinked. Then, despite everything, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"I guess you’re right."

He let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair again.

"My fighter just walked out on me," he said, his voice bitter. "The one guy I had. The one guy who was supposed to get me through this. And now he’s gone."

Liam crossed his arms.

"So get a new fighter."

Elsa’s brother let out a harsh laugh.

"A new fighter. Right. Because there’s just a line of people waiting to fight that monster." He shook his head. "If my best fighter isn’t willing to go into the ring with that monster, what makes you think I can find someone now?"

Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Why don’t you just tell them you don’t have a fighter?"

Elsa’s brother stared at him like he’d just suggested jumping off a cliff.

"Because they’ll throw me in the ring instead."

"You?"

"Yeah. Me." He laughed again, though there was no humor in it. "The Shade family doesn’t care who fights. They just need someone in that ring. Someone representing my family. And if it’s not my fighter, it’s me. That’s how this works."

He looked down at the floor, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"I’m not a fighter," he said quietly. "I’ve never been in a real fight in my life. I wouldn’t last two seconds against that thing."

Liam studied him. The fear in his eyes. The way his hands were trembling. The desperation in his voice.

And then his mind went somewhere else.

Liam had already slept with the mother. And the daughter. And their father had given him an opportunity.

The least he could do was save their son.

Save her brother.

Liam let out a slow breath.

"I’ll fight for you."

Elsa’s brother’s head snapped up. He stared at Liam like he hadn’t heard correctly.

"What?"

"I said I’ll fight for you," Liam repeated, his voice calm. "I’ll take your fighter’s spot. I’ll go into that ring."

Elsa’s brother just stood there, mouth slightly open, eyes wide.

"You... you’re serious?"

"Yeah."

"You don’t even know what you’re up against. That thing, Number Twenty, he’s—"

"I saw it," Liam said quietly.

Elsa’s brother’s mouth closed. He blinked.

"You... you saw it?"

"Yeah." Liam’s voice was steady, but there was something in his eyes. Something distant. "I was there. Saw the whole thing. The way he moved. The way he didn’t even hesitate. It wasn’t a fight. It was an execution." He paused. "And it wasn’t settling. Not even a little. That thing is scary as hell."

Elsa’s brother stared at him, his face going even paler.

"Then you know what you’re getting into. You know what he does to people. So now that you know what you’re up against—"

"I’ll still fight."

The words came out firm. Final.

Elsa’s brother’s mouth closed. He stared down at the floor for a moment, shaking his head slowly, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Then he raised his head and looked at Liam.

Really looked at him.

And he saw it. Liam wasn’t joking. There was no hesitation in his eyes. No fear. Just calm, cold certainty.

"You’re serious," Elsa’s brother said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah."

Elsa’s brother let out a shaky breath.

"You’re insane."

"Probably."

"You’re going to get yourself killed." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"We’ll see."

Elsa’s brother looked at him for a long moment, like he was trying to figure out if Liam was brave or just stupid. Then slowly, he nodded.

"Okay," he said quietly. "Okay. If you’re really doing this... we need to go. Now." He paused, swallowing hard. "Thank you."

Liam gave him a small nod.

"Don’t thank me yet. Let’s see if I survive first."