Going back 13 hours ago....
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Location: The World Supreme Tribunal, Capital Sector, United Nations Judiciary.
Date: January 18th, XXXX.
Presiding Judge: High Justice Elira Marr.
---------------------------------------------------> ~2.9k words so prepare~
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The courtroom was austere and imposing, its design reflecting the seriousness of the trial.
The walls were sleek, modern, polished steel and reflective glass, juxtaposed with the coldness of the marble floors.
Towering above the room, digital monitors displayed the name of the case: United Nations Judiciary vs. Mr. Olympia.
At the center of the courtroom, a reinforced glass containment box encased the defendant. It was a necessary step in ensuring the safety of everyone present.
Inside the box sat Xin, his gaze was flat and unreadable, his posture unbothered.
The young man looked far too young for the crimes he had committed, almost as if he was a minor despite being nineteen.
His long black hair, styled in a side part haircut, with a side of the wavy hair being longer than the other and the rest being in a neat ponytail.
His black hair was immaculately styled—oddly festive for a monster."
He was neat despite the circumstances, his clothing organized. His eyes were a mystical shade of pitch black as if swallowing the darkness of the world, appeared calm and almost detached.
He looked like a boy waiting for a punchline, not a butcher of nations who stood at his judgement.
The court was filled with people who had lost everything due to his actions. There were many survivors of the terror he unleashed on Earth, representatives of governments, and members of the media sat in silence, their eyes fixed on the defendant .
The prosecutor, Marshall Erean Hallersburg , stood firm at the podium, his voice steady as he addressed the court as he stood menacingly, scanning everyone present in the room.
With an expressionless gaze, he retracted his sight to the papers in front of him, before shuffling them, his eyes like a hawk skimming through their content and sharpening.
Clearing his voice, he began speaking in a neutral voice, his words reverberating throughout the court.
"We are here today to prosecute a man responsible for the deaths of millions... many of them were innocent people that wanted to go on with their normal lives. Olympia has committed crimes so heinous that they defy the understanding of what human nature can do."
Gathering himself, he continued speaking with a pained voice, his gaze moving downcast as if he was reflecting upon his own words.
"He stands accused of genocide, human trafficking, illegal weapons trade, mass embezzlement, and countless other crimes. Crimes that have torn apart families, torn our loved ones, destroyed countries, children who knew nothing other than playing, and devastated our very way of life. No, the very life of us human beings"
He turned his gaze to Xin, whose casual demeanor contrasted sharply with the gravity of the accusations.
"The evidence against him is overwhelming. There is no way for him to escape today." Marshal Erean continued with an unwavering gaze.
"But even more damning is the absence of remorse. Not once has he shown an ounce of regret for what he's done. The defendant has shown no remorse. His actions were deliberate and calculated."
Ending his heartfelt speech that was felt despite the neutrality in his voice, he placed down the documents in front of him, before raising his head once more.
"Let the trial begin!"
High Justice Elira Marr leaned forward from her seat, her voice as sharp and clear as a blade.
"The charges are extensive and indiscriminate: genocide, the illegal international arms trade, human trafficking, cannibalism, bribery, embezzlement, and the destruction of entire countries using drugs."
Taking a deep breath to gather herself, she raised her gaze from the documents in her hands with a detached gaze.
"These are just a few of the atrocities committed by the defendant. He has caused untold suffering, and the world is left to pick up the pieces."
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink into the chamber.
"The witnesses will testify to the unimaginable horror they endured at his hands. He has made it clear that he believes himself above any form of accountability."
"Due to the global Criminal Sanctions Protocol passed after the Third Continental War, individuals accused of crimes against humanity were stripped of the right to legal defense, seen as beyond redemption. Therefore, he will not be given the right to have a lawyer to defend himself."
With an emotionless and narrowed gaze, Elira Marr tucked her short red hair behind her ears, her green eyes piercing the man in question as she watched him from her position as if looking down on him.
Xin did not flinch at the gaze.
Rather, he was intrigued by the whole process and dramatic speech. He raised an eyebrow in response without a single word.
Instead, he sat up straighter, his eyes scanning the courtroom with a mask of indifference.
"Really?" he asked. "That's all you could come up with? I thought you'd be more creative in naming my crimes. I remember I did so much more than this..."
The gallery reacted immediately differently.
Gasps, clenched fists, and hollow-eyed stares washed through the courtroom like a silent wave.
Some of the survivors from the cities he had destroyed were visibly shaking with rage, but none dared speak out, knowing the restraints the security had placed on them in the court room.
Ignoring what was happening around her, High judge Elira tapped her table twice with unspoken authority to gather their attention on her once more.
Everyone present gradually calmed down, and Elira spoke once more, not breaking eye contact with Xin as if challenging his statement.
"Let the first witness speak"
The first witness was Liora Avrek, a young woman whose age who jolted at the call of her name.
She had seen too much from his crimes, survived, and now she was here to testify to the horrors of her experience.
Her voice trembled as she recounted the fall of her city.
"It all started when he eliminated the corrupt mayor of your city. Mr. Olympia came to us disguised as a savior. H-he promised us peace, freedom from the oppression of the warlords that had ravaged our land."
With tears flowing down her eyes, Liora sniffled as she held her trembling hands to her chest.
"But instead of peace, he brought death. He slaughtered everyone, my children, my husband, my friends... all because he could. He burned our homes to the ground and laughed while we screamed. I can.... I-i can still hear the sound of their screams... the bombs... ah!"
Liora's hands clenched into fists, her shoulders trembling as she looked directly at Xin.
"You took everything from me, Olympia. You took it all. And now you sit there, as if this is just a game."
"But don't worry, today will be the day you face justice. The day you will pay for all your crimes!"
Another round of gasps echoed through the room. A few people began to weep, unable to hold back their emotions.
Xin met her gaze with a bored expressionless face, as if he had anticipated such a reaction previously. However, his demeanor slowly crumbled, starting with his furrowing brows.
In succession, the edge of his lips started to twitch uncontrollably, before he closed his eyes slowly, and his brows twitched once more in response.
"Ahem, ahem"
He attempted to try to hide his stifled laughter with the sound of clearing his throat and a serious face, but miserably failed.
He laughed softly, then louder, and his voice started to grow louder by the moment.
Finally, unable to hold back his laughter, he collapsed to the floor of the clear cage.
"Hahahahaha!"
Xin doubled over laughing, pounding the glass floor, tears at the corners of his eyes
High judge Elira looked down on him without saying a word, but her chilling eyes spoke volumes.
Liora on the other hand was startled, and quickly retreated in fear as her breathing became erratic as she was reminded of the PTSD she suffered from.
Her body jolted. She collapsed before the medics rushed in—shaking and unresponsive
A medical team quickly came, took her as quick as they came, and left after the witnesses made way for them.
Soon, Xin's laughter calmed down and sat down on the floor with his arms draped over his right knee.
"Oh my god, that was the funniest thing I've heard since I burned down your city. Let me ask you a question, what do you think justice is? No, that's not quite right. let me change the question."
Clearing his throat thoughtfully, he looked back at everyone in the room with narrowed eyes. His tone immediate changed as he stood slowly, pressing his hand to the glass. His voice was low, almost mournful.
"What-makes-you-think-you-have-the-right-to-judge-me?"
Red warning lines flickered on the glass whenever he leaned too far forward.
His words echoed through the silent court room, bouncing off the walls, red carpet, and the high ceiling.
No one spoke. The silence was louder than any verdict
Not hearing a response, but a few whimpers in reply, he merely sighed in disappointment.
"Forget it. It's my fault for asking dumb citizens. How about you, Eli?"
Turning his gaze to the high judge, he asked curiously.
Elira's nose wrinkled in disgust for a moment before she quickly went back to her expressionless expression.
"Don't you dare use a nickname on me, you disgusting criminal. Who gave you permission to speak with that filthy mouth of yours?"
With a single signal, a soft pulse emitted from the containment cage. Xin's voice was cut off mid-sentence — the sound field had activated, muting his voice despite him trying to talk. His mouth opened a closed for a few seconds, before he gave up.
Not getting angered by her word choice, Xin merely chuckled in response, not responding to her.
Quickly ignoring him, she looked towards a certain middle aged man standing with a fierce expression painted on his face.
"Let the second witness step forward"
The next witness was Garek Svayle, a man with a beard thick enough to hide the scars on his face—scars that told the story of countless battles fought and lost. His eyes were cold, but there was a seething anger in his gaze as he stepped up to the stand.
"My family… my wife and two children… They were killed in front of me."
He sucked in a breath of cold, painful, nostalgia.
"Olympia didn't just kill them, he made a spectacle of it. He violated my wife, forcefully fed her the children, burned my house, a-and... a-and tore it apart."
"I was forced to watch. And when I begged him to end it, to let me die with them, he simply laughed and told me to be 'strong'."
Garek's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, as if holding back his tears from escaping.
"He didn't just murder them, he enjoyed the whole thing. A-and now he sits there as if nothing matters."
Xin's gaze flicked to him.
"Look, I get it. It must have been hard, watching them die. But isn't that what makes life interesting? Also, it's not like you did anything to prevent it."
Sighing, he went on.
"You were weak, extra character number 1. As weakness is a sin, it was the reason I had to kill your family. It was necessary. Am sorry..."
With a finger on his lips and winking, he smiled innocently, like the devil's whispers.
"~Toot, toot. And just like you are here judging me, I had to judge you for the sin you people call 'weakness' "
Garek's who was passionately speaking his heart out with his heartfelt pain and emotion, suddenly turned his head towards the cage Xin was in a twisted smile.
"Oh, don't worry. You'll soon join her" He spoke with a smile, which was a different reaction from what Xin had anticipated.
His odd calm behavior and his mention of 'her' sent the whole room spiraling into confusion, and even Xin was not exempt from this, tilting his head.
"Her? What do you mean?" He asked curiously, wondering what the man was going on about. It seemed he had went insane from depression.
"Oh, you know, the one who sold herself for a bowl of beans for someone~. Well don't worry about it, since you will be meeting her soon!" He answered gleefully, slowly walking towards the cage Xin was seated in.
Xin who head this blanked out, his gaze looking at empty space as a rush of memories threatened his head, yet he remained impassive. Elira who felt an ominous premonition, signaled the guards.
"Restrain the witness" Elira ordered with a sharp, yet loud voice as she frowned in displeasure. The situation was getting out of control.
If the man did anything crazy at this sensitive moment, the whole court who fall into chaos. This would create an opening for the vile criminal to escape.
No... on second thought, the word 'criminal' is wasted on him.
The word devil in human flesh is more accurate. Who knew when they would be able to catch him again? A year? Two? Ten? What would the world be like at the time?
Shiik!
Despite full-spectrum scans at the entrance, the blade had been grafted into his prosthetic leg, shielded by a stealth alloy used only in military-grade tech. No one had expected a witness to be that prepared
Garek clicked a hidden button on his prosthetic leg which revealed an empty space with a metal object that appeared to be folded, unfolded the knife with a hand, and rushed towards the cage with red eyes, and the witnesses that were standing shrieked and a few tried to run, some even tripping and falling.
The security tried to stop the crowd from charging, but even they had limits, and one brought out his hand gun and shot twice in the air a a warning.
That calmed everyone down for a moment.
"DIE!"
Garek rushed forward laughing insanely, only to be tackled instantly by a squad of armored guards who were stationed closer to the gallery for this exact reason.
"Hahaha! You will soon be joining her, so don't feel too down about!"
His maniacal laughter became shallower as he got dragged farther, and finally the door was closed, his voice completely disappearing.
The room was thick with anger, sorrow, and disbelief, but it was when Xin's eyes seemed to flicker with something that resembled emotion that the trial took an unexpected turn.
He finally came back to reality.
He stood up in his glass cage, his hand pressed against the transparent wall.
He blinked. Just once. But it was the first movement that didn't feel calculated.
"I'm really sorry" Xin unexpectedly said, his voice soft and barely audible.
He looked down at his trembling hands and clenched them until they turned white.
"I feel regret for all I have done. I deserve this. It is all my fault." Tears slid down his eyes.
The courtroom became silent all of a sudden. What had just happened?
Some in the crowd shifted uncomfortably. Was this real remorse… or a manipulative performance?
This didn't stop others from exploding in anger and others sobbing. After all you've done, you now come to apologize? It's too late!
The amount of people that paid the price of their life for the mere entertainment of this young man was too much for numbers to be calculated. It pained even more that he felt remorse. What good was remorse now? Why couldn't he feel this emotion earlier? No, rather why could he feel it only now?
High judge Elira looked down at Xin coldly, without an ounce of mercy as if she could tear him to shreds.
She had buried her brother after the Singapore massacre. Today, she would bury her mercy.
"Its no use begging. Its too late for regret. The sentence is absolute, there is no pardon. Reflect on your actions in the afterlife."
Xin weakly nodded his head slowly. He slowly looked up, turned his gaze toward a certain woman that was seated in the gallery.
"...You" His teary eyes streaming down his face, the sorrow in his eyes, made her flinch back in confusion at why he was talking to her specifically.
Still sobbing, he continued.
"I should've killed your entire family. I didn't finish my job properly"
The woman, who had survived one of his massacres, stood up, her eyes flashing with overbound confusion.
"W-what? You monster! How dare you even apologize for that?!"
"You fucking bastard, if I knew who your father and mother were, I would've fucking killed him myself and raped your mother to death!"
"Rot in hell!"
A chant began, a requiem of emotion 'Rot in hell!' spread like wildfire."
Everyone present in the room, excluding the high judge, the marshal, the guards, and all officials including journalists started cursing Xin. Some threw stuff that was in room such as vases, artificial plants at the glass cage, yet he didn't even flinch.
Ignoring them, he continued speaking.
Xin's smile faded slightly, and he bowed his head.
"I didn't kill enough. That's my only regret. I'm sorry"
The woman screamed in anger, but Xin's next words were almost a whisper.
"I'm sorry I didn't finish the job"
The tension in the room reached a breaking point as High Justice Elira Marr rose to her feet, her voice calm but carrying the weight of the world.
"Silence"
The protestors ignored her and continued going on with their chant, as if they were mad cultists.
Elira's hand tightened on the gavel. Her face was calm, but a vein in her temple pulsed visibly
Finally, she lost her last straw.
She slammed her hands directly on the desk in irritation.
"I said Silence!" She barked.
CLACK!
The gavel cracked like a gunshot
The chanting suddenly quieted at her outburst.