Chapter 98: Exterminating 6 (Play With Fire)
In the opulent master bedroom of the villa, Austin sat regally upon the couch, his gaze fixed upon the trembling figure cowering on the bed in abject terror. Radiating an aura of unassailable dignity, he imbued the air with a weightiness that made it seem as though one stood in the presence of a sovereign, a being of unparalleled authority.
The person was a leader of one of the forces under the command of Edwen Black beside the Nines. Austin did bother to know his name as he was considered just a dead meat to him. He didn't even fit for a position of a leader, as a leader with a personality like that and cowering in front of the enemy like that made Austin sigh in disappointment.
He thought that the title of the Leader of one of the forces under the direct command of Edwen Black was just an exaggeration or just some words that depict nothing.
They were but a clique of self-important nobles, basking in their unwarranted arrogance, devoid of any true power or substance beyond their fleeting wealth or usefulness to Edwen's schemes. Their haughty demeanor stemmed solely from their past associations or temporary advantages, soon to be discarded like pawns on a chessboard once their utility had expired.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a huge explosion that could be seen through the window.
Austin smiled and looked at the demon on the bed who resembled a human very much, then stood up.
"Well, it was a pleasure to see you mister...demon, right?" He said with a very calm voice sending shivers down to the demon's spine.
Then walked toward him with steady steps, making the demon feel like his life was like a ticking bomb.
Every step Austin took toward the bed where the demon was, made him feel like it was the countdown of the end of his life.
"S-s-s-stay a-away from me! D-don't c-come closer!" He said with a very shaky voice as he was so afraid and scared right now.
"Shhhh...you won't feel anything, rather than being afraid you should be happy that you will meet your subordinates so soon, right?." Austin's voice was low like a whisper of death that made the demon look like as if the life was drained from him, he nearly shitted himself from fear.
Once Austin became in front of the bed, the demon sweated like no tomorrow as if a pig waiting to be slaughtered.
The demon who was a chubby middle-aged man felt that Austin was more like a demon than him with how he spoke and the look in his eyes.
Austin then raised his right finger, then suddenly a small fire appeared on it.
Akin to the flickering flame of a solitary candle, casting feeble light into the surrounding darkness.
"You see, many people did wrong things and bad things, thinking that what they were doing was for the greater good or for a glorious purpose, but deep inside it was to satisfy their own greed, that never ends."
"But they all share one common trait—they crumble in the face of strength, shaping today's world into one where might dictates the law. So, tell me, are you one of them? Or are you just an ordinary, innocent bystander?"
Gulp!
The demon gulped his saliva as he felt that his mouth was dry and knew that the wrong word would seal his fate.
"N-n-normal b-b-bystander."
"Hmmm....open your palm." Suddenly Austin said startling the demon, but he nodded quickly while opening his palm.
He didn't understand what Austin wanted to do, but he complied or else he would experience something he didn't want to at all.
Austin then put the fire of the candle that was floating on his finger on the demon's palm, making him shiver in fear.
"Don't. Just calm down, it's a reward rather than a punishment." Austin said while holding the demon's hand and closed his palm on the fire.
"C-can I know what is this?"
Austin looked at him with a smile while his eyes crystal blue eyes glowed slightly.
"It's your reward for being a normal person, it's your salvation."
"Salvation?!" The demon's confusion was palpable, but it quickly gave way to horror as he felt the searing heat engulfing his body, intensifying at an alarming pace. His skin began to blaze with a fiery red hue, wisps of smoke curling upwards from his burning flesh.
"W-WHAT IS THAT?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" He shouted while the smoke increased even more.
"Your salvation, what did you think?"
The once-red skin of the demon now darkened, transforming into a deep, ominous black hue, mirroring the sinister turn of events. Alongside this macabre metamorphosis, the billowing smoke too shifted to a shade of murky black, carrying with it a noxious stench that permeated the air, filling the surroundings with a sense of dread and foreboding.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?!!! YOU BASTARD, YOU FOOLED ME!!"
"How can I do that? I'm so innocent that I don't know what you are talking about."
The demon's agonized screams crescendoed, their piercing wails reverberating through the halls of the villa and beyond, echoing into the surrounding darkness. Meanwhile, Austin observed with a chilling smile as the flames consumed not only the demon's physical form but also his very essence, a facade of serenity masking the myriad thoughts and intentions lurking beneath.
He really liked to play with his enemies' lives as if they were puppets in his play. Giving them hope and taking it from them afterwards, the expression of happiness turning into sorrow and helplessness was one of the best things that Austin liked to watch.
It gives him an addicting feeling.
The demon's anguished cries resonated like a twisted melody, filling Austin's ears with a perverse symphony that only heightened his pleasure. His smile stretched wider, revealing a chilling facade of satisfaction, while his eyes glimmered with a dangerous intensity, reveling in the chaos and suffering unfolding before him.
He watched till the end where there was nothing left from the demon, not even a nail or finger or even an ash.
"Hmmm, that was quite satisfying," Austin murmured, his satisfaction evident in his tone. "I can only imagine the spectacle when Edwen Black faces his inevitable demise. Even as a vampire, I have my ways of dealing with the supposedly immortal." With a contemplative pause, he closed his eyes, perhaps envisioning the downfall of his next target.
Until suddenly, he felt the presence of someone entering the villa while running very fast toward this room.
He knew who was that person and sat there on the couch waiting for her.
Suddenly, the door to the bedroom opened revealing Sakura who had sweat on her face.
"Darling! Sis is in danger!" Sakura said with a voice filled with worry and fear as she heard the loud explosion that had happened while running toward this villa.
She didn't arrive at the villa immediately as she encountered some demon guards along the way which made her quite late.
"Come here." He said while patting the place beside him in a calm manner.
Sakura who heard his calm voice nodded unconsciously and went and sat beside him, then he started caressing her hair gently while casting a cleaning spell on her, making her calm down while closing her eyes in relaxation.
"Don't worry about your sister, she is so strong and can defeat any enemy. Just believe in her." He said while continuing caressing her hair, making her rub her head in his palm.
Austin knew that Asagi was alright as he could sense her presence and soul no matter where she was, all his wives were the same, he could feel them and know their statuses.
Suddenly, another one entered the bedroom.
"I'm here Darling~" the woman said with an alluring tone.
She was Violet.
Immediately, she jumped on him while he caught her in his arms with a loving smile.
She snuggled in his embrace lovingly.
And like that, his other wives arrived.
Shiranui and Yukikaze (Although she isn't his wife yet.)
All of them sat beside Austin waiting for the last one.
They didn't wait long and they heard the door being opened and a woman with dark blue hair and beautiful green eyes entered the bedroom.
She was carrying another woman with long pink hair as well.
"I'm here Darling, I missed you~" She threw the woman on the bed while jumping on Austin hugging him tightly. He caught her and casted the same spell on her and the others making them clean.
Sniffing his smell and snuggling in his embrace.
"We just separated for some time."
"But I already missed you when we separated."
He smiled warmly while caressing her back gently.
Looking at how Austin treated his wives, Yukikaze blushed hard and looked away in embarrassment.
All of his wives hugged him for some time until they felt satisfied, then decided to go back as Austin wanted to inspect this woman who Asagi brought with her.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone