As the battle concluded, the once-vibrant village lay in utter ruin, reduced to a haunting wasteland of shattered buildings and lifeless bodies.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and ash, mingling with the oppressive silence that followed the massacre.

I stood amidst the devastation, my gaze sweeping over the scene.

Broken weapons and torn flags lay scattered among the corpses of hunters and villagers, their faces frozen in expressions of despair and fear.

For a moment, I lingered, feeling neither triumph nor remorse.

Turning away, I signaled to my army.

The golems and chimera ants, their once-pristine forms now marred with battle damage, obediently fell into formation.

With heavy, synchronized steps, we retreated into the shadows, leaving behind nothing but death and ash.

The hideout of the Demonic Guild was hidden deep within a jagged canyon, its cavernous halls dimly lit by flickering torches.

My forces moved silently, their hulking forms a constant reminder of my power.

As we approached, I sensed a presence—weak, erratic, yet familiar.

Emerging from the shadows came Kevin, his figure barely recognizable.

He staggered forward, his face contorted with rage and pain.

Blood soaked his torn armor, and his left arm hung limply at his side, clearly broken.

Deep gashes crisscrossed his chest, while one of his eyes was swollen shut, the other blazing with fury.

His breathing was ragged, each step an effort, and he leaned heavily on his sword, using it as a crutch.

"You!" His voice was hoarse but filled with anger as he limped closer.

"Why didn’t you send your golems or chimeras to help me?!"

I tilted my head, meeting his furious gaze with cold detachment.

My voice was calm, almost amused.

"You managed to escape alive?"

There was a faint note of surprise in my tone, though inwardly I cursed his resilience.

I had expected—no, hoped—that he would die in battle.

His death would have been convenient, a clean end to his usefulness.

But here he stood, a defiant reminder of my unfinished task.

"What?" Kevin’s voice faltered, his anger giving way to confusion.

His bloodied face reddened further, a mixture of disbelief and fury.

"What do you mean by that?"

I took a moment to glance around.

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The surviving members of the Demonic Guild were scattered throughout the hideout.

Most were injured, nursing wounds from the recent skirmishes.

Their expressions were a mix of fear and exhaustion as they turned their attention to us.

"Hmm..." I mused aloud, my gaze shifting back to Kevin.

His once-imposing figure was now a shadow of itself, battered and weakened.

"It doesn’t matter," I finally said, my voice turning colder, sharper. "Your role is over now."

Kevin’s eyes widened in shock. "What...?" he rasped, his voice trembling.

"You’re... you’re joking, right?"

But the truth was plain in my expression.

"If this were any other day," I said evenly, stepping closer, "you might have stood a chance against me. An S-rank hunter, after all, is too much to handle."

Kevin’s grip tightened on his sword, but it was clear his strength was failing.

Blood dripped from his wounds, pooling at his feet.

"But now?" I continued, circling him slowly.

"Now, you’re nothing more than a wounded animal. Weak. Vulnerable. And in my way."

Kevin's body trembled as he glared at me, his once fiery confidence now reduced to raw desperation.

Blood dripped steadily from his wounds, his battered frame swaying unsteadily.

Yet, despite his weakened state, he mustered all the venom he could into his words.

"You traitorous bastard!" he snarled, his voice cracking with fury.

"You think you can kill me and escape safely?"

The words echoed through the cavern, reverberating off the walls and filling the tense air.

His tone was defiant, but the slight quiver in his voice betrayed the creeping realization of his impending doom.

For a moment, I remained silent, letting his accusation hang in the air.

Then, with deliberate calm, I replied, my voice steady and sharp.

"Are you talking about the mana oath restrictions?"

The mention of the oath made his expression twist.

For a brief moment, hope flickered in his eyes, and he stood a little taller.

"Yes! Absolutely," he snapped, his voice gaining strength.

"You can’t kill me! The system itself will punish you for breaking the oath!"

He looked at me, waiting for fear to register on my face.

But I simply smiled, a cold, calculating curve of my lips that seemed to drain the color from his already pale face.

"Is that so?" I asked, my tone laced with amusement.

Kevin's bravado faltered.

His eyes darted across my face, searching for some crack in my composure.

Finding none, he hesitated.

"I think you’re misunderstanding something," I said, my voice soft but cutting.

His brows furrowed, suspicion replacing his fleeting confidence.

"What do you mean?" he demanded, though his voice wavered.

I took a step closer, the faint sound of my boots against the stone floor echoing ominously.

"I never swore an oath to help you, Kevin," I said, my words measured and deliberate.

His confusion deepened, but then it hit him.

The realization dawned on his face like a slow, dawning horror.

"I swore to help the Demonic Guild," I continued, my tone cold and matter-of-fact.

Kevin’s face contorted in rage.

"Both are the same, you bastard!" he shouted, though the desperation was now bleeding through his aggression.

I tilted my head, feigning curiosity.

"Are they, though?" I asked, letting my gaze sweep over the room.

The other members of the guild shifted uncomfortably under my scrutiny, their fear palpable.

"The Demonic Guild exists as long as there is a Guildmaster," I explained, my voice calm but firm.

"And anyone can take that role."

Kevin’s jaw tightened, his bloodied fists clenched at his sides. "You… what are you saying?"

I didn’t answer him directly.

Instead, I turned my gaze toward one of the guild members, Samuel.

He was a timid man, younger than most, and had avoided eye contact throughout the entire confrontation.

"You," I said, pointing at him. "You will be the next Guildmaster."

Samuel’s head snapped up in shock, his face paling further.

"W-What?" he stammered, his voice trembling.

"If you don’t want to, someone else can take the position," I said nonchalantly, shrugging.

The room fell silent, the tension so thick it was suffocating.

"N-No!" Samuel blurted out, his voice rising in panic. "I—I’ll do it!"

A small smirk played on my lips. "Good."

I turned back to the rest of the guild members, my voice now sharp and commanding.

"Now, let’s make it official. What do you all say?"

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of heavy breathing and the faint shuffling of feet.

My golems, sensing the hesitation, stepped forward, their massive forms casting long, ominous shadows over the cowering guild members.

"I won’t repeat myself," I warned, my voice like ice.

The guild members practically tripped over themselves in their haste to respond.

"We agree!" they shouted in unison, their voices tinged with fear.

The silent relief in the room was almost tangible, but Kevin’s fury erupted like a volcano.

"You traitorous bastards!" he bellowed, his voice hoarse and cracking.

His face was red with rage, veins bulging on his neck.

"You’ll all pay for this!"

Before anyone could react, Kevin lunged.

Despite his injuries, his movements were swift and fueled by desperation.

His sword gleamed in the dim light, aimed directly at me.

But I didn’t flinch.

I sidestepped effortlessly, his blade slicing through empty air.

"You’re predictable," I remarked coldly.

Before he could recover, I moved.

My arm transformed into a sharp, metallic weapon, glinting ominously in the dim light.

I drove it forward, piercing through Kevin’s side with ease.

His scream echoed through the cavern, a sound of both pain and betrayal.

Blood poured from the wound as he crumpled to his knees, his sword slipping from his grasp and clattering to the ground.

Kevin knelt before me, gasping for breath, his blood pooling around him.

His one good eye looked up at me, filled with a mixture of hatred and despair.

"You... you’ll regret this," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

I crouched down, meeting his gaze with an icy smile.

"Perhaps. But you won't be there to see."

With a swift motion, I ended his life.

His body slumped to the ground, lifeless, as the room fell silent.

I straightened, glancing at the guild members who stood frozen, their faces pale with shock and fear.

"This is your first lesson," I said coldly, addressing the room.

"Power defines leadership. Those who falter will fall. Remember that."

Turning on my heel, I strode out of the chamber, leaving them to deal with the aftermath.

My army of golems and chimera ants followed silently, their heavy steps reverberating through the cavern.

Kevin’s demise was just the beginning.

There was still so much more to achieve—and nothing would stand in my way.