With a wicked grin stretching across my face, I leaned in close to the chief, my tone carrying a playful yet unmistakable threat. "Well, well, well! So here’s the deal: if you’re willing to transfer all your precious assets to a secret account I’ll create—and, of course, record a little message for your organization, something about ‘government issues’ and ‘safeguarding’ your assets—then, and only then, I won’t lay a finger on you. Sound fair?"

A flicker of relief washed over the chief's features, his eyes sparking with a flash of hope as he forced a smile. "That’s more than fair. I trust a man of your...integrity."

Suppressing a smirk at his response, I called out to the facility’s speakers, where I knew my ever-faithful assistant would be listening. "Eve, are you there?"

Her voice crackled through the speakers, as cheerful as ever. "I’m here, young master! I’ve already prepared an account under a false identity, eagerly awaiting the transfer. Rest assured, I’m monitoring every corner of this facility. No one’s slipping past me."

I marveled at her meticulous efficiency, grinning with genuine admiration. "That’s my Eve—reliable as always. Fast as lightning and steady as the stars. I’m leaving the rest in your capable hands."

I turned back to the chief, tossing him his HT-01 terminal, my gaze cold and unyielding. "You heard Eve. Transfer every last asset. No tricks, no delays, and don’t forget the recording. Make it sound like you’re on the brink of some massive breakthrough—so deep in your work that any silence is just ‘dedicated research.’ Got it?"

He gave a brisk nod, his understanding written in the nervous glint of his eye. Within half an hour, the deed was done, and with a single keystroke, my fortune was sealed, my rise from rags to riches complete.

With our deal complete, I turned to him, allowing a slow smile of triumph to spread across my face. "A deal is a deal," I declared, letting my voice fill with satisfaction. "You’re a free man."

But before I could revel in the moment, Aurora’s voice cut through the silence, her tone sharp and filled with betrayal. "How could you, Xeno? After everything, you’re just going to let him go? How can you let him walk away so easily?" Her voice trembled with barely-contained fury.

I held up a hand, hoping to quell her outrage, but she was far too incensed to listen. Just as she was about to launch into another tirade, a firm hand gripped her shoulder, silencing her. Albert’s low, dangerous voice broke the tension, calm but firm. "Listen to him before you accuse. My master doesn’t break promises."

His words took the edge off her anger, and I flashed Albert a grateful nod. His unshakable loyalty grounded me, bringing a renewed focus. I turned back to the chief, letting my smile widen. "Like I said, I’m sparing your life."

My voice darkened, dripping with ominous intent. "But that doesn’t mean others will extend the same courtesy."

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I looked out over the assembled crowd of prisoners and allies, their faces alive with bitter anticipation. "To any of you who hold grudges against those bound to the poles," I announced, letting my voice boom across the room, "you’re free to act as you see fit. But remember, no quick deaths. I want them to feel every ounce of agony, to crave the release of death. Use whatever you like, any method, any instrument. And when they’re close to the end, call me. Their souls belong to me."

With that, I turned to Aurora, a glint of challenge sparking in my eyes as I held out one of my prized kodachis, its sharp edge gleaming. "So, does that satisfy you?" I asked, half-amused, half-serious. "Remember, once your vengeance is complete, you still owe me."

I paused, letting my playful demeanor fall away as I looked her in the eye, my voice dropping to a command. "And from now on, never interrupt me again."

A flash of something—perhaps a blush—crossed her face, though she quickly looked away. Meanwhile, the agonized screams of the chief and Carlo began echoing from behind, a dark symphony of suffering filling the air.

The following week became a nightmare for the three captives bound to the poles, their punishment unfolding in horrific detail. From the cozy command of the chief’s former office, now mine, I watched the prisoners unleash every ounce of hatred they’d bottled up over the years. Eve, having secured dominance over the central AI, projected the scenes directly onto the screen before me, giving me a front-row seat to every brutal moment.

The prisoners left no brutality unexplored. They gouged out eyes, sliced ears to ribbons, yanked teeth from jaws, and tore nails from their beds. Their skin was flayed and shredded, each new cut and burn a scarlet promise of their endless torment.

And as for the chief, he faced Aurora’s wrath, her vengeance far more refined, far more calculated. She did everything the prisoners had done, and more. She shocked him with blasts of electricity, sliced him with her custom blades, seared him with red-hot brands, and bathed him in a cocktail of chemicals that ate away at his skin in a slow, corrosive agony. Each time they neared death, Eve signaled me to watch as they were forced back from the brink, only to endure more.

On the final day, I made my way to the central chamber, humming a lighthearted tune as I entered. The sight that met me was a masterpiece of pain—blood-soaked poles, broken bodies, and faces twisted beyond recognition. Taking my place before the pitiful figures, I nodded to Eve, who transmitted my words directly into their minds.

"Well, well. The mighty, reduced to nothing," I began, my voice carrying a dark thrill. "Maybe it wasn’t how I pictured my revenge, but thanks to your assets, chief, I’m considerably wealthier. I suppose I owe you for that."

I let the silence grow, then lowered my tone, letting it coil like a viper ready to strike. "But don’t think I’ll let you escape so easily. I thought hard about what comes next, even after your bodies fail. And I remembered something the creator once told me—some sins are so vile that no heaven, no hell, no reincarnation could balance them."

A twisted smile curved my lips. "So, do you know where you’re going? Let me enlighten you. I’ll bind your souls to me, imprison you inside, where there’s only darkness and silence, no escape. It’s not even purgatory, just an endless, empty void. You thought death would be a release? You’re wrong. Where you’re going, you’ll long for hell.”

The trembling figures at my feet tried to cling to some last shred of defiance, but their fear shone clear. I lifted my kodachis, one in each hand, their deadly gleam a promise of finality. "Sayonara. May your torment echo forever."

With one swift motion, I plunged each blade deep into their hearts, ripping their souls from their bodies, binding them eternally.

And in that dark, blood-stained moment, I put an end to the nightmare they had made of my life, standing victorious over those who had once claimed power over me. The last chapter in their story was closed, but my own had only just begun.