[ Author's Note: I know, the quality of last few chapters weren't up to the mark. Since, I wrote them during my exams and edited them later. But don't worry our old MC is back and with the same Evil and whimsical personality.
Thanks for Staying till now.]
The Main Street of the capital was bustling with people.
It was crowded yet not congested.
The street was filled with stalls, merchants were carrying the supplies in large wagons. The shops were filled with civilians. Occasionally adventurers and city guards can be seen as well.
It is the busy session of the year.
It's the time new students enrol at the Imperial Institute. The servants of the nobels are buying the necessities. Even few nobels themselves, along with their children can be seen shopping for goods.
"Hide your aura." I said instantly to Austin as we exited out of an alley.
"Why??"
"Do not ask questions, I will explain on the way. Move fast." I poked him with my elbow to move fast.
Austin was confused but he complied nonetheless.
We walked in the direction of a skewers shop.
"Give me four of it and a bunch of it to this guy over here."
"Extra sauce?"
"Yea put some."
The shopkeepers handed the grilled skewers to me and Austin respectfully.
"It will be 10 bronze coins."
"It should work." I just left a gold coin there and immediately left, without waiting to see the astonished look over the shopkeeper's face. He can easily live for the next few days with that.
I just don't have any bronze coins to pay him.
I dragged Austin along with me to many more shops along the way.
"See??" I asked Austin.
"What?"
"..."
I shrugged inwardly and walked further without answering him.
He watched me buying a few more snacks confused. What is he supposed to learn from it? ... Buying food?
"Doesn't it seems normal?"
"Well... It is normal." Austin said bewildered.
"I mean look around us." Austin glimpsed at the surroundings unable to find anything. "Did you see notice?..."
"Nobody is staring at us. They are just perceiving us like normal civilians not as a powerhouse capable of destroying cities."
"Doesn't it seem good this way...Not being stared by people as we walk. Not being looked as a different being... Mixing along, enjoying..."
"... It does." Austin muttered, uncertain.
I smiled wryly and shook my head disappointed.
This guy needs a lot to learn about life. Looks like he rarely goes out to public places, whatever, now he is with me...
Today he shall be baptized with holy grail hehe...
[Note: Holy Grail- （＾ｖ＾) ]
Somehow, unknowingly we walked into an empty street. It was completely deserted but not for long. A low cry of man sounded.
"Hel-"
"!!"
"This should be from our right." We immediately dashed further inside the alley.
"Save me...ahh!"
We arrived near an abandoned bridge.
"Shhh" I immediately halted my steps and gestured to Austin not to move ahead.
Let's see what we have here...
"Umm... Is it a gang fight."
A man was being held by multiple rough-looking men. He was at his knees begging them. His clothes were dishevelled, eyes were swollen and blood was flowing out from many places. He is being cornered by multiple people at once.
"Tell me, bastard, why did you sold us out." The middlemost man spoke. He must be the leader of the gang.
"I-I didn't... They blackmailed my wif-...ugh!"
"SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH." He kicked him and further stepped on the man's face.
"Uuu...."
"See this fucker...a TRAITOR, rotting useless scum...a piece of shit"
"Hahaha...." "haha..."
"We don't care whether they blackmailed you or your wife, betraying the gang only means death."
Is it a gang dispute?
"Shouldn't we help him?" Austin whispered next to me.
"Nope... " Why so impatient? From next time he is banned from staying near William.
"Boss, are we going to kill him just like this?" A man behind the Leader spoke.
"What!?... do you want to die along with him." The leader said annoyed.
The man shook his head frantically. "No... I mean we should torture him first. A casual death isn't enough for cowards like him. He should be made an example for others."
The leader glanced at the man with Interest. "hahaha, you are right he should be made an example, you are taking his position from today in the gang. Consider it a promotion."
The man eyes open wide he instantly cheered excited.
"All hail the Leader!" "For the Snake Gang." "" Snake Gang forever.""
The crowd cheered enthusiastically.
Amusing, that guy should join the politics.
"Hehe... That guy is interesting. Even finding an opportunity in this situation."
The leader dragged the limp body of the traitor near the canal.
"Splash."
"That's where you belong. Now die!" He shoved his head directly inside the gutter.
""Yeah""
The members of the gang shouted in unison. Yet fear was apparent on their faces thinking next might be them.
"He will die like this... Let's go" Austin spoke with concern.
"Wait!" I held him back.
"Let's me go. He is dying!"
"Nope."
Austin turned back anxiously only to find me grinning. He swallowed back his remaining words.
We waited there in the same position without doing anything.
Unable to breathe the man's body kept trembling. His hands and feet were shaking. Ultimately, His body twitched one last time before he fell completely motionless.
"He should be dead... " I whispered.
"Let's go."
I removed the spell from Austin and slowly walked out of the hiding.
"Hahaha... The motherfucker died" "Party today! I will pay" ""ohhhhh""
*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*
I walked in front of them unhurriedly while clapping. They stopped celebrating and looked in my direction in a daze.
"Who is it!?" The leader shouted slightly nervous.[ How can guards arrive at this time? It was supposed to be lunch break]
"Just a passer-by, do not mind me... By the way is it a rehearsal?"
He observed me briefly before chuckling. "... It's okay. Continue everyone it's just a civilian. I will handle him."
"OYE, what do you mean by handle him..." I faked a stupefied look.
"Ahem, ... looks like I entered the wrong street...I would be going back, cya." I said awkwardly and slowly turned around.
"Haha...Doesn't matter you are going to die regardless." He stepped towards me smirking. His eyes glimmered strengthening his body with mana.
He appeared directly in front of me blocking my path.
"Woah!!"
"...Hey, dude look can't we negotiate? I don't like blood you know." I raised my hands in surrender.
"Negotiate? Nope, you can do it in hell." He caught me by my neck and held me mid-air.
"Any last wish?"
"Ugh..."
"Say" He loosened his grips around my neck allowing me to speak.
"...*cough* *cough* I am blind! I didn't saw anything."
The corners of Leader's mouth twitched.
"Hahaha...." The gang members laughed. "Leader this guy is funny why not put him in the gutter just next to the Traitor."
"Nah, he is just a civilian. Let's give him a quick death." As intriguing as the idea sounds it was still too much even for him plus it should be time for guards to patrol this area.
I sighed "Hah, You may kill me soon or you will regret it."
He looked at me confused but then smiled. "Regret are you threatening me brat!?."
"Just telling the facts." I said briefly and then closed my eyes. Instantly, the leader felt a chill on his back. He looked back confused but before he can understand anything his body exploded.
*Boom*
The blood splattered all across me. He exploded with a loud noise, making people nearby stunned. Even city guards from afar mobilised after hearing the sound.
"Fuck you Austin! You a ruined my clothes."
"Clean it." Austin ignored me and walked in the direction of remaining thugs.
"H-hey we can surrender." They spoke shivering with fear.
This bastard Austin literally tore their leader in half in front of them by his hands alone. It was enough to frighten them to pee in their pants.
... Is he taking revenge on me for stopping him earlier? He could have easily killed him without spoiling my clothes.
"Ahhhhh."
"No le-... Argh!."
Austin didn't stop. He continued tearing them one by one with his hands. Blood splattered all across. The place was dyed in red.
I shook my head and smiled helplessly. "I warned him ... he will regret it."
The guards soon arrived on the spot. They were horrified seeing the place. It was filled with torn human body parts. Hands and feet were scattered here and there like vegetables, most of the bodies were in unrecognisable state. They shuddered seeing the blood-soaked Austin standing in the middle.
"H-Hey you have to come with us! Arrest them" One of the Guard ordered to arrest me and Austin. But nobody moved from his place.
"ARREST THEM!!" He screamed again, finally, a few of them managed to move.
"Ahem, I think you should look at this first." I threw my guild card towards him.
He caught the card and inspected it. "... S-Still you killed the civilians. Both of you need to follow us for the investigation."
Will have to appreciate the Imperial city guards. These guys have the guts to arrest even high ranked adventures.
"They were thugs, not civilians..."
Didn't appear as he believed me. "Sigh, see this I think it should work." I passed him another small token with few symbols imprinted on it.
He took it with suspicion and examined it. Soon his expression changed first confused, astonishment, then in fear.
"Idiots! come back" He immediately ordered the guards on Austin's side to come back. The guards were stunned by their Leader sudden change of behaviour but followed the order regardless.
"Sir, we are extremely sorry for our current behaviour. It was a misunderstanding on our part. We didn't know you are the esteemed guests of the Imperial Family." He bowed apologising to me.
The toked which I thew towards him was the same which Aria gave me previously. Huh, guest of Imperial family... It could solve a lot of problems.
"Never mind, you can clear the site. We are free to go right?".
"O-oh, yes."
"Okay then, good luck with the cleaning." I took Austin with me and left.
The guards were left there wondering how to clean up this mess. The corpses were disfigured to a limit that they were disgusted even at the thought of touching it.
"What a monster ..." One of the guards whispered remembering Austin soaked in blood.
The guards' leader took a deep breath. "Is it not going to get cleaned by itself. Magicians come forward. Let's start cleaning."
...
"Let's go sit there," I said to Austin who was frowning next to me.
After leaving from there, First, we cleaned our clothes with a spell and then moved to an open street.
I moved to the bench nearby and sat on an empty seat.
"... You could have killed them without creating such a mess." I turned to Austin who was standing staring at me blankly.
"..."
"Angry, haha..."
"We could have saved them from killing that man. He was innocent. He did what anyone would have in that situation." Austin spoke with a solemn face.
"And what about the thugs?"
"Of course kill them." He said confused. Does this even need to be said?
"Hero mentality, haha... Gone on your father? want to become a hero? Save the needy? punish evil."
I smiled slightly and looked at him amused. "You are naive."
"How?"
"Uh, let's say, you can save one today, but what about tomorrow...You will find many people like him in the future. Are you planning to save them all??"
"I will." Austin said with a determined expression.
I was silent briefly before laughing out loud. "Hahaha, so you are gonna save them all, kill all the bad guys, be a hero... Build a country with no crime. Is it?"
"But... how long do you think think the peace will last?"
"... I don't know." Austin turned sideways dodging the question.
I shook my head amused. "Sigh, ... The hopeless pursuit of peace is what brings the war..."
I extended my hands in the air and caught a random person from the stall, nearby.
"!! ... " Hassan was surprised when his neck was suddenly grabbed by a stranger.
Today he was strolling the market with his newly married wife and his 3-year-old son. Finally, after fighting with his employer for many days he was able to get his wage. And when he thought everything was going good in life...The life FUCKED him.
He was getting slaughtered by a random stranger on the street without even knowing his crime.
"" RUN"" "Murderer" "Call the Guards!"
The crowd panicked and started running in random directions. The stranger was unfazed by the fuss around him. His voice reverberated in his ears.
"Good and bad are relative terms. For you killing innocent people is bad but the same will not be if they are of enemy nation... For a killer killing isn't evil it's his source of income, stealing is a crime but not if a man does it for his family."
"There is no universal principle that a certain act is considered bad by everyone, it's subjective and conditional."
"Laws are decided on basis of voting. If the majority thinks it is good then it is , if it's b-"
"STOP" "Spare my husband" "... Waaaaaahh"
His wife arrived on the spot and kneeled down. His three year old son started crying.
[ RunAway Tia! Take away Percy and RUN! ] Hassan tried screaming with all his might but his voice never came out.
"Huh, is he your husband?"
"Yes! yes, please spare him. I will give you everything, just leave him." His wife nodded timidly and started taking off all her jewellery. Her lovely face was stained with tears.
"Ah, ok I will leave him." Hasan felt the strength around his neck increasing and...
*Snap*
"Ugh, will have clear my clothes again." I threw away his severed head and shake off the blood of my hand.
A headless corpse fell to the ground.
"NOOO!!!" The woman furiously got up and started attacking me.
I turned to Austin who looking at me with slightly frightened eyes. "See? How troublesome she is? Today she is nothing but if left alone she can be your greatest nightmare. If you kill someone, never forget to wipe out the roots."
A tiny flame gushed out from my hands and covered the women and the child in whole, giving them a painless death.
I laughed inwardly seeing Austin with a frightened face.
"Tsk-tsk, C'mon brat, don't you want to kill me? I just killed a few innocents."
Austin gulped. Killing him, can he even touch this demon. Fear was apparent on his face.
I stared into his eyes. "Do you know why they died?"
"Yo-u kil-"
"No! I didn't kill them. They were weak."
"Being weak in itself is a sin! Get this inside your head!"
... If brute-force isn't working it means you aren't applying it enough.
"You have came alone in this world and will go alone. Never expect anyone to help you... Self Reliance. Got it?"
"Ye-a"
"Again??" The guard's leader arrived at the scene after hearing the cries of the people but what entered his sight surprised him.
He moved forward and spoke respectfully. "Ahem, Sir, we heard a murder was being committed here. Do you know anything?"
"Don't know, check left maybe he is there." I glanced at him briefly and shrugged.
"Okay." "Don't you listen to the sire, get your ass moving idiots." He screamed at his team and moved back along with them.[ Today is the worst day of my life]
I glimpsed at the guard back with interest and laughed. "Hahaha... Did you see? got something inside the brain of yours. Strong makes the rules. There are only two options rule or be ruled and I will prefer ruling any day over getting ruled."
"Control your own fate."
Austin nodded. Although he didn't agree completely but in his mind, he knew 'rules are only made for common people.'
"Humans are hypocrites. They are beings with emotion. They are selfish. They need something to fight... Currently, it's humans vs demons but imagine what if I kill all the demons right now will it guarantee peace?"
"No! Rather they will again form kingdoms within themselves and fight for resources again."
"It is a never-ending cycle and it will never stop... Why is it happening?... It's because of emotions, desires and wants. Autonomy to think and to take their own decisions."
"But... isn't that what differentiates them from others... Ability to think."
"Power comes with price are you ready to pay it?"
"The reproductive capability keeps on decreasing as you move up the hierarchy, It is one of the prices that need to be paid to maintain the balance."
"Is that the reason you rejected Aria?". Austin said hesitantly.
"Of course not!" I looked at him with a weird expression. "Why would immortals care about children?"
How did he even arrive at that conclusion? Would I have accepted Ellen if that was the reason?
"Aria was gorgeous. But can't I just make any random girl as beautiful as her. It's the personal behaviour and interests which attract me not beauty.
"I can shape their bodies but I can't change their souls."
... External looks still matters.
"She was for sure an ideal woman, even I got interested in her. But she was more of a trouble for me... Not worth the bargain. Let's not deviate from the topic."
I took a deep breath and continued. "If you want to learn from me remember, be selfish. Get that hero mentality out of your brain, it will help you in the long run."
"Save people but only one you know for others let them be. Never feel guilty of not being able to save them, got it."
"Always use your brain, not your Emotions."
"Your first priority should be you yourself nobody else and second people near you."
"Never hesitate to sacrifice thousands of innocents for saving a single person you knew" I spoke with a rare melancholy look over my face.
Unknowingly I felt a sense of loss.
Austin glimpsed at me with a worried expression. "... L-Leon?" It is the first time he has seen me lose control.
"... I am fine," I replied briefly before going through my memories once.
Why did I act weird right now? Is it because of the sealed part of my memories? But what is in it?
Sigh, better not undo the seal.