This Chapter has been slightly changed after its upload. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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"Just Shut up Bitch! I don’t want to hear you any longer" came a shout out of Leon and the witch immediately got shocked because of the sudden change in way of speaking.
’Wait! Wasn’t his voice… a little different?’ thought the Witch, struggling to recall the subtle difference in the voices.
The mental strength she had left was just enough to keep her awake and maintain control over her body. She couldn’t even properly remember the variation in the voice she had heard moments ago.
"It’s finally ending," came a calm and cold voice as Ashok noticed the notification flashing before his eyes.
[Attention Level: Maximum]
[False Monarch]
Hearing Leon’s cold voice this time, the Witch immediately concluded that the voice and the manner of speech were indeed different. Confusion and realization dawned upon her as she asked, "What’s ending?"
Before she could process further,
SLAP!
Leon’s hand struck her face with a swift and powerful slap, sending her reeling to the floor. The impact left her disoriented, her balance lost as she collapsed onto the cold, hard ground.
Leon stood over her, his eyes devoid of the warmth and kindness he had displayed earlier. The atmosphere in the chamber grew even more charged, the tension palpable as the Witch lay on the floor, her mind racing to comprehend the sudden and brutal change.
"Who gave you the authority to ask questions?" demanded Leon, his tone commanding as his silver eyes bore down on the witch.
The Witch, holding her reddened cheek, turned her body and glared at Leon with anger burning in her eyes.
Suddenly, the silvery glow in Leon’s eyes began to wane, replaced by a piercing red light that started to emerge from the center. The transformation was unsettling, the red glow growing stronger and more intense with each passing moment.
The witch could not deduce why the color of Leon’s eyes changed suddenly, but the transformation didn’t stop there.
Leon’s height decreased slightly, his once snowy white hair slowly turning to a night black hue. The ethereal hair that had waved in the air like the feathers of an angel now transformed into dark bangs that obscured his forehead, accentuating the red eyes that glared at her with an inhuman intensity.
The once-kind smile and calm expression were replaced by a menacing presence, leaving the witch to confront a figure that no longer resembled the hero she had been facing moments ago.
’What is happening?’ thought the Witch of Rogues, her mind racing. She had gathered extensive information about the Hero, knowing he was one of their future targets, but this transformation left her grappling with the unknown.
The facial muscles of the once-beautiful hero began to wriggle and shift, and the face that had rivaled those of the gods soon morphed into an ordinary visage. The stunning transformation only deepened the Witch’s confusion and fear.
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"Cast a concealment spell," commanded the Duke urgently. The spell was losing its effect at an alarming rate, and the Duke was determined not to reveal Ashok’s true identity to the Great Witch.
"It’s fine," Ashok interjected, stopping the Head Butler’s hands, which had nearly completed the spell.
"This bitch is the Witch of Rogues, and her master, the Great Bitch, can’t interfere any longer nor can she listen to us anymore," said Ashok. The Duke heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
"HOW DARE YOU CALL MY MASTER-" shouted the Witch of Rogues, attempting to retaliate by standing up. However, she was met with a swift kick to her shoulder, causing her to fall back to the floor.
"Keep your voice low while I am still being kind. The next time you shout, I’ll rip off your jaw off," threatened Ashok in a cold, unwavering voice as he looked at the witch.
’What is wrong with this kid? He looks similar in age to the Hero, but what is with that gaze and voice?’ thought the Witch, her mind racing to comprehend the situation.
The witch wanted to shout at Ashok, but no sound came from her mouth. The pain in her shoulder served as a stark warning, and she couldn’t muster the courage to retaliate against the boy.
Ashok looked down at the Witch, her shoulder trembling slightly under his gaze. A smirk spread across his face as he taunted, "Isn’t it fun to see, one who is called the Agent of Destruction, lying beneath my feet shaking like a little girl."
The witch glared silently at Ashok, her eyes burning with anger but her lips sealed.
"Fear from me, anger from being unable to do anything to me, helplessness because of me. How does it feel to experience these emotions?" Ashok asked, his voice cold as he stared into the Witch’s eyes.
The Duke, somewhere in his mind, felt a sense of relief that Ashok had not taken the offer of the Great Witch. However, he could neither predict nor understand what Ashok’s next move would be.
The Witch of Rogues, despite her weakened state, responded with a question, "Who are you?"
"Me? Let’s say I am the enemy of you witches. I will be the one who leads your kind to doom," Ashok said, his voice filled with a chilling determination.
The Witch laughed, a harsh and mocking sound that echoed through the chamber. "HAHAHA!"
The Witch mocked Ashok, her voice dripping with disdain. "What can a kid like you even do? If I was in my original body, you would be begging under my feet."
Ashok’s smile widened, unfazed by her taunts. "Laugh. Laugh all you want. But the destruction of your kind has already started. What do you think will be your master’s next move after getting humiliated by the Hero of Light and losing her sole disciple?" he asked, his tone confident and menacing.
The witch’s expression changed drastically as she processed Ashok’s words. It wasn’t difficult to predict that her master’s attention would be diverted to the Church. The Witch knew that their forces would take an extreme hit if they fought against the Church right now.
The Witch’s fake smile faltered as Ashok’s laughter rang through the chamber, a mocking and unrestrained sound that only deepened her sense of unease.
"Church destroyed? HAHAHAHA!" Ashok’s laughter continued, growing louder and more derisive. "Witch destroying the Church? HAHAHA!" His amusement seemed boundless, and the Witch could feel that something was terribly wrong.
"Your brain has rotted living in the mansion filled with riches. Do you think I chose the face of their Hero without any reason?" Ashok’s tone was biting, his words cutting through the Witch’s bravado.
Even though Ashok’s words were aimed at the Witch, the Duke felt a sting of mockery, being the owner of the mansion.
The Witch’s confidence wavered as she sensed the conviction in Ashok’s voice. The doubt began to creep in, casting a shadow over her thoughts.
’Wait! Why should we even fight the Church in the first place?’ the Witch thought as she slowly grasped Ashok’s plan.
If the Witches attacked the Church with full force, regardless of winning or losing, they would end up with nothing. The Church was one of the most influential factions in the world, standing even above the Magic Tower.
If the Church got attacked, it would receive reinforcements from all over the world, ultimately leading to the defeat of the Witches in the long run.
Even if the Witches managed to destroy the Church in the short term, they would still end up with nothing. They would only create more enemies, and the one leading the charge against them would be the God Chosen One, the Hero currently in the Academy.
The Witches would no longer be able to hide as they had before. Launching an attack would reveal their existence, which had remained suppressed over the years, in an instant—all because of one single unknown kid.
The Witch of Rogues, pale and trembling, stared at Ashok in disbelief. "Y-You... do you not fear the state of the world if the Church takes any kind of damage? Without the interference of the Divine, hell will descend on the world," she stammered.
The trio standing behind Ashok watched intently, curious about his true feelings towards the Church. Ashok had always kept his opinions on the matter to himself, and his next words would reveal the depth of his indifference and the level of threat he posed.
"What does it have to do with me?" Ashok asked, his tone nonchalant, as if stating the obvious.
"W-What do you mean?" the Witch asked, unable to accept Ashok’s words.
"In the first place, the very estimation that you witches are stronger than the Church is wrong," Ashok explained. "Secondly, even if the Church gets destroyed, at best what would happen? A new one will come into existence. After all, the Heavenly Gods do not lack in number in any way."
"Y-You... Do you even estimate the number of lives lost during the time a new Church comes into existence?" the Witch asked, desperation creeping into her voice.
Ashok smirked. "It is interesting to see that a witch cares about the lives of others only because her own life is in danger." His words cut deep, and the Witch fell silent.
"There is a saying: Great achievements require great sacrifices. If the existence of witches disappears with some deaths, what’s wrong with that? For my future goals, your kind would sooner or later become a thorn for me. Is it wrong to remove a thorn in your path when you have a chance to do so?" Ashok said, an evil smile spreading across his face.
’Ah! Now I finally understand what’s wrong with this kid. He is exactly the kind of threat my master warned us about. He is not like the hero he was disguised as. This kid is evil; he doesn’t care about anything aside from his own goals,’ thought the Witch.