Chapter 154 - Twisted Logic
Plop!
The two remaining subordinates immediately dropped to their knees after witnessing their young master's death.
"Sir, everything was our young master's fault. We were just following orders. We are sorry for offending you," the two subordinates apologized.
"Orders or not, if I wasn't strong, I would have been the one dead instead. It was your choice following the wrong master," Albion casually patted the two on the shoulders before he said with a gentle smile, "You know the rules; it's time to die."
Alas, Albion's smile was no different from that of a devil after he spoke those words, causing the two subordinates to be stunned with a cold chill in their hearts.
"What f*cking rule is that—Arghhh!"
Before they could further plead for dear life, the two subordinates combusted in black flames, leaving nothing behind except black ashes.
"The rule for meeting villains and antagonists," Albion muttered softly before he added in his mind, 'Well, I'm the biggest villain of them all, though.'
Shortly after, Lukas Waldschmidt and the other two subordinates were also cleaned up in the same manner.
"Black flames...? I have never seen a pyrokinetic special ability like this..."
"First, telekinesis. Now, pyrokinesis... This person is a dual-ability Hunter!"
The remaining seven young masters broke into quiet but very startling whispers, shocked by both Albion's display and decisive actions.
At the same time, they secretly praised themselves in their hearts for having a more collected temperament and stayed neutral in the matter.
Otherwise, they would have the same ending; to be reduced to black ashes.
"You have hidden yourself well, Young Master Albion. I couldn't tell you were such a powerful Hunter at all," Young Master Gavino spoke with surprise.
"I wasn't trying to hide anything, though?" Albion replied nonchalantly.
Young Master Gavino was immediately struck speechless. When Albion put it like that, it really was true that he was not hiding anything.
They were simply ignorant and did not know Albion well enough to be aware of what the person was capable of.
"I suppose you're right, Young Master Albion," Young Master Gavino smiled wryly.
Shortly after, Young Master Gavino furrowed his brows. He found it strange that he had not heard about such a powerful figure in Silvercove city.
[Goldfinger has detected abnormal changes in the host's behavior. The host is more becoming more like the Dark Emperor.]
[Goldfinger has determined the change of the host's mentality to be due to the influence of the Dark Emperor's memory fragment.]
'No shit, Sherlock,' Albion spat in his mind before correcting Goldfinger, 'However, you are wrong about one thing. I am not becoming more like the Dark Emperor.'
[But the Dark Emperor's influence…]
'Don't get me wrong, Goldfinger. The Dark Emperor's memories are affecting me; there's no doubt about that. However, I am still far from becoming someone vile and evil like the Dark Emperor. At most, our characters are mixing into something new.'
'If you were to quantify my changes after being influenced by the Dark Emperor's memories, out of 100%, you could say I have become 20% ruthless, 10% crazy, and 10% greedy,' Albion stated in his mind.
[What about the other 60%? Evil?]
Goldfinger queried.
'Wrong. Evil doesn't fit here. What is good? What is evil? At the end of the day, the concept of good and evil is something made up by humans. When you do things; it can be good to one person but evil to another…the point is, you can't be good to everyone.'
[Humans are so complicated… And so, what is the 60%? If it is not evil?]
'Asshole. I have become 60% asshole,' Albion answered nonchalantly as if it does not bother him in the least.
[…]
Goldfinger was speechless.
[Goldfinger doesn't think these measurements are accurate…]
'The point is that I have become a total asshole compared to my former self, alright? That is who I am now, but so what? I can't change it, so I can only embrace it,' Albion mentally said to Goldfinger, who suddenly became quite talkative.
[It wasn't too long ago that the host was stressing over individuality and the potential threat brought by the Dark Emperor's influence. The host has become more accepting of the circumstances. Goldfinger is surprised.]
'Accepting of the circumstances? You can put it like that. But more accurately speaking, the more f*cked I am, the less I care,' Albion stated.
[Goldfinger is unable to comprehend. The host's statement is Illogical and contradictory; it doesn't make sense.]
'Well, I suppose you wouldn't understand unless you have ever sat down in an exam and just happen to instinctively know that you are going to fail before you even look at the exam paper.'
'Anyway, shoot. You have become less interactive lately. You wouldn't suddenly start talking unless you have something to say to me. What is it?' Albion inquired shortly after.
[Goldfinger has detected a concentrated source of Divine Energy near the host.]
'Oh?' Albion's interest was caught immediately before he mentally inquired, 'Can you pinpoint its precise location?'
[Negative.]
Goldfinger stated.
"Young Master Albion?" Young Master Gavino called out before Albion's shifted his attention back onto the person he was previously conversing with.
That being said, only a few breaths' worths of time had passed during Albion and Goldfinger's mental exchange despite it feeling much longer.
With the advancement in the quality of Albion's soul, his cognitive and reflective abilities were all enhanced, allowing him to process information and react at a much quicker rate.
"Sorry, I was lagging," Albion stated nonchalantly before asking, "Did you say something?"
'Lagging?'
Young Master Gavino smiled wryly.
He wondered if it was a side effect of using the mysterious black flame. Perhaps, Young Master Albion was not as powerful as he gave him credit for.
After shaking his head helplessly, Young Master Gavino spoke with a solemn look, "Young Master Albion should not have killed Young Master Lukas. The Waldschmidt will not spare you once they find out."
"Well, the person is already dead. What do you want me to do about it?" Albion shrugged.
"How about joining my family? The Vinci family is influential enough to shield you from the Waldschmidt family's pursuit."
"You want to recruit me?" Albion immediately understood before he shook his head with a smile, "Not interested."
"An insignificant Waldschmidt family is nothing to me. I would have sent Young Master Lukas to the afterlife, regardless of how powerful his family is. That single dog was too obsessively in love that I was forced to act as a matchmaker and send him to meet her."
"Single dog? Matchmaker? Her?"
Young Master Gavino and the other young masters immediately expressed their confusion, failing to comprehend Albion's words.
"What do you mean by those words, Young Master Albion?"
"You don't understand? It's quite simple, really. Young Master Lukas was deeply in love with Death. Otherwise, why would he court Death so much? As the best wingman, I had to do him a favor and send him to meet her."
"…"
'Holy f*ck!'
The young masters were struck speechless as their eyes widened with gaping horror. What kind of twisted logic is that?! They don't need those kinds of favors!
At the same time, Albion wondered if all MCs in cultivation novels were also the best wingman and that jade beauties were just excuses for young masters to meet their true love, Death.