No change in the chain of command

"SIT BACK DOWN, FOOL!"

The bald, snake-like man slammed his fists against the table and stood up, glaring at a confident middle-aged thug standing proudly on the far side of the same table.

Other people gathered spared the two of them only a glance, far more interested in the reaction of the black-haired demon taking the seat of honor.

"Nag, you sit down. And as for you, Mark. You don't agree with my vision. Then, what are your plans for the future?"

The bespectacled black-haired demon motioned at the snake-like man to calm down and then raised his brow and asked the confident thug.

"Were you deaf or something? I said that you are no longer fit to be a boss! Magic returned, but you have no magic! What can those little knives of yours do against a barrier spell that blocks even crossbow bolts?! The times are changing, and those who can't adapt will be replaced!"

The confident thug called out mockingly, pointing his finger at the black-haired demon.

Other members of the demon's family looked at each other in disbelief, some shook their heads, and someone even buried his face in his palms.

"Haaaa… Mark, until now, I was fully convinced that we all understood that it is most beneficial for everyone involved when the person in the position of power isn't someone who's the strongest, but rather the most capable one. Back then, you joined me together with Nag, so I am giving you a chance to talk things through."

"Bullshit! You rule with fear and power!"

The black-haied demon released a deep sigh and waved his hand encouragingly, but that only prompted the confident thug to flinch and bark back at him.

"Fear and power…? Is that why you're using a barrier spell right now? You fear me so much during a strategy meeting?"

"...!"

The demon frowned in confusion before leaning in and asking with shock mixed with concern, causing Mark to get red in the face and tremble from anger over the accusation.

Although… Mark's body was shining with a pale-blue luster, a tell-tale sign of an active barrier spell, so it wasn't like the demon's words were empty accusations either…

"I was under the impression that I'm in charge of planning and some special assignments because it benefits us all. Jeremy, you were a leader of a band of robbers, were things better back then?"

The black-haired demon shook his head in disbelief before turning to a man sitting next to Mark, and asked.

"Wha…?"

It just so happened that Jeremy was the one person who hid their face in their hands, so the question took him by surprise, and he needed a second to respond properly.

"I wouldn't go back to what I was doing even if I had a blessing and a written permission from the local lord, Boss!"

"..."

Still, once he did compose himself, Jeremy declared sternly before giving Mark quite the disgusted side eye.

"See? And you want me to step down because… because I show competency with my decisions? Sven, how about y…"

"It doesn't fucking matter how things were in the past! Magic turned everything upside down, and we need a change! You have to accept the truth, Medea!"

The demon nodded with the same confused expression before looking to the opposite side of the table at another person, but that was the point where Mark lost his patience and shouted.

The next moment, an L-shaped object popped up in the black-haired demon's hand - something looking similar to a pipe with a cylinder in the middle and one hand built into a handle, with a piece of metal sticking out underneath it.

*BOOM*

"!!!"

The demon pulled the trigger, unleashing a burst of flame accompanied by a deafening roar, causing everyone to cover and some to even fell off their chairs.

"GHAAAAAAAGH…!"

The second later, before the dust settled, a howl of pain pierced the air causing others to come to their senses.

And it wasn't hard to notice who howled and what happened.

Mark was crumbled on the floor, holding his left side - or rather a jarring peephole into his insides - profusely bleeding and the wall behind him looked like a painting of a mental patient.

A splatter of blood on the wall with a black hole hosting a crushed piece of metal no bigger than a small silver coin.

"I beg of you, Mark. Show a little faith~ Magic returning changes things. Of course it does. We gained access to so many new tools of the trade. But that doesn't mean that we should focus solely on it~"

"!!!"

Medea leaned back into his seat, waving his gun dismissively while the corners of his lips twitched and a beautiful smile brightened his face, causing everyone else to shudder and look away.

But then, Medea pushed back his chair and stood up, causing others to look at him again.

They observed as he walked, revolver in hand, towards the wounded thug, stopping by him, and then…

"GUAGH…!"

…kicking Mark's side so he would land on his back and then stomping on his chest, causing the thug to let out a pained cry.

"You see…"

"T-the blessing of f-fire… granted upon the cold earth…!"

Medea spoke up, but got interrupted by the gurgling of the bloody-mouth Mark, raising his hand towards him.

"BOSS!"

"Fire… ball…"

Noticing what was happening prompted Nag and a few others to get up and try to rush to the black-haired man, but it was too late, the incarnation was complete…

"...?"

*WHOOO*

Medea even looked down curiously, only to receive a brunt of the concentrated fire projectile straight to his face…

"?!?!"

…only for all those flames to flatten, and then slide off his face like water on a duck's fluff, and once the fire charred the part of the ceiling and wall behind the unscathed Medea, the others stared at him in pure terror.

It might have turned out that the nickname of a demon was more accurate than anyone expected…!

*BOOM*

"FGHGHHGHJGHGH…!?"

And then everyone flinched when another blast resounded within the room, and Mark's body jolted, hit in the stomach by a second bullet.

"See? Protection charms that work against magic pellets work against spells just as well. But it seems that the barrier spell Mark was so proud of cannot stop this invention."

Medea declared with a smile, moving his gun from over Mark's stomach to over Mark's face while also raising his free hand and showing off a silver bracelet with a blue gem releasing a faint light.

"Let's try one more thing. Mark. Use your barrier again~ Maybe you could even stack a few on top of each other~? Do you think you can~? Please, do try it~! I will spare you if you defend against the next shot~!"

…the black-haired demon grinned wildly in excitement and cheered while carefully aligning the barrel of his gun with the thug's forehead.

"!!!"

"After all, those who can adapt are the ones to survive."

The wounded thug, despite the massive bloodlust and a bullet stuck in his innards, gritted his teeth and began frantically muttering the incantations for the spell while the demon above him continued to smile.

"And five… four… three… two…"

"W-wait! I can use more spells! I just…! M-my mana! I need to replenish my…!"

The time given to Mark wasn't unlimited, and Medea soon began the countdown, which caused the thug shining with layers of pale-blue light to finally panic and cry out pleadingly…

"One."

*BOOOM*

Alas, that was a chance that Medea didn't grant him, and with another word spoken, the trigger was pulled, and the barriers' light perished a fraction of a second before part of Mark's head blew apart.

"I know that I used this new toy, but in actuality, repeated physical attacks would have the same effect on any defensive spells. Not to mention that there are plenty of ways to go around it, too~"

Medea declared with a refreshing smile and returned to his chair, where upon seating himself, his face returned to his normal stone-mask appearance.

With the only difference being the gun he casually placed on the table in front of him, with the steaming barrel pointed in a neutral direction.

"Sven. Did you have a chance to look over the report I plan to show to Sir Ivo?"

Without even giving the body of the traitor to get cold, the black-haired demon switched a subject and asked.

"I… I did. I'm afraid you overdid it a bit, Boss. It's too bombastic and the language is too flowery… if you know what I mean. I believe that Sir Ivo wouldn't want to receive a report regarding his daughter's death that reads like a boast of a noble."

Even though he couldn't stop himself from glancing over to the side covered with char and blood, Sven ended up gathering his courage and informing the black-haired demon, and his voice trembled only a little bit.

"Uh-oh…! I've been practicing acting like a noble and messed up… Good job."

"Should I rewrite it for you to save time…?"

Medea let out a troubled voice before nodding at the other man with approval, making Sven inquire cautiously.

"There's no need to hurry. There's a hideout that needs to be raided before I hand the report over."

"?"

The demon waved his hand dismissively, causing others to look at each other as no such plan was discussed ever before.