Cries of the kingdom

As the midnight shadows thickened, Habil led Chaein away, his sickening desires festering in the darkness. The girl, barely fourteen, trembled under his grasp, her innocent eyes filled with terror. And then—

Morning came. The kingdom was in turmoil. Panic-stricken voices echoed through the streets as David arrived at the orphanage, his heart pounding. He rushed to Ruby, his most cherished student, and knelt before her. "Ruby, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft yet urgent.

Tears streamed down her face as she clung to him. "Cha-Chaein... she's missing!" she sobbed uncontrollably.

David's blood ran cold. A dark premonition clawed at his gut. He placed a reassuring hand on Ruby's head and whispered, "I will find her."

Closing his eyes, he summoned the vision of his Ultimate Eye, a power that let him see across realms. The universe unraveled before him until he found her. Without hesitation, he teleported to the scene—and instantly, bile rose in his throat.

A grotesque sight lay before him. Chaien's lifeless body was desecrated, her small frame battered, her once-bright face shattered beyond recognition. Blood pooled between her legs, the last remnants of innocence defiled by a monster. Her torn dress barely clung to her fragile form.

David's knees buckled. His rage was a storm, swirling, building—until it erupted. A guttural scream tore through him as he raised his hands. A translucent sphere of energy engulfed the space, and the past began to replay before his very eyes.

The truth unfolded like a cursed nightmare.

Habil had dragged the weeping girl inside. She screamed, begged for mercy. She called out for her mother, her father, for anyone to save her—but no one came. Her pleas were swallowed by the void. Then, the monster violated her, his cruel hands silencing her cries. When his depravity was sated, he obliterated her delicate face with a strike of thunder, snuffing out her life as though she were nothing.

David's breath hitched. His vision blurred, a searing rage consuming him. He lifted Chaien's broken body, cradling her gently, his fingers trembling. With a burst of energy, he teleported back to the orphanage, carrying her to the church. The moment the townspeople saw her, a wail of despair erupted. Children collapsed in grief, and Ruby screamed before fainting in his arms.

The Tower Master and the Holy Father stood before him, their expressions stricken. "David… what happened?" the Tower Master demanded.

David turned, his eyes burning with an unholy fury. With a flick of his hand, he projected the harrowing truth before the entire kingdom. Gasps, cries, and horrified whispers rippled through the crowd. The illusion played out in brutal detail—Habil, once revered as a hero, was nothing more than a depraved monster.

The people's fury ignited. The air crackled with rage, the kingdom itself trembling under the weight of betrayal.

Ruby, still pale and weak, clutched David's sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. "Master… please… give him a punishment that he will never forget. Even in his next life... please…" And with those words, she collapsed once more.

David carried her gently to her bed, tucking her in with care. Then, he turned to the Tower Master, his expression unreadable. "If I kill that bastard, will you oppose me?"

The Tower Master hesitated, then sighed. "No. Do what must be done."

David's lips curled into a menacing smile. "Then so be it."

With an explosion of dark energy, he vanished, appearing before the royal palace where Habil resided. Without a word, he unleashed a blast of power, demolishing the grand hall. Habil, barely escaping the destruction, landed in the royal gardens, his face twisted with fear.

David descended from the sky, his eyes glowing like molten gold. "You shall suffer a fate worse than death," he declared, his voice echoing like a god's decree. "You will know fear so deep that you will regret ever being born."

A barrier encased them both, sealing Habil's fate. He tried to summon his powers—nothing came. His panic deepened.

David lifted his hand, summoning creatures from the depths of nightmares—over a hundred goblins, grotesque and ravenous, their eyes gleaming with malice. "Take him," David commanded. "Violate him. Tear him apart. Make him feel the agony he inflicted on those children."

The goblins descended upon him with monstrous glee. Habil's screams ripped through the air, his pleas for mercy drowned beneath the laughter of his tormentors. They devoured him piece by piece, his agony stretching into eternity.

David hovered above, his eyes cold, unfeeling. "This is what the children you murdered would have said to you, you wretched filth. Never be born again. And if you do—I will find you. And I will end you again."

As he spoke, ethereal lights shimmered around him. The souls of Habil's countless victims—tiny figures with sorrowful eyes—gathered before him. One by one, they smiled, whispering, "Thank you, brother…" before vanishing into the heavens.

But David's rage was insatiable. Habil, barely clinging to life, was still there, writhing under the goblins' cruelty. It wasn't enough. Not yet.

Channeling his power, David formed a swirling black hole in his palm. "Disappear," he commanded. He unleashed the abyss upon the land, swallowing Habil and his tormentors whole. And then—silence. Nothing remained but darkness.

David lowered his hands. His laughter rang through the night, unhinged, manic, victorious.

And just like that, it was over.

He teleported back to the orphanage, his heart still heavy. Inside, Ruby slept peacefully, her small frame rising and falling with each breath. The Tower Master entered behind him. "Did you finish it?" he asked hesitantly.

David didn't answer right away. He gazed at Ruby, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "It's done," he finally said.

The Tower Master exhaled, a mix of relief and disbelief clouding his face. "To think that the hero we all revered… was worse than the monsters we feared."

David's expression darkened. "There are no heroes. Only those who choose to act."

The weight of his words sent a chill through the Tower Master. "Then who can we trust?" he whispered.

David chuckled darkly, his fingers gently patting Ruby's head. "Trust? That's just a coward's reliance on others. A weakness. I have no need for such things. Loyalty? It is bought and sold like coin. No, my student must learn that lesson, too. Even in her sleep, she must understand—trust no one. Not even me."

The Tower Master shuddered. "We will meet tomorrow. The kingdom… it is already unraveling."

David simply smirked. "Good. Let it fall. I will rebuild it myself."

Ruby stirred, blinking sleepily. "Master...?" she murmured.

David leaned down, his voice softer now. "The man who hurt Chaien… he's gone. Just as you wanted."

Ruby's lips trembled, but she managed a small, bittersweet smile. "Chaien… is she happy now?"

David nodded. "She rests among the stars now. She will never suffer again."

Ruby sighed and closed her eyes. "Thank you…"

David tucked the blanket around her, then stepped outside. The moon above was luminous, its glow piercing through the darkness. He gazed up at it, his golden eyes reflecting the chaos to come.

"Let the world crumble," he murmured. "I will bring even greater chaos."

And with that, the chapter came to a chilling end.