Gathering Storms [Part -2]
Steffan, on the other hand, appeared completely relaxed.
He turned his attention toward the Ashbourne household’s attendant, who had remained silent throughout the exchange.
The attendant instinctively took half a step backward.
His eyes narrowed cautiously.
Unfortunately, before he could react further, Steffan was already standing before him.
Using exactly the same method as before, Steffan seized the opportunity in a single swift motion.
The black pill disappeared into the attendant’s mouth before he even realized what had happened.
He immediately tried to cough it back up.
It was useless.
The medicine dissolved almost instantly.
His expression changed dramatically.
Steffan merely smiled.
"There."
"Now neither of you has any reason to betray me."
The attendant’s fists tightened.
Although anger flashed across his face, he knew resisting now would accomplish nothing.
Like Zyan...
His life was no longer his own.
Satisfied with the result, Steffan waved his hand dismissively.
"You can leave."
Zyan glanced nervously at Steffan one last time before lowering his head.
Without another word, he left together with the Ashbourne household’s attendant.
Neither of them spoke as they walked away.
The silence between them was suffocating.
One had sacrificed his conscience.
The other had been dragged into the same trap.
By the time the two figures disappeared from sight, only Steffan and Black Ghost remained in the quiet clearing.
The breeze stirred the leaves overhead.
For a brief moment, the place became strangely peaceful.
Steffan slowly withdrew his gaze.
The smile on his face gradually widened.
A trace of contempt surfaced in his eyes.
"So easy..."
He murmured to himself.
"Fools like these are the simplest to control."
People driven by fear were always easier to manipulate than people driven by conviction.
All he had needed was a little pressure...
And Zyan had willingly stepped into the cage.
Everything was unfolding exactly as Steffan had envisioned.
Once Zyan secured control of the Ashbourne household, that enormous family would become nothing more than another weapon in his hands.
The thought pleased him greatly.
His eyes gleamed with ambition.
There was another matter he had no intention of forgetting.
Felberta Ashbourne.
A faint smile curved across his lips.
He had never abandoned his original objective.
Once the Ashbourne household belonged to him, the first thing he intended to do was cure Felberta’s androphobia.
Not out of kindness.
Not out of sympathy.
But because he wanted her complete devotion.
He wanted her to fall hopelessly in love with him.
Only after obtaining both her heart and the Ashbourne household’s loyalty would he deal with Zyan.
Someone so easily manipulated had already outlived his usefulness.
When the time came...
Removing him would be effortless.
Steffan’s eyes slowly narrowed.
With the Ashbourne household under his control...
Combined with the forces he had already quietly gathered...
His confidence swelled once more.
This time...
Julian D’Aurelius wouldn’t be able to escape.
Neither would the D’Aurelius household.
He would make them pay for every humiliation they had forced upon him.
The memory of crawling through the foul sewer still lingered vividly in his mind.
That disgrace...
He intended to repay a hundredfold.
As Steffan stood lost in thought, the ringtone of a mobile phone suddenly broke the silence.
Black Ghost glanced at the screen before answering.
After listening quietly for several moments, his expression noticeably brightened.
He ended the call and immediately turned toward Steffan.
"Steffan."
"There are two pieces of good news."
Steffan raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"What are they?"
"The Assassin Queen has arrived in Valemont."
A flicker of surprise appeared across Steffan’s face.
"That’s indeed good news."
His mood improved instantly.
The Assassin Queen’s reputation was known throughout countless underground circles.
She was a master whose assassination techniques bordered on legend.
Many powerful figures had disappeared without ever realizing she had been nearby.
If someone like her agreed to cooperate...
Perhaps he wouldn’t even need to rely on the Ashbourne household to eliminate Julian D’Aurelius.
The possibility alone was enough to excite him.
Steffan’s eyes shone with anticipation.
"And the second piece of good news?"
He asked without hiding his curiosity.
Black Ghost smiled faintly.
"The organization has found the Mystic Life Fruit."
"The patriarch Obsidian Kings has already arranged for it to be delivered."
The moment those words reached Steffan’s ears...
His entire expression changed.
His eyes widened.
For a brief instant, even he struggled to remain composed.
"The patriarch actually sent me the Mystic Life Fruit..."
He couldn’t hide the joy rising within him.
Among priceless cultivation treasures, the Mystic Life Fruit ranked extraordinarily high.
Its value far surpassed that of the Nine Way Cleansing Elixir.
The difference wasn’t merely rarity.
It was what the fruit represented.
For an Old Martial Arts cultivator who had reached the Gold Realm...
Consuming it could directly raise one’s cultivation by an entire minor realm.
Steffan slowly clenched both fists.
His breathing became noticeably heavier.
He had already reached the middle stage of the Gold Realm.
For some time now, he had been approaching a bottleneck that refused to loosen.
Breaking through by ordinary cultivation alone would require months...
Perhaps even years.
But with the Mystic Life Fruit...
Everything would change.
If fortune truly favored him...
He might leap directly to the peak of the Gold Realm.
And from there...
The Platinum Realm would no longer be an impossible dream.
The mere thought caused excitement to surge through him.
Once he stepped into the Platinum Realm...
Power itself would become his greatest weapon.
At that point...
Even ten Julian D’Aureliuses wouldn’t be enough to threaten him.
Unable to suppress his emotions any longer, Steffan threw back his head and burst into loud laughter.
His laughter echoed across the empty clearing, startling birds into flight.
"When the time is right..."
"Heaven and earth themselves will aid me!"
------------------------------
Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!
With love,
Saturn_Virgo_777
Creator of Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System
--------------------