Dancing on the golden ashes

Immediately, all of the people froze, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief. But the most shocked of them all was Han Seungho, who quickly dropped to his knees. His face was much older now, a harsh reminder of the time that had passed. He looked like he was in his mid-forties, the years etched into his features.

"M-m-mas-MASTER!" Han Seungho stammered, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and what I could only assume was relief. "I thought you were dead! Master! You... YOU! What happened to you?! What happened to the rest, and what about Lee Seo-yeon...? Is she...?"

His words tumbled out in a frantic rush, and I could see the hope in his eyes. It was clear he no longer cared about the battle. The weight of his questions hung in the air, and I could sense the deep pain in him. That poor bastard, who had once been a womanizer, had clearly fallen for one girl and couldn't forget her. In a strange way, I thought perhaps he'd changed for the better.

"I'll explain later," I said coldly, my voice cutting through the air like ice. "Now tell me, are these the fools responsible for destroying your empire?"

I could feel the tension rising as the group around me slowly raised their weapons, glaring at me with hostility.

"Who the hell are you? And how dare you interfere in our affairs, you damn trash?!" one of the men in silver armor and a golden sword shouted, his face twisted with anger. "We will force you into submission!" Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire

Before he could even move, he rushed toward me with blinding speed. But in the next instant, his body stopped mid-air. His eyes widened in confusion as his body went limp and fell to the ground, lifeless.

In my hand, a small orb of darkness pulsed with a cold, malevolent energy, radiating the essence of a fresh soul, one that didn't even realize it was dead yet. This was my power now, the power to control life and death with a mere thought. These weaklings could be erased at any moment. One flicker of my will, and their souls would leave their bodies, offering themselves to me.

I held the orb high in the air, and in front of everyone's eyes, I opened my mouth. Slowly, deliberately, I licked the soul, its essence sweet and tender, treating it as if it were some sickening candy, then swallowed it whole. The power surged through me, revitalizing, consuming.

In that moment, the remaining attackers panicked, their eyes wide with fear as they turned to flee. But they didn't get far. Invisible chains snapped into place, locking them in place with no hope of escape.

"And where the hell do you think you're going?" I said in a voice so cold, so bone-chilling, it seemed to freeze the very air around us. The remaining nine men froze, their faces pale as they realized they were trapped. Fear, pure, unrelenting fear, radiated from them, and I basked in it.

I could see their terror, their every muscle tensed, every breath shallow. And I reveled in it. The sensation was intoxicating. I loved it so much that a dark part of me wanted to torment them, to drag out their pain, to make them suffer as I had. Right now, I needed it more than anything. All the hatred and anger that had built up within me, all of it surged to the surface. These fools had given themselves to me, offering up their lives in service of my fury.

And I would make them pay for it.

"So? Are they?" I asked coldly, my gaze turning toward my slave as I watched him, his face lighting up with excitement at how effortlessly I had dealt with one of the opponents.

"Y-Yes, master!" Han Seungho stammered, his voice filled with a mix of awe and sadness. "All twenty of the most powerful nations around here formed an alliance to take us down. And when they attacked, I lost all my people..." I could hear the genuine sorrow in his voice as he spoke. "I managed to slay ten of their most powerful warriors, but the remaining ten fled, and here I took my final stand against them. But if you hadn't shown up so suddenly, master... I might have lost my life..."

"Shut up!" one of the remaining men shouted, his voice trembling but still defiant. Despite his fear, he managed to keep his confidence, and I could see the fire in his eyes. "When our leaders come here, all of you will die! Hahaha! They're the top of this world! All of them are in the top 50 leaderboards, and none of you stand a chance!"

He laughed arrogantly, but his words did little to faze me. I watched him, his bravado still intact, even as fear clung to him like a second skin.

I could understand his confidence. More and more people were reaching level 100, pushing past the limits, finding new ways to break through the barriers. But did any of them know where I stood in this world?

Pathetic.

"Do you even know who she is?!" Han Seungho shouted, his voice desperate, trying to make them understand. "She is the one and only—!"

"Enough!" I interrupted sharply, my tone cold as ice. "They don't need to know. Nobody needs to know about it. Let them see for themselves, and let their leaders react as they will. Then, we will pay a visit to all twenty empires. Each one of them will suffer a fate worse than yours did," I said, a dark smile creeping onto my face. "I can promise you that much."

I could feel the weight of my words settle into the air, thick with menace. "Today, all of them will be wiped off the map. And those who think they stand a chance—" I paused, letting the silence stretch between us. "They'd better prepare to watch their deaths come. And when it does, they won't be joining the other side. No, they'll join me, in my belly."

A chilling laugh escaped me, the sound like a predator reveling in its victory, its feast. It echoed in the air, the promise of destruction now undeniable.