Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

Complete darkness.

Austin floated in the void.

Weightless. Free.

He felt as if he could go anywhere.

Do anything.

Be anyone.

And yet… something was missing.

Desire.

He could have everything—yet wanted nothing.

Where could he go? Every place felt empty.

What could he become? Nothing stirred his soul.

Everything seemed within reach, yet every goal felt pointless.

What was the meaning of this life?

Ruling held no thrill. Serving was even worse.

To be alone, or to have someone… neither called to him.

"Are you sure about it?"

What could he even do now?

He could become the strongest being to ever exist.

He could rule over gods and demons alike.

He could become more terrifying than the Demon Lord himself.

"But is that truly what you want, my Lord?"

He didn't know anymore.

Maybe his life had no meaning.

Or maybe…

"It does, my husband. Your life has meaning. You belong somewhere. You belong to me."

"Mmm…?" Austin stirred, a faint sound escaping his lips as he opened his eyes slowly.

For a moment, time stood still.

He saw her.

Her back faced him, hands gently clasped behind her.

Long violet hair flowed down like a curtain, swaying as if caught in a breeze.

Austin tilted his head and whispered, "…Val?"

She turned slightly, looking at him over her shoulder. "Did you miss me?" she asked with a soft smile.

And just like that—his heart, silent for so long, started to beat again.

Faster.

Stronger.

"…Val?" he said again, his voice trembling, afraid she might vanish if he blinked.

"I'm here, Austin," she said, finally turning to face him.

Her eyes were warm.

Her smile—the same one that once healed every wound in his heart.

She was just as beautiful as the day he last saw her.

Exactly as he remembered.

"Val…" His lips curled into a fragile smile. Frost still clung to his face, but his hand reached out to her. "I don't want to be here… I need you. It's cold here… and I'm so lonely."

She stepped closer, her voice a gentle whisper, "I know… I miss you too. Every second without you feels like a lifetime. Every night, when I hear the faintest sound, I look up, hoping it's you."

A lump rose in Austin's throat.

His voice cracked, "I want to see you, Val… This is harder than I thought. I—I feel like I'm slipping. Like I'm losing who I am."

He had ignored Selner's warning.

And now, he was paying the price.

It had been years since he entered the void.

Years since he last held her.

Since he last felt her warmth.

Since he last buried his face in her hair and breathed in that calming scent of hers.

He missed everything.

He craved her more than anything.

For so long, he had clung to their wedding ring, staring at it for hours just to keep himself sane.

To survive the darkness.

To finish the war with his mind intact.

But now… he was reaching his breaking point.

"Dear," Valerie's voice gently reached his ears.

Austin slowly lifted his head, and what he saw shattered him.

Tears glimmered in her eyes.

"You are my strength, Austin," she whispered. "Every day, I stand tall and encourage those around me… because I know that somewhere out there, my husband is still fighting for us."

Her voice trembled, but her gaze held firm.

"So please… for the sake of my belief in you—get up. For me… you have to end this. You promised you'd give me a better world. I want you to keep that promise."

Austin's breath caught in his throat.

Promise.

Yes… he had made a promise.

He remembered the day he held her hand.

The day he slid the ring onto her finger.

The day they took their vows, sealing them with a kiss.

That day, he looked her in the eyes and promised her a future.

A better world.

He had forgotten, lost in the endless void.

But now—now he remembered.

He still had something burning inside his heart.

A reason to keep going.

A desire that hadn't faded:

To build a peaceful world for Valerie.

"I'm sorry, Val…" Austin whispered, voice shaking. "I lost myself for a while… but no more."

Clarity returned to his eyes.

Determination surged back into his soul.

"I'm coming back to you, Val," he said, his voice stronger now.

The void around him trembled.

The empty space began to shift and twist.

His body started to glow—light pouring from within him.

And slowly, the dark space bent and reshaped itself… as if obeying his will.

At last, he broke free from his cocoon.

The glowing orbs that had surrounded him scattered like stardust, fading into the darkness.

Austin landed on his feet with a light thud, then stretched his arms as if shaking off the lingering weight of the void.

"Had fun trying to corrupt me?" he said, voice calm but laced with quiet defiance, as he looked at the immortal beings around him.

He had figured it out long ago.

It was them.

They were the ones who had pulled him into that state—who had shown him the seductive taste of what it meant to be eternal. To be absolute.

They had tempted him with power… with the promise of endless control.

And for a moment, he had almost surrendered to it.

He had almost let go.

But she brought him back.

Valerie.

His wife had saved him—again.

Her voice, her warmth, her belief in him had pulled him back from the brink.

[You are a fool if you think you can escape your destiny,]

a voice echoed in his mind, dark and ancient.

[Sooner or later, that fragile thread that binds you to your lover will snap—and when it does, you'll be lost all over again.]

Austin let out a soft chuckle.

Without hesitation, he bent down and picked up the fallen horn of Astaroth from the ground.

He stared at it for a moment, then drove it into his own stomach.

But instead of piercing flesh, the horn began to dissolve—absorbed into his body like a forgotten part returning home.

A silent storm brewed in his eyes.

Power surged through his veins as Astaroth's soul began to merge with his own.

Darkness met void—chaos met dead calmness.

"You think so?" Austin said, stepping forward with measured calm. "Then let's test it."

Without hesitation, he reached down and grabbed one of Astaroth's severed arms.

"I'll absorb him," he declared coldly. "And every last demon that walks this planet. Maybe a few humans too, if that's what it takes."

His fingers clenched tighter, and a twisted, menacing grin spread across his lips.

"I want to know," he said slowly, "if your theory applies to me. Whether I'll lose my emotions… if I truly become one of you."

A tense silence followed, until another voice—harsh and furious—broke through the stillness.

[You think we'll let you kill Astaroth?! The pact still binds him to this realm. And through it, we can tear you apart—along with everyone you hold dear.]

The words echoed like thunder, crackling through the air with fury.

But Austin didn't flinch.

He smirked at the floating orbs, his voice laced with venom and defiance.

"I am death, bitch," he said coldly. "Descend to the mortal realm—and I'll devour you too."

His steps echoed across the trembling void as he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that coiled like a snake around their ears.

"Just imagine," he murmured, eyes gleaming. "If I swallowed your soul… wouldn't that speed things up?"

A low, guttural growl resounded from the orbs.

He welcomed it.

With slow, deliberate steps, Austin prowled through the void—his boots crunching against what remained of the once-mighty Demon Lord.

The greatest threat to humanity… now reduced to fragments.

Broken parts. Shattered glory. Scattered across the realm like ash.

And he would devour every last piece.

There was silence for far too long.

Austin reached the final piece lying before him.

The heart of the Demon Lord.

He held it in his hand and snapped his fingers.

The void around him cleared, allowing him the vision of the outside world.

Years have passed since he stepped inside.

But he was finally out.

"My Lord!" A voice came from the left.

Austin lazily moved his hand and caught the arrow advancing towards him.

"Don't disturb a God, you fool." He said before breaking the arrow between his fingers.

Zephyr gritted his teeth.

There was no doubt whose heart it was.

However, something told him approaching the being before him would cause his inevitable end.

But choosing his duty over his life, he charged.

Austin grinned before he turned toward Zephyr and raised his hand—ready to devour.

The Elven King appeared before him in a blink with his fist cocked.

But he couldn't land the blow

He was frozen mid-air.

Austin tilted his head, "You arrived a little early, didn't you?"

On his left stood an entity.

Clad in golden and silver.

The being who formed the Pact. And also, the eldest God in existence.

[Let's talk.]

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Two more chapters.