NOVEL NEXT Chapter 70: Devil and Cattle.
Eivor had a questioning gaze:
"He is still your brother, your highness."
Cornelia smiled:
"It's exactly for this reason that I could tell you that with absolute certainty."
She looked up with a smile on her face:
'Is your plan already in motion?'
Land of Water, Capital of Water. Daimyo's Mansion.
The misty night was reigning in the beautiful Capital. Great building, deep ingrained architectures, lofty palaces.
It effectively looked like the place, where nobles lived.
In it's center, dominating in size and in height all the others building, The great Daimyo Mansion was erected like a cry to the glory of it's ruler.
Regrouping a lot of buildings going from those of servants to those of affiliated nobles to those of guards.
In the horror of the silent night.
The devil was standing in front of the doors of the Mansion.
The devil had a charming smile on his lips, like he was an angel blessing the world.
The devil had Harmless look on his eyes, like he was contemplating the beauty of the silent night.
The devil was so handsome, if it was daytime all the fathers would hide their daughters.
The devil was wearing traditional caftans, in his signature, mix of white and dark blue attire.
But even this oriental style clothes couldn't hide his deep European grace.
Behind him his hooded minions, there yet, and at the same time not, with their mystic aura.
By his side the leaders of the minions.
A Family that took the form of the knights of the Apocalypse.
He deeply breathed, the still untainted yet humid air of the capital, relishing in this beautiful night.
Gazing at crescent moon with a hint of longing. Like a poet about to write his masterpiece.
Finally his absent eyes got back on the Gigantic, Imposing door.
He looked sideways, his signature smile on:
"Silva-san, I hear opening gates is somewhat of a tradition for your family."
His graceful bearing made him like he was singing a lullaby:
"If that's the case…Would you do me honor?"
Silva advanced and punched, obliterating the door and wreaking havoc on the Mansion.
The devil elegant smile only got more entrancing as he announced:
"Operation Start."
The hooded men behind him disappeared. The Zoldyck Family too.
Immediately after, agonizing cries were heard all over the Mansion.
The devil made his first step.
Cries from here, sound of cutting from there. His smile still plastered over his face.
He advanced at a moderate pace, like he was taking a stroll in a garden, his blond hair flattered by the light of fire.
Whenever he stepped, wails and warriors dying kept getting heard.
Each step sounded like a percussion in the song of misery.
Sometime some hooded men would appear by his side. From his mouth the same words kept coming:
"Leave no man alive."
"No one is to escape."
And each time he would say these worlds, hell would break lose.
He continued to advance.
By his left dead men, by his right dead men.
By his side an effeminate man with a signature kimono appeared, accompanying him a long haired tall assassin.
The devil who have been waiting for their arrival for a long time said:
"You are finally here. Right on time."
Illumi spoke:
"It's done~ I made quite the beautiful collection."
Karuto spoke more conventionally, but one could still see the deep blood-lust in his eyes:
"Assassination of all the nobles of the Water Country."
"Done"
He nodded:
"You've worked hard. Go out."
"Make sure nothing alarms the city."
"We don't want a civilian's riot."
The members disappeared.
The devil continued paving his bloody way finally arriving at the Gates of the Main Residence.
By each side of the gate, a hooded man appeared.
Opening the house of the most powerful man in the Land of Water!
He continued to advance, in the seemingly deserted residence.
Glorious ornaments, great tapestries, a palace worthy of kings.
The devil advanced, deeply contemplating each decoration, like he was resonating with the culture of this world.
'This world deeply resembles feudal Japan, to it's very core.'
'How refreshing.'
Hidden in the shadows of this great residence, were two masked shinobis.
Charged of the protection water Daimyo, they were sent here to patrol by their village.
A normally…'routine' duty.
Some would even say, if they didn't have to endure the whims of the Daimyo and his family... Easy money.
Yet, today it was the most unfortunate mission in the world.
They waited for the seemingly harmless man to approach, before they engaged at full speed!
Yet, the man didn't even bother looking at them:
"Go easy on them, Silva-san, Zeno-dono."
"We wouldn't want to kill our future 'working force."
Before they had the time to realize what happened, they felt all their limbs shatter like they were glass.
As they fell like corpses by the side of the devil:
"The Hidden…The hidden mist…won't let you go…"
The devil had a curious look on his face:
"Why would they?"
"I am coming to visit them next."
"Report that to your Kage."
He advanced as hidden ninjas one after another kept falling left and right.
Finally arriving at the gates of a locked room. Wailing sound were heard.
'It seems that the emergency exists were covered too.'
'Nen users are so versatile.'
He opened the door, the two last ninjas falling by his feet.
The Water Daimyo was trembling in fright, his family in tears…His wife and daughter wailing. His heir trembling like an unstoppable vibrator.
The Daimyo covering his family was putting on a brave front.
The devil only looked at them a smile plastered over his face, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Suddenly hooded men appeared with a ready table, three seats, one in the center and two by the side. A bottle of fine wine, and three glasses.
He sat on it as he said:
"Zeno-san, Silva-san. You've worked hard."
He smiled handsomely:
"Would you please accompany me for a drink?"
In each of one of the chairs appeared bulky silhouettes, as the devil graciously poured the wine for each one of them:
"1945 Romanee-Conti, a little present from the Pendragon treasury."
The two assassins still unbrideled by the terrified family, slowly drank.
The Daimyo final gathered the courage to speak:
"W-Who are you? And what do you want?"
The devil smiled:
"Fair enough."
"A great noble deserves to know, by which hand he will end."
"I am the Third Vizir of the Empire, Schneizel El Britannia."
Schneizel had a deep smile as he looked at the Daimyo:
"Any last words?"
The Daimyo who knew his time has come had a rare moment of clarity:
"Please, spare my family."
Schneizel sighed deeply:
"Good last words."
"Sadly…"
Blood line appeared on each of their necks:
"All I can offer you is a quick death."
Silva narrowed his eyes in contemplation:
"It seems the first step of your plan is a success."
Schneizel sighed:
"It's only a success because it's the Water country."
"They are so cut from the other countries, that all information is completely delayed. Making it the most isolated country in the world."
"And a crucial part of our plan."
Zeno laughed:
"It seems the Fuchsia haired princes took another approach."
Schneizel nodded:
"The best approach actually."
" I actually disdain using force when unnecessary. "
"For The Sand. That is"
He deeply sighed as he sipped some of his wine:
"For the Mist, it's another matter altogether."
"In this country, nothing is respected."
"The strong eats the weak."
"Laws are only here to be respected when one could enforce them."
"A leader is only a temporary figure until the next civil war takes over."
"Barbarians that call themselves Shinobi clans war for imaginary ideals of supremacy. "
"Faction and caste at each other throats."
"Shinobi only heeding the call of their interests."
"A Mizukage that doesn't hold control of even half of his village."
"Zeno-san. What does separates us from animals?"
"It's laws and order."
"When that is lost, when no one is capable of enforcing it, when anarchy becomes the rule. Humans become only more intelligent apes."
He took a short pause before continuing:
"Or in other words…Cattle."
His smile grew bigger as the condescendance and pity in his eyes became more evident:
"Is there any point in negotiating with cattle?"
"Apart, promises that would be soon broken, oaths that means squat…"
"There is nothing to gain."
He sipped his wine:
"Only when they are tamed and reformed."
"Becoming proper human beings."
"Could we have a proper dialogue."
He stood up looking deeply in the direction of a certain hidden village:
"Until, then. They are to be treated like cattle. With the carrot and the stick."