Threatening Zeoticus And All Elders

The elders of the Gremory clan watched in stunned silence as Izashi settled into the Head's seat, his presence filling the hall like a dark cloud. His calm, unyielding gaze held a fierce authority, and for the first time, those gathered truly understood just how serious he was about seizing control.

One elder, a wiry man with deep frown lines, couldn't hold back his protest. He took a step forward, his voice rising in indignation. "This isn't right! There has always been a balance in the Gremory House—a council that keeps the head's power in check. You cannot strip us of our voice and hold absolute control!"

Izashi leaned back in his seat, resting his chin on his hand with a calm expression that belied the irritation flashing in his eyes. With a snap of his fingers, a small spark of flame appeared, drifting lazily toward the protesting elder.

The elder scoffed, looking at the tiny flame with contempt. 'What kind of intimidation attempt is this? A tiny flame like this is hardly anything to be afraid of.'

But as the spark reached him, the elder's scorn melted into horror. The small flame clung to him and ignited, spreading with ruthless speed across his body, burning him down in seconds. His form crumbled to ash, leaving no trace behind.

Izashi didn't bother to spare him another glance. Instead, he addressed the room, his voice smooth and unimpressed. "Anyone else have any complaints?"

The remaining elders exchanged terrified glances, the earlier murmurs turning to trembling silence. The impact of Izashi's action settled like an unspoken threat; there was no question about how far he would go to maintain order.

"This is oppression!" another elder dared to say, clutching his robes as if they could shield him. But before he could utter another word, Izashi snapped his fingers again. This time, a swirling vortex of flames shot out, enveloping the elder in a destructive blaze that erased his existence from the hall entirely. Not even a whisper remained.

Izashi raised a single eyebrow and swept his gaze over the council. "I'd prefer if everyone voiced their complaints at once. I don't have the patience to keep repeating myself. Now, any more protests?"

Every elder in the room lowered their gaze, avoiding his intense stare. They fidgeted with their hands and wiped beads of sweat from their foreheads, too terrified to speak. A few even clutched their chests, as though trying to still the wild thumping of their hearts. Izashi's presence was stifling, and they could feel the pure, ruthless authority in his gaze.

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a deadly calm. "Good. Now listen carefully. My orders are absolute. I am the one and only ruler of the Gremory clan, and any dissent will be met with the same fate as your unfortunate friends here."

The council's silence spoke louder than words. Though they wanted to oppose him, the brutal display had left them terrified into submission. They knew that any whisper of rebellion against him would end in swift retribution.

Izashi gave a satisfied nod and rose from his seat. "Now, since we've established that, let's talk about my first order." His gaze landed on his father, Zeoticus, who had watched everything unfold with barely veiled anger and resignation.

"As of today, Zeoticus Gremory will be appointed as the Political and Economic Head of the Gremory House." The announcement startled the elders, who had thought Izashi would cast Zeoticus aside entirely.

Zeoticus, recovering from his initial shock, raised his head with an expression of gratitude that seemed almost out of place. He stepped forward and bowed, keeping his tone formal but noticeably relieved. "I will serve the Gremory House with dedication. Thank you, Izashi."

Izashi waved off his father's gratitude with a flick of his hand. The council members, who had once backed Izashi in the decision to challenge Zeoticus, now regretted their choice. In hindsight, they realized that their support for Izashi had inadvertently led to the downfall of the carefully balanced system they had relied on.

After a moment, Izashi motioned for the council to leave. "That will be all for now. I'd like to speak to Zeoticus alone."

One by one, the elders filed out of the room, casting wary glances over their shoulders as they left. Once they were gone, the door closed with a heavy thud, leaving Zeoticus and Izashi in the echoing silence of the hall.

Zeoticus looked at his son warily, the events of the past hour replaying in his mind. Despite his willingness to serve in a lesser role, he sensed that Izashi was not yet finished with his plans.

Izashi broke the silence with a single, quiet command. "Zeoticus, I order you to remove your Evil Piece from Venelana."

For a moment, Zeoticus could only stare at his son, stunned. The words seemed impossible. When he finally found his voice, it came out a choked, incredulous whisper. "What did you just say?"

Izashi's gaze was unwavering, his expression colder than Zeoticus had ever seen. "I don't need to repeat myself. You heard me. Remove your Evil Piece from Venelana. You're no longer fit to keep her under your command."

Zeoticus's shock turned to anger, his face darkening. "Izashi, you're going too far! This is your mother we're talking about. She's my queen, and you have no right to interfere in our relationship!"

Izashi didn't flinch at the fury in his father's voice. If anything, his eyes sharpened, and his tone grew even colder. "Biologically, yes, she's my mother. But this is about what's best for the clan. You're no longer head, Zeoticus, which means you don't have a say in this matter."

Zeoticus clenched his fists, fighting back a surge of frustration. His voice wavered as he tried to appeal to his son's reason. "Venelana's position as my queen was a matter arranged by the Bael family. She has fulfilled her duty by giving birth to heirs who will carry on the Gremory bloodline. There is no reason for this madness!"

Izashi's lips curled into a cold smile, enjoying his father's discomfort. "Exactly. Venelana has done her duty by bringing heirs into the family. And now that I'm head, there's no need for her to be tied to you. She can fulfill a new role with me."

Zeoticus's face contorted in outrage. "You... You cannot do this, Izashi! This is too far!"

But Izashi's expression remained unyielding, the chill in his voice matching the ice in his eyes. "Zeoticus, you forget that I hold the power here. If you can't follow a simple order, then I will gladly eliminate the problem."

For a tense moment, father and son locked eyes, each unwilling to back down. The room seemed to grow colder, the air heavy with their clash of wills.

Finally, Zeoticus broke the silence, his voice dropping to a defeated murmur. "Fine… if that's truly your will."

Izashi's face softened into a look of satisfaction. "Good. I'm glad you understand." He paused, a smug grin spreading across his face. "I believe Venelana should be out of her evening bath by now. Let's go inform her of this… 'development.'"

Zeoticus bristled at the casual way his son spoke of his wife but knew better than to argue. Together, they left the hall and made their way toward Venelana's chambers.

Venelana had just emerged from her bath, a towel draped around her shoulders as she selected a gown from her wardrobe. Hearing the door creak open, she turned, expecting a servant. Instead, she saw Izashi and Zeoticus entering her room, both with somber expressions.

A smile spread across her face, though her eyes held a hint of confusion. "Well, this is a surprise," she remarked, her tone warm but questioning. "Is there something urgent you both need?"

Izashi's gaze swept over her, lingering perhaps a bit longer than appropriate, but he masked it with a polite smile. "Venelana, I have important news. Zeoticus has relinquished his position, and I am now head of the Gremory family."

Venelana blinked, taking in the revelation with poise. "I see… And what does that mean for me?"

Izashi glanced at Zeoticus, who remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor. With a slight smirk, Izashi continued, "It means that Zeoticus will remove his Evil Piece from you. I intend to revive you as my rook."

Venelana arched an eyebrow, her composure impeccable. "Your rook, is it? And what advantages does this offer over my previous role as queen?"

Izashi's smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with a possessive light. "With my rook piece, you will receive powers far beyond what you had as a queen. My strength, combined with your own, will allow you to reach heights you couldn't with him."

Hearing this, Zeoticus wasn't that surprised that he was going to revive her as his own peerage member but what surprised him was the fact when he said that his rook piece would give more advantages than his own queen piece.

Zeoticus didn't know what to say at this point and thought 'Am I being underestimated so much…?'

~~

A/N: I hope you all liked this long chapter.

(I want to request you guys to support me on my p.atreon and continue to read 12 advance chapters ahead over there.

P.A.T.R.E.O.N link: https://bit.ly/evildragon

Also, If you like Harem Stories, check out my new story, Harem Master: Seduction System. Please give your PS to that novel so that my novel's ranking can remain at the top. Thank you.)