Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

Chapter 305: Chapter 304- A challenge?

Inside the Council Headquarters, all the important figures had gathered.

A few S-rank warriors stood along the walls, quiet but alert.

The air was heavy with tension.

Today, the boy they once saw as nothing more than a spoiled prince—an anomaly—was going to make a declaration.

Charlotte had already spoken to the Council, sharing how he had helped her.

She described how easily he had crushed a beast ranked as a high-level threat.

Her words had left many in the room uneasy.

The Council still didn’t know what to make of him.

This boy—Austin—had done things no one expected.

He had fought the Hellstain that appeared in Drenovar...

alone.

He had defeated an A-rank beast before one of their most trusted warriors was finding it difficult to handle.

And most concerning of all—he had once severed the arms of an S-rank soldier.

It was no longer just strange—it was dangerous.

A person growing so powerful in such a short time...

it meant one thing: he had accepted a path that no normal human ever should.

And depending on what he said today...

the Council might be forced to treat him as a threat.

That was why William, the strongest warrior among humans, was also present in the hall.

Sitting in silence at the round table, arms crossed, eyes sharp—ready for anything.

"Will he even come?

" one of the Council Heads asked, glancing toward the empty seat beside William.

Charlotte gave a wry smile.

"I only passed along what I was told.

How could I guarantee anything?

" A few others sighed, already regretting their decision not to send someone to escort the boy.

But then— "Quite an impatient bunch, aren’t you?

" Every head turned sharply toward the seat beside William—the only one that had been left empty.

And there he was.

Austin.

Sitting comfortably, legs crossed, back straight.

No one had seen him enter.

Not the guards at the gate.

Not the scouts posted outside.

Not even the warriors inside the building.

Even William frowned, a small crease forming between his brows—he had almost missed him too.

Charlotte stood abruptly, her hands slamming on the table.

"You—!

How did you get in here?!

" Austin tilted his head slightly, unfazed.

"That’s not important.

Let’s get to the real topic, shall we?

" Charlotte hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Slowly, she sat back down without saying another word.

The Council didn’t press further.

Whatever trick he used to enter, one thing was now clear—he could get in anytime he wanted.

For now, they pushed the security concerns aside as one of the Heads asked, "Then tell us...

Why did you call this meeting?

" Austin leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

"I’m sure most of you know about the four Generals of the Demon Lord—the ones who serve as his direct extensions.

His power given shape.

" There was a brief pause.

Some of the older members nodded, while others just stared, waiting for him to continue.

Then, someone scoffed from across the table.

"What now?

Are we going to get a history lecture?

" Austin smiled faintly—but his eyes remained cold.

"Maybe.

Or maybe I’m just telling you who I plan to kill next.

" As Austin finished speaking, he reached into his inventory and tossed two severed heads onto the long table.

Thud.

Thud.

A wave of shock rippled through the room.

Several chairs screeched back as people stood up in alarm.

A few flinched.

One even gasped audibly.

But what truly set the room on edge—was the aura.

The air turned heavy.

Dark.

Suffocating.

Even William, ever composed, summoned his Shard without hesitation.

The golden blade shimmered faintly, barely containing the rising pressure.

Austin chuckled, impressed.

"You’re really quick to draw.

Guess I can’t blame you.

" "What...

what the hell are those?

" one of the Council members barked, voice shaking.

Before Austin could answer, someone else did.

Eyes wide, voice trembling.

"No...

it can’t be...

That’s one of the Demon Generals...

isn’t it?

" The entire room froze.

Gasps echoed across the chamber.

Hands tightened over armrests.

Eyes locked on the grotesque heads on the table—faces twisted in death, but power still leaking from their flesh.

The kind of power that only came from something unholy.

Austin smirked.

"Good eye.

Must be your Shard telling you the truth.

" He leaned back in his chair, casually pointing to the heads.

"Left side—weakest Demon General.

Right side—daughter of the Demon Lord.

" Silence gripped the room.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

They couldn’t.

The blood may have dried, but the dark energy clinging to the heads still pulsed—like echoes of screams that had yet to fade.

After a long pause, William’s calm voice broke through the stillness.

"...

What are you?

" Austin didn’t blink.

He didn’t look away.

He simply smiled and said, "A human.

As far as you need to know.

" William narrowed his eyes.

A human, walking freely through the lands of demons...

and not just surviving—but killing two of their most valuable forces?

It sounded insane.

Impossible.

But the evidence sat right there, bleeding dark energy onto the council’s polished table.

"What do you want from us?

" one of the Heads finally asked, voice tight.

Austin sighed as if the question bored him.

"To be honest, you can’t give me anything I need," he said bluntly.

"Most of you are no help to me.

If anyone here’s worth a damn, it’s William.

" A few of the council members bristled at the insult.

Some scoffed.

Others clenched their fists beneath the table.

But among them were a few calmer minds, leaders who had seen too much to react on impulse.

One of them leaned forward.

"Assistance in what?

What exactly do you plan to do?

" Austin stood up.

Without rushing, he walked around the table, stopping near its head—where every pair of eyes could see him clearly.

Then he spoke.

"I’m going to hunt down every remaining Demon General and the Demon Lord’s fragment.

All of them.

And I’m going to do it within a month.

" The room stirred.

Some almost laughed.

Others bit their tongues.

But before the noise could grow— "Now, before you all start laughing or rolling your eyes," Austin continued sharply, "hear me out till the end.

" The room fell silent again.

He held their attention like a noose.

"While I’m out there wiping out the enemy," he said, "I need just one thing from you.

" He paused, then spoke clearly: "I want Eryndor under full protection from the Council.

" A heavy scoff came from somewhere down the table.

"Why would we—" "Arthur, stop.

" The voice was calm, aged, and firm.

The room turned as the senior-most Head raised a hand, silencing the man instantly.

Arthur blinked, confused, but said nothing.

The elder turned his gaze to Austin and spoke slowly.

"You must understand...

things don’t work like that.

To give full protection to the capital, we’d have to summon every resource, every soldier, every mage we have.

That kind of commitment isn’t made lightly.

" He didn’t say no.

He was simply stating the weight of the request.

And Austin, from the look in his eyes, already understood it.

"Then do so," Austin said, his tone firm but calm.

"Only after ensuring that my people are safe...

will I cross over and begin clearing out the trash.

" His demand was clear: Protect Eryndor, and in return, he’d wipe out the demon race—one by one.

The room went still again.

The weight of his words hung heavy, until a younger Council Head finally spoke, voice laced with doubt.

"How can we trust that you can actually take down the Demon Generals?

The ones you’ve killed so far...

weren’t even the strongest.

" Austin let out a short chuckle.

"Weak, you say?

" He turned toward William, a knowing smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"Tell me, William.

How difficult was it to fight Zevarath?

" William’s face darkened.

He leaned forward slightly.

"He was relentless," he said, voice low.

"A tenacious commander with a massive army.

It took two full days...

just to suppress his forces.

" Austin looked back at the rest of the Council, eyes scanning across their faces.

"And Zevarath wasn’t even a General.

He served under one.

" He paused.

"Now imagine what the actual Generals hold at their disposal.

" That shut the room up.

Even those who had doubted him moments ago now wore uneasy expressions.

Many had already begun to accept the truth—that Austin was something far beyond what they had thought.

But still...

some minds refused to yield.

Austin could feel the weight of their mistrust pressing down.

He was growing tired.

If not for Selner, he wouldn’t even have bothered with this meeting.

It was her faith in these people—her belief that the Council still had a role to play in protecting the common folk—that kept him here, still asking, still negotiating.

The oldest one in the room spoke, "It seems many of us here still couldn’t trust your abilities...

so, to give us assurance, why don’t you prove your strength?

" Austin’s brows went up, and then he realized what he meant.

A grin extended the blond one’s lips as he looked towards William, "I was always curious about how strong the Ultimate Soldier is.

Guess, I am about to find out.

" °°°°°°°° A/N:- Thanks for reading.