Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Third Person's POV As for the leader, I can beat him up some other time if he continues to pester us. It would not be wise for me to show such strength comparable to a peak Crystal Formation expert at such a young age. Who knows how many eyes are looking at this scene and would report to their masters? I am still very unaware of the politics and ways of the demon society so it would be better for me to create a persona of a genius, one now which is on an expected and tolerable level. These thoughts spun rapidly through Ethan's mind as he settled on a course of action. Just as he was about to execute his plan, a sudden sound transmission made him pause in his actions. 'What are you plotting, young master Eryndor? If you are thinking of starting a brawl here in the guild's pub, I would advise against it.' The voice belonged to the dark elf. She delivered her message quickly like she had been holding it in for too long and was afraid he would not listen to her. 'Even though the Adventurer Guild may not hand down brutal punishments, they take meticulous records note of rule-breakers. Those marked as troublemakers find themselves swiftly demoted and shunned from opportunities. It would be best if you let that Gold-ranked fool throw the first punch.' Ethan's raised hand which had been about to gesture provocatively froze mid-air on hearing the warning. Instead, he let it drop gently onto Velcy's head and ruffled the little girl's smooth hair while leaning closer to Virelle. He whispered nonsense in her ear, all the while subtly gesturing toward the loud group of bullish demon adventurers. Virelle was a quick thinker and followed his lead seamlessly without missing a beat. Her soft, melodic laughter filled the air but she didn't realize that it was a sound so enchanting that it seemed to steal the breath of every adventurer nearby. Even seasoned adventurers momentarily forgot their mugs of ale as they gazed at her, bewitched by her charm. Her crimson eyes glimmered beneath her veil, and her long lashes fluttered as she involuntarily glanced toward the red-headed demon. His smoldering eyes that had been locked onto Ethan's figure were suddenly pulled to her like moths to flame and locked onto her radiant red irises. He sat frozen and was utterly mesmerized as the world around him seemed to fade. The redhead demon seemed like a simpleton in her gaze as he completely forgot Ethan's earlier taunts. A smirk tugged at Ethan's lips but quickly faltered as he noticed something else. The man's vacant gaze slowly filled with a dangerous hunger and his blank expression gradually twisted with unspoken desire as he ogled Virelle. The black-haired demoness perched on his lap stiffened as she noticed his unnatural behavior. But she masked her disgust and anger behind a practiced, neutral expression as she lowered her head as though none of it concerned her. The demon's lackeys were no better as their eyes glazed over and they lost themselves in their fantasies while their craven imaginations ran wild. It seemed Ethan's earlier mockery had been forgotten only to be replaced by their collective infatuation with Virelle. Ethan felt irritation bubbling beneath his calm surface, but then a spark of inspiration ignited. His lips curled into a quiet grin. The red-headed demon's attention remained locked on Virelle and his eyes shamelessly roved over her form while he remained completely oblivious to Ethan's discreet movements at his flank. Mindful of the dark elf's warning, Ethan subtly shifted his gaze to a raucous patron seated nearby. The burly adventurer was wildly cheering on the skirmish occurring on the fighting ring below their position. With a deliberate yet seamless motion, Ethan leaned into him and pretended to stumble as he suddenly brushed his shoulders with the man. At that moment, Ethan's hand subtly met the adventurer's arm, which happened to be holding a hefty obsidian mug filled with frothy ale. Hidden beneath the enchanted folds of his dark robes woven by his Master Nyx to specifically shield him from soul-based detection—Ethan's hand glowed with a faint dark blue icy light. The mug shot from the cheering man's hand through the air like a projectile with its trajectory perfectly aimed. The red-headed demon who was still entranced by Virelle had no time to react. Crack! With a sharp cracking sound, it struck the red-haired demon square in the nose. Had this been a normal, clumsy accident, the mug wouldn't have even scratched the demon's skin. But Ethan had quietly imbued the impact with his physical strength and amplified its momentum beyond the natural limits. The stone mug forged from dense volcanic obsidian, landed like a war hammer on the demon's face and the demon's nose broke with a sickening crunch. The world seemed to slow down. Ale splashed violently into the demon's face and stung his eyes, while the mug itself shattered the cartilage and bone of his nose and crumpled it into a ruinous mess. The sheer force of the blow was so sudden and so precise, that even his sharp battle hardened instincts failed to react. However, it was also true that his instincts seemed to have been utterly invested in his fantasies and failed to send him even a simple warning. The sharp, metallic scent of blood filled the air as crimson blood gushed from his broken nose like a ruptured artery. The black-haired demoness on his lap shrieked and tumbled from his thighs to the floor. Ethan, meanwhile, was already settling back into place as he calmly patted Velcy's head, and his expression was calm and innocent as if he had nothing to do with the chaos. The red-haired demon let out a high-pitched fearsome screech similar to a pig being slaughtered as the fiery ale burned its way into his eyes. The blood from his shattered nose mixed with the spiced liquid and poured into his open mouth and abruptly cut off his wails with choking coughs.