I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

Chapter 77 [Demon Subjugation Exam] [15]

"Now then, let's keep this simple. Hand over every last one of your possessions," James said. "And of course, I'll be taking the Starlight girl with me. Consider it compensation—for breaking both my heart and our deal."

Gin's jaw tightened, his teeth grinding audibly. He thrust a hand toward the ceiling, and a surge of black erupted from his palm, piercing through the structure. The roof shattered, revealing the star-studded night sky above. The beam then fragmented, exploding into countless smaller rays that ricocheted in all directions, tearing through the crumbling mansion and spreading it beyond its walls.

"He's calling for reinforcements!" Cattleya said, quickly understanding.

"You've made a huge mistake by following me," Gin growled, narrowing his eyes at James. "You won't escape this alive. And when I'm done, every part of your body will serve a purpose."

"Now, that's a truly horrific thing to say in front of a lady. Look how utterly disgusted she is," he said, shaking his head in feigned disappointment.

"W–what are you doing?!" Cattleya burst out. "We need to get out of here before they arrive!"

But James remained calm.

"Do you really think I followed him here just to take a tour and run away?" James shot her a grimace.

"What are you talking about...?" Cattleya asked, exasperated. A vein throbbed visibly on her forehead.

'Who in the world is this insane man?!'

Her thoughts were interrupted as the distant sound of hurried footsteps began to echo ominously from every direction. The noise grew louder, closing in from doors, broken walls, and hidden passages alike. One by one, figures clad in black emerged.

There was no mistaking it—they all bore the signs of those in the final stage of Possession.

Cattleya's face went pale. She had never encountered so many possessed individuals at once. Even a seasoned A-Rank Exorcist would be hard-pressed to survive this.

There were over twenty of them.

"What's happening, Gin?" A cold voice asked suddenly.

Cattleya's gaze snapped upward. A figure stood atop the guardrail of the grand staircase, shrouded in darkness. Like the others, he wore black, but there was something different about him. His presence radiated corrupted mana, dwarfing Gin's completely.

The man's red, slit-like eyes locked onto Gin.

"I thought you were still skulking in the Artificial Forest of Ocryphia," he said, his tone calm but filled with menace.

"Zayil..." Gin muttered.

Gin groaned. Of all the people to show up now, Zayil was the last person he wanted to see. But faced with this situation, he had no other choice.

"We ran into... complications in the forest," Gin admitted begrudgingly. "We didn't manage to capture Ludivine Richmont or Lucas Whiteford. But we have Cattleya Starlight."

"Complications, huh?" Zayil's lips curled into a mocking smirk. "I can see that. You look like you're barely holding on."

The men flanking Zayil chuckled derisively, their laughter ringing in the crumbling mansion.

Zayil's crimson, slit-like eyes briefly flicked toward Cattleya before settling on the blond man standing next to her. He arched an eyebrow.

"And who might this be? If not Lucas Whiteford himself?"

"He's an intruder! Dangerous—"

"A pleasure to meet Gin's higher-ups," James interrupted smoothly, stepping forward and cutting Gin off entirely. "The name's James Arnold Grayling. You can call me Captain Grayling."

He offered a slight, mocking bow before continuing. "I came here hoping to settle a little matter of compensation. You see, your subordinate, Gin, tried to kill me. So I've decided I'll be taking everything you have. Preferably gold."

A heavy silence followed.

Cattleya's jaw dropped. She stared at James, utterly speechless, too drained by his antics to muster any kind of response.

James without care, continued. "You strike me as more reasonable than Gin. I'd suggest you act maturely and pay for the mistakes of your subordinate."

Zayil looked at James for a long moment before turning toward his men. "Kill him. Bring me the woman."

One of Zayil's men chuckled darkly as he stepped forward. "Blame your arrogance, Human," he sneered before lunging at James.

For a moment, Cattleya felt an unfamiliar sensation stir within her: pity. She pitied the demons.

"C–Catch the woman at least!" One of the remaining demons barked.

"We need to bring her to the Lords!"

The words jolted Cattleya from her trance. She turned to see two demons charging toward her with inhuman speed. Though she had recovered from her previous injuries, their sheer speed made it difficult for her to react in time.

Before she could even raise her defenses, a crackling surge of crimson lightning intercepted the attack. The air vibrated with raw mana, and in the next instant, James was standing in front of her, his back facing her.

"You two are the last ones, huh?" James said casually, brushing his black blood-soaked blond hair back. Find your next read at empire

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

The demons hesitated, their gazes darting around the room. What they saw drained the color from their faces. The bodies of their comrades lay strewn across the battlefield, lifeless and broken.

"L–Let's talk!"

"P–Please, Human, we can negotiate!"

"What do you want?!"

James tilted his head, his saber lazily pointed at Gin, who was trembling on his knees in the corner, too paralyzed by fear to move.

"I already told you—I want compensation for my broken heart," James grumbled in irritation.

"We'll give you anything!"

"Yes, anything you want! Just follow us!"

James's lips curled into an almost childlike grin. "Now that sounds promising!" He said, sheathing his saber and stepping forward.

Cattleya silently followed behind.

The demons led them to the far end of the hall, where they revealed a hidden trapdoor. With shaking hands, they opened it.

"Step aside," James said nonchalantly, giving one of them a light kick. The demon flew across the hall and slammed into the opposite wall with a sickening thud.

"My bad," James said, his voice completely devoid of sincerity as he peered into the trapdoor. Without hesitation, he jumped down.

When he landed, his eyes widened, glinting with amazement.

"What the...?" He muttered, his voice trailing off.

Curious, Cattleya climbed down after him, using the ladder. The moment she reached the bottom, she grimaced.

James was standing waist-deep in a massive pile of treasure—golden artifacts, ancient jewelry, and crafted relics gleamed around him. Many of the items were old and damaged, but their sheer value was undeniable.

"Gold! Money!" James exclaimed, his voice bursting with childlike glee. "S–So beautiful!"

Without another word, he dove into the treasure pile, swimming through it like a man possessed.

"Wonderful! It's all mine now! Mine!" He declared triumphantly, holding up a golden necklace and draping it around his neck.

His gaze snapped to the lone surviving demon. "You! Bring me more!"

"Y–Yes, sir!" The demon stuttered, nodding frantically his head

James, oblivious to everything else, began adorning himself with the spoils. He layered golden bracelets on both wrists, slid multiple rings onto his fingers, and even crowned himself with an ornate headpiece encrusted with rubies.

"Teach, Rackham, Read, Bonny... they can all go to hell compared to this haul!" He muttered smugly, a self-satisfied grin plastered across his face.

All the while Cattleya stood there, arms crossed. Her expression only twitch more and more seeing James laughing like a madman while trying all artifact, all the while ignoring her entire existence.

Also why the Demon had become his subordinate now?!