In the royal hall, the meeting between the top members of each branch was still underway.

“Alexus is right. The biggest issue we have at the moment is how to handle Miko.”

Said Echo.

“Handle? You don’t actually believe that you can take care of him right?”

Said Kimiko.

“You’ve all seen it for yourself. Miko isn’t one to be pressured, and he most definitely can’t be ‘handled’.”

“My wife is right. Miko maybe a kid, but he mustn’t be underestimated.”

Said Nero.

“He’s my grandson after all.”

He then started laughing after saying that.

“Take this seriously.”

Said Andreas.

“I am being serious.”

He then put on a face to match his words.

“However, if you’re going to ignore me and scheme against him then go ahead. But be sure to include the possibility of having your branch annihilated .”

Everyone turned silent when they heard that.

“Since he’s from our Branch, we’re good. Miko won’t seriously try to destroy those he considers his family after all. You’re all strangers to him, so you’re fucked. Hahahaha!”

Nero said while laughing.

“Not necessarily.”

Alexus responded.

“Miko said it himself, he isn’t interested in the clan. As long as he’s king then he’s satisfied. He’s leaving us to decide everything about the clan ourselves. So there’s no need to scheme against him.”

“No, there is a reason.”

Andreas interrupted.

“That brat has too much power at his beck and call. I don’t know about the rest of you but I can’t rest comfortably with someone like that around.”

“Well, he does feel like a dark cloud hanging over our heads.”

Echo agreed.

“Not to mention that he’s known for his short temper and whimsical behavior. There’s nothing more dangerous than a short fuse with endless power at his disposal.”

Andreas added.

“That’s why I believe that we should find a way to subdue and control him.”

The moment Andreas said that Kimiko stood from her seat.

“You bastard! My grandson isn’t one of your soldiers!”

She released a great amount of death aura when she shouted which put everyone in uncomfortable situation.

“He might not be one of my soldiers, but he’s still a member of the clan. As the one most fit to be the leader of this clan, he will eventually fall under my jurisdiction.”

“You damn dictator…”

Kimiko growled

“I’m fine with being a dictator. In this world, the strong rules and the weak serves. I am strong so it obvious for me to be the one ruling.”

“Hey, hey. Is it alright to declare your intentions in the open like this? Did you forget that the guardian beast are on Miko’s side?”

Asked Echo.

Andreas snorted.

“It matters not. If they wish to report to the one they serve then do as they please.”

He then slowly looked at all the faces of the guard beasts and branch leaders.

“Try to destroy me if you wish, but I refuse to bend to anyone’s will.”

His presence suddenly grew more overwhelming.

“I am the grandson of the Divine Conqueror Augustus Dragna. I was thought by him to not yield to anyone no matter how disadvantageous the situation is. Lets say that he destroys my blood trait.Then I’ll just pave my way back to the top with overwhelming force! Destroy my branch? Then I’ll recreate one better than the one before! Kill me? Hahahaha!”

He slammed his hand on the table.

“That’s fine by me! I am a warrior in body and soul! I’m not afraid of death, I embrace it! Kill me and I’ll crawl my way out of hell and drag you all back to hell with me!”

His presence grew so intense that even the other branch leaders began to subconsciously back away.

“Listen to me, Sirrush, Lahmu, Bašmu, Gallu and you too Mušma!”

He pointed at the guardian beasts and glared at them.

“I am not someone who can be threatened! I’m the descendent of a conqueror before I’m the descendent of a Goddess! I, Andreas Dragna will fight you all to the finish if I have to! But are all of you prepared to go to war will me?!”

“………!”

Even the guardian beasts were being back by his determination and will.

“If you are, then come! I’ll drag at least half of you to deepest pits of hell with me!”

His voice caused the palace to tremble.

He was 100% serious about everything he said.

He had no intention of serving anyone, not even his grandmother.

He lives by his own will, his own desires, and his own ambition.

Not even the strongest beings in heaven would make him admit defeat.

If his enemy rip his arms off, he’ll use his feet to kick them to death.

If they destroy his legs, he’ll headbutt them to hell.

If they cut his head off, he’ll stare them down to death.

This was his unbreakable will.

This was the Uncrowned Tyrant, Andreas Dragna!

‘……Impressive. He was able to suppress everyone in the room with just his determination alone. There’s no mistake about it, a XXX level will is really undeniable.’

Rihan thought to himself, while peeking at Nero.

He had a terrifying smile on his face and had his claws dug into his skin.

Andreas display got him so excited that he had to hurt himself to keep his head cool.

If he hadn’t done that, he might’ve lost control and fought Andreas to the death.

That was how intimidating Andreas was. Enough to make Nero throw everything away just to have a good fight.

Rihan then looked at the other branch leaders. They were in a similar situation to Nero.

Andreas caused their blood to boil and desire for battle to heighten.

There was only one person who was completely calm, and it was Nova.

He was sipping juice from a straw while playing with his phone.

‘As expected of a heartless psycho.’

He smiled.

‘Just how long will you be able to keep this charade going, I wonder? When will you show your true self again, my dear brother?”

As if sensing his gaze on him, Nova looked towards Rihan.

For a second, his eyes were ice cold but they quickly became warm as if it was all an illusion.

“Everyone, calm down.”

A light suddenly flashed and Tia appeared on the throne in the middle of the room.

“Her Holiness!”

Everyone except Andreas immediately bowed towards her.

Tia looked at him.

“Andreas, I know that you’ve always preferred Augustus over me, and had a habit of going against me since you’re young.”

“I have no such habit. I just believe that grandfather’s way of doing things is far superior to yours.”

Andreas interrupted her.

“Listen here, Tiamat. I’m a warrior who has a warrior pride. I’m different from these fools who do everything for ridiculous reasons like gaining authority.”

He beat his chest.

“I refuse to bend the knee and serve anyone inferior to me, no matter who they are. That’s why I believe I’m the one fittest to be the ruler of the clan, because I am strong. And the strong will only serve those stronger than them, never those weaker than them. That’s my way of life!”

His eyes shone brightly with pride as he didn’t show any signs of backing down in front of Tiamat.

“If you want me to serve that brat then he have to beat me fair and square with his own strength.”

He then used his eyes scanned everyone else’s faces.

“That goes for whoever wants to lead this clan. Unless you beat me fair and square, then neither I nor the Quintus Branch will accept you.”

The moment he said so, everyone representing the Quintus Branch stood behind to show their unity with their leader.

Andreas’ words were their pride.

They refuse to pledge servitude to someone they know nothing about, just because their progenitor said so.

They weren’t puppets or lapdogs, they were warriors with their own pride and rules, and no one could take that away from them.

You had a better chance of stepping on their dead bodies than witnessing that.

‘This stubbornness is just like Augustus’.’

Tia thought to herself.

“If only you knew who you were refusing to serve’

She mumbled with a sigh.

‘Now then, what to do? Andreas definitely won’t budge even if I threatened him. No, that would just make him even more stubborn.’

She had a troubled expression on her face.

‘I doubt Miko expected this to happen, but I wonder if I should ask him anyway?’

She then shook her head.

‘He already have enough on his plate. But I need something to break this stifling atmosphere.’

*Bam!*

It was at this moment that a loud sound echoed from a corner of the room.

Everyone looked there and saw that Rihan had crush the wall with his fist.

“Please, everyone. Calm down. Look how depressed our matriarch is.”

He said while indicating to Tiamat.

He walked up and stood at the center of the room, stealing everyone’s attention.

“We’re all family here so there’s no need to speak of death and violence towards each other.”

He stretched his hand towards the Quintus section.

“I understand your views so much that it hurts, Andreas.”

“Devil’s Joker….”

Andreas watched Rihan with cautious eyes. Even he couldn’t afford to let his guard down around a demon spawn like him.

“You see I too refuse to work for anyone weaker than me, so I understand your words that were overflowing with passion. But!”

He lifted a finger.

“We all mustn’t forget that before we’re warriors we’re family. While there are times that family will fight, there has to be a limit.”

He voice grew softer and more charming.

“It would be sad to fight my family to the death, and for what? A position?”

He shook his head.

“It’s like you said earlier, Andreas. You are a warrior with a warrior’s pride. But is that pride worth anything without anyone at your side? Friends come and go, but family stay forever.”

“Ha. Get to the point brat.”

Said Andreas.

“What I’m saying is simple.”

He pause before saying-

“Pride is worth shit in the face of true power.”

“What?”

Andreas immediately became angry when he heard that.

Even so Rihan didn’t flinch and continued.

“You all here are influential individuals in your respective fields, then you all should’ve at least heard rumors of them.”

He smiled.

“The New Era.”

“?!”

Everyone’s face became serious after hearing the name Rihan spoke.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Rihan chuckled before continuing.

“The usurpers hidden in the darkness. The rebels aiming for the heavens. The monsters preparing to kill the world. They go by countless names and were considered to be myths, but we all know that they are real.”

He looked at Andreas and smirked.

“And they’re coming for all of us.”

“………”

Rihan started walking around in a circle as he spoke.

“Not only us. They’re coming for everyone in this world. They will drag the heavens to the their feet and rip the hells apart. That is their goal. And they have the power to do so and more.”

He pointed at Andreas.

“What about them, Andreas? Are you willing to go to war with them and alone at that?”

“……..”

Andreas didn’t answer.

“I thought so.”

Rihan laughed.

“I’ll admit that there are some here who can fight their way through the Summit Of The Gods, but there are none who can fight their way through the New Era. Fight them alone isn’t even considered suicide, it’s plain stupid.”

He smiled at Andreas.

“So I’ll say this again, Pride is worth shit in the face of true power. We will all need each other to survive this new era, that’s an indisputable fact.”

“…So you’re suggesting I should throw away my pride and serve someone weaker than me?”

Andreas asked.

“Hell no.”

Rihan answered immediately.

“What?”

“What I want is for the Quintus Branch to remain in the clan, that’s all. As for the matter of who should lead the clan, I couldnt care less. With a clan like this, only someone truly capable can take the helm. As to how you all wants to decide that, it has nothing to do with me.”

Rihan said as he started to walk towards the exit.

“As long as you all don’t forget that you all need each other, then whatever you do is fine by me.”

He opened the door and spoke without looking back at anyone.

“I’m going out for a bit. Have fun deciding who is supreme among you.”

After saying that, Rihan left the room.

“……….”

The place was covered in silence for a while after he left.

‘Th-That brat!’

Tia shouted in her head.

‘I thought that he was going to smooth the situation over but he actually just made it even more complicated!’

Rihan was able to cool the heads of the Quintus Branch, thus preventing them from doing something that everyone would regret.

However, he didn’t improve the situation in the least.

By mentioning the greater threat that is New Era, he forced everyone to face the fact that they need each other to survive, which is a good thing; but he also skillfully placed restrictions on all of them, thus destroying several paths they could take, making their actions easier to predict.

By doing that, he created a stalemate among the five branches with none having the advantage.

In other words, he reverted the meeting back to the starting point.

‘No, his last words before leaving just made everything a lot more intense.’

Have fun deciding who is supreme among you.

That sentence hit the sore spots of everyone here.

Everyone wanted to be acknowledged as #1 among their peers, especially the five branch leaders.

Tia could immediately feel the tense atmosphere in the room, and clinched the throne.

Because of Rihan’s speech, she could no longer say or do anything to peacefully solve this standoff.

Devil’s Joker, it was a name that fit him perfectly.

Meanwhile, Rihan was walking down the hall with a smile on his face.

He took something out of his pocket.

It was a invitation that had someone’s name signed at the bottom.

New Era executive,Ringo.

Rihan smiled and crushed it in his hands.

“I don’t know how they found out about my secret identity, but it doesn’t matter.”

His smile turned demonic by the second.

“Trying to blackmail me? Hahahaha! Great! Bring it on!”

A dreaded aura started leaking out of his body.

“Then I’ll just use all my pieces to wipe you off the face of the earth.”

The crushed invitation then caught fire and turned into ashes.

His eyes and hair then turned jet black, while his teeth turned into fangs and his nails turned into claws.

A deep terrifying voice came from his mouth as he smiled hellishly.

“I guess I’ll show you what happens to those who tries to outplay a joker.”