Chapter 105

Bobby Lane passed away peacefully.

Whether it was his expression with eyes wide in rage or the pupils filled with hatred and regret, they all revealed a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness… at least that’s what Leon thought.

Before he could utter his last words, Leon forcibly stripped him of the “Aspiration Heart,” and thoroughly eliminated the first heir to the Lionheart Duke. After looking around at the numerous fallen members of the Lane family, an already exhausted Leon plopped down on his butt, casually placing his hand on the Black Goat’s head.

Really… working himself to the bone, covered in blood, only for this guy to reap all the benefits…

Seeing the flood of soul fragments in his spiritual vision, almost forming a river, Leon silently rubbed the Black Goat’s forehead.

【Name: War Horn (Fallen, Furious, War)】

【Appearance: …】

【Ability: Demon horns, Amplification of Malice, Endless Battle】

【Cost: Already acknowledged, no cost required for use】

【File: …】

【Evaluation: Thanks to your careful nurturing, after repairing the broken authority, this anomalous item has once again become a terrifying battlefield weapon.

If you join a large-scale war with it, you will gain temporary immortality and inexhaustible stamina until one side is completely routed and the war ends.】

【Taint Value: 8 (2.5)】

【Your Taint Value has increased】

【Current Taint Value: 2.5】

It’s fine; though it was a small piece of trash in the past, after absorbing nearly two hundred sinful souls, it finally repaired its broken authority and now looks somewhat like a great demon. However…

“Don’t keep sucking!”

Leon gave the Black Goat a hard slap on the back of its head, knocking it to the ground as it blissfully absorbed souls. Irritably, he interrupted: “Your limit is 8 points. Continuing won’t improve anything, don’t go overboard!”

“You?!”

The Black Goat, slapped on the back of its head, suddenly became furious, turning around ready to curse, but upon seeing Leon’s blazing soul fire, inexplicably lost its momentum and instead argued reasonably: “Even if I can’t get stronger, I can still hoard! Maybe in the future…”

“Hoard what?! Stop immediately!”

Glaring irritably at it, Leon explained:

“Since so many people died this time, the Bureau might send someone down to investigate. When the investigators arrive and see your belly full of soul fragments, I won’t be able to explain!”

“Eh?”

The Black Goat looked astonished and said, “Explain what? Aren’t they all yours… Ow!”

After slapping its forehead, Leon seriously emphasized, “All of this was done by Bobby Lane to extract information about the Clearing Bureau from me… He went mad… Although I tried to stop him… I was powerless… In the end, I had no choice but to…”

“…”

“What’s that look supposed to mean?”

“Nothing…”

After hearing Leon’s account of the “incident,” the Black Goat said blankly, “Since everything was done by him, why did he die instead of you?”

“It’s because of you.”

Pounding the Black Goat’s head forcefully, Leon calmly “explained”:

“Bobby Lane’s massacre allowed you to absorb a large number of souls, restoring the authority shattered by the Bureau Director, thus greatly increasing your power.

Then, relying on the Holy Spirit Pendant, I forced my way to his side, using your suppression of his heart’s dominance to kill him with a single strike!”

Upon hearing this, the Black Goat couldn’t help but comment sarcastically:

“Whether you have this ability or not isn’t important; what matters is that this explanation comes from ‘you.'”

Leon, who had already prepared an excuse, smiled like the Red-haired Bureau Director, narrowing his eyes and saying, “Both the horns and the heart are part of your body. No one understands your body better than you do, so if you say yes, then it must be possible!”

“Why are the dead all evil people?”

“Because of internal power struggles within the family, these people threatened Bobby Lane’s position; or because the more evil ones were harder to control, he planned to clear out dissenters; or because of your interference and protection, he couldn’t harm good people…”

After directly providing three options, Leon earnestly reminded, “Don’t be so rigid. Now that you hold the narrative, how things happened is up to you! Hmm… But speaking of which, there’s something that needs handling.”

Looking at the Aspiration Heart temporarily placed on Bobby Lane’s corpse, Leon frowned and asked,

“How’s your heart doing now? Does it still have self-awareness after Bobby Lane’s soul was consumed?”

“Should… still have some awareness?”

Hearing Leon’s question, the Black Goat uncertainly replied, “I’ve never been disassembled into seven parts before, so I’m not quite sure what’s going on… Why don’t you ask it?”

“…”

Why bother asking you?

Rolling his eyes at the Black Goat, Leon, bolstered by the presence of [I Am A Demon], reached out to grab the [Aspiration Heart]. Just as he was about to inquire, a male soprano voice filled with pride rang in his ears, sounding about sixty percent similar to Bobby Lane’s.

‘Take your dirty hands off!’

With a slight hint of anger, the [Aspiration Heart] spat out a rebuke and coldly sniffed through their soul communication: ‘I heard your conversation. So you’re here to beg me to keep your secrets, huh?’

“Not begging, demanding, and you can refuse.”

Touching the Holy Spirit Pendant, Leon, who was mentally prepared, calmly said, “But if you refuse, I’ll weaken you to the strength of [Diagonal] using this, then let it erase your consciousness to prevent you from leaking secrets to the Clearing Bureau.”

‘You dare?!’

Hearing Leon’s threat, the [Aspiration Heart] couldn’t help but explode in fury, angrily questioning while violently pulsating: ‘If it weren’t for your interesting slaughter just now, you, a mere lackey under the Clearing Bureau’s control, wouldn’t even deserve to speak to me! Especially your vulgar and weak heart…’

Looks like there’s no room for negotiation.

Listening to the angry scolding in his ear, Leon couldn’t help but shake his head, reaching for the [Holy Spirit Pendant]. But just as he was about to act, the volume in his ear suddenly dropped. The previously fiery [Aspiration Heart] hesitantly said,

‘Your heart… um… isn’t too bad…’

Forcing its way through Leon’s mental defenses, it glimpsed the immense ambition deeply buried inside, something unimaginable. The [Aspiration Heart] fell silent for a moment before slightly lowering its stance and politely negotiating:

‘How about… I become your heart, and I’ll help you keep secrets from the Clearing Bureau… Deal?’

“…”

No matter how you look at it, the biggest beneficiaries of this incident were the Black Goat and Leon, who controlled it. Agreeing to the [Aspiration Heart]’s terms at this point would be akin to inviting the Clearing Bureau to investigate. Leon naturally couldn’t agree.

“I refuse!”

‘How dare you refuse me?!’

Having barely set aside his arrogance to extend an olive branch, only to be refused without hesitation, the [Aspiration Heart] couldn’t help but explode in fury, shouting loudly: ‘You!… Will you reconsider?’

“…”

“???”

Damn it! I’ve never felt this humiliated in my life! Seeing Leon and the Black Goat’s dumbfounded expressions, the [Aspiration Heart] couldn’t help but feel a wave of shame, wishing it could take back its words and silence everyone who heard them.

But after secretly bypassing Leon’s defenses and witnessing the extreme arrogance firmly believing he would eventually stand among the heavens, along with an ambition far more difficult than ruling a kingdom, the [Aspiration Heart] truly didn’t want to lose such a perfect carrier. It extended its proud invitation for the third time: ‘Please, let me be your heart! I promise I’ll do whatever you say!’

(End of Chapter)