The male government emissary jumped up from his seat and slammed his hands on the table.
He pointed a finger at the man who had just barged in and started shouting, "Leo Kurogami! You can't walk in here just like– Gurgh!"
However, amidst shouting, he choked on his words. Suddenly, his face grew blue, and he grabbed his throat, his mouth agape as he tried to breathe, but it looked like he was suffocating.
Probably because he was indeed suffocating. As soon as he entered the hall, Leo had unleashed the full force of his crushing bloodlust on this man named Reynard.
The man scratched his throat in agony until drawing blood, barely uttering comprehensive squeals. "L-Leo… St-op… please… I… can't… breathe!"
He crumpled forward, his head collapsing on the table as his body convulsed, begging for air. n)/OIn
The other government official named Cassy rose from her seat, her eyes widened.
"Leo, stop! You'll kill him! Do you really want to be charged for murdering a government member?!" she screamed.
The other instructors also stood up in their seats, addressing Leo in hopes of calming him down.
–"Kurogami, stop! They're our guests in the Global City!"
–"Leo, back down!"
–"Security! Call the security!"
–"And what? Anger him even more?!"
But finally, the God of War controlled his bloodlust and released the government officer from his suffocating grasp.
Reynard fell to his knees, greedily inhaling deep breaths. The rest of the individuals had a mix of horrified and shocked expressions on their faces.
The first person who finally turned to Leo and spoke up to him without a hint of fear was Liz.
"Are you insane?!" she snapped at him. "Do you even know who he is?!"
"Reynard Grimwere," Leo replied calmly, crossing his arms and putting his hands in the sleeves of his haori. "A few years ago, I submitted a backup spearhead unit request to the Central Government that this man rejected. Because of that, one of my missions was compromised. I've wanted to kill this bastard ever since."
"Yo…You motherfucker… I'll kill you!" Reynard barked, still on his knees.
Not paying any attention to him as if he was merely a pebble on the ground, Leo looked at the other people present in the hall one by one.
"So, would anyone like to tell me for what reason my sole disciple and godson on a trail that I wasn't invited to oversee?" he asked, his voice domineering.
Everyone exchanged glances in silence, not knowing how to react at all. Liz sighed and lingered for a while before finally deciding to answer:
"You sole disciple and godson had a fucking Phoenix in his possession. A mythical mana beast, Leo!" she said.
Leo shrugged. "So? What right do any of you have to put him on trial?"
Liz's face contorted, a deep frown forming on her forehead and her lip curling up.
"Huh?!" she cried out in confusion. "What do you mean?! He broke the law! This is a court martial! As for why we didn't invite you, we thought you were in the Northern Continent!"
Leo nodded. "I was. But that doesn't matter. What I meant was that you all can't judge him unless you offer him a defence attorney. This court martial was against the law."
"This started as a questioning session," Cassy replied. "The defendant here acknowledged all the acquisitions placed on him truthfully before a Justice Society member."
Leo shook his head. "My point still stands. He was still not given a proper chance to defend himself."
"What does that matter, you fucker!" Reynard stood up and bared his teeth like a rabid dog. "He admitted to his crime! We gave him the punishment! This court was against the law, you say?! We – the Central Government – are the law, you fool! And for what you did, you should be put on death row!"
Leo stayed silent for a few seconds, staring Reynard dead into his eyes. He took a deep breath and finally started speaking:
"Indeed, I should be put on death row. Yet, have you thought about this: who will stand sentinel against the encroaching darkness of the North if I'm dead? Picture it in your puny little mind if you could – the North succumbing to the relentless advance of the vampiric forces, the United Military falling, and the world ending… all because I hurt your ego. You are right, Reynard. You – the government – are the law. But what significance does the law have in the presence of a fucking God? Thus, I'm generously giving this one final chance now. Sit the fuck down, lower your head in deference, and shut up."
Reynard's eyes widened in disbelief as he desperately tried to articulate the words faltering on his lips. His mouth moved, opening and closing a few times as he struggled to express his thoughts.
But in the end, he fell silent, his eyes blazing with an unrestrained, frenzied fury.
In his place, Cassy spoke up. "D-Despite his bluntness, Reynard his right. The order of his punishment is already issued. But it isn't a severe punishment. We are merely executing his Phoenix, which is the bare minimum. It is a mythical mana beast, after all."
"Negative," Leo shook his head. "I will punish my disciple myself. Take back your decree. His Phoenix will also not be executed."
"What?! Are you batshit crazy, you fucking bastard!" Reynard yelled. He wasn't even angry right now. He was merely stumped in the face of Leo's atrocious demand.
"Leo?!" even Liz couldn't help but utter in surprise.
"...Mr. Kurogami, that's impossible. We can't allow a mythical mana beast to roam free, let alone in the care of a kid! And that mana beast can already assume its human form. There's no saying how powerful it'll be in the future if left unchecked," Cassy, who was also taken aback, calmly denied Leo's proposition.
However, the God of War was not going to back down. He shrugged and said, "That was not a request."
"Mr. Kurogami, no matter what you say, we can't let a kid be in possession of a beast which will have nuclear-level power in a few years," Cassy shook her head.
Leo smiled. "He'll have that kind of power one day, anyway. But once again, as I said, it wasn't a request. It was a threat. Either you let him keep your Phoenix and let me decide his punishment, or I will resign from my military duties."
Suddenly, the whole room was hushed into an abrupt silence. No one… and I mean no one, expected Leo to say this.
Leo had fulfilled his mandatory military service long ago. Not even the Central Government could force him to remain on the frontlines.
Yet, releasing him wasn't an option either. The alternative would involve trying to retain him on the frontlines through illegal means, essentially declaring a covert war against him. And only a fool would entertain the notion of waging war against the God of War.
So… what choice did these poor souls have but to comply with his unfair demands?
