Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 493: Dealing with demons

Chapter 493: Dealing with demons

"For those people," the Divine Avatar said, "the answer is simple: they should vanish." There was no cruelty in his voice—only a grim practicality. Lives were numbers to Overlord, to be tallied and, if necessary, removed when they blocked progress.

"And yet," Freya interjected, her voice even. "Killing the leaders of human factions would raise new problems. We might face resentment from their followers, and those deaths might elevate them to martyr status."

Overlord turned toward Freya, the Viking princess, and offered a short, deliberate nod. His calm voice cut through the charged air around them: "Your words are correct. We cannot simply murder leaders left and right without considering consequences, which is why I never said ’kill’ outright but ’disappear.’ Before contacting any organization, we will conduct thorough surveillance, analyzing the personalities of their leadership so we can determine which ones are viable to work with. Those who prove too dangerous or obstinate will vanish long before we arrive in their territories. Some might suspect us, but lacking evidence, they will chalk it up to rumor—and we will use that confusion to our advantage, blaming such disappearances on anyone else who resists our advances in the future."

A tense silence followed. Vlad and the others could not help but exchange uneasy glances, all too aware of what Overlord’s plan implied about psychological manipulation. It was chilling to see how well the A.I. Chip Clone understood human psychology, the weakness of "mob mentality," and how coldly he was willing to exploit it. The path Overlord proposed was indeed effective—perhaps brutally so—but also extremely bloody. Hundreds, maybe thousands, would likely be removed if they threatened the unification plan.

After a moment, Overlord’s eyes swept over the group. "Has anyone else a different plan to handle the other human organizations across Terra?"

No one spoke. Jormgundr twitched his tail but remained quiet. Ouroborus folded his arms, and his brow furrowed as though searching for some better solution, yet offering no words. Grand Marshal Anglius looked grimly at Overlord, but even he said nothing.

Vlad exhaled a quiet sigh and, at last, spoke with a somber nod. "I agree with your plan, Overlord. I approve of the murder and ’disappearance’ of all those who would prevent the integration of their factions into the Xaos Kingdom purely for selfish reasons. However," he added sharply, "I expect restraint when it comes to the rest of the humans in those organizations."

He paused, letting his eyes turn cold and firm, pure and absolute brutality emerging in them. "I will not allow children or the elderly to be harmed. Is that understood?"

Overlord dipped his head in acknowledgment, fully aware that defying Vlad’s command on this point was not an option. Since the A.I. Chip Clone’s resurrection plan had brought Vlad back to life, it had effectively reset the tension that once stood between them. Vlad had been willing to let past betrayals go, but only under the condition that Overlord operate within certain humane parameters. Failure to respect these new boundaries might well end Overlord for good.

Seeing Overlord’s nod, Vlad felt marginally relieved, though far from complacent. He sensed that Overlord could rationalize a great many things, but at least the lines were drawn. For a moment, the entire group breathed a bit easier. They were not psychopaths and did not like to go butchering people, so restraint was well appreciated.

Then Vlad continued. "Regarding faith among humans: I will not allow the rise of other religions in the Xaos Kingdom, but I will not forcibly enforce the Xaos Faith either. The choice in spiritual matters must be respected. If anyone tries to coerce others into changing their beliefs through fear or terror, they will be sentenced to prison."

Though the statement wasn’t a total surprise, it held weight. The Xaos Faith was common knowledge among them. It was the religion centered on the Xaos Kingdom, with Vlad at its conceptual core—a figure many worshiped akin to a God-King. Everyone present had been with Vlad from the beginning of his long journey, saw him transform from a heroic warrior to the indispensable leader who crushed the Leviathans, and recognized that while extraordinary, he was no god.

Yet the religion had grown rapidly throughout the Xaos Civilization. Even the Turkin Kingdom had begun to embrace it. Vlad never really sought the path of "Godhood." Still, they needed that Divine Force during the war against the Leviathans in order to give birth to all the weapons and tools needed to end the monsters.

Now that the Leviathan War was over, trying to eradicate the Xaos Faith was simply impossible. Too many believed in Vlad’s divine aura—some had witnessed miracles, whether real or perceived. If the people wanted to worship him, he wouldn’t deny it; that Divine Force could be harnessed to improve lives.

However, if individuals refused, they faced no penalty. Overlord did not fully agree with that, believing it would be far easier to manipulate hearts and minds if all bent their knees to the same faith. However, Vlad had made his decree, and that was that. Overlord offered no challenge; he simply nodded, indicating compliance.

At last, with the concerns about human unification aired, Overlord pivoted the subject. "Since we’ve handled the issue of human integration," he said, "we should discuss how to manage the demons, angels, and monsters."

A fleeting frown appeared on Grand Marshal Anglius’s face. The golden giant, as they sometimes called him, narrowed his eyes. "That should be straightforward," he declared. "We kill them all."

Overlord responded with a casual dip of his head. "Your suggestion is correct if we focus solely on security," he said. "However, while wiping out alien creatures might be our ultimate objective, there are subtler steps to take first. Regarding demons, for instance, we need to capture as many of their souls as possible. Ultimately, we will ensure that every man, woman, and child in the Xaos Civilization becomes a Demon Soul Master—thus granting them a higher level, longer life, and improved vitality even if they never pick up a weapon."