Chapter 64 The End of the Underworld’s Ruler
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Zoltan kept beating the slave in the ring while a few guards watched from the edges, silent. His fists hit the man’s stomach and face again and again.
Thud, thud—the dull sounds echoed across the ring as blood and sweat flew everywhere. Frothy blood bubbled from the slave’s mouth, and soon he passed out.
Zoltan could have killed him fast if he wanted, but he held back to make him suffer—to draw out his pain until death. He would not be happy otherwise.
Another slave sat at the ring’s edge, shaking so hard his legs gave out. He stared at the bloody ring, then at his brother, paralyzed with fear.
”Hey, what’s wrong?” Zoltan mocked him. “He’s your brother, ain’t he? Ain’t you gonna help him?”
He stopped punching and taunted the man, but the slave kept shaking, unable to move.
Zoltan sighed, bored, and slowly killed his brother in front of him.
Flesh caved in, bones ground together, and the man groaned. The sound echoed through the dim colosseum. From beyond the ring, Zoltan’s guards gave a dry chuckle.
”I’ll let you live,” he spat. “Spend the rest of your life as a slave, regretting your cowardice.”
He stepped down with blood and flesh still clinging to his fists.
A subordinate contacted Zoltan on the way to his office. The Grimlock brat wanted a meeting.
”What? Come to apologize now?” he muttered. “Fine. Let him wait.”
He placed his hand on the iron office door and felt cold metal with a faint oil scent.
Then he held his breath.
Three corpses lay inside with their bodies cold and dark bloodstains spread across the floor. Yesterday, the spies he sent to find that woman. Their remains. The Grimlock brat had proposed a truce hours ago, offering to return them for peace, but now he had killed them.
Zoltan’s fists shook with rage. This was unacceptable.
”I came to settle things, small-timer.”
A voice spoke from behind, mocking him. He turned and saw that detestable Grimlock brat standing there, calm as ever.
* * *
— Xenos’s Perspective —
Let me rewind a little.
In response to my offer to negotiate, Zoltan’s reply had completely ignored my demands: “Hand over that woman.”
No room for negotiation.
So I responded in kind. I ordered Ashraf to kill the three spies and dump their bodies in Zoltan’s office. Their faces were twisted in terror, lifeless like rotting dolls. After that, I made my way to the colosseum myself.
At reception, they showed me to a waiting room and told me to wait. I ignored them and left. I used a spell I copied from Ashraf—one that erased my presence—and moved to Zoltan’s office unseen.
The timing was perfect. Just as he finished killing and returned to his room. Inside lay the three spy corpses—my gift. Zoltan looked shocked, but mostly furious. His face went red, veins bulging, and I could feel his killing intent like steam from boiling water.
From behind him, I spoke quietly.
”I came to settle things, small-timer.”
”Don’t get too cocky, brat.”
Zoltan did not enter. He turned to face me instead. Three corpses lay in his office, and who knew what traps waited inside. He was angry, but stayed calm enough to think, or maybe he just did not want to enter a room full of dead bodies.
”So what will it be?” I asked. “Still want to oppose me?”
”If you had handed over that woman, this would be over. But after what you have done, I cannot let it slide. You die here.”
Zoltan pulled out brass knuckles with a dull sheen and equipped them on both hands. Thick metal settled on his fists, and the scraping sound grated my ears. He was serious.
If he killed me—a noble—right here, the royal family might crush this illegal colosseum. But his pride as the underworld’s ruler mattered more. He was confident in his strength and his men. Even if the royal family came, he would fight rather than run.
What a pain.
I glanced past him at the room behind and offered a helpful warning.
”It is good you are so spirited, but you might want to watch your back.”
Of course, there was no one in the room. Just three bodies.
”Hmph. Trying to use cheap tricks on me?” Zoltan sneered. “Make me think there might still be someone inside, and when I turn around, take me by surprise?”
”No, that is not it. What, you really do not realize I am right behind you?”
There was no one behind Zoltan.
”Like I would fall for such an obvious trick, brat.”
Now. Ashraf.
I gave the command silently.
At my signal, Ashraf teleported silently to Zoltan’s rear, like darkness taking form—quiet and swift. Though there had been no one there moments before, a faint distortion in the air must have crept up Zoltan’s spine.
”Ngh!!”
Even Zoltan, as experienced as he was, seemed to sense the unnatural presence. Still facing me, genuine shock colored his face for the first time. His eyes widened, panic and confusion mingling within. A drop of cold sweat fell from his chin to the floor.
”You are surprisingly slow on the uptake, are not you?” I said, lying casually. “He was behind you the whole time.”
Of course, there was no way Zoltan could see through it now.
”So what will it be?” I pressed. “Surrender?”
”Gh, th-that is, impossible…”
Completely flustered, his voice trembled with agitation. His complexion turned ashen, and sweat began beading on his forehead.
But no matter how much I threatened him, he was not the type to truly follow me. Even if he pretended to surrender, he would keep plotting to cut my throat. These types never give up. Annoying to the last.
Ashraf apparently thought the same.
”Forgive my presumption, Xenos-sama. If I may—like that Luca Dalton, may I add this one to my retainers?”
He wanted to enslave Zoltan. Letting him handle it would be clean and easy.
”Yeah, sure. Do what you want.”
With my permission, Ashraf grabbed Zoltan’s shaved head with one hand, gripping it like a fruit. Zoltan’s scalp seemed to suction onto Ashraf’s inorganic white fingers, and the faint sound of grinding bone was audible.
”Let go!” Zoltan screamed. “You monster!”
Zoltan thrashed desperately in terror, his massive frame shaking violently, but Ashraf did not move an inch. Solid as a rock.
Ashraf’s mana began flowing into Zoltan.
”Ugh, uggh! No, stop, please! Agh, ahh, ugh! No, do not, please! I will do anything! I surrender! So just stop! Ugh, uh, ngh, ah, ah! NGYAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”
I watched in silence as the ruler of the underworld was stripped of his pride, his reason, everything—driven utterly mad. The color drained from Zoltan’s face, his eyes became hollow like a puppet’s, and meaningless groans began spilling from his lips. He seemed to have lost all sense of self. No emotion could be read from his gaze.
An eerie silence settled over the dim hallway.
—
Summary:
Zoltan brutally tortures a slave in the colosseum, establishing his cruelty and dominance, before returning to his office to find the corpses of his spies. Xenos reveals himself, taunts Zoltan, and orchestrates a psychological breakdown through deception and Ashraf’s teleportation, leading to Zoltan’s enslavement and complete mental collapse. The chapter concludes with Zoltan reduced to a hollow, broken figure as an eerie silence falls over the hallway, leaving the question of what Xenos will do with his new puppet.
—
Trivia:
Zoltan’s cruelty is established through his deliberate, slow torture of a slave, highlighting his sadistic nature and pride.
The truce (手打ち) Zoltan violated by killing the spies is a deeply ingrained yakuza custom, making his betrayal a grievous insult.
Xenos’s lie about Ashraf being behind Zoltan the whole time exploits paranoia and is a masterful piece of psychological warfare.
Ashraf’s request to enslave Zoltan mirrors his earlier subjugation of Luca Dalton, establishing a pattern of collecting powerful subordinates.
The scream “NGYAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” is a raw phonetic representation of despair, preserving the original Japanese onomatopoeia’s visceral impact.
Zoltan’s transformation from arrogant ruler to broken puppet reflects the classic narrative trope of the villain’s humiliating fall.
Notes:
• Zoltan – Zoltan Rex, the brutish, gold-chained kingpin of the Abyss Coliseum, rules with cruel, arrogant authority. This shaved-headed criminal mastermind commands an iron-fisted network of spies and guards, profiting through fear and violence. A prideful showman, he personally oversees his illegal arena, exerting terrifying dominance over all who enter, particularly the beast-kin slaves under his thumb.
• Zolta – Zoltan Rex, the ruthless master of the Abyss Coliseum, is a muscular, intimidating figure with a clean-shaven head and a dragon-and-sword tattoo on his right arm. Known for his thick neck, heavy gold chains, and cold, greedy eyes, this profit-fixated kingpin commands absolute authority over his underground domain, having climbed to power through brute force to organize the annual tournament.
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Grimlock – Xenos, the mana-less heir of House Grimlock—a powerful Asgardian margrave family leading the war faction—masks his cunning influence as “Zero the Loser.” Alongside his father, Gaius, this “Royal Phantom” employs spatial magic and a Collar of Submission to manipulate others. He asserts family authority to bypass interference from Prince Liam, who maintains a cold, formal distance from him.
• Xenos – Xenos Grimlock, a reincarnated otome game villain and heir to his noble house, hides his genius as a “loser” to manipulate events from the shadows. Known as the jet-clad Black Magic Swordsman, he uses foreknowledge, mind control, and artifacts to orchestrate power shifts. Cold and calculating, he commands a loyal household, including Cecilia and Kuuko, while maneuvering between war and peace factions.
• Ashraf – Ashraf is a shadow operative and demon servant loyal to Xenos. A master of stealth with pitch-black eyes and inorganic white fingers, he balances elite decorum with cold, ruthless efficiency. This shadow-bound anchor uses magical teleportation to act as a formidable protector. Having previously enslaved Luca Dalton, he now manages the Colosseum’s ruler, Zoltan, while eliminating threats to his master.
• Dalton – The Dalton family name, carried by Luca.
• Luca – A prideful, blonde-haired noble student and fiancé of Lizel, this former lackey to Xenos initially used water magic to bully the weak. Following a sudden, aggressive personality change, he wields vast, dark Mana. Despite his posturing, his fragile arrogance crumbles into trembling terror during a high-altitude duel, leaving him easily cowed when faced with true opposition.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply