Chapter 180 — Funeral

The Domain had taken that burden and transformed it into something that could be used rather than something that would destroy him.

He found a container in the kitchen and carefully collected the ashes, his movements gentle and respectful.

Anyone would feel joy about developing a Domain, achieving something that marks true advancement in power.

But Damian didn’t.

’I only feel tired... and determined to never let this happen again.’

He made a silent promise to himself, staring at the container of ashes.

’Think about every consequence before making decisions. Consider all angles. Protect not just the people who follow me, but everyone they care about.

And... Never underestimate the cruelty of enemies again.’

Kuro moved closer, his concern evident in every movement.

Damian stroked the raven’s feathers gently.

"Thank you for your hard work tonight. You pushed yourself beyond your limits for me. Rest now... You’ve earned it."

’You better be back to yourself now!’

Kuro, already exhausted from hours of enhanced flight, nodded and disappeared into Damian’s shadow where he could recover.

Alone again, Damian’s mind began working through implications.

’Domains form when Will reaches 300... Does that mean every A rank awakener has at least 300 Will? Or is that threshold specific to mental Domains? I don’t have enough information.

But I have a Domain at C- rank. The advantage that gives me is enormous. Most enemies won’t expect it and won’t be prepared to defend against mental attacks of this nature.’

He shook his head, pushing aside the considerations for later analysis.

His eyes fell on the crumpled note again, focusing on specific words.

Kestrel Noble Family.

His expression went completely cold, crimson eyes reflecting something dangerous.

’They’ll pay for this...’

****

Hours passed and Dawn approached, grey light beginning to filter through smoke-damaged windows.

The sound of vehicles arriving pulled Damian from his planning.

He stood up, his suit still disheveled and blood-soaked, his appearance showing exactly what kind of night he’d endured.

The door opened...

And... Zavier entered first, supported by Edrin and Ronan.

His eyes were dead and completely empty. Like his soul had already left his body and only muscle memory kept him moving.

"B-Boss..."

His voice came out stuttering, broken.

Damian held out the container of ashes, then bowed deeply towards Zavier amid everyone’s gazes.

"I’m sorry. I should have thought about the consequences beforehand. I should have protected your family better.

I should have anticipated that Nobles would strike at our families. This is all my fault."

"..."

Silence spread throughout the house as Damian remained bowed.

"...Boss. Please don’t say anything."

Zavier’s voice was quiet but firm despite the tears streaming down his face.

He smiled, the expression helpless and sad but somehow still genuine.

"Just look at yourself and look at your state... Everyone already knows you did your best."

His hand gestured to the others behind him – Ariana, Ronan, Lysa, Edrin, Marcus, Selena and Mike. Even Pavel, Katya and Marco from the former serpent gang.

All of them showing teary or grim expressions.

"Ariana’s family survived because of you. Ronan’s family survived because of you. Mine... Mine was just unlucky."

Zavier took the container with trembling hands, holding it like the most precious thing in the world.

"T-Thank you, Boss. I know you tried your best. And... When we all joined you, when we chose to stand with the Mafia instead of submitting to Noble authority, we knew what they were capable of.

This isn’t only your mistake. It’s all our mistake for not recognizing the full extent of the danger."

His expression hardened, the dead look in his eyes replaced by something burning and terrible.

"But... now that I have nothing left to lose, now that they’ve taken everything I cared about... I’ll make sure the Nobles pay the price for what they’ve done!"

His voice grew colder with each word.

"I’ll find every noble involved in the suppression of commoners. I’ll make them watch as I destroy everything they love! Their families, their wealth, their power and their status...

I’ll take it all apart piece by piece while they’re STILL ALIVE TO WITNESS THIS!"

Several people flinched at the pure hatred in his tone.

"I’ll show them what it means to make an enemy of someone who has nothing left to fear!

I’ll show them that commoners aren’t just tools to be used and discarded!

I’ll show them that cruelty has consequences even when directed at those weaker than themselves!"

Zavier’s hands clenched on the container, his knuckles going white.

"And when I’ve destroyed everything they are, when they’re broken and helpless and begging for mercy, I’ll remind them of this night! OF WHAT THEY DID TO MY FAMILY!

And... I’ll give them exactly the same mercy they showed my parents."

"..."

Silence filled the ruined house, everyone processing the transformation of someone they’d known as nervous and uncertain into this.

Then... Zavier’s voice shifted back to something eerily calmer.

"...Boss. T-Thank you for ending my father’s misery and for giving him peace when he couldn’t find it himself."

Damian’s eyes widened, genuine shock breaking through his controlled expression.

"How did you...?"

"Whoever did this sent him a video."

Mike interrupted gently, his weathered face showing pity.

"The manipulator wanted Zavier to know exactly what happened. He wanted to maximize the psychological damage.

In the video, there’s a man hidden under a robe. He enters the house, uses some kind of mind control technique on Zavier’s parents, and then–"

"Stop!"

Damian’s command cut through the explanation like a knife.

He’d noticed blood dripping from Zavier’s palms where his nails had cut through skin from clenching fists too hard.

And blood vessels had burst in Zavier’s eyes, turning the whites red, making him look like something from a horror story.

’Zav watched the entire thing... When that guy was here, he recorded everything and then went away... leaving the aftermath for me to handle.’

Understanding crashed over Damian with devastating force.

’That’s why Zav came here with dead eyes. Not just from knowing they were gone but from having that horror burned into his memory forever.’

’I-I’m sorry uncle. It seems I can’t keep my promise... Zav already knows.’

The others stood in respectful silence, forming a loose circle around Zavier and Damian.

For the students, it was a hard awakening.

But for Mike, Pavel, Katya, and Marco – all veterans who’d seen terrible things, this brought back their own traumatic memories.

They held a short funeral service.

No formal words were spoken. Just people standing together in shared grief and growing rage.

They cleaned the house as best they could, removing evidence, making it look like the fire had been accidental rather than deliberate.

Damian watched them work, his mind cataloging every detail.

’The Kestrel Family...’

The sun finally rose over Ashton City, light streaming through damaged windows, illuminating a group of people who’d been fundamentally changed by a single night of horror.

And somewhere in that light, the seeds of future vengeance were already taking root.