After listening to everything Kim had to say, Rudra's expression darkened. His sharp eyes flickered with a cold fire as he processed her words. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken tension. Finally, he exhaled through his nose, his voice cutting through the quiet like a blade.
"So, Miss Kim," he murmured, tilting his head slightly. "You were on the enemy's side at first. But once you learned the truth, you switched to ours." His words carried neither accusation nor approval, just a cold, calculated observation.
A smirk ghosted across his lips, devoid of warmth. "Fine," he said, his voice low but firm. "Meet me in the war room soon."
Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode away, his coat billowing slightly behind him as he disappeared into the dimly lit corridors.
War Room – Some Time Later
The war room was shrouded in shadows, the dim overhead lamps casting long, jagged silhouettes across the walls. A massive, battle-worn table dominated the center of the room, its surface scarred from countless discussions of war, betrayal, and bloodshed. Around it sat the most powerful figures in the cult, their faces grim, their postures rigid.
Tension coiled through the air like a predator waiting to strike. Every individual in that room knew that Ayush's death had changed everything. The grief was there, but it simmered beneath a far more dangerous emotion—rage.
A man seated beside Rudra pushed his chair back and stood, his presence commanding. His voice, though calm, carried the weight of authority.
"Sir, allow me to introduce your core commanders."
His hand gestured first toward the man directly opposite Rudra. His features were chiseled, his expression as unyielding as stone.
"This is Kabir, Central Commander of the cult's army."
Rudra's gaze moved to his left, where a man with razor-sharp eyes sat, his fingers lightly tapping against the table in measured patience. There was something unsettlingly precise about his movements.
"Felix, Right Wing Commander of the cult's army," the man continued.
On Rudra's right sat a man cloaked in quiet intelligence. His presence wasn't loud, but it carried weight—the kind of weight that came with knowing more than he should.
"CID, head of the Cult's Information & Technology Department."
Beside CID, a woman sat poised, her expression unreadable. Unlike the others, she didn't radiate aggression or menace. Instead, her presence was clinical, detached, as if she were always assessing, always calculating.
"Kim, head of the Cult's Healthcare Department."
Finally, to Felix's right, a man with a hardened, battle-worn face leaned back slightly in his chair. The faintest scars marked his hands, evidence of countless battles fought and won.
"Sakamoto, head of the Cult's Weapons Department."
The moment the introductions were complete, Rudra shifted in his seat, his fingers lacing together as he rested his forearms on the table. The silence before he spoke was deliberate—heavy, suffocating, ensuring that when he did speak, his words would carve into the very bones of those listening.
"As you all already know," he began, his voice quiet yet laced with steel, "our former leader, Ayush, is dead."
The words dropped like stones into a still lake, sending ripples of emotion through the room. Some clenched their jaws. Others averted their gazes.
"His death was brutal. Unforgivable." Rudra's eyes gleamed with a dangerous promise. "And I swear, no matter what it takes, we will hunt down those responsible and drag them to their graves."
His words weren't just a declaration—they were an oath. A prophecy of the bloodshed to come.
He let the weight of that promise settle before he continued, his voice unwavering.
"For now, I am your new leader." He scanned their faces, daring anyone to object. No one did. "I will guide you. I will command you. And together, we will not only avenge Ayush, but we will ensure that his unfinished dream doesn't die with him."
His gaze sharpened, a silent challenge hanging in the air. "But I need your loyalty. Your strength. Your resolve. Will you stand with me?"
The response was immediate. A chorus of voices echoed through the chamber, swearing their allegiance. Some slammed their fists against the table, others nodded, their eyes burning with purpose.
After the Meeting
Even after the meeting adjourned, the tension in the air remained thick, clinging to the walls like an unseen specter. The war room slowly emptied, but Rudra had already shifted his focus.
His boots barely made a sound as he moved through the dimly lit corridor, his pace unhurried yet purposeful. He spotted Kim near the exit and, without a word, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the shadows of a secluded corner.
She didn't resist, but her eyes flickered with silent curiosity.
Rudra leaned in, his voice lowering to a whisper, every syllable edged with quiet menace.
"Listen carefully," he said, his words deliberate. "There's a spy in the cult