*continued*

Jungkook arrived at the headquarters, and just the name of the place sent a wave of fury coursing through his veins. What could he even accomplish by facing General Kim?

He paused in front of the closed doors, taking a long, measured breath to steady himself before the servants opened them.

His gaze immediately found General Kim’s sorrowful figure. Yet, despite the apparent sadness in the general’s stance, Jungkook remained unaffected. His steps were purposeful as he strode towards him.

General Kim bowed respectfully as Jungkook took a seat in one of the two large chairs in the room.

Jungkook clenched his jaw, his anger palpable. The sight of General Kim's uninvited presence only deepened his irritation. His silent tension radiated, a clear warning: if General Kim didn’t leave soon, Jungkook would lose his composure.

Suddenly, General Kim collapsed to his knees in front of Jungkook, his voice desperate. "Help us!" he pleaded, his tone thick with desperation.

"I don’t want to," Jungkook replied coldly, his eyes dark and hollow, his gaze piercing through General Kim as if stripping him bare.

"You cannot say that, your majesty! It’s your kingdom, you’re its heir!" General Kim’s voice trembled as he begged. "You cannot turn your back on it. This was your parents’ kingdom. They entrusted it to you before they left this world!"

Jungkook’s face twisted with bitterness. "Which parents? The ones who abandoned their three-day-old child to fend for himself in this cruel world?" His words dripped with venom, the weight of his pain suffocating the air around them.

"They did not abandon you," General Kim whispered, his gaze dropping as tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. "They saved you. They wanted you to survive, to inherit the kingdom and protect it after them."

Jungkook’s hands clenched into fists, his anger rising like a tidal wave. "Throwing a child into the world alone to survive isn’t saving! They left me to endure this burning hell, to fight and survive just to take care of a crumbling kingdom?!" He shot to his feet, his voice booming with fury. "That’s not parenting—that’s selfishness!" he snarled, the words cutting through the room like a blade.

"You were just three days old, my lord," General Kim said, his voice softening as he tried to reach Jungkook’s hardened heart. "How could a parent let their precious child die? That day, they perished in that fire so you could live. They were saving you." His words were thick with emotion, as if he hoped that reminding Jungkook of his parents' sacrifice would make him understand their love. They had wanted nothing more than for him to survive, to breathe, and to live, which was why he was standing here today.

Jungkook clenched his jaw so hard it felt like his teeth would shatter. "I would have preferred dying, rather than living in this hell," he spat, bitterness coating every word. "They were supposed to protect me. Instead, they left me to burn in a world of flames. And now, I have no interest in saving their damn kingdom or their people." His voice was drenched in hatred, the resentment for his parents and everything they stood for clear in every syllable.

"They’re dying, my lord," General Kim’s voice trembled, his desperation palpable. "The people are suffering. There are children, women, the sick and the elderly waiting for you. Please, you must help them." His words were filled with hope, as though he believed he could still sway Jungkook’s heart.

Jungkook’s eyes narrowed, his voice cutting through the room like ice. "I never volunteered," he replied flatly, unyielding. "And if you’re worried about people dying, then let them. What’s the point of living, anyway?" His words were harsh, devoid of any trace of compassion. He stood there, unmoved, his bloodshot eyes glaring as he listened to the general’s plea, showing no sign of sorrow, no remorse.

General Kim’s face twisted in disappointment, his voice rising with a mix of anger and sorrow. "The late King and Queen would be disgusted by what you’ve become! They must be regretting saving a devil like you. This isn’t why they gave their lives—to ensure that you would live and turn into this cold, inhuman monster!" His voice cracked, the weight of his words pressing down on him. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he stared at the man who once was their hope, now nothing more than a shadow of it.

General Kim had never expected Jungkook to become so merciless. He was nothing like the parents who had cared deeply for their people, and the stark contrast filled General Kim with sickness and sadness.

"I never asked them to die!" Jungkook growled, his voice low and dangerous.

"And for the last time, let me make this clear," he continued, his tone hardening, "I don’t consider those cowards my parents. They didn’t save me for love—they only wanted me to live so they could burden me with their legacy." His breath came in heavy gasps, each word laced with the resentment and bitterness he’d buried for years.

Turning his back to General Kim, he dismissed him with a chilling finality. "Now turn around and leave. Never come back. Because if you dare…" Jungkook’s voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, the warning hanging in the air. "I’ll burn your kingdom to ashes." His profile was cold, his eyes lowered, as he made it clear that he wanted nothing more to do with the general.

"May you burn in hell, Jeon Jungkook," General Kim spat, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and sorrow. He was exhausted, his heart shattered. He no longer saw the innocent child who had once been their hope—he only saw a man twisted by pain. He couldn’t even bring himself to kill Jungkook. The boy, now a devil, was stronger than him.

Jungkook’s lips curled into a bitter smile, the words escaping through clenched teeth. "I’ve burned enough. And now, I’ve become the devil." Without another word, he turned and stormed out, never glancing back.

His fury consumed him as he marched through the corridors, his every step a storm. Servants bowed in respect as he passed, but they dared not meet his gaze. The anger in his expression, the fire in his red eyes, and the weight of the unshed tears were all too apparent.

The halls grew darker and more desolate as Jungkook continued down the corridor, the silence wrapping around him like a suffocating cloak. His eyes, however, fell upon the magnificent golden throne, gleaming brightly in the moonlight, its glow almost otherworldly. His gaze was drawn to it with a hunger, a longing that consumed him.

No one had ever been the subject of his desire like that throne had. His eyes held a mixture of reverence and yearning, as though it was the one thing in the world that truly mattered. Slowly, deliberately, he ascended the stairs, each step taken as if it were his final one, savoring the moment like a lover’s touch.

As he reached the top, Jungkook’s long fingers traced the curves of the throne, caressing its golden surface with an almost reverent tenderness. His touch was gentle, almost as if he feared it might slip away if he were too rough. The sensation of the throne beneath his fingertips was like a balm to his soul, calming the storm inside him. No other object had the power to still his racing heart like this.

The throne was more than just a seat of power; it was his obsession, his deepest craving. It made him feel both invincible and vulnerable at the same time, as though it held the key to everything he’d ever desired.

Without hesitation, he sat on the throne, his back straight and chest puffed with pride. He closed his eyes, a slow, monstrous smile curling on his lips. As he sat there, the past rushed back to him in flashes—memories of pain, loss, and a hunger that could never be quenched. And in that moment, as he sat on his rightful seat, Jungkook allowed himself to feel the power and the emptiness that came with it.

________________________

<PAST FLASHBACKS>

"You know what will happen if you get caught?!" Hoseok barked, his voice weak and strained, blood and saliva dripping from his mouth as he glared at Jungkook. His body, lifeless and limp, struggled to move, like a fish gasping for air. Yet his eyes burned with nothing but hatred as they locked onto Jungkook.

Jungkook grabbed Hoseok’s long, tangled hair in a fist and yanked his head back, forcing him to face him. His expression was cold, unreadable, as he looked down at his half-brother with disdain.

"Brother... You're still alive?" Jungkook scoffed, his voice low, almost mocking. "The nerve, though..." He hissed, a smirk twisting his lips. "To still talk to me with that attitude, Hoseok!" With a sudden movement, he slammed Hoseok’s face into the hard, dusty ground, making him gasp in pain, his body trembling. Jungkook crouched down, sitting on his toes just in front of him, his gaze sharp.

"You betrayer!!" Hoseok managed to choke out, his voice muffled as Jungkook’s hand pressed his head further into the dirt. "We raised you, gave you everything—clothes, food, shelter—and you stabbed us in the back! You son of a b*tch! I'll kill you!" Hoseok’s eyes burned with rage, his veins bulging as his blood boiled. He watched as Jungkook laughed, his cruelty a reminder of the hell he had brought.

Jungkook sneered down at him. "I deserve to die, right?" he mocked. "But who’s going to kill me, hyung? You?" He chuckled darkly. "What a shame, King Hoseok, tsk, tsk... Lying at your slave’s feet, ready to be killed by his hands." He sighed in exaggerated pity, feigning concern.

Hoseok couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but lie there, waiting for the end. His body ached, his breath shallow as he struggled to stay conscious. He had no strength left to fight back, no power to take revenge. Betrayed by his own brother—the one he had raised and trusted—Hoseok had no choice but to watch as his younger brother took everything from him.

The hatred burned in his chest, his eyes still glaring defiantly at Jungkook, despite his weakened state. No matter how much weaker he was, he refused to let his brother see him bow. To Hoseok, Jungkook was never truly his brother. He was a tool, a slave to be used for his own ambition. Hoseok had planned to make him his general, to have him fight and suffer in his place, using him to conquer nations. But Jungkook had ruined it all, and in less than a month of taking the throne, he had poisoned Hoseok and staged the perfect accident to kill him.

Jungkook wiped a fake tear from his eye, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "I feel so bad for doing this to you, hyung, but you should die so I can become king of this kingdom." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at Hoseok's bleeding head, the gesture almost tender, but the smile on his face was anything but.

"And I'll always feel guilty for it, however... you don’t have to worry, hyung. I'll carry this guilt on my chest," he continued, his tone syrupy sweet and insincere. "But hey, I’ll finally get the throne, won’t I?" His grin grew wider, more sinister.

"Die in peace, hyung," Jungkook added as he stood, groaning slightly from sitting too long. He turned to leave, then paused, his expression turning cold once again. "Oh, and die fast. We’ll have the funeral before sunset." His smile was sinful, his words laced with malice, before he walked out of the room, leaving Hoseok to die alone in the dust.

________________________

<PRESENT>

"Jeon Jungkook!"

The loud, familiar voice pulled Jungkook from the depths of his memories. His eyes snapped open, scanning the dark room in search of the source.

He smiled sinfully as the figure stepped into the light, revealing themselves in the center of the room. Jungkook’s brows shot up, his eyes now turned cold, turning into a siren’s gaze—a warning.

"Mother," he uttered, his voice thick and low, filled with disdain, as he sat on the throne like a king, his hands resting on its arms, exuding power and dominance. Every part of him refused to show respect to the empress who stood before him.

"Does this rude action of yours have any meaning, Jeon?" Her voice was firm, unafraid, as she glared at him from the center of the courtroom.

"Rude?" he sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. "Mother, don't you think this throne looks like a widow without its king?"

"It needs a king," he replied, his words sharp, his smile fading into bitterness.

Empress's eyes darkened, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips. "It surely does. But, do you not know that I know what you did to my son Hoseok?" her smile faltered, replaced by a wave of coldness.

"You always know everything, mother…" he mocked, leaning forward slightly. "…and I know that better than anyone else. But did you not want a competitive son?" His eyebrows arched in mockery, daring her to respond.

The empress stood silent, her gaze unwavering, as if she was unaffected. But deep down, Jungkook knew he was pissing her off, hitting her where it hurts the most.

"Say, mother," he continued, his voice laced with venom, "didn't you think Hoseok was incompetent? Isn't that why you let him die?"

Her fists clenched, and Jungkook watched the faint tremor in her hand as his words hit their mark. He knew exactly what nerve he had struck, and the satisfaction of it hung in the air between them.

"The Jeon empire needs a competitive, strong, and clever king. And then, am I not your son?"

The empress’s lips curled into a sinister smile, her eyes cold but sweet, like the calm before a storm. "Of course, you are" she replied, her words like a honeyed threat.

Jungkook smirked in response, matching her smile, both knowing the dangerous game they were playing.

************

A/n:- And that is why Jhope's picture was black and white.

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