The Baron got in front of me with clenched fists from nervousness. He didn’t know what I wanted to do but still stood there looking with a firm gaze showing no fear.
“Nice look you got there. Let me make it more visible for others to see.” → Shen
I pressed my hand on his injured left eye while on my left hand I was grabbing an energy stone with Prana. My hand shone with a golden light for a few seconds while circulating the energy. While I was healing him, the wolf-man was sweating with a rushing heartbeat, thinking that if he moved even a little bit, I might injure him in a way or another. When I retracted my hand he opened both his eyes and looked around completely shocked.
“T-this! How…?”
He looked back at me with surprise, admiration and gratitude.
“I thank the young master for helping me recover my eye.”
The wolf beast-man bowed his waist with respect and sincerity.
“Get up, Baron. I only helped you to show the others the authenticity of the video. As for that letter, you all said it’s authentic so I won’t have to say anymore. Now, about the slaves who are being kept inside that old fart’s castle…” → Shen
I said while pointing at George.
“I’ll ask Your Majesty to let me borrow some nice carriages and take them to my ship. I have a huge ship in which all the slaves are being tacked care of as you’ve already seen in the videos. If you still don’t believe me, then feel free to come with us or send someone to inspect.” → Shen
“…”
Old fart…? → King
The young King named Jian Tian was a little bit perplexed by such a language but he just let it slide and continued.
“Very well. I’ll send Baron Lupian with you to investigate Baron George’s place. Even if you have proof, I still can’t execute him on the spot or let you search for the slaves on your own. I wish you can understand that much, Sir Shen and Sir Ryu.” → Shen
The King said in a firm voice. Even though he was only 18 years old, he was mature enough to keep a composed face and talk with us without showing any weakness.
“Hmm.” → Shen
I smiled at King Tian’s composure and nodded my head. I felt full respect for the strong and brave. However, even respected, a possible enemy must not be left to grow any stronger now. I took a firm step in front and continued with a cold voice and sharp eyes.
“I understand. We’ll do as King Tian said. And now please answer my questions.” → Shen
[Release Aura] → Shen
I suddenly revealed my aura which pressured everyone around, because of the sudden difference in the atmosphere, the air made a snapping sound while the glass reverberated. The nobles, the soldiers in heavy armor, the 5 guardians and the king. Everyone was shocked by the sudden change.
“Why did King Tian sent waves of mercenaries, adventurers and soldiers toward White Mountain Valley, then sent those 5 trashes for my head? To what heights has your greed reached to attack me numerous times, trying to kill me then steal all my treasures? For all of that, shouldn’t I simply get your head right now?” → Shen
After saying such, both me and Ryu released close to full power of our auras, making the others almost suffocate from the pressure and smashing all the windows, creating a rain of sharp pieces of glass.
“Watch out!”
“[Barrier]!”
“Raise your defences!”
The soldiers panicked and hastily formed numerous barriers around the royalty and high nobles. Being dressed full in armor, the grass didn’t even grazed them. As for me and Ryu, our auras was too strong for them to even reach one meter around us.
“If your answer is not satisfactory, then I’ll cripple everyone here. I’m already on the blacklist of the empire, destroying a kingdom won’t show a big change anyway.” → Shen
“!!!”
Everyone was stupefied by the flow of the conversation.
H-how did the conversation turned from “a report” to “a threat on our kingdom” in less than a few seconds?
No one could comprehend the sudden change, making them freeze for the next 50 seconds when Ryu finally lost his temper.
-BOOM!-
“Oy, wake up. We’re waiting for an answer here.” → Ryu
Ryu broke a huge pillar with only one fist full of black scales. His Dragon-like eyes inspired fear while his cold and low tone gave chills down others’ spine. The soldiers hastily surrounded them but the loud voice of the King resounded.
“HALT!” → King
The soldiers twitched and stopped in their tracks. After seeing the King’s firm eyes, they retreated while breathing out relieved. King Tian then looked at Ryu and me with a serious face.
“…About the groups of mercenaries that invaded the White Mountain Valley, the kingdom has nothing to do with them. The adventures and mercenaries have rights from the adventure guilds to search for treasures in different places on the continent, even if they are inside a kingdom’s territory. What they find is for them to keep, we have no rights to take their riches. And I can tell you, I had no information about your place at that time. As for the 5 guardians…I’ll tell you truthfully. My father, the former king Jian, heard about there being a Saint fighting huge armies of adventurers on his own, guarding his riches. Getting greedy for the treasures you have, he first sent out a group of soldiers. Seeing how his soldiers returned crippled, he asked for help from the Emperor, sending a message about an enemy Saint invading his kingdom with the base around the White Mountain Valley.” → King
The King didn’t try to lie. He knew lying to a Saint was the same as courting death. He could only say the truth and wait for my decision. The guardians behind him already heard about this, also the reason why they asked for his father’s head and throned his only son.
“I see…” → Shen
My aura got even stronger, making the ones present, with the exception of the king’s group, to feel suffocated. If this continued their intestines would explode from the pressure. Most of them were already sweating profoundly and not being able to stand anymore, falling on their knees.
“So if I were around or inside a village, then your old fool of a father would have sent these 5 idiots to destroy the village together with me? When they got inside the valley, they blew up everything without even looking for any bystanders. What if some innocents were present at that time? Who would’ve paid for that?!” → Shen
My eyes slowly turned brown. Killing intent leaked out, surprising even Ryu who felt my sudden rage. Everyone was speechless. Unlike me, they don’t see the value in some commoner’s life. They think the rank is everything. That’s the normal mentality in a world ruled trough monarchy. However, I was simply too mad at the thoughts of having a part of the blame for someone’s death. If some innocents really died at that time because of me, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself even now. And seeing these people only thinking about riches and ranks, it made my temper blow up.
Shen… → Sylvia
I suddenly heard Sylvia’s voice again.
Ah!… → Shen
I suddenly woke up and the slight brown from my eyes retracted back inside my pupil.
Sorry, Sylvia. I’m okay now, thank you. → Shen
I tried to calm down while thinking for myself.
These emotions, from where are they coming? I’m sure this rage is not mine. → Shen
I felt really confused but I simply ignored it again. Right now wasn’t the time for this. I absorbed back my aura and told Ryu to do the same. I closed my eyes while everyone looked at me, waiting with nervousness for my conclusion. Then I said.
“Send these 5 back. If the emperor still has more problems with me then tell him to search for me in Eihwaz continent. I won’t stay for much more time in Nostrung. And King Tian…I admire your strong heart. I’ll overlook what your father has done against me this one time. In exchange, I’ll wish to investigate his place too.” → Shen
I said while pointing at the first noble I suspected of being another accomplice for the slave trading.
“W-what?!”
“Hmm…” → King
The King looked at that noble through his eyelashes. He never truly liked him. If he could use this moment to get rid of him, that would be for the best.
“All right.” → King
“M-my King!”
The noble looked indignant at the king.
“Quiet. Sir Shen has this much right after being so wronged by us. Besides, if I’m not wrong, aren’t you one of the nobles who tried to persuade my father in attacking Sir Shen’s place? You can say you’re paying him back with this.” → King
“B-but my King-!”
“Shut up! Earl Maotou! Who do you think you are?! Even if you have the rank of an Earl, you don’t have the authority to talk back to me! As punishment, you’ll be under house arrest until Sir Shen is done with investigating your place.” → King
“!!!”
Earl Maotou was sweating bullets. He couldn’t believe how he found himself in such an impasse because of some random Saints.
“Very well. We’ll start searching for the slaves right at this moment. Lord Lupian, please hold onto me, we’ll fly to the old Carter’s place and search around. Ryu, you take hold of that Moutou guy and go to his place and search for the slaves. Here is the radar.” → Shen
I gave Ryu a yellow stone and made him introduce his mental-wave inside it so he could get information right into his mind.
“The moment you find something and prove he’s guilty, destroy his place! I’ll do the same.” → Shen
I said in a cold voice. What I hated the most was seeing people treated like tools. Slavery was like a revere scale of mine, barely holding myself to not kill these trashes myself.
“Leave it to me! I’ll make it blow with a nice BOOM!” → Ryu
Ryu said with a wide grin. After that, he grabbed Moutou and flew to his place at his fastest speed, he knew exactly where he stayed because of a map he got beforehand.
“Then, I’m leaving.” → Shen
I grabbed Lupian and flew together to the old George Carter’s place. Both Ryu and I flew through the broken windows, without waiting to first get out from the castle. In less than a day we entered their territory. In a day we got inside their castles and started to search around with the radar. Unsurprisingly, I found the slaves inside the underground prisons and mines. 60% where mostly elves and spirit fox-men while the rest were of various races.
“Here. 350 slaves. I’ll request some assistance in carrying them to my ship.” → Shen
I said with a neutral voice to Lupian who looked speechless at the slaves.
“…I can’t believe it…our own people…to do something like slave trading…” → Lupian
Lupian looked with disappointment and pained eyes. He felt betrayed by the ones he served and worked together which.
“…Not everyone is so upright and righteous like you, Sir Lupian. What you need to do now is to search for more accomplices. Make a general inspection of the other nobles and you’ll be even more surprised.” → Shen
“…I don’t have the authority for that…and the King won’t permit it if I have no proofs.” → Lupian
“Then hire some spies and send them in other people’s territories. Find if they are truly innocent or guilty.” → Shen
“Y-you mean to investigate into someone else’s personal privacy?! I can’t do such a thing!” → Lupian
Lupian felt anger at the thought of him doing something so lowly. I was surprised and amused by his naivety.
“Hah! This is a necessary evil. From my point of view, it’s quite the good idea. Rather than sitting around and doing nothing while the others do what they want and bring the kingdom into ruins, making some order around here wouldn’t make things worse than they already are. What you think?” → Shen
“…I’ll talk with the king about this.” → Lupian
“As you wish. Be sure nobody hears what you want to talk about, though.” → Shen
“I’ll keep that in mind.” → Lupian
“Now! Let’s take these people out and bring this place down with a boom, what do you say?” → Shen
I asked Lupian with a wide grin.
“Yes!… Wait what?” → Lupian
Lupian looked at me dumbfounded.
“Let’s move!” → Shen
We got all the slaves to wash themselves using the castle’s baths, choose for them some nice clothes from inside the castle, then feed them with food from inside the castle. After getting everyone out of the castle and after finally emptying what seemed to be more precious:
-BOOOM!~
The castle was destroyed by a huge asteroid filled with fire element that blew it up in rumbles. A thick cloud of dust rose in the air while strong flames burned what remained of the castle.
“Whistle~ It did better than I thought, right?” → Shen
I asked Lupian while looking at the destroyed castle with a proud face.
“The blast was much stronger than before. It seems my skills evolved again~.” → Shen
“…”
Lupian looked at the destruction I created with a wide open mouth.
These two Saints are crazy. No Saint would be so rash as to blow up a castle from another kingdom! → Lupian
On the other side of the kingdom, Ryu discovered another 500 slaves. After taking all of them out and doing the same way I did with them, he rose up in the sky in his Dragon Materialization form and fell like an asteroid while activating « Seismic Step ».
-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!-
He rose and fell 3 times in succession, destroying and flattening the huge palace to the ground. Cloud after cloud of dust rose in the air, while the ground cracked in spider-webs all around the broken palace from the continuous seismic shocks.
“Hahaha~ your place was harder to take out than I thought. You really like huge houses, don’t you?” → Ryu
Ryu patted Moutou’s shoulder while laughing then he took his carriages filled with slaves and food, returning towards Snow Village.
“…”
Moutou looked at Ryu’s back with soulless eyes. He felt his spirit going out from him.
Everything…is lost… → Moutou
While thinking such, he passed out, falling face-first. After rescuing everyone, we remained a little bit more to prepare the slaves for traveling. The King wished to assist us with some soldiers on our way back, food and clothes for the slaves. I didn’t reject, in exchange, I gave him the ‘Tian’ set of martial arts I created. Seeing his wide-open eyes while he tried it out, it made me think that he actually liked it.
In the meantime, Moutou, George and Silvester were arrested and decapitated. Of course, they resisted but being outnumbered, they got whipped out instantly. Lupian told Tian about my plan and tried it out, sending more than 400 spies all around his kingdom. After doing so, he instantly discovered another 3 nobles who were accomplices with the 3 decapitated, doing to them the same with the first ones. He sent me all the slaves that were captured, together with some money and food. All in all, after 1 month and a half, we finally got back to Snow Village with an army of more than 1,000 slaves.
“Ahaha~…” → Shen
I laughed dryly while looking at the huge army of slaves chained in anti-magic handcuffs and chains.
It seems I need another 2 ships… → Shen
I asked Ryu to go and see from where he could buy 2 more huge ships. In less than one day, he got back with a contract on which I was able to read the words ‘owner’, ‘2 cruise ships’ and ‘600 rooms each’. I was more than pleased. And all the money used were from the sword I gave him last time.
Seriously, just how much does such a sword costs on this market?! → Shen
I hastily accustomed the slaves on the ships, organized them under the 11 leaders I was already familiar which and started creating Energy stones imbued with Prana again… The preparations took me one full week when I finally finished with all of them. They felt grateful and most of them wished to serve me. I was feeling quite complicated, seeing their serious and firm eyes on wanting to stay over my side forever. After I talked some more with the slaves who were no more slaves, I got back in my room where Sylvia was drawing some magic circles for ‘Motion Reduction’ and ‘Stable temperature’ to put inside the rooms of the two new ships. The two of them weren’t as luxurious as the one Sylvia brought, but they were still pretty good, having nice and spacious rooms.
“God! I’m beat!” → Shen
I crashed on the bed and felt my spirit leaving me.
“Giggle Who told you to do all of this alone? Some people are complaining about having nothing to do. You could have used them for things like accommodating the slaves or searching for clothes, you know?” → Sylvia
Sylvia sat beside me in bed while caressing my hair.
“…Never thought of that, to be honest…” → Shen
I was so tired, and Sylvia’s hand on my head felt so good, I almost fell to sleep.
“Fufu~ why don’t you sleep now? If you want to do something then just order the 11 leaders and they’ll do it for you.” → Sylvia
“…I want to make the preparations to leave to Eihwaz… We need to send the Elves back before the balance between Hraesvelgr and Nidhoggur gets any-more unstable…” → Shen
I almost fell asleep when Sylvia whispered in my ear.
“Then go to sleep. I’ll send your message to the 11 leaders to make the preparations.” → Sylvia
Sylvia smiled at me then kissed my cheek.
“Mhm…thank ye…” → Shen
I wasn’t able to keep my consciousness awake anymore and fell asleep.
