"We surrender…" As the Queen declared these words out loud the people within the settlement couldn't help but show looks of shock and confusion.
Were they really going to surrender to humans just like that? It seemed far too unbelievable but they could do nothing since the majority of their forces had all gone to take part in the war, leaving mostly civilians and low tier individuals.
As the others slowly accepted the Queen's the declaration with a heavy heart, the King grit his teeth irritatedly and glared at Aron.
"I refuse to bow my head to humans!" His pride as an Aethelian and King didn't allow him to easily give up.
Unlike Celes who was cunning and clever in her craft, he believed in power and superiority. In his mind humanity was an inferior race that couldn't match up against them, surrendering to them was a form of humiliation that he just couldn't swallow.
Had the Aethelian military leaders been present the same emotion would have been shared, they would sooner fight to death than bow their head towards a woman. That was simply the sort of upbringing they had.
"Are you denying my-!" Befoee Celes could say anything to him, he jumped off the gigantic branch of the even more gigantic tree they were standing on and launched himself towards Aron's direction using a frighteningly high level of wind based techniques.
Bam!
A vicious gust of wind blew towards Aron and he had no choice but to withdraw the aura he had been leaking, it was good for intimidating but leaving it out without suppression made his movements stiff and his mind a mess.
"Tsk!"
However the attack coming to him was too fast and he couldn't avoid it. He could cross his arms over face as steel his body for impact.
Bam!
A heavy force collided with his body and forced him back several meters… but not once did his knees touch the ground.
He grit his teeth and kept his stance firm as he used his sheer physical strength to withstand a high level technique.
The King landed not too far and looked in Aron's direction while waiting for the dust brought up by the attack to settle.
As it began to do so he could vaguely make out a humanoid silhouette within it, this caused him to grow alert. He was actually still standing? The king worried.
Although he took on the attack and survived, the lower parts of Aron's arms where badly torn and ripped in certain places. To a point where some of his flesh was just hanging looking like it would fall off at any moment.
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Despite this he didn't show a single indication of pain and retaliated.
Stomp!
He lifted his leg and stomped the ground with incredible force, using earth manipulation once again the ground beneath the King's feet rumbled and broke apart.
I'm that moment his balance was broken along with the firm stance he held.
Using his other leg, Aron stomped the ground once more but this time under his own feet to proper himself forward and shorten the distance between him and his target in an instant.
!!
The King was at a loss, if he had injuries this severe there's no way he could still fight. Aron on the other hand still fought with incredible power.
"You think destroying my hands is enough!" Aron growled angrily as he appeared above the shocked King.
"No!" Celes could see Aron was in bad shape but her husband would definitely die if he took on a fierce attack head on.
She acted immediately to try and provide support but a shocking attack came her way as well.
"Evanora commands you to stop." Although muttered in a low tone, the impact of Evanora's words took form in the gravity of the entire settlement increasing.
In one instant everyone feel face down to the ground and couldn't stand. Even Celes with all her might could barely raise her head to look in her husband's direction.
She could only watch as Aron launched a kick from above and hit her husband right on the crown of his head.
The sheer force behind the kick lead to a death unlike she had never seen before.
The force traveled from the King's head and spread throughout the body, crushing bones, tearing tissue and destroying organs in the process before being transferred to the ground below and causing it to shatter, all in less than a heartbeat.
Boom!
Once the force reached the ground it broke apart the earth within a two hundred meter radius of Aron.
Even his allies retreated slightly as they couldn't predict it's range.
"…." The group was left with nothing to say concerning what they had just seen.
Some still couldn't believe their eyes whilst others felt a chill as they looked at Aron who now stone alone with nothing but bloody rubble around him.
A greyish mist began to emanate from his arms making it seem like they were burning but upon looking closer they could notice his lands slowly but surely began healing.
"Restrain the others while they are still under Evanora's art!" Lady Rose brought them back to reality with her words, reminding them that this was still a confrontation and if the Queen broke free it would get troublesome.
Without delay everyone rushed towards the settlement, as they passed Aron they couldn't but glance in his direction. Some looking at his hands while others at his face, however those who chose the latter were quick to look away fearfully after seeing the bloodthirstyness behind them.
It gave them the feeling that Aron could kill them there and then, in truth he would have very much like to do that because now he wills were absolutely raging within him, he was now paying the price for simply demonstrating the power he held within.
"Are you okay?" Lady Rose watched as the others ran forward while she walked over to stand near Aron with her gaze on his hand. "Yes, it's already healing."
Aron beared the pain he was feeling at the moment and spoke normally while looking forward. In his eyes Lady Rose wasn't acting out of concern, saying anything other than what he did could very well cause her to have ideas about him.
With the current state of his body, he didn't want to fight an enigma such as her. It would only bring additional strain upon him and perhaps cause him to fully succumb to his wills and go on a rampage.
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"Good, what will you do with the Queen?" Lady Rose didn't ask Aron anything more on the matter and proceeded to change the topic.
"We'll bring her along, I need her for what needs to be done once we return." Aron vaguely replied before walking off, right now he headed to find some quiet place to settle and properly deal with his current state.
….
Meanwhile back In Ettenheim, the majority of forces were now being moved around at alarming paces.
Thanks to the warnings given by their respective heirs, each family began focusing all their manpower in retreat, taking as many people from their regions as they could.
The result was a massive fleet of airships covering the skies of Ettenheim as they all made their way towards the Galos region.
Near the boarder another fleet could be seen making it's way towards the region of Galos, it was none other than Sayiva.
Sayiva currently stood on deck with a surprising addition beside her, Victoria… who she had in mana suppressing chains.
"I told you the truth so why not just end my life already…" Victoria looked at Sayiva without fear and muttered these words.
Sayiva however only glanced at her in the corner of her eye. "A quick death is something you don't deserve, before you die I want to know the real truth. Then and only then will you and the others pay, even the world ending won't save you from that." She replied coldly.