City Lord Zane, finally losing patience, personally activated one of his fire-related S-Rank skills to blast open the door.
Whoosh!
Just as Zane's attack launched forward in a destructive wave toward the door, Aengus calmly opened it... And "gulp" instantly devoured the fiery attack as it reached his face.
Aengus then began to approach City Lord Zane, step by step.
To Zane's horror, each step struck his heart with a dreadful weight, as if silently telling him that he had made a grave mistake.
His heart trembled, pain coursed through him, and his veins bulged visibly beneath his skin.
Quin finally looked frightened after witnessing the mighty S-Rank City Lord's condition.
The aura of the unfamiliar young man began to intensify with each passing moment.
"Argh..."
Quin was quickly forced to kneel, his knees buckling and cracking under the stranger's sheer pressure.
A few moments later, his strength completely gave out, and he collapsed face-first, feeling as though he were choking as his blood circulation nearly stopped.
He realized he had directed his frustration at the wrong person. This stranger, who appeared similar in age, wielded an unfathomable power.
In comparison, he was nothing more than a speck before this formidable presence.
Laying flat on the ground, Quin looked up at Aengus with helplessness.
"I knew this day would come, and I still did it. Why are the gods doing this to me? They were never fair to me... I hate the gods, I hate everything," Quin roared in his mind.
Meanwhile, Zane, still suppressed, pleaded through gritted teeth.
"Your Imperial Highness, please forgive us... I didn't recognize our Emperor had come in person."
Aengus paused and retracted his aura, having sensed their true thoughts. That was why he stopped.
One was a frustrated fool, and the other was at least somewhat decent.
Quin was injured but alive.
"How dare this useless young master speak ill of our gods? He deserves execution!" a noble-looking man scoffed with righteous indignation.
"Yeah, he should just die already. A good-for-nothing loser, blaming the mighty gods for his own failures... what a waste," another mocked.
"And who is this young man that dares to spread hate against the gods? He should be punished too!"
"Enough!" an older voice snapped. "Did you not see the City Lord himself kneeling before that young man? Don't speak so carelessly—your heads might not remain on your shoulders if you do."
"Yes," another old man whispered, shivering. "I heard he is our new Emperor. Even the King bowed to him. Don't drag us all to our deaths, you fools." Join us at m,v le mpyr
A tense silence fell over the crowd as the weight of the old man's words sank in. The onlookers now watched Aengus with wary respect, each wondering at the power and mystery behind this new Emperor who could command such reverence.
"We greet Your Imperial Highness! Please give us your blessing and protection for eternity!"
Some in the crowd had already knelt, showing respect to their Emperor. He was now their Emperor, whether they liked it or not. Only heads would roll for those who disagreed—that much, they had learned.
Aengus acknowledged their presence with a nod, feeling a new sensation—a sense of responsibility, perhaps, or satisfaction in his newfound dominance.
He turned to Quin, pleased with his response.
"Very well. I like your reply, Quin. Now, tell me, do you have the determination to kill them if given the power?"
"Thud!"
Quin knelt instantly, without a second thought.
"I will do anything for power, Your Imperial Highness! That includes killing the Gods," he declared, bowing resolutely.
"Very good..."
Aengus replied with a pleased expression as he smoothly took out a few human corpses from his pocket space.
The corpses fell to the ground, their decaying aura spreading everywhere.
City Lord Zane squinted, realizing all the corpses were at least B-Rank or above.
"Just what is the new Emperor trying to do?" he wondered to himself.
The onlookers were already shaken by the death aura radiating from the high-ranking corpses.
They chose not to interrupt their new Emperor's task.