[WARNING!] [WARNING!]
[Fate: A Dragon’s Sacrifice is shaking!]
[Note: Emergency measures applying!]
[Note: Conditions have been met!]
[Skill: Monarch’s Will (Unique)] [Unlocked!]
[Effects Applying]
[Effects: Absolute Command] [Active]
[Effects: 90% Stat Reduction] [Active]
[Note: All enemies in the user’s presence will now have their stats reduced!]
[Note: All enemies in the user’s presence will now have their wills subjugated!]
The moment Hajey’s guards’ blades threatened to cut my skin, a surge of power coursed through my body.
Energy rose from within, and all the pain I had been ignoring vanished instantly.
During the few times I had used this skill, I always thought it was odd how the world seemed to lose its color.
Now, I understood why it had to be a monochromatic world.
This was how Monarchs were supposed to see the world. Color only emanated from things that held significance, and right now, looking at this pathetic man, I felt nothing but utter disgust.
My surroundings turned a muted grey, save for Hajey, whose form was painted in vivid colors. The effect of Monarch’s Will was immediate and absolute.
His guards, once so eager to carry out their master’s commands, were frozen in place, their faces contorted in terror. The oppressive weight of my power crushed their wills, reducing them to quivering husks.
He looked like a well-dressed cockroach in front of me right now.
‘This bug was as annoying as I remembered him to be.’
I still couldn’t believe this guy actually bullied Seo during their younger days, considering how pathetically weak he was.
I wasn’t even using all my strength due to the internal injuries I’d suffered, and yet just a somewhat gentle grip from me was all it took to make him struggle.
Seo was the cheat character of the game, but as strong as she was, she had one weakness that she couldn’t possibly ignore-her mother.
Now that the illusory orb he bought was broken, he had no way to threaten Seo anymore. Inside the orb was an illusion of Seo’s mother being held captive by his men, an intricate lie he made in order to try and divert Seo’s rage in case things went south for him.
And it was a very stupid plan, considering it didn’t exactly work in his favor.
As Hajey lay on the ground, gasping for breath, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and disbelief, I couldn’t help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction.
This so-called future “heir” of the Gyeoul family was nothing more than a sniveling coward, relying on deceit and manipulation to get his way.
His grand plan to use Seo’s mother against her had crumbled before it even had a chance to be put into action.
In the game, there were only two options in this scenario: either let him be and let Seo handle the escalating situation on her own, or save her from all the unnecessary drama and bullying.
It was a pretty common saving scenario and trope where you rescue the heroine from her abusive brother.
This scenario would improve Seo’s affection for you, as the emotionless heroine finally starts to realize what she feels for you. It was the start of a proper romance for Seo.
I came here with the intention of beating the shit out of this man and threatening him to not approach Seo anymore, just like how Lucas, with the help of Snow, did in the game. But right now, I was the only one here.
I wasn’t Lucas and I didn’t have his righteous mindset, nor did I have Snow’s backing to fully threaten this man. I had no power or authority that could make him comply with a higher power.
My strength might be enough to threaten this man, but at the end of the day, he would probably come crawling back into her life like an unwanted cockroach.
Hajey was a persistent pest, and without the necessary authority or backing, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t continue his harassment of Seo.
I couldn’t rely on the in-game script to play out exactly as it did before. The situation was fluid and required a more nuanced approach.
As I stood over him, I realized I needed to take a different path-one that wasn’t reliant on brute force or threats alone.
Hajey’s hatred for Seo was deeply rooted and wouldn’t be easily swayed by a simple beating.
His disdain stemmed from a place of jealousy and entitlement, believing he deserved everything Seo had accomplished.
‘Should I get rid of him?’
The thought of killing him crossed my mind for a bit… and it wasn’t such a bad option. This guy wasn’t really a major character in any of the major plot points of the main scenario, although he does come back into the romance route of Seo’s personal scenario.
Overall, he was just like any fodder villains out there. Complete and utter garbage, he was a much worse disposable character than the original Riley.
“Hajey Gyeoul…….”
“Let me ask you again. Do you wish to live?”
“B-Bastard 1-et me… goo…”
‘Should I end him now?’
The grip on my hands tightened at the thought, but immediately softened as I realized that would be a hasty judgment.
As much as I wanted to get rid of him right here, right now, killing him off wasn’t an option at the moment, at least not until their father decides to name Gyeoul as his heir.
The moment I kill him, all of the other siblings Seo has would probably take advantage of it and blame it all on Seo.
He may not be significant in Lucas’s main scenario, but for Seo, he was like an inevitable bug that she needed to crush on her own.
Since I can’t kill him, the only option left was to threaten him… no, it was to crush this bug.
“Yo-you bast…ard… why are you doing this?” he said, struggling to breathe under my grip. To think he could still exhibit this much hate in those eyes of his, even though he was being threatened to his death.
Was he just that confident I wouldn’t kill him, or does he not care even if he dies?
Whichever was the case, one thing was clear right now: this bastard needed a lesson.
“You did not answer my question, Bug….” I could feel my deep and utter disgust for him deepen as I looked into his red eyes.
This time, as my grip tightened, I saw it-fear etched inside of them.
‘So, he was just putting on an act…’
“A deceitful character indeed.”
“L-let go of me, you bastard!” Hajey screamed in protest as he realized the meaning of my
gaze.
I was considering relocating him, taking into account the time I’d already wasted reminiscing about his game counterpart.
Seo was about to cross this area soon, and I’d prefer she didn’t witness such a scene.
But before I could act, a powerful presence stopped me dead in my tracks.
I didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was.
The fear in Hajey’s eyes was enough to confirm the arrival of someone significant.
As I glanced back, Seo’s face came into view, her expression a mix of shock and emotion.
“Riley?” Her voice wavered, filled with a strange mixture of surprise and relief.
“Seo…” I replied, turning fully to face her. I couldn’t help but observe the concern etched into
her features.
“It seems I missed your fight.”
Seo’s eyes widened with a mix of shock and confusion as she took in the sight before her. Her
gaze flitted nervously between me and Hajey, who was still squirming under my grip.
The sight of Hajey seemed to affect her deeply, her eyes trembling slightly as she processed
the scene.
The deep-seated trauma that surfaced in her expression was palpable. It was clear that seeing Hajey like this was bringing back painful memories for her. Her face, usually so composed and emotionless, now showed cracks of distress.
This revelation made me even more determined to deal with Hajey thoroughly.
The annoyance I felt toward him grew stronger as I saw how deeply this situation affected
Seo. I tightened my grip slightly, making Hajey squirm even more. “Seo,” I said, my voice gentler now, though still firm. “Are you alright?”
Seo’s gaze locked onto mine, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and unspoken words. She
took a deep breath, her composure slowly returning.
“I… I’m fine. But why is elder brother here? How did you two meet… why are you-“
“This man,” I interrupted her, my tone firm and unyielding, “is a piece of filth who kept
annoying me, so… I’m just gently dealing with him.”
||
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“…But he’s dying,” Seo said, her voice tinged with concern and disbelief.
I glanced back at Hajey, who was now as pale as a ghost.
The realization of my mistake hit me hard.
My grip on his neck slackened before I completely released him.
He dropped to the ground, gasping for breath, his crimson eyes wide with fear as he looked up
at me, searching for any means of escape.
His face was a mask of terror, the strength to flee or fight clearly draining from him. Despite my initial intent to handle the situation delicately, my anger and instincts took over. I
felt a surge of frustration as I saw his terrified expression. Without a second thought, my leg moved with a reflexive motion and struck his chin.
The impact was brutal. A loud thud echoed through the corridor as I couldn’t suppress the instinctive amplification of my mana.
The force of the blow was so great that the wall behind Hajey’s head cracked, forming a
spiderweb of fractures.
A trickle of blood seeped from the back of his head, staining the floor as he slowly crumpled to
the ground, unconscious. Seo’s eyes widened in horror as she took in the scene before her.
The sight of Hajey, crumpled on the ground, his body motionless and blood trickling from his
head, was more than she could bear.
Her breath came in shallow gasps as the reality of the situation began to sink in.
The raw intensity of my earlier actions was now fully apparent, and the shock of it was written
all over her face.
As the overwhelming aura and power that had surged within me started to dissipate, I felt a
pang of regret.
The notifications from the system in my mind reminded me that the skill I had activated was
now locked, its effects receding.
The once powerful presence that had pressed down on the guards and Hajey was now fading, leaving me feeling more grounded and aware of the consequences of my actions.
I turned my gaze to Seo, who stood there, paralyzed by the enormity of what had just
transpired. Her eyes were fixed on me, her expression a mix of fear, disbelief, and confusion.
The words that might have comforted her or clarified my intentions seemed to escape me in the moment.
A nervous smile tugged at the corners of my lips, an involuntary reaction to the weight of the
situation.
“Sorry… it seems I hit him a bit too hard,” I said, my voice laced with a hint of awkwardness. I
was trying to downplay the severity of the situation, but the words felt inadequate against the
backdrop of the chaos I had just created.
11
Seo remained silent, her mouth opening slightly as if to speak, but no words came out.
Her gaze was locked onto me, her eyes reflecting a myriad of emotions-disbelief, fear, and
an underlying sadness.
It was clear that the sight of Hajey in such a state, combined with my overwhelming display of
power, was more than she had anticipated.
The silence between us was heavy, punctuated only by the sound of Hajey’s labored breathing
and the distant murmur of the colosseum crowd.
I could feel the tension thickening in the air, each second stretching into an eternity
‘Well now that he’s taken care of all is good when of it ends well right?’
A happy end…..
YUP!
This whole situation was a happy END for this stressful festival.
‘Probably’