Daynsvi wanted to turn around when he heard Souta's voice but black tentacles and spider-web restricted him from moving. Also, he wouldn't make it in time.
The physical strength of an A-rank expert that has the power of a parasitic essence eater was enough to break free from these restraints but it wouldn't be that easy. It will take him a lot of time.
"Argh!!"
Souta slashed his sword and cut the head of Daynsvi using [Crimson Slash]. At first, he met resistance as the body of an A-rank was tough. An A-rank expert could survive in an extreme environment.
After a few seconds, the head of Daynsvi flew in the mid-air as his blood spurted out like a fountain. The regenerative power of the parasitic essence eater wouldn't help him this time. He was dead so nothing would work.
The parasite in his body wriggled and it slowly turned into dust.
"Unfortunately, once the parasite bound to its host. Its life is connected to the host. As expected a parasite until the end."
Souta muttered while looking at the headless body of Daynsvi on the ground. Maybe, this was the reason why the parasite has a powerful regenerative power. It didn't want its host to die.
He shook his head and looked around. His shadows were fighting those B-rank royal guards. Although the royal guards could handle his shadows, they couldn't kill it. The shadows will continue to regenerate as long as Souta had enough best feram in his body.
He should kill them and proceed to capture the emperor and his family.
With that in his mind, he dashed towards the royal guards as several black tentacles rose from the ground.
Bang! Bang!
Without the help of an A-rank, these B-rank royal guards couldn't stand against Souta's full power. They easily fell into his trap and died under Souta's hand.
Souta exhaled as he turned his attention to the emperor and his family. All of his family members were trembling in fear as they saw him killed the royal guards that were protecting them.
He stepped forward as he canceled the combat arts and spells that were activated. It's consuming his stamina and energy and he didn't want that.
"Don't come here or else I'll blow up everything in this place." The emperor said to Souta. The Guardian Fortress was sleeping for a long time so it will take a lot of time to activate it.
"Then, you'll die along with your family you know. As for me, I think I could endure it although it would injure me. After all, my body is stronger than anyone in this city."
Souta smiled and he continued to approach the royal family with light steps. He didn't know about the emperor's ace so he could only bluff him.
He observed the emperor who was sitting in a luxurious chair. There's a strange device on the emperor's hand and it seems that the chair was bound to him as various needles were stuck into his body.
Souta could guess it. He could guess that the emperor's ace wasn't suitable for short-range combat. It must be some kind of weapon with that chair as the control.
"Even if I die, my soldiers will not surrender to you so it will not work." The emperor said. "The ancestor will simply choose a new emperor to lead this empire."
"I know that but have you forgotten where are we. We are on the Planet Astley. This whole world is my hostage. I could simply massacre everyone in this place. So they will submit to me even if they wanted it or not. After all, most of the soldiers' family members are in this world." Souta simply stated his plan to the emperor.
Swoosh!
When he arrived ten meters away from the emperor, his figure flashed as he appeared in front of the emperor. He cut down the hand that was holding a strange device and pulled him out of the chair.
"Argh!!"
The emperor screamed as the needles that were stuck on his spinal cord were forcefully removed.
Swoosh!
Spider-web bound his limbs and stuck him on the ground. He couldn't do anything as Souta stepped on his chest.
Souta also tied the family members of the emperor starting from the empress and their children. Their power level was too low so they couldn't fight back against him.
"Y-You're a monster...?" The emperor said in a trembling tone. This man would massacre millions of innocent people in his country just to get his job done.
"You're not wrong..." Souta smiled as he looked at the emperor in the eyes. "You see... You said that the ancestor will simply choose another emperor. So the ancestor is still alive somewhere in this world, am I right?"
"N-No..." The emperor trembled as his eyes widened.
"Okay, who should I kill first? Your wife, your son, or your daughters? Pick one for me. If you don't pick anyone, I'll just torture them at the same time. I will peel their skin and feed it to you." Souta said to the emperor with a faint smile.
"I-I... P-Please, forgive me, ancestor..." The emperor mumbled as he tightly closed his eyes.
Souta narrowed his eyes as he wondered why this man was begging for forgiveness. Maybe, the ancestor was in this place and just silently watching the things in the dark.
"Nope, it's already too late... You've failed. Such a disappointment, I don't want to come out but you're useless that couldn't do anything by himself."
A foreign voice sounded and it alerted Souta. He quickly looked around and found nothing. Then, he felt a wave of energy coming beneath the ground.
"This mana signature..."
Souta jumped and he felt that the person below was protecting the emperor from him. It seems that this so called ancestor has a use for the emperor.
Since the ancestor was supposed to be dead and the one who's controlling the emperor in the shadow, he couldn't easily let his puppet die.
'Well, let's render it useless...'
Since the ancestor was here, he doesn't need the emperor and his family. They became baggage to him that he could discard at any moment.
The shadow leader of the Great Astley Empire must be this ancestor. If that's the case, then he really didn't need the emperor.
[Shadow Bind]!!
Black tentacles emerged from the debris of rocks and it strangled the body of the emperor.
"Well, it's time to say goodbye to your descendant."
Souta smiled as the black tentacles crushed the body of the emperor. It was simple yet decisive. Just like what he excepted, a figure came out of the huge hole on the ground bearing a powerful aura.
"You!! How can you do that?!"
The figure said angrily. His energy was seeping out of his body. Judging from the structure of his mana, the figure was a legitimate A-rank and his mana was so dense that it was close to being solidified.
'A peak A-rank. This man is several times stronger than the captain of the royal guards.' Souta said inwardly as he observed the figure that was called ancestor by the emperor.
The figure was an elderly man with curly white hair and he was wearing a lab coat. His powerful aura was seeping out of his body like a raging tide.
"Is this your true body?" Souta asked as he silently casted the [Cat's Speed], [Triple Muscle Strengthening], [Agility Boost], [Strength Boost], [Shadow Cloak], and [Night Overlord's Aura].
"Oh? So you can recognize me?" The man said as his expression turned calm but deep inside he was still angry at the death of the current emperor.
"Of course, you can change your body but you can't change the nature of your mana. I can recognize your mana signature." Souta replied to the man.
"You're a pain in the ass. You've caused so much trouble in the empire and this is where it ends. I will capture you and know how you managed to gain the dragon's energy." The man said to Souta as his mana grew wilder.
"Well, I already told you that I'm a monster and it's natural for a monster to gain a monster orb through evolution but you don't believe me at all." Souta sighed and he shrugged his shoulder feeling helpless about this man.
"It's time for me to introduce myself to you. I'm the first emperor of the Great Astley Empire, Gunsi De Folia. I'm the founder of this huge empire." The man introduced himself.
"You... How did you manage to live for so long?!" Souta was shocked when he heard the words of the man in front of him.
"Through countless research, I've managed to increase my lifespan to a few centuries but I'm reaching my limits so I need more. And I guess the dragon's energy is what I needed." Gunsi said as he narrowed his eyes. "I'll capture you dead or alive. The parasitic essence eater inside the emperor is important to me. That one is the king. So you will pay for it."
His body then expanded as he turned into a terrifying creature that was full of sharp black spikes. His control over his parasitic essence eater was greater than everyone. He spent his time researching about this mysterious creature.
"I'll let you have a taste of my power..."
Gunsi roared as powerful shockwaves swept out in every direction.