Chapter 143: Against The Emperor
Inside the isolated spatial dimension, Auren was sealed away by none other than Emperor Romeov himself.
The air was heavy, thick with a strange pressure that clung to his lungs and made every breath taste of iron.
The walls of the pocket realm stretched into infinity, yet it felt suffocatingly small, as if the very space was folding in on him.
Above, the skies were painted in eerie hues of violet and black, stars twisting unnaturally in constant motion.
And in the middle of this warped prison stood Emperor Romeov, holding a legendary grade sword that shimmered faintly in the dim light.
"Be honest with me kid."
His grip on the blade was steady, his stance relaxed yet oppressive.
Each step he took toward Auren thud like thunder against the invisible floor, echoing in the boundless void.
"Looking at the elvish writing on that ring," Romeov said coldly, his deep voice echoing like a commandment, "I know you did not make that. So tell me..."
He leaned forward slightly, his piercing eyes narrowing into icy slits.
"Who gave it to you?"
The question lanced through Auren like a spear.
He instinctively reached for options—fight, flee, lie—but the moment he tried to move, he realized there was nowhere to run.
No matter how far he could sprint, he would always remain inside this suffocating cage of infinite space. And such power is only available to those beings who have reached the ascended martial realms only handful of beings have reached so far.
Auren’s lips tightened as his thoughts scrambled.
His heart pounded hard against his ribs, sweat beading across his forehead.
This was not a man he could bluff without consequence. In his mind, he reached out for guidance.
Bigbird, should I tell him the truth?
The phoenix spirit answered without hesitation, its voice echoing through his soul like a calm flame.
I think there is no harm in telling him. After all, as an Emperor, he should already know a thing or two about Runewood and its people. And if my guess is right, he has a deep interest to the original owner of that ring.
You mean queen Elarya?
Auren exhaled slowly, forcing his trembling hands to still.
In that case, let’s do that.
Straightening his back, Auren steadied himself. His voice, though wavering at first, soon found a firm tone.
"I got this ring from Queen Elarya, the elven queen of Runewood."
The answer struck Romeov like a blade.
His expression shifted instantly from mild curiosity to sharp irritation.
His smile vanished, wiped away as though it had never existed, and in its place came a twitch of anger that warped his aged face into something ugly and raw.
The faint wrinkles around his eyes deepened, his jaw clenched so tightly the bones beneath seemed ready to crack.
"Did you hear that, Grim?" Romeov muttered, his voice low, strained, and simmering with fury. His eyes, however, never left Auren.
They glowed faintly, sharp and unblinking, like a predator fixated on prey. It was clear he was speaking to someone or something that Auren could not see.
Auren’s brow furrowed, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple. Could he be talking to a Spirit Beast inside him?
Bigbird’s voice confirmed his suspicion, sharp and knowing.
He is an Emperor with an Awakened Bloodline. Of course he has someone like me. A partner. A beast that shares his power.
Romeov’s voice cracked then, breaking with the weight of restrained fury. The calm veneer of an Emperor was gone, stripped down to something primal.
His grip tightened on the massive sword until his knuckles whitened, veins bulging along his forearm like roots straining beneath the bark of an ancient tree.
"I have been faithful, loyal, and true to my love for her," Romeov growled, his words dragging through gritted teeth.
Insulted is obvious in the corners of his mouth, his rage barely contained.
"And the first one she chooses to give a ring to... is a child?"
His jaw flexed audibly, a grinding sound like stone against stone.
"Can you believe that, Grim?" His voice rose sharply, desperate, as though he needed the invisible companion to validate his madness.
His chest heaved, drawing in ragged breaths that trembled with fury. Then his gaze sharpened once more, boring into Auren with eyes that now burned with unmasked murderous intent.
"I will be honest, Grim," Romeov hissed, his tone dropping to a venomous whisper.
He stepped closer, and with that step his aura exploded outward. It was like a tidal wave of raw power, invisible yet crushing.
The air itself seemed to collapse, thick and suffocating, dragging at Auren’s lungs. The very space quivered as if bowing under Romeov’s presence.
To Auren, it was like standing directly beneath a sun at its zenith. His skin prickled with searing heat, his muscles spasmed under the weight of the pressure.
The oppressive mana crawled over him like molten chains, threatening to melt him alive from the inside out. His knees buckled, and for a fleeting moment he thought he might collapse.
"I am mad. Very mad," Romeov admitted, his voice dropping to a guttural tremble. The words came not as confession, but as a promise.
"And I am extremely jealous right now." His chest rose and fell violently, like a beast fighting to restrain itself, like a volcano moments away from erupting.
"And unless I take him out, I doubt I will ever calm down."
The words struck Auren like a hammer to the spine. His stomach churned, bile rising in his throat. His instincts screamed, every nerve raw with alarm. This guy is a lunatic!
Romeov’s hand rose slowly, the motion deliberate, terrifying in its inevitability. His fingers curled around the hilt of his blade as his expression twisted into something primal, something closer to a beast than a man.
And in that flicker of madness, Auren saw it—the faint shimmer in Romeov’s eyes, the subtle tilt of his head, as though he were listening. Receiving messages from the other end.
Auren’s instincts roared, and before he could think further, Romeov swung, his blade cutting through the dimension with blinding speed, aiming to cleave Auren in two.
shit!
Flames burst across Auren’s hand as he summoned his Divine Rapier in desperation. His arms screamed in protest as he caught the attack head-on, both hands gripping tightly.
CLAAAANG!
The clash shook the very space around them, sparks scattering like fireworks.
The impact hurled Auren far back, his body skidding about twenry meters away before halting. His bones rattled, his arms numb, but he was alive.
This man... he really intends to kill me just because Queen Elarya gave me a ring? Is he really that stupid?
Romeov, seeing his target still breathing, clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Stop resisting, kid. You know I am a busy man. I had to send a dummy to attend the official Queening ceremony just so I could come personally to find you."
He raised his sword again,
"You should feel honored... that I will be the one to kill you."
"F*ck you."
The words slipped from Auren’s mouth like venom, cutting through the Emperor’s arrogant tone.
Romeov blinked, caught off guard, before letting out a low chuckle.
"Haha. What did you say, kid?"
"I said f*ck you."
Auren barked, eyes blazing.
His lips curled into a defiant sneer.
"You want this ring? Then come and get it, you lovesick, brainless emperor! I bet Queen Elarya never liked you because you’ve got the mind of a cow dung."
Bigbird’s voice crackled in his head, sharp with warning.
Master, please, be mindful of your words! Remember, he is still an—
I know he’s an Emperor, but a stupid one at that. And probably backed by a crazy Holy Beast as well, Auren cut him off.
His hands trembled, not out of fear but rage.
But I just can’t stomach an ego like his wanting to kill me because of a ring! Can’t he just ask it from me nicely? Why does it have to end up to murder!?
Romeov’s facade cracked further.
His disguise of an aged man peeled away, his form shifting and expanding.
In the blink of an eye, the frail elder was replaced by a towering figure, at least seven and a half feet tall.
His pale brown skin shimmered under the eerie light, silver hair glinting with a metallic sheen. A sharp black mustache framed his face, and his deep blue eyes burned with fury.
His dazzling golden armor gleamed, forged from enchanted metals that pulsed with magical light. Draped across his back was a crimson cape, adorned with the emblem of a purple serpentine dragon coiled around a sword- a symbol of the Wha-lah Empire.
He looked every bit the Emperor—majestic, radiant, but terrifying.
Romeov’s lips curled into a mocking smirk.
"So you’ve steeled yourself to die, huh." His eyes glowed faintly with shifting colors, proof of silent Observation casting. He raised his sword, power rippling across the dimension.
’Isn’t that what you wanted?’ Auren barked back.
Then, tilting his head slightly as though whispering to someone unseen, Romeov muttered,
"Don’t worry. That little grimlin won’t know. As long as we’re in this space, I’ll finish this quickly before he finds us."
Auren’s heart skipped.
Little Grimlin? Could he be referring to Bonbon?
Bigbird’s tone was sharp.
If he’s plotting against you like this, it means he has a backer strong enough to rival even that crazy Bonbon’s power.
Before they could piece it together, Romeov dashed forward, vanishing from sight.
"Stay put, kid. This will be quick."
The Emperor’s sword now glowed with radiant, multicolored mana, a brilliance that distorted space itself as it move. Auren could tell, this is no ordinary sword Aura, but probably the highest stage sword aura!
’huh?’
Auren tried to move but found his body suddenly locked in place. Panic surged as he realized what it was.
Aura domination...
Time slowed down as his mind raced. The overwhelming disparity in power left his body shackled by Romeov’s sheer presence, unable to even twitch a finger.
In that case—
Auren’s body flared with blinding fire. His Divine Form erupted forth, breaking the invisible chains restraining him.
Romeov paused mid-strike, his brow lifting.
"Hmph. So this is the Divine Form you used against the King Beast." His smirk widened, but his steps did not falter.
"Come on. Let me see how strong you truly are."
Before Emperor Romeov, Auren unleashed his strongest form, ready to fight until the end.
This time, Auren has decided to fight with all he got.
And yes, even if it means kiling the emperor.