Chapter 258: COMMITTING TREASON

"Alright then. Let’s see how this fun game goes," Aaron smiled, a predatory curve to his lips that hinted at the thrill he derived from such challenges, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he gazed out over the horizon."You! How dare you sit on the noble’s tower?!" A knight from the ground yelled at Aaron, his voice booming with indignation, his index finger pointed accusingly at Aaron as well, the man’s armor glinting under the sun as he stood amid the bustling streets below.

"Hmm?" Aaron stared down at the guard, his gaze piercing and indifferent, feeling a flicker of annoyance at being yelled at by some random enforcer, but he decided to let it go for the moment, his composure remaining as steady as the tower beneath him.

He wasn’t that petty to deal with a mere guard just because he had been yelled at, his vast experiences teaching him to conserve his energy for worthier adversaries.

"I’m talking to you, bastard!" The guard yelled again, his frustration mounting as he released an arc of attack at Aaron from his sword, the blade slicing through the air with lethal intent.

His attack was coated with the wind element, swirling vortices enhancing its sharpness, making it capable of cleaving through stone and flesh alike as it hurtled upward with whistling speed.

"He’s just begging for it at this point," Aaron frowned, his patience wearing thin as he finally had enough of being nice, the annoyance transforming into a cold resolve.

He jumped from the tower, dodging the attack with effortless grace, as he glided through the air towards the guard, his body defying gravity in a display of supernatural agility that seemed to bend the wind to his will.

The guard was caught by surprise at Aaron’s ease in dodging his attack, his eyes widening in shock as he watched the figure descend like a shadow from the heavens, the unexpected fluidity leaving him momentarily frozen.

"I need support. I’ve got a rebel! I need support. A rebel has been spotted!" The guard called for backup using the walkie-talkie, his voice urgent and laced with alarm as he fumbled with the device, the crackle of static underscoring his growing panic.

He continued to release attacks towards Aaron still in the air, unleashing wind arc after wind arc, each one slicing through the sky with razor precision, hoping desperately that one would connect and deal Aaron damage as he glided effortlessly amid the onslaught.

Aaron, on the other hand, was easily shifting his position in the air and dodging the attacks, his movements a mesmerizing ballet of evasion, his actions of gliding and dodging the attacks a sight to behold by the masses, who began to murmur in awe at the spectacle unfolding above them.

In no time, people had already gathered to watch the spectacle between the unknown "rebel" and the guard, the crowd swelling as whispers spread like wildfire, their faces upturned in a mix of curiosity and excitement at the rare confrontation in the heart of the city.

Boom!

Aaron landed on the ground with tremendous force, his two legs sinking into the earth from the impact, cracks spiderwebbing outward from his feet as dust billowed up in a dramatic cloud, the shockwave rippling through the nearby onlookers.

Aaron wiped the dust from his clothes with casual indifference, brushing off the particles as if they were mere inconveniences, his posture radiating an unshakeable confidence amid the settling debris.

"Surrender now that you have the chance. I won’t say it again. Surrender now that I’m giving you the chance, or force me to take your life this very moment," the guard warned, holding his sword confidently in his hands as he received backup from his other guards, their ranks forming a semicircle of steel and determination around the intruder.

"Even if your king and the entire subjects on this planet try their best, taking my life will still be impossible for you all," Aaron stated as a matter of fact, his voice carrying an absolute certainty that brooked no argument, echoing with the weight of untold power and experiences far beyond their comprehension.

"How dare you insult our king and the governor in charge of the Nebula?!" One of the guards took offense from Aaron’s words, his face flushing with rage, prompting him to react impulsively in defense of his sovereigns.

With his sword coated with elemental flames, the crackling fire dancing along the blade in hues of orange and red, the guard charged towards Aaron, aiming for a quick stab towards Aaron’s chest, his movements fueled by fury and a sense of duty.

"Don’t overestimate your worth," Aaron said calmly, raising two fingers with deliberate precision, his expression unchanging as he prepared to demonstrate the vast gulf in their abilities.

With those two fingers, Aaron caught the blade perfectly, clamping the sword between them with effortless strength, the metal vibrating from the sudden halt as flames licked harmlessly around his skin.

With a slight twist of his wrist, Aaron snapped the sword in two, the break clean and resounding, leaving the guard stunned and in disbelief, his eyes bulging as he stared at the shattered remnant in his hand.

"Allow me to return the favor," Aaron said calmly, his tone devoid of malice yet laced with inevitability, as he released the part of the sword still caught between his fingers with a swift flick, propelling it forward like a projectile.

The sword fragment moved like a lightning bolt, streaking through the air with blinding speed, striking the guard squarely at his forehead and ending the guard’s life in an instant, the body crumpling to the ground amid gasps from the crowd.

Silence prevailed for some seconds, a heavy blanket of shock descending over the scene, the air thick with the aftermath of sudden violence.

The bystanders, who had gathered there just to watch what they thought would be mere entertainment, were left speechless by Aaron’s overwhelming might, their faces pale as they processed the display of raw power.

The knights present as well weren’t left out from the surprise, their grips tightening on their weapons as uncertainty flickered in their eyes, the reality of the situation sinking in.

Everyone stared at Aaron with varied emotions—some with fear etching deep lines on their faces, some with admiration shining in their gazes, some with mixed feelings swirling in confusion and awe.

One way or the other, everyone had their eyes fixed on the man with white hair, standing like a celestial being detached from the universe, his presence commanding and otherworldly, as if he existed on a plane far removed from their mortal concerns.

"How dare you kill a knight? That’s treason—an offense punishable by death!" One of the knights yelled, boiling with rage that contorted his features, his voice breaking the silence like a thunderclap.

His best friend had been the one killed by Aaron, the loss igniting a personal vendetta that burned fiercely within him.

"Attacking me is synonymous with forfeiting your life. And that’s what he did. He forfeited his life the moment he attacked me," Aaron answered back, his words delivered with unflinching logic, underscoring the unforgiving code by which he operated.

"And you. You also forfeited your life when you attacked me," Aaron pointed his index finger at the knight who had attacked him while he was on the tower, the gesture simple yet ominous, carrying the promise of swift retribution.

The knight stepped backwards two steps in fear, his boots scraping against the ground, before steeling himself with a deep breath, trying to mask the tremor in his stance.

He regained his confidence when he saw his fellow knights behind him, their numbers bolstering his resolve like a wall of solidarity against the lone figure.

"Hmm. Think numbers will save you against me? Billions have lost their lives to me, and the count is still rising," Aaron commented dryly, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement at their naivety, as he released compressed blood from his fingertips, the energy coalescing into a deadly force.

Before any of the knights could react, their movements frozen in the split second of realization, the wind elemental knight had a hole at the center of his forehead, the wound precise and fatal.

The knight fell backwards, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud, life extinguished from his eyes in an instant, the blank stare reflecting the finality of death.

Silence prevailed once more, an absolute calm laced with profound shock that enveloped the crowd and the remaining knights alike.

Since Desirus became ruler, marking an era of iron-fisted control over the realm, that was the first time someone had openly dared to kill two knights in broad daylight, shattering the illusion of invincibility that had long protected the enforcers of the law.