Nathan’s head hit the ground with a sickening thud.
Trembling, he begged for mercy, his voice cracking with desperation.
“Defender, please forgive me! I didn’t realize my mistake. I deserve punishment for offending you. I swear, I won’t go near Miss Faulkner again. I promise!”
As he spoke, his hands moved to his face, slapping himself repeatedly in a pitiful display of regret.
Regret consumed him. He realized now just how foolish he had been to ignore Uncle Fletcher’s warnings. Every word Fletcher had spoken was true; now, that truth was crashing down on him with unbearable weight.
“Enough.” Kayden’s voice cut through the air, cold and devoid of emotion. He turned his gaze to Enoch, his expression unchanged-a chilling mask of indifference. “Get it done. I don’t want to see a single one of them alive. These traitors… Execute them all.”
The order was absolute, leaving no room for hesitation.
At Kayden’s command, the aura of the battlefield shifted.
Every single person in the crowd-twenty thousand men-dropped to their knees, their will to resist shattered entirely.
Their once-formidable presence crumbled in an instant, reduced to nothing but fear and submission.
How could they possibly stand against an army of one hundred thousand, each soldier armed with a gun, awaiting only a word to unleash devastation?
One command, and within minutes, this place would become a slaughterhouse.
Greedy Wolf stood back, watching Kayden. He drew in a long breath, his admiration evident. This was the man he had always envisioned as the Defender of the South-unyielding, ruthless.
“Enoch,” Kayden’s tone hardened, the patience in his voice evaporating. “Why are you waiting?”
Enoch faltered, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He took a breath before speaking, his voice unsteady. “Defender, if we kill so many in the heart of the city… it will cause widespread panic. Perhaps we should-”
“How dare you!” Greedy Wolf’s voice thundered, cutting Enoch off mid-sentence. His eyes blazed as he glared at Enoch. “Do you intend to defy the order?”
Enoch paled, nodding quickly. “N-no, of course not,” he stuttered, bowing his head in submission.
With no other choice, he turned and walked toward the ranks of the one hundred thousand soldiers, his steps heavy with dread.
He had never overseen a massacre before. But an order from the Defender was law-unchallengeable. No one, not even someone of his rank, was allowed to disobey.
“Raise your rifles!” The command echoed across the field, and the soldiers moved as one, spreading out, their weapons lifted in perfect formation.
The fate of the twenty thousand men seemed sealed. Despair hung thick in the air as every man in the crowd felt the cold grip of death inching closer.
“Stop!” A commanding voice rang out just as the situation teetered on the edge of catastrophe.
All eyes turned as a group of people pushed their way through the crowd.
At the front of them, walking with authority, was Fletcher Atkinson, the head of the Atkinson family.
“Uncle Fletcher! Uncle Fletcher!” Nathan cried out, his voice filled with sudden, desperate hope. “Save me, Uncle Fletcher! Please, save me!”
Seeing his uncle arrive made Nathan feel safe and hopeful.
He believed he wouldn’t die as long as Fletcher was there.
His uncle was a war hero, highly honored and respected by powerful people.
Nathan was sure that with Fletcher’s help, he would be spared.
Nathan took a deep breath, relief flooding through him. Life had never felt so precious.
But Fletcher didn’t return his enthusiasm. He cast a quick, disappointed glance at Nathan before striding toward Kayden with determined steps.
Greedy Wolf, eyes narrowed, fixed a cold stare on Fletcher. His voice was sharp as he spoke, “Firefist, what are you doing here? Do you plan to interfere with the Defender’s orders, too?”
Fletcher shook his head immediately, his voice firm yet respectful. “No, I would never dare oppose the Defender.”
And then, to Nathan’s utter shock, Fletcher dropped to his knees in front of Kayden.
Nathan’s mind reeled. Uncle Fletcher, the man he had admired his entire life, the man who commanded so much power and respect-was kneeling to this man?
The same scruffy young man Nathan had looked down on now had his uncle, the legendary Fletcher, bowing before him. What was going on?
Could this man really be so fearsome? So untouchable that even someone like Fletcher had to humble himself?
First, Enoch, the Commander of Inassea, who led an army of one hundred thousand troops, knelt.
And now, Fletcher-someone with immense influence and prestige-was also on his knees.
It was as if kneeling before this man was the only acceptable greeting.
Who was he? Could he be a king?
In ancient times, only an emperor could command such absolute submission. The thought sent a chill through Nathan.
Was this man truly of such stature?
It was almost too overwhelming to comprehend.
Nathan truly believed his uncle could stand on equal footing with this man. But reality had shattered that illusion.
Even Fletcher, with all his power, had no choice but to submit. To kneel before Kayden was not just a sign of respect but an acknowledgment of his dominance.
Everyone who had ever fought alongside Kayden knew this. They had been conquered, not by force alone, but by Kayden’s sheer presence on the battlefield, the kind of presence that left no room for doubt.
He carried with him an aura of invincibility, a relentless confidence that made people drop to their knees willingly as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
It wasn’t just respect-it was reverence.
Kayden’s power was undeniable, and his legacy had already been written in the blood and sweat of countless battles.
To kneel before him was to recognize the man and the legend he had become.
“Fletcher!” Kayden’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding, but this time, he didn’t call him by his famous moniker, “Firefist.”
Fletcher stiffened, his entire body tensing as he instinctively responded, “I’m here, Defender!”
Kayden looked at Fletcher with serious intensity. “I gave you a chance before. It’s not my fault you couldn’t control your men. Your nephew has disrespected me repeatedly, and after all these years, you should know my rules.”
Fletcher bowed his head low, the moment’s weight pressing down on him. “Defender, I understand. I had no intention of defying your orders, it’s just that-”
“Then why are you here?” Kayden cut him off, his tone leaving no room for excuses.
Fletcher raised his head slowly, meeting Kayden’s eyes. After a deep breath, he spoke, his voice steady but filled with tension. “My nephew deserves whatever punishment you see fit. His actions are inexcusable. But the people behind him, the ones from the underworld-they don’t deserve to die. Yes, they’ve strayed, but their crimes don’t warrant execution. I beg you, Defender, show them mercy. Give me a chance to restore order in Inassea. I promise you, things won’t remain as chaotic now.”
Nathan’s heart sank, a cold chill racing down his spine. Uncle Fletcher wasn’t begging for him!
As disbelief washed over him, Nathan’s mind whirled. How could his uncle abandon him like this?
“How dare you!” Greedy Wolf’s voice cracked like a whip, his fury palpable. “Firefist, have you forgotten your place? You’re no longer one of the Zodiac Generals! Even when you were, you had no right to plead before the Defender.”
Fletcher immediately lowered his head again, his words tumbling out fast. “I know my place, and I’m willing to serve the Defender again in whatever manner he sees fit. To live for the Defender, to die in his service-that is my only wish.”
Greedy Wolf looked ready to lash out further, but Kayden raised a hand, silencing him on the spot.
Kayden’s expression remained unreadable, yet there was a hint of surprise.
He had assumed Fletcher came to beg for Nathan, but instead, the man was advocating for others.
This unexpected loyalty to order and the rules earned Kayden’s grudging respect.
Kayden nodded slightly, his voice calm but with a warning tone. “I’ll spare them. But…” His eyes then shifted to Nathan, looking very serious.
Nathan had crossed the line one too many times. He had shown no sign of learning from his mistakes despite being given chances. His arrogance had finally caught up with him.
Fletcher’s expression became serious, and his tone grave. “Don’t worry, Defender. My nephew isn’t worth your trouble. I’ll handle him myself.”
Nathan was shocked by the words. He felt dizzy, and his mouth went dry as he realized that the man he had admired and hoped would save him was now the one threatening his life.
“Uncle Fletcher! Uncle Fletcher!” Nathan’s voice cracked with desperation, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at his uncle, unable to comprehend what was happening.
The man who had always been his beacon of hope, his protector, was now the one who would take his life.