Chapter 34:
The Ripper
The Conqueror
Chapter 34 – The Ripper
The battlefield burned.
Smoke and ash curled into the night, the screams of villagers blending with the clash of steel. Eldran's trident whirled in wide arcs, parrying Ming's relentless sickles.
Sparks lit the sky with each strike, but even as their weapons screamed against each other, Eldran's eyes narrowed.Something was wrong.
Each clash carried a weight that didn't belong to Ming. His strikes came too heavy, too unstable—driven by a force beyond his own.
"You're not fighting alone," Eldran growled, bracing against a crushing blow that sent cracks spiderwebbing across the cobblestones.
Ming's lips twisted in a smirk, veins pulsing at his temples as dark mist clung to his body.
"Power is power, Eldran. If it breaks you, then it's mine."
The sickles spun again, crashing down, but Eldran wasn't fooled. This wasn't Ming's strength. It was borrowed—forced.
---
Hiroshi staggered back, blade trembling in his grip. His chest heaved, sweat dripping as he tried to draw mana into his sword. Nothing came.
"What…? My mana—" His voice cracked, panic in his eyes.
Lucas and Thomas, locked in their own duels, faltered at the same moment. The air itself pressed down on them, suffocating, crushing. Spells fizzled. Muscles burned with unnatural fatigue.
Lucas scanned the burning rooftops, his blade locked against Admiral Chang's. His face darkened. "This isn't natural… Something is suppressing us."
Thomas shoved Zoe back with a roar, but even his enormous strength felt dulled. His strikes no longer shattered the ground as before.All across the battlefield, guild fighters struggled, their power compressed, while the enemy pressed harder.
From above, Shinra, still in ghostly form, clutched his chest.
His heartbeat raced. He could feel it too—an overwhelming presence, vast and suffocating, watching from beyond the clouds.
---
A gust of unnatural wind howled through the square, scattering ash and flame.
Then—
CRACK!
A streak of lightning split the clouds. Dark thunder rolled overhead, shaking the ground.
The smoke parted as the night sky blackened, clouds coiling into a vortex.
Shinra froze, eyes wide. "Something's… coming."
From within the storm, a shadow descended—slow, deliberate, terrifying.
A man emerged, framed by lightning, his steps unhurried as though the chaos below were nothing more than theater. His cloak of white fur trailed behind him, untouched by ash. His suit gleamed pristine despite the storm.
But it was his eyes that froze the battlefield.
Cold. Crimson. Not human.
They gleamed like they didn't belong to him—pupils black as ink, encircled by two burning red rings that pulsed with unnatural life.
The villagers dropped to their knees, choking under his presence. Even seasoned fighters staggered, the air around them heavy as stone."Wh-what is that?" someone whispered, trembling.
---
He landed in the center of the ruined square, boots cracking stone as he touched down. Lightning still rippled above, illuminating his pale face and smirking lips.
Eldran's grip on his trident tightened. His rage burned hot in his chest, yet unease gnawed deeper.
"Ming," the man's voice cut through the battlefield, smooth yet suffocating, echoing like a command that could not be disobeyed. "Enough."
Ming's sickles stilled mid-spin. Sweat dripped from his brow, his grin faltering. Slowly, almost reverently, he bowed. "Your Majesty."
Gasps rippled across the battlefield.
"The new king…" someone whispered.
The man raised his head, smirk widening. "King Jhones of Senestia. Or," his crimson eyes flared, "as they call me—Jhones the Ripper."
---
Every gaze turned to him—guild, governor soldiers, admirals, villagers. Even the flames seemed to dim under his presence.
Hiroshi staggered, clutching his sword as his knees trembled. The weight of Jhones' aura pressed down like iron chains.
Lucas clenched his jaw, unable to lift his blade. "He's… suffocating us without even moving…"
Thomas grunted, sweat rolling down his face. His massive frame shook, not from fear—but from pressure too great to resist.
Even the admirals lowered their weapons, waiting. Watching.
Only Eldran stood unbowed, though his knuckles whitened on his trident. His voice rumbled low. "You…"
Jhones' crimson gaze slid toward him, and the smirk sharpened.
"Eldran. Always so defiant. Tell me—how long will that rage hold before it breaks you?"
Eldran's teeth grit. He wasn't afraid of kings. But this… this wasn't just a king.
There was something else behind those eyes. Something wearing Jhones like a mask.
---
The silence held for a moment, broken only by crackling fire and distant screams.
Then Jhones lifted a single hand.
"Ming."
The man straightened instantly. "Yes, Majesty."
Jhones' gaze flickered, red rings pulsing. "Withdraw."
Ming nodded once, no hesitation. "Retreat! All forces, withdraw!"
The order rippled like thunder. Admirals pulled back. Soldiers disengaged.
The once relentless army turned as one and began falling back through the ruined streets.
The guild stood frozen in disbelief.
"What…? They're leaving?" Lucas muttered, panting.
Hiroshi blinked through sweat and smoke. "But why… now?"
Only Eldran's gaze remained locked on Jhones, fury in his eyes. "You're playing with us…"
Jhones chuckled, low and cruel. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I've already taken what I came for."
Their eyes met—trident against crimson rings. And for a moment, the whole battlefield held its breath.
Then Jhones' smirk widened. "We'll meet again."
Lightning crashed, engulfing him in white light. When it faded, the king was gone.
---
Silence fell.
The battlefield lay in ruins. Homes reduced to ash.
The market burned to blackened rubble. Corpses and broken weapons littered the streets.
The villagers who survived huddled in trembling groups, staring at the guild in confusion. The enemy had withdrawn, but no one could understand why.
Eldran lowered his trident, chest heaving, eyes shadowed with rage. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"He's not just a king. Something else… is controlling him."
Shinra shivered where he stood above the wreckage, his ghostly eyes wide. The weight of Jhones' gaze still lingered, even in memory.
The flames crackled. The village wept. And the guild, for the first time, felt they had glimpsed a threat far beyond their reach.
To be continued…
The battlefield burned.
Smoke and ash curled into the night, the screams of villagers blending with the clash of steel. Eldran's trident whirled in wide arcs, parrying Ming's relentless sickles.
Sparks lit the sky with each strike, but even as their weapons screamed against each other, Eldran's eyes narrowed.Something was wrong.
Each clash carried a weight that didn't belong to Ming. His strikes came too heavy, too unstable—driven by a force beyond his own.
"You're not fighting alone," Eldran growled, bracing against a crushing blow that sent cracks spiderwebbing across the cobblestones.
Ming's lips twisted in a smirk, veins pulsing at his temples as dark mist clung to his body.
"Power is power, Eldran. If it breaks you, then it's mine."
The sickles spun again, crashing down, but Eldran wasn't fooled. This wasn't Ming's strength. It was borrowed—forced.
---
Hiroshi staggered back, blade trembling in his grip. His chest heaved, sweat dripping as he tried to draw mana into his sword. Nothing came.
"What…? My mana—" His voice cracked, panic in his eyes.
Lucas and Thomas, locked in their own duels, faltered at the same moment. The air itself pressed down on them, suffocating, crushing. Spells fizzled. Muscles burned with unnatural fatigue.
Lucas scanned the burning rooftops, his blade locked against Admiral Chang's. His face darkened. "This isn't natural… Something is suppressing us."
Thomas shoved Zoe back with a roar, but even his enormous strength felt dulled. His strikes no longer shattered the ground as before.All across the battlefield, guild fighters struggled, their power compressed, while the enemy pressed harder.
From above, Shinra, still in ghostly form, clutched his chest.
His heartbeat raced. He could feel it too—an overwhelming presence, vast and suffocating, watching from beyond the clouds.
---
A gust of unnatural wind howled through the square, scattering ash and flame.
Then—
CRACK!
A streak of lightning split the clouds. Dark thunder rolled overhead, shaking the ground.
The smoke parted as the night sky blackened, clouds coiling into a vortex.
Shinra froze, eyes wide. "Something's… coming."
From within the storm, a shadow descended—slow, deliberate, terrifying.
A man emerged, framed by lightning, his steps unhurried as though the chaos below were nothing more than theater. His cloak of white fur trailed behind him, untouched by ash. His suit gleamed pristine despite the storm.
But it was his eyes that froze the battlefield.
Cold. Crimson. Not human.
They gleamed like they didn't belong to him—pupils black as ink, encircled by two burning red rings that pulsed with unnatural life.
The villagers dropped to their knees, choking under his presence. Even seasoned fighters staggered, the air around them heavy as stone."Wh-what is that?" someone whispered, trembling.
---
He landed in the center of the ruined square, boots cracking stone as he touched down. Lightning still rippled above, illuminating his pale face and smirking lips.
Eldran's grip on his trident tightened. His rage burned hot in his chest, yet unease gnawed deeper.
"Ming," the man's voice cut through the battlefield, smooth yet suffocating, echoing like a command that could not be disobeyed. "Enough."
Ming's sickles stilled mid-spin. Sweat dripped from his brow, his grin faltering. Slowly, almost reverently, he bowed. "Your Majesty."
Gasps rippled across the battlefield.
"The new king…" someone whispered.
The man raised his head, smirk widening. "King Jhones of Senestia. Or," his crimson eyes flared, "as they call me—Jhones the Ripper."
---
Every gaze turned to him—guild, governor soldiers, admirals, villagers. Even the flames seemed to dim under his presence.
Hiroshi staggered, clutching his sword as his knees trembled. The weight of Jhones' aura pressed down like iron chains.
Lucas clenched his jaw, unable to lift his blade. "He's… suffocating us without even moving…"
Thomas grunted, sweat rolling down his face. His massive frame shook, not from fear—but from pressure too great to resist.
Even the admirals lowered their weapons, waiting. Watching.
Only Eldran stood unbowed, though his knuckles whitened on his trident. His voice rumbled low. "You…"
Jhones' crimson gaze slid toward him, and the smirk sharpened.
"Eldran. Always so defiant. Tell me—how long will that rage hold before it breaks you?"
Eldran's teeth grit. He wasn't afraid of kings. But this… this wasn't just a king.
There was something else behind those eyes. Something wearing Jhones like a mask.
---
The silence held for a moment, broken only by crackling fire and distant screams.
Then Jhones lifted a single hand.
"Ming."
The man straightened instantly. "Yes, Majesty."
Jhones' gaze flickered, red rings pulsing. "Withdraw."
Ming nodded once, no hesitation. "Retreat! All forces, withdraw!"
The order rippled like thunder. Admirals pulled back. Soldiers disengaged.
The once relentless army turned as one and began falling back through the ruined streets.
The guild stood frozen in disbelief.
"What…? They're leaving?" Lucas muttered, panting.
Hiroshi blinked through sweat and smoke. "But why… now?"
Only Eldran's gaze remained locked on Jhones, fury in his eyes. "You're playing with us…"
Jhones chuckled, low and cruel. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I've already taken what I came for."
Their eyes met—trident against crimson rings. And for a moment, the whole battlefield held its breath.
Then Jhones' smirk widened. "We'll meet again."
Lightning crashed, engulfing him in white light. When it faded, the king was gone.
---
Silence fell.
The battlefield lay in ruins. Homes reduced to ash.
The market burned to blackened rubble. Corpses and broken weapons littered the streets.
The villagers who survived huddled in trembling groups, staring at the guild in confusion. The enemy had withdrawn, but no one could understand why.
Eldran lowered his trident, chest heaving, eyes shadowed with rage. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"He's not just a king. Something else… is controlling him."
Shinra shivered where he stood above the wreckage, his ghostly eyes wide. The weight of Jhones' gaze still lingered, even in memory.
The flames crackled. The village wept. And the guild, for the first time, felt they had glimpsed a threat far beyond their reach.
To be continued…
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