Chapter 115. The Massacre of Burning Sands.
The Eldorath Empire was currently in uproar. The video many had just watched was almost labeled as some scene from an upcoming movie.
However, many realized that the Warriors Association HQ of Hessington State posted this video. It was legit.
Everything they had just watched was true.
It had happened. It was a reality.
Aiden Vhorn was now a legendary rank 2 warrior.
And what he had done in Burning Sands City had cemented that fact, even for those who were unwilling to believe it.
And he was not just a normal legendary rank 2 warrior. He was a powerful one.
What the hell happened to him in that pocket world?
Most importantly, how was his cultivation speed this fast?
Some assumed he had some sort of fortuitous encounter in the pocket world, like encountering a source of extremely dense worldly energy he used to hasten his cultivation to legendary rank 2 in such a short time frame.
Others assumed the time period he spent in the pocket world must have been extremely long, relative to the time in the real world. Perhaps years may have passed in the pocket world. Because of this, he had enough time to become a legendary rank 2 warrior in the pocket world.
Others argued that Aiden had a fast cultivation speed and that, even before he entered the pocket world, he was smashing through ranks at an unprecedented speed so, inasmuch becoming such a terrifying legendary rank 2 warrior in such a small time period was shocking, it had nothing to do with some fortuitous encounters or time dilation effect of the pocket world.
He was simply a monster with terrifying potential.
On November 5th, 2331, Aiden Vhorn, the Crimson Reaper, performed a large scale massacre, slaughtering everyone in Burning Sands City, a criminal infested city, and closed a rank 2 gate in the city alone.
The feat was referred to by citizens as The Massacre of Burning Sands. Whether the royal family decided to document it in their records or not, no one cared. But one thing was certain, it would be talked for a long time.
The attention of several influential parties from all across the empire were drawn to Aiden Vhorn.
He was a young man with terrifying potential and growth.
Before now, some had dismissed him as some rising genius bound to make some waves like any other genius. But, no one was stupid enough to think the same anymore.
He was an anomaly.
Many were expecting the Warriors Association HQ of Hessington State to back him, or act to protect him because of his potential.
However, nothing of the sort happened.
Many were puzzled.
Suddenly, a piece of news started spreading across the empire through large intelligence organisations.
Aiden Vhorn had rejected a big offer to join the Warriors Association a year ago after his two years military service.
Because of that, he was on his own.
He had made it clear with his action that he wanted to walk his own path.
The young man had also rejected the offers of several organizations in Derulo City a year ago to join them after his two years military service.
Even with the influential captains of industry in Hessington State he was connected to, he did not have any allegiance to them. They willingly decided to openly express their connection to him without trying to tie him to a desk or control him.
This meant that he was still unaffiliated officially to anyone.
Good. The powers across the empire decided to try their luck to recruit him. The offers were ridiculous.
But they came with conditions that made it clear he would belong to them.
They were insecure. Someone with potential like that had to be bound to them before some other organisation stole him.
They thought with their high and ridiculous offers, as long as he was a young man, they could buy his loyalty.
Offers upon offers flooded Aiden Vhorn’s mail from all across the empire.
Guilds from Hessington State.
Conglomerates from Deepsea State.
Fashion brands from DC State.
Influential families from Kutcher State...
...Valemont,
...Drakenfell... Ashenmoor State...
Name them. Offers were coming from across the 50 states of the empire...
But, Aiden Vhorn... rejected them all without hesitation. He took his time to reply to them all politely, classic to his nature. But he rejected them all.
This made it clear.
Aiden Vhorn did not want to be controlled.
He was someone who valued his autonomy above everything.
And someone like that was dangerous. Someone who didn’t want to owe anyone anything. Someone who did not want to be on a leash.
Some powers decided to stay out of his way.
They had seen situations where offending someone with terrifying potential could come back to bite one in the end.
But the majority felt different: If he was allowed to grow, especially with his affiliation with The Moores, The Marcuses, The Vincents, The Bryans, and the Creeds, their organizations would grow and dwarf the others across the empire in the foreseeable future.
That could not be allowed to happen.
He had to be eliminated. No one hated him.
It was simply business.
Bounties were placed.
Assassins were dispatched.
All of this was done in the course of a week. In secret. Swift, covert, and surgical.
Aiden Vhorn was now on the top list of bounty hunters and assassins across the empire.
Even his upcoming two years of military service would not save him.
****
Southern Continent.
Eldorath Empire.
Eldorian State / Capital.
Royal City.
The royal city of the Eldorath Empire was where the royal family dwelt.
The royal family of the empire had ruled the empire for 2000 years.
After the first Emperor, Lucerion Eldorath, defeated Donguang the Tyrant in the past and freed the empire from his opression 2000 years ago, he renamed the empire from Donguang Empire to Eldorath Empire.
After he died, the mantle of rulership had been passed through his generations till now.
The Eldorath royal family ruled the empire with the same ruling system of all the empires across the northern, the southern, the western, and eastern continents (the four continents of the world), agreed on by the International Union, in order to ensure there is balance in rulership.
However, governors of states and mayors of cities were selected through voting systems by the people.
But, the mayors of cities and governors of states did not dare to go against the constitutions of the empire. If they tried, the royal family / the crown had the power to strip them from their positions and deal with them as they willed.
But, the highest decision-making body of the empire was the royal family.
Currently, in the Royal City, which was the largest and most magnificent city in the Eldorath Empire, two figures were in a secret chamber in a large estate in the royal palace!
One person was bowing before another person.
It was the current emperor, Leonis Eldorath.
He was a legendary rank 3 warrior. One of the strongest legendary rank 3 warriors across the world.
Yet... he was bowing before another person.
If anyone saw this, they would be shocked.
The face of the person he was bowing to, was veiled.
The person he was bowing to looked feminine. It was obvious that she was a woman.
"To what do I owe you this visit, Excellency?" The emperor spoke with a trembling tone.
The woman was quiet for a moment.
She was looking at a picture and various videos of someone.
Aiden Vhorn.
Then... suddenly, she closed her eyes.
Countless streams of data flooded her mind.
[Behavioural profile...
Psychological profile...
Growth rate...
Decision-making patterns...
Combat adaptability...
....
Result:
Probability of Aiden Vhorn becoming a threat to the Paranormal Liberation Order:
0.00000003%...
Recalculating...
0.0004%...
0.19%...
4.8%...
27.6%...
37.6%...
60%...
100%.
Warning.
Conclusion. Catastrophic threat]
"Interesting..." she said. "The results of my computation remain the same."
Emperor Leonis widened his eyes.
This mysterious woman was called The Analyser.
She had an affinity called the Computational Affinity.
She couldn’t see visions of the future or predict specific events. Instead, her mind processed raw data—psychological profiles, growth rates, and behavioral patterns—to calculate statistical probabilities. Her conclusions weren’t absolute facts, just high-accuracy computations based on available data.
Because of her computational affinity, she was extremely valuable to the Paranormal Liberation Order.
"Aiden Vhorn possesses the potential to become a catastrophic variable in the future," she said. "You know what to do, right?"
Emperor Leonis nodded. "Yes, your Excellency. I won’t let the Paranormal Liberation Order down."
"Good," the woman replied. "I came to you personally because you are one of the high-ranking members of the Order in the southern continent, and this variable is rising in your empire. So, you are the best person with the resources to handle it. This Aiden Vhorn is not a bad person. However, my computations are hardly wrong. The Order wishes to save civilisation by putting civilisation to rest, to sleep. There’s so much suffering in the world, and we are the only ones, the only martyrs who can put a stop to it," the woman said with strong devotion in her voice. Her conviction in her words was off the charts. "No one should be able to stand in the way of the salvation of Endra which will come through us! You need to take this matter seriously and handle it accordingly. We need to get rid of this Aiden Vhorn before he stands in the way of the world’s eternal salvation."
Emperor Leonis bowed further, conviction laced in his eyes.
"I won’t let the order down, Excellency."
"Good. For the order and for humanity!" the woman said and tapped her chest.
"For the order and for humanity!" Emperor Leonis tapped his chest too, and replied with a fanatical glint
After those words, the woman walked out of the secret chamber, leaving the emperor to his thoughts.
"I had to go through so much pain... I lost my firstborn son and my wife because of the cruelty of this world. I was lost, until the Order gave me understanding and purpose, and showed me the truth. We will bring salvation and eternal peace to humanity, eternal rest...eternal sleep.. No one can stand in the way of that. There’s no way that is happening."
The emperor vowed as a glint of coldness flashed through his eyes.
"The Order has some brothers in influential positions in the military.
I will let them handle him when he joins the military
That is the safest way to go about this without leaving any traces of my presence. Nothing will stand in our way."
After making a decision, the emperor left the secret chamber.