Chapter 706:I Will Retreat However
The old man continued,"Receiving this token means the holder has been personally acknowledged by Her Majesty."
"It represents her authority.It also means the holder is acting under her protection."
As he finished explaining, he slowly turned toward the gathered nobles.
His expression became solemn.
"Nobles of Eldoria."
His loud voice echoed throughout the battlefield.
"Marquise Ethan is now under the protection of Eldoria."
"Raising your weapons against him is no different from raising your weapons against us."
"So cease this futile battle immediately."
The moment those words fell...
The entire battlefield exploded into chaos.
"What?!"
"The Supreme Token?!"
"Her Majesty Queen Ophelia personally granted it?"
"How is that even possible?"
Several nobles stared at Ethan with disbelief while others looked back at the token again and again, unable to accept what they had just heard.
Even the two Transcendent Knights frowned deeply.The Saint Realm experts slowly lowered their weapons while uncertainty spread across their faces.
The three remaining dark-robed figures also looked at one another with shaken expressions.
The entire battlefield, which had been filled with killing intent only moments ago, was now consumed by confusion.
The old man slowly stepped forward while still holding the Supreme Token firmly with both hands. Even now, his fingers were trembling slightly. He took a deep breath to calm himself before looking around at everyone gathered on the battlefield. His gaze swept across the nobles, the commanders, the Saint Realm experts, and finally stopped on Ethan.
"My name is Duke Alaric Ravenshade," he announced in a loud and steady voice. "I serve the Empress of Eldoria, and I am one of Her Majesty Queen Ophelia’s trusted representatives."
His voice carried across the battlefield with unquestionable authority.
He slowly turned toward the surrounding nobles and raised one hand.
"Everyone, calm yourselves. There is no need for this battle to continue. Since Marquise Ethan possesses the Supreme Token, this matter is no longer something you can decide on your own. Lower your weapons first. We can discuss everything after this."
The battlefield gradually became quieter.
However, before anyone could respond...
Duke Alaric’s expression suddenly froze.
His breathing paused.
His eyes slowly turned toward Ethan.
The crimson flames surrounding Ethan had not weakened in the slightest. Instead, they continued burning around his body while waves of terrifying pressure quietly spread across the battlefield. The killing intent pouring from him was so dense that even nearby Saint Realm experts instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons. The air itself felt heavy, and the temperature around Ethan continued rising.
Duke Alaric’s heart suddenly sank.
He slowly raised his hand toward Ethan.
"Marquise Ethan..."
His voice became much gentler.
"Please calm down."
"We can settle this peacefully."
Ethan quietly looked at him.
His face remained expressionless while the crimson flames reflected in his cold eyes.
Then he slowly spoke.
"Calm down?"
His voice was neither loud nor angry, yet every single person clearly heard him.
He slowly looked around at the surrounding nobles. His gaze passed over every commander before finally stopping on Duke Valen and the others who had ordered his death only moments earlier.
"Would you believe it after what happened?"
He paused for a brief moment.
"Do you really want me to swallow my grievance just like that?"
Silence immediately filled the battlefield.
His question echoed in everyone’s ears.
No one answered.
Several nobles slowly lowered their heads while others quietly clenched their fists. Even those who had been shouting only moments ago remained silent. They all understood why Ethan was asking that question. He had come seeking help, yet he had been betrayed, surrounded, and almost killed. Now they were asking him to simply let everything go.
Even Duke Alaric found himself unable to answer immediately.
Ethan remained standing there without another word.His fingers slowly tightened around the hilt of his greatsword while countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
Should he continue fighting?
Or should he retreat?
His heart refused to accept leaving things like this.The anger burning inside him had not disappeared.
Every wound on his body reminded him of what had just happened.
But at the same time...
If he truly continued killing everyone here, there might no longer be any place left for him in this world. Every kingdom would likely brand him as an enemy. Even if he escaped today, endless trouble would follow him afterward.
Then...
A different thought quietly surfaced in his mind.
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
He could not openly kill these people in front of everyone.
But...
What if it happened in secret?
A faint smile slowly appeared at the corner of his lips.It was a smile so small that almost nobody noticed it.
His gaze quietly shifted toward Duke Valen.
The Duke suddenly felt an unexplained chill run down his spine the moment their eyes met.
For some reason, his heart skipped a beat.
Ethan calmly looked away as though nothing had happened.
Inside his heart...
Duke Valen’s name had already been written as his primary target.
After several moments of silence, Ethan slowly exhaled.
"Very well."
His grip loosened.
He slowly lowered his greatsword until its tip pointed toward the ground.
"I will retreat."
The moment those words were spoken, many nobles secretly let out sighs of relief. Several commanders finally relaxed their tense shoulders while the surrounding Saint Realm experts cautiously lowered their weapons. The heavy atmosphere that had covered the battlefield seemed to ease slightly.
Ethan slowly raised his head again.His expression suddenly became sharp.The pressure surrounding him instantly returned.
A suffocating feeling spread across the battlefield once more, making everyone’s hearts tighten.
"I said I would retreat..."
His voice remained calm.
"...however..."
He slowly turned his head toward the remaining dark-robed assassin who had already begun fleeing from the battlefield.
The assassin’s face instantly turned pale.
Without even daring to look back, he desperately increased his speed and tried to escape.
Ethan calmly raised one hand.
The surrounding air suddenly trembled.
Countless blades of brilliant light quietly appeared around him one after another. They floated in the air while radiating sharp killing intent. Each blade shone with dazzling brilliance as waves of energy spread across the battlefield.