Chapter 11: The Aura That Broke a Kingdom
The massive gates of the city slowly creaked open after the girl commander confirmed Vlox’s race.
"He’s human," she said.
The guards exchanged uncertain glances before stepping aside.
The girl commander turned toward Vlox.
"Follow me. His Majesty wishes to meet you."
Vlox gave a casual nod and followed behind her.
As they entered the city, countless eyes immediately turned toward him.
The streets were alive with activity. Merchants called out to potential customers, adventurers laughed around taverns, and craftsmen proudly displayed their latest creations Yet wherever Vlox walked, conversations gradually faded.
People stared.
Then came the whispers.
"Look at his clothes..."
"He looks like a king."
"But where are his guards?"
"Did he really come here alone?"
"Impossible."
"Look at those jewels."
"If he’s not royalty, then who is he?"
None of them could have guessed the truth.
The clothes Vlox wore were far from ordinary Every thread woven into the fabric possessed defensive properties powerful enough to nullify attacks beyond mortal understanding.
Even the ring resting on his finger contained enough power to erase countless multiverses.
To Vlox, however, they were nothing more than everyday accessories.
As they continued walking, Vlox suddenly looked at the girl commander.
"Earlier, you landed in front of me."
She raised an eyebrow.
"So?"
"I thought you could fly."
"I can."
Vlox looked genuinely puzzled.
"Then why are we walking?"
The girl commander’s expression stiffened.
"Because of your aura."
"My aura?"
"Yes."
She hesitated before continuing.
"Ever since I approached you, nearly ninety percent of my power has been suppressed."
Even now, she could hardly believe it herself.
Just standing near him weakens me this much...
What kind of monster is he?
Vlox tilted his head.
"In that case, I can help."
The girl commander blinked.
"Help? How?"
Instead of answering, Vlox extended his hand.
Golden light gathered above his palm.
The surrounding mana immediately began to swirl as though drawn by an invisible force Moments later, a crystal-blue pill formed in his hand.
The instant it appeared, the nearby mana surged violently.
Vlox handed it to her.
"Eat this."
She stared at the pill for a moment before swallowing it.
Warmth immediately spread throughout her body.
The suppression vanished.
The power she had lost returned in an instant.
Her Dominion energy surged back to its peak.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"What...?"
Even legendary alchemists couldn’t create something this miraculous.
Yet Vlox had created it so casually that it seemed no more difficult than picking up a stone from the ground.
After regaining her strength, she looked at him again.
"You can fly, right?"
"Yes."
"Then follow me."
The next moment, both of them rose into the sky.
Gasps erupted throughout the city below.
A small boy pointed upward excitedly.
"Mom! Mom! Look!"
"One day I’ll fly like them!"
His mother smiled and gently patted his head.
"I’m sure you will."
The two figures soon disappeared into the clouds.
Far above the city stood the Royal Castle of Aetherion.
The heart of the kingdom.
The symbol of its authority.
The throne room doors slowly opened.
The girl commander stepped inside with Vlox following behind her.
Rows of nobles, ministers, advisors, and military commanders lined both sides of the grand hall Every eye immediately fell upon the unfamiliar young man standing beside the kingdom’s strongest commander.
At the far end of the room sat the ruler of Aetherion.
King Aldric Valenhart.
His silver hair rested neatly upon his shoulders while sharp golden eyes calmly observed everything before him.
The girl commander immediately knelt.
"Your Majesty, I have brought the person you wished to meet."
A strange silence followed.
Everyone noticed it.
Vlox remained standing.
He didn’t kneel.
He didn’t bow.
He simply looked at the king as though he were speaking to an ordinary person.
One of the royal advisors immediately stepped forward.
"How dare you!"
His voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Bow your head before His Majesty!"
Vlox blinked.
"Why?"
The advisor nearly choked.
"Because it is a sign of respect."
Vlox considered the answer for a moment before nodding.
"I see."
The advisor relaxed slightly.
Then Vlox continued.
"If that’s true, shouldn’t he bow to me as well?"
The throne room instantly fell silent.
Several ministers stared at him in disbelief.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Vlox pointed toward the girl commander.
"He was the one who sent someone to bring me here."
The hall erupted.
"You insolent fool!"
"Know your place!"
"That is the king!"
Yet Vlox remained completely calm.
Inside his mind, he genuinely couldn’t understand their logic.
If two people meet, shouldn’t they greet each other equally?
Why must one bow while the other simply accepts it?
From his throne, King Aldric narrowed his eyes.
A powerful aura exploded from his body.
The atmosphere inside the throne room instantly became heavy.
Commanders clenched their teeth.
Ministers struggled to breathe.
Several advisors nearly collapsed.
Yet Vlox stood there as though nothing had happened.
For the first time, genuine shock appeared in the king’s eyes.
Impossible.
Even elite commanders struggle against my aura.
How is he completely unaffected?
Vlox glanced around the room.
Seeing everyone suffer, he released a tiny fragment of his own aura.
Only 0.1 percent.
The result was immediate.
BOOM!
The entire kingdom trembled.
The castle shook violently.
Far beyond the city walls, distant mountains cracked apart.
Every person inside the throne room was forced to their knees.
Even King Aldric.
Fear instantly appeared in the monarch’s eyes.
"STOP!"
His voice trembled.
"I beg you! Please stop!"
Vlox immediately withdrew his aura.
The pressure vanished.
Everyone gasped desperately for air.
The king stared at him with undisguised fear.
"Who are you?"
"What kind of monster are you?"
Vlox answered calmly.
"My name is Vlox."
"And I am not a monster."
"I’m human."
The words echoed throughout the throne room.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
The nobles, ministers, and commanders simply stared at Vlox as though he had just said the most ridiculous thing imaginable.
A human?
The thought alone sounded absurd.
King Aldric swallowed slowly before forcing himself to remain calm.
"If you’re truly human..." he said carefully, "then how have you obtained such power?"
Vlox thought for a moment.
"Power?"
"Yes."
The king gestured toward the cracked pillars and trembling hall.
"The kind of power that nearly brought an entire kingdom to its knees."
Vlox glanced around the room.
"Oh."
Only then did he realize they were talking about his aura.
"I don’t know."
The answer left everyone speechless.
"You don’t know?" one minister blurted out.
Vlox nodded.
"I simply continued moving forward."
The ministers exchanged confused looks.
That wasn’t an answer.
At least, not one they could understand.
Suddenly, something seemed to occur to King Aldric.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Wait..."
He leaned forward on his throne.
"Have you reached the Seventh Level of Dominion?"
The entire hall froze.
Several commanders immediately looked toward Vlox.
Even the ministers became silent.
The Seventh Level.
A realm that existed only in myths and speculation.
A level that countless geniuses had sought throughout history but never reached.
Vlox didn’t answer.
The king immediately turned toward a nearby guard.
"Bring the records."
"At once, Your Majesty."
The guard hurried from the throne room.
Several minutes later he returned carrying an ancient book bound in dark leather.
The pages were yellow with age.
King Aldric carefully opened it.
"This record contains everything known about Dominion."
The hall immediately became quiet.
Even the ministers listened attentively.
"The First Level is Veilbreak Dominion."
"The point where one begins breaking through the limits of ordinary existence."
"The Second Level is Sky Dominion."
"At this stage, one’s influence begins extending beyond the earth itself."
"The Third Level is Star Dominion."
"A level reached by only a handful of individuals throughout history."
"The Fourth Level is Void Dominion."
"The Fifth Level is Celestial Dominion."
"The Sixth Level..."
The king paused.
"...Abyssal Dominion."
Even speaking the name caused several nobles to shiver.
According to history, Abyssal Dominion represented the absolute peak.
The strongest beings ever recorded had reached only that level.
The king slowly closed the book.
"Beyond that..."
"There is nothing."
"At least nothing we know of."
His gaze returned to Vlox.
"If you’ve truly reached the Seventh Level..."
"Can you tell us how?"
The room instantly became silent again.
Everyone stared at Vlox.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Praying for an answer.
Vlox shook his head.
"I cannot."
Disappointment immediately spread throughout the hall.
Several ministers sighed.
Some commanders lowered their heads.
But before anyone could speak, Vlox continued.
"However..."
The king’s eyes lit up.
"I can give you a hint."
The entire room straightened.
"Please."
Vlox looked at the king for several moments before speaking.
"If one day you wish to reach the final peak..."
His voice remained calm.
"...stop trying to surpass the world."
The hall became silent.
Several people frowned.
They didn’t understand.
Vlox continued.
"Instead..."
"Find what remains when the world can no longer define you."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The words sounded simple.
Yet the deeper they thought about them, the more confusing they became.
The king frowned.
"That’s all?"
Vlox nodded.
"That’s all."
Nobody truly understood what he meant.
But they could feel that those words contained something profound.
Something far beyond their current understanding.
After a long silence, King Aldric finally leaned back against his throne.
"I see."
Although he was disappointed, he knew it would be foolish to demand more.
Someone capable of forcing an entire kingdom to its knees wasn’t a person he could command.
"What do you want in return?" the king asked.
Vlox thought for a moment.
Then he answered.
"I want complete freedom within this kingdom."
The king listened carefully.
"I will go wherever I want."
"The cities."
"The villages."
"The castle."
"The Black Mountain."
"Anywhere."
Several ministers immediately looked nervous.
Black Mountain was one of the most dangerous regions in the kingdom.
Yet before anyone could object, the king raised his hand.
"Permission granted."
The ministers fell silent.
Vlox nodded.
"Thank you."
Without another word, he turned around and began walking toward the exit.
The nobles watched him leave.
The commanders watched him leave.
Even the king continued staring at his back long after he disappeared beyond the doors.
The moment the doors closed, the throne room erupted.
"Your Majesty!"
"Was that really wise?"
"What if he’s dangerous?"
The king remained silent for several moments.
Then he slowly shook his head.
"Dangerous?"
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"If he wished to destroy us..."
He looked toward the cracked walls.
"...there would be nothing we could do to stop him."
The hall fell silent once again.
No one could argue with that.
Several hours later.
Black Mountain Forest.
The moment Vlox arrived, he noticed the difference.
The atmosphere itself felt strange.
Ancient trees towered toward the sky like giants that had existed since the beginning of time.
Their twisted branches blocked most of the sunlight.
A thick layer of dark mist covered the ground.
The deeper one looked into the forest, the less visible everything became.
It was quiet.
Far too quiet.
No birds sang.
No insects chirped.
Even the wind seemed reluctant to pass through the forest.
Vlox continued walking.
His footsteps echoed softly against the damp earth.
According to the information he had gathered, Black Mountain Forest was considered a forbidden region.
Countless adventurers had entered.
Very few had returned.
As Vlox walked deeper into the forest, he began sensing powerful lifeforms hidden within the darkness.
Gigantic beasts watched him from afar.
Predators that could easily destroy cities.
Yet none of them dared approach.
Instinct warned them.
This was not prey.
This was something far more terrifying.
Hours passed.
The forest gradually became darker.
Then-
Vlox stopped walking.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt something interesting.
A powerful presence.
Ancient.
Proud.
Overwhelming.
The sky suddenly darkened.
A massive shadow swept across the forest.
The ancient trees trembled.
The clouds above split apart.
A deafening roar echoed throughout Black Mountain.
ROOOOOOOAR!
The sound shook the earth itself.
Mountains trembled.
Countless beasts fled in terror.
Then it appeared.
A gigantic dragon descended from the heavens.
Its wings stretched across hundreds of meters.
Each beat of those enormous wings created powerful storms that tore through the forest below.
Golden scales covered its body like divine armor.
Ancient runes glowed across its massive form.
Its golden eyes shone like twin suns.
The moment it landed, the ground cracked beneath its weight.
BOOM!
Dust exploded into the air.
Trees were uprooted.
The surrounding forest shook violently.
The dragon slowly lowered its head.
Its enormous golden eyes locked onto Vlox.
For several moments, neither of them moved.
One was an ancient ruler of the skies.
A creature worshipped as a living disaster.
The other was a mysterious human whose true limits remained unknown.
The forest became completely silent.
Then, to Vlox’s surprise, the dragon spoke.
Its voice was deep and ancient.
A voice that carried the weight of countless centuries.
"Human..."
The dragon’s golden eyes narrowed.
"You are not from this world."
For the first time since arriving here...
A genuine smile appeared on Vlox’s face.
Finally.
He had found someone interesting.