Free Web NovelChapter 41: the throne
"Let all bear witness! Entering now is the First of His Name, Greatest Among His Kind, the Supreme Conqueror, Vanquisher of Tyrants and Protector of the Weak, the New Progenitor of the Elves, His Majesty King Rios Astar!"
At that very moment, an overwhelming killing intent and crushing pressure swept across the hall, forcing everyone except Elena to their knees.
Rios stepped into the chamber and strode calmly and proudly toward the throne. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
He wore a formal suit far more elegant than those of the assembled nobles. Its royal purple fabric, embroidered with intricate golden threads and symbols, gave him an air of majesty and authority.
His head remained held high as he walked, never sparing a glance for anyone. His eyes remained fixed solely upon the throne waiting at the end of the hall. freēwēbnovel.com
Much had changed since the day he first arrived in this world.
His emotions had become colder and less easily stirred, while his way of thinking had grown calmer, sharper, and more calculating.
Perhaps it was because he was no longer human in this life.
Or perhaps...
He had never truly been human to begin with.
Rios did not believe in reincarnation or the transmigration of souls. However, he did believe that, under extremely rare circumstances, memories could be inherited and another person’s life experienced as one’s own.
Perhaps he himself was such an anomaly.
Or perhaps it was the System’s doing.
He did not care about the reason.
What truly mattered was that the throne he had always desired now lay within his grasp.
"W-Who is this?! That aura...! What kind of monster possesses such terrifying pressure? Even the Falcon Wings relic left behind by our Progenitor doesn’t emit an aura like this!"
Lord Mark knelt helplessly with his head lowered to the ground, unable even to see who had entered the hall.
Passing the galleries, Rios arrived before Elena.
She knelt of her own free will, untouched by the pressure of his aura.
Rios acknowledged her with a slight nod before ascending the steps. He stood before his throne for a few silent moments, smiled faintly, then seated himself.
The terrifying aura vanished as though it had never existed.
Everyone gasped desperately for air, breathing greedily as if they had only just escaped suffocation.
One after another, they slowly raised their heads and looked toward the King’s throne with fear and reverence.
This was precisely what Rios wanted.
He wanted his strength engraved into their minds.
He wanted fear carved into their very bones.
He wanted them to fear him before they respected him.
He wanted his word to become absolute.
Unquestioned.
Unchallenged.
Lord Mark and the other Falcon envoys stared at Rios with terror that seeped into their bones and blood.
Every instinct screamed at them to flee.
To kneel.
To submit.
Yet they forced themselves to remain standing, their bodies tense and their spirits trembling.
"Be seated."
Rios casually waved his hand, issuing an order that no one dared refuse.
Deep inside, he laughed.
Hahahaha... Yes... This is exactly what I’ve always desired.
To command.
To forbid.
To decide the lives and deaths of others with a mere gesture.
This... is what it means to be a king.
This... is what true authority feels like.
Everyone in the hall sat down stiffly, their eyes fixed nervously upon King Rios as they awaited his next command.
His appearance was nothing like what anyone had expected.
When rumors spread that the Sacred Abyss Tree had assumed a humanoid form and become an elf, everyone assumed it had merely changed its appearance while remaining a sacred tree at its core.
A body of branches.
Hair of leaves.
Skin of bark.
But that assumption could not have been more wrong.
This was not merely a change in appearance.
It was a complete transformation of his very existence.
He was no longer simply a Sacred Tree.
He had become a true elf.
A breathtakingly handsome elf whose sharp features and perfectly sculpted physique surpassed every male elf present.
It was not feminine beauty.
It was the near-perfect beauty of a man.
"From this day onward, I am the King of the City of Light."
"I am its supreme ruler, its guardian, and its protector."
"Does anyone object?"
Rios’s voice thundered throughout the hall like an unquestionable decree.
The nobles exchanged uncertain glances.
The situation was unprecedented.
On one hand, Sacred Trees had always been regarded as the true kings of the Elven Race.
Rios was simply claiming the authority that was rightfully his.
On the other hand...
None of the previous Sacred Trees had ever ruled directly as he intended to do now.
Throughout the City of Light’s hundred-thousand-year history, there had been five Sacred Trees before Rios.
The first was the Cradle Tree.
The second was the Tree of Life.
The third was the Abyss Tree, which died before reaching maturity.
The fourth was another Tree of Life that perished a century ago.
The fifth was the Tree of Life devoured by Rios only a few days earlier.
Throughout all those ages, not a single Sacred Tree had ever directly governed the city.
Their role as kings had always been limited to protection and bestowing blessings during official ceremonies such as coronations, festivals, funerals, and other sacred occasions.
But now...
Rios was asking them to surrender all authority into his hands.
"We have no objections, Your Majesty!"
Both Thandria and Etham immediately knelt, submitting without the slightest hesitation.
"We have no objections, Your Majesty."
Elena followed, kneeling on one knee to declare her allegiance.
The nobles exchanged one final glance before slowly lowering themselves to one knee, one after another, without resistance.
"We have no objections, Your Majesty!"
"We have no objections, Your Majesty!"
"We have no objections, Your Majesty!"
...
...
...
Object?
What a ridiculous notion.
What fool would dare object after the three strongest elves—Elena, Thandria, and Etham—had already submitted?
And beyond that...
Who would dare oppose Rios himself?
Even if he were not a Sacred Tree, his overwhelming strength alone was enough to make others willingly follow him.
Power was the fundamental force governing all living beings.
It determined whether they submitted...
Or rebelled.
That was how Rios viewed the world.
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Ding!
[Mission Completed]
Save the City of Light and bring it under complete control!
Reward:
Five Abyss Bloodline Elixirs (Heavenly)
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