Chapter 28 : Unleashed Power

YOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? THIS IS NOT YOUR BATTLE! I DON'T NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE!"

Keith's voice reverberated in the underground tunnel as he strained to sustain his crumbling light barrier.

Aaron regarded Keith with a puzzled expression.

"Dude, you're clearly losing and your life is at stake," he silently mused.

The emissaries witnessed the unfolding situation and intensified their efforts to shatter the barrier using their artifacts. Aaron observed the barrage of invisible red threads relentlessly bombarding the protective shield.

In a swift motion, he teleported inside the barrier, positioning himself behind Keith.

"Time out... I'll take it from here," he declared, firmly grasping Keith's collar.

With another teleportation, they both reappeared outside near the waiting vehicle. The sudden appearance startled Natalia and Ricky, their faces reflecting disbelief.

"Take care of him," Aaron instructed calmly, gesturing towards Keith.

"Wait for backup. I'll be back soon."

As Aaron materialized within the tunnel, a swarm of red threads surged towards him. With a resolute swing of his hammer, he repelled them, skillfully evading the onslaught. Recognizing that he needed to confront the emissaries directly, he pressed forward, edging closer to them.

In response to his approach, the emissaries intensified their attack, unleashing a barrage of flying daggers aimed at Aaron.

"HAHAHAHA! YOU THINK YOU CAN GET CLOSE TO US!?" they taunted.

Amusement danced in Aaron's eyes as he deftly shattered each threat that came his way. In an instant, he vanished, reappearing just behind one of the emissaries.

With all his might, Aaron delivered a powerful blow to the emissary, causing their body to be propelled explosively into the tunnel wall. The other emissaries, including their leader, witnessed the display of strength and began to panic, realizing their vulnerability against Aaron's teleportation abilities.

Realizing the dire situation, their leader issued a command to retreat, deploying smoke grenades to obscure their escape. As the tunnel filled with red smoke, the emissaries made their desperate getaway.

However, Aaron was resolute in his pursuit, unwilling to let them escape after the havoc they had wreaked before. One by one, he chased them down, immobilizing them by targeting their legs with precise strikes.

One... Done.

Two... Done.

Three... Done.

The final target was the leader, the same one he had battled alongside Brian before. The leader sprinted with impressive speed, abandoning their comrades. But Aaron, utilizing his watch, tracked their movements. To his surprise, he discovered that the emissary had already made it outside the warehouse, just a few hundred meters away.

Hidden within the dense foliage of the bushes and trees, the emissary continued to sprint desperately through the wilderness behind the warehouse. Fear of getting caught again consumed their thoughts, driving them to push their limits.

Suddenly, a voice they despised echoed in their ears, freezing them in their tracks.

"Stop running. You can't escape from me," the voice rang out.

In a swift motion, Aaron leaped from the tree branches, landing squarely in front of the trembling emissary.

Falling to their knees, the emissary's body shook with fear as they stared at Aaron in disbelief.

"Who... Who are you? What... What are you??" The emissary stammered.

With a calm demeanor, Aaron responded.

"I'm just a guy trying to do my job properly. Now, let's have a little chat. Where is Edward, the spy who was captured before? I advise you not to lie and waste my time."

"I don't know…. Please don't kill me.."

Aaron glanced at the unconscious body lying on the ground before delivering a swift blow to the emissary's neck, rendering them unconscious. Having already read their mind and found no valuable information, Aaron felt no desperation for answers. After all, he could simply locate Edward using his tracking artifact.

Gathering the limp body in his arms, he employed his teleportation ability to return to the tunnel. This process was repeated for each of the other emissaries as well. Reluctantly, he began dismantling their fake artifacts one by one, cautious not to break every single one in case it raised suspicions within the association.

With every fake artifact he shattered, he anticipated the rewards that would be bestowed upon him by the system. However, he had to exercise restraint and not dismantle everything, lest he be accused of theft by the association.

After meticulously surveying and scanning the warehouse and tunnel, Aaron discovered the remaining enemies scattered throughout. With precision and efficiency, he swiftly neutralized them, knocking some unconscious while leaving others with severe injuries. He made a conscious effort not to take their lives, showing restraint and compassion even in the midst of battle.

Emerging from the main entrance, Aaron's silhouette cast an imposing figure. However, he was taken aback by the large number of people waiting outside. Nearly 50 individuals from both the association and the Royal Army stood before him, their weapons drawn and a sense of trepidation in the air. Aaron couldn't help but feel slightly agitated by their response, considering he had already apprehended all the enemies.

"He's on our side. Lower your weapons," Natalia commanded, attempting to reassure the others.

However, to Aaron's surprise, the Royal Army members did not lower their weapons as commanded. Keith, in particular, remained skeptical and defiant, expressing his distrust towards Aaron.

"What are you doing, Keith?" Natalia questioned, trying to reason with him.

"I don't trust him. How could someone like him exist?" Keith's frustration at his own powerlessness against the evil organization fueled his resistance. He continued to issue orders to his subordinates, urging them to attack Aaron.

A flicker of anger passed through Aaron's usually composed demeanor. He couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation at their continued hostility.

"Are you sure about this?" he taunted, a mischievous smirk gracing his face. In a swift motion, a hammer materialized in his right hand, ready to be smash!

Natalia clenched her teeth, commanding the association members to retreat from the area. Without hesitation, she swiftly made a phone call, desperately hoping to defuse the rapidly escalating situation. Although she had confidence in Aaron's teleportation abilities, she feared that he might react with equal force if provoked.

"Ricky! Stay out of the fight!" Aaron's commanding voice echoed, as he recalled Ricky's presence among the crowd.

In an instant, a gunshot shattered the air, aimed directly at Aaron's head. Astonishingly, Aaron swiftly caught the bullet with his hand, his patience wearing thin.

"Alright, I've had enough of being nice," he declared with a firm resolve.

With a sudden disappearance, Aaron reappeared behind the shooter, launching a devastating blow with his hammer that swiftly incapacitated the assailant.

"The price of taking a life is being prepared to lose your own," Aaron coldly admonished, the lifeless body vanishing into thin air.

Undeterred, the Royal Army continued their relentless barrage of gunfire. But Aaron's agility was unmatched as he swiftly closed the distance, evading their bullets while moving closer to them.

With each powerful swing of his hammer, Aaron unleashed devastation upon his foes, sending two to three adversaries hurtling through the air, unable to endure the sheer force behind his strikes. As time passed, the ranks of the Royal Army dwindled, leaving only a scant few remaining to protect Keith.

"Do you truly dare to challenge the might of the Royal Family within the very heart of the Capital?" Keith unsheathed his sword, ready to engage Aaron in a perilous duel.

The remaining soldiers tightened their grip on their firearms, their resolve mingled with a hint of trepidation.

Aaron deftly evaded the onslaught of bullets, his agile movements allowing him to sidestep the lethal projectiles. Though grazed by a few, he regarded these minor wounds as mere scratches, a testament to his resilience. A sly smirk played upon his lips as he emitted a low, knowing chuckle.

"Funny how you were the one saying that when your side was the one who shot at me first, attempting to kill me. Did you really expect me to stand still and die?"

The situation escalated rapidly as Aaron effortlessly incapacitated the remaining soldiers, leaving Keith as the sole opponent standing against him.

The onlookers were taken aback by the swift turn of events, particularly Natalia, whose panic intensified knowing that the leaders from both sides were en route to the location. Despite her distress, she found herself powerless to intervene and prevent the impending clash between Aaron and Keith.