Brush with death

 "It's so heartwarming to see how you've gone out of your way to celebrate my reputation. I'm truly touched by this extravagant display of righteousness and justice." The cold, biting mockery in his tone sends a shiver through the assembly.

Even though the spectators sit higher up in the coliseum-like chamber, it feels as if he is the one towering over them. The weight of his presence bears down on the room, suffocating and inescapable. His gaze, sharp as a blade, sweeps over the nobles and lands on the judge, whose once authoritative posture crumbles. The judge's hands begin to tremble, his face paling as the infamous figure locks eyes with him. Everyone knows who this man is—the Crimson General, the strongest warrior in the empire, feared and revered in equal measure. And now, standing before them, his aura is nothing short of overwhelming.