Journey to Become the Zenith

An Aura That Forced Them to Kneel

”Urgh!”

He vomited onto the ground.

Another followed.

Soon, the once-disciplined formation had completely collapsed into chaos.

Some were unconscious.

Some were kneeling.

Others were desperately trying to breathe while fighting against the invisible pressure.

Yet Diana had not even moved from her position.

She simply stood beside Victor.

The difference in strength was so overwhelming that the crowd fell silent.

Nobody laughed anymore.

Nobody dared to make a careless comment.

Even those who had been watching with excitement earlier now stared with wide eyes.

Kite’s expression changed.

For the first time since arriving, genuine surprise appeared in his eyes.

He had expected Victor to be troublesome.

He had not expected the woman beside him to possess such terrifying power.

Kite’s gaze moved across the fallen warriors.

Not one of them had been killed.

Just as Victor had ordered.

That realization made his expression even more complicated.

She could have killed them.

Instead, she had deliberately controlled her strength enough to render them unconscious.

Kite slowly clenched his fists.

Just who had Simon provoked?

Behind him, Simon’s face had become completely pale.

His earlier arrogance had disappeared.

He stared at the fallen men with disbelief.

Those were the people who had come to protect him.

Yet they had been defeated without their opponent even drawing a weapon.

His eyes darted toward the street behind him.

Escape.

That was the only thought remaining in his mind.

He had to get away.

Immediately.

Simon slowly shifted one foot backward.

Then another.

His heart hammered against his chest.

He wanted to run.

He desperately wanted to run.

But before he could take another step, Victor began walking toward him.

Step.

Step.

Step.

The sound of his footsteps seemed unusually loud in the silence.

Simon froze.

His throat tightened.

Victor’s golden eyes remained fixed on him.

There was no need for Victor to say anything.

That gaze alone reminded Simon of the threat he had made earlier.

Simon instinctively tried to move again.

His legs refused to cooperate.

Fear crawled through his body.

Why couldn’t he move?

His muscles felt stiff.

His feet seemed rooted to the ground.

Victor continued approaching.

Kite watched him carefully.

His men were already down.

Simon was terrified.

And the strange thing was that Victor still looked completely relaxed.

Kite’s fingers tightened around his weapon.

He had protected Simon because of circumstances he had yet to explain, but even he could no longer deny the danger standing before him.

Then—

Another group appeared at the far end of the street.

Their arrival immediately drew the attention of the crowd.

More armed men.

More footsteps.

More pressure.

Victor saw them approaching.

His expression darkened.

His patience, already hanging by a thread, snapped another little piece.

Seriously?

More of them?

He had been hoping this troublesome matter would end quickly.

Instead, another group had arrived.

Victor’s golden eyes narrowed slightly.

Simon also noticed the newcomers.

For a moment, his fear vanished.

Hope suddenly appeared in his eyes.

He recognized them.

His stiff body seemed to regain a little strength.

His lips parted, and he shouted toward the approaching group with all the desperation he could muster.

”Father!”

The single word reached Victor’s ears.

His expression changed.

The irritation that had been simmering beneath the surface suddenly became much colder.

Victor stopped walking.

His golden eyes slowly turned toward the newly arrived group.

Father?

So this was the person Simon had been waiting for.

The man who had apparently given this spoiled young master enough confidence to behave without restraint.

Diana noticed the change in Victor immediately.

She remained silent.

She knew that expression.

Victor’s patience had finally run out.

The newly arrived group continued forward, unaware of the storm that had just formed in front of them.

Simon, meanwhile, looked as though he had finally found a lifeline.

”Father!”

He shouted again, his voice filled with relief.

But that relief lasted only for a moment.

Victor slowly inhaled.

Then his mana erupted.

He did not unleash everything.

He didn’t need to.

Only a portion was enough.

BOOM!

The air itself seemed to tremble.

An invisible force spread outward from Victor like an enormous wave.

The stone beneath his feet cracked.

Dust rose from the street.

The surrounding crowd cried out and stumbled backward.

Kite’s pupils contracted.

”What...?”

Before he could finish, the overwhelming aura descended upon him.

His body became unbearably heavy.

His knees buckled.

The strength he had relied upon for years suddenly felt insignificant beneath that pressure.

He tried to resist.

His teeth clenched.

His muscles strained.

But the pressure continued to descend.

THUD!

Kite was forced onto one knee.

His face became pale.

Beside him, Simon’s expression transformed from joy to terror.

His father’s arrival had given him hope.

Now that hope was crushed beneath Victor’s aura.

His knees struck the ground.

”Ugh!”

Simon tried to push himself up.

He couldn’t.

His arms trembled violently.

His entire body felt as though a mountain had been placed upon his back.

The newly arrived group suffered the same fate.

One after another, they were forced down.

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

The proud warriors who had arrived with confidence were now kneeling on the street.

Nobody could stand.

Nobody could speak.

The atmosphere itself seemed to submit.

Victor stood at the center of it all.

His black hair moved gently in the violent current of mana surrounding him.

His golden jacket fluttered behind him.

His golden eyes were cold.

The aura alone was enough.

Kite, Simon and the newly arrived group all knelt because of the heavy pressure that assaulted them.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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