Aengus took a steady breath and addressed the room.
“Hello, you can call me as Zero. I may be new here,” he began calmly, meeting the eyes of those around him, “But I am fully committed to the success of this war and the safety of our forces. I hope to contribute to our victory with the same dedication and respect you’ve shown to this cause.”
The room fell silent as he spoke, his calm yet commanding presence leaving an impression on the officials.
Marshal Tyron nodded approvingly, finding the young man pleasing to the eye.
But his gaze narrowed as he noticed Aengus’s eyes suddenly sharpening like those of a hunter, his aura turning commanding and intense. This shift in demeanor piqued everyone’s curiosity.
Their questions were soon answered, and it was mind boggling.
“Bang!”
“What’s happening?”
The room erupted in confusion as they witnessed four esteemed commanders, including Commander Kyle, suddenly being dragged down by an invisible force commanded by their new Special Captain, Zero.
The four commanders stared in shock as they found themselves lifted into the air, bound as helplessly as if tied by invisible threads.
“Thud!”
Before they could react, they landed on the ground with a heavy thud, becoming the center of attention in the room, including that of the three generals.
“Atrocious!” Commander Kyle roared in indignation, humiliated and bewildered. They couldn’t believe that a newcomer S-Rank had incapacitated them so easily.
“What is going on? Why are we suddenly put in the spotlight by this newcomer?”
Helpless to break free from Captain Zero’s binding, they directed their complaints to the generals.
“Generals, this boy must be punished!” they shouted in unison, though fear flickered in their eyes as they considered the unsettling implications of Zero’s power.
“Please, expel this boy from the group, Generals. How dare he disrespect his superiors? Is there no order here?” they demanded, attempting to mask their fear with outrage.
“Just because I questioned his identity, he dares to do this to me! He has no respect for authority!” Commander Kyle growled, concealing his unease behind a show of bravado.
The three Generals and the Marshal exchanged confused glances.
“What’s the matter, Ethan?” General Leon asked gently, breaking the silence he maintained till now.
All eyes turned to Aengus, who remained seated, exuding a calm yet intense presence. “They’re spies, Generals. I believe they should be thoroughly interrogated,” he replied, his tone steady.
“What?”
“Spies among us?”
His words caused an instant uproar in the room.
The accused commanders felt their hearts race, though they struggled to maintain calm exteriors. Commander Kyle was the first to protest.
“Nonsense! This is a baseless accusation. I’ve served the kingdom faithfully for years, and you think you can slander me without any proof? This is outrageous!” he spat, glaring at Aengus, attempting to intimidate him into silence.
“Yes, yes, Commander Kyle is right, Generals! We cannot stand by and allow such accusations. This is an insult, and he should be punished for this crime,” the other three quickly agreed, desperate to cover for each other.
Aengus sneered, mocking their desperate attempts to save themselves.
“Do you have any proof, young comrade?” Marshal Tyron asked, stepping forward with a scrutinizing gaze.
Without a word, Aengus activated his Shadow Monarch’s Dominion. The room darkened as a field of darkness enveloped the four commanders, binding them within his power. Aengus invaded their minds, compelling them to reveal the truth from their own mouths.
The generals observed in awe and surprise, sensing a unique blend of shadow and darkness unlike anything they’d seen before. It felt similar to demonic energy, yet distinct—its force far surpassing both Mana and Nether energy.
As the four culprits began to speak, the room fell into shocked silence.
“Speak. Who do you truly serve?” Aengus commanded coldly, standing up from his seat.
The four commanders’ eyes remained clear, but they answered mechanically, spilling their secrets without hesitation.
“Yes, we are spies who infiltrated the Araknis Kingdom by the Emperor’s command, long before joining the army command. We’ve relayed critical state secrets and weaknesses of the kingdom’s defenses through Envoy Feodor over time.”
“Huh!”
“I can’t believe it!”
“What’s there not to believe?”
“They were suspicious to me for a long time!”
“They should be hanged to death for this treason!”
As the truth settled, disbelief and anger surged through the ranks, voices rising in outrage.
“Bang!”
General Leon’s face turned icy, chilling the air with shards of frost, while General Felix stood thoughtful, observing the scene intently.
As the commanders’ eyes regained clarity, terror washed over their faces as they realized what they’d just confessed.
“No, no, Generals, those were all lies! He used dark magic to make us say those things!” they stammered, desperately trying to retract their statements.
Yet, the look of fear in their eyes was enough to confirm their guilt for most. But General Martin wanted further verification.
“Come here!” he commanded with authority.
Instantly, four hands made of solid earth materialized, reaching out and forcefully dragging the commanders forward.
He quickly searched each of their memories more thoroughly. It took some time, but he eventually found a mental barrier that separated a hidden part of their memories with an invisible seal. It was only thanks to his special skill that he managed to uncover the truth—they were indeed spies, hidden deep within their ranks.
He looked over at Generals Leon and Felix, who were waiting for confirmation.
General Martin nodded slightly, confirming that the statements were true.
“They have indeed commited treason Leon, Felix!” he announced calmly.
“So it was all true!” The Marshal mumbled from the sidelines.
It was astonishing to see those sealed memories, deeply hidden and undetectable during routine examinations over the years.
Morever, with over a hundred commanders, it was unreasonable to suspect each one and inspect their minds without cause. Typically, only those who raised suspicion were examined.
Commander Kyle and the others had been inspected a few times in the past, each time coming up clean. So how was it that this young Captain had so easily exposed their betrayal all of a sudden?
Just what kind of magic had Captain Zero used? And how did he detect their treachery just by looking at them?
The generals and commanders looked at Aengus intently, finding him truly unfathomable.
