Hero of Darkness



After the intense battle came to an end, Kahn emerged victorious, solidifying his position as the highest authority within the Hero's Party.

Under Kahn's command, Conan gathered all the unconscious members who were knocked out by Atreus in their bout.

As they returned to the real world, the Hero's Party emerged defeated and broken. 

Kahn's ascent to the highest position of monarchy within the party marked a miserable chapter in their journey. The experiences they had shared and the terrifying torture they had undergone had scarred them mentally.

Now, all of them were seated in the very hall where the meeting was supposed to happen when Atreus came into the villa first.

"Wake up, you dipshits." spoke the blue wolfkin.

Crackle!

As the bone-biting frost filled the air, its icy tendrils reached out and enveloped the unconscious bodies of the Hero's Party members. The freezing cold seeped into their very beings, penetrating the depths of their consciousness and stirring them awake from their slumber.

One by one, they jolted back to consciousness, their eyes snapping open as they were greeted by the chilling embrace of the frost. The sudden awakening brought them back to the reality of their surroundings, their memories of the intense battle flooding back with clarity.

Gasp!

Tremble!

Gasps and shivers resonated through the group as they shook off the remnants of unconsciousness, their senses alert and minds reawakened. The bone-chilling frost acted as a potent stimulant, rousing their bodies and minds from the fatigue and exhaustion of the battle.

"All of you deserve a fate much worse than this. Yet your positions are protecting you from me." declared Kahn in a lifeless tone.

"Never forget that you're all alive at this moment because I allowed it.

If this was outside of this current arrangement and there were no restrictions… I would be talking to a bunch of corpses at this moment." he stated in a domineering voice.

Most of the party members had yet to completely regenerate their organs and heal fully even with their bloodlines and high-tier healing potions in effect.

"You made a mistake. We will make you pay for this." spoke Xavolees, the white bearkin whose forearms were nowhere to be seen.

The other members also sneered inwardly while some of them were scared to death after looking at the fenrirborne in front of them.

"I don't make mistakes. I'm not "just like the rest of you." 

I'm stronger. I'm smarter. I'm better." spoke Kahn without a shred of hesitation as he looked down on all of their existences with disgust.

"I AM BETTER." he proclaimed in a tyrannical voice, leaving no room for argument.

Why was Kahn acting so arrogant out of the blue?

Because Strength was the only fundamental measure of authority that the people of Beast Empire acknowledged and listened to. 

And those who held such terrifying strength had all right to be so arrogant.

"From today onwards…

You all will behave like obedient children and listen to Maximus' orders." said Kahn while pointing on the Hero of Nature standing behind his back with his left thumb.

At this moment, Maximus was not displaying any intentions to meddle.

The Reason?

It was because Kahn specifically told Maximus about what every single one of them did and how many lives 

Every time he beat a party member, Kahn telepathically told Maximus about exactly what they did years ago and how many innocents lost their lives as these saints paraded as Warriors of Justice.

One could say that Maximus was choosing to be quiet at this moment because there was no guarantee that he might not end up killing them with his own hands given his own sense of morals and justice.

As for acting as the leader of the group?

Maximus was never acknowledged in the past 8 years since he was summoned due to him being a human.

If Atreus beating them to death brought order to this party, then he would welcome it instead.

"Why should we?!" Svana, the feline assassin rebutted.

"Because this time, I didn't even use my domain since I wanted to take you all out one by one.

If you don't obey me… I won't hold back next time." Kahn warned while releasing his petrifying killing intent again. 

"How come none of you have realized this yet... 

The last time your domains affected me and almost killed me... 

It wasn't because you guys managed to hurt me." he spoke without a shred of fear. 

"It was because I allowed you to hurt me." his tyrannical voice echoed in the surroundings. 

"Now imagine what would happen if someone like me who none of you can even touch, hurt or overpower in terms of strength despite working together, is after your life..." 

His wrathful eyes hinted that if someone spoke another word, he might as well kill them right here. 

[This was him holding back? Why don't you just kill us instead?!] thought Speki, the one who suffered the biggest torture and humiliation at Atreus' hands.

"So before you forget today's beating and since all of us are already here… Let's discuss our strategy… For the Conclave of Heroes." declared Kahn in a solemn voice, acting as the judge of their fates.

----------------

As for the repercussions?

There weren't going to be any.

Why?

The reason behind this lay in the potential fallout that would occur if the Empress and the Heavenly Kings were informed of the true events of the battle.

Imagine how the Empress and the Heavenly Kings would react upon hearing that a single saint, Atreus, had fought against all these powerful and talented saints from different tribes and clans, who were meant to be the future pillars of the empire. 

These individuals, highly regarded and esteemed by their respective factions, were soundly defeated, tortured, and left begging for mercy on Atreus's first day as the new member of the Hero's Party.

Such news, if revealed to the outside, would undoubtedly cause shockwaves throughout the empire, shattering the carefully cultivated image of invincibility and superiority that these powerful clans and tribes held. 

To avoid such a massive upheaval, it is likely that the Hero's Party members would keep the true events of the battle hidden.

And all of them had very valid reasons to hide the truth as well.

In the culture of the Beast Empire, ganging up on someone in a battle was considered an act of cowardice and dishonor according to the Code of Warriors.

It was a disgraceful act that went against the principles of fair combat and was frowned upon by the entire society. If the truth of their defeat and humiliation at the hands of Atreus were to be exposed and the fact that they ganged up on a single opponent shamelessly, it wouldn't just bring shame upon the defeated individuals, but also upon their clans, tribes, and entire species. 

The reputations of the defeated saints would be tarnished, and their authority within their respective factions might be questioned. It would undermine the confidence of the Empress and the Heavenly Kings, leaving them with doubts about the strength and capabilities of their supposed future generation of powerful saints...

The shame and humiliation would be so profound that it might tarnish the reputation of not just the individuals involved but also their entire bloodlines and might as well drive some to the brink of despair, considering even suicide to escape the burden of disgrace. 

The prospect of such a revelation would be a horrifying prospect for the defeated individuals, and they would go to great lengths to keep the truth hidden, even if it meant taking the secret to their graves.

This understanding was precisely why Kahn/Atreus, had never been worried about the consequences of his actions. He knew that the defeated saints would never dare to reveal the truth of their defeat, and thus, the battle would remain a secret known only to those who were present on that fateful day.

And now with one week remaining, came the time for the Conclave of Heroes.