Each minute of the event contributed to making it unique and unprecedented. The tension in the air was palpable, and Konan seemed to be making the most difficult decision of his life.
"I renounce my right to the throne," his voice cut through the silence, which was quickly replaced by whispers and murmurs.
"Do you understand what this means, Konan?" The emperor’s voice sounded emotionless. He was there as a monarch, not as a father.
"Yes." Renouncing the right to the throne in the Dark Empire meant completely giving up one’s noble lineage. This meant that Konan would be cast out from the royal family as if he had never been a part of it.
"You understand that I will offer no protection? You will be a commoner among us," the emperor continued. Konan nodded, and for the first time in his life, he saw his father falter.
"I understand, father. Don’t worry, I am untouchable here," Konan’s words were laden with arrogance, and Kayden smiled. The young man was telling the truth.
"I, as emperor, renounce Konan from the imperial family. From today onwards, all his affairs are private, and I swear by my honor that the empire will not oppose his wrongdoers." The emperor’s voice was as cold as ice.
It didn’t take even a minute for a voice to rise from the crowd. A middle-aged man with black hair and scars all over his body floated near the center. He was a sixth-realm mage with the aura of a war veteran.
"Konan, forty years ago, you killed my son over a minor insult. I apologize to Your Majesty, but I must avenge my family’s memory." Along with him, dozens of other voices rose as well.
"Konan slept with my wife twenty years ago."
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"Konan took my apprentice position forty years ago."
Many of the complaints didn’t even make sense at that moment; they were just old grudges, taken advantage of in the opportunity to kill a prince. For many, it would be a story to tell their grandchildren—the day they killed a prince. Konan, being only in the second realm, would have no chance against even the weakest of the opponents present.
"Master, I entrust my life to you," Konan murmured as dozens of spells surrounded him, without mercy. He closed his eyes and kneeled in the sky.
*SWISH!*
The sound of Kayden’s spells cutting through the air wasn’t even audible, but the sound of heads being severed resounded loudly. In a matter of seconds, dozens of mages were brutally eliminated.
Some of the most powerful figures in the kingdom fell like wheat, their lives taken without warning. Their lifeless bodies shocked everyone around. Eyes and spiritual senses turned to the emperor, seeking explanations.
"Congratulations, Konan, you’re doing very well." Kayden appeared before his disciple, drawing the attention of everyone present. It didn’t take a genius to understand that he was responsible for the deaths.
No one knew him, except his former family. His power terrified everyone, especially the emperor and the Four Greats. They knew Kayden was strong, but they hadn’t imagined anything so terrifying.
"Let’s leave," Kayden said, pulling his disciple. But before they could leave, a woman dressed entirely in black appeared before them. Her seventh-realm aura was unmistakable.
Few knew her, only the Four Greats were aware of who she was: an ancient matriarch, hidden from society. She had planned to kidnap the prince and stage a coup on the throne in the future, a scheme that had been in the works for millennia.
"You can’t take the prince like that..." she tried to say, but she couldn’t finish her sentence.
"Leave." Kayden’s voice was emotionless, yet it carried all his killing intent. His ability with souls caused his voice to strike directly at the core of the woman’s soul.
A seventh-realm mage trembled like a child before a tiger. She couldn’t even form a barrier; Kayden removed her with a push of mana, cementing himself as the greatest monster the empire had ever seen.
No one in their right mind dared to go after the two at that moment. One of the most respected figures in the seventh realm had been mentally destroyed by someone from the fourth realm. Nothing made sense at that moment.
The emperor and the Four Greats silently thanked the gods that Kayden was on their side and not their enemy. They knew that they could have destroyed the empire with their mistakes.
"What are we going to do now, master?" Konan was abandoning everything to follow his dream of power. There was no turning back.
"We’re heading to the borders. You will fight in wars without my supervision. If you die, it will be your fault. Your goal is to fully develop your killing intent." Kayden, of course, would be watching, but he couldn’t let him know.
The two empires were in constant conflict, though without major escalations. This meant that only mages below the fifth realm could participate in battles. Any force above that would provoke a dangerous increase in violence.
In truth, this war was just to keep the commoners busy. The great empire did not waste its forces on these senseless intrigues. The greatest danger to each empire came from within its territories, with rebellious wizards and things like that. The borders also served as a training point for most of the nobility, as they were relatively safe and there the nobles could kill without any reprisals. In addition, they could control the commoners as they wished, one of the biggest reasons why the commoners hated the nobles.
Most of the time the nobles used the borders as their playgrounds, and human rights there was a big joke, the only chance was when you had some talent and the army protected you, other than that it was a jungle without any law.
Most of the time the nobles used the borders as their playgrounds, and human rights there was a big joke, the only chance was when you had some talent and the army protected you, other than that it was a jungle without any law.