Ranking System - Chapter 292: Prove Your Worth (part I)

It was indeed a shame that none of these individuals possessed an immortal-slaying weapon. The soldiers had impaled me from all directions, turning me into a gruesome spectacle of blood and wounds.

“Too bad you all had your chances, but I suppose it’s time to show what I’m truly made of,” I declared. With a swift motion, I expelled all the swords from my body, miraculously undergoing a full recovery.

The soldiers were shocked to discover that I had some kind of immortal ability. Now that they had their chances, I dropped all the soldiers that impaled me to the ground.

Focusing my cursed powers on the south side of the city, I transformed the air into a corrosive force. Anything that came into contact with it swiftly melted away, leaving nothing behind.

I compelled the Lord and the soldiers near me to witness the horrifying spectacle of their people perishing before their eyes, helpless to intervene.

“Everyone! I am Charles, the Lord of Chrome! Your former lord has been defeated and shall now pay with his life!” I proclaimed this message to all the people of Gontz, announcing my rule over them.

“WHAT???” The Lord’s shock was palpable at my unexpected declaration. In response, I swiftly ended his protests by beheading him.

With the lord deceased and the people of the small nation decimated, there was no leadership or resistance left.

“Men! We, the people of Chrome, have emerged victorious in this war!” I declared to emphasize our triumph.

I could hear the jubilant cries of my people celebrating a victory in which we hadn’t suffered significant losses. From what I could discern, we had lost around five hundred men, making it an almost flawless victory, in my opinion.

Undoubtedly, the people of my nation would now hold me in higher regard. Although I had acknowledged my lack of talent in management, it was clear that taking things from others was where my strengths lay.

With the victory of the people of Chrome secured, I arranged for them to be teleported back to Chrome to celebrate their triumphant return.

It was rather amusing how brief and straightforward the war had been. Gontz had dispatched most of their elite fighters to the mines, contesting for control of the territory.

Now that I had taken over this small nation, those fighters would eventually return, and when they did, they would stop at nothing to seek revenge against me.

“Pawn One and Two, it appears both of you have successfully completed your assignments,” I acknowledged. Pawn One had managed to capture two individuals, while Pawn Two had accomplished twice that number.

Pawn Two, being a slime, was suited for capturing, so it made sense that it had apprehended more individuals.

“You six, reveal your positions and abilities within this nation. If you swear allegiance to me, I will spare your lives,” I declared firmly. Given my recent conquest of their land, I assumed these six should be well aware of my reputation.

“I’m Risha, the head of the Fruan family,” one of the individuals introduced herself. However, her family’s significance escaped me.

“Women, I need to understand what your family’s role is. I know very little about the people of Gontz,” I admitted, feeling the weight of their disappointed gazes. Being a ruler who knew nothing about his subjects implied incompetence and instability. It was clear that I needed to prove my worth as their leader.

Nevertheless, I had no expectations for these individuals. My plan was to seize this opportunity and utilize their powers to their fullest extent until they were no longer of use to me. The only way I will spare them is if they can prove their absolute loyalty in the future.

“The Fruan family holds a noble status and has a monopoly on the medicines and drugs department,” Risha explained, emphasizing the significance of her family’s role. I nodded in satisfaction, recognizing the value of this capture.

“You, next to medicine girl, you’re next.” Risha frown when she heard how I gave her the nickname of medicine girl.

“I’m David. The former lord,” David revealed, capturing my attention. His confession was unexpected; I hadn’t anticipated that he had been the previous lord of this place.

Compared to the other lord, David appeared to be less emotionally invested in the invasion. I couldn’t help but wonder why, so I decided to inquire.

“Are you not upset that this place has been taken over by me?” I questioned David, observing how he remained quite composed regarding his current situation.

“What does it have to do with me? My time as the lord had ended, and I have no intention of returning to that role,” David replied calmly.

“Is that so? Because I’m this close to ending your life just like I did with the previous lord,” I threatened, using my index finger and thumb to illustrate that I was mere inches away from taking his life. n(.1n

“You should understand that now that your leader is dead, you have some influence over your people. However, I must establish that I am the one in control here. Tell me your value, and I might spare your life,” I asserted, making it clear that his fate depended on how useful he could prove to be.

“…”

A tense silence hung in the air, and it became evident from the former lord’s expression that he had nothing of value to offer.

“Such a pity. I had hoped you could be of some use. Farewell for eternity; you won’t be remembered,” I stated coldly before making the man implode, leaving a gruesome aftermath.

This was also a stark warning to the remaining four captives. If any of them failed to impress me with their value, their fate would either mirror that of the former lord I had just dispatched or potentially be even worse.

He had been fortunate that his death had been swift and painless. I wager the previous lord hadn’t even comprehended what had befallen him. Nonetheless, with his demise, a clear message had been sent to all: deception and uselessness would lead to demise.