Later that day, Auren walked into a busy tavern. The place was full of adventurers—loud voices, mugs of ale slamming on tables, dice rolling, laughter everywhere.
He entered with Velora and Lyara, both dressed in cloaks. But even with the cloaks, the men inside couldn't help but stare at their beauty.
One drunk adventurer whistled. "Hey pretty girls, ditch that boy and come sit with real men!"
Auren's smile widened. He walked to the man's table and slammed his hand down so hard that the mugs jumped.
"They already belong to me. You dare call them?"
The adventurer stood up, towering over Auren. "And who are you, brat?"
Everyone in the tavern turned their heads. Silence spread.
Auren leaned forward, his eyes glowing faintly. His voice was low but sharp.
"I am the man who will be your future king."
The tavern erupted in laughter. People slapped their knees, spilled drinks, and one guy nearly choked on his bread.
"Hahaha! Did you hear that?"
"He said he'll be king!"
"What's next, kid? You'll say you're a god?"
Auren didn't laugh. He only raised his hand, and suddenly the adventurer froze—his whole body locked. His mug fell from his hand and shattered on the floor.
Gasps filled the tavern.
"W-what's happening?!"
"He can't move!"
Auren's voice echoed in the silence. "This is called Psychic Bind. If I can control one man, imagine what I can do to a hundred."
The adventurer's face turned pale. "L-let me go!"
Auren smirked and released him. The man collapsed to his knees, sweating.
Then Auren spread his arms wide. "Listen, all of you. I am Auren. I will take the throne of Central. If you want to be on the winning side, join me now. If not…" His gaze turned dark. "You'll regret it."
The tavern went quiet again. Some men laughed nervously, some gulped, some looked tempted.
Finally, one young swordsman stood up. "I… I will follow you."
Another archer joined. "Me too. You're scary, but I like strong leaders."
One by one, more people stood. Not all, but enough to make the tavern buzz with whispers.
Velora whispered to Lyara. "He's actually making friends… in his own scary way."
Lyara giggled. "Yeah, friends who are too scared to say no."
---
But Auren's growing fame didn't go unnoticed. The king's guards were already watching him. That night, as Auren and his new "friends" left the tavern, five armored knights blocked their path.
"By order of the king, you are under arrest for disturbing peace," one guard said.
Auren tilted his head. "Arrest me? You don't have the power."
The guard smirked. "We'll see." He drew his sword.
Before he could swing, Auren whispered: "Dominator Gaze."
His glowing eyes locked on the guard. Instantly, the man dropped his sword and fell to his knees, trembling.
The other guards panicked. "What the hell is this?!"
Auren's voice was calm but sharp like a blade. "Go back to your king. Tell him his throne is mine."
The guards dragged their shaken comrade and ran.
The adventurers who had just pledged loyalty stared in shock. Some were scared, some excited.
"Damn… this guy is real."
"He just broke a knight with his eyes!"
"If he really becomes king, we'll be legends."
---
Back in his inn room, Auren lay on the bed, thinking. Velora and Lyara sat near him.
Velora asked, "Master, are you sure about this? The king is not weak. He has armies, mages, even assassins."
Auren smirked. "That's why it's fun. A weak king isn't worth stealing from."
Lyara poked his cheek playfully. "But Master, what if you lose?"
Auren turned his head slowly, giving her a chilling smile. "Then I'll drag the king's soul to hell with me."
Velora sighed. "Scary…"
Lyara chuckled nervously. "Scary… but hot."
Auren sat up suddenly. "Enough talk. Tomorrow we gather more people. Soon, Central will be mine."
---
The next day, Auren stood in the market, giving a speech to the growing crowd of adventurers and commoners.
"Why follow a king who hides in his castle while you bleed in the streets? Follow me! I'll give you power, gold, glory!"
Cheers rose. But then—
"LIAR!" A deep voice boomed.
Everyone turned. A giant man, muscles like boulders, scars covering his arms, stepped forward. He carried a huge axe. His presence alone made the crowd back away.
"That's Boros the Crusher," someone whispered. "The king's strongest champion!"
Boros pointed his axe at Auren. "You think you can be king? You are just a child playing with toys. I will break you."
Auren smirked. "Try it."
The fight began.
Boros swung his axe with earth-shaking force. Auren dodged, but the sheer power of the blow cracked the stone floor. Auren punched, but Boros caught his fist and threw him across the market.
The crowd gasped. "He's losing!"
Auren staggered up, blood on his lip. Boros marched toward him, axe raised.
Auren's smile turned sharp. "Fine. Let's play."
He raised his hand, and with Creator Power, his skin turned into solid rock. His fist glowed.
"Rock Smash!" he shouted, charging forward.
The two clashed—Auren's rocky fist against Boros's axe. The shockwave broke nearby stalls and sent people flying.
Then—CRACK! Boros's axe shattered. Auren's fist smashed into his jaw, sending him crashing into the wall. The champion was out cold.
The crowd erupted in cheers and fear.
"He defeated Boros!"
"No one ever did that!"
"This guy… he might really become king!"
Auren turned to the stunned people, breathing heavily. He raised his fist in the air.
"From today, I am the true power of Central!"
The crowd roared. His name spread across the city like wildfire.
Hey everyone,
I just want to ask you something from the heart. Writing this story takes a lot of effort, and sometimes it feels like I'm just throwing words into the dark. What keeps me going are your comments and reviews—they let me know you're actually out there, enjoying the journey with me. Even a few words mean so much.