Great power naturally attracts covetous eyes once it reaches a certain level, much like the instinct of organisms to worship strength; this place was no exception.
An individual who could fight dozens of people, skilled in killing, martial arts, and using weapons, sounded terrifying. Still, to those nobles accustomed to high positions, a man capable of controlling the lives and deaths of hundreds of thousands was merely a human tool, nothing more. A prime example was Kenny Ackerman, who was once an anti-government figure and had slit the throats of countless Garrison soldiers. Yet, he eventually followed Uri Reiss, becoming an affiliate of the government, in exchange for the Ackerman family no longer being oppressed.
That was how the government inside the Walls dealt with those who could disrupt power or order: submit or die.
However, Asahi was a unique case in their eyes.
Nearly a hundred Titans invaded Shiganshina—a horrifying number that could completely crush humanity's military—yet they all turned to dust beneath his feet. Not to mention his ability to seal the Wall, closing the two breaches at Shiganshina and Maria, preventing Titans from pouring in further.
In their eyes, Asahi had become the embodiment of peak martial might, completely opposing peak political power, and thus fully capable of threatening the nobles' authority. That was also why they entirely sealed off any news related to him and sent the Military Police to search for him very early on. At the same time, they coveted the power he held; possessing it would solidify their status to an unprecedented degree!
Of course, there was one exception in this world, which was none other than the Titan power itself.
The terrifying power of the Titans was undeniable; otherwise, the Eldian people wouldn't have plagued the world for so long, eventually collapsing into civil war. The consequences of Titan power were too clear: for example, the Founding Titan could only be utilized by those with royal blood. Even when inherited, it was constrained by the Vow of Renouncing War and could be replaced by the Founder's will at any time.
That's not even mentioning the fact that one could only live for 13 years after inheriting a Titan power. This was enough for them to instantly back away. How could they trade all their current power for a short-term strength?
Erwin's gaze became profound as he calmly answered every question from the nobles, while the "fake" King continued to sit with his hand resting on the throne, a look of longing flashing in his eyes. He was merely a puppet put forward. Although he lived comfortably, not everyone could bear the feeling of having their fate controlled by others. Naturally, he would long for some kind of power to break his own shackles.
"You don't care about our lives, or the lives of the people down there; you only care about your own power."
"Then there are only two paths: submission or death... but well, given his personality, you will most likely just rot in prison... how lucky."
Erwin coldly muttered to himself. At this point, there was no longer any reason to spare the nobles. They were the enemies of the truth, something that needed to be eliminated if they were to move forward, instead of remaining stagnant like this.
At the same time, a muffled sound echoed from the entrance of the room.
Pop!
The sound was like something being fired through the air, and simultaneously, two guarding Garrison soldiers collapsed, causing the door to burst open.
Asahi stepped in, clad in his bulletproof armor. That terrifying silhouette and the cold face of the mask pressed down on the minds of everyone in the great hall like a massive mountain. Garrison soldiers, officials, and nobles alike were drenched in sweat, their bodies screaming in fear like prey facing a predator.
Among everyone, only Erwin maintained his posture, kneeling on one knee before the fake King and the nobles, a slight smile curving the corner of his mouth.
Asahi's glance swept across the entire room. Under his gaze, a noble dressed in black trembled internally and shouted an order.
"Shoot him! General alert to the military!"
He knew: once Asahi reached this far, the issue was no longer how to subdue or seize Asahi's power, but how to save their own lives.
Following his scream, the Garrison soldiers in the room simultaneously raised their guns, aimed directly at Asahi, and pulled the triggers. He merely flexed his legs slightly, and his figure disappeared, shooting out beyond the visible range of an ordinary person's eyes. To put it simply, the person facing him only saw him winding up, and in an instant, he was no longer there.
Thwack!
With just one chop to the neck, the force of which had been precisely adjusted, a Garrison soldier collapsed with eyes rolled back, having completely lost consciousness. From the moment someone fell, the gunshots became more frequent and chaotic, accompanied by a rampant panic spreading throughout the great hall. The luxurious area of the government, housing the King and the nobles, had devolved into a scene of chaos. The fake King fearfully hid behind the throne, and the nobles cowered.
Very quickly, the sound of gunshots and panicked screams died down, signaling the end of a battle that was devoid of any mystique—no, it couldn't even be called a battle.
"Thank you for your hard work."
To the astonishment of the nobles, Erwin stood up and walked toward Asahi, who was currently standing among dozens of convulsing Garrison soldiers on the ground.
"You... you... you colluded with an outsider!"
A noble pointed directly at Erwin's face and cursed, but he paid no attention, continuing to converse with Asahi.
"Is that all?"
"No, many more are flooding in. Let me deal with that first, and then we'll discuss the rest."
"Alright."
As the two finished their exchange, the sound of dozens of rushing footsteps reached Asahi's perception.
"They're coming."
He stepped out of the King's great hall and into a large corridor. His figure disappeared into the shadows shielded by the columns and protruding architecture. Using a kind of movement that exploited blind spots in perception, he approached the advancing military contingent. The sweep began.
Bang!
The sound that rang out was not a gunshot but the sound of his punch breaking the sound barrier. Even without touching anyone directly, his punch sent a dozen people flying with a shockwave, and those people violently crashed into others, creating a chaotic scene.
Even when he was still within human limits, he was not afraid of a melee, even in a cramped space. Much less now that Asahi's body had far surpassed the limits of human strength, and his body control had reached a master level.
Phang!
Facing the numerous Garrison soldiers, Asahi simply took out a pair of small, handheld batons. This item was perfectly suited for dealing with ordinary people.