“What? There is no King of the colony. There never was, and will never be. The council won’t ever agree on a single man.” Fefar said. He looked more confused than anything else.

For generations and generations, there had not been a single person to hold the title. It was simply improbable to think the council of seven would ever let an opportunity to become kings out of their hands. So out of vindication and greed, they would make sure that no one other than themselves rule.

“There is now. First son of the Duke of Flames, Duke Hadin. Of royal blood, and assigned by the emperor himself. I-I cannot deny him as the accursed city of Petrous had done knowingly. It would go against everything I swore to stand for. I just hope the rumors were true.”

Ioral turned to look Jonas in the eyes. “Iron-handed, Demon-King, Merciful. They are all your titles since you’ve arrived, Your highness. I know not which is true and which is false, but I hope beyond any hope that you have a piece of each. Iron-Handed against those that would abuse the systems in place to prevent them rom such acts. Demon-King to your enemies. And Merciful to your most loyal subjects.”

The High Noble disguised as a bandit looked down, lost in thought. He had to sort his thoughts out before he came to a decision. But once he did, it became apparent to everyone present. His eyes hardened and chin rose. With a straightened back and an uncompromising look to him he fell to one knee and looked Jonas in the eyes. Never once breaking eye contact the entire time. Almost daring him to commit evil.

“I swear,” he began, but had to stop as the other two leaders placed their hands on his shoulders. Each one on a side.

“Brother,” Lank said. “We will not leave you to your fate, even if it means our destruction. We swore decades ago to live free even if it means death to us and everything we’ve ever known. I will not allow you to renege on your promise! Not ever!”

Fefar, on the other hand, stared at Jonas waiting for some reaction. But all he received in response was a neutral and slight smile. None of them knew what to make of it. For all they knew, he could be the devil himself bidding his time among them until he destroyed them all. Feasting on their dead flesh and those they cared about.

Or...he could be a saint.

Sent as a messiah to save them from their tribulations. A savior to bring them in the light.

“Ioral, trust in us. Just like how we’ve navigated the forests and plains with the ever present threat of the Orcish raids, we can navigate around this too.” He turned to look at Jonas again, eyes narrowed. “Give us a moment. We need to discuss this in privacy.”

Jonas waved them away. Almost like anything they could have done was inconsequential to him, even with their obvious strengths and advantages.

Lank man-handled Ioral over his shoulder and carried him out of the large pavilion with gritted teeth and a bulging vein on his forehead. The massive man looked about to explode at any moment. Much unlike Fefar’s neutral demeanor.

Guess Jonas’s ploy to act like an arrogant noble who thought them beneath him worked way too well. They seemed almost gullible and naive for a brief moment before their eyes had hardened after learning his identity. Though, Jonas himself barely schooled his own expression.

How had the information of his arrival and position reached this far without his knowing much less him not trying to further it at all. Not only had the Orc’s somehow learned of his location, but even a bandit leader had known with very minimal hints of his identity. It irked him beyond belief to see such incompetence and negligence around him at all times.

As he sat there, he finally became determined to find talent. Somewhere out there, whether its in the most isolated villages or the most bustling parts of high society, there had to be someone talented enough to join him and help him become the greatest king he could become. The world should not be so lacking in potential, especially with magic involved.

He’d have to discover some way to find these individuals. But not only that, rather to nurture them to become even better at what they were already exceptional at. If he could do that, securing this colony and the archipelago would be a walk in the park by the time he got to them.

Then he could fully turn his attention to the matters that actually are important. Mainly how they were going to deal with the Orcs and the horde of horrors that might appear as soon as a decade from now. Which by the standards of the Path and longevity once you rise farther into the stages, is only a blink of the eye.

“Ash,” he said without looking away from where Ioral had kneeled down. “Remind me to create a system to find and nurture talent. It seems there's little to be found without unearthing mountains of dirt and stone.”

“Yes, Master.”

He turned to her. Ash carried a stoic expression that reminded him of his own father's quiet anger he was renowned for. She had learned from the best, so it was only normal for her to emulate him.

“Gems and diamonds, Ash. Only the best of the best. I will not accept those that even show a shred of doubt on their potential and talent.”

She nodded without blinking once. “Yes, Your highness. It shall be accomplished.”

Studying her face for a while, he couldn’t get anything from it. So in the end he nodded and turned back.

He would need to start by getting the bandits to swear loyalty to him and him alone. Their expertise and abilities were invaluable to him and his plans moving forward. Especially if he expected to remove the raiding parties from his lands.

He was willing to give them even double of what he pays the ordinary soldiers and guards of the city. With benefits and assurances to take care of their families as well regardless if they survive or not any battle.

They’d make half a silver every two weeks. Something beyond unimaginable for any person of common birth.

The three returned with determined faces on them. They seemed to have agreed on something, whether it was going to help them or not, Jonas was going to find out. They each sat on their seats and stared silently at him for a while, none willing to look away.

Then in a moment, waves of heat began to rise from their bodies. Together they melded to visibily become appearent and make their background foggy and unclear. The three even began to struggle to keep it at the same power.

It became so powerful the guards stationed around the tent found themselves weak of footing. One even collapsing from what appeared to be a showing of aura.

Shab and his other guards, those strong enough to react, exploded in their own. But no matter how well they tried they could not match the three combined. FOr they were a single unit and his men separate entities trying to act like they were close enough to meld.

That was until Ash stepped forward with growl. Her aura broke forth sending anything light of weight sprawling around her. An undeniable base of power and sharpness radiated from her Path. That foundation she built to reach the power she had attained spoke for itself.

“You dare threaten my master,” she roared. “Hell will be a haven to you worms once I am finished with you.”

Jonas stood with narrowed eyes. He didn’t fully understand because he had yet to reach his own path and as important was that he had not integrated into high society enough to get it. “Ash. Enough.”

She looked back at him with fire in her eyes. The woman was ready to skin them alive a hundred times over.

What she did not notice, but the three bandit leaders had, was somehow, in the most inconceivable way possible, Jonas had stood up. Completely unaffected or strained.

The three could not help but have their mouths drop and eyes widen in abject fear.

Their entire auras, combined and strengthened together were blasted on him as the center. Soldiers who had each found a Path and even excelled enough to become apart of his stoic soldiers had been shaken even though they were on the fringes of it all.

And yet, the only person without one seemed to not have been affected at all.

“This is nothing more than a power play.” Jonas started as he smirked. He couldn’t feel anything, only see the aura around them. He didn’t know the significance so he acted nonchalant.

“H-how?” Fefar whispered.

Jonas looked at him like he was stupid. He had to shake his head. What was this man going on about? “That aura of yours must have muddled your head up a bit. I would suggest you don’t play with…”

The world pulsed in a red tint.

“Fire…”

He gasped. For a long moment, everything in sight froze.