CHAPTER 331: CHAPTER 331 - CRUSHED WITHOUT KILLING

There were three important things to remember when a conflict or war broke out between two Lords and their forces outside of the official Lord Battle sanctioned by the system.

First, no rewards. Yes, no reward at all! Battles fought on neutral ground, or generally outside the floating islands’ official rules, were strongly discouraged, as they only harmed both sides without yielding any benefit. It also meant that the victorious Lord would not automatically claim the defeated Lord’s island or resources from such an unsanctioned kill.

Second, weakening of forces. These kinds of fights only drained a Lord’s army, a loss that could become a serious disadvantage in their next official battle.

And finally, the Unspoken Rule. There was a silent understanding among the Lords to avoid interfering with another Lord’s affairs on unoccupied islands, mainly because no one truly knew how strong their opponent was or how much backup they could summon.

So yes, conflicts between Lords outside of official battles were rarely favored by most. Unless... It was a special case. When a Lord had grown impatient, driven by revenge or personal motives, and simply wanted to eliminate the other.

But still, a true Lord’s main purpose was to defend their island and fight within the official battles. So why risk everything for something that could bring total ruin in the future?

Atlas spoke again, his tone commanding and clear. "Look at how many forces I have brought. I promise you freedom if you choose to withdraw from this unnecessary battle. So drop your weapons and step back."

At that moment, Lei Shen tried to speak again, but something blocked his mouth. It was a piece of bone conjured by Everburn, silencing him completely.

And then, though hesitant at first, one of Lei Shen’s soldiers lowered his weapon and stepped back. That single act stirred mixed reactions. Some looked angry, others frustrated, while a few seemed tempted to follow.

Soon after, several more raised their hands, descending slowly with their flying swords, their palms still lifted high in surrender.

Lei Shen’s eyes were bloodshot and the veins in his face stood out as he struggled to move and bark out orders. Sadly for him, a lord did not have absolute control over his troops. When he failed to make them fight, when he failed to lift their spirits, it turned into a punishment that cut back at him.

Atlas stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the struggling lord who had just spoken with such bragging pride.

"I will let you go," he said softly. "I will let you live and leave this place with your life."

Lei Shen grew angrier and fought to speak, but he could not. His mouth was gagged.

"Now, release the contracts of all your combatants," Atlas ordered.

Lei Shen tried to shout anyway. A muffled sound escaped him. "Shut up, you do not deserve to command me, hummu hummu hummu."

At the same time, Edrik appeared at their side and gripped Lei Shen’s arm. In that moment something coiled around his limb like dark energy. Suddenly his right arm vanished.

Lei Shen’s eyes went wide and panic set in. "Fuck, I will kill you, you cursed bastard, you fool!" he shouted.

Edrik lunged again and seized the man’s face. The left eye was ripped away and a dark void filled the hollow.

The remaining eye widened in terror.

Atlas smiled and glanced at Edrik, knowing this was work made for him. He had been an assassin once and had a talent for breaking people and twisting their minds.

"Release the contracts of all your forces, and empty every item from your dimensional storage. Only then will I give back what I took," Edrik said without stopping. His hand gripped the lower jaw and it vanished with a soft, sick sound, though no blood appeared.

Atlas stepped back, his eyes sweeping across the area. All around him, more and more enemy soldiers were lowering their weapons. Their faces had gone pale, their expressions empty of any will to fight. Some stood frozen in shock, unable to process what they had just witnessed.

Their Lord was being humiliated before their very eyes. Watching that, they understood there was no hope left for them to resist.

Then, something shifted. Their expressions changed almost all at once, and Atlas immediately realized what had happened. Edrik had succeeded in forcing Lei Shen to release the contracts binding his troops. Now, every one of those awakened combatants had become a free agent.

How many were there? Perhaps around sixty. If Atlas could bring even half of them back to Gacha Haven, it would be a valuable addition to his forces. Not bad at all.

From where he stood, Atlas could hear Edrik’s voice as he pressed Lei Shen further, forcing the man to empty the contents of his dimensional storage. The sound of gold clinking echoed as Lei Shen, trembling, poured out his fortune.

Atlas glanced back, watching as Edrik frowned in dissatisfaction. "Five thousand gold? Do you take me for a fool?" he said sharply, his hand darting forward and plunging into Lei Shen’s chest. A hollow gap of dark void opened there, the man’s body convulsing in agony.

Lei Shen gasped, his face drained of color as if every drop of blood had been sucked from his veins. Gold continued to spill onto the ground.

"Twenty-three thousand gold?" Edrik muttered. "I know you can do better than that."

The torture went on relentlessly. Lei Shen screamed and struggled as more treasures spilled out. Until, at last, even his weapons and armor were stripped away. He was left wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, his body disfigured by the dark voids where parts of him had once been.

Edrik did not stop there. One of the airborne soldiers descended and took from him a Rank-A Item: Void Storage Cube. A small, portable dimensional container shaped like a cube. Without a moment’s hesitation, he ordered them to store the vehicles brought by Lei Shen and his troops, which were scattered not far from their position.

Edrik left nothing on the man to be taken.

Honestly, this was a better option than killing Lei Shen on the spot. Atlas would gain little from his death. The island and everything on it would be freed, and that would not count as a true victory.

So letting Lei Shen walk away alive and humiliated was the smarter play. It would light a fierce hatred in him, and he would very likely return one day to take revenge on Atlas. When that happened in the official Lord Battle, a win would be that much sweeter and more rewarding than an unsanctioned kill.

Time passed. Lei Shen was left standing, abandoned. The chains Kurogasa had used no longer bound him; he simply stood there, parts of his body still missing. Half of the left side of his head was gone. He looked utterly defeated, his face hollow, as if a piece of his spirit had been torn away.

Edrik walked back to Atlas and bowed slightly. "My lord," he said evenly, "forgive me if my work fell short of your expectations. Would this suffice?"

Atlas glanced again at Lei Shen. "Yes... almost enough," he replied. "You nearly disappointed me."