CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER17-FRENZIED LEVEL-UP

Nock’s emotions had completely collapsed.At this moment, regret surged within him like a tidal wave, almost suffocating.

If only he had known that the Emperor was secretly hiding such terrifying strength, why... why had he risked everything to save Wood?

Originally, Nock had firmly believed that it was the Grand Marshal and his faction who controlled the parliament, and by extension, the entire empire. That was the foundation of his arrogance, the root of his ambition. Yet now, looking back, he realized how utterly wrong he had been—wrong to an almost ridiculous degree!

The Emperor’s words outside Valoria Palace still echoed endlessly in his ears:

"If you take him away today, then bear the consequences yourself."

So that was the meaning behind those words. So this was what "bearing the consequences" truly meant?

What a merciless emperor. How cruel, how ruthless! He actually had the heart to do this... to destroy everything—his woman, his child...

Meanwhile, Butler Brown had not perished immediately after his heart was pierced.As an Expert Rank awakener, his vitality had already reached astonishing levels. Though his fate was sealed—the destruction of his heart meant certain death—he still retained tremendous power in the brief window before his life burned out.

"Die with me! All of you, die with me!"

Butler Brown roared like a mad beast. Violent energy erupted from his body, surging out in uncontrollable waves. The entire castle trembled violently, as though an earthquake had struck.

Fragile chambers collapsed in an instant. Heavy stones crashed down, smashing the once luxurious rooms into piles of rubble. The Minister of War’s castle, which had stood as a symbol of authority and wealth, was now on the verge of total ruin.

The chaos inevitably drew the attention of the powerful individuals residing within Eryndor City. Curious, wary gazes probed in this direction, their senses extended to investigate what had transpired.

Butler Brown, however, cared for none of this. He had only one thought—to drag these Elemental Assassins down with him into death.

Unfortunately, no matter how fiercely he struggled, he was already like a fish laid out on the butcher’s block. Under the precise, ruthless coordination of the assassins, fresh wounds continued to appear all across his body.

In the end, a sudden dagger flashed from the shadows, cleanly severing his head.

"Butler Brown—dead!"

The surviving guards within the castle had long since been driven into panic.Terrified beyond all measure, they howled in despair and scattered in every direction, trying desperately to escape.

Yet no matter which path they chose, Elemental Assassins lay in wait like hunters by a rabbit hole. The moment any guard neared an exit, a blade would silently flash, taking their heads in an instant.

In the time it took for only a few breaths, the entirety of the castle’s defenders had been annihilated. When the killing stopped, only Nock remained alive among a mountain of headless corpses.

"Hahahaha! Dead! They’re all dead!!"

Nock howled hysterically into the night.

"Aurek! Even if you kill my whole family, what of it? Do you think this changes anything!?"

"Your empire is already finished—ruined beyond salvation! To dream of saving it now is nothing but fantasy!"

"I’ll be watching from Hell itself, watching as you fall deeper and deeper into despair, step by step!"

"Come then! Kill me! If you have the guts, kill me now!!"

Driven completely mad, Nock stood upon the ruined battlements, shrieking toward the heavens.

The Elemental Assassins ignored him entirely. Their master’s orders had been clear—do not kill Nock, at least not for now. And so, they remained utterly indifferent to his provocations.

With their mission accomplished, the assassins swiftly turned to clean the battlefield. They stripped Butler Brown of his equipment and valuables with cold efficiency before once again melting back into the formless darkness.

When he realized they were leaving, Nock’s bravado collapsed into panic. He staggered after them, his voice breaking in desperation.

"Bastards! Why won’t you kill me?!"

"Come on, do it! Kill me now!!"

"What do you want from me? What are you planning!?"

Not long after, powerful figures from all across Eryndor converged on the ruins of the castle.

Seeing the devastation before them, they frowned deeply.

No matter what, this had been the residence of the Minister of War. For it to be reduced to rubble overnight—what in the world had happened here?

"Rescue survivors! No matter what, saving lives comes first!"

Under the direction of the Prefect of Police, waves of officers and guards rushed into the wreckage.

It didn’t take long before they stumbled across the broken figure of Nock.

The once-arrogant, tyrannical War Minister now sat motionless amidst the sea of decapitated bodies. Behind him lay Butler Brown of the Unicorn Trading Guild, his limbs severed, his head hacked away—his death grotesque and horrific.

"That’s... Butler Brown? From the Unicorn Trading Guild!?"

"How is he dead here, in the War Minister’s castle?"

"He actually reached Expert Rank? But even so, he still died here..."

"Who could it be? Who had the strength to kill an Expert Rank powerhouse?"

Gasps echoed through the gathering crowd. Everyone sucked in sharp breaths of disbelief.

They had all heard of Butler Brown’s power and reputation. For such a man to die like this, cut down in another man’s home—it was almost unthinkable.

Who had this kind of terrifying ability?

At that very moment, within the Emperor’s residence in Valoria Palace...

A glowing prompt suddenly appeared before Aurek’s eyes:

[Successfully slain: Expert Rank Lv.1 awakener, along with multiple other awakeners.Reward: Emperor Points +1210.]

Aurek blinked in surprise.

"The Elemental Assassins... actually killed an Expert Rank?"

It was simply unbelievable.

After all, Elemental Assassins were only Elite Rank, an entire major tier below Experts. Within the whole Crossbridge Empire, Expert Rank awakeners stood at the pinnacle of power—respected and feared by all.

And yet, such a figure had fallen to the blades of assassins that were supposedly far weaker.

Aurek had already held them in high regard. But even then, it seemed he had underestimated them.

More than the shock, however, was the delight surging in his heart. The Emperor Points he had just earned totaled 1210!

What did that mean?

If he used them to upgrade the Emperor’s Scepter, that would be enough for twelve full levels!

If he spent them summoning assassins, he could instantly field an army of twelve hundred Elemental Assassins at once!

Aurek couldn’t help grinning—this was a fortune, an absolute windfall!

It became clear to him now: the stronger the enemy slain, the more Emperor Points were gained.

The realization filled him with exhilaration.

After a brief moment of consideration, Aurek made his decision. He split the rewards in half, pouring roughly six hundred points directly into strengthening himself.

A torrent of energy instantly swept through his entire body, crashing like a tidal wave. His awakening surged upward at a breathtaking pace.

In the blink of an eye, he had broken through the limits of the apprentice stage—his power soaring higher and higher, with no signs of slowing.

Apprentice Rank 1.Apprentice Rank 2.Apprentice Rank 3...

His level climbed ceaselessly, his power surging like a storm.

By the time the transformation finally came to a halt, Aurek had reached Apprentice Rank 9—just one final step away from Elite Rank!

Feeling the raging energy coursing through his veins, Aurek exhaled slowly, a deep sense of intoxication spreading through his heart. This sensation—the pure exhilaration of strength overflowing within him—was addictive.

In Aurek’s eyes, no matter how many allies or subordinates one controlled, nothing compared to the security of one’s own raw power.

True, if he had used all 600 points to summon more Elemental Assassins, it would have seemed like a greater boost to his forces on the surface. But he also knew well that enemies lurked in the shadows. If he himself were too weak, then even if he commanded thousands of assassins, he would still remain vulnerable to a single expert’s strike.

Only by becoming stronger personally could he guarantee survival.

And besides, as an awakener, being able to directly convert Emperor Points into his own cultivation was far too profitable an exchange to ignore.

In that moment, Aurek smiled.

This path—the path of power—was worth every step.