Published at 23rd of September 2024 7:02 pm

Chapter 2225 Surrender

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More than 100 lives were lost during the brief but intense battle, leaving about 150 Nephilim guards kneeling, ten of whom were magus along with Ishtar and the old grand magus spirit master, Olloi. The aftermath was grim, the air heavy with the scent of blood.

Amidst the carnage, Ronan, casually suggested, "It's too hard to move this many people… just kill them all. They are just foot soldiers anyway."

Emery sighed deeply, the weight of the situation pressing on his shoulders. Ronan seemed to bring misfortune wherever he went, complicating situations rather than resolving them. This was especially troubling coming from the man who had promised to repay a favor. Despite her restraint, Ishtar remained defiant, her arrogance undiminished. "You've made a big mistake! I bet you only have one week at most before the Nephilim destroy your home and kill your friends!" Her voice rang out, filled with venom and certainty.

Ronan turned to Emery, his eyes reflecting a mixture of amusement and impatience. "What else do you need to consider? She's practically begging to be killed!"

"I dare you to kill me! I fucking dare you!" Ishtar spat, her eyes blazing with fury. Emery sighed deeply, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. He understood that some things were simply unavoidable, and that reasoning with someone like Ishtar was futile. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he made a decisive choice. He turned to Ronan and said, "Senior, I think you are right... It's already come to this… it's better to kill them all"

The words sent a ripple of shock through the surviving Nephilim guards. Even Ronan and Lilith seemed a little startled by Emery's decision.

Emery calmly drew his sword, its blade gleaming with deadly intent, and aimed it at Ishtar. He gathered his power, readying himself for a killing blow.

"No… no… you wouldn't dare!" Ishtar's voice wavered, a stark contrast to her earlier bravado. The sight of Emery, his face still covered in blood brought a chilling clarity to her mind. She vividly recalled how he had split her grand magus bodyguard in two, and the thought of her own body turning into such a hideous corpse finally sparked genuine fear in her eyes.

Emery's eyes were cold, his expression unreadable as he advanced on her. "You've left me no choice," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

He walked forward, his steps deliberate and unyielding. Ishtar, sensing the finality of his approach, blurted out in desperation, "Wait... you can't kill me... you... You can put a ransom on my life… my family will pay greatly."

Emery's eyes narrowed, his voice cold and resolute. "What's the point of wealth if I can't hold on to life... like you said... I won't be alive in a week... … no deal."

Chaos erupted among the Nephilim guards. The old spirit master, his voice trembling, begged for Emery not to kill his master.

Emery cast a simple, dismissive glance at him. "Don't worry… you are next."

With those chilling words, Emery continued his advance toward Ishtar. The area fell silent, the air thick with tension. He stopped directly in front of her, raising his blade with a determined grip. Panic seized Ishtar, her mind racing for any leverage she could muster.

"Wait!!! A life for a life then… I have secrets that could save many people… your friends.. yes saving your friends" she pleaded, her voice cracking under the strain.

Emery's eyes bore into hers, his interest piqued. "What secret?!"

Ishtar's breath came in short gasps, desperation fueling her words. "It's… about those Golden City nobles… spare my life and I will tell you!"

Emery's answer came with a swift swing of his sword, stopping just an inch from Ishtar's forehead. The tension in the air was palpable as he activated [Spectral Gaze], his eyes glowing with power. A spirit attack landed on Ishtar, and within seconds, she was incapacitated, slumping to the ground.

The reaction from the captives was immediate and chaotic. Panic spread like wildfire, and the old spirit master, along with several others, voiced their anger for Ishtar. Without hesitation, Emery acted. He ruthlessly killed one of the captives who dared to make a move. The sudden violence silenced the others, fear gripping their hearts. He shouted, his voice echoing with authority, "You all know that it was Lady Ishtar who invited me here… and she was the one who forced my hand… do the same and you will die a meaningless death!"

The old spirit master, his demeanor now more subdued, spoke up, "Let us live, and we will report it as such... But please release her... Or we might as well be losing our lives for our failure."

Emery's gaze was cold and calculating as he responded, "Yes… you will do just that. I will not kill any of you. All I wish is for you to speak the truth about what happened here. As for what your faction will do to you… it's not my problem. You all indeed failed to protect her."

Emery's decision stemmed from a strategic understanding of the situation. The Nephilim guards in the outpost were not loyal to Ishtar alone but were employed by the main family. Therefore, they would not be easily manipulated by Ishtar's Astiel family. He also knew that some had likely already escaped to report the events, so there was no point in killing to silence them. Instead, releasing the captives could serve as a sign of good faith.

.

As for Ishtar, Emery never intended to kill her. His display of intimidation was a calculated move to scare her and show the Nephilim that he was willing to punish or show mercy based on their actions toward him. By keeping Ishtar captive, he gained a valuable bargaining chip for negotiations with the Nephilim and a source of potentially crucial information about the Golden City. Her knowledge provided a significant bonus, giving him a solid justification for her imprisonment.

Emery's thoughts were clear. He was no longer the young, naive magus he once was. He had grown into a leader responsible for many lives. One wrong move could spell disaster for everyone under his protection.

Hearing this, Ronan turned to Emery with a curious look. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Emery met his gaze, his resolve unwavering. "This is what I want. If you disagree, you can do whatever you want with them… but it will not be my doing. In fact, it would be ideal for me. All I need is to save at least one from you to become my witness."

Ronan chuckled, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "You are more interesting than I thought."

Emery then turned to the old spirit master, who still looked apprehensive. "Report this to your superior," Emery commanded. "I will be waiting for them at Terra City."

With those final words, Emery took hold of the incapacitated Ishtar and quickly made his way out of the outpost. He knew reinforcements could arrive at any moment, bringing more trouble. Ronan watched Emery go, giving the captives another scrutinizing look. After a moment of consideration, he decided to leave as well, following Emery's lead. #####

Terra City was far from ideal for imprisoning a Nephilim noble like Ishtar, but Emery had no other choice. He could not endanger Zodiac City or Karat's city, especially while they were busy with the pirate battle preparations. He couldn't lure the Nephilim to other places either, worrying that they would harm Terra City in his absence. His actions would indeed endanger the people of Terra, but this was the best way to protect them.

Emery swiftly took Ishtar into the dungeon and began to interrogate her. To get the most information, Emery resorted to psychological tactics. He claimed that he had killed all the captives and that no one knew where he was, at least for a while.

"You're alone here, No one is coming to save you. Your only chance is to cooperate with me."

With such conditions and aided by his Divine Sense to detect her lies, it was surprisingly not that difficult to get her to reveal some of the Qin and Croft families' hidden plans. These plans were related to their contingencies in the case of Karat's successful pirate campaign.

It was surprising information, yet despite telling the truth, Ishtar knew little about the details. She was, after all, an outsider.

"I've told you everything I know! Now release me!" she demanded.

"Not just yet," Emery replied, his tone unwavering.

Taking her captive was a disaster for him and Earth factions already. Emery might as well extract as much value from the situation as possible. He decided to seize this rare opportunity to force her to reveal more information about the Nephilim factions. He wasn't interested in knowing secrets that would only bring him more trouble, but he was particularly keen on information related to Earth since the Nephilim's first arrival.

"Tell me this, and I will let you go."

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