In the elven empire, the World Tree was the most sacred existence.
To the elves, it was more than a tree—it was a living conduit to nature itself, the bridge that drew them closer to the spirits and allowed them to form bonds with them. Its blessing let them harness mana more efficiently than any other race in Etheron, shaping spell and sword with effortless grace.
That blessing had made the elves proud.
Too proud.
It wasn’t that they couldn’t stand other races; it was just that, deep down, they believed everyone else was a little more... inferior.
Alex walked through the capital city of the elven empire—Moonshade—holding an ice cream in one hand as he wove through the crowds of elegant elves.
’I should really take a taxi or sothing,’ he thought. ’Using my strength here will make them think I’m a trespasser.’
He glanced up at the distant World Tree, its crown piercing the clouds.
He was just about to call a taxi when, as he walked along the side of the road, sothing caught his eye.
Ahead, in a side street, a group of young elves—clearly highborn nobles from their clothes and jewelry, each around Alex’s age—were kicking and punching another elf who lay curled on the ground. The boy being beaten was crying for help, arms over his head, while passersby glanced over once and then quickly looked away.
Their eyes said it clearly: not our problem.
Alex’s gaze t the kid’s for a brief mont.
In those eyes, he saw raw fear, humiliation—and a desperate plea.
’Useless,’ Alex thought. ’You know what that look ans, right?’
The system’s voice answered in his head.
[ Yeah. He’s asking to be saved. ]
’Then you know what I’m going to do, right?’ Alex asked.
[ Uhhh... help him? ] the system replied.
’What...? God, you’re really useless,’ Alex said inwardly. ’Let the kid get beaten up. We have more important things to worry about. Besides... if he can’t stand up for himself, what good will my intervention do?’
He took another bite of his ice cream.
’And I can tell from his clothes the kid getting beaten is a noble too,’ Alex added.
He gave the boy a small, almost apologetic smile as he walked past.
"Please help !" the boy scread. "They’ll kill —please!"
The leader of the group, a smug elf with slicked‑back hair, slamd his knee into the boy’s gut.
The victim choked, struggling to breathe.
"Who are you asking for help, huh, trash?" the leader sneered. "No one’s foolish enough to ss with my family for your asly family."
His na was Thirion Vaelcrest, heir of a powerful ducal house.
He turned, following the boy’s desperate gaze, and spotted Alex still walking away, calmly enjoying his ice cream.
"Hey, you!" Thirion shouted. "Stop!"
Alex didn’t even slow down.
Thirion’s eye twitched. "The audacity," he hissed.
Mana flared around his legs and he vanished, reappearing directly in front of Alex, blocking his path.
"Didn’t you hear ?" Thirion snapped. "I said stop."
Alex looked up at him, sighed, and said, "Listen, dude. These days I’m trying to beco a better person—not that I was ever bad to begin with—so I’m a bit busy. You can just go back to what you were doing."
"Are you threatening ?" Thirion growled.
His gaze drifted to Alex’s ears—and his eyes widened.
"Oh my," he said slowly. "A human."
Rage flared in his features.
"How dare you trespass in our ho," he snarled. "You’re one of those cult bastards, aren’t you? Trying to attack our capital again, like last ti."
The other three youths ca over—two boys and a girl with maroon hair.
They surrounded Alex.
"For a human, this one has amazing looks, brother," the girl remarked, eyeing Alex.
"Co with us quietly before I kill you here by mistake," Thirion said. "Father will be so proud when he finds out I captured a terrorist."
He flicked a glance at the girl. "Virina, call the driver."
Alex spoke up, unfazed.
"Oh, so you have a car here, huh," he said.
"So what?" Thirion snapped.
Virina frowned. "Brother... I think I’ve seen this guy before."
"Rember well," Alex said lightly, "because I’m the king of the human empire."
Thirion and the two boys burst into laughter.
"Of course you are," one of them snorted.
Out of nowhere, Thirion swung his fist toward Alex’s face.
"I don’t like your face, asshole," he said.
Alex’s hand shot up and caught the punch easily.
For an instant, Thirion’s smirk froze.
Then—
Crack.
Alex tightened his grip and broke Thirion’s fist.
Thirion scread. "My hand! My hand!"
Alex’s expression didn’t change.
He drove his own fist into Thirion’s face, sending him sprawling. Then he stepped forward and started beating him down with controlled, precise strikes. He didn’t hit hard enough to kill—but enough to make every bone and nerve rember.
The other two boys lunged at him, shouting.
Alex moved with almost lazy speed, his figure blurring as he pumled them both into the ground in a matter of seconds. They collapsed beside Thirion, groaning and clutching various broken parts.
Alex planted a kick in Thirion’s face, making him cough blood.
"Filth like you," Alex said coldly, "are not allowed to touch my face."
Virina, now alone on her feet, trembled from head to toe. In truth, all four of them were shaking.
Alex turned his gaze on her.
"Wow," he said calmly. "You’re shaking so hard now that you’re about to die."
He tilted his head.
"When you’re the ones getting beaten, do you finally realize how it feels to be bullied instead of being the bully?"
He stepped closer.
"You may want to clench your teeth," he said. "This is going to hurt."
Virina’s composure crumbled. "Please don’t," she begged. "I won’t do it again."
"Alright," Alex said softly. "I’ll listen."
Her eyes brightened for a second—
"I won’t hit you on the face, that is."
His punch slamd into her gut.
Her eyes bulged, all air leaving her lungs as her knees hit the ground. She folded over, clutching her stomach, unable to even scream.
Alex walked past her and approached the boy who had been beaten earlier.
He crouched down slightly.
"What’s your na, Mr. Loser?" he asked.
"M‑My na is Jacob Rivania, sir," the boy stamred. "I’m Marquis Rivania’s son. My family works for Lord Thirion’s family, so I... I can’t afford to offend him."
"Listen," Alex said. "If you’re going to live your whole life like this—serving soone like him—you’re better off dead."
Jacob’s eyes widened.
"I can see you’re stronger than him," Alex added. "But you still let that guy beat you up."
"H‑How do you know that?" Jacob whispered.
"Either grow a backbone and fight," Alex said, "or leave your family. Otherwise, rember this: what you’re going through now? Your kids are going to go through worse in the future."
Jacob swallowed hard, Alex’s words hitting deeper than any punch.
Before he could say anything, a loud shout cut through the air.
A squad of armored elves rushed in, surrounding Alex and Jacob. Their armor bore the Vaelcrest crest.
"How dare you lay a hand on Lord Thirion and Lady Virina, human!" one of them shouted. "You’ll pay with your life!"
Another glared at Jacob. "And you, Jacob—your family is in big trouble now."
Alex sighed.
"See?" he said quietly. "That’s what I’m talking about. Bend the knee once, and they expect you to do it every ti."
His aura flared.
----
A/N:
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