Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me Chapter 789: Neither Wounded nor Broken

Even as Walterk’s formidable presence continued to make the very air of the forest tremble, his enormous axe resting heavily on his shoulder, the army behind him waited in a hushed anticipation. Before he could advance another step, however, his attention was abruptly drawn away from Daniel, fixing instead upon Elisira.

That single, piercing gaze was sufficient to steal the princess’s breath. It was a sensation entirely unlike facing Daniel. While Daniel himself was undeniably terrifying, his composure was akin to a frigid, empty expanse. Daniel never relied on his aura or presence alone to intimidate; it was the profound indifference in his eyes that assured her that her safety was virtually guaranteed, provided she committed no missteps.

Walterk, on the other hand... He emanated the aura of an ancient apex predator, one that had savored the scent of blood and death countless times. A palpable, primal pressure radiated from his stare, so intense it destabilized the very mana surrounding Elisira. She felt on the verge of collapse, the sheer terror she experienced momentarily beyond the capacity of mere words.

When had she, a princess of the Holy Empire, ever endured such an ordeal? In what horrific situation had she ever found herself before this moment?

Yet, the stark realization dawned: before an Eternal Warrior, her esteemed title meant absolutely nothing. For a fleeting instant, several commanders positioned behind Walterk became aware of her presence, their expressions shifting dramatically.

“Wait…”

“Isn’t that… Princess Elisira?” one of them exclaimed, stepping forward in utter disbelief. Instantly, a wave of murmurs spread through the assembled army, their gazes transforming. Doubt, astonishment, and even suspicion flickered as they processed the implications of the Holy Empire’s princess standing beside a figure now condemned as a “heretic monster” by the entire continent. Some soldiers instinctively reached for their weapons.

But Walterk’s gaze remained locked on Elisira. After a few moments of intense scrutiny, he spoke, his voice carrying a quiet weight. “The Princess of the Holy Empire… standing alongside a being the entire continent desires to hunt.”

He then paused, his tone deepening. “Interesting.” He wasn't rendering judgment, not yet. His eyes were like a predator meticulously assessing its quarry, deciding whether to devour it or let it be.

Elisira attempted to maintain her composure, but for the first time since entering this forbidding forest, she felt truly, crushingly pressured. This wasn't solely due to Walterk; it stemmed from the collective gaze of every soldier now fixed upon her. A single misspoken word could plunge her empire into peril. Her identity now known, she was no longer merely Elisira; she represented the entire empire.

The smallest misstep could carry a devastating price, not only for herself but for the Holy Empire as a whole. To such an extent that the empire might be compelled to execute her simply to appease the continent’s widespread outrage. After all, she was conspicuously positioned beside the continent’s universally reviled public enemy, a man who had defied the direct command of the Divine Prophet.

‘Damn it! How can I possibly explain this?’ She could only lament her unfortunate circumstances. Would her inherent curiosity truly lead to her demise?

“I did not come here seeking conflict or enmity,” she declared, her voice steady despite the overwhelming pressure.

“But you are standing beside the enemy,” Walterk retorted, his response almost immediate.

An oppressive silence descended once more. However, before the tension could escalate further, Daniel’s calm voice cut through the air. “She is inconsequential.”

All eyes swiveled back to him. Daniel remained seated beneath the tree, seemingly unfazed by the surrounding army or the presence of one of the top ten Eternal Warriors before him.

“If you wish to fight, then fight,” he stated, his gaze briefly sweeping across the assembled troops. He recognized that this young woman had brought him a precious book and could prove valuable in the future; thus, her safety was paramount. “And if you are fearful, you may retreat.”

In that instant, the battlefield erupted. The air crackled with surging mana, and several commanders stepped forward, their faces contorted with anger. How dare he insult an Eternal Warrior? And in front of thousands of his own loyal warriors? If this wasn’t an act of suicidal provocation, what was? They were now utterly convinced this “monster” was truly deranged, as no sane individual would dare such an action.

Yet, Walterk merely raised his hand slightly, and an immediate silence fell upon the ranks. This single gesture underscored his status as one of the ten most formidable Eternal Warriors. His authority required no vociferous commands.

Walterk’s gaze returned to Daniel, now infused with a deeper scrutiny. He perceived something crucial: Daniel was not merely posturing. He genuinely harbored no fear of the amassed army. This realization was profoundly unsettling.

“Either he is mad…” The thought flickered through Walterk’s mind.

“Or he possesses genuine confidence.”

“If you possess such immense power, why have you remained confined to that specific area?” he suddenly inquired, shifting the direction of the conversation.

Elisira’s eyes widened slightly. It was true, and upon reflection, she realized she had never witnessed him depart from this particular tree.

This wasn't a trivial observation. Walterk had noted: Daniel had consistently remained near the tree.

He had never ventured away. This implied either a restriction or a profoundly significant reason for his adherence to its vicinity.

Could it be that this monstrous entity's power and invincibility stemmed from its proximity to the tree? Had he been mistaken, and did this monster draw its strength from the tree itself?

'Or perhaps the tree merely augments his power, not that all of his might originates from it.' This line of reasoning seemed the most plausible.

For the first time, Daniel offered no immediate reply. A few seconds of silence passed, as in all honesty, he found himself at a loss for how to respond to such a question.

The sole reason he hadn't risen was his inherent laziness, and furthermore, there had been no necessity for it... without even standing, he had vanquished all adversaries encountered thus far.

So, why would he deem it necessary to stand?

This silence caused Walterk’s gaze to intensify further.

"Regardless... it holds no consequence." A faint smile then materialized upon the Eternal Warrior’s scarred visage.

He lifted his colossal axe, a motion executed with effortless simplicity, as though merely intending to cleave a piece of wood.

Yet, at that precise moment, the entire forest seemed to lament. Mana condensed ferociously, and the very fabric of space began to fracture.

And then, the axe descended, and simultaneously, it was as if the world itself detonated.

A fearsome, untamed, destructive force surged forward, akin to a deluge of utter annihilation.

The earth bifurcated along the trajectory of the strike, trees were instantly vaporized, and distant mountain peaks were sundered in twain.

Even spacetime itself seemed to waver for an instant, as if Walterk’s blow had pushed the boundaries to the verge of cosmic collapse.

The resounding clamor of the explosion engulfed the entirety of the forest. Dust, earth, and fragmented debris blanketed the landscape.

The sheer force of the shockwave compelled the army arrayed behind Walterk to retreat several paces.

And in the wake of the tree, nothing remained. The entire woodland had been reduced to a desolate plain, the mountains obliterated.

The ground for several kilometers transformed into a colossal, scorched crater.

"Let us see if you can endure this." This devastating strike was aimed with the express purpose of annihilating Daniel and eradicating the tree.

As for Elisira? Regrettably, she had been positioned adjacent to Daniel, and he held little hope that anything of the girl would remain.

Only an profound silence persisted, the stillness that inevitably follows a cataclysm.

Then, gradually, the settling dust revealed a sight that, for the first time, caused a genuine shift in Walterk’s expression.

Yet, Daniel remained seated, utterly still and entirely unscathed.

And the tree behind him stood completely unharmed.

But this was not the aspect that truly stunned Walterk.

Instead, it was what materialized before them.

A barrier. Not composed of Qi, nor any elemental force, nor anything recognized, but of absolute, abyssal darkness.

A black, unfathomable void that appeared to have consumed existence itself.

Its surface ebbed and flowed languidly, absorbing every residual particle of energy from Walterk’s assault; as if the strike capable of leveling cities had served merely as sustenance for this encroaching darkness.

And at the heart of this profound shadow, Daniel's eyes softly illuminated. For the first time, no hint of a smile graced Walterk’s features.

Instead, he fell into a contemplative silence, for he now grasped that the entity seated before him might indeed be a being beyond the comprehension of this world.