Under the blazing sun, the scorching sunlight drenched the desolate land.
Ross and Gion's undisguised appearance quickly attracted the attention of the crowd below.
But whether they saw it or not, it was all destined to be a futile effort.
"I'll do it."
Ross floated slowly in the air, his deep eyes reflecting the bustling crowd below.
Buzz!
An invisible pressure suddenly descended, as if the sky were collapsing and the earth were splitting.
This was the aura of Conqueror's Haki, which instantly enveloped the entire settlement.
The once bustling settlement now seemed to have been silenced.
In that instant, time seemed to stand still.
Cheers, shouts, and children's laughter all fell silent under this oppressive force.
People fell like wheat harvested by a sickle, struggling even to breathe.
Within seconds, the entire settlement fell into a deathly silence.
"As expected of Conqueror's Haki, it's a feast for the eyes every time I see it."
Gion stood beside Ross, letting out a soft gasp of amazement.
People always yearn for abilities they don't have, and Conqueror's Haki cannot be acquired through training.
Conqueror's Haki is a kingly quality. Those who possess Conqueror's Haki can intimidate their enemies without lifting a finger, and can even cause those weaker than themselves to faint.
"It's just the ability to clear out the grunts."
Ross shook his head slightly. His control over Conqueror's Haki was so-so; he could only make ordinary people unconscious, and he couldn't even cause them physical damage through Conqueror's Haki.
To reach that level, one must at least approach the S-level.
As for the higher levels of Infused Conqueror's Haki, he was far from mastering it; he hadn't even grasped the basics.
Those who can unleash Infused Conqueror's Haki are all S-rank or even S+ rank beings.
Ross continued moving even as he spoke.
He summoned a surging mass of seawater with both hands, forming a huge wave in the air, like an angry beast roaring as it poured down towards the settlement below.
In an instant, the entire settlement seemed to be engulfed by an apocalyptic tsunami, with houses and streets being torn apart and destroyed in a flash.
Countless men, women, and children who were already unconscious had nowhere to escape in this sudden disaster, and their hope of survival after being swallowed by the waves was zero.
Even the most gifted person will be picked off by Ross once they enter the sea.
[G-rank kill achieved!]
[F-rank kill achieved!]
[F-rank kill achieved!]
[D-rank kill achieved!]
[...]
A massive number of inconsistent system notifications flashed by, numbering in the thousands.
This was Ross's first large-scale killing spree, but the results were less than satisfactory.
They killed more than 5,000 people, mostly GF-level civilians, with only a small number of ED-level powerhouses. Their quality was even lower than that of the patrol team.
The total experience gained was only close to 100,000.
"Outsiders! Your crimes are unforgivable!!!"
The waves were still surging when a deafening roar came from deep within the ruins.
A burly man suddenly leaped up, gripping a heavy spiked club tightly in his hand, and pounced on Ross like a raging beast.
His bloodshot eyes burned with raging fury; he was clearly the last resister in the settlement, and the only strongman in the settlement with C-level strength.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to withstand Ross's Conqueror's Haki.
The Haki wasn't targeted at a single individual; the group effect was much weaker. In a one-on-one situation, even a C-rank powerhouse wouldn't be able to withstand Ross's Conqueror's Haki.
Bang!!!
The spiked club slammed down with a whistling sound.
However, just as the spiked club was about to strike its target, a flash of silver light suddenly appeared. Gion drew her sword to meet it, and in an instant, the heavy weapon was easily parried.
Whoosh!
A flash of silver light, and Gion had already sheathed her sword.
With a hissing sound, blood splattered in the air as the burly man's massive body was severed in two and fell helplessly to the ground.
"Weakness is the original sin, people of Tigrians."
Ross's voice remained calm and indifferent, as if he were discussing a trivial matter. He let Gion lead him into the air, heading towards the next target.
Since you've chosen to be an enemy, you must be prepared to face death.
He had this awareness from the moment he became a Celestial Dragon.
Even if he is eventually brought down by the chosen one, if he can enjoy a few more years of freedom, then he will have made his money's worth.
However, compared to Ross, Gion, who was flying, felt somewhat reluctant.
Although she wouldn't have too many inappropriate compassionate thoughts, she still witnessed men, women, and children being slaughtered with her own eyes, which went against her past understanding of justice when she was in the navy.
"You can speak your mind; there's no need to keep it bottled up inside."
But even if Gion didn't say anything, Ross could see through her hesitation.
He had long noticed that Gion would become somewhat awkward and reluctant when carrying out such ruthless acts.
"It's nothing, I'm just feeling a bit emotional. In the end, my hands will be stained with the blood of many innocent people." Gion sighed softly.
She wasn't some saint; she had already foreseen this situation when she joined Ross's team.
You have to pay for what you want; that's fair.
However, seeing this scene still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable, since she had just witnessed many children being swept into the sea and dying.
"Feeling a little reluctant?" Ross chuckled. "Kindness is a beautiful virtue, but unnecessary kindness will only harm yourself."
"From the moment the Tigrians rebelled against the World Government, it was destined to be a fight to the death. Today you leave behind women and children, but those children will grow up one day."
"If one of them is a Rocks or a Golden Lion, then when he comes to take revenge, it will be our relatives and friends, or even ourselves, who will die."
"I won't ask you to do that, but I am a Celestial Dragon. From the day I started enjoying the power that comes with being a Celestial Dragon, I have the obligation to bear the fate of the Celestial Dragons."
"If you don't nip the problem in the bud, you might as well not do anything at all."
Ross never had any kind intentions, and countless facts have proven that kindness is worthless in the face of human nature.
Even a savior might turn on you, let alone someone who is already your enemy.
However, it's not necessarily true that everything he said was from the heart.
Some of the words were meant for Gion, while others were meant for the people by the sea.
He is indeed willing to shoulder the obligations of a Celestial Dragon, but not for the current Celestial Dragons.
There are still too many Celestial Dragons. In the end, only the Jaygarcia family will be left.
Furthermore, he should be the one to start a new chapter in the genealogy of the Jaygarcia family.
"I understand."
Gion nodded gently, having completely come to terms with it.
She was only temporarily disoriented by the visual impact, not because she was truly unable to accept the scene.
Now that Ross had spoken to her, she felt she should be able to wield her blade too.
As Ross just said, if we don't wipe out our enemies completely, there will only be endless troubles in the future.
"Saint Ross, let me manage this settlement."
As Gion gazed at the settlement that was gradually becoming clearer, she softly uttered her request.
Now that she had made up her mind, she naturally wanted Ross to see it.
...
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