It was pretty cold up here in the far north.

I mean it wasn't like I was shivering or anything, and I didn't need a coat all of a sudden but…I could tell it was cold.

Something more accurate to say would be that I could literally feel the lack of heat in the area. Even though the sun was currently above us, it was almost useless in the environment around us.

It's pretty weird since it wasn't that long ago that I was in the land of frozen ice known as New Antarctica, yet the cold there couldn't compare to where I currently was.

A massive forever stuck in winter forest, with a much wider variety of all manner of beasts. Trees and all manner of other vegetation grew here, yet it was colder than a land of frozen ice.

I'm sure some type of Qi related natural phenomenon was at play.

All it does though is make me wonder even more how a City and their people are surviving up here.

And after another few hours of advancing with some level of caution due to the powerful beasts in the area, we finally reached our destination.

It actually kind of reminds me of the Tutorial outpost we stayed in a little bit.

A massive clearing in the middle of a forest was home to a wooden fortress.

Very similar circumstances, except for the fact we were in a permanent winter here, and the thing in front of me was a proper fortress. Thick and powerful falls with the ramparts to match. And they guarded what looked to be a massive City.

If there was any building that could a fit a stereotypical northern fortress then it would be this place.

But none of this was particularly surprising. Just interesting to see.

What drew most of my attention was instead was the person who was standing on the walls calmly watching the approach of myself and the members of my Clan.

He wore a thick coat, clearly made out of some rather powerful beast.

But…I don't really think he actually needed the coat at all.

For the exact same reason I didn't need a coat here either.

The man, a human, was in the Core Formation Realm.

I don't want to call it arrogance, or even ignorance, but I honestly highly doubted that there was a single human on this Planet that could keep up with my rate of advancement.

Of course, it wasn't necessarily impossible, but it definitely should've been highly unlikely.

Yet here was irrefutable proof before me, that just because I had certain advantages, it didn't mean I was anything special in the grand scheme of things when it came to talent and personal power.

The man's face didn't show any emotion as he watched our slow approach. Nothing about his bearing gave any indication to any thoughts he might be carrying as we approached his City.

He was tall, with broad shoulders, a shade or two lighter than me, and a skin bald head, but a truly well grown and clearly tended to beard. Honestly it was a proper beard. Kind of jealous since I've never shown signs of growing one.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Anyway.

We walked right up to the gates of his City and I gazed up towards him.

I could immediately tell that Vrusha and a few others didn't like that. But I'm not too worried about it.

"My name is Raizen, got time for a chat?"

As always, my first approach will always be one of no violence. It will be good to accomplish my goal without any bloodshed.

The man matched my gaze for a few moments before his lips parted.

"My City and her people aren't in the mood to be conquered. Raizen."

His voice was deep, but neutral, and the way he said my name…like an afterthought.

Ha.

Maybe I'll get to stretch my muscles…but I'll try one more time to see if it has to come to that.

"I will ask you once more. Got time for a chat? I won't repeat myself."

The cold winter winds blew around us as if it cared little about our little meeting.

I held the gaze of the man before me as the words I spoke lingered in the air without response for a minute or two.

Then another minute.

And one after that.

Ah.

So he won't even bother gracing me with a response.

I couldn't help the fact that a grin was slowly crawling onto my face. A fight it is then…no…this won't be a proper fight.

"Do not interfere."

Those words were for the few hundred Infernals behind me who were now itching to rip this man limb from limb.

Especially Vrusha. I could feel the air around him almost hum with anger.

But they will have to forgive their Patriarch. It's been a while since I've fought someone with the same cultivation as me.

Of course there was likely no need to go all out here.

Boom!

I slammed the but of my current spear into the ground and rooted it in place.

At the same time, I could see the man above me reach to pull out the sword from his waist.

Ah, a bit too slow.

"Explode."

Black flames flooded out of the soles of my feet like the propulsion system of a state of the art rocket.

No…not like.

Exactly like a rocket.

I shot off of the ground as if I was shot of a cannon and sped towards the man above faster that he clearly anticipated I could move.

Before he could fully bring his sword to bear against me, my hand shot out and latched onto his throat with a grip that could crush cars.

Of course his neck was strong enough to not snap under my grip. But the same couldn't be said for him as a whole. Just because he was also in the Core Formation realm, that didn't mean he could match me.

I'm a fucking Infernal.

The amount of power I launched at him with was enough to lift him off the walls with a massive amount of force and then with some impressive control, I twisted in the air until his back was now facing the ground while his neck was still in my grasp.

His face was wrought with immense anger and frustration and he tried time and time again to stab or cut me with his spear, but since when cold my flames be bypassed so easily?

I tightened my grip a bit as he tried with all his might to wrestle free, but it was to no avail.

Flames once more burst out from the soles of my feet and I shot back towards the ground in front of the gate with immense force and speed.

BOOOOOM!!!

Snow, stone and whatever else was in the way, exploded out in a rush as a new crater formed in the spot I landed in.

The man coughed up a bit of blood while still in my grip, but for the most part his body was still intact. The vitality and strength of someone in the Core Formation Realm was really something.

Needless to say.

A few more craters were formed in front of the City before his body finally began to give out from the repeated forceful slams into the earth. Especially since I began adding more and more power in each slam after the first one.

"Vrusha."

The man appeared next to me.

"No one is to interfere."

"Understood Patriarch."

I could sense a few presences rushing towards this area from fortress behind us, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with them.

His body might've began to break in some places after the last couple slams, but that didn't have anything to do with me.

You know…I'm starting to understand why Infernals might sound like the villains when I hear stories about them.

Because who the hell did this man think he is?

There isn't a single human on this Planet who didn't receive the notification about who I am. Something he clearly knew about based on the only thing he said to me.

Only two options were given. Submit or Rebel.

What's happening right now is nothing but a result of his choice.

And I will make sure he remembers it.

…I might not be a villain, but I am definitely not the good guy.

Not even a little bit.

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