Snap!
Just as Momiji opened her fan, ready to subdue the insolent clansmen, a hand landed on her shoulder from behind.
"Huh?"
Momiji froze.
She turned her head, only to see Damien stepping past her.
In that moment, shock overwhelmed her, leaving her momentarily unresponsive.
It was unbelievable... Damien's action not only disrupted her rhythm but dispersed her magicules entirely.
'How is this possible?!'
It wasn't an attack, nor did it harm her, yet her magicules fell silent in an instant!
If Benimaru and the others had shown her there were greater powers beyond, Damien's presence shattered her worldview.
'So terrifying.'
Momiji thought, 'Is this the lord of Benimaru and Father, Lord Damien?'
"Who do you represent?"
Damien stood before the group of Tengu, eyeing the young Tengu named Takeyu. "Yourselves, or someone else?"
"What do you mean?!"
Takeyu's magicule count was around 7,000.
Comparable to Souei in the past, he was a promising talent among the Tengu.
Yet such strength didn't even rank in the top hundred of the clan.
It was hard to imagine he had the audacity to stand before Damien.
"Can't understand?"
Damien sighed, and as he looked up, an unimaginable pressure enveloped Takeyu.
"Let me say it again."
As Damien's words fell, so did the four Tengu following Takeyu, collapsing unconscious.
Beside them, Shion stood calmly, her eyes reflecting the certainty of having cleared trash for Damien.
"So fast!"
Momiji could see Shion's movements but was still stunned by her precision.
In an instant, Shion knocked out four Tengu.
Not only that, but she also shattered their leg bones.
Such injuries, even with the Tengu's secret medicines, would keep them bedridden for weeks.
"Phew~~"
Momiji had no complaints.
If it were her, she might have been harsher.
That they still lived left her with nothing to say.
She chose silence, waiting for Damien's next move.
"What did you do?!"
"Damn it!"
Takeyu, only now noticing his fallen comrades, panicked but mustered the courage to point at Damien. "You dare attack us in the Tengu's hidden village? Even with the elder's protection, you won't leave this Sacred Mountain today!"
"…"
Damien wasn't angry, just exasperated.
Was this guy serious?
"Ice."
Damien didn't bother acting himself... the opponent wasn't worth it.
"Hmph!"
A chill flashed by.
In the next moment, the still-defiant Takeyu turned into an ice sculpture.
Crack!
With a flick of Ice Empress's finger, the sculpture... and Takeyu within it... shattered.
Yes, Damien had killed.
"The first time, I can tolerate your rudeness."
"But the second…"
"Forgive me, I can't fathom how someone can be this foolish."
Shion's action was already a show of authority.
Injuring without killing.
It displayed Damien's might while leaving some space for the Tengu.
But what was Takeyu's deal?
Was he really that bold?
Not only unafraid, but daring to point at Damien's nose, questioning and threatening him, claiming he wouldn't leave the Sacred Mountain.
Good grief!
Even Kaede and Momiji wouldn't dare say such things.
A mere pawn like him, where did he get the nerve to be so arrogant?
"I'm sorry, it's my failure!"
Momiji had only seen Damien's gentle side before.
Now, she realized someone capable of commanding Benimaru and her father couldn't lack authority.
Unlike Rimuru's gentle, accommodating demeanor, Damien was no soft-hearted protagonist.
He could respect an enemy's desperate resistance, even admire it.
But he couldn't tolerate stupidity.
"Who's behind him?"
"What's the conflict of interest?"
Damien released the restraint on Momiji, saying calmly, "Tell me everything."
"W-Well…"
Momiji didn't know how to explain.
She was just a young girl, far from her mother's seasoned composure.
"If there's internal conflict, resolve it."
"Don't worry, speak freely."
Damien said, "I'm not here to enslave the Tengu but to make you my people, my companions."
"So, whatever needs you have, tell me."
"If I can solve it, I'll do my best to help."
As a lord, Damien felt obligated to address his people's troubles, not just demand their loyalty.
"Lord Damien." Benimaru interjected, seeing Momiji's hesitation. "Please discuss this with Kaede-san."
"Benimaru, you…"
Damien gave him a knowing look, making the young kijin blush.
"Not bad, protecting your lady." Damien said, patting Benimaru's shoulder with a smile. "Alright, lead the way."
Damien didn't press Momiji, reverting to his calm demeanor, ignoring the dead Takeyu and the unconscious Tengu.
He had asked Takeyu who he represented.
If Takeyu had spoken for the hawk faction, Damien wouldn't have acted so decisively.
He'd have had Takeyu bring the hawk faction to him.
Then, depending on the situation, he'd decide whether to deal with them all.
Since the Tengu was to become his people, what was wrong with clearing out a few pests and fools beforehand?
Every group had its outliers.
Unless it was a desperate race like the goblins, nearly extinct, or low-population majin like the kijin or Star Wolvess, any large group had its share of troublemakers.
"That was basically a declaration of war, wasn't it?" Snow Empress remarked on the way.
"Essentially." Artoria replied.
As a former king who'd fought countless battles, no one was more qualified to judge.
***
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