The courtyard fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the crackling of the flames encircling Aron and the Frostguard. Every eye was fixed on him, their minds processing the gravity of his words. To earn their freedom through combat with their new lord commander was a daunting proposition, especially after witnessing the display of his power.

"What?" Aron's eyes, crimson and piercing, darted from face to face. "No one?"

The silence stretched on, thick and heavy, as Aron's words hung in the air. His crimson eyes scanned the faces of the Frostguard, searching for any sign of defiance or resolve. But all he found was uncertainty and fear, mirrored in the eyes of those who stood before him.

Aron's jaw clenched, a flicker of frustration flashing across his features. He had expected resistance, defiance even, but the overwhelming silence that greeted his challenge caught him off guard. Had he overestimated their courage and will? Underestimated their fear?

"What's the matter?" Aron's voice sliced through the silence like a blade, sharp and commanding. "Aren't you all itching to prove yourselves? Step into the ring and claim your freedom!"

Once more, he was met with only silence, his frustration simmering. "A bunch of COWARDS!"

The word echoed through the courtyard, a sharp rebuke that cut through the thick tension like a knife. Aron's frustration boiled over, his crimson eyes flashing with anger as he confronted the silent Frostguard before him. He was about to erupt again when something unexpected transpired.

"Oh! Interesting"

Someone finally had the courage to step into the ring.

A wide grin stretched across Aron's face when he saw who had accepted the challenge. "Do you possess the will and determination to win your freedom, Leo?" he inquired

Leo stepped forward, his expression resolute despite the uncertainty flickering in his eyes. He drew the dagger from its sheath behind his back, assuming a fighting stance.

"Not for myself," Leo said, causing Aron to raise an eyebrow in surprise, "but for my friend. If I win, he walks away a free man."

Aron was taken aback by this declaration. He pivoted his head slightly, his gaze landing on Leo's friend. To his astonishment, Lirael was in a state of utter shock. He hadn't anticipated Leo making such a selfless plea.

Aron's gaze snapped back to Leo, studying him intently. There, with the aid of his dragon eyes, he saw something peculiar. The parasite within Leo lacked roots, only the egg-shaped mass. A closer inspection revealed why the parasite hadn't developed roots.

Leo had no mana.

'System, is this even possible?' Aron queried mentally.

[Insufficient data, Master. Based on the knowledge I possess and our past encounters, such a thing should be inconceivable. Everything in this world possesses mana.]

'But I see nothing within him?'

[It's conceivable he's employing something to mask his mana. Make physical contact with him so I can perform a more thorough analysis.]

Aron gave a silent nod, intrigued by this unforeseen turn of events. He locked eyes with Leo as his black armor began to recede around his waist, resembling a liquid in motion.

"Boy, what you want doesn't matter, what matters is the strength to seize what you want" Aron's words hung heavy in the air, a harsh lesson cloaked in a challenge.

Leo, his hand gripping the worn dagger, held Aron's gaze. The flickering flames cast long shadows, amplifying the tension that crackled between them.

Lirael, standing amidst the silent Frostguard, felt a wave of panic rise in his chest. Leo's impulsive action had thrown them both into a dangerous gamble. Yet, witnessing his unwavering determination to win his freedom ignited a fierce spark of loyalty within him.

"I'll take my friend's freedom, no matter what it costs," Leo responded, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

With a sudden surge of energy, Leo launched himself forward, the flames reflecting off the blade of his dagger.

Aron stood his ground, his crimson eyes narrowing as Leo approached with determination. He could sense the resolve emanating from the young man, a determination that resonated deep within him.

As Leo lunged forward, his dagger aimed for Aron's chest, the lord commander remained impassive. By now, his armor had transformed into a belt, leaving his upper body protected only by a simple white shirt.

"YAAAH!" Leo didn't care and simply aimed his dagger at Aron's heart, Utilizing the momentum of his charge, he stabbed with all his might.

However.

Cling!

Instead of piercing the man's heart, the dagger met an unexpected resistance. Leo felt a jolt run through his arm as the blade struck something solid, causing him to falter for a moment.

Crack!.

Cracks on the blade began to form, spreading outward from the point of impact like spiderwebs.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"What the hell!" Leo's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized that Aron's body was not as vulnerable as he had anticipated. "Are you a freaking rock?!"

Aron smirked, his gaze fixed on the young man. "is that all you got?"

"GRRR!" Leo gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing with determination. He refused to be defeated so easily, especially not when his friend's freedom hung in the balance.

With a fierce roar, Leo launched himself forward once more, throwing punches and kicks all over the place.

Aron swiftly recognized Leo's inexperience, fueled purely by raw emotion. Despite Leo's ferocity, his attacks lacked precision and finesse, leaving him vulnerable to Aron's counterattacks.

Aron effortlessly dodged Leo's wild swings, his movements graceful and controlled. With each failed strike, Leo's frustration escalated, feeding his reckless assault.

"Focus, boy," Aron's voice cut through the chaos, his tone stern yet composed. "Precision is the key to victory, not blind rage."

"..."

'I should not said that…I heard this phrase from Thyra so much that its stuck with me'

"I know that!" Leo gritted his teeth, his resolve unwavering. He understood Aron's words.

'But how am I supposed to know how to fight when I was bedridden for fifteen years in my old world?' he thought in frustration.

Taking a deep breath, Leo squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to compose himself. He needed to adapt, to strategize, and to capitalize on any openings he could exploit.

"Losing sight of your opponent in the midst of combat is foolish!"

"!!!" he heard Aron mock, his voice uncomfortably close. He opened his eyes in time to see Aron a hair's breadth away, hand raised.

SLAP!

A stinging slap sent Leo flying, crashing into a pile of his fellow Frostguards.

"LEO!" Lirael exclaimed running to his friend, and when he saw that Leo was fine just unconscious he sighed in relief.

"Who's next?!" Aron boomed, his voice echoing across the courtyard.

To everyone's surprise, a rugged-looking man stepped forward. His piercing blue eyes and the scar etched upon his forehead were prominent features. He donned a full suit of leather armor lined with fur for warmth.

As the man entered the fiery ring, Aron inquired, "What is your name, soldier?"

The man scoffed, repeating, "Soldier, huh!" He drew his weapon, his gaze fixed on Aron. "I was once a commander. The name's Eryndor."

Aron's eyes widened in recognition at the sight of something familiar - the iron mace gripped tightly in Eryndor's hand bore a resemblance to his old mace, the one he got from that goblin champion.

"Where did you get that mace?" he questioned, curiosity piqued.

"!!!" Eryndor flinched at the question, the defiance momentarily draining from his posture. He gripped the mace tighter, knuckles turning white.

"Why do you ask?"

Aron rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I had one similar to it which I throw away with a painful heart"

Oddly enough, Eryndor remained silent. He relaxed his posture slightly, lowering his head to stare at the cobblestone floor.

After a minute of tense silence, he finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "Did you throw it in the forest near Larton?"

"Yeah…how did you know? Wait, is that my old mace?" Aron was surprised by the revelation that this was the very same mace he once wielded.

For a moment he was happy that the mace found another man. 'Let's just stop remembering that embarrassing display of affection.'

FUSHHH!

"It…W-Was…You!"

"Huh?"

The air around Eryndor grew heavy as a surge of mana exploded on him. An intense orange-hued aura began to engulf him from head to toe. The courtyard seemed to hold its breath as the raw power emanating from Eryndor filled the air with warm energy.

"Me what?" Aron tilted his head pointing at himself, he could feel the rage and hatred from Eryndor and he didn't quite understand why.

'Was the mace fell on his head or what?' he thought

BOOM!

With a mighty kick, Eryndor propelled himself toward Aron with a ferocity that mirrored the intensity of his mana-infused aura. His blue eyes blazed with fiery rage as he swung the iron mace with a force that threatened to shatter bone.

"Because of YOU! My mission failed!" he roared.

Aron's eyes widened in surprise at Eryndor's accusation. "What in the world are you talking about?" he demanded, his voice laced with bewilderment. "I don't even know who you are!"

But Eryndor's rage knew no bounds. He ignored Aron's protests and continued his relentless assault, his mace whistling through the air with deadly precision.

As Aron dodged and parried Eryndor's strikes, he racked his brain trying to recall any encounters with this man. But try as he might, he couldn't place him.

"Because of YOU, I lost my rank"

Eryndor kept attacking relentlessly yet in his rage he failed to notice that his attacks barely left a mark.

Thanks to Thyra's torture…Ahem, I mean training, Aron's natural resistance to physical attacks had increased significantly even without using Scale Armor skill.

As the battle raged on, Aron began to lose patience with Eryndor's relentless assault. the accusations thrown away since Aron didn't really care about them.

"Enough!" Aron roared, his voice echoing through the chaotic courtyard. He dodged to the side, letting Eryndor's powerful swing miss its mark. Clenching his fist, he delivered a powerful punch straight to Eryndor's stomach.

"UGH!" Eryndor grunted as Aron's fist connected, the impact sending him crumpling to his knees. Gasping for breath, Eryndor struggled to maintain his composure as he clutched his stomach in pain. Aron loomed over him, his crimson eyes blazing with determination as he assessed the fallen former commander.

"You...cough...have no idea what you've done," Eryndor wheezed, his breaths ragged as he fought to speak.

Aron crouched down, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "Perhaps you should worry about yourself before worrying about me, former commander."

Eryndor's gaze flickered with a mix of defiance and pain as he struggled to maintain his composure. "What... do you mean?" he managed to gasp out between labored breaths.

Aron's smile widened as he studied Eryndor intently. "Well…a strong man like you should be on the front lines when monster waves commence"

Eryndor's eyes widened in horror as the weight of Aron's words sunk in. The playful smile on Aron's face morphed into a sadistic grin.

"Congratulations, former commander, you've just been promoted to cannon fodder," Aron declared. "Enjoy your time on the front lines, where you'll get a firsthand experience of the true terror of the monster waves."

Eryndor's breath hitched in his throat. Before he could utter another word, Aron flicked his middle finger against Eryndor's forehead with a sharp snap, sending the former commander crashing unconscious to the ground.

Aron stood over him for a moment, watching him with a cold indifference. Then, speaking into his mind, he sent a silent message. "Kasumi, keep an eye on this man."

"Yes, master," came the immediate response as Kasumi emerged from the shadows, cloaked in darkness. She effortlessly slunk to Eryndor's side, her form blending seamlessly with the shadows once more.

The reason for that was simple, Aron's eyes revealed yet another disturbing thing. Eryndor's chest was bare - no sign of the parasitic growth that plagued the other Frostguard.

With Eryndor unconscious and Kasumi watching over him, Aron turned his attention back to the assembled Frostguard. The air crackled with a tense silence, broken only by the embers spitting defiance from the fire. The display of raw power and the swift takedown of their former commander had left them awestruck and fearful.

'Fighting them one on one is time-consuming'

Standing up Aron declared "All of you step in the ring, force me to surrender and I'll give you, your freedom back"