Inside a meeting room with two sofas facing each other with only a table between them, Eleventh requested a meeting with Kai who sat across from him. If anyone at A-class entered the room, they'd feel queasy from the pressure created from Kai and Eleventh's clashing aura.

If anyone below C-class were to enter here, they'd probably break down in fear and if it was anyone below E-class, they'd faint on the spot. It was rare for someone to have an aura technique because it was only useful to show superiority to others and had little practical use in battle with those of the same level.

That is, if it were only a normal aura technique.

This pressure...!

Eleventh was facing Kai while trying not to mind the droplets of sweat that started dripping down his forehead. He was certainly stronger than Kai in terms of magic power, lost in the power of the body but he was confident in one thing, his aura technique which proved useful to him to get S-class.

He was already over forty yet the one in front of him was nearly thrice as younger than him but he could tell that Kai's aura technique was many times stronger than his. Kai was still holding back, he could feel it.

"Well, I think we've tested each other enough."

Eleventh slowly reduced his aura and Kai matched him until the aura dispersed, as if the pressure in the room was merely a lie.

"You are truly amazing, I'm confident about my aura technique which can pressure even A-class but to think you also held an aura technique which matched the level of mine."

Matched the level of yours? Looks like you can't even admit that your technique is inferior.

As of that moment, Kai's opinion of Eleventh dropped further. He didn't have a favorable impression of the council, they didn't have any direct conflicts but Kai had long since figured out the council's true motives. If Eleventh's aura could suppress Kai, Kai would definitely be turned into their dog.

But Kai couldn't make enemies of the council right now. Even if he were to use everything in his arsenal, he would at most take down half of them before dying, they didn't have years of experience for nothing. They most likely had a secret weapon to even stall an SS-class, Kai wasn't sure of their war potential yet but if they were all to attack, Kai was certain that no humans in this continent could stand up to them.

The only people who could stand up the council were the organizations of S-class from the other continents. Ethereal Moon, the continent closest to Soaring Eagle was rumored to have more than two dozen S-class but because the continent itself was a mystery to anyone outside, nobody was sure of this. Then, the continent on the other side of Ethereal Moon is known to be the strongest because it housed more beings of other races than humans.

Beastkin, who had stronger bodies. Elves who had higher potential in magic and archery. Dragons who were overall stronger; many races were gathered there and held the majority against humans. In Soaring Eagle, humans took up eighty percent excluding monsters. But in the third human continent, humans only held a twentieth. In fact, it still only held the title of human continent because humans there were stronger than the other races.

If the humans of Soaring Eagle were to be placed there, it'd be called a beast continent because beastkin took up the majority and would be stronger than the humans of Soaring Eagle.

 "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting a member from the council?"

Kai spoke with a straightened back.

"A little more than a month ago, a beast's howl resounded loud enough to be heard across the continent, it even created rampant waves from the waters and shook buildings."

Eleventh crossed his legs.

"But recently, we had found out that the beast was actually a technique. A technique with enough power to kill an S-class."

Recently found out? Don't make me laugh.

But Kai kept a stoic face throughout his internal rebut.

"So, what does that technique have to do with me, who has only recently ascended to S-class?"

Eleventh smirked as he regained his former calm.

"The council has investigated and traced the technique back to you. We, the council offer you two choices, become our slave or die right here."

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

After his sentence, using his aura would be the best method to intimidate Kai but since Kai's aura technique was stronger than his, he couldn't.

"Slavery or death, what extreme choices. Do I not have a third option?"

Eleventh hmph'd and added pressure to his words.

"If you think you can go against the council, then you must be stupid. You will choose one of these two right now or it'll default to death."

Unavoidable clash.

"...Looks like there's no way around it. What if I told you that the technique I used could be launched at any time?"

"Ha! Don't even try to bluff with me-!"

His words were stopped when Kai's mana erupted. Eleventh began shaking, he was the youngest yet also the weakest member of the council.

This enormous amount of mana, he's using that technique again...!

The mana erupting around Kai began to influence the surroundings, the walls, floor, and the celing began to crack.

"If I could call out this technique at any time, what would you- all of you do?"

A bluff. It was the only way Kai could stop the council right now. He had to delay them, they had abandoned their pride and sent someone to kill him despite his status contrary to their expectations.

"Cthulhu. The council didn't bite the bait, they sent Eleventh here, commence the backup plan."

Kai used the time Eleventh hesitated to send a message to Cthulhu by using the amplified mana. Of course, Eleventh who was currently overwhelmed by the mana didn't realize that Kai had unleashed his mana to send a message via telepathy across the capital. In truth, Kai couldn't use the technique and if he tried to force it, the technique would fire but he would die or at the very least, suffer from a coma many times longer than the last one.

Eleventh's back and forehead were drenched in cold sweat. Although he had doubts if Kai could actually launch the technique, he didn't want to take the chance. Just from the amount of mana Kai was using, he would be severely injured. But this was only possible because Kai's mana reserves were many times that of people his level. A single incorrect use of [Abyssal Wolf] not only takes all of his mana, but also part of his life force.

"S-surely you jest..."

Eleventh stuttered under the pressure. In truth, if Kai and Eleventh were to fight now, the victor would be difficult to decide. Most of Kai's techniques couldn't be utilized but he had more mana.

"...Am I?"

Kai's overflowing mana rampaged and the wooden table that had separated the two broke apart.

"D-don't be impudent! You dare raise your hand against a member of the council?!"

Eleventh released his own mana but no matter how much he released, Kai would use twofold to crush it.

"Aren't you afraid of the consequences once I go back and tell them?!"

"I've heard that there were visitors from THAT continent who had arrived just recently and coincidentally, the path they will take crosses through here. Now, it would be unfortunate if a member of the council were to suddenly be killed by those people, right? What's a dead corpse going to tell them anything?"

"You...!"

Eleventh's face fell. If Kai were to really kill him right now, there was a high chance that the council's move would be delayed. None of them expected Kai to attack Eleventh.

Kai had a skill to see another person's magic power whether it be unused or hidden. It came in the form of a pillar of magic power with varying colors surrounding them, the higher it was the more mana the person held compared to the user. Of course, this had drawbacks, if the magic power he sensed was many times higher than his, he would feel the pressure of it bore down against him. But... nobody human in the continents could make him feel like this.

His mana, as seen by his grandmother, was on the level of SS-class. It was doubtful if it would increase anymore because it had capped that way once Kai reached A-class but once Kai entered the level considered to be SS-class, mana would accompany it.

And Eleventh... only had a green mana pillar that reached up to his knees. A person with the same amount of mana and magic power as Kai would have it on the the mana pillar reach to the top of the head. This is why Kai used mana to dominate Eleventh, although he could not kill him with mana pressure, he would certainly be dominated.

And at the rate Eleventh was spending mana, the mana pillar kept going down until it reached the level of his feet. At that point, Kai suddenly halted his mana and Eleventh's remaining mana burst out. Eleventh's mana pillar dissolved completely as he turned pale and vomited.

"You...!"

Eleventh trembled as he glared hatefully at Kai.

"Unfortunately for you, you won't be able to go back to the council for awhile. But, you will certainly leave the capital."

Kai lifted Eleventh up with [Telekinesis] and revealed Eleventh's abdomen.

"This spot is where a person feels their magic power. [Seven Layer Magic Seal]."

Kai pointed his palm at Eleventh's abdomen and starting from the center of his palm, seven magic circles formed each one bigger then the last until it encompassed Eleventh's whole stomach in size.

Then, the seal compressed to about 3 inches and in Kai's palm and he pressed it onto Eleventh's abdomen which forced him to scream in pain.

"With this seal, your mana has to break through seven layers of my magic defenses to fill your own mana reserves. Which is impossible at the rate mana normally recovers, the seal will naturally fade in three months or if seven members of the council were to pour in all of their mana for each corresponding layer, naturally this will give you excruciating pain, enough to make you want to die."

Kai snapped his fingers and a portal appeared behind him.

"Kira."

Stepping out of the portal was an adult tiger with burning orange fur and red eyes.

"Kai, long time no see."

"Kira, it's been awhile, two years have passed right? How are you doing as the new ruler?"

"It's a pain but mother is still helping me despite her current state, I can manage. So, what do I do to that guy?"

"I'm going to have to go to war soon and I need someone to safeguard this guy. Darkwood Forest is the largest forest around and I doubt they'd think I'd keep an S-class inside a forest with very few beasts. Two disaster-class beasts would give even the council some trouble. Just hide him inside a tree or bury everything but his head underground while keeping him alive or something. He has a seal on him and won't be able to use mana even if an S-class were to help so you can rest assured."

Kira nodded and bit the scruff of Eleventh's neck and walked back into the portal.

"I'll come visit soon."

"Nn."