Chapter 29: The Weight of Power

The man’s demeanor shifted instantly. His eyes grew sharp, filled with newfound confidence and arrogance now that the boar was dead. His gaze turned sinister as a smug grin revealed sharp teeth beneath his lips. The shift in his aura was palpable.

Niko felt a trickle of sweat run down his spine. His mind raced, calculating every move, every word. "Stay calm... don’t show fear," he reminded himself, recalling every story and strategy he'd read before. Showing weakness now could be fatal. His exterior remained cool and confident, even as the tension inside him simmered.

The bald man scratched his head with a cocky tone, "Listen up, little man. I'm in a good mood today. You got lucky, leveled up from the kill, so I'll be generous. Consider it a gift from me, to a weakling like you."

His words dripped with condescension. Niko could tell this man was no stranger to killing. He carried himself with the smug superiority of someone who had spilled blood—human and otherwise.

Candreva's voice broke the silence, his chest puffed out in irritation. "Bald manly man! We had a deal!"

At his words, the bald man’s follower stepped up, his body language matching his leader’s arrogance. "Deal? What kind of idiot still believes in deals out here?" the bald man sneered. "You punks should be grateful I haven't killed you yet. Now leave, before I stop being so nice."

Niko smirked as if he had seen it all coming. He’d read countless books where the arrogant villain underestimated the protagonist, thinking they had the upper hand. While Niko didn’t see himself as some kind of overpowered hero, he knew better than to be caught off guard by an obvious betrayal. He had his own cards to play.

"You think we're scared of you?" Niko’s voice was smooth, calculated. He smiled, though his heart pounded in his chest. This situation felt all too familiar, and yet entirely real. Still, he wasn’t about to let the bald man walk all over him. I’ve got this, he reassured himself, though a part of him couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment.

The bald man’s eyes turned icy. His body moved faster than Niko expected. In a heartbeat, the bald man’s hand shot out, grabbing Niko by the collar and lifting him off the ground. The pressure on Niko’s throat and the uncomfortable tug of his shirt made him wince.

Candreva moved to help, but the bald man’s follower intercepted him, grinning wickedly as he stood in Candreva’s path. The situation escalated faster than Niko had anticipated.

"Don’t test me, boy." The bald man’s voice was low, menacing. "I’ve killed more people than you’ve met in this world. Ending you would be easier than breathing. Now apologize—and call me daddy—and maybe I’ll let you leave unharmed."

The wind stirred, rustling the leaves in the trees above them. For a brief moment, there was silence. Niko’s heart pounded in his ears, yet his face remained calm. He felt a surge of anger at the man’s arrogance. And then... Niko smiled. It wasn’t the smile of someone who had given up—it was the smile of someone who knew exactly what he was doing.

The bald man’s eyes narrowed. "Have you lost your mind, boy?"

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Just as the bald man raised his fist to strike, he froze, his eyes darting to the side. Right next to his head, a Steampunk Bee Spirit hovered silently, its deadly stinger aimed directly at his skull. The bee's wings buzzed softly, and its translucent green body flickered with a ghostly light. One sting, and it would be over.

The bald man’s hand loosened around Niko’s collar. His head was slick with sweat, and the arrogance that had filled his eyes moments before was replaced with cold fear.

"Y-you..." The man stammered, his voice suddenly unsteady. He knew what the bee was capable of. Its reputation preceded it.

Niko’s grin widened as he spoke, his voice dripping with authority. "Looks like you understand what’s happening here. Now, let me give you a bit of advice. If you don’t get your filthy hands off me right now, that stinger will blow your head off before you can blink."

The bald man’s eyes darted from the bee back to Niko. He was visibly trembling now, unsure of what to do.

"And just so you know," Niko added, his voice laced with danger, "I have other partners surrounding us. If my little friend here doesn’t finish the job, I’m sure they will."

As if on cue, Ivanic and Zheng stepped into view, their presence alone enough to send a chill down the bald man’s spine. Ivanic’s one arm was more than enough to unsettle the man, and Zheng’s wild demeanor didn’t help matters.

The bald man’s partner made a foolish attempt to sneer. "A one-armed man, huh?"

Ivanic’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. "One arm is all I need to end you."

The bald man’s follower fell silent, swallowing his pride.

Still suspended in the air, Niko’s patience was wearing thin. "What are you waiting for?" he asked coldly. "Do I need to make this bee sting before you understand how serious I am?"

The bald man’s face was drenched in sweat as he released Niko, backing away with his hands raised. The bee hovered close, its stinger never leaving the man’s head.

Niko took his time straightening his shirt, deliberately slow, as if asserting his dominance over the situation. The bald man burned with humiliation, but there was nothing he could do. Niko could feel the man’s fury, but the fear was stronger.

With a casual stride, Niko walked toward the items that had dropped from the boar. He knelt down, examining the loot. There was a two-sided axe, its tusk-shaped blades gleaming with a strange light, along with a blue shard that reminded him of the one Marcos had received and the one Ivanic had shown earlier. After storing the items in his inventory, Niko glanced back at the bald man, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"I’m a man of my word," Niko said, his tone dripping with false generosity. "You can keep the body. Consider it a gift."

The bald man’s face twisted with rage, but he said nothing.

But Niko wasn’t done. His aura flared, the air around him growing cold as a translucent boar spirit materialized from the dead body of the boar. It hovered for a moment before vanishing from sight, completely invisible.

The display of power left the bald man speechless. Niko’s aura was darker now, colder, more menacing. His presence filled the air with an almost oppressive weight, making those around him uneasy.

Zheng and Ivanic looked on in awe, their faces reflecting the same mix of fear and respect. Niko’s ability to control spirits had taken a terrifying turn, and they could feel the shift in his power.

With a satisfied grin, Niko turned to leave, his back straight and his head held high. "Let’s go," he said to his group, his voice calm but commanding.

The Steampunk Bee Spirit remained hovering above the bald man’s head for a few moments longer before slowly fading away, leaving him standing there, trembling. His companion stepped forward nervously, whispering, "Luis…"

But Luis, the bald man, said nothing. His face was grim, his pride shattered.

As Niko and his group made their way deeper into the forest, Zheng couldn’t hold back his admiration any longer. "Niko! Man, that was incredible! You’re way too cool!"

Niko smiled faintly, though his heart was still pounding in his chest. "I did it," he thought, the weight of his actions sinking in. His back was soaked with sweat, his pulse still racing from the intensity of the confrontation. He had pulled off a bluff, a calculated risk that could have easily backfired, but it had worked.

Inwardly, Niko knew the truth—he wasn’t the fearless hero Zheng thought he was. But he had survived. And in this world, that was what mattered most.