"Hand me your eye, you can choose left or right."


    As soon as Rex said that, the entire ce turned dead silent.


    A dropped pin could be heard loudly, that is how silent the ce currently was.


    Seeing Giste''s condition when they arrived here, the Elves as well as the Orcs had thought of the probability that this would incite the Emperor''s wrath. She was within the royal pack—she was a member of the Silverstar Pack family, causing a wound or Origin forbids her death would harbor extreme consequences.


    One that not even their kingdoms would be able to pay.


    Inside their minds, all who were present here knew the possibilities.


    Even then, when it did actually happen, they couldn''t help but shudder in fear.


    Not even Queen Shana, the long-standing Elven Queen was spared from this blunder.


    Upon hearing themand, Queen Shana''s heart tightened.


    Rex tilted his head when he saw her hesitance.


    "Are you hesitating on a direct order from your Emperor, Queen Shana?" He asked.


    Realizing that the situation might gone out of hand, Giste tried to intervene.


    But she was quickly shut down with a subtle nce from Rex.


    His cold gaze alone shot a warning that if she intervened, even she wouldn''t be spared.


    ...


    It was dead silent.


    Nobody dared to breathe lest invoking the wrath of the Emperor.


    Just like the others, Hastios felt burdened by this situation heavily, he has stood beside the queen for years upon years. And yet he has never been in this kind of situation—a situation where he couldn''t do anything to help.


    Upon seeing Queen Shana was about to move, Hastios reacted.


    "Your Highness..."


    "Don''t."


    But before he could stand, Queen Shana already raised her hand.


    She signaled him to not do anything rash or the situation might be worse than this.


    Knowing that there was no choice, Queen Shana moved, she extended her arm to the side and channeled her nature energy. A glowing golden light protruded out of her fingers, turning her hand into a golden de.


    It was obvious that she was obeying Rex''smand.


    As she established her de, Queen Shana raised her gaze to meet with Rex''s eyes.


    "Nobody should return your eye without my permission, know that," Rex added coldly.


    A healer could restore Queen Shana''s eye but that wasn''t allowed.


    Of course, it goes without saying that if she wronged that, a heavier consequence awaits.


    Despite hearing that, Queen Shana''s expression didn''t waver.


    "I have made a mistake. Allow me to make amend for it..."


    Swoosh!


    Just as she said that Queen Shana swung her de, aiming to gauge out her left eye.


    All of the onlookers, including Giste and Hastios turned away in reflex.


    Despite having to see the gore of the battlefield, this waspletely different than normal.


    Queen Shana resigned to her duty and felt no fear.


    As a couple of seconds passed, the inevitable moan, whimper—or scream from the Queen never came. Not even the sound of flesh, and dripping of blood could be heard. It was still silent as before.


    Slowly, the others returned their gazes to check the situation.


    Seeing what had happened, all of them gasped.


    Queen Shana—followed through with gauging her eye—but the sharp golden nature de stopped half an inch away from stabbing her left eye. It was stopped by a swirling red vapor-like energy, red force energy.


    Only one person has a strong enough red force energy to stop the de.


    It was the Emperor, Rex.


    Realizing that Rex had stopped her swinging motion, Queen Shana''s eyes widened.


    Judging from his demeanor earlier, mercy was not within reach.


    But somehow, Rex decided to stop her at thest second.


    "Y- Your Majesty...?"


    "Know that my pack is the most important thing—to me. I do not want anything happening to them. I spared you back then, and gave you a chance to deliver your promise and you kept it. Now I spared you once again, can you make a promise and keep it likest time?"


    Upon hearing this, Queen Shana''s eyes widenedpletely.


    Back then, she was meant to die on the stronghold, but Rex spared her life, giving her one chance to gather low-rank Supernaturals, or every Supernatural race, who did not want to participate in the war and she delivered on that task.


    Queen Shana formed the alliance which members had now be allies.


    Allies to the rentium Empire that Rex established.


    She had done it extremely well and Rex had never forgotten that fear about her.


    On the other hand, Queen Shana felt her heartbeat raced when she heard this.


    ''How long has it been...?'' She pondered, her unsteady eyes gazing straight at Rex''s eyes with utter shock. ''How long has it been—since someone made me feel like this? After the death of our Elders—I took on the mantle of a queen, and I have nobody. I don''t have anyone to talk to much less acknowledge me for what I''ve done''


    ''But the Emperor... with his situation, he still remembers'' Queen Shana continued.


    A tear unconsciously fizzled down her smooth cheek.


    Recovering from her daze, Queen Shana held the edge of her dress tightly in her hands.


    Under the onlookers'' eyes, she slowly began going down to her knees.


    "My Emperor... I solemnly promise to ce the well-being of your family, above all else. I will marshal every force at mymand and devote my people to ensuring their safety. We owe you a debt for shielding us from the ravages of war and death, and we shall repay that in full by standing as your family''s unwavering shield"


    Despite already kneeling on the ground, Queen Shana didn''t stop there.


    She bent down further, her zing hair cascading down and covering her devoted face.


    "I devote my life and everything about me to you..."


    Upon saying that, Queen Shana groveled and kissed Rex''s foot tenderly.


    A gesture dering that she was entirely Rex''s.


    Rex looked at this and the corner of his mouth tilted upwards a little—he wasn''t expecting it to go down this way but it was still a good oue. I was only testing her allegiance due to the Angels being able to mind control, but this is not bad.


    He was trying to see if Queen Shana had a strong sense of loyalty towards him.


    Making her do something like this would be quite good of a test.


    Of course, he was still quite pissed, when he saw the System prompt a notification, that his pack members were hurt—and in trouble. He did tell Queen Shana but as Giste said, it wasn''t entirely the Elves'' fault.


    "I''ll be looking forward to your future, Queen Shana," Rex replied.


    Momentster.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Hastios had already told the Elves and Orcs to get back to their positions.


    Regardless of what had happened, the other minion was still roaming about dangerously.


    Rex used his kingly energy to overpower the death energy, from Giste''s body, before they alongside Queen Shana went to the side, heading towards Flunra. Along the way, Giste told him what had happened—how their encounter with the minion goes.


    "It was able to split its beast core...?" He mused in confusion.


    Giste, who was being carried princess-style, nodded, "Yes, that''s what happened.


    Upon hearing this, Rex''s eyebrows dipped into a frown.


    Considering that it was incapacitated by Flunra and Giste, it probably tore a piece of its beast core without thinking of the consequence knowing that it would undoubtedly die. It then let its energy go rampant and explode as itsst attempt.


    But what''s disturbing was the fact that it meticulously tore the piece to kill the Elves too.


    Exploding the core wasn''t really a unique trait.


    A lot of mutated animals could do that and even Awakened could do that if they wanted.


    However, Rex was disturbed that it even thought of killing the Elves.


    Such an intelligence was unheard of within the mutated animals before the Second Breath.


    Naturally, these minions were as smart as people, and that''s not a good thing.


    If that''s the case, how meticulous would Shadow be? Or on that note, Dravatar?


    Rex couldn''t help—but frown deeper when he recalled that they were now only dealing with the minions, not the Orded Beast itself. He was trying to gauge their strength and now, with this new information, he knew that the Order Beasts are extremely dangerous.


    "None should go near Shadow," He finally dered.


    He turned to the side at Queen Shana and continued, "I would be the one going there"


    Upon hearing this, Queen Shana nodded.


    She also heard what Giste exined earlier and she too came to the same conclusion.


    Shadow is extremely dangerous.


    Sending sentries there would be akin to feeding it with more lives, it was not strategic.


    I could send my clones to scan the area. No risks are involved that way.


    Eventually, Rex and the others reached where Flunra''s scent wasing from.


    Making a circle around a massive splintered tree, Rex and the others found him sprawled on the ground, coughing blood a couple of times. He was badly wounded, at least a third of his body was burnt from the explosion.


    Despite the others standing right beside him, he didn''t seem to sense them.


    Rex ced Giste down and squatted to check on Flunra.


    Compared to Giste, who has an innate resistance against death energy—being an Undead before, Flunra was purely a Werewolf. His life force is robust and for the death energy, it was a delight.


    It also prolonged his pain as having his life force corroded takes time.


    cing his hand over Flunra''s body, Rex scanned him with the System.


    <Scanning...>


    <...>


    <Completed!>


    <Flunra is badly wounded from a death energy st containing order energy of death. It was not strong enough to rapidly devour Flunra''s life force but would be able to with enough time. It''s advised to overpower the death energy to help with the regeneration process>


    Upon seeing this, Rex raised an eyebrow.


    Order energy of death? What is that?


    <Like mana that could be evolved to arcane mana—mutated animals could also do the same, evolving their beast energy into order energy>


    Is this order energy of death any stronger than the Undead''s death energy?


    <It depends on the Order ss of the mutated animal>


    What''s the Order ss of this one?


    <Analyzing...>


    <Order ss determined, Knight. It''s almost as strong or as strong as the Undead''s>


    Rex frowned, he was expecting this order beast to be of the Lord-rank but he was mistaken.


    "A Knight and it was already this troublesome..." He mused in contemtion.


    Noticing the pain etched on Flunra''s face, his eyes still clenched shut in sheer agony, Queen Shana stepped toward Rex, "I have an exceptional royal healer in the capital, who can aid Lord Flunra. If we bring him there, I will personally ensure he is treated—immediately. Nature energy holds potent restorative properties, especially against the effects of death energy"


    Upon hearing this, Rex waved his hand and straightened his back.


    "I appreciate the gesture but there''s no need for that,"


    "My Emperor, is it really okay?"


    Rex shrugged his shoulders and pointed his hand towards the sky.


    He channeled his red force and sted the forest''s canopy above them with a ray of energy.


    In an instant, the moon was exposed, touching their skin directly.


    As he did that, Rex looked at Flunra and tilted his head a little.


    Not even saying anything, Rex kicked him right in the stomach, sending him stumbling away.


    Queen Shana gasped, she didn''t expect Rex to do this.


    Moreover, there doesn''t seem to be any merit in doing this, Flunra wouldn''t be healed.


    "Wake up, Flunra. How long are you nning on lying there?"


    "M- My Emperor, I don''t thi-"


    Before Queen Shana could even say anything more, Rex''s gaze turned stern—as he red his immensely thick killing intent. So powerful that even the queen who was not the target of the killing intent felt a cold shiver run down her spine.


    Just as Queen Shana''s confusion grew, she saw Flunra spring to his feet.


    He panted heavily and looked around, absorbing what had happened.


    Rex, on the other hand, smiled.


    "See? He''s only knocked out from the st, he only needed a small push" He said.


    Queen Shana smiled acutely, ''I guess they are Werewolves, their regeneration is strong...''