Completely ignoring Haruki and the increasingly cold looks from the girls, Feld didn't stop at verbal harassment—he actually reached out to grope Gin, the tallest among them, his filthy hand aiming for her pale arm.
Gin had always been a quiet and aloof girl. Aside from occasionally showing a more playful side around Haruki, she barely spoke to even close friends like Nina. As for strange men? She had zero tolerance.
The moment Feld's hand reached toward her, Gin didn't hesitate. She lifted her right leg and swept it out in a blur, faster than any of them could follow with the naked eye. Before they even realized what was happening, a sharp vacuum slash about a foot long flashed across Feld's arm.
"Pffft... thud."
After a year of training, Gin's mastery of the Six Styles had become razor-sharp. She had controlled the size of her Rankyaku's air blade with precision—just slightly wider than Feld's upper arm—enhancing its cutting power while conserving stamina.
Feld had just been about to touch Gin when he suddenly lost all sensation in his arm. Confused, he looked down—and what he saw horrified him.
His left arm, cleanly severed at the shoulder, slid off like it had been sliced by a razor and dropped to the ground.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
The fountain of blood gushing from his wound jolted Feld out of his daze. The searing pain hit him all at once. Screaming in agony, he clutched his shoulder with his remaining hand and rolled on the ground like a madman. Having been pampered his whole life, he had never experienced pain like this. His face twisted in torment, and whatever fake noble grace he had tried to show vanished instantly.
Watching his pathetic display, Gin and the other girls only looked more disgusted. Compared to Haruki, Feld was nothing but filth—repulsive and worthless.
Haruki, meanwhile, gave Gin a silent nod of approval.
"You useless bastards! Can't you see I'm hurt?! Get over here and help me! And grab those girls! How dare they do this to me—I'll make them wish they were dead!"
Feld's screams turned into rage as he snarled at his stunned lackeys.
"Yes!"
Snapped back to reality by Feld's shouting, the henchmen—used to bullying others with impunity—finally moved. Two rushed to help their master, while the rest charged at Haruki and the girls.
"Tch. Do you really think I'm someone you can mess with?"
Haruki rarely got angry, but this crossed a line. He could ignore insults to himself—but targeting those close to him was unforgivable.
With a flick of his right hand, Haruki snapped his fingers.
Then it happened.
A dozen golden vortexes spun open behind him, each one spitting out a gleaming weapon—swords, spears, axes, halberds, hooks, all different in form but each radiating a terrifying aura. Every weapon pointed directly at an enemy, locking them in place with sheer pressure.
The charging henchmen froze in terror. In their limited understanding, only Teigu could produce such an overwhelming force—and even then, only another Teigu User or a full military force could counter it. They had no idea that the treasures from Haruki's Gate of Babylon far surpassed any Teigu in power.
Seeing them falter, Haruki smirked.
"Trying to run? Too late."
The golden weapons shot forward.
The henchmen didn't even have time to scream properly before they were skewered by the incoming treasures, pinned to the ground like rag dolls. Dead on the spot.
"What do you think you're doing?! Let me tell you—my father is the head of the Security Department, and my mother is the current emperor's aunt! You dare lay a hand on me? If you know what's good for you, release me and hand over those girls behind you. Maybe then I'll let you die a quick death."
Some people just don't know when to shut up.
Hearing Feld's arrogant threats, Haruki couldn't help but laugh in rage.
"Haha... I'd love to see how you're going to make me die."
As he spoke, Haruki walked up to Feld and kicked him straight into the wall across from the store. He held back just enough to keep the blow non-lethal—Feld only broke a few ribs.
Then, Haruki raised a single finger and pointed at Feld's remaining intact arm. A compressed air blast, far more powerful than a bullet, exploded from his fingertip.
Bang!
"AAAGHHHHH!"
Blood burst into the air as Feld's other arm was blown clean off at the shoulder.
"What are you idiots still standing there for?! Go get my father! Get my mother! Tell them to come save me!"
Rolling in agony, Feld screamed at his stunned lackeys, who hadn't moved an inch since the start of the fight.
This shop was located in a quiet back alley, so no one had come to investigate. With the capital in chaos lately, no one wanted to risk getting involved in anything dangerous. The screams coming from the alley only made passersby steer even farther away. Feld had no choice but to rely on his men to send for help.
"Yes, sir!"
Two of the henchmen quickly responded and bolted for the alley's exit.
Seeing them run, Gin and the others immediately moved to stop them, but Haruki held them back.
"These nobles cling like parasites. If we don't put an end to this now, they'll be nothing but trouble later. And unless we send a clear message, this kind of thing will just keep happening."
Haruki said calmly.
"Hah... Keep talking big. Once my parents get here, no one will be able to save you."
Feld's voice trembled, laced with both pain and madness. The shock of losing both arms had already broken him—he knew even if he lived, he'd be crippled for life.
Haruki didn't bother responding. He walked up and knocked Feld out with a swift kick, then turned to the store owner.
The man looked stricken with despair. As the saying goes, when the gods fight, it's the mortals who suffer. He was just an ordinary shopkeeper, yet now Feld had been maimed right outside his store. Even if he wasn't involved, the enraged Security Minister would never let him off easily.
"It's all right. You've got nothing to worry about. Just for how you stood your ground earlier, I'll make sure you're safe. That so-called Security Minister? He's nothing."
Seeing the man's anxious face, Haruki gave his shoulder a reassuring pat.
The shopkeeper breathed a little easier after hearing that. Having a noble Teigu User backing him was no small comfort—but deep down, he was still uneasy.
Haruki noticed, but said no more. Ignoring Feld, who lay unconscious outside, he turned and calmly led the girls back into the store.
He would let the results speak for themselves.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake