NOVEL NEXT Chapter 519: Found You
With everyone who had dared to attack him immobilized by his living shadows, Arthur focused his cold gaze on the shelter's leader who remained suspended in his grip.
"I have one question. Answer it and I will let you go," Arthur stated with the calm authority of someone whose patience had limits that shouldn't be tested further.
The leader nodded his head frantically, his earlier arrogance completely replaced by survival instinct as he prepared to cooperate with whatever Arthur demanded.
Before he could respond, one of the interior doors opened and someone slowly emerged, buttoning his pants with the manner of someone who had been engaged in private activities. The newcomer spoke with irritated confusion that suggested he hadn't been paying attention to the developing crisis.
"What is all this yelling about? What the hell happened?" the man demanded with annoyed authority, clearly assuming some minor disturbance had disrupted his personal time.
He wasn't particularly worried because he hadn't heard sounds of forced entry or detected any demonic auras in the vicinity that would indicate genuine threats to the shelter's security.
Once his eyes registered the scene before him, shock replaced his irritation as he processed the impossible sight of his fellow survivors frozen, he wasn't sure why but that didn't matter.
Everyone was standing completely motionless, unable to move even an inch, while his friend and co-leader was being held in what appeared to be a lethal chokehold by someone whose presence radiated overwhelming power.
Without waiting to understand the situation or attempting resolution, the newcomer immediately activated his awakened talent and launched himself toward Arthur with the kind of reckless heroism that got people killed during such situations.
The man thought his speed made him formidable and difficult to track, but instead he moved like a turtle compared to Arthur's eyes. What the awakened survivor considered lightning-fast movement appeared pathetically slow to someone operating at Arthur's current level.
As someone who had killed a second order beast, the new awakener before him was nothing.
The attacker appeared near Arthur within a few seconds and threw a punch with all the force his strength could generate.
"TAKE THIS!" he shouted with the desperate fury of someone defending what he considered his territory and possessions.
The punch never landed as a sudden sensation of complete immobilization overtook the would-be hero. His own shadow had erupted from the ground to restrain him with the same efficiency that held his companions helpless.
His companions couldn't even hint or help him. Frozen in place like statues. They could only watch helplessly as their second leader fell to the same power that they fallen to.
Arthur didn't bother acknowledging the insignificant threat that had tried to act heroic, instead focusing his attention back on the leader who possessed the information he actually needed.
"Where is she?" Arthur asked as he released his grip, allowing the gasping man to breathe while maintaining enough intimidation to ensure his honest cooperation.
"S-she… ugh… she is his concubine," the leader replied while struggling for breath, pointing toward the man who had just attempted the failed rescue.
"Concubine? Already?" Arthur observed with cold amusement at how quickly social dynamics had deteriorated within the shelter.
Whilst he didn't have a problem with polygamy, it was more common to be with one than many in the modern world, but it seemed like this people were starting to act purely of their own desire. "You people certainly work fast. The demonic crisis has barely stabilized and you've already established harems. Well, not that I care about your entertainment, as long as the person i'm looking for is alive."
Arthur spread his awareness once again throughout the building, comparing current occupancy patterns against his earlier scan to determine which room contained his target. The comparison allowed him to identify exactly where the nurse was located without wasting time on unnecessary searches.
And indeed, his senses detected a solitary female presence in a room by herself, separated from the main communal areas in what appeared to be private quarters.
Without waiting for additional conversation or explanation, Arthur simply turned away and began walking toward the location. He released everyone from their shadow restraints as he departed, recognizing they weren't worth maintaining his skills' active effects even if the mana expenditure wad very low.
He had already demonstrated the overwhelming difference in power levels—if any of them were foolish enough to attack again, he would kill them without hesitation. While Arthur didn't enjoy unnecessary killing, some people simply possessed death wishes that required accommodation.
Everyone in the large hall watched Arthur's departure with the stunned silence of people who had just witnessed power that exceeded their understanding of individual capability.
The man who had attempted the heroic rescue almost launched another attack, but his friend grabbed his arm with a desperate look on his face .
"Don't," the leader warned with the grim expression of someone who understood exactly how close they had all come to execution.
"But that's my girl! He can't disrespect me like this!" the would-be hero protested with wounded pride that clouded his survival instincts.
The shelter leader, who held similar ranking and influence within their small community, delivered harsh reality with brutal honesty.
"He can kill us all, and you can't do anything about it. He's a monster—don't test his patience. We're lucky we're even alive. You can always find a new girl, but never a new life."
The frustrated man gritted his teeth before cursing and striking the ground with impotent rage as the full scope of his helplessness became apparent.
His ego had suffered damage so severe it caused actual physical pain.
The other survivors—both men and women—observed his emotional breakdown with expressions ranging from pity to various other reactions that reflected their assessment of his behavior.
Some whished him the worst inwardly, whilst those close to him felt bad for him.
"What are you all looking at! Do you want to die!" he snarled with misdirected anger at witnesses to his humiliation.
They immediately averted their gazes, not daring to maintain eye contact with someone whose volatile emotional state might create additional complications for their already precarious situation.