Re:Awakening with Ultimate Power as a Cosmic God

One of the thugs stepped forward, grinning.

"Nothing personal, friend. Just business."

Nova raised an eyebrow.

"Is that what they told the last guy you ambushed?"

The thug's grin widened.

"Don't take this the wrong way. You seem like a decent enough man."

"I'm not."

He moved.

Before the thug could blink, Nova grabbed the edge of a stall, flipped himself forward, and kicked the man in the face mid-spin. The rest shouted and drew blades.

Nova landed in a crouch, grabbed a fruit crate, and hurled it into the next attacker's knees. The man fell with a grunt.

Another lunged from behind—Nova ducked, twisted his body, and elbowed the man in the ribs, then snapped his wrist and disarmed him in one clean motion.

"You all came after me with weapons, and none of you thought to bring skill.""

Nova muttered, turning the stolen dagger in his hand.

The silence in the herb shop was deafening.

Nova stood in the middle of the broken shelves and overturned furniture, brushing the blood from his knuckles.

The guards who had come for him now lay scattered across the floor—groaning, unconscious, or too afraid to move. None dead. He'd made sure of that.

He took a breath.

He couldn't stay here.

He knew what came next. More soldiers. More hunters. More innocents who thought they could make a fortune off his corpse.

He walked toward the door, the boards beneath his feet creaking softly as if mourning the quiet life that had once existed here.

The sunlight greeted him with the sharpness of an executioner's blade.

And there they were.

A crowd.

Dozens of commoners. Poor, ragged, desperate—many with weapons shaking in their hands, makeshift clubs, knives, or hammers meant for horseshoes, not humans. Some stood in front of him with fear in their eyes. Others with apology.

A man stepped forward, holding a chain. He didn't look like a killer. Just tired.

"We don't want to hurt you. We just… we need that bounty. It's nothing personal."

The man said quickly, his voice trembling despite his courage.

Another woman spoke up.

"We have families, you know? Ten thousand gold… we could start over."

"Please don't hold this against us. We don't mean to insult you, sir."

Someone else added.

Nova didn't move.

He just looked at them. All of them. Faces twisted with guilt, eyes pleading even as their weapons tightened in their grip.

He gave them a moment. A long moment.

Then sighed.

"I'll give you one chance. Walk away. All of you."

Nova said calmly.

No one moved.

"You think this ends well for you? You're not fighters. You're just desperate."

He continued, his voice low.

A pause.

Still no one moved.

A blade glinted in the sunlight.

Nova exhaled slowly—and then, like a wave crashing against a cliff, the air around him changed.

Aether.

Pure and undiluted.

It rippled off him like a pressure wave, the air warping with a sharp hum, visible distortions dancing around his body as his presence grew unbearable.

The ground beneath his feet cracked from the sheer weight of it.

Before a single villager could scream, the entire crowd collapsed.

Not dead.

Just unconscious.

Their weapons fell from their hands with dull thuds as they hit the cobbled street one by one, like dominos. Some slumped forward. Others fell where they stood. The tension vanished with them.

Nova didn't speak.

He stepped over them slowly and walked away, leaving the unconscious pile behind. By the time anyone else would show up to check on the noise, he would be gone. The herb shop would be empty.

And the storm would already be moving elsewhere.

The news spread, of course.

Faster than even the bounty posters had.

Nova had brought down not just the guards—but civilians. Without a single cut. Without mercy.

He hadn't killed anyone, but that hardly mattered now.

People called him a demon. A force of nature. A madman with unearthly power who couldn't be bought, reasoned with, or stopped.

Children whispered his name like a warning. Hunters sharpened their blades. Priests started praying more loudly in the streets.

He moved quickly, sticking to alleyways and rooftops when needed.

The bounty hunters hadn't regrouped yet, but it wouldn't be long before the next wave came. He could already hear whispers of armed caravans heading into the city—mercenaries, nobles' guards, and worse.

None of that mattered.

Because this wasn't about survival anymore.

It wasn't about running or hiding.

It was about her.

The queen.

She had come after him. She had threatened Amari. She had stirred the city into a blood frenzy. All to make a point.

And now, he would make his.

He would not disappear into the shadows like a rat. He would not spend the rest of his life dodging knives from people who didn't even know his name.

He had tried to live quietly.

Tried to protect Amari. Tried to keep his distance.

But power always had a price. And if the queen wanted war, he would give it to her.

He reached the outer walls by dusk. The palace towered above the rest of the city—white and gold and wicked in the fading light. Flags flew proudly on every spire. Guards stood tall at the entrance.

Nova looked up.

He didn't smile.

He didn't say a word.

He simply kept walking forward.

______

The sun hadn't even fully risen when Lord Silas stormed into the guest chamber, his face pale and his breath coming fast. He tossed aside a sealed scroll bearing the royal insignia, his voice trembling.

"There's been an incident."

He said.

"Someone took down the guards stationed at the herbalist's shop—completely wiped them out. Not just the soldiers, but even the bounty hunters who came later. And then… and then he vanished."

Anna, seated by the window, barely flinched. Malrik didn't even bother lifting his head from the bedpost he was leaning against.

Silas looked between them, his voice rising in desperation.

"Do you not realize what this means? This could spark a city-wide lockdown! The queen will lose her mind over this—if she hasn't already!"

"It's Nova,"

Malrik said calmly, brushing a speck of dust off his coat.

"No one else would be reckless enough to make such a mess and then walk away like it was nothing."

Anna sighed, folding her hands.

"If it's Nova, then there's no need to panic. He doesn't start fights without reason."

Silas blinked.

"Not a big deal? He took out an entire team!"

Malrik stood up slowly.

"Exactly. So unless you want to end up like them, calm down."

Silas stared at the two in disbelief.

"You're both insane. The queen's furious. She's declared this man a criminal and set a bounty on his head. Every mercenary in the city will be looking for him now."

He muttered.

Anna stood, her tone cool.

"Then they're all going to die."

Malrik cracked his knuckles.

"Let them come. If Nova's on the move, then this kingdom has far bigger problems than angry mercenaries."

Silas sat down heavily, rubbing his temples.

"Why do I get the feeling you two know more than you're letting on?"

Anna gave him a faint smile.

"Because we do."