Chapter 63: Danger Zone
The scene horrified the onlookers. The sudden escalation left them frozen in shock. But Mikael didn't stop there. In a blur, he appeared in front of Jason, whose scream faltered as he locked eyes with Mikael. The fury in Jason's gaze had vanished, replaced by sheer terror and overwhelming pain.
Mikael grabbed Jason by the throat and lifted him off the ground effortlessly. Jason struggled, but his feeble attempts were no match for Mikael's superior strength. Mikael turned his icy gaze toward the remaining four. This time, the impact of his glare was unlike anything before.
Behind him, Jason's severed arm lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath it. Jason hung limply in the air, his face contorted in fear and pain. The four despite their newfound strength, were paralyzed. Their minds, still tethered to the values of Earth, could not reconcile with the brutal reality unfolding before them.
Tristan, the self-proclaimed leader, stood frozen like the rest. The weight of Mikael's gaze bore down on them, suffocating and unrelenting. After a few agonizing seconds, Mikael finally spoke.
"Do you want to participate?" he asked, his voice calm and casual, yet dripping with menace.
The question sent a wave of terror through the group. Their survival instincts took over, and they all shook their heads frantically, unable to muster a word.
Mikael regarded their pathetic display with disinterest. "If you want to overstep your bounds," he said coldly, "be prepared to face the consequences."
"Squelch."
His sword, already stained with Jason's blood, pierced through his heart with unerring precision. Jason let out a guttural sound, coughing up blood. Mikael sidestepped to avoid the splatter as Jason's body convulsed. With a flick of his wrist, Mikael flung the lifeless body to the side. It landed several meters away, twitching briefly before going still.
The remaining four could do nothing but stare in mute horror. Mikael's attention shifted to a sailor standing nearby. Unlike the Earth natives, the sailor appeared far less disturbed, accustomed to the harsher realities of this world.
"Throw the body into the sea," Mikael commanded in an authoritative tone.