Chapter 756: Clever [Ko-Fi Donation Bonus Chapter]
Sylas didn't seem to linger on the fact that he had killed an E-Grade existence for very long at all. Part of that was because he didn't care, but the largest part of it was that he didn't
understand just what the significance of it was.
The gap between Grades was more astronomical than any demarcating line previously. As enormous a leap as there was between Level 9 and Level 10, or Level 19 and Level 20, it paled in comparison between the gap between Level 50 and Level 51.
Even so heavily suppressed, the fact Lucirius tapped into a small bit of his true power for this battle, prepared for the backlash that came, meant that Sylas should have had no business beating him-especially not so easily.
Yet...
The Lightning Sylph became like a footnote in Sylas' thoughts and memories.
But maybe that was because Sylas planned on killing another E-Grade before the day was through.
As powerful figures converged on Sylas' position, an undercurrent that had already been set in motion through the city was stirring.
-
The citizens of Guiz City were in an uproar. Harrowing news of subterfuge, a genocidal leader, and the deaths of innocents spread like wildfire.
As for the reason this was happening...
It was none other than Tasia.
It was thanks to Tasia that Sylas knew exactly what part of the slums to target. Although the idea wasn't her own, the interesting tidbits of the ghost man urban legend was what had given Sylas his idea.
If Sylas was just a normal existence that appeared for a day and then died the next, it wouldn't have had the impact he wanted. But, because his life had been tied to a warm tale spread by the community, the moment he appeared, it was like he had instantly become one of their
own.
When he was also embraced by the mother of these slums, Eness, it became even more natural.
But this was only the first leg of Sylas' plans. Stirring up the sentiments with him alone wasn't enough. While the slums carried the largest population of citizens, there were many of them, and they were divided across the city.
Managing to influence one didn't mean that he would benefit from the influence of another. Unless he could nudge them in that direction.
The commotion kicked up by the battle between himself and Lucirius was one of these methods, and the timing between it and the rumors on the outside reaching a fever pitch all culminated in one, penultimate moment.
An attempted assassination of a beloved member of the community.
The bomb might have been stopped by Sylas, but there was a reason he had blasted the roof off nonetheless. In situations like these, optics were the most important.
What others saw wasn't a failed planting of a bomb. Instead, they saw that Eness' home had practically been razed to the ground.
When this was matched with proof of the deaths of so many under the hands of Guiz City's Lord, a boiling discontent bubbled over.
...
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Several generals landed all around Sylas, their heavy armor cracking the land. Among them, Sylas immediately recognized General Bergouse and General Versaille.
There was a wariness in all of their eyes now, but they still acted to block his paths of retreat, their gazes sharp.
Sylas stood on the lightning spear calmly. The irony of it all was that the Generals didn't even dare to approach it very closely at all. The sparks were dangerous, scorching the cracked, paved roads and making their hair stand on end even from several meters away.
"Present yourself for arrest or face the consequences!" General Versaille barked.
He looked bold and imposing, but Sylas could feel the fluctuations of his Will quite clearly. This was mostly an act, an attempt to make himself look far more confident than he really
was.
However, to their surprise, Sylas just hopped down and held out his wrists, presenting himself as asked.
General Versaille seemed taken aback, but then he snorted, stepping forward to take Sylas down.
"Wait-! Wait!"
Eness hobbled forward. Her injuries were mostly healed thanks to Sylas' Elixir, but still not quite.
"This man is innocent! Someone tried to kill me in my home and he saved-!"
"SILENCE!" General Bergouse barked, taking a step and looming over the middle-aged woman. "This is official business. Scram back to where you came from."
Tears brimmed in Eness' eyes, but she had a staunchness to her that could only come from a mature woman that had experienced many things. Her body might be smaller than the man in front of her, but her heart certainly was not.
"How can you do this?! I'm telling you we were-!"
It was too fast. Eness couldn't even register the palm coming for her face before it was already upon her.
PA!
The sound came from an unexpected place.
Sylas stood by the General's side, holding onto his wrist. A strong wind buffeted Eness' cheeks, and the arm of General Bergouse couldn't help but tremble beneath the strain.
"You shouldn't be so heavy-handed, one would almost think you want to kill her right here to silence her."
Sylas spoke these words calmly, his tone not very loud, but the implications made the crowd almost bubble over.
It was unknown who did it first, but a piece of trash soared through the air, landing amidst the
Generals.
"You corrupt bastards!"
"Let him go!"
"How many have you all killed in secret?!"
"My son! Give me back my son!"
Sylas gave the crowd a glance, noticing that several that had acted just now had a glaze over
their eyes that could have only come from Tasia.
A clever woman indeed.
Why wait for it to happen naturally? The things that had occurred were well documented and spread. All they needed to do was apply some pressure and it would boil over.
The hail of trash came faster and faster, the insults growing bolder.
However, in the end, it didn't seem to matter. The Generals, furious, ended up using ruthless means to suppress the people, forcefully taking Sylas away.