Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 405: Outsiders(4)

Chapter 405: Outsiders(4)

A heavy silence followed the question, thick and unmoving like a stagnant pool of water. The gathered warriors exchanged glances, some gripping their weapons tighter, others waiting with barely restrained anticipation. The wind carried only the distant cries of seabirds and the rustling of the trees.

Aron inhaled deeply, steadying himself. His fingers twitched slightly, but he forced them still. Slowly, deliberately, he rebuilt his smile, the same friendly one he had used earlier

"You are free to do so," he said at last, his voice breaking the silence with an eerie calm. "Slit my throat, storm the camp, take everything you find and claim it for yourselves."

A few of the tribesmen blinked in confusion at the way he so easily invited his own death, but Aron only chuckled softly before continuing.

"In fact," he added, gesturing loosely toward the wooden palisade behind him, "I encourage you to do it now. Don't wait. Go ahead, take the camp right now."

He saw the flicker of doubt in their eyes, the shift in their stances, the slight hesitation that cracked through their certainty. Aron raised a hand and pointed past the camp, toward the sea, where their ships floated upon the calm waves.

"As a matter of fact there won't be a single sword raised against your attempt." His voice dropped slightly, carrying a knowing edge. "There is no one inside. Not a single soul.

Every man who disembarked has already returned to the ships,"Aron continued smoothly. "Along with all of our belongings. If you storm the camp now, you'll find no plunder, no food, no weapons—nothing. Not even a tent worth carrying away."

He spread his arms wide, as if presenting an empty prize.

"So tell me, mighty warriors, what meaning does your threat hold now?" His smile turned into something more pointed, almost mocking. "What value is there in killing us if it gains you nothing?"