Chapter 174
Although this wasn’t nearly enough for him to even sweat, he had barely used 20% of his full Telekinetic power.
The garbage around him started to shatter, plastering to the ground one by one.
Zarek stood up, and his nose twitched.
“I’ll need to bathe again,” he sighed. “But it’s already too late.”
Cursing at himself, he walked out of the alleyway. Immediately, people started giving him weird stares while staying far, far away and blocking their noses.
Zarek saw this and couldn’t help but grumble in his heart.
This was purely because of the smell. He still had some confidence in his handsomeness thanks to his title, which allowed him to maintain a perfect body no matter how he trained.
Anyway, he walked into a tailor’s shop and spoke lightly:
“Give me some new clothes.”
“No,” a receptionist replied, giving him a disdainful look. “Go beg on the streets, beggar. You’re disrupting our business.”
Zarek felt a twitch in his brow.
’Am I getting the same treatment as those miserable protagonists?’
The cliché story where the protagonist gets humiliated, only to reveal he’s actually a big shot and slaps back at their face.
Well, it was certainly an interesting story from the reader’s perspective, the kind that makes them cheer hard but for Zarek, it just felt a little uncomfortable.
He was a general of the Ragnorak Empire, after all. He represented the face of the empire, if he caused a commotion like a child, he’d only lower himself.
So Zarek sighed, turned around, and walked away.
“Hmph, at least this beggar knows his place,” the receptionist snickered in disdain.
Just then, a man entered the shop and glanced at Zarek for only a split second, his pupils instantly distorted.
“Ge… General…” he stuttered, scared shitless.
“Hmm?” Zarek tilted his head.
“I’ve seen a portrait of yours… Why have you come to our humble shop—?” His voice froze mid-sentence. He could now smell the stench and, seeing Zarek’s tattered clothes, his face immediately turned pale.
“I’ll get clothes right away, sir. For now, you just need to take a bath.”
“Hmm.” Zarek nodded, and they walked back inside.
The receptionist saw her boss following behind Zarek with utter respect. A single word slipped out of her mouth almost instinctively:
“Shit.”
It was at this moment that she knew she was fucked.
Zarek glanced at the receptionist with a casual expression.
The owner turned to her and frowned.
“What are you doing? Prepare a bath for this extreme VIP and get the most branded clothes we have. Now.”
“O-Okay,” she replied, swallowing hard.
After that, Zarek promptly took a bath in one of the most luxurious bathrooms and was greeted by several maids, each helping him dress, their faces blushing as they worked.
At that moment, the owner of the shop approached him with an apologetic smile, the receptionist following closely behind.
“I—”
“It’s fine,” Zarek said with a casual shrug. “I don’t care about petty things. However, remember this—never underestimate anyone. They might be poor today, but the future is always uncertain. The least you can do is show them a little respect.”
“Yes,” the woman nodded, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “Thank you so much…”
Disrespecting a General?
That was practically treason. Even if he was a General from another nation, for a mere commoner like her, it was as good as a death sentence.
After that, Zarek left and returned to his mansion, where his soldiers were already lined up, prepared to set off.
“Let’s go,” Zarek nodded.
The soldiers looked a little tentative, hesitation on their faces, until one of them finally asked:
“Umm, General Kaine… where did you go? We didn’t even notice you.”
“Is it your place to question where I go?” Zarek’s expression turned instantly stone cold.
“Umm, no, no…”
The soldier immediately stiffened, a guilty expression forming on his face.
“It is our utmost duty to slay the dragons. Time is of the essence, so let’s move,” Zarek said, glancing from the corner of his eye at an almost indiscernible shadow, a sneer curling in his heart.
Then, they quickly set off down the road, the people stepping aside in silent respect.
Soon, they reached the main headquarters of the Dragon Slayers.
This was the true headquarters, the central hub of an organisation whose branches were spread across the entire continent. It was somewhat similar to the Awakener Association.
The place was enormous, featuring a massive, dome-shaped structure rather than a typical mansion. Surrounding it were gardens that stretched nearly a kilometre in all directions.
At this moment, the entire area was bustling with activity. Groups of people moved about, individuals of varying skin tones, cultures, and accents filled the space.
The whole place was alive with noise and motion.
Zarek stood silently, observing the crowd. His sharp eyes scanned every figure, mentally matching their faces with the information he had memorized.
Even though both of them had grown significantly stronger, their operation needed to remain stealthy and swift.
Just then, Zarek spotted Drayken and Synthia standing off in a corner, quietly whispering to each other.
Drayken gave a subtle nod, and Zarek’s eyes flashed in response.
At that moment, General Alex approached with a smile on his face.
“Come, General Kaine. We’ll introduce you to the others.”
“Hmm.” Zarek nodded.
As they walked, General Alex spoke in a slightly mysterious tone:
“I must commend your bravery, General Kaine. A true warrior, you’re not even wearing armor. Are you planning to hunt like this?”
“Yeah,” Zarek replied with a casual shrug. “How else would I hunt?”
“Haha, I see,” Alex nodded. “Though… I heard some citizens talking, you were seen on the streets in a miserable condition earlier. Did some thugs beat you or something?”
His tone was laced with deep apology and concern. “If that’s the case, please tell me, General Kaine. I’ll do everything I can to bring them to justice.”
“…” Zarek didn’t respond. His face remained expressionless, his emotions unreadable.