[Nightmare]

The man's body trembled with excitement.

He got into a full battle stance and prepared his mind to use 100% of his stats.

He burst forth with the full might of his will and slashed the thumb with vigor and passion.

Ting!

The man flew backward from the excessive backlash, and one of the guards on duty caught the man to prevent him from falling on his sword.

The crowd recoiled in shock and fell into whispers.

The man looked at the thumb in disbelief.

There wasn't even a dust mark on it.

"Someone else!" Helix called out, snapping the soldiers out of their daze.

"Pick someone strong amongst their peers!"

A man pushed his way to the center.

He looked like a hairy bodybuilder.

"I'll do it!" The man roared.

"Then here's your sword, soldier!"

The man accepted the sword and roared with his hands in the air as a battle cry.

Everyone in the audience snapped out of their maze of confusion.

Then they started cheering and giving the man the attention he desired.

He got into a battle stance, bent his legs, and exploded from his position.

The man struck with all of his might.

TING!

He was sent back a few feet by the recoil.

The audience looked at the man's expression.

He was staring at the thumb with wide eyes.

There was the lightest scratch on the bone.

It was only slightly visible.

Helix walked up and rubbed his thumb across it.

"You've done it! You're the first Alzerian soldier to attack and harm this goddamn beast!" Helix roared with his hands in the air.

The warrior stared at Helix in disbelief.

But the young man's enthusiasm was so contagious that it sent ripples through the stadium.

Battle cries roared across the stadium from ordinary citizens.

Nobles started clapping.

They were all mildly confused why leaving a small scratch was such a victory.

Moreover, they also couldn't understand how he was the [first] when Helix had just gashed it.

However, when he turned to the soldiers with bloodlust in their eyes, they started roaring as well.

The warrior circled the stadium with a confused expression.

"What is your name!?" Helix asked with a booming voice.

"Lesmond." The burly warrior said in a daze.

"Lesmond!" Helix announced while circling the crowd with his hands held high.

Cheers exploded in the stadium.

Everyone in the audience cheered him for what he thought was a disgraceful display of force.

But when he snapped out of his daze, he lifted his hands high, and the crowd exploded with applause.

"And you, what is your name?" He asked the first.

"Mammon." The first said in confusion.

"Mammon!" Helix roared.

Thunderous applause met his announcement.

Most people had forgotten their confusion.

However, he wouldn't let that happen.

"Many of you look like you're confused why it's such an accomplishment to scratch this thing!" Helix yelled with a passionate gaze.

"Why!? It's because this thing killed a legend!

Do you think your legendary hero would die from something most soldiers could touch!?"

Shocked gasps rang out in the stadium.

Hushed voices whispered amongst themselves for confirmation.

"Listen up! If someone can't scratch this thing, it's a reminder of the sheer force of nature that our legendary general and teacher was!" Helix roared.

"And if someone can scratch it, it showcases the man or woman's potential to take up the gauntlet.

So let's give Winter General Tyrene, Lesmond, and Mimmon a warrior welcome!"

Deafening applause assaulted the landscape.

Normal citizens could hear the stadium's cries, cheers, and applause from a mile away.

The two men flushed with embarrassment, but Helix raised the first man's hand high.

The second raised his arms proudly.

Tilo, Marie, Charlotte, and Riley were grinning on the inside.

Helix was masterfully manipulating the others into forgetting his display of force.

He had to create one; otherwise, the soldiers would suspect foul play.

His light gash was small enough not to discourage others.

However, it was large enough to showcase his worthiness.

Now he was making everyone forget the scratch even existed.

He was confident that no one would outdo the notch he put into the bone; so he got rid of evidence and prayed no one had the strength to question him.

The last thing Helix wanted to do was shame people with a [real] demonstration.

"Soldiers! Take up your arms!" Helix yelled.

He started throwing swords at men and women in the crowd.

"If you cannot scratch it, you're proving Tyrene's godliness!" He roared.

"If you can scratch it, you're the pride of the Alzerian capital!

Scar this demonstration in your memory so you understand what you're to work toward now that your legendary general has passed away!

Now go! Fight for Alzeria!"

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

After that, dozens of people started striking it at full force.

Some left small gashes.

Soldiers eventually started striking the grooves left by others.

Slowly yet surely, there was a solid gash in the Colossus' finger.

Helix roared and encouraged others.

He was the ultimate hype man, asking soldiers names and announcing them proudly to the stands.

"There are countless soldiers here, but they keep you safe!" Helix announced.

"So please give each the love they deserve!"

Oakley watched Helix with a mysterious smile.

Instead of sitting back, he was directly making contact with everyone.

Most soldiers were disappointed when they couldn't leave a scratch.

But Helix built them up and made sure the audience recognized their efforts.

He was gaining real popularity with his haters by bringing them love and glory.

As for the crowd, who were tired, he used various means to trick the soldiers.

Tilo activated gravity reduction circles with [Chain Activation] to make the clapping less taxing.

He activated amplification circles that adjusted to keep the volume steady, so the light clapping and cheers seemed invigorating.

He requested that the vendors pass out more free water.

His magic circles created light mists that delighted the fans with cooling water, turning the air conditioner circles into swamp coolers.

Small floating parasols passed through the crowd slowly to give people shade.

Helix used every form of surprise and trick to keep the crowd enthusiastic and happy through the thirty minutes of nonstop clapping and cheers.

Oakley understood what was happening and found it amusing to watch.

General Masov and Defense Chief Salkey didn't understand the tricks and were appalled by the endless clapping and cheers.

It seemed contrary to human physics and biology to retain one's voice and arm strength.

They had never seen so many people that enthusiastic before.

Even the nobles were in full force as they drank free high-quality beverages.

It was a spectacle of the finest order.

Helix was a powerful individual—much more powerful than he was letting on.

However, he showed up five days ago ahead of schedule and had already won thousands of allies in the city.

There was a word for someone like Helix in ancient Greece.

[Tyrant].

In modern times, [tyrant] is a pejorative term that describes totalitarian dictators.

However, in ancient Greece and Rome, it meant a leader that seized power unconstitutionally.

Tyrants sprung forth through charisma and pledges to people.

These rulers often promised the poor land and wished to give individuals better lives.

The elites hated these charismatic leaders, and most were brutally executed in public displays.

Helix's demonstration sent icy shivers down the spines of Queen Liliana, General Masov, and Defense Chief Salkey.

Even the entranced Eliza understood the sheer gravity of the young man's display.

She knew once the excitement wore off, she would worry about him.

There was no way the government would casually ignore Helix from now on.

If they couldn't get him under their control, he would likely be deemed a threat as great [or greater] than the impending monster attack.

That's because a tyrant's presence could cause law and order itself to break apart at their seams.

Helix could destabilize the government and military and polarize the nobility right before a major threat without accomplishing anything.

He was a serious problem and didn't understand the consequences of his actions.

Eliza did and only prayed that poof of an attack would come soon.

Otherwise, there was certain to be trouble.

Until then, everyone just watched the unbelievable spectacle playing out before them.

Nonstop clapping, love from the drunk nobles basking in his magic, move from the commoners, and adoration from the soldiers who each got called out once.

Everyone loved him, respected him, and listened to him.

His popularity got to this level in only a few days—but now he had a serious voice.

The leaders of Alzeria were both fascinated, invigorated, and terrorized by the scene unfolding.

[Helix the Tyrant] was officially born.

—

[A/N: Fast success always creates conflict.

There is a difference between building relationships and building support.

While Helix struggles to achieve respect when building relationships, he has no problem achieving support.

It's a common theme in [Nightmare] to show how Helix approaches situations.

Helix used to trash talk enemies as a defense mechanism to throw them off and destabilize them when he was weak.

Now that he needs the support of people, he doesn't sigh or do so.

Sometimes he's gentle; other times, he demands respect.

I hope you enjoy reading the realistic emotional journey towards creating and establishing power as a leader.

If you don't… why are you still reading? XD

I love you all. Thank you so much for reading.

Let's get this political slaughter-fest rolling!]