Strongest Kingdom: My Op Kingdom Got Esekaid Along With Me

It's Refu. His massive frame is clad in spiked armor, his orcish features twisted in a snarl of pure rage. Behind him, more guards scramble to keep up, their weapons drawn.

Refu's deep voice booms across the square.

"Who dares spill blood in my domain?"

Calak takes a step forward. His eyes gleam like twin flames beneath the shadow of his hood. As he prepares to wipe out every guard, a calm voice echoes in his mind, halting him mid-stride.

"Don't kill the guards," Alix's voice resonates. "Just Refu."

Calak's lips curl into a grin. "As you wish, your majesty," he replies silently.

In a blur of motion, Calak dashes toward Refu. His speed is unnatural, almost like a ghost cutting through the air.

Refu barely has time to widen his eyes in shock before Calak is upon him. The orc lord raises his massive war axe, but it's futile. At his level—barely 80—he might as well be standing still against the overwhelming force of a level 200 warrior.

Calak's blade flashes, slicing through the air with precision and speed that defies comprehension. Refu's axe never even meets its target. Instead, the orc lord stumbles back, his armor splitting cleanly down the center. A thin line of blood appears across his chest, and for a brief moment, he looks down in disbelief.

"No…" Refu growls, his voice faltering. "This… can't…"

The orc lord collapses to his knees, his body trembling. Calak steps closer, his blade resting lightly against Refu's throat.

With a swift motion, Calak's sword flashes again, and Refu's head topples from his shoulders, rolling to a stop near the base of his fortress. His body slumps forward, lifeless.

The crowd is frozen, too terrified to move or speak. Refu, the once-mighty ruler of the monster town, is dead in mere seconds.

Calak steps forward. Slowly, he reaches up and pulls back his hood, revealing his face to the crowd. Gasps ripple through the assembled monsters as his true form is revealed—grayish-green skin, sharp features, and glowing crimson eyes. The unmistakable aura of power radiates from him.

"A hobgoblin…" a trembling lizardman mutters, his voice barely audible.

"It's impossible," another monster whispers, his eyes wide with fear. "No goblin has evolved into a hobgoblin in a thousand years…"

The crowd is stunned, some stepping back instinctively. Stories of the last hobgoblin who terrorized the land centuries ago flood their minds—a creature so powerful it nearly brought the great city of Misorn to its knees.

Calak surveys them, his gaze cold and unyielding.

"Starting today," he declares, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade, "I am the new lord of this town. Under my rule, there will be order."

The monsters exchange nervous glances, but none dare to challenge him. The memory of Refu's swift death and the legends of hobgoblins are more than enough to silence any dissent.

One of the bolder monsters, a hulking ogre, takes a hesitant step forward, his voice shaking.

"L-Lord… what will you have us do?"

"Follow my orders," Calak replies sharply. "This town will no longer operate on fear and greed. Those who work hard will prosper."

The crowd murmurs in uncertainty but nods reluctantly, their instincts for survival overriding any thoughts of rebellion.

In his mind, Calak hears Alix's calm voice again.

In his mind, Calak hears Alix's calm voice again.

"Good. You've done well, Calak. Now, don't trade the gold coins anymore. Reform this town. Make it a proper place, where trade thrives fairly, and gold coins flow steadily."

Calak lowers his head slightly, as if bowing to an unseen presence. "Yes, Your Majesty," he responds silently. "I will carry out your will."

He straightens, addressing the crowd once more.

"You will follow me, or you will fall. Those who wish to rebuild and thrive, stay. Those who seek chaos and ruin, leave now."

The monsters stand in silence, their fear gradually giving way to reluctant acceptance.

Calak's crimson eyes burn brightly as he turns toward Refu's fortress, his voice carrying an unshakable authority.

"This town will be reborn, starting now."

---------

Alix is back in the capital city, Alix reclines in a luxurious bathhouse within the palace. Steam rises lazily from the clear, warm water, filling the grand marble room with a comforting haze. The polished stone walls are adorned with golden engravings, and a gentle cascade of water flows from an ornate fountain into the bath.

Alix sighs contentedly, leaning back against the edge of the pool. His body sinks deeper into the water, the heat easing away any tension.

"This is the life," he murmurs to himself, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Beyond the heavy wooden doors, his maids wait silently, ready to attend to any request. But for now, Alix relishes the solitude. His voice echoes faintly in the spacious room as he speaks aloud to himself.

"It's good that I'll have gold coins flowing in soon, even if it's just a little for now. A steady stream is all I need to get started."

His hand idly swirls the water, his expression thoughtful.

"Calak has done well. That town... it will thrive under his rule. And as it grows, the coins will accumulate. Slowly but surely, I will revive all my subordinates."

Alix leans back against the edge of the bath, letting the warm water soothe him. His thoughts drift for a moment, a mix of plans for the future and the satisfaction of his small but steady progress.

After a few more minutes, a soft knock at the door pulls him from his reverie.

"Your Majesty, may we enter?" a melodic voice calls from the other side.

Alix stiffens slightly, glancing at the heavy doors. He had known this moment would come, but he still feels his face heat up. Taking a deep breath, he forces himself to sit upright, trying to project the regal demeanor expected of a king.

"Enter," he calls, his voice steady, though his heart beats faster than he'd like to admit.