"Uh"
I felt an immense amount of energy and then…
"Booomm!!!" Following the loud noise, there was a powerful vibration that shook the ground as if it were about to open up and swallow us all. I thought to myself, "Has it begun? But no one should be outside right now. The chief, the generals, Mul, everyone is underground."
I, who was in a secluded and less visible spot, my spot for thinking in the central area, saw frightened villagers running towards me. I guess my spot was always known, but people chose not to disturb me when I was thinking. However, this time was different.
"Waka, what's going on? I thought battles would be far away from the village! Why is it so close? We should have been informed! Shouldn't we only be feeling the ground shaking a little?" The villagers were now screaming and huddling close to me for protection, clutching their children tightly. They had no idea about the unknown enemy or the fact that the village was the domain of the Grand Elder. The only reason they were still alive was because the Grand Elder had acted in time, putting up his domain barrier to save them from the shockwave of the explosion.
"Sir, you need to go meet the general for an explanation!" a voice urgently exclaimed.
"No, please don't leave! Who will protect us if you go?" a desperate mother pleaded, clinging onto me and her child.
I didn't need to turn around to recognize the voice. It was one of the special co-ops, informing me that one of the Generals was calling for me. The fact that he didn't mention anyone else indicated that it was solely for my attention.
"Don't worry, it's probably just some fool testing their newfound strength," I reassured them, attempting to calm their fears.
This was the quickest and most plausible explanation for the villagers. There had been numerous instances of people sneaking out to test their newfound powers, resulting in loud noises. Even I had done it before.
It was only when I reached the Emperor level and gained an understanding of domains that I realized they had known all along. The Grand Elder, in his own amusement, allowed certain individuals to solve puzzles that led to secret passages outside. Each time a puzzle was solved, the reward was a different hidden passage. However, only those of a certain strength could pass through, and the Grand Elder had the discretion to withhold information if he chose to. Even if you managed to escape, your actions outside could still lead to your capture and punishment upon return. Most were caught, and only a few ever truly escaped. I thought I was one of the few, only to discover that I had never truly escaped at all.
Anyway, with these words, the villagers calmed down a bit, "and though the mother was still reluctant to leave my hand, I signaled the special co-op to use that excuse."
I conjured a giant energy barrier, covering the entire central area. The barrier pulsated with my energy, finally allowing the mother to leave me.
"Within this barrier, you are protected, I guarantee it," I said, using energy to make my voice heard by all within the central areas.
And then, I sped off.