Killing intent wasn't physical; it was special energy waves from the brain, interpreted subconsciously as a warning. This made people with intense killing intent seem "creepy."
This kind of thing goes beyond the body and is about the mind. Even though Aesir's current body hasn't taken a life yet, his strong killing intent from 15 years of gaming and real-life experiences was fully present.
At this point, he could barely get up and looked at Grim with a grimace. While Grim's face stayed neutral, his mind was spinning. How could a mere human have such intense killing intent? Who was Aesir, and what had he seen and done to have such a scary aura? Even the current Demon King might hesitate in front of this mortal.
Grim felt excited about battling Aesir in the future. He thought he could find some fun in that fight.
With determination in his eyes, Aesir stayed on his knees despite Grim's maximum pressure. "Good lad! This boy will give me a good fight in a few years. I should challenge him more to make his journey tougher. Only through tough times can one really grow," Grim thought.
Just as Grim was about to dismiss everything, his face suddenly showed fear as the old voice of Baron Jahutah echoed through the skies. "Grim, old buddy! Get ready to face your greatest great-grandfather's great-grandfather!"
Grim looked terrified, to say the least. Despite his tyrannical actions so far, Aesir almost pitied him, thinking Grim resembled a tormented child hearing his dreaded bully approaching.
"N-Jahutah! Damn it, why are you still alive?!" Grim cursed, then turned to flee.
"Haha! Phisto, my old friend, stick around! Today, I'll finally kill you for good! And then, I'll charm my way into Crysta's heart and cuck you!" Baron Jahutah laughed as he chased after Grim.
The old man's voice was frail, but his appearance defied age. He had long white hair flowing down to his waist, billowing in the wind. Aesir couldn't judge his height due to the distance, but he wore a simple white robe and rode a nimbus cloud like Goku. He seemed more like a character from a xianxia novel than a Western game NPC.
Aesir wasn't surprised. Faction Online's AI had access to nearly everything fictional and historical. This world accommodated a myriad of elements.
Once they vanished into the horizon, Aesir breathed a sigh of relief. He cautiously left the alleyway, where players and NPCs were discussing the strange event.
"What was that? It felt like I was frozen solid!"
"This game is too weird. That was freaky."
"I swear I saw something in the sky. A really arrogant face that needed a punch!"
Ignoring the chatter, Aesir blended in and headed towards a corner of the marketplace from the townhall area. Unbeknownst to him, a hooded woman was carefully watching him. Her features were hidden, but her form hinted at exquisite beauty.
Beside her stood a woman dressed as a cleric in a white dress with delicate embroidery. She watched the area cautiously, noticing her companion's intense focus.
"Leader, what's wrong?" Silver Strand asked.
"He's... intriguing. I feel like I... I know him. But..." Yuki-Ona replied with uncertainty in her voice.
Silver Strand perked up. Her reserved friend rarely spoke so much, let alone sounded uncertain. When she saw who Yuki-Ona was observing, she snorted coldly.
"Him? He's just okay. Those university boys who chase after you are much more attractive. Especially that rich young master, Ken Masters. This guy's nothing special."
Yuki-Ona remained silent, her eyes fixed on Aesir with intense interest and complex emotions stirring within her. Though usually aloof, she felt something different about him.
In the background, unheard by anyone else, a Mad God laughed.
Aesir walked into the marketplace and headed straight for the Merchant's Association. Upon entering, he was ushered into a fairly impressive lounge where NPCs lounged or discussed political and financial matters. These were obviously wealthy individuals; being a Baron was the basic requirement just to enter.
Approaching a counter, Aesir saw a young lady attending to it. The NPCs he passed greeted him with a respectful "Good day, Baron Broly." None outranked him in town; the highest were minor nobles who couldn't afford to offend him.
"Good day, Baron Broly. What can I assist you with at the Merchant's Association?" the clerk asked calmly. Serving powerful people had rendered her immune to their influence.
"I'd like to obtain a permit to set up a small stall in the marketplace," Aesir replied, leaning on the counter.
The girl's calm demeanor cracked with surprise, understandable since it was usually commoners who sought such permits. Aesir's request was like a known billionaire asking to buy a used car—odd but not illegal.
Still, she was wise not to question or delay. "Baron Broly, normally it costs 10 bronze, but fees are waived for nobility at your level. Taxes too. Please fill out the details here, and we'll process your request."
It wasn't a rule for nobles to avoid taxes on common stalls, but this was unprecedented. The clerk didn't dare risk asking even a Minor Broly for 10 bronze; she'd rather have her pay docked, confident her superiors would understand.
Within half an hour, Aesir sat at a custom-built stall near the marketplace's center. He hired a beauty to help attract attention.
His stall's banner read: "Buying common weapons and armor for 15 bronze a set! Buying materials for 50 bronze a stack!"
Naturally, the combination of a beautiful lady and such generous offers drew players' attention. Many came to see if it was real or a scam, soon forming a crowd around Aesir's stall.
Before opening for business, Aesir purchased a Wanderer's Headband, an item that hid his face, name, and level from other players for half a day. He wasn't foolish enough to make a scene without concealing his identity.
"Hey, check this out. Some noob's offering crazy prices for these useless weapons the devs made to help players earn basic funds."
"Sounds like a scam. It's too good to be true. But how did he get the Merchant's Faction's permission and that beauty from their store to promote him?"
"Who cares? I heard common armor sets are going for 5 bronze. This guy's offering almost triple!"
"You're lucky if you get 5. That tyrant of an armorsmith is offering 2 bronze each, and he's the only one left because he can smelt them into raw materials. Other shops won't touch them, even for free."
"Well, I'm gonna take a chance and see."
A player in plate mail stepped forward from the crowd and stood before Aesir's stall, determined. The crowd quieted, curious about what would happen. Most doubted the legitimacy of Aesir's claims but stayed to watch.
"Hello. I'd like to sell my weapon and armor set to you at your offered price. Is that possible?" the player, Crimson Devil, asked cautiously.
Aesir replied without budging, "That's exactly why I'm here. I wouldn't have the Merchant Faction's permit if I couldn't pay. They've taken a deposit to cover refunds if I fail."
Crimson Devil glanced at the Merchant's Faction beauty for confirmation. She nodded and smiled, causing his heart to skip a beat. Taking a deep breath, he committed.
"Here are my items."
They opened their trade panels and finalized the deal. Aesir received the items, and Crimson Devil found just under 100 bronze in his inventory. Laughing in disbelief, he turned to announce to the crowd that everything was legitimate.
This caused an uproar, and a scramble ensued to get in line for trades. Aesir sighed and signaled to his assistant. She nodded and clapped her hands, freezing all players within 100 meters.
This wasn't Grim's killing intent but rather the Merchant's Faction's power: Order!