Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 86 - Into the Fold - Part One {Old}

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 86 - Into the Fold - Part One

Continuing to read through my Status, I discovered several other important changes. The first thing I noticed was that my two Status sheets seemed to have combined into one. Containing entries that had belonged to both sheets.

My MP, or Mana Points, and Chi had changed to M, representing pure Mana. The value was lower than what my MP had been but the change was not a loss. 

Instinctively, I could feel that Mana was tens of times more potent and possessed a latent will similar to Chi. Leveraging my authority, I learned the underlying reason. Mana was the true source of Mana Points and Chi, which were its diluted derivatives. This somewhat explained why my two Status sheets appeared to have been combined into a singular whole.

The Mana entry was accompanied by a second change, M/s, or Mana per second. 

The potential ramifications of these two changes alone gave me pause. 

With Mana already multiple times more potent than MP, the M/s stat would allow consecutive casting while heavily investing in each Spell.

Experimentally directing the Mana out of my body and into nearby objects confirmed that it seemed to function the same as Chi. However, investing my Mana into mundane stones or plants also triggered a dramatic change from the mundane into the supernatural.

Wildflowers took on explosions of colour and grew tens of times their natural size. Leaves shimmering with otherworldly rainbows and stems dancing gently despite the absence of a breeze.

The stones glowed with an internal light, casting odd-shaped shadows over the ground that made it look like a slow-moving stream.

Observing these changes, I became aware that they were also gradually changing the plants and stones around them.

As a test, I began investing Mana into a small stone to see how much it could hold.

After reaching what I could only assume was its limit, the stone collapsed and lost its form. Disintegrating into an ambient cloud of Mana

Repeating this test several more times, I was met with the same result and could only assume that inanimate objects and materials had a hard limit on what they could contain.

Plants reacted differently. Instead of disintegrating, they expelled the excess into the air and soil where it was then absorbed by other nearby plants.

Withdrawing one of the weapons from my Storage Ring, it was obvious that the intended purpose of my Mana manipulation was to recharge the internal battery that powered the weapon. However, it came as a surprise to learn how much Mana the weapon could contain without disintegrating. Furthermore, upon reaching what I assumed would be its limits, the weapon began similarly purging its excess to the plants. With the notable exception that the plants made no signs of absorbing the vented excess.

In time, the experiments made me aware of a faint yet persistent drain on my Mana. With a thought, I identified Kwan as the source of the draining effect.

Teleporting to his location, I became confused when I couldn’t immediately lay eyes on him. Only to then realise that Kwan had grown to such an immense size that he was very nearly ALL I could see. A writhing sinewy mass of scales and flesh that extended for hundreds of feet in every direction.

And he was still growing.

Resting a hand against his scales, I could feel Kwan’s mind had withdrawn upon itself. Mentally pressing through his defences, aching waves of fatigue and indescribable pain began flooding through our connection in waves.

Gritting my teeth, I resisted the urge to shy away and close off the connection. Instead, I drew more of the pain and exhaustion into myself, pressing it down and seizing control over it.

Little by little the Mana drain began to ebb. As it did so, a mounting sense of shame passed from Kwan's mind to my own.

<Believed. Strong enough.> Kwan stated apologetically, catching me by surprise with his use of actual words in place of vague impressions.

When the transfer of Mana was brought to a complete halt, Kwan’s immense body imploded, taking on the form of a pale-skinned young man with snake-like eyes and opaque scales lining his cheekbones and brow. Clothed in expensive-looking short robes constructed from his Mana, Kwan slowly drifted to the bottom of the freshwater ocean and slumped into an exhausted heap.

Sweeping him up in one hand, I relocated us both to Momoko’s mountain and then set Kwan down on a large flat rock so he could take in the sun.

Reviewing Kwan’s Status, I became momentarily confused upon learning his information had not changed in the ways I had otherwise expected.

Kwan had gained the Mana stat but did not possess Mana regeneration. He had not lost his MP or Chi either. Furthermore, leeching my Mana appeared to have progressed his Evolution by leaps and bounds.

Strangely, Kwan had gained a Technique as well. Mortal Guise. True to the name, the Technique was what allowed Kwan to take on a humanoid form. What made it interesting, was the primary effect of the Technique. The reduction in size and changing shape was just a side effect that facilitated a faster recovery speed. A smaller size also reduced destructive potential, but that was a situational factor the majority of the time anyway.

Confident that Kwan was on the mend, I turned my attention back toward my own Status.

[Tim - Eldritch Tyrant: - ] [HP: 74/74 ] [M: 157/157* ][M/s: 2.4 ]

[Class: Eldritch Tyrant 15. +15 M.] [Exp: 75,482/1,000,000 ]
[Party: Tim’s Party] [Lash’s Mate]

[Bloodline: {Tyrant 3} +1 Willpower.] [Bloodline Progeny: Pete, Suzy, Momoko.]

[Cultivation Inheritance: {Tyrant’s Body} ]

[Strength: 30* ]

[Agility: 10 ]

[Toughness: 37* ]

[Intelligence: 14 ]

[Willpower: 23 (24) ]

[Presence: 9* ]

[(Racial Abilities: {Hide/Expand})]

[(Legacy Class Abilities: {Hide/Expand})]

[Class Abilities: {Hide/Expand}]

[Techniques: {Hide/Expand}]

[Group Synergies: {Hide/Expand}]

My Evolution had changed more than I had initially released. Not only has my Species changed, but my Class had changed as well. Relegating the former Class Abilities to the Legacy tab. My new Class, Eldritch Tyrant, possessed no Abilities. However, the level appeared to contribute to my maximum Mana at a one-to-one ratio.

My new Species possessed the same Abilities as before but had also gained two more. Eldritch Conduit, and Arcane Syphon.

[ (Racial Ability: Eldritch Conduit.): Your connection to the Well of Souls allows you unparalleled control over the flow of Mana. Enemy {Spells} and {Mana Infused Attacks} are {Drained} of their {Mana} as they approach the Eldritch Tyrant’s location. The rate of {Mana Drain} is determined by the Eldritch Tyrant’s {Maximum Mana} (0.157 M/s). ]

[ (Racial Ability: Eldritch Battery. ): Your presence alone can swing the tide of the fiercest battles, lending power to embattled allies and subordinates. Allies and Subordinates may draw upon the Eldritch Tyrant’s {Mana} to bolster their own. The maximum range of the effect is determined by the Eldritch Tyrant’s {Maximum Mana} (157 feet). The {M/s} that can be drawn is reduced beyond half of the maximum range of the effect (78.5+ feet). ]

After taking a few minutes to process what I had read, I became somewhat confused. The Eldritch Battery Ability explained how Kwan had managed to draw on my Mana to fuel his Evolution and Cultivation. However, he should not have been able to draw on my Mana at such an extreme range. It blatantly defied the disconcertingly specific limits of the Ability.

Silently contemplating the matter for the better part of an hour, I came up with a few theories that might explain it. The simplest explanation was that Kwan's Bond to me provided a sort of backdoor access to the Ability. Another possibility was that my realm was skewing the calculated distance for the Ability.

Sensing a new draw on my Mana, I became aware of changes taking place in the periphery of my vision.

The trunk and branches of Momoko’s peach tree had begun gently waving to and fro, notably out of sync with the wind that swept across the peak.

Concerned for Momoko’s well-being, I concentrated my will to cut off the flow of Mana. However, the drain on my Mana halted abruptly of its own accord, catching me off guard.

My confusion turned to outright shock when I realised the peach tree had begun faintly radiating Mana in place of Chi. Even more shocking, the Mana wasn’t mine. The Mana was similar, even familiar, but it wasn’t the same.

Indulging my suspicions, I inspected Momoko’s Status and discovered that her two sheets had merged, just the same as mine and that she had gained the Mana and M/s stats. Likewise, her Species had changed to Eldritch Tree Spirit, awarding her the same Racial Abilities I had gained earlier.

Concerned that such spontaneous Evolution might cause Momoko to experience the same distress as Kwan, I reached out for her with my authority and drew her onto the palm of my right hand. She appeared a fraction of a second later, eyes closed and sitting cross-legged in a meditative pose. 

Momoko’s eyelids shot open and she sprang to her feet, eyes darting between me and her tree in a panic.

Then, she collapsed.

Horrified, it took me several moments to realise Momoko, at least her human...Spirit, half, had not possessed Mana when she arrived. Now, she did, and it had laid her out like a sledgehammer to the head.

I could feel the Mana building inside of her, feel her skin burning.

The trunk of Momoko’s peach tree groaned, its branches twisting like serpents as the ground began to tremble and crack beneath my feet.

Thunder boomed and dark storm clouds began to gather overhead.

Drawing Momoko to my chest to shield her from the rain, I cast a wary eye toward the sky.

Lightning arced from the clouds with furious intensity, homing in on my location with unnatural accuracy. The lightning rods diverted the lightning, just as they were intended to do. However, the forking bolts of lightning were becoming increasingly aggressive. Seemingly reaching for Momoko like the claws of a ravenous beast.

Staring into the heart of the storm, I became convinced that something was guiding the fury of the storm beyond the original scope of the Tribulation.

“How...unexpected...” A soft male voice murmured in amusement. His words cut through the rumbling thunder with impossible ease, ensuring they were heard without cancelling out the roars of the Tribulation. “Perhaps it is the will of heaven? Hehehe,” the voice commented in amusement. “Little brother, let us not be enemies. Simply surrender the Divine Treasure into my hands, and I may consider taking you as an outer disciple.”

“Divine Treasure?...” Even without asking, I knew that he was referring to Momoko and her peach tree.

“Come now, little brother, such a profound Cultivation resource would be wasted on one of such little talents. Surrender it to me now, and I may prove merciful,” the voice sneered condescendingly.

“No,” I replied firmly and gently set Momoko down against the base of her peach tree and out of the rain.

The rumbling thunder and patter of the rain were swept away by an oppressive and malevolent silence.

“Little brother...you will regret this,” all traces of humour were gone, replaced by indignation, rage, and sadistic anticipation.

Using my authority, I relocated myself to Kwan’s freshwater ocean and waited.

Only a handful of seconds after my arrival, my authority alerted me to the invasion of another Monarch. A fraction of a second later, a tall lithe young man in fine emerald robes and carrying a golden straight-edged sword appeared in the water before me.

His long hair was ornamented with expensive-looking beads and trinkets. Each of which radiated an aura matching what I would have expected from a powerful magic item from the other system.

The invader stared back at me with cold arrogant eyes, their dark intensity carrying the promise of violence. “Little brother,” the young man purred dangerously, unaffected by the water surrounding us. “I am a merciful deity. Throw yourself down at my feet and beg, and I will make your end pain-” His brow knit together in confusion.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I cast the Empowered Spatial Anchor Spell.

The young man released a concentrated wave of Chi carrying the Thunder Affinity.

I felt his Chi probe at my surroundings in an attempt to measure his Cultivation against my own.

The young man physically recoiled as if he had stuck his bare hand against a cast iron stove, drawing his Chi back with lightning speed. Eyes wide and face deathly pale, he hastily raised his sword into a defensive stance. “Ah, b-big b-brother,” the young man stammered, his sword wavering to and fro with the uncontrolled shaking of his arm. “Th-this one in-intended n-no offence!”

I felt a pulse of Chi emanate from what appeared to be a jewel-encrusted silver hand mirror tucked into the sash of his robe. 

Before the intended effect could activate, the Chi was immediately dispersed by the Empowered Spatial Anchor Spell.

The young man froze.

“W-We c-can t-talk th-this o-over!” The terrified Monarch pleaded, releasing his sword and slowly floating backward through the water with both hands raised above his shoulders. “B-Big B-brother! T-Take th-these h-humble t-tokens a-as c-compens-sation f-for m-my r-rudeness! I-I d-didn’t kn-know th-the t-treas-sure b-belonged t-to b-big b-brother!”

“Treasure?...” With a thought, I teleported the Monarch back to his original position. Cold fury burned through my veins. “She. Is. My. DAUGHTER!” 

Mana surged from my core, slamming into the Monarch’s spiritual defences in an unrelenting tide. 

“W-Wai-” The Monarch began to gasp, losing his voice as my Mana overwhelmed his internal energy and ravaged his spiritual Foundation. One of the Monarch’s treasures activated, seemingly of its own accord, transforming the Monarch’s body into some kind of monstrous hybrid with characteristics of both Beast and man. However, the presence of my Mana, or perhaps the Monarch’s damaged Foundation, had caused the transformation to be critically unstable.

Beyond the deformed bones and skinless flesh, the Monarch’s very being was collapsing upon itself. The energy provided by the treasure fed into a chain reaction that was consuming and drawing power from the other treasures carried on his person.

Thrashing in pain and lacking the cultivation to eschew his need for oxygen, the Monarch’s final moments were spent desperately gulping down water in the hope of finding air.

With one final mewling shudder, the Monarch grew incredibly still.

Anticipating the danger, I cast Barrier but otherwise remained where I was.

The Monarch’s body exploded.

Blinded by the intensity of the explosion, I felt the abrupt absence of the water that had, until only a moment prior, surrounded me. I felt a mighty gale whip and lash at my skin, burning and then freezing before relenting seconds later.

My eyes recovered and I found myself standing a handful of feet from where I had been standing only moments before. Two deep furrows in the stone and silt marked my passage.

Distant rumbling drew my attention to towering waves racing across the barren ocean floor, devouring the open ground with the insatiable hunger and ferocity of a wild Beast.

Bracing myself for the impact, I tore massive sheets of stone from below the ocean floor to redirect and absorb the inevitable impact.

Anchored in place, when the waves hit, I remained unmoved. Weathering the torrent of debris as it pelted and crashed into my body.

Unharmed but still mildly disoriented, I waited for the silt and debris to settle before exercising my authority to leave. Just as I was about to leave, three intruders appeared a short distance from where I was standing.

Failing to recognise their faces or clan markings, I flooded the surrounding water with my Mana.

Disoriented, the invaders were slow to react. Too slow in recognising the danger.

Leveraging my control over the water, two of the intruders began to drown. Flailing about and clawing at the water as they made a break for the surface.

While I was following the movements of the two drowning men, the third disappeared.

He was still floating more or less where he had arrived. However, he had concealed himself using some form of Technique, making him invisible.

With a thought, I sent a fusillade of small stones in his direction, Investing every pebble with the Thundering Strikes Spell and as much mana as they could hold.

At first, nothing happened. The stones would seemingly strike the open water and then detonate, sending shards whizzing in all directions. It wasn’t long before streaks of blood began trailing through the water, carried in the wake of the shards. Crimson blooms announced the hidden intruder’s end. Blanketing the water in a cloud of blood as the Cultivator’s lifeless mangled body drifted to the ocean floor.

Those who had fled toward the surface were still a long way from reaching the surface, even with their head start.

Pulling on the Mana-infused water in their lungs, I began dragging them back.

One of the intruders had withdrawn a large flying sword from a Storage Ring, leaving his companion for dead in his haste to reach the surface. However, the sudden inertia left his sword arcing off into the distance and well beyond his reach.

The water surrounding the closest intruder flashed and sparkled as trinkets and baubles were withdrawn from a Storage ring and activated in a desperate bid for survival.

Forming a spear from the nearby stone, I launched it at his centre mass. Until I was certain what I was dealing with, I saw no reason to move within arm’s reach.

Three feet from the intruder’s chest, the stone spear became coated in a thick coat of ice and promptly shattered into dozens of pieces.

I threw another spear and it met the same fate as the first.

Changing my approach, I drove the two invaders toward one another.

The sudden arrival of over a dozen armoured intruders forced me to change priorities.

Unlike the trio that had preceded them, the latest arrivals were quick to regain their composure, erecting an Array almost immediately after their arrival. With the first Array erected, the group hurriedly set about raising numerous others. Intending to create a Formation, it was unclear whether it was primarily intended as a defensive or offensive measure.

Chaos erupted within the ranks of the armoured cultivators as a new Monarch invaded my realm and suddenly materialised in the centre of their defensive Array.

Wearing only a breastplate for protection over long flowing robes, the female Monarch dodged and weaved through the flurry of attacks with astounding speed and grace. Narrowly avoiding spear thrusts and elemental Techniques from all directions while taking in her surroundings.

Despite appearing completely on the defensive, the armoured Cultivators surrounding the female Monarch began dropping out of the fight.

One by one, their movements began to slow, their attacks losing their accuracy and ferocity as Death Chi eroded the Cultivators’ life force. Although it was invisible to the naked eye, the Death Chi being projected and trailing from her palms stood out like burning torches to my enhanced senses.

As the armoured Cultivators slowed, the Monarch took her counterattack one step further, slicing at the exposed sections of their armour with her long sharpened fingernails. Blood erupted from the wounds, clouding the water and obstructing her surroundings, further hampering the flagging assault of the armoured Cultivators.

Seemingly no longer content to remain surrounded, the female Monarch began dancing around them instead.

One by one, the armoured Cultivators fell. Dying from a combination of blood loss and corroded life force. However, as the final armoured Cultivator was on the verge of succumbing to their injuries, a third Monarch invaded my Realm.

Time seemed to slow and the two Monarchs locked eyes with one another.

The Array erected by the armoured Cultivators collapsed and the two Monarchs leapt away from one another, flying back twenty feet through the water before firmly planting their feet on the ocean floor.

The newest arrival wore long dark silk robes embroidered with arcane sigils sewn from gold and silver threads. Dark-skinned and bald, with the lower half of his face concealed by a silk scarf, he carried a massive gourd upon his back. The gourd was stoppered with a large cork and plastered with so many overlapping talismans that it almost appeared to have been made of paper mache.

The two Monarchs continued staring at one another for a handful of seconds longer. Neither side willing to make the first move and potentially expose themselves to a counterattack.

“Gu Lin, you are here for the celestial treasure as well?” The dark-skinned Monarch asked with a lilting sing-song accent that reminded me of a student I had shared classes with and had immigrated from India.

The female Monarch, presumably Gu Lin, inclined her head slightly in affirmation. “I am,” she replied softly, narrowing her almond-shaped eyes slightly as she studied the other Monarch’s face. “I do not think it is in either of our best interests to face one another directly, Jayesh. What say you?”

The male Monarch, Jayesh, furrowed his brow slightly for a few moments before relaxing again and nodding in agreement. “It would be most unwise. The Supreme One has been eyeing my realm most covetously of late, and I am most certain his gaze is not limited to my Realm alone.”

Gu Lin frowned with concern, squeezing her dark-painted lips together in distaste. “I have thwarted several plots in the past few months intended to weaken my position.”

“As have I,” Jayesh replied grimly. “It is to be expected. The Destroyer does not wish to allow a challenger to rise, after all.”

Gu Lin looked as if she was about to reply, but stopped abruptly as yet another Cultivator invaded my Realm.

The latest arrival was not a Monarch. However, his arrival triggered a visceral reaction in the two Monarchs that had been peaceably conversion only moments prior. Immediately putting them both on high alert and even showing minor signs of distress.

The Cultivator’s combat robes were black and grey with a grinning crimson skull embroidered on the chest. His long dark hair was tied back into a thick braid that reached his calves. The end of the braid had the crossguard and blade of a dagger. No doubt intended as an unconventional backup weapon.

“You will leave this Secret realm at once or incur my master’s wrath,” the new arrival stated with a smirk and released a burst of Chi as a show force.

I identified the two Monarchs' source of fear almost immediately. The new arrival was a Demonic Cultivator. While it was unclear whether he was in the same league as the two Monarchs, it didn’t appear to matter.

“We intend no disrespect to your honoured master,” Gu Lin replied diplomatically, bowing her head ever so slightly. “A powerful Formation has us trapped. We cannot withdraw until it is located and disabled.”

The Demonic Cultivator scowled with displeasure and withdrew a token from his robes. “If this is a trick. My master will make an example of you,” he hissed venomously. “Before the end you will beg for-” He stopped mid-sentence, his expression hardening as he glared at the wooden token. “You appear to be telling the truth,” he conceded with obvious disappointment. “You will locate this Formation, disable it, then leave,” he commanded imperiously. “If you impede my search for the Transcendent Treasure in any way, you will face my master’s wrath!”

As the Demonic Cultivator returned the wooden token to his robes, another wave of invaders entered my Realm.

Three dozen in all, the newcomers were armed with a wide range of exotic weapons and wore wolf-fur cloaks over brigandine armour. The sight of the Monarchs and the Demonic Cultivator gave them pause. But that was all.

Without saying a word, the wolf-cloaks launched their attack.

Jayesh and Gu Lin retreated in different directions, abandoning the Demonic Cultivator to face the brunt of the enemy force on his own.

Far from intimidated, the Demonic Cultivator’s lips split into a demented grin. “A pack of dogs wish to bite a dragon?! Then come! Face my flames and curse your mothers for your birth!” Extending his right fist toward the enemy, he released a surge of Chi that materialised into a jet of boiling water. No doubt, he had forgotten we were fully submerged in water.

One of the wolf-cloaked Cultivators raced ahead of his fellows and erected a barrier of ice by swiping his hook-bladed spear through the water and releasing a stream of Chi.

Annoyed that his attack was thwarted, the Demonic Cultivator changed tactics, assuming a fighting posture and materialising a sickle-bladed sword from his Storage Ring. “Face the dragon’s fangs if you dare!” He snarled, eager for the fight and grinning all the while.

Three of the Cultivators flew out from behind the wall of ice and launched lengths of spiked chains through the water and toward the Demonic Cultivator. Pulsing Chi through the chains, the Cultivators activated a Technique that caused the chains to begin writhing and darting like serpents.

The Demonic Cultivator’s limbs were bound and drawn tight together, leaving him vulnerable to attack as five more Cultivators rushed forward for the killing blow.

“Fools!” The Demonic Cultivator released a stream of Demonic Chi infused with Fire Affinity. The chains began to glow, rapidly changing from a dull maroon to cherry red before being torn apart and cast aside entirely. Limbs freed from the spiked chains, the Demonic Cultivator narrowly dodged the first Cultivator’s sword while knocking the spear of the second Cultivator aside and burying the blade of his sword into the chest of the third.

Demonic Chi roared to life within the Demonic Cultivator’s sword and in less than a second, its victim was reduced to a lifeless husk.

Exercising my authority, I stripped the sword from the Demonic Cultivator’s hand and banished it to an isolated territory.

Caught entirely unawares by the sudden loss of his weapon, the Demonic Cultivator took a heavy blow to the shoulder from the enemy’s polearm. Before he could react, the other Cultivator on his flank stabbed his sword cleanly through the Demonic Cultivator’s back and out his abdomen.

Shrieking in pain, the Demonic Cultivator withdrew another sword from his Storage ring and wrenched himself free, leaving a trail of dark ichor trailing from his injuries. Before he could regain his composure, the wolf-cloaked Cultivators continued their attack. Furiously harassing him from one side and then the other.

All the while, their surviving fellows established a not-so-distant perimeter. Planting runed staves into the silt and adorning them with painted wolf skulls. Before I could determine their purpose, my authority announced the arrival of yet another invader.

Only this time, they weren’t human.

A spectral wolf roughly the size of an African elephant appeared within the circle created by the runed staves.

Judging by the lack of reaction from the Demonic Cultivator and the two Monarchs, it appeared they were not aware of the Spirit’s presence.

The giant wolf Spirit raised its snout skyward, releasing a long mournful howl as it began channelling massive volumes of Chi into the circle. 

Smaller spectral wolves began materialising from skulls mounted atop the runed staves. Taking on a semi-physical presence, they began racing toward the Demonic Cultivator with fangs bared and a ravenous glint in their eyes.

“ENOUGH!” The Demonic Cultivator snarled. Releasing a massive surge of Chi, he moved with impossible speed, delivering what looked like hundreds of sword strikes against the spear-wielding Cultivator in a handful of seconds.

The Cultivator’s companion attempted to deliver a second backstab while the Demonic Cultivator was distracted. However, his actions did not go unnoticed, earning a swift decapitation as the Demonic Cultivator shifted his attention from the ruined remains of the other Cultivator and onto him alone.

The two Monarchs shared a meaningful look but remained silent and appeared content to watch and see how things would play out.

I was finding it increasingly strange that the Monarchs, the Demonic Cultivator and the wolf cloak Cultivators appeared unaware of my presence.

The wolves closed the last few feet and launched themselves at the Demonic Cultivator with their jaws opened wide.

With the same inhuman speed, the Demonic Cultivator eviscerated their bodies. Cleaving through their phantasmal flesh with effortless ease.

With their corporeal forms destroyed, the wolves shifted back into Spirits and began floating back toward the Cultivators and their ring of totems.

Just as the Spirits began their retreat, the Demonic Cultivator seized the closest of them and drained the Chi from its body. Destroying the Spirit and recovering his Chi reserves in one 

The reaction was nearly instantaneous. The Spirit disintegrated as its internal energy and Chi was infected and then drained by the Demonic Cultivator.

The giant wolf Spirit raised its hackles and snarled, conjuring another wave of wolf Spirits and restoring the corporeal form of those that remained from the previous batch.

It didn’t take a genius to see that the next assault would fare no better than the first. Nor was the fifth any better than the fourth. Yet the giant wolf Spirit continued throwing its lesser kin at the Demonic Cultivator with seeming abandon.

For their part, the wolf cloak Cultivators had begun making signs with their hands. Unfortunately, I wasn’t familiar with that dialect of signing, so I had no idea what they were saying. Only that they were repeating the same words or phrases over and over again.

Without warning, five of the Cultivators raced into the ritual circle alongside the sixth wave of wolves. Their left hand clenched before their face with the index and middle fingers raised in line with the bridge of their nose.

The two Monarchs shared another meaningful look and nodded, apparently having come to an agreement.

Gathering his Chi, Jayesh widened his stance, squatting low to the ground and mimicking the same hand motion as the wolf cloak Cultivators. He performed the gesture with both hands, placing one hand before his chest and the other thrust forward toward the Demonic Cultivator.

Gu Lin began slowly gliding forward through the water, her body quickly becoming translucent like glass and then completely invisible to the naked eye. As Gu Lin’s body faded, so did her presence as a Cultivator.

It was only through my authority and ownership of the territory that I remained aware of her general movements and location. If we were outside my Realm, I would have lost track of her entirely.

Three of the five Cultivators were cut to bloody ribbons the instant they came within range of the Demonic Cultivator’s blade. A fourth was cleaved from navel to shoulder an instant later, but his death slowed the Demonic Cultivator’s movements just enough for the fifth Cultivator to slap his free hand against the Demonic Cultivator’s back.

The Demonic Cultivator’s body suddenly grew stiff and sluggish, allowing the wolf cloak Cultivator to draw a curved blade and brutally slash open the enemy’s throat.

The wolves surged forward in a tide of fangs and fur, biting, ripping and tearing at any part of the Demonic Cultivator they could sink their teeth into.

A crimson haze flecked with fragments of flesh and dark silk clouded the water.

“ENOUGH!!!” The Demonic Cultivator screamed, flooding the immediate area with his Demonic Chi and clearing the water. His body was bloody and ragged. Savaged flesh weeping blood over exposed bones and tendons, his face mangled beyond the point of recognition. “YOU WILL SUFFER FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!!!”

The Demonic Cultivator’s Chi began warping and mutating his body, twisting and reshaping his bones, muscles and sinews into a dark-scaled reflection of a Lizardman.

Still clutching the curved knife despite being thrown about by the Demonic Cultivator’s Chi, the wolf-fur Cultivator cast a glance back toward one of his fellows.

When they first arrived, I hadn’t noticed any significant differences between them. However, comparing these two specifically, I realised the one within the circle wore a wolf teeth necklace bearing only four fangs, while the one outside of the circle wore a necklace with over two dozen.

The wolf cloak Cultivator outside of the circle hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Setting his jaw with grim determination, the Cultivator cast down his dagger and drew the hood of his cloak over his head.

The instant the wolf-head cowl was drawn over the Cultivator’s head, the giant wolf Spirit lost its cohesive form and streamed into the Cultivator’s body, melding their energies together temporarily before consuming and displacing the energy of the Cultivator outright.

The Cultivator’s cloak and hood began melding themselves into his body, fusing with his flesh and armour. Just the same as the Demonic Cultivator before him, the Cultivator's form warped and twisted into a human-Beast hybrid, growing to more than twice their original height in the process.

“Pathetic!” The Demonic Cultivator sneered with contempt and the faintest trace of fear.

The wolf-thing bared its claws and released a savage howl in reply before fearlessly leaping toward the enemy.

“SEAL!!!” Eyes glowing with golden light Jayesh thrust his left hand forward. In the same instant, a gigantic golden hand descended from the sky, its palm centred directly over the Demonic Cultivator. 

The Demonic Cultivator staggered as if struggling under an immense weight for a moment before being driven to his hands and knees. His flesh and scales smouldered under the golden light, releasing a foul ichor into the surrounding water.

With the Demonic Cultivator proving incapable of defending himself, the wolf-thing began ripping and tearing into his scaly flesh with savage abandon. Like an animal, the wolf-thing made a point of ravaging the abdominal cavity, exposing and spilling the Demonic Cultivator’s internal organs before ripping them apart to maximise the pain and shock of its victim.

Screaming in pain and fury, the Demonic Cultivator struggled to mount even a token defence, all but paralysed by the Monarch’s powerful Technique.

I felt a faint spike of Death-infused Chi and watched as one of the wolf-cloak Cultivators began slowly drifting to the ocean floor. Although I could not see her, my authority informed me that Gu Lin was standing beside the corpse of the Cultivator.

She killed four more of the Cultivators in rapid succession before they managed to take notice of what was happening. However, it was now too late.

Spread out as they were, the wolf-cloak Cultivators were picked off one by one. Denied the opportunity to regroup and present a more effective defence than wildly swinging at the open water in hopes of guessing her position and landing a lucky strike.

Then, Gu Lin began moving toward me.

With no doubts as to her intentions, I formed a stone machete from the bedrock below my feet and prepared the Drain Life Spell.

Almost immediately, Gu Lin released a large burst of Chi and raced back toward her original position opposite Jayesh.

“Is it done?” Jayesh grunted through clenched teeth, his Technique seeming to take a greater toll than I had been expecting.

“The Wolf-Blood Mercenary Formation is broken...” Gu Lin replied hesitantly. “However, the Formation holding us prisoner is under heavy guard...The guardian appears content to observe our actions. However, it became agitated by my approach and...I was forced to retreat...”

Jayesh scowled. “It is concealing its strength while standing in full view...This is not good. Not good at all...”

“The strength of its current aura would place it firmly in the Transcendent Imperial Soul realm...” Gu Lin hissed anxiously.

Jayesh’s concentration wavered, causing the massive golden palm to flicker and dim briefly before regaining its strength. “Transcendent Imperial Soul realm? This is...The Celestial Perfected Soul?!...” Blood erupted from his mouth. “What sins have I committed in a past life to deserve such Karma?!”

“That is only its current strength...” Gu Lin hissed bitterly. “It was reacting to my presence and hostile intentions...matching and exceeding my strength to maintain its advantage...It is almost certainly stronger still...”

“This treasure...I see it now for the dark temptation it is,” Jayesh lamented. “Were it not so that my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren should pay the price for my untempered desires...” His eyes grew wide with fear. “No...Nononono!”

“Jayesh?” Gu Lin sounded concerned, which surprised me. Even if they were not overtly hostile toward one another, I had assumed their position in the rankings would have eliminated any possibility of something approximating genuine concern for someone who should have been their deathly rival.

“I did not expect to become trapped!” Jayesh barked bitterly in distress. “My eldest and his sons guard the well-”

The lapse in Jayesh’s concentration weakened his Technique, allowing the Demonic Cultivator a brief window of opportunity to deliver a counterattack against the wolf-human hybrid CUltivator. However, instead of launching a counterattack, the Demonic Cultivator withdrew a hidden treasure from his Storage Space.

The treasure bore the appearance of an onyx marble sphere with cracks that radiated a pulsing dark crimson light. Positively saturated with Demonic energy that seemed disturbingly self-aware, the dark marble sphere launched itself into the Demonic Cultivator’s ravaged abdominal cavity and fused with his spine.

New power flooded into the Demonic CUltivator’s body. His wounds began knitting themselves back together, healing faster than the wolf-thing could tear them apart.

With a vicious swipe, the Demonic Cultivator tore the jugular from the wolf-thing’s neck, sending dark scarlet blooms trailing through the water.

Attempting to retreat while desperately clutching at its throat, the wolf-thing lost several more chunks of flesh as the Demonic CUltivator pressed its newfound advantage.

“I. Can’t. Hold. Him!” Jayesh warned, straining to form each word with what concentration he could spare.

As if to prove his point, the Demonic Cultivator took on speed, redoubling its efforts in ripping the wolf-thing apart piece by bloody piece.

“Do what you can,” Gu Lin replied with a tremor in her voice. “I...I will try to return the odds to our favour...” Still invisible, she began tentatively floating closer to the ongoing battle.

“Don’t!” Jayesh cried, his concentration wavering for an instant before he could regain control of himself.

To my surprise, I realised his mouth had not moved when he spoke. After reflecting for a moment, I realised that their entire conversation had taken place without either of them opening their mouths.

Was it some kind of telepathy? If so, why could I eavesdrop on them?

The Demonic Cultivator plunged his claws into the wolf-thing’s chest and ripped out the pulsing quivering mass of its heart. Opening his jaws wide in anticipation, the Demonic Cultivator wrenched the heart toward his mouth. Snapping his toothy maw shut, he wrenched his head viciously to the side, shredding the arteries before swallowing the heart whole.

The mutilated remains of the wolf hybrid began to shrink. The wolf cloak tumbled from the Cultivator’s dead body and disintegrated into chunks of rotten hide and fur. 

With its host body dead, the giant wolf Spirit began climbing out of the dead Cultivator’s mangled body. It had lost most of its former lustre and was now a mere shadow of its former self. With its demise all but assured, the wolf Spirit bared its fangs in a final show of defiance.

Opening his bloody tooth-filled maw, the Demonic Cultivator stalked after the Spirit with malevolent glee burning in his eyes. However, his amusement turned to alarm and fury as Gu Lin struck his right forearm.

Sparing only a moment to stare at his amputated and rapidly atrophying right arm, the Demonic Cultivator seethed with rage. Swiping at the seemingly empty water with his powerful tail and the claws on his left hand produced no results. The Demonic Cultivator’s movements were explosive and vicious but were easy to read thanks to the intense resistance applied by Jayesh’ Technique.

Losing what little of his composure remained, the Demonic Cultivator began gathering his Chi for a Technique of his own.

Whatever the Demonic Cultivator intended, it quickly went awry. Losing control over his Chi and internal energy, they took on a life and will of their own.

Two powerful souls came into direct competition for control, fiercely trying to suppress and consume the other before they could do the same. Instead of growing weaker, the conflict only served to increase their strength, albeit at the significant cost of their stability.

With both souls deteriorating at a rapid pace, I realised the danger too late.

The two souls collapse into one another, all the while violently rejecting and attempting to dominate the essence of the other.

For the briefest of moments, the Demonic Cultivator’s scaly reptilian face twisted into an expression of despair. Then, he exploded.