Barash, the dragonkin, received a slight nod from William that was almost imperceptible, indicating that he was ready for whatever was to come.
Without wasting another moment, his form shifted as his shapeshifting talent was activated.
Bone structure, facial features, height, and posture shifted smoothly until William’s form was replaced by the exact likeness of Ethan.
Even the subtle details, his breathing rhythm, and unconscious tension in his shoulders, were replicated flawlessly using Natural Actor talent.
Benson stepped forward and wrapped heavy chains around the transformed William’s limbs, tightening them carefully so they looked convincingly restraining rather than sloppy.
After that, he stuffed a cloth firmly into his mouth to gag him.
Finally, he covered his eyes with a thick strip of dark fabric, knotting it securely behind his head.
Barash straightened to his full height and walked forward. He bent down, grabbed the bound figure, and hoisted him up effortlessly, slinging him over his shoulder like a sack.
Without any hesitation, the dragonkin stepped off the cliff’s edge and dropped down into the darkness below.
Benson remained standing above, watching silently from the cliff, waiting for the next phase of the plan.
Below the cliff, the forest spread wide and dense, its thick canopy blocking most of the remaining daylight.
The sun was slowly descending in the distance, staining the sky with a dull tint of orange and red, casting long shadows between twisted tree trunks.
Barash carried the bound copy of Ethan through the undergrowth
As he moved deeper into the forest, the sound of rustling leaves echoed faintly in the background, accompanied by the steady murmur of a river flowing somewhere nearby.
The scent of wet bark and moss hung in the air. William’s senses registered everything.
Eventually, Barash approached a small willow tree standing alone in a clearing.
Its trunk was bumpy and twisted. Barash stopped in front of it and carefully shifted the weight on his shoulder.
From his storage, he retrieved a small bell made of dull metal. Holding it between two clawed fingers, he rang it once.
The sound was soft, but it carried unnaturally far through the silent forest.
Almost immediately, the willow tree reacted. Its trunk shuddered violently, and bark creaked as if something inside had awakened.
Slowly, the twisted branches parted, revealing a hollow opening within the tree. The interior was dark, deep, and clearly far larger than the outside suggested.
Barash stepped closer and lifted the bound figure of William, held it above the hollow trunk for a brief moment, and then released his grip. The tree swallowed William’s figure whole without resistance.
Barash stepped back and rang the bell once more. The willow tree responded by sealing itself, its branches folded back into place.
The rustling stopped, and the tree returned to its previous, unassuming state.
Barash paused, extending his senses outward. When he felt no reaction from the tree, he twisted his body sharply and slammed the array William had given him earlier into the ground beside the trunk.
The array circle lit up, pulsing with golden energy, before a silent ripple of translucent force spread outward through the forest. No sound accompanied it.
Satisfied, Barash called Benson to his location. Moments later, Benson arrived, and the two of them placed their hands on the array circle.
Together, they began pouring demonic energy into it, their power flowed steadily as the array absorbed it.
Once both of them were visibly depleted, they stepped away and began replenishing their energy in silence.
"Oi, Barash! What are you doing?"
The voice came from the shadows.
A black-robed cultist at ascension rank approached from between the trees, pulling a carriage filled with kidnapped individuals behind him. His tone was sharp with suspicion as his eyes narrowed at the sight before him.
Benson and Barash ceased their work. They looked at each other for a moment before focusing on the man who was approaching.
Without warning, Barash moved.
Benson moved at the same time.
Boom!
The impact was sudden and violent as Barash brought his claws down on the man. The cultist reacted instantly, catching Barash’s claws with his own hands. Muscles bulged as he prepared to twist and throw the dragonkin away with overwhelming force.
"Tsk, how dare you betray Lord Clayman?" the man spat angrily.
At that moment, a thunder spell struck his back.
The lightning crackled across his skin, causing sharp irritation rather than real damage. Benson was only an SSS rank, and the difference of an entire cultivation stage meant his attack lacked lethality. Still, the irritation was enough to break the man’s focus.
"Ant, courting death!" the man growled, turning to face Benson.
His greatest error was that one moment of distraction.
Boom.
Barash let loose his dragon breath.
Like a powerful blow, earth-elemental energy burst from his mouth and struck the man in the chest.
He was thrown backward by the impact and crashed with bone-rattling force into a nearby tree. The dragonkin was able to escape his hold as his claws had relaxed the moment the attack had landed.
From above, Benson leapt down, and thunder energy surged through his limbs, accelerating his movements. Energy-restricting chains appeared in his hands as he wrapped them around the stunned man, binding him tightly against the tree.
Barash stepped forward to assist, ensuring the chains were secure.
A sharp blade emerged from Barash’s storage. His intent was clear: this man needed to die immediately, or his master’s plan would be compromised.
"No, no, stop! Please, I give up!" the man cried. He was an elf, and his face was soaked with sweat and tears as he begged, his eyes darting between Benson and Barash.
Barash tightened his hold on the blade and said, "Tsk, you have such a weak mentality."
Suddenly!!, something stirred deep inside his soul before he could strike. Benson’s mark also reacted as the mark of slavery buzzed violently. At the same time, information flooded their minds.
They exchanged glances and nodded.
Barash spoke firmly while lowering the blade a little. "On one condition, I can spare you. Make a vow of loyalty to our master."
The man gaped in disbelief. "What? Do you work for a different master? I assumed you were merely rebelling to get paid more!
"Tsk," Barash yelled. Is the interior of your brain hollow? When you were a child, did your mother forget to feed you?
Barash raised the blade once more, causing the man to tremble violently.
"I promise!"
"I promise! I promise! "I’ll serve your master!" he yelled frantically.
Together, Barash and Benson declared, "Our master is the Eternal Sovereign." "Do you swear allegiance?"
"Yes! Yes! "Just don’t kill me," the man cried.
At that moment, a foreign energy surged into his body, heading straight for his soul. A new slave mark became deeply ingrained in him.
Barash and Benson felt their marks buzz with recognition, indicating that the man was no longer an enemy.
His eyes widened, clarity replacing panic. "Remove the binds," he stated. "Let me help."
They released him, and the three of them returned to the tree to continue recharging the array in silence, the forest swallowing them once more.
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[A/N: In case you guys haven’t already read auxiliary Chapters -
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CULTIVATION SYSTEM
Mortal Stage: F → E → D → C → B → A → S → SS → SSS
[If a rank is denoted with, for example, F+, then it means the person is about to break through to the next rank.]
Divinity Stage: Ascension → Divine Spark → Divine Authority → Pseudo Divinity → Full Divinity
Godhood Stage: Pseudo Godhood → Lesser Godhood → True Godhood → Absolute Godhood
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