[Author Note: I recently came to know that some readers prefer to use the audio-feature to listen to Chapters while they are travelling or are physically not in a position to read.
So curiosity piqued in me, and I decided to listen to my own novel, to check how the Chapters sounded in audio mode.
I was dissatisfied since several of my text-emos, system and formatting decisions, as well as the sound effects I incorporated in general, were interfering with my readers’ listening experience.
So, to ensure a seamless listening experience for them, I’ve chosen to make a few tweaks to my writing style and also some changes to my vocabulary.
So, please read/listen to the new Chapter below and let me know how you feel about the changes.
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A soft ruffling sound echoed through the enclosed space as several pairs of hands caught William’s body the moment Barash dropped him down through the hollow tree trunk.
The people waiting below moved with surprising care. They lifted him together, coordinating their movements as though handling a fragile patient rather than a kidnapped victim.
They laid him carefully onto a cold, metallic stretcher.
His vision remained completely blocked by the cloth tied firmly around his eyes, the darkness absolute.
Even so, William was not blind in the true sense. His spiritual energy extended outward instinctively, forming a vague but functional perception of his surroundings.
It was not the complete divine sense that manifested at the divinity stage, but rather a lower, incomplete version made possible by spiritual energy.
Still, it was more than enough to register the general layout of the space around him.
Through that perception, he sensed that he was being wheeled along a tunnel-like passage that sloped downward, leading deeper into the earth.
A strong metallic scent lingered everywhere, mixed with the unmistakable smell of blood.
Alongside it was another scent that made something stir uncomfortably in the back of William’s mind.
It reminded him of disinfectants from his past life, the kind used in hospitals and laboratories.
The sound of a heavy gate creaking open echoed faintly, reverberating down the corridor and confirming his suspicion about the nature of this place.
A large hall took shape in his senses. Multiple figures moved about hurriedly, their footsteps overlapping in uneven rhythms.
Conversations happened in low, hushed voices.
What stood out most to him were the walls at the sides. His spiritual perception slid across them and stopped abruptly, unable to pass through.
The material felt deliberately designed to block spiritual sight. That alone told him how important secrecy was to the people who built this place.
The overall structure reminded him strongly of an infirmary or a hospital ward, though twisted into something far more sinister.
[Don’t worry, host, I don’t see any injections lying around.]
The system’s voice chimed in mockingly, imitating the exaggerated reassurance of a concerned parent trying to calm a child in a hospital.
"If you want to be of use," William replied internally
"Then tell me what is on those walls preventing my spiritual energy from peering through."
[There is no wall, host.]
system’s response earned it a lot of series of question marks on William’s end.
[Host, there is a series of glass chambers filled with water and some other fluid. Heavily mutated bodies are floating inside the chambers.]
William’s thoughts stilled for a moment. "Mutated?"
[Yes. These people are merciless, host. It would be better if you see it yourself once you open your eyes.]
William exhaled slowly through his nose, steadying his thoughts. "Alright. By the way, where are they taking me?"
[It is a corridor with several rooms on both sides, but they seem to be approaching an open elevator-like mechanism.]
Almost as if to confirm the system’s words, the faint sound of gears shifting echoed through the chamber. The metallic bed beneath him vibrated slightly as it rolled onto the platform.
[Yes, we are going down.]
"Keep describing," William instructed.
[We are passing through countless floors. Damn, host, they really built an ant colony down here.]
The elevator continued its descent for an uncomfortably long time before finally coming to a halt with a dull thud.
The men carrying William’s bed resumed walking, their pace steady as they pushed him down another corridor.
The air here felt even colder, and the smell of blood was stronger, fresher. Eventually, they entered a room at the far end of the hall and positioned the metallic stretcher near its center.
William’s spiritual senses registered a new presence approaching him. This individual felt different from the others; his presence was heavy, indicating an SSS rank entity.
The shape of the person’s head struck William as odd, and he frowned internally.
"What the hell is with that mask?" William muttered in his thoughts as his perception traced the outline.
The mask felt elongated and warped, resembling something like an anteater, with an unnatural protrusion where the snout should have been.
"Boss, we received this human today!!" one of the men reported loudly.
That single word... boss...confirmed William’s suspicion. This masked man was the one in charge here.
[Go ahead, kill them all, let’s go!!!]
The system’s eagerness was almost childish.
"No," William replied calmly, though a cold edge crept into his thoughts. "Most of them will become slaves until they are useful. But we can start by killing a few. I am feeling thirsty."
The masked man examined the figure lying on the bed for a brief moment before turning away dismissively.
"Take him to the zero chamber. I will arrive there in a few minutes, strap him to a pump."
The minions nodded obediently and began pushing the bed again, this time toward a room on the opposite side of the hall. William allowed himself to remain limp, continuing the act.
Then, without warning, he felt a sharp sting on the side of his neck.
"What the hell!!"
Pain flared briefly, followed by the unmistakable sensation of liquid entering his bloodstream.
[These are sedatives, host. They will be purged by stellar flames. Don’t worry.]
"Yeah," William snarled internally, anger flashed through him. "Fuck these shits."
The chains binding his limbs cracked under the sudden surge of spiritual energy he released. The sound was sharp and loud in the enclosed hall they had just entered.
The minions’ eyes widened in shock as they felt a pressure descend on them, an invisible force locking their bodies in place.
"Void Sovereignty Spell, first form: Space Lock."
His body broke free from the remaining restraints as he sat up smoothly on the bed.
One hand removed the cloth gagging his mouth, while the other tore the blindfold from his eyes.
Light flooded his vision, revealing the frozen figures staring at him in disbelief.
As they watched, the unknown boy’s appearance shifted. His hair turned a deep blue, and his eyes became ethereal, glowing faintly with cold clarity.
William rubbed his eyes briefly, adjusting to the light, before standing up fully.
He finally took in the room properly.
Rows upon rows of metallic beds filled the hall, each occupied by a human or an elf.
Some were unconscious, others barely awake, their expressions hollow and drained. William’s gaze swept over every face carefully.
Lia was not here.
But then his eyes paused on one particular figure. A human boy wearing an academy uniform lay motionless.
The golden strips on his belt marked him as a first-year student, and his sea-green hair stood out sharply against the white sheets. His facial structure hinted at noble blood.
"A Draconis," William muttered quietly as he approached.
[Yes, host, it seems we have Alfred Draconis lying in front of us]
"He was sold out so soon," William said softly, bitterness threading his voice.
"I thought that episode might change, but it didn’t. It just happened earlier, and in a completely different way."
He turned slowly, his stare returning to the men frozen near the entrance.
His etheral eyes gleamed as sovereign sword intent flowed silently into their bodies, sealing their fates.
William walked back to the end of the hall and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he waited.
A few minutes passed.
Footsteps echoed from the corridor.
The masked man whom everyone called ’boss’ entered the room and stopped abruptly.
His posture stiffened as his senses flared, immediately detecting the presence at the far end of the hall.
William met his gaze directly; his ethereal blue eyes were calm, and his stare was unflinching
Then, a cheerful smile spread across William’s face as he clapped his hands together lightly.
"Itadakimas. ヾ(≧▽≦*)o"
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[Author Note: He uses Ethan’s form to make sure that in case things go south and he has to flee atleast his identity doesn’t get compromised.
He has become famous after the speech, so he prefers using Ethan’s facade, also hoping that Ethan’s luck blesses him.]