"Do you remember the time when we first met?" Nick asked with his friendly smile.
"Eeehhh," the two of them echoed.
They were trying to remember, but Nick had already deleted their memories of that time.
"You don't remember? I told you in secret that I'm a Specter who managed to become human. I am a human who can grow stronger by causing suffering," Nick said.
"Right, I forgot about that," the Inferno said. "You told us never to talk about it, right?"
"Correct, but we are safe here," Nick said.
"I also showed you the Star Cannon," Nick added.
The Right Arm nodded. "A powerful weapon that shoots Star Energy at the Sun, destroying it."
"Good, you remember," Nick said.
"Of course, how couldn't I?" the Right Arm said with an embarrassed smile. "It was a big deal."
"Do you remember my perception abilities?" Nick asked.
The two of them seemed absentminded again.
"You don't? I showed you how I can place perceptors everywhere, which tell me where everyone is," Nick explained.
"Right," the Inferno said. "That is a marvelous ability. I'm glad you're actually on humanity's side."
Nick just nodded.
Over the next hours, Nick changed their memories.
In their memories, Nick was a Specter who could turn into a human with his disguise ability.
He was the best researcher in the world, and he had created a weapon that could destroy the Sun.
The only thing they needed to do was to help Nick become strong.
As long as Nick was powerful, he would be able to free humanity!
"I even took you in as my disciples back then," Nick said.
When Nick said that, he didn't use his ability.
However, the two Shields were incredibly intelligent.
Nick had left their memories of when they saw the truth of the world intact.
They knew what they had to do.
"Yes, master, I remember," the Inferno spoke respectfully.
"I'm glad that we don't have to keep it secret anymore," the Right Arm said.
Nick nodded.
"And do you remember your true mission?" Nick asked.
The two seemed absentminded, but yet again, Nick actually hadn't activated his memory ability.
"You are supposed to grow more powerful with me. Your power will increase mine, and my power will increase yours," Nick said.
Then, a devious smirk appeared on his face.
"And when the Champion summons the Maw to become a level nine Extractor…"
"You are going to kill him."
The two of them nodded. "The Champion is a follower of the Sun, humanity's greatest enemy!"
Nick nodded. "Good. You didn't forget."
Naturally, Nick was manipulating their memories in the light so that the Sun could see it.
The Sun knew that Nick could manipulate memories, and it was only natural that he would use this ability to manipulate the two Shields into becoming his zealots.
Even if the Sun paid attention, it would notice that what Nick said wouldn't make any sense.
Star Cannon?
The Sun gathered all the Star Energy moving towards Earth.
Shooting Star Energy at it would not do anything.
That was akin to blasting a fish with water.
It also wouldn't pay any attention to Nick talking about being a human-turned Specter.
These were all obvious lies to manipulate his food.
"Should we start right now?" the Inferno asked. "I can't wait to beat the Champion into a bloody pulp!"
Nick nodded. "But don't forget. Don't share what you have learned with anyone. All of this is a secret, okay?"
"Of course, master," the Right Arm said respectfully.
The Inferno just nodded.
"Then, let's start working," Nick said.
Almost all of the Prephyx inside the Containment Unit was being pulled out, and everyone fell weakly to the ground.
The memories of the two Shields had been altered significantly, but they still remembered the truth of the world.
They knew what they had to do.
They gave Nick their everything.
Even their memories.
Nick was their ray of hope.
He would save humanity!
And they would help Nick in saving humanity!
The Containment Unit was not isolated.
Nurse Alice and the Maw could still sense the two Shields.
Nick's lie had to seem real.
If the Champion created another Shield, the Maw would take all of them.
And when that happened, the Right Arm and the Inferno would try to kill the Champion.
However, Nick knew that they wouldn't be powerful enough to win.
There was no doubt that the Champion would win the battle.
Then, he would become the first level nine Extractor.
But until then, Nick would have these two Shields to work with.
They would increase his power tremendously.
Both of them were Early Shields, while Nick was only an Initial Adversary.
Working with two Shields all of the time would rapidly increase his power.
And so, they started to work.
The two of them suffered immensely.
They constantly felt like they were dying.
Terror and fear assaulted them.
But they knew that they were doing it for humanity.
Every bit of suffering they felt was suffering others wouldn't have to feel.
This would be their life from now on.
Constant suffering.
And they were glad that it was them who suffered.
The two Shields felt more terror, torture, and suffering than even the poorest person in the worst city.
The destroyed potential was immense.
Years passed.
Advancing at such a high level took a long time.
The Champion would most likely need over 400 years to reach the threshold of the ninth level.
Nick would use that time to advance.
For these 400 years, he would only occasionally leave the Containment Unit to check up on the underground city.
When 300 or so years passed, he would talk with Nurse Alice.
By then, he would definitely be an Early Adversary.
He might even already be a Mid Adversary at that point.
Everything had been prepared.
Now, Nick only needed to advance.
That was all he needed to do.
Time passed.
The suffering continued.
And while the three of them were isolated from the world…
The world changed.
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