Giving out half of the candidates condensed shadow essences was not a loss to Simon in the slightest.
In fact, he could give all the condensed shadow essence to Thorgan all so that he could get the Alpha’s corpse.
’I have another corpse to devour.’
Simon did not want the Alpha’s corpse so that he could transform it to points for the second trial.
He had no idea how many points he had, but he was 99% certain that it was more than enough.
And if it wasn’t, he’d absorb the condensed shadow essence of half of the candidates.
’If I didn’t get the spatial ring underground, I would have no choice but to use the corpse for points.’
He looked at Thorgan who had toward the corpses of the shadow wolves. He was absorbing them into his condensed shadow essence, and he could not see what Simon was about to do.
Simon placed his hand on the Alpha’s corpse, then he transferred it into his spatial ring.
’I’ll devour it when I have the opportunity.’
Ever since he devoured the mercenary captain while fighting the Velari, he had not had the opportunity to devour again.
He could not devour in the trial because the chances of the clan finding out the state of the devoured corpse would raise suspicions, and since the Pallbearers already suspected him, he couldn’t take such an unnecessary risk.
Besides, he didn’t just want to devour just anybody for no reason.
Pros, cons, and benefits.
If the strength boost he gains from devouring a demon does not worth the possible risk of exposure, then it wasn’t worth it.
’But with my spatial ring, I might be able to devour more... Unfortunately, I can’t devour someone that has died for ages.’
Simon sighed with regret as he recalled the pile of bones back underground.
He took one last look at Thorgan who was feeding his condensed shadow essence with the corpses of the shadow wolves, and was also keeping some in his shadow.
Simon raised a brow, but he didn’t think much of it.
He looked at the tied up and frightened candidates, then he approached them.
With a wave of his hand, the Chaos Wraps binding them flew back to his arms, and Simon glanced at Thorgan.
’He didn’t see it. Good.’ Simon nodded internally as he was relieved that Thorgan had not seen the two times where he released a portion of the Chaos Wraps.
He wanted to hide as many abilities of his Chaos Wraps as possible.
He shifted his attention back to the frightened candidates.
Various parts of their bodies were turning to wood and dried up tree bark, making them to look rather... ugly and unpleasant to look at.
"Where is he?" Simon indifferently asked while sweeping his gaze across the frightened candidates, and they all trembled.
Without hesitation, one of them raised her hand and quickly spoke.
"I’ll take you there. I know where he is."
Simon looked at the girl. "Just tell me where he is. I’ll go there myself."
The girl looked around fearfully, unable to look at Simon’s cold and indifferent sky blue eyes.
"It’s confusing to explain how to get there. It would be better if I take you there myself."
"Hmmm." Simon continued staring at the girl with the same gaze, then he looked at the rest.
"Can anybody give me directions unlike her?"
Every single one of them shook their heads, and Simon nodded.
He shifted his gaze to the girl. "You’ll take me there, and just know that if you attempt to deceive me, I’ll kill you in the worst way possible."
The girl trembled, but she nodded, showing that she understood.
Simon then crouched and picked up multiple stones.
The girl and the other candidates were confused as to what he was doing, and when they saw an azure-orange demonic energy coating the stones, they were still confused.
Simon looked at them, then...
Pow!
Thud
Pow!
Pow!
Pow!
Pow!
Thud
Thud
Thud
Thud
Simon flicked every single enhanced stone into the skull of each candidate, and some tried to scream, shout, beg, or even run, but Simon was too fast, and the stones were akin to bullets which could pierce through their skins.
As Simon flicked the enhanced stones, it was like numerous gunshots echoing in the air, and this continued for about ten seconds before it came a stop.
The girl who offered to take Simon to the Odrasil stood frozen on the spot, her body stained in several places with blood, but her shoes were nearly soaked in blood.
Around her were multiple corpses with blood flowing from underneath them, soaking the already dark ground with more blood.
"Hey."
Simon called out, but the girl seemed lost.
"Hey."
He called out again, and the girl shook. She looked at him.
"Get yourself together. We’ll leave in fifteen minutes."
The girl could not respond and she just kept on staring at Simon before looking back at the corpses around her.
She wanted to say and ask a million questions, but no cohesive thoughts could be properly formed in her mouth.
Simon shook his head slightly, then he walked up to a corpse and indifferently searched the corpse for his condensed shadow essence.
He didn’t care what the girl thought of him, those kids were just unlucky and unfortunate.
They had seen too much, and the risk they posed to his ’freedom’ was too much.
A single rumor originating from them could lead him to meet death who must be extremely frustrated for not possessing his soul quite a number of times.
’Or I might just get tortured again.’
Simon shook his head, then he heard the sound of footsteps and he looked at Thorgan who stood a meter away from him.
’He’s looking at the corpses. His expression is calm, but who knows what thoughts he has... Considering his playful and oddly cheerful personality, he might be disgusted by my actions.’
He decided to ask. "Are you disgusted by what I’ve done?"
"Hmm?" Thorgan looked at him, then he tilted his head to the side.
"I was just looking at how effortlessly you killed them with a stone enhanced with your demonic energy. Your control of demonic energy is the best I’ve ever seen."
"Besides, why would I be disgusted with what you’ve done. We’re demons. It’s our way of life."