Adam glanced toward the system notification, wiping the blood off his knuckles as the mist curled around him.
It was about that ti again.
[Aberrant of the Flesh glances in curiosity upon the livestream]
[Weaver of Forgotten Nas forgets why she joined the livestream of the new live strear...]
[Pulsed Howler is barking]
Adam smiled faintly.
As expected, the crowd was growing...
The older viewers wasted no ti in greeting the newcors!
[nthnth_9 has donated an F-tier gift]
[You have received] 3 Soul Cores
[nthnth_9] Welco to the stream, fresh ats!
[Experienced Old Knight] : Welco new viewers, kindly behave...
[Woman of Specters glares at the Aberrant of the Flesh with hidden anger]
[WinterBored188 has donated an F-tier gift]
[You have received] 2 Soul Cores
[WinterBored188 is inspecting the new viewer's personalities]
[WaterBored188] : Quick! Strear! Try out their skills as well!
[CripsyD has donated an F-tier gift]
[You have received] 20 Soul Cores
[CrispyD] : Is the pulsed Howler a dog...
[Pulsed Howler greets with two barks!]
Adam's eyes scanned the ssages flooding in.
He felt a flicker of excitent stir in his chest.
More viewers ant more skills to copy!
'Such a sha that none of them are S-rank users...'
He ntally sighed.
But still, every little bit counted.
Behind him, the sharp squelch of wet footsteps echoed through the trees.
The swamp trolls had regrouped...
Five, maybe six of them...
They charged through the thick undergrowth with blind fury, their eyes were locked onto Adam.
[Watcher of Iron Rings warns the strear to be more cautious of his surroundings!]
The new viewers leaned in, eager for action.
But from their perspective, Adam didn't even react.
He just stood there reading the stream chat as he walked calmly.
No activation of skills and no sort defense items...
Until—
[Authority of Disconnection has been activated]
In an instant, the swamp trolls froze mid-charge.
One by one, their heads slid cleanly from their shoulders and fell into the muck below.
Their bodies stood for a second longer... then collapsed like lifeless dolls.
[Swamp Troll has been slain.]
[ 200 EXP, 0.06 Soul Core]
[ 5 Gold]
[Swamp Troll has been slain.]
[ 200 EXP, 0.06 Soul Core]
[ 5 Gold]
[Swamp Troll has been slain.]
[ 200 EXP, 0.06 Soul Core]
[ 5 Gold]
[Swamp Troll has been slain.]
[ 200 EXP, 0.06 Soul Core]....
And the notifications kept coming.
The chat exploded with confusion and awe.
Adam wasn't even attacking, but the trolls were dying like cattle at the slaughterhouse.
He continued walking through the fog-drenched forest, slow and steady, not even sparing the corpses a glance.
Behind him, more swamp trolls burst from the mist...
Only for their heads to fall off monts later, cleanly severed by an invisible force.
[Aberrant of the Flesh glances at the strear's ability with admiration]
[Watcher of the Iron Rings] : A high rank skill user...
[Weaver of Forgotten Nas] : What was I watching again…? Oh right. Yes him...
The new viewers flooded in almost instantly, drawn by the skillful slaughter and impressive display.
Coins poured into the stream in bulk, and notifications rapidly ticked in.
[Aberrant of the Flesh has subscribed to your livestream]
[Pulsed Howler has subscribed to your livestream]
[Weaver of Forgotten Nas has subscribed to your livestream]
[Watcher of the Iron Rings has subscribed to your livestream]...
This was a livestrear worth donating for!
Adam couldn't suppress a small smile.
He had learned long ago that performing was as much about perception as it was about strength.
It was all about creating the right image!
The forest grew quiet as the last of the swamp trolls fell, their bodies lifeless on the damp ground.
Adam paused, surveying the aftermath.
There were no more trolls to be found...
He glanced down at Cael, who lay sprawled on the forest floor, his body shackled and bound with chains.
The sight made Adam's brow furrow slightly.
'I can't just leave him like this…'
Adam thought, his gaze shifting back to the chains.
'If Cael doesn't level up, there's no way he'll ever acquire that A-rank skill he's ant to have in the future...'
Just then, a voice broke through his thoughts.
"My Lord, I can assist."
Xel'Shaar said, stepping forward as though he read through Adam's concern about his teammate.
"My Authority of Prisoner can bind him to us, ensuring he doesn't stray beyond twenty ters from your position."
Adam's eyes flicked toward Xel'Shaar in surprise.
The idea of controlling Cael's movents in such a way felt... unsettling, but at the sa ti, pragmatic.
"Your Authority of Prisoner can do that?"
Adam asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
Xel'Shaar, ever calm and collected, nodded with a slight bow of his head.
"Yes. As an Authority user, you know that powers of this nature are incredibly versatile. Authorities have many layers to their potential, depending on the wielder's intent and understanding."
Adam's interest deepened.
He had seen the utility of how Celestia used her authority, but hearing this made him question just how much he truly understood...
"I always assud that authorities had one primary function..."
Adam mused aloud.
"But you're saying there's more flexibility... That it's not just about the initial, obvious application?"
Xel'Shaar's lips twitched into sothing akin to a smile.
"Exactly. The strength of an authority user is determined by two things... The type of authority they wield and the intent behind their very existence."
Adam raised an eyebrow, unsure whether he fully understood, but Xel'Shaar didn't seem phased.
Instead, he continued, his voice taking on a slight undertone of reverence as he spoke of his own connection to his power.
"For example..."
Xel'Shaar began.
"I wield the Authority of Prisoner, granted to by the Tower of Yxthar. And I... truly do bare the life of a prisoner. Spending countless years trapped in the catacombs, bound by chains that were not just physical but psychological as well."
"Hence, my existence is that of a prisoner... forced, constrained, lost."
Adam could see the distant look in Xel'Shaar's eyes, the echo of those lost years.
The weight of his past still clung to him...
"My experience, my very essence, has beco intertwined with the concept of being imprisoned,"
Xel'Shaar continued.
"That is why my authority is stronger in this aspect. It is not rely a tool nor an ability to ... it is an extension of my past, my intent."
Adam considered this for a mont.
It was as if Xel'Shaar had been shaped by the very force he controlled, and in turn, that shaped his ability to manipulate it...
"Intent..."
Adam repeated, thoughtfully.
"So, to truly master an authority, you need to live it, in a way...?"
"Precisely, my Lord."
Xel'Shaar affird.
"It is not just about wielding power. It is also about becoming the force you command."
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