Even though my skin and muscles were regenerating, my body was utterly exhausted.
"Warning!!! Don't fall unconscious!!!"
"Ughh, I—I'm trying but... my eyes are forcefully closing themselves."
"Vivi, can't you keep awake with force?"
"Error! the Host doesn't have any Soulforce for Vivi to function properly."
"At least, help in consuming the Soul stones from my inventory."
"Error! the Host doesn't have any Soulforce for Vivi to function properly."
The golden vapour over my body was flickering like a dying bulb, clearly indicating the risk of failure in the breakthrough.
"Shit," I whispered as my legs buckled and I began to fall forward.
Suddenly two hands grabbed my shoulders, preventing from falling.
"You can't show weakness," Vyaghra stated in a low voice. "Everyone is looking at you right now."
"Since you're half beast like us, we will share our Soulforce with you," Jambavan added. "Accept it without resistance and break through your limits."
On my left shoulder, from where Vyaghra was holding , black energy began entering my body while the right shoulder was wrapped in Jambavan's crimson energy.
Ding...
"External Soulforce detected!!
Would you like to convert this Soulforce into yours?
[Yes] [No]"
"Do it," I ordered with the last bit of strength I had.
"Converting external Soulforce into Host's Soulforce..."
The vapour around stabilised and, only a little bit, so energy returned to my body.
I closed my eyes and began focusing on the power that was violently hitting a wall inside .
Tang...
Tang...
Tang...
Crack!
The wall inside shattered, and power surged out of my body. It blasted through the cage's ceiling, tore it open, and only stopped after slamming into the roof of the underground arena.
"Congratulations!! The Host has made a successful breakthrough!!
Host's Realm changed
Realm: Late-stage Ascendant → Early-stage Essence
-All of your physical stats are permanently increased by ten.
-Skill: Lightning Bolt leveled up
-Skill: Blink leveled up
-The upper limit of the Host's swordsmanship skill has increased from Interdiate to Advanced [Now you may learn different sword styles]."
"Hehehe, I have reached one step closer to you," I murmured, clenching my fist.
"Oy, stop talkin' to yerself and say sothin'," Jambavan said, pointing towards the slaves that were silently looking at .
Their gazes weren't those of astonishnt, fear, or surprise. Their tearful eyes were filled with gratitude as if they were looking at a god.
I stepped up out of the crater, stood at the centre of the arena, and announced,
"My na is Lucifer Morning Star and I'm the new leader of the Forlorn City mines.
All of you are exempted from mine work for the next six days. Return to your places and wait for my order."
"W-we can rest for six days straight!?" one slave exclaid. "This is the first ti we've gotten such a long holiday."
"I have a feeling that our lives are going to change for the better now."
"The Gods must have heard our prayers."
.
.
.
While the slaves were gasping and hollering in joy, I took out the space rings from Victor's and Jamie's fingers and left the arena by the sa entrance Victor had used.
Vyaghra followed from behind while Jambavan stayed to take care of the aftermath.
The mont I was out of the slaves' sight, my eyes rolled up and I fell unconscious on the ground.
---
"This new appearance of yours doesn't suit you at all," a soft, familiar voice filled my ears. "You look like a mischievous child in his rebellious phase."
My cheeks were caressed by the gentle touch of a warm palm as the lodious voice murmured, "However, your achievent says otherwise. People started worshiping you like a god and I'm very proud of your accomplishnts but still..."
With a faint crack in her voice, she added, "Your plan was reckless. My heart didn't settle for even a mont after Vyaghra told what you did."
"Were you worried?" I murmured, grabbing the hand on my cheek as I opened my eyes.
"Of course I was worried!" U responded in a sharp, low tone.
My body was resting on a soft mattress of a master bed. The boundary of the bed was covered with crimson silk curtains with U sitting beside , brushing my cheeks.
"How are you feeling—"
Before she could finish her question, I instantly rose to a sitting position and hugged her tightly.
"I missed you, U."
"Y-you did?" she asked, completely taken aback.
"There wasn't a single day in the mines when I didn't think about you."
"Raj? Sothing is troubling your heart, right?" U asked, gently stroking my hair.
Taking a brief pause, I murmurred in low tone, "U, if I begin to move on a wrong path, may you please stop ."
She slowly retreated from the hug, moved both hands to my chin, and grabbed the edge of the mask.
"Let take a proper look at the real you," she said, removing the mask from my face.
My hair turned back to black, the forehead mark reappeared on my forehead, and the dual pupil returned to my golden eyes.
"Hmm, now you look better," she chuckled, touching my nose with her finger before continuing, "Tell , what's worrying you?"
"My-my hands are stained with so much blood, U," I began, expanding my trembling palm. "Sixty-eight. I have already killed sixty-eight people after leaving the Forest of Gumiho.
But what's haunting even more is that I didn't feel anything when I took these lives.
I'm afraid that I will slowly turn into a demon and might even kill innocent people.
Sotis I have these frightening thoughts like:
Sh-should I try killing a random person to check if my blade trembles?
How will my heart feel if I behead soone whom I kno—"
U's hand flew over my lips, stopping from saying anything stupid further.
"Have you killed a person who didn't deserve death?" she asked, firmly.
"No, I haven't. But that doesn't an I won't do it in the future."
"Do you wish to test it?" she asked, her erald eyes gazing straight into mine.
"Wh-what do you an by testing?" I stamred.
She picked up my sword from the bedside table, placed its hilt into my hands, and, grabbing the blade so the tip pointed at her neck, ordered, "Pierce my throat and check if you feel anything."
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