Ogre Tyrant

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 73 – Within and without – Part Two

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 73 - Within and without - Part Two

As Gric had expected, the guards waiting outside the door were quick to obey the order to enter the room, with a dozen additional reinforcements following quickly behind them.

It didn’t matter.

Gric had already witnessed the movements of the head guard and had a strong grasp of their best capabilities as a result. They were no threat to him.

“You! Outsider!” Snarled one of the elders with barely concealed terror. “You claim to be one of us? And-”

“I am not one of you,” Gric interjected coldly. “I am the Bonded lifemate of one who was stolen into Slavery. A female that had blood ties with your people. Just because I choose to take this form, does not mean I hold desires to lower myself to your level. It is a convenience...” He thought of Talia and her sad smile, “And a consideration for my lifemate, nothing more.”

“Where is your proof?!” The same elder hissed venomously.

Despite their obvious dislike for the man, the other elders looked to Gric expectantly. They too wanted answers.

“Very well,” Gric agreed haughtily. “But I will warn you now. I will rip the arms off of anyone who dares to touch her without our consent...” Beneath his murderous gaze, the room fell deathly silent.

Without needing to concentrate, Gric Summoned Talia’s projection.

Summoned through the Summon Subordinate Class Ability native to his Daemon King Class, Talia’s projection would persist so long as Gric had the mana to maintain it. Technically not a Spell, the primary difference to conventional Summons lay in the persistence of the projection Summoned. Summons from most other means would persist despite the condition of the Summoner. However, if Gric was to fall unconscious, Talia’s projection would immediately disappear.

Talia’s sudden appearance stunned the guards and elders into silence.

“Where?...” Talia’s confusion quickly turned to surprise as she became aware of the people gathered around them. “E-Elder Faras? Elder Ulthue?” She addressed the head elder and another elder in turn, seeming to recognise them.

Both elders stared back at Talia for several moments before the latter hurriedly pushed past the guards. “Talia? Child, is it really you?” The older woman reached for her with trembling fingers but stopped abruptly as she caught Gric’s stare from the corner of her eye.

Unaware of the cause for the elder’s hesitation, Talia closed the remaining distance between them and embraced the older woman in a tight embrace.

Still staring at Gric, the elder Ulthue returned Talia’s embrace and went so far as to try and shield her from Gric with her own body. Clearly not understanding Talia’s true nature as a projection, and radically misunderstanding his capabilities and intentions.

“Elder Ulthue...” Talia pulled away just far enough to look the older woman in the eyes. “My family?... Are they?...” Her voice broke before she could fully articulate her question, already fearing the worst.

Elder Ulthue looked to the head elder.

Head elder Faras stared warily at Gric with a calculating gaze before looking to the head guard. “Gather her kin,” he commanded firmly.

The head guard briefly bowed his head and then swiftly left the room.

“Talia, sweet child, you must forgive us. We know you have endured much since you were taken, but this outsider has brought death to our people...” The head elder made a point of looking down at Hrather’s body, still sprawled out on the floor beneath the unconscious form of his grief-stricken mother.

Following the head elder’s gaze, Talia’s eyes widened in shock. “G-Gric?” Confused, she looked to Gric for answers. Despite the evidence she had witnessed with her own eyes, Gric could see that Talia had not accepted the head elder’s claims at face value. She placed a higher trust in him than the leader of her own people.

“It is true,” Gric answered truthfully, refusing to sully Talia’s trust with lies. “The male, Hrather, sold your people to Slavers to settle personal grievances and advance his mother’s political aspirations.”

Talia grew tense and her eyes darkened. She stared at Hrather’s corpse with anger and disgust.

“I confirmed his role in Keith’s Enslavement, and in accordance with the Tyrant’s laws, carried out his sentence,” Gric elaborated before turning to the head elder. “Am I correct in assuming this stronghold is occupied by several tribes?” As damaged as Talia’s memories were, she had not recognised the other elders, which Gric found odd.

“We do not owe this outsider any answers!” The antagonistic elder interjected. “He has brought death to our home and must be punished!-”

“SILENCE!” The head elder snapped. “We will investigate this matter thoroughly, Elder Varga. On that, you have my promise. Elder Narcina’s quarters will be thoroughly searched and-”

“There is a secret compartment hidden beneath a wooden sculpture in her bedroom,” Gric interjected. “It contains several Items that will incriminate not only herself but also several others.”

The antagonistic elder grew deathly pale. “Lies!” He hissed defensively. “Esteemed elder Narcina’s reputation is beyond reproach! To entertain such accusations is tantamount to treason!”

Except for the head elder and elder Ulthue, the remaining elders fell into an intense battle of words, leveraging threats and influence while flinging insults at their opposition.

It did not pass Gric’s notice when one of the guards closest to the door left the chamber after receiving a discrete signal from the head elder.

Gric had not known the Elves possessed their own signing language, He made a mental note to learn it later.

Disturbed by the shouting, Talia pulled free from Ulthue’s grasp and fled into Gric’s waiting arms.

Realigning his shoulder blades, Gric unfurled his wings and wrapped them protectively round about her, shielding Talia from the world.

The spectacle brought the ongoing argument to an abrupt standstill as everyone’s attention was drawn toward Gric.

“You will be silent,” Gric commanded, teeth bared in contempt.

“You are not of our kind...” One of the elders gasped in horror, earning murmurs of assent from the others.

“I am not,” Gric answered with unrestrained disdain, returning the chamber to an ominous silence.

The silence was broken shortly thereafter as more guards entered the chamber alongside a small host of Elves bearing Talia’s likeness.

“My Talia?! Where is she?!” Cried an older male at the head of the group, a female of similar age holding tightly to his arm and frantically searching the room with her eyes.

Gric unfurled his wings and then retracted them, allowing Talia an unimpeded view of the new arrivals.

Several moments passed in absolute silence, each side staring at the other.

“Father! Mother!” Talia cried out in disbelief, tears streaming down her cheeks as he rushed unreservedly into their waiting arms.

Talia’s relatives drew inward, embracing one another and crying tears of joy. Or so Gric assumed. Without reading their minds, he couldn’t be certain.

The head elder made several discreet orders through the Elven sign language and the guards carried away Hrather’s body.

Shortly afterwards, the head guard and the guard sent to investigate elder Narcina’s quarters returned with a wicker box.

Investigating the contents of the wicker box, the head elder’s face darkened with rage. No doubt having read elder Narcina’s correspondence with the Slavers.

Keeping such incriminating evidence on hand struck Gric as being incredibly stupid. However, most corrupt leaders he had investigated kept such documentation as a means of blackmailing other individuals they were in league with.

“Ghalen! Arrest these traitors!” The head elder roared, shaking with fury as he pointed at three of elder Narcina’s most vocal defenders.

To Gric’s eyes, the accused couldn’t have looked more guilty if they had tried.

The head guard stalked toward the traitors with a club in hand. The murderous darkness in his eyes made it clear that he had investigated the contents of the box himself and was no less furious than the head elder. 

Making no attempts at restraining the traitors, the head guard savagely beat them with his club until they lost consciousness. Enraged, he would have beaten them to death if several of his subordinates hadn’t stepped in.

It was obvious, even to Gric, that it had become personal. Whatever he had learned from the contents of the box had transitioned his established disdain into a murderous rage.

Studying the head guard’s face, Gric was unable to match his features against the handful of Elves living within Sanctuary. Whoever he had lost, there was an incredibly high chance they were already dead, or in such a state their death would be a welcome alternative.

***** Tim ~ Tim’s Interdimensional Plane ~ Sanctuary *****

After revealing, and subsequently curing their Guardian Spirit, the Maenad held me in an uncomfortably high regard. My discomfort only increased as the Spirit used its temporary corporeality to encourage its people to throw themselves on my mercy and swear their undying allegiance.

It was an underhanded move, and entirely unnecessary. I would have extended the offer anyway.

The Spirit’s encouragement only served to make matters far more awkward.

I was used to being seen as a liberator and took a certain degree of comfort in the respect and gratitude it afforded. The Maenads’ fanatical awe and fervour was something else entirely, and I didn’t like it.

It was for that reason that I made a point of leaving them to their own devices just as soon as I could justify doing so. Settled in a new patch of land all their own, and provided provisions that would last them a month, I left them to build their new home.

Shortly after returning to The Grove, Gric requested a semi-isolated territory. After listening to his reasons for the request, I decided that it would be for the best. 

The Elves needed time to shift off of a wartime footing, and I had plenty of territories to spare. So long as Gric committed to acclimating them to Sanctuary’s diaspora of Species, I didn’t have a problem with it.

After settling matters with Gric, I spent the remainder of the day with my family. 

Explaining Lurr’s situation to Lash required a great deal of assumptions and guesswork on my part. However, Lash had already been informed of Lurr’s death through his death notification, and later been notified by the Daemons of his presence in the hospital. So all that had remained were the details bridging the events together.

Deciding to check in on Lurr together, we were disappointed to find that he was still unconscious.

“It strongly resembles a mana starvation coma,” Wraithe explained worriedly. “Only, his energy is gradually fading instead of replenishing itself...Mana solutions have been administered, but only provide momentary spikes in restored energy.”

“Maybe we just need to increase the dosage?” I suggested neutrally.

Wraithe shook her head vigorously in disagreement, her fingers and nose twitching anxiously. “I am sorry, my Tyrant, but we have tested the limits of his liver quite thoroughly already. To go any further would invite disaster.”

“What about Hana and Jin’s plants?” I asked, “Have you tried feeding him a loose mash?”

Wraithe sighed dispiritedly and nodded. “It had similar results...”

“So maybe it's a specific source of energy that he’s missing,” I reasoned aloud, grasping at straws. “None of Hana’s mutated hybrid plants possess Thunder energy or Affinity, and the Evolution Elixir and Mana Potions certainly wouldn’t have it.”

“That is a fair assumption,” Wraithe agreed, albeit somewhat hesitantly. “But how will we acquire this energy?”

“I have a few different ideas...” I admitted, drawing on my Chi and taking hold of Lurr’s left hand. “Move back,” I waved Lash Wraithe back, uncertain whether injecting Chi directly into Lurr’s body would be dangerous.

Once the others had moved back to what I hoped was a safe distance, I tried injecting my Chi into Lurr’s body.

Like running raw honey through a fine sieve, the majority of my Chi splashed outward and found almost no purchase. However, a small portion did find purchase. 

Releasing my hold on that small portion of Chi, I could sense it being drawn toward Lurr’s abdomen, bolstering his energy ever so slightly with each passing moment.

Emboldened by what I hoped was positive progress, I continued circulating my Chi and transferring it through Lurr’s hand.

As my Chi came close to being depleted, I felt a mild lethargy building in my core and decided to stop.

Unfortunately, Lurr was still unconscious and unresponsive.

“Do not be dismayed, my Tyrant!” Wraithe chittered excitedly, “The patient’s energy has been restored by nearly half of what was lost! Perhaps two, maybe even three, more of such treatments will prove sufficient to revive the patient!”

I had never ‘spent’ my Chi before and had no way of knowing how long it would take to replace it. So I was finding it difficult to share in Wraithe’s optimism.

“The Humans have answers,” Lash suggested supportively. Either guessing at the source of my unease or identifying the next logical step I should take in the current circumstances.

I rested my brow against hers and took a moment to appreciate the familiarity that had grown between us.

The short respite afforded unexpected clarity, drawing inspiration to the forefront of my mind. I didn’t need to question the Humans. I needed to construct an Array that would draw and concentrate energy into a small area.

If the environment was rich enough in energy, Lurr might be able to recover on his own. Even if he couldn’t, the concentrated energy would allow me to replenish my Chi at an accelerated rate.

Of course, I needed an environment rich in the alternative energy to begin with. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be much of a difference.

So it was fortuitous that I had recently gained several such territories from my fellow Monarch and probationary ally, Yi Gim.

Despite being incapable of manipulating the alternative energy themselves, Gric and Sebet could sense it just the same as mana, So I wasn’t at all surprised when they both identified the same mountain range as possessing the highest naturally occurring concentration of energy.

The abandoned cities within the territories possessed dozens, even hundreds, of energy drawing Arrays of varying scale and power. However, their efficiency and effectiveness were at odds with their sheer distance from the highest concentrations of energy. Furthermore, the majority were compromised as a result of their jade foundations being stripped out and carted away by the former owners.

Of course, Yi Gim's warning had proven true as well. The Beasts of the Cultivation system were drawn toward the higher concentrations of energy and fought one another over territory.

The mountain range in question was home to a giant ape and a cadre of much weaker Beasts. According to Gric and Sebet’s report, the ape would drive off any Beast that grew too strong but otherwise left the weaklings alone the majority of the time. However, it was not out of a sense of charity or benevolence. The ape allowed them to remain so they could serve as a convenient food source to supplement its omnivorous diet.

Exercising my authority, I imposed a barrier around the largest mountain that would prevent entry by anyone lacking my explicit permission and then expelled its occupants to the surrounding mountains. After confirming that the local Beasts were incapable of traversing the barrier, I placed similar barriers around the abandoned cities.

I hadn’t decided what I would do with the cities just yet but decided it would be prudent to prevent undue damage while I considered my options.

Upon arriving at the peak of the mountain, I was momentarily overcome by the sheer density of the energy present in the air. Even without an Array to gather and concentrate it, the energy was many times greater than I had experienced thus far.

With each breath, I could feel my body being reinvigorated.

Ignoring the bones littering the peak, I used the Shape Stone Spell to level space for the Array and then erected five pillars following the instructions for a large-scale Array. With Gric’s help and penmanship, we carved the required symbols into the ground and pillars.

Gradually, the concentration of energy began to grow, signalling the success of our efforts. However, even after regenerating my Chi, I still felt somehow incomplete. The sensation was slowly fading, but it was impossible to ignore outright.

Reviewing the instructions and descriptions of the different Arrays and Formations, I eventually stumbled upon the answer.

While I could not be absolutely certain, there was a reasonably high chance that I had depleted my Thunder Affinity-infused Chi when injecting Chi into Lurr. Furthermore, an absence of ambient Thunder-aligned energy to draw on was delaying the accumulated concentration of Thunder Affinity in my Chi. 

Making matters worse, standard Arrays and Formations were incapable of drawing energies aligned with specific Affinities. Thus, any energy gathered by the Array or Formation would be mixed according to the ambient energy within the draw radius of the Array or Formation. 

Which was a problem if I specifically required Thunder-aligned energy to recover the Affinity.

Of course, the same manual that identified the problem also provided a solution. I needed a Formationist.

Where other Cultivation Classes gained combat benefits in the form of passive increases to Momentum, Reaction Speed, Spatial Awareness and the like, the Formationist, at least according to the references inferred from the manual, were different.

A Formationist could, theoretically, imbue their Arrays and Formations with their own Affinities, inducing effects otherwise outside of the scope of other Cultivators. They also had the Ability to create temporary Arrays and Formations out of Chi without the need for physical anchors and foci.

Of course, this meant that possessing at least one Affinity would be required to make the Formationist Class worthwhile. Incidentally, also increasing the value of the Class for every Affinity beyond the first.

Yi Gim had told me that Affinities could be gained by taking special pills and medicine made from high-Affinity materials. So I was reasonably confident that, if given sufficient time, Jin could provide these benefits in the future. However, I needed that Array sooner rather than later, and Thunder Affinity was supposedly amongst the rarest Affinities.

Leaving myself as the only available candidate for the Class.

It was somewhat ironic since one of the primary uses listed for the Chi and energy gathering Arrays was infusing plants of a matching Affinity with the aligned energy and increasing their potency. In turn, making them more effective and increasing the effectiveness of the pill or medicine.

There was no reason to justify my procrastination in selecting a Cultivation Class. I had been giving the matter almost no thought whatsoever. It was only while dealing with the Cultivators or matters directly relating to them that I thought about it.

A part of me wanted another adaptive Class. However, I knew that it was incredibly unlikely that the already highly malleable Cultivation system would possess such a Class. The reason being that it would be painfully redundant.

After giving the matter a great degree of thought, I decided that passive combat benefits were not nearly as valuable as the means to rapidly replenish my combat power. Furthermore, there were the realm-wide benefits Affinity-aligned Arrays and Formations could provide.

Why pursue personal power, when I could just as easily raise an army with the same effort?

Besides, being a Formationist would allow me to directly increase and support Pete and Suzy’s development. Making them that much more capable of protecting themselves and one another.

Allowing Gric and Sebet to review my train of thought directly, I was relieved when they both not only agreed with my decision but also actively insisted upon it. Albeit for reasons I hadn’t considered.

“A temporary Formation that draws the mana from your enemy’s bones and leaves them defenceless! It is just too powerful!” Sebet Gushed enthusiastically. “And we do not know the limits of what Affinity aligned Formations could accomplish!”

“Mobile defensive countermeasures cannot be undervalued,” Gric insisted determinedly, “Blocking Spells without expending MP on a Barrier and imprisoning swift enemies have self-evident benefits. Strengthening the next generation should not be undervalued either.” It was unclear if Gric was referring to Pete and Suzy, or the population of Cultivators at large.

Confirming the Class selection, my expectations were confirmed upon reviewing my alternate Status sheet.

[ ( Class Ability: Affinity Endowment ): Through practice and divining the nature of the eternal Tao, the Taoist may draw upon their connections to the universe and impart the Affinities of their soul into worthy vessels. The effect is determined by the Rank of the Affinity. ]

[ ( Class Ability: Soul Foci ): Understanding their relationship to the Tao, the Taoist may use the foundations imposed by their soul as a temporary Anchoring Foci. The base duration is determined by {Willpower}. ]

Attempting to form a temporary Formation, I gathered my Chi and pictured a simple Chi gathering Formation in my mind.

Almost immediately, golden lights flared into existence around me and formed the characters of the Formation. There wasn’t much Chi in the immediate area, but I could feel trace amounts feeding into the Formation and bolstering its strength ever so slightly.

Content with the test, I withdrew my Chi and allowed the Formation to collapse. I decided to test it more thoroughly at a later time.

Layering and linking a chi-gathering Formation to power the energy-gathering Formation, I met with several failures before stumbling upon how to imprint a specific Affinity on the Formations. The key lay in concentrating on thoughts I associated with the specific Affinity. 

Because of my hang-ups over lightning being included under the classification of Thunder, it made alignment to the Thunder Affinity a somewhat more involved thought process than Water or Earth.

Despite the setbacks, the combined Array appeared to be working. However, there was still a problem. There was very little ambient Thunder energy to harvest with the Array.

Giving the matter some more thought, I arrived at a rather simple solution.

If I wanted to accelerate the accumulation of Thunder energy, I needed to trigger another Heavenly Tribulation.

Once there was a foundation of the energy present on the mountain, Lurr would be able to generate more of the energy on his own...

Except his Chi was slowly disappearing instead of expelling a surplus as ambient energy...

I would need another Cultivator with Thunder Affinity to generate the additional energy Lurr would need. Or a host of Affinity-bearing plants he could consume.

Considering the options, I decided seeking Hana’s advice and expertise would likely provide better results. Especially since Thunder-aligned materials would be required to try and raise a Thunder Affinity within a Cultivator anyway.

“I think I understand what you want, Tim,” Hana replied somewhat distractedly as she explored the peak with child-like curiosity. “Of course, I won’t be able to accelerate their growth like normal plants...” She leaned over the cliffside to take a closer look at a tree growing further down the mountain. “What about a tree?” Hana asked with a smile on her lips while her grass-like hair flew wildly in the wind

“A tree would be fine,” I agreed amiably, more concerned with finding a viable option than indulging a personal preference.

Plucking a small round fruit from the tree, Hana stepped away from the cliff and inspected the fruit more closely. Nodding in approval, she held up the fruit so I could see it more clearly.

To my immense surprise, it looked like a small peach. “I didn’t know peach trees could grow in the mountains...” I admitted somewhat awkwardly.

“Peach?” Hana repeated curiously, “That’s an odd name, but now that you have said it, I can’t think of a different one that would suit it better...”

“Sometimes it’s like that,” I chuckled self-deprecatingly. “The name you hear first tends to stick.”

Hana nodded in understanding, rolling the peach around in her palm. “It will need access to soil,” she insisted distractedly, motioning offhandedly to the bare stone dominating the grounds within the boundary of the Arrays. “At least a few feet across and as much depth as you can provide.”

“Calling upon Ochram would seem appropriate,” Sebet suggested helpfully. “Transmuting and transporting stone in such volumes would certainly fall under his unique expertise.”

Gric grunted wordlessly in agreement, grimacing with distaste.

Summoning Ochram, I allowed Hana to explain the tree’s current and future needs.

After only a few minutes of ‘talking shop’ the pair seemed to have become fast friends, avidly discussing ideal soil aeration and the effects of nitrate concentration on topsoil retention. Or something like that...I found it difficult to follow half of what they were saying. Especially since the terms they were using were utterly alien to me and I had to guess at what they approximated in Earth definitions.

While they were busy, I decided that it would probably be best if I took a few precautions and upgraded the materials used for the Formations.

Regular stone would work fine, but the unique peculiarities of the Cultivation system would guarantee a better result using jade instead. The higher the quality of the jade, the more efficient and powerful it would make the Formations.

Furthermore, intending to deliberately attract lightning, it seemed prudent to source the construction of conductors that would bear the burden of redirecting the supercharged plasma away from vulnerable organic matter. Theoretically, so long as the Thunder-infused Chi was drawn into the range of the Thunder-attuned energy-gathering Formation, that was all that really mattered.

Sketching a diagram and attaching measurement references, I sent Gric to place a rush order with the Dwergi forge masters for thick spools of copper wire and five hundred-foot-long iron rods.

I had very little understanding of how modern lightning rods were made, or even what they looked like. I just knew that the core principles involved required a highly conductive material to draw the lightning away from shorter less conductive objects.

Ideally, I would have preferred to commission solid copper rods, but copper was profoundly rare within my realm. Unlike iron, which dropped as a bonus reward from certain monsters, copper had to be imported. Making it far rarer and considerably more valuable under the immutable laws of supply and demand.

More or less starting over gave Ochram and Hana free reign to prepare the ground to their exacting specifications. Including boring through the heart of the mountain to secure flowing water to create a new stream that would run down the mountainside.

By the time Gric returned several hours later, Hana and Ochram had terraformed the barren mountaintop into a secluded paradise. Not quite the equal of The Grove, there was still a certain something about the place that lent it a peace and tranquillity all its own.

Hana had done her best, but she strongly suspected that the first few generations of plant life would struggle to survive against any amount of lightning, magical or otherwise. The fact that she had been able to alter several species of plants to take on Thunder Affinity at all was already incredibly impressive and had vastly exceeded my original expectations. So I made a point of thanking Hana and accepting any damages as my own responsibility.

Ochram had made a small amount of unexpected progress as well. Managing to slightly alter the jade and surrounding stone to provide a marginal level of Thunder Affinity. The contribution was an unexpected boon, so I didn’t bat an eye at Ochram’s request for more of the Chi-infused jade to snack on.

The Spirit Stones held value in trade, but I considered Ochram’s work to be far more valuable and gave him the freedom to do whatever he wanted with the remainder leftover from his initial tests. 

Hana didn’t ask for anything, convinced that all the new interesting plants I had ‘gifted’ to her were more than adequate compensation. All the same, I made a mental note to try and find more exotic plants for her collection.

With Gric and Sebet’s help, we anchored the iron rods into the mountain and submerged a net made from the copper wiring into the stone. Although the net was connected to the iron rods, I wasn’t sure whether it would generate the grounding effect I wanted. However, it was well outside my knowledge base to begin with, so I could only hope for the best.

With everything else seemingly accounted for, all I needed was a Cultivator that I could push to trigger a Tribulation.

Given the low energy present in the populated Cultivation territories, one volunteer would be more or less the same as another. However, there were two Cultivators that possessed far higher Cultivation than the rest.

The first was Jin. He had a headstart on the others due to being a Cultivator before becoming my subject. I was also reasonably certain that working alongside Hana amidst their hybrid botany projects had provided a small amount of incidental development.

The second was Zhu Min, the Daemonic Cultivator. I had left her in relative isolation to train her Gluttonous Soul Class Ability. Specifically, to develop her control over the Ability to avoid inflicting harm upon others accidentally.

Technically, Zhu Min’s grandfather, Zhu Wen, could be considered a distant third as a potential candidate. However, the overwhelming majority of his Cultivation had been achieved through absorbing the crystalised energy Cultivators called Elixirs. Even with that boost, his progress was far lower than that of his granddaughter.

As the only Cultivation Alchemist within my realm, Jin was too valuable to risk with the uncomfortably large number of unknowns in play.

Leaving Zhu Min as the next best option. Assuming she had developed at least some degree of control.

Using my authority to relocate to Zhu Min’s isolated training ground, I was joined almost immediately afterwards by Sebet.

“She really has been making great strides under my guidance,” Sebet volunteered pridefully. “After I identified the correct motivation, it was all rather simple.”

“Motivation?” I pressed, unable to restrain my suspicions.

Sebet waved one hand in feigned bashfulness, “Oh Great One, it was nothing quite so debased!” She grinned despite herself. “I simply leveraged mild hypnosis to convince the little lamb that the furballs were small children. Her motivation and subconscious control increased by leaps and bounds overnight, just like that!” Sebet snapped her fingers and looked incredibly pleased with herself.

“And you have since removed the hypnosis, right?” I pressed, making no attempts at hiding the warning in my tone. Sebet had trod a dangerous line in hypnotising another one of my subjects. Most likely, she had only been capable of justifying it to her Oath and Contract due to the danger Zhu Min’s Ability had presented to the wider population.

“Of course!” Sebet replied hurriedly but without any traces of guilt or regret. “I was very careful, and wouldn’t have resorted to such measures if our little lady had made greater progress of her own initiative and motivation.” She shrugged indifferently. “She is quite proud of her accomplishments, so I don’t think she minds. Not that it would make much difference if she did,” Sebet smirked and flicked her tail in amusement. Although it was unclear exactly why.

We found Zhu Min meditating before a cage containing a surprisingly large horned rabbit.

True to Sebet’s claims, Zhu Min appeared to have gained control over her Gluttonous Soul Ability. At the very least, I couldn’t feel external pressure on my mana and internal energy.

Despite her deep state of meditation, Zhu Min was quick to acknowledge our presence. Leaping nimbly to her feet and then bowing in one fluid motion. “Patriarch! Master!”

“Oh I do so love that word,” Sebet purred, causing Zhu Min’s cheeks to flush slightly.

Ignoring Sebet’s blatant provocation, I motioned to the caged rabbit. “You were training your Gluttonous Soul Ability just now, correct?”

Zhu Min nodded earnestly, “Yes, Patriarch.”

“In your own opinion, do you believe you can uphold your Oath and obey my laws?” I would have a more unbiased test performed before releasing Zhu Min into the general population, but I was curious to hear her own thoughts on the matter.

“I...” Zhu Min worried at her lip and glanced anxiously toward the caged rabbit. “I am, Patriarch,” the tone of her voice was not particularly convincing, but there was a strong possibility that I had caused her to doubt herself just by asking the question.

I made a show of nodding in approval to try and set her at ease. “I want you to know that I appreciate the risks you have taken in pioneering a new path for your people, Zhu Min,” I insisted with all the sincerity I could muster.

After overcoming her surprise, Zhu Min had to fight to stop herself from beaming with pride.

“Which is why I have another opportunity for you,” I continued while suppressing a faint sense of guilt rising from my gut. “I won’t lie to you. There are certain risks I can’t fully account for or otherwise eliminate. So there is a very real danger that you might be injured...” I took a steadying breath and was relieved to find my conscience had been satisfied. “However, you will be compensated for those risks. Besides the rewards inherent to the opportunity itself, and so long as it is within my power to provide, you may name your own price as compensation.”

There would, of course, be certain limitations, but I doubted Zhu Min had the poor sense to ask for something she knew I wouldn’t approve of.

“I...” Zhu Min began worrying at her lip again, understandably conflicted over the offer.

“Perhaps it would help if she knew more of the opportunity?” Sebet suggested with altogether too much confidence to have arrived at that particular approach without trawling the young woman’s mind first.

“Very well,” I agreed, appreciating the insight. “In the simplest terms possible, I want to push your Cultivation and trigger a Tribulation so I can harvest the Thunder-aligned energies.”

Zhu Min’s eyes widened in shock and she took several steps backwards before stopping herself.

“Of course, most of the risks are related to the lightning itself. I have made certain precautions, but there are no guarantees that the lightning will behave as I expect it to,” I explained while doing my best to suppress my rising nerves. “From my understanding, you would face the Tribulation eventually. However, the Arrays I have created might alter events in ways I haven’t anticipated. Which is why-”

“I will do it!” Zhu Min called out with what quickly proved to be far more intensity and volume than she intended. Blushing hard with embarrassment, Zhu Min stared hard at the ground. “I-I-I...Uh...I beg your forgiveness, Patriarch! I did not intend to speak out of turn!”

“There is nothing to forgive,” I replied quickly, dismissing her need for an apology before she could suggest sacrificing her reward for an entirely unnecessary pardon. 

If we had been in a public setting, I would have handled things somewhat differently. However, with just the three of us as witnesses, Zhu Min’s informality was practically harmless.

Zhu Min stiffly bowed her head in gratitude but remained determinedly silent.

“She’s embarrassed, but very willing,” Sebet tittered with a lascivious grin, evidently taking considerable enjoyment in her wordplay. “So perhaps it would be best if we were to proceed to the next stage of the plan?”

“Agreed.” With a thought, I relocated the three of us back to the mountain.

“Easy!” Sebet called out in warning, dashing to Zhu Min’s side and catching her by the shoulders before she could collapse to the ground. “It appears the ambient energy might be a bit much for her,” Sebet explained somewhat sheepishly. “She will need at least a few minutes to acclimate. But I suppose this is still in line with our original intentions.”

“Active use of the Breathing Techniques is more effective,” I sighed, “But you’re right. No point crying over spilt milk.”

Sebet settled Zhu Min against a mossy boulder and helped make her comfortable. Without a captive audience and a helpless victim, she didn’t seem interested in indulging her perverse sense of humour. Or rather, her perverse sensibilities in general.

<It’s not an act.> Sebet interjected, interrupting my train of thought. <I know that is what you were thinking, and I strongly encourage you to consider things otherwise.> She shared several deeply disturbing and entirely unwanted images involving Clarice and what I realised had to be their consensual sex life. Or whatever it the deranged equivalent Sebet had substituted in its place.

“Don’t confuse the requirements of your Contract with an excuse to ‘share’ such things again, Sebet,” I warned, banishing the unwanted images into the darkest corners of my mind I could find.

“Apologies, Great One. It won’t happen again,” Sebet promised, her lips pursed in just such a way that it was painfully clear she was making a show of not smiling.

“Thin ice, Sebet,” I cautioned with an exasperated sigh, “Thin ice.”

“Noted...” Sebet rolled her neck and shoulders then assumed a decidedly altogether neutral expression.

While Zhu Min slowly acclimated to the energy concentration, I sent Sebet hunting for suitable Beasts lower down the mountain and set about creating reinforced stone cages.

The same thing that had made Zhu Min a potential disaster would now expedite my plan. By consuming the internal energy of the Beasts, her Cultivation would increase by leaps and bounds. Making a matter of when, not if, she would trigger a Tribulation.

Of course, rapidly accumulating so much energy would almost certainly generate Heart Demons, requiring Zhu Min to purge them before I would risk allowing her to mingle amongst the greater population. It was something she would have to have undertaken anyway, but I had no way of knowing how her Gluttonous Soul would influence her development of the Heart Demons.

There was a real chance that Zhu Min would survive the Tribulation unscathed, only to lose her mind confronting an insurmountable manifestation of her own subconscious.

Trying not to dwell on outcomes I couldn’t fully control, I tempered my guilt by reminding myself that Lurr would probably die without a timely intervention. Furthermore, I wasn’t forcing Zhu Min to participate...

I had just made her an offer she would truly struggle to refuse...

Sebet wasted no time in hunting down Beasts and using her authority to remotely teleport them into the available cages.

For the most part, the Beasts appeared normal, almost passable compared to their Earth counterparts. Of course, there were minor details, like the foxes having too many tails, and tigers with neon green fur, but that was relatively normal compared to some of the nightmare-fueled abominations the other system was capable of.

Then again, there was still plenty of room for surprises.

To her immense credit, Zhu Min acclimated far quicker than I would have given her credit for.

I hadn’t noticed when exactly she had started drawing in and cycling the ambient energy with her Breathing Technique, but I could sense Zhu Min’s internal energy growing with each passing second. 

After nearly an hour, and gaining several Ranks in the Eternal Tao, her progress slowed. However, it wasn’t because she had outgrown the ambient energy provided by the mountain. It was because Zhu Min had absorbed so much of the ambient energy that it couldn’t be replaced fast enough to sustain her rapid rate of advancement.

That changed when Sebet returned and began lobotomising the caged Beasts with the Sculpt Flesh Spell, rendering them brain dead and allowing Zhu Min to effortlessly devour their internal energy.

Somehow, Sebet’s utter indifference lent the events a sense of cruelty I became convinced it otherwise would have found lacking.

I had seen videos of livestock being culled by compressed air bolt guns. But Sebet had an air of psychopathy that was utterly alien to any frame of reference or comparison my mind attempted to establish.

When a Beast’s internal energy was drained, Sebet discarded it. Sending the bodies who knew where.

After watching Sebet dispatch the seventh Beast, I closed my mind to it.

There was no life without death, and in readjusting my perspective, it was little different from butchering Beasts for food...

Only, instead of killing them for their meat, we killed them for their souls...

Lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t notice the darkening sky and gathering storm clouds until the first drops of rain began running down my face.

Looking skyward, I could sense Thunder-aligned energy gradually building above us. Seemingly too far for the Arrays to reach, I could only direct Zhu Min to the centre of the Arrays and wait.

The temptation to relocate her to ‘safety’ evaporated just as soon as I realised the building energies were actively following her.

The books discussing the Tribulations had said it was possible to avoid or even deflect the lightning strikes through the use of powerful Techniques. However, they had not mentioned the possibility of escaping a Tribulation outright, and now I knew why.

The Tribulation was generated by the Cultivation system itself. Anywhere the system had a foothold, the Tribulation would be able to follow.

With no telling if its reach extended to the world outside, I realised Zhu Min was probably already sitting in the safest place possible.

Even so, I couldn’t help but flinch as the first flash of lightning arced from the sky.

With no telling whether the iron rods would serve their intended purpose, I felt my heart stop beating in anticipation of the worst.

However, blinded as I was by the lightning, I had no way of knowing what had happened.

As if recognising this fact, my heart began beating again.

It was only after the lightning storm generated by the Tribulation faded that I was able to see what had transpired.

Two of the iron rods had been halved in height, melted like wax candles. Still cherry red, hissing and spitting as they are struck by the rain. The other rods were in better shape but had not escaped altogether unscathed.

To the best of my knowledge, lightning was not meant to have enough lingering energy to melt metal. Which made the damage all the more daunting, and the fact that I had survived, even more miraculous.

Putting the lightning rods out of my mind, my attention was drawn to Zhu Min’s unconscious form sprawled out on the ground. However, before I could even begin to move, Sebet appeared at her side and helped Zhu Min to her feet.

Dazed and unsteady on her feet, Zhu Min was grinning wildly from ear to ear. “I did it!” She cried triumphantly, “I survived the Tribulation!!!” She flinched and momentarily lost her nerve as thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, but I couldn’t blame her for it. It appeared that the system had a sense for dramatic timing, which I found far more upsetting than the assumed interjection itself, no matter how well-timed it objectively may have been.