Online Game: I Started with Max Charisma and Caught the Goddess's Eye

Once they were far enough from the factory, Tia dropped all pretense.

She asked Luca with a puzzled expression, "Master, did you notice anything?"

Although the flesh-processing factory seemed a bit eerie, Tia hadn't detected anything particularly unusual.

In the Clinton Empire, while the large-scale purchase of slaves was rare, it wasn't unheard of. Families like the Mora clan, who bought slaves in bulk to use as cheap labor, were fairly common.

If it hadn't been for the fact that the followers they'd sent here earlier had disappeared without a trace, she might still believe this was just an ordinary meat processing plant.

Luca didn't say much. Instead, he instructed, "Find more people to monitor this place. Have them watch every move closely, and if anything happens, notify me immediately."

He hadn't spotted anything obviously wrong either. With Pandora's level of power, if she truly wanted to conceal herself, not even Luca—let alone someone less powerful—could easily perceive it.

But even if he couldn't see anything, someone else might…

"Awake yet?" Luca flicked the silver bracelet on his wrist. Jormungandr and Pandora were of the same rank—if there was anything strange about this place, she couldn't possibly be unaware.

After a moment of silence, Jormungandr's voice echoed in Luca's mind.

"Master, though Pandora and I are both King-level monsters, her strength isn't much less than mine. If she really wanted to hide something, I wouldn't be able to detect it either," she admitted reluctantly.

"Oh? So you're saying you haven't found anything strange?" Luca chuckled coldly to himself.

Ever since they'd returned from Pure River Town, this creature hadn't told a single truth.

He'd asked her back then about the origins of the Undead Coffin.

And Jormungandr had claimed she didn't know.

But later, Orf had revealed that the Undead Coffin came from none other than Pandora, a King-level monster.

Orf knew about it—so how could Jormungandr, a being of the same rank, not know?

"Do you really think she's going to help you escape?" Luca decided to stop pretending and went straight to the heart of the matter.

Whatever Pandora was planning in Southwind City, it would likely result in countless deaths.

He was done playing mind games with a monster.

The mental connection fell silent for a long time. Jormungandr offered no response.

Luca let out a mocking laugh, his tone dripping with amusement. "I seem to recall telling you that the contract you signed was a Soul Enslavement Contract. Not even a Superclass being can break it. Did you think I was joking?"

In the contract space, Jormungandr pursed her lips.

Luca was right.

No one could use arcane techniques to bind her forever.

Though her power had diminished, preventing her from breaking free at the moment, that didn't mean she would never be able to once her strength was restored.

Yet, something in Luca's tone made her uneasy.

Could this bastard actually be telling the truth?

As soon as the thought emerged, Jormungandr dismissed it.

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

Such arcane techniques were the stuff of legend, even to beings like her. How could this jerk possibly possess such power?

He must be bluffing. He had to be.

Jormungandr's face took on an arrogant expression.

She was the ruler of dreams, after all. How could she possibly be frightened by some brat? Ridiculous!

Just as Jormungandr was thinking these thoughts, golden lines began to appear on her pale forehead, quickly forming an intricate rune that burst into brilliant, radiant light!

A wave of intense danger hit her like a crashing storm!

That bastard was really trying to kill her!

Jormungandr's face went white, but she quickly regained her composure. Over the past few days, she had made some preparations and recovered a bit of her power. Otherwise, she wouldn't have even considered the idea of teaming up with Pandora.

Multicolored, dream-like lights erupted from her body, wrapping around her like ribbons, trying to resist the power of the soul contract.

But soon, Jormungandr's face grew even paler, her eyes filled with utter shock.

In almost an instant.

Her power crumbled under the force of that oppressive energy!

This is…

Before she could process it further, an overwhelming pressure slammed down on her like a mountain!

Jormungandr was forced to her knees!

A Transcendent-level pressure!

Remembering the terrifying visions she had seen in Luca's mind space, Jormungandr gritted her teeth in hatred.

This bastard—so he really used to be a Transcendent-level powerhouse!

But so what!

Her power might not be at its peak, but neither was Luca's!

If he thought he could kill her with this alone, he was sorely mistaken!

Silver snake-like runes flickered in Jormungandr's eyes.

She unleashed the final card she had been preparing for days!

At the same time...

In the room upstairs at the Moonlit Tavern...

Mira, who had been sound asleep, suddenly opened her eyes.

They were blank, but silver lines danced within them.

Eventually forming into a silver snake-shaped mark!

Transcendent-level skill—Dream Rebirth!

Golden runes continued to corrode Jormungandr, causing her body to rapidly fade.

But instead of fear, a smile appeared on Jormungandr's face.

This was the moment she had been waiting for! As long as she could complete the Dream Rebirth, she could take over the newly manifested body created by her power and be reborn! She would be free once more!

Hands on her hips, Jormungandr let out a wild, triumphant laugh. "You pathetic human! Once I escape your control, I'll repay your humiliations a thousandfold! I'll make sure you spend eternity trapped in nightmares, wishing for death!"

Jormungandr's body was fading fast, and within just a few breaths, she would vanish from the contract space.

She could already feel her connection to the new body. It was as if she could see Luca writhing in agony in his nightmares, screaming in torment. The scent of freedom was already teasing her senses.

After being tormented by this vile human for so long, she was finally about to break free!

But at that exact moment...

A thunderous voice suddenly boomed in her ear.

"Get back here!" Luca's cold command cut through the air.

As his words fell, golden chains shot toward Jormungandr like snakes.

Her fading form was instantly pierced through, though no wounds appeared. Yet, her expression changed dramatically.

Jormungandr gasped in shock. "This... this is impossible!!"

Meanwhile, in the Moonlit Tavern, where Mira lay...

Golden chains, seemingly emerging from nowhere, suddenly appeared, binding a small silver-white snake tightly.

The chains dug into her flesh, sizzling with the sound of burning.

"Master... Master... I understand now, please... spare me this once..." the silver snake cried out in agony as her spirit took a heavy blow.

"What... what just happened?" Mira snapped back to reality, looking down at herself in confusion, still unsure of what had transpired.

Inside the contract space, Luca's thoughts stirred.

The golden chains swiftly retracted with a metallic clatter.

In no time, Luca forcibly dragged the escaping Jormungandr back into the contract space!

Jormungandr's body was almost translucent, her spirit bound tightly by the golden chains.

Her face was pale, her expression twisted in pain, as she writhed on the ground in agony.

She couldn't believe it—after all her meticulous planning to escape.

It had been effortlessly foiled by Luca.

Listening to Jormungandr's anguished wails, Luca's expression remained unchanged. He said calmly, "Since you crave freedom so much, let me grant you release."

As he spoke, his thoughts moved.

In the contract space, a blood-red spear materialized, floating straight above Jormungandr's head.

The intense aura of death emanating from it made Jormungandr's eyes fill with terror as she began to beg desperately for mercy.

But Luca remained unmoved. The only reason he had kept Jormungandr around was for her to be a useful ally, but instead of helping, this creature had caused him nothing but trouble.

If she was of no use, then there was no need to keep her alive.

Without any hesitation, his thoughts triggered the action. In an instant, the blood-red spear descended like lightning, aiming straight for Jormungandr's skull!

The overwhelming aura of death enveloped her, and the sheer terror of impending doom made her body tremble uncontrollably.

It absolutely makes her die.

This time, Luca had no intention of holding back!

In that critical moment, a sudden thought flashed through Jormungandr's mind.

Clenching her teeth, she mustered all her strength and shouted, "I know Pandora's plan!"

Thunk!

The blood-red lightning pierced through Jormungandr's abdomen, pinning her to the ground within the contract space. Blood gushed from the wound, and the pain seared her very soul, nearly causing her to pass out.

The blood-red spear slowly dissipated, leaving Jormungandr lying on the ground, gasping for breath as her blood stained the floor beneath her.

Already gravely weakened, this additional injury had pushed her to the brink of complete annihilation.

Jormungandr's face was ashen, her lips quivering, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Sob... I... I survived…"

Luca stood over her, looking down at the nearly lifeless Jormungandr with no trace of sympathy on his face. His voice was cold and indifferent. "Now speak—what exactly is Pandora planning? If you dare hide anything, you know what will happen."

Jormungandr, having suffered multiple devastating blows, was now even weaker than when she first arrived. Even if Luca were to release her from the contract now, she would instantly dissipate in the outside world.

Having narrowly escaped death, Jormungandr no longer had the will to scheme. Trembling, she forced herself to speak, her voice shaky. "She... she wants to use human desires to restore her strength… and she plans to release the Starsea Kraken to enslave that mindless octopus beast..."

The Starsea Kraken?

Pandora actually planned to release that thing…

A chill flashed in Luca's eyes.

While the Starsea Kraken wasn't exceptionally powerful, it possessed a terrifying ability—every creature that laid eyes on it would mutate into a monstrous abomination with immortality.

Its powers were similar to the Undead Coffin, but far stronger. The Kraken was truly immortal, capable of regenerating even if it were ground to a pulp.

The creatures it contaminated, known as Deep Dwellers, were far stronger than the abyssal crawlers.

Its only weakness? It wasn't exactly…smart.