Aenon stood calmly in the shadow realm, his blood-soaked daggers held to the side. He didn't even bother chasing after the fleeing remnants of the former army. He had let them go for a purpose: to sow the seeds of doubt and fear into their enemies. Thalindra had similar orders, although her approach was bound to be different to his. Only Ignar's group was planning to engage the enemy in a full-frontal assault; with Nocthrya backing them up with his avatar.

The enemy was converging on them from three fronts. Therefore, they chose to show them the futility of their efforts in three different ways. Ignar would show them their raw power, while Thalindra was to inflict terror in their hearts and souls. As for Aenon, he was the silent terror hidden in the shadows. That was why he used Thalindra's illusion instead of revealing himself. He didn't want them to know that he was already on the battlefield. He wanted them to believe that like their leader, Aenon too was commanding his army from the backlines.

Aenon wiped his daggers clean before sheathing them. The fight was…unimpressive to be honest. It wasn't really a challenge to fight off weakened and disoriented opponents when he was the only one who could see clearly. The only reason he used his yet-to-be-named Spell was because he was bored of the grind. Picking off monsters and humans alike by the dozens with each attack got monotonous after the first five hundred or so.

But the System was being particularly generous. It took into consideration the fact that their current state was due to Aenon's own efforts, thereby crediting him with the rewards in its entirety. In the eyes of the System, the battle had started the moment aenon started hounding his prey from the shadows.

In other words, the entire exercise had been a windfall of XP, not to mention the sweet Title—his second strongest at the moment—and a respectable boost to his kill count.

Title Achieved: Reaper | +100 all stats | Kill more than 4000 foes in a solo slaughterfest. Good work, my little predator.

Evolution Quest Objectives | Kill 10000 enemies of equal or greater level (6815/10000) | Protect your settlement from the coming horde (Time left before attack: 1 day)

Level Up | Void Stalker | Level 64 → Level 89 | +100 INT | +250 WIL | +100 PER

Level Up | Abyssal Warden | Level 68 → Level 92 | +192 INT | +240 WIL

Aenon had already crossed the threshold for an S-grade evolution, meaning his stat multiplier was fixed at 128. But he wouldn't say no to some extra stats; something his allies were chasing after too. They had all chosen to delay their evolution to farm as many Titles as possible; the one upside of this hopeless situation.

And looking at his levels, Aenon was close to that decision too. Unless a truly absurd enemy showed, he too wished to put off his evolution as much as possible. Not to mention his locked multiplier, something he still needed to figure out a way to use safely. He decided to quickly check out his status page.

Aenon/Ashryn Fenrast

Race: Ascended Human (M) | Age: 13 years

Level 91

Class: Void Stalker (Level 89) | Subclass: Abyssal Warden (Level 92)

HP: 18988 | HP Regen: 379.6/min

MP: 29988 | MP Regen: 745/min

Stats - Multiplier: 128 (Locked)

STR: 1899 | CON: 18898 | DEX: 1903

INT: 2999 | WIL: 3725 | PER: 2261

Titles (3125 points)

Unfettered Soul (+120 all), Domain Walker (Withheld), Bulwark (+5 all), Speed Runner (+10 all), Hoarder (+5 all), Landlord 2 (+25 all), Planetary Forerunner (+30 all), Ancient Killer (+20 all), Untouchable 2 (+40 all), Archivist (+5 all), Royal Assassin (+30 all), Corruption Cleanser 2 (+10 all) ), Underdog (+20 all), Limit Breaker 2 (+20 all), Raid Bait (+5 all), Bug Exterminator (+10 all), DPS Hogger (+5 all), Anti Mage (+5 all), Dungeon Buster (+10 all), Reaper (+100 all stats)

Lone Wolf (+2% Title stats)

Prodigious Mage (+10% Title stats)

Nature's Attendant (+200 all stats when within 50 meters of sapling)

Skills (Available SP: 56)

Weapons (Unarmed, Daggers, Traps) | Savant

Stealth and Tracking (Woods, Urban) | Savant

Mana Manipulation | Savant

Cooking | Adept

Internalized Skills

Identify

Mana Sense

Soul Authority – Sovereign's Aura, Soul Beacon, Soul Purge, Soul Syphon (Unfettered Soul)

System's Grace

Aenon's stats at this point were borderline obscene. Just his mana regen alone allowed him to channel several Spells simultaneously without having to drain his mana. In the rare cases when it outpaced his regen, he had a truly monstrous pool to tap into. But he wasn't that overpowered by Multiversal standards. For anyone that was at the threshold for an S-grade evolution, their average stat would be around 1400. By those standards, his physical standards barely crossed the average. The only reasons he was able to duel Ignar in a physical confrontation was the boost from his pack, and the Nocthrya.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

And with the addition of percentage multipliers that leaders apparently had, Aenon wasn't very confident that he was at the top. Maybe on this planet, at this moment. But overall, Aenon realized he had a long way to go. Especially when against monsters like Velcodirust, whose percentage multipliers must be unimaginably high.

And yet, Aenon smiled as he turned to the heavens. He wasn't deterred by the challenge; he was excited about it. The Admin liked to call him a little predator. But that only meant he had room to grow. And one day, he would stand at the apex. Not for power; nor for fame. But to fulfil a simple promise.

"I will find my freedom, Harl", Aenon announced softly. "A freedom that will extend to those around me."

With the conviction set in his heart, Aenon started to casually stroll ahead, humming the soft tune.

He still had some rabbits to catch.

* * *

Bane

The ground was littered with corpses; the air filled with the pungent odor of the dead. Anything still alive was either fleeing in terror, or writhing in pain. The entire gathering of more than two thousand monsters was surrounded by a dark cloud of shadowy mist, cutting off any hope of escape. Any creature or man foolish enough to try breaking the encirclement was torn apart within seconds, their screams splitting the air.

Bane sat within the comfort of the shadows, directing his pack with simple mental commands. Their role in this slaughter was just to contain. The actual killing was being conducted by the silent specter haunting the land. Thalindra was taking her sweet time inflicting as much pain and suffering as possible, while he and the wolves stood guard.

The Alpha's orders were clear: Let the death mage do her thing, but do not let any of the undead born from her attacks to escape. It was delicate balance to maintain. The Alpha wanted the woman to grow in power, but he also needed to make sure that she didn't cause more problems because of it. The Alpha's approach was worrying, but it wasn't his place to question.

If things became too problematic, he would happily step in to clean up the mess.

As the numbers started to dwindle, Bane noticed several bodies beginning to twitch. He immediately directed the pack to prepare. But he never got to act on it, since Thalindra did something at that moment.

Bane noticed the woman withdraw something from her robes and hold it high. A black orb of some kind which immediately began to draw in all the lingering death mana from the air. The wisps began to pour inwards in a spiral pattern. A cyclone with the wraith at its eye.

The bead began to drink in the oppressive mana greedily; its bottomless hunger barely feeling satisfied. Within a minute, the entire field was drained, leaving unmoving husks all around. Only a dozen or so survivors clung onto dear life, their eyes a reflection of their broken spirits.

Bane eyed the artifact—the one that the Alpha had gifted to the woman—warily. Its very existence made him uncomfortable. But the Alpha's will was law. The only thing he could do was prepare for the aftermath.

He turned to the sky and howled, dispelling the mist instantly before diving into the Shadow Realm with the others. They observed in silence as the survivors made a mad dash north, no doubt on their way to joining up with the group heading for the city.

Their plan was working great so far. The trauma of this splintered group would surely spread through the ranks of their enemies.

Thalindra returned to her normal self as she stroked over towards Bane's location. He revealed himself just as the mage got close to him. The exhausted woman sat on a boulder while avoiding eye contact.

"I can feel it, you know," Thalindra began to speak as Bane sat next to her. "The wariness within your soul."

Bane didn't respond, merely waiting for her to go on.

"Its not enough," she said with a weak smile. "Your fear towards my power. You need to be downright terrified of me. I know I am."

He could feel the weight of those words, something that seemed to be crushing her from within. Bane didn't possess the Alpha's soul powers, but the link they shared did pass on some of the raw emotions through.

Thalindra began to chuckle, a deep self-depreciating laugh that echoed in the air.

"A remarkably interesting young boy, our Alpha. He skirts the edges of the impossible, while also courting danger and death. He is the only one who hasn't shown any fear towards me. Something that both comforts me and terrifies me at the same time."

Bane turned northeast, feeling their strong bond with their Alpha.

"That he is," Bane said softly. "A good trait for an Alpha. Trusting their followers, while also holding the power to keep them in check."

The two sat in silence for a while, staring into the distance longingly.

"But can he do it?" Thalindra asked morosely. "Keep my power in check."

She withdrew the cursed artifact and stared into its depths. Bane noticed her eyes starting to glaze over, which is when he licked her face gently. Thalindra snapped out of her dark thoughts and put away the orb hastily.

"That is the wrong question to ask, Thalindra," Bane said with some kindness in his voice. He could feel the internal conflict from her expressions. "The real question is whether you can keep your own power in check."

Thalindra looked confused by the statement, so Bane went on.

"Our Alpha is young and inexperienced in a lot of things. Something he has acknowledged to me in person. Along with one other fact," Bane said. He let the silence linger before adding, "He told me that you and I are his two limbs. I wreak havoc on the battlefield in his name. You do the same on the political one."

Thalindra's eyes widened in surprise, her eyes starting to tear up. The stunned woman was speechless, so Bane decided to drive in the point.

"Don't forget the position he has granted you," Bane said with pride. "You are the bishop, the piece that stands next to him. Losing you would wound him deeply. Our Alpha is many things. Callous is not one of them. He rarely trusts others. But when he does, he goes all in."

Bane directed those words at himself too. Till this point, he had been fighting alongside Thalindra out of loyalty; to simply follow orders. But looking at how deeply she cared for the well-being of others; he began to see what the Alpha did: someone who was fiercely loyal to the cause. For the first time, Bane felt true camaraderie towards the dual affinity mage.

Tears started to flow down the woman's heterochromatic eyes. Bane felt…something shift in the air around them. The air suddenly stilled, as did the sounds. They were a safe distance to the south of Neverhelm, but Bane felt a presence stir in the ruins.

Thalindra's eyes immediately snapped in the direction too. She stood up while facing the cursed lands that they all avoided.

"Yeah, no," Thalindra said loudly, speaking to the unknown presence that Bane felt. There was some secret conversation happening between the two. "It's not mine to give. You can keep your deal where the sun don't shine."

Bane felt a strong Aura descend on them, nearly knocking him off his feet. All wolves erupted from the shadows with their heckles up. They all growled in tandem, ready for combat. But Bane could feel them struggling. The Aura wasn't simple.

In response Bane unleashed his own Aura, trying to push pack the oppressive effects on his pack. The power behind this was at another level entirely. Almost rivaling their Alpha's. Bane's Aura shielded the pack a bit, but it wasn't enough.

Thalindra turned to the wolves with a frown. She saw the struggle in their forms, as her annoyance turned to anger. She transformed into her wraith form as she turned north, her Aura ripping free.

Only this time, it was orders of magnitude stronger than before. It cut through the foreign Aura like chaff, enveloping the wolves in its protection. Like an unyielding wall, it shielded everyone.

"You shouldn't have done that," her raspy eldritch voice said menacingly, her Aura flaring higher. "If I wasn't on a mission already, I would have made you pay. So, prepare yourself. Once I am done dealing with this rabble, I am coming for you. No one attacks my pack and gets to live."

Bane felt the air shudder as Thalindra's Aura infused words shattered whatever hold the mysterious entity had over the surrounding. It fled into the ruins just as quickly as it arrived.

Thalindra walked up to each wolf and placed a gentle healing hand on each. Her life attuned powers soothed them, removing any ill aftereffects of the soul attack. Once she was done calming everyone she walked up to Bane. Even though he didn't need any healing, she still placed a hand on his snout.

"I am done playing the victim," she said with fire in her voice. "Lord Fenrast is right. Power is power. If I keep living in fear of my own, I will never be able to protect those I care about. Something that insignificant worm has demonstrated." She momentarily glared towards the ruins. "Its time to take charge of my life. It's the least I can do for the trust he has placed on me."

Bane nodded in acknowledgement, staying silent, since no more words were needed. He saw her take a step back and withdraw the orb again. Only this time, her eyes held more power within them.

"You will yield to me," she declared. "Or perish."

Bane felt the silent battle between the two through their shard link, which had become stronger after the recent incident. He felt the orb's malignant temperament clash against the soul mage's iron will. At a glance, they both seemed to be evenly matched. Which is why Bane decided to tilt the scales.

He directed his Aura to support her will, which immediately turned the tide. Something gave way as Thalindra gained dominion over the artifact. There was a qualitative change in her Aura as Bane felt the death affinity get strengthened.

A wail pierced through the air from the ruins. Everyone's eyes turned towards the furious cry.

"A little word of advice," Thalindra responded with a wicked smile. "This was given to me by our Alpha. And he gets quite cranky when others eye his stuff. So, you better not piss him off too. For if he comes after you instead of me, a quick death will seem merciful."

Only silence greeted her words as she stored away the subdued orb. Bane felt less wary of the item.

"Let's go," Thalindra ordered as she started walking towards their next destination. "Let's clean up this sorry excuse of an army. We have bigger fish to fry after that."

Bane saw Thalindra's cruel gaze piercing through the veil surrounding Neverhelm. Bane wasn't sure what the conversation she had with the unknown entity, but he felt sorry for the thing.

As the group walked away, a pair of black eyes stared at them from the mist. There was anger in them, along with an edge of hunger and lust. But now, there was fear as well.

For the first time, the creature regretted coveting that which wasn't its own. For it had inadvertently provoked a bigger sleeping monster.

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