He had the Witches. And he had the "Higher Slaves"—Aisha, Kelvin, and the early recruits.
It had happened by accident at first. Raphael had "disciplined" a rebellious slave, breaking his spirit so thoroughly that when Ash walked in, the man pledged eternal loyalty out of sheer terror. The System counted it.
Since then, it had become a tradition. An industrial process.
When a new slave was brought under Ash's banner, the Higher Slaves would vote on who would handle the "orientation."
Sometimes it was Asmodea, using her charms to twist their minds into loving Ash. Sometimes it was Satanachia, drilling them until they found purpose in war. Sometimes it was just Aisha, offering them kindness in Ash's name.
The result was the same. The Trauma Quests were completed. The loyalty skyrocketed. And Ash didn't have to lift a finger.
He was farming devotion.
