[UNIQUE SKILL: SOUL PUPPET - ACTIVE]
Threads of will extended outward — touching each wolf's consciousness. Not gently. Forcefully. Bypassing resistance through sheer mana superiority.
He pulled.
One second passed.
The snarling ceased.
Every wolf froze mid-motion. An entire battlefield suspended in perfect stillness.
Fascinating.
[NULL SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[SOUL PUPPET: ACTIVE ON 327 TARGETS]
[CONTROL ESTABLISHED]
[MANA DRAIN: EXTREME]
[WARNING: SUSTAINED USE NOT RECOMMENDED]
Their wills pushed back constantly, requiring active suppression. Inefficient for long-term use.
But adequate for this experiment.
Piers raised his left hand. Mana gathered — deliberate, structured. He cycled through elemental alignments mentally.
Fire. Most effective against this many targets.
The orb formed in his palm, heat condensing into a sphere of contained destruction.
Behind him, Mutou watched in silence. Gyuunyuu's eyes were wide. The four children stood speechless.
Piers thrust his hand forward.
The sphere struck the center of the horde and detonated.
Fire and pressure tore through bodies held perfectly immobile by his will. They couldn't dodge. Couldn't defend. Couldn't even scream.
Bound by Soul Puppet, the wolves were simply... erased.
[NULL SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[COMBAT: COMPLETE]
[TARGETS ELIMINATED: 326]
[MASSIVE MANA EXPENDITURE DETECTED]
[VOID CORRUPTION: 29.3% → 30.8%]
Note: Unsustainable. Do not repeat without preparation.
When the flames cleared, only the Alpha remained.
It stood alone in ash and silence. A shimmering barrier clung to its body — cracked, but intact.
Still bound by Soul Puppet.
Its glowing eyes locked onto Piers with pure hatred.
Survival through defense. Interesting adaptation.
"Incredible, young master," Mutou said quietly.
Gyuunyuu's hands were clasped tight. "That was... amazing, Master."
Before Piers could respond — nearby bushes rustled once. Then twice. Then Styx launched herself into the clearing like a small missile and drove her fist directly into the Alpha's jaw.
BAM.
No technique. No buildup. Pure inherited strength.
The barrier shattered. The Alpha hit the ground, unconscious before it landed.
Silence.
Piers blinked once.
"...Right."
Mom's strength, passed down enthusiastically.
He looked at the unconscious Alpha. Then at Styx.
He cleared his throat.
"Introductions."
He gestured. "This is my big sister. Styx."
She puffed out her chest proudly.
"Sis, this is Mutou and Gyuunyuu. Ah friends."
Mutou bowed. "That was quite the display of strength, young miss. I am Mutou."
Gyuunyuu floated closer, grinning. "Hi Styx! That punch was super strong!"
Styx grabbed Mutou's hand enthusiastically. "Hiii!! I'm Piers' BIG SIS!"
She leaned closer, squinting.
"...You don't have a head?"
"It is a long story."
She spun toward Gyuunyuu. "And why is the milk flying?!"
"Magic!" Gyuunyuu chirped.
Styx's eyes lit up. "COOL!"
A strange sensation prickled at the edge of Piers' awareness.
Words drifted across his vision briefly, then faded.
[SKILL UNLOCKED: KEY OF THE TONGUE]
[DESCRIPTION: Comprehend and speak any language.]
The ambient sounds of the forest suddenly carried meaning. Rustling leaves. Distant bird calls. Each conveying intent, as if the world had been speaking all along and he'd only just learned to listen.
[NULL SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[SKILL ACQUISITION: CONFIRMED] [VOID CORRUPTION: 30.8% → STABLE]
Useful.
Piers turned his attention to the four children.
They stood frozen, eyes fixed on him with obvious fear.
Still afraid. Understandable, given the circumstances.
He drew his mana inward further, reducing his presence to barely detectable levels.
Their postures relaxed slightly.
Better.
He stepped closer, noting details quietly.
The elf boy stood protectively in front of the others. Silver hair matted with dirt. Pointed ears twitching at every sound. Trying to appear brave despite the trembling in his hands.
Vampire girl kept her gaze lowered, fists clenched at her sides.
Orc boy hovered at the edge of the group, half hidden in shadow.
The elf girl clung to her brother's arm, face buried against his shoulder.
All four wore slave collars. All four showed signs of prolonged abuse.
Piers looked at them for a moment without speaking.
Then he spoke — not in his native tongue, but in the language the elf boy had used earlier.
[KEY OF THE TONGUE: ACTIVE]
"Can you understand me?"
They froze completely.
"I'm not a threat. The danger is gone."
Elf boy's eyes went wide.
Vampire girl's head lifted slowly, crimson eyes disbelieving.
A long pause stretched between them.
Finally, the elf boy spoke. Voice cracking.
"You... you speak our language?"
"Yes, Recently acquired," Piers said simply.
The vampire girl stepped forward cautiously, like she wasn't sure the ground would hold her weight.
"Yes," she whispered. "We understand."
Piers noted the effort it took her to speak.
"What's your name?"
She hesitated. Glanced at the others.
"I-I'm... Lucienne."
"Lucienne," he repeated. "And the others?"
She hesitated, then slowly lifted her gaze to meet his eyes and pointed. "Thog." The orc boy. "Ithilien and Ithiliel." The elf twins.
Piers nodded once.
"I'm Piers. Are any of you injured?"
They looked at each other uncertainly.
He waited.
These children were... unusual.
Escaped slaves. Unusual mana signatures. Slave collars still active.
Worth further investigation.
Suddenly, Piers turned his attention back to the forest edge, scanning for additional threats. Standard protocol: assess, categorize, determine if intervention required further—
The air changed.
Stillness. Absolute. Wrong.
Something was here. Close. Watching.
Then it was gone.
He filed it away and said nothing.