"I don't want to stand in your way because that is a very rude thing to do" Dominic strolled around the teleportation circle, seemingly infatuated with it. He spoke calmly and nobly, and he had a certain flair about him.
"But you see, you have something that doesn't belong to you; something that is mine; and I want it back" Dominic broke his stride and faced the Silver Wolves once again. The smile on his face would have been kind if they didn't know who he was and what he was capable of.
"We both know it cannot be given to you" Mane shook his head with a wry smile. The Silver Wolves had come all the way here for the Tool of Blessings. If they handed it over, the mission would be a waste. Plus, Mane was never going to admit that such a powerful tool was in his possession.
"Why not? I can feel that you have no fear of the motley crew 'protecting' the palace, but you certainly cannot be so confident that you can get away from me?" Dominic used air quotes when he spoke of the wielders protecting the palace, because to him mortal wielders were just pawns. He smiled thinking that the group before him were thinking too highly of themselves.
"I cannot return it to you because it is destroyed" Mane lied expertly. His faces was covered, but his bright blue eyes were exposed to his enemy and they were unwavering. He spoke without missing a beat. Abe and the twins didn't show any reaction at all. Frederick was too focused on how they would escape and wasn't paying attention to Mane's conversation with the Master. As for Selina, she was trembling from the ominous aura coming from the Possessed who stood behind Dominic. It was also great that their faces were covered, making it more difficult for the Master to see through their lies.
"Don't lie to me" Dominic's smile turned cold when he heard Mane's voice. His master contacted him and commanded that he retrieve the artefact if he valued his life. Dominic wasn't fearful of death – mainly because he knew that the Dark God wouldn't kill him. At least the Dark God wouldn't kill him yet since there was still so much he needed Dominic for. But his master didn't need to kill him to make his life miserable. The Dark One had a high level servant with him called Lina. Lina was an expert at torturing people in both body and mind. Anyone and anything that fell into her bloody hands was destined to go through suffering unimaginably torturous. If he retrieved the artefact, he would be punished, but the punishment wouldn't be heavy. But if he didn't, he would be passed on to Lina. He shivered in fear when he considered that dreaded option.
'No, I cannot fall into her merciless hands. Besides, I still have to avenge my death' Dominic didn't want that option; and he had a blood vendetta with that god who put him in this situation.
"Why would I lie to you?" Mane shrugged and replied. "That's good. Don't admit that it's with you" 6th reminded Mane from the mindscape. All the masters were nervous at the situation at hand. 3rd had already read the Master's information and informed Mane that he was at the 3rd stage of the Heaven Realm! It was infinitely better than having to fight a mid-stage heaven realmer, but it wasn't exactly great either. Mane could handle 1st stage heaven realmers at best. However, if it was a talented 1st stage heaven realmer capable of battling beyond ranks like Mane, the twins and Abe, Mane would lose miserably. Although Dominic wasn't that kind of talented individual from the information 3rd acquired, he was still in the 3rd stage of the Heaven Realm. The current Mane would have no chance at defeating him. And if one added the Possessed who stood obediently at the side, then the escape mission was impossible.
"Do you want to die? Where is the Tool of Blessing?" Dominic gritted his teeth in fury as his aura brought unprecedented pressure to the Silver Wolves. The Selina and Frederick fell to their knees from the powerful aura. They were only in the mortal realm and had the least resistance to Dominic's aura. Jake and John gritted their teeth as they struggled to maintain their footing. They brought out their auras to the maximum to withstand the powerful aura. Mane and Abe were better off. Abe was as stiff as a statue and Mane was unmoved by Dominic's display. He had faced his father's aura several times before. Why would he fall to the aura of a heaven realmer when he was capable of holding his own against a battle god? As for Abe, he was channeling all his inner energy into his senses. He was using his abilities as a scholar to identify the core of the Possessed. So he wasn't paying any attention to Dominic. If he was, he would have been hit the hardest because his senses would have captured the aura fully and it would have been twice as bad for him (Mane didn't have this problem because his father had desensitized him to powerful auras).
"Think about it carefully Sir Dominic. Who would have the power to manipulate an object of that quality" Mane easily shook off Dominic's aura and asked the man an intelligent question. Even Dominic was beginning to panic. However, he quickly regained his calm when he remembered his master's words.
"I want the one who was able to disable the artefact. Such a talent must remain unharmed. Retrieve the device, but don't him/her."
His master's words suggested that he was confident the tool was fine and that there was a high level artificer responsible. Initially they thought it was just one person, but when Dominic saw the group running out, his initial plan to knock out the target was thrown out the window. He didn't want to bring garbage to his master. He had to isolate the master artificer and then deal with the others whilst retrieving the tool.
"You are right. It is very unlikely that Zandor has such a talented artificer" Dominic started. "But my master believes there is one amongst you, so there must be one amongst you" he continued. Frederick's lips were parched. He shuddered at the prospect of being found out.
"So I'd just capture you all, and then find who out who this person is. I'd kill the rest of you when I'm done" Dominic smiled cruelly as he informed the Silver Wolves of his plan.
"In that case we would have to fight" Mane exuded confidence as he summoned his blades. Dominic's eyes twinkled when he saw this, and he assumed that Mane would have the artefact. Storage spaces were very rare after all. Not only would he regain the artefact, he would also get a storage space. Things couldn't be better.
"Please let me kill them Master" the formerly docile Possessed knelt before Dominic and requested when he felt Mane's aura. He didn't recognize Mane at first; but he did now. Mane could cover up his face all he wants, but the Possessed would never forget that aura.
"If you about to die, I would not help you" Dominic stated coldly. This Possessed was a marvel. Even Seth was impressed with it. Not only was it mutated, it learnt very quickly. It had stabilized its aura in just week, and was firmly in the 1st stage of the Heaven Realm now. Not only had it grown more mature and battle hardened, it had also began to show signs of a breakthrough! Dominic wasn't so fond of it now. His future was set in stone with his abilities at the 3rd stage of the heaven realm. Unless he was promoted to the rank of a high level servant, he would remain at this stage for the rest of his life. But this 'experiment' of the Dark God could grow. It wouldn't be long before even he was suppressed. Now he wasn't so fond of it. Although it called him master, it only did so because the Dark One had put it under his command. Once it also broke into the 3rd stage of the heaven realm, it would have a higher status than him! And it wouldn't need to respect him any longer.
"I won't need your help Master" the Possessed coldly stated. Mane was surprised by its level of maturity. How long had it been? Maybe a week, but it could now speak fluently.
"This is going to be troublesome" 6th remarked and Mane agreed.
"Then deal with it" Dominic waved nonchalantly and stepped back to watch the show. Deep down he was hoping that these people would give him a surprise and kill the Possessed completely. But he knew that was highly unlikely. He didn't know how they killed it the first time, but he attributed it to luck. After all, the cores of Possesseds were difficult to find and they changed constantly. So even if they attacked the same spot that caused its downfall the first time, that wouldn't work.
"I have grown stronger" the Possessed took long and confident strides towards the team as it spoke. Its voice didn't contain the fury that it did the first time they clashed, and it was eerily calm.
"I have grown smarter too" it disappeared from its spot and appeared above Abe with its rod swinging ferociously towards the young prince. It still remembered this person. It couldn't see his face but his aura had been engraved in its memory. It remembered how this person had found its core and destroyed it. It didn't know how, but it didn't want to give Abe time to do it again so it struck first. However, someone got it the way.
*Boom*
The Possessed withdrew its attack and quickly went into the defensive to block the huge ball of flames that came flying towards it. It struck the ball with its rod and onto a large tree.
It turned to look at the one who attacked it. The attacker was naturally Jake. It felt that the boy was much weaker than it, but his flames were no joke. Although the flames wouldn't break his defense, they would spread over his body and it would be a hassle to put them out. However before he did anymore thinking, he felt movement from behind and turned swiftly to deflect the water spear that was intended to strike him. Unknowingly, the Silver Wolves had separated and surrounded him. Selina and Frederick quickly carried Abe from his position and took him outside the encirclement. They stayed with him. They were no use in a battle of this caliber.
"We must get stronger" Frederick gritted his teeth. He had never felt so useless in his life.
"Way stronger" Selina shared his sentiment.
"Hehe" the Possessed smiled eerily and licked its lips. Although the water spear wouldn't have been able to penetrate its skin, it wasn't going to allow such a weak boy to strike him. It then turned to look at each of its opponents: Jake, John, and Mane. It finally fixed its eyes on Mane and dashed towards him. It struck out with its rod with all its might
*Boom*
"How" it wondered wide-eyed at what it had just witnessed. It looked past the swords that had stopped its rod and stared at Mane. Without any fanciful movements of techniques, Mane had blocked its attack without moving a single inch. Even when they fought before, he wasn't this strong.
"I have also grown stronger" Mane smiled and said. But it couldn't see his smile. He then struck out with his leg and kicked it away.
*Bam*
"My outer energy manipulation is nowhere near my use of the inner Edict, but it has grown nonetheless" Mane muttered. He had also grown stronger over this period. He hadn't ceased training with his father even for a single day, and his persistence bore fruits – ripe, juicy fruits.
"You are the best to test it on" Mane stated as the energy of a 1st stage earth realmer was released fully from his smaller frame. Yet within this torrent of energy, explosions of the Edict could be heard.
"What is that?" Dominic wondered as he witnessed the strange explosions. He had no idea what that was.
"You are growing fast" 1st sighed in Mane's mind. The small energy explosions were from outer energy. The much more chaotic element of the Edict could now be used by Mane. That's right. Mane had broken into the above-mortal realm as a body wielder!