"There are three Watchers; each with a distinct personality. There is the Watcher who sees, the one who hears and the one who schemes. Pray you never fall victim to the one who schemes." – The Allfather Odin.
There were about 8 light pillars. And each was giving out a strong aura. As if that wasn't enough, Mane could sense from the auras of those in the pillars that not only were they powerful, they were of different races.
"The Watchers," Mane gritted his teeth in rage. He had asked for a favor, but what he received was no favor.
How was this them doing him a favor? The accumulated Chaos had been used up, and there was no need to fight any further. He could finally break into the Nobility Realm. But he had underestimated the Watchers. How could they grant him so many favors for free? The first beast Mane faced, the Winged Serpent, was his payment for asking for a favor in the first place. As for these eight, they were his payment for using their space as his personal training ground and his lack of respect towards them.
Mane decided not to think about the Watchers for a while. Instead, he will focus on what was happening now. He understood the gravity of his current situation. Stretching his hands to the scabbards on his back, he retrieved the blades hidden by the great length of his robe. Two pitch black blades appeared in Mane's hands. Each shone with a dark luster, and their edges were as thin as the wings of a mantis. These two blades were Night Mare and Night's Kiss. The damage to both weapons after Mane's fight with Camila had been repaired, and they had been strengthened even further to accommodate Mane's growth and new strength. Mane didn't think he would have to use them, but now he was going to have to.
Soon the first light faded, revealing a beautiful woman with a pair of horns protruding from her shoulders. Her eyes were like marbles, beautiful and cunning, and her shape was akin to that of a temptress belonging to the ranks of succubae. She was dressed in flimsy clothes that exposed almost her entire body. Much of her flesh was exposed, and only the most private of her parts was kept hidden. Her long hair flowed freely like a free flowing river, and her slender legs were like jade sticks dipped in honey.
"Why was I sent here?" she wondered, her expression full of surprise. Yet when she sensed the richness of the energy in the atmosphere, her expression changed to delight. Her eyes flashed with anticipation and lust for power, and it took her a second or two to realise that she wasn't the only one here.
"There are others?" she mumbled with slight surprise upon seeing the rapidly fading light pillars. Her eyes scanned the platform and she discovered Mane. The boy was actually at the centre of the platform, and his aura was so weak that she hadn't bothered to pay attention to him.
"Boy, where is this?" she commanded, her tone authoritative and disdaining. Although she could feel that Mane was young and was thus stunned by his strength, she didn't feel awe for the young talent but jealousy.
"Shut up!" Mane raged, his aura exploding from within his slender frame like a dam that was filled to its very limit and could hold on no longer. His aura was like a tornado, and it took her by surprise.
"One with the aura of supremacy!" the lady exclaimed as Mane's aura threatened to drown her in its power.
Her eyes flashed with a strange glow and she saw what many could not. Around the boy she previously disregarded was a giant so tall that she couldn't see its head. In the hands of this giant was a scepter of gold and silver, and its feet were adorned with bronze boots. There was a white robe interlaced with golden silk threads covering the frame of this giant. And though it wasn't a perfectly formed image, it still brought a chill to her when she stared at it for too long. This was Mane's aura! It was usually invisible, but this woman's special eyes revealed the invisible to her.
"Now now handsome lad. I only asked a question, didn't I?" the succubus changed her approach upon understanding that the one before her was no easy opponent. He wasn't a boy; he was a man! Her eyes flashed with a green glow as she raised her charm to its peak before slowly sashaying towards Mane, swinging her tempting hips like a pendulum and exposing her skin even further.
"Do not tempt me to kill you first" Mane's eyes glowed faintly as they transformed into his True Eyes. The fire that burned in them was so bright that the lady was sure that the lesser man would be blinded by those eyes. Several colors danced within those eyes and achieved a state of unity she didn't even think was possible, and the power contained in them was out of this world.
"He resisted my charm?" the lady was surprised, but soon she was overcome with excitement. This boy was strong and capable of withstanding her charm. If she could get him under control and return to her world with one so talented, it wouldn't be long before he was strong enough to reclaim her throne. Her body shook in excitement as she activated her most prized skill, elevating her charm even further. A pink hue was slowly exuded from her being, and it spread towards Mane like the sweet nectar of a beautiful flower.
"Now what do you say about keeping me company. It's kind of lonely here." The woman smiled seductively as she licked her red lips, pushing all her efforts into taking hold of Mane's mind.
"There's no harm in killing you first" Mane's eyes flashed with a strange light as he allowed the lady to invade his mind. She was no Spiritualist, but she seemed to have the ability to enter people's consciousness. And Mane wasn't worried about that, for he opened the doorway to a place that even he feared to go to. Soon, the succubus discovered that she was in a place that wasn't quite normal.
"What is this place," the woman found herself in a pitch black space with nothing but the elements of darkness freely roaming. Her eyes were filled with caution, for she could feel a powerful presence in this space. She quickly tried to exit Mane's mind space, for she could tell she was no match for this person. Yet she discovered to her horror that she couldn't leave! Mane had closed his mind, giving her no way out!
"That brat!" she screamed in rage as her hands flashed with a pink hue. A powerful aura escaped her slender frame as she tried to break herself out forcefully. Doing so would harm the boy, but right now she could care less. However, the aura she felt when she came here; the one that brought her such unease, was not going to allow her to destroy his resting place.
"You are quite the bold one."
Cronos's booming voice forcefully dispelled the gathering forces of the succubus's power. Her face grew pale as a powerful presence pressed down on her, forcing her to cough out a large amount of blood. Her body faced debilitation she hadn't experienced since she reached her current level of power. She was forced to her knees, her head bowed in pain as she struggled to go against the aura of the Selfish Titan King.
"Futile," Cronos chuckled, and his aura grew even stronger. The eyes of the woman were filled with despair as her power was once again dispelled without her permission. Her bones creaked in pain and her head ached, for the strength of the one who now stood before her was far more than what she could handle. This soul was akin to a mighty hammer, and she was nothing but an egg before it.
"It is rare to meet a succubus. And it has been long since I last tasted one." She heard the man say, and the aura suppressing her reduced. Her eyes flashed with hope, and a bit of disdain. Indeed, all men were the same. They were lustful and greedy to possess, and even gods, who stood above the mortals, were no exceptions. If she could just use her body to her advantage, maybe she would get out of this.
"Then please allow me to serve you, my Lord," she arched her back slightly to accentuate her curves and expose her snow globes to the man whose face appeared hazy to her for some reason.
"Indeed a tempting offer," Cronos laughed and the woman felt her heart leap in joy. As long as he was foolish enough to sleep with her, she could control him and get out of here. After all, he was only a soul now. Without his body it wouldn't take much for her to gain control over him. It would be as easy as taking candy from a baby.
"But with nothing but only my soul, it wouldn't be as delightful. And I like to enjoy everything to its maximum" Cronos's laughter died down as his gaze grew cold. His hand grasped the snow white neck of the pretty damsel before him with ruthless aggression.
How could he not know about succubae? They were a species that lustful Olympians like him adored. And because he knew about them, he knew that without his body it was foolish to try to bed a succubus. Even he wouldn't be able to fight her control if he made such a mistake.
"Please," the succubus pleaded. But Cronos wasn't exactly known for being a reasonable chap. He nonchalantly snapped her neck before tossing her aside like a dirty napkin.
"Smart boy. Using me for your dirty work. I must admit, I quite like that." Cronos chuckled before returning to his throne.
Outside, Mane could sense the body of the woman before him lose its spirit. Cronos had done his job. It was because he was present that Mane dared let someone that powerful into his mindscape. For there was no way Cronos could chose a succubus over him. There were no benefits to making such a decision – only loses.
"Devour" Mane retrieved another sealing stone and consumed the essence and power of the lady before him. Her body withered like a tree that had lost all its vitality as Mane absorbed her power. And soon she was nothing but an empty husk. Her dried up corpse was so repulsive that it was difficult to imagine that this was the beautiful woman who had arrived here only a few moments ago. Once Mane was finished he flicked his finger at her corpse and engulfed it in fire, turning her body to ash. It was at this time that the other light pillars faded.
"Hmm. What a strange place"
"Indeed. But it is filled with very pure energy. I like it."
"Did you hear those voices?"
"I did"
"I did too. The ones that asked that we kill a blonde haired boy so that we could be presented with gifts?"
"Yes. Those ones."
"I guess that's the kid they were speaking of."
Mane's expression quickly became sore as he listened to their conversation. He finally understood why it had taken so long for their light pillars to fade whereas the other lady had been out so quickly. It was likely that the strong spirit of the succubus protected her from the encroachment of the Watchers. And that was why she arrived so quickly. She had tuned them out for her safety. After all, she knew better than to let someone into her mind. Unfortunately, it was that decision that led her to her doom.
"This is bad! Very bad!" Hildegarde was panicking. Initially she hoped that there would be a battle royale, so that Mane wouldn't have to focus on all the opponents. After all, they didn't know each other. Added to the fact that Mane was the weakest on paper, she hoped they would leave him for last and concentrate on eliminating each other first. And Mane surely was thinking along those lines. But that wasn't to be. The Watchers made sure of that. They had given all seven a target. And that target was Mane!