Is there even a need to ask him that question? Just imagine that you are drowning in the sea of despair and suddenly a ray of hope shone. Would you think twice before grasping that hope? Surely, you will do everything you can to save yourself using that small bit of hope
"I-I.... a-accept" the man said with a hoarse voice. Although he can still speak but it was harder than before, the servants in the Tower only gave him the minimum resources to survive. After all, he almost killed Kence. Even if the City Lord pitied him but that's only because Calter treated him too badly. It doesn't mean Otto will make things much convenient for him
"Then swear now and become my eternal slave" The assassin quickly obeyed. He already has the chance to get away from pain, he would naturally give all of his best
After with much difficulty, the assassin managed to swear through the God of Order and a golden light lit up on his cage. The magic beasts around sensed this light that transcended all the aura they felt and became fearful. The beasts prostrated their selves in the ground in submission. The light's power was really too high-level!
Calter nodded his head in satisfaction. He doesn't have the power now but in the future, he will make sure to make this assassin a proper tool. Bestowing him death is giving him mercy, Calter will make sure that even if this man died it will be through protecting Kence
"From now on your name will be Zero!" The assassin used his real name while swearing but Calter didn't even bother to remember his name and instead gave him a new one
"I'll have someone send you cultivation manuals. Raise your strength or else I'll make your little life be more miserable than when I torture you" the man obediently nodded his head
Calter then walked away from the cage leaving the assassin alone on his cell once again
-----
September 2 Year 9,000
Kence opened his eyes feeling a bit cold. It's not the literal cold because of the room's temperature but a cold from not having someone next to him
The youth turned his head on the side and didn't saw his master's figure which made him pout a bit. He was used at seeing Calter's face as soon as he woke up and not seeing Calter this morning is new to him. But instead of thinking of such pointless and petty things, he just freshen himself and went to cultivate again. He was afraid that the 'effects' of experiencing a life and death situation will suddenly vanish and his cultivation rate will return back to normal. He wants to seize the opportunity to quickly improve himself
Up above the ground. Calter is in one of the rooms in the City Lord's Manor. He was sitting on an expensive looking chair as if he is a King
In front of Calter, there are three people kneeling on him. They are the top three experts of the Shan Clan. First is the Old Patriarch, the second is the Patriarch, and lastly the Grand Elder
All of them are powerful on their own, much less when three of them team up in a fight. Aside from Kel, Calter doesn't know the names of the other two. And he also didn't care, for him, they were mere slaves. A tool for him to quickly raise his power. The Shan Clan is even lower than beasts in Calter's eyes
The Old Patriarch was not present in Calter's fight before. But even he, was forced by his clan members to become a slave. Calter's order after all was to kill any Shan Clan member if they don't want to become his slave
This included the Old Patriarch, Kel's own father. After knowing what happened, although the Old Patriarch is angry but he can also read the situation. His son and Clan doesn't have a choice but to obey
The only up side of it was that the Shan Clan became slaves of their own blood relative. If it was other people unrelated to them, the Old Patriarch might choose to leave or die while fighting
The Old Patriarch might be stronger than Kel or the Grand Elder but if all of the Shan Clan's Knights team up with him, even he would be easily killed
"To see you all kneeling in front of me, what a surprise!" Calter said with a disdain on his face. The three were extremely humiliated and wanted to kill Calter but as soon as they thought of that kind of thing, it will vanish immediately
The oath also affected their minds and they were slowly having the mind of a slave. But of course, it will be a long process. They can't just immediately become too subservient to Calter
The trembling on their bodies due to anger didn't escaped Calter's eyes and the disdain he has on them just multiplied. As powerful Magic Knights, they have their pride but because of the curse like oath, those pride will be gone in front of their master!
Calter felt amazed at the God of Order's power. The God itself wasn't present when the oath take place but he can make this prideful Knights to not dare disobey him. This made Calter to longed for the time when he will have this kind of power too
"From now on the Shan Clan is a mere slave Clan. But don't worry, you are all my tools. I won't just make you charge on your own deaths"
Hearing that their Clan who stood at the top in Soaring Magic City is a Slave Clan now made the three's body to tremble even harder. They were clenching their fist hard causing some blood to leak out on their palm. But even though they are this humiliated they still didn't dare show disrespect to Calter
"Now, as my tools you all need to show me your worth. Here is the list of the things I want you to do for your 'master' heh" Calter took a paper from his spatial ring and tossed it on the three
Written in the paper is the detailed explanation of their task as tools
The Old Patriarch grab the paper and read it along with the two on his side. What they read almost turned their eyes into red. Now, they really learned what a Slave Clan is
In the paper, it said that aside from their minimum Clan's needs, all of their property and money will now belong to Calter. If it was just that then it was expected but the next things made them want to rip the paper apart
It said that all the non-fighters and civilians of their Clan will focused on the business side. There is no room for trashes and those who leech off their Clan. All of them needs to work and aside from food, clothing, and other basic needs the money they will earn will be given to Calter
For the fighters on the other hand, they are required to hunt magic beasts everyday and sell it for money. Depending on your rank, the money you will need to pay as 'tax' varies. They will literally risk their lives to earn money but all of it will just be given to Calter
But of course, Calter is not narrow-minded and set his vision on a long term basis. The Shan Clan fighters are also required to form groups of at least three. They also need to only fight those beasts a small realm lower than them. They can't fight beast at or above their level for safety purposes
Calter also didn't set the 'tax' too high. He cannot let them become too tired, that will lower their efficiency and might even cause death. Lower efficiencies and deaths will lower Calter's 'income'
This task of Calter will eventually lower the Shan Clan's power. They wont be able to nourish their juniors and even their cultivation time will lessen because of the everyday task. After this current generation, the Shan Clan might not even be able to produce another Knights
But this was not any of Calter's concern. For him, the Shan Clan is just a money factory. He don't want them to rise into power. His grandfather died because of them after all and their mindset is something that Calter doesn't like
Calter instead will make his own force using the resources he will get from the Shan Clan. His fight before made him realize things. Personal strength is important but making himself as powerful as even just a Knight will require years. In those years, nothing is certain and some unexpected things might happen
The best thing to do for now is to have a powerful force under him. Just look back at the assassination attempt on Calter. Nan is the only Knight guard they have but if several Knights are scattered around their room, would an assassin be able to infiltrate?
If Calter has powerful Knights at that time, Kence wouldn't be hurt. Raising his strength to be above all is hard, that's why Calter also need a powerful force under him
He knew of reality and doesn't expect raising Grand Knights for now. Becoming a Rank 3 Mage is really hard after all. But he planned on at least having tens of Knights with him aside from the Shan Clan!
As of now, the Shan Clan already has tens of Knights but Calter doesn't like them and wants to raise other people as Knights
"Now, I will ask all of you a question. Does a member of your Clan ordered for an assassin to kill me and caused my beloved to get hurt?" Calter said while his body exuded killing intent
His aura made the three people kneeling on the floor to perspire. What a joke! If Calter was angered, any of them might die now. The way they think of Calter is a cruel demon, they won't doubt that he will kill any of them just because he was angered by a bit
Calter was specially looking at Kel who was the most afraid among the three. Kel was the one that got humiliated back at the Sternix Clan after all, among the Shan Clan members, he was the one that has the highest motive
However, Kel shook his head and his sweat literally flew around him. "M-Master, it wasn't me. B-but I-I'll a of my Clan members!" The man was clearly nervous and wasn't able to speak properly but Calter doesn't care even a tiny bit about his 'uncle's' feelings
"If one of you ordered it, bring the culprit to me or else!" Calter threatened and Kel immediately nodded his head. "We won't dare hide things to M-Master!"
Calling a fifteen year old youth as master is very uncomfortable and humiliating but Kel doesn't have a choice. It was true that Calter is his master and he can never disrespect him
"Of course you won't!" Calter chuckled coldly. He has confidence on the God of Order's power. For countless of years, no one managed to not comply on their agreement or oath if they swore it through the God of Order
That is thousands of years! Calter won't believe that it will happen now with the Shan Clan
"Go now! And bring me all of your wealth as soon as possible!" Calter said and the three bowed at him before respectfully walking away, albeit their bodies were stiff as they didn't like to act like the slave they are
Calter was left on the room alone and his mind started to wander around
"If it isn't the Shan Clan then could it be the Khan Clan?" Calter asked to himself. Kel has the highest motive in the Shan Clan and if it wasn't him then the other members of his Clan is less likely to order it
"Should I make a move on them?" Calter asked himself again before shaking his head once more. "It is too risky. If they were pushed too much then they might launch a desperate attack. Although Kence is protected while inside the City Lord's Magic Tower but I will never risk his life"
"Besides, the Khan Clan is one of the pillars in the City. The City rely on them for protection from the beasts. I can't be too hasty, I am still too weak. I need to laylow for now"