CHAPTER 207: ABANDON

"Shall I find you one? If you are fine with Weapons, then I can ask..."

"STOP! I was kidding, Tyrant; please do not suddenly give me a lover! My head hasn’t even completely figured out becoming a ghost!"

Elian scanned the clerk once again.

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Name: Katri Valkama

Talent: Meticulous (C) | Eternal (SSS)

World: Earth

Species: Human

Class: Vassal

Level: 30 | (Low Radiant)

HP: 75,000/75,000 | MP: 100,000/100,000

Strength: E | Intelligence: C | Agility: E

Job: Clerk (E) | Administrator (D) | Psychomancer (SSS)

___

By his command, Ned and Silas were to power level Katri and Charlotte to increase their stats. Unfortunately for Katri, Meticulous did not give her the chance to pick combat-related jobs. Normally, a job would give a stat boost that would realign that person for his chosen Job.

However, although Katri only got her second job, she now had a third. And Psychomancer improved her stats enough to compare with combat jobs. For one, even if she was only at level 30, she already commanded over 100,000 MP.

I guess that comes with a body made from mana? Although apart from HP and MP, her stats are still a bit pitiful. Bianca, do Psychomancers have abilities useful in combat?

"Hmm. Not really? The job’s biggest benefits are an increased mana pool, being a spirit, and the ability to use souls. She would make an excellent investigator, scout, or mana battery. Her other jobs should have been the ones that would have given her combat potential."

I see. So it’s a support job. I’m guessing you are in the same boat as neither Alchemist nor Psychomancer gives you combat skills? Is that why you are still only using Ice? Because of Ice Mage?

"Yes. If I chose Tri-colored Mage for my second job, I would gain fire and lightning abilities. If I took Archmage as my third, it would allow me to unleash magic on the level of nukes. At the moment, my skills are all based on Ice Mage tier concepts."

Considering how terrifying Bianca’s Ice Mage skills were, he shuddered. What kind of monster would she have become if she had Archmage instead of Psychomancer as her 3rd job?

I am once again in awe of how wonderful you are, Bianca; he honestly confessed.

"W-What? What brought that on? Just so you know, if I did go the Archmage path, having a manapool of 100,000 would have made me weaker, not stronger. Who cares how many skills you can use if you can only fire them once?"

Elian couldn’t help chuckling at Bianca’s explanation. It was obvious that she was trying to hide her embarrassment through wordy explanations.

If it were up to him, Elian would have been fine just listening to Bianca for hours. Sadly, he had a lot of things he needed to get done.

"Okay, let’s begin. We have much to discuss."

There was a long conference table in the room. At the head was a lavish seat that was the position of authority. Without hesitation, Elian headed toward it. While he might have had reservations in the past, those days were long gone.

Elian Reed was a public figure. A ruler who led a powerful faction and one who could acquire incredible resources. Not acknowledging all his authority would have been nothing but stupid.

"Everyone, take a seat," he commanded.

Bianca appeared in the position to Elian’s right at that moment; no one contested.

"Bianca, can the Psychomancers here use soul bind effectively?"

The woman thought for a moment, then looked at the Psychomancers in the room.

"Each use of soul bind takes 100,000 MP. I only use 70,000 because of Alchemist. As it stands, Burny, Blooms, and Yearns would not have any issues, but Charlotte and Katri would. They are too low-level. They would need to consume cores like I did or make do with potions."

Both women squirmed in their seats, but Elan couldn’t blame them. Among the people gathered here, most of them were monsters.

The Weapons in particular were a battle-hungry race that never stopped fighting. In the time Elian took to conquer the Karnathian and Ysh-Natul dungeons, they grew by leaps.

Funnily enough, although the Naga were the ones that officially started salvaging operations, the Beowolves and even Woody did the same. They hunted the monsters around their surroundings to extinction.

Everyone knew what was coming. Whether it be for material, experience, or just plain bloodlust, so long as even one Weapon existed in an area. Monsters around them were nothing but livestock for material.

Even Ned had surprisingly already become a powerhouse at Peak Radiant,

Elian thought inwardly in amazement.

"Wasn’t it inevitable? Lottie is quite doting. She must have pumped him full of every possible tonic, pill, and medicine to make him stronger. Plus, with Silas training him along with your equipment, he had no other future but to be a powerhouse. A human one, at least."

Elian couldn’t help but glance at his friend. His face aged a lot in the time they spent apart. He had lost his youthful innocence and now had the hardened expression of a warrior. Sadly, human powerhouses were still weak compared to the Crucible’s standards.

Yeah, he knows it too. He’s willing to abandon everything to be stronger.

"Indeed, isn’t it why he intends to become a Weapon as well? I prepared a second Forged potion for him, Elian. That is the only way he can become one without dying first."

Appreciation and gratitude welled from the Tyrant’s heart. As much as he wanted his friend to join him, he didn’t want to have to kill him.

The Forged potion was something that would solve that, but he had yet to request it as Bianca was exhausted from making Psychomancer potions.

But she made one of her own volitions without him having to ask. It showed just how much she understood him.

He took her hand in his and gently squeezed, "Thanks."

She nodded with a smile as she gazed into Elian’s eyes. "Anything for you."

The two shared a tender moment before being interrupted.

"Ehem!"

Katri once again cleared her throat, breaking up the pink atmosphere between the two.

"I apologize for my current state; I know I haven’t joined as many raids as the others. But I assure you, I will increase my level by at least five times before the month ends."

Granted that Katri was a non-combatant promising to increase five levels in the thirties. But that was only because she was still adhering to the standards made by humans.

"No, that is too slow," Elian shook his head and turned to Bianca. "My love, if you please..."

Understanding his intent, she fetched a small vial filled with black liquid. Elian took it with gratitude and commanded Epsilon.

"Epsilon, call for Alpha. I need him here."

"Yes, my Tyrant."

As no one could anticipate what Elian had in mind, everyone else just waited. If there was one thing the Tyrant’s inner circle was sure of, it was that he did not follow the standards of anyone else but his own.

"Ned. My brother, here is the item you requested. It is the same potion I drank to become what I am. Once you take this, you will gain the same job I have. Much like the Psychomancers, you will cease being human and become a golem. Are you certain you want it?"

Most people often forget: power demands sacrifice. The only reason Elian gained his current strength was because of the things he had chosen to abandon. They were the price of his power.

His body, his emotions, even his memories.

He couldn’t ask Ned to do the same.

"Yeah. I already promised Lottie."

Without even the slightest hesitation, Ned took the vial and placed it in his pocket. Charlotte’s expression turned crestfallen, but her lover simply gave her a kiss on the cheek with a whisper.

"It will be fine."

Elian said no more.

A few seconds passed, and the sharp clacking of hooves echoed nearby. Soon, the door opened, and an Alpha arrived. He placed his right hand across his chest and bowed.

"My Tyrant, Alpha, your servant greets his Tyrant."

This Weapon in particular was slowly growing more ridiculous by the day. He had a cobra’s head, a human’s upper body, the lower half a horse, wings like a Pegasi and a gun on his tail. Elian couldn’t help but take a second look to sturdy Alpha’s new body parts.

"Elian..."

At Bianca’s urging, Elian cleared his throat.

"Right, everyone, this is Alpha, one of the commanders for the Slinky battalion." Elian then turned to Katri and asked her to stand.

"Alpha. From this moment on, you are relieved of your duties as a member of the Slinky battalion. You will now be Katri’s bodyguard. She is one of our Psychomancers. She cannot die under any circumstances."

Alpha turned to Katri with a stern expression; it was as if he was studying her.

"I understand. On my life, I vow that no harm will come to her."

Elian nodded. Katri, on the other hand, squeaked in confusion as she blushed like a tomato.

"Tyrant, I am flattered, but I will just be staying in the city; why would I need a bodyguard?"

As much as Elian wondered why the woman was blushing, he instead answered her by bringing up his next topic.

"No, you will be joining one of the invasions."

His single statement caused the table to erupt in confusion.

Bastion gently tapped the table, which caused everyone to pipe down. "Son-in-law, my translator seems to not be working correctly. Invasions? With an ’S’? As in more than one?"

Elian turned to Sunny, who was shaking her head; she answered for him.

"Yes, Bastion. This lunatic son-in-law of yours intends to assault four different worlds all at once. Don’t bother trying to dissuade him. If that is not enough, he intends to trigger the crucible for Earth at the same time."

"What?"

The Tyrant stood up and declared to his inner circle.

"We will be doing a bit of restructuring," Elian said with a smile.