Raising My Trash Ability into a Broken SSS+ Rank Skill Chapter 657 The First Player

Vritra detected numerous figures encircling the carriages, frowning as he stood up and stepped outside.

These individuals hadn't launched an assault immediately, leaving him to speculate on their underlying intentions.

Upon exiting, he immediately spotted precisely 52 men ringed around them, and one face stood out as familiar.

However, before Vritra had a chance to speak, alerts suddenly appeared in his sight.

[You have come in contact with a player!]

[Eliminate him to steal his ascension path and opportunities!]

[Player: Morgan]

[Ability: Domain]

[Ascension Path: Beast Surge]

While these alerts flickered across Vritra's vision, shock rippled through him.

Had the player sought him out personally?

"Butcher, it's good to meet you once more." Vritra first glanced at the rugged fellow lurking timidly behind another figure.

This was Morgan, the player in question. Towering even over Butcher with a massive frame, he exuded a feral vibe.

Yet the disciplined formation of his followers revealed his commanding and wary demeanor.

"You're still breathing?!! How in the hell? You all made it through? What the damn hell?!!" Butcher's astonishment was genuine as he scanned the rest of the companions.

By this point, Onest, Shitless, and the women had all emerged from the carriages.

But Morgan cut in before further words could pass, advancing with purpose.

"It appears you two are acquainted, and you're indeed the one who wiped out the wolves' entire outpost." His voice carried a note of genuine admiration.

"And now? What's your aim in boxing us in like this?" Vritra inquired steadily, though concern gnawed at him inwardly.

This opponent already possessed an ascension path, placing his power well above Vritra's current level.

Moreover, the men closing in on the group carried an eerie detachment, devoid of any real feeling.

They resembled lifeless marionettes, possibly tied to his domain ability in some way.

'Could that explain why he drags so many along?' Vritra reasoned, though breaking free from the trap wouldn't prove simple.

"I'll get straight to it: why not align with my crew? You seem formidable, and you'd make an excellent piece for my arsenal." As he spoke, Morgan eyed his subordinates.

Not one matched Vritra's caliber, so bringing him aboard would bolster his collective might.

Besides, his ability thrived on the caliber of his underlings; the more potent the puppets, the greater his own power swelled.

"But you look maxed out already." Vritra observed, noting that apart from Butcher, the other fifty appeared as his thralls.

The exact count of fifty suggested a hard cap on his technique.

"Sharp eyes you've got there—not too shabby. You could even lead as a captain in my forces, excellent." Morgan approved with a nod.

His attention then drifted to the women at Vritra's side, surprise flashing across his features—such stunning women existed here?

Suddenly, the urge hit him to incorporate them into his ranks as well.

"Fine, I'm offering you a single shot at becoming my captain. Take out that veiled lady and those two men, and you'll earn your place."

Morgan declared evenly, gesturing at Teresa, Onest, and Shitless.

Vritra rolled his eyes before replying, "Sure, but first I need proof of your crew's true strength, and surely you want a demo of mine too, correct?"

"Interesting? What exactly do you propose?" Morgan's gaze sharpened.

"We're a group of ten, and after handling those three, we'd be down to seven. So why not let me take on seven from your side, plus toss in that Butcher, making it eight for me to face."

Vritra stated resolutely.

"…" Morgan's eyes narrowed further.

Betrayals and abandonments were commonplace in this apocalyptic world, even against kin or allies.

Thus, Vritra's willingness to defect didn't faze him, but the terms raised eyebrows.

'Seems like there's bad blood with this Butcher. I can sacrifice him if it pays off, but why battle my own men?'

Naturally, Morgan wouldn't swallow Vritra's words at face value.

To claim a fresh puppet, submission came first, which explained his delay in striking outright.

He cast a look at the women, debating whether to yield or leverage their safety for compliance.

Still, their allure and prowess made discarding them a regrettable loss.

"Boss, I can handle him solo, just say yes hehe, and if I come out on top, let me join and snag one or two of those ladies."

Butcher blurted hastily, dreading that Morgan might turn lethal on the women.

He refused to repeat his past blunder; abandoning them haunted him as his deepest remorse.

Morgan never took foes lightly or dropped his vigilance, yet this challenger lacked even an ascension path.

'Might as well witness his combat skills up close, and I doubt he'll pull off any schemes.'

Though not the top among the ten players in raw power, his capabilities were far from trivial.

Through his ability, he wielded any skill from his followers at will, meaning if Vritra attempted foul play, he could swiftly eliminate the women and Vritra alike.

"Very well, take on those seven plus Butcher, but should you fall, you'll forfeit your very will and become a hollow shell of a puppet.

Show me your value, and I'll award you rank along with some autonomy."

Morgan warned, fixing his stare on Vritra and the women, poised to strike if needed.

"Killing you lot would be a shame, so play nice." He warned further.

Vritra gave a nod, his expression grave.

The peril of this standoff weighed heavy; a single slip could spell deaths, leaving him on edge.

From thin air, he drew forth his spear, startling Morgan, who pondered if it stemmed from a spatial power.

The others retreated as Morgan and seven of his men advanced to confront Vritra together.

These foes' stats hovered around 90 points overall, not evenly spread—none rivaled Vritra's balance.

Each had peaks and lows; a high strength meant weaker agility or spirit, say.

Clashing with them simultaneously would pose little challenge.

'Divine, using the Blood Demon Ascension path, how much time would that take?'

Vritra queried mentally, signaling his companions to retreat and stay vigilant.

Without intel on the foe, the risk loomed large.

And this clearly served as a trial from the man.

"Integrating an ascension path takes time, but you could accelerate it, at the cost of peril and discomfort.

Endure that, and it'll wrap in 30 minutes." Divine answered.

He continued, "Keep in mind, toward the finish, the rest will sense it. Boost your stats just prior."

Vritra drew in a steadying breath, shutting his eyes while propping the spear's butt against the ground.

"Darling, stay safe…" Fiona whispered; they all yearned to assist but recognized interference would escalate the chaos.

Worry gripped Yasmine, Maeve, Yennefer, and the others, yet their faith in him remained unshaken.

"Poor soul, you've got this! Allow me to lay a unique hex on those swine." Shitless declared, starting an incantation.

"Haha, brother, you've been thriving, huh? Quite the harem you've assembled. Your eye for quality is spot on, brother."

Butcher boomed with laughter.

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