The Conquerors Path Chapter 999 - 997-You Don't Get The Goods On My Watch.

'Yeah, I really needed that.'

I lounged on the couch in my neat clothes, feeling sharp and at ease, my thoughts finally calm, while Lily sprawled across the sheets, her gaze unfocused and body occasionally shuddering. I considered mending her wounds, yet she appeared to relish the blend of agony and ecstasy, so I allowed her to rest as is.

During our previous encounter, I'd arranged for her to shift into improved quarters beneath my influence, but an alternate scheme emerged afterward, relocating her to a premium role in the division led by Vixuola. Oddly enough, her kin had ties there.

Her lineage held some influential links and a respected spot in the conflict advisory group on the faction's side, and upon Lily's transfer, thanks to her unique "talents," she integrated smoothly and thrived as a kind of front-desk handler. That's why, when I arrived, I summoned her for a rendezvous.

Not solely for intimacy, mind you. Sure, the intense, unrestrained encounters satisfy, yet beyond that, it's about curbing my inner turmoil. My dual aspects require their fuel to remain linked. Clinging to reason and virtue bolsters order, but to nurture chaos, I must unleash my personal flair of disorder and those loyal to me.

Embracing my darker facet involves twisting innocent souls into warped reflections of their former selves. It's agonizing and demanding, yet essential if I aim to avoid fractures in my coherence, which could shatter my existence and ultimately destroy me.

Therefore, balancing the pair is crucial, fostering it as I advance, demanding a subtle hand. Up to now, order has flourished, but chaos deserves its moment in the spotlight too. That's why I summoned Lily. Through this, I sealed her essence entirely as my own, shattering her barriers until she wholly surrendered to her wild side.

I observed my distinctive mark of depravity embed deeply into her spirit. Her restraints weakened, her cravings surfaced bolder, destined soon to crave only delight and thrill, stripping the mental guard that reins in urges. That's precisely why chaos rarely finds welcome here.

Self-control is what maintains our society. You spot something and a risky or foolish impulse arises, but you rein it in. Chaos rips that safeguard free, allowing the profound shadows of malice to dominate, and before long, Lily will embody that completely.

Yet it needn't be absolute.

I grinned at the notion while noting the sliver of order I'd embedded in her. I'm not mere disorder; order resides in me as well. Thus, I implanted a safeguard in her core. Indeed, the taint binds her to me, but the restraint I desire for her endures. It prevents her from ruining her existence, although every such limit crumbles in my presence. Otherwise, she'll manage an ordinary routine.

My route of perversion fuels my yearnings.

I ran my tongue over my lips considering it. The deeper I draw out those feelings, those filthy longings, the more my strength subtly surges, not massively but in a precise manner. For instance, taking her amid her spouse's presence could amplify it similarly. Naturally, other methods exist, but suppressing my impulses would hinder my true self and stall my progress.

To cultivate chaos, I must indulge my shadowy appetites and preferences too, beyond merely awakening them in others. Forcing the issue might yield gains, but nothing compared to the surge from authenticity.

My own barriers erode in this state as well.

Focusing on these ideas, I steadied my breathing and unwound further. After releasing some tension, my clarity sharpened. It appears Vixuola needs time to decide and act, granting me a window. Hence, I left a note for Lily upon her awakening, then vanished from the chamber.

I surged through spatial pathways until I reached a secluded basin, towering peaks encircling me, verdant fields weaving through, and from my aerial vantage, I gazed upon a vast depression where ferocious gales howled, potent enough to fell an Origin level 3 with ease.

My gaze sharpened as I darted forward, materializing at a concealed cavern entrance that reveals itself only when the breezes abruptly cool briefly before intensifying. My awareness then detected numerous formidable wind beasts prowling nearby.

Luck truly plays cruel tricks on me.

I reflected, grasping Leonardo's predicament. He and his companions had ventured here on a quest to slay a specific creature, which turned out to be a horde far surpassing their capabilities. Thanks to Leonardo's commanding guidance, they timed their descent perfectly during a lull in the winds.

This change enabled them to slip into an undiscovered dimensional pocket, one harboring a particular ancient realm.

'This one's advanced.'

I pondered while positioned inside the cavern. Like any ordinary grotto, save for the grand, silver-hued slab hovering centrally, emanating soft glows that influenced the surroundings, concealing its aura effectively.

Soon enough, I deciphered the inscriptions on the slab and grasped the nature of this ancient realm.

'Tsk... fortune strikes again.'

A touch of annoyance stirred in me over this unforeseen event outside my grasp, but I resigned to it. Such occurrences arise, and controlling every one proves impossible. My thoughts raced briefly, sifting various possibilities, analyzing to comprehend fully.

'I'll just follow my instincts.'

I chuckled inwardly while pressing my palm to the ancient realm's slab, its silver radiance enveloping me. Currently, with entrants already inside, it bars further access. Evidently, the slab selected a suitable heir to inherit its heritage.

'Apologies, but I can't allow that.'

With those words, my grip shattered the silver slab, which sensed the threat and mustered its full might to resist, yet it resembled a child swatting the sea with a cloth—utterly futile.

In an instant, the slab fractured and crumbled. It lacked even the power to retaliate properly as fragments scattered across the floor. At once, the cavern trembled, the air turning frigid briefly as I clutched this unique silver gale essence in my grasp.

Thereupon, the cavern's dimension tore open, ejecting six forms—five men and one woman—though the female was well-known to me, featuring brown locks, matching eyes, and scattered freckles.

Agent 007...

Spotting him sparked a flicker of astonishment in me, swiftly fueling greater vexation and rage.

"Nia!"

Leonardo yelled, dashing toward the "young woman" to assist her.

"Are you alright?!"

He inquired in alarm, but then Leonardo realized that among his entering team, including a veteran, not all had emerged.

"No..."

He murmured, quivering as tears welled up. Those who appeared were the fortunate survivors spared from the abrupt rupture's spatial chaos. The others got torn asunder by the rifts. In essence, they're gone.

The remaining four guys lay sprawled, moaning in agony. Leonardo alone seemed somewhat recovered, and I detected faint silver ripples around him, incomplete and fragmented.

Time for a bit of amusement, right?

I grinned as turbulent notions sparked within my thoughts right then.