However, unluckily for her, I had more than a decade’s worth of time to think about all possible scenarios regarding both her assassination attempt on me, her subsequent escape, and my response to all possible avenues this situation could take. I was not at all shocked to see her flying capabilities, in fact, I was waiting for them.
With the fire no longer burning me alive, I stepped out of my bubble spell. My skin had burned off almost entirely, for sure making me look horribly grotesque, but I bore with the pain. I expected the pain. I trained for the pain…
I
awaited
the pain.
“[Rock Spike]” I cast my first spell, which forced Selene to slow down and change her trajectory ever so slightly.
Then came my three consecutive [Air Slashes], two of which were dodged by the busty redhead, but the last left a deep cut on her left leg.
“[Thunderclap Strike]!” I cast my Stormblade spell which lifted me into the air with the assistance of mighty wind currents, and then I descended towards the ground. However, my goal this time was not located on the planet’s surface but in the air. It required immense precision on my part to land pin-pointedly on my target.
*Thud!* My feet hit the back of Selene, marking a resounding success regarding this highly difficult maneuver.
Thunderclap Strike should’ve ended with an electric explosion upon my landing, but thankfully I managed to suppress it. I had better plans for this bitch in mind than simply butchering her.
“W-w-w-w-w-w-wait! I’m sorry, I missed my target and hit you on accident!!!”
“No one is buying that bullshit, especially not me, Plump Fox. Get ready to suffer.”
I didn’t give her the time needed to cook up a counter-response, instead electing to swiftly cut her two legs off from below the knee, causing her to screech from the top of her lungs. “Arrrghhhh!!! I’m so sorryyy! S-s-spare me, I beg you!!!”
With that, her jet boost spell naturally came to an abrupt end, making the two of us plummet towards the ground.
I could’ve made some elaborate moves to land with more grace, but I was in a very sadistic mood, therefore I elected to use her amputated, profusely bleeding body as a surfboard which I rode until her chest painfully crashed into the rocky earth.
She probably broke a lot of bones based on the crunching sounds, but due to Selene killing her entire alliance in the first round of the Trials, she was of a very high level, making her Vitality stat at least passable, therefore she didn’t die.
As she was unconscious and defeated by me, all requirements were met.
“[Subjugate]!” I shouted with immense satisfaction coursing through every fiber of my existence.
This was my revenge.
The punishment for her treachery would be eternal servitude, and a bit of me venting my anger with Selene roleplaying as my punching bag from time to time when I find myself in a bad mood – until I decide she was no longer useful and throw her away.
The magic was transparent and instantaneous.
[Level 24 Selene Cross had been subjugated!]
[Remaining subjugation capacity until cooldown: 71/100]
I see. She ate up 29 points. That’s a lot, but a very random number, which led me to believe that I could either subjugate numerous weaklings or a few strong entities, and the amount they cost depended on the disparity between their strength level and mine.
“My love!!!” Cedric screamed as he rushed at me with rampant fury.
I stepped off of the back of his lover, ready to meet his charge. However, I was no longer alone. “[Canine Assault]!!!” Blossom bellowed as she clawed at the swordsman with both gauntlets of hers in a simultaneous, overwhelming motion as she swiped from above her head all the way to the ground.
“Urgh!” Cedric spat a mouthful of blood but he managed to block most of the damage with a skillful deflect of his sword.
“Master! [Lifebloom Shot]!” Seraphiel’s first healing projectile finally reached me, alleviating the horrible pain I was suffering from at least a tiny bit, and I could feel some skin tissues already beginning to regenerate.
“I’m good. Team, focus on your battles! I’ll deal with this side!” I shouted at Ambition, her elves, and the rest of my girls… as well as at Iris. I didn’t know what happened to her after her first thirteen years besides her joining the army, but nonetheless, I felt an immense connection to the woman due to the simulation. I couldn’t bring myself to raise my blade against her unless she made an attempt on my women or me, but doing so would’ve pained my soul greatly, so I truly hoped that we could have a meaningful conversation once things settled.
“[Flash Strike]” I intoned my next saber spell, which saw me burst through the space between the two of us as I reached Cedric just when he was about to slash at my so incredibly missed first mate. I couldn’t wait to bask in her devoted antics and bodily warmth once again.
I caught Cedric unprepared to meet my attack, and I cleanly severed his hand from his wrist. To his credit, he didn’t scream in pain and even managed to react admirably well. He kicked at the ground, jumping back a short distance, and reached for his belt from which he pulled a shorter blade using his remaining hand.
I couldn’t help but grin sinisterly under my mask. My future super soldier was so damn badass. Well, as long as he kept his dumbass mouth tightly shut. He truly wasn’t the brightest tool in the shed.
“Blossom, I’ll deal with him. You get back to harassing Soren. We can’t have him call a boulder shower down on us again.”
“Master…”
She eyed me with a pained and thoroughly worried expression – well, her mask was covering her face but I could perfectly imagine the exact face she was making. It must’ve hurt her gentle heart to see her chosen lifelong mate’s heavily burned self.
“Yes, Master! Ghost understands!”
However, she was a warrior and a perfect teammate. Plus, a good girl who listened to me obediently. Thus, she did exactly as commanded.
“I’m sorry for what my fiance did, but I can’t leave her be. I’ll have to finish what she started before saving her.” Cedric mouthed as he pulled a small flask out and drank its contents.
He came off as an arrogant young master before – which he most certainly still was – but he will make a perfect super soldier in my slave ranks, while Selene will be an amazing AoE caster. My subjugated army was already looking awesome.
Though, to be fair, I should not be arrogant enough to write this guy off as already defeated. That’s how villains lose, and as someone who was literally titled villain by the most supreme force of the universe, I had to avoid any cliche acts villains might commit that leads to their downfall.
Yes, I’ll give it my all until my victory has been secured and I see the glorious notification message of my prey being added to my list of rightful properties.