The newfound spiritual energy was far too rewarding for Sargan. Not only did it strengthen his cultivation base, but also his soul.
After nearly a hundred hours, Sargan left the cave. He felt that the news of his exploits should have spread to Rhea's Obsidian Palace.
Sargan crept silently towards Rhea's palace, his eyes darting from side to side as he scanned the surrounding area.
As he neared the palace, he noticed three guards stationed outside. Sargan quickly assessed their positions and movements, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. With a swift and silent motion, he darted past them and entered the palace undetected.
He breathed a small sigh of relief as he entered the palace grounds, knowing that the hardest part of his mission was now behind him.
The interior of the palace was ornate and luxurious, with tapestries and chandeliers adorning the walls and ceilings. Sargan moved quickly and quietly through the halls, searching for his target.
Finally, he came upon Rhea's chamber. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear her moving inside. As he peered through the opening, he caught his first glimpse of the mistress herself.
Rhea was stunningly beautiful, with long, flowing hair the colour of blood and eyes that shone like polished obsidian. Her physique was that of a human, a testament to her high-ranking demon bloodline.
Silently, Sargan crept into the room, careful not to make a sound. However, Rhea's keen instincts immediately kicked in, and she erected a powerful barrier around herself.
Sargan raised his hands in surrender and calmly spoke, "Your instincts are truly impressive."
Cautiously, Rhea scanned the intruder with her eyes and demanded, "Who are you?"
As black lightning crackled around Sargan's body, he responded coolly, "This should be enough to state my identity, don't you think?"
Realization dawned on Rhea as she exclaimed, "Black Lightning? You're the one running around causing damage to my brothers' factions!"
"Indeed," Sargan confirmed, adding, "And today, I have come to offer my allegiance to you, Miss Rhea."
"What makes you think I will accept the allegiance of someone so suspicious like you?" Rhea snorted.
Sargan responded in a low, steady voice, "My abilities speak for themselves, mistress Rhea. Your guards were no match for me. But if you prefer to ignore the value I can bring to your faction, then I can just as easily take my skills elsewhere."
"You think you can escape? My elders have locked onto your spirit by now," Rhea declared with a disdainful tone.
With a conceited look on his face, Sargan responded, "Sure. They are welcome to try."
Rhea's eyes narrowed as she heard those words. She understood that this wasn't a random demon. He must have some backing since he dared to speak so arrogantly.
She considered his words carefully. She knew he had a point. If an enemy could slip past her guards so easily, then her security was indeed inadequate.
"You claim to have high skills, but what do I know of your background? What demon bloodline do you hail from to possess such power despite your human form?" Rhea probed, trying to uncover any possible weakness.
Sargan simply smiled, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. "I have no need to prove my lineage to you, mistress Rhea. My loyalty and my abilities are all that matter. Take me in, and I will prove my worth to you."
"Why did you choose me? If you are as skilled as you claim, you have an even better option. So, why me?" Rhea asked.
Sargan smirked upon hearing this question. He knew that the answer to this question would be the decider of whether Rhea would accept his proposal or not.
Fortunately, he had anticipated this question and answered fluently, "I chose your faction because it needs me the most. Your elder sister Zara's faction is so powerful that she would never enlist me or provide me with an important role. Meanwhile, your younger brothers Xander and Dante are heads of the Espionage and Assassin Associations. My role in those factions would be limited. I would probably be working under an individual who is more trusted by the faction leaders."
"Are you satisfied with my answer?" Sargan asked.
"Why did you attack my brothers' factions?" Rhea asked.
Sargan responded curtly, "To prove my strength and boldness."
Rhea remained silent for a moment, weighing Sargan's words carefully. After a few seconds, she finally spoke, "Very well, I will accept you into my faction. But you must understand that I will be watching you closely."
Sargan nodded, "I completely understand, and I welcome your scrutiny."
Rhea gave him a small smile before asking, "What do you want in return for your services?"
Sargan's response was direct and to the point. "I want Soul Gems and lots of them," he stated.
Soul Gems were highly valuable objects possessing a trace of a demon's soul. They were extremely useful to cultivators, greatly strengthening their spiritual energy, and were essential in setting up powerful arrays.
Upon hearing Sargan's demand, Rhea's internal delight was palpable. If Sargan had stated that he didn't require anything in return for his services, she would have been suspicious of his intentions. However, his straightforward request gave her a sense of relief, knowing that he was being honest about his goals.
"Very well. As long as you do well, you will be rewarded with a great number of Soul Gems," Rhea solemnly promised.
"I will do my best," Sargan responded.
Rhea lowered the barrier she had erected earlier, and a glint of light emanated from a ring on her finger. In her palm, a small, shimmering pouch materialized, containing a hundred Soul Gems.
"Take these as a token of our agreement and to commemorate your recruitment," she offered with a small smile.
"Allow me to show you to your quarters," Rhea said, gesturing towards the door. Sargan followed her out of the room and down a long corridor, the walls adorned with intricate carvings and lit by softly glowing orbs.
As they walked, Rhea explained, "Your room is located on the third floor, which is reserved for our most valuable allies. It is a spacious and comfortable chamber with a view of the gardens below."
They arrived at a set of ornate doors, and Rhea opened it.
The room was indeed spacious, with high ceilings and plush furnishings in shades of deep red and black. The walls were made of polished obsidian, which gleamed in the soft light of the hanging lanterns. A large bed with soft silk sheets dominated one corner of the spacious room, leaving ample open space for movement and relaxation.
"I am sure you are confused by the room's design. I had them modelled after the rooms, similar to the rooms of palaces in the human world. They feel more aesthetic," Rhea spoke.
"…Since when did demons began to care about aesthetics?" Sargan wondered aloud.
Rhea chuckled at Sargan's question before responding, "We may be demons, but we still appreciate beauty and elegance. It's just that we don't value it as highly as humans do."
Sargan nodded in understanding.
"I helped set up this design. I am sure it must be even better than the palace rooms in the human world," Rhea boasted.
Upon hearing her words, Sargan resisted the urge to roll his eyes disdainfully. The room of her palace was indeed quite impressive, but only when considering the demon's standards.
As Sargan had lived on Frascoia Continent for the last two years, he had a deep understanding and even admiration of the way humans lived.
"…Thank you for the room. I will get some rest now," Sargan spoke as he approached the bed.
Rhea nodded and left the room, leaving Sargan alone.
Once Rhea departed, Sargan deftly withdrew the Soul Gems from the pouch and began to arrange them in the room meticulously. With practised ease, he set up an intricate array of isolation that would effectively shield the room from the outside world.
This meant that Sargan could unleash his full power without fear of alerting anyone within the palace to his presence. With the array now in place, Sargan felt confident that he could safely train and refine his abilities in his new surroundings.
"Now, it's time to begin training the Nether Devil God Scripture," Sargan whispered with a grin.
This was indeed his true purpose of acquiring these Soul Gems.
Although it was much better for Sargan to absorb the soul of a demon, he couldn't kill so readily just yet. So, it was better to use these Soul Gems as substitutes.
While Sargan began his training, Rhea walked through the halls of the obsidian palace, heading towards the chambers of the Demon King elders. As she arrived, she greeted them with a deep bow.
"Greetings, honoured elders. I have a matter of great importance to discuss with you," Rhea said, her voice formal and respectful.
The Demon King elders acknowledged her with a nod and gestured for her to continue.
"I have recently recruited a demon named Sargan to our faction. He is highly skilled in stealth as he managed to reach my room undetected. He is also powerful as he is the demon running around attacking my siblings' factions."
The elders exchanged glances, clearly skeptical of Rhea's decision.
"Rhea, have you thoroughly tested his abilities?" one of the elders asked.
"Not yet," Rhea responded.
"Then how can we be sure?" Another elder asked.
"But how can we be sure?" another elder chimed in.
"We do not have the luxury of time to test his abilities extensively. We need all the help we can get," Rhea argued.
The elders murmured amongst themselves, but eventually, they came to a consensus.
"Very well, Rhea. We will trust your judgment. But keep a close eye on Sargan and ensure he does not become a liability," an elder spoke.
Rhea bowed deeply again, showing her gratitude to the elders.
"Thank you, esteemed elders. I will not disappoint you," Rhea said before leaving.
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