Unlike the white-robed Transcendents and the golden-robed Transcendent we first encountered, these two Dark Wizards managed to promptly react with the unexpectedness of our action.
Fleur and Avelin's rush was blocked by them as they both retreated several steps until they reached the wall of this cathedral.
They slapped their black pouch and their Energy Tools appeared, engraved with their Skill.
The first one waved the square plate tool and an energy creature appeared in the form of a lion. It growled and jumped towards Fleur.
The other one waved his triangular plate and three fiery birds were conjured as it rushed towards Avelin.
"I'm afraid that tool wasn't that special… Is this all it can do?" Fleur politely remarked as she faced the fierce lion, bashing it with her branch staff.
Without using any Elemental Spell, the creature produced by her opponent's tool poofed out of existence.
"Un. Sister Fleur. Daisuke made it sound like they'll be strong by using those but these…" Avelin innocently shook her head as she threw her greataxe from the side, turning it into a boomerang which returned to her hand after cutting through the three fiery birds.
These girls… It's not that their attacks were weak, you two were just overpowered…
Seeing their prided attacks to be easily destroyed like that, the two Dark Wizards produced more Energy Tools as various abilities of them came crashing towards the two.
However, like earlier, they were all negligible against them. Well, Avelin needed a little effort since her UPL still isn't that high. Fleur, on other hand, could effortlessly wipe out any resistance of her opponent.
"You two, remember what I said."
"Un, we remembered, Daisuke. Kill them swiftly, right?"
"I understand, we're needlessly prolonging this. Then… my apologies but you two have to die now."
Upon hearing their words, the two Dark Wizards panicked as they broke the wall behind them.
However, before they could jump out to escape, Fleur and Avelin already reached them. Grabbing the two by their legs, the two women flung them down to the place they emerged from. Breaking the floor and revealing the space down below.
"Rank 2 Transcendent! They have a Rank 2 Transcendent!" One of the Dark Wizards shouted when he realized where he ended up after being thrown.
As soon as he shouted, flurries of activities happened below ground as 8 more Transcendents emerged from it. All of them were above 200 UPL, however. No matter how imposing they appeared to be, Fleur's presence alone was enough to startle them.
The eight Transcendents picked up their two comrades, however, they found out that the two had already breathed their last.
? While it looked like Avelin and Fleur only flung them down, the two women dealt a fatal blow to the two before they broke the floor.
After a while, the one with the most luxurious glossy robes as well as the biggest crown ornament on top of his head stepped out and cast his gaze onto me.
Since I still exuded the same Dark Energy as them, he instantly attributed that the two women were my subordinates.
"... I apologize for our mistake. We implore you to tell us our wrongdoings." He bowed down which made the crown he's wearing roll off of his head, releasing his long hair.
But because of my lack of response, he stayed in that position.
The other seven who seemed weaker than him copied what he's doing.
If I knew that flaunting this Dark Energy will be this effective, I should've done this back at the World of Meta…
I could activate the Orb of Ailment now but I still chose not to. Even if these eight weren't genuinely apologizing. They all know that if a fight breaks out, they will all die.
Because of my Dark Energy, they're convinced that I'm a Dark World Transcendent like them. In their eyes, as long as they appeased me, I would change my mind about killing them like the other two.
We're stronger than them so they had no choice but to grovel at the moment.
Either way, this is better.
They could lead us to the Portal Location by themselves.
"Who sent those natives to ambush us?"
Upon hearing my question, the eight darted their eyes onto each other.
Most likely, they decided it among themselves in a majority vote.
However, their eyes then rested on the two dead bodies next to them. They wanted to appease me and as luck would have it, there were two corpses they could now use as their scapegoat.
As expected, the leading Dark Wizard pointed at the two while maintaining his posture. "It's these two."
Maintaining my act, I sneaked a glance at the two corpses before raising an eyebrow to those behind him.
"Is that true?"
With my voice turning cold deep followed by subjecting them to my Transcendent Aura, they all shivered in response, "Y-yes!"
"Well then, dispose of those two corpses and follow me."
After giving that order, I lifted my foot and walked towards them. My five Companions followed after me while glaring at them. They aimed to be someone that would terrify these eight with just their gazes, however, Avelin was just too adorable even when making that kind of face.
So instead of letting her continue that, I pulled her to my side, with my arms circled around her waist.
Upon seeing that, even if there were women among them, they all gulped down as envy flashed on their faces.
Nonetheless, when we reached their position, even without me doing anything, the eight parted in two to let us pass.
"Be vigilant of them. They're buying my act but they're still thinking about jumping at us when we show weakness." As we continued down to the space the Dark Wizards made for themselves below this cathedral, I sent a telepathic message to the five.
And to answer that, they all replied in agreement.
As if owning the place, I used my Energy Senses to make my way to the place where an abundant amount of energy was contained.
The Energy Screens already broke earlier when Fleur and Avelin smashed the two on the ground making it easy for me to observe every nook and cranny of this underground space.
Surprisingly, the walls are polished and the corridors were properly lighted. Although not every room was being used, each of those unoccupied had the same function as the Special Absorption Room invented from the World of Meta.
Apart from these eight Transcendents, there were also the Mortal Ranks working here but they're all negligible.
Around two minutes of walking, we arrived before a tall iron door. Behind the door was the room filled with an unusual amount of Energy. If I'm not wrong then, that was the place they're raising the natives' UPL.
"What is behind this door?"
"That… That's the Baptismal Chamber." the leading Dark Wizard answered my query as he stepped forward to open the door for me.
"Baptismal Chamber? I see. This is how you made them Transcendents even if they still hadn't finished their Mortal Pathway. Is this the work of the Great One Onimbus?" As I casually listed my guesses as well as mentioning another Great One's name, their suspicion about my identity was lessening gradually.
I made a guess about this as something provided by the Great One after considering that their tribe was under him.
Judging from their reactions… I was right.
Confirming that, the leading Dark Wizard nodded his head, "Indeed. It's a temporary boost in one's UPL that can last for a week in exchange for…"
As his voice trailed, I followed his eyes that was directed at the interior of the room,
Inside, almost dried up natives were chained all around as if they're sacrifices to a ritual.
"... Life force," I said, completing his answer.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m