Great One Onimbus's Pathway involved him assimilating System-type properties. This method that he made was born from that.
But there's a more direct comparison I could think of to how this worked.
It was similar to the method the Orc Shaman used back in the Ancient Ruins. That Skill from their book. The Transference of Life Force of the Ruin Dwellers to forcefully induce growth for the young Orcs.
However, here, this method that Onimbus created was using the other natives' Life Force as a fuel to increase one's stats. They weren't squeezed in one use like that Totem-enhanced Skill of the Orc Shaman.
On how many times they could be used to raise someone's UPL, it depends on the natives' strength. If it's a Rank 5 Mortal then around 5 times before one was squeezed to death. Moreover, they needed three bodies to squeeze Life Force from for the method to work.
Naturally, the natives they're using as fuel for the religious order's members were captives from the opposing Magical Kingdom.
It's like they're becoming Nutrition Packs for these zealots.
What I couldn't seem to understand was that it was expiring in one week or just the fact that the stats they transferred was expiring…
This method wasn't like my Support Bonus. Support Bonus was somewhat permanent after all. The Supported Individual would only be removed from it if he or she betrayed me.
On the other hand, the up to 50% Support Bonus that a listed Ally could get from me wouldn't allow them to call for their Door of Transcendence even if the bonus stats let them reach the 100 UPL threshold.
It was understood that the Ally System wasn't a permanent stat boost.
And now, what they did here was giving them a temporary boost that's suspiciously allowing them to call for their Door of Transcendence.
That sounded illogical if I consider how one could become a Transcendent.
Temporary boosts like that shouldn't be able to allow someone to call for the Door of Transcendence.
There should be a catch with that method.
Will my Adaptability give me a clue about? If it's like any other item, I only needed to touch it to understand it.
Either way, confirming it has to wait.
"You guys have it easy here. You don't need to move yourself. The denizens themselves kill each other for you."
"Y-yes. We got lucky at that point. As soon as the first batch got in contact with them, they all piously served them and provided them with everything. They only needed to show their Source Energy and they would all go down on their knees."
"But why haven't you conquered this world yet? The other Kingdom was already destroyed, what are you waiting for?"
"The Helper is still around. None of us can defeat him. If we manage to entrap and surround him, he has his own method to swiftly run away. That's why…"
I see. Hiroda's doing good. However, he's still outnumbered. Well, now that we're here, his job will lighten.
"So you're afraid to go out in fear of being picked off by him? Talk about incompetent Is he a Rank 2 Transcendent?"
"… No."
At this point, I sighed in disappointment and turned around from the opened door to continue walking.
With those comments of mine, it didn't escape my notice how they all gritted their teeth and clasped their fist to real in their anger from being called incompetent.
There's time to check that method Onimbus created later. Even if it costs Life Force to use, we could just catch our enemies to become its fuel… Just like what they're doing here.
But before going back here to take this, I had to clean this world of these Dark World Transcendent first and close that Portal.
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After taking a tour inside their underground dwelling and intimidating them with my comments and show of force which they all reluctantly swallowed, I had the eight Transcendents guide us to the Portal Location.
They tried to leave one or two Transcendents here but I forced all of them to come with us.
Faced with our strength, they could only bow down.
On the way, I told them that we were only passing by. Because the Portal was closed in the previous world we came from, we're going to use their Portal to go back to the Dark World.
As for the reason why we're going back, it is to let the girls with me switch their Source Energy to us.
Of course, I made a story of how I picked them up in their world.
My made-up story was all points suspicious. However, they had no choice but to suck it up. Unless they wanted to be killed before arriving at the Portal Location that should be currently protected, that's all they could do.
When I asked them why there was no Rank 2 Transcendent who descended here, their reason for it was as expected. They also assessed that there's no need for a stronger Transcendent when the Kingdom was already under their control.
That's a good call on their part there. It would be easy to take care of them.
Nonetheless, I wouldn't erase the possibility that these eight were lying to me. Furthermore, there's also a possibility that they're already setting up an ambush right at the Portal Location.
Well, I would be thoroughly disappointed if they don't. After all this, if they didn't put up a fight then… they're worse than the natives who ambushed us.
At the moment, we're already far away from the Magical Kingdom after passing about three mountain peaks and two rivers.
In a place filled with native beasts whose strength only ranged about Rank 3 to Rank 4 Mortals, a huge Concealment Formation was erected keeping them from approaching the Portal Location
With my Energy Senses always active, the Defensive Formations they put up failed to escape my notice. Their subordinates were already waiting for us.
Moreover, apart from the eight with us, I detected two more Rank 1 Transcendents vigilantly watching our arrival.
They're among the Mortal Ranks, hiding behind the Formation with their Energy Tools in hand. Perhaps, ready to activate their Skills as soon as we entered their range.
They're the ones stationed to guard this Portal.
It's just a guess but one of these eight with us probably relayed the news of our appearance. And if they're smart enough, they should have a plan to deal with us inside.
Well, that's still up to them whether to go through with that or not.
Unbeknownst to them, under my overwhelming Energy Control that further heightened my senses, they're like playing hide and seek but their chosen hiding spot was under the light where they could clearly be seen.
"There's two more inside. If they resolved themselves to attack us, Fleur, I'll leave those two to you. Zerina, the Formations are for you to destroy. Avelin, Dannae and Leianne, these eight are for us. That's the first scenario. However, if we successfully landed and located the Portal… I will be activating the Orb of Ailment. wait until it took effect to move. Either way, they're going to die today." I sent another telepathic message, instructing the five women.
Truthfully, even without my instruction, these five could move by themselves. It's a simple objective after all and there's no threat among them even if they put us under a Formation that I could easily break.
Although the five appeared empty-handed at this moment, a single thought and their weapon would be pulled out from their Necklaces.
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As I acted completely oblivious about their vigilance about us, we soon passed by their Concealment Formation, entering the Portal Location which revealed a Fortress they built to protect the Portal.
From the depths of that Fortress, my Energy Senses instantly picked up the thick Dark Energy it was currently spewing out.
As soon as our feet touched the ground, I sensed no movements from everyone eyeing us from their supposedly hidden locations.
They're cautious, huh?
Since they probably resolved themselves to let us pass the Portal instead of retaliating, I had no choice but to open up the conflict instead.
"Hey, are you sure you're not going to make a move? We're in your territory now. We're also under your Restricting Formation… Why not try us?"
Upon hearing my words, the eight Transcendents whose backs were turned to us simultaneously flinched. Soon afterward, their Dark Energy exploded followed by their Transcendent Aura and Domain Skill.
Nonetheless, before they could even turn around, the purple Aura of Ailment has long covered their bodies…
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