Chapter 154 - Absolute Dominance
"What should I do with you?"
As Wrath contemplated, Nathan's body throbbed violently.
He thought he was running toward salvation, that he would be saved by hiding in this room, or by some miracle he would once again survive.
But, in face of the terror before him, his fate was sealed.
"N-No... I can't die now..." He said, gulping the saliva that formed in his mouth.
Nathan's trembling hands gripped his blade and brought out the steel-plated weapon.
It had cracks all over and chinks could be noticed by the edges, yet... Nathan wielded it and took a fighting stance.
"What do you think you're doing?" Wrath asked, amused by Nathan's display.
"I-I... I'll survive somehow... I'll-"
Before he completed his thought, Wrath snapped his fingers, and the blade corroded in an instant, turning into dust.
Having nothing to hold, Nathan's shaky hands resumed their frightened dance as his eyes widened.
He could only see one thing awaiting him... Death!
His legs lost all strength and he fell to his knees.
With weary eyes, looking miserable and full of despair, Nathan faced the ground, not daring to even look upon Wrath's glory.
"T-This really is the end... If this was how it would end up... If I was going to die anyway... Why did I leave them to die? I-I... Nathan, you are... The worst piece of shit in the world!" He wailed weakly.
He had already pushed himself past his limits many times, there was no more strength left in him.
Falling on his face, Nathan collapsed from his knees and landed on the devastated ground.
"This one is beyond pathetic. Strange... I do not understand his language. Perhaps the humans have changed their tongue since I last met them." Wrath grimaced.
Or it could just be that the human who collapsed was just speaking gibberish, out of fear.
Considering the two, Wrath went with the latter.
"He was a worthless one anyway..." He concluded.
As for Nathan's life, Wrath felt he was harmless, plus it would be too demeaning for him to expend time and energy to deal with such a person who was already dead inside.
"Though I doubt it, Lord Hexarion may have plans for him... Since I do not know how far my master has planned, it's best to restrain from killing anyone who isn't a threat to my mission" Wrath reasoned.
"Admin Authority" Wrath declared.
In a moment, Wrath fixed up the doors leading to the Boss Room. He also added extra protection to prevent any further interference from anyone outside.
"I doubt they would be able to get in after all this. But if they do... They'll only be signing up for their destruction. After going through all this trouble... I won't forgive anyone who ventures within.
A makeshift throne appeared from the ground, designed using his [Admin Authority].
With the resolve of sticking to his master's words, Wrath sat on his throne and waited patiently for his Lord's return.
[Meanwhile]
The depths of nothingness swirling around me can be vividly felt, even to the littlest details.
Slowly, my self integrates with the fractions of Nether that fill up the massive space.
" This will take a while..."
It's a good thing I already foresaw this outcome and prepared a special message for Wrath to safeguard my assets.
It would be nice to see how they are all faring, but I can't interfere with 'that' world from here.
This world of Nether, all surging from the Nether Core within me, is beyond the bounds of Aspects and Concepts.
Here, time doesn't exist, space, life, law, energy, death... Nothing exists here.
"Isn't that my Aspect though?" I grinned.
This Nether element is similar to my Void for some reason, yet while mine is considered an Aspect, the Nether is a contradictory nonexistence.
The complex nature of this non-entity has pushed me to several eons of research.
"It's unfortunate I wasn't able to conclude it... Thanks to the betrayal of those idiots!"
My siblings interfered with the plan, and now I'm nearly at Ground Zero. But that's fine... In the end, I will win.
Once again, the Nether essence all around me seep within my none conceptual body.
"Everything... I'll be taking everything, till the last drop of Nether..."
Once that happens, I'll possess a fraction of the power I once possessed... Enough to face even the gods.
In due time... Oh wait, that doesn't exist here.
[Fifth Floor Boss Room]
"It's been 13 days since we woke up... Where is Hexarion?" Talia asked impatiently.
Of course, she didn't dare voice out this complaint of hers due to the presence of Wrath who sat on his throne and watched the three slaves without flinching.
While her lips didn't move, her thoughts were engaged in endless questions as she obsessively thought of Hexarion and where he could be.
Looking beside her, Talia saw Ana and Shamac, both staring emptily at the ceiling.
The two were mostly having the same thoughts as her, so Talia felt even more eager to know about the whereabouts of their master.
Of course, the only one who knew of this was Wrath... They just had to make him talk.
"Past... Shamac" Talia called out as low as she could go.
Rolling his eyes in response to her call, the hybrid slowly tilted his head and stared at her.
"What?" He mouthed, allowing no sound to leak from his mouth.
Talia's eyes beamed, glad he answered her call this time, after being ignored several times already.
"Let's ask him about Hexarion!" Talia mouthed, not daring to speak her master's name to the ears of the oppressor who watched them.
Shamac sighed with frustration. Despite several times of giving her his answer, she kept pestering him.
"For the last time... N. O. NO!"
Upon giving his reply, Shamac turned his body to avoid any further conversation with Talia.
"H-Hey!" She nearly protected, but quickly cautioned herself.
"Cheeky brat!" She grumbled.
Unknown to her, she was the one being cheeky and troublesome. Shamac had everyone's best interest at heart when he refused her request.
Talia turned to look at Ana, who hadn't budged in a long time. One would think she was dead if not for the occasional motion of her chest as air went on and out.
"Pssst... Ana" Talia whispered.
Ana ignored her.
Talia tried it again. The same response occurred.
After Talia's fifth attempt, Ana finally tilted her head to face the fairy.
Talia's beaming eyes, filled with expectation, fell instantly the moment she saw Ana's cold glare.
There was no need for words or any form of mouthing. Talia perfectly understood what Ana's expression translated to.
"Don't bother me!"
Finally taking the hint, she looked away from Talia and stared at the ceiling, sighing in frustration.
She felt frustrated and her entire body longed to reunite with her master.
"I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold it... I have to know..." She thought to herself, tightening her fist.
Shamac noticed Ana's sudden change of expression and gritted his teeth.
"Don't you dare try anything, Talia... Unless you want things to end up like last time..." His thoughts trailed, remembering how they regained consciousness, as well as their first time meeting Wrath.
[13 Days Ago]
"Urhhh... W-What happened..." Talia mumbled as she woke up.
Her vision was still blurry and a low hum rang within her eardrums as she pushed herself up from her sleeping state.
She slowly regained consciousness and took in the sight around her.
"Where... Where am I?" She said, barely able to connect the perfectly organized structure she was looking at with the devastated Boss Room she last witnessed.
"Ahhhhh...."
"Huuuuu...."
Talia heard similar sounds beside her as her two partners were also roused from sleep.
"This is... " Shamac muttered, recognizing the structure to be the 5th Floor Boss Room, but entirely repaired.
"How..." His thought trailed.
"M-My hands... They're back... H-How..." Ana stuttered, emotionally looking at both lost limbs with surprise.
She wasn't sure why, or how... But her hands were both restored.
As the three slaves were absorbed in the different surprises they noticed, a voice suddenly sounded which made their bodies jump.
"You've finally regained consciousness... About time"
Shamac, Ana, and Talia looked in the direction of the sound and found the being who spoke seated on a throne made with shiny stone.
"Who the hell is that?" Talia thought to herself.
"This guy... I couldn't even sense his presence... I still can't. It's like he's here, and not here..." Shamac said, a bead of sweat dripping from his forehead in nervousness.
"He's almost identical to Lord Hexarion... I can't tell what manner of being he is..." Ana thought to herself.
As the three slaves stared apprehensively at him, Wrath slowly stood from his throne and looked at them condescendingly.
"My name is Wrath, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Lord's Hexarion's Generals."
The sound of his voice made their bodies rattle. Clearly, he was asserting his dominance.
"You will be in my care until the master returns. Be quiet and rest while we await his coming. Failure to comply.... Will result in punishment!"