Villain: I transmigrated with Mind Control Powers

Before the fight could commence, Aric shifted his attention to the ring on Jarod's finger—the one that housed the soul of Ryan Chen. The faint glow of the ring drew Aric's gaze, and a cunning idea formed in his mind. With a slight smirk, he addressed the spirit within the ring.

"Master Ryan Chen," Aric said, his tone laced with false respect, "I must thank you for your assistance in revealing Jarod's location. Without your guidance, this might have been far more difficult."

At the mention of his master's betrayal, Jarod's expression contorted into a twisted mix of shock, disbelief, and burning rage. However, he already had a lot of doubts about his master loyalty. But hearing these world still hurt him. The last bit of trust he had for his master was lost.

The weight of this betrayal was unbearable, and it ignited a fire within him, a fire that quickly burned away the last remnants of loyalty and respect he had once held for his master.

"You... traitorous old ghost!" Jarod spat, his voice shaking with fury and disbelief. "You would sell out your own disciple to this snake? You're nothing but a coward, clinging to your useless pride and meaningless principles!"

The chamber trembled as Jarod's fury reached its peak. His aura flared uncontrollably, the very air around him crackling with violent energy. His hands trembled, not from fear, but from the sheer intensity of his emotions. He had been betrayed by the one person he had trusted the most, and the betrayal cut deeper than any blade could.

"You were never worthy of being my master!" Jarod roared, his voice echoing through the vast chamber, filled with the raw pain of a bond broken beyond repair. His hand, shaking with anger, reached for the ring that housed his master's spirit. With a snarl of contempt, he ripped the ring from his finger and hurled it to the ground with all his might.

The sound of the ring clattering against the cold stone floor reverberated through the chamber, a harsh reminder of the shattered bond between master and disciple.

Aric watched the scene unfold with a calculating gaze, his eyes gleaming with the light of opportunity. He bent down slowly, deliberately, to pick up the ring, savoring the moment of Jarod's despair. The ring felt cold in his hand, but to Aric, it was a tool—a tool to further his own ambitions.

From within the ring, Ryan Chen's voice echoed faintly, filled with sorrow and anger. "Jarod... you have truly lost your way. You've dishonored our bond as master and disciple. I can no longer stand by you."

Jarod's face twisted into a snarl of pure hatred. "Good riddance!" he snarled, his aura flaring violently as his rage consumed him. "I never needed you, you useless, decrepit ghost! You were always holding me back, forcing me to follow your outdated teachings and pathetic ideals!"

Aric's mind raced, sensing the growing rift between the former master and disciple. He could see Jarod's hatred festering, turning him into something even darker, something more desperate. It was the perfect moment to exploit. Leaning closer to the ring, Aric spoke in a smooth, persuasive tone, dripping with false sympathy.

"Master Ryan, you deserve better than this. Look at how far your disciple has fallen. Join me, and I will help you rebuild your body. Together, we can achieve greatness far beyond what you ever imagined."

The chamber fell into a tense silence as Ryan Chen's spirit hesitated. The pain of betrayal was evident in his voice, but so too was the temptation. The prospect of regaining a physical form, of once again walking the earth with power and authority, was too enticing to ignore. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke, his voice heavy with resignation.

"Very well, Aric. I accept your offer. This disciple of mine has lost all sense of respect. I will aid you."

Jarod's eyes blazed with an even greater fury as he heard Ryan Chen's words. "Aid him? You're nothing more than a desperate soul, clinging to life like a parasite!" he spat, his voice venomous. "You were always a failure as a master, and now you've proven yourself a failure as a man.

You preach about honor, loyalty, and the sacred bond between master and disciple, but you've thrown it all away for your own selfish gain!"

Ryan's spirit trembled within the ring, his voice filled with sorrow. "Jarod, I tried to guide you on the right path. You were my pride, my hope for the future. But you've become consumed by your own ambition, blinded by power. The man standing before me is not the disciple I once knew."

"The disciple you knew?" Jarod scoffed, his laughter cold and bitter. "The disciple you knew was a fool, following the orders of a decrepit old man who was too weak to hold onto his own power! You were always afraid of the strong, always hiding behind your so-called principles. I see now that you were never worthy of being called my master!"

The ring shook in Aric's hand as Ryan Chen's anger began to rise. "You have no idea what it means to be a master, Jarod. You have betrayed everything I tried to teach you. The bond between master and disciple is sacred, built on trust, respect, and mutual growth. But you have torn that bond apart with your own hands!"

Jarod's face twisted with a sneer. "Sacred? It's nothing but chains, holding me back from my true potential! I've surpassed you in every way, and I will continue to rise, while you wither away in that ring, forgotten and alone!"

Aric's eyes flicked between Jarod and the ring, a dark smile playing on his lips. The hatred between master and disciple had reached a point of no return, and he was more than ready to capitalize on it. His voice was calm, almost soothing, as he spoke to Ryan Chen. "You don't need to waste your words on him, Master Ryan. He has made his choice, and it is one of betrayal.

But I offer you a new path, one where your knowledge and power will be respected, not thrown away."

Ryan Chen's spirit seemed to shudder with emotion. "Aric... you are right. Jarod has chosen his path, and it is one of darkness. I will join you, and together we will ensure that his betrayal does not go unpunished."

As Aric felt the spirit within the ring begin to align with him, he struck. Without warning, he activated his Soul Devouring Technique, his aura expanding as it enveloped Ryan Chen's spirit. The chamber darkened as the sinister energy of the technique filled the air, a palpable force of hunger and domination.

Ryan Chen's voice turned from sorrow to horror as he realized what was happening. "You... you treacherous snake!" he screamed, his spirit writhing in the grip of Aric's technique. "You dare to devour me after I've agreed to help you?"

Aric's voice was cold, devoid of any compassion. "You betrayed your own disciple. Did you really think I wouldn't betray you?"

Ryan Chen's spirit fought back with all the strength he had left, sending waves of spiritual energy crashing against Aric's technique. The chamber was filled with the howling winds of their clash, the very walls groaning under the pressure of the two forces colliding.

"Aric, you will regret this!" Ryan's voice echoed through the chamber, filled with rage and desperation. His spiritual energy surged, momentarily pushing back against Aric's devouring force.

Aric gritted his teeth as he felt the backlash of Ryan's energy, but his resolve was unshakable. He poured more of his own power into the technique, the dark aura around him intensifying, wrapping tighter and tighter around Ryan's essence.

"You're already mine, Ryan Chen," Aric growled, his voice dripping with finality. "Your spirit is strong, but it is nothing compared to the power I now wield. You've been weakened by your own emotions, by your hesitation. And that is why you will fall."

Ryan's spiritual energy flared in a final, desperate attack. Spiritual flames erupted around him, scorching the air as he tried to break free from Aric's grasp. The flames licked at the walls of the chamber, casting eerie shadows as the battle of souls reached its climax.

Aric grimaced as the flames burned around him, but he did not waver. He could feel the desperation in Ryan's attacks, the fear and anger that drove him. But it was not enough. Aric's technique was relentless, its dark tendrils seizing Ryan's spirit and pulling him deeper into its grasp.

Ryan's flames flickered and began to die out as his strength waned. The once-proud master's resistance weakened with every passing moment, until finally, with a pained cry, his spirit was completely devoured.

A surge of power coursed through Aric's body as Ryan Chen's essence became his. The knowledge, the strength, the memories—all of it flooded into Aric, making him more powerful than ever before. He could feel the remnants of Ryan's spirit, the echoes of his power, now a part of him.

But Aric did not waste time basking in his victory. There was still one last task to complete.