Easy.

Far too easy.

I thrust out my palm as per my instinct's guidance and I shredded through three goblins with dark flaming spears. [Night Javelin]. Similar to the ability that master once had.

The Hobgoblin is the only one left. Like Nilin earlier, he is flapping his mouth without any sounds.

A single step forward of my part seems to have trigger something within him.

"Impossible. Impossible. Impossible." He mutters repeatedly.

What's so impossible?

"This wasn't what I was promised. Was I tricked?"

Promised? Tricked? By who?

"It's a lie. It's all a lie. It's absurd that I would meet my end here. After coming this far.... After manipulating those stupid goblins...."

Aren't you a goblin yourself? An Oni, an Orc, and even a Hobgoblin is still considered a goblin, you know?

"No. No. No. This is absurd. I refuse to die here. I am meant for greatness. I am not like the other pathetic goblins. I am special!!! The voice said so....!"

I see. Like me, a goblin who walks a different path but his complex is too much. But what voice are you talking about?

Kill.

Feed.

They are nothing.

Speaking of voices, the dark voice invaded my mind again. It's not just a memory but an invasion in of my will. With reluctance that only fades immediately, my will is bent to the voice. I follow what the voice wants. To kill and feed.

Black flames gather in my palm and forms into a saber.

[Rageblade]. These blades are just like the ones master used although these are made of black flames and they shaped differently.

The Hobgoblin sees the black flaming blade in my hand. He panics and keeps clicking his fingers.

"No! No! No! Has it not been half a day yet?"

Whatever magic he's trying to use, it seems he can only use it once every half a day. My fortune is smiling at me.

Kill. Feed.

Planting my feet until I make a crack on the floor, I launch myself towards the Hobgoblin. He took out something from his pouch but whatever is it, it's far too late. My blade has reached and pierce through his heart.

Kill. Feed.

His grips loosened and a red glowing gem fell from his hand. The gem only glow more intensely even after it was let go.

My instinct screamed.

Too slow. Before I can create distance from the gem, the light expanded, an extreme shock wave follows after. It's an explosive gem.

To my amazement, I wasn't blown away.

The explosion threw the Hobgoblin away but not me. [Exalted Skin] has absorbed the impact and force, saving me from the explosion and prevented me from being blown away.

Impressive ability.

Now. Feed.

Yes. I will.

"Tommy?"

"Tommy is being weird."

As I was about to follow the voice's instructions, my action are stopped by some known voices as resounded to my conscience. Those voice freed me from the dark voice's shackles.

I turn and see Bartholomew and Cormac. Their faces said worry. When Citra saw my state, she cowers behind the two.

Why? Was I that scary?

Kill. Feed.

What? No! They're my friends.

Kill! Feed!

No! They are my friends.

Despite my rejection, I find my own body moving and approaching the two. What is this? Is this some curse?

Feed.

No! Stop! They are my friends.

Feed!

Before the conflict in my mind escalated, another situation escalated in its place. Or rather, an unexpected shift of event happened.

The Hobgoblin survived the explosion and a blade through its heart. Among the smoke, I can see his clear figure outline but something else also caught my attention.

Purple ropes are coiling around him. When the smoke cleared, I see the dark purplish veins have spread and taken over him. The purple rope-like aura seems to be byproducts of the veins.

"Absurd! Absurd! I refuse to accept this! I will thrive! I wil #$*&%&^" slowly, his words became incomprehensible.

What's happening to him?

At such thoughts, these texts appeared.

Hobgoblin

Status: Enthralled (Aedrox)

Overall Power Ranking: C

That was all I could see. It's abilities are labeled as "Analysis Impossible"

Aedrox.... The Void Demon that master talked about? The one who killed our friends? How is this happening? Did his despair triggered something?

The arm which the Hobgoblin lost in the explosion is replaced by a blade made from his own flesh. Spikes protruded all over its body.

I am then overwhelmed by a sense of dread. Is this what master felt during his fight with Aedrox?

Dark purplish energy converged onto his blade-arm.

My instincts screamed again.

Not good.

"Bartholomew! Cormac! Take Citra and Nilin and get out here now!"

Without any response, they obeyed and dashed back to where they came from. Let's hope they can get out of here before the escalation exceeds the amount this temple could withstand.

"Ngaaaaah!!" The Hobgoblin screeched in a voice unlike of a goblin. He swing his blade-arm and unleashes a wave of dark energy at me.

A barrier of black flames surrounds me and defended me against the assaulting dark energy.

[Dark Shroud]

As soon as the barrier dissipates, the Hobgoblin has leaped into the air. Dark energy already converging at his blade-arm again.

Mana distribution was not an easy act but it's all thanks to master's memories that I was able to grasp the concept immediately. The black flames burn especially fierce on the both of my hands as I distributed most of my Mana into my hands. I catch the blade-arm with my left hand. I feel the full brunt being transmitted into my left arm but nothing broke. Good. It work. I can breath a sigh of relief but not before I thrust my right hand at the shocked Hobgoblin.

The space rippled between us and the Hobgoblin went tumbling away.

I look at my hands which have made physical contact with the Hobgoblin. Mild bruises and wounds on my palms. I have suffered some damage. I have thought I would be the one harming him with my blazing aura but the dark energy had harmed me instead. I have to be more careful of it.

With a swing, he cleared the dust that covered his tumbles.

He begin saying something but at this point, the corruption has robbed him of his capability for speech. And I can only feel the corruption growing stronger.

In fact, right now, in front of my eyes, the Hobgoblin is turning. His size grew. His other arm grew into claws. His skin melted away, revealing the blackened bones and organs underneath. It screeched and I can clearly see his lungs trembling with it.

That is disturbing to watch.

Dark energy gathers in his blade-arm again.

I can feel the energy this time is stronger than the previous attack's. [Dark Shroud] won't be an option now.

When he swung, I expect a converged energy that rushes in a straight line but instead, the energy attack spreads in clusters.

Due to the energy density being spread, [Dark Shroud] was able to block it but the other shots destroy the supports of this temple.

Not good. Master is still down below. If this temple collapse, master will be trapped. However, the winds of fortune blew my way as the supports stood in their place.

I heave a sigh of relief. Now, how do I kill this abomination in front of me?

Before I arrived at an answer, the floor behind the transformed Hobgoblin exploded.

From the newly created hole, something flew out of it.

A girl with black and white hair. An incredibly beautiful girl. Cold red eyes that could kill with just its stare.

She's an angel. An angel with black and white wings.

When I tried to appraise her, I only get this; [Analysis Blocked]. An appraisal block spell is in effect. From this alone, I judge that she is no small fry.

Just beside her, master is standing on a blurred space foothold in the air.

"Whew. We made it, Angie."

I see the angel's brow twitched. "Don't call me that."

"Well, you refused to give me your name. What do you expect?"

"Tsk. Do whatever you like."

Master sighs "Great. Another himedere."

Among all the shared knowledge, I don't think the word "himedere" is included. I'll ask master about it later.

The angel then noticed the disfigured and transformed Hobgoblin. "What in the heavens is that?" The angel asked.

"HaRBinGeR!" The transformed Hobgoblin shouted. "FoUNd yOU!!"

Master raised an eyebrow "Aedrox?"

"That's really Aedrox?" I asked.

Master narrows his eyes after my question. "No?" He said.

[It's just a mere fragment of the main conscience before it met master.] Kai told us.

[Well then, let's hope it doesn't transmit our location to the main body.]

[Individual souls of a single consensus. The individuals itself is comprise of individuals. Ironic. It is possible and highly at that, the fragments can transmit their memories to the main body.]

[Well shit.]

"Who's Aedrox?" The angel asked with an impatient glare at master.

"I'll tell you later. First, let's deal with this thing." Master draws a line in the air with his index and middle finger. At the same time, this text appears. [Sever]

The space misaligned. The former Hobgoblin who has turned into something unrecognizable as a goblin, is decapitated.

"Space Magic?" The angel is surprised. Yeah, you should be. Master is absurd in a lot of ways.

"Spatial magic actually."

"Heh~!" The angel's jaw dropped.

"Woah, there. You capable of such expressions?"

"And what makes you think I can't?" The angel's eyes narrowed.

"Um.... I don't even know where to start."

The angel scowled at master.

While master and the angel banter pointlessly, the headless monster of a former Hobgoblin swings its blade-arm. I was about to shout out words of caution but master seemed to have knew it wasn't dead yet. With unusual aloof eyes, master raises his hand. The space in front of his palm blurred and the blade-arm hit something solid. I see glass-like cracks appearing on the space.

"Tom, my good man, will you do the honors?" Master said.

Although I understood nothing from master's words but his intent is transmitted to me. How convenient for the incomprehensible master.

[Oh~? So that's how you see me?]

Crap! My thoughts leaked out!

Never mind that. Concentrate on what's ahead first.

I thrust out my palm. The converged black flames in my palm shot out like a canon. [Aura Strike]. The javelin-like aura didn't just make a hole befitting of its size but a huge cavity on the Hobgoblin's body, wide enough to fit a small person.

[Persistent.] Kai spoke.

[What's wrong?] I asked.

[It ain't dead yet.] Master answered.

What? That didn't kill it?

Master is right. The monster got up again and begin repairing its wounds. It got bigger as it heals.

"HARbinGEr!!!!" It screeched.

And it gets bigger and bigger until it exceeded the temple's height. That's when the whole temple started coming down. A piece of the roof almost hit master but it broke into pieces when it hits an invisible wall around master.

"Where are the others?" Master shouted.

"I asked them to run. They probably a fair distance away by now."

Master sighs in relief. "Ha. Good."

Before I could realize what was going on, master has teleported in front of me. He has the angel in his grasp by her wrist. The angel has a disgust look on her face but she also looks conflicted. I wanted to ask what master is doing but he grabbed me by my shoulders and teleported again.

And we are outside of temple.

That was fast. Although everything happened so fast, I caught a glimpse of this text. [Spatial Leap].

The Angel was slow. As in she was still unable to grasp the reality of master's speed.

Master let go of my shoulder.

"Eh?" I blurted out when I feel nothing but wind below my feet. I'm not wearing any boots by the way. "Aaaaaaah! Master!!!!" I screamed as I'm left falling from at least fifty meters in the air straight to the ground.

My drop raised a cloud of dust as I hit the ground.

"O...ouch.... It.... h..hur... doesn't hurts.... huh?" I don't feel any pain from the drop. In fact, I'm not cover in wounds or bruises.

[Thomas. You are an Oni now. Remember that. Your body may not be as sturdy as before but your magic is more potent now. Your magic protects you. A short drop like this cannot bring any harm to you.]

Explains Kai.

As I ponder about the extend of my abilities, the tremors brought my attention back to the concurrent reality. Finally, the dome of a temple is no more. The growing size of the monster has destroyed it.

"Ngeh~!"

"Big. Very Big!"

"Ssss~Nya~!"

From a distance, the trio commented. The two had retreated quite some distance away from the temple. Thank the stars. For some reasons, Citra is crying in a sound I find it hard to believe it came from a snake-like creature. Nilin is still hibernating in her Wisp form and Bartholomew is carrying her in his hands.

Master also notice the four's presence. Master sighs again but with a wry smile this time. "Now, I need not worry about them. You too, Tom. Get to a safe distance."

"No." I declined, firmly. "I can help."

"You sure?" Master raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"A'ight~ Suit yourself." Master said.

Huh? Master is usually more strict. Is it because I'm stronger now?

"Oi, beast. Do something?" The angel asked as she pointed at the mutating Hobgoblin.

"I assume you have a death curse to keep you from using decent speeches?"

"I don't know you and you don't know me. As far as I know, you're just a beast who has the fortune of having a degree of intelligence. I don't think that warrants any respect from me."

"Ah.... I see." Master said with a face that said "Can't be helped".

Master is acting all easy-going for some reasons. He has been smiling all this time.

While they threw insults at each other, the monster have grown to twice the size of the temple. It has taken the surrounding buildings and pieces of land as replacement body parts. Multiple tendrils grew all over its deformed and now limbless body. It sends three tendrils at master and the angel but the tendrils hit an invisible wall again.

More tendrils came but all of them met an impasse.

Master splays his hand out. A huge amount of Mana surged within him. The word [Fracture] appears beside Master.

The monster unleashes a deafening cry as it cracks along with the occupied space, turning the whole forty meters tall monster into chunks. The cracks even rippled the surrounding space.

Silent ensues as the flesh bits fell like rain.

The angel broke the silence with an ambiguous question. "Seriously, what are you?"

Master's smile dropped. "That's something I would like to find out too."

"You really don't remember anything?"

"Did you not believe me?"

Curtly, the angel offers master a smile. "Now I do."

[Thomas, incoming!] Kai screamed.

Apparently I have been focusing on master and the angel's conversation too much that I neglected what's in front of me. Per Kai's warning, I turn back and see multiple tendrils coming at me. I destroy them with two [Rageblade] that I conjured up in less than one second. Good. I'm getting a firmer grasp of my powers.

[Tch! It didn't die from that.] Master said. "Angie, can you be useful now?"

"My name is not Angie and yes, I can be useful. Just watch." She said and multiple spheres of smoky gray aura appear around her.

[Blight Barrage]

The spheres turn into beams and fire at the regenerating monster. It interrupted its regeneration but only for a brief moment. It has begun regenerating again.

When I appraise the monster again, the different result shocks me.

Unknown

Status: Enthralled (Aedrox) (Dominated)

Overall Power Ranking: B

It has become an unknown species and it has gained an additional disagreeable status and B....? Its ranking has turn into B..... This is bad.

[Master! Kai! It is a B rank monster.]

[We know!] Master reply as he destroys five incoming tendrils with [Sever].

"Beast! What is this thing? Not even an advanced-class spell can hurt it."

"Well technically you did hurt it but it just didn't matter to his absurd regeneration speed. Can't you tell the difference?"

"Save your jest for later. Tell me, what is that thing?"

Master tilts his head with his arm crossed. "I don't know what it's call but I call it a Void Demon. Well, this one is most likely a fragment of the individual name Aedrox."

"V...void? The Void Legion?"

"Void Legion?"

"Devils born of the void. That's how the peoples of my era describe them. They are the reason of our downfall. The doom of the whole world."

"I see...." Master responded such.

A tendril larger than the ones before came attacking me as I was listening on master. When I realized it, the gigantic had already crept up to me, looming over me. The next second, I'm meters away from where I was standing where the large tendril has smashed into.

"For fuck's sake, be mindful of your surroundings would you?" Master said. He's beside me. I'm certain master used [Spatial Leap] to save me.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"You alright?"

I nodded.

"Oi, you two! Comfort each other later." The angel shouted as she assaulted the monster with more [Blight Barrage] and the monster responded by sending more tendrils at her.

"Eyes. Forward. Alright?" Master talk to me like an infant and space leap back to the angel's side. That's a part of master I don't like.

.....

Good. My thoughts didn't leak out this time.

"Ngaaaaah!!!!!" The screeching reach my ears. From its body that had loose its humanoid shape, dozens of feelers grew out from it. They are tendrils but smaller. These feelers then detach themselves from the body. They drop to the ground and become piles of goo.

From what appraisal told me, these detached feelers are Offshoots of the Enthralled. Fragments of fragments.

[Tom, careful down there.]

[Got it.] I replied.

These piles of goo begin taking the shape of deformed beasts.

Kill. Feed.

Crap. Not again. Not now. Not now!

[Tom, you alright?] Master asked.

[Y...yeah....]

[.... Okay. Just focus on those offshoots. Make sure none of it slip past you. They might go for Cormac and the other for all we know. I will handle the main body. Got it?]

I nodded.

[Alright.] Master smashes his fist together. "Let's do this." Master said with some depths to his voice.

And so, the battle with the overgrown enthralled deformed Hobgoblin went like this. Master and the angel fend off the assaulting tendrils while occasionally exchanging insults. As for me, I am responsible for every offshoots it send towards my way.

[This is endless. Kai, any ideas?]

[Working on one. Keep it busy for now.]

[Got it.] Master said.

With [Rageblade] in both of my hands, I slice and dice through the offshoots. I wasn't skilled in the art of blades but master is. I have inherited a portion of master's knowledge in the art of blades. That said, it was only a portion not the whole thing. Therefore, my form is sloppy and full of holes. Furthermore....

Kill. Feed.

The dark voice surfaced into my mind again. I came to realize that the voice and memories of the Red Ogre surfaced whenever I use my powers. It is the trigger to the darkness hidden in this extraordinary power.

But why is it residing in this power? Did master gave it to me knowingly?

No. Not possible. Master might have just made a mistake. Master maybe a God to me but per the words of my kin, not even Gods are almighty. I agree. Otherwise, why would there be imperfections like us monsters in this world? Even Gods made mistakes.

I find myself fighting two opposing forces. The offshoots and the dark voice in my head.

Kill. Feed. They are nothing.

These words went on a loop. I was coping with it at first but it finally hooked my nerves at a certain point. Just for that instance, the offshoots took advantage of it. It dug a chunk of flesh off my shoulders when my guard loosened.

[Thomas, status!] Kai demanded with a shout.

[I'm fine. You need not worry. This is nothing compare to what master been through.] I gave my honest-to-god thought.

When I look at my wound, I don't find blood oozing but instead, black flames leaks out from my shoulder where it's missing a chunk of flesh. A magic of assimilation into a form beyond mere flesh and blood. Those words echoed in my mind. So that's what it meant. Strangely, I feel pain but not as intense as I expected. This is convenient.

While I was in awe with my power, three offshoots attacked. Claws erupted from the ground like pillars of black flames. [Arch Spike]. It skewers them with pin-point accuracy.

My Mana dropped harshly but in just seconds, it recovered. High Mana consumption but my Mana recovery rate is also high. I think master mentioned how absurd my the amount of Mana I have is. Heh~. Just wait until master realizes my how absurd my Mana recovery rate is too.

Despite how easily I dispatched the offshoots, they keep on coming. As long as the main body stands, the offshoots are endless.

Kill. Feed.

Curses! Not now! Please.... just stay down....

I implore the twisted will within me.

[Tom! Are you sure you're fine? I'm sensing a lot of irregularities in your Mana flow.]

[It's nothing master needs to worry about.]

[Are you sure?]

[I'm fine.]

I'm not. The Red Ogre's thirst for blood is affecting me but master already has his hands full. I can't afford to be a hindrance.

[Incoming!] Kai warned.

The large tendril becomes my shade from the already dimmed light as it looms over me.

Master leaped through space to my side. He grabs hold of my wrist and leap through space again but I wasn't taken along. It's not that master left me but I resisted his teleport for some reasons.

Kill.

Feed.

The dark voice has impaired my movements. I can tell that it know I wouldn't submit to its will so it went for alternative method.

"Tom! Look out!"

Master shouted but I didn't move. The tendril smashes down at me.

And everything went black after.

Now, kill.