In any case, Kazolix hadn’t remained here just so that he could watch the show and reminisce about the past. For a long time now he had been collecting powerful slaves to aid his cause in becoming the ruler of the entire Sea world, and Bilibu was only 1 of those people.

His plan for them was simple but when others heard about it they always seemed to think he was either joking or insane. Well, not exactly ‘insane’, people here didn’t quite know what that was yet, but they definitely thought there was something wrong with his intelligence.

He didn’t blame them, after all, those young things had little knowledge of what true power looked like. When he told them he was planning to raise Kaiser’s as slaves, he was never surprised each time they reacted the same way. Laughing in his face as if he was some kind of joke.

Well, whatever. They were either dead now or part of the project. Nobody was laughing anymore.

He had come over here because he was interested in what could make his subordinate so rowdy, it wasn’t every say that you heard that a Sea Emperor was moving out with his entire army. He had had his own guesses on the matter but on a whim he had decided to see what was going on in person instead of asking telepathically using their bond. His smooth cultivation had put him in a good mood.

It was certainly interesting to hear that all of this had been to merely kill 1 person who was only just reaching the 4th Realm, but it was a very, very pleasant surprise to see that the target was the famed Zuko and that he was undergoing evolution. When Zuko had merely been known as the strongest Sea King in this area of the Sea, it had caught his attention but it hadn’t been enough to move him.

After all, until he was the undisputed strongest lifeform in the Sea, it was better to do things undercover, and for that purpose he had been avoiding entering the public eye unless it was too interesting to miss out on or very necessary. Going out to hunt Zuko would certainly catch attention, and unlike if a big event was to happen in his own territory, doing something here would be seen by many people.

Moreover, he had never seen the Centipede for himself before so he hadn’t put a lot of weight on what these weaklings called the ‘strongest’, but now he couldn’t help but think that he had been too arrogant.

The Laws of the Moon. Who could have seen it!

‘This Zuko… I must have him!’ Kazolix’s eyes shone brightly as he began to employ one of his favourite techniques. The very technique that had turned Bilibu and others like him into his eternal slaves.

It had a few requirements, with 1 of them being that they shouldn’t be in a state where they could resist much, but he would be having zero problem with that. Zuko was already badly damaged, others might be blinded by the ambient energy but he had had centuries to hone his Spirit Sense.

He could see just how ravaged Zuko was, even if he was quickly healing, but that would not be meaning anything in front of him. But just for insurance, he also launched a powerful Soul attack on the side.

…

Just as Zuko had been thinking of making every lifeform in the Sea sing praises to the Moon, he noticed a flash in the distance that caught his attention. However before he could even react something slammed into his head that instantly gave him a horrifying headache.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

‘What?!’ Zuko was shocked, and blind. His Spirit Sense immediately retreated as he lost control of it, and he was too dizzy to take in what he was seeing with his eyes.

‘This… pain! Just.. like the… Tribulation?! How!’ Zuko’s confidence cracked when confronted by the familiar pain that had almost ruined him. Although the difference in potency was almost as distinct as day and night, it was more than enough to spook him.

All of a sudden a sense of doom gripped him and his instincts went haywire, warning him of imminent fatal danger.

He wanted to flee but once again he was assaulted by that terrible pain, rendering him helpless.

=Truly impressive. You managed to take 2 of my attacks? There were none like you in the past, and you can be proud of that when you join my side. But your resistance ends here, goodnight~= A dark voice spoke into Zuko’s mind.

‘No!’ He could tell that something was disastrously wrong and he tried his best to resist, to do anything!

But once again he felt the same attack and he couldn’t take it anymore, he passed out.

…

‘Even his Soul is talented...’ Kazolix thought. The attack he had used had instantly knocked out every of his targets beforehand but now he had actually had to use it 3 times for success. Truthfully he should be excited, but now he couldn’t help but think that something was wrong.

Zuko was too talented, and for no apparent reason.

Everybody knew that he had seemingly appeared out of nowhere so that either meant that he wasn’t impressive enough to draw attention in his younger days or that he had been hiding.

In another World he would assume that it might have been because he had found a precious treasure and had been digesting it in hiding for the majority of his early life, but that couldn’t be the case because a treasure that could make someone THIS talented is not something that could be eaten safely, you needed assistance from someone stronger.

But obviously that couldn’t have happened to Zuko because no one here was that generous, unless that person wasn’t from here…

‘Could Zuko be a test subject? Or a powerful figure’s pet?’ Kazolix wondered. This was what was raising his alarm bells. Although the notion was extremely far-fetched, it was not impossible.

If Zuko had some kind of backer of any kind then he might be in trouble, because anyone who could help someone comprehend the Laws of the Moon was not someone he wanted anything to do with.

‘But could someone like that even exist here? Tch, my knowledge about the surface is too low.’ Although he had many ears all over the Sea, the surface was a domain he wasn’t too familiar with. He didn’t know much of what was going on there.

For a moment… for a moment he thought about just being safe, leaving Zuko behind and being certain in the fact that he had everything under control. But then he thought again and laughed.

‘I’m being too paranoid. There’s no way I’m letting this go.’ Greed surged within him and he began using his Soul enslavement technique on Zuko. ‘With him, I won’t need a mere Bilibu. I can-’

Suddenly, the ever present sound of the rushing ocean vanished. The motion stopped. Zuko, Bilibu and the countless corpses that were sinking froze. All colour faded.

‘This!’ Kazolix knew what was going on immediately. He had been a victim of it once before and would never forget that day even if a million years went by.

“Haah…”

A sigh that could be heard across the entire World sounded, and just like that, Kazolix’s mind was a brink away from collapse.