Reborn as the Genius Son of the Richest Family

"Cool! Fudge, make him attack me! I want to see if I can defeat him!" Zion said, reloading his biceps and ready to box.

"Can't! He's gonna run out of battery," Fudge replied, turning his head away.

Jaku then moved in between Zion and the stone Knight. "Don't waste his energy, Zion. He's going to be my servant from now on."

"Nope! He's going to be my friend! He's Grieve 2.0…," Fudge said sniffing, as if Grieve was already dead.

Michael didn't know if Fudge knew that he'd be able to command the stone Knight or not, but he was glad that it ended fine. At least now, they have someone else amongst their midst who could fight in Maugnetic battles. In fact, 2.0 could even be considered as the strongest fighter in all of Reborn!

"Zion, stop messing around. We'll leave you behind otherwise," Sheina said, already near the tunnel room.

After Sheina knocked on the heads of Fudge and Zion, they were all finally ready to enter the next stage of the Red Ravine.

Michael stepped forth, entering the tunnel.

But as soon as his body crossed the threshold, he suddenly felt a strange force tugging on his very soul. He immediately knew that something was wrong. This wasn't the same sensation as when he entered the first tunnel. It wasn't even the same as any teleportation spell.

A normal transportation spell tugged on the body. But this one felt as if it was tugging at his GodForge piece!

It was the same feeling as when he was using his 'Quantum Step!'

Michael saw himself inside a dark tunnel, with space twisting and creating a rift that pulled him forward. He felt as if he was riding through a wave without using a surfboard, just his feet!

ChatJK5, get me out!, he quickly ordered out.

[I'm sorry, Michael. There's no magical spell that can undo this teleportation]

Why?

[It's because it's using Aubilit Power,] Harbinger said. [Whoever is doing this is extremely powerful. Beyond even that of the Nascent Spirit realm.]

This was quite alarming to hear. He already considered Alaric as an extremely powerful cultivator despite being only in the first stage of the Nascent Spirit realm. But then, he found out that the individual doing this to him was magnitudes much stronger than that.

Even his batteries wouldn't help with a confrontation with this being.

Harbinger, is there any way we can get out of this? Maybe a new technique? Anything!

[Nothing would help,] Harbiner said. [But I wouldn't worry just yet. If they wanted you dead, you'd already be.]

As strange as that sounded, it did give him a little bit of a breather. Whatever this being wanted with him, it wasn't his death. This meant that he could possibly talk his way out of the situation.

Wait… the Dragonborns!

He looked behind him and saw that they were nowhere to be seen. He heaved a sigh of relief. At least he knew that they were safe. If it was just him, then he wouldn't have to worry about them.

"Ummm… Master… where are we?"

Fudge swirled around his body, turning into a slimy slug shivering in fear.

"Fudge? How'd you get sucked in?"

"…I don't know, Master… I just… I just saw you getting pulled away so I quickly jumped on your shadow!", Fudge said, peeking out of his shoulder.

Michael felt warm after hearing that. Despite his flaws, Fudge was as loyal as anything could be.

"Just stay in my shadow for now," he said, patting the little slime. "Don't show yourself until I say so."

With how strong this 'person' was, Fudge's stealth may very well be the same as using a flashlight in a dark room. But at least Fudge would stay near him, and he could protect him if anything happens.

They continued to get pushed through the rift, until eventually, they reached the end of the tunnel.

Michael shot through the other side, finding himself unable to stop as he skidded through the ground and smacking onto a hard wall.

"Ow…," he groaned, massaging his head.

Once he got his bearings, he raised his head and looked at where he ended up.

He was in a hallway, adorned with nothing but black brick walls that seemed to have just been recently installed, with no sign of wear and tear. What's strange about this material was that it seemed to absorb all the light around it, making it seem as pure as darkness.

The light source came from the flickering candles placed evenly along the pillars on the wall, and repeating three tiered chandeliers on the ceiling.

The design of the candle holders and the bricks around him made it seem like he was inside a dark castle.

It seemed that whoever kidnapped him was a royal of some sort.

Harbinger, you sense anything?

[I can only sense what you sense. They must be further inside.]

The space tunnel was gone, and the only thing behind him was a brick wall. So, the only way was forward.

He walked through the castle halls, with each step echoing through the walls.

"Umm… Master… I'm scared…"

"Is that what a ninja would say?" Michael joked, trying to ease the tension.

"I'm not a ninja right now… I'm just your pet slime…"

Michael chuckled, patting Fudge's head. He continued onwards before finally, he saw the end of the hallway.

He walked through it, finding himself in a large room adorned with tall candle holders made out of black and gold. There was a red pathway leading to the front of the room, where there were a couple of steps leading up to a stage.

He followed the path, walking up to the steps before he eventually found someone at the top.

It was a girl with long, golden blonde hair, sitting against the wall, with her hands and legs tied up by black shackles bolted on the walls and the floor.

There were cracks around the bricks where the chains were installed. She must have been trying to escape for a long time.

Is she the one who called me?

He didn't sense any power coming from the girl, certainly not something beyond the Nascent Spirit realm.

[It's her,] Harbinger confirmed.

And before he could ask any questions, he saw the girl open her eyes and look up at him.

She blinked, her eyes trying to adjust to the light.

And once his face became clear, her expression softened. "You came," she said.

"What?" he asked her.

"I called for you… I didn't think you'd come," she said.

Michael looked back at her, confused. After all, he didn't come here voluntarily. It was more like he was abducted.

"So you were the one that got me here," he said.

"Yes… I think so… I just knew that I needed you… that you're going to save me…"

"Save you?" he asked, glancing at the shackles on her hands. "How can I do that?"

If she can't get out by herself, then he definitely couldn't help her. If it could contain a being above the Nascent Spirit realm, then he had no chance in destroying it.

"It's easy," she said. "All you have to do is...."

"Is?"

The blonde girl tilted her head. "Ah…I forgot."