Rise of the Apex Predator: A LitRPG Adventure

Quenai Lightbringer

The once luxurious master bedroom felt like a prison as Quenai sat by her lonesome. No servant had dared to enter her room out of fear. Most had resigned from their jobs, while the rest refused to spend more than fifteen seconds with her. Quenai wished she could legalize capital punishments for abandoning her, but alas, till the tutorial was over she couldn't make such a bold move.

Even if the System restricted such measures, the nobility had several ways to bypass the protection. Sending the peons on impossible quests was one such way. Unfortunately, with her hidden hand being exposed to everyone, she couldn't try such a move. Ever since that hateful wench had revealed her mind-affecting artifact, the city leaders had been avoiding her like the plague. Worse still, after the corrosive touch, her artifact had stopped functioning.

She screamed at the walls before flinging the useless locket across the room. The dull clank of the metal rang around the empty room.

"This can't be happening." She tried to convince herself desperately. "Just a few more months and everything else will be under my control. This can't be all for nothing. Once I reveal the presence of two Awakened, the family Patriarch will shower me with accolades. I just need to bring at least one of them under my control."

Her delirious laughter echoed, sounding hollow even to herself. But she couldn't afford to give up. Not this close to the finish line.

Knock knock.

Quenai was startled by the sudden intrusion. She straightened her dress the best she could but was powerless against her unruly hair. How the peasants did it, she would never know.

"Enter," she commanded.

Only two people entered, improving her mood significantly. One was the devious snake she had been raising with care, while the other was her last hope out of this debacle. At least the leech was very compliant.

"Greetings, my lady," Silas said with a bow.

"Hello, my lady," Karen added, mimicking Silas' bow.

It struck a nerve that the woman had used the word "hello", and not a more formal form of address, but such was the fate of the hicks from the boonies. They didn't know what etiquette was.

Quenai snapped her fingers in annoyance. "You, do my hair."

"Of course," the redhead responded, almost pleased with her new task.

As Karen went about doing an adequate job of fixing Quenai's hair, Silas gave his report.

"We still haven't been able to locate the source of the recordings," Silas's tone was grim. "By this point, more than half our citizens have watched them. Containing the information has been…difficult. So has every attempt to show you in a good light."

"The opinions of the peasants are immaterial," Quenai said dismissively. "Once the operation is underway, most of them will be dead or come begging to me for protection anyway."

Quenai had accelerated her plans to trigger her Nobility quest. Once the hidden hordes were unleashed, most of the cities would fall. As long as her elites managed to push back the tide, and save her capital city, she would have achieved her goals. With no surviving witnesses, her rule would be ironclad.

"The citizens are up in arms, my lady," Silas pleaded. "Our every move is being monitored, and we haven't been able to reach the nodes to trigger them."

"Useless," Quenai vented. "Do I have to do everything myself?"

She could, in fact, trigger them remotely. But that would involve using a single use item that was not cheap to procure. It was a last resort, and looking at things, it would seem she had no choice.

"Any news on your daughter?" she asked Karen.

"Ah, no, my lady," the startled woman replied. "I haven't been able to get in touch with my poor daughter. The evil man who caused my resurrection token to be used up has his claws in her. But I am sure that one word from me would dispel the charm. My Jenny is a good girl, my lady. She will listen to me."

Her tone was that of a professional swindler, something Quenai had a lot of experience in. Her sweet words were that of a doting mother, but the hidden manipulation wasn't lost on Quenai. And even if the old hag was mistaken, they had the ice warrior's brother as a backup.

"Good," Quenai said dismissively. "If only your son was as forthcoming as you."

Karen's mood soured instantly. "He is no son of mine. The brat resembles his obnoxious father. Not like my sweet girl."

Satisfied, Quenai dismissed the woman to have a private chat with Silas. The redhead complied but gave a longing gaze on the way out.

"Make sure the man is under absolute control," Quenai's tone became cold as ice. "If this leech is unsuccessful, we will need her brother's life under our control in order to make her submit."

"As you command," Silas said with a respectful bow.

Quenai could almost taste it: The thrill of having her own Awakened slave. Her political leverage would skyrocket because of the feat. Even if her Nobility quest failed, having such a tool at her disposal would make the family acknowledge her genius.

It was just a matter of time.

* * *

Aenon

A calm wind blew across the land as the army stood in neat lines. The fluttering of House Fenrast banners was the only sound punctuating the disciplined silence. As Aenon stood atop the wall, his soldiers gave him their undivided attention. The entire assembly was divided into battalions, with one commander at their helm. The Lycanthropes were gathered on the side, waiting for Aenon to come join them.

Ignar, Jenny, Velastra, Boff, and Toff.

Five battle formations were ready to go down the routes the Alliance had taken for their own assault. The only difference was their motivation. They were marching to save lives instead of taking them. Lightbringer's scheme had become public knowledge by this point. Her control of monster hordes using artifacts, and their subsequent use to eliminate anyone who didn't submit. But the hidden monster nodes that were aimed at her own cities were still in the dark.

Thalindra and Henry stood on either side of Aenon. They wouldn't be a part of the offensive. In the absence of their main strike force someone needed to protect their home. And Aenon couldn't think of anyone more capable than the life-death mage.

"As you march into overwhelming odds," Aenon's mana enhanced voice boomed, "I want you to remember the desperation from our own defense. The citizens in the Alliance controlled cities are blissfully unaware of the cruel machinations of their leadership. Very soon they will be facing the same fear and panic. The same hope-crushing sight that we survived. And when they fall into despair, it will be your backs they see. An unyielding wall of pure grit between them and annihilation. The same people they once abandoned to their doom will be their salvation."

The air crackled with pride as the fighters gripped their weapons fiercely. The bannermen stood straighter, the commanders smiled wider.

"But make no mistake," Aenon carried on. "This is not a conquest. This is not a war against the common people. This is a declaration against the people who fashion themselves as elites. A declaration that we are better than them; stronger than them; and most importantly more united than them. My city has no weak men or women. No commoners. No nobles. We fight not to destroy; but to protect."

The five commanders unleashed their Aura one by one, enveloping their followers in a protective cocoon. Thalindra and Bane were next, bolstering the souls of the proud army.

"We. Are. Legion." Aenon's Aura flared to life, igniting their fighting spirit like an inferno.

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"Legion," The soldiers screamed in unison. And with that their march began.

"You are getting better at this whole speech thing," Thalindra teased with a mental message.

"I've had a good guide," Aenon returned the ribbing with a smirk.

"I wish you good fortune, Lord Fenrast," Henry said with a bow. "We shall await your return."

"Just hold down the fort," Aenon replied with a genuine smile. "We have the rest handled."

Henry nodded solemnly before retreating towards the city palace. Bane and Venge joined Aenon from the side.

"Are we ready to head out, Alpha?" Bane asked.

"Yes," Aenon replied. He turned to Thalindra. "They will pull something unexpected. Be careful."

"We will be," Thalindra grinned eerily, displaying her wraith form. The silent invisible sentinels behind her—the Shadow Wraiths—also appeared for a moment.

Assured of their safety, Aenon and the Lycanthropes jumped off the wall, landing before Jenny's battalion with a crater causing impact. No one so much as flinched despite the dirt and shrapnel.

"Let's go," Aenon commanded. "But in the interest of time, I hope you all are ok with staying in my shadow."

With his Featherfoot Spell, Aenon could cover more ground than anyone, and it was crucial for them reach their destination before the others.

Jenny simply nodded, while On-Ji and the rest of the hardened fighters steeled their nerves before stepping into his shadow. Bane and the wolves joined the others to keep them company. Aenon's shadow wasn't the most hospitable environment, but Bane could use his Aura to reduce the oppressive nature of the absolute darkness.

Aenon looked to the wall where Thalindra was still standing. He gave a casual two finger salute before launching forward at supersonic speeds. He had lessened the effects of the Suppression Ring, finally comfortable enough to use his true strength.

His new stats were truly insane. Leaving aside the raw power, Aenon could literally feel the mana wisps caressing his skin. A simple thought was enough to trigger all of his Spells, and their area of effect was truly gargantuan. He had experimented a little to better understand his battle prowess, and the changes to his new body truly surprised him.

The mana cost of all his Spells had remained the same, but his area of control had gone up based on his stat multiplier. Where earlier he could control fifty cubic meters—1765 cubic feet—of water, he could now exert the same influence of an insane 6400 cubic meters—about 226000 cubic feet. The same volume as two and a half Olympic swimming pools' worth of liquid. The same was true for every matter manipulation Spell. Even his abstract Spells like Gravity Well felt stronger, allowing him to create much larger orbs of destructive arcane energies.

Aenon ran full tilt for almost thirty minutes before he got his first complaint. "Don't think they can continue staying in your shadow," Jenny said in a worried tone.

In response, Aenon stopped and extracted them all from his shadow. Only the wolves stayed, quite comfortable in their natural habitat.

"Sorry, Aenon-nim," On-Ji said with a white face.

Just a brief stay had drained all blood from everyone's faces. Jenny had weathered it better, having developed a tolerance for it during the Fire Ant dungeon.

"Nothing to apologize about, On-Ji-ssi," Aenon replied with an encouraging smile.

But this put them in a predicament. They could all run at superhuman speeds, but Aenon much preferred them to be fresh and well rested when they reached the Alliance capital. He racked his brain for a solution before something clicked. If all his Spells had a wider range…

He immediately began experimenting by trying to cast Featherfoot on Jenny. The ice warrior didn't know what he was up to, but she didn't object. It took Aenon another fifteen minutes before the Spell clicked into place.

Spell Upgraded: Featherfoot | Intermediate → Major

Featherfoot (Major) | Type: Gravity | Mana cost: 400 + 500/min | Manipulate gravity to make yourself or your allies lighter. At major proficiency, reduces your weight by 60%, or your party's by 40%.

As he cast the Spell on the entire group, their expressions turned to shock. The people started jumping up and down in utter fascination as their weight reduced significantly. Jenny had a knowing look as she smiled.

"Alright people," she said loudly. "Move out."

They resumed their mad dash for the Alliance capital, hoping that they would make it there in time. Their internal sources had said in no uncertain terms that Quenai was planning something big. The concentration of their military might at the base city was proof enough for that.

The relentless march went on for a full eight hours before Aenon felt the concentrated souls at the periphery of his Sovereign's Dominion—which had once again expanded to an impressive ten kilometers or six miles. And the closer they got, the deeper his frown became.

The city itself was massive, much bigger than Pinespire. So was it population density, making it the largest settlement Aenon had seen since coming to this new reality. The internal activity also hinted at prosperity. But Aenon's senses couldn't be fooled. There were deep undercurrents of discontent floating around, mixed with a healthy dose of anger and paranoia.

Aenon halted the procession about five kilometers—three miles—away from the city.

"You know what to do," Aenon told everyone before disappearing into the Shadow Realm. Even under the blazing sun, he could stay in the parallel dimension indefinitely.

"You all, scatter and scout," Jenny took command. "Try to find where the monster nodes are and eliminate any controllers."

With those simple instructions, Jenny left them and walked towards the city "You are certain this will work?" she asked Aenon nervously.

"Not really," Aenon replied honestly. "But do we have a choice?"

"Not really," Jenny mirrored his response. She slapped both her cheeks to hype herself before putting on a determined expression. "Let's do this."

Aenon watched her leave with a complicated expression. The next few hours would be crucial, their coordination demanding absolute trust.

He just hoped it would be enough.

* * *

Jenny

Jenny would be lying if she said she wasn't scared. She had come a long way from the terrified little creature that people took advantage of. But even dragons had their weaknesses. And she was walking towards her.

She still vividly remembered Aenon informing her about her family's fate. Lady Sylvathorn was present there too, her gaze unreadable. Together, the two most important people responsible for her transformation had given her the devastating news: her family had been captured by the enemy.

In all fairness, Jenny didn't know how to react. Her brother's capture had hit her exceptionally hard. After realizing the love he had for her, there was no way she wouldn't be worried. As for her mother…she was yet undecided on that. Despite herself, she couldn't bring herself to ignore her mother completely. But it was complicated. She hoped that the upcoming confrontation would shed light on her true feelings.

Jenny used her Awakened state to suppress some of her unease. She had become quite good at it after the recent battles. Only allowing the analytical parts of her brain to function was a great way to weed out unnecessary thoughts. As the city walls came into view, she didn't let any stray emotion mar her facial expressions.

She ran forward at a decent pace, but not enough to raise panic. But the approach of an unknown towards their city's gates did cause a commotion. Several platoons of soldiers armed to the teeth were deployed to intercept her advance. But she didn't even acknowledge their existence as she came to a complete stop before the humongous, fortified gate.

"I bring a message for the Alliance leader from our Patriarch, Lord Fenrast," she boldly declared. Her white hair swayed in the gentle breeze as she stood confidently in the crosshairs of several ballistae and trained archers.

"You are not welcome here, ice demon witch," someone shouted in an authoritative voice. But the primal fear in the voice couldn't be hidden. "Take a step forward and we will blow you to smithereens."

In response, Jenny began to laugh. A slow and measured laugh that spread like the stillness of winter.

"Despite knowing who I am," Jenny's cold humorless voice thundered over the wall, "I am surprised you still dare block my path."

With a sly grin she took a step forward.

Dozens of siege weapons, hundreds of arrows and Spells were let loose. And yet, Jenny's smile widened. She didn't even consider taking a step back, instead raising one hand towards the coming deluge of attacks.

"Ice Field."

Out of nowhere, a blizzard descended and enveloped her, hiding her body behind a curtain of hurricane-force winds that deflected all projectiles. A heavy blanket of snow blocked the rest. But unlike her pre-evolution state, the Spell didn't end there. It kept growing in size till it covered an area that was five kilometers—three miles—in diameter. It plunged the entire city into winter, horrifying everyone equally.

"We yield. We yield," the same voice shouted, lacking its earlier false bravado.

But Jenny didn't activate her Spell, toning it down instead. A gentle snow continued to fall as she strode forward. She heard groans from the other side as several men tried to open the huge door. But the frozen hinges made the task harder. Jenny didn't think twice before raising her leg and giving it a gentle kick.

Boom!

The huge, reinforced door cracked and fell away, sheared at its very frozen joints. Several shrieks rang out as people ran away to take cover. The ones who stayed hid behind shields or other larger warriors, who themselves were shivering in the cold.

Jenny's frosty smile didn't reduce a bit as she unceremoniously marched through the wrecked entrance. No one dared to raise a voice, including the man she had conversed with earlier. She didn't even know the guy's face, but was confident that he was among the people hiding in the adjacent rooms.

"Which way to the city palace?" Jenny asked with a devilish grin. When no one answered, she raised her hand again. "I am more than happy to smash my way around till I find the right building."

"I—I can take you there," a shivering man said quickly.

Jenny merely smiled and pointed at him to proceed. As she was escorted through the city, Jenny observed the place more closely. The settlement was densely packed with people, giving the illusion of success. But the low levels of the common populace angered her. Despite walking for fifteen minutes, she was yet to find anyone above level 30. Only the warriors stationed on the wall had decent levels. She filed away this piece of information for later.

As an eyesore of a building came into view, Jenny couldn't help but recall Pinespire's city palace before Aenon took control. The same excesses marred the construction to display the perceived wealth. She tried her best to ignore the goosebumps as she followed in silence. She was led inside to a decorated meeting room; her guide fleeing away once his job was done.

Jenny sat there patiently, her gaze looking out the window which still showed people running around to get out of the unexpected flurries. She only had to wait for some time before the door swung open to reveal a woman around her own age. She was pretty, but the haughty expression on her face outweighed it.

But she didn't have much time to focus on the newcomer, as a familiar face burst into view.

"Oh! My little angel is here," her mother exclaimed. "And look what bad influence those animals have had on you—making you dye your hair to fit in. Don't worry though, it will all be okay. I will make sure of it."

Karen didn't even notice the cold lifeless look in Jenny's eyes. Neither did she register the frost as she hugged her daughter.