Unholy Player

Adyr wondered if he should ask for both, torn between two choices.

He was fairly sure that, if he asked, the Wanderer Merchant would not refuse. For the Merchant, a debt-backed connection with an Elder Race was probably far more valuable than a Rank 4 Spark.

Yet Adyr chose not to ask. He would not look like a beggar. He had to act high and mighty, in line with the image he had already built.

There was another practical reason he did not do it. Even if he obtained 2 Sparks, there was no way he could house and feed 3 Rank 4 Sparks right now, especially with the space constraints inside his Sanctuary.

At last, he made his decision. "I will take Citadelith."

Montar would have been a good buff to his attack palette, but he felt he needed to increase his survivability for what was coming in his next plans.

He needed it especially because he would soon move to Pacthold and from there to the Midlands, where Rank 5 Adept was just a starting point and Rank 4 was simply the norm.

There was also one more reason, hidden in the details, for choosing that Nether Path Spark.

"You want Citadelith?" The Wanderer Merchant looked surprised, even shocked.

He is apparently on the Astra Path, and if I'm not wrong, Sszhar is on the Aether Path. And now he is choosing a Nether Path… The thought flashed through the Wanderer Merchant's mind like lightning.

Previously, he hadn't known whether Adyr's other path was Nether or Aether, but now he was growing sure of the unbelievable: the man was following not 2 paths, but 3.

"Yes, please." Adyr smiled, seeing the apparent shock.

He had already revealed his 2 paths. Revealing a 3rd would not hurt; it would intensify things to a degree that would be more advantageous for him.

He had already built a strong image, and his strategy now was to go all in. Since he had begun, there was no reason not to see it through. Doing so would lift him in their eyes from unbelievable to impossibly unbelievable, like a rank-up in his social status.

Seeing Adyr's certainty, the Wanderer Merchant reined in his shaken feelings and thoughts. "As you wish."

The Bronze Egg in his hand shone briefly with a dim light, and a massive, gloomy citadel appeared in the middle of the tent before everyone's eyes.

At the Spark's appearance, all the low-rank Practitioners fell into shocked silence, searing every detail into memory with raw excitement.

The walls felt ancient, weathered, and old, yet carrying an indestructible impression; the architecture, from every angle, stirred a nameless fear at a single glance; and the palpable aura of a Rank 4 Spark, seeping into their bones, was enough to freeze fragile souls.

But apart from those feelings, there was a subtle sense of attraction, pulling them toward the rusty iron gates and tempting them to step inside.

As for the high ranks, especially the titled ones, they widened their eyes and felt a shock similar to the Wanderer Merchant's.

"If I am not wrong, this is a Nether Path?" Silverlight Zephan murmured. He did not know what this Spark was, seeing one for the first time, but he could feel which Path it belonged to.

"Indeed." Soulforge Throgar confirmed. Being an Aether Path Practitioner, he could feel that this Spark was not Aether, so only Nether remained in his options.

Adyr noted every expression with the corner of his eye, satisfied with them, then fixed his gaze on the massive citadel before him.

[Name] Citadelith

[Path] Nether

[Rank] 4

[Ability] Hospitality / Fear Drain / Stronghold / Exchange

Description: Citadeliths are the living houses of the forgotten lands. They are born from hopelessness, agony, and need. They serve those who require shelter and a way to stay alive, and in return, they feed on the fear their guests provide.

They operate by a single law: whatever is given must be repaid with something of equal worth.

—

Ability — Hospitality / Fear Drain / Stronghold / Exchange: Citadelith, having an anchored, immovable body, developed the ability Hospitality to find its prey. This ability spreads an influence through the surroundings, affecting rational minds and drawing them toward the Citadelith.

When these Sparks capture their prey, they lock every exit as if trapping them inside a stomach, then drag those within into despair. Under the awareness of an endless imprisonment, victims are driven into fear, which the Citadelith absorbs and feeds on through Fear Drain.

They have no attack abilities; instead, their Stronghold abilities raise their overall physical and soul defenses, let them erect sturdy walls, and safeguard the main structure along with its interior. They can also protect the lives of their prey by using the Exchange skill, reflecting any incoming harm onto their own bodies, thus keeping their food intact and preventing it from being damaged or rotting early.

—

Being the system description much less detailed than what Adyr had already read on the Bronze Egg's system screen, he skimmed through it and focused on the other problem that surfaced.

He did not have enough energy left to subdue the Spark.

He thought for a short while about whom he could borrow some crystals from, but then he realized there was no need.

"Here, this is crystal worth 3000 energy," the Wanderer Merchant said, extending a small purple-glowing bottle, then added, "Think of it as a small courtesy."

Adyr glanced at the tiny bottle, surprised for a moment that it could hold that much energy, then bowed to the Rank 5 Adept in gratitude.

"Thank you for your generosity."

Taking the bottle, he noticed the purple liquid inside looked like energy crystals liquefied and concentrated to fit into this small vial. Realizing it was another technology of this world, he understood the Midlands were more developed than he had thought.

He could have consumed the energy by drinking the purple liquid, as he did by eating crystals, but instead, he sent the bottle to his Sanctuary. There, using his energy body, he unsealed the vial and absorbed the energy directly.

This method was simpler, safer, and faster for absorption, a habit Adyr had developed for some time.

Then, watching his energy on the character panel pass 3000 again, he turned to the Rank 4 Spark and placed his hand on its high walls, infusing his transparent energy.

[You have captured a rank 4 Spark. Begin subduing process?]

– Cost: 3000 Energy

Adyr accepted without thinking much and felt the same process he had experienced during Sszhar's subduing pass through him again.

The mind connection forming between them was still a fresh and astonishing experience. He let the sensations of the "building" pour into him and absorbed them.

Meanwhile, the onlookers, seeing him subdue the Spark, became certain that Adyr truly possessed the Nether Path, leaving them with no questions or doubts.

After finally subduing the Spark, Adyr stepped back and gave his new Rank 4 Spark one last look, then sent it into his Nimbus Land to occupy the large tract that had been left empty for too long.

Then he centered his energy body and surveyed his lands from above, appreciating the domain he had built, which had begun as a very small patch of ground and was slowly but steadily becoming a place that would, in time, be a domain for something greater.