The Systemic Lands
Chapter XXXII – Day 538 – A Loyal Lapdog

Fire engulfed my forces. How quaint. They had tried to do a summoning. I had been looking for Champion Michael to attack him in his sleep again, but I had lost track of him.

I dispatched my reserve aerial forces. Most of them were cut down from the Radiant Beams that cut across the sky, but my metal monsters go close enough to suppress the summons’ energy. Their very essence and energy that made them up ceasing to be.

Thankfully there was immunity for energy based skills between all my summons and hybrids so I didn’t need to worry about friendly fire. The metal summons closed within range, unable to be brought down and crushed disintegrated the summons that had been used. I had taking a beating, but now was the time to attack.

The City Shield had not activated a second time and their surprise attack and been used up. I needed to press my advantage. I ordered my hybrids to rush the wall and ordered World Eater to advance in the front. It would smash through and rampage along the wall, wrecking any kind of defense the city had. The chaos would allow my troops to flood into the city and kill everyone.

A clanging noise rang around me. It was Michael’s companion attacking World Eater. I tried to crush him, but he was too fast and then forced a blade into World Eater’s mouth. I frowned as Champion Michael began throwing overly large swords to his friend before racing back to the store to purchase more.

He stabbed another blade into world eater’s mouth, a vulnerable point since the teether were enhanced like the scales and flesh had been enhanced. Minor pinpricks, but a distraction I couldn’t afford right now.

The man was too quick and fast. World Eater was many things, but he wasn’t fast. Blade after massive blade entered its maw. Some fell out, some were crushed, but far too many were either driven deeper or broken off, leaving part of their massive blades behind.

World Eater was losing energy. It finally ground to a stop. I mentally cursed. My forces were struggling. I would have to act personally. I burst out of World Eater as my tethers were already curling around Michael’s lapdog. He stumbled and I thought I had him, when he broke free and leapt into the air.

He had to have had an insane Mind stat, with how much I focused on him. Still, it mattered not. I adjusted the tethers and caused them to emit null energy. They tightened around the man and physically impacted the man, yanking him back down to the ground.

I didn’t hesitate and raced forward. He was strong, but my tethers made it too hard for him to gain his balance and escape in time. My left hand closed on the side of his head as I slid around behind him. I forced my energy into his body, disrupting his control and taking control myself. Champion Michael landed on the ground in front of me.

“Ritualist we meet again,” Champion Michael said slowly.

“Indeed we do. And it looks like I have caught your dog,” I replied and dug my pointed ten fingers deeper into the man’s head. I forced his body to let out a groan of pain.

“You kill him, I will melt you,” Champion Michael said. I just smiled at him. I wasn’t stuck with that fake binary choice he offered. World Eater stirred and Champion Michael was forced to retreat as my summon tried to crush him.

“We will let Champion Michael have his fun. We are going to get you some friends,” I said while I had my puppet pick me up and carry me into the inner portion of Purgatory. I couldn’t let him go with his stats, but as long as I kept my hand on him, there was no way he could escape my control.

I was close enough and enough of my army had tied. Unbound tethers streaked out and grabbed onto the people. They quickly came under my thrall. Some were more difficult than others, but it was no challenge for one of my skill. The abilities of the Puppet Master were not to be underestimated.

I began gathering everyone in the plaza. They would be my new meat shields against Champion Michael. I would force him to kill his own people. Let him wade through a sea of blood and carnage. Everything since the attempt by the Astrologer had just been to wear these people down and build up my newfound control.

The trick to controlling people was to insert a tether directly between their brain and the spine, cutting the flow of information while not attempting to go directly against the Mind stat. Champion Michael landed nearby and I had my new dog spin me around to face him.

“You have failed Champion Michael, I have won,” I said with glee. Champion Michael attacked without any hesitation. A grim look on his face. It didn’t matter as my dog leapt away, easily carrying me and avoiding the attack.

“How?” Champion Michael asked. I just smiled a bit before answering, moving people into position. There were some buildings I had not grabbed everyone from yet, but they didn’t matter. If they weren’t fighting, then they were weak and pathetic. My tethers were snatching them up one by one. I had won, it was too late for anyone to do anything. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ ɴovᴇlꜰirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“My skills have grown far greater than even you can imagine. For I am the puppet master and you are my puppet. I have broken the chains of this, fake world,” I said with glee. All these people would fuel a new round of growth and conquest.

From there I would take over the rest of these accursed lands. Level 5s, level 6s, none of them would stand a chance. I would conquer them all. I could see the despair and hopelessness on Champion Michael’s face. I would forever remember this moment as the first major victory on my path to total domination.

It had been a long journey, but now at my moment of triumph, even with my injuries and changes, it had been a path of growth and learning. Even the transformation of my arm, was just another step on the path of knowledge I had taken so far. I had triumphed over that challenge with will and determination just like everything else.

All the obstacles had fallen in my path, and I was the person destined for greatness. None of these other people. Not even people, test subjects and minions. My thoughts turned briefly to the Astrologer and how I would find whatever hole he was hiding in and kill him. He was next on my list after Champion Michael and nothing would deter me.

This was the power of hard work combined with genius. One was unstoppable. All the people I had killed were just steppingstones on my path to becoming a god. Perhaps one day I would replace or kill the Almighty System itself. For I knew at its heart, it was a thing of energy. And that was my specialty now, energy manipulation.

In time I would manipulate energy just as freely as I manipulated people. I just needed more knowledge, more power, and time to research ever more. For energy was the true building block of this world with its myriad types and uses. With its psychoactive nature, I just had to mind the right way to attune my thoughts. Then I would be able to alter reality at a whim. Now that would be true power.

There was a hum that came from everywhere and I felt my heart plummet into the pit of despair. How?! Why now?

The City Shield snapped into place around Purgatory and my ascent to godhood was cut brutally short. My tethers came under incredible strain. Unlike summons or hybrids, the tethers to people were fragile since they weren’t anchored on both ends. They all snapped.

I gasped as the pressure pushed down inside of me. “Ahhhhhhhh!” I screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground. Keeping the presence of mind to drag down the dog with me. My hand clenched as I unleashed a torrent of energy into his head. His hand snapped out, smashing me in my chest.

I went tumbling away across the plaza. My organs had ruptured. I couldn’t…I couldn’t…I needed to live…I couldn’t fail here…I was so close…just a bit-must kill everything. Strings unto strings. Tears unto tears. Reflection on thyself. I am the Ritualist!

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