Graham was an expert at the First Spirit Core level.
Logically, it should have been impossible for rlin—just a kid at the Fourth Spirit Core level—to trap him in an illusion.
But strangely enough, the kid had done it. Graham was completely trapped inside the illusion rlin created.
"No… this can't be! I must be mistaken!"
Unable to accept reality, he clenched his right fist and threw a punch at the rlin in front of him.
Boom!
rlin's figure shattered into pieces. The next second, rlin reappeared, smiling.
"Sorry, Lord Graham. I don't have three Mythic-tier items, but I—"
Boom!
"Sorry, Lord Graham, I—"
Boom!
Graham kept attacking again and again until, without realizing it, he completely lost his mind.
***
"Phew… finally finished perfectly…"
rlin opened his eyes. His purple pupils had turned pitch black.
A mont later, they returned to normal. He smiled as he looked at Graham, who stood before him with a blank, dazed expression.
"A Mythic-tier hypnosis skill really is terrifying. All my effort to master it wasn't wasted."
Na: Hypnosis
Tier: Mythic
Ability: It can hypnotize anyone weaker or stronger. However, only those within two levels can be affected by this skill. Note: Using it drains the user's ntal strength, so use it wisely. The stronger your enemy, the more ntal strength you will need to expend. Additionally, the effect will be weaker, so be careful.
rlin read the description and let out a long sigh.
"Luckily, I managed to trick Graham. Otherwise, it would've been impossible to bring him down with just this hypnosis skill," he muttered helplessly.
Graham was incredibly strong. With his power, there was no way rlin could defeat him.
Fortunately, rlin had already considered the worst-case scenario—Graham's betrayal.
So before coming here, he had mixed an extrely potent poison into the drop of level-nine monster blood.
He had bought that poison for nearly eighty thousand system points.
Its effect was to significantly weaken anyone who drank it without realizing it. Even a First Spirit Core expert would be affected, though the process would be slow.
The mont Graham drank it, rlin quietly used his hypnosis skill on him.
Although there was a high risk of being discovered, the gamble paid off.
Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of fatigue washed over rlin's body. He collapsed as cold sweat drenched his forehead and back.
Just then, a streak of light appeared behind him. Lyserra's human form materialized.
She knelt beside him and channeled her power into his body.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.
rlin smiled weakly. "I'm fine. Thank you."
Lyserra furrowed her brows as she examined him closely. Then she said, "Your body is extrely weak. It feels like you've lost half your lifespan. What happened?"
rlin glanced at Graham standing in front of him, then explained everything.
Once Lyserra understood, her expression darkened. She pinched rlin's cheek and scolded him. "Are you stupid? That was practically suicide, you know?"
Since she had been asleep, she hadn't realized what rlin had done.
Who would've thought the kid would go to such extres?
rlin didn't deny it. What he had done was crazy and reckless. But the result was worth it, so he didn't regret it at all.
Still, he wasn't about to say that out loud. If he did, Lyserra would keep scolding him until his ears burned.
"I understand. By the way, could you help up?" he asked.
Lyserra said nothing and helped him to his feet. She then looked at Graham, who stood frozen like a statue, and asked, "What are you going to do with him? Kill him?"
rlin shook his head. "No, I won't kill him."
Even though he had managed to subdue Graham, killing him was impossible. Aside from the gap in their strength, First Spirit Core experts also possessed extraordinarily tough bodies.
rlin's power wasn't enough to kill Graham, at least not right now.
Not to ntion, Graham's na was inscribed in the Arden family's family tree. If he died, his na would be erased, and that would cause an uproar within the Arden family.
As the last person to have contact with him, rlin would undoubtedly beco the pri suspect and be hunted down relentlessly.
Most importantly, Graham's status was valuable. He was the head of the Arden family. If rlin could use him to his advantage, it would bring enormous benefits.
Lyserra made no further comnt. In truth, she could have used her power to kill Graham.
But since rlin had no intention of doing so, she dropped the idea.
With Lyserra's help, rlin slowly regained his strength. He then walked up to Graham and placed his palm on his head.
Closing his eyes, he declared, "Graham Arden, by my command, you are now under my control. Do you agree?"
Graham's vacant eyes suddenly lit up. Then, with an expression of absolute devotion, he knelt on one knee and clasped his hands together.
"I accept!"
Buzz!
A red light appeared above his head. At the sa ti, a black mark spread from his forehead across his entire body.
Seeing this, Lyserra looked slightly surprised.
"A slave contract, huh?" Her eyes narrowed. "rlin really isn't ssing around this ti."
A slave contract was a binding pact that turned soone into another's slave. Once ford, the slave lost all freedom. Unless permitted by the master, it was impossible for the slave to resist.
With that contract, Graham was now completely under rlin's control.
No matter how strong he was or how high his status, in front of that contract, he was powerless.
"Huff…" rlin exhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes.
He looked at Graham with satisfaction.
"Now, the Arden family is officially under my control… hehehe…"
A thin, sinister smile spread across his lips.
In truth, he had never imagined bringing the Arden family into his forces. After all, in the novel, that family was one of the main villains.
However, as the famous saying goes, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
In the novel, rlin Clay was only a minor villain who died in less than twenty chapters.
Although his status had now shifted into that of the main character, replacing Abel, rlin never saw himself as soone worthy of that title.
Still, the Arden family could beco his allies. Of course, the danger and threat they posed were imnse. That was why he needed a binding force strong enough to control them.
Now that he had found a way, he would use it to perfection.
rlin withdrew his hand from Graham's head and said, "Graham Arden, I want you to keep this a secret. Act as you normally would, as if you never t . Do you understand?"
Graham stood up and replied respectfully, "Understood, my lord."
rlin smiled faintly and ordered, "Now help . I want you to find a boy nad Abel. He's my age, and…"
If rlin hadn't intervened four years ago, Abel would be at the academy right now, enjoying his harem life.
But everything had changed. With rlin here, Abel never appeared in the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria.
However, according to the system, Abel had fallen ill. It was likely because of rlin's influence that his father, Gustav, had contacted him earlier and was now taking care of him.
Graham listened carefully before replying, "Don't worry. I'll find him. Once I do, I'll send him to the academy."
rlin nodded in satisfaction. After exchanging a few more words, he took Lyserra's hand and led her out of the hall.
Once outside, they ran into Arkas. When he saw rlin walking beside an extraordinarily beautiful woman, Arkas looked slightly stunned.
Lyserra was so beautiful that Arkas montarily lost his train of thought. But then he rembered he had never seen this woman by rlin's side before.
How could she have been inside?
rlin paid no attention to his confusion. He simply gave a brief nod and continued walking with Lyserra.
"By the way, I'm really curious, rlin. Graham has beco your slave, but you didn't even ask for the Arden family's treasure. That's not like you."
Lyserra's sudden words made rlin smile casually.
"I don't need it. Legendary and Mythic-tier items are tempting, but I don't want to carry them around. It's a hassle."
Carrying so many items was dangerous; it would only make him a target later.
He could stay safe by keeping them secret, but he had no interest in doing so.
Besides, Mythic-grade artifacts were rarely created naturally. Most were crafted by blacksmiths who had reached the First Spirit Core level.
Compared to the items the system granted through missions, those artifacts were insignificant.
Lyserra processed his words, though she was still sowhat confused. In the end, she said nothing and changed the subject.
Just then, soone approached from ahead. rlin looked up and saw a beautiful woman smiling at him.
He didn't recognize her, but he had seen her before—the woman who had co out of the room where Fenric Beethoven was.
'What does she want?'
As rlin wondered, the woman stopped right in front of him and bowed her head slightly.
"The Master wishes to see you. Please follow ."
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