The Eastern Tower's gleaming spire pierced the clouds, a silent sentinel over the sprawling city of academia. Within its hallowed halls, an intense battle had unfolded, leaving the air charged with the remnants of arcane energy.
Now, amidst the scattered debris and the faint scent of ozone, there stood a figure with black hair and piercing black eyes.
Joshua looked down at the unconscious form of the silver-haired mage. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was shallow, but she lived. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction; the encounter had been perilous, but he had emerged unscathed. It was a stark reminder of the power he wielded, the vastness of the [VOID] within him that dwarfed even the most skilled mages of Magec in soul battle.
The blue eyes of the woman fluttered open, and she gasped as she took in her surroundings. She looked up at him with a mix of fear and awe, the reality of her defeat etched clearly on her face. He offered his hand to help her up, and she took it, her gaze never leaving his.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Joshua nodded, his expression unreadable. He knew that she had underestimated him, and the revelation of his true power had left her reeling.
As energy gathered and formed the figure of the Tower Spirit, the silver-haired mage's eyes look over.
"Master," it intoned, its voice echoing through the air, "the gene mark knights are mobilized as you commanded. Some are already engaged with the intruders, while the rest are en route to our location."
The silver-haired mage's eyes went wide with shock as she stared at the tower spirit.
"What have you done?" she whispered, her voice shaking with fear.
Joshua's smile didn't waver as he turned to her.
"Ela, order the knights to stop!" the silver-haired mage yelled out, her voice filled with a mix of urgency and terror as she recognized the gravity of the situation.
While the lady tried to retrieve her previous command, a sudden update from Nexus invaded Joshua's thoughts.
[Master, the 'Noble Knights' are being surrounded, what are your orders?] The voice of Nexus reported in his mind.
Joshua's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation.
"Defend yourselves," he ordered firmly, "but do not take a life unless absolutely necessary. I already solve the problem, do not to destroy or kill in these place."
[Yes, Master]
Joshua's gaze drifted over to the silver-haired mage, who was now on her knees, her eyes wide with horror. The gravity of her situation had finally dawned on her.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice soothing despite the chaos around them, "Just tell your knights to stand down."
The silver-haired mage, her eyes still wide with terror, managed to get out a strangled, "But they might have killed your... 'Noble Knights'."
Joshua chuckled, the sound echoing in the cavernous chamber.
"Don't worry," he said, his eyes gleaming with amusement, "My 'Noble Knights' can handle themselves quite well."
Joshua gestured to the tower spirit, indicating that the silver-haired mage should look for herself.
The spirit obliged, and the room filled with a series of holographic images, showing the 'Noble Knights' in various stages of combat with the Gene Mark Knights.
Despite being vastly outnumbered, the clones moved with a precision that was almost unsettling, their movements a blur as they disarmed and incapacitated their foes without a single casualty.
The silver-haired mage's eyes grew wide with shock as she watched the footage unfold before her.
"This is impossible," she murmured, her voice a mere whisper.
The silver-haired mage couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her own knights, men and women she had trained and cultivated for years, were being systematically taken down by Joshua's clones. The 'Noble Knights' had shown no mercy, yet their movements were precise, almost surgical in their execution.
"How?" she gasped, her voice barely audible.
"How can fifty of you defeat so many?"
There are no words to describe the shock on the silver-haired mage's face as the tower spirit confirmed that all 500 Gene Mark Knights had been disarmed and immobilized by Joshua's 50 'Noble Knights'. The very foundation of her beliefs about power and control had been shaken to the core.
After a moment of stunned silence, she looked up at him, her eyes a mix of fear and respect.
"What are you?" she whispered.
Joshua looked down at her, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "A traveler," he said, "and now, it seems, your new master."
The silver-haired mage, took a shaky breath as she felt the weight of his words. Her mind raced, trying to process what had just happened. Her Tower, her home, had been breached by an outsider, and her own power had been turned against her.
Joshua's gaze remained steady on her, his eyes piercing through the veil of her thoughts.
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"Your name," he said calmly, "I do not believe I have asked for it yet."
The silver-haired mage, blinked up at him, her mind racing. For a moment, she had forgotten the basics of courtesy in the face of his overwhelming power. She swallowed hard, her voice shaking slightly.
"My name is Artemisia Mosley," she said, her words barely a whisper in the grand hall.
"I am the Eastern Tower Mage."
Joshua nodded thoughtfully, his gaze never leaving her.
"Very well," he said, "Let us find somewhere more... conducive to conversation."
Artemisia nodded, her legs feeling like jelly as she stood. She led him through the winding staircases and corridors of the Eastern Tower, her heart pounding in her chest.
The journey to the top floor felt like an eternity, every step echoing in the silence that had descended upon the once bustling halls.
Her office, was a sanctuary amidst the chaos, a testament to her dedication to research and the pursuit of knowledge.
The room was lined with bookshelves that reached the high ceiling, filled to the brim with ancient tomes and scrolls. In the center of the room, a large wooden table was strewn with paper, inks, and various artifacts - the fruits of her tireless studies.
The candles on the desk flickered, casting dancing shadows across the floor as she approached.
The silver-haired mage, Artemisia, gestured to the chair opposite hers, her hand trembling slightly.
"Please, take a seat," she managed to say, her voice a whisper in the quiet sanctum.
Joshua studied her for a moment, his gaze intense and unyielding. Then, with a nod, he complied, his movements fluid despite his towering frame. The chair creaked under his weight, but it held firm, a testament to the sturdy craftsmanship of the Tower.
Leaning forward, he spoke in a low, urgent tone that carried the weight of his words.
"What I am about to share with you must not leave this room," he began, his eyes boring into hers.
"You have seen the extent of my power, and I trust that you understand the consequences of disloyalty," he said, his voice carrying a hint of steel.
Artemisia nodded, her eyes never leaving his. She felt the unmistakable presence of the brand on her soul, a constant reminder of the fate that awaited her if she dared to cross him.
"You are now bound to me," Joshua said, his voice a gentle but unyielding force. "If you ever consider betrayal, the pain will be... incomprehensible. Your very essence will be torn apart, and nothing will remain of you."
She knew he wasn't bluffing; she could feel the brand on her soul, a cold, unyielding presence that whispered of her newfound loyalty.
"Now," Joshua continued, the smile on his soul's face never wavering, "you will serve me loyally and answer all my questions truthfully."
The silver-haired mage, now known as Artemisia, nodded fervently, the gravity of her new bond weighing heavily on her.
"Your will is my command," she murmured, her voice barely audible in the vast emptiness of the soul space.
Joshua nodded, the a giant smile never fading.
"Good," he said, "Now, tell me about this world of Mageck. I need to understand its politics, its factions, and its capabilities."
Artemisia took a deep breath, she told everything that Joshua had already investigated, her words confirming the words of truth that he had gathered from the people. The world of Mageck was indeed dominated by the Wizard organization, a hierarchy of power that stretched across the land and are in constant battle with the malevolent forces of the demon.
"But the demons..." she spoke, her voice trailing off.
"They're winning, sir. We're losing more and more of our people every day. Our defenses are crumbling, and our mages are falling in droves. We need something more than mere soldiers. We need warriors who can stand against the tide of darkness."
Her voice was filled with desperation, her eyes pleading for a glimmer of hope and a little bit of greed.
Joshua studied her, his expression unreadable.
"The reason why I was mad at you is that I thought you were a demon worshipper."
Artemisia said, her voice trembling as she spoke the truth.
"But I assure you, I am no longer stupid enough not to know you are not a demon. I seek power to protect, not to serve the dark forces. Our world is in dire need of heroes, and I believe that with your 'Noble Knights', we can tip the balance of the war."
She had seen this 'Noble Knights' and the power they wielded, and she knew that such warriors could be the turning point in their never-ending war with the demons. Her eyes searched his, hoping to find a shred of compassion, a hint of willingness to help. But all she found was a cold, unyielding stare.
Joshua nodded thoughtfully. "I understand your plight, Artemisia," he said, "but the creation process of my 'Noble Knights' is a secret that I cannot share. It is a power that comes from another realm, and the knowledge is not something I can easily impart."
Her face fell, the light of hope extinguished like a candle in a storm. But before she could protest, he held up a hand.
"But I can offer you something else," he said, his gaze never leaving hers.
"The knowledge of how to create 'Blood Knights'."
Artemisia's eyes widened as she looked up at Joshua, the confusion on her face giving way to a flicker of hope.
Joshua explained to the bewildered Artemisia that the 'Blood Knights' were the pinnacle of his genetic and technological knowledge, a force that could potentially turn the tide of the war against the demonic invaders.
"Are they stronger than any Gene Mark Knight?" Artemisia's voice was laced with skepticism, her eyes searching his for any sign of deceit.
"Yes," Joshua said, his expression unyielding.
"They are the culmination of my life's work, a blend of genetic modification and advanced technology. They are capable of feats that surpass the limits of this world's current understanding of power. However, creating such beings is not a simple task. It requires time, resources, and the utmost discretion."
Artemisia listened, her mind racing with questions and doubt.
"Our gene mark knights take a decade to mature," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"And even then, the success rate is only 40%. How long does it take to create one of these... 'Blood Knights'?"
Joshua smiled, "Five years," he replied.
"But if the situation is dire, they can be deployed after two years. In that time, they'll be fully mature enouh and ready to serve. And the success rate is above 95% "
Artemisia's eyes widened, contemplating the possibility of such power.
"What would I have to give in return?" she asked cautiously.
"Nothing as I already own you," Joshua said with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with a hint of challenge.
"But if you wish to serve with true strength, I can offer you something more personal."
Joshua's voice was a seductive whisper, hinting at a power beyond her wildest dreams. Artemisia's curiosity was piqued.
Joshua offered her to be implanted with [Bio Chip] that could enhance her beyond her wildest dreams and free access to other world knowledge. The thought of becoming a formidable force in the war against the demons was tempting, but it also brought a sense of unease.
"What do you mean by 'access other world knowledge'?" Artemisia inquired, her eyes glow with curiosity.
"Knowledge that could change the world, Knowledge that could strengthen you beyond what this world could offer and Knowledge that brings truth to your desires." Joshua spread his arms as he game his explanation.
"In exchange for the knowledge and power of the [Bio Chip], I require you to establish a bastion of learning and might under my name," Joshua elaborated, his voice resonating with authority and vision.
"A place where the strong can gather, train, and grow. A force that will be loyal to me and only me, capable of protecting this world from the shadows that lurk beyond our understanding."
The silver-haired mage felt the gravity of his words, the promise of a future where she could be strong and didn't have to live in fear.
Her knees hit the cold, stone floor with a sharp crack that echoed through the chamber. She looked up at him, her eyes shining with a newfound loyalty.
"I accept," Artemisia said, her voice steady despite the tremble in her soul.
"I will serve as your loyal servant and establish this bastion of power and knowledge."
