The air in the Security Bureau's private training hall was thick with electric tension. Under the cold spotlights, Nanami Ai stood at the center of a circle of holographic sensors. She no longer wore her traditional archer's garb; she was clad in ultra-fitted black leather armor, adorned with runic patterns that pulsed with a violet glow at every beat of her heart.
[Slave Statistics: Nanami Ai]
Level: 22 Status: Conditioning in progress. Unique Trait: The Obsessed's Arrow (Damage increases proportionally to her dependency on the Master).
Thirty meters away, state-of-the-art combat drones appeared. Nanami didn't even bother to aim. She drew her new bow, forged from the remains of the Swarm Queen, and loosed a single arrow. In mid-air, the projectile split into a dozen bolts of dark energy that sought their targets like hungry predators. Each drone exploded in a shower of sparks before they could even activate their shields.
From the observation booth, Kenji watched the scene with a faint smile. Beside him, Rin and Maya stood like silent bodyguards, though their gazes betrayed a latent rivalry toward the newcomer.
"Her reflexes have increased by 40% since the incorporation of your mana, Master," Maya whispered, consulting a data tablet. "But her heart rate accelerates abnormally the moment you leave the room."
"It's the effect of the bond," Kenji replied. "She seeks my presence to stabilize her own power. It's a drug, Maya. And I am the sole supplier."
The booth door burst open. Kaito Kurogane entered, his face darker than usual. He threw a folder onto the control console.
"We have a problem, Sato. A big one."
Kenji didn't turn away from the glass. "Mr. Kurogane. You seem tense. Is it the quarterly report or news from the front?"
"It's Sora. That little fool couldn't handle being humiliated. He used his family connections to contact the 'Zenith' Guild in the United States. They're sending a 'Compliance Inspector' to verify our methods. Officially, it's to ensure we respect Awakened rights. Unofficially, they're coming for Nanami. They claim her transfer to your unit is illegal."
Kenji finally turned. His eyes shone with a cold light. "Zenith… the guild that preaches freedom while exploiting F-Rank miners. They want to test our strength."
"They arrive tomorrow," Kurogane continued. "The inspector is an S-Rank named Marcus Vane. A telepath. If he gets inside Nanami's head—or your girls'—we're finished. He'll see the conditioning. He'll see what you're doing to them."
Kenji let out a short laugh. "A telepath? That's perfect. I was actually in need of a guinea pig to test the resistance of my Steel Heart."
The following day, Haneda Airport was under high security. Marcus Vane stepped off his private jet with the arrogance of those who know they can read anyone's secrets. Tall, with slicked-back hair, he radiated an aura of superiority that made security guards avert their eyes. Behind him walked Sora, wearing a sickly smile of triumph.
"Marcus, this is the man I told you about," Sora said, pointing to Kenji, who was waiting on the tarmac with his team. "Sato Kenji. And this is Nanami… my Nanami."
Vane stopped in front of Kenji. He didn't use words. He immediately launched a mental probe—an invisible attack designed to shatter psychic barriers and bring the target to their knees.
[Warning: Mental Intrusion Attempt Detected.]
[Passive Skill: Steel Heart Activated.]
[Automatic Counterattack: Sovereign's Mirror.]
Vane winced violently, clutching his temple. His eyes became bloodshot. In his mind, he hadn't found the thoughts of a simple assistant, but an abyss of pure darkness—an image of Kenji sitting upon mountains of corpses.
"Welcome to Japan, Mr. Vane," Kenji said in a polite voice. "I hope your journey wasn't too… taxing on your senses."
Vane caught his breath, shaken. "You… what are you?"
"A conscientious assistant," Kenji replied. "Now, shall we get down to business? You wish to inspect Nanami-san, I believe?"
They moved to the Bureau's testing Arena. The rules were simple: a friendly duel to evaluate the capabilities of Kenji's unit. Sora had insisted that Vane face Nanami, convinced that the telepath could "awaken" the young woman's consciousness and turn her against Kenji.
Nanami entered the arena. She stared at Sora with an indifference that made him grit his teeth.
"Nanami!" Sora shouted from the stands. "Marcus is going to help you! He's going to free you from that monster's grip! Come back to me!"
Nanami didn't respond. She waited for Kenji's signal.
"Marcus Vane," Kenji said via the intercom. "Nanami is ready. But be careful… she's a bit… possessive."
Vane stepped onto the field, activating his S-Rank aura. "I'm ending this game right now, little girl. Mental Submission: Eternal Sleep!"
A psychic shockwave hit Nanami. But instead of collapsing, the archer remained motionless. The collar at her neck glowed with a crimson light, absorbing Vane's energy and transmuting it into pure mana.
"Is that all?" Nanami asked, her voice echoing with a supernatural distortion. "The Master gives me punishments more painful than your mental caresses."
She drew her bow. "Rain of the Broken Soul."
Hundreds of dark energy arrows saturated the arena. Vane was forced to create a massive telekinetic shield, but each arrow's impact sapped his strength. He realized too late that Nanami wasn't aiming for his body, but for his mind through his projections.
"Impossible! A C-Rank cannot break my defenses!" Vane screamed.
"She is no longer C-Rank," Kenji whispered. "She is the extension of my will."
Suddenly, Nanami vanished. Using Rin's speed—borrowed through Kenji's vital share link—she appeared right behind Vane. She didn't fire an arrow. She simply placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Dark Restoration," she whispered, using Maya's skill.
But instead of healing Vane, she reversed the process. She began siphoning his life energy to send it directly back to Kenji. Vane fell to his knees, aging ten years in seconds, his skin withering as his S-Rank mana was literally devoured.
"Stop!" Kurogane shouted, seeing that the diplomatic incident was about to turn into murder.
Kenji gave a sign. Nanami immediately released her grip and stepped back, instantly becoming the stoic servant once more. Vane collapsed to the ground, drooling, his mind turned to mush by the backlash of his own brainwaves.
Sora was petrified. His S-Rank "savior" was a human wreck.
Kenji descended into the arena. He walked slowly toward Sora, who backed up until he hit the wall.
"You see, Sora…" Kenji began, seizing him by the collar of his hero's jacket. "You tried to bring a wolf to hunt me, but you forgot that I have already tamed the monsters you don't even dare to look in the eye."
He turned his head toward Nanami. "Nanami. What do we do with traitors?"
Nanami approached, a cruel smile stretching her lips. She pulled a small bone dagger from her boot.
"We mark them, Master. So everyone knows who they no longer belong to."
Under the horrified eyes of Kurogane and the surveillance cameras, Nanami carved a rune of shame onto Sora's forehead—a magical scar that would never heal and would drain his mana whenever he tried to use the light.
"There," Kenji said, releasing Sora, who collapsed in tears. "Now, take this 'inspector' and this 'hero' out of my sight. Mr. Kurogane, I hope you have the documents ready for the annexation of the Zenith Guild's assets in Japan. They failed their inspection, didn't they?"
Kurogane, pale, could only nod. He realized he was no longer the boss. He was merely a janitor in the empire Kenji was building.
Later that night. The Sanctuary.
Kenji sat on his improvised throne. Nanami lay at his feet, her head resting on his knees, while Rin and Maya massaged his shoulders and served him wine.
[Level 25 -> 28]
[You have absorbed a portion of an S-Rank's mana. Intelligence +10, Mana +100]
"You were perfect today, Nanami," Kenji said, stroking her hair. "You proved that even a god can be brought to his knees by a loyal slave."
Nanami closed her eyes, almost purring under his touch. "I only reflected your greatness, Master. Seeing Sora crawl… it was the best gift you could have given me."
"This is only the beginning," Kenji said. "Vane was a test. The world will now try to isolate us. Other countries, other guilds… they will be afraid. And fear is the best fertilizer for our growth."
He turned to Maya. "Prepare the serums. We will begin to 'awaken' new recruits among the Gate orphans. We aren't waiting for fate to choose our soldiers. We're going to create them."
Suddenly, an alert rang out on Kenji's System. A golden notification, different from all the others.
[World Event Detected: The Call of the Blood Throne.]
Location: Jeju Island, Korea. Description: An SS-Rank Gate has just opened. The System invites the top 10 Awakened in Asia to participate in the "Great Harvest."
Kenji sat up. In his past life, the Jeju Island incident had been a massacre that wiped out half of Asia's elite forces. That was where the first "Monarchs" had appeared.
"It seems the world is inviting us to a party," Kenji said with a wild glint in his eyes. "Rin, Maya, Nanami… get ready. We are leaving for Korea. It's time to show the continent who the true Sovereign is."
He grabbed Rin by the waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss, soon joined by the other two. The corruption of the arena was just a taste. In Jeju, it was the blood of legends that would flow to cement his power.