Hao Xuan, Jin Wang, Ensis, Monk, everyone present in the area helplessly fell down to their knees. It wasn't because of fear or respect, but simply because they couldn't handle the pressure on their shoulders.
It felt like the weight of an entire world was placed on their backs, making their legs buckle under it.
Even the creature that was unaffected by all the physical attacks was now down on the ground. All three of its heads were half pushed into the rocky surface of the cave.
"ROOAAR!"
It used every bit of energy it could muster, barely managing to lift one of its heads a few inches off the ground.
*BOOOM*
A heavier pressure descended only on the creature, pushing its entire body into the ground. All 3 of its heads let out horrendous screams like those of children screaming and women crying simultaneously, yet the pressure did not reduce.
Hao Xuan raised his head with some effort and saw the condition the creature was in, feeling quite lucky himself. He then looked at the deep gorge in front of him that divided the entire mountain range into two.
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
Sounds of footsteps came from within the gorge and a moment later a person walked out. The surrounding space rumbled with his every step, both trembling in fear and jumping in joy at his arrival.
The figure had white hair coming down to his shoulders and he was dressed in some pretty worn-out clothes, clothes Hao Xuan recognized clearly.
His eyes widened and mouth fell open at the realization.
But just as he was about to call out his name, the figure turned to face him.
*Shrp*
His face separated into two and then transposed back into one. And Hao Xuan recognized both the faces.
"How is it you?" he mumbled out loud absentmindedly.
Hyde's voice came again and as he appeared beside Hao Xuan for the first time in a long time. Visible only to him.
"How could it not be him? Who else is there 'but' him?" he whispered.
The figure shifted his gaze from Hao Xuan to Hyde, staring right into his eyes.
"He can see you?!" Hao Xuan thought inwardly but didn't get a response.
The figure stared at Hyde for a couple of seconds before looking at the three-headed creature. The creature was waiting for that and started screaming as loudly as it could.
"LET ME GO! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO MY MASTER IS? HE WILL-"
But before it could finish, the figure blinked once and the three-headed horse creature got ripped into two by an unknown force.
"AHH!"
The screams came again. The figure blinked another time and the creature's body shredded a hundred times, silencing it once and for all. All those body parts slowly disintegrated and then vanished into thin air like water vapor.
And just like that, the creatures that had killed off thousands of Orcs was destroyed with a couple of blinks.
The figure turned to face Hao Xuan. He snapped his fingers and everyone beside him fainted instantly, including Jin Wang.
"Leave."
For the first time since making an appearance, the figure spoke while looking at Hyde. That was neither a request nor a question, but an order.
"I cannot," Hyde replied calmly.
The figure looked back at him in silence for 10 seconds or so before sighing.
He opened his mouth again and his lips moved, but Hao Xuan could hear nothing. Hyde opened his mouth in the same manner but no words came out.
They were communicating in a way that Hao Xuan could not hope to comprehend, at least not at his level. The conversation, whatever it was, was quite short as Hyde nodded once and disappeared, returning to Hao Xuan's mind palace.
Now it was only Hao Xuan and the figure in this place. He stared at Hao Xuan's face before shaking his head helplessly.
"Will you help my people?"
Hao Xuan didn't know what kind of help he was looking for but he nodded right away.
"Yes, if I can."
The figure waved his hand and about 200 bodies of young Orc men and women floated out from the gorge, laying in front of Hao Xuan in a neat line. A faintly glowing barrier covered all of them.
"The beast sucked away their life essence. They are on death's doorstep and will die as soon as the barrier is removed. Help them. Make them your….slaves. They will serve you in this life. And in exchange, let their children have freedom. Let them go out into the world and prosper. Do you agree?"
The figure didn't beat around the bush at all and said everything plainly.
Hao Xuan looked at the line of bodies and couldn't help but let out a wry smile.
"I am not powerful enough to save them, not all of them."
"You will be for some time, if you agree. I will help stabilize your soul until you become strong enough to support them yourself. Answer, do you agree?"
*Shrp*
The figure's face became disfigured for an instant as it turned into two before returning to the original visage. It seemed like he was running out of time.
"I….agree," Hao Xuan agreed, albeit hesitantly.
The figure vanished from the spot and appeared right in front of him. He placed his hand over Hao Xuan's head as a bright light, very similar to when Hao Xuan was severing someone, appeared.
It lit up everything within a radius of several kilometers before vanishing.
When Hao Xuan opened his eyes, the figure was gone and 201 bodies were laying in front of him. He clenched his fists and felt the stupendous amount of soul power coursing inside his body. It was too much to handle.
He felt like if he didn't let it all out then he would explode any second.
He extended his hand towards the unconscious bodies and whispered.
"Sever!"
An even brighter light came out from his palm and when it disappeared, the bodies were all gone and Hao Xuan was sitting there gripping his head.
The veins on his forehead were about to pop. His eyes rolled over in their sockets, showing only the whites.
"ARGHH!"
He let out a pained grunt and fell to the ground unconscious.
