Single Stat System

"Don't worry Izel. I know that you are just doing this because you have no choice. Once I dispatch this vessel, I will definitely take care of you." Julius spoke nonchalantly seeing the sudden arrival of Izel. This vessel was surely shameless. To protect himself, he only used people around him.

"..." Izel didn't reply immediately as she pointed her dagger at Julius. She'd guessed that the other party already knew about their current situation, that she and her friend Kristina had swallowed the Blood Manipulator Pill. Even so... "This is our own will. It has nothing to do with that pill."

Izel was not lying there though. She really wanted to protect the vessel with all her heart. Because she had high hopes for him. She felt that it was more likely for them to avenge their families if they followed such an overpowered character instead. Yes, he might be a low-level player right now and was still vulnerable when against Middle Rankers like her, not to mention, Julius who was a High Ranker. But once he gained enough levels, then who knew how unreasonable his power would be.

In any case, Izel knew that the vessel only managed to defeat her and Kristina because they were caught off guard and he planted fear in their heart. If that wasn't the case, then it was much less possible for him to defeat them even with his Greed Energy. That said, since Julius was now aware of the vessel, and was in enrage state at that, Izel presumed that her master wouldn't stand a chance of winning at all. He might even fail to even retaliate.

As such, Izel must protect her master with all her strength no matter what. Even if it cost her her life. Because she knew well that once her master was brought into their headquarters, their organization would use all means possible to control him. If that happened, then surely, it was less likely for them to ask for help from him anymore.

Swoosh!

Suddenly, the figure of Julius had faded taking Izel by surprise. Just after a short moment, he appeared right in front of her as he grabbed her dagger with his right hand.

But it didn't end in there. After which was said, Julius released his Greed Energy out of his body, making three meters radius Greed Domain. And then shortly after that, his cold voice sounded, "Don't be stubborn Izel. Just take a rest for now and wait for your turn."

Izel then lost her strength in her knees. She let go of the dagger as she fell with her butt on the ground. Her heart was filled with fear and her body couldn't stop shaking. Since her Greed Energy was way weaker than Julius, she naturally couldn't stand the greed suppression made by the other party. Even if she gritted her teeth to her hardest, she just couldn't have the strength to stand up. Was everything just going to end here just like this? Would she lose something important to her again right before her eyes? She still hadn't done anything to protect her master and here she was, shaking like a frightened rat.

"Damn it," Izel cursed inwardly. She blamed herself for being too weak even after all the leveling she had done in the past years. If only she was a little bit stronger... If only she was blessed with talent like 'those' monsters...

But when Izel thought that everything was now over, Sakim who was standing beside her patted her head as some kind of energy, to be precise, Greed Energy, entered her body. The fear she felt had immediately vanished and was replaced by warmth.

Izel shifted her gaze at Sakim to see her face but the other party wasn't even looking at her. However, in her eyes, she felt that Sakim was a mighty fortress that would always protect her even without looking.

After a moment, the always calm voice of Sakim came out from his mouth, "Don't be afraid, Izel. You've done a great job protecting me."

Izel didn't know it but she suddenly blushed upon hearing her master. She felt good when he praised her like that. So having praised despite her shortcomings, she then nodded her head one time and then replied with a sweet smile, "Yes."

Sakim didn't bother looking at her but instead, he turned his cold gaze at Julius who was looking at him warily. However, shortly after that, after blinking once, his pure-black eyes suddenly turned blood-red as he let out a devilish smile and said with a completely different tone of voice, "Greed Domain."

Swoosh!

Immediately, the almost unlimited amount of Greed Energy hiding inside Sakim was released. It formed a huge three kilometers Greed Domain, a thousand times larger than Julius'.

Be it wild animals or beasts, or even trees or grasses, it caused terror to everyone inside as their courage was all been stolen.

And that included Julius. When Sakim unleashed his Greed Domain, all of his strength was stolen as he fell with his knees on the ground. Although his body remained upright, the fear in his heart was just couldn't be hidden by his eyes anymore. His face went pale and who knew how cold were his sweats right now.

Julius couldn't utter a word. And in fact, he couldn't even think properly right now. As if his mind had deteriorated greatly that he couldn't even describe what he felt right now. He couldn't even think of running away, or any way to escape. His strength and mind had betrayed him as if the only thing he could do right now was to wait for his death.

The same situation happened to Oso who was inside the dome of darkness and was trying to free Pael who was inside the Perfect Cage.

Pael also felt the same when he felt the sudden appearance of the immeasurable Greed Energy while he was still cursing Julius for not thinking of him when he suddenly turned wild.

Even Gilbert who was on his way to Izel was no exception as he slipped while running and then fell on the ground the moment the huge Greed Domain appeared. Even if he gritted his teeth in his hardest, he just couldn't push himself from the ground.

Even the knights from before who tried their best to stay away from that area to avoid unnecessary troubles, and the robbers who also tried their best to stay away but was in a different location and had managed to escape, fell with their knees on the ground since they were still within the range of the Greed Domain. If this went on, then they might really die from extreme fear.

Only Izel was safe in the area. And she didn't feel anything but warmth. She felt that as long as she was inside this Greed Domain, she would be safe and sound. As if it had just become her home.

However, as she was still enjoying the feeling, Sakim started to chuckle. Only then did Izel recalled that the tone of voice of her master had suddenly changed and was filled with malice. As if he had just turned into a completely different person.

And this made Izel feel rather uneasy.

Soon, the soft chuckle of Sakim became louder and louder. Until it finally became a malicious laugh as he laughed like a madman. His voice reverberated throughout the land, causing a chill to everyone who heard it.

The wind was angered as trees wanted to kneel. The dark clouds in the sky then soon became darker, and the roar of the thunder accompanied the malicious laugh of Sakim, causing an even more chill. The world was shaking as if saying, "The king has finally arrived!"

***

Many top powers around the world felt the sudden occurrence. Some shivered in fear, some started grinning, some were nonchalant, but one thing they had in similarity, was for their attention to be stolen.

"So, it finally started huh..." A soft voice of a lady chuckled.

Somewhere who knew how far away, a dark silhouette of a lady was seated in her throne. Although the throne room was dimly lit, her curvaceous figure was still revealed. And it was safe to assume that she was gorgeous without mistake.

The thunder then roared revealing the appearance of the lady more clearly for a short moment. And just like what was to be expected, it wasn't exaggerated to say that her beauty was heaven-defying.

Standing beside her throne was another lady dressed in a maid outfit. Surprisingly, she had a similar face to the lady seated on the throne. Saying that they were twins would be normal if anyone would just see the both of them. But what was even more surprising was their appearance was very similar to the unknown lady who was currently together with Robert and Stella.

However, it was noticeable that the lady in the maid outfit had a status far lower than the one seated on the throne. Because around her neck was a dog collar connecting to a long chain that the other lady was holding.

The lady seated on the throne then turned to look at the lady in a maid outfit as she revealed a smile and said, "Should I come to greet your lover?" There was a moment of pause before she added, "Just like what you did, my cute little sister, Yesha?"

"So, you know?" The one who was revealed to be the little sister of the other party, and was named Yesha, was slightly surprised. But then, knowing the capability of her elder sister, the Vessel of the Envy sin, Inggit, such a feat wouldn't be impossible. So with a cold and disdainful tone of her voice, she added, "As expected to the queen of envy, your ability to meddle with other people's business is surely astonishi..."

But before Yesha could even finish her words, Inggit pulled the chain connecting to her neck as Inggit grabbed her face, pressing both of her cheeks with her slender fingers. After a moment, Inggit then said with a cold smile, "Mind your words my beloved little sister, or else, this queen might really come to greet your lover and bring your head as a welcome gift."