Awakening?The Infinite Evolution of My Talent as a Low-Level Awakener

Chapter 210: Nether Soul Clan, Edward

Sterl quickly grasped the situation.

The sisters' plan was straightforward: The Hall of Valor, at least on the surface, did not permit mutual slaughter.

The genius of the Nether Soul clan, who absorbed various slaves under the guise of taking apprentices, was known as "Edward," a mid-tier legend of the clan.

Sosia and Sonis were soon to meet "Edward" to formally become his apprentices. As their master, Edward had the right to make his disciples assist in magical experiments.

If these experiments failed, it would be reasonable for the sisters to die as a result.

Sosia and Sonis' only chance at survival was to latch onto someone powerful during the time before Edward summoned them after they completed the extreme trials.

Their idea was simple: find a powerful figure to pose as their follower and challenge Edward on their behalf once they met him.

It was a risky and straightforward plan.

It wasn't that Sosia and Sonis were unwilling to think things through; they simply had no other choice.

The Hall of Valor was vast, making it incredibly difficult to encounter a strong and powerful individual, especially one who was male and susceptible to their charm.

Their only viable candidate was the one they encountered during the extreme trial, known as "The Legend of the White Robe."

This individual was terrifyingly powerful, capable of easily defeating even the bizarre existence known as the Devourer of All Things, and potentially susceptible to their allure.

Once they secured this powerful ally, their plan required no further action. As long as The Legend of the White Robe could meet Edward, he would challenge him.

If The Legend of the White Robe was strong enough, he could kill the Nether Soul clan's genius without any additional schemes.

If not, they would all die together...

However, they had miscalculated.

Sterl made it clear: accepting their allure did not mean he was seduced by it.

Initially, he had almost sent Sosia and Sonis to their doom.

Upon hearing the sisters' plan, Sterl's reaction was simply...

"Is that it?"

A mid-tier legend, no matter how strong his talent, could be easily killed by him.

Moreover, he had noticed Gloria's unusual attitude towards him. Even if he was slow to realize it, he knew he had the support of a deity.

Even if Edward had other powerful backers within the Nether Soul clan, Sterl had no worries.

Thinking this through, Sterl casually remarked, "I'll need your help with the guild matters later."

"When Edward comes for you, I'll go with you."

"Killing him should be straightforward."

He spoke calmly, as if discussing swatting a mosquito rather than killing a legendary figure.

"Really, Master!"

"We can't let you risk yourself."

"For you to go this far for us..."

Under the influence of the deputy star, the sisters were moved to tears, overwhelmed with gratitude.

However, Sterl had no interest in watching them get emotional over it.

His current state of post-clarity left him completely disinterested in their charms.

"I need to train."

Immediately, Sosia and Sonis nodded repeatedly and obediently exited the room.

Finally, Sterl had some time to continue digesting his experiences.

Incidentally, later that evening, Sterl indulged in the sisters' company once more and asked a question that had been bothering him.

Even if Sosia and Sonis were absorbed and refined by members of the Nether Soul clan, they should be able to live again in the real world, right? But if they died in the extreme trial, wouldn't the Nether Soul members in the real world be even less likely to spare them?

However, the girls' response left Sterl stunned.

The Red Falcon clan was directly created by the Nether Soul clan within [Transcendence]; they had no real-world counterparts. If they died here, they would be dead for good.

They became players through a special artifact.

What artifact? Sosia and Sonis were unsure.

This piqued Sterl's interest; he was very curious about an artifact that could turn in-game beings into players.

"With such stakes, seeking out that Nether Soul legend might bring unexpected rewards..."

The next day, Sterl leveled up to 76 and applied an evolution point to [Devour].

The newly inducted sisters came to him, looking visibly anxious.

"Master, we can feel the Nether Soul clan's mark calling to us."

"However, it seems that your power has tainted us, giving us some resistance to that call."

As they spoke, a hint of surprise flickered in their eyes.

They knew the level of power Sterl used to refine them was high, but they didn't expect it to affect the slave marks imprinted on them before birth.

Moreover, they discovered that if given enough time, the star power within them, influenced by Sterl, could potentially erase the slave marks entirely.

This is because star power would not allow any other force to contest its control over the deputy star.

This revelation deepened their reverence for Sterl, and under the influence of the deputy star, their loyalty skyrocketed.

...

Soon after, Sterl, accompanied by the sisters, left the Valhalla region and found the teleportation array within the Hall of Valor that led to various other areas.

Their destination this time was the Sea of the Dead.

Despite its name, Sterl discovered upon arrival that it was a vast expanse of dark mountains with large cracks in the ground, revealing flowing magma beneath, reminiscent of hellish depictions in various stories.

As they ventured deeper into the mountains, Sosia and Sonis began to tremble more and more.

Feeling somewhat compassionate, Sterl took them into his arms, one on each side.

"It's okay, I'm here."

His calm words were like a shot of adrenaline for the two girls.

"Yes, Master!"

They regained their resolve and looked at Sterl with admiration.

However, Sterl's gaze was fixed on a pitch-black palace ahead, where various streams of magma converged.

Through his Star Insight, he saw a semi-transparent flame swirling slowly within the magma.

[Fire of Ten Thousand Souls (Grade C)]

[Category: Relic]

[Description: A special flame that can only be born in extremely hot places containing numerous deceased souls. It can transform into a relic after being nourished by the soul of a powerful being.]

[Effect: ???]

[Current Status: 84.6% cultivated]

"A relic?"

What is that?

Sterl looked at the location where the Fire of Ten Thousand Souls converged--the palace. This was also the direction indicated by the slave marks on Sosia and Sonis.

He had a suspicion that perhaps Edward could provide some answers...

After about a ten-minute walk, the three finally stepped into the palace. Unsurprisingly, Sterl saw the Fire of Ten Thousand Souls merging with ordinary flames, spiraling and eventually channeling into the intricate patterns of a giant disc in the palace's main hall.

The patterns, powered by the flames, formed an extraordinarily unique spatial structure, causing the concentration of ambient energy to skyrocket.

At the center of the disc sat a being entirely pitch-black, devoid of any human form.

Surrounding him were individuals from various races, all seated cross-legged in meditation.

Upon their arrival, the pitch-black being opened his eyes--or rather, two red lights lit up on his face.

The pitch-black entity's name appeared in Sterl's Star Insight--Edward.

This minor action caused one of the third-class players meditating on the disc to shudder in fear.

Edward immediately reprimanded him with a tone of frustration, "Didn't I tell you to focus on your training? Useless!"

He flew forward.

"Wait! Teacher, please spare me!"

Before the player could say more, Edward struck his forehead with a palm, forcing him into a peculiar state.

Then, Edward tossed the player into the fiery magma beneath the disc.

Sterl watched as the player was instantly incinerated, with the Fire of Ten Thousand Souls' cultivation progress increasing by 2%.

Satisfied, Edward clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone, welcome your new junior sisters. Or wait, is there a junior brother too? Hahaha!"

As Edward's voice echoed, the other players slowly opened their eyes, a hint of relief in them as they looked at the spot where the incinerated player had been.

Typically, their master only killed one person per day, so they felt safe for now.

Edward was also delighted--not only because the two Red Falcon clan toys reserved for him had arrived, but they also brought along a player with extraordinarily powerful soul energy!

Before Sterl made a move, it was easy for others to confirm that he had not advanced to the legendary rank since he hadn't engraved his legend in [Transcendence]. It was only when he demonstrated his terrifying strength that others would realize he was merely disguising his true power and could not possibly be anything less than legendary.

To Edward, Sterl appeared to be a divine gift!

"Ha ha!"

"My young friend, are you here to become my disciple as well?" Edward looked expectantly at Sterl, even showcasing several skills, promising to teach them all to him if he agreed to be his disciple.

Oh?

Such a classic plot.

Faced with an "antagonist" he planned to defeat in one move, who now wanted to take him as a disciple, Sterl thought this would be the perfect setup for a face-slapping scene.

Sterl was lost in thought...

However, once he saw the skills Edward was demonstrating, he was momentarily taken aback. Then, without hesitation--