Villain: I transmigrated with Mind Control Powers

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The Protagonist Falls

Aric stood over the lifeless body of Ryan Chen, his former master, the essence of his soul now absorbed and the power surging through Aric's veins. The dark chamber was filled with a heavy silence, only broken by the slow, deliberate steps of Aric as he turned his gaze toward Jarod.

Jarod had witnessed everything. The sight of his master's soul being devoured by Aric was too much to bear. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of horror, fury, and sorrow swirling within him. His once steady resolve now threatened to shatter under the weight of what he had just seen.

"You monster!" Jarod's voice cracked, filled with raw emotion. "You devoured your own master's soul! You have no honor, no respect, no humanity!"

Aric's lips curled into a cruel smile, his eyes cold and calculating. "Honor? Respect? These are the ideals of the weak, Jarod. Power is the only truth in this world. Your master failed to understand that, and now he is nothing more than fuel for my strength."

"He betrayed you, so why I should follow him?"

Jarod's aura exploded outward as he prepared for battle, his eyes burning with the desire for vengeance. "I will make you pay for this, Aric. I will avenge my master, and I will destroy you for the monster that you are!"

"Haven't you recently broken your relationship with him", Aric asked teasingly.

But Jarod guessed that this must be Aric's plan.

Without hesitation, Jarod lunged at Aric, his hands forming intricate seals as he activated the Shadow Step Technique. His figure blurred, disappearing from sight as he moved with inhuman speed, reappearing behind Aric with his sword drawn, aiming for a killing blow.

But Aric was faster. Utilizing Mystic Wind Movement, he sidestepped the attack with ease, his figure almost melting into the shadows as he countered with Eclipsing Shadow Blade. His Heavenly Jade Sword glowed with dark energy, the blade slicing through the air with lethal precision.

Phantom Strike!

Aric's sword split into multiple afterimages, each one striking toward Jarod from different angles. Jarod gritted his teeth, blocking and parrying with all his strength, but the sheer speed and power of Aric's attacks were overwhelming.

"Is this all you've got?" Aric taunted, his voice dripping with disdain as he unleashed Eclipse Barrage, a flurry of sword strikes infused with shadow energy. The strikes were relentless, forcing Jarod to retreat, barely keeping up with the onslaught.

But Jarod was far from defeated. He activated Asura's Berserker Rage, his body swelling with power as the primal chaos within him surged forth. His muscles bulged, his skin taking on a reddish hue as his strength and speed doubled. With a roar, he charged at Aric once more, his sword blazing with dark flames as he unleashed Asura Slash.

The two attacks collided, creating a shockwave that shook the entire chamber. The sheer force of the impact sent both combatants skidding backward, but neither was willing to back down. Jarod's eyes were filled with determination, his every move driven by the desire to avenge his master.

"Your master's loyalty was wasted on you," Aric sneered as he wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. "He trusted you, cared for you, but in the end, he died because of your weakness."

Jarod faltered for a moment, Aric's words cutting deeper than any blade. "What… what do you mean?"

"Oh, and Jarod," Aric said, his voice dripping with malice, "I never told you the truth about your master, did I? He was always loyal to you, always cared for you like his own son. But I made sure you never saw that. I made you doubt him, made you think he betrayed you. It was all part of my plan, and you fell right into it."

Jarod's heart wavered, the truth of Aric's words crashing down on him like a tidal wave. His mind reeled with the realization that he had been played, manipulated into betraying the one person who had always been there for him. The grief and guilt were almost unbearable.

"Now you see the truth," Aric said, his voice cold and merciless. "But it's too late for regrets."

With that, Aric unleashed Tengzhi Fusion Fist, a powerful punch infused with both physical and spiritual energy. The impact sent Jarod crashing into the ground, his body wracked with pain. But even as he struggled to rise, Jarod's resolve hardened. He wouldn't let his master's death be in vain.

Jarod pushed himself to his feet, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. His eyes burned with a mixture of rage and sorrow. "I won't let you get away with this, Aric. No matter what it takes, I will stop you."

Aric simply shook his head, a cold smile playing on his lips. "You're already too late, Jarod. You're nothing more than a stepping stone on my path to ultimate power."

With a flick of his wrist, Aric activated the Soul Devouring Technique, the dark energy swirling around him as he prepared to finish Jarod. But this time, something in Aric's demeanor changed. He paused, a glint of calculation in his eyes as he considered the potential that Jarod's body held.

"System," Aric called out, his voice resonating with authority. "Will the current Soul Devouring Technique allow me to absorb Jarod's bloodline and physique?"

The system's voice responded in his mind, cold and indifferent.

[Ding! No, the current technique is insufficient for such a task. However, you can upgrade the Soul Devouring Technique to the Void Soul Assimilation Technique, which will allow you to absorb both the bloodline and physique of your victims.]

Aric's eyes gleamed with dark anticipation. "Upgrade Soul Devouring Technique."

[Upgrade complete. 100,000 Villain Points consumed. The Void Soul Assimilation Technique is now active.]

A surge of power unlike anything Aric had ever felt before coursed through his veins. The technique had evolved, becoming something far more potent and dangerous. Now, not only could he devour souls, but he could also assimilate the very essence of his enemies—their bloodlines, their physiques, everything that made them unique.

"This is where it ends, Jarod," Aric said, his voice dripping with finality. He raised his hand, and dark tendrils of energy, more sinister and potent than before, snaked toward Jarod.

Jarod, seeing the malevolent energy approaching, struggled to his feet. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, his body battered and broken from the earlier clash. Yet, despite his injuries, he summoned every ounce of strength he had left, his eyes burning with a mixture of rage and sorrow. "I won't let you get away with this, Aric. No matter what it takes, I will stop you."

But Aric simply shook his head, the cruel smile never leaving his face. "You're already too late."

Before Jarod could react, the tendrils of the Void Soul Assimilation Technique wrapped around him, their touch cold and consuming. He tried to resist, to fight back, but the power of the technique was overwhelming. His life force, his bloodline, his Primal Chaos Physique—everything that had once made him strong—began to drain away, siphoned by the dark energy that enveloped him.

As the technique took hold, Aric felt the incredible power of the Primal Chaos Physique and the Bloodline of the Ancient Asura merging with his own. His body surged with newfound strength, his muscles bulging with raw power. His senses sharpened, his mind becoming clearer and more focused than ever before. The primal chaos within Jarod, which had once been his greatest asset, was now Aric's to wield.

In those final moments, Jarod's eyes widened in horror as the realization of what Aric was doing set in. He had been outmatched, outplayed, and now, utterly consumed. The last of his strength faded away, leaving him powerless to stop the inevitable.

As Jarod's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, the light fading from his eyes, Aric stood over him, the intoxicating surge of power coursing through his veins. The Primal Chaos Physique, the Bloodline of the Ancient Asura—these formidable strengths were now his to command.

"Thank you for the gift, Jarod," Aric murmured, his voice dripping with dark satisfaction. He looked down at the lifeless body, a twisted sense of victory washing over him. "But you were right about one thing… there will always be someone who will rise against me. But I welcome the challenge. After all, power is the only truth, and I will stop at nothing to obtain it."

With the fight concluded and the thrill of victory still fresh in his mind, Aric knew it was time to consolidate his newfound strength. He sat down in a meditative posture, the chamber still echoing with the remnants of their battle. The energy within him swirled violently, a chaotic blend of his original power and the formidable essence he had just absorbed.

Aric closed his eyes, focusing inward, and began the process of merging Jarod's bloodline and physique with his own. The system's voice echoed in his mind, confirming the successful integration of these new powers, but Aric paid it no heed. His entire being was consumed with the task at hand.

The Primal Chaos Physique was a force of nature, wild and untamed, threatening to overwhelm him if not controlled. Aric gritted his teeth, wrestling with the power that surged through his body. His muscles tensed, veins bulging as he channeled the energy, refining it, molding it to his will.

The Bloodline of the Ancient Asura was no less potent. It carried with it the rage and power of an ancient, warlike lineage, a bloodlust that could easily consume a lesser being. But Aric was no ordinary cultivator. He had faced countless challenges, and he knew how to tame even the most ferocious of powers.

Minutes passed, then hours, as Aric sat in deep concentration. The chamber around him seemed to pulse with a dark energy, the very air crackling with power. Slowly, the chaotic energy within him began to settle, merging seamlessly with his own cultivation. His aura grew denser, more formidable, until it was a palpable force that made the chamber itself tremble.

Suddenly, Aric's eyes snapped open, glowing with an intense light. His aura exploded outward, sending shockwaves through the chamber as he broke through the barrier that had held him back. His cultivation, which had been at the peak of the Spirit Severing 9th Stage, surged forward, shattering the limits of his previous power.

Divine Transformation 1st Stage. No… 2nd Stage.

Aric's power had skyrocketed, pushing him into a realm that few ever reached. He could feel the strength coursing through every fiber of his being, the enhanced physique, the ancient bloodline, all melding together to create a new, terrifying level of power. He was no longer just Aric Lei; he was a force of nature, an unstoppable power in the cultivation world.

A cold smile spread across his lips as he stood, his eyes blazing with a dark intensity. The world would tremble before him, and those who dared to stand in his way would be crushed without mercy. This was just the beginning.

"System, show me the rewards?"