Chapter 17: First Enslaving

Ethan stared at the black heap that had once been the monster called the Shadowstalker. He didn't feel anything from it, making him sure that their Souls had vanished as soon as they died.

Ethan thought, 'Maybe I should touch them faster than Irene's blades.'

Now that he could see Irene's confidence had returned, he realized that Irene was a great warrior.

"What do you feel?" Irene asked in a quiet whisper.

"A strong creature," Ethan answered. "It's approaching us."

Irene nodded. There was no fear on her face, only determination and a cold fire in her eyes as she gripped her daggers.

Ethan glanced at her for a moment, then looked ahead again. The monster was approaching rapidly, and they could hear the sound of its footsteps.

Based on what Claudia said, the monster guarding the artifact is of Rare-rank. That's why they shouldn't fight it. But Ethan felt tempted. If he could use his Soul Manipulation on a Floor Guardian, shouldn't he also be able to use it on just an artifact guardian?

She said it was the boss of the Shadowstalkers here. But it was bigger and faster with longer claws.

It might be a problem, but with his Aetherbow, Ethan could attack it from a distance.

The monster was getting closer. Irene seemed ready to fight alongside him. But Ethan forbade her from charging forward and instead told her to retreat because the monster could be dangerous.

Irene obeyed his command because she also didn't want to risk her life against something she didn't understand.

Claudia said that the monster they would face was none other than the dreaded Shadow Behemoth, a towering colossus of darkness and malice. The monster was the only one in this Floor, guarding the artifact.

If Ethan could get a monster like that as his servant, then it would boost his power even stronger than this.

Gripping his Aetherbow tightly, he made a split-second decision to take the initiative. With a swift motion, Ethan jumped from the depression in the wall where he hid, then created an Aether arrow and drew back the string, aiming for the creature's vulnerable spot.

*SWISSH!*

The arrow soared through the air with deadly precision, finding its mark as it struck the Shadow Behemoth's knee.

"GROAAHH!"

A deep rumble of pain echoed through the corridor as the monster stumbled, its massive frame lurching forward as it struggled to maintain its balance. Ethan didn't waste the opportunity.

He launched another volley of arrows at the creature's exposed flank. Each shot hit it precisely, further weakening the beast and eliciting more anguished roars of frustration.

But even as the Shadow Behemoth faltered, Ethan knew that victory was far from assured. With a snort of smoke from its nose, the monster regained its footing. Its eyes burning with fury as it charged forward at Ethan once more.

Sensing the danger closing in, Ethan quickly called out to Irene, instructing her to back up to a safer distance. He knew that facing the Shadow Behemoth head-on would be perilous, and he needed to ensure that Irene remained out of harm's way.

The Shadow Behemoth continued its relentless charge. Ethan and Irene quickly turned on their heels and began backing away from the monstrous creature. Ethan kept his Aetherbow trained on the advancing behemoth, firing off arrows with practiced precision as he retreated.

While a few of his shots missed, most of them struck the creature's darkened form with bursts of crimson light. The Aether arrows tore through the air, leaving trails of dim crimson energy as they sought to slow the Shadow Behemoth's pursuit.

Meanwhile, Irene moved with silent grace. Helped by her Talent, she could blend into the shadows and vanish from the sight of the Shadow Behemoth. Her shadow-infused daggers gripped tightly in her hands as she darted ahead to find a strategic vantage point.

Ethan kept running. With his increased Attributes, he could manage an incredible speed. As Ethan reached the entrance to the structure, he continued running, with the Shadow Behemoth in pursuit. The creature lunged forward in pursuit, and Irene seized her moment.

With a swift and precise strike, she lashed out with her daggers, slicing through the monster's black leg with a surge of shadowy energy.

The Shadow Behemoth howled in agony as it stumbled, its massive frame crashing to the ground with a deafening thud. Blood flowed from various places on the monster's body where dozens of Aether arrows had pierced it. It was definitely weakened.

Seizing the opportunity, Ethan suddenly changed his direction and darted back toward the monster.

Irene was shocked by his move. She thought that Ethan would continue to shoot at the monster from afar, but suddenly he came back with incredible speed.

Ethan touched the top of the monster's head, and a voice rang inside his head—a pleasant melody.

["What do you intend to do with its Soul?"]

He successfully used Soul Manipulation on the Shadow Behemoth, a Rare rank monster. A wide, cold grin appeared on Ethan's face. With a surge of strange power, Ethan wove the threads of his Soul into the very essence of the Shadow Behemoth, exerting his will over its dark and primal nature.

With a final exertion of will, Ethan succeeded in subjugating the creature's Soul, now bending it to his command.

In an instant, the ferocious Shadow Behemoth became bound to him, its consciousness now blending with his own. It was a strange feeling.

The creature's body remained lifeless on the ground, but its Soul was now inside Ethan's body. He could feel it distinctly.

["You have successfully enslaved the Soul of the Shadow Behemoth (Rare)"]

The feminine voice rang inside his head again. Ethan called his new slave with his mind. Threads of black, dust-like substance emerged from his body and materialized in a matter of seconds as another Shadow Behemoth in front of him, beside its former body.

'Kneel.'

At his command, the Shadow Behemoth kneeled in front of him. Ethan let out a small laugh.

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