Kapitel 29: A Soul Reborn.

Kae's eyes narrowed, the system's warning echoing in his mind.

{You really need to level up, host. If you're killed while your soul controls this body, you'll also die in your original world, never to be reborn again.}

The implications were clear, and they hardened his resolve.

"I'll enslave every last one of them," Kae vowed, his voice low and dripping with determination.

He looked down at Anna, lying unconscious in his arms. His expression softened as he cradled her closer, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"I won't let you die along with your brothers. I'll protect you, just as I promised Tharros," he whispered, a newfound sense of purpose seeping into his voice. His eyes darted warily around the dark corridor. They had to leave before someone saw them together at that late hour, it wouldn't just be him in danger, Anna's life would be forfeit too. "We need to get out of here."

With Anna secure in his arms, Kae slipped into the shadows, moving through the darkness with ease. The demon lord's influence sharpened his senses, allowing him to avoid the guards as he passed through the palace's labyrinthine halls. His footsteps were as quiet as the night itself, and the shadows seemed to embrace him, guiding him.

As they reached his quarters, Kae's thoughts shifted to the Hall of Skills. The anticipation gnawed at him. What powers awaited him there? He carefully laid Anna down on the bed, her breathing soft and steady, before sitting beside her. His mind was alight with curiosity.

"Show me my Hall of Skills," he commanded at once, his voice sharp with expectation.

A swirling holographic screen materialized before him, dark smoke curling at its edges like some malevolent force barely contained.

Ding!

{Hall of Skills}

~Shadow Step: Teleport short distances through shadows. (Locked)

Requirement: 5,000 dark magic.

~Enhanced Strength: Increase physical strength by 80%. (Locked)

Requirement: Unlock Shadow Step.

~Regeneration: Accelerate healing by 10-30%. (Locked)

Requirement: 5,000 dark magic.

~Invisibility: Become temporarily invisible.(Locked)

Requirement: 5,000 dark magic.

~Enhanced Senses: Heighten senses to detect hidden threats. (Free)

~Shadow Manipulation: Control shadows to move objects or restrain enemies. (Locked)

Requirement: 15,000 dark energy and Shadow Summon.

~Soul Drain: Absorb health from enemies.(Locked)

Requirement: 15,000 dark energy and Regeneration skill.

~Voice Mimicry: Mimic voices to deceive enemies. (Locked)

Requirement: 15,000 dark energy.

Upgrade: Master of Disguise (20% mimicry effectiveness)

~Illusions: Create elaborate illusions to confuse or distract enemies. (Locked) Requirement: 15,000 dark energy and Shadow Manipulation.

Upgrade: Illusion Mastery (30% illusion effectiveness).

~Poison Mastery: Craft and apply deadly poisons.(Locked)

Requirement: 15,000 dark energy.

Upgrade: Toxic Expertise (+40% poison damage).

~Shadow Summon: Summon shadowy minions which only host can see but others can't.(Locked)

Requirement: 20,000 dark energy and Shadow Step.

~Undead Army: Raise and control undead skeleton warriors which only host can see but others can't. (Locked)

Requirement: 20,000 dark energy and Regeneration.

~Demon Summon: Summon demonic entities which only host can see but others can't.(Locked)

Requirement: 20,000 dark energy and Enhanced Strength.

{Advanced Hall of Skills: Locked }

{Congratulations, host. You have acquired 10,000 dark magic from killing a human. You may now purchase any of the available skills.}

Kae's eyes swept over the list of skills, his mind racing with possibilities. He had enough dark magic to unlock two of them. His gaze lingered on 'Shadow Step' and 'Invisibility', both crucial for his survival.

"I'll take Shadow Step and Invisibility," Kae declared firmly.

Ding!

{Shadow Step unlocked.}

{Invisibility unlocked.}

{Enhanced Strength unlocked.}

{Enhanced Senses activated.}

A surge of dark energy coursed through Kae's body, his muscles buzzing with newfound power.

{Shadow Step**: Teleport short distances through shadows. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Invisibility: Become temporarily invisible. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Upgrade: 5,000 dark magic.

Enhanced Senses: No cooldown.

Enhanced Strength: No cooldown.}

{Host may now test the newly unlocked skills. To activate them, simply call for them in your mind.}

Wasting no time, Kae activated 'Invisibility skill ' in his mind. Instantly, his form vanished, blending seamlessly with the shadows. He moved toward the wall and, with a smirk, stepped right through it, feeling the strange sensation of passing through solid matter.

"Impressive," he whispered, grinning as he reappeared on the other side, in one of the consorts room. Next, he activated 'Shadow Step', and the world blurred for a moment before he found himself in a distant hallway, a location that should have taken fifteen minutes to walk to.

"This is power," Kae murmured, satisfaction lacing his voice. "I could kill someone without them even knowing I was there."

He stepped back into his room just as the 'Invisibility' skill wore off. Thirty seconds had passed, and he was visible once more. Activating 'Enhanced Senses', he marveled at how sharp the world around him became. He could hear Anna's heartbeat, the faint rustling of fabric from palace guards miles away, and even whispers carried on the wind. His sight was equally enhanced, his vision cutting through the darkness like daylight.

Finally, Kae tested his 'Enhanced Strength'. He approached the stone wall and gave it a light punch. The stone crumbled beneath his fist, shattering into dust.

"Damn," he muttered in awe, staring at the destruction. "If I'd used my full strength, the entire palace might've collapsed."

His eyes drifted to the wreckage in his room bloodstains from his fight with Eirakon still marred the floor. A grim reminder of the chaos that had erupted.

"Commander Aethera will clean this up," Kae mused aloud, rubbing the back of his neck. "Now that I think of it, she hasn't visited lately."

Ding!

The Lust System interrupted his thoughts.

{That's because you haven't summoned her.}

"Huh?" Kae raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Ding!

{You're her master now. She won't come unless summoned. She considers it disrespectful otherwise.}

"Oh, I see," Kae murmured with a grin. "I'll summon her tomorrow. I'll need to take drain all her years of cultivation afterall."

With a satisfied smirk, he moved away from the wall and sat on the bed. His gaze shifted toward the window, the night stretching endlessly before him.

"So, what's required to unlock the Advanced Hall of Skills?" he asked.

{To unlock the Advanced Hall of Skills, the host must accumulate 50,000 dark magic and complete a mission.}

"And what mission would that be?" Kae asked, intrigued.

{The system will reveal the mission when the time is right. Complete it and reap the rewards. Fail, and face the consequences.}

Kae chuckled, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Perfect. Tomorrow, we'll see how far I can push my new powers. Another day, another deadly training session."

He lay back, letting his eyes close as he waited for sleep to claim him.

______________

Meanwhile, Queen Lyraea stood by her window, gazing up at the moonlit sky. She wore a crimson gown, its fabric clinging to her voluptuous figure, her breasts barely concealed, save for the dark lace that covered her nipples.

"Greetings, Your Highness," Commander Aethera's voice echoed through the chamber.

"I hear the consorts faced a particularly brutal session today," Queen Lyraea said, her gaze still fixed on the stars. "Did Kae kill his opponent?"

Commander Aethera raised an eyebrow, surprised by the late-night inquiry. "Yes, Your Highness. It was a kill-or-be-killed exercise."

"Interesting!" A slow, predatory smile spread across the queen's lips. "Prepare them for the next phase of training. I want to meet this Kae again soon."

A knock interrupted the conversation, and a palace guard entered, dragging a trembling human man with a sack over his head.

"Here is the human slave, Your Highness," the guard announced, removing the sack before leaving.

The man, terrified, fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "Please have mercy your highness." He pleaded knowing the fate that awaited him.

Without a word, Queen Lyraea stepped forward and grabbed him by the throat. Her fangs extended, gleaming in the dim light, before sinking deep into his neck. She drained him of his life force, his body withering as his skin turned pale. The man let out one final gurgled scream before his body turned to stone. With a flick of her hand, the stoned body shattered into dust, scattering across the floor.

Queen Lyraea wiped her lips delicately, her eyes dark with satisfaction. She then turned to face commander Aethera, a sinister smile creeping across her face.

"Let's see what fate has in store for Kae. Will he prove to be a delightful toy or meet a grim end like the others." The queen voice dripped with malice as she laughed, her laughter filling the chamber with eerie resonance.