First Light of a New Age

Chapter 113: Conqueror's Will

"Understood." 

Jawl accepted the command without hesitation, though curiosity itched at the edges of his mind. Why hold back now? Still, his loyalty kept his thoughts unspoken. 

He was in no position to question it.

He didn't need to know.

He just had to act, that was his purpose.

[You desire to know why I’ve ordered you to stand down, aren’t you?] 

Upon hearing those words, Jawl shuddered a little.

He wasn't surprised that his Master had figured out his thoughts, but it still caught him off-guard.

"Yes." He responded.

There was no way Jawl could lie to Scyllary.

A soft chuckle echoed through the Artifact, sending a shiver down Jawl’s spine, and he swallowed hard as he listened to the melodious sound.

He felt something tingle between his legs, but he ignored it and focused solely on his Master's angelic voice.

It was enough to save a wretched man like himself.

[It’s simple, really. I do not wish for you or your men to meet futile deaths.] 

The moment Jawl heard this, his heart nearly stopped. He couldn't believe the generosity and unparalleled kindness of his Master.

"...I understand." 

He was momentarily speechless, overwhelmed by her mercy. 

[Continue to monitor the situation and report back if anything changes. That is all. Goodbye.]

Once she finished speaking, Scyllary cut off communication from her end and the line disconnected, leaving only silence as the Artifact dimmed and deactivated. Jawl carefully returned it to the Dimensional Storage within his Spatial Ring while his hands were trembling slightly. 

He couldn't say a word even a minute after the call. His mind was still recoiling from the kind words he heard from Scyllary.

'She doesn’t want me to die…' 

The words echoed in his mind and clung to his thoughts. Though her statement applied to the entire team, Jawl’s broken mind interpreted it the way he wanted as a deeply personal affirmation. 

~FWUSH!~ 

A sudden rustle in the shadows drew his attention. Out of thin air, one of his subordinates materialized before him and bowed deeply. 

"Leader, we’ve been standing by for some time. What are your orders?" 

Just as his eyes slightly moved upward, the subordinate's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets once he saw the massive pillar that rose from his leader's pants.

His eyes widened in shock at the sight of the unnatural… phenomenon. 

Jawl, unbothered by his subordinate’s reaction or his incredible boner, spoke with steady resolve.

"Call the men back. We’re retreating." 

Without further explanation, he turned, ignoring the stunned expression on the subordinate’s face and his incredible boner.

The mission wasn’t over, but for now, his Master’s will had been made clear. 

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"Seven instead of three, huh? How… interesting." 

The soft, velvety voice echoed through an immensely pristine room with every word dripping with amusement.