Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives

Chapter 105: Just Making Plans to Ruin Your Day

Warlock Ch 105. Just Making Plans to Ruin Your Day

"Depends," Damian shot back, masking his unease with sarcasm. "Do you offer room service, or is this one of those 'no frills' kinds of dungeons?"

Malthus chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Cassius must have trained you well. That sharp tongue of yours is almost entertaining. Almost."

Damian's jaw tightened at the mention of Cassius. He wasn't sure if the name was meant as a compliment or an insult, but either way, it didn't bode well. "If you know Cassius, then you know he doesn't appreciate his student being kidnapped," Damian said, leaning forward against his chains. "Let me go now, and maybe he won't burn your house or whatever it is to the ground."

"Cassius?" Malthus raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Oh, I'm counting on him coming after you. That's part of the fun. But don't flatter yourself, boy. You're here for my purposes, not his."

"And those are?" Damian asked, though the unease in his gut already knew the answer.

Malthus's smirk turned predatory. "Your Mana Core, of course," he said smoothly. "Do you have any idea how rare a core like yours is? Even among warlocks, it's exceptional. Cassius must see it too—why else would he invest so much time and effort into training you?"

Damian's blood ran cold, but he kept his expression neutral. "Flattered. Really. But if you think I'm just going to sit here and let you rip it out, you're dumber than you look."

Malthus's chuckle was low and condescending, like a teacher amused by a student's naivety. "Oh, you misunderstand. I don't need your permission. In fact, the process is already beginning."

Damian's heart skipped a beat. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Malthus gestured toward the Umbra Devourer, its many eyes fixed hungrily on Damian. "My shadow servant is quite efficient. Even now, it's siphoning the energy from your core, weakening it little by little. Soon, it will be mine."

Damian tugged against his chains instinctively, his mind racing. "You think Cassius will just let that happen?" he said, desperation creeping into his voice despite his best efforts. "He'll come for me. And when he does, you'll wish you never—"

"Cassius is too late," Malthus interrupted, his tone bored. "Do you honestly think I would have brought you here if I wasn't prepared for him? Let him come. It'll be amusing to see him try."

Damian's mind whirled, searching for a way out of this. His skills were locked, his servants couldn't be summoned, and Malthus clearly had the upper hand. Worse yet, like Malthus said, he could feel it now—his Mana being drained. It was a faint pull at first, but it was growing stronger with every passing second, like a slow, steady leak he couldn't plug.

'Think, Damian, think! 'he urged himself, his breathing shallow as panic nipped at the edges of his mind.

And then, just when he thought things couldn't get worse, a voice echoed in his head.

'You are weak…'

It wasn't his own inner voice, not the usual self-doubt that crept in during dire situations. No, this was the ancient artifact inside him, his own Mana Core. A laugh followed, cold and derisive, the kind of laugh that made his blood boil.

'Shut up! I'm thinking!' Damian shot back, his frustration spilling into his thoughts.

'No, you're not,' the voice countered, dripping with scorn. 'You're flailing. Desperate. There is no way out… You're going to die here.'

'I said shut it!' Damian barked, his anger flaring despite the circumstances. He had enough to deal with without some random voice adding to his problems.

'Ahahahaha! So pathetic!' the voice jeered, the sound echoing in his head like a taunt from a bully who knew they'd already won.

Yup, somehow, the ancient artifact embedded within him—the very source of his power—had intelligence. And not the helpful, wise, mentor-like intelligence he'd expect from something this important. No, his Mana Core was a complete jerk.

'Great. Just great,' Damian thought bitterly. 'Not only is Malthus trying to rip my Mana Core out of me, but it's also bullying me while it happens. Fantastic.'

'Why aren't you scared or something?' Damian muttered in his mind, his frustration boiling over. 'You're the one he's trying to steal! Shouldn't you be, I don't know, panicking?'

The Mana Core's voice responded with another mocking laugh. 'Why would I panic? If this Malthus fool thinks he can take me, he's in for a surprise. But you? Oh, you're done for.'

Damian's eye twitched. 'What's that supposed to mean?'

'You're weak,' the Mana Core said again, its tone matter-of-fact. 'You rely on my power, but you don't truly understand it. Without me, you're just another mediocre warlock pretending to be important.'

'You know what? Why does your personality remind me of that demon king from my dreams last night?' Damian snapped, his thoughts laced with exasperation. 'You're just as annoying.'

The Mana Core laughed again, and Damian swore he could feel it smirking. 'Maybe because we're both stronger than you'll ever be?'

Damian let out a low growl, his head throbbing from the combination of mocking taunts and the constant drain on his Mana. 'Focus, Damian. Don't let this thing get in your head more than it already has.'

He turned his attention back to Malthus, who was watching him with an amused expression, clearly entertained by Damian's internal struggle. "Talking to yourself, are we?" Malthus asked, his tone dripping with mockery.

Damian glared at him, his jaw tightening. "Oh, you know. Just making plans to ruin your day."

Malthus chuckled, clasping his hands behind his back as he circled Damian slowly. "You're feisty. I like that. It makes this all the more entertaining. I wonder how long that fire will last once I have what I want."

Damian didn't respond. He kept his head down, his jaw clenched as he tried to think. Waiting for Cassius was the last resort. There was no guarantee Bloodwing Raven had reached him in time—or at all. If Cassius wasn't already on his way, waiting would be futile.

'I need another way out. Something only I can do.'

Malthus tilted his head, his smirk deepening as Damian remained silent. "What's this? No witty comeback? Have I finally broken that annoying little tongue of yours?"