Awakening Domination System: But I'm a Slave?-Chapter 348: Kaizer [1]

Alaric stood up slowly.

Rolled his shoulders. Stretched his neck left, then right. Worked through the stiffness that came from sitting against cold stone for extended recovery period.

Clenched and unclenched his fists.

Closed his eyes and checked his essence channels mentally, probing carefully, assessing reserves. They weren’t full. Not by a long stretch. But they were functional. Stable enough to fight if needed.

Then he exhaled through his nose.

Good enough.

And picked a direction Brandon had said and started walking.

The cave system was quieter now. No Crawlers skittering in the shadows. No distant roars echoing through passages. Just the sound of his footsteps and his own breathing as he navigated.

He walked for what felt like twenty minutes. The passages gradually changed, becoming smoother, more deliberate.

Less natural cave and more constructed space. Then he stopped.

And in front of him was a door.

Alaric stared at it, and frowned.

"This is really an exit?"

He glanced around for any other options.

Might as well check the system.

He tried to summon his status window.

[System Reboot: 32%]

[Estimated time remaining: 16hrs 22mins]

He dismissed it with a sigh.

Then pushed the door open.

The space beyond was a room.

Cut from the same dark stone as the caves.

Which was empty except for—

A chest, which was sitting against the far wall.

Dark wood reinforced with iron bands, sealed with lock that pulsed faintly with essence.

Alaric stood in the doorway, studying the space.

He reached out with his essence, trying to sense, to read the room, to detect any threats hiding in corners or ceiling or floor.

But there was nothing.

Seems clear.

He stepped forward. Moving toward the chest with cautious deliberate steps.

Then—

Every hair on his neck stood up simultaneously.

That feeling.

That same warning from before. Body recognizing danger before mind could process why.

Alaric threw himself sideways.

WHOOSH!

Something passed through the space he’d been occupying.

He rolled. Came up in combat stance.

"ARGH!"

Pain exploded through his shoulder. He clutched it instinctively, feeling warm blood immediately soaking through his clothing beneath his palm.

Something cut me?

He scanned desperately. The room looked empty. The chest sat undisturbed against the far wall. Nothing visible. Nothing there.

But something had just opened his shoulder like it wasn’t even trying.

His jaw clenched. He gritted his teeth against the pain and forced himself to focus.

He summoned a fireball. Blazing illumination that flooded every corner of the small chamber.

Still nothing visible. The light revealed only empty room and that chest and his own shadow stretching behind him.

Then he felt that feeling again.

And—

He activated Immolation Aura immediately.

Heat exploded from his body. Waves of thermal energy radiating outward, his skin becoming source of intense warmth that raised the surrounding temperature dramatically within seconds. Sweat evaporated instantly. The air shimmered with distortion.

Then he activated Flame Sphere.

WHOOSH!

Fire erupted expanded, spreading in perfect sphere to five-meter radius. There.

The Flame Sphere hit something and revealed it.

A shape. Roughly lupine.

Four-legged.

Shoulder height reaching Alaric’s chest. Its body seemed made from compressed shadow given physical form, darkness so deep it absorbed light rather than reflecting it. But the Flame Sphere’s heat interacted with it in ways normal darkness couldn’t ignore.

Outline glowing faintly. Features resolving from impossible absence into visible presence.

A shadow wolf.

Its eyes burned with cold silver light. Fixed on him.

"There you are," Alaric muttered.

The wolf lunged.

Fast. Crossing the distance between them in fraction of a second.

"Switch with me. Now. Or you’re going to die."

Alaric didn’t hesitate this time.

He let go.

Brandon’s awareness flooded the body like tide coming in.

He took in the lunging wolf in an instant.

His eyes met those silver ones mid-lunge.

"Been a while," he said quietly. "Kaizer."

He sidestepped the wolf’s attack with movement so fluid it looked effortless.

The creature passed through space he’d occupied and hit the wall. Stone cracked from the impact. It shook itself. Turned back around.

Its memories are still sealed, Brandon thought. It doesn’t recognize me. Doesn’t remember anything.

The wolf circled. Low growl building in its throat. Eyes tracking him with predatory focus.

"I know," Brandon said softly. "I know you don’t remember. That’s not your fault."

The wolf attacked again. Faster this time. Feinting left then lunging right. Brandon’s hand came up.

Red lightning crackled between his fingers. Brilliant crimson arcs that cast harsh shadows across the stone walls. He let it build for just a moment, enough to hurt, not enough to destroy.

Then released it in controlled burst directly into the wolf’s path.

CRACK!

BOOM!

The lightning struck the shadow wolf mid-lunge. It shrieked and crashed into the floor, limbs spasming from the electrical discharge.

It tried to rise. Legs shaking.

Another burst. More controlled. Targeted to specific points.

The wolf collapsed fully. Its silver eyes dimmed. Weakened enough that the fight left its body, replaced by trembling exhaustion.

Brandon walked toward it slowly.

He knelt beside the fallen creature. One hand extending forward.

Paused above its massive head.

"Easy," he murmured. "I’ve got you."

His palm settled against the wolf’s dark fur.

And he channeled his essence.

The wolf’s silver eyes pulsed.

Then—

The wolf vanished.

Brandon remained kneeling. Hand extended over empty floor. His expression complicated.

Then he stood. Rolled his neck.

"My time’s up," he said flatly.

And stepped back.

Alaric came flooding back into consciousness.

He blinked. Found himself standing in the center of the chamber.

He straightened slowly. Looked at his bloody shoulder, the wound still present.

And then looked at the empty space where the wolf had been.

"Kaizer," he said quietly, testing the name Brandon had used. "Who was that?"

No response from the depths of his own mind.

Brandon had retreated fully.

He sighed and looked at the far end again.

The chest still sat against the far wall.

Still sealed. And waiting.

He stared at it for long moment.

Then began walking toward it.