Kingdom Building Game: Starting Out With A Million Upgrade Points! - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Establishing Dominance
Shock and confusion—those were the expressions Abaddon had on his face as he witnessed a mere mortal bring him to his knees.

The priests and priestesses gazed in awe, utterly dumbfounded by the scene before them, frozen in place, their jaws agape.

Even Seraphine loosened her grip on the hilt of her sword, her eyes widening.

Ancient sorcery, perhaps? No. Was it some kind of lost artifact? Or a divine blessing? They all wondered.

In fact, even the gods watching were at a loss for words.

For no other logical explanation existed for how a mortal could bring a divine being to his knees, gazing down at him as if he were a child about to receive reproach from his parents.

It was mind-boggling, to say the least, but there it was before them—as clear as day, as radiant as the night, undeniably within their sights.

Abaddon gritted his teeth, his anger rising. He attempted to rise to his feet, to free himself from the emperor’s grip, to salvage his wounded pride.

But…

He found himself unable to do so. It was as though the weight of the emperor’s hand on his shoulder was equivalent to carrying the burden of a god’s duty.

As if subdued by divine might.

“W-What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, his aura flaring. “Unhand me, you—”

“Silence, Abaddon!” Arkanos suddenly yelled, his gaze intensifying as if he were a predator sizing up his prey. He then spoke each word with a touch of fury.

“I don’t remember giving you permission to speak.” Arkanos leaned in, his gaze locked with Abaddon’s. “It seems you are ignorant and in need of enlightenment. So hear me and heed my words…”

His grip tightened, making a dent in Abaddon’s armor.

“For as long as you serve under me, I will not tolerate a challenge to my authority.”

“Neither shall your head be raised when you present yourself to me. I am not as forgiving as the gods, I am very selective of whom I grant mercy.”

“So if you ever attempt such a thing again, I swear on the Bloodbane name you shall meet your end by my hands.”

Arkanos’ gaze intensified as he leaned in to whisper in Abaddon’s ear, “Have I made myself clear?”

For the first time in centuries, Abaddon felt an actual chill run down his spine. His teeth gritted, his gaze intense, his thoughts racing.

‘What is this? I thought he was merely an interesting human who followed the goddess of justice and purity.’

‘But this strength… this might… no one, not even the god of war, has managed to bring me to my knees like this…’

‘It seems he isn’t just any mortal.’

‘I sensed no falsehood in his words. He’s serious… he possesses the means to end me… I… Abaddon, the Angel of the Abyss?’

‘How can a mortal be in possession of such power?’

In actuality…

In the original game, a fundamental mechanic governed the relationship between summons and their master. By design, summons, even those from the fearsome Dark Series, could never harm their summoner. This code was implemented to prevent friendly fire during group battles or large-scale wars, ensuring that a summon’s immense power wouldn’t backfire on the player.

This rule extended beyond direct combat. The system prioritized the player’s movements and commands over the summon’s autonomy. In essence, if a player commanded a summon to act—or even forced it into submission—the summon was unable to resist actively. This programming quirk was intentional, a feature to streamline gameplay and avoid complications during intense battles.

But for a summon of the dark Series, this wouldn’t work if their respect for the summoner was zero, but usually at the moment of summoning them they possess some respect, so Arkanos seized this moment to establish dominance.

Arkanos noticed Abaddon’s delay and tightened his grip, causing him to wince slightly as he repeated, “Do you understand?”

With immense reluctance, Abaddon finally replied, his shame immense. “I… I understand.”

A system window appeared at the edge of Arkanos’ vision.

〘 ⋄ The gods are in awe of your actions. Some contemplate giving you a blessing. ⋄ 〙

〘 ⋄ The god of war and conquest has become very interested in you. ⋄ 〙

〘 ⋄ The goddess of pride and beauty is impressed with your charisma and strength. ⋄ 〙

〘 ⋄ The goddess of life and fertility is impressed as well. ⋄ 〙

〘 ⋄ The goddess of justice and purity is emphasizing her ownership over you. ⋄ 〙

〘 ⋄ The other gods feel jealous. ⋄ 〙

“Good,” Arkanos finally said, ignoring all the flashing notifications. Loosening his grip and straightening his posture, he continued, “Now present yourself properly, and ask your question again.”

Abaddon slowly raised one knee, resting one hand upon it, his other knuckle to the floor as he bowed his head and spoke. “I… Abaddon, Angel of the Abyss, pay my respects to the Emperor of the Bloodbane Empire.”

He gritted his teeth again before managing to proceed. “My lord, if I may, you gave your word to make your goals known upon our next meeting.”

The head priestess, present within the scene, fell back onto the floor, her buttocks hitting the ground. Her cheeks flushed as she gazed at the emperor with a look of pure delight on her face. “His Majesty is truly divine,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “To force an angel into submission…”

Seraphine, standing nearby, silently thought to herself, ‘He is indeed extraordinary… that is why I have chosen to stand by his side.’

Arkanos then turned away from Abaddon, his expression calm yet resolute. “My goals are massive, Abaddon, yet simple,” he said. “For the world to be united under one flag—my flag. That is all.”

Abaddon paused, his gaze fixed on Arkanos. For a moment, he appeared stunned, his expression unreadable. Then, unexpectedly, he began to laugh, a low chuckle that grew louder with each passing second, untill he burst out into a loud laugh, revealing his sharp teeth.

“Well, well, well…” Abaddon finally said, his tone filled with both amusement and intrigue. “It seems I made the right call in humoring you, Emperor. Your strength, your resolve… they’re undeniable.”

He straightened his posture, his wings spreading slightly as he lowered his head in acknowledgment. “Very well. My power will be at your disposal, as long as our paths align.”

“Good,” Arkanos replied. But before he could say anything further, Abaddon’s gaze sharpened, and he swiftly interjected.

“But,” Abaddon said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge, “if for any reason you falter, if you stray from the path you’ve set or change your mind in the middle of our journey…”

Je narrows his gaze, his aura crackling. “I will not hesitate to betray you. Do not forget, Emperor, that loyalty is earned, not given.”

Arkanos locked with his gaze, unflinching. “Understood,” he said simply, his voice steady and commanding. “Then ensure you remain loyal, Abaddon, and you’ll find no cause for regret.”

The tension lingered for a moment longer, before Abaddon chuckle returned, though quieter this time. “Interesting… very interesting indeed.”

Arkanos began to walk out the church, his commanding presence as he spoke, his tone firm yet calm. “Enough kneeling. Get up and prepare to take on your new duties immediately, Abaddon.”

Abaddon’s gaze lifted, curiosity glimmering in his eyes as he began to rise, but Arkanos wasn’t finished.

“And another thing,” Arkanos continued, his sharp gaze locking onto the angel. “You are to hide your wings. I won’t have them striking fear into the hearts of my people or, worse, spreading false rumors of some divine reckoning.”

Abaddon chuckled as he straightened to his full height. With a slight smirk, he flicked his fingers, and his enormous, blackened wings shimmered before disappearing into nothingness.

“As you command, oh mighty emperor,” Abaddon replied with amusement, though his words carried a hint of respect.

He inclined his head slightly, the edges of his grin lingering. “I shall tread carefully and make sure not to disturb your fragile little flock.”

Arkanos narrowed his eyes but chose not to rise to the bait, simply gesturing for him to follow. “Good. Now, let’s see if your strength matches your wit. There’s much to be done.”

With that, the emperor turned on his heel, his cloak trailing behind him, while Abaddon followed closely and lady Seraphine followed closely behind him.

As Arkanos and Abaddon strode out of the chamber, a group of priests and priestesses rushed to Head Priestess Isode, with a look of concern on their faces.

“Head Priestess,” one of the priests spoke, his voice trembling, “that fallen angel… isn’t he a creature of darkness? his presence a bad omen? How can the emperor ally himself with such a being?”

Another priestess spoke up as well, her voice barely above a whisper, “Doesn’t this risk inviting divine wrath? Surely, this is dangerous…”

Isode raised her hand, silencing them with a calm but commanding presence. Her gaze remained fixed on the retreating figure of the emperor. “Hush,” she said firmly. “You underestimate His Majesty. He is divine. He makes no mistakes.”

Clasping her hands together, her voice softened, almost reverent. “To witness him bring a fallen angel to heel… it only proves his divinity further. Do not question his decisions, for he sees what we cannot.”

The gathered priests and priestesses exchanged uneasy glances but nodded, bowing their heads in agreement.

Isode, still seated on the floor, gestured for one of the priestesses to help her up. As the young woman complied, offering her arm, both noticed a faint glimmer on the floor where Isode had been sitting.

The priestess froze, blinking down at the damp spot. She hesitated, touching the spot lightly with her fingers. The texture was slimy. She frowned, her brows furrowing in confusion.

‘What is this?’ the pristess wondered, gazing at tye head pristess as she left, she noticed the rear end of her garment was wet, certainly brought to such a state by what ever this fluid was.

‘Certainly the head pristess didn’t…’