100X Returns System: I Dominate the Age of Gods

Chapter 391. Supressing Rebels - 6

Dane was not the only one screaming anymore.

The realization of what had been hidden among them sent a wave of terror through the settlement. Several tribesmen and women let out horrified cries as they attempted to flee from the monstrous creature that had emerged from the woman’s body.

Their instincts urged them to run as far away as possible from the abomination standing before them to avoid a stampede. William froze them in their places.

Panic spread rapidly through the crowd.

No one present had ever witnessed anything remotely similar to this scene.

The creature standing amidst the blood and torn flesh looked nothing like the majestic phoenixes. Even referring to it as a phoenix felt incorrect. Although fragments of its appearance resembled one, the overall result was a grotesque distortion of nature itself.

Its body appeared to have been stitched together from incompatible parts. Certain portions retained avian characteristics, while others resembled those of other creatures. The proportions of its limbs were unnatural, its flesh seemed unstable and malformed, and its entire existence radiated an uncomfortable sense of wrongness that made even looking at it unpleasant.

William studied the creature carefully.

Despite everything he had encountered since arriving in this world, this was still something entirely unfamiliar.

The monster slowly lifted its head and directed its gaze toward him.

The gentle and alluring voice that had once belonged to the beautiful woman was completely gone. In its place remained a rough, unpleasant voice that sounded aged and corroded.

"You will regret this, bastard."

The moment those words left its mouth, William appeared directly before it. An immense wave of solar authority pressure descended upon the creature as he prepared to force a slave mark onto it.

However, before he could proceed, a system notification interrupted him.

[Ding. The target entity is already dead. Slave mark application is invalid.

William immediately frowned. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the message.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

A moment later, Orion responded.

[Host, this entity appears to be an artificially created chimera operating under the control of another individual.]

William’s expression became even more puzzled.

"That doesn’t make any sense. I observed its emotions, intentions, and aura through my omniscient eyes. If it was already dead, then none of that should have been possible."

Orion quickly provided an explanation.

[The emotions and aura you observed belonged to the female human. The woman herself was alive and produced those fluctuations. This parasitic creature remained hidden within her body somehow and was concealed beneath her own presence.]

William’s gaze returned to the malformed creature.

Under the crushing pressure of his authority, the chimera continued twitching and struggling. Its movements were violent and erratic, almost as though it were attempting to break free despite possessing no true intelligence of its own.

William extended his hand and released Lunar Tidal Flames.

The silver-blue flames wrapped around the creature as he attempted to suppress its violent behavior and stabilize it enough for questioning.

Unfortunately, Orion immediately dismissed the attempt.

[It is useless. Without a soul, there is nothing meaningful left to communicate with. This creature is merely a vessel connected to a distant controller. The only productive course of action is to sever that connection and preserve the body for study. Any attempt at conversation will be pointless.]

William considered those words before nodding.

"Then tell me how to break the connection."

[We need to locate whatever serves as the anchor between this chimera and its controller. In most cases, such links are maintained through either an organ or a specific artifact embedded within the body.]

William listened carefully before deciding to trust his instincts.

Without wasting further time, he transformed his hand into a dragon claw and thrust it directly into the creature’s chest.

His arm tore through flesh and bone with ease.

A moment later, he ripped out the creature’s heart.

The effect was immediate, and the struggling stopped.

The chimera’s body collapsed onto the ground like a puppet whose strings had suddenly been cut. Whatever force had animated it disappeared instantly.

William looked down at the motionless corpse and quietly exhaled.

His guess had been correct.

Without hesitation, he stored the remains inside his inventory. The creature represented a valuable source of information, and someone like Grimlock would undoubtedly be interested in examining it.

After securing the corpse, William took a slow breath and surveyed the settlement.

What greeted him were dozens of traumatized faces.

The tribe members stared at him, at the blood-covered ground, and at the place where the monstrosity had stood moments ago. Fear, confusion, and disbelief mixed together within their expressions.

The former chief lay collapsed nearby, barely conscious from blood loss and shock. The horrifying revelation regarding the creature had shattered whatever composure he still possessed.

William looked at him for several moments.

He felt no sympathy. With a simple wave of his hand, brilliant Stellar Flames materialized. The flames descended upon both the corpse of the host woman and the mutilated body of Dane.

Neither received any mercy.

Dane, the tribal chief, no longer possessed the strength to scream.

His voice had already been destroyed after spending so long howling in agony. The flames consumed him in silence, reducing both bodies to ash before the eyes of the tribe.

Once the task was complete, William calmly returned to the ivory throne.

He sat down and allowed the silence to settle over the settlement before addressing the gathered crowd.

"The only path forward for your tribe is to officially join the empire."

His voice was calm but left no room for negotiation.

"The previous leadership has failed. If you wish to survive what may come next, you will become part of the empire and receive its protection."

The crowd listened in complete silence.

After a brief pause, William continued.

"I am willing to appoint a new leader immediately. Anyone who believes they can guide this tribe forward may step forward now."

The invitation hung in the air.

Several minutes gradually slipped by, yet no one moved.

The tribesmen remained rooted in place with silent murmurs and discussion spreading through them. No one seemed willing to accept the responsibility.

The reason was obvious. Every person present had witnessed the truth.

Their former chief had unknowingly become entangled with a hidden and terrifying force. Although William had destroyed the creature, nobody knew whether the mastermind behind it would simply create another one.

Accepting leadership no longer represented an opportunity. It represented a risk.

The next chief could very well become the next target.

William sensed their thoughts through the emotions radiating from the crowd and quietly wondered how he should proceed.

Then a voice suddenly broke the silence. The sound of light footsteps echoed across the clearing.

William turned his head and watched as a young woman stepped forward. Unlike the others, fear did not dominate her expression; instead, a quiet determination burned within her eyes.

Although traces of nervousness remained visible, she continued walking without hesitation until she stood directly before the throne.

Then she raised her head and met William’s gaze.

"I am willing to lead my tribe."

Her voice remained steady. William examined her for a moment. He had no particular reason to refuse.

Instead, he shifted his attention toward the rest of the crowd.

"Does anyone wish to challenge her claim?"

Silence.

Not a single person stepped forward. No one expressed opposition.

The young woman simply stood where she was, returning William’s gaze with a calm and neutral expression. For several seconds, the two silently observed one another.

Finally, William spoke.

"What is your name?"

"Hidan."

The answer came immediately. William nodded.

"In two days, you will travel to the Imperial Palace and formally receive the blessings of the Empress. Failure to appear will be interpreted as refusal."

His expression became slightly colder.

"And if that happens, I will have no hesitation in repeating what you witnessed today."

The warning was simple, but its meaning was unmistakable. Hidan slowly nodded.

Satisfied, William rose from the throne. There was nothing left for him to accomplish here. The Iron Tusk Tribe had been dealt with, and only one final settlement remained.

The Earthen Fang Tribe.