Zarath looked around, and started coming up with a plan.
"Alright, girls. We need to focus up and work together."
The three turned towards her with a frown.
'Girls?'
'Why is a Demon acting like it's one of us?'
'Ew.'
Despite the not so enthusiastic facial expressions, Zarath continued.
"If we work together, then we can all get what we want, alright? We need to team up. Being at odds will only hurt us. This is what he wants. He wants us weak and divided."
'Are we talking about our CEO or something?' Léa thought. 'Are we about to seize the means of production?'
"Yeah?" Marianne crouched in front of Zarath. "Well, what do you want?"
"What I want is irrelevant. I just-"
"Answer her." Katherine ordered while tightening the leash.
"I want… His dihhh… Diihhh… His…" The choking Succubus couldn't get the word out properly.
"Did you get any of that?" Marianne asked.
Both Katherine and Léa shook their heads.
"Hm…" Marianne scratched her head. "Anyways, we should get started."
"Get started on what?" Léa asked.
"We're supposed to call for everyone." Katherine explained. "The reason why is a surprise apparently."
"Call everyone?" Léa frowned. "How are we supposed to do that? The vast majority will refuse to leave the Safe Zones for any and all reasons."
"Yes, but…" Marianne's gaze moved towards their secret weapon.
"That's where we use her." Katherine said as she raised the leash.
"I am NOT helping!" Zarath shouted. "I am not an object, alright? Girls. don't let the big man turn us against each other. Yes, I might be a Succubus. Yes, I might be a Demon. But before any of those things… I am a woman. That's the most important part of-"
"Let's get going." Katherine nodded with an innocent smile while the Succubus choked.
"Wow…" Marianne scratched her head, taken back. "You're being pretty violent with her."
"You think?" Katherine pressed her lips together. "Hm… I had to fight Wolves, you know? They're kind of my favorite animal, so I'm not going to feel bad about for Demon."
"You should have left it to Elijah then." Marianne shrugged. "I dealt with the snakes, but I hate snakes, so it was pretty easy. Let Elijah deal with the wolves. Why did he force you to?"
"Hm. He didn't force me to. Wolves are somehow part of the Monsters here. That's all there is to it. Someone had to deal with them before they hurt people. If anything, I'm glad it was me. Since someone had to anyways." Katherine explained as she nodded.
"I see…" Marianne scratched her cheek.
"By the way, Marianne…"
"Yes, Katherine?"
"Why are you still in your practice clothes?"
"..." Marianne nodded. "I should finally go change. I've been running around for a while so…"
***
In order to test the Slave Mark some more, Elijah approached the Boss Room while making minimum noise.
'I need to approach it without being noticed.'
This obviously was easier said than done. After all, the Boss Monster was a Wolf.
A Black Wolf to be exact. It was fifty percent larger than a Gray Wolf, and twice as ferocious.
Elijah stealthily entered the Boss Room. The Black Wolf was lying on the ground, napping.
A couple of steps later, its ears twitched. The Black Wolf opened and its eyes, and the windows behind it suddenly shattered!
The Black Wolf immediately stood up and turned towards those windows while jumping back.
Two horrible creatures stared at it, the extremities of their limbs on the windows' edges.
The Black Wolf growled and showed its teeth when it felt something suddenly come into contact with the back portion of its body.
It growled twice as loud and turned towards Elijah, its eyes burning with vivacity and wrath!
[Your "Slave Mark" Skill has failed to turn the Target into a Slave.]
Elijah's eyes shone as those words appeared in front of him.
For the first time since obtaining the Skill, it had failed.
Because it has failed, it is now possible to start figuring out the Conditions that limit the Skill!
'Enemy unaware of my presence, fail. Unaware of my presence means unaware of my strength. It won't submit if it doesn't know what it's submitting to.'
The Black Wolf growled as it launched itself, claws extended and aimed at Elijah's chest!
With a swift side step, he dodged the attack. His hand grazed the Wolf's side.
[Your "Slave Mark" Skill has failed to turn the Target into a Slave.]
'Confirmed that presence isn't what's important. If the target doesn't recognize me as stronger, the Skill won't work. The Wind Spirit is no doubt stronger than me, but there was consent there.'
The Black Wolf's paws slid on the ground as it landed, turned 180 degrees, and leaped at Elijah, jaws open wide as it growled.
"Let's try this then." Elijah thought with a slight smile.
He pointed at the Black Wolf with his index finger, and a magic circle appeared in front of that index finger.
The next second, a glowing chain wrapped itself around the Black Wolf's neck!
'To me, it seems like there are three ways for this to work. One, the target accepts to become my Slave. Two, the taget accepts that I am much stronger and that I have the ability to kill it. And three…'
Muffled growls echoed through the Boss Room and three more chains appeared, wrapping around the Black Wolf's limbs and mouth!
"That'll shut you up." Elijah chuckled.
He walked towards the growling Black Wolf. It was completely unable to move.
Still,
[Your "Slave Mark" Skill has failed to turn the Target into a Slave.]
"You still don't recognize that your life is in my hands?"
Elijah pulled a knife out of his Inventory, and the Black Wolf's eyes widened as they stared at the silvery glint.
[You have successfully used the "Slave Mark[B]" Skill!]
[Owned Slaves: 9/15.]
"The only difference was the presence of the knife." Elijah whispered to himself.
He waved his hand, and the chains that held the Black Wolf in place disappeared.
Its growling had turned into whimpering.
"You're pretty stupid, aren't you? I mean, knife or not…"
Elijah walked up to the Black Wolf… And pet it!
"You're cute though." He whispered while the Black Wolf waved its tail.