"Lift your head"
The eerie voice makes the guild master couldn't help but lift his head showing his pale blue face towards the little girl.
"W-who are you?"
He said in a stuttering voice after gathering all of his remaining courage.
"What about using your precious eyes?"
The stupid man flinched but then his dark eyes glowing like shining gold for a brief moment staring at Grizel, he did exactly as he was told.
"Mo-Monster!!!"
The fat guild master shrieked while backing down trembling with his jaw dropped.
The tip of Grizel's lip curled up and form an evil smirk because she easily confirmed her target who possesses the stone of God thanks to his foolishness.
This time, the blessing is not a combat ability but it was a crucial thing to have before she started her next plan.
Stone of Argus, the blessing of this God is the ability to see the other's strength and potential in the numeric display, Appraisal skill.
The reason behind the sudden rapid growth of this assassin guild and enslave more powerful Rogue class awakeners then dismissed those who were deemed to be worthless, that's because this stupid man could read other's status like a display window.
"How dare you to call my Master like that"
Lucy's scythe is touching his neck but stopped by Grizel before going deeper.
"He is my prey, I need him alive to get his ability"
Lucy took back her ancient scythe but not her killing aura, this is the first time she wants to kill someone without any order, just like Grizel taught her before, she is free to do what she wants to her enemies, though unfortunately, the fate of the man in front of them is sealed.
"Y-yeah! you won't get my power if you kill me"
He started to feel his last chance to live, the blessing of God will be disappeared if the host is killed, it couldn't be passed down once absorbed by a living being.
The power he accidentally absorbed after touching a mysterious gemstone 4 months ago is not a small issue, it was a national treasure, after learning the bloodshed history of the stone of Gods, with his ability he started to buy hidden good slaves then take over the crescent moon guild to gather more powerful slaves.
"H-how if we work together?"
The guild master started to get cocky as he was sure they are here to seize his power, unfortunately, the blessing couldn't be taken from him, and he couldn't be killed if they want his power.
Numerous plans started to come into his mind, He could take advantage of the little girl's monstrous strength to gain more slaves and become the master of the powerful people even if he is not an awakener himself.
Later, he just has to secretly eliminate this little monster when her guard is down.
Grizel sapphire eyes glance at him coldly, the greed on his face reflected on her oceanic pupils.
"Ha! A mere prey dared to talk back"
She gripped his neck as lifting him from the kneeling position, the grip was strong enough to damage his throat.
"Yo... won't... get... Anythi... killing me"
He said while struggling to escape her powerful grip with his hands.
"You are still yapping with your almost crushed neck huh? Relax, I'm not going to kill you..."
The face of the greedy bastard brighten by her words, the chances to live is finally coming, he wants her to pay for all this humiliation someday, he will raise his powerful guild and enslave more awakeners, become undefeatable then rule the worl-
"But I'm going to eat you"
The man startled by the abrupt line comes from her mouth, his fantasy to conquer the world is not even finished yet, but the nonchalant Grizel activates her Gluttony power through the ring and...
"AAAAAAAAAARRRGGHH"
"HEEEEELLLPPP"
"NOOOOOOO"
"AAHHHH"
"AAAA"
"Aaa"
"..."
His painful screams were echoed through the whole building, his crying voice was as loud as a trumpet at the beginning then slowly weakened until it was complete silence.
But the crowd turns paler when they heard the voice of the little girl saying a hideous thing.
"Thanks for the food"
Those people who witnessed the terrifying scene can't help but trembling while praying to whatever-god-exist inwardly as they never see a living human being absorbed fully into her hand as if prey to be chewed.
-â¢-
Flop!
Grizel sits leisurely and crosses her legs the other way on the fancy throne-like chair prepared by Levi from his ancient spatial ring, in front of her the rest of the crescent moon guild members are kneeling in terror.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Grizel taps her fingers on the armrest of the chair while observing the strength of the members with her new ability, her sapphire eyes gleamed to golden color several times as she is using her appraisal blessing.
'They are too weak'
'Is it because of the restrictions on human growth that mentioned by Athena?'
Grizel had appraised Lucy and Levi the moment she got the blessing earlier, even those elites seem to reach their limit of growth.
Due to the restrictions on human growth, even with 100% power mastery, Grizel is about 15 times stronger than those two.
'Seems like the limit is when the status reaches 100 in number for human, and my status bar is around 1500'
In comparison, after appraising the rest of the guild members, their average strength is only around 30 in numbers and the power mastery is quite low, even the most elite assassin members are still below 50 points.
Grizel knew the reason for their lack of power, unlike Lucy and Levi who are reaching their limit through the training in the forest of demise, these people are like the first time she met Lucy, their eyes are lifeless and dim, they have no desire to live, not to mention getting stronger.
'If the awakeners are this weak, how about non-awakeners?'
'Or am I too strong?'
Grizel recalled when Athena said the leveling up system is restricted to humans only, it could mean that she may be the highest peak among humans but not strongest in the world.
'I can't afford to be complacent in this world filled with uncertainties'
Grizel lost in her train of thoughts, to be a strong organization, she needs to apply basic training as the organization's standard to increase individual strength, and find a way to lift the restrictions if she wishes to build a strong army.
Today is the day she will establish her organization to fight those upcoming uncertainties, no matter how strong she is, Grizel can not fight against the world by herself, she needs a strong back up beneath her feet.
'Athena, do I need to choose it right now?'
'Yes, Master. Hierarchy Tree will establish the connection between you and your subordinates, it will be upgraded whenever someone pledges his loyalty to you'
'I don't even know why do I get this Hierarchy Tree system'
'Of course, it neither part of your awakening abilities nor the artifact, even though the information is currently locked, at least I can say this ability is related to your symbol'
'You mean that strange symbol appeared on Lucy and Levi's hands?'
'Exactly Master'
'I still couldn't find any clue about it yet, well, let's think about it later because I guess a perfect name just appears in my mind'
Grizel widened her evil smirk, the name of the organization that will shake the enemies and carves the fears into their hearts, the name that symbolizes torment and suffering from the deepest abyss of hell.
'TARTARUS'
'Understood Master'
Grizel grins inwardly as she brushed off that matter aside for the moment then glances at the trembling people kneeling before her.
"I killed your enslaver"
All the members flinched when she finally started to talk after the suffocating minutes of silence.
"You are free to leave, but..."
To be continued...