24

The fact that he was an origin species. Combined with the fact that this world had nearly died from mana exhaustion meant that this planet might become a pure mana planet. This was a new path. This pure mana would draw in, and create more mana using the world core as a catalyst. The power of this planet would far exceed the other planets rather quickly if the same effect could be applied to the other dragons.

If Wyatt was the one to hatch drakelings then they would be born with pure cores. The power those hatchlings would grant this world would quickly make it one of the most powerful planets in this universe rather quickly. The psychotic smile that spread across my face sent chills down the spines of everyone within a hundred miles. They could all sense death looming over them although they didn't understand why or even where that feeling came from. Many would assume that this feeling came from the return of the dragon king.

I would allow this incorrect assumption since I didn't really feel like having their fear directed at me. I was starting to see a future where it was possible for me to be killed. I had a feeling that this dragon would have something interesting to show me once he awakened in a week or so. I carefully pulled his heavily damaged core back in tight by repairing the existing latticework. The core would have an easier time repairing itself as long as the pieces of its core were touching.

His core looked practically like new if you ignored all the cracks. It was more difficult to take control of this new purer form of mana he released, but his pure mana would allow him to heal even faster. I turned my attention to the elf he'd asked me to spare.

"You should be thankful that he asked me to spare you," I could see him squirming under my glowing red glaze, "I won't waste anytime torturing you." I walked up to him, and gripped him by his belt, "It's easier to simply drink a little of your blood, and use blood memory to figure you out."

I could hear his breath hitch. He didn't want me to learn more of him.

"Relax," I walked along carrying him like a suitcase while he was completely focused on not appearing threatening in any way, "I won't harm you unless he gives the order. However there's nothing stopping me from immobilizing you in another way. You should really start thinking of how you could benefit him. He's rather kind to his subordinates so he may be willing to offer you benefits in exchange for your loyalty. He is also rather impulsive as well. He may have chosen to take you prisoner simply because that queen of yours was planning to use you as a sacrifice to retain her youth a bit longer."

I threw him into a cell on the top floor of the underground prison I had started building. I'd only managed three floors so far, and the enchantments had a long way to go, but thankfully we'd hardly had to use any of the cells. The slaves only had to stay a day or so at most for theft. Most of that time was spent choosing a proper punishment that didn't include violence. The whole point of bringing all these slaves here was to rehabilitate them, and create a favorable impression on the human world in general.

This whole operation had gone rather well. Especially toward the end. I held out the time crystals I'd collected from the queen. Tossing one into the cell with the time elementalist.

"Three or four of these should work to trigger your fusion with the time element," I pocketed the rest, "I'm sure you can get more if you want, but," I placed the drop of his blood on my tongue, "I don't really think that power is what you seek. I have a big mess to clean up, and a few thousand slaves to manage. They need to learn how to function as free members of society once again, and that isn't an easy task."

I left the dungeon. I had things to do. I split myself into three distinct separate bodies all three were just as intelligent as I was, but only carried a third of my power. They also had their own distinct minds, but these minds were tethered together by a thin thread of my mana. Allowing each of them to sense what was happening to the others without effecting them in any visible way.

I'd done a good amount of hard work figuring out the spell. It took me a few years to create the spell. It wasn't the same as creating a duplicate like what Wyatt did. His duplicates were completely separate from him, and he only got his information from them after they were destroyed. Plus he only got an impression of what exactly his duplicate did while it was gone.

Mine were different. My duplicates gave me something of a comprehensive written report when they collapsed in on themselves. My main body was the only one that could regenerate mana so it wasn't all that surprising that the other two would collapse eventually. They couldn't recharge on their own. I would have to meet up with my own duplicates to recharge them.

The duplicates could move as fast as I could so it wasn't difficult for me to meet up with them secretly. I left the dungeon rather quickly after that. I could split into more duplicates if I needed to, but with the risk of the humans attacking I couldn't divide my power further. He'd be well fed while I was gone. I'd assigned three people to managing the dungeons.

Their duties were mostly patrolling the empty prison I was building. Sometimes there were people in there. It was just empty most of the time. I hoped to keep it that way. I didn't have time to worry about the possibility of people committing crimes at the moment.