The Ritual

**3rd Person POV**

"Are they the same beast-kin yesterday?" Arthur observed the commotion and saw the three slave beast-kin, Melissa helped yesterday. He looked around and saw Bella together with the woman wearing a light armor commonly seen among the magic knight squad. Bella confronted the shaman telling him fraud, but the Shaman calmly told her about the curse of black liquid.

"Curse! That is a 'PETROLEUM' an important resource, not some devil's Blood! Gosh…" Bella complained and hearing her words made both the Shaman and her companion look at her in weird look.

'Huh?'

Arthur looks at Bella in suspicion, but he fully convinces Bella is a reincarnated or transmigrated individual like him after calling it Petroleum. Seeing the situation escalate with Bella and the Shaman, Arthur felt a sudden pain behind his head like someone wanted to control him!

"Don't be a fool! At the Devil's Pawn!"

[Notice. You learned. 'Operation Skill: Insurgent' (level 1)]

""Execute them!""

[Notice. You learned. 'Resistance Skill: Hypnosis Resistance' (level 1)]

[Notice. You learned. 'Resistance Skill: Mind Resistance' (level 1)]

[Notice. You learned. 'Resistance Skill: Mind Attack Resistance' (level 1)]

'Who?' He frowned and checked the map only to discover 20 red dots. He looked around and discovered the people who stirred the crowd to be angry at Bella and the slaves. He quickly moved and knocked them out all 20 people including the leader of the group.

[Notice. You learned. 'Operation Skill: Stealth' (level 1)]

[Notice. You learned. 'Operation Skill: Kidnapping' (level 1)]

Meanwhile, the crowd shouted to execute the poor beast-kin to cleanse Blackwater and Bella wanted to control the crowd's outburst.

Soon a man appeared from the crowd dragging four people, and one of them was the master of the three beast-kin. He dropped the four unconscious people the crowd became quiet and Bella looked at him surprised to see him dragging four people like they were some criminals.

Ehem! Mic test!

[Notice. You learned. 'Specialty Skill: Loudspeaker' (level 1)]

"Hello! Citizen of Blackwater! I'm here in front of you to expose the sin of a man who used his slave to deceive the rest and collide with Shaman. Who fraud each of you in exchange for a normal stone!" Arthur took the stone and proclaimed in a loud voice.

"Yes! Both he and the Shaman cheated you for money!"

[Notice. You learned. 'Business Skill: Persuasion' (level 1)]

"What are you doing? In the sacred ritual!" 

The shamans pale and shouted at Arthur in a loud voice, but he ignored him and told them about the person who used a banned item to influence the crowd. Hearing his words Bella and the girl beside her became pale, they immediately contacted the office about the banned item and the possibility of Insurgent.

[Notice. You learned. 'Specialty Skill: Judgement' (level 1)]

[Notice. You unlocked a new title: 'Judge']

"You!" 

Shaman pointed his finger at Arthur since his flawless plan went wrong.

Suddenly, the master of the three beast-kin twitched, releasing some eerie energy. Arthur used the status checked, and he discovered a buff named 'Demon Change' without hesitation and screamed in front of the crowd.

"Run! Move away from the magic circle!"

Bella among the crowd was stupefied and didn't expect to witness the true might of the butterfly effect. 

Her plan to visit Blackwater Town without causing trouble backfired.

The Devil's Gate hunted her and her group. After they witnessed a shady deal and were saved, by the mysterious NPC Arthur. Lastly, she witnessed the 'Demonic Ritual Awakening' happening in the Town Square if not for his immediate help they will face a thousand causalities or more.

Arthur ran in the three free slaves freeing them, but the trio didn't move. Once the master of the beast-kin finished his transformation into a demon minion. He announced his presence before killing the Shaman at his front.

"""Run!"""

"""Ahhhh!"""

"Kakakakakaka! No one else will leave the place! All of you will be my sacrifice to revive the great lord!"

The magic circle shone brightly and every person within the range of the magic circle was transferred in the dungeon.

**Inside the Unknown**

"Tsk!"

Arthur clicked his tongue because his compliance caught him off-guard and became the victim of the huge summoning circle transporting him with the rest inside the dungeon. He looked around before opening the mini-map and discovered the whole place was an underground labyrinth with each path connected to different floors.

"Okay! Girls, do you have a name?" He turned around and the trio shook their head.

"Our former master didn't give us names only called us by number." The Rabbit-kin told him about their situation. Where they introduce themselves as Uno, Dos, and Tris a weird name even in Arthur's taste. He looked at them before using the [Status: Check] and discovered they're all 'masterless' and his name is in the list as their new master.

"Sigh! I will name each of you girls if you acknowledge me as your new master."

Arthur starched his cheek since he knew that masterless slaves could be taken by the first person they encountered as long they recognized the person's ownership. The three slaves looked at each other and saw their determination as they still remembered him helping them to escape. He also protects them from their death earlier, and they're grateful.

Since they're slaves without worth, how can they repay him? Answer acknowledged him as a new master!

"""YES!"""

[Notice. You unlocked a new title: 'Young Master']

[Notice. You unlocked a new title: 'Friend of Animals']

"…"

Sigh!

"Your name will be Imani." Arthur named the Tiger-kin. Imani looked at him and smiled happily as she ran towards him before hugging him. Arthur smiled and patted her head. He looked at the Rabbit-kin and decided to give her a name.

"I name you Alanna."

"Thank you." The Rabbit-kin bows her head.

"Me! Me!"

"Hmm… I will name you Fia." Arthur smiled at the White Wolf-kin. Fia smiled as her tail wiggled in happiness before she ran toward his side to embrace him.