198 Caged.

[Ren Hilton POV]

I quickly grasped the essence of this Illusion Orb. It wasn't about creating illusions around me; instead, it transformed me into a series of lifelike clones. These puppets were under my complete control, shielded from direct harm, but there was a caveat. Activating the orb had a noticeable impact on my mana pool, rapidly depleting it despite its considerable size.

"Ugh, stop thinking, man. I can't hear you anymore," Blaze complained. It seemed that my voice and thoughts had multiplied along with the number of clones.

As I controlled the maximum number of clones, I felt a growing strain on my mind. Wait, wasn't it exactly twelve?

"Hehe," I observed that all the clones bore my expressions identically. However, when I glanced at one of them, something seemed off; that eerie smile wasn't mine or was it?

"Ugh," I redirected my focus as one of the clones executed a quick strike, kicking a man in the shin just before his weapon could reach me. Maintaining control over all of them simultaneously strained my brain, but it did seem strangely enjoyable.

'Fuck you! How are you coping with this? It hurts like hell, bitch... Can't I get some rest without this?' Blaze's irritation became evident. It appeared that being mentally connected to one another was taking a toll.

I shifted my attention back to the front, where one of the clones was gripping another man's hair, while a different clone held a sword against his neck.

This situation felt oddly nostalgic, reminiscent of the old mob fights I used to engage in. I chuckled inwardly.

"Don't smile, dude," I cautioned myself, pushing one clone back while raising my fingers to create a concentrated sphere of raw mana between them.

Stab*

"Aghhhhhhhhhh," he winced in pain, emitting a guttural screech from the depths of his throat.

I stabbed both of his eyes and heightened the amount of raw mana until the crackling energy caused his head to burst. This gruesome outcome occurred because he hadn't channeled the excess raw mana anywhere else or expelled it from his body, leading to a catastrophic explosion.

Haa, let's finish this... but in a better way.

I surveyed all of them, and then I gave the signal.

Every single one of them engaged in battle, and I could see each vision clearly as my eyes flickered. It was as if I were in multiple bodies at the same time.

....

[Third Person View]

The warehouse was a chaotic battleground, with eleven smugglers confronting the twelve Ren clones.

Ren's first clone was a blur of motion, moving with lightning speed. He left behind a crackling trail of electrifying energy, his outstretched fingertips sparking with raw power. Lightning danced in erratic patterns around him, creating a dazzling display of arcing electricity. With a swift, decisive motion, he aimed his hand at the nearest smuggler, whose eyes widened in terror.

In an instant, a bolt of searing lightning erupted from the clone's palm with a deafening crack. It illuminated the chamber in a blinding flash and struck the targeted smuggler with pinpoint precision. The unfortunate soul convulsed and writhed, his body contorting uncontrollably as electric currents surged through his veins. His agonized screams reverberated through the chaotic battlefield.

The other smugglers, recognizing the grave threat, launched their own frenzied attacks, creating a cacophony of clashes and strikes.

Another clone, his face etched with .....weird expression, harnessed the power of fire. Flames roared to life around him, their searing heat and vibrant dance creating an inferno in the midst of the fray. Though it was a weaker rendition of Ren's original fire, it still enough.

With malevolent intent, the clone extended his hand and released a torrent of blazing fire towards his chosen adversary. The targeted smuggler, panic in his eyes, attempted to evade the relentless onslaught of flames. But it was as if the fire had a mind of its own, pursuing the smuggler with unerring accuracy.

Desperate screams filled the air as the smuggler's clothes ignited, his skin blistering under the relentless heat. The flames showed no mercy, consuming him entirely and leaving nothing but ashes and the acrid scent of burnt flesh.

*Stab*

"Huh?" Ren, positioned slightly behind the clones to control them, raised a brow as he observed the chaotic skirmish.

In the smuggler's final moments, he summoned a burst of strength. With a wild, desperate swing, he hurled a dagger towards the clone, the blade glinting dangerously in the fiery glow. The dagger found its mark, piercing the clone's head, and it fell to the ground, lifeless.

Ren realized that his clones were indeed weaker than him, and their magical prowess was less potent.

"Fuck you!" One of the smugglers swung a fist towards a clone, putting his entire weight behind the attack. The clone reacted with astonishing agility, sidestepping the blow with a graceful movement. In response, it created a bolt of fire and stabbed the forearm of the smuggler. However, the smuggler retaliated by sending the clone hurtling backward with a powerful torrent of wind. The clone slammed into the bars of a nearby cage with a resounding crash.

"Tch," Ren clicked his tongue in frustration as he witnessed the exchange. Without hesitation, he dispatched another clone to confront the recovering smuggler. This time, the clone jumped backward to evade an incoming attack, only to be met by yet another clone. With deadly precision, the second clone slipped a sword through the smuggler's back.

Thud

"Ack," the smuggler made a bewildered expression before succumbing to his wounds, slumping to the ground in defeat.

Amid the chaotic battle, the subdued beasts in their cages began to stir. For a while, they had remained eerily silent, but now, their instincts kicked in, and various growls, roars, and snarls filled the air, adding a new layer of discord to the already tumultuous scene.

As the clash between Ren's clones and the smugglers continued, Ren's control over his clones took on a cruel and sadistic edge. He relished in the variety of methods he employed to dispatch his adversaries. Each time, he made sure not to repeat the same killing method, savoring the unique screams of agony that accompanied each death. To him, these cries of pain were intoxicating, and he felt himself slipping further into madness with every passing moment.

In the heat of battle, Ren abandoned any semblance of morality. There was no distinction between what was right and wrong; he had descended into a bloodlust-fueled frenzy. Even his dwindling mana reserves went unnoticed, or perhaps he simply chose to ignore them. For Ren, this was more than a battle; it was a twisted form of entertainment, and killing had become his sadistic pleasure.

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[Lili's POV]

I used to live in a tiny village with lots of friends. We played in fields, chased pretty butterflies, and climbed tall trees. Life was easy but really fun.

One day, my mom said, "Lili, we're going on a big trip to see Dad!" My dad had gone away when I was tiny, and I missed him a lot. I got so, so happy thinking about seeing him again. Mom was smiling lots too. She'd been kinda worried lately, but now she was back to being happy, and that made me happy too.

The trip was a big adventure. We traveled for what felt like a super long time. I saw cool places and met new friends. We only moved when it got dark outside, which was a bit strange, but it felt safe.

But one morning, I woke up, and Mom wasn't there. Instead, I was in a tiny cage with people I didn't know.

The man who talked a lot told me Mom had ...sold me.

Mother? Mom sold..me?

"T-that's n-no,"

I didn't know why she'd do that. I got really, really scared and started crying. I felt all alone, and everything was super confusing. The world I knew changed into something really scary, and I wanted to go back home.

...

Today I saw them take another girl from the cage next to mine. She was my age, and we looked at each other with scared eyes. They took her away, and I didn't know where they were taking her. They'd bring her back every now and then, but each time, she looked sadder and hurt and her clothes....they were tattered.

The men who did these things to her would sometimes glance at me, and their faces were really scary. They said awful things about her, and they said I was next... after they finished with her. I didn't understand what they meant, but it made me even more scared. I just wanted to hide and never come out.....but-

...

"H-huh!!"The small, dimly lit cage felt like a prison as I huddled in the corner, clutching my tattered doll close to my chest. I didn't understand why this was happening, why my own mother had sold me to these scary people.

""Aghhhhhhhhhh""

The world outside was filled with strange noises and shadows that terrified me.... what's happening.

"M-mom,"Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about my family. I missed them so much, and I just wanted to go back home, where everything was safe and familiar. But I didn't know where I was or how much time had passed since I had been brought here.

All I knew was that I was trapped in this cold, dark place, and I felt so alone and scared.

[A/N: Anyone remember her?and damn those smugglers deserved it huh.]