Chapter 131: First Task To The Demons

Asher slowly nodded his head. The system had already flawlessly merged the Divine-Tier physique with his body, but he felt no sudden explosion of energy, no surge in raw physical power, nothing at all.

​’Seems like it doesn’t add any major raw stat buffs,’ he thought to himself, dismissing the translucent interface screen as the natural flow of time resumed around them.

​"Yeah, I get it. We Demons don’t go back on our word," Viper said, stretching her arms above her head with a soft groan. "Whenever you need us for a fight, just say the word."

​She turned on her heel and started casually walking back toward her scrappy, rusted Audi. "I’ll leave the organizational details to Natalie. She handles everything administrative anyway," she added, waving a hand dismissively over her shoulder.

​"I want you to stay in my estate. This will be your new residence from now on." Asher called out, his firm voice cutting through the morning breeze.

​His words froze Viper dead in her tracks, while Juliana, Natalie, and the remaining underworld elites whirled around to stare at him in profound surprise and confusion.

​’Don’t tell me he wants her to stay because he’s actually fallen for her?!’ Juliana thought, her heart clenching tightly for a second:

’No... What on earth am I thinking?! Asher isn’t that kind of man. There must be another reason behind this.’

​"Oh?" Viper asked, turning her head slightly to look at him over her shoulder, a amused tilt to her lips. "And what would I even be doing around here? Cleaning your bedroom?"

​"Your only job is to help me protect this estate and everyone living inside it, especially my wives," Asher explained, his tone leaving no room for argument. He lowered his eyes down to meet Juliana’s, a gentle, reassuring smile gracing his face:

"When I am away handling business, I want absolute peace of mind knowing someone capable is here keeping an eye on things."

​Viper turned her entire body around to face them, placing her slender hands on her hips as she looked over the massive, manicured compound.

​"Hmm..." She surveyed the sprawling architecture of the main mansion, then shifted her gaze back to the couple standing before her. "Alright, fine. But I’m definitely not acting as a personal bodyguard for her," she declared, pointing a finger directly at Juliana.

​"I don’t even need your protection, you crazy drunkard!" Juliana snapped back instantly.

​Asher chuckled inwardly at their immediate friction. ’We’ll see about that once you two get used to each other. Besides, I will be taking Juliana with me, so she won’t even be staying in the mansion.’

​Asher shifted his eyes slightly toward the grand entrance of the house, where Sara was standing quietly near the double doors, taking in the entire scene with a thoughtful expression.

​’I won’t be able to rest easy without someone exceptionally powerful guarding Sara and Kelly while I’m away. Viper might be unpredictable and a bit weird, but she is undisputedly the most lethal candidate present... The second reason I’m entrusting this crucial assignment to her is mainly because of...’

​He glanced at her profile with the system:

​{Viper’s Loyalty: 60%.}

​’The second highest loyalty among the Demons belongs to Natalie at 50%, while the rest are all floating somewhere below that threshold... I will gradually cultivate their loyalty over time.’

​When the ten Demons first crossed the threshold into his private estate, their loyalty parameters hadn’t even scratched 10%. But crushing their strongest figure in open combat had shifted their fundamental respect toward him. He had gained substantial ground today.

​"I agree to those terms... You also don’t need to head back to the dark sectors to pack. You can begin your duty immediately. If you require any personal belongings, luxury amenities, or specialized materials, simply speak with my Head Butler. He will dispatch staff to fetch whatever you need... anything at all," Asher stated smoothly, gesturing toward Tang, who stood respectfully near the mansion entryway alongside Marianne, and Sara.

​"Hmm... Honestly, I don’t own anything of real value back at my old place anyway, so staying here sounds fine to me," Viper noted, giving a concise nod. "I accept the contract."

​Natalie observed the exchange silently, her sharp eyes scanning the relaxed posture of the top fighter before turning back to address the rest of her elite squad. She let out a slow, controlled exhale.

​"What do the rest of you say, guys?" she asked, directing the core question to her team.

​"I have no issues serving under him," Soren stated plainly, crossing his colossal arms over his chest.

​"Same here," Juanita added, sheathing her venomous daggers with a quiet click.

​The remaining six Demons nodded their heads in unanimous agreement, the unspoken hierarchy of the underworld settling firmly into place.

​"Well then, from this moment onward, the Ten Great Demons are officially under your command, Boss," Natalie said, stepping forward and offering a sharp, respectful bow.

​Asher studied the nine standing before him. Under normal circumstances, he would have loved to bind such high-risk, dangerous entities using an absolute Blood Pact Scroll. However, between the system’s real-time loyalty tracking and the absolute clarity of his Shadow Gaze, his current oversight was more than sufficient to detect any treachery before it could manifest.

​"Grayson, I asked you to prepare a specific file for me last night," Asher said, shifting his focus.

​"Yes, Boss!" Grayson responded instantly, stepping forward with an eager smile. He reached into his spatial storage, pulled out a thick, leather-bound dossier, and handed it over with both hands:

"These are the comprehensive profiles on all the registered guilds ranked from Rank 100 to Rank 150 within the country system network..."

​Asher flipped open the cover, casually scanning the detailed list of fifty guild names, before extending the file toward Natalie.

​With a slightly confused expression, the First Demon stepped forward and took the folder from his hands, her eyes skimming over the guild logos and territory maps.

​"Alright. I am assigning you nine, plus Grayson, a very important task." Asher stated, his eyes locking onto them with absolute intensity.

​"Yes, Boss!" The ten underworld leaders stood straight, listening attentively for his next command.

​’So this is what it feels like to have genuinely powerful Awakened call you Boss... It feels remarkably good,’ Asher admitted to himself.

​In the past, he could never have dreamed of standing before eleven SSS-Rank powerhouses and issuing commands with absolute authority. That was a tier of influence he had only ever observed from the deepest shadows. Now, he was the one occupying the apex position.

​"Your assignment is quite straightforward." Asher said calmly. "I need you to annex every single one of these fifty guilds before nightfall... legally."

​"Legally? Why bother with legal red tape when we can just use absolute force?" Juanita asked, a slight frown forming on her sharp face as she tilted her head. "I could easily wipe out or force the surrender of everyone in these low-tier guilds by myself."

​The rest of the Demons nodded in agreement with her assessment.

​Guilds ranked outside the Top 100 lacked any SSS-Rank powerhouses; they were fortunate if they even possessed a single S-Rank commander. Their rosters were almost entirely comprised of low-to-mid-tier Awakened. While "Top 100" sounded prestigious to the average citizen, these rankings were strictly regional to the Vaeloria domain rather than global, making them fundamentally insignificant to true apex predators.

​High-tier Awakened at S-Rank or above naturally gravitated toward the mega-corporations and noble family syndicates rather than wasting their potential in struggling, low-tier guilds. Which raised an obvious question in all their minds:

​Why was their new, overwhelmingly powerful Patriarch pursuing these seemingly useless, small-scale guilds?

​"I agree with Juanita’s logic," Natalie explained, scrolling through the financial breakdowns and member counts in the dossier.

"The Awakened Association doesn’t strictly monitor or protect guilds outside the Top 50... Even if we march in and forcefully seize their assets, no major authority will bat an eye or intervene."