Free Web NovelChapter 3: The Crest of Ownership
Elena’s breath hitched. Her heart hammered against her ribs so loudly she was certain Vince could hear it. The proximity was intoxicating; the sheer, oppressive weight of his newly acquired physical strength pressed down on her, sending a shiver straight down her spine.
"T-Treatment?" she stammered, her voice lacking any of its usual academic authority. She tried to glare at him, but her eyes kept darting down to his lips. "Vince, you... you dared to violate an instructor. If the Academy finds out—"
[Ding! Target is attempting to use rationalization to fight the Taming Sync.]
[System Countermeasure: Activating Secondary Binding Phase.]
[Warning: The target’s mana core was only temporarily drained. To permanently stabilize her and secure your ’Celestial Beastmaster’ class, a ’Sovereign Crest’ must be imprinted on her body.]
[Time Limit: 3 minutes. If the Crest is not applied, the target’s mana will backflow again, causing permanent crippling, and Host’s stats will be penalized by 50%.]
Vince’s eyes narrowed slightly as he read the glowing purple prompt hovering in his field of vision.
Penalized by fifty percent? Not a chance.
He had just tasted what it felt like to be powerful; he wasn’t going back to being the academy’s footstool. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
"Professor," Vince interrupted smoothly, his hand moving from the stone floor to gently cup her jaw. His thumb brushed over her lower lip, which was still slick and swollen from their kiss. "Look around us. The ’elite’ students you protected left you to die. The Academy views me as trash and you as an asset to be worked to the bone. If I hadn’t done what I did, we’d both be dead meat inside a Hobgoblin’s stomach."
Elena flinched, the harsh truth cutting through her pride. He was right. Brad and the others had fled the second things got ugly.
"Besides," Vince whispered, leaning down so his breath fanned against her ear, "your body isn’t lying to you. Look at your system prompts, Elena."
Elena’s eyes widened. For the first time, she noticed her own interface flashing with a strange, violet-tinted notification:
> [Notification: You have been selected as the First Subordinate of the Astral Sovereign.] freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
> [Current Status: Symbiotic Stabilization (Requires Anchor).]
> [Accept the Sovereign’s Anchor to permanently heal your fractured mana veins? Yes / No]
> Note: Accepting will bind your magical growth to the Sovereign’s progression.
"An anchor..." she breathed out, her mind spinning. To bind her magical growth to a no talent? It sounded insane. But as she looked up into Vince’s glowing purple eyes, she didn’t see the weak, trembling boy who carried torches. She saw a predator. A man who had just pulverized an B-rank dungeon boss with his bare knuckles.
"The choice is yours, Professor," Vince said, though his hand slid down from her jaw, trailing down her neck, past her collarbone, and resting just above the swell of her breast where her mana core throbbed dangerously. "Accept it, or let the mana rip you apart. I won’t force you."
He was lying, of course. If she said no, the system penalty would ruin him. But Vince knew psychology; a proud woman like Elena needed to feel like she was choosing her submission, even if she was backed into a corner.
The heat in her chest surged again. The pain was returning, a sharp, stabbing sensation that threatened to tear her mana veins apart. Elena gasped, her hands instinctively wrapping around Vince’s wrists.
"I... I accept," she whimpered, her pride finally shattering. "Do it, Vince... please."
[Ding! Target has consented to the Sovereign Crest!]
[Initiating Imprint Sequence. Physical catalyst required: Expose the target’s Mana Core region.]
Vince didn’t hesitate. With a swift tear, he widened the rip in her crimson robes, exposing the smooth, unblemished skin right above her heart. Beneath the pale skin, a swirl of blue and red mana lines pulsed erratically.
Vince bit his own thumb, drawing a drop of his newly empowered, golden-tinted blood. He pressed his bleeding thumb directly onto the skin over her heart, drawing a complex, arcane rune of a stylized crown.
"Ahhh!"
Elena arched her back, a loud, echoing cry escaping her lips as the golden blood sank into her skin like liquid fire. The rune burned brightly, searing itself into her flesh.
[Ding! Sovereign Crest successfully imprinted!]
[Elena Vance has been successfully Tamed (Tier 1: Devoted Acolyte).]
[Loyalty locked at 60% (Cannot drop below this threshold).]
[Shareable Skill Unlocked: Host can now channel 20% of Elena’s Crimson Flame Magic!]
[Target Reward: Elena Vance’s Mana Core capacity has increased by 50%, and her magic casting speed is permanently halved!]
The blinding light faded. Elena collapsed back onto the dirt, panting heavily, her body drenched in sweat. Right above her left breast, a beautiful, glowing purple tattoo of a crown stood out sharply against her pale skin.
But the pain was entirely gone. She felt lighter, stronger, and more clear-headed than she had in years. Her mana reservoir felt twice as deep, and when she looked at Vince, the lingering fear and confusion had vanished, replaced by an overwhelming, fiercely protective urge. She felt an instinctual, deep-rooted desire to please the young man hovering over her.
Vince stood up, offering her a hand. His body felt completely synchronized now, a warm current of crimson flame mana dancing beneath his skin.
Elena took his hand, letting him pull her up. She looked down at her torn robes, her face flushing, but she didn’t try to cover herself. Instead, she stepped close to him, her fingers brushing against his chest. "What... what have you done to me, vince? I feel like I belong to you."
"You do," vince said, a confident smile playing on his lips. He turned his head toward the dungeon entrance, his enhanced hearing picking up the sound of frantic, shouting voices. "And right on cue, our guests are returning."
At the end of the cavern tunnel, the sounds of armor clanking and weapons drawing echoed. Brad and the other three coward students had returned, backed by a squad of heavy-armored Academy Guild Guards they had clearly called for reinforcement.
"Over here! I’m telling you, the Professor is probably dead!" Brad’s arrogant, panicked voice echoed through the cave. "The trash-tier bait probably dragged her down with him!"
Vince’s smile turned cold. He looked at Elena, whose eyes immediately flashed with a dangerous, crimson fire as she looked toward the tunnel.
"Come on, Professor," vince muttered, adjusting his collar. "Let’s go show your students exactly how we survived."
