Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Adrian was momentarily dumbfounded. He hadn't expected to encounter monsters capable of speech, let alone ones engaged in such a complex dispute. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that this was a fantasy world, and anything was possible. Yeah, that was the best way to convince himself.

'But, in this case, it might get easier than I thought... Let's listen to them for a bit...'

As he continued to listen, the chiefs' conversation provided more context.

"You think you can intimidate us with your dark magic?" Brakkar growled. "We have survived worse than you!"

Gnarl's eyes flashed with fury. "Your arrogance will be your downfall. We have the numbers and the strength to crush you!"

Adrian's mind raced as he pieced together the situation. It seemed the two tribes had decided to settle their dispute through a battle between their leaders. The outcome would determine the fate of the forest and its resources.

A playful smile appeared on Adrian's face. 'If they're both weakened by their fight, I might be able to turn this to my advantage,' he thought. 'But first, I need to understand their strengths and weaknesses. I can't recklessly act and lose like a noob after all...'

He continued to observe the battle, analyzing the chiefs' fighting styles and abilities. Brakkar, the beastman, relied on raw strength and brutal attacks, while Gnarl, the serpent, used agility and magic to outmaneuver his opponent.

The fight raged on, each blow causing tremors through the forest floor. As Adrian watched, he formulated a plan. He could use the chaos to his advantage, striking at the right moment to claim the spoils of their conflict.

Brakkar snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. "We will settle this once and for all, Gnarl. The forest will be ours, and your kind will be nothing but a memory!"

Gnarl's eyes narrowed, glowing with an otherworldly light. "Do not underestimate the power of the ancient magics, Brakkar. Your brute force will not save you this time."

Adrian's smile widened. 'They're so focused on each other that they won't even see me coming. This is the perfect opportunity.'

'But... I have another idea. If it works out, I might get everything easily.'

The tension in the clearing reached its peak as the two chiefs prepared to unleash their most powerful attacks. Brakkar, the beastman chief, raised his massive club high above his head, muscles bulging as he summoned all his strength. Gnarl, the serpent chief, channeled dark energy into a pulsating ball of shadow that crackled with malevolent power.

"Your reign ends now, Brakkar!" Gnarl hissed, launching the shadow ball with a flick of his tail.

"And you will be nothing but a myth, Gnarl!" Brakkar roared, bringing his club down with devastating force.

'Right, this is the time to act...'

Adrian's eyes narrowed as he saw his opportunity. He had to act swiftly and precisely.

With a quick mental command, he summoned an Umbra Golem using his Shadow Summon ability. The towering construct materialized just in time, its shadowy form intercepting Brakkar's club with a resounding clash. The ground shook under the force of the blow, but the Golem held firm, its dark essence absorbing the impact.

Simultaneously, Adrian activated his Shadow Glide movement technique. He moved like a wraith, gliding through the shadows with incredible speed and grace.

As Gnarl's shadow ball hurtled towards Brakkar, Adrian emerged from the darkness, catching the ball in his hand. The energy crackled around him, but he remained unscathed, his mastery over shadows rendering the attack harmless.

'Foo... Thank goodness, it worked...' Adrian sighed in relief since he didn't know whether his gamble would pay off. Since he was a Shadow Warlord, the shadow couldn't hurt him, right?

From the outside, it looked as if Adrian had effortlessly intercepted both attacks. The two chiefs stared in shock, their powerful strikes rendered ineffective by this unexpected intruder.

"Who dares interfere?" Brakkar growled, his eyes blazing with fury.

Gnarl's serpentine eyes narrowed, suspicion and anger mixing in his gaze. "This is no ordinary creature," he hissed. "He.... He wields the shadows as if they were his own." It eyes glowing as it looked at Adrian's avatar. "He... is dangerous!"

Brakkar was about to scoff but its eyes landed on the Umbra Golem which easily stopped his club just now and remembered how Adrian easily handled the big shadow ball.

Adrian maintained his calm demeanor, despite the intense gazes of the two chiefs bearing down on him. He knew he had to handle this situation carefully. The element of surprise was on his side, and he intended to use it to his full advantage.

"I am Warlord Aelion, the Shadowbinder," Adrian declared coldly, his voice carrying an air of authority. "And I am here to offer a solution to your conflict."

"!" Hearing the Warlord title, both chiefs were visibly shocked, their suspicion evident in their eyes. The tension in the clearing was palpable as they processed this new development.

Brakkar was the first to speak, his voice a low growl. "What solution could a shadow-wielder like you possibly offer? And why should we trust you?"

Gnarl's eyes flickered with wary curiosity. "Yes, what makes you think we will heed your words, Shadowbinder? You appear out of nowhere and expect us to believe you have our best interests at heart?"

Adrian chuckled inwardly, the corner of his lips curling into a cold smile. He knew he had to play this just right. "Trust? You misunderstand me. I'm not here to earn your trust. I'm here to offer you an alternative to mutual destruction." He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing.

"Submit to me, and you won't have to trust me. You'll simply have no choice but to follow my command."

The chiefs exchanged a glance, clearly taken aback by Adrian's bold declaration. Brakkar's grip tightened on his club, and Gnarl's serpentine form coiled slightly, ready for a potential attack.

"Submit?" Brakkar roared, his voice echoing through the forest. "We are proud leaders! We do not submit to anyone!"

Gnarl's eyes narrowed further, suspicion lacing his tone. "And what makes you believe we would even consider such an offer? What can you possibly offer us that would make us bend the knee?"

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