Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

Lucas chuckled. "You've been itching for this, haven't you?"

[Of course! Do you think I like watching you bumble around aimlessly all the time? Let me show you how it's done.] The system's arrogance was palpable, its words dripping with mockery.

"Just do it," Lucas muttered, amused but not in the mood for its taunting.

Without any delay, the system took control of the core, releasing the Abyss Mana in a powerful, controlled surge. The black energy poured out like a storm unleashed, swirling through the air with deadly intent, moving toward the gate of the Abyss Hole.

As the mana surged forward, the atmosphere shifted violently. The ground trembled as if it feared what was about to come. The Abyss Beasts scattered around the area paused, their once feral eyes now glowing with a fierce malevolence, feeding on the spiked mana.

[Look at them! Pathetic little beasts, and now they think they're gods.] The system cackled, a cruel delight evident in its tone. [Aren't you impressed, host?]

Lucas's lips curled into a smirk. "They're turning into monsters. Perfect. This will keep the academy on their toes."

The beasts, once dangerous but manageable, began to grow in size. Their bodies contorted, expanding into grotesque versions of their former selves. Limbs stretched unnaturally, claws grew sharper, and their roars—now much louder and deeper—reverberated through the abyss.

One beast, a once-small, wolf-like creature, now stood three times its original size, its eyes glowing red with fury. "Looks like they're getting a little... unruly," Lucas remarked.

[Unruly? Ha! Look at them! They're magnificent! All thanks to me, of course. You're lucky I'm around to handle this.] The system sounded smug, as if the chaos unfolding was all part of its personal accomplishment.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Sure, you're a real hero. Now let's see what happens next."

The Abyss Mana spread faster now, snaking toward the edge where the weaker disciples were cultivating. Some noticed the sudden spike, their faces twisted in fear as they felt the overwhelming pressure crush down on them. They barely had time to react.

One disciple, struggling to stand, gasped, "What... what is this mana?" His voice trembled with terror, his eyes widening as he saw the approaching storm.

Another, his skin already paling from the pressure, coughed violently before collapsing to the ground. "We need... to—" But he never finished his sentence. His body convulsed once, then stilled.

The system laughed. [Weaklings. I could've predicted this. You'd think they'd know better than to be near the Abyss Hole in the first place!]

"They never learn, do they?" Lucas said, his tone casual as he watched the chaos. His eyes gleamed with a cold satisfaction as the disciples' bodies fell one by one, crushed under the immense force of the Abyss Mana.

But it didn't end there.

Their corpses, lifeless and broken, began to twist and shift, bones cracking and reshaping. Their skin darkened, turning gray and cracked like stone, their once-human features becoming grotesque. Humanoid Abyss Monsters now stood in their place—twisted, nightmarish creatures, their eyes hollow, filled with a ravenous hunger.

[Ah! Now look at this. Dead one second, monsters the next! What did I tell you, host? Chaos. Glorious chaos.] The system sounded gleeful, basking in the destruction it had orchestrated.

Lucas watched with a grin, the satisfaction of his plan working perfectly settling deep within him. "The academy's not going to be able to handle this. They'll have no choice but to close off the Abyss Hole."

[Exactly! And then it's all ours, host. You see, this is why you need me. Left to your own devices, you'd just mess everything up. Aren't you glad you've got me running the show?]

Lucas smirked. "You're certainly enjoying this a little too much."

[You wound me, host. This is a masterpiece in the making! And besides, you're lucky to have me. Don't pretend otherwise.]

Lucas chuckled, but didn't bother arguing with the system's usual arrogance. "You've done well," he said, his voice low with amusement. "But we're not finished yet."

His gaze shifted to Vesperin, still lying unconscious on the ground, completely unaware of the chaos that had unfolded around him.

The screams of the transformed disciples and the roars of empowered Abyss Beasts filled the air, but Vesperin remained oblivious. Lucas's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with malice.

"Now…" he said, walking over to Vesperin's limp body, his voice dripping with dark anticipation. "It's your turn."

Without a second thought, Lucas grabbed Vesperin by the collar and with a swift motion, tossed him into the swirling abyssal energy that filled the air like a black storm. Vesperin's body was swallowed by the Abyss Mana, and the transformation began immediately.

The system cackled gleefully, its voice filled with twisted excitement. [Oh, this is going to be fun!]

As soon as Vesperin's body hit the dark energy, the Abyss Mana surged into him, like a thousand searing needles piercing through every inch of his being.

His eyes snapped open, his pupils dilating in a mixture of terror and excruciating pain. A horrifying scream tore from his throat, echoing across the landscape.

Vesperin's body convulsed violently, his limbs thrashing as the Abyss Mana invaded his very soul, corrupting it. His skin began to darken and crack, turning ashen gray, the once-smooth surface splitting and peeling.

His limbs twisted unnaturally, elongating and reshaping into grotesque, clawed forms. Every joint bent in ways it shouldn't, making sickening cracking sounds as his transformation deepened.

"Just look at him," Lucas muttered, watching with a twisted satisfaction. "All that arrogance... gone."

The system hummed in agreement, its tone dripping with mockery. [Pathetic. He thought he could kill you and now look at him—just another mindless puppet of the Abyss. Oh, how the mighty fall.]

Vesperin's once-human face morphed into something unrecognizable. His features twisted into a monstrous form—eyes hollow and glowing with the same malevolent hunger that now filled the other Abyss Monsters.

His mind, once filled with ambition and pride, was now obliterated, replaced by the endless hunger for destruction.

Lucas watched, arms folded across his chest, as Vesperin's final transformation took hold. The disgusting humanoid Abyss Monster that now stood where Vesperin once was growled lowly, the last remnants of his humanity long gone.

"Perfect," Lucas said softly, his voice cold and devoid of pity. His smirk deepened, pleased with the results. "Exactly what I wanted."

[You have a real talent for making monsters, host,] the system chimed in, its voice filled with smug approval. [I'd almost say we make a perfect team.]

Lucas snorted. "Don't get too full of yourself."

[Too late. This is my victory as much as yours.] The system's arrogance was palpable, but Lucas let it slide.

With his task complete, Lucas glanced back at the gate of the Abyss Hole, now surrounded by the carnage he had unleashed.

The disciples who had died were grotesque monsters, and the empowered beasts roamed free, their roars echoing through the dark. Everything was going according to plan.

He turned his back on the scene, ready to move deeper into the Abyss Hole. "Our work here is done," he said, his voice casual as though he had merely finished a mundane task. "Let's head deeper. There's much more to discover."

The system hummed in agreement, its tone pleased. [Agreed, host. This chaos should keep the academy busy for quite some time. We'll have all the time we need to explore without interference.] There was a mocking edge to its voice, as though it enjoyed watching the academy struggle with the mess Lucas had made.

Lucas began to walk away, his steps steady and unhurried. Behind him, the scene of devastation and chaos continued to unfold, with the monstrous figures of the transformed disciples and empowered Abyss Beasts rampaging freely.

As he disappeared into the dark depths of the Abyss Hole, Lucas smiled to himself, knowing he had left behind a trail of destruction that would ripple far beyond what anyone could anticipate.