Mind Demon's Path of Domination

The Island where the people Mark abducted from the Savage World lived. Small huts dotted the land, torches lighting up the darkness.

Then, there was a wide ocean that stretched. Mark\'s Mindpower, it was. She took a deep breath. There was change in the air, growth and fortune.

One day, this world would also transform and become something the current herself would find unfamiliar. It was going to grow fast. Mark was no normal person to keep it at this stage.

There are two main islands now, she thought. The Central Island, and the Savage Island.

The people from the Savage World and all the things stolen from that world, in general, was kept in the Savage Island. The people who lived there were generally not allowed to enter the Central Island unless there was a great need.

The Central Island was a place only for Mark and his women. This was where the lab, the treasures, and such were kept.

Reol\'ran stood guard over it at all times while in meditation.

Yuri examined everything, running her hand across the hard wall.

With the lab, she was free to be herself.

Deep down, Yuri was not a woman who preferred running around forests, hunting animals, killing men, and such over her peace. She preferred researching interesting things in a high tech laboratory with a cup of coffee in hand much more than being in a battle.

She didn\'t hate adventure but she didn\'t love it more than her research.

While Mark gets busy with his own affairs of ambition, growth, battle, adventure, and conquers, she could enjoy her own time in this laboratory from now on.

And she could be helpful to him while following her own interests.

Mark was an adventurous spirit, so she would not have to worry about getting research subjects. Every day, from every world he visits, she would receive some kind of interesting thing to study.

If she got bored of that mundane schedule of research and research, she could leave Mark\'s World Space and have a bit of adventuring, too.

Even an introvert would like some sunlight once in a while.

And for warmth and human love—she was no longer the old loner Hakase Yuri, she now had a solid social network around her. She was a girlfriend to Mark, a friend and sister to Dona, and a godly doctor to the villagers inside Mark\'s World.

As for Reol\'ran, she saw her as more of a distant figure. Well, the other party didn\'t care about socializing with her, so she was not going to go to that woman and be chummy either.

But it was clear that Mark had a place for Reol\'ran in his heart too. So she didn\'t want to be on bad terms either.

Yuri chuckled. Two or so years ago, she would have never thought the way she did today. Truly, time was a blade, chiseling away at the world and its people without mercy and changing them.

The sky, without sun, moon, or too many stars looked rather beautiful today.

Yet, she couldn\'t spend too much time admiring the moonless skies. She already had things to research.

Mark must be waiting downstairs with Dona.

He had gone to take a bath and the demoness had been eager to pull him into the waterfall. She herself had just wanted to admire and address her labs nook and crannies.

The scientist caressed the walls with her neatly trimmed nails and walked down a spiraling staircase made of transparent jade.

Fwoosh.

A woman materialized infront of her. A fairy beauty, a goddess in two legs. She had white hair, amethyst eyes, and sharp features.

Reo\'lran.

This woman slightly intimidated Yuri. Especially when Mark wasn\'t around.

"How is it?" Yuri said. "A nice castle, right? If you need some kind of room or setup made especially for you other than the bedroom, I can design the plan for you."

"Indeed," Reol\'ran replied with a graceful tone.

Then, she turned and looked down the spiralling stairs. Through a small glassed wall, they could see Mark\'s silhouette, accompanied by Dona.

Mark was tinkering with the parts of an armor, arranging them in the perfect order to make a normal armor figurine. Dona leaned on his back, her jaw set on his shoulder as she watched him work silently.

"Why did you come to meet me?" Yuri asked.

"I want to ask you something."

Yuri raised her eyebrows.

"There is a legend in my hometown," Reo\'lran sighed, pushed a strand of white hair behind her ears. "A fool walks two mountains before he learns to climb, an average man climbs after one, and a smart man makes others climb for him."

Yuri blinked. "I see. So?"

"I understood I am a fool, and until today, I thought I was smart."

"...Why?"

"You might not really understand it but Mark fought a battle against a Tier 7 being merely some hours ago."

Yuri\'s heart trembled. "What?"

Reol\'ran nodded. "It\'s the truth. Of course, it was a weakened one—and even then, Mark barely survived. One thing going wrong and he would have died.

"Of course, he had backup plans for you and Dona in case he died."

Yuri grew a bit pale at the thought.

"I knew he fought a hard battle. But the Savage World has a power limit of Tier 2, so I didn\'t think anyone could really match him up."

Reo\'lran looked into her eyes. "I understand you, but you overestimate him. He is but a youth in his growing years—a kid who thinks himself an adult. He is not invincible in our wider world. Mark is quite rash, too."

Yuri stayed silent. She knew Mark didn\'t have even as much experience in the underworld societies as herself. She had learned more about him while in between his legs, he tells her such things.

But even though he lacked experience, he was good at exploiting others and getting what he wanted. If anything, he wasn\'t the type to get used by someone, so she wasn\'t ever worried about him.

Yet, now, she felt a bit scared. Mark was indeed rash in some areas—she should warn him to be more cautious from next time.

And he fought a fucking Tier 7? The bastard didn\'t even boast!

Reol\'ran smiled. "I see you are worried, but no need for that. He is a boy in terms of standing in the whole world, but most of the time, he will be fighting others of his level only. This time was an anomaly."

Yuri nodded, then looked at Mark in the distance.

Reol\'ran\'s gaze moved down and she noticed how white Yuri\'s knuckles had turned. When someone is afraid of losing something precious, they get terrifying angst.

"Do you know why I came here to tell you this?" Reol\'ran asked.

"Why?" Yuri counter questioned.

Reo\'lran stared at Yuri with a gaze that seemed akin to a regal queen staring at a peasant. She seemed to be gauging.

"I am telling you this because if Mark had the help of a companion at his own level when it came to talent, wits, and abilities, he would have stood a better chance against that enemy."

Yuri stared at Reol\'ran, not quite making sense.

The woman sighed. "Until the battle with the tier 7 enemy, my vision had been a bit skewed. I was thinking that he would have a partner of his own level of talent when I get unsealed. I could fight with him, help him in his ambition directly."

"That view changed?"

"Well, not entirely. But my view about you and the flame demoness has changed. If you two were better, he wouldn\'t have had to be  in as much trouble as he did previously."

Yuri gripped her own hands. "But in a battle where he is in trouble, we would just be burdens."

"Indeed. I don\'t expect you to match him in his growth, nor do I expect for you to be capable of fighting well with your character," Reol\'ran said. "You are an intellectual, and that\'s fine. Not everyone has to be like Mark or me. Everyone has different fields where they excel."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"You are good at science. In fact, I\'ll not hold back—your talent in it astonished me. So, I want you to become so good at it that your thoughts alone can become Mark\'s weapon."

Yuri was taken aback.

"You created a mecha that could hinder an A-rank Hunter for a few moments. That helped Mark escape once. I want you to do the same kind of things, but better.

"You are a scientist, so become good enough to help Mark even without you entering battles yourself."

"...How?"

Without major scientific breakthroughs, she couldn\'t create scientific weapons that could help Mark. And she didn\'t know how long such a thing would take.

"I am a warrior, not a scientist. But I am not here to just mutter useless thoughts—I\'ve travelled to worlds where the people can create artificial planets.

"I have some major scientific knowledge in my head, and if it can help Mark, I am willing to teach it to you."

She didn\'t have anything solid to improve strength directly, the ones she had required her to go into some particular worlds. But the knowledge alone might help Yuri, and now, Reol\'ran wanted to train her.

This was why she had said the mountain quote. Why she thought herself a fool.

A fool walks two mountains before he learns to climb, an average man climbs after one, and a smart man makes others climb for him.

Mark had been in danger before and she still didn\'t think of teaching others to be his strong companions. If she had chosen the smartest option, she should have taught Dona and Yuri to be stronger long ago.

But she had been too jealous of them.

Now, no longer could she continue that. These two had to grow better at helping Mark—their help might turn out to be vital in the battle of the Suffering of Man.

She didn\'t plan to make them stronger in a battle by much, but they had to grow in supporting him in an emergency at least.

With her guidance alone, Yuri can be a more capable scientist and Dona can be a more capable brute fighter.

But for now, Yuri and Dona could try to become a Golden Savage. That alone would be a big boost for her overall performance.

Reol\'ran looked at Mark.

She should also discuss it with him.

And he should also refine some finer aspects of his battle performance. He must be trained, too.