Orga: B-Ranked Wind Spirit

"Get on your knees." Elijah ordered. "Three pushups. Handstand. Cartwheel."

Each time, the two Corrupted Harpies did as they were told.

"Alright." He chuckled. "Slave A, you stay with me. Slave B, fly. Get in the air and make sure that nothing is in our way or heading towards us. If you see something suspicious, screech. If I don't react to your screech, come to me. "

Giving orders to such Slaves was a bit tough as it was obvious that their use was limited by their intellect. Still, they weren't as dumb as one would think.

'The fact that they understand my words, as well as concepts like cartwheels and pushups, is no doubt thanks to the System. A function similar to the translating that the Administrator said the System does automatically.'

Slave B, the second Corrupted Harpy that Elijah Marked with the Slave Mark, took to the air, fulfilling its recon job and role as scout.

"Good." Elijah nodded as he watched Slave B get higher and higher into the air. "I have a drone now. As for you, Slave A…" 

***

Moments later, Slave A started its descent. 

"A drone and a taxi. This is great." Elijah whispered to himself with a chuckle once they got close enough to the ground for him to let go of Slave A's ankle.

He landed on the ground safely.

'If I show up like this to campus, I might look like an enemy rather than a Participant…' Elijah thought to himself. 

He took a couple of steps forward.

"You alive?" 

The gigantic creature's eyes didn't open. 

"Holy shit!" Elijah shouted as he laughed out loud. It had breathed out, and the sigh had been enough to make Elijah feel like he was about to be launched into the air. "Still hanging on, huh? Big Appa." The resemblance to a certain character wasn't lost on him. "I guess you've served your purpose for this Apocalypse. The Tutorial Quest is as far as you're supposed to go… Bleeding out from the wounds inflicted by dozens of Corrupted Harpies… How sad." 

Elijah walked even closer. 

Just its muzzle was huge, and its nose was basically Elijah's size. 

'I'm over six feet tall too…'

Another sigh caused Elijah's hair to flow backwards and his eyes to close.

"How about I save you?"

[Orga: B-Rank Wind Spirit.]

"Wind Spirit? Yes, I suppose that makes sense. The lack of wings apart, for something so huge to move… Yeah, Wind Spirit is right."

Elijah walked closer and placed a palm on the Orga's nose.

"You saved my life, one could say. But I'll need you to do more than that. Be mine. My Slave Mark will heal you, though I'm sure it will take a long time because of your size as well as the quantity and gravity of your wounds. Corrupted Harpies apart, landing like that couldn't have been easy on you."

He took a deep breath in.

"How about it?"

The Orga's eyes slowly opened. 

"...!" Elijah felt a shiver go down his spine. 

Witnessing the existence of such a gigantic creature was wild enough, but interacting with it made the experience almost ecstatic.

"No sighing, huh?" The Depraved Hero smirked. "I can't help you here. You will die if something attacks you now. The Administrator did say that the space between Main Quests was most dangerous. If you get lucky though, nothing will attack you, and my healing will get you back up and running… And flying."

Elijah pressed his lips together, trying his best not to laugh out loud.

The Orga was so huge, and Elijah was so close to its nose that the former looked like it was cross-eyed.

"Alright." He gulped, and activated the "Slave Mark" Skill.

[You have successfully used the "Slave Mark[B]" Skill!]

[Owned Slaves: 3/10.]

"Come find me when you're all healed up." Elijah smiled before turning around, taking a step away, and taking hold of the Corrupted Harpy's ankle. 'System. Since I own them, I'll get notified if something happens to them, right?'

[Correct.]

[You will be notified whether it is Death, Injuries, or other abnormal changes to their Status.]

'Good.' Elijah nodded. 

He turned towards the Orga one last time as the Corrupted Harpy took him further and further.

"See you later, Wind Spirit! Thanks for the ride earlier!" Elijah shouted as he laughed at the ridiculousness of his words.

He remained hanging from the Corrupted Harpy, a wide smile on his face. Enjoying the nice breeze.

'I'm going to be such a nice slaver.'

Seconds later, the Corrupted Harpy lost its balance for a moment.

"Fly straight if you don't want another sword through your stomach." Elijah threatened with an icy voice, and the Corrupted Harpy gulped.

[Main Quest #1 Timer: 1 hour left.]

[Please hurry to the closest Main Quest Location.]

[Guardians will now start exiting their Lairs, Dens, and Nests.]

"Relax, will ya? Slave A is doing his best!"

Elijah headed towards the college campus, the location of the Main Quest, deep in thought.

'The Slave Mark has worked every time so far. Did talking to big Appa help? Or would it have worked regardless? I need to test a few things…'