The Scum Emperor's Redemption System

The moment Rhaenor's fingers closed around Argider's throat, the world shrank to the sensation of his windpipe constricting and the thunderous beat of his pulse in his ears.

Rhaenor's face was a mask of fury, eyes blazing with a hatred so deep it threatened to drown Argider.

But as the pressure increased and his vision began to blur, something changed.

Rhaenor's visage rippled, his features softening, twisting, until Argider found himself staring into his own face.

Argider's heart plummeted into an abyss of confusion and terror.

"Who… who are you?!" Argider gasped, his voice barely audible against the crushing grip.

The other Argider smirked, his expression dripping with malice. "You know who I am. I am you," he whispered, his tone laced with venom. "The part of you that you deny. The part that hungers, that thirsts, that takes without hesitation."

The grip on Argider's throat tightened further, and his vision tunneled. "Give in," the doppelgänger hissed. "Stop pretending to be anything more. You won't get anything better."

His fingers scrabbled uselessly at the iron grip that threatened to snuff him out. He wanted to scream, but no sound came.

Then, faintly, he heard it.

A voice, soft and resolute, cutting through the darkness.

"Argider! Argider! Wake up!"

"Argider!"

"ARGIDER!!!"

The words were like a lifeline, yanking him from the brink of surrender.

Strength he didn't know he possessed surged within him.

His eyes snapped open, defiant. "No," he croaked. "I won't."

And just like that, the grip vanished.

He fell to his knees, gasping for air, the cold stone floor grounding him in reality.

When he looked up, he was no longer in that same place.

Instead, he found himself cradled in Faeralys' lap, her red hair cascading over him like a protective veil.

"Faeralys…" he murmured, disoriented. The warmth of her touch contrasted sharply with the terror he'd just endured.

Her voice was frantic. "Argider! Are you alright? I… I thought I lost you!"

He blinked rapidly, his mind racing to make sense of what had happened.

Then, like a dam breaking, memories flooded in.

The death of Denzelle.

The strange truth of the man who had haunted him, himself, from another timeline.

And then, the sharp realization: Right, he was a girl now.

His or rather, her breath hitched, and she stared at Faeralys. "How did you get here?"

She paused, not wanting to admit it. "I was sneaking out, like I always do. Then I heard the commotion… I couldn't just stand by."

Something stirred in Argider's chest, something that felt like... gratitude? Then, she placed a hand on her cheek. "Faeralys… close your eyes."

"What?" she stammered, her voice tinged with suspicion. "What are you going to do?"

"Just trust me," she said softly. "Close your eyes."

Reluctantly, she obeyed, squeezing her eyes shut.

Argider reached out, feeling the strange, electric pull of her aura.

Her fingertips brushed against her temple, and a spark of energy leapt between them. A surge of light flared, and Faeralys gasped, her entire body trembling.

When the light faded, flames danced along her fingertips.

"What… what did you do to me?" she whispered, staring at her hands in awe.

"I awakened your magic," Argider said, her voice steady. "You have fire now."

The other Argider stepped forward, his expression twisted with rage. "You dare meddle with her magic?" he snarled. "You'll regret this."

Beside her, Faeralys stood, trembling, her hands ignited with the fragile spark of her fire magic. It wasn't much—just embers, fragile and sputtering—but it was enough to give her a glimmer of hope.

The shapeshifter, sensing weakness in their hesitation, let out a low growl.

His body twisted, darkening, and then, without warning, he lunged, his body morphing into a massive wolf, jaws snapping toward Argider with terrifying speed.

She barely managed to sidestep, her heart pounding as the creature's teeth grazed her side, tearing through fabric and skin.

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"Argider!" Faeralys cried, her voice high with panic.

"I'm fine," Argider growled, though her breath was ragged, and the sting of the wound was sharp.

She spun, but the wolf was already gone, shifting once more into a massive eagle, its wings like a storm in the sky, swooping down with claws outstretched.

"I can't hold him for long!" Faeralys gasped, her flames flickering wildly in her hands, as though they were struggling to stay alight. "He's too fast—"

"I know," Argider muttered, her brow furrowed in frustration.

She watched as the eagle circled, his talons gleaming, preparing for another dive.

The shapeshifter's ability to shift was growing stronger, while Faeralys' fire magic was still unstable.

They were both weak, vulnerable.

She couldn't afford to waste another moment.

This time, he became a serpent. A massive, writhing coil of darkness. His body lashed toward her with horrifying speed, slithering around her like a tightening noose.

Argider's nose scrunched as his body constricted, and she struggled, her limbs locked within his grip, the air being squeezed from her lungs.

"Faeralys!" Argider's voice was strangled as she fought to free herself, but the serpent's hold was too strong.

Faeralys gasped, her hands shaking as she attempted to summon more power. She had barely enough control to keep the flames alight, but fear weakened her resolve.

She stumbled forward, desperate, and then with a surge of determination, her flames flared up, dancing around her like a furious wildfire.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The fireball she hurled was wild, out of control, but it hit its mark.

The serpent hissed in agony as the flames burned into its dark scales.

But it didn't release Argider. Instead, the creature lashed out in a fit of rage, tightening its coils even more.

"Let her go!" Faeralys screamed, her voice raw with fear.

With a savage growl, the shapeshifter shifted once more. This time into a monstrous bear, its claws the size of tree trunks, crashing down toward them.

Argider's vision blurred from the pressure of the serpent's hold, but with a burst of effort, she summoned every ounce of strength she had left and broke free, her body tumbling backward, away from the serpent's grasp.

She landed hard on the ground, gasping for air, and saw the bear coming, its massive form barreling toward Faeralys, who was still struggling to control the flames.

"Faeralys!" Argider shouted.

Faeralys, with wide eyes, extended her hands, summoning fire—but it was too weak, sputtering, barely more than a flicker in the darkness. She was too afraid, too uncertain.

Then, a crack in the air, like glass shattering, halted the battle. A portal tore open, its edges glowing with an unearthly light.

Three figures in dark cloaks stepped through, their presence commanding the room.

At their center was a woman Argider recognized instantly: Fialova.

But this wasn't the Fialova he knew, this was her from another timeline, the one that they had recently imprisoned.

"You," she snarled, her voice dripping with fury. "You will pay for what you've done!"

Before anyone could react, she unleashed and lunged towards them, forcing Argider and Faeralys to shield themselves.

Just as Argider thought they might be overwhelmed, the throne room doors burst open. Servants and knights flooded in, drawn by the commotion. Among them were Argider's wives, their expressions shocked.

The other Argider snarled, his gaze darting between the growing crowd and the trio. "This isn't over," he hissed, retreating into the shadows.

As he disappeared, the man in the center of the cloaked trio stepped forward, his voice a cold, authoritative boom.

"Argider, by the decree of the Eternal Council, you are hereby imprisoned for removing magic from the world."

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