My SSS-Rank Clone Talent: I Level Up Endlessly!

"General Kaine, I must say, you are the second bravest person I have ever seen."

Zarek glanced at the nameplate of the man and smiled warmly. "It's my pleasure to meet you as well, General Alex."

"Hahaha, it's nothing compared to the famed general who defeated a group of Level Nines with sheer strength alone," Alex said with a chuckle. "Your reputation echoes throughout all seven empires, while the Reinhart Empire reels in shame and humiliation."

"It's nothing compared to a Telekinetic Master like yourself. I pale in comparison," Zarek replied humbly, even as he cursed inwardly: 'I hate these fake pleasantries.'

"Haha."

The atmosphere was pleasant as Zarek was led to his luxurious mansion, slightly smaller than the one Drayken resided in, but still grand enough to accommodate an army and the servants who would attend them.

After settling in, General Alex smiled and said,

"I hope you get a good rest. You have a hunt tomorrow, General Kaine."

"Hmm," Zarek nodded. "You can rest assured about that, General Alex. You shouldn't have wasted your time on a mere Level Nine."

"No, no, it is my honour," Alex replied, shaking his head firmly.

"I am more honoured that a capable and strong Telekinetic Master like you accompanied me," Zarek smiled.

"Your praise is undeserved." General Alex laughed and turned away.

After Alex left the mansion, a servant quietly whispered into his ear, "We've already planted the spies."

"Good," Alex whispered back, flashing a pleasant smile at the gathered citizens. "I want to see just how strong this so-called General Kaine really is. His telekinesis is stable and among the strongest I've seen, but I don't believe he could kill a dozen Level Nine Telekinetic Users or capture two of them."

"Understood, master."

***

"He's gone." Zarek's smile faded, and his eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint:

"This guy is up to something."

He shrugged it off casually and stepped into his room.

The two women followed him but were promptly kicked out with a harsh command from Zarek:

"I need some personal space."

The two stood there in stunned silence, their faces flustered, unsure of what to do next.

Nanami and Kiki exchanged a glance and sighed softly.

"What's he going to do? Isn't he a man?" Kiki pouted, a frown settling on her brows.

She glanced at herself, noting her pronounced curves. She wouldn't call herself the most beautiful, but her looks were nothing to scoff at. Then she looked at Nanami, whose beauty was undoubtedly among the finest across these lands.

But Zarek hadn't even glanced at either of them, it was as if they didn't exist.

"Wait… is he not a man?" For a moment, Kiki even questioned his sexuality, but she quickly shook the thought away. In her mind, she couldn't imagine that; after all, she could still feel the heat when he carried her by her waist, that thing was a little too huge…

Remembering that scene, Kiki's cheeks flushed briefly:

"Wait… does that mean he simply doesn't care?"

Nanami, on the other hand, didn't care at all. The man who had killed her comrade was now her master, her commander. How could she ever accept that?

But considering how the captured soldiers were treated, it was still a thousand times better than what she'd feared.

So, with gritted teeth, she forced herself to accept it, though reluctance gnawed at her heart.

'I have to escape this place.'

She believed that if she managed to get away, her brother would be glad to see her again, and her clan would take her back. After all, she had done her best… right?

***

Inside the room, Zarek sat quietly, lost in thought.

Of course, as a man, he felt something when surrounded by such beauty but he quickly reminded himself:

"Work first! Grind hard, champion!"

He could always find a wife and settle down later, but he didn't want a mediocre life. After all, he had risen from the depths of depression caused by his leg injury and gained an overwhelmingly powerful skill. He'd be a fool not to make full use of it and aim for the very top.

With that resolve, he reached out to Drayken, who was waiting in his mansion.

Their thoughts were simple: how to minimize the loss of dragons while inflicting as much damage on the humans as possible, without revealing their true identities. Drayken, the dragon, and Zarek, who risked being branded a traitor, had to be extremely cautious.

One wrong move could put Drayken and Synthia in danger or get Zarek exposed as a traitor.

So, from dawn until nightfall, the two carefully laid out their strategies.

Zarek had gathered ample intel from Melissa, and Drayken had collected just as much.

By combining their information, they formed a discreet plan that covered all angles, giving them a clearer and broader understanding of the situation.

At night, both of them grew sleepy and soon fell into peaceful slumber. Drayken cuddled with Synthia, their arms wrapped around each other as they drifted off. Meanwhile, Zarek felt a little left out.

His thoughts wandered to Nanami and Kiki, but he quickly slapped his own cheeks.

"That woman would stab me in the neck the moment she got the chance. What am I thinking, Zarek?" he scolded himself and slowly closed his eyes.

Just after he drifted off, the door creaked open slowly.

Two figures entered quietly and glanced wearily at Zarek.

"Is he asleep?" one whispered.

They approached him, but Zarek suddenly snapped his eyes open.

"Who are you two?" he growled.

His gaze landed on Nanami and Kiki.

'Speak of the devil,' he grumbled inwardly.

"We're only allowed to sleep in your chambers. Can you let us stay here?"

"Fine. Sleep on the sofa," Zarek said, shooting a meaningful glance at Nanami.

"Don't try anything, you know what will happen, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Nanami shrugged indifferently and slumped onto the sofa.

Despite it being just a sofa, her body sank comfortably into the soft velvet. Kiki joined her, settling down nearby.

'I have to put these girls to work soon and make them work to death,' evil thoughts stirred in Zarek's mind as he drifted to sleep.

Tomorrow will be an important day and one that might decide their fates.