Chapter 40: Spanking
Han and the others encountered a few wounded Dark Practitioners. They were weaker than the man with the anti-domain essence, so his maids and pets handled them easily. Before killing them with Dark Cauldron Arts, Han forced them to talk about the situation at Tenaxis.
They spilled everything they’d seen so they could die in peace.
Tenaxis was prepared and was dominating the field. The Dark Practitioners’ flaw was their lack of unity. Tenaxis runs like a machine, all under my Father. We need to pick up the pace.
Getting the six horses to pull harder was tough. They were clearly under heavy stress from the mana vibrations in the nearby forest. Animals sense more than humans do, and nearby Dark Arts and sacrifices sent them into a panic.
Denver admitted he’d cut costs on the horses, too.
I want to punch this man, but he’s survived as an independent slave merchant, so I’ll cut him some slack. Once he realizes how much he needs me, he’ll fall in line. Dark Practitioners won’t miss a chance. I’ll make sure he doesn’t plot against me, then discard him when he’s no longer needed.
When the mood finally eased, Han ordered a stop. The horses were wheezing. They couldn’t go on. Beside him, Denver sighed in relief.
Han hopped off the driver’s seat and walked past the carriage.
Bellatrix landed beside him. "Han, have you thought about the slaves’ miserable fate?"
"Yeah," Han said as he boarded the carriage from the other side. The slaves’ eyes fixed on him.
"Really? You have?" Bellatrix asked, pleasantly surprised. Her surprise made him smile.
With Bellatrix, Hanna, Xena, and even the slaves listening, Han spoke plainly. "Everything led to them becoming slaves. I’m not a judge, and I’m not the one they’re waiting for. I won’t play the moral hero and free them. Once freed, how many would even survive? Most kids would starve or be enslaved again. Most adults would stop trusting humans and commit pointless crimes. I see no use in either. I have no interest or enjoyment in taking care of them. But that might change."
Han roused his mana and drew a huge scarlet magic circle on the carriage floor, startling the slaves. Smaller obsidian circles, each carved with a dragon, appeared before every slave. Han activated his Obsidian Cauldron alongside the Scarlet Cauldron.
Bellatrix weighed his words.
Han’s right about a lot, even though he’s only just spread his wings and hasn’t seen much of the world. He’s thinking farther ahead than I expected. That strangely pleases my heart. But... no fun or interest. I have to make him see the value in saving lives. It’ll be difficult, but I can do it.
The slaves began screaming from the chilling effects of Han’s Obsidian Cauldron. Bellatrix flinched, then noticed a crucial detail: no child screamed. He hadn’t crossed the line or exploited the children.
Instead, Han had Xena use her powers to offload the pain onto the adults.
Han! I can see light in you!
"Hey, bastard Han. The holy whore is actually happy," Xena said as she noticed Bellatrix’s body language.
Han looked over his shoulder. "Let her be."
"Hmm?" Xena said.
Pressing her forearm against the carriage frame, Xena peeked inside. The slaves’ screams amused her, and she pouted that there weren’t more screams. The confused, frightened children bored her.
"You could make the kids scream, too. I bet they ran from their parents or were naively lured. They deserve it," Xena sneered.
Han scoffed. "Taking it out on innocent, gullible children? You’ve sunk to the lowest of the low, Xena. I might as well punish you for being such a bad bitch. Go to the side of the carriage, hands on the frame, and bend over."
"...What the fuck are you planning?" Xena asked.
Han smirked. "For the slaves or for you? For the slaves, I’ll analyze their bloodlines and improve them as much as I can while refining my own spells. As for you, I’ll slap your butt as punishment."
Xena couldn’t resist Han’s command. She moved from the carriage’s entrance to the side. She planted her hands on it, spread her legs, and raised her ass, waiting to be punished. He followed and pulled up her robes. He slid the skirt of her Dark Priestess outfit down and revealed her bare cheeks.
A draft skimmed her skin. Xena inhaled and held her breath.
Han’s hand landed on her right cheek in a sharp, disciplining smack. Her butt shook. Xena bit her lip, bowed her head, and shivered, keeping it to herself. He kept smacking her ass. Her restrained reactions aroused him. He savored the rounded swell, the red deepening with every smack. When he was nearly done, he gripped both cheeks, filling his palms. Warmth gathered in his hands. He pressed his hand to Xena’s face, bringing her close to his lips.
His other hand cupped her left breast.
Xena’s eyes rolled back as her scent mingled with the heat of his hands and her body heat.
"You have the softest ass I have ever held," he whispered.
I don’t give a fuck!
"Not like I’ve held any before."
Fuck you, Han!
Once the bad pet was put back in her place, Han returned to his Bloodline Analysis.
Hanna bowed. "Masterfully done, Master."
Bellatrix nodded.
Han chuckled. Feels like my team dynamics just took a fun turn.
With everyone satisfied, Han boarded the carriage again with the slaves. He used Bloodline Analysis and began studying the layers of their bloodlines. It felt like a new world opening to him, and it reminded him of his time on Earth, when he’d been struck by how intricate the human body was.
The same feeling tightened in his chest as he read the bloodlines.
A new lesson began!
Bellatrix, for the first time, happily stood at attention alongside Hanna. Meanwhile, Xena rubbed her butt and narrowed her eyes at the unfamiliar sensation.
Why does this pain... feel good? It can’t be that I want that bastard Han himself to abuse me, not his Cauldron.
Xena’s face took a horrified turn at the thought.